Chapter 346: Can You Handle It, Professor Tan? (1/2)
Chapter 346: Can You Handle It, Professor Tan?
The Captain was the first to recover his senses. Sharp claps rang through the bridge as he attempted to gather everyone’s attention. He shouted over the din. “Alright! It’s not time to celebrate yet. Get us back on course, and broadcast to the marshals that we’re out of danger. Everything is back to normal. We are continuing in our route to the Barrows. Someone get me a report on damage sustained and remaining energy reserves. Turn off the shields!”
The crew members reigned in their joy and set about enacting the Captain’s orders. Lan Jue rose to his feet, once the helmet rose from his head. He didn’t dance or sigh as the others – he’d been through several life or death situations in his time. Zhou Qianlin dropped her hands from his shoulders, just as Tan Lingyun allowed her Discipline and its barriers to disperse.
Lan Jue made his way to the Captain. “I apologize, the situation was urgent and dire. I ask that you don’t advertise my involvement in any of this.”
The Captain replied by snatching up Lan Jue’s hand in a hearty shake. “Thank you. Thank you for saving all our lives. How could we not share this news? You’re a hero! I’ve never seen anyone pilot a craft like you did. You’re one hell of a battleship pilot.”
Lan Jue retrieved with hand from the old man’s iron grip with some effort. He chuckled sheepishly. “If you really want to thank them, then let’s keep this whole thing quiet. I guess I couldn’t be opposed to a first-class seat, if you have one available. Tall as I am, economy class is pretty uncomfortable…”
“Not a problem, not a problem. Half the first-class cabins are empty. You and your friends are all welcome.” By now the Captain had returned to his normal, gruff manner. The qualities and character of a commercial pilot needed to be very high to reach the professional level this man enjoyed. He also understood some of Lan Jue’s reticence – after all, what he’d done was extremely illegal.
The ship’s crew looked at Lan Jue in an entirely different light now. Their eyes were full of admiration and appreciation. They were all trained airship operators, so everything they had managed to see, they understood. If asked to describe it, ‘master at work’ was the best they could come up with. Much like the Captain’s praise, they had never seen anyone pilot a ship like that before.
Lan Jue stretched his lanky body, and looked at Tan Lingyun. “Thank you Professor Tan.” She had been very helpful and compliant, questioning him only the once. He was also afraid he might have revealed himself, and wanted to find out more of what she’d seen. In the end, the Savage Goddess had made the right determination in the moment when he needed it most, and for that he was grateful.
She glared at him with hard eyes. Her face seemed a little pale.
Zhou Qianlin gave her a curious look. “Professor, are you alright?”
Tan Lingyun’s eyes swept toward Qianlin. Without warning, she doubled over.
“Raaghhwrw!”
Lan Jue watched wide-eyed and slack-jawed as Tan Lingyun vomited for what seemed like an eternity. She kept throwing up until nothing was left but bile.
Was this… was this motion sickness?
How could it be anything else? She’d remained right behind him, locked in place through the whole ordeal. She wasn’t protected by any shielding or pressure relieving apparatuses like the crew had at their stations. She had felt every pitch and jerk and drop.
In fact, the only way she was handling it this well was because she’d experienced the g-force training Lan Jue had put them through. If she hadn’t, she would likely already be curled up on the floor.
Fighting back a laugh, Lan Jue clicked his tongue at her. “Ah, Professor Tan – are you really suffering from motion sickness? You have to look after yourself! Take it easy…”