STEAM LONDON: Realms of Aether Game Thread

[Stella Gaslight]

Leyton found himself being haled backwards by Angel.  "No silly, the ship is going to fall down, I can fly you can't.  I will save the people you make them better." She pulled him out of the ship and deposited him on the deck of the St Elmo then went back in to the trembling wreck of The Jean Lafitte.

[Nigel Wetherby]

Leyton's patroll was made substantially easier as a spray of white foam smothered the flames and coated the calculating gentleman in white froth.
Cain charged in moments after the blizzard of chemical-reeking fluids doused the flames, coating the carbon-black scenery in white bubbles. The unconcious spainish man had been dropped off in Madame Arachne's hospital, and by the look of urgency in his eyes, he had rushed back to find her.
"Angel! Thank god you're alright!" He hugged her tightly, unaware of the man he almost crushed in the process.

[Stella Gaslight]

Angel gave Cain a little kiss on his smudged cheek. "Did we save all the people yet?"  She looked out in to the half collapsed hall and then they heard an ominous grown coming up from the strained metal that holding the ship together.  "Cain I think the ship is going to fall down soon."  Part of the heavily damaged engine room gave way and their was a high pitched scream of utter terror.  They both listened for a moment and took off to save the screamer. 

[Nigel Wetherby]

The source of the scream was located in the deeper regions of the ship, a shivvering girl coated in black soot. Something was emerging from the roaring flames. A rickety construct, artifical skin melting off its skin as it lurched towards the small girl.
"Protect. Cargo." The machine stuttered.

[MWBailey]

Dreyfuss was far, far down in the wreckage of the aft section of the Lafitte. Jeanette Mcdonald had long ago succumbed to the heavy smoke and funes, and Dreyfuss had gotten Cain to carry her to the St. Elmo.

Now, The Commodore was looking for Nadya. No one had seen her, and while no report had been received yet from the Hospital concerning her whereabouts, Dreyfuss was worried. He had tried to send to her several times; and initially gotten what felt like an impression of hostile emotions; he decided to leave her alone for a few minutes, and concentrated on finding survivors in the wreckage.

The further down he went, however, the fewer people he found to rescue. Bodies, and body parts, by the hundreds, but no survivors. Then, he had felt what he thought was a call from Nadya: Dr..f...s....h...lp.... at least it sounded liek Nadya; it also sounded as if it could have been Angel, but she had never tried to send to him before. It felt like Nadya, so he assumed that it was her, and it had come from somewhere in the direction of the stern, so that was where he had gone, sometimes using the whitefire pistol to improvise a line where his grapnel rig would not work or would not stretch far enough, or to cut through wreckage snags to make a path through to the stern.

HE finally reached the aft engine rooms, where the steam from the now-useless piles of metal that were once four of teh most powerful steam engines in teh Northern Hemisphere hung around like an evil, smelly patchy ground fog.

"Mi Comodoro! this way!" The shout startled Dreyfuss, and he spun aroun, hollering, "NADYA? WAIT! COME BACK!" and he followed the rapidly-disappearing form of a person. He could not make out gender or anything else very specific; in fact, it could have been his imagination, or a hallucination brougt on by the chemical fumes,  but he was willing by that point to believe any fantasy so long as it would save him from accepting that she was gone.

as he ran after the shape ahead of him, Dreyfuss suddenly felt the floor beneath his feet end. He wasnt worried; he reasoned that the decking had shifted, so he applied his scant one-and-a-half days practice, and slowed his descent, and stopped in midair...and suddenly, when the steam cleared, saw that he was about five feet below the lower vertical tailplane of the Jean Lafitte!

THen, there was a massive explosion, and the entire opposite side of the ship from his position bloomed outwards and disappeared in a roiling mass of smoke, steam, and debris, the shockwave knocking Dreyfuss backwards a good thirty yards or so. Dreyfuss managed to raise himself to the top of what was left of teh airship, only to look down and see that the ship looked like a giant metal-and-wood fish that had just been rather sloppily filleted.

"Nadya?" he breathed. an impression of night sky and coolbreezes, but nothing familiar. NADYA!! he sent. There was no reply.  

