Community > The Cantina
The Skies have no Limit
Gryphos:
--Dragontown, warehouse 2G--
The explosion rang in everyone's ears as the entire wall on which the door was placed came crumbling down. The force of the explosion instantly killed the two henchmen at the door and the rest of them were shot down by the influx of Yeshan troops flooding into the warehouse.
Gareth
"GET DOWN!"
The remaining living people, including only Zardis and Gareth's group, took cover instantly behind their respective cover. Only Zardis did not dive for cover immediately, instead he dashed over to his desk and grabbed the letter, along with a few note-filled papers, before stuffing them into his pockets and diving for cover by Gareth, barely avoiding several fatal shots.
Gareth
"Are you insane?"
Zardis
"Trust me, this is worth more than I am."
Gareth
"If you say so. Personally, I'd rather we kept both."
Gareth peered over cover and fired a shot into an approaching soldier. In all the smoke that still filled the entrance, the eagles both slipped out undetected and flew off. Gareth tried to look out again but was suppressed.
Gareth
"Hey, Lionel! Give us an opening!"
Lionel pulled out a grenade and lobbed it over his head. It exploded and took out a group that was advancing, but it wasn't enough, as more were coming in every moment.
Lyre
"How many men do you think they have?!"
Zardis
"I think the technical term is a 'shitload'. But I got something."
He pulled out a small remote control as Gareth fired another shot.
Zardis
"This is hooked up to my ship, way off o the other end of the docks. Watch this!"
He pushed the button and nothing happened. Gareth looked at him, puzzled. He looked over a Lyre, who only looked back at him and shrugged.
Gareth
"Err, was something meant to ha-"
Just then a whistling noise could be heard getting closer. Then, a lumberjack shell came careening through the air and exploded on the ground of the newly opened warehouse. Luckily, none of Gareth's group were out of cover and so were not hit by the explosion of flechettes that shredded almost all the attackers.
Zardis
"GO!"
They took this opportunity and all leapt over cover and advanced up to the entrance of the warehouse, firing shots all the while. Gareth, Lyre and Zardis took cover on one side of the wide hole in the wall, while Michael and Lionel took cover on the other side.
Zardis
"See, I always take precautions."
Gareth
"Any more up your sleeve?"
Zardis
"Ahh, no. The ship's unmanned, my crew is now all dead and the Lumberjack was set to hit that exact point. If I fired it again it would hit us."
Lyre
"That's great, because I'm out of ideas."
Gareth peaked around the wall and saw yet more Yeshan soldiers behind barricades, while a commander stood on the deck of a ship in the dock with a megaphone.
Commander
"You are surrounded! We have men planting demolition charges on the other side of the warehouse as we speak! Give us Zardis and you will not be prosecuted for your crimes! If you do not, then you will be killed!"
While he was saying this a group of soldiers had started setting up what appeared to be a machine gun turret.
Lyre
"Who let the Yeshans do all this? Where's the city authority?"
Zardis
"The city has no authority. Dragontown is already dangerously close to the Empire's territories. An incident like refusing to turn a blind eye would only lead to an attack."
Gareth
"What do we do?"
Lyre
"Whatever we do, we'd better do it fast cause if they come in from the rear and they get that gun up and running..."
--Griffinheart, a bit earlier--
Hector
"Twenty bottles o' moonshine on the wall, twenty bottles o' shine..."
Roc landed in front of him on the helm.
Hector
"Oh, hi."
Roc was flapping his wings wildly and took off and swooped around in the general direction of the warehouse. Hector followed with his gaze and saw, in the distance, the flashes of gunfire and a Lumberjack shell's explosion. Kay, who was also looking in that direction, ran up to the helm, where Hector stood.
Kay
"I don't like the look of that."
Hector
"No, neither do I."
He Grabbed hold of the wheel and set off.
Kay
"Err, can you even fly?"
Hector
"Let's find out."
Kay
"We're doomed."
Hector
"Just... Get on the port harpoon."
