Gabriel

Gab finished his rounds over the balloon sail, making sure that the ropes ended up where they were supposed to be, and was crawling down from the top to prepare for potential boarding when he was Richmond, the new guy. Gab hooked a foot in the rigging and hung upside down from the bottom of the balloon.

"Hey, Richmond," he said, calling to him from only a small distance above his head. "How are you holding up?"

Gab had sparred with the polite newcomer once, and to give him some credit he was actually pretty good. He had obviously had some classical training which served him well, but Gab had learned early in his life that the difference between a friendly sparring match and a true battle was no laughing matter, and that difference could be intimidating. Gab could still remember the buccaneer that had shown him that, he still had the scars to remind him.

_________________
Art is the Science of Inspiration on Demand!

Richmond looked upward at the the voice above. His eyes met a black-clad figure dangling upside down from the Lady's rigging. "We'll get away, right?" said Richmond, ignoring the traditional politeness of exchanging greetings. "The Lady's fast; our captain's smart; we WILL get away." His voice was shakey and his white-knuckle grip tightenning on the railing. "I'm sorry," he said, regaining his composure again,"I am well, Mr Pagen. And, er, Hello." He felt slighly ashamed at his display. Above him hung a lad several years his younger who betrayed no signs of panic, yet he, the sole heir of the Du Bois lineage, stood quiverring at a black speck. Summoning the measly amount of courage he posessed, Richmond asked a question that had sat brooding quietly at the back of his mind. "Mr Pagen. The vessal that pursues us flies the colours of Acirema. Although I acknowledge that my initial pretensions of the Lady was false, I am at a loss as to why such a vessal would so doggedly pursue us. What know you of Miss Basium's history? What sleeping dog had she angered to bring the attention of a city's Royal Navy?"

_________________
That is not dead which can eternal lie
And with stranger aeons even death may die

Olive came back and paused, overhearing Gab and Richmond's conversation. As it took a dangerous turn, the smaller girl glared daggers and settled her hand on Richmond's shoulder, turning him around. Completely deadpan, she said, "Captain Arres' business is her own, and I don't think she'd appreciate it if she heard you snooping into her personal affairs. Now, if you wouldn't mind, lets all work together to get this ship safely out of danger, okay?"

Directing her attention to Gab, who's cheerful disposition never failed to warm even her cold heart, Olive called, "Be careful up there, boy! Don't get hurt, now." Feeling Richmond's anxiety practically radiating from his place beside her, Olive snorted. "Don't act so glum. If we make it out of here alive, we'll tap into the run we just bought. A treat now and then doesn't hurt."

_________________
"Do you permit it?"

Gabriel

"Well..." Gab mused from his upside down perch, "The Captain is right brilliant, and I've seen us squeeze out of worse but a particularly clumsy assassin once told me to never count your chickens before they get hatched." He listened to Richmond's very legitimate question and then sighed.

"I've heard..." he started when Oliver came and started to reprimand them. He quickly un-hooked one foot and used the other to flip himself, landing right next to Richmond and already in a stiff solute.

"Yes'm," he said and went off to help with the cannons. Never a dull moment on a ship like this, and if they didn't get away, they were going to need them.

_________________
Art is the Science of Inspiration on Demand!

Harvey had just finished writing down the news and showing it to his captain, she gave a nod and patted his shoulder as she gripped the wheel, knuckles white and bright hazel eyes burning at the shining in the sky. It was then that the assassin went down below to assist his brother once more. Arres blinked as the sun peeped from behind the swollen balloon sail signalling their ascent into the skies. It was this fact that made her relax as she lended the Lady her trust into getting them away once more.