The next thing he realized was that the Lafitte was falling. slowly, yet, and the Elmo might be able to hold her up, but not for long. Cain, Angel, Leyton, and Nadya, Please, if you can hear me, get what people you can grab  and get out NOW, the Lafitte's about to fall, Dreyfuss sent. I repeat, LEAVE. NOW --

[Stella Gaslight]

Angel gathered up the frighted girl and started to hum to calm her fears. "Your going to be alright now."

The construct reached for Angel dripping flaming droplets on her clothes that threatened to set them alight. "Protect."   It wheezed.

Angel was unafraid of the hulking thing. "I have her. Your job is done now, Rest."

[Nigel Wetherby]

"Job. Done. Rest." The machine's reach loosened, its clawlike hand fell to its side, The ship rattled as altitude became a precious commodity. The ship barreled downward, giving Angel and Cain only seconds to soar towards the gaping hole, the terrified girl in Cain's arms.
"Goodbye." The construct said, giving a mechanical semblance of a smile before the ship hit the ocean beneath with a deafening crash. The spray of salt water seemed to give off bitter tears for the child of metal who seemed to die doing what it was made to do.

[Stella Gaslight]

The little girl wept and clutched at Cain.  "I know your sad but things aren't as bad as they look I promise."  Angel gently touched the girl's back and mad a note in her head to make sure Mama looked after this little one.  Mama loved children almost as much as Angel herself did.

"Boheme to St Elmo. Did everyone get out all right?" Helena was worried she hadn't see Cain and Angel get out of the ship.  There were already tug crews on there way to clear the wreckage and make sure shipping traffic could keep moving.  Helena's shoulders slumped the adrenaline that had been powering her was slipping away and she was starting to feel tired again.

[Nigel Wetherby]

Cain landed gently upon the roof of the hospital, handing the shivvering girl to the warm arms and half-exposed bosom of one of Madame Arachne's girls, who carried her into the safety of the infirmary.
Madame Arachne herself was swamped. Moving from room to room treating burns and giving medical advice to scared newcomers to the medical proffesion. She thanked Patrick O'Landry for the legs that permitted her not to have blisters on her feet at the end of all this.

[MWBailey]

Captain Ishmael aethered back to the Boheme: "Boheme, this is St. Elmo, negative, we have not reclaimed the Commodore, or Lt. Zarate. I repeat , Lt. Zarate and the Commodore are missing..."
-------------------------------------------------

"Nadya's alive, somewhere, Dreyfuss thought, as he swam in the salt water and struggled not to be dragged down by the parts of teh wreckage that was unable to float. "She has to be. She can't be dead! What will I tell Arachne?" If you survive exposure and pneumonia, you dolt, his conscience told him.

You know she's likely dead, Dreyf, and just like the crew of the Anthony, her death is YOUR FAULT. HE accepted his guilt, unproven though it might have been, and made up his mind to go back to shore, and then to the airdock, to face it.

He knew that tugs and such craft would be along soon enough to take care of the wreckage, so he hauled himself on to the top of a chunk of it, and once again drew the whitefire pistol, firing a line to a nearby buoy and hauling himself to it, then to a timber jutting from a sandbar, and so on until he reached a dock. Onlookers lined the waterfront all up and down the shore, but as his luck would have it, none noticed him. He realized he had a very long walk back to the Dock, so he set off at a shivering, squelching walk,each step emphasizing the cadence of his now-slightly-feverish, self-accusatory state of mind:
Your. Fault. Your. Fault.Your. Fault. Your. Fault...

It was 5 am the next morning before anyone found him, and by then he was not very coherent at all. All that could be gotten out of him was "My...Fault!" While he shivered uncontrollably...

Dreyfuss had wandered around quite abit; he wasn't familiar with London from the particular waterfront where he pulled up, adn unlike that first day, three or more years before, he was not in his right mind. He wasn't really crazy, yet, just distraught, fatigued, very ticked off at being lost, and just feverish enough for it to affect him like one too many drinks.

