Octavia looked up at Mr. Fischer's voice and then pulled at the mooring lines again. Maximillian Fischer are you foolhardy? [i]Yes, of course. He is coming with me.[/i] He had just proclaimed his involvement in her crime. Unless he was successful and could talk the guard out of reporting them.

Octavia finally got the last line free. The motion of tossing and the noise of the line landing over the railing were too risky. She left it dangling. 

There was a moment of indecision then as she hadn't planned for this. Announce herself and help the persuasion or go start the engines? They were flying out of here with another alli or not. Mr. Fischer better talk fast.

Octavia climbed up the ladder as quietly as she could manage and started the engine of the Orion. The balloons lifting the airship slightly from the floor and she increased the heat to raise it just a bit more.

Going to the controls she began moving the ship. It lurched before moving toward the open door. Her stomach was in a knot. She'd have to wait for Mr. Fischer, there was no going alone any farther than the doors.