"STEAM LONDON" Game Thread

[CapnSefina]

Adriana followed closely behind Patrick. She smiled as he fired the Schrodinger's Cat and just concentrated on getting to wherever Patrick was going. She knew that the crew would take care of the Angelus. They've served with her long enough to know that she wouldn't abandon them and for her to know that they would not do the same to her. Besides, the prosthetics needed Patrick.

[Vancouver Air Privateer]

More pirates were coming, but Elisha noticed Patrick had managed to reload his flechette gun. The crew of the Angelus had fallen back, causing a new wave of enemies to appear. Adriana and the crew of the Boheme held them off as best they could, falling back and making their way to the Boheme. Not much time was left before the engines went into reversal.

Elisha took up the rear, holding off Black. Black was a skilled swordsman, but Elisha was very adept with his stick. He also used his left arm to parry blows. He just needed to hold Black back a little longer...

"Who the hell are you..?" gasped Black between sword blows.

"A privateer with the Steel Breeze. Pirate scum like you have probably heard of her." said Elisha, running his stick against one of Black's swords, forcing it into the ground.

"Oho!...the Wolf of the Pacific? The Bane of the Rus? You run with a ship hated among pirates my lad...the bounty on you in the underworld must be immense!"

"You'll not be the man to claim it, Black" replied Elisha. As Black swung one of his swords, Elisha caught it, snapping it in half with his metal hand. Black gripped his remaining sword in both hands and charged Elisha.

Suddenly there was a rumbling noise. Black looked around in confusion. Elisha realised the engines must be warming up! The crews of the Boheme and the Angelus were franticly cutting the lines that bound them to the Star. Elisha jerked his leg upwards, hitting Black in the gut and winding him. He turned and ran. The Star had already begun moving backwards, the Boheme, moving away. Elisha ran to the edge of the ship and jumped.

He landed on the edge of the Boheme and teetered on the edge. Hudson and Adriana reached out their hands and pulled him in. Everyone watched the Star speed away into the distance, Black's curses carrying on the wind.

[Stella Gaslight]

Emma gave a bright smile and cheery wave to Black as he went by.  Judging by his torrent of obscenities the message was clear, he figured out who had been messing around with his ship.  She watched as it moved faster and faster until it reached the edge of the horizon and stared to send up plumes of thick black smoke.  Emma knew even before George confirmed it that The Eastern Star's engines were busy trying to melt themselves in to slag.  Black would be drifing for quite some time, at least a quarter of his engines had been made of parts Emma had fabricated and repairs even with her notes would be tricky.

Jen was shaky and Emma couldn't quite tell if it was from fear or excitement.  "You did really well for it being your first time.  You aught to ask Patrick for shooting lessons.  Something tells me he would probibly be happy to oblige."  She smiled as Jen blushed a little wondering if that was how her big sisters felt.

She walked over to Ben, Elisha and the captain of The Angelus were standing.  "Thank you very much for being willing to risk your crew to help us.  I am Emmaline Lighton and if there is anything I can do to repay your kindness let me know."

[CapnSefina]

Adriana looked at Emma and then to Patrick. "I think you'll find that O'Landry has offered quite a bit in payment for my services. However if anything does come up. You'll be the first to know. Captain Adriana Farrier of the Angelus." Adriana was curt and rough. "So, O'Landry." The name was almost spat out. "It was only a matter of time until we crossed paths again."

[Nigel Wetherby]

Patrick approached the captain with caution, his eyes scanning the visage of the captain, attempting to interpret anger or hostility in her expression.
"I assure you, my actions against you and your crew were simply orders. Its best you keep in mind I would work for anyone who would pay me, I used to work under black, who I now fight against. It would be in both of our interests not to make enemies of eachother. And, if possible perhaps we can even do a bit of trading for parts," His voice suddenly becoming highly irate. "Our motor is in sorry shape since a certain someone laid a few explosives in our inner-workings."

[CapnSefina]

"You should think of that every time you follow orders then. If it would have been anything other than my crew, it might be easier to forget however you cost me many loyal crewmembers and injured many more. Yet you speak to me about making enemies?" She laughed a bit haughtily. "Anyways, pull aside the Angelus. I'll have my engineer bring aboard the parts. In exchange, I intend to tail you and you will begin doing favors for me until such time as recompense is made. However, I think you are to be trusted, O'Landry. This is more than most would do for you. You can travel freely between the Boheme and the Angelus. It seems you have a long road ahead of you and I intend to make sure you live until your debt is paid. Is that clear?"

