#boiler funding

[energyaudit]

An Overview On Industrial Energy Efficiency In Australia

In an industry a vast amount of electricity is required for numerous operations. But there is no good reason to waste electrical energy. It is said because most of the industries are paying a huge amount for unnecessary energy waste. They are certainly not aware of the fact that the energy is being wasted. It is very common in industries that need to be stopped. If you want to save your extra expense that is caused due to electrical energy waste, give importance to energy efficiency. It is very much essential for every commercial building, be it small or big. The only way to reduce the electricity cost is to give priority to energy efficiency programs.

Many organizations have high energy costs and you may be one among them who do not know the cause of the waste like many. Several machines are operated throughout the day like generators, motors or boilers and there can be a leakage due to which energy is being wasted. Anyhow to better understand the problem or to find out the cause of energy waste you should depend on energy efficiency programs.

Let’s see the advantages of energy efficiency:

By improving the energy efficiency of your business you will be saving a good amount of money. Previously many industries viewed energy as an uncontrollable expense. But now more organizations are realizing that energy usage can be controlled. The amount of energy your commercial building is consuming will directly impact the financial condition of the company. With energy efficient plans and appliances you can save money and use it for other vital purposes.

One of the major advantages is it will reduce the emission carbon footprint. Pollution is quite obvious due to industrial operations but it can be reduced to a great extent by using only the required amount of energy. Your building needs to be more energy efficient, hence contact with the service provider regarding energy efficiency plans for boiler funding.

Energy efficiency will not only save money on utility bills or reduce carbon footprint but help create a better workplace for your employees. Energy efficiency can improve the performance of your employees and their comfort level. There are different types of energy saving plans and using that you will have a tax benefit also. A reputed service provider will help you get a certificate. If you are looking for energy efficiency plans for boiler funding, contact a reliable service provider in Australia.

This was all about being energy efficient and who can help you with the plans or the certificate.

[lesbin]

no hot shower for me tonight. but i will be channelling my inner medieval peasant and heating various pans of water on the hob for a bath.

[jasminewilson143]

Explore Funding For a New Boiler: A Comprehensive Guide

If you are a homeowner in the UK looking to replace your old boiler, you might be concerned about the cost. However, several schemes and grants can help you cover the expenses. This guide will explore the various funding options available, how to qualify, and what you need to do to benefit from these opportunities. Understanding the Need for a New Boiler Before diving into the funding options,…

[fundingforboilers]

Now we come to the most important part of the discussion, what does Funding For Boilers do, and how do we work in this aspect! The idea is very simple, and we make sure that whenever you get in touch with us for a new boiler installation Carmunnock, you get easy access. People tend to have a lot of hassles in getting the best, so we work hard to work in your favour. Finally, we have to say that when a new boiler installation Carmunnock, is in your mind, it cannot get better than Funding For Boilers. Please give us the onus and let us help you with any array of professional services.

[ayeforscotland]

Hi folks,

Sorry I have to write this because I was really hoping I wouldn't. Some of you might have read me venting about boiler issues over the past 6-7 months.

Basically, our boiler was condemned by our insurance company who said they would no longer repair it, and they could offer us an *incredible* £750 towards a new boiler if we used a specific supplier. This supplier wanted to charge us £5,500 for the job, and we, naturally, didn't have £4,750 lying around to spend. So we tried British Gas who came and gave us a quote...again for over £5000 because we'd need to pay for scaffolding, and this time without the £750 towards it from the insurance. Since then our boiler has started actively leaking and my mornings start with emptying the bucket that sits underneath. As a hail Mary I tried another local supplier this week who visited us yesterday. He's quoted us for a replacement boiler at £2500 which is arguably much more manageable. Through saving up and some extremely generous donations when I first ranted about the boiler, we've managed to save £1000. We were hoping that Home Energy Scotland would be able to provide a loan to cover the remaining £1500, but they have changed their policy to exclude gas boilers, and they ruled we weren't eligible for the Warmer Home Scotland fund as we don't receive benefits. I know it's the worst time of year to ask because it's an expensive time, but if any of you happen to need anything read to you by a Scottish guy or want your Scottish character's dialogue checked, please consider commissioning me on Ko-Fi.

You can, of course, also do one-off donations or even monthly support on Ko-Fi but I like being able to offer something in return.

[queenie435]

THE WORLD'S FIRST ELECTRIC ROLLER COASTER

Granville T. Woods (April 23, 1856 – January 30, 1910) introduced the “Figure Eight,” the world's first electric roller coaster, in 1892 at Coney Island Amusement Park in New York. Woods patented the invention in 1893, and in 1901, he sold it to General Electric.

Woods was an American inventor who held more than 50 patents in the United States. He was the first African American mechanical and electrical engineer after the Civil War. Self-taught, he concentrated most of his work on trains and streetcars.

In 1884, Woods received his first patent, for a steam boiler furnace, and in 1885, Woods patented an apparatus that was a combination of a telephone and a telegraph. The device, which he called "telegraphony", would allow a telegraph station to send voice and telegraph messages through Morse code over a single wire. He sold the rights to this device to the American Bell Telephone Company.

In 1887, he patented the Synchronous Multiplex Railway Telegraph, which allowed communications between train stations from moving trains by creating a magnetic field around a coiled wire under the train. Woods caught smallpox prior to patenting the technology, and Lucius Phelps patented it in 1884. In 1887, Woods used notes, sketches, and a working model of the invention to secure the patent. The invention was so successful that Woods began the Woods Electric Company in Cincinnati, Ohio, to market and sell his patents. However, the company quickly became devoted to invention creation until it was dissolved in 1893.

Woods often had difficulties in enjoying his success as other inventors made claims to his devices. Thomas Edison later filed a claim to the ownership of this patent, stating that he had first created a similar telegraph and that he was entitled to the patent for the device. Woods was twice successful in defending himself, proving that there were no other devices upon which he could have depended or relied upon to make his device. After Thomas Edison's second defeat, he decided to offer Granville Woods a position with the Edison Company, but Woods declined.

In 1888, Woods manufactured a system of overhead electric conducting lines for railroads modeled after the system pioneered by Charles van Depoele, a famed inventor who had by then installed his electric railway system in thirteen United States cities.

Following the Great Blizzard of 1888, New York City Mayor Hugh J. Grant declared that all wires, many of which powered the above-ground rail system, had to be removed and buried, emphasizing the need for an underground system. Woods's patent built upon previous third rail systems, which were used for light rails, and increased the power for use on underground trains. His system relied on wire brushes to make connections with metallic terminal heads without exposing wires by installing electrical contactor rails. Once the train car had passed over, the wires were no longer live, reducing the risk of injury. It was successfully tested in February 1892 in Coney Island on the Figure Eight Roller Coaster.

In 1896, Woods created a system for controlling electrical lights in theaters, known as the "safety dimmer", which was economical, safe, and efficient, saving 40% of electricity use.

Woods is also sometimes credited with the invention of the air brake for trains in 1904; however, George Westinghouse patented the air brake almost 40 years prior, making Woods's contribution an improvement to the invention.

Woods died of a cerebral hemorrhage at Harlem Hospital in New York City on January 30, 1910, having sold a number of his devices to such companies as Westinghouse, General Electric, and American Engineering. Until 1975, his resting place was an unmarked grave, but historian M.A. Harris helped raise funds, persuading several of the corporations that used Woods's inventions to donate money to purchase a headstone. It was erected at St. Michael's Cemetery in Elmhurst, Queens.

LEGACY

▪Baltimore City Community College established the Granville T. Woods scholarship in memory of the inventor.

