Fantasy Starborne - Open

[SilverFlight]

It looked like Amiecia had been true to her word. The way was now clear onto the ship, still, there would be guards below decks, and they would have to convince them that they belonged there.

Anna caught the Nevathi boy's smile. "What is that for?" She asked him curiously, and he told them. It was a brilliant idea. "Oh I like that, how fast do you think we could knock them out?"

Larassa produced the gem and Anna grinned. "That was a pretty impressive bit of larceny, lady bounty hunter." Anna praised. She held out her hand for the gem.
"All right. I'll need to get to the engine room to start the takeoff, we need two people to unfurl those sails, someone at the helm and likely someone to help Elnaril make sure the rest of those guards go under. Killerie, Charlie, why don't you some with me to the engine room? I'm sure I could use some help to get things going quickly."

Anna took a deep breath, puffed her chest out and began to strut towards the gangplank like she belonged there. In truth she was simply copying the mechanics that worked on her mother's ships. Confident, with no time for upper-class pomp.
"Those not going the way of the canon port, come with me."

Anna made it onto the deck. So far so good. It looked like the only guards above deck were the ones Amiecia had lured away. Anna made her way to the center of the ship, and the steps that least down into the belly of the ship. Everything was brand new, the polished wood was a deep mahogany brown, lit with electric lamps in ornate frosted glass coverings. There was a blue velvet carpet running the length of the hall. One way lead to the captain's quarters at the rear of the ship, the other to the galley (the kitchen). Anna pointed to another flight of steps to the side of their path.
"That should lead down to the engine room, it should be towards the rear of the ship."
Lioness075 TheSpeck andujarprime Hazmat44 Naberius

Now to get Elnaril to the galley. Just when she thought they were going to get away without any conflict, a door opened and a guard stepped into the hallway.
"Uh hey, you're not supposed to be--"
"NO?" Anna cut him off loudly. "Listen here, I'm the Imperial mechanic sent to oversee the ship's appearance at the festival. I don't have to explain myself to you. We're already running behind schedule, this tub should have lifted off three minutes ago! The palace does not tolerate errors, especially not on Unity day, do I make myself clear?"

The poor guard tried to collect himself, but Anna wasn't giving him an inch.
"They even assigned a cook to my team, felt bad for you lot having to guard the ship with no refreshments I guess, that's what Imperial kindness gets you, no gratitude at all!"
"W-wait," the guard stammered, "We were told there would be someone coming from the palace. A cook? I'm very sorry miss, please, go on ahead."
He stepped aside and Anna brushed past him. "As you were. I'll have something made for you as soon as possible. Just sit tight, and go tell your buddies to wait in the mess."

The galley was immense, and fully equipped. Copper pans of the finest quality, porcelain-covered cast-iron stew pots, knives that looked like they had never been used. The floors were white marble, as were the counter tops. The pantry was filled with the most exotic ingredients just waiting to be chosen.
"They certainly spared no expense for this ship." Anna marveled. "Will you be okay here by yourself? I should get to the engine room with the others."
Naberius

Little known to the group, that just outside, striding with purpose out from the palace gates, was the Imperial crew who was actually supposed to take charge of the ship. Their bright red uniforms blazed in the light of the setting sun. It wouldn't be long before they arrived.
Lioness075 TheSpeck andujarprime Hazmat44 Naberius

*~*~*

Shen stood confidently for a moment, but inside, his mind was racing. They couldn't possibly have found out so quickly could they? That's what he got for making such a scene in the pub. Oh, stars they didn't look friendly.
"We have some questions." One of the guards said. Shen took out his fan and waved it before his face lazily.
"You wish to pay attention to me? Very well I accept."

"You, don't move." The guards said to the others who hadn't left Shen's side after the shop.
"We have reason to believe there's a plot to kidnap a member of the Imperial family."
"Oh, that's awful. Well, if I hear anything, I'll let you know..." Shen tried to move past them but the leader grabbed his arm roughly.
"You're coming with us."

The guard hadn't seen Shen's other hand move. The fan masked it. In a flash Shen twisted the guard's arm, stepped in and shoved him. The guard went careening over Shen's knee and landed in the dust of the alley.
Shen stood over him as the other guards put their hand on their hilts, but the light from Shen's beam saber already cast the scene in a ghostly blue light.

"I'm afraid I don't have time for this. I'm sorry dear ladies, but it looks like I'll be testing your skills a little early in the job...Take them down!"

Saturn_moon gaY jail Spoiled Bread Zazz

((Free for all on the Imperial guards))

 

[Naberius]

"If they have the right ingredients stocked up, I can easily incapacitate a large group in just a few minutes. With the right combination of spices and seasoning they won't taste a thing and before they can figure out what's happening they'll either be too drowsy to be a threat or outright asleep depending on how much endurance they have. If none of them are particularly resistant to the effects they should be out like a light sleeping deeply for the next few hours and by then we'll already be long gone."

He was sounding more confident by the moment, talking about something he actually knew very well. Plus the idea that he could contribute more was a boost to his overall mood. He grinned, nodding to signal he was ready to get started.

When Anna moved, he followed closely behind trying to blend in and act invisible as they made their way across the deck and inside the ship. His eyes widened at the posh decor, having never been on a vessel quite as regal before. His head on a swivel as he took in the furnishings, barely registering much of what was said or going on. Until a guard stepped into their path. He almost panicked until Anna took hold of the situation and bowled through the guards' questions with assertive confidence like she herself owned the very ship they walked through.

As she very handley dealt with the guard, who himself looked like he had just been given the tongue lashing of his life, Elnaril briskly stepped past with her before sighing under his breath. Too close there, but he couldn't help but admire just how deftly Anna had handled the situation. When they reached the kitchen, he brightened again and took in what tools he had to work with. Quickly walking over to the cabinets and shelving he started collecting various things that would work well for their plans.

"Hmm. Broc Flower, flax seed, valerian root..." He began rummaging through coolers and exclaimed in victory as he held aloft a package of some sort of meat. "Aha. Merfish. Normally if you cook it, you remove the toxin sack from inside the body but when used in the correct doses can act as a powerful sedative. These will work nicely. And the facilities here are first class. This will be fun."

