Aether Shanties RP (PM if interested/Started)

[Texas Joker 52]

-Sheska-

"BE CAREFUL WITH THIS SODDING SHIP. I HAVE TO FIX WHATEVER YOU BREAK.".

"Hey! Didn't you hear what I just said? Only ones who yell on this boat: Cap'n, me. Not you, unless its to your men in the engine room. That room may well be your own Neo-victorian city, but this boat is the Cap'n's goddamn country, got it?!", she shouted, glaring more intensely at the Head Engineer.

When she turned back to Isaac, her face softened, but not by much. "I know that, Izzy. So am I. But, that does not mean we get to yell at the Captain, and otherwise be insubordinate. We need to trust in her, take care of her, and make damn sure she doesn't end up like her double in the hold. I won't allow it.", she finished fiercely, before beckoning Isaac over again.

"I need your heading, Izzy. Jason, get your ass back to the engine room and rule over your little fiefdom like always, make sure we stay in the air. Until we actually get shot down, we assume that the skies are ours, and that we can keep flying.", she explained firmly, sighing softly before adding under her breath, "God I wish I could kill someone right about now.".

 

[3quency]

Isaac raised his hands in mock fear.
"Long as it ain't me. Two threats in one day's more'n enough."
He put his maps in front of Sheska, with the route drawn out in red ink.

"There we go. You'll want to start South-South-West, keep heading on that bearing for about... fifty, sixty miles. The rest should be pretty obvious."

He stood back and looked out at the sky, frowning.

"Weather looks like it'll hold for now. Can't say much more without being out in it."

He took another look at Sheska. For one of the most terrifying women on the Western Seaboard she was sure looking scared. Scared and tired. You wouldn't see it without knowing her, or without knowing people. But still. He looked her in the eyes, and smiled slightly.

"She'll be fine. Whatever the hell that... thing Samuel's opened up is, it ain't going to be her. She's got you looking out for her hasn't she?"

 

[Arcanist]

"I need your heading, Izzy. Jason, get your ass back to the engine room and rule over your little fiefdom like always, make sure we stay in the air.

Jason balked at this, but let it drop. She had a point, and he had other work to do. "Whatever you say, Sheska. But I'm warning you now - if you let Beth back at the helm before she's sobered up and she breaks something, I'm holding you personally responsible for its repair. Cleaning up the crew's messes shouldn't be my job." He motioned to leave the bridge, but stopped at the doorway.

"But before I leave... keep an eye on the captain, alright? She looked pretty shaken, and you know she has the old pirate habit of boozing up when she shouldn't."

With that, he left, heading into the lower decks and towards the engine room. Today was certainly... eventful, to say the least.

 

[Texas Joker 52]

-Sheska-

She huffed softly and waved a hand in dismissal as he hoped that he wouldn't be her victim, complete with mock fear in his voice, while completely ignoring Jason. They could burn that particular bridge when they came to it, but she took his request to keep an eye on the Captain to heart. "I ain't going to kill you Izzy, not unless you decide to mutiny, or do something to harm the Cap'n.", she said absentmindedly.

Then she turned to the map and listened to his instructions.

"There we go. You'll want to start South-South-West, keep heading on that bearing for about... fifty, sixty miles. The rest should be pretty obvious.".

"Right.", Sheska said, turning the wheel slowly so that they wouldn't stress the supports, or any other parts of the ship for that matter, and before very long they were well on their way.

"She'll be fine. Whatever the hell that... thing Samuel's opened up is, it ain't going to be her. She's got you looking out for her hasn't she?".

"That Beth may not have. The other me may have been dead, or god forbid, a traitor.", she said bitterly, just before looking at Isaac with intense eyes, "I'm afraid I may not be enough to protect the Captain this time, Izzy. I'm afraid that something might happen that will manage to kill her even if I keep in the way of any danger. Or worse: Something that kills her, but spares me.", she told him, confiding that fear in him.

Looking away, she worked her mouth into a snarl. "But I can't think about that. I need to keep focused, and I need to make sure that I cut down any son of a whore that stands in the Captains way.", The First Mate ground out between gritted teeth.

Then she nodded firmly and set her eyes forward again. "I'm sorry to say that that break in the hold will have to wait, Izzy. I'm not sure the Captain would be happy to see you relaxing till shes sobered up. Say sorry to Jess for me, when you can.", she told him.