--Warehouse 2G--
The machine gun was almost fully set up and the troops behind cover kept up a continuous stream of suppressing fire.
Lionel
"We're done for aren't we."
Michael
"Yeah, looks like this is our last st- Wait, what's that?"
Gareth
"What the flak?!"
The Griffinheart came flying over the Yeshan ship, but not before a harpoon was attached into its hull. The Griffinheart then gave out a burst of moonshine and tugged the ship into the dock, dragging it over the ground and crashing it into the turret. The Griffinheart crashed into a building and made a wild bank back around and landing on the dock, leaving the Yeshan ship crashed into that same building.
Gareth
"Now's our chance! GO!"
In the ensuing confusion, they all dashed around the wall and dispatched the confused soldiers just as they heard the sound of an explosion at the other end of the warehouse. They ran as fast as they could towards the Griffinheart and leapt aboard. Gareth was lagging behind a bit and was tripped up by the Yeshan commander, who must have abandoned his ship when it began being fragged. The commander made to stomp on Gareth's face but he rolled out of the way just in time, rising to his feet. The commander swung his fist but was blocked by Gareth, who then kicked him in the stomach and drew his knife, before slashing him three times across the chest. The commander fell down and Gareth leapt aboard the ship as it cast off away from the dock and into the sky, being peppered with desperate shots all the while. Michael ran up to the helm and took it from Hector.
Michael
"That was some insane flying, good job! But I think I'll take over for the return journey. We're headed back to Cathedral, burning moonshine!"
Plasmarobo:
--Somewhere over scrubland--
Plasma stands with on hand on the helm, and the other tightly gripping the aged and weathered map. He squints at the crude symbols and lines, then glances down at the terrain below them. A river could match that squiggle, the rounded bumpy thing could be that hill. He tucks the map safely in a pocket and swings the wheel to the right.
A indicator glows softly on the mess of wires and dials next to the helm. He scans the horizon behind him for any approaching ships. No sign of the Starlight yet. The radio beacon emits a pulse every few seconds. A fading trail of electromagnetic breadcrumbs to follow. Then again, beacon locators were rare and expensive. He could only hope that the Starlight was equipped with one.
The light was fading fast as the sun began to take it's graceful exit from the day. They were nearly there now, if this map was accurate. It would be somewhere in the hills up ahead. They would need to find somewhere to anchor the ship. He glances over the crew.
Plasma
"I want eyes out for a potential landing site. We're going to make the final approach on foot. Hopefully we can get there before the light quits."
It's another few moments before they set eyes on a suitable clearing. The Venucian Might floats from the sky as Plasma wrestles with the wheel and engines. Trees rear up before them, then fall back as the ship clumsily dips into the trees. Spike, Jet, Emily, and Faye leap from the ship, each gripping a rope. Soon the floating ship is roughly secured between the trees, a fly caught in a spiderweb of it's own creation. Plasma checks the radio batteries, and leaves the signal beacon on. The Starlight might not be able to land in the same clearing, but at least it would be able to follow them.
He takes out the map again as the rest of the group checks their weapons. They set out into the hills cautiously. The place was isolated, no sign of civilization for miles and miles. But paranoia and criminal organizations often went hand in hand. It isn't long before the group is trekking in near complete darkness. The brilliant while glow of the moon gives them little light to work with.
Jet
"We ought to stop for the night. We're not likely to find much in this dark."
Plasma
"You might be- wait. Up ahead. Light."
The group stalks towards the flickering glow reaching through the gaps in the greenery. Several rough looking men sit around a campfire in a wide clearing which terminates at a cliff. A rough, piecemeal airdock has been assembled and holds several ships. Plasma notes the Cathedral colors and banners on two. He makes a series of complicated gestures at the others who stare at him blankly.
Right, I'm the only Ex-Anvalan.
He hisses at them instead.
Plasma
"Everyone pick a man. We've got to do this silently."