"ALRIGHT CREW!" she shouted above the whirling winds and cold drafts as they blew the ship away from their pursuers, "BE READY FOR ANYTHING! THERE MAY BE MORE PAWN SHIPS HIDDEN!" Basium knew it was unlikely, but she needed to lock the course by locking down the wheel so that she could support the crew. Gently her fingers worked as she pushed the wheel all the way down until a soft click was heard, then she climbed the steps as she unfastened her wool and leather captains coat to expose her green, and maroon corset, billowing white blouse, and her trusted rapier and revolver at her side, used together they had been held at the throats of many Pawns, but dared not slay a single one, she was a merciful captain and only deemed murder or killing necessary when it was indeed life threatening, and the Steele Maiden...was indeed life threatening, both for her..and what she knew was written in secret in those journals her father had left her.

_________________

Does not the Raven Sing?

He could feel it, the tension slowly rising within the crew of Steel Maiden. The speck they saw from a distance remained a speck as it floated up to the skies. They were not gaining on them at all. It was when the Steel Maiden rumbled that everyone realized their captain switched the ship to attack mode. The steam powered propulsion system slowly extended, clouds of steam hissing from both port and starboard sides, the Maiden is on the rise.

Grabbing on to something, Lu kept his balance in-check while listening to the rhythmic sound the propellers made until the ship stabilized. He could now hear the sound of their engines gaining power. Surely the engine crew were feeding it mad with coal to get the boilers working. With the propellers on the sides keeping the Maiden afloat, it was time to bring out the pride of the Maiden, the steam turbines.
While their ship is fairly large and relatively slow, in the skies the steam turbine will make a difference, the only drawback is that maximum speed can only be achieved on straight paths.

Sure, the Lady is fast but if they kept going in a straight line, the Maiden will slowly close the distance for sure. With the coming battle now taking to the skies, Lu knew their tactics had to change. Boxing them in now is impossible. Racing up to the bridge, Lu respectfully entered and stood a few paces away from the captain.

"Captain, given our current situation, we only have one shot to get them. I propose we use the harpoons on the bow to lock them in place. We can't board them from the sides since they will simply blast away at us with cannon fire. We can board them from the rear if we can hit them with the harpoons."

_________________

Gabirel

Gab finished with the cannons and scurried up the ballon sail again up to the crows nest next to the ship's spotter and sniper, Old one eyed Squinty McGee. The old, red headed sky-dog had out his long rifle with accompanied scope, looking back at the Steele Maiden. He scowled at something only he could see and leaned over to Gab.

"Yell for me boy, they've fired up the turbines." he said. The old coot couldn't quite get a yell up like he used to be able to, but somehow could still out-climb Gab and out shoot basically everyone on board.

"Captain!" Gab yelled, "They've fired up the steam turbines!"


Red Leadson

Red was a seasoned sailer, having spend quite a lot of time on this particular kind of ship. So when the steam turbines turned on and the deck began to move under his feet, he didn't even have to shift his footing to keep upright. He simply leaned in the right direction for a moment and recovered. He was standing in with the Captain when that one gunner, Lu something, entered as respectfully as possible and gave some good advice... which was a little out of order. Red knew himself that the Captain would have been thinking exactly the same thing already. This wasn't exactly his first boat chase.

_________________
Art is the Science of Inspiration on Demand!

James looked at Lu as he entered the bridge, he smiled when he heard what he had to say. "That's a great idea, but they will probably think we will do that. So we have to get under them, you see how there ship is made out of wood? Is lighter and much faster, but much easier to destroy as well, so if we can get under them. We would just need to point our guns up and fire, and not the cannons. That would be stupid, just our normal guns, we destroy the bottom of the ship and what happens to the cannons?" He asked with a cheeky smile, there was maybe one or two decks on the Lady. Take out even one deck with the cannons and the whole thing could be brought to defianceless ship, but of course that's only if his planed worked. If not, they would have to board from behind, that would be a big blood bath if it came to that.

The ship continued to rise, slowly getting closer to the Lady and it's craw. All that James knew was he had to take the Caption and some book or something with him, the rest of the craw was up to him. They either live, die when the ship was tooken. Or die with a sword/gun in his or hear hand. James just hoped he wouldn't need to board the ship.