 

[3quency]

Isaac shrugged.
"Eh, break's a break. Don't mind missing it, work keeps my mind moving."
Honestly, Isaac wasn't sure what to say about the whole situation. Sheska said she'd stamp the thoughts down and he believed that. But it wouldn't help her any. If she was stressing about failing the captain, even a little, he had to try and help

"Sheska... look at it this way. If that was the Captain from the future, we've already got a warning, right? We can be prepared for whatever's coming. Future ain't fixed. And you won't fail the captain."
He winked.
"Not on my watch anyhow."

Isaac looked out at the sky again.

"Speaking of work, I need to go and get a read on what weather we're going to be facing. Reckon I'll be at the prow or up the nest if you need me."

 

[PlastikBulb]

Feron-12

For some reason, he was hiding. It had only been moments before, but he still shook with something he couldn?t recognise, and his vision was unnaturally blurred.

He wanted to throw up.

That, thing, that, monster growling and snarling and thrashing about. He?d heard it coming, stamping down the stairs, iron-shod boots echoing harshly. Something had arrested his, until then, unwavering movements. Head up, arms stopped, make no noises. That Man was here.

Before he?d recognised his actions Feron-12 had quietly picked up the bucket and placed the rag inside, before carrying it with him into the darkest corner of his workplace.

There, hidden in the black, he watched the man descend further. Feron?s was jittery. Every one of his loose or rusty parts squeaked and rattled unfathomably loud to his audio-sensory apparatus as he sequestered his body farther and farther back into the black.

He was feeling? something. Something he didn?t understand. Something that crept and coiled and was dark and full of pain.

The first heavy-handed thwack split the air, followed by a muffled sound like a dog rolling across the ground, injured and sorry.

Feron winced as more blows landed on the invisible thing down below, feeling each of them as if it was his own pain, his own beatings that he?d experienced. Pain was different to them, those automata, but it still existed. And he knew it well. His previous master had known well how to exercise Feron?s understanding of the feeling, and manipulate him mercilessly with it. Esepcially after? that time.

His thoughts were punctuated with the continued sounds of a beating. Heavy. Hard. Unforgiving. Like his masters. He had stopped working, he?d be punished just like this, just like the misbegotten down the, all animal and no longer a man. More alive than the burnished automaton hiding in the dark, scared like-

Scared. He was scared. Fearful. Terrified, horrified of the repercussions of hiding and skiving off work, of being found by the man and being beaten like the dog-animal below-

He was leaving. Bootfalls climbed the stairs and left.

Feron stayed exactly where he was.

It was only when a lantern illuminated him that he rose from the crouched position that he had been in, huddled and holding his knees together. The presence of the doctor somewhat soothed his frazzled mind and he almost gleefully slipped back into the unthinking, uncomprehending, pool of obscurity.
Just follow the orders, all and everyone. Do as you?re told and there will be no pain, no beating, nothing. I am safe as long as I follow.

The misbegotten was a mess though. Mewling and rolling across the floor of its cage. But Feron stood as upright as he could, eyes as glazed as he could make them. He would not look. He would not notice.

 

[Terratina.]

Grateful that the automaton would obey, he moved into the corner where Capricorn lay. The thing was simply staring at him, holding the remains of a rotten onion. Vasco huffed, so this was what Exeter feed his pet. The misbegotten was covered in scars, fresh and old. Vasco was already mentally noting the number of fresh wounds that would need to be cleaned, the risk of infection here was too great. Capricorn's death would be probably be slow and painful, from a pus-filled wound that Exeter himself had inflicted, that or in a fight where Exeter had set him on somebody for either the amusement or convenience of it. The misbegotten was still blankly staring at him at those goat-like eyes, those eyes that had been crying, those eyes that showed no signs of awareness or intelligences. Eyes like a goat's, with the intelligence of a goat. Vasco had finished looking at the recent damage, the same as always, but it was more work that would be undone.

He guessed he would have to explain himself to the creature. Choosing simple words so that Capricorn would hopefully understand him, Vasco said, "You are dirty; I will clean you. You are wounded; I will heal you," He then indicated to Capricorn to stand out with arms overhead.

The thing was hardly mentally aware, but could carry out simple instructions and there was many a place of someone of Capricorn's physique. Like the sick bay perhaps, sure it was small and cramped, but someone had to carry patients to and fro in stretchers. It would get Capricorn out of these conditions, the snowy-white hair would not be trashed by dirt, and Vasco would finally have an assistant on-board. The misbegotten clearly knew some discipline and obedience so that wouldn't be a problem. But then, the loyal dog would have to be trained to avoid the more dangerous things in the sick bay. If it would eat a rotten onion, what would stop it from swigging some morphine? Plus the fact that anything in the sick was toxic in a high enough dosage. He would have to talk about it to Exeter later as the man would not be in the mood now.

