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By Root 246 0

theories, and through these discussions it was Edison who devised a practical use for the luminiferous aether. Its nature suggested to Edison a device which could sail at speeds heretofore undreamed of. But this prototype hit a problem; it could not overcome the atmosphere. Edison communicated this problem to Moreau, and further tests with small models showed that the device would only operate properly at an altitude of 24,000 feet or higher. In 1868 Edison perfected his prototype and called it an aether propeller, a device that manipulated the aether by generating an electromagnetic field. He manned the first voyage himself, accompanied by the soldier of fortune, Jack Armstrong. Together they piloted their craft via hydrogen balloon high enough to enable the propeller to work, and from there they sailed the aether all the way to Mars. Unfortunately their landing on Mars was not smooth and their flyer was damaged, but fortunately the planet was inhabited. The two men spent over a year on Mars, learning the language of the natives, and were eventually provided with material to repair the flyer. They returned to Earth on August 7th 1870. Edison and Armstrong received fame and fortune, and within a year there was several dozen companies manufacturing Edison flyers, and flyers of several other nationalities were soon making frequent trips to Mars.

These are the facts, how the aether age came upon us. Since then mankind has spread out among the inner planets, but due to the mechanics of aether travel they have not been able to find a way to travel beyond the asteroid belt and thus explore the outer planets. After all, it is by garnering the heat of the sun that enables the water to boil and thus produce the steam that powers the aether propeller.

Despite my own intellect, I have never dreamed of visiting the planets; never has such a thing held sway in my imaginings. Even when I first heard from Grant at the beginning of last year I had no interest in aether travel, but the cantankerous old fool piqued my interest with his designs of a theoretical governor that could enable an aether propeller to navigate the airless surface of the moon. And, I suppose, it is true to say that I was a little enticed by the thought of becoming a peripheral part of the exploration of that, hitherto, uncharted world. I believe minor expeditions have visited Luna from time to time, but mostly the nations of Earth have sought out the more interesting “inner planets”. Except the Russians. I have heard talk of a missing Russian scientist…But I digress.

For almost eight months Grant and I worked together, perfecting his initial design, but still I had no desire to actually venture into the aether itself, although it was inevitable that I would do so. After all, how could I work on this governor and then not witness it in action?

Alas, as I have previously documented in this journal, that was not to be.

Any thoughts of leaving the Earth died when I returned to British soil. Even when I was enlisted by William the thought of aether travel and I did not return. I was simply content to help the engineers at the dockyard work on designing the first aether battleship, improving on the governor design.

And now here I am. In the aether. In less than five hours we shall be navigating the surface of Luna. Despite myself I cannot rest, even if Captain Folkard did insist I take a banyan, sleep is furthest from my mind. It is less to do with the anticipation of being in Luna’s orbit than it is to do with…aether travel.

I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a seasoned traveller. Terra firma is where I am most comfortable. I sit here on my cot, I believe it is called, in a cabin which I am sharing with several ratings. They are all hard at work throughout the ship now and I am alone. The Sovereign is a battleship and guest quarters do not exist. Clearly it amused Captain Folkard to billet me with the ratings, instead of allowing me the luxury of an officer’s cabin. But I must not complain; I suffered worse when I was child. As I sit here,