_________________

Arres chuckled and looked through her telescope at the small speck and murmured, "Oh my dear friend and fellow Captain Pheonix...When will you ever learn?" Her hazel eyes diverted from the scope as she shouted up to the old man, and Gab. "ALL IS WELL!" She gave a wave and walked below deck. "Gunner...Put the Lady at full speed, turbines all go..." Gunner blinked...

"But, Captain, she's only at 2 at the moment..."He then swallowed and nodded turning to travel down to the engines and move the lever slowly to 5 speed. It was important that he did this slow..if too fast the engines would blow...

_________________

Does not the Raven Sing?

Richmond stood with one hand drumming restlessly on the Lady's rail, while the other nervously fingered the ornate hilt of his rapier. He knew, maybe better than most, that some secerts were meant to stay burried, litterally or otherwise. First mate D'Beque's word rang ominously for Richmond.

"If we make it out of here alive."

The captain's voice rung out above the cold winds. She struck an inspiring figure in as she came down the stairs. Richmond approached her with an idea brewing. "Miss Basium. Our persuers fly Acirema colours. If we make for the city of Breskil surely they must relent. The approach of a foreign warship would certainly spark an international spectacle," proposed Richmond proudly, pleased to become of some use, and to attone for his ignoble question.

_________________
That is not dead which can eternal lie
And with stranger aeons even death may die

Arres stopped as her coat billowed behind her, hearing Richmond out she looked North at the far away speck higher in the cloud bank...Breskil...Nibbling her lip in thought she frowned.

"Richmond, as much as I am pleased with the idea, it would actually mean signing over the Lady TO Acerima...Breskil is in league with the Pawns," having lived there and the Breskil Governor handing over her father, easily signing his movement papers, it had all been too easy. No, going to Breskil with an Acerima ship chasing after them would be bad...

Taking a deep breath she softly rested her hand upon Richmond's shoulder, meeting his gaze with ehr own steely Hazel eyes, both filled with determination and promise, "I know that things get a little hectic here Rich, but I thank you for staying loyal to me and the Lady without questioning my motives," giving the man a reassuring squeeze she trotted toward the Deck Box and tightened the chains holding the baloon sail. It was hard for her to keep such a secret from her crew, but it was her way of protecting them if they ever got caught, this was her way of keeping them safe...

_________________

Does not the Raven Sing?

Red Leadson

Red listened to his captains plan and approved. Most ships wouldn't have the man power or the rifles to make such a move viable, but Red was a more paranoid individual then most and had a rifle stocked for every member of the crew, and had ammo enough for everyone even when they needed a re-stock. If only the cannon master had been as prudent, they might be able to simply blast the Lady out of the skies when they got in range. IF they ever got in range. As much as the captain showed confidence of catching them, the Lady and her captain were one of the more slippery quarries they'd had the displeasure of chasing down.

"I'll begin arming the crew." Red said after the captain was done speaking, and with a stiff solute, ran out and began to dispense orders with the rifles. In no time every person on board had a standard, long barreled rifle and the shot to make it count. He then stared down the black speck in the distance as it ever so slowly began to grow bigger.

Unknown to him, a young man clad in black sat on top of that black speck and stared back at him. Gabriel was a sane person by most people's standards, or at least by most pirate's standards, but he was the kind of fighter that had grown a taste for battle. He had the experience, the skill, and the temperament to become almost addicted to a true fight, and even though he knew that the Steele Maiden could probably blow them out of the skies, he wanted them to board the Lady even as he did not. He wanted that fight, wanted that conflict, and if the opportunity arose, he would take the front position and give those steel coated bastards every inch of his power that he could, and he'd love it.

"Come on," he muttered to himself. "Either leave us alone or get it over with already."

_________________
Art is the Science of Inspiration on Demand!

Tensions rise as the Maiden breathed down the neck of the Lady. Everything seems to be going well. The Weapons Master rushed out of the bridge and roared for every man to arm themselves with a standard rifle. The Captain on the other hand still held his confidence. Even as an inevitable battle approaches, his face showed no sign of fear or hesitation. How he was able to do it is beyond Lu. His heart, despite being in so many battles since he first enlisted, still pounded wildly inside his chest. Making his way back to his post, Lu anxiously watched the distance between the ships shrink.

