|
Post by Admiral Hart on Mar 20, 2010 10:31:26 GMT -5
The Cruise Liner floated listlessly through space, empty and derelict. In its prime, it had been one of the top-of-the-line ships. That was over a hundred years ago, however. Right now, it was a slowly drifting hulk, a cylindrical ship thrice the length of the Heart Breaker, and several more times the mass.
Jo eyed it with a smile. "Oh, you're lovely, aren't you? Cook, do you have good news for a change?"
"Air's stale, Cap'n. But the generator's mostly working. With some work, we might be able to make it comfortable over there." Cook replied.
"Excellent. What made her sink?" Jo said, giving the ship an even more appraising eye.
"...that's the weird part. I'm not sure she did. All life boats are there. But I'm not getting sign of bodies....no hull breaches....nothing." Cook looked over the futuristic hologram readout in front of him, showing a large cross-section of the ship."
"Admiral...really." Patches interrupted. "Are we grave robbers? I fail to see how this helps in our Crusade."
"We haven't done pirate-things since our little hiatus, Patches." Hart said, a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. "This'll be perfect for morale. Cook, get TK and some of the new blood to get a rundown on what we need to make that ship comfortable." She turned to Morgan. "Morg, get the boarding parties ready. This could be a trap."
"Patches, open comm, ship-wide." Hart ordered. The AI sighed.
"Yes, Admiral."
"Attention crew, we have a special treat today. In front of us is a vintage luxury cruiser. It looks to be completely untouched. After a few adjustments, some prep work...well, looks like we've got plunder in the near future." The comm shut off, and Hart turned to Cook. "By the way, what's this wreck called anyway?"
"The Golden Chance, ma'am." The sensor officer replied. A few nearby crewmen got pale, but Hart got a grin that made it look like her birthday was coming a second time this year.
"Patches, comm again." The AI grudgingly obeyed.
"Oh, there's an addendum. Not only is this a pristine ship but, ladies and gents, it's a bonified ghost ship. We've just stumbled upon the Golden Chance, possibly the most famous missing luxury cruise in space history."
|
|
Jason Thornvaald
Cabin Boy
Second Best Pirate in the Solar System
I'm the only man surrounded by a fleet of beautiful female Captains . . . Karma anyone?
Posts: 33
|
Post by Jason Thornvaald on Mar 20, 2010 21:06:45 GMT -5
Thorn grimaced slightly as he led Graham and Lyra to where the boarding crews would be assembling. The remnants of a massive hangover were still pounding at his skull. Worse still were the memories he thought he had of what had occured before he'd finally passed out. Part of him prayed it was just a hallucination--that he hadn't actually made out with Josetta Hart and, what's worse, accidentally called her by her mother's name--but knowing the way his luck was going these past months . . . . Well, suffice to say he'd done a great job of avoiding any direct contact with the Admiral ever since.
Normally the chance to get out and do some pirating would have lifted his spirits considerably. Unfortunately their current destination was less than stellar, at least in his mind.
"We shouldn't be doing this," he muttered for the upteenth time, rubbing at his slightly scruffy jaw, pale eyes narrowed. "Let sleeping dogs lie, I say."
Graham, to his right, scoffed. "Oh would you stop the bellyaching? You sound like a superstitious little girl."
To his left, Lyra suddenly scowled, reaching around him to deliver a stiff cuff to the former Mamba's shoulder. Graham grunted, then immediately held up his hands in surrender.
"Hey, hey. Ly. Now, come on. You know you're not a girl. You're a freak of nature." Graham grunted as she cuffed him again, though with a faint smirk that time around.
Thorn just shook his head, expression still drawn. "There's just some things in this 'verse you don't mess with." The three of them stepped into the large chamber where the other crews were assembling, and Thorn turned his head toward the viewing screen where the Golden Chance could be seen just off to the side. He sighed heavily, nodding his head toward it. "That's one of 'em."
The other groups stood at various levels of attention, expressions varied. Some were as grim and nervous as Thorn, others were indifferent and others still looked excited by the prospect of an honest Ghost Ship. Morgan stood with Beau and the rest of his crew. Dane and Cooper stood with theirs, going over supplies. And Mr. Miller stood off to the side briefing young Cassi and the rest of his boarding crew on what they might encounter.
Thorn shook his head one last time, then sighed again and started to check his weapons in case they encountered more than just restless spirits and bad memories aboard the derelict cruiser.
A moment after that, an excited flurry of activity burst from down the tunnel. "I'm here! I'm here! I made it!"
Ulysses trotted up to them breathlessly, seemingly oblivious to the raised eybrows, rolled eyes, groans and snickers he garnered. He had his trusty red knit scarf wound around his neck, the ends trailing behind him like a banner, his leather goggles pushed back onto his forehead holding back a mass of messy black hair, and what was perhaps the loudest tropical print shirt Thorn had ever seen over a pair of green khaki pants. The young mage huffed up to them, slightly out of breath, but grinning despite it.
