Through the dome he could see the white wool like clouds with light blue sky peeping through at intervals. Looking then at the models of his marvellous creations he let his eyes fall across his successes, his failures and those things that were still to come to fruition.
Falkenburg was a stocky, moustachioed, proud looking Saxon. Dressed in his steam battlesuit he did not look too out of place among his other creations. Pressing the levers on both of his gauntlets, steam then vented from his backpack and he began to rise.
He got to about 20 feet and stayed there for a few seconds before the interrupting steam flow caused a loss of height. Then he fell rapidly the rest of the way onto a model of the F10 airship. Screaming initially in pain he then shouted, "Falstaff!"
A giant of a man, fully bearded and dressed as a footman, strode into the domed room. "Yes Mister Falkenburg?"
Wriggling around in the devastation he had caused he cried, "Free me from the wreckage."
Falstaff quickly got to his master's side and lifted him straight up with his enormous strength. The part of the F10 model that had trapped Falkenburg fell off then broke into two as it hit the floor.
"Mmmm," fumed Falkenburg, "thank you Falstaff. Now put me down in a sensible place."
As the servant placed him down he asked, "Did you not sort the feed pressure out?"
Falkenburg undid the buckles of the steam powered flying vest and it dropped to the floor. "Maybe I am not the best test pilot. Maybe a lighter man would make it easier to fly." He thought for a moment, "Who would be best do you think Jasper or Albert?"
"They are of a similar build. Maybe Albert is the most intelligent and conscientious."
"Yes," he clapped his hands, "get him for me would you Falstaff?"
"Of course sir, but what about his plate production?"
"Get Shackleton to run it for an hour." Falstaff turned to leave.
Albert started to sing a little song that went with the sounds of the forming machine and the robot.
"Give me a day, to go to the races,
To see the ladies and their pretty faces..."
"Albert!" he heard Shackleton scream.
Before he left he made sure there were no more problems then he ran for his life.
At the other end of the floor he saw Falstaff with Shackleton.
"You are to go with Falstaff," spat Shackleton who then put his hands on his hips and began to make his way to the forming machine.
Falkenburg was modifying a piece of metal on the flying suit when Falstaff came in with Albert.
Motioning he called the lad over, "Come, I have a task for you."
Albert smiled, hoping that this would help him to stay on at the factory.
Holding the flying jacket up Falkenburg ordered, "Place your head through here and your arms here."
As the lad complied Falkenburg lowered the jacket over his head. It dwarfed Albert. The factory owner started strapping him in.
"Now," began the inventor, "this is a flying jacket I am working on. I think I am a little too heavy for it to work properly, until I can make some adjustments. I want you to try to fly with it."
Albert grinned in such a stupid way that, for a second, Falkenburg wondered if he had made the right choice.
Pointing to the hand levers he then explained, "These two levers give you control of the steam pressure that will make you fly." Pressing Albert's fingers together gently onto the levers steam then started to escape from the canister on the back of the jacket.