▪In 2004, the New York City Transit Authority organized an exhibition on Woods that utilized bus and train depots and an issue of four million MetroCards commemorating the inventor's achievements in pioneering the third rail.

▪In 2006, Woods was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

▪In April 2008, the corner of Stillwell and Mermaid Avenues in Coney Island was named Granville T. Woods Way.

[teacupthesauceror-blog]

Attn UK followers

If you're struggling with food and bills or need to fix or replace something essential like a boiler, you can apply for help from your local council. This does not affect your benefits as it's not handled by the DWP and does not count as income.

This is for upcoming and current costs. As always, if you are in debt, work out what you can afford after rent, bills and food and then call and set up a payment plan for that amount.

Please reblog because I'm seeing a lot of people struggling already and it will get worse over winter

[mnemosyne-nyx]

✨ Bruce Wayne Headcanons that haunt me but I refuse to elaborate on even if they're utterly wrong Pt. 2✨

Going feral over this man

Hal and Bruce almost share a birthday and it fucking infuriates Bruce for no reason.

My guy was a rebellious teenager growing up, you know, trauma baby tings but also wanting to distance himself from the elite society (I mean rich Gotham really is a different cesspool of evilness lmao who can blame the poor guy.) Not to get deep but the beginning of his crusade was him wanting to seek a life and identity beyond the Wayne name right and witness Gotham from all angles. However, after realising he can both honour and build upon his legacy, Bruce destroyed any proof of this phase as he associates it with his turbulent and troubled coming of age. Little does he know there's a box filled with Polaroids within the 73288199 attics of Wayne Manor ready for his kids to find plus his detailed knowledge about the punk scene of Gotham makes them suspicious anyway.

Bruce learns a lot from his children. He may be their mentor but he's definitely learnt acrobatic tricks from Dick Grayson, combat and body language from Cass etc etc. Black Canary one day complimenting an acrobatic move of Bruce's only for him to have learnt it from one 11 year old Dick Grayson.

Bruce knows every nook and cranny of the watchtower. This guy designed, funded and helped build this fucking thing. Superman can hear him fuckin scurrying in the hundreds of boiler rooms, hidden corridors and storage rooms like a human rat. Flash doesn't understand how this man just teleports from one end of the tower to the other not knowing Bruce built trapdoors, hidden passageways, fake walls in this place. Bruce has a hiding spot in the upper levels of the watchtower where a small window gives view to Earth. J'onn is the only leaguer who can rival Batman in his watchtower knowledge.

He is the unofficial caretaker of the justice league. He makes sure all catering and quarters are fully equipped to people's needs. Overhears a leaguer saying there aren't enough vegetarian options? Bam, fully renewed menu. Barry complaining he can't sleep because his quarter is too cold? Bam, temperature risen. Small things like office supplies, medical equipment - he's always taking mental notes of. He knows what leaguer is allergic to what too. Lad keeps the watchtower STOCKED

The League never fails to wish a member a happy birthday. Somehow word always gets out and no one really knows how the date gets around. It's Bruce. He knows everyone's birthdays. Sometimes photogenic memory doesn't work in his favour. When it comes to respect, compassion and love - Bruce isn't the verbal type. He prefers to show it through action - I mean he crusades around Gotham to show his need to protect people for God's sake. Therefore, he sets like a reminder anonymously on the watchtower monitor for some random hero to find.

My guy HATES Asmr.

Bruce's hair is naturally thick and actually pretty darn curly. Superman is renowned for having the curls, but Bruce - with dirty, grown out hair - can give him a run for his money. His curls never show though as he keeps his hair very short and often has it sleeked back in public (as Thomas and Alfred always told him it was neater and more proper that way.)

He is a PERFECT mix between Thomas and Martha. Everyone who ever meets Brucie Wayne for the first time tells him he's the spitting image of both of them.

My man was a heartthrob in the 90s. Dick and Tim frequently Google "Bruce Wayne 90s" and bust a gut laughing at how their old man is like in every fuckin teenage magazine published in that decade.

[starqueen87]

THE WORLD'S FIRST ELECTRIC ROLLER COASTER

Granville T. Woods (April 23, 1856 – January 30, 1910) introduced the “Figure Eight,” the world's first electric roller coaster, in 1892 at Coney Island Amusement Park in New York. Woods patented the invention in 1893, and in 1901, he sold it to General Electric.

Woods was an American inventor who held more than 50 patents in the United States. He was the first African American mechanical and electrical engineer after the Civil War. Self-taught, he concentrated most of his work on trains and streetcars.

In 1884, Woods received his first patent, for a steam boiler furnace, and in 1885, Woods patented an apparatus that was a combination of a telephone and a telegraph. The device, which he called "telegraphony", would allow a telegraph station to send voice and telegraph messages through Morse code over a single wire. He sold the rights to this device to the American Bell Telephone Company.

In 1887, he patented the Synchronous Multiplex Railway Telegraph, which allowed communications between train stations from moving trains by creating a magnetic field around a coiled wire under the train. Woods caught smallpox prior to patenting the technology, and Lucius Phelps patented it in 1884. In 1887, Woods used notes, sketches, and a working model of the invention to secure the patent. The invention was so successful that Woods began the Woods Electric Company in Cincinnati, Ohio, to market and sell his patents. However, the company quickly became devoted to invention creation until it was dissolved in 1893.

Woods often had difficulties in enjoying his success as other inventors made claims to his devices. Thomas Edison later filed a claim to the ownership of this patent, stating that he had first created a similar telegraph and that he was entitled to the patent for the device. Woods was twice successful in defending himself, proving that there were no other devices upon which he could have depended or relied upon to make his device. After Thomas Edison's second defeat, he decided to offer Granville Woods a position with the Edison Company, but Woods declined.

In 1888, Woods manufactured a system of overhead electric conducting lines for railroads modeled after the system pioneered by Charles van Depoele, a famed inventor who had by then installed his electric railway system in thirteen United States cities.

Following the Great Blizzard of 1888, New York City Mayor Hugh J. Grant declared that all wires, many of which powered the above-ground rail system, had to be removed and buried, emphasizing the need for an underground system. Woods's patent built upon previous third rail systems, which were used for light rails, and increased the power for use on underground trains. His system relied on wire brushes to make connections with metallic terminal heads without exposing wires by installing electrical contactor rails. Once the train car had passed over, the wires were no longer live, reducing the risk of injury. It was successfully tested in February 1892 in Coney Island on the Figure Eight Roller Coaster.

In 1896, Woods created a system for controlling electrical lights in theaters, known as the "safety dimmer", which was economical, safe, and efficient, saving 40% of electricity use.

Woods is also sometimes credited with the invention of the air brake for trains in 1904; however, George Westinghouse patented the air brake almost 40 years prior, making Woods's contribution an improvement to the invention.

Woods died of a cerebral hemorrhage at Harlem Hospital in New York City on January 30, 1910, having sold a number of his devices to such companies as Westinghouse, General Electric, and American Engineering. Until 1975, his resting place was an unmarked grave, but historian M.A. Harris helped raise funds, persuading several of the corporations that used Woods's inventions to donate money to purchase a headstone. It was erected at St. Michael's Cemetery in Elmhurst, Queens.

LEGACY

▪Baltimore City Community College established the Granville T. Woods scholarship in memory of the inventor.

▪In 2004, the New York City Transit Authority organized an exhibition on Woods that utilized bus and train depots and an issue of four million MetroCards commemorating the inventor's achievements in pioneering the third rail.

▪In 2006, Woods was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

▪In April 2008, the corner of Stillwell and Mermaid Avenues in Coney Island was named Granville T. Woods Way.