"Whoo, just made it."
Graham's eyebrows were lifted nearly to his hairline. "You wanna board?"
Uly scoffed. "Psh! As if I'd miss it! This is the chance of a life time! How often do you run across a bonafied ghost ship?" Thorn growled.
"How did I know that you'd be excited." His golden eyes blinked up at the larger man.
"What . . . you're not?" he questioned, as if the prospect were completely unfathomable. Then his own eyebrows shot up. "You're . . . not afraid of ghosts . . . are you Captain?"
Thorn's scowl turned deadly, but Graham just chuckled, elbowing him in the ribs. "Yeah, Captain. You're not afraid of ghosts, are you?"
Thorn just shoved them both forward with a grunt of annoyed impatience, while Lyra just sighed and shook her head.
"Move out."
|
|
T.K.
Sailor of the Eight Planets
Chief Engineer
"If my Pocky is returned within the next hour, I promise you a quick death instead."
Posts: 106
|
Post by T.K. on Mar 20, 2010 23:57:39 GMT -5
T.K. glared at the screen as he watched yet another of his character die in a rather brutal way.
“Viper, you are entirely too good at this game. Can't we play something else?”
“NO.”
“You're enjoying this, aren't you?”
“YES.”
“Well, at least you're honest.” He glanced at the nearby Chrono, then picked up his controller again. “OK, I will beat you this time. And then you have to give me the cheat codes to Gamma Irradiated Biki-babes from Planet Zircon VIII”
“WE WILL SEE.”
>>"Attention crew, we have a special treat today. In front of us is a vintage luxury cruiser. It looks to be completely untouched. After a few adjustments, some prep work...well, looks like we've got plunder in the near future." <<
“Wait, what?”
“YOU LOOSE AGAIN. YOU'RE FLESHY PRISON MAKES YOU EASILY DISTRACTED.”
“BAH! You just like to cheat you little code freak. I'll be back to re-challenge you tomorrow.”
“YOU WILL LOOSE AGAIN.”
“We'll see you....”
>>"Oh, there's an addendum. Not only is this a pristine ship but, ladies and gents, it's a bonified ghost ship. We've just stumbled upon the Golden Chance, possibly the most famous missing luxury cruise in space history." <<
“Ryan!”
“Sir?”
“Did she just say ghost ship?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“AT LAST!”
T.K. took off, comming Angel and Shiyounin to meet him in his quarters.
“EASILY DISTRACTED.”
* * *
T.K. had beaten the girls to his quarters, and was happily digging through a black box neither of them could recall seeing before.
“T.K.? What are you doing?”
“Simple. Ghost ship, right? We'll, after we get the systems working, we're going....” He paused for dramatic effect, before pulling out a set of strange instruments. “Ghost hunting!”
Shiyou glared as she recognized one of the instruments.
“This will not end well.”
|
|
Willie Barbary
Buccaneer
Pilot
It's worse when you know that hell is coming, but nobody else will believe you . . . .
Posts: 52
|
Post by Willie Barbary on Mar 21, 2010 23:19:04 GMT -5
Willie winced as Joey let out an ear-splitting cry. The curvy pilot paced back and forth with the infant, gently rocking him and trying to get him back into his nap. Which was probably not going to happen, given that Joey was probably upset because she herself was upset.
"They never listen!" she seethed half under her breath. "I swear, I could be talking to the wall for all the recognition I get!"
As if reacting to her mounting tension, Joey let out another lusty cry. Willie grimaced, then paced the floor again. "I know, I know. Momma's got a big mouth," she soothed, tone much more gentle. A few moments later and the baby had calmed considerably. A few more, and he was finally back in his somewhat makeshift crib, sleeping fitfully.
Willie went back to pacing. Then she grabbed a comm.
"Are you still alive?"
There was a sound of a somewhat aggrieved sigh. "Yes, Willie," Miller assured somewhat blandly. "We haven't even left the ship yet." She scowled at the wall, since she couldn't scowl at his annoyingly handsome face.
"Yeah, well, if you get on that creepy-ass piece of work, you're not gonna stay that way."
"Everything's gonna be fine." The pilot gave a frustrated growl.
"I'm tellin' you Miller, I got a bad feeling about this." When she only got silence, her temper flared. "You know what? Fine. Go ahead. Get on the damned thing. And when you get killed or possessed or God knows what else, don't come crying to me!"
She slammed the comm. back on the table with a satisfying thwak.
And then winced as a whimpering cry came from the direction of the crib. And of course, it was all Miller's fault. She'd tell him so, too, just as soon as he got back.
|
|
|
Post by Admiral Hart on Mar 22, 2010 9:01:15 GMT -5
The ship was positively eerie. After a hundred years drifting in the Black, the emergency lights had eventually faded, the only illumination being the flashlights the borders carried. They cut swaths through dust-filled air, the particles, lifted by the pirates, dancing like glittering snow in the still, quiet air.