[Nigel Wetherby]

"Crystal..." Replied Patrick, eying the crew of angelus whom all glared at him, brandishing swords and rubbing old scars. Patrick gulped deeply in terror as he held Jen's hand tightly, holding it to his waist a bit. It was easy to read the young man was uncertain of the captains plans for him afterwards.
"I think I'll be spending the nights at the boheme." He said in a rather concerned tone, knowing the crew would gladly rip him apart in his sleep.
The Angelus hovered gently beside the Boheme as Patrick crossed over to the Angelus in a cable car that linked the two ships.
"Are you gunna be okay Pat?" Asked a familiar voice, Patrick turned to see the familiar face of the young woman he had been crushing upon recently. "Jen! What are you doing here?!" He said in an urgen whisper.
She blushed rather uncomfortably.

[Vancouver Air Privateer]

Elisha went over to the Angelus with Hudson and Emma to help move the parts over. He noticed the crew eyeing him warily. He guessed they instinctivly associated him with whatever mischief Patrick had wrought on them in the past.

"Your crew don't seem too friendly" he commented to Adriana, passing by her with the connecter bolts.

"Well, with Patrick on the Boheme, they won't trust anyone on that ship."

"Well, I'm not actually with the Boheme." he said, loud enough for the crew to here. "The kind people on board picked me up after a passenger airship disaster. I'm actually first mate on the Steel Breeze."

To his satisfaction, the crew's eyes widened slightly. They obviously had been east of India and west of the Rockies.

"Oh really?" said Adriana "You would be the famed Mr. Kettell then?"

Elisha held up his left hand "He of the metal limbs"

One of Adriana's younger crew members spoke up. "Hey! Could you tell us about the time you folks stopped the Mad Air Bomber of Whitehorse?"

Adriana shot him a withering glare "If you hadn't realized the esteemed Mr. Kettell is in the middle of a job right now!"

"Please, it will be fine!" said Elisha cheerfully. "I can get Patrick to handle these!"

Thus, Elisha sat on the deck on the Angelus, regaling the crew with the exploits of the dashing Captain Canning. Patrick walked by, uncomfortable under the savage stares of the scarred crew.

"I've never heard of no blasted Steel Wind or whatever-yah-called it" he grumbled under his breathe. "Lazy nogoodsonofa..."

Jen swept by him, carrying a box of engine parts. "My, Patrick, Elisha's stories do seem interesting! I've never heard much about airships in the Pacific. We should get him to tell us some afterwards."

Patrick melted before her. This wasn't the best day, but at least Jen seemed happy. Down in the engine room his mood picked up. The repairs were almost over...then they could catch up to Charles...and he would pay him back dearly for his destruction of his precious engines. Patrick grinned as he thought of that day.

[ShredsnPatches]

Down in the engine room, Jen set the box of parts down and stretched her back. A ripping noise made her relax down suddenly - her much-abused dress had been torn and slashed to ribbons during the fight, and stretching had just served to join up some of the tears on her back. Luckily for Patrick, he was busily trying to find a wrench. Unluckily for Patrick, the only wrench of the sort he was seeking was tucked into Jen's belt and rather bloodied. Jen hurriedly wiped it off and handed it to Patrick.

"And in answer to your question, I'm here to help you with the repairs." And to make sure you get out of here alive...

[Stella Gaslight]

"Miss Sheehan I have some spare clothes in the bottom of the trunk in our cabin please help yourself to them.  The pants might be too short but I do have some nice skirts with pockets."  If she kept going in that dress much longer it would be indecent. Patrick grumbled about Elisha as soon as Jen went to get changed.  "Don't fuss too much Patrick.  I know it is annoying he isn't helping directly but what he doing will be the biggest help in the long run.  The more the crew of The Angelus like us the better off we will be. Don't forget I have my own history with Black when it comes out and I know it will, those harsh glances will fall on me too.  Hopefully their enthusiasm for Elisha will soften them in time." 

