STEAM LONDON: Realms of Aether Game Thread

[Stella Gaslight]

Helena had met up with Trip and they had moved Emma in to her rooms in the lab without even waking her and it was not a moment too soon.  Alarms rang out all over the lab something big was coming in.  Helena decided to forgo sleep and get on the wireless to see just what was going on. "APF Boheme to St. Elmo do you read?  What is going on Mr Dreyfuss?"

[MWBailey]

"Helena, this is Captain Ishmael," the Captain answered, "The commodore is down in Engineering checking the aether engines with Chief Lough-Malley. A call has just come in from the Jean Lafitte; she was diverted from her journey back here, to deal with a pirate zeppelin that was rampaging around Joddrell Bank, and though she destroyed the pirate, she got herself all shot up, lots of wounded, and apparently all engines have died." he paused, took a slow breath, then continued, "According to the Home Office, who just aethered about two minutes ago, the Lafitte is drifting over London somewhere south of here; supposedly we should be able to see the fires and hear the explosions; we are preparing to render aid."

"I do not wish to "go under" the commodore, you understand, but we could use all the help we can get, if the wounded are as numerous as they could be."

[Stella Gaslight]

"I have been flying since I was twelve so keeping up with you won't be a problem and you would pretty much have to open fire to stop me from helping at this point." She fired up the engines and cast off from the dock smooth as silk. "Lets go save those poor bastards before they burn up."  She couldn't help herself this fell so much like taking the Blackbird on raids that she found herself slipping in to the coarse pirate speech the had learned growing up.   

[Nigel Wetherby]

The alarms would have sent Cain up in arms to the communications room, however, he was stopped before he could leave into the hall as Sigmund placed a hindering hand on his chest.
"You and Angel stay close, if it's anything major, I'll tell you two." He made a beeline to the radio room, the wind at his heels as if he were sure they were under attack. He tore the door to the room open.
"Is everyone alright?!"

[Stella Gaslight]

"We are fine but the Jean Lafitte is going down from a pirate attack and we have been called it to help.  We are going to need someone to pull the poor crewmen off the ship and get them to safety while the other ship tries to prevent the Jean Lafitte from becoming a fireball over London.  We have improved the fire response crews in London but if we can stop this from becoming a problem for those on the ground we have to."  Her tone was different than the shy playful one she had used in the galley, this was a woman in charge. 

[Nigel Wetherby]

Immediately, sigmund stood straight and tall, his straightened thumb pressed against his brow in a soldier's salute.
"What will you have me do, Captain Lighton? My skills in gunnery and navigation are at your disposal!" His speech changed from a friendly and caring tone to the harsh, almost mechanical voice of the soldier. The young half-breed made special effort to straighten his collar, and even ordered his hair to straighten and pull back in the standard issue soldier's Quaff.

[MWBailey]

Dreyfuss came into the Steering room just as Helena radioed that she was going along too.

"Let them," Dreyfuss said, "and dont worry about "going under me" if the situation calls for it. Lets go ahead and get going along. Don't wantto be shown up by a civvie craft," he joked.

The Departure klaxon call was sounded, Captain Ishmael being certain to route it to the Observation deck just in case.

"All Hands, prepare for immediate takeoff. close all Em De ports and hull doors; we are departing now for the rescue mission. Stand by for a message from the Commodore."

"People, this is Dreyfuss. Regardless of anything that has happened in the last few hours, we all need to come together on this; Our comrades-in-arms aboard the RTAF Jean Lafitte are in dire straits, many or most are wounded or dead, Fleet-captain Hargood Mondragon is himself unable to answer the aether, and may in fact already be dead, from dealing with the Pirate Zeppelin SSSara March.

The Sara March was attacking Joddrell Bank. It is not known at this time why it was attacking, or whom it was acting for. They have asked for our assistance. We are providing it.

"Lt. Zarate, Madame Arachne, and Mr. Leyton, will you please meet me in the Engineering deck, outside the Safety Equipment Locker, in approximately ten minutes? Thank You. That is all."

Teh St. Elmo lifted from the dock , gas cells and fans working together to make it rise into the cool, star-dappled night sky.