"The air's breathable, Admiral." Cook said, looking nervously at a scanner in his hand. "But just barely. We should wear these suits until we can get the generator back up and running."
Hart nodded and glanced over at TK. "TK, you and Butch's group, head to the main generator and get her up and running. After that, feel free to ghost hunt. The rest of you, deck by deck search, just a quick one, though. Don't plunder anything right away. I want a quick tally of what's here first."
As the squads started on their way, Cook asked, "Captain, what exactly happened here?"
"No one knows, Reggie. This ship was one of the most famous luxury space cruisers ever built." Her flashlight cut across an expertly carved wooden arch above the airlock they were docked at, and then down at the incredibly soft purple rug under their feet. It cut again across a pit for a band, instruments still set up to play for those who wished to embark or disembark the ship, the finest money could buy. "One day, she just disappeared. No trace of her left behind. There've been sightings over the years, sure." Hart took in a grand look at the chamber, a wistful smile on her face. "But this is the first time people have set foot in her for over a century."
Cook gulped. "But, Cap'n, what if whatever made her disappear is still on board?"
"That is what I'm here to find out, Mr. Cook."
|
|
Beau Altair
Cabin Boy
Teleporting is highly unfair.
Posts: 20
|
Post by Beau Altair on Mar 22, 2010 11:29:13 GMT -5
Beau used the light attached to the scope of one of his more prized rifles to sweep the guest room he was searching. He and the rest of Morgan's crew had split in order to cover more ground, though they were all in the same wing. The teen blew out a nervous breath as he let his gaze skitter through the space, unable to shake the feeling of . . . eeriness that clung to him. He remembered what had happened on Ganymede, after all. And this ship seemed even more creepy than that godforsaken moon, so who knew what could be waiting in store for them here?
The room itself was immaculate. What's more, there were still personal items inside. The dressers and closets still held clothes that must have belonged to the guests staying in this room. Toiletries in the bathroom, shoes on the floor. Other rooms that he'd searched boasted the same. It was as if the people on board had simply . . . disappeared.
A sudden noise behind him caused Beau to jump nearly a foot in the air, then whirl around and level his gun on the doorway. His eyes narrowed when he found Cooper cackling just beyond it, lowering his rifle again--though grudgingly.
"You're gonna pull that on the wrong person, you keep that up," Beau snapped testily. Cooper just shook his head.
"What were you planning on doing with that gun, anyway?" he questioned, still chuckling. "Ghosts are incoporeal aren't they? What good are bullets gonna do ya?"
Beau sneered at Coop's continued mirth. "Ha ha ha, yeah. You're hilarious. Now get the hell outta here before I tell Morg you're slacking off."
The auburn-haired sniper shoved the older man out of his way and continued on to the next room, still trying to shake off the feeling of creepiness, and unable to do so. It was as if . . . well, he could swear that he felt eyes on him. Somebody . . . or something, was watching. He just couldn't figure out from where.
|
|
|
Post by Admiral Hart on Mar 22, 2010 15:16:18 GMT -5
Before TK could reach the generator, however, the whole ship hummed to life. All of the lights came on as if they had only recently been switched off, filling the hundred-year-old ship with warm light. The life support kicked in a moment after, cycling the old, stale air out and bringing in perfectly room-temperature, breathable air instead.
"Good work TK." Hart said into her comm.
"That wasn't me." He replied.
"Oh good." Hart turned off the comm and pulled off her suit's helmet. "Looks like we have a welcoming committee." She tapped her comm again, getting in touch with the borders. "Any trouble?"
"Some shot nerves, Jo, but nothin' major." Morgan answered over the comm.
"Good." She put out a ship-wide announcement. "Attention crew. The Golden Chance looks to be safe. Feel free to look around but remember, it is probably haunted. If you see anything suspicious, let me or another officer know. Hart, out."
|
|
Dr. Andromeda Reyes
Sailor of the Eight Planets
Plunder's Heart Chief Medical Officer
I've given up everything for my sister once. I wouldn't test my loyalty if I were you.
Posts: 119
|
Post by Dr. Andromeda Reyes on Mar 22, 2010 15:57:40 GMT -5
Once Jo declared the ship safe to board, Andromeda was one of the first to cross over. Not that she had any great desire to view the fabled ship, and certainly not because of supposed ghosts. The doctor was a decided skeptic, whose logical mind had conveniently forgotten or glossed over a great many things that had happened on Ganymede.
"Come along, Toby," she called to the smaller boy, who was staring around himself in wide-eyed wonder, various flickers of electricity dancing across his scaled skin. Toby blinked back into focus, then hurried over to her side, hitching the medical satchel that Katy had given him higher onto his thin shoulder. Andromeda gave him an encouraging smile as they started off down the hall together.
"We're going to head to the medical bay," she reminded him, "and see if there's anything left on board that we can use; supplies or tools and the like. And you'll be my trusty assistant!" The young boy grinned cheerily at the prospect, his thin chest thrusting out.