 

[hiei82]

"I take it that everyone has their orders then? If so, is there anything that I can help with m'lady Admiral?" Garrett said from the doorway as the officers of the Invincible left the room. It was a breath of fresh air to see a face without thoughts of playing the Imperial game for power.

She smiled at his entrance, unable to hide her sense of relief that the games for power were, at least for a time, on hold. She waved him in without much fanfare, saying "Yes, please come in Mr. Corvus. We are plotting a course east - our first stop being Helium. I'm afraid we must make the trek with the utmost swiftness and I could use your navigational expertise."

It was at that moment that Adrianna became once more conscious of Exeter St. John, and so she returned to her state of usual formality. "Mr. St. John, I'm anxious to hear your opinion on the route and how to best reach the arctic. I personally have never been quiet that far north and east - my knowledge takes me to about a hundred miles south or west of Old New York; have you any familiarity with the far Northeast?" she asked, though by her tone and gestures, she meant the question to both Exeter and Garrett.

 

[Texas Joker 52]

-Sheska-

"Eh, break's a break. Don't mind missing it, work keeps my mind moving.".

Sheska couldn't help but smirk. "You're like me, really. I can't stand sitting still unless I have a drink in my hand, otherwise I prefer moving or killing.", she said, laughing softly even as she kept them on course.

"I suppose that's something ex-Chuno Ggun all share.", she added softly, feeling it was safe since they were the only ones at the helm.

Then Izzy spoke up again, and managed to make her worries ease just a little.

"Sheska... look at it this way. If that was the Captain from the future, we've already got a warning, right? We can be prepared for whatever's coming. Future ain't fixed. And you won't fail the captain. Not on my watch anyhow."

Her mouth curved just enough to form a small, natural smile. "Thanks for that Izzy. Its good to know I have your help.", she said.

But when he mentioned being on the prow of the ship, she hesitated, then glanced over. "Hey, one last thing. Whats with you and Jess? There's something going on, I know it. What is it?", she asked, her eyes narrowed on his and her nose scenting the air unconsciously.

 

[3quency]

And as always, Isaac wasn't entirely sure how to act when Sheska brought up the past. Even in passing, it was... odd. She didn't feel the need to hide it. But she'd had no choice. She was Misbegotten, it had been join the Ggun or die a slow and painful death in the factories. Isaac wasn't. He was just a man. Yes, he may have been under the influence of his masters but he could have stopped and he didn't. Because it was familiar. Safe, almost. If he hadn't ran into that Performer on that fateful night he'd still be doing it now. Maybe he'd even still be in this ship, infiltrating.

He shook his head, this didn't bear thinking about. Past was the past, best let it stay that way.

"Hey, one last thing. What's with you and Jess? There's something going on, I know it. What is it?"
Isaac looked up sharply. For a brief moment his face showed more of what he was feeling than he wanted, but he quickly regained his composure, and tried to avoid Sheska's gaze.

"I... I'm sure I don't know what you... Does she like me?"

He hadn't meant to blurt that out, and his face flushed.

"I mean. Um. Nothing, Sheska. Nothing's going on." though the tone of his voice was clearly declaring he wished otherwise.

 

[Texas Joker 52]

-Sheska-

She could see he was uncomfortable with her mentioning the Chuno Ggun in passing, and really, she couldn't blame him. They both had the Ggun to blame for a few of their problems. For her, they took her away from the only family she had at the time, trained her to be a tracker, a killer, and abused her at every given moment. It was only when she killed her abusive officer that she realized her own strength, that she didn't need to take that sort of shit anymore.

For Isaac, he was taken against his will too, brainwashed... He wasn't himself when he did what he did, whereas she could still remember feeling a semblance of pleasure mixed with shame, deep down when she killed a target. She was herself, he was not. So he had nothing to feel sorry for, or guilty about as far as she was concerned: Someone else committed those acts, not him.

His reply is what snapped her back into the here-and-now.

"I... I'm sure I don't know what you... Does she like me?"

She glanced over with wide, surprised eyes, then a slow, catlike grin spread on her face. "Oh, so thats it. I didn't know you felt that way about her Izzy. Shes lucky. Have you told her how you feel about her yet?", she asked, her tone and the expression on her face brightening, and even bordering on the sickeningly cheerful.

If there was anything she loved more than taking a life, it was the idea of romance. Sadly, it never seemed to happen to her. Then again, she didn't have much time to try.

 

[Sehnsucht Engel]

She had hoped that Samuel would tell her that it had been an impostor or clone. It came as a positive surprise to hear that she had been killed by an imperial blade though.