[ltwilliammowett]

Half time with our calendar and this is the perfect moment to introduce you to a lady who shows the interface of Age of Sail and Age of Steam. She is generally regarded as the start of the Age of Steam and yet she still has both elements. But who am I talking about ? - The HMS Warrior

HMS Warrior

More about her history here:

HMS WARRIOR was built as part of Britain’s response to concerns over France’s maritime ambitions which included the building of LA GLOIRE, a powerful ironclad which was the most advanced warship of its day.  WARRIOR was commissioned on 1 August 1861 and at that time unquestionably ruled the seas. Her main guns, engines and boilers were contained within an armoured wrought iron hull and she could be driven by both steam and sail. This combination meant that she could outrun and outgun any ship afloat and she never fired a shot in anger – the classic deterrent.

During the first commission her main role was to lead the Channel Squadron. On 22 November 1864 she paid off for her first major refit at Portsmouth Dockyard during which the ship was comprehensively refurbished. She was also completely re-armed with 7” and 8” muzzle loaded rifled guns. However, in the American Civil War the success of the Monitor was to have a dramatic effect on naval thinking and WARRIOR’s role as ‘Monarch of the Seas’ was to be very short-lived.

She re-commissioned in July 1867 and re-joined the Channel Fleet. The second commission was rather less interesting than the first as she was no longer regarded as the most powerful warship afloat and faded from the limelight. The second commission ended in 1871 and she then spent four years in refit at Portsmouth being fitted with improved boilers, steam power for the forward capstan and a new poop deck to accommodate an Admiral.  On completion in 1875 she became part of the First Reserve Fleet where she was to remain until paying at Portsmouth on 31 May 1883.

After periods as a depot ship and part of HMS VERNON she was paid off in 1924. She was then converted for use as a floating oil jetty and in 1929 was towed to Pembroke Dock where she was to remain for the next 50 years. In 1967 the campaign to restore WARRIOR started and prominent in this was Sir John Smith who formed the Manifold Trust. A committee chaired by the Duke of Edinburgh met in 1968 to discuss her future and from this emerged the Maritime Trust. When Pembroke Dock closed in 1978 the Manifold Trust agreed to underwrite the cost of restoration and the ship was handed over to the Maritime Trust in 1979.

In 1983 ownership was transferred to the Ship’s Preservation Trust which became the Warrior Preservation Trust in 1983. Although the hull was very sound the rest of the ship was in a poor state. The task which was part restoration and part re-building needed vast resources not only of money (£8M) but also of skill, patience and endurance. The 8 year restoration programme at Hartlepool transformed her into one of the world’s most important historic warships and in 1987 she returned to Portsmouth where she is now moored in the Historic Dockyard.

A planned preservation programme is in place for the ship and over the years she has been dry-docked twice, and the upper deck, (£725K provided by the Heritage Lottery Fund), all three fighting tops and half moons and the stern gallery have been replaced.

[energyaudit]

An Overview On Industrial Energy Emergency And Its Funding

Commercial buildings consume a lot of energy during operational mode. If an excessive amount of energy is consumed, the utility bill will be high and you have to pay a good amount of money every month. This is why you should know whether your building is energy efficient or not. Do you know how much your facility is consuming energy? Are you paying a huge amount unnecessarily or not? The only way to reduce energy usage and the cost related to it is to give importance to energy efficiency programs. Energy efficiency and conservation are the two ways to reduce the use of energy. You will be able to carry on with your industrial operation smoothly without spending excess energy.

No doubt you will benefit from energy efficiency programs so get in touch with a reputed service provider who can help you in funding programs. Regarding energy efficiency funding you should contact an organization well-known in this aspect. They will help you understand your eligibility for several schemes. If you are completely unaware of the schemes you should consult professionals who will assist you with submitting necessary applications and generate energy certificates even. When it is about energy efficiency funding, experts can guide you better than anybody can.

Let’s Know the Advantages of Energy Efficiency:

Reduce cost:

By improving your business energy efficiency you will save money. Energy expenditure is indeed a big issue and many organizations have paid a huge amount on utility bills. If you don’t want to be one among them you should give importance to energy efficiency and conservation and it will help you save money. By using energy efficient appliances you can save nearly thirty percent on your gas bills. Such appliances are designed to use less energy without compromising the quality.

Improve Brand Reputation:

Financial benefit is not the only reason but there are more. Where everybody is concerned with keeping the environment free from pollution by applying various processes, why should you stay behind? Using less energy you can reduce the emission of greenhouse gas. Being energy efficient you will not only improve the reputation of your brand but also impress your business associates, investors and clients.

Productivity Will Be Increased:

Apart from saving, reducing expenses on utility bills, greenhouse gas emission and improving brand image, it will help you create a better working condition for your employees. Naturally increase in productivity and you will earn more profit.

Anyhow, this was all about the importance of energy efficiency, how it will benefit you and who will help you with funding programs.

[moonlightswritingandstuff]

maybe the real elysian was the friends we made along the way (well, i mean. it's definitely that island there. but it could also be the friends we made along the way)

Sophie and Fitz are rival pirate captains, in perhaps the loosest sense of that word. Nonetheless, both have found themselves on the hunt for Elysian, the mysterious treasure beyond all treasures.

wordcount: 9.7k

for best results (and notes): read on ao3

for @keeper-big-bang-2024, with @wow-youre-so-pretty and @fanartofthelostcities

Sophie has never been one for dramatics. Her lovely, amazing, absolutely splendid first mate Marella can be, though.

Which is why it is not a particular surprise when Marella bursts out into all smiles when she greets Sophie in the captain's cabin.

(Sophie has never been particularly good at getting out of her own head, occasionally. Too many years, before the call of the sea, in which Sophie spent time where none tried to or wanted to speak to her. She still counts it no small miracle that she became captain of The Moonlark.)

Marella unfurls a map upon her map-table, grinning ear-to-ear. "I believe, my dear Captain, that we have found where Elysian may be."

Sophie feels her eyes grow wide and her mouth mold to a smile. "If we find it, we're set for life."

"First place to go to," Marella says, "is Havenfield, back where we formed our crew!"

«»

"I think I found Elysian," Biana tells Fitz and Keefe one day. "Not quite sure, though."

She points to the map on the wall, and grabs a couple of pins. "I'm pretty sure we have to start here," she says, outlining the route. "Avoid the whirlpool, of course, wouldn't want to get caught up in that, of course."

"Of course."

"So, our first location is, unfortunately, Everglen."

Fitz makes a face, and Keefe frowns. "Be ye certain, arrr, matey?"

(They all know not to question Keefe about his weird speech now.)

"Yes."

«»

There's nothing Sophie loves more than her ship, the Moonlark. When the cogs start turning, and the gears creak, and the steam releases from the chutes, Sophie has found home. The sea beckons forth, and Sophie and the Moonlark move as one.

The Moonlark is her ship, painted red and black with iron long rusted-over. The oil drips and leaks, sometimes, and the boiler door is almost impossible to open, but the Moonlark is Sophie's home and heart.

The crew, too. Besides her beloved navigator and first mate Marella, she has three other crew members: Stina, the treasurer; Dex, the cook and official technician; and Jensi, their doctor.

Sophie loves the Moonlark, and if Elysian lives up to the rumours, it can handily allow Sophie to ensure the Moonlark keeps sailing until she dies, and that Dex can get all the material he needs to fix up the crew and build them necessary robotic implements.

Elysian could very well ensure the Moonlark's survival for decades.

So Sophie needs Elysian.

(And if the crew of the Sea-Sparkle tries to stop her, they'll have a very bad time indeed.)