[Stella Gaslight]

Helena eased the ship out of the hanger with a very light hand. "Because we do not have the medical personnel that the St. Elmo does we will focus on putting out the fire.  Cain, Angel I want you two to be ready to help the St Elmo your ability to fly may just save lives tonight.  Sigmund there are some experimental fire retardant spraying cannons on the bow of the ship they should be easy to operate but you only have a limited amount of ammo so make it count.  If I shout for you to fall back do it with no questions asked.  We are no good to anyone if we burn tonight."

[Nigel Wetherby]

"I'll do my best." Sigmund said, attempting to stamp out any reluctance he had. He was no fan of fire or heat, any elevated temperature sent chills down his spine, well figuratively anyways. Can placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a smirk that showed he held full confidence in the half-breed.
"I..I'll assure that no life is lost under my watch."

[MWBailey]

Dreyfuss came out of the steering room, to find Mariana tapping her foot on the polished wooden floor of the fo'c'sle corridor, with a not-quite-smile on her lovely features.

"And just what would you have me do, Jaisen? Sit safely in my cabin like a dutiful little wifey and be safe for my big-strong, heroic husband-to-be?"

"Of course not, Mariana! I was just coming to ask you if you would like to explore the glamorous world of wound treatment and bonesetting!" he said, as innocently as he could manage, knowing she would pick up on it.

She smiled, slightly, looking at him through her eyelashes, and knowing, darn her, how it made him turn all to wonderful jelly inside. Dreyfuss chuckled, at the same time feeling like a rat that had escaped the trap -- this time.

"Seriously, Mari love, Madame Arachne is going to need all the help she can get in sickbay, and if she elects to go and help in the Bordello (it's also a hospital), we'll need someone here to handle the ones that come in for superficial wounds...er... I'm not sure if I can really--"

"Come now, Jaisen, surely you didnt think all I did for Her Majesty's Service was a little filing? I've been treated at Madame Arachne's many times after particularly strenuous missions, and helped out many times as well."
Dreyfuss must have been unsuccessful in masking his surprise, as she suddenly said, "In the hospital, you rogue!"

Dreyfuss nearlysaid "thats not what I was thinking, love," but stopped himself barely in time. Unfortunately, he forgot about the rapport spark; in other words, she heard every word, only through her head instead of her ears.
"Well, we'll just have to see when we're wed..." she said,throatily, then hugging him suddenly. She then touched up his collars and adjusted the strap on his goggles, just as if he were some overgrown little boy and she his mother. He looked down at her, and on impulse kissed the top of her forehead. she looked up at him, waved her finger back and forth, and said, ah-ah. Not until we save the Lafitte, Jaisen."

And Thus, they descended the stairs...

[Stella Gaslight]

The sky off to port was full of black smoke and the flaming Jean Lafitte was a beacon in the sky.  Helena took a deep breath to steady herself and pulled alongside the ailing ship.  "Alright I am going to take us in.  It looks like most of the flames are coming up from the engines so I want you to focus your shots there Sigmund.  Angel, Cain if you think you can get close without putting yourselves in too much danger I want to to start bringing any survivors you can find to the St. Elmo but be careful if either of you is harmed because of me Emma will tan my hide."

[MWBailey]

Dreyfuss and Mariana came out of the stairwell,a turned left, aroundteh stairwell housing, and came to a stop, finding Leyton, Nadya, and Madame Arachne already waiting, the two women standing a strongly professional pose, and Leyton more relaxedly smoking another of his cigars.

Dreyfuss cleared his throat, and then took off at a run, saying first, "Leyton, you might want to finish that cigar here; where you, me, and Nadya are going there might be oil vapor, coal dust, or gunpowder in the air." Leyton looked slightly alarmed, but put out the cigar after two or three long pulls.

"Madame Arachne, you have the choice of conducting the treatment process from here, or going down to your hospital to do so. The hospital will have many more beds and more room than we do here. MAriana will assist you either here with superficials, or if youprefer, in the hospital; I understand she has helped out in that capacity many times. oh bloody hell, Dreyf, say it the worst way, he thought, and then had the maddening experience of seeing both Nadya and Mari try to suppress chuckles from the action of that damnable rapport spark -- but it was necessary, for what he was goingto say next...

