STEAM LONDON: Realms of Aether Game Thread

[Stella Gaslight]

Helena, Sigmund and Emma filed in to the sick bay.  Emma was a little hesitant but the fact that neither of the newcomers looked like they wanted to kill her helped. "Hello My name is Emma. Welcome to our world and I am very sorry about what my doppelganger did to you if there is anything I can do to make up for that don't hesitate to ask."  Emma gave a determined smile to the group of gathered faces.  "As you all know George has been fragmented and scattered across many worlds.  I know the other Emma is up to something but I must bring him home.  This looks like it might be a far more treacherous journey than I thought and I want to make sure you all go in to this with both eyes open.  I don't know what else lurks out there and that dreadful place might just be the beginning of things but i know I will keep hunting until George is found regardless of the risks. If anyone wishes to remain here it know that it is not an act of cowardice and I fully accept your answer but if you wish to keep going I will be fighting at your side.  Thanks for all your help so far."

She turned to the figure on the bed. "Brian, Shai there is a medical team waiting with Jennifer O'Landery's best healing brews and a some of the most complainant engineers of the age waiting to help you if you will let us."  

[Duellist]

It was a curious thing that Leyton's upbringing instilled in his a paradoxical self-preservation instinct, forcing him to show least fear when he felt it most.  His conscious mind recoiled from the snake before him, leaving the remainder of his psyche to choose between flight and fearlessness.  

The latter won out and Leyton took a second to inspect the creature, his reserve never having the chance to falter, and stroked the cobra's hood.  True to Drefuss' assertion, the experience was not fatal...

"A curiously handsome beast.  Is she the reason why your ship lacks the traditional cat, or does the thin air disagree with a rat's delicate constitution?" he asked, as though he were discussing a rabbit or a macaw.

[ClockworkLeprechaun]

At the Pub:

Samuel walked through the door, pulling his hat from his head he walked to the bar and addressed the bar keeper.

"I had heard that there were airships in town hiring crew members, I was wondering if you could direct me to one so I may sign on with them."

The bar keep nods and offers him directions to both the Boheme and the St. Elmo, after which Samuel turned and walked out of the pub, leaving a small tip for the bar keep on the counter.

Boheme:

Some time later Samuel could be seen walking towards where the Boheme was docked, not knowing Aero-Naval etiquette he approached the hatch and simply knocked with his right hand, the sound of metal knocking on metal through a leather medium wrung out and Samuel stood back to wait, hat in hand.

[MWBailey]

Dreyfuss laughed. "Actually, its because her mother, who was the pet of another former Boheme crewmember, snuck aboard the night the St. Elmo came to dock here, and laid her eggs under the Boiler's furnace clinker-box. We still ran on steam, then, so the clinker-box was always warm."

CRAAAASSHHHHH!!!

Now what in the Sam Hill wasTHAT!!? Dreyfuss exclaimed, as the loud noise exploded nearly overhead. "Cleo, stop!" Teh snake stopped, and turned to face Dreyfuss, for all teh world like a guardsman private. "Cleo, please don't bite whoever it is this time, just herd them down here, please." Cleopatra actually nodded, and the six-foot Albino cobra speed-slithered off to investigate the noise. "She's practically human in the way she understands things; give sme chills sometimes." Dreyfuss said, as Emma and teh rest came rushing over, asking what the commotion was.

[MWBailey]

A technician walked over to Samuel, and said, "pardon me, sir, but they are all over on the St. Elmo right now. You may go and knock on here, but you'd do better, I think, if I or one of teh other techs conducted you through the door. Follow me, please." And they set off down the dock toward what could only be the St. Elmo, a most unconventional-looking zeppelin.

Teh tech swung up the borad ladder to teh Em De Port, and knocked before entering, adn beckoned Samuel inside "it's alright, they're actually very good people, I promise., he said. Almost immediately, they encountered the entire group coming up the gangway from the Gundeck, and proceeding toward the other side of teh ship. "Excuse me, Commodore? This young man is seeking employment!"

"Well, bring 'im along then! We're investigating a disturbance, and maybe he can lend manpower." Dreyfuss said. Emma, we have an applicant back there."

[Duellist]

Leyton looked more curious than concerned, but a pistol had found its way into his hand in the manner in which useful objects usually did come into Leyton's hand; he knew where he last saw it and had made a conscious decision to fetch it. 