So, it was unfortunate that when someone did find him, it was not one of the Tinker's Row bunch, but a gang of toughs, in the Whitechapel district.

Unfortunate for them, that is...

[Stella Gaslight]

Helena was yawning as she pulled the ship in to the dock. "Sigmund I am exhausted if you are still going to stay up could you keep your ears open for a distress call from The St Elmo?   Nadya and Dreyfuss are missing, I am sure they will both turn up but it would be a good idea to keep an eye peeled for them. I will sleep on the ship tonight in case you need me and don't be afraid to wake me."  She gave him a hug.  "You really helped us tonight, thanks."

[Nigel Wetherby]

"Sure Helena, I'll turn the searchlights on and scan the ocean for anyone."  And with that, he turned back to the controlls. The searchlights blazed like twin moons, scouring the cold, black ocean for any traces of life.
Nadya was found bobbing, unconcious and face-down as she wrapped her arms around a hunk of half-scorched flotsam. A pair of autonimous arms Emma had devised scooped the sopping and unconcious young woman up and dragged her limp personage all the way to the deck of the ship where she was lain on the deck to dry.
Cain scooped Nadya up and flew her off to Madame Arachne's hospital, confident she would get the care she needed.
Nadya coughed up a particularly surprised guppy.

[MWBailey]

"Oi! you! what d'yer think yer doin' 'round 'ere, you Navy scum! this ain't no shipyard, blueboy!

The jeers and taunts only became more inane and unschooled, until finally one of them produced a cricket bat, and swung it at Dreyfuss, who caught the end in his hand, wrenched the bat out of his assailant's hands, and thrust it back behind himself, punching it into the stomach of the one who was coming up from behind with the cudgel.

He then attacked in a circle moving in the opposite direction from which he had incapacitated the  cudgel boy, using the bat like a sword, his dizziness serving only to make his actions more reckless and harder-hitting. Before long, the toughs were running pell-mell ahead and away from the suddenly-lethal drunken "sailor"  with whom they had thought to have a little fun...and then they found themselves in the cul-de-sac, hemmed in by tall, spike-topped iron fences.

No need to describe the things that were done after that. Suffice to say that, when the sun finally shone down into the cul-de-sac, five gangmembers who would think twice (if they survived their wounds), before attacking a man in a Naval greatcoat again, lay bleeding and unconscious in the dew-soaked gutters of  the cul-de-sac in Whitechapel. Meanwhile, Dreyfuss resumed his walk home.

"My...Fault..."

[Stella Gaslight]

Morning came far to early and Helena felt like she had only just laid her head on the pillow when she was woken by sunlight streaming through the porthole and the sounds of busy a mornings work going on outside.  She tumbled out of bed functioning mainly on auto pilot and wandered off to find the rest of the crew.  She nearly tripped over Sigmund as he watched the workers over the rail.   "Good morning, I take it everyone made it home alright?"

[MWBailey]

Stumbling across the city, up and down, up into genteel districts, and down into magic-ridden districts where even Cain would be unwise to go, for fear of deactivation and scrapping for metals and magical components, up again, down again, and up again, Dreyfuss finally came upon the streets that would take him inevitably to Madame Arachne's Bordello.

[Nigel Wetherby]

As Dreyfuss wandered towards the Bordello, one of Madame Arachne's girls saw the drenched and emotionally dead man.
"Oh lord!" The blonde little slip of a woman cried. She summoned two more women who approached Dreyfuss and carried the nigh-lifeless figure into the Bordello, his steps leaving a dark wet streak on the crimson carpet.

"We found Nadya floating in the ocean, Madame Arachne just sent me a wireless that she was stable, but they have yet to find Dreyfuss." Sigmund looked to the floor, as if ashamed to give Helena such bad news. "I hope he's alright, the old man is the captain of the Saint elmo, and I don't think someone as...ahem...sterile as mister Leyton could handle the rambuctious crowd of the Saint Elmo."