"Nadya, Mari, I'm glad you both had teh same reaction just then. It means I don't have to carry an aetherphone when I grapnel across --no!" His finger came up imperiously, and he hated himself for every inch it traveled for doing that to such a wonderful young woman, especially in front of others, no matter how necessary it might be. (he hoped that got across the rapport as well) "Leiutenant...Nadya, please, stay here until I tell you it's safe, or take madame down to the hospital and wait there, or come back here. just please don't go to the Lafitte! The people on that ship are all going to be on edge, and almost all of them are former mercenaries from the Marauders. it is standard procedure for them to shoot anyone who suddenly appears on board whom they don't recognize. None will recognize you; All of them know me from some previous time or other, plus I'm wearing the full battle kit, minus weapons...well, minus most weapons, at any rate, so they probably wont shoot me. I hope."

"Ok, lets get our supplies. Jock?," Jock opened the door to th safety Equipment locker, and pulled out two knapsacks filled with medical and first aid supplies for Leyton and Nadya, a grapnel-and-line for Dreyfuss, and goggles for Leyton and Arachne (Nadya's goggles still fetchingly atop her head). "Lets go up to the the EmDe corridor," he said, "MAdame? will you be staying here, or going to the hospital? I need to know so that I can flag down Angel or Cain to take you and Mari or you alone down there."

Leyton, do you need to lay those things out to do that long-distance grab thing? lay them out here or upstairs, either way is fine.

-------------------------
Captain Ishmael hailed the Boheme:
"Miss Helena! I need to warn you, do not send anyone across until the commodore says it is ok; he will grapnel across; the people on the Lafitte have a protocol whereby they shoot anyone whom they do not recognize, who suddenly appears aboard their ship.!"

[Stella Gaslight]

"I will make sure Cain and Angel don't head over until you say so.  We are getting ready to start fighting the fire. The substance we are firing will look a little off but it is not harmful and will hopefully keep you all from getting too hot."  Helena nodded at Sigmund to start using the fire retardant and a capsule of rapidly expanding foam was launched at the flames.

[MWBailey]

They arrived at the EmDe port, and Dreyfuss pushed the button for the steering room.

"Captain Ishmael, this is Dreyfuss. we are at the port EmDe door. Is that convenient for you and the ship?"
"affirmative Commodore. Allow me to maneuver a bit closer, however. I am lining us up as if for a warlike grappling action; the Marines are on the Main Deck, ready to throw their grapnels."

"Alright, give me a moment or two," Dreyfuss said. He tied one end of the rope to a ring that was set through all of the layers of plating on the hull, inside and out. Then, he opened a very narrow pocket cabinet beside the door and pulled out a net barrier, and stretched it from that cabinet (where it was permanently fastened) to another three rings inset flush into the wall on the opposite side of the Corridor, about five feet back from the doorway.  He then clipped the rope to himself by passing the mouth of the clip over his harness belt, tied thepiece of rope that was spliced to the main rope at that pointto the shackle on the end of the clip. He made sure all was secure, and then Opened the Em De Port, and found himself looking down at the streets below, burning debris falling and people standing and gawping up, or running frantically tryingto put out tiny fires.Dreyfuss pushed the button for the steering room.
"Ishmael here."
"Captain, aether the boheme and ask for Angel or Cain to come and get Madame Arachne and -- he looked at his fiancee, who nodded, looked at him intently, and squeezed his arm affectionately, "and my fiancee Mariana Cloude-Mizste, to Madame Arachne's Hospital, if you will."
Aye, sir.
----------------------------------------
St. Elmo to Boheme, this is Ishmael, Helena, The commodore asks that you send angel or Cain to the port embarkation door of the St. Elmo, to take Madame Arachne and Miss Mariana Cloude-Mizste, The Commodore's Fiancee, to Madame Arachne's Hospital; they will be treating the survivors there. Cain and angel can transport teh survivors to the boheme or the hospital, whichever you choose, when both are here again; the Commodore is about to grapnel across.