He takes out a long knife to punctuate his point, moving into position. A beat later and they step from the bushes as one. The knife flies from Plasma's hand, tumbling end over end through the air before coming to violent rest in the throat of the furthest man. Jet elects to take down his target a bit more violently, with a crushing blow to the windpipe followed quickly by a elbow to the nose. Plasma doesn't see the rest take down their targets, but turns to see Emily cleaning blood from an ornate dagger.
Moments later they are rifling through the equipment of the men. Plasma checks their radio frequency, then the group drags the bodies into the brush, and advances towards the door into the mountain. They halt at the large steel portal and Plasma glances towards Emily.
Plasma
"Now would be the time to turn back, should anyone feel so motivated."
She stares him down, face set in a determined grimace. Plasma slides the large door open.
Piemanlives:
--Tattered Facility--
They had been wandering the halls again, picking up a few useful items here and there, some fairly decent tools, key cards, even a machete (Which Dalhia took an intense liking to). Trying to find something specific in this place must have been hell, especially when it was inhabited, with things being moved from place to place. Richard adjusted the strap to his satchel, the explosives nestled carefully inside it. Taking out his time piece, he took a look at it. It was already well past nightfall and into the twilight hours, Alex was probably worried about them, with the note he left for him making things worse. He placed the time piece back in his coat, it was like the captains but bulkier, his being a newer model considering, the captains was a pre-dust model, meaning it would probably fetch a fairly good price but was so unassuming that no one really cared for it. A howl swept through the halls again, the hounds were back.
Richard
"Ready up!"
Travis
"Got it, Dalhia, I need you to pick off the ones further down the halls, I'll pick off the ones that get close."
Dalhia
"Well, it's a plan, much more then we had going into this mess."
Preston
"Oh dear, again really?!"
A pattering of paws drew closer and closer, Richard checked his revolver, loaded and ready as it would ever be. He swept his eyes about, they were at a t section, meaning that there would probably be only one way back, and that would be the way they came, if that got cut off, they probably wouldn't make it. The pattering continued growing closer when something from the shadows pounced.
Preston
"Shit!"
He took a shot at it with his carbine but the creature was quicker then he was, on the ground he opened his eyes slightly, finely getting a look at his dreaded enemy, the hound was like all the others, dripping with some sort of viscous material, it's eyes were blank as if drawn into a rage, its claws digging into his shoulders, It's teeth barred at him as he stared at it, his eyes widening in terror as the realization dawned on him, he felt pain, increasingly so as the thing began tearing at him.
Richard
"Damn it! Get it off him!"
He kicked it off him before sending several shots into it, more pattering could be heard, retreating, but it was there. He took a look at his crewman, he was lucky the thing didn't go for the face but he was in no condition to continue at this rate. he torso was bleeding profusely, he would live, but he would need some serious medical attention when they got back.
Preston
"Ohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgod I'm dead, it killed me, I won't live to see another-
He picked him up and propped him on a table as he pulled Preston's now ruined coat off as he took a closer look at the damage. It wasn't as bad as he first thought, though the damn beast left some really deep cuts in his flesh, there would definitively be some permanent scaring but at least it didn't damage anything important, though he would probably be in shock right now through shear terror. He was still in a state of babbling nonsense though and probably would be for several hours.
Dalhia
"So what's the prognoses?"
Richard
"He'll live, though he'll probably have nightmares, poor kid."
Preston
"Remind me to put out the laundry......"
Travis
"Want me to carry him?"
Richard
"No I'll do that, I need you keep that gun of yours handy as we-"
He felt a slight tug on his sleeve, he saw the younger man gripping him in support as he tried to sit up.
Preston
"Am I... Am I dead?"
He was out of it definitely, his face was pitiful as he was trying to comprehend everything.
Richard
"No no, you're very much alive, you just need to rest."
Preston
"Oh, ok."
He slumped up against him as he finally gave up trying to stay awake.
Richard
"This will be a tale for him to tell, give me a few moments."
He set about tending to his wounds as best he could using the medkit he kept on his person, making sure the wounds didn't get any worse and making sure he set the bandages properly. Finishing his work he put his coat back on him and put him on his back as he carried him off.