With the talk of Black's past attacks Emma thought about her own time on The Star and realized with a start that she must have been aboard during raids on other ships.  Every now and then he would sequester her in the munitions store deep in the well protected belly of the ship.  He had always said it was to protect her from attacking pirates but how many times where they the attackers?  Why had she never questioned his motives?  How many people was he able to hurt with her continual upgrades to his ship and how many more from the weapons she had designed with defense only in mind?  Was their blood on her hands like Patrick?  Emma sighed there was nothing she could do but push forward and hope the good she put out in in to the world would make up for things.

[Vancouver Air Privateer]

"...and with that his entire airship self-immolated, destroying everything and everyone on board." Elisha sat back, finishing his story.

"That was amazing" remarked the young crew member.
"Got any more stories?" said another.

"Well...I'd love to" said Elisha. "But I really need to finish the engine repairs first..."

"Aw..well look! I know! We'll help you fix the engine, so you can have some free time!"

The crew of the Angelus worked swiftly and neatly. Soon Patrick didn't even need to carry anything.

Within a few more minutes, Patrick and Emma tried firing up the engine. It ran perfectly. Patrick was overjoyed. Soon the Boheme and Angelus set out for London. Elisha was at the bow of the Boheme, checking direction. He noticed a few Angelus crew members were still on board. Possibly to help, probably to keep an eye on Patrick.

One of them spoke up. "Hey...could you really tell us what happened with the Princess of Peru?"

Elisha smiled. But as he began ot tell the story, he began to feel a bit homesick. Or maybe it was shipsick. He wondered if the crew had gotten his message. Would someone be in London. Would he be able to find them? He realised that the Boheme was involved in something very serious. Would he be involving his ship too?

These were his thoughts as the Boheme and Angelus sped towards London. They were somewhere over Europe now. London should be reached by morning.

[Nigel Wetherby]

Patrick's work on the engines was quickly finished, grease, oil, lubricant, and indescribable goo coated and stained his shirt, face, and pants. After dislodging himself from the engine's intricate inner workings he began to re-hinge his trick joints, a loud, sickening pop came with every re-alighned joint. Jen didnt know wether to be impressed at the young man's endurance, or sickened by the sound of bone and sinew popping and snapping like a ruptured fuel line.

"Now...Onto tha rest of tha ship..." Sighed Patrick, clenching the wrench tightly as he headed towards the turret and cannon bay and went to work on each weapon, after each upgrade, he slipped something additional into the weapons inner workings. He considered it a little security measure, there was such thing as peace, but these were pirates, and you could never be too careful.

[ShredsnPatches]

A washbasin, soap and flannel, and some use of the white root later,Jen was satisfied. She tried on the clothes Emma had pointed out to her. To her surprise they fit perfectly. A white shirt, tan pants, braces and navy waistcoat later, and Jen was quite presentable for the first time since she had arrived on the Boheme. Emma's warning about the length of the trousers turned out to be unnecessary. She had picked out the wide-legged sort often seen on labourers and workers, fitted to her size. Looking in the mirror, she saw pale clear skin and a slim figure. Good. I look human again.

Jen washed her hair and dried it quickly, leaving it loose in a hip length river running down her back. Then she wrapped the ribbon she used to secure her plait around her wrist and went back to the cannon bay.

[Nigel Wetherby]

Patrick updated the last of the cannons, each had been formatted to fire multiple cannon balls between intervals. After finishing it up he wiped off his forehead, streaked with oil and gunpowder.
"Done at last!" He cheered to himself victoriously, raising his arms above his head.
He had taken off his shirt to lessen the heat of the cannon-deck's affect, as it was so close to the engine room and residual heat was still an unsolvable issue. His back was covered in scars of different lengths and shapes. His past career was not an enjoyable one. The wounds retained from black during their first attack still had stitching in them.

[Stella Gaslight]

Emma checked the engines again filled with what George called a healthy paranoia. She just had a feeling something was off.  "Quit worrying girl." She muttered to herself  "Everything is holding well and we have a full tank of fuel..."  Wait, how did they still have a full tank? They had been flying like mad since morning.  Emma checked the dipstick they were hovering near empty.  The fuel gauge must have been broken in the explosion. That dratted Charles struck again.  She was really going to smack him one.