"We're gaining on the--"

As the chase was finally reaching its climax, with the Lady just a few hundred meters away from the range of their harpoon guns, a loud bang followed by the sound of metal crashing onto metal echoed within their ship. It was accompanied by hard rocking that nearly threw Lu off-balance had he not grabbed on to one of the mounted cannons. That sound was all too familiar. It was their engine blowing to smithereens. The distance stopped shrinking and the Maiden began to slowly lose altitude.

"No, no, no!" he yelled and rushed off towards the engine room.

When he got there, Lu was slightly taken aback by the heat emanating from beyond the blast doors. He turned the door valve open and was swallowed by smoke and steam upon entry. He called out to the engine room crew but nobody answered. Beads of sweat already trailed down his skin as he ventured further, the sound of metal clanking and steam hissing preventing Lu from hearing anything from the crew. He called out again, at the top of his lungs this time. He was relieved to hear someone answer back.

"God damn engine!"

It was the Chief of the engine room crew. He had a monkey wrench in his right hand and an extinguisher device on the left. "What in the hell happened?!" he yelled.

"What?! Are ya blind?! The engine blew! That's what happened! Damn boilers couldn't take the pressure! We fed it too much coal, thought she could still handle it! She was purring like a kitten a second ago then boom! She's toast!" said the chief.

"Can you fix it?" Lu asked almost demanding. "We're on a chase and we can't let them get away!"

"Look kiddo, six of my men got killed by flying bolts and whatnot in that explosion! In case you haven't noticed, it's not just one connecting steam pipe that blew off, we lost a boiler too! Fixing it is going to have to wait till we can dock. Sorry kiddo, there's nothing more I can do here, the engine's dead." the chief said and handed Lu the monkey wrench. "Want to try your luck? Be my guest."

_________________

To Richmond the sky cities meant safety. They had alway been his sanctuary against the perils of the outer world. The idea that a city would turn him over to an enemy was alien to him. The weight of its implication dawned on him: he was a pirate; an enemy to the cities.

At Captain Arres' word his heart dropped. Not in response to her refusal of the idea; nor even the realisation that he was, in all reguards, an exile from his home; but due to the heartfelt thanks for his 'loyalty.' A thanks he did not deserve. He could not meet the Captain's gaze. He stared sheepishly at his shoes as the Captain trotted off.

"THE MAIDEN'S STOPPED!"

The cry stirred Richmond to action. He hurried to the deck, staring elatedly at the other ship, whos menacing approach had now come to a halt. A wave of relief washed over him. He didn't know what brought the Steele Maiden to a stop, but he let out a jubilant shout.

_________________
That is not dead which can eternal lie
And with stranger aeons even death may die

When the ship started to slow down James sighed, he went to the tue that allowed him to talk to the engine room. "What's going down there boys? Everyone one alright?!" He asked "sorry sir, but a engine blew. Boil is done and I lost six men, we will have to go to port to fix everything. Also we will need to go get six new engine boys." James sighed and turned to the other men in the bridge, he stepped away from the tube. "Alright boys, head to the closest Pew port. We can restock on everything there." They nodded and started to plot to the closest Port, he left the bridge "tell the chief to make something good for the boys, they will need a pick me up from all of this." He said, then walked to his room.

_________________

Gabriel

Gab sat at the edge of his proverbial seat when old squinty grinned widely.

"They've over exerted the old thing," he said, mostly to himself, and then to Gab, "yell for me boy, they've stopped, blew an engine."

"THE MAIDEN'S STOPPED!" Gab yelled, "THEIR ENGINE IS DOWN!"

He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed because of this, and now had a deep, itchy like sensation in his bones that begged to be scratched. When they were well and safe and away, he was probably going to look for a sparring partner.

Red Leadson

Red was right in the middle of berating a sailor for not keeping his own rifle clean enough when he felt that sickingly rough grinding sensation in the deck beneath his feet. He didn't even have to ask, he knew. The boiler blew, and probably took a few people with it. He felt the bitter disappointment of un-avoidable failure. Without even explaining himself he sighed and called over his officers.

