Way back when...

The sixth write to Megan's ongoing year-long writing project, I'm just gonna jump into it, and you can view the rules for this one here:

Back in 1938, before the steam-zeppelins and sky-trawlers started mining space, there lived the aeronauts. These pioneers shared a dream all of mankind has shared since the beginning of time--to sail the skies. Only, after 1921, when media-mogul Sir Reginald West IV incorporated the world's first zeppelin-based company, Aeronautica, were these dreams fully attainable. Within two years, the company employed over 120 pilots around the world, and ran three major factories that manufactured the parts required for the new airships. By the third year, there was at least one factory on every continent--an experimental, extreme-condition factory was set up in Antarctica, but was closed in 1926 due to a series of unfortunate, weather-related events.

Aeronauts became a new tier in society, soaring far above even movie stars, literally. They were global superstars, and the more insightful advertisers began ask for their clever and witty mottos and slogans to be plastered upon the sides of these high-flying ships. Of course, only a few aeronauts allowed advertisements to be displayed on their ships--not only was it seen as a way to sell out one's dreams, it was also very impractical, as the ships were out of view of the public for a majority of the time. The aeronauts that did go for the money raced in the very showboat-y tournaments within a city anyway; it's not like they were doing anything spectacularly original with their ships.

Over time, the materials and construction of these airships became more manageable and cost effective, and the ability to soar among the clouds was affordable by more and more civilians (although still somewhat wealthy) every year. Although civilians were able to fly their new-found ships, very few actually sailed them on their own. Most of the time they'd hire a private aeronaut to fly for them, or ferry around tour groups around a city or county. 

On April 24, 1932, Sir Reginald West IV passed away, leaving his fledgling empire to his young, two-something son, Reginal "Regalo" West V. The world-renowned "Regalo" was competing in the Worlds Races, a test of man and machine against time and nature. On April 26, during a refueling stop over Bolivia, Regalo heard news of his father's death, and immediately steered toward London to attend the funeral and talk with Aeronautica's advisors--his father's closest friends. In 1933 and '34, while working on a major, yet secret project for Aeronautica, Regalo attempted the Worlds' Races, but was thwarted twice by storms over the Pacific. It wasn't until 1935 that he won the Worlds Race, and in a record time--so fast in fact that the race was renamed the Worlds' West Races, in honor of Regalo's father.

In another commemoration of his father, Regalo and Aeronautica unveiled their secret project to the world, on April 24, 1836--the Space Sailer. These new versions of conventional airships allowed aeronauts to reach the furthest reaches of the sky; bordering on space flight. By that fall, the designs had been reintegrated and upgraded for continuous flight outside of the atmosphere.

A new world awaited the aeronauts, and they were ready.