"One to be born from a dragon, hoisting the light and the dark, arises
high up in the sky to the still land...  Veiling the moon with the light
of eternity, it brings another promise to mother Earth with a bounty and
mercy."  Cid read the old Mysidian legend aloud.  "I hope Celes is
alright."

A great clamor arose from outside.  Cid opened the shutters.  A huge whale
sat out front in the desert sands.

"Hey Grandpa!  Are you ready with the equipment yet?"

*****

"There you go, she's all ready.  The crane is installed, and I've been
able to reroute some of the wires, so now I've been able to make a little
more room inside.  I figure that you can use the cranes next time you take
off, and after having an airship inside, the whale will have about 300
square feet for cargo.  You have crew quarters for twenty people, but if
you sleep in shifts, you can fit... maybe 35 people in there," Cid rattled
off.

"Thanks Grandpa," Celes said, smiling.

"No prob... cough... no problem."

"Grandpa.  Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes.  I'm just getting a little... old."  He seemed to shudder at
the thought.

"Do you want to come along?  Have another adventure?"  Celes tried to
offer anventure once again to her "Grandpa".

"No, actually, Edgar wants me to stay here.  He wants me to build some
airships for him.  He wants them called the same name they were called
many years ago... the Red Wings!"  Cid seemed happy to be useful.

"Alright.  If you say so..." Celes thought.

*****

Celes knocked on the door.  "Rosa... Are you in there?"

"Just a second."  Rosa came out of the room.  "Isn't this place wonderful?
This Edgar person, he's given us every comfort.  Plus, that Cid person
seems as skilled with mechanics as the Cid I knew ever was."  Rosa said,
"I'm going to like this century."

"Well, the high-and-mighty king might be coming with us on our journey.
Figure in... maybe, a half-dozen old friends on the moon, you, me, Edgar
and Rydia, and we have ten people.  Then I'm pretty sure Cyan would be at
his castle, that gives us eleven, and..." Celes started.

"Hold it." Rosa interrupted.  "If you broke this Whale out of its "sleep"
just so you could see your friends again...."

"No.  I told you, we have to get to the moon.  Then, we see if everything
is alright and maybe even start a trade agreement while we're at it..."

"You're power-crazed."  Rosa giggled like a little girl.

"If you want to see power-crazed, talk to *Emperor* Edgar," Celes said
with a cryptic smile.

*****

"Good-bye.  See you all later," Cid called out.

The Big Whale flew once again.