Andromeda pulled out her tablet, checking on her directions as they navigated the cruiser. Any sensation of heaviness or uncomfortableness she might have felt, the doctor easily explained away. They had almost made it to the med-bay when a sudden ear-splitting scream lit up the halls. One that Andromeda recognized as her sister's. Her belly sank as she turned and began pelting in the direction of the cry. Trust Cassiopeia to manage to find the danger, as always.
Andi rounded a corner and nearly collided with Morgan, who was pelting in the same direction. Wordlessly they jogged down the hall, Toby and Beau trailing after. Then they all rounded another corner, and drew up short at the sight of Cassi pummeling a half-laughing, half-groaning Cooper.
"That . . . is . . . so . . . not . . . funny!" the blond snarled in between hammering punches to his hunched over torso. Andromeda rolled her eyes, though instantly relieved that there wasn't any real danger.
Beau just sneered, with a certain amount of vindictive glee in his eyes as he cradled his rifle in his arms. "Told ya," was all he murmured.
Realizing then that she had an audience, Cassi suddenly drew up short and blinked at all of them. Cooper half lifted, and both of them eyed Morgan, who stared at them with his typical stone-faced expression for all of a minute before nodding toward his young wife.
"As you were, Crewman Halcyon."
An unholy smirk of mischief split her face before the elf-eared girl went back to pummeling a now yelping Cooper.
Shaking her head, Andromeda turned away and led Toby back toward their original destination. In good time they entered into the medical bay and the doctor began looking around, sharp eye out for anything useful. The facilities were more of a glorified nurse's station. No doubt if any guests had any major medical problems they would have been shipped immediately to Mars for expert care. Still, as far as cruisers went, the stock was exceptional. As luxurious as the rest of the vessel. In no time Toby's satchel was bulging with supplies that had managed to stand the test of time.
Andromeda was going over some older equipment that she recognized from her college days, feeling somewhat nostalgic, when an especially bright flash of light behind her caught her attention.
"Toby, are you alright?" she called, not turning around at first. The soft, barely audible trill of distress was her first sign that something was very wrong. The dark-haired woman turned, and then what she saw behind her caused her eyes to widen near to their limits with shock.
"Impossible . . . ."
|
|
|
Post by Miller on Mar 22, 2010 18:14:36 GMT -5
"Miller, I don't know about this." Willie said as they wandered the corridors of the lost luxury ship. "This place is all kinds of spooky."
"We'll be fine. We've already checked this place from the bottom deck up. It's spooky, but there's nothing dangerous on board. I promise. And Joey's in good hands, so don't even think about playing that card." Miller said with a smile. They had left their son with Katy, who had been more than happy to watch over the baby.
They stopped at a pair of ornate swinging doors, leafed with gold and a person and a half high. Miller stepped forward and opened the door for Willie. "After you."
She stepped in, and gave a wide-eyed gape at her surroundings. They were in a massive, if somewhat dusty, grand ballroom. The soft, rich purple carpet gave away to a purple and gold dance floor. The walls were fine wood, leafed with gold, and the orchestral pit was full of the best instruments money could buy. The lighting was currently low and romantic.
Willie turned to Miller after the shock wore off, and put her hands on her hips. "I hope you don't think I'm gonna dance."
Miller stepped onto the floor and extended a hand. "We've never danced before and there's no one watching."
Willie grumbled for a minute and a half before taking his hand, blushing up a storm as he pulled her close and began to dance slowly with her.
|
|
T.K.
Sailor of the Eight Planets
Chief Engineer
"If my Pocky is returned within the next hour, I promise you a quick death instead."
Posts: 106
|
Post by T.K. on Mar 22, 2010 22:54:48 GMT -5
"Is it working?"
"Yes..."
"Good. Shiyou, is the new scanning attachment functioning alright?"
"Considering, Master, that you swiped this scanner from some backwater used arms dealer, my PHD is cobbled together from scavenged EU Tech, and my Programing is more advanced than this things outdated OS? Yes, somehow there are no glitches. Yet."
"Of course not. I made it after all. Now, Angel, focus the Recorder on me"
"Are you sure we should be doing this T.K.? Shouldn't we be helping with the search, or at least trying to figure out how the power came back on?"
"Angel, dear, you're bringing Logic into a Ghost Hunt. I think we can all safely suspend all our senses of reality long enough to have a little fun. Here we go."
Angel sighed, but started the Holorecorder anyway, focusing it on T.K.
"Greetings my fellow believers! I'm T.K. Nakamura. Yes, THAT T.K. Nakamura. Today, I have a special treat for you all. Our intrepid crew has stumbled across a Luxury Line drifting through space. I know you must be asking what's so special about a drifting derelict, but I haven't told you the best part yet. Why, this ship is no other than the Infamous Golden Chance! Yes, you heard me right. The Golden Chance! Now, while the rest of our scurvy crew does their damnedest to loot every last tidbit aboard, we'll be focusing on the real prize.... GHOSTS!"
He started walking back-wards, gesturing for Angel and Shiyounin to follow along.