 

[Hazmat44]

Killerie happily paced down the ship, glad that the situation with Amiecia had resolved itself. Granted, she technically hadn't solved it, either, which meant she'd need to face that anxiety another day. Thankfully, that was another day and not... well, today. For now, she was paired with Anna, the acidman, and Elnaril.

Elnaril scared her a bit. He was still nice, and wanted to be her friend, but... yes, she was scared. Just a little bit. From what he'd said, he could take food and just... make it do things! Like make people fall asleep, apparently. What else could he do with it? Turn people into frogs? Frogs into people?! Shedlings into people?!? COULD HE LIGHT THEM ON FIRE?!?

She would never see rats the same way again - although, he had mentioned he knew how to make food other than rats, which was an interesting idea to say the least.

Another fascinating concept was days. Shedlings had never needed to measure the passage of time before. Now that she knew what it was, though, she couldn't imagine being without it. It was another method of obtaining information! Obviously, it wasn't especially helpful to technological advances, insofar as she'd noticed yet, but maybe she could figure something out later. It also let her know how old she was, which was evidently very important to the Imperium.

The narrow hallways of the ship were restricting to say the least. Raised as she was, it made the whole passage seem thinner and smaller. It was oddly reminiscent of the tunnels she and the other shedlings used to burrow through the lower crusts of Zilian's carapace. Naturally, he would make it softer so they could dig through it without breaking their... everything, which Killerie had always thought was rather nice. Even asleep, Zilian was nice to the shedlings!

Well. They were technically a part of him, but that led Killerie on existential thoughts that went in odd directions that she tried not to think about.

At the end of the hallway was a particularly interesting door with a circular handle in the center. It was easy to just grab it with telekinesis and twist it open, pulling the door into the hallway and permitting their entrance. Squeezing through the tight doorway, she pulled all her legs in and checked herself over, making sure no limbs were bent the wrong direction or kinked. A kinked leg could wreak havoc on a shedling's balance in the long run.

Brushing herself off, she fixed her backpack straps and looked up.

Her jaw fell open.

She couldn't find the appropriate adjectives to describe what was before her. She had operated on an engine before - every Engineer back home had - but this wasn't just an engine. It was a piece of art the likes of which not even Alaric's mechanical hand, incredible as it was, could hope to measure up to. It was a cool black shape, angling into the back of the room, with a deep blue glow emanating from the obsidian fluting along the sides. It thrummed with power, sending a rumble straight through Killerie's exoskeleton and making her much more fragile endoskeleton vibrate.

She took a few steps forward, approaching the epitome of engineering with nothing short of awe. Without her noticing, a small dribble of saliva dripped out of the side of her mouth, and she looked at the side of it.

A metal mesh with hinges occupied the side of the engine, permitting access to the innards of the beautiful machine. A single antennae slowly, carefully, lovingly swept across the small knob, and after a moment, she pulled it open.

Perfection.

Before her hummed a complex system of wiring, piping and technological passages she didn't even know the names of. But she would know them soon. She would know this machine very very soon.

Sucking the saliva back into her mouth, she said aloud, "C-can I take this apart?"

Surely they would allow her this favor.

Right?

She didn't know what she would do if they didn't.

SilverFlight TheSpeck

 

[TheSpeck]

Charlie followed Anna, looking up at the ship as they entered. The halls were a bit narrow. They were heading toward the engine? He loved to play with technology. It was kind of like those cubes that the humans try to match colors on all sides. He didn't really understand why they had a hard time with it, it was pretty simple. Just turn it around until the colors match.

He got a bit uncomfortable as they got further into the ship. He felt rumbling and it made him feel odd. It took a lot of energy to stay still and not turn into a jiggly mess. He stuck close to Killerie until she squeezed herself through a small door. He followed her through, and the uncomfortable feeling was automatically drowned out by a wave of excitement. This engine was BEAUTIFUL! Whoever designed it deserves- DESERVES EVERYTHING. He moved past Killerie toward the black engine, inspecting every inch of it. He really wanted to touch it but the knowledge that engines were usually hot prevented him from moving too close. Killerie had asked something. "Yeah you can..." Charlie mutters, not actually knowing what she had said since he wasn't paying attention. He couldn't wait to get this ship started!

Charlie started to inspect all of the parts around the engine, levers, pipes, buttons, everything was amazing a beautiful and he just wanted to melt into the cracks and stay there forever. He couldn't though, he had to help his friends, otherwise he may have gone through with the plan. He quickly started messing around with some of the wiring and controls, making sure not to push anything so he wouldn't turn it on or explode it or something. He needed to learn what this was, he never delt with something so big before.

SilverFlight Hazmat44

 

[Spoiled Bread]

Ricotta

Oh no, things didn't end up in a peaceful conversation. Looking at the body language of both Shen and the guards she already expected that so the moment Shen twisted the guard's arm Rico immediately scurried away from the conflict. She would had escaped the scene if she didn't hear Shen ordered them to take the guards down so she stopped on her track and turned back. She might not like fighting but at least she knew that if her employer got caught then she would get no money.

"What to do, what to do." Rico didn't immediately jump into the fight and instead asses the situation from her hiding place behind one of the meat stall. Five guards, one already downed by her employer. She should be able to take at least one out. Now's the time to apply those fancy moves she learned during her bog scout camp.

Running towards one of the guard, Rico quickly approached him from behind. He was too distracted by Shen's quick takedown to notice the boggleman, at least until Rico grabbed the fabric on his pants and started to climb him like a monkey. The guard panicked and tried to swat her away, but Rico nimbly avoided his grab and soon made her way up.

