As the airship leveled off into the clouds, Celran turned from the helm and rattled off orders. "We've got jobs. Bird girl- report to Cozith. Devilkin- you're with Feitz at the helm. Half-elf, you're with me. Dwarf- cargo hold. Frogfolk, take your goblin to the kitchens."
With a shrug and a muttered "Have fun," Perona followed Celran to a small lounge area on deck. The rest of the party scattered to their tasks.
Aralynn found Cozith standing beside a taut rope ladder leading up toward the massive gas envelope. A tether hung in her hands.
Aralynn located Cozith standing near a taut rope ladder that extended up to the envelope, along with what looked like a rope tether.
"Hello, Cozith, the captain told me to come…" Aralynn started.
Cozith extended a hand. "Cozith. Sorry, I didn't catch your name earlier?"
"Aralynn. Pleased to meet you." To Aralynn's surprise, Cozith's handshake was as firm as a blacksmith's. "What do you need me to do?"
"We've got a problem," Cozith said casually. "Sky barnacles."
"Barnacles… in the sky?"
"Yep. Different breed. Think flying limpets with a severe helium addiction. They drift through the upper air currents using gas bladders under their mantles and these tiny wings for steering. Recently, they've realized airships are giant, floating helium buffets."
"So they pierce the envelope and drain the gas?" Aralynn guessed.
"Bingo. That's where you come in. You've got wings, so you'll be safest up there."
She handed Aralynn the rope tether. "Strap this around your waist. Loops go under your arms- like that." As Aralynn adjusted the harness, Cozith tightened the ropes with practiced efficiency.
Then came the tools: a sealed bucket and a crowbar.
"Here's the trick," Cozith said. "You've got to get the forked end under the edge of their shell and pop them off in one sharp motion- quick and clean. Otherwise, they might tear the envelope wider."
"Got it," Aralynn nodded. It was a lot of pressure, even though Cozith talked about it as if it were a casual and menial task.
Cozith caught the look. "Don't worry. The envelope's magically reinforced. Rips aren't the problem- it's the puncturing that hurts us. Their siphon tubes go straight for the gas cells."
"Got it. What's the bucket for?"
"Oh, right. They're edible- pretty tasty, actually. No pressure, but if you grab a few, it'd make a nice addition to dinner."
At this, Aralynn's stomach grumbled- with the heist and travel, she hadn't eaten anything since breakfast. Or… was that yesterday's breakfast? Travel through the portal had messed up Aralynn's sense of time. Aralynn flushed red with embarrassment. "Sorry, I-"
Cozith giggled. "No, no, you're fine." She patted the rope ladder. "The ladder's secure, and the tether's solid. The envelope has a rope mesh on top of it- triangles you can wedge your feet into to free your hands. The rope mesh has been enchanted with a small field to protect you from the slipstream and incoming wind, so it'll be just like clinging to a ladder. You'll have to climb between ropes to move up or down, though... You'll see when you're up there."
Cozith showed Aralynn how to tie the bucket and crowbar to her waist before wishing her good luck.
Aralynn dug her feet into the rungs of the rope ladder and clung for her life as she climbed up onto the envelope's rope mesh. Aralynn shivered as the cold chilled her to the bones. Her cloak was cropped for her wings, and her thicker imperial army issued uniform was still wet. She hugged her wings tight around herself for warmth.
As Cozith had said, there indeed were rope triangles she could wedge her feet into, and Aralynn located the sky barnacles just as Cozith had described: limpets, around the size of her hand, with little itty-bitty wings sticking out of their sides.
Using her dexterity skill, Aralynn was able to pop them off easily like Cozith said- quick, prying motions. As soon as they popped off of the envelope, Aralynn quickly hooked them with the crowbar and flung them into the bucket.
Aralynn continued using her dexterity skill to hang on and pry the sky barnacles off of the Blue Locust 2's balloon and quickly filled her bucket. She missed a few that promptly whizzed away as the airship outpaced them. Carefully, she made her way to the top of the helium balloon, then to the other side, then to the front of it, then the back to check if there were any others.
Climbing from one side to the others of the massive balloon made Aralynn's muscles burn, but luckily the original few that Cozith had spotted appeared to be the only ones.
She quickly descended and gave Cozith the bucket and crowbar. Cozith was positively ecstatic to see the bucket almost full and sent it down to the kitchen via a loitering deckhand.
Cozith then sent Aralynn back up with enchanted pieces of thick canvas- they worked well as temporary repairs, as Cozith had explained. Just slap them over the holes made by the sky barnacles, and they'll seal them for long enough till they docked and had time for proper repairs.
Aralynn quickly finished her task and returned, upon which Cozith told her to take a break. She wandered over to the lounge area where Perona sat with her lute in hand, playing a little sailor's ditty along with Celran, who had pulled a silver flute from his coat.
She sat there listening to the tune, tapping long with her fingers on the wooden chair bolted to the deck as the soulful notes whispered and were carried around the ship by warm air currents and the wind.
For once, Celran was agreeable, letting her simply sit there and listen.