She ran off to find the captain but ran in to Elisha and some of the crew of The Angelus first. "We have to find a place to land soon we are almost out of fuel. I am hoping we can reach Italy because Greece and some of her neighbors are not exactly friendly to me after a little accident in Athens.  I swear some people just don't understand scientific progress and I even apologized and everything." Emma grumbled.   

[Vancouver Air Privateer]

Elisha gazed over the Adriatic. The sun was beginning to set, casting a red glow over the land. He would have prefered to have gone on through the night, but it looked like a pit-stop was neccessary.

With the last of the sun's rays he caught a fleeting glimpse of the skyline of Rome. The Angelus and the Boheme gently drifted into opposite sides of the docking platform. Dock workers helped them secure their ships. Elisha stepped out into the cool night air and looked over the city. What dangers could lie here? On a positive note, Jen seemed to be quite friendly with Italians. Hopefully nothing bad would happen before they could take off.

Elisha went into the darkened main cabin of the Boheme. The crew of the Boheme was eating with Captain Adriana. Elisha noticed that Emma was silent. He looked at the empty chair where Trip had sat and understood. The urge to get to London affected him as well and he ate and talked little. Charles' deception had cast a general gloom over the generally enthusiastic crew of the Boheme. Tension was everywhere. Emma was worried about Trip. Hudson was worried about their mission from China. Patrick and Adriana were worried about each other. Elisha worried about his ship and crewmates.

Jen entered, dressed and washed. She looked around the room and noticed the uncomfortable silence. She looked slightly preturbed.

"Does anyone want me to bring a phonograph in here?" she asked "Maybe a deck of cards...?"

[Dr. Oliver Cross]

This is what I get for trusting a military crew with a delivery, I take it, Dr. Cross thought, slightly petulantly, as he contemplated the lateness of HMAS Angelus for her arrival in London.  The vessel had been due to arrive spot on 5 o'clock, but here it was, 7:30, and the skys still held no sign of the black wings he had been told by his associate designated the supposedly-trustworthy military airship.  The next time I find myself needing a human heart, I'll simply have to dig one up myself.  God above knows the graveyards in this city are full of them, and their current owners have no need of them.

As the sun set into the dark, sooty haze that so frequently enshrouded the largest single concentration of humanity anywhere, it occured to Dr. Cross that he was in fact growing decidedly unhappy, unhappily for the crew of the offending airship.  After all, Dr. Cross was not exactly known for respoinding well when he was denied what he wanted.  There were, although the police hadn't proof, enough corpses in Camden Town for that reputation to seem well-earned.

[Ben Hudson, Esq.]

Hudson coughed. 'I'll go and check on the package.' It gave him an excuse to have a rest from the weight of the silence. In the hours after the battle, everyone was recovering physically and mentally. With the diversion of the fighting out of the way, all they had to focus on was how much there was to go wrong.
He reached his office and unlocked the small wall-safe. Inside a metal box was the parcel, still sealed. He knew that he was just being paranoid, but there wasn't any space for error. He dreaded to think what Hiram would do if he failed. Uncomfortably, Ben realised that he was scared. Even in the depths of battle, he was rarely scared. The adrenaline suppressed it all. But in the calm after the storm, he realised just how far out of his depth he was. The sooner this business was over and he was back to being his own master, the better. Ben locked the safe, and returned to the galley. A few of the crew were idly playing Whist, but none of them seemed to be very committed.

[Stella Gaslight]

"It is going to be alright we are going to get him out just like Patrick and Elisha.  Just you wait by tomorrow he will be back in your arms again." Emma repeated to her self and smiled.  But the smile didn't reach her eyes. She was more worried for his safety in prison than she had been worried for her own. Emma was almost tempted to have a glass or two of brandy and fall into oblivion so she didn't have to think any more.  Of course then she would wake up the next day feeling like she crawled out of a gutter and she could possibly turn in to a weepy mess before passing out so maybe that wasn't such a good idea after all.

She looked at the windows at the glittering lights of the city.  Maybe a long walk and scenery that wasn't full of reminders of Trip would help.  "I think I am going to go for a walk anyone wish to accompany me?"   

[Vancouver Air Privateer]

Elisha put down his cards. He was generally terrible at card games and tonight was no exception.