"We'll be doing our best to lure out the poor, tortured spirits of this ship, using the latest in spectral detection and containment gear. Invented by yours truly of course. Joining us on this fantastic journey, will be my Personal Assistant Angel on the Holorecorder, and my lovely A.I. Shiyounin covering the scanning equipment. Now, let us take a tour, and see what we can shake out of this old gal, shall we?"
During his introduction, T.K. had done his best to ignore the barely audible bickering between the girls.
"Hah! He said my name first. Told you he likes me more, you outdated piece of vaporware."
"Yuk it up you disease ridden space-trash. He only gave you the Recorder because he felt sorry for you. I can do both jobs with minimal strain on my resources."
He sighed, then headed for a branching hallway. He was fairly sure if he just ignored this for a while, it would go away. Eventually. It was certainly a safer alternative, than his last method. That one had left him with a three day hangover, and a memory gap. And several snickers from various crew members behind his back.
Maybe he should ask Ryan what the hell had happened back at the Wedding. Then again, maybe ignorance was bliss....
|
|
Ulysses Grante
Cabin Boy
Every man has their toys. Mine just happen to be plastic, with realistic kung-fu grip.
Posts: 15
|
Post by Ulysses Grante on Mar 23, 2010 11:36:05 GMT -5
Once the ship was deemed safe, Ulysses parted ways with the Ragnarok team. The Admiral apparently wanted to speak to Thorn--which he didn't seem terribly thrilled about--and Graham and Lyra set off to help inspect what defense capabilities the cruiser still had. Ulysses himself had a much more important destination in mind.
Moments later he was sitting down in the galley alone with a happy sigh, a plate of tarts that had survived in vacuum freeze set out in front of him. He stuffed a few in his mouth, groaning in abject pleasure at the rich taste. "Man, thefe fanfy people fure know how to make defert," he mumbled through the pastry.
A few tarts later, he had pulled his beloved John Melrose figure and a slightly less beloved figure of Captain Garr and began enacting one of their more famous scenes. In between bites of pastry. He was softly mumbling lines to himself, lost in his own world as usual, when all of a sudden he realized he was no longer alone. He straightened with a jerk, and then froze with a deer-in-the-headlights expression when he came face to face with Dagger. Her eyebrow lifted, and Uly slowly swallowed the mouthful he had with an audible gulp.
"Hey," she murmured. "Saw you sitting alone from the hallway," she commented, tone offhand. "Just wondering if everything was alright. Despite what Willie might say," she continued, tone turning wry and somewhat bitter, "I'm not that cold-hearted of a bitch."
Ulysses blinked, unsure of how to take that exactly. "Um . . . okay. D-do you . . . uh . . . w-wanna sit down then?" he questioned, quickly yanking his toys off the table and stuffing them in his knapsack as if she hadn't already seen them.
Dagger shrugged before she sat down across from him, idly picking up one of the tarts and taking an experimental bite, then nodding. She gazed at him for a moment, then suddenly straightened. "Hey . . . didn't I clock you aboard the Heart Breaker?"
Inwardly Ulysses slumped a little. She didn't even know who he was. "You don't remember?" he questioned, eyebrow raised. Then sighed. "Well I suppose the experience was a little more poignant from my point of view." Dagger winced a little, then shrugged.
"Sorry. I hit a lot of people." Uly snorted at that unexpected, blunt admission, nearly sending a couple crumbs of tart through his nose. Oblivious to that byplay, Dagger continued, "Name's Dagger Leopold. My friends . . . well, friend, call me Dag." She held out her hand then. Uly quickly wiped the stickiness off on his pantleg before extending his own and taking it for a firm handshake.
"Ulysses Augustine Grante," he announced with a smirk, "but most everybody calls me Uly."
"Pleasure," she murmured before sitting back again with a sigh. "So what's got you over here all by yourself? Besides, you know, playing with toys, that is?" she added with a faint smirk.
Ulysses grimaced, feeling his face heat and no doubt turning purple under his naturally gray complexion. "O-oh . . . uh. N-nothing really. I guess I just . . . prefer to be alone, sometimes." He shrugged. "I'm used to things being . . . quieter."
"I know what you mean," she returned easily enough. "Well, except for the quieter. I'm used to fewer people. Just my AI and me and the endless night." Ulysses chuckled.
"Yah, I used to go months without seeing anyone else," he admitted. "Just me and my shuttle and John Melrose, here." The gray-skinned mage lifted the action figure in question and gave it a little wiggle.
Dagger nodded. "I mean, I used to encounter people, but I had the option of muting them if I wanted." She hesitated, and Ulysses turned toward the door as the sudden sound of Willie complaining to someone about leaving her son behind. Dagger grimaced. "Now the people I want to filter won't stay away."