"Cleopatra reminds me of a raven I used to own, or was owned by.  It is uncanny how we wrongly assume that a small brain equates to a lack of intelligence..."

Something of the recent affability had bled out of Leyton's demeanour.  The words were softly spoken, but strangely emotionless.

[Stella Gaslight]

Emma was staring ahead of then trying to find out what had caused that almighty thump when she nearly ran over Samuel. "Oh goodness where are my manors.  I am Emmaline Lightion and I would love to talk to you about taking up a position on our mission but first I think there might have been a small explosion we need to tend to first."

[Genevieve Ozuna]

Gingerly touching the back of her head where it had recently collided with a particularly hard metal barrel, Nadya Zarate couldn’t help but swear under her breath as she took in her new surroundings. Not much to see actually, apparently she’d displaced herself a tad more than usual though, as the window to her left reported that she was located somewhat higher off the ground than she normally was when she landed. She certainly wasn't in the London of her world any longer.

Standing, she took in her outfit, and grimaced. She’d surely have a considerable amount of explaining to do if she wasn’t able to find a new ensemble before coming in contact with other humans. Assuming, of course, that humans were the dominant inhabitants of this world.

She was deftly re-lacing her corset and attempting to make herself appear at least mildly presentable, when a rather large snake gently snuck it’s way in to the room through a doorway in the northeast corner that had been shrouded in shadow. Taking a few self-conscious steps back, Nadya attempted to remain calm, and spoke out to the creature, “Hello there. I know how this may look, but really, I’m not trying to invade your… wherever this is.”

When the pale body wound itself around her as though to attempt to herd her from the room, she made no move not to comply, instead tucking her revolver into the holster accessed through a slit in the side of her chemise, and allowing the animal to lead her away from the room. She could only hope that whoever it was leading her too would be in an agreeable mood.

[MWBailey]

Dreyfuss and the others stopped short as a young woman, carrying no weapons in her hands, came walking down the hall, with Cleo right behind here, obviously herding her along.

"Now, What'd I say! See, Miss Emma? Just like Rosie was, only smarter!" Dreyfuss said, Beaming. H egot serious again veruy quickly, however. "You! I never attack a woman unless she attacks me first, or if she already tried to kill me once before, so don't cringe so." He looked her over, and nearly blushed in spite of himself. Wearing so little, she hardly seemed a threat, But long experience had taught him that pretty packages could be ten times deadlier than brown-paper-wrapped ones.

"I'm Jaisen Dreyfuss, Miss, Commodore in the Republic of Texas Air Fleet, Liaison to Her Britannic Majesty's Secret Service, adn Knight of the realm, as grandiose as that sounds now that i utter it. and you are?"

[Stella Gaslight]

Emma handed the rather scantly clad woman her lab coat. "I am Emmaline Lightion. Are you all right miss?  That was a very loud bang." 

[Genevieve Ozuna]

What on earth was wrong with these people? Were they mad? They were accepting a perfect stranger into their nest after she had quite literally appeared from nowhere. Either they had had experience with this before, or they could very well be insane. Either way, she wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but took her time with a response.

Gladly accepting the lab coat, Nadya slipped her arms through the sleeves but opted to leave the front open. Well not really opted so much as didn’t think about it. She’d spent so much of her time half-clothed in the past two years that it seemed as natural as breathing. Ankles bared and all. Though she wouldn’t have objected to a nice pair of boots, her feet were rather chilly.

Odd though it may be, her first reaction was to respond “I’m not cringing actually, just contemplating,” but she chose to refrain. No good would come of them assuming she was plotting against them. In actuality though, she was considering the best way to display her cards without revealing her full hand.

And so, in response to their questions, she answered simply, “My name is Nadya Zarate. As for titles, I am afraid I lack them, though for conveniences sake you may know that I am a gypsy, a … dancer, and a fighter of all sorts when the time requires it. As to whether I am alright, yes. I believe so anyway. I did have a rather nasty blow to my head upon landing, but beyond that I am fine.”

She paused, gathering her thoughts, before asking, “If it doesn’t seem strange, where exactly are we?”

[ClockworkLeprechaun]

Samuel was taken a bit aback by the welcome, but he quickly fell into pace, first with the Tech and then with the group as they investigated an explosion.

Samuel smiles softly at Emma and bows his head a bit.  "Samuel Warder's my name, Ms. Lightion.  I shall say I have had some up close and personal experience with explosions, so hopefully I can lend a hand with your problem."  