[Vancouver Air Privateer]

Elisha was exhausted. He didn't seem to have the ability Captain Hudson had to run the Boheme without the least bit of stress. But he still hung around the bordello. There were injured people and not many beds. The very badly injured were being transferred to hospitals. He saw Dreyfuss come in a bad state and rushed to help, carrying him to an availible room with the two girls. He then went to get a drink.

[MWBailey]

Dreyfuss' sanity began to slide back into place around 7 PM that night. He smelled something burning, and his eyes flew open, revealing totally out-of-focus points of light floating in the air beside him Great, he thought, another hallucination...

"Hey love!" How ya doing?" Dreyfuss blinked his eyes, and the points of light coalesced into yellow-white flames on the ends of candles(ah, candle smoke, he thought, and relaxed) in a five-holder candelabra on a polished wooden table beside...whatever he was laying on. It felt like a bed. With pillows, no less, propping him up slightly. Having dealt with these momentous discoveries of intellectual necessity, Dreyfuss looked over and focused in the direction from which the voice issued.

He saw a blonde vision dressed in yet another, diaphanous, vision. The first vision smiled at him, and said "Hello, Commodore love," in a cockney voice that was somehow both endearing, and full of promises, "welcome to Madame Arachne's Hospital." Madame Arachne, yes, I remember her, he thought, his mind working a mile per minute trying to remember something important, as the girl leaned forward and felt of his forehead. " I do believe your fever broke. Just stay here and rest, and let me get the Madame, she wanted to see you when you woke up.

"Allright, Miss, " He tried to croak, but all that came out was a hissing noise. he closed his mouth, summoned what little spit he could, and swallowed, clearing his throat when he finished, and repeated "Allright, miss." Not much better than the hiss, but at least it was decipherable -- but she was already gone. Then he remembered what he had forgotten, and  all of the horror of the past night and day came pressing in on his mind at the same time. Why did they put me in here? I don't deserve this! I'm the reason Nadya's dead! Must be a jail arrangement, he thought, I've been arrested, but I was unconscious. Well, let 'em come. I deserve the worst for sending her in to die like that!Such a sweet, wonderful young girl--" and then there in the doorway stood Madame, smiling. SMILING?!

[Stella Gaslight]

"None of this is your fault Sigmund I am sure he will turn up.  Dreyfuss strikes me as being a tough old cuss, it will take more than this to do him in.  We saved lives last night both the crew of the Lafitte and those in London that could have been hit by the falling ship. Don't forget that."  She had the top of her coveralls rolled down and tied at the waist exposing her warm tanned skin and various scars from her past life as a pirate.  She was completely relaxed leaning on the rail as the sunlight haloed her short messy hair.

Angel had stayed up with the little girl most of the night and now they were playing a simple clapping game.  Angel did not understand the Spanish she spoke but with music they got along just fine.  Their singing brought a restful calm to the overcrowded bordello.

[MWBailey]

"Madame Arachne," Dreyfuss said slowly, croakingly, as he tried to stand up, "I wish that I could apologize for all the horror and grief I've put you through, uh..(suddenly he could swear he heard a voice in the back of his head, sayng in a very tiny, exasperated tone, oh, senor! stop that. don't you know I'm alive, you ninny?)er, and-and I do, but I also know...that an apology is cold com...fort in...the event of a loved one's...death --  "Why are you smiling at me? I'm the reason she's ...wait a minute, what was that"... He sat down, suddenly, very hard on the bed, which bounced slightly from the impact..."she's alive?"

[Nigel Wetherby]

"You can thank Good Old Siggy for her recovery. He found her floating on a hunk of flotsam. Aside from a few bruises and scratches, she's fine. I beleive we'll have her out by tomorrow!" She replied to Dreyfuss' terror with a wide, sugary grin.
"However, you're in no shape to see her yet. I'll have to bar it, your still rather sick, and I don't want her catching your virus. Sorry Dreyf, but don't worry I'll assure she's well taken care of." Her silken tone implied something rather blush-worthy for most gentlemen.

Sigmund couldnt help but admire the golden-skinned beauty of Helena. Her scars seemed to do nothing to detract from her copper-colored skin which sent shivers up his spine. His pale skin gained what felt like an army of goosebumps as his cheeks pinkened. "R-right, I'm sure Dreyfuss will be okay."