Her grandmother said one shouldn't kill another people unless it's absolutely necessary and Rico didn't have any intention to, or else she would already shoot them with her venom dart. Instead she shapeshifted into a skunk, right in front of his face. Rico could see the guard's eyes widen as she sprayed on him and the guard immediately dropped on the ground. The chemical would sting his eyes, gave him temporary blindness and days of irremovable pungent smell at worst, nothing life threatening. Though looking at him yelling and squirming right now was quite frightening. Skunk Rico scuttered back to hide behind one of the stall to let her butt rest for a bit, thinking maybe using skunk wasn't the best move since she too would smell horrible now.

SilverFlight Saturn_moon gaY jail Zazz

 

[Zazz]

Calliope quickly assessed the situation, noting how the fluff ball ran away from the fight, then towards it at Shen's command. She chuckled quietly when the second guard got sprayed by the horned skunk, and casually pushed off the wall.

In her most uppity resemblance of nobility, she interrupted a third guard. "Excuse me, sir." As he turned, his face collided with four metal knuckles. The man dropped instantly. Calliope nodded approvingly, and raised her fists, readying herself for the next hit.

 

[Saturn_moon]

Rhea froze in place as the guards had ordered, head cocked curiously at the mention of a kidnapping. "Kidnap? We aren't kidnapping anyone.” She started, "We just wanted to –" but the words fell short at the tip of her tongue when the guard was suddenly shoved onto the ground at her feet. She looked at the groaning figure, then to Shen, the bewilderment on her face as plain as day.

“I'm sorry dear ladies, but it looks like I'll be testing your skills a little early in the job...” Shen said as he drew his own beam saber, the confidence his voice seemingly taking on a darker undertone. Fighting wasn't something Rhea had much experience with, her initial programming made her more inclined to domestic duties than physical ones, but something clicked within her as she recalled the numerous drunken brawls she'd witness on any night at the Refinery. The wild swinging of limbs, grabbing of clothes and hair, and throwing of anything one could get their hands on.

From the periphery of her vision, there was a flash as one of the guard's swords came swinging towards her. Immediately, her arm shot out to block the blade, catching it inches from her face. It was a well-made blade and wicked sharp, as was expected of any weapon belonging to a member of the imperial guard. It sliced easily through her synthetic skin but struck her titanium skeleton with nothing more than a loud clink. Rhea pushed the blade aside, unperturbed by the attack, and examined the damage done as the guard watched on with complete and utter surprise. "That's going to be a hassle." She muttered with indifference. With her other hand, she grabbed the guard by their collar and threw her head forward until it connected with the person's nose with a sickening crunch. With a cry of agony, they dropped their weapon onto the ground and fell onto their knees, cradling their nose in both hands. Rhea suddenly grew worried as she noticed the blood streaming down the front of the guard's face. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a dirty rag and gently placed it on the floor in front of them. It would come in handy a little later.

Turning back to the group she said with nonchalance, "Perhaps we should go?"

SilverFlight Zazz Spoiled Bread gaY jail

 

[gaY jail]

Lauren

She sighed internally when the guard grabbed Shen’s arm and quickly whispered to the sighthound to get away just in time, after Shen’s words did nothing but confirm her anxiety. Skills? She needed to thank him later for assuming she had actual fighting skills, when in honesty she would have swapped places without a second thought, being the one to get injured rather than really hurting the person charging at her.
Dodging the blade at a dangerously close angle, Lauren stepped on his foot to gain a few seconds before drawing in on his right, striking forward the arm holding the sword with all her might, ultimately kicking him behind the knee when his grip on the hilt weakened.
The sight of him crashing against the ground made her wince in guilt, and she did not dare to look in the direction of the shriek as she hoped for her lightheadedness to subside soon. Still, surrounded by guards and with the one on the ground looking at her cheek Lauren kept in mind she was in no position to be vulnerable, picking up the sword and connecting it to his throat. Dear, even if she was in a place to relax, the redhead would probably be too stubborn to admit it or let it show.

SilverFlight Zazz Saturn_moon Spoiled Bread

 

[SilverFlight]

Anna smiled at Elnaril. "Don't have too much fun." She teased him.
"I should go help the others in the engine, can you handle the guards from here?"

She said her goodbyes and hurried for the stairs.
She felt the engine system before she began to hear it's quiet hum. The stairs leading to the engine floor were not carpeted; they weren't even made of wood. They were iron, and grated. Her steps echoed on them as she let herself drop the last three onto the engine floor, just in time to hear Killerie's question.

"Oh, Killerie please don't take it apart!" Anna asked in a hushed voice. "We're already in a lot of trouble just being here. If we can't escape, we'll be in a lot more."
Anna would have loved the time to marvel. Really it was what she came to do, but it was clear the others needed some direction.

"Let's start by opening the fuel intake valve, it should be that wheel over there." Anna pointed to a corner where a large brass pipe was segmented with a broad, spoked wheel.
"We have to start the engine before it can receive solar energy from the sails." She beckoned Charlie over. "Help me find the start panel, it should be the one with a place for this crystal." Anna held up the little blue gem that Amiecia had passed to them.

"Killerie, once the fuel valve is open, see if you can find the gravity generator controls. They'll need to be switched on to generate the initial lift, and keep us in place on the ground."

"Zark?" A long-eared, sharp-toothed visage appeared from behind the engine door.
"Zark!" Anna cried. "Good boy. Go upstairs and keep hidden, if the others need help, make sure they stay safe. Ok?"
"Zark zark." The creature gave one nod and disappeared.

Naberius Hazmat44 TheSpeck
andujarprime Lioness075

*~*~*

Shen was absolutely delighted with his new crew mates, he never expected this level of ingenuity and brute force.
"Well, that settles that then. You're right Rhea, we should go."
Shen stepped around the bodies, to the guard Lauren had at sword point; he flipped his sword around and deftly clubbed the poor fellow over the head. The guard fell unconscious.
"Quickly now." Shen sheathed his sword and led the way.

For good measure he took a few extra turns, down dark alleys and narrow side-streets. He dipped between buildings and balanced along fences, eventually coming back to the central square. The open space was crawling with guards, now even harder to spot because of all the crimson being worn by the party goers. There was a slow tide of people heading to the gates of the palace. Shen had had no word from Alaric. That must mean they didn't have control of the ship yet.
Shen took the pendulum out again and began to swing it, repeating the process he had before. The little bauble began to rock in a single direction...straight across the square.

