[TheRaisin]

Cedar and Tak gathered up the weapons and stowed them on the ornithopter while Plik tied up the three police and suspended them from the roof into a nearby alley with some rope they had found on the ornithopter. He seemed to like things like that. He went about his task with good cheer and satisfaction, occasionally laughing evilly or rubbing his hands together while smiling deviously. He seemed to like that also. They moved fast, aware that someone on the ground might have seen them. Within five minutes they were ready to fly.
"Passengers, please fasten your seatbelts, as your captain has no idea what he is doing," Tak said cheerfully.
Plik chuckled, but Cedar did what he said.
"He's probably being serious, you know," she mentioned.
There was a sickening lurch as the entire craft suddenly dropped five feet.
"Sorry, moved the lever the wrong way!" Tak shouted back from the cockpit.
This time he presumably moved it the right way, as the wings began beating more quickly. When they had gained some height, Tak moved another likely-looking lever and the wings pivoted so that the front ends pointed slightly downward, and they began moving forward. Soon they were racing above the roofs of the city which blazed like signal beacons. As they rose to just below the misty ocean clouds that drifted in vain towards the mountains as if in hope of pissing off a few inlanders with a light drizzle, Tak found the wing-lock control, and they wafted and glided for a while as if they themselves were a cloud. If the Crystal City had been made entirely of crystal as the name suggested, this would have been impossible, as the crystal absorbs practically no heat because it is so reflective, which would have eliminated almost any updrafts of warm air. Fortunately for them, many parts of the city had been replaced or added on to with D'naathi metal, which became very hot under the sun.
They cruised along in silence for a few hours. Cedar stared expressionlessly out the window, watching the city far below and imagining it and all of it's inhabitants simply vanishing under a Ket assault. Plik counted his twice-stolen coins without any real interest, simply trying to occupy himself. Tak just stared out the cockpit window. Finally he stood up and entered the main cabin.
"We're getting close. You might want to--" he stopped without saying "prepare". They were already prepared. Their weapons were polished and strapped to belts, straps, sashes, and holsters. Their faces were grim but determined.
"Okay. If... if one of us gets captured, the others have to go on. We have to tell the king, and we don't have time to wait for a scheduled audience."
They both nodded.
"Let's do it."