Beer Run: (The Return to Loch Ness -- Finale)
The lights in the castle, and in the courtyard, and the security lights along the metal fence enclosure and flotation ring are all illuminated. We are being welcomed home! (One hopes it is for more than the fact that we brought beer with us!)
Fortunately, the light breeze seems to be away from the docking port, as the huge balloon craft eases toward the surface, and the loading dock. Extra heat is diverted to the large balloon, and the engines are throttled back to almost idle, and tilted downward. The balloon wants to rise, but the jets are forcing it down, closer to the surface, and the dock.
The mooring lines are tossed down and caught by alert attendants, then secured to the dock platform. The engines slow even more as the winches pull the ropes taut. The engines are shut off. In the sudden relative silence, one can hear the slap of waves, the creaking of the ropes, and the voices of working men and women. Greetings are called out to the returning travelers.
The ropes slowly draw the converted tower structure back to its base. Latches click, and are secured. As the hot air in the huge balloon slowly cools, the structure eases its weight back onto the even more massive floating island. The loading ramp door opens gradually, spilling light from the interior over the darkened shell in the metal fence. Once it is down passengers and the ones on the dock who came to see them arrive greet each other in great excitement.
The pilot and crew all release their breath in relief. The beer run is, at last, over.