"Set course for Havenfield!" Sophie shouts, and a cheer goes up in the crew as Marella switches the navigation towards the place they all came from.

«»

Fitz loves the sea. It is tandemb to home to him, and his ship, the Sea-Sparkle (Keefe and Biana, unfortunately, are a collective menace when they've ganged up on him), is a manifestation of his love for the sea.

Fitz can't go back to who he was before, when he and Biana were grounded. Fitz has his beloved crew - Keefe, his first mate and treasurer (he's surprisingly good at managing their funds); Biana, his sister, second mate, and navigator; Maruca, the cook; Tam, their doctor; and Linh - and all of them understand what it feels to be grounded. What it feels to be unable to leave somewhere, what it feels to be trapped.

If Fitz can help it, he's never going back - which is why he needs Elysian. The treasure from Elysian could mean that Fitz and his crew never have to go back to where they were.

And although he hates it, they come to a consensus together - they will go back to Everglen.

"Set course for Everglen," he orders, and the gears start grinding, the steam goes off, and Fitz is able to relax, just a little.

(The mood is subdued; everyone knows why they're going to Everglen. Ideally, they'll find Elysian a good few years before the Moonlark hears of any rumours.)

«»

They linger in Havenfield, probably longer than they should. Sophie catches up with her parents, Marella pays for more years for her mother's care, Stina visits her parents and, perhaps more importantly, their horses, Dex picks up ingredients and materials and shares new recipes with his father, and Jensi spends some of his time getting sloshed with his friend Valin in the town pub and some of his time buying an increasingly incessant amount of stationary.

Havenfield is where they all came from. Well, Sophie ran away and was adopted by her parents, but everyone else was born in Havenfield, and they all set out together. Havenfield is no pirate heaven, but Sophie and her crew adore the moving island. The Moonlark is but a offshoot of Havenfield, even with its distinctive chipped red paint and rusted over bronze.

When they finally find what they're looking for - a luckily unwaterlogged chest in a barely hidden cave. It has a single stone, the biggest pearl Sophie's ever seen, but orange in a way no other pearl is, and a piece of paper.

<i>One of six.

When the lady of the moon glows full,And the sky hangs high and dark above,

A favourite resting of your kind, as we know—

And, one more thing, follow the silver-white dove.</i>

"That is an abysmal poem," Stina says.

"But it tells us our next clue," Sophie replies, and reads it twice over. "I think that we have to go to Alluveterre."

Alluveterre is one of the crew's favourite places to go, so no one protests - it will be nice to catch up with other pirate crews and find somewhere they have no chance of being stolen from.

Alluveterre is a haven, in short, and Sophie thinks that this is one of the easiest treasure hunts she's ever been on.

«»

Fitz hates being back at Everglen. The duchy is beautiful, vibrant, and rich - there's no doubt of that - but it aches of <i>Vacker</i> wealth, and it reminds Fitz exactly why he and Biana left.

They look too much like Vackers, anyway, so Biana and him are stuck, moored to docks a full league out to shore as Linh, Tam, and Keefe go out. Maruca is also a familiar face in Everglen, and they don't want to get attacked for being too familiar.

"I hope they're not away for much longer," Biana mutters, tapping at the table. Fitz hopes so, too - Linh's prosthetic arm isn't very conspicuous, with what it drips oil occasionally and lets off steam, the brass gears grinding away.

And to those who live in Everglen, the steam powered ships and locomotives and life of the people outside is... a stark difference. Everglen is clean, clean, spotless, stifling.

Fitz loves his ship, and it is the opposite of Everglen: the Sea-Sparkle has rusted over copper and chipping teal paint, brass gears and dirt in its corners. The sails are fraying a little - Keefe has promised to sew them up - and the piano is a little off-tune, and its ivory keys are yellowed, but it still works.

Fitz hasn't been to Everglen since him, Biana, and Maruca left, arriving incidentially at Alluveterre, meeting Keefe, and having enough money to buy a boat between the four of them.

(Linh and Tam joined later, when they found two more like them, who were running from gilded cages.)

Biana stands up, sits down, and starts playing on the piano. It's a nervous habit she developed after years of lessons. Fitz bakes, instead.

Maruca pets Lady Sassyfur, their ship’s cat.

They sit in silence (except for the tune on the piano) for a little, all of them nervous. They don't want Keefe, Linh, and Tam to get caught, and Fitz knows that they're overdue for a visit to Alluveterre so that Linh can get her arm properly fixed.

After a couple more minutes of tense silence, Maruca shouts that she's spotted the three missing members, and Biana abandons the piano in the middle of a piece.

And there they are, whole as they can be.

“We found this!” Linh exclaims, and drops a practically soaked chest on the deck. “We haven’t opened it yet.”

She then proceeds to smash the lock with her metal hand.

Fitz opens the chest, and inside is the largest pearl he’s ever seen, black with an undertone of green. Even without Elysian, the pearl itself could line their pockets for years, maintain the ship, and ensure they all have the latest medicines.

Biana holds the pearl in her hand, needing two hands to stabilize it. “My heart, dear lady,” she says, brandishing it towards Linh while dropping on one knee.

Linh blushes.

Fitz exchanges a glance with Tam. <i>That’s new.</i>

“Ooh, it be a riddle!” Keefe exclaims, fishing out a previously acknowledged piece of paper. “An' it be nearly ilegible.”

He shows it off to Fitz.

<i>One of six.

When the lady of the moon glows full,And the sky hangs high and dark above,

A favourite resting of your kind, as we know—

And, one more thing, follow the symbol of love.</i>

“So,” Fitz says, “Alluveterre at night?”

“The symbol of love has to be a heart,” Tam says.

“It be a stupid riddle,” Keefe adds.

"We need to go to Alluveterre anyway, with my arm's recent malfunctions."

Keefe nods, the pauses. “Bought me a little ship,” he says, showing them, “reminds me o’ me mam. ‘Tis important.”

Fitz smiles at him, as much as he wishes that Keee would let go of his parents, who never loved him like he loved them, and spurs the Sea-Sparkle on, and the familiar sounds of the steam escape into the air.

«»

Alluveterre is always breathtaking. Sophie doesn't know how she ever lived without it, the moving behemoth of a mechanical island, greenery growing in the cracks left over, ivy tendrils over precious ivory sacrificed to add aesthetical value to the structure.

Alluveterre is a safe haven, too. People live, unprovoked by the pirates who they, in turn, never turn away. No one attacks each other, and this safe haven is run entirely by Captain Forkle of the <i>Black Swan</i>. He styles himself Pirate King, even if no one listens and only acknowledges it out of care for Alluveterre.

Sophie and her crew pay thirty gold coins - two for each member of the crew and ten for the ship to dock - and enter Alluveterre.

They wasted quite a bit of time at Havenfield, so they follow a symbol of a silver-white dove through Alluveterre, through the markets and the gardens, to come out to a small garden, where a pearl, this time white with purple undertones rather than orange with flecks of yellow, and a slip of paper greet them.

<i>Three of six.

Go to the place where the lady of music sits,

She'll give you the next one, from her chest of wood,

if with you are your wits.</i>

"Another bad riddle," Marella sighs.

"It's got to be Lady Mai Song of Choralmere," Stina says. "It can't be anyone else. No one else would be referred to as the lady of music."

"Choralmere, then?" Sophie asks.

"I suppose," Dex says, "but did you see those goggles? I need new ones, I swear."

"Sure," Sophie says. "It's not like we need to pay more to stay longer."

And so they stay a little longer. Alluveterre is a beautiful place, and they only run into the crew of the Sea-Sparkle once, who seem occupied anyway, and Captain Fitz is still... everything.