--Tattered Facility, yet another massive door--
Richard
"You'd think they'd have run out of these."
Travis
"Brood mother, or the nest, or both are probably through that door."
Richard
"Best be careful then."
Dalhia
"Should we leave him here? It's probably not safe for him."
She pointed to the unconscious form on Richards back.
Travis
"I'd personally wouldn't like to leave him alone."
Richard
"Lets move then."
Dalhia walked over to the control panel on the side and typed the code in again, not working, she checked the various key cards they had gathered, one of them beeped and the control panel lit up again asking for the code, she typed it in and the door opened with little fanfare.
Richard
"Right, we should move quickly and get this over with."
The group walked through the door and the wonders that awaited them, well not really wonders more like strangeness in such a way they would have been expecting it, and by strange I mean eggs, eggs everywhere.
--Inside the place of eggs and strangeness--
Richard
"Is this place getting on anyone's nerves?"
Travis
"I'm going to say yes, for both of us."
Richard
"Right, one moment."
He placed an explosive charge in the largest cluster of eggs and the nearby clusters.
Richard
"Right, I've set these for 3 hours, with this it will make it possible for us to escape this mess."
They explored further into the nest, old skeletons littered the floor, scratches in the walls ran deep and wide, scorch marks littered the halls.
Dalhia
"Place is seriously giving me the creeps."
Richard
"It's giving everyone the creeps, now lets find that brood mother, and kill it."
They continued through the infested halls, passing more offices and labs as they continued on. A door to their right some ways further was inscribed with Observation Hall.
Travis
"Going to assume this it then."
Richard
"Yup, get that chaingun on the door and be ready to shoot."
He pulled out the chain gun he'd been saving for a veritable hoard of creatures, seeing as it had a limited ammo supply.
Richard
"Ready?"
Travis
"Ready."
Dalhia
"Ready."
He slowly opened the door, it was amazingly empty considering where they were.
Dalhia
"Right, look for a control panel of sorts."
They searched around the room, finally finding a flip up terminal on a desk.
Dalhia
"Ok, let me type in the code and lets get out of here."
She typed on the, amazingly, still functioning board.
Computer
"Hello, it would appear you would like to set the self destruct, is this what you would like to do?"
Richard
"Seriously?"
Travis
"Sometimes I....... Yes, we would like to set the self destruct."
Computer
"Very well specify count down timer."
Dalhia
"Three hours."
Computer
"Very well, timer set, enjoy the rest of your stay, good day."
The computer turned off and was replaced by a timer.
Richard
"So much for that, lets move!"
They ran, they ran as hard as they could out of the nest and shut the door behind them.
Dalhia
"Right, lets get out of the labs and into the air, there are a lot of stairs to cover."
Travis
"The problem is, can we make it?"
the crew was jogging through the halls, back the way they came, or rather, following the trail of beast skeletons they had left in their wake. However their luck didn't last long as they heard a very audible howl, they were in a one way hallway, if they got trapped they were doomed.
Travis
"You remember how that vent we found was forced open?"
Dalhia
"Yeah?"
Travis
"I think, and this may sound crazy, they're in the damn walls man, game over man, game over."
Richard
"Right so that means we should-
A banging echoed throughout the hallway, they looked around, only to see a segment of wall bent and misshapen.
Richard
"RUN!"
And so they ran, behind them, the walls collapsed as a sea of creatures chased after them, strangely they were faster and managed to out run them just barely, they passed through the first massive door however the control panel was out of power and so they kept running through the lower level labs, they wouldn't be able to keep up the pace for much longer, they had enough time to stall and look back, the distant patter of paws had grown to that of a legion as they charged towards the door.
Travis
"I'll hold them off, we should probably back up slowly as we do this."
The chaingun whirred to a standby mode as the barrels spun, the legion still charging forward as they backed from the door and onto the staircase.
Dalhia
"Just so you know, it's been a pleasure."
Richard
"Pleasure's all Lorena's."