Ulysses just winced in sympathy, even though he didn't quite understand the full meaning of her words. "I'm just used to being alone. Ma and Pop always said it was safer that way. The less people who knew about me, the more chance we had of staying free." His expression turned more serious. "Now I wonder if I was ever truly free, or if I just made a prison of my own choosing." He fiddled with the vibrant purple table cloth for a moment before forcing a faintly nervous chuckle. "So, enough about me. What's got you wandering the halls by yourself?"
Dagger shrugged. "I'm just used to it. All part of my training." She paused, then, "Mamba training, that is, not ninjitsu."
Ulysses felt his mouth go slack, then he shook his head with a disbelieving chuckle. "Mamba training. Wow. Man, I feel like such a poor cousin on this ship. Mambas and androids and world-famous pirates. All I can do is move metal and jam scanners." He glanced down at his hands with a sheepish smirk. "And play with toys."
Dagger shook her head. "I was never a Mamba," she clarified, "but my master was. And don't sell yourself short," she suddenly murmured. "You disarmed me, and you managed to stealth and incapacitate your way through the second most feared pirate and the second most feared UE ships in the solar system."
Ulysses preened a little under the praise. "Gee thanks." He gave another sheepish smile. "Yah, I did that without knowing who they were. If I had, I might've peed my pants somewhere in the middle of all that." He rubbed a little at his nose then with a grin. "And 'disarming' you didn't really amount to much in the end of the day."
She just shook her head. "Don't worry too much about that. Even if you'd outclassed me, I'm too lucky to lose." She smirked then, and Ulysses felt his heart jump a little at the sight. "That's my little gift. I can shift luck in my favor or out of someone else's."
"Wow, really? That's pretty neat. I bet that comes in handy."
She nodded. "It's gotten me through a few scrapes. I bet that magnetism's handy too. Do you really block sensors with it?"
Uly ran a hand through his messy black hair. "Most stuff, yah. I can emit this . . . field kind of, that scrambles most sensor equipment. I can cloak ships too with it, making 'em invisible to most scanners. Small ships anyway. Like my shuttle, or the old Mjollnir. Anything bigger than that and I tend to put myself in a coma for a few days trying."
"At least you don't have my problem. Bend luck too much and it has a habit of snapping back. A coma, you can plan for. Bad luck? That's something that hits out of the blue." Here she hesitated, letting out a small sigh, then "it feels kinda weird to talk to someone like a normal person."
Ulysses winced, feeling suddenly uncertain. "I-I kinda know what you mean. Most people tend to think I have space dementia or something. But . . . why would you be out of practice?
"Because I'm a bounty hunter," she announced matter-of-factly. "Or I was until Hart picked me up. Talking to targets isn't advised. And I used to mostly think about people by bounty rather than who they were. I still catch myself doing it on occasion."
"Oh. Yah. I could see how that'd get awkward."
"Before I came here," she continued, "the last real conversation besides my master was right before . . . ." she seemed to catch herself, then changed the subject, ". . . right now, I'm just happy to be walking around. One of the Revolutionary brats tricked me and beat me into a coma a few months ago." She rubbed at her head through her two-toned hair. "I don't recommend back-talking to a sociopathic shapeshifter, by the way."
Ulysses' eyes had gone wide. "Holy crap, they beat you into a coma?"
Dagger sneered. "Let's just say he was in a shape that I never suspected would hurt me, and that told me everything I wanted to hear." Uly blinked, not quite understanding everything behind that, but not wanting to pry.
"Oh."
Unproturbed by his simplistic response, she continued. "Everyone has a weakness. And it's not always physical." She sighed again. "But I'm probably dragging you down. How're you finding the Plunder?"
He perked up. "Oh, it's great! I'm still kinda gettin' used to being around so many people all the time, but it's kinda nice. You know, when they're not whispering or staring at me." He chuckled. "The doctor's really nice. And so's her younger sister, Cassi. She really made me feel at home." He smirked. "Taught me how to swindle sweet-rolls out of Happy before dinner time. And I'm really getting close to my Captain, Thorn Scarsgard, and Lyra and Graham. They're a great bunch. Even if I get the feeling they think I'm like their damaged kid brother most of the time."
Dagger gave a weak smile at that. "Yeah. It's really great here. My AI, Anne, loves it. She's a bit of an AI skirt-chaser." Ulysses started to laugh at that, but it died again shortly after as he noticed the dark shadow in her gaze.
After a slight moment, he forced himself to speak. ". . . feel free to tell me to butt out and all but . . . forgive me for sayin' so but, you don't seem very happy. Why is that?"
The beautiful woman gave a pained wince before suddenly getting to her feet. Her expression was now undeniably sad. "I was looking for something all my adult life. But when I found it, it didn't need me anymore. I love being here, I do. But sometimes, I also can't stand it. I'd better get back to Anglerfish. Nice meeting you again, Uly."
She turned around then and walked out. Ulysses stared after her, somewhat at a loss for a long moment. Then he suddenly noticed a small scrap of something on the floor in her wake. He got up and knelt down, picking up what he realized was an old-style photograph. His eyes widened as he realized it was a picture of a much younger--and happier looking--Dagger, cuddled into the arms of a much younger--and more carefree-looking--Miller.