And then they wake to the sound of a canon.

«»

Compared to Everglen, Alluveterre is paradise. The clean and sterile environment is nothing compared to the moving isle, with greenery dripping off ledges freely and natural. Fitz feels like he can breathe again, out of Everglen. They pay thirty-two gold coins on entry, and the clutter and noise and unkempt greenery is ease itself.

The hearts are easy to follow. They bump into the crew of the Moonlark once, but besides that, nothing interesting happens. Captain Sophie Foster is as intense as always.

They find the treasure easily, and its pearl has a sort of luster to it that tells Fitz it must be from the distant South Sea.

The slip of paper, too, seems consistent, given the two chests they have. Spirits are rather low on their trip, but it's okay - some time in Alluveterre will cheer them all up.

<i>Four of six.

Go to the place where the buildings glitter of jewels,

Find the lady wreathed in pink, and she'll give you the next one -

if among you there are no fools.</i>

"The place must be Eternalia," Maruca pieces together.

"The lady wreathed in pink is probably Councillor Oralie," Linh continues.

"Riddles?"

"Yeah, probably."

"Arr, matey, sounds fun!"

Everyone gives Keefe a look. He holds his hands up in mock surrender. "Ai, none o' me mateys care..."

"We do," Fitz says, "but please."

Keefe frowns, and Fitz immediately realizes his mistake.

"Oh, Keefe, I'm sorry," Linh says, and Fitz follows with it, and everyone else does, because when Keefe frowns like <i>that</i> they all know what it means.

«»

Alluveterre's inns are wonderful. But one day Sophie wakes up to canons, and gunfire, and she realizes harrowingly that for once, Alluveterre isn't rocking back and forth on the waves. It's anchored, it's still.

She shoots up in bed. Puts on her clothes. Grabs her rifle.

Her crew's outside already, and they all rush down, with everyone else. There's too many pirates. People wearing the uniforms of the kingdom of Everglen, teal and gold.

Sophie panics, a little.

Gunfire sounds.

Everyone scatters, Sophie included, and she doesn't even realize she's lost her crew until she's three blocks and one floor away from where she started.

She hides in an alleyway, only to find Captain Fitz Vacker in front of her, also without his crew, also panicking.

"Captain," he says.

"Captain," she replies, and if there's scorn in her voice, it's fine. It's fine. Alluveterre is going up in flames. Everglen has found it. She's lost her crew. "What do you want?"

"Please don't," Fitz says, than hesitates. "Can we work together? Twice the chances of getting out, right?"

Sophie pauses, and nods. "Sure."

Fitz nods, and opens a secret doorway. "The exit is on the path to a secret area my crew discovered. There's a boat, we can probably get out fast enough."

"Is it conspicuous enough?"

"I think," he says, "but if not, we pump the pipes as much as possible."

Sophie nods, and they rush into the door, locking it behind and barricading it for good measure. Fitz leads her through a narrow corridor straight to their other side of a building, and hesitantly opens the doorway.

He steps out. Sophie follows.

"Oh, it's good to have your acquaintance," none other than the prince of Everglen says.

«»

Fitz freezes. It's Alvar. It's Alvar. Steam and gears, it's <i>Alvar</i>.

"Alvar Vacker," Sophie spits, and Fitz admires her ability to do that at all, to forgo titles like they were nothing.

"Captain," Alvar nods. "I'm more concerned with my brother, however. How are you doing, Fitz?"

"Get away from me," Fitz says, and it comes out a little to stiff, a little too scared.

Sophie raises an eyebrow. Fitz can tell she's surprised about this.

"And how is our sister?"

"Far away from you and Everglen."

"Oh, but she isn't. What a coincidence, actually - some of your crew members in Everglen! Do give Keefe our thanks for purchasing that little model of a ship. Otherwise, we wouldn't be here."

Fitz's blood turns cold. How dare they, how dare they use his best friend to destroy his safe haven. How dare his brother come back in his life, his tone deceptively light, almost like small talk.

Alvar holds his sword in his hand, and Fitz sees the moment he registers everything. "It's a shame, Fitz. You always had a lot of... potential growing up."

How dare he, really. How dare he bring up the reason Fitz wanted out in the first place.

Sophie looks at him, and the little alliance they've built up registers, and Fitz shakes his head, a little, bringing out his own sword.

Alvar attacks. Fitz parries, Sophie stands to the side, ready to jump back in.

Alluveterre is crumbling around them, and parts of it fall from the lofty sky above, and crash on the ground. Gunfire, too, sounds around them, and the reliable sound of steam escaping to the air is gone.

Fitz is focused on Alvar. He blocks, parries, and suddenly - a sheet of brass, heavy and indescrutable, falls right on Alvar's head in between one second and the next.

Suddenly what was Alvar is crumpled under the brass, and Fitz barely stops himself from screaming. He rushes forward, and tries to haul the sheet off, Sophie running to help him, but then he pauses.

"What if I don't?" he whispers, and Sophie nods, for just a second, and so he pulls his hands away, and lets Alvar die.

«»

They run along secret passages that Fitz and Sophie know, either one or both, and eventually they reach what Fitz was talking about - a small edge of Alluveterre, there rests a single boat. Fitz turns it on, and Sophie accepts his hand to hop into it.

He's brimming with tension as they steer away from Alluveterre. Sophie told him that if they headed towards Havenfield, her crew would most definitely be there. And then they could help him find the Sea-Sparkle.

Sophie swallows. She hopes the Moonlark wasn't destroyed. She doesn't know what to do without her ship, with its chipped red paint and brass and bronze and wood, with her stuffed animal Ella in the corner of her bed, with her crew and the wide open sea in front of her.

But Fitz.

"Do you want to talk about that?" Sophie asks.

"Can I trust you?" Fitz shoots back. And, well, he has a point.

"I suppose not. But you have my word, on my ship, that I won't tell anyone."

"Lady Sea, our <i>ships</i>," Fitz swears, and Sophie registers it.

"What if they're destroyed?" Sophie says quietly, like the peace being made as Alluveterre burns could be shattered. "I can't... the Moonlark is mine. She can't be gone."

"My sister and my best friend named the Sea-Sparkle," Fitz says just as quietly, as Sophie looks behind her and finds Alluveterre out of sight, an island Fitz steered them around blocking the trail.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. They ganged up on me. Biana and I... we left Everglen for a reason, and now that's why it's burning."

Sophie lays a hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault."

"I left Alvar there, and..."

"Fitz. It's okay. I don't blame you. You don't need to tell anyone."

"I've got to tell Biana, at least."

Sophie nods. “I’ll make sure you can.”

“What if she’s dead? What if they’re all dead?”

Sophie swallows. “Don’t go there.”

Fitz shakes his head, like he’s clearing his thoughts. He shuts his brown eyes.

Wait.

“If you’re a Vacker, why do you have brown eyes?” Sophie asks.

“Contacts,” Fitz replies. “Otherwise we’d be found in seconds.”

"I suppose," Sophie says. What she does not say is that she finds them quite lovely, the brown contacts, and she's sure his natural eye colour is beautiful, too.

Silence stretches between them, but Sophie is surprised to find it comfortable, not awkward.

«»

They arrive at Havenfield three days after Alluveterre burns and Alvar lays dead, and Fitz recognizes the Sea-Sparkle immediately, missing half its parts and barely staying afloat, but miraculously whole.

Sophie sees her Moonlark at the same time. She lets out a sound, somewhere between the release of a held breath and a sob, and she increases the speed of their little dingy until they are at max speed, racing towards their boats.