He continued to follow them til they came to a rather scantily clad young woman.  Samuel stayed to the back for the time being, merely watching what was happening.

[Stella Gaslight]

"On top of the St. Elmo at the moment.  Did you sneak aboard when we last landed or perhaps we sucked you in when we crossed the aetheric plains?" Emma bit her knuckle if they were sucking in people from outside something would have to be done before the ship left again.  One just couldn't go around pulling others out of their worlds, it was very impolite.  "Mr Warder would you mind fetching some clothes for Miss Zarate?  The technician who led you up her can direct you to the uniform stores and welcome to the crew."

[Nigel Wetherby]

Cain helped Shai carry the broken Brian O'Landry to the team of Medics. A group of men in white outfits with red crosses with white flames in the foreground took the wounded man onto a wooden wheelchair.
Shai followed close behind as he was wheeled towards Madame Arachnes medical establishment.

Cain watched as his counterpart was wheeled away, he began to ponder the nature of himself. What would this world have been like had Patrick never decided to be as kind as he was that fateful day? Would Angel have rotted in that tomb? Would Amon have gotten to her? He shuddered at the thought.

Sigmund approached Helena after the docking, watching critically as Emma sized up these newcomers.
"I hope my dimension didnt disturb you too much."

[Stella Gaslight]

"Don't worry Shai they are going to make your Brian all better." Angel waved as they wheeled him out of sight. 

"If anything it makes me rather amazed that you are so...Well normal I suppose.  You could have become cruel but you didn't." She tapped Emma on the shoulder.  "If you don't mind I was thinking of taking Sigmund to the hall of science."

Emma smiled remembering the first date George had taken her on. "Excellent idea that should help him become more filmier with our technology.  Be back before dark and be sure to say hello to Mr Rothschild for me."

Helena smiled at Sigmund. "Well you heard the woman let's get going."

[MWBailey]

Dreyfuss spoke up, "Miss Emma, I s Trip doing alright? I honestly have not seen him since we landed, and did not see him leave the St. Elmo. He was actually the one who found and rescued Shai and Brian, I just saw them an followed them till I asked what they wanted with the St. Elmo, and Miss Shai grabbed me." Dreyfuss paused, then said, apologetically, "Your pardon, Miss Shai." Oh, my, where are my manners? Miss emma, I'd like for you to meet Mr. Christian Leyton. Mr. Leyton, this is Miss Emma Lighton. Mr. Leyton is the gentleman who arrived this morning, Miss Emma.

"Miss ... Nadya, was it? Perhaps you had better follow the medics and get them to see to that place on the back of your head...Oh...well, they've disappeared now, haven't they. Maybe we can find someone to escort...you..." HE looked around, and found that he, Miss Nadya, Miss Emma, Miss shai, and Mr. Leyton were the only ones still on the docks. sometimes, I could swear the others are tryin' to set me up with a woman, the way they keep leavin' me alone with 'em, HE fumed. Well, there was nothing else for it, H'd have to escort the poor, slightly-distressed damsel to the infirmary.

"Well, looks like I'm the only one free to escort you, miss," he smiled ruefully. "Lets go, maybe we'll meet up with samuel on the way and he can give you some uniform parts. Never mind how slow we go, I know bare boards are tough on bare feet. do you need help walking?"

[Genevieve Ozuna]

Mad. Definitely mad. They had to be. At the very least this Mister Dreyfuss was. Inviting me to the sick bay, when I just randomly landed on his ship?  Regardless, she’d best go along and not cause too much of a fuss. Though being treated like a doll was getting a bit on the annoying side. Still, he was rather cute for a flustered gent.

“Certainly, I would be delighted to accompany you Señor Dreyfuss, though my feet will fair well enough. Don’t mistake me for a damsel, sir, I happen to be quite able,” Nadya closed her comment with a daring wink in his direction.

Yes, they were certainly mad on this… boat. It had to be a boat after all. A rather tall one, but still… or maybe a dirigible? Anyway— mad for sure. Especially with all the people running to and fro about her, talking to those who had discovered her and then leaving without so much as a passing glance at the random half-dressed female suddenly in their midst. And what was Miss Lighton talking about— “sucked you in when we crossed the aetheric plains?”