. . . . so that's what she had meant.
Ulysses slumped back onto the floor, head hanging. He rubbed a little at his messy hair with his free hand, continuing to stare down at the picture forlornly. "Man," he mumbled under his breath. "How the heck is a scrawny Mage reject supposed to compete with the likes of Mr. Miller?"
|
|
|
Post by Miller on Mar 23, 2010 12:23:56 GMT -5
Wille's head rested on Miller's shoulder. She had finally stopping being so self-conscious, and the two of them were just enjoying being together. It had been hard to find time alone, like this, especially Joey. But here, on this abandoned ship, alone together, Miller felt at peace.
That peace faded when Miller and Willie both heard, from behind them, Dr. Reyes shout out, "YOU LITTLE WHORE!!!" in a voice that was not quite her own.
They spun, startled, and Miller found himself flung across the room before he could register just what had happened. He hit the wall with a crouch and pushed off, landing on his feet, and pulling his combat knives, ready for just about anything but what he saw.
Willie was being held up by some invisible force, and Dr. Reyes, floating two feet above the ground, was reaching out towards her. Her eyes were blank white, and her hair moved in all directions, unbound and waving in a wind that did not exist.
"First that Montefort bastard, and now this..." Dr. Reyes glared at Miller. "This commoner! When, Esmeralda, will you you learn that you are mine, and mine alone."
"Drop her, Dr. Reyes." Miller said, a fan of knives in his left hand. "I don't know what's going on, but you're not going to hurt my Willie."
"Willie?" The hispanic woman said with an unnatural grin on her face. "Is that what this whore told you her name was? Hmmm. I don't have time for you. Montefort is out there and I will have my revenge for him taking my darling Esmeralda away from me." Andromeda lifted her hand, and all of the instruments in the orchestral pit lifted into the air.
The ex-Mamba had never believed in ghosts before. They were not exactly in the Mamba training manual, after all. But right now, he was starting to believe.
The instruments launched themselves at the black-haired man, and he dodged out of the way as only Miller could--in motions most people could not quite make out. A sousaphone smashed into the floor where he had been, a cello whipped through the air and into the wall behind him, a series of woodwind instruments speared into the wall like arrows in his wake.
Dr. Reyes was floating out of the room, a struggling Willie held up by nothing behind her.
"Miller! Get me down from here!" She cried out.
The ex-Mamba charged forward, and then had a piano thrown at him. He dodged to the left and kept running, a loud crash behind him, and then a series of twangs.
The black-haired man made a running leap for Willie, to grab her out of the air, when he was seized by a few dozen strong wires and yanked back, like a dog at the end of its chain.
The piano wire had snaked out of the ruined instrument, and now held the ex-Mamba fast, pulling him towards the grand piano. As Miller watch, teeth of wood sprouted from the wrecked piano, and the lid snapped open and shut like a pair of ferocious jaws.
"Willie!" He cried, hacking at the wires as best he could.
"Miller!" His lover cried back, struggling against the invisible hold whatever force possessing Dr. Reyes had her in.
The possessed doctor and the pilot disappeared behind the double doors, leaving Miller--constricted by piano wire and being drawn towards the wooden maw, to his fate.
|
|
Willie Barbary
Buccaneer
Pilot
It's worse when you know that hell is coming, but nobody else will believe you . . . .
Posts: 52
|
Post by Willie Barbary on Mar 23, 2010 17:12:19 GMT -5
Willie struggled somewhat futily against the invisible bonds holding her aloft and mostly imobile while Dr. Reyes . . . or whatever it was . . . floated about a foot off the ground in front of her, both of them moving steadily down the otherwise empty hall.
"Please," she gasped. "My name's not Esmerelda!" the small pilot tried to reason, somewhat desperate. "My name's Willie! Willona Barbary!"
Andromeda . . . or the thing possessing Andromeda, suddenly whirled about. Willie jerked at the sight of the normally gentle-natured doctor's face twisted into an almost unholy look of fury. Her eyes were pure milk white, her dark hair floating unnaturally around her face as if she were underwater.
"Lies!" the creature hissed, in a voice that wasn't quite the doctor's own. "Always with your decietful lies, Esmerelda." Willie jerked when the creature moved forward, tensing up and half-expecting to be struck. Yet at the last minute, it's expression changed from fury to adoration. "Don't you worry, my beloved," it crooned, and Willie tensed, eyes widened as the doctor's hand caressed her cheek and jaw. "Montefort will get what's coming to him, that double-crossing bastard," it seethed, then smiled again. "And then you and I can be together forever, as we were always meant to be."
Willie saw it coming, but that didn't really make her any more prepared for when possessed-Andromeda suddenly bent and covered her mouth in a kiss. The pilot made a squeaking noise of protest, clamping her mouth shut tight and struggling harder but it did no good. A moment later and the creature lifted again, eyeing her with those eerie white eyes now narrowed again.