"Drat." He looked back at the others.
"We need to get to the other side of the square without being seen by those guards." Shen looked about. There were ample people, and many vendours selling everything from robes, to firecrackers to masks and costume pieces.

Saturn_moon gaY jail Spoiled Bread Zazz

 

[Hazmat44]

Killerie snapped out of her awed reverie, listening to Anna's directions. She's really good at giving orders nicely, she thought. Heading over to the intake valve Anna had pointed out, Killerie stared at the circular wheel used to loosen the hatch, and then at her spindly legs, and then back to the tightly sealed hatch.

...Well, okay.

Looking between Anna and Charlie to make sure neither of them were watching, she clamped her mouth on the wheel and bit down as hard as she could. Bracing her feet on the ground, she pretended she was climbing up a wall, and she felt the traction increase. Twisting the entire top half of her body, she jerked hard-

-and almost yanked her teeth out.

Her teeth slipped off the valve and she crashed to the ground in an ungainly heap of legs and carapace. Rolling over, she hastily flicked herself back to a standing position and warily checked Anna and Charlie, hoping they hadn't seen.

Whether they had or hadn't, she still needed to get the valve open!

Killerie paused to look at the hatch's wheel, mind whirring. It was a sizable brass pipe. If it was an intake valve for starship fuel, it was most likely rather thick. Maybe thick enough to sustain her weight?

She made a decision and bodily climbed onto the pipe, then wrapped her midsection around the wheel and hooked several of her legs through the spokes. Tightly hugging the rest of the pipe as hard as she could, she then squeezed with her entire body and pushed.

This time it worked, the wheel squealing in complaint as she gradually twisted it open. The faint hiss of fuel rushing through the intake line met her ears, and she sighed in satisfaction. Checking herself over to make sure that all her legs were still there, she thought back on the rest of Anna's instructions and started looking around for the gravity controls.

They were, as she expected, on the side of the sleek black masterpiece she'd been inspecting when Anna came in. It consisted of a series of levers, dials, and buttons, lined up in an immaculate array of perfect rows. The levers had their own section on the side, the dials were all along the upper right section of the panel, and the buttons took up everything else. Several digital readouts gently glowed between many of the buttons, awaiting instructions. Killerie would have applauded if she had hands.

There was just one problem.

They were all unlabeled.

Killerie reached out and touched a button, hesitated, and backed away. If she didn't know how to operate it, then it was a bad idea to try and mess around with it. The engine was in charge of simulating all of the gravity on the whole ship! It could even be used to counteract against both too high and too low a downwards gravitational pull! Unfortunately, that also meant that if she increased it too much, well...

In summary, bad things would happen.

But... if she didn't figure out how to operate it, then she would no longer be of assistance.

How disappointed would Anna be?

Killerie's mind started working again, this time with far less excitement. Anna was paying Killerie to help get the ship! Killerie needed to have value! She needed to be worthy of however much Anna was paying her! Moving forward, she resolutely put an antenna on one of the levers.

And then backed away again.

On the other hand (an expression she'd obviously picked up from humans, as shedlings had at no point in history possessed hands), how much more disappointed would Anna be if she tried to make the engine do what she wanted, and something terrible happened instead?

Both sides of the argument fought for several seconds in the worried shedling's head, until she finally turned to Anna, antennae drooping. "I'm sorry. I... don't know how to operate this. But I got the valve open, and the controls are right over here."

She couldn't force any enthusiasm into her voice for once and just stood aside so the human engineer could take a look at it. In spite of her best efforts, she desperately hoped Charlie didn't know how to operate it either. She didn't know what she'd feel if it turned out she was the only one who didn't know how to do it.

TheSpeck SilverFlight

 

[TheSpeck]

Charlie aggressively snapped his head toward Anna at the sound of her voice, fully prepared to start fighting. He hadn't realized she was coming! Now that he thought about it, it made sense since she told them she was coming, but since she went off with Elnaril he assumed she wasn't. Anna started giving out instructions and held up a pretty crystal to give an example of what he was looking for. He had to find a start panel. "Ooo shiney! I'll go look for it." Charlie said. He set out searching through the engine room. It would make sense if it was toward the front. No one wanted to walk all the way to the back of the room, did they?

Charlie managed to search through at least five different control panels before finding the start panel. He made sure the spot for the crystal was there before looking at all the buttons. There were a lot of them. Why so many levers and buttons just to turn the engine on? He knew which one started the engine but had no idea what the other things did. He turned to Anna to tell her he found the panel, but instead was greeted by Killerie practically on her back from falling over in an attempt to turn the wheel. He decided not to say anything despite his urge to laugh. He waited a moment to let Killerie get up. Maybe if he didn't say anything right now she wouldn't realize he saw. "Anna I found the start panel! It has lots of buttons." He said.

Waiting for further instruction, he heard Killerie say she didn't know what to do with the gravity controls. She looked sad. He didn't like it when people look sad. What was it that made people happy again? Maybe making himself look bad would make her feel better. "It's ok Killerie! I don't even know how to start the engine, which is probably the easiest thing to do in this room."

Hazmat44 SilverFlight

 

[SilverFlight]

Anna was completely absorbed in the controls and didn't notice Killerie's fall. She ran her hand across one of the panels, muttering to herself, recalling each one's function. When her friends called to her, only then did she look up. She went over to Killerie and gave one of her legs a reassuring pat.
"No, you're both doing fine. This ship is one of the most advanced in the empire. This was never supposed to be easy. Good job on the valve Killerie, now, let's see this gravity panel."

Anna wasn't surprised when she saw it. There were an unecessary amount of controls. Clearly whoever designed it wanted to make sure there would only be a very few number of people who could operate it.
"Looks like the G force increment system is automatic...but it still has to be calibrated. See here? These levers have to be set to Imperium's specific gravity and magnetic force. Push that lever to 8.2, I'll set this one to 25K, and then we should just need to switch it on as soon as the engine warms up. Pres this button here when I say to."