Wait, aetheric plains? Had she found more— “Wait!” She exclaimed, turning sharply back to where she had started, facing Emma, “You guys aren’t World Walkers are you?” Her eyes were wide and alight, her heart’s pace rapid. She’d never come in contact with any of her own kind before. Most people stayed away from the aether between worlds, but if they were crossing them, could she dare hope? Perhaps some of her relatives had survived the blaze after all. Interdimensional Displacers, like herself. The thought seemed almost too much to hope for.

[Stella Gaslight]

"Dreyfuss I think I saw Trip heading off to his electricity labs muttering about improving the battery pack of his telaporter."  She paused for a moment startled by Nadya's question.  "Well the d hopper drives allow us to travel from world to world but I had thought we were the only ones with that technology.  If you don't mind me asking where do you come from?"

[Nigel Wetherby]

Sigmund found himself enchanted by the rout to the hall of science. The streets wer elined with constructs and constructors of all walks of life. A great red monolith of shimmering stone stood in the center of town, carved with the names of all those lost in the tinker's row massacre.
The hall of science itself was a massive building, a cathedral to all things scientific. The words "Hall of science" Had been carved above the towering threshold of the building.
"It's...amazing." As the doors parted, inventions of all matter were on display, illuminated by individual skylight as if they were marble statues of ancient gods. Longe shut-down constructs still stood proudly like steel-cast heroes.

Shai waved to them, kissing Brian's cheek as the two faded into obscurity through the doors of Madame Arachne's establishment. Cain knew they would be well cared for, though shai may need to keep an eye on Brian.
"Angel, shoudl we help mister dreyfuss with his recruiting?"

[MWBailey]

Aha. The talent revealed, thought Dreyfuss. "Well, Miss Nadya, most of us have been lots of places in the world, but not walking, though I've walked a fair piece in my day," he said, deadpan. "No, Miss, I'm sorry, sometimes my sense of humor runs away with me; I do know what you mean, and  rumors and legends of such abound, at least back in Texas, from Whence I come, but I've not encountered any.

"I suppose we must seem completely and utterly mad to you, Miss, just accepting people falling out of the sky, or wherever you fell from, begging your pardon, but all of us have already been through a series of adventures in a war that would bend and warp the boundaries of any sane person's grip on reality. I used to be a simple powder-and-leadshot former airship mercenary, who had so-called "magical" relatives, with no real talent for what some would call magic, at all. now, I can do this:"

Dreyfuss unleashed a stream of fire, not simply a line of flames, at a discarded and rotting piling timber laying on the ground beside the Airship dock, causing it to erupt into flames and disintegrate to ash within seconds. "It used to make me woozy just to call up a single line of flames to light a forge fire or scare off an enemy. now I feel hardly any effect at all from something like what you just witnessed, and I can do other things as well, and by trial and error, I'm learning other "tricks," if you'll pardon the understatement. Mainly, it's called 'technomancy,' from what more knowledgeable people tell me."

[ClockworkLeprechaun]

Samuel quickly returned with a uniform that looked like it might, maybe, fit Nadya.  He offers it to her with his ears turning a bit red.

"Here you go miss, I'm pretty sure that'll fit you." he said, looking her in the eye, then when she took the clothing he looks away towards Dreyfuss.  "By the by, I'm Samuel Warder" He offers his hand first to Dreyfuss and then to Nadya.

[Stella Gaslight]

"Yes that sounds like fun." Angel liked almost anything that brought her in to contact with people.  She waved at Dreyfuss and Emma.  "Hi new people." she chirped.


She smiled at his look of wide eyed wonder. "I felt the same way the first time I came here.  Every year there is a nation wide contest to crown the best invention and that gets put in a special hall.  Emma and Patrick were honored last year for their climbing harness. I got to come to the ceremony it was amazing.  Everything was lit up with twinkling lights and all the grand ladies and gentlemen out in their finery.  I am not one for grand parties but that was something special. Perhaps if we go again this year you can come with me."  Helena blushed a little much to her surprise.  She looked Sigmund over, what was it about this boy that flustered her when she could stare down pirates and monsters?

[MWBailey]

Dreyfuss shook the hand of Mr. Samuel Warder, taking in the metallic sheen under his clothing and his clockwork arm -- whilst trying, for politeness' sake, not to stare or be obvious about looking."welcome to the crew, Mr. Warder, he said, I'd say eithe rthe St. Elmo or teh boheme could use a man of your abilities, especially anm explosive s expert. "
----------------------

AT the Wrench and Hammer, Jock was folding up his chapbook, and helping Creeds clean up a bit after the people who had waited in line. He managed to find four former Marauder lads from their Marine divisions, all different units, but all Marauders, and a young former Leiutenant JG who had joined the organization just when the Texians threw the Mercenary company out.