"Heh, those bastards again." She grinned and placed her hand on her weapon, which she probably wouldn't be able to loosen now anyway. "Well, I will enjoy avenging my own death."

Jason started shouting at her as well, but Sheska told him to be quiet before she got a chance to answer. Beth headed down below deck while listening to the doc tell her more about her future self's death.

My feet were damaged from a hard fall? She moved her wings a bit, the other Beth had wings too. She shouldn't take fall damage very easily. Her wings weren't the strongest, but that sounded reckless. Maybe she got shot down.

"Sure, you can be there when I go through my belongings, but I don't expect to find anything special. What about her wings though, doc?"

He warned her about cutting down on the drinking. She frowned, if she didn't turn into an alcoholic after seeing herself die, he didn't need to worry. It was kind of interesting. Beth usually didn't drink much unless she was reminded of her past or trying to push the pain of being alive in this world away. She didn't drink much by pirate standards at least.

They arrived at her cabin and she let the doc in, so he could be there when she searched through her belongings.

"Put the basket on the bed."

She began to rifle through it after he had put it down. There were clothes, a dress, shoes and underwear. That was expected. The next thing she found was her weapon, or future version of it. It was dirty, even disgusting. Dried blood and other things covered the sickle part, the chain looked abused.

"What the hell, take better care of your weapon..." She put it on the desk for the moment.

Her pocket watch must be here, Beth had it attached to her clothing, since she might drop it otherwise. The pocket watch wasn't in the basket. Instead she found a silver necklace. She held it up against the light, to check if it was real. As far as she could tell, it was indeed made of silver.

"Why would I have a silver necklace... I don't buy useless accessories." It probably didn't tell them anything about her death, but to her, it was the most peculiar thing in the basket. "Seems you were right about the fight, doc. I always clean my weapon after one."

There was nothing else to find in the basket.

 

[Evrant-Knight]

"Yes, please come in Mr. Corvus. We are plotting a course east - our first stop being Helium. I'm afraid we must make the trek with the utmost swiftness and I could use your navigational expertise." Adrianna said, bringing Garrett up to speed with events. She briefly showed a smile, one which would of been missed by Exeter, who was busy going over maps. Garrett soon joined the two admirals over by the navigation table; and began looking over the various routes which they could take.

"Mr. St. John, I'm anxious to hear your opinion on the route and how to best reach the arctic. I personally have never been quite that far north and east - my knowledge takes me to about a hundred miles south or west of Old New York; have you any familiarity with the far Northeast?" She asked, although her tone and gestures showed that the question was for both gentlemen. Garrett coughed, bringing attention to himself.

"Pardon me for interrupting Admiral, but I happen have knowledge of the North Eastern area, as in and around that area, is the place I call home. Fortunately, I could plot us a course when we reach roughly that location at the time, as to avoid it."

 

[3quency]

"Oh, so that's it. I didn't know you felt that way about her Izzy. Shes lucky. Have you told her how you feel about her yet?"

Isaac's eyes widened in genuine fear.
"What? I can't do that!"
Before Sheska could answer his mind started shuffling through all the reasons he couldn't say anything before he realised he couldn't really think of anything beyond "I just can't". Why did being a person have to be so hard? He'd never had to worry about this kind of thing before. It was increasingly unpleasant.

 

[Texas Joker 52]

-Sheska-

Isaac's reply was disappointing.

"What? I can't do that!".

Her mouth formed a thin, disapproving line as she looked at him blandly. "And why not? Do you think you two will have anything together if neither of you say anything about how you feel? Please. If she feels something for you, you can't rely on her to say something first. You need to tell her. If she doesn't go for it, and she'd be an idiot not to, that's her loss. If she accepts, well, I guess you can move into her cabin.", she said, shrugging.

Then she looked at him more seriously. "I mean it, Izzy. Tell her. Better yet, kiss her too. Make it good, and be your charming self. I know you can do it. If you do, and she feels something for you, I don't think you can fail.", she said confidently, the cheer seeping back into her tone.

 

[3quency]

"If she doesn't go for it, and she'd be an idiot not to, that's her loss.
Be an idiot not to? Not really, Isaac would understand completely. He's quiet, somewhat anti-social, totally paranoid and he wasn't exactly what you'd call good-looking.

Who'd be interested in him? Exactly, nobody.

He was about to say as much when Sheska caught him with her eyes, a trick she'd been using since they'd both sussed out they'd worked for the same employers. So he was quiet and listened.

"I mean it, Izzy. Tell her. Better yet, kiss her too. Make it good, and be your charming self. I know you can do it. If you do, and she feels something for you, I don't think you can fail."