Cain had a less than relaxing day as Madame Arachne had made him an assistant nurse complete with little white hat. As Angel and the girl played, he was running from room to room, assisting those in need of recessitation and reluctantly giving spongebaths to those in need, several of Madame Arachne's girls tended to watch him work and giggle collectively, much to his dismay.

[MWBailey]

Dreyfuss' head swam with a combination of relief both paternal and otherwise, and whatever virus he had managed to contract. Blast it, he didnt feel like he could get up off of the bed he was sitting on; he hoped he wouldn't have to resort to a bedpan.

But Nadya was alive! Found by Sigmund, And Madame said she would take care of her. He didnt blush, he knew exactly what Madame meant, and he knew that Nadya loved her. that was all that really mattered, that and the fact that Nadya had actually sent somethingto comfort him.

"Bless you, Madame Arachne. And Sigmund, and especially Nadya. You know, she just might be the only reason I'm still alive--well, her and you," he said, trying to put as much warm regard into his words as he could, since they sounded weak and reedy to his own ears.

He thought a moment. No, he decided, those bully-boys down in...wherever it was can rot. I've got my people here and thats what matters...No, Dreyf, you have to tell about them too.

"If you don't mind my asking, Madame, uh...How long before I can return to duty? And I can Hear Angel, bless her heart, but is Cain alright? And Captain Mondragon? Did the St. Elmo make it out alright?" His head began to go all muzzy again, and he had to prop himself up with one hand in order to remain sitting upright to hear her reply.

"oh, and one more little thing; there's a gang of about 5 toughs down in ...I think it must have been Whitechapel...I left 'em in a pretty bad way after they attacked me, but I think I was feverish before I ran into them... that's the only people I've had close contact with since the crash, as far as I can remember."

[Stella Gaslight]

Helena took his hand and pulled him closer. "You sound cold Sigmund, come enjoy this warm with me.  Nothing like sunshine on your back to start the day."

Angel had a kiss waiting for Cain the next time he walked by.  "My nurse Cain makes every one better."  She said proudly.

Emma woke up confused. She did not remember going to sleep in this bed.  She remembered getting an amazing back rub and talking but the rest was a blur. Emma was achy, hungry and whenever she got up dizziness forced her back in to bed. One of the good things about being sick was that she could have breakfast in bed the bad thing was she was sure she would fall right back asleep after she ate.  Emma wondered if her mother could send some of her wonderful chicken noodle soup.  That always made her fell better when she was a little girl.

[Nigel Wetherby]

Sigmund lept out of his chair, eager to accompany Helena to bathe themselves in the warm sun. Such an invitation was an active insult in the cold one military, and most soldiers were given suits of armor that kept their bodies at a constant forty degrees below zero. Due to Sigmund's human nature, he only got twenty degrees, though he felt the chilly armor terribly un-necesarry the queen demanded it, and a good soldier never asked questions. But his armor was long gone, and he was terribly thankful for that. He headed out onto the deck at Helena's side, already enjoying the feeling of the golden sun stroking his bare flesh with sweet rays.

Cain had seemed to have been run ragged by the collective emergencies, but Angel's kiss caught him off guard like a lion upon a wounded impala, though the kiss was much, much more pleasant than having one's jugular torn out by a vicious wild cat, though at times Angel reminded Cain of a big, playful kitten.
"Well, I try." He said with a bit of embarassment mixed with pride.
"How have you and the girl been?"
"My...My name is Zoradysis." The girl said in a struggling whisper, as if saying her name itself were a task.

[Stella Gaslight]

While they lounged the wireless cracked. "Dreyfuss just showed up here wet, sick and looking like something the cat drug in."  Madame Arachne's voice was sweet like molasses. 

Helena ran to respond with a smile on her face. "Thanks Arachne, we will tell his crew wast is going on."  She turned to Sigmund "See I told you so."


"Zoradysis."  Angel said trying the name out.  "That is a pretty name. Why were you hiding all by your self in the cargo bay?  Do you have a momma or papa we need to take you to?"