When they get close enough to see shore, Fitz lets out a shout as he sees his crew. There's Keefe, Tam, Maruca-

Fitz's world comes to a stop when he realizes that Biana isn't there. His sister. Is Fitz an only child now? Is he an only child because his siblings (may) be gone? He cannot be no one's brother. And Biana. Just days ago she was alive as ever, tipping her top hat with goggles on it, playing jigs and singing and smiling.

And she's no longer there.

She can't be dead. She can't be dead. She can't be dead. She can't be dead. She can't be dead. She can't be dead.

Please.

Please.

And suddenly they're docking and Fitz gets swarmed by Keefe and Tam and Maruca and Linh but not Biana. Not Biana. She's not here. She can't be dead.

Then they let him up, because they know something's gone wrong, and Fitz only has time to choke out his baby sister's name and—

"She'll be okay," Keefe says, for once not speaking in his odd vernacular. "Biana's okay, Fitz, she'll live."

"What happened?"

"She's..." Linh trails off, like she can't say anything.

Please let his sister be okay. The stars, the universe, the sea, even the gods Fitz left long in his childhood—

"Mirror glass scarred her all over," Tam tells him, "and she is swaddled in bandages. But she'll live, Fitz. We promise. The crew of the Sea-Sparkle led us to this doctor, and he's taking care of her."

Fitz can breathe again.

But he cannot stay here. He must leave the sea to see her. He has not, for many years, left the sea. He will now.

"Take me to Biana," he says, letting authority fill his voice, and they pull him along.

«»

Her crew is okay. The Moonlark is okay. They're all alive. Sophie could cry with relief.

"The Moonlark isn't in working order," Stina tells her, bluntly, when they're done being thankful they all still live.

"It can be fixed," Sophie says, confidently.

"We're missing a couple vital parts," Dex continues, "and so is the Sea-Sparkle. It’s not the greatest solution, but if we combine the ships we may have one very large, full-functioning ship. Add on the little ship that you and Captain Fitz brought, and we’re golden.”

“Do we trust them?”

“Trust is a two-way street, and between getting out of Alluveterre together, I don’t think the crew of the Sea-Sparkle will necessarily kill us.”

Sophie nods. “I suppose we can trust them. What about Elysian?”

“We still have our pearls,” Marella tells her. “And Ella, by the way. We knew you’d be devastated without her.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course.”

«»

Fitz lets out a cry as soon as he sees Biana. She’s swaddled in bandages all along her side, and the man gives him a sad look when he sees her.

But she’s smiling, and playing with Lady Sassyfur, who scrambles out of the way when Fitz collapses into Biana’s arms.

“Oh, I’ll be fine, Fitz. Doctor Elwin is good, and I’m not going to get infected. Linh already came by, she's going to be just as annoying as you about this, I bet.”

Fitz is dimly aware of everyone leaving the room, leaving him and Biana alone.

“Did something happen?” she asks, slightly awkwardly, as Fitz doesn’t let go.

“Alvar led the attack,” he tells her, and Biana freezes.

“I let him die,” he continues, a coarse whisper.

Biana stays frozen.

“I’m sorry,” he says. “If you want to leave the ship or leave me here-”

“Fitz,” Biana says, softly, “it’s okay. Alvar-” she stops, like she’s unsure what to say, “Alvar… he was gone the day that he tried to stop us from leaving.”

She hugs him tighter, and Fitz collapses after three days of virtually no sleep, slipping out of consciousness next to her.

«»

The Moonlark is not doing well, for as far as Sophie can see. The boiler is open, leaked, unable to be used. A couple of the gears and pipes are unsalveagable.

Half of its port side is missing, too.

It'll take a bit of work. Sophie's already spoken to the crew of the Sea-Sparkle quite a bit, and has found that they have a perfectly functioning boiler, and good pipes and gears, but one of their masts is missing.

"Ours is fixable," Linh says, "it's not doing too bad. Just a few supplies, money we do have."

Sophie considers that and ends up drawing the logistics out for the Moonlark's purchases.

Well, until she ends up collapsing from lack of sleep.

When she wakes, she's in a familiar bed - her childhood one, Ella safely next to her.  It smells like home.

More specifically, it smells like her mother’s perfect mallowmelt, a true Edaline special.

It’s the first thing that Sophie ate after she was adopted. Her birth mother... Sophie doesn't usually think about her birth mother.

Edaline and Grady are much, much better.

Sophie walks down the stairs and smells the mallowmelt and knows she's home.

«»

The people of Havenfield are kind, and Fitz is able to buy a mast off them for what he knows is practically stealing at how low the price is.

(Fitz is a pirate. He has no qualms against stealing.)

His crew affixes the mast to their ship, and with another thank you and a little help for the Moonlark, they leave Havenfield.

They know where they're going next. Eternalia.

Now, it's not like Eternalia is a bad place, per se. It’s actually rather lovely. But it is like Everglen, obsessively perfect. The buildings are made of crystal. Last he checked, they had solid silver and plated gold everywhere.

It’s nauseating. And they surely must look for Councillor Oralie, one of the rulers of the sea and skyforsaken place. She is known tangentially for loving pink.

Luckily, the Councillors live in the sea-side, so it is a matter of ease to contact Councillor Oralie, who has her secret dock.

Oralie greets them, with no fear. Her arms are lined with gold bracelets, her hair filled with matching pins. Sparkling pink crystals on every one of them, mixed in with pale blue and shining white. Her gold hair glints in the light.

She looks like a doll.

She looks like a doll, like how Biana looked before they ran away. She looked caged.

Oralie looks like she has turned her chains into weapons.

"Greetings," she says, "I assume you are after Elysium."

"We are," Fitz confirms, and steps in front towards Oralie. "Captain Fitz Vacker of the Sea-Sparkle."

Oralie smiles. "May I request tea with you?"

“I suppose,” Fitz says, and thirty minutes later, Oralie has sat six pirates at her dining table. Linh’s mechanical arm is whirring as she drinks from her teacup. It’s much louder than out at sea, in Oralie’s picture-perfect silent dining room.

“I assume you’re here for the pearl,” Oralie says, with a prim, aristocratic Eternalian accent. She doesn’t blink twice at Linh’s arm, nor does she seem to mind the dirt they’ve inevitably tracked in. She’s more than Fitz expected.

“We are,” Fitz confirms.

“What do you plan to do with it?”

“Get a better ship. Get upgrades for Linh, a new piano, maybe. Retire, if it’s enough.”

Oralie smiles. “It may be unlike what you expect.”

“Is it a bad thing?” Maruca asks.

“It depends on if you think it is a bad thing," Oralie says. "I would not."

Fitz suspects she's being vague on purpose. Frustrating, but Fitz knows how to play the game, and so does his crew.

But what would Oralie consider a good thing that is not wealth? She is a politician - it could easily be defeating her enemies. Is Elysian a curse?

Fitz struggles to imagine his enemies. Many people may hate the crew of the Sea-Sparkle, but that is general disdain for pirates in general. The crew of the Moonlark were rivals, but Fitz does not think that he hates them, or that they are enemies - especially after they saved Biana's life.

No. It cannot be that. Oralie knows that many of the people of Eternalia hate pirates, and Fitz hopes she would have a little more of a self-preservation instinct.

But then again, she could be poisoning their drinks.

Fitz takes another sip of his tea. Given the hints, Fitz doubts Oralie would poison them.

Then what? It cannot be too much of a benefit for them, for any benefit for pirates is an immediate drawback for Eternalia. However, Oralie could be gambling that Fitz's crew would spare Eternalia if she helps them...