"I guess I'll come" he sighed. "I'm no good at cards and in no mood to sleep."

He stretched and got up. "Hudson can take my spot. Good luck beating Adriana, Patrick."

Patrick was too focused on the game to reply. He sat on one side of the table with Jen.

"Thats fine" said Adriana. "You were sending us for a loss anyways."

"Thanks" replied Elisha dryly.

Elisha put his coat on, then froze. "Oh. I just remembered. We never untied Nathan from that chair down there, did we?"

[Stella Gaslight]

"No, We didn't and he is probibly hungry."  She felt rather bad for forgetting him like that even if he did say such cruel things. He doesn't have control over anything any more.  The idea of living like that was frightening to Emma and she knew that fear made her want to avoid Nate.  Emma made him a plate of food that wouldn't spoil her clothes if he decided to throw it at her again and filled one of the very hard to brake or spill metal pitchers with water for him.  She would leave it by the door as they exited the room.  Emma sill had a bruise on her back from where he had flung it at her last time.

They walked in silence deep in to the dusty hold.  Nate looked at her calm for once and Emma wondered if Elisha's show of strength had any thing to do with it.  "I am sorry for forgetting you Nate but we were under attack."  He didn't even look at her and some how that hurt even more than his harsh words.  "We are going to be in back in London tomorrow."  She continued quietly untying him from the chair and setting the plate of food beside him.   "I am going to find someone to look after you once we get there.  I want you to get better."  He snorted and rolled her eyes at her. Emma had quite enough and ran from the room.

[ShredsnPatches]

Jen couldn't focus on the card game. Her thoughts were elsewhere - with the crook who had put her on the wrong ship in Dublin and stolen her money in the process. With the hardworking men who had shown her such kindness on the Dublin Owl - all dead now, she presumed. As were the men she had killed during the last battle. Patrick was sitting beside her laughing at a clever trick he'd just used to win the game, hardly seeming to notice as she bit her lip and tried to force back tears.

"I'm going for a walk," she announced, before her composure deserted her completely. Flinging down her cards, she half ran from the room. Examining the cards, Patrick frowned in confusion.

"But that's a winning hand..."

Jen ran to the engine room, curled up in a corner behind the stacks and cried, hoping against hope that the hum would drown out her sobs.

[Stella Gaslight]

Emma nearly punched the walls in frustration but remembered it would hurt and settled for waving her fists around and grunting. "Emma I think you may want to head up to the engine room.  I think Jen could use a distraction."  George wished he had some better understanding of girls, he felt very out of his depth. 

"Can you wait for me a moment Elisha there is something I need to check on in the engine room before we go."  He nodded and Emma wandered up stairs and sat near the engines with her back turned to the corner Jen was in.  She was quiet for a little bit just letting Jen know she was there.  "It has been quite a jorney for both of us, I would imagine and we aren't done yet.  Goodbyes are the hardiest when you don't know if here will ever be another hello but sometimes the world surprises us if we just hang on."  Emma paused she was starting to sound a bit like her mother.  "Sorry for rambling on but how about you come out with Elisha and I?  I have some money to spend and I haven't been frivolous in ages.  I want to buy something shiny and useless, then find a candy shop and spoil my appetite for a good long time."  Emma laughed it wasn't her normal high spirited one but it was real.

[ShredsnPatches]

"Well for some,"" sniffled Jen. "My money was stolen in Dublin. I was working my passage on the Owl."

She refused to meet Emma's eye, looking at her knees and trying to hide her tears.

[Stella Gaslight]

"I will gladly pay.  A friend to forget ones sorrows with is worth more than any trinket.  Besides it is Black's money anyway.  I took a bit of back pay and a few other things I had hidden away in my old cabin before I messed with the engines and I plan on squandering the lot of it just to spite him."  It was childish to be sure but if that was what it took to chase the cloud of gloom away for a while than so be it. She slowly scooted back a little closer to Jen.  Trying to show her concern without bothering her.   

"Lets just get off the ship and play tourist for an evening.  I am going to be useless when we get to London if I don't stop worrying about Trip.  I am hoping I can tire my self out.  I know I still have a lot of work ahead of me."  Emma had no idea if her words had made Jen feel better or worse but she didn't appear to be crying any more.