There hadn't been a charming Isaac in at least three years. Charming Isaac had murdered people in their sleep.
What if by trying to emulate his old training more than just the knowledge came back? He'd never found out how The Performer had deprogrammed him. It was a risk he just couldn't take. This was more honest, both to himself and to the crew. Things were better without the old Isaac around.

He looked at Sheska and smiled slightly.
"I'll consider it. But now I really should be getting a read on the weather."

After leaving the Helm Isaac wandered past the crew, lost in thought.
Sheska was probably right - she usually was and when it came to understanding this sort of thing she had a lot more experience than he did. But this was all extremely distracting. The more Isaac tried to think things through the more time was lost on his work, and his work was vital. Of course he'd never allow his judgement to be clouded in a life-or-death situation but it was a slippery slope.

He needed a clear head, and the Crow's Nest was just about perfect for that. His mind was already back on the maps as he scaled the rigging. That's what he loved about the 'Nest. With the wind in your hair and the sky below you everything seemed just so much simpler.
Calm, sobering and best of all, solitary.

Speaking of solitary...

"Oh." Isaac nearly fell off when he got to the top. Of course somebody would be up... oh.
"Erm..."
It was Jessie. Isaac you idiot, she's a bloody sniper, it's her job to be high places. How did you forget that?

He looked around desperately, his face flushing even in the cold night air.

"I'll... I'll just be off. Sorry to bother you. Didn't heh, didn't think there'd be anyone up here."

 

[blaze96]

"Your wings were damaged but not greatly so. They still would help in a fall but not much. Again all of it was consistent with battle." Samuel replied as he looked over at her.

"What did she give you? I was busy checking her vitals so I didn't get much a chance to see. I'm concerned that wherever it is we are going, there will be dire consequences for the crew. For you to have sustained this much damage you were either leading the battle, in a particularly brutal one on one affair, or most concerning you were one of the last people standing. As the physician on board this ship it is my duty to care for the crew. In that vain I advise you be extremely cautious and take steps to better arm and armor this ship and her crew. I myself will be spending most of my own cuts of treasure on medicine, tools, and preventative care measures from here on in. You should do your version of the same." Samuel told her, his usual smile gone from his face this time. His methods may have been experimental and unorthodox many times but he did care about the lives under his charge.

 

[Sehnsucht Engel]

Beth wasn't sure what to do with the necklace. Perhaps she should see it as a gift from her future, but how had she gotten it?

"What did she give you?"

He went on to explain how she should be more careful with the crew and the ship, if they were heading somewhere her future had been killed, but gone back in time and died instead. It was getting confusing for her now.

She wondered if she should show him the map and decided that it wouldn't hurt. No one had seen it, other than her. Beth went over to the safe and opened it, then she picked up the map and spread it across her desk. It was like any other map of North America, except that a place had been marked in the north east corner of the continent.

"She gave me a map."

 

[blaze96]

"Well if it was something strong or important enough to send you back in time to deliver it and get the empire interested then we should make sure to get there first. Now I can understand your haste at least." Samuel said as he looked at the map.

"I just wish she had given us a bit more to go on, maybe some way for us to prepare against what she faced. At least I know to get ready for cold weather conditions and to stock up on preserved fruit while I can. Though ma'am, if I may make one more suggestion? Share this with senior members of the crew, officers at the very least. That way we might all prepare our respective groups for the worst."

 

[Sehnsucht Engel]

I haven't decided to go there yet.

Beth sighed, knowing that she probably would end up doing so anyway. She hadn't felt this unsure in quite some time.

"I will show them tomorrow. Right now, I need to sleep and sober up." The doctor was pushed out of the room and then she laid down on her bed, hoping that they wouldn't run into trouble before she awoke again.

It didn't take long for her to fall asleep. It wasn't a good sleep though, as she kept twisting and turning in her bed. Weird dreams haunted her, but a figure kept coming into them and changing them for the better.

[hr]a[/hr]

Beth woke up hours later with a headache, no surprise there. She checked her pocket watch, to see that the time was now 3 pm in the afternoon. Her stomach rumbled to remind her that she hadn't eaten for hours, but first she wanted to make sure there hadn't been any problems or attacks whilst she had slept.

When she stepped onto the deck again, the sun shone in her face and it was hot. They had left the mountains behind them and entered the desert. The silhouette of a pyramid and skycrapers could be seen on the horizon. Beth yawned, then went over to the railing and admired the view. It was mostly sand, but she could make out what looked like a neobeduin tribe and some animals.