The Leiutenant, one Hiram Jessup Myers, had missed his ship, which turned out to be one of the transferred old underslungs (the Three Legged Willie; a very small packet airship, it only had two deck guns and three sling-piece swivel guns, and was a windflyer -- that is, it used wind and sails instead of motorized power) when it was on its way to rendezvous one, but turned back, its captain wanting no more to do with the flighty payrolls of teh Marauders, but was unwilling to turn pirate, and who was in any case tired of tacking against the wind at three hundred feet, the upper winds being far too strong to buck that way, and wante dto lose excess weight, and decided the young fellow would fare better in London.

So, five new men, all agreeing to act as Marines, and then as crew, if and/or when eithe r the Texians or the English decided to send purpose-made troops, the JG being automatically promoted to full Leiutenant upon signing up. He  had them all take the Republic Naval Oath, adn gave each one one full weeks pay (only about a half-pound sterling in British money, but more than most had on them at the time, and a full pound sterling forthe leiutenant).

HE then rounded them up, as all fortuitously had their full kit in their seabags, and had them pitch in cleaning up, then marche dthem all up the hiil to the Airship Dock and Research Labs, passing Dreyfuss, Shai, Leyton, Emma, and a new girl he didnt recognize; H estopped them for dreyfuss who gave them the standard 'welcome-aboard-you-are-sore-needed-and-if-you-bother-the-ladies-I'll-flog-you-myself speech (all the recruits were male), and then returned them to "the tender care of Chief Lough-Malley, here."

HE got the enlisteds into their Billet bunkroom just off the Engineering section, and the Leiutenant into one of the cabins on the other side of the Officer's Mess, and then left them to get their different worlds all sorted out, and make up a duty, drill, and leisure roster for the next month.

And hoped that none got killed before they got their first pay call...

[Genevieve Ozuna]

Ah of course. They had tech. That allowed them to displace. Right. Of course. Naturally it had to be tech. Her family was dead, and that was that. Mister Dreyfuss' reaction certainly caught her attention though. So he'd heard of her kind then. And they inhabited the States? How peculiar. Though she'd heard of group of gypsies moving west over the Pacific, she'd never really considered it viable until that point. She mentally noted to question Mister Dreyfuss more further in to her stay with this group.

Though that did explain a bit why they were so quick to accept her existence. Traveling between dimensions, battling wars, and apparently possessing magical powers— that sort of thing really did prepare you for sudden drop-ins by otherworldlies didn't it? As Emma asked where she was from, she considered outright lying. She wasn't entirely sure of these folks yet. While she was growing increasingly comfortable in their midst, could she honestly trust them? Then again, how could she not. Sooner or later it would become all too apparent that she knew little of this world's customs. That woman down that hall was wearing pants for heaven's sake! And openly with ease at that. So she would certainly have to admit she was not of this world. But could she not fib just a bit, and say she had no idea how she'd gotten there?

She may have liked the odd little group, but she could not wholeheartedly trust them, and so she answered. "Well miss, I'm from London. Just not... this London. I don't think anyway. For one thing, we'd never wear that," she gestured to the trouser-clad woman, "And I can't quite figure out how we're so high up. Unless we're in a dirigible. Are we in a dirigible?" She hated the feeling of naivete that inundated her whenever she traveled to a new world. She was happy knowing the way things were set, and having the rules changed was such a nuisance. It was a lucky thing indeed that she was so good at playing the game.

Nadya was interrupted from saying anything further by a shiny man bearing her "uniform." It was currently balled up, so she had no clue when the thing looked like, but was dubious as to whether she'd be comfortable in it after her ensembles from the past three years. She smiled though, and tried not to stare— nothing like him would ever have existed in her realm— in respect for the way he had so obviously done so himself. Red ears aside, he'd done a fair job of not staring at her naughty bits, and for that she was impressed. "Thank you Mister Warder, I'm Nadya Zarate," she firmly returned his handshake.

[T.Taylor the Third]

Trip had completed work on the battery pack doubling its life.
He went into his cabin and locked the door He then pulled a sheet of an unfinished canvas it was a painting of emma.
He had a few refrence photos  layed out and he started to paint