And that could imply that Elysian would help all pirates, not just Fitz and his crew - on that idea, Oralie's gamble makes sense. If Eternalia is how Elysian is discovered and it is a benefit to have, Oralie may be gambling that the pirates spare Eternalia in turn.

So what would Elysian be?

Fitz scrambles for an answer.

And then it hits him. Elysian could be like Alluveterre. Not only has Aluveterre made the crew of the Black Swan riches, it also provided a necessary safe haven.

But Fitz could also not be thinking of something. But he thinks it's the most probable thing.

"Here's your test," Oralie says, and Fitz's attention snaps back to her, "have I poisoned you?"

Keefe immediately bolts up. "If ye 'ave poisoned them, I swear ta the sea, sky, an' earth-"

"No," Fitz says, interrupting him, because he knows it's true. His crew all give him small smiles, and Fitz knows that they're going to let him handle this.

"How do you know that?"

Fitz tries to retrace his thought process. "I presume you signed onto this endeavour, and therefore would not poison us. Poisoning us does you no good in the long run, too. We're hardly the only pirates sailing on the sea. Plus, why would you, in this hypothetical situation, set up all these clues and rumours? You would have discovered Alluveterre - why not just storm that? That is, when it was still around?"

"Good," Oralie says. "You're correct. I have not poisoned you. What do you think Elysian is, then?"

Fitz hesitates a moment, unsure if he's right or not. "Another Alluveterre," he settles on. "You're gambling that the safe haven Elysian might provide with your assistance will be enough for most pirates to leave Eternalia alone."

Oralie offers a smile. "You know how to play the game, don't you, Fitz Vacker?"

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees most of his crew tighten up. He does too. "Not anymore."

Oralie shakes her head. "I know. I was hoping for something, though, a small favour, I suppose."

Fitz raises an eyebrow. "Give us the sixth pearl first."

Oralie nods, and walks over to a cabinet, opening it. She taps something a couple of times, entering in a passcode, and draws out a chest, just large enough for the right sized pearl.

She gives it to Fitz. "Here."

"What's your favour?" Fitz asks.

"I have a daughter," Oralie says, "and she ran away many years ago, around four. It was warranted, I'll admit, but I have always suspected she became a pirate. Please, if you see her, give her this note."

She hands Fitz a note. "You can read it. It's private, I suppose, but I don't care, as long as you find her."

"What's her name?" Fitz asks.

"Sophie," she says. "But I've kept you too long. You've got an island to find, don't you?"

Fitz hides his surprise at the name Sophie - it's very, very uncommon, and Fitz can name only one pirate named Sophie.

But he and his crew leave nonetheless.

(He peeks into the note.

<i>Dear Sophie,</i> it reads, <i>I love you. I always have and I always will. And for my failings, I am sorry, so deeply sorry. I know this is not much. I know it is not enough, and I know it will never be enough. All I ask for is another opportunity to see you, just once. If you do not want to see me, I won't search for you. I just miss you. You know where to find me, the same place as always. Love, your mother.</i>)

«»

"Onto Choralmere!" Marella declares.

Sophie smiles at the declaration. Choralmere is beautiful, of course, filled with nature and the sweet sounds of harp and lute and song.

But Sophie also knows of the story of its Lady's two children, who disappeared one day.

(If she thinks about her own mother, she refuses to acknowledge that. Oralie had been... not the best, but she had loved Sophie, for all her faults.)

But the Lady of Music, who rules over Choralmere, is said to be lonely now. Her husband dead for three years and her children gone for four.

Perhaps her heart is soft with grief and time, and it will be easy for them. Sophie doubts that.

But in any case, Choralmere is not hostile to pirates, and for that it is less attacked. In Choralmere, the only merit you recieve is through music.

Luckily, Sophie has Dex <i>and</i> Stina on her side, and they like music. It's not too difficult to gain passage, and Sophie momentarily wonders at all the different people here. So much talent in one place.

And at its crown, the best musician in the world. Lady Mai Song. A position in her court is beyond prestigious, and many musicians boast of their admittance to it, whether that is true or not.

Sophie has a different experience. She says she seeks Lady Song, and when questioned why, hesitates before saying it is for Elysian.

The messenger hurries along, and thirty minutes later Sophie and her crew are sitting in the splendour of Lady Song's dining hall, full of golden ornaments.

Sophie eyes them.

"Don't try," a voice says, and Sophie whips her head around to see Lady Mai Song.

She is as indomitable and as immaculate as the stories say. She is beautiful, too.

Her smile is as sharp as the knife Sophie has in her boot.

"It is lovely to meet you," Mai says, and she pours them all tea. It is the tea that Sophie knows is native to Choralmere - jasmine tea, she suspects it is the highest expense here.

"You too," Sophie says. "We are here for Elysian, as I'm sure you know."

"Indeed," Mai says. "It is not the treasure you may hope for, though, although it is a treasure many would seek."

She's never been the best at figuring out people, but she is still the daughter of Oralie, no matter how she tries to ignore it. And Oralie... she always knows how to figure out people.

Stina and Dex strike up an idle conversation with Mai about music. They're buying time for Sophie, she realizes.

It will only work for so long.

Mai knows what Elysian is, and she has been drafted to help them. That means that she likely doesn't have anything to lose by helping them and she doesn't want or need Elysian. Therefore, it's likely that Elysian isn't material wealth. Also, Mai is probably assuming that Sophie wants material wealth, but that's not the right type of treasure.

And Mai also thinks that it's something to be coveted, which means it's not useless, either, but it has to be something Mai has no use for.

And something that would be useful for a pirate.

And then it clicks.

Alluveterre is destroyed, but it was a center for trade, repair, and all kinds of pirate activities. An island like that would be useful for anyone, but Mai has no use for it because she already has an island and a large one at that. She is known for music, not naval capabilities, and Choralmere is more than an island. It is a myth. It moves, like most islands, but Mai does not need another. She just wants more music.

But Sophie could use it.

"But to the point," Mai ends. "I believe your captain has an answer for my questions. What is Elysian, Captain?"  

"It's an island," Sophie says, "like Alluveterre. A potential haven."

Mai nods. "And why would I not take it for myself, then?

"You have no use for it," Sophie says. "What else do you need? Choralmere is large enough, and you already have everything you could ask for. All you search for is more music, and another island will not help you with that."

Mai smiles. "Correct, Captain, on both points. I believe you have gained your next pearl."

She draws a chest out of a cabinet, and opens the lock with a key she had in her pocket. "Here is your pearl. But before you leave, I have a request."

"Of course," Sophie says.

"If you see my children, give them this note," Mai says, handing Sophie a piece of folded paper. "I suppose you can read it. I have always suspected my children ran off to be pirates. Their names are Tam and Linh."

Sophie knows Tam and Linh, and Mai seems to read that on her face. Mai just smiles.

Sophie lets the letter stay closed, and opens the chest. There sits a pearl, the darkest one she'd ever seen.

She draws out the note in it.

<i>Five of six.

At last, your treasure is on the horizon—

It will take more than what you have,

But if you can, go to the place with the weeping willows and golden path.</i>

"Now, go along," Mai says. "I shouldn't keep you waiting.

So Sophie and her crew leave, and as soon as they sail off, she reads the note out to them.

"I think it could be over in the west," Marella says.

"The west?" Sophie asks.

"Near Aster," Marella says. "Aster is where many willows grow, apparently. If there's anywhere it would be, it's near Aster, where they're native."

"Let's go," Sophie says.

«»

When they arrive at Aster, the Moonlark is already there, and Fitz can see Sophie smile into the breeze at their ship's entrance.