Dreyfuss swung the grapnel out, paying out yard after yard of line, an dthen whirled it in a circle bside the St. Elmo, and let the grapnel go; it landed and caught just above a hole blasted out by an explosion, which happened to sport a bit of deck. he shinnied across, and finally came to rest on the decking in the blast hole just as Angel took off with Arachne and Mariana.
-----------------------
When Dreyfuss landed on the other side, he was accosted almost immediately by a flame-hair-headed gunnery sergeant, who brandished a rifle in his direction and demanded to know if he was Dreyfuss. He said, "yes, I am,  and you should remember me, Jeanette, from that night outside Miss Lola's, and that gang of drunks."

"Oh!... Thank God, Dreyfuss! is that the Boheme?"

"No, that's my ship, the St. Elmo; the Boheme is firing flame-retardent canisters into the fires with it's forward deck guns, a bit aft of this area. Jeanette, I've got a young female leiutenant and a male passenger, both have rather unique abilities. You remember the old legends of the planetwalkers from back home? she's one of 'em! but I dont want her shot, so could you pass the word that she's coming over? Also, have your people line up the wounded here in this spot, and all others at holes like this one, so that our two flyers, Angel and Cain, can take them offboard and to the hospital." This room can be our triage.

Jeanette took down the handset for the ships address from a box on the bulkhead behind her; amazingly enough, it still worked.

"All hands, this is J. Mcdonald, prepare for the arrival of rescue and triage personel. bring all wounded to the Aft starboard wardroom; all others, find a nearby hole with decking clear up to the edge, so that you can can be off loaded by the Boheme's two winged flyers. Normal boarding protocol is suspended for the remainder of this mission." She repeated the announcement five times, and then nodded to Dreyfuss, who concentrated and sent, Nadya, they're ready for you and Leyton. Please be careful...

[Nigel Wetherby]

Cain walked foreward off the edge of the ship, allowing his wings to spread. Within seconds he had taken off towards the airship which glowed like a smouldering coal upon the black night sky. Pellets of white foam burst forth from the cannons, impacting the boat with all the grace of an egg being hit by a brick. His keen eyes began to search for any survivors, sadly he saw nothing amid the golden flames. He closed his eyes and listened for the songs of those in need.

Madame Arachne practically flew towards her hospital, tearing the door of her Bordello and Hospital open and shouting commands to her girls who were all taken aback by her reappearance. When all surprise was faded, they fell in line like toy soldiers, moving to what ever station she demanded they be present at. Tanks of compressed air were prepared for those with lung damage, and cartons of dried Herbs and poultuces developed by Jennifer Sheehan-O'Landry.

Sigmund took careful shots, allowing the white foam to smother the glowing flames as he fired shot after shot. His lower lip was chewed mercilessly, he took extra care to assure he did not cause too much bleeding as he recalled those military memories. However, it seemed as if it were all going backwards. Instead of incidiary blasts setting a ship ablaze, these shots were dousing fires! Instead of flying units tearing apart poor soldiers caught in their talons, two gentle angels sang the soldiers to sleep and carried them to a hospital.
It seemed the longer he stayed here, the more and more he liked this world.

[ShredsnPatches]

Jen pinned a rebellious lock of hair out of the way and straightened up. After the crew had left, she had dressed in a sober dress and jacket, put on a respectable hat and pulled her notes on the smallpox treatment together into a 'folio. Then she stepped outside and summoned a hackney to take her to the offices of the colony that had commissioned the medicine.

Once there, she paid and tipped the driver, and walked in, a small figure in charcoal grey. She hated giving presentations, but as her reputation had grown over the last two years she had no choice but learn how to handle them.

[Nigel Wetherby]

The Councilroom was filled with a line of stern, gray faces that was far more disturbing group of countenance than a thousand cold ones.
"You've come with something of interest Missus O'Landry?" They mentioned the last half of her last name as if it were bile. "We trust it will prove more fruitful than the efforts of your husband and his...Horseless carraige concept." Once more, the bile-laced tone poisoned the air. "We have only recently gotten the councilroom to cease reeking of smoke. What news do you bring of your progress?"

Patrick despised when the council smeared his name, reviling them as he listened through the door. One invention explodes in their office because they hit the wrong lever and he's the "reckless madman". Such broad statements always rubbed him the wrong way. Scraps whimpered and placed a metal paw on the door whis Patrick had his ear pressed to so dilligently.
"I'll play fetch with ye later boy, fer now keep an eye out fer tha..."
A massive shadow of an irate man brandishing a billy-club darkened the door.
"...Guard....Looking very fit as always Mister Sanders, heh heh heh..."