"Gather the rifles and ammo. Clean and store, we're not using them today." he said glumly. The three officers were smart enough to not question him and sure enough as soon as they got about their work they heard by word of mouth that the engine was down.

Red entered the command room and stood at ease, waiting for the captains next orders.

_________________
Art is the Science of Inspiration on Demand!

Arres walked to the bow of the ship...She had noticed the glance, took note in the lack of eye contact...Frowning she watched the speck of the Maiden grow smaller and finally shrink away completely. Closing her hazel eyes she took in a deep breath, her coat billowing behind her, her long blonde hair whipping from under her hat as she relaxed. Her hands had been shaking and her adrenaline had been heightened to the point, that she needed an outlet for her energy.

The day was warm, not a storm cloud inside, and the sun was warm upon her skin as the Lady sailed up to hide within the cumulous clouds. They were going to dock at a small town called Grom. It had an Inn they frequented and would be a good place to think and gain spirits.

_________________

Does not the Raven Sing?

James sighed as he seat in his room, he then took the tube that went all through the ship. "Alright boys, as you guess we lost a engine. So we are going to the closet port, we lost six good men when it blew. So have a drink in there memory, the chief will make something good tonight. That's all, if any of you need me. You'll know where to find me. Caption out" he said and then walked to a desk, he would have to do a report on this. Oh what fun, this won't be boring as bat ****. He thought to him self, then laughed softly as he started to write up his report.

It took the rest of the day to get to the closet port, once there James told everyone they had leave for at least week will the engine was fixed. Of course not to many went off, there were some left to guard the ship and the engineers. James him self would get off so he could get a few things, the chief gave him a list of food and other things they would need. Before leaving he sought out Red and the man he put in change of the cannons.

Once James found them he put his arms around each of them and walked them off the ship. "You know, your both the only two I have out in change of ammo for anything? Before red I bought everything cause most would get things at to high of a price or blow all the money on woman and booze. But I trust you two, but if you back stab me, I hope you know how to fly." He said with a look that said he wasn't kidding, but then he smiled and hit both of there backs. "I'm only joking, anyways go get that ammo and enjoy your leave." James said, before pulling his coat close to him and walking off into the crowds.

((If anyone has a idea of where we should of docked, please tell me :p I have no clue where we should be))

_________________

Red Leadson

Red stooped lower to allow the Captain to put his arm over Red's shoulder. It was a gesture of endearment he was used to from the Captain at this point, but he was surprised to see him also take in the cannoneer as well. The newer crewman was probably going to get a promotion with how much he was getting noticed. Red was fine with that, the current Cannon Master was a bit of a lay off. He almost always had Red doing his side of the work on top of Reds duties he already had. It was only because Red actually cared about making sure they had working cannons that he still had a job. Red figured that proving a point was a sad reason to allow a ship to go into dis-repair.

"Eye eye sir." He said after the Captain was finished and Red turned to head to his room. He would like to finish up his count of ammo and rifles before they got to port.

Gabriel

Gab waited until they were well out of sight of the monolithic air ship before he finally allowed himself to relax and leave his post in the crows nest. Old Squinty wasn't so weak with his voice that he couldn't sound a normal alarm himself, it was only complex or drawn out ones that he needed a younger voice for. As soon as he was able, Gab pulled up a specific length of rope, tied it to his weapons pack and the railing of the crows nest, and jumped. He landed on the ballon sail at a run, and down the side, face first. Just as he started to fall, the rope tightened, pulling him back under the sail and onto the deck. With an expert twist in mid air Gab landed right on the railing as casually as someone might jump the last few stairs in their own house. Gab noticed the Captain and called out.

"Are we heading to Grom? To the Boar's Wings?" he asked hopefully. There was a pretty serving maid that Gab had tried unsuccessfully to woo last time they'd visited their favorite inn on Grom.

_________________
Art is the Science of Inspiration on Demand!