"The Sea-Sparkle!" Sophie calls. "I suppose you found Elysian too?"

"Oh, yes," Fitz calls back. He supposes that they're friendly now. "I don't suppose you only have half the pearls?"

"Oh, naturally! And you have the other half?"

"Of course. I suppose we'll need six, then."

Fitz, Keefe, and Biana hold their pearls; Sophie, Marella, and Stina hold theirs.

They find a golden path, just like the note says, lined with weeping willows. At the end is a gate, a thick wall that Fitz doesn't want to even begin climbing.

Plus, it has six pearl-shaped holes.

Fitz nods at Sophie, and they place their six pearls into the six notches. The gate shudders open.

«»

Beyond the gate is a mechanical island. Wisteria and weeping willows grow on it, intermixed with green copper and brass. It is large, larger than Alluveterre. It has a weird shape, too - a bulb on the top, a fan at the back.

"I suppose it's large enough for us to share," Sophie proposes.

"It most definitely is," Fitz agrees, and they embark onto the island.

It is beautiful, and Sophie watches Fitz man the steering wheel, and he turns it on, the eleven looking towards it.

It lifts up into the sky.

Sophie's heart goes to her throat. The world is so small, she decides, from up high. Fitz steers it towards the ocean, and lands it, everything growing larger as Elysian touches back down onto the water.

"This is amazing," Fitz says.

"It could be another Alluveterre," Sophie says, quietly, and the ten other people around her smile and agree.

It is theirs, now. It can rise to the sky if attacked. It is beautiful. It is everything.

Well, they need to grab their ships first, but Marella's studying a map with Biana.

"There's dry docks inside," Biana says. "I'll bet all my gold that we can put our ships in them."

Sophie would, too.

«»

<i><b>Five Years Later</i></b>

Fitz is profoundly glad that he went on the hunt to find Elysian. It's odd to say everything that has happened since.

Elysian is a hub of travel and trade for pirates. Dex runs a guild for repair. Biana and Linh are getting married - he never thought he'd see the day. Sophie visits her mother every once in a while. Tam and Linh have visited Mai once, but only for closure. They're glad that their mother is a better person than before, but it is too late for any relationship, Fitz thinks.

But solidly the best thing that's happened because of Elysian is Sophie. Fitz did not expect what he has with her now, but he knows their relationship is steadily changing, shifting away from friendship into something more romantic.

Fitz still sails, sometimes. But he no longer has to, and he values that more than he'd ever expect. Elysian is freedom, Elysian is not just the sea but also the sky.

Now, only if it could traverse the earth, too...

[guerrerense]

locomotive Garratt NG130 por Welsh Photographs Por Flickr: locomotive Garratt NG130 pulling a train out of Harbour station, Porthmadog, Gwynedd heading out on the 25 mile run to Caernarfon. #130 was built by Beyer Peacock for South African Railways to their 2-6-2+2-6-2T NGG16 Garratt design. #130 arrived on the WHR in 2015. It has been restored for use on the WHR by the works at Dinas. The restoration was funded by the locomotive's owners. The rebuild included a new boiler built by Northern Steam Engineering Limited of Stockton.

[fundingforboilers]

Boiler Servicing Newton Mearns - Funding For Boilers

Funding For Boiler, we believe that regular servicing is the key to keeping your oil boiler running safely and efficiently. Our oil boiler servicing in Newton Mearns is tailored to suit the needs of your boiler. We carry out a full inspection of your boiler, checking for any signs of wear or damage. We then carry out any necessary cleaning and adjustments to ensure your boiler is running at peak performance. At Funding For Boiler, we understand that it can be difficult to fit servicing into your schedule, which is why we offer a flexible booking service. We can arrange for oil boiler servicing in Newton Mearns at a time that suits you, and you can also choose to have a detailed written report sent to you afterwards.

[scotianostra]

On October 2nd 1947 the paddle steamer Waverley was launched from A. & J. Inglis’s yard on the Clyde.

The Waverley is the last sea-going passenger paddle steamer anywhere in the world. She was named after the debut novel of Sir Walter Scott, but wasn’t the first paddle steamer to bear the name. The previous Waverley, built in 1899, had been requisitioned as a minesweeper during World War II and sank during the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940.

Materials were so scarce in post-war Britain that the new Waverley had to wait more than three months after her launch to have the boiler and engines installed. She finally entered service in June 1947, sailing a scenic route up Loch Long to Arrochar.

Ownership of the Waverley passed to the Caledonian Steam Packet Company in 1948. Between 1949 and 1964 she had a variety of winter duties, often replacing another ship that was being overhauled, or she was the spare vessel ready to cover for others in an emergency. In the main season, her routes were extended to include the Isle of Arran in 1953 and from 1958 onwards, there was also a cruise up the Clyde to Glasgow. By 1970, she was the last seagoing paddle steamer in the world. By 1971, Waverley was one of only two large excursion vessels left on the Clyde and was based at Gourock. In 1973, CSP became part of Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd

Waverley was sold on 8 August 1974 to the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society and refitted for the Waverley Steam Navigation Company. In 1975, she re-entered service on the Clyde, sailing at weekends from Glasgow and in mid-week from Ayr. In 1977, she spent a week on excurisions from Liverpool and the success of this led to over a month being spent on the South Coast in the following year. In 1981, she was fitted with a new boiler and embarked on her first full season of Round Britain cruising, with the peak summer weeks spent back on the Clyde.

In her 1990/91 winter refit, the paddle wheels were replaced and a major £7m two-stage rebuild was undertaken in early 2000 and winter 2002/03 in Great Yarmouth with the support of the National Heritage Lottery Fund. Waverley continues to be maintained in excellent condition and is the last seagoing paddle steamer in the world, fully restored and painted in her original LNER colours. She now runs cruises and charter days out around the British Isles and in 2015 celebrated 40 years of service under her current owner.

I had the pleasure of going on the Waverley last year, boarding at Oban and spending a whole day crusing up the west coast to Knoydart where wehad a short time before heading back to Oban.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Canary Media:

Buildings everywhere need to get off fossil fuels in order to help the world avoid climate catastrophe. Yet owners of large commercial buildings in New York City are especially feeling the pressure: The groundbreaking Local Law 97 takes effect this year, requiring buildings of more than 25,000 square feet to meet specific emissions limits, which become more stringent in 2030, or face hefty fines.

One cutting-edge retrofit project is underway at the corner of Hudson and Charlton streets in lower Manhattan. The 17-story Art Deco office building, built in 1931, is ditching its fossil-gas boiler for uber-efficient electric heat pumps that are both heaters and air conditioners. They’re key components of a system that aims to heat and cool the building more efficiently by capturing thermal energy that would otherwise be wasted.

The state is backing the demonstration project, which could serve as a model to decarbonize the more than 6,000 high-rises that punctuate New York City’s skyline. As part of the Empire Building Challenge, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) awarded $5 million to the 345 Hudson project in 2022, which also has more than $30 million in private funding.

Project leader Benjamin Rodney estimates that once the project is complete in 2030, the building will use 25 percent less energy than a conventional design and reduce greenhouse gas pollution by 70 percent relative to 2019 levels. As the grid cleans up, he expects the figure to climb to 90 percent by 2035. The deep emissions cuts will allow the building owner, Hudson Square Properties — a joint venture of Hines, Trinity Church Wall Street, and Norges Bank Investment Management — to avoid more than $200,000 in fines annually starting in 2030.

But more importantly, it could help other building owners determine how best to eliminate emissions — a crucial task given that nearly 70 percent of the city’s carbon pollution stems from the fossil fuels used to heat and power its buildings.