Dalhia
"You flatter me so."
Travis
"We have one shot at this."
The creatures were visible, hounds folding over each other, some bit at each other, killing a few of their numbers, though it was just a drop in the bucket. The chaingun blazed for the first time as rounds spewed forward, cutting down beast after beast, they recoiled, hesitating long enough for them to make to the top of the stairs, the 3rd and final door as they finally reached the main level. Richard pulled out his time piece, the time lollygagging had cost them nearly two and a half hours.
Richard
"We have to move, now!"
The ran for the exit, finally feeling the night air as they shut the door behind them, another ten minutes had passed. Walking over to their ship they were greeted by worried faces.
Phillip
"I saw you guys exit the door, where's Prest-
He saw the limp body against Richards Back.
Phillip
"Shit, did they-"
Richard
"He'll be fine, we need to get him looked at though."
Reynold
"Orders?"
The other two were gathering themselves as they slumped against the railing.
Dalhia
"Get us... Out of here."
Reynold
"With pleasure."
He set the engines to full as they pulled away from the dock. The facility lights came on, before suddenly being engulfed in a towering explosion, shattering the night with a brilliant flare, before subsiding. At least they had some new tools.
BdrLineAzn:
Birdman Hideout
The Man, the Birdman's second, stands in the control room overlooking the main hanger of the hidden falcility. During the Birdman's escapade into the Yeshan Empire to kidnap the Imperial couple, the Man has already radio the five other ranking members of the Birdmen organisation. As he watches the construction of the Birdman's secret project, the Man is flustered as the patrol he sent out to the east observation post hasn't reported back. Clenching a microphone connected to a radio, he dials in their signal again.
Man
"Patrol 7, where the hell are you guys!! Anyone? Answer dammit!!"
In anger he slams the microphone onto the desk which startles a messenger as he enters the room. Eyeing him, the Man pinches the bridge of his nose.
Man
"Hope this is good."
Messenger
"Umm yes sir. I'm here to inform you that the boss is almost back. His galleon has already passed Ho Tower and is 15 minutes away."
Taking in the information, he looks up at him.
Man
"His mission went well?"
Messanger
"Yes, they have the two Zhao's in their hold."
Man
"Good, at least something good is happening. Go and prepare two holding cells for them. Also prepare five room as well, the other memebers are coming, I don't know when, but get them ready."
Messanger
"Yes sir, on it."
The Messanger leaves the room to go and round up some workers to fulfil the order. As the door closes behind him, the Man goes over to a wall of monitors and notices something. On one of the monitors shows a hallway leading from the main hideout to the eastern observation post. Inside, he sees a group of individuals, none of which looks like they work for the organisation, walking through the halls with weapons drawn. Scratching his chin with a hand, the Man thinks
Hmm, maybe these pests are the reasons I can't contact the men on the east end. By the looks of it, some of the, have their radios. Hmm.
With his other free hand, he presses a button on the table and leans into an intercom speaker.
Man
"Security room."
Some shuffling can be heard from the other line and soon a gruff voice comes in.
Guard
"Yes sir."
Man
"Voxx, we may have a little problem on our end. I want you and a squad of 8 go over to the hallway leading towards to the eastern observation post and set up a barricade. Chain guns, rockets, any firepower you need, just makes sure you welcome our guest."
Voxx
"What do you want us to do with the intruders?"
Man
"Bring them in, I'm sure the boss will have something up his sleeve to deal with them."
Voxx
"On it."
Man
"Oh, go radio silence for this. I assume they have obtain our frequencies. Don't want them to over hear this plan."
Voxx
"Understood. Out"
As Voxx readies his small squad is encounter, the main hanger opens as a galleon flies through the steep cliff side and landing in one of the docks. Hearing this, the Man turns around and sees multiple figures departing the vessel. Two figures he notices are being carried away and are bounded by their hands and feet.
The boss guest I assume, well time to update him.
The Man leaves the control room and into the hanger.