[Stella Gaslight]

Angel liked helping people very much, she talked to the poor hurt people and told them that that were going to momma's house where they would be all fixed up.  Momma had a special landing spot on the roof where girls with stretchers were waiting to take them inside.

"You are doing well Sigmund I see the flames are really diminishing I am going the swing the ship around so you can get at the other side."  Helena slid around the other ship like a shadow. There was a large hole here from a shell that was blazing and she could hear screams. "Cain I think there is someone trapped in there get them out if you can but be careful the whole area looks unstable."

[Nigel Wetherby]

Cain nodded and shot off into the gaping wound on the ship. The thick musk of smoke pervaided the air, wondering why it was Patrick built him with a sense of smell, It was nto deadly to him, but it certainly was no bed of roses. He listened carefully for the stifled screams which were punctuated by heavy coughs.
"Hello! Is anyone here? My name is Cain O'Landry of the APF Boheme! I am here to help!"

Sigmund fired tirelessly, Helena's words seeming only to make his shots more precise. The flames outside of the ship slowly wound down, but the flames within still burned.
None of them were aware of the flames which drew closer and closer to the gunpowder salvos within the old ship.

[Stella Gaslight]

There was a man delirious with pain and fear under the haze of smoke.  His legs were pinned by falling timber and he kept repeating fragments of a prayer in Spanish.  When he saw Cain through the smoke he became silent, here was an angel to deliver him from suffering.

Angel saw that the captain was passed out in front of the wireless.  "I sorry." She said and smashed the glass to get him free.

"I think we almost have the crew out of there as soon as they are all out I think I may have Cain or Angel take one of the capsules inside so the internal flames are taken care of too."  Helena worried that the ship that was barely staying aloft would fall before they could make it safe.   

[Nigel Wetherby]

The spaniard's prayer was interrupted by a sky-shaking explosion, the entire left half of the ship was blown away, leaving the interiro exposed like a creature who had been sliced in half.
"ANGEL!" Cain cried urgently before slicing the timber that held the man with both deus blades and scooping him up. He refused to allow any more lives to be lost.

[Stella Gaslight]

"Damn it." Helena muttered pulling the ship out in a wide arc to avoid burning debris. The fire crews below them were on the blazing pieces like a moth to a flame.  "Sigmund see if you can't tame some of the flames so Angel and Cain can get out safely."

Angel had been thrown hard against the wall. She had managed to shield the captain with her body but now she was nearly buried in burnt and broken wood.  She could not move or she would risk the entire thing tumbling down on the defenseless man.  "Cain Help!" She cried.

[Duellist]

Hearing Angel's cry, Leyton found himself rushing to the wrecked room.  He could see why Angel was so very still, she was supporting a small pile of debris surmounted by a large beam with nothing but her back.  He was not sure if this was the time to test his abilities, but he could see little choice.

"Please try to hold your position; I fear this may affect the ship's balance..."

With that warning, he momentarily placed a hand on the debris and then ran to the edge, thrusting his hand out over empty space.  He had never folded so great a rift, even if the distance was essentially trivial, but he concentrated on the physics.  With a lurch, the debris fell down from his outstretched hand at the same moment that it disappeared from Angel's back.

"Blood and hell-fire!" he cursed through clenched teeth thrusting his hand under an armpit.

[Stella Gaslight]

Angel felt a blessed relief as the weight was removed from her back.  She gathered the unconscious man in to her arms and held a hand our to Leyton.  "The ship is on fire we have to go now.  We can fly back to the St Elmo, I can carry you too."

[Duellist]

"The fire is not necessarily an issue." he said, illustrating this by reaching out his injured hand and snuffing out the nearest flames.

A ragged line was cut through the palm of his glove, revealing bloodied flesh beneath.  After his momentary outburst, he seemed able to deal with the wound and quickly wrapped a handkerchief around it.

"Pray forgive my barbaric language a moment ago and I shall accompany you shortly, but I must check for any further crew trapped in the wreckage."

The Englishman turned to head for the door, a study resolute stupidity.