"Soon you will learn, Esmerelda. As soon as I take care of Montefort, I'll make sure you properly appreciate everything that I do for you."
The thing started floating off down the hall once more, dragging her along for the ride. Sliding somewhat into shock, face pale and eyes wide, there was only one thought racing through her head. And it went something along the lines of,
I told you so!
|
|
Dr. Andromeda Reyes
Sailor of the Eight Planets
Plunder's Heart Chief Medical Officer
I've given up everything for my sister once. I wouldn't test my loyalty if I were you.
Posts: 119
|
Post by Dr. Andromeda Reyes on Mar 23, 2010 17:49:39 GMT -5
Toby let out a soundless groan as he slowly came to, rolling up into a half-sitting position and cradling his aching head with his free hand. For a long moment he was simply too groggy and in too much pain to properly register what was going on, or what had happened to land him in this current situation. But then it suddenly came back full force and he straightened with a gasp, arcs of energy suddenly sparking across his arms and chest.
His wide eyes flickered across the medical bay, but Andromeda was no longer here. Nor was the . . . entity that had attacked him. Suddenly frantic, Toby pushed himself to his feet and then tore out of the room. He pelted down the hall, wild arcs of electricity sparking in his wake, until he finally came across another crewman.
"Whoa kid!" the pirate exclaimed, eyebrows lifted. "What's the hurry?" Toby, unable to speak, motioned wildly back the way he'd come and tried to mouth several words, near to hopping in place with anxiety. The old pirate simply stared at him blankly for several moments, then shook his head. "I'm sorry kid, I ain't got time to play charades, there's plunder to be had."
Frustrated and terrified for the woman he'd come to care for like a second mother, Toby suddenly scowled, furious. The pirate let out a shrill yelp as a lick of lightening shot off the tiny boy's arm and lashed into him.
"Holy sh . . . what the hell was that for!" Toby motioned again, then let out a soundless yelp as the furious pirate grabbed him up by the scruff of the neck. "That's it, yer goin' to see the First Mate. He'll deal with your uppity ass."
Toby tried in vain to tug loose, but it was hopeless, and soon helpless tears were streaking down his scaled cheeks. In due time the other pirate was dragging him up toward the massive black man who served as First Mate of the fleet.
"What's all this?" he demanded, tone stern. The pirate gave him a rough shake.
"Little bastard popped outta nowhere and after making some kinda wild gestures he shocked the shit outta me for no good reason!" Toby shook his head wildly, though unable to speak.
Amazingly, instead of glare or grow angry at him, Mr. Halcyon immediately knelt down to him and snatched him out of the other pirate's startled grasp.
"Are ye daft?" he snarled at the other man. "If the boy's cryin, where's Dr. Reyes? If he's here cryin', then where is she? Bloody idiot!"
Toby tried to get a handle on his sobs then, grabbing the larger man by the shoulders. He immediately focused all of his attention on him, light-brown eyes incredibly sharp and missing little.
Toby slowly mouthed the words, "Doctor, trouble, gone!"
Expression growing even more grim, Morgan reached for his comm. "Jo, we got trouble," he rumbled. "Andromeda's gone missing."
|
|
T.K.
Sailor of the Eight Planets
Chief Engineer
"If my Pocky is returned within the next hour, I promise you a quick death instead."
Posts: 106
|
Post by T.K. on Mar 24, 2010 2:34:42 GMT -5
"Slag it! I knew I saw it go this way. Maybe it's hiding in one of these rooms..."
T.K. ran ahead of Angel and Shiyou, ducking into and out of several rooms.
"Master. I hate to be the one to point this out to you, but it is a incorporeal entity. Most likely it escaped by passing through the walls. It is most likely not even on this corridor any more."
"Bah. Stupid ghosts. Running through walls should be against the rules. Not like we can go through the stupid walls." He paused a moment, as an idea struck, causing both girls to share an involuntary shiver of horror. "Walk through walls.... I'll have think on that one."
He gave himself a good shake, then clapped his hands together.
"Well, that one got away. Shiyou, be a dear, and find us our next victim ple..."
He was interrupted by several loud crashed from the other side of the wall behind them.
"What the Hell was that?"
"I am not sure Master. There is an anomaly on the other side of the wall preventing my scanners from detecting anything. I can make out, however, that the anomaly is now mobile."
"Sounds like a mystery. Pull up the schematic, and let's go see what's over there."
* * *
It took a few moments, but Shiyou did find them a short route to the disturbance.
And all three stopped short when they saw what was waiting.
"T.K."
"Yes Angel?"
"Is that piano trying to eat Mr. Miller?"
"Yes, I think it is."
He spotted the remains of what looked like a sousaphone embedded in a nearby wall. It's impact had snapped a water main, causing a small gusher to flow out of the wall and across the floor nearby.
"Angel, why don't we see how this piano likes getting the cold treatment. And do be careful of Miller. I'd rather not have to listen to Willie later."
|
|