Anna drew Charlie over to the start panel and pressed the key into his hand. "Just insert that crystal there, and push that level all the way up, hit this button, and watch the charge gauge here. When it's completely red, pull the lever back down and flip that switch."

Anna began to explain more about the systems and the engine, and why it was so advanced and unique. Her passion for ships was unmistakable, and her knowledge of this one was incredibly detailed.

"You need to learn how to operate the engine yourself because...I'm afraid I won't be going with you."

Hazmat44 TheSpeck

((Engine room post))

 

[andujarprime]

Alaric watched and grinned at Amecia’s reaction. Chuckling and pleased he raised a brow and nodded approvingly at Larassa’s handiness. His single raised brow became two, full of surprise and curiosity as Anna began giving orders. “Look at that, the little one’s a leader in her own right!” He exclaimed mostly to himself. As the group began to split off he stared up at the masts. “Two of us? Uh, that’s not necessary right? I’m needed at the helm. Ya don’t need me up there right Raven?” He looked to her slightly nervous. His wild eyes looking to his old friend then back to one of the masts.

Alaric gave the mast one last look before trying to move past Larassa. “I guess it would be faster with the both of us.” He groaned and began slinking his way to her with his shoulders hunched over. He held out his upper arms. “Okay, okay, let’s get this over with. You’re clearly flying faster than I could climb” He says with a resigned sigh. “Please don’t drop me?”
Lioness075 SilverFlight

 

[Hazmat44]

Killerie let out a barely audible sigh of relief as Charlie admitted he didn't know how to use it either, followed by that curious warm sensation as a he reassured her. He was even nicer than she'd initially thought! And when Anna complimented her valve-opening powers, that feeling only grew.

She resolved to figure out what it was later.

Until then...

Listening to Anna as she went over the controls, Killerie happily pushed the lever in question to the appropriate marker, waiting for Anna as she told Charlie how to start the ship.

And then Anna said she was leaving.

"WHAT?!" Killerie practically shrieked. "No, you - you can't leave! You're one of-" Killerie paused for a moment, counting. "-five people who I like! If you go now, I'll - I'll-"

Never see you again.

Killerie withered at the thought. She'd barely known Anna for an hour but she was nice, and didn't scream when she saw Killerie, and she liked techy stuff too, and...

She didn't want Anna to leave. She wanted to Anna to stay forever so they could become better friends, so they could learn about things together.

"I won't do it!" Killerie unhappily proclaimed. "I... I won't learn how to use the engine! You'll have to stay and... And..."

Shedlings didn't cry. Shedlings couldn't cry. Killerie had to remind herself of that as she fought the pressure building behind her eyes.

Do. Not. Cry.

TheSpeck SilverFlight

 

[TheSpeck]

Charlie listened intently to Anna's instructions, absorbing all the information and going over it multiple times so he wouldnt forget. Then he heard Anna say she was leaving and the smile he always kept dropped.

"You.. you're leaving? Leaving the engine room right? Are you going to help Elnaril again?" He said, hoping that he was correct. He liked Anna, she was really nice. She was also one of the only people who knew what to do if the engine went all whacky! If she left and the engine failed in the middle of space- his thoughts were interrupted by Killerie shrieking in protest about her leaving. He shook at the sound, only once, and looked over at Killerie.

"It's ok... If she decides to leave we can't stop her I guess..." He said, a bit less enthusiastically then he usually spoke.

Hazmat44 SilverFlight

 

[Spoiled Bread]

Ricotta

"Go ahead, Rico follow." Skunk Rico waited for the others to run a good distance before following them. She was aware of her current pungent smell so she didn't want to make the others uncomfortable. Even transforming to other creature wouldn't remove the smell so she must either wait it out or plunge herself into something that smells good, like soup broth! Broth was simply hot bath with tasty soap.

Shen started to made their way much more complicated, taking unexpected routes and slipping into various alleyways, probably to make sure they won't be followed. Rico could hear the noises from the crowd and the smell of festival foods even before they reach the town square. So when they finally arrived her attention was immediately drawn towards various food stalls lining up at the edge of the crowds.

"Rico's smell will draw attention so Rico will take another route. Give Rico signal if distraction is needed." Rico said to Shen before transforming herself into a raven and flew above the square. Raven Rico was eyeing the place before she decided to land on a roof near a skewered meat vendor. Occasionally her head would tilt towards the direction of the group in case they need her help but most of the time she was distracted by the tasty aroma of the food. She knew she should pick another place to land but she couldn't resist the temptation.

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[Naberius]

Elnaril returned her smile with a warm, fond one of his own and gave a small wave to his apparent new comrade.

"Don't worry about me, I can handle anyone that comes my way in the kitchen. Even a few dozen guards wouldn't be an issue so long as they have enough supplies. And when you get back, I can have a plate prepared for you and the others as well. Sans the special ingredients."

Once she'd gone, he turned to his preparations. The ingredients lay across the pristine countertop as the elven chef busied himself with making sure his hands were immaculately clean before gathering his utensils. A pair of finely honed kitchen knives obviously well maintained were withdrawn from his pack with utmost care, gingerly placed next to the fish. A flawless white apron that seemed too bright and perfect to have ever seen use before, aside from the tell-tale sign of the straps being well worn, adorned the young Nevvathi in a fluid motion that came from years of practice. This was where he belonged. His soul had two true homes, and this was one of them. In a fine kitchen preparing a meal that would suit royalty and impress nobles the universe over. A kind of strange, almost preternatural confidence seeped into his very bones as Elnaril took up the knives and eyed the ingredients he'd set out before himself, his smile taking on an air of impenetrable self-assurance far from what his new allies had ever seen from the youth.