Starlight
BdrLine
"Any sign of what looks like Plasma's ship?"
Althea
"Nope, I'll bet they left and are long gone."
BdrLine
"Damn, I should have gave him my frequency. Flak."
Circling around Cathedral Airspace, the crew on board the Starlight have been searching for any traces of Plasma and his Venucian Might. After finishing a second pass around the city, BdrLine stops his ship in mid air to converse with his crew.
Courage
So where do we go now? We dont know the heck they went."
BdrLine
"I know, I think we should start by going west towards Chang-ning."
Charles
"Why the Yeshan Capital?"
BdrLine
"Well, its the most recent Birdman sighting, plus he also kidnapped my parents."
The three of them are stunned to heard this and are speechless for a moment.
Charles
"What? Ok hold on, first they attack the Festival and steal jet engines for a secret project, now they have something to blackmail the Empire. What are they planning?"
BdrLine
"I don't know, but I do know that the faster we get there the sooner we can figure this out. Hope we meet Plasma on the way though."
Althea
"Ok, so what are we waiting for? Let's get a move on gents!"
With the outburst, the three men scramble to get up. BdrLine goes back to the helm and restarts his engines and puts it on full throttle and injects the fuel lines with moonshine. Soon the Goldfish speeds through the desert landscape towards the Endless Salts.
During their flight, Charles is up at the cabin of the ship talking with BdrLine and mindlessly thinker with the radio set.
Charles
"So how are we going about this?"
BdrLine
"I don't know, maybe just wing it? Because I have nothing right now. Hey Charles what are you doing?"
BdrLine looks back and sees him opening a panel off the set.
Charles
"I don't know, like you said just winging it. Oops, what the?"
BdrLine
"What did you do...tell me if i finally lost it, but you hear beeping?"
Charles
"No you are good cause I hear it as well."
BdrLine
"Here grab the helm and let me look."
With a switch, BdrLine kneels down to look at his ancient radio set. Following the wires and tinkering with the wires, he finds the source of the beeping and which leads to the set second antenna.
BdrLine
"So that's what this antenna is for."
Charles
"Great, but what is it?"
BdrLine
"by the looks of it and the faint and slow beeps, I think this is a tracker of sorts."
Charles
"So do we follow it?"
BdrLine
"Guess so since its going the same direction we are going, maybe it'll leads us to Plasma."
Charles
"Or the Birdmen."
BdrLine
"who knows, we'll cross that bridge when we get there. Follow the beeps we go."
Plasmarobo:
--Birdman Hideout--
Plasma cowers behind the bit of brick wall. The bullets frying through the air shatter the wall behind the small group and the very cover currently saving his life. He glances back at Spike and the others. Suddenly the storm of bullets abates. Plasma blinks, and takes the opportunity to glance around the column. The distant business end of rocket launcher stares back at him.
Flak.
A single shot echos over his shoulder and he feels the ripple of air spread across his face. The round sinks itself into the loaded ammunition and the end of the hall becomes a sea of fire. Plasma glances back at Spike who gives him a quick grimace. He stands, pistol sighted down the hall as they rest of the group advance.
The door at the end of the corridor seems to feed into some kind of hangar. Plasma glances through it into the large open room. Several ships, including a galleon docket and apparently un-crewed. A small army seems massed at the other end of the room as evidenced by large number of red dots glimmering through the darkness.
Apparently nobody told these idiots that cigarettes are luminescent.
The group skirts the edge of the darkened room. Plasma makes a series of complicated gestures to the rest of his team before giving up and signing the universal "follow me". The group ascends the catwalk to the galleon. A few moments of silent knifework later the group is alone on the large ship, below decks, quietly waiting.
The small army gathered turns suddenly in alarm to the broadside of the large ship. There is a moment of confusion, then the rockets issue from the lions mouthes. The scene makes the sea of fire in the hallway look like a candle. With reduction in enemy forces complete, Plasma cuts the fuel lines to the engines on all the ships in the hangar, then the band makes their way down, to the next door into the bowls of the base.
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