Time was not on their side but everything was lost to the sharp eared chef, even time itself seemingly slowing for his perception. The guards, informed by the poor soul that had dared question Anna and been on the receiving end of a potent tongue lashing, started to pour in as he began his work. With movements that may very well could have been beyond what a mere mortal could achieve, Elnaril whipped the blades from the counter and twirled them easily between his fingers in a way that wouldn't have looked out of place in a particularly flashy and upscale carnival. With one hand he sent one of the blades sailing into the air before reaching out to grasp the fist chunk of fish and sending it up in a slow arc. The tumbling blade fell past it as his fingers lazily, gracefully took hold of the handle. The twin pinwheels of razor metal spun and flicked up, meeting the falling fish flesh and cutting through it as though it were no more substantial than the air itself, leaving behind several of equally sized and portioned fillets much to the amazement of the guards who by now were watching with wide eyes. None dared to look away from the strange, hypnotic display of their new cook and his singular way of preparing food.

As though he were some sort of precision machine hand crafted for this one particular purpose, Elnaril scythed through the rest of the fish in a similar fashion, catching the diced meat on a large platter. He took a few moments to clean and properly care for his knives before moving on to the root and vegetables he planned to add to the dish to help speed the process of slumber, setting them all out onto a cutting board with gentle care. Holding the tip of the blade flush against the skin of a root, he made short work of the plant by carving it into thin slices each cut a single pass along the length, no movement wasted in his display of skill that surely surpassed his youthful years. When the vegetables were cut, skinned, diced and ready, the maestro of the kitchen produced a pair of eggs from the refrigerator, balancing one on the tip of a knife and bouncing it a few times yet never allowing the shell to crack. As he whipped the knife up, the egg went sailing over, though the fleet footed Nevvathi boy took a single fluid step back, as graceful as a dancer, allowing the small fragile thing to roll down his arm and once again come to rest on the end of his knife as he bounced it anew. Another flick, and he caught it this time on the edge of the blade, letting it split and rest itself on the knife edge, the contents spilling into a large pot he'd prepared for making a rice based side dish to accompany the fish.

As the preparations came to a close, Elnaril smiled at the gathering crowd of guards and gave a small bow as many clapped and a few even whistled at the spectacle. But he wasn't quite finished. Even the act of cooking itself was masterful in his hands, so lithe were his movements and so precise his actions that not even a single grain of rice or splash of oil met the floor or his unmarked apron. The smells of fresh fish and rice and vegetables filled the air and wafted through the ship in a pungent aroma that soothed the soul and stirred stomachs to attention. These dishes were prepared in a specific manner however, leaving the toxin inside the fish though the spices and seasonings would cover the taste easily. These guards would be drowsy in a matter of minutes after consumption, and enter a deep slumber soon after. Though the food would taste better than just about anything they'd had before, the sort of dish one would enjoy in the finest of dining establishments. With gusto, the young Elnaril plated and passed out the food, receiving quite a few compliments and smiles from the different guards looking after the ship. Certainly it wasn't all of them, but it was a large group and he'd handled them himself, on his own, using his skills that had no place on the battlefield. And he would keep that small victory in his heart for days to come.

 

[Zazz]

After following Shen back to the edge of the square, Calliope put a hand to her injured ribs and glanced about. She really needed to deal with that soon. Spying a cart with cheap party robes, the blonde quickly traded a few coins for the longest red hooded coat and threw it at Shen. "Change. You stick out like a sore thumb."

Cal didn't know how the pendulum was supposed to even do, but frankly, she had other priorities. Like not getting caught. "Remind me. What do you plan to do with the princess if we find her?" Cal kept her voice low, in case anyone outside of the group was listening.

Glancing over at Lauren, she noticed something odd. Catching the woman's eye, Calliope gestured at her own cheek, indicating Lauren's white blood leaking from a cut.

 

[Saturn_moon]

“Is that… magic?” Rhea asked when Shen took the pendulum out once more. It seemed to work like a compass, although as far as she knew compasses could only find North and not specific people or objects. She’d heard talk about wonderworking amongst the people before, stories of impossible feats made possible by unknown, mysterious forces or abilities. Unfortunately, the factory district wasn’t exactly a hotspot for wonderworkers to gather and Rhea never had the chance to see anything resembling such accounts before. That was until Shen came striding into the Refinery claiming he could predict one’s fate from a deck of cards. Thinking back, she now wondered if perhaps what he had done before wasn’t so crazy after all.

“Change. You look like a sore thumb.” Calliope said, as she suddenly tossed a red cloak across to Shen. There was that phrase again, ‘like a sore thumb’. Perhaps calling something a ‘sore thumb’ was just another way of saying something was pretty? She couldn’t figure out why though. She’d seen a sore thumb and from the way the person was reacting, it looked highly unpleasant. Just more questions she would have to save for later.

Rhea removed her own coat and flipped it inside out so the plain brown lining faced out. “I won’t have any issues crossing the square if I’m on my own.” She was familiar enough with the back alleys here that even if one of the guards were to recognize her, she could easily find an alternative escape route. “I’ll create a distraction so the rest of you can follow.” Without waiting for a response, she swiftly disappeared into a passing crowd. While making her way across, she stops at a vendor selling firecrackers and picks up an armful of them along with a box of whistling sparklers. Rhea then ducks into a narrow alley a little way off from the direction the pendulum had been pointing and deposits her haul behind several crates. There was enough here to hopefully catch the attention of someone on the other side of the square. Without hesitation, she lights the tail of one before scurrying up a nearby fire escape onto the roof of the building.

Quietly, she starts to count down. 5…4…3…2…

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[SilverFlight]

Anna winced at Killerie's exclamation and put a pinger to her lips frantically. "Killerie please shush, who knows how many guards are still left!" She gave a nervous glance at the engine room door before looking back. The shedling looked like she was about to cry.
"Come now, you'll be just fine without me. I never meant to escape with you, I...just wanted to look at this ship. At any rate, it's much better in your hands than stuffed away in the empresses' private docks, you'll be just fine without me, I'm sure of it."
Anna did look sorry but..."I have duties here...and my mother...I can't just leave.."

A light flickered on beside her. The thruster charge gauge was full. They had to keep moving.
"Okay, next step." Anna completed the next few operations as she explained them, and then explained how to keep the engines running. All around them the machines began to hum in harmony, and the temperature slowly began to rise in the room.
"I'll just switch on the cooling systems to prepare for the solar charge...now all we have to do is tell Alaric we're ready."
She stepped to the shedling and put a hand on her carapace, looking so small beside the giant alien.
"Don't worry, even if we're apart, you'll always be my friend." She dug into her pocket and pulled out the coins she'd promised.
"For getting me onto this ship. You've done everything I asked."

Anna turned to Charlie. "I'm sorry I never got the chance to show you my jetpack...why don't you tell your friends at the docks to keep it. I can always make another one."
She turned and headed for the door. "Come on, I'll help you tell Alaric, then I need to disembark before the ship takes off."

Out in the open sky, a tiny dot in the distance was growing bigger. A figure was hurtling through the air, propelled by a machine on his back. He was dressed all in black, with a covered face. He landed hard on the deck, the wood split under his feet. Through the cover on his face he drew in a deep breath through his nose.
He stood, taking in the deck and the figures it contained. When he spoke, his voice was cold and raspy:
"Where is the princess? Where is Celestianna?"

Naberius andujarprime Lioness075 Hazmat44 TheSpeck

*~*~*

The pirate preened at Rhea's curious tone.
"Magic of a sort I suppose, though calling it that is likely to get me executed on this planet. Let's just say I have a family history. So hush hush, keep it to yourself. If we get out of this alive ask me again, I'll do my best to provide a thorough explanation, on my honour." He put a hand over his heart.

Shen didn't like the idea of splitting up, but he couldn't think of anything better.
"Ok, Rico, but stay close. If we need to run I don't want to lose you. We still don't have the princess yet, and you need to keep up your end of the deal."
Shen pretended a return on the money was the only thing that concerned him, still he looked worried as the diminutive figure vanished into the sky as a raven.
He wasn't paying attention to Calliope and the robe hit him in the face. He struggled with it and then glared at her. "Rude."
But nonetheless she was right, and he obediently slung the cheap fabric over his exquisite clothing, throwing the hood over his immaculate hair.

"What am I going to do with the princess? Hand her over to the one who's paying me, of course. Why should I care what people want with Imperial royalty? And why should you? It's not like Imperials are any good for anyone." It was an obvious open wound.
"We're wasting time." Shen dismissed irritably. "Let's just find the woman first."

It was then Rhea spoke, a distraction? What could she mean? But then he saw her going for the fireworks and grinned. "If we get separated meet us back at the ship!" He called to her.
"All right Lauren, Calliope, let's keep our heads down." Shen noticed Calliope turn to their friend and make a motion. Then he saw...no, it couldn't be...
Shen snatched up a mask from a nearby cart, with the vendor non the wiser. He pushed it at Lauren. "I'd make sure nobody else figures out what you are if I were you. Stars know we have enough trouble as it is."

Swinging the pendulum discreetly was no small feat, there were many close calls, where Shen cached the stone just before it was spotted by a guard.
"Just how the hell did they manage to get wind of what we've been doing. The empress must have spies in every crack.."
What Shen didn't yet see was that a group of guards had spotted him, and were trying their best to push their way through the crowds.

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[Hazmat44]

Killerie sadly stared down at Anna, mind churning. "But..."

With a supreme amount of effort, she managed to make the pressure behind her eyes go away. "If you go away, we can't talk, and we can't fix things, and..." She didn't want to say it. It made her embarrassed for some reason. But she had still never given anyone a hug before, and Anna seemed to be the person who would mind it the least so far. Maybe Elnaril would, later, but she couldn't help but wonder if he was still a little nervous around her.

Her body slumped. In the end, it wasn't her decision whether Anna wanted to stay or go. Unable to look Anna in the eye, she accepted the money and telekinetically put it in her backpack. Keeping her eyes downcast, she went over to the door and rested a leg on the handle.

And then stopped.

She didn't want Anna to go. Why did it hurt so much? Killerie hadn't known Anna for longer than an hour, but she wanted to do everything she could think of with her. She wanted to know what it was like to have friends!

What was the point of making friends if they left?

...Was it her fault?

Killerie shook away the thought as best as she could, but a few cobwebs remained. Anna had clearly stated she had to go because of her 'duties' and her 'mother', whatever those words meant. Anna didn't seem like the type to make up words to get out of things, and she was definitely too nice to deliberately hurt someone's feelings as far as Killerie knew.

No. If Anna needed to leave, then that was her decision. Besides, Killerie had to build a communicator soon anyway! There couldn't be that many people on Imperialis. She'd just have to scan through them all and find Anna!

Heartened by the thought, she pulled the door open.

A guard stood in front of her, blaster in hand.

SilverFlight TheSpeck andujarprime Lioness075

 

[TheSpeck]

Charlie sighed. The thought of the jetpack being his excited him, and he tried to dwell on the thought to drown out the bad feelings. But... Anna was leaving... that made him... Made him.... He hated being sad, absolutely despised it! He wanted the feeling to go away but it wouldn't. Humans smiled when they were happy! So if he smiled, then he would be happy! He plastered a grin on his face but the feeling he hated still nagged at him like a rat picking at a corpse. Why wasn't it working? Why did he have to feel lonely again? It reminded him of things he didn't want to remember... Like... like-

Charlie spoke to cut off his thoughts, "Well, thanks for the jet pack." He said with a forced smile. "It'll be a fun project!"

The heat rising in the room was starting to make him uncomfortable, but he knew his limits and was able to stay and be ok. He focused on the heat so he could avoid the sadness welling up inside him. He fidgeted with his hands a bit. He had other friends! He had other friends! He didn't need Anna! If she wanted to leave she could! He barely even knew her, why did this make him sad? No. He knew why it made him sad. But he didn't want to think about it. Not now. Not ever. Charlie watched as Killerie went to the door and opened it. The moment he saw the guard he felt the all too familiar feeling of fear spike up inside him.

"Killerie!" He ran over to her in an attempt to help. She was too big for him to get in the way of! He didn't want to lose another friend. He couldn't! Charlie made his way in front of Killerie in an attempt to block the guard from her but there was no way it would work, she loomed over him and could easily be shot anyway. "Don't shoot her!" He said, attempting to yell but it came out in more of a whisper.

Hazmat44 SilverFlight

 

[andujarprime]

Alaric let loose a creative string of curses as Larassa grabbed his wrists and took off. He tried to close his eyes, but knew that he needed to land properly. She made no attempt to hide her laugh as she jostled him on the way up the forward mast. "Seriously??!! It ain't that rocky on such a short triiiieeeeaaaaa!!" She dropped a few feet and cackled before regaining altitude. "come oonnn!!" He cried out as she dropped him unceremoniously on his perch. He glared at her as she circled his mast then made her way to her own spot. "I'll get you for that." He growled playfully knowing she could hear him clearly. He got to work on loosening the rigging that held the sail. He turned his attention momentarily to their surroundings and sighed. It seemed they had more company headed their way. Spotting the uniformed crew heading their way. No matter, seemed like a typical crew, easy enough to get rid of. He went back to unfurling the sail.

Rope in hand he turned to Larassa. "I can get myself down thank y- What the hell is that??!" He exclaimed pointing behind her as a black speck grew larger. Soon he could see the speck was a black clad humanoid. He cursed under his breath as it landed hard on the deck. "Great, even more company. Cover me Raven!" He called to her as he grabbed a hold of the rope with his biomech hand and slid down. he let his weight propel him down, the unfurling sail shielding him from too many eyes. The rope would have normally burned, but he was able to dull the senses on that hand. He spun as gravity brought him about, he slipped a hand beneath his cloak as he neared the deck. His eyes never leaving the black clad figure.

Alaric landed with a thud, nothing more. No grunt, no exertion of labor or pain, no splintering crack. He stood and looked at the man, woman, thing? It had begun speaking as it landed. Reaching the deck only moments before Alaric. Alaric took a single look at the figure and the damage it did to the deck and he was furious. "Are you out of your gobsmacked mind??!!! Have you any idea how much that is going to cost me to repair?" He began to approach, three hands waving in the air furiously. "Every single time I get something else fixed!! Every time!! First it was the port canon hold, then the mess hall and now this??!! Princess?! Find the damned princess if you're here tearing my ship up looking for some petulant royal brat! She can pay for the damages! The commission has already been paid and I was supposed to be delivered a pristine ship! My crew is late, my guards are hungry, and NOW I've got a splintered deck! Who in the 12 hells are you?! And WHY ARE YOU WRECKING MY SHIP!!" Alaric had noticed the approaching crew, and was aware there were still guards onboard. Hopefully his little performance would confuse enough people as he closed in on the figure clad in black. The skeleton crew that was supposed to prepare the ship began making it's way up the gangplank. Their footsteps hurrying as they heard the commotion aboard.

Lioness075 SilverFlight Hazmat44 TheSpeck

 

[Saturn_moon]

In all honesty, Rhea hadn't realized just how many firecrackers she had purchased. When she handed over the five gold coins, more money than she ever had to her name, the vendor had simply stared dumbly at the money in her hand then gestured absently at the cart while muttering something along the lines of "Help yourself." So, she did.

When the first firecracker went off it barely caught the attention of the rats scuttling about and Rhea thought her plan might have failed. Maybe the rest of the crackers and sparklers had not managed to light? However, peering over the ledge to check, she was greeted by a sudden cacophonous explosion of rainbow star light and sparks that sent her auditory senses screeching. Panicked shouts could also be heard coming from the square as people tired running away, while others pushed closer, be it out of bravery or general nosiness. Either way, her plan seemed to have work. Even if the firecrackers hadn't distracted the guards, the crowd was chaotic and rowdy enough that she hoped they would at least have a harder time seeking out the group amidst the confusion.

Scanning the people below, Rhea couldn't make head or tails which figures could even possibly be Shen, Lauren, and Calliope. She would just have to trust that they would be able to take care of themselves just fine. Hurriedly, she made herself scarce from the scene, careful to remain hidden from sight. In the distance, she could see the sails on Shen's ship now fully lowered. It would seem that the other group had succeeded on their mission. All that was left to do was to find said princess. Of course, there was also the matter of securing her right to leave...

Shen had told her to meet them back at the ship but said nothing about making a detour on her way there. Coming to a decision, she began sprinting across the rooftops towards the familiar chimney spires of the recycling plant.

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[gaY jail]

Lauren

The Dreamcatcher rejoined the crew with an empty side, a sign she must have said goodbye to Zephyr despite counting on meeting her again sooner or later. She left her hat on top of her beautifully folded cloak at a small stand that looked like it didn’t get the best of attention without caring to ask for coins in exchange.
With the corner of her eye she found Calliope staring at her, and about seconds after the woman got her attention, the redhead immediately figured out the reason why. The torn bandages tickling her neck followed by a painfully familiar scent that never failed to make her stomach turn.

Well, this is troublesome..

Well aware of the very little time they had, she thanked her sheepishly, and after turning away a little bit she got rid of the bandages concealing her features. She pressed them against the wound for a moment and retrieved a couple of band aids from the satchel on her right, when Shen handed her the mask, and promptly put it on once she was done with the band aids. She spoke again, to him this time, in a tone betraying how mortified she felt knowing her mistake could very well bring more troubles to the crew.

“Thank you. I’m sorry. I will be more careful to not let anyone know.”

Worried about their pursuers noticing them, she let her gaze wander around the crowd, and sure enough she spotted them doing their best to push through their direction. Lauren kept a cool head and turned her back towards the guards like it was nothing, brushing aside a wisp of red hair in front of her eye as she did so. It was a relaxed gesture Lauren hoped would trick the guards to assume she was completely oblivious to their presence, and because of it would not rush them to act before they did. In a hushed voice, she quicly alerted Calliope and Shen.
“They noticed us, but I think it’s safe to say they’re having a hard time walking forward.”


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