Burning Skies Saloon

[RearAdmiralZill]

Zill scratched his chin and shook his head.
"According to my scouts, they aren't sending anything else our way. We took a lot out of them, and the merc help they had apparently dissolved during the battle. Biggest news lately is Yiski getting Striker Command. Beyond that it should be quiet for at least a few days."

[Wazulu]

'Well, can't complain about that. To Clear Skies, bloody took long enough!'

[BdrLineAzn]

*As Ny-Lee nears the docks towards her brothers house, she sees him with their mother coming down the road*
*Liu sees her and calls yo Ny*

"Oh there you are. You brother and I were about to get you from the saloon. "

*BdrLine, still tired from last night yawns*

"Why do I have to come again? I could still be in bed sleeping"

"Well you need to get fitted for another suit and the ones you have here are all worn. Plus we are going to find a gown for your sister and decorations"

"ugh... alright. Doesn't mean I'm going to enjoy it"

*Ny-Lee closes the distance between eachother and to BdrLine*

"Come on you lazy head"

*The three then heads towards the city center*

[Skyraider]

*Sky opens the door and holds it for Iris, they both take a seat down and Sky speaks*

"Good morrow! And good news! A group of noble airmen have enlisted in my pilot-ace training course. The group is called "Flying Panthers" and you might see some of them around in the sky. For now due to lack of resources, they will be in bi-planes, so don't get scared if you see planes performing attack formations. Other than that, hows everyone doing?"

[RearAdmiralZill]

Zill stared at Sky.
"Just what I need, planes with rooks flying around the City. I'm not bailing you out if you wreck and have to pay damages."

Jun'ko was fielding a few orders and came around with her arm around Zill.
"How come you don't fly planes?"

"Preference I suppose. I flew an old bi-plane a long time ago for work but, not much beyond that."

[Yiski]

--Academy Armory--

*Since Roland left, Yiski gathered a few gunsmiths to make an experimental bullet. After a few makes, Yiski is satisfied with the current design. It's a Sunburst round scaled down to the size of a standard issue rifle (think B.A.R. caliber) with a tungsten coating over a full metal jacket (FMJ) casing. Yiski knew this round would have more piercing capacity than his previous models.*

*Outside on the firing range, Yiski has a standard rifle in hand with a few tungsten rounds loaded.*

"Okay, bring is some armor for me to shoot at. Uh.. let's start with spire armor."

*A few trainees brought a 2 1/2 inch plate of standard spire armor. Yiski sat at a range of roughly 600 meters. Yiski adjusted the scope of the rifle.*

"FIRE IN THE HOLE!"

*Yiski let lose a round. It hits dead center. Yiski waits for a moment, but the signature red smoke isn't to be seen.*

"That's odd, there should've been..."

*Suddenly in the distance behind the range's wall, Yiski could see the red smoke rising over the wall.*

"Oh hell this can't be good."

*Yiski went up to the plate and noticed the round made a clean pierce through the armor. He then kept following the trajectory and noticed the bullet had also pierced through the solid three feet stone wall. Yiski stood there scratching his head when the other gunsmiths also looked at the damaged caused.*

"So, apparently I've just created armor piercing ammo for infantry which can easily eat through spire armor. Hmm... let's try prya armor next."

"Sir, shouldn't we report the damage to the Council?"

"Meh, we'll report it all at once."

*Further test showed the tungsten rounds could do serious damage to pyramidion armor. While the round did not pierce all the way through, the subsequent explosion was enough to make a hole and create additional cracks around the point of impact. If Yiski wasn't already smiling, he'd start laughing to where his sides hurt.*

"Alright. This was a success. Now time to up the ante. Tomorrow we'll try makin' these for a merc and test it against galleon armor."

"Should we report these to the Council?"

"Yeah, but one of you is makin' the report. I hate writin'."

*Yiski left the Academy and headed back to the saloon for the rest of the day. He was happy. Tomorrow he was going to see the tungsten rounds demolish galleon armor.*


--City Center--

*While Yiski was working on his now successful tungsten rounds, Roland decided to walk around the main market sector. While he walked, he had a hand in the pocket where the almost finished bands were. He rolled his fingers around them and smiled as he did. The young man was proud he made his own wedding bands and knew his future wife would appreciate them more.*

"Roland, is that you?"

*Roland turned to see Liu, Ny-Lee, BdrLine off to the side.*

"Roland, I thought you were still training?"

"Well, Yiski gave me the rest of the day off. He stayed behind because he got an idea."

*BdrLine shivered for a moment.*

"That can't be good for us and even more so for those his creations are used on."

*Roland turns back to Ny-Lee.*

"What brings you out here?"

"Oh we're getting BdrLine fitted for a new suit."

"Well then I need to come along."

"Do you need a suit, love?"

"Yes, considering I do not own one."

*Liu and Ny-Lee are shocked. The two immediately grab Roland and start dragging him toward a tailor. BdrLine chuckles.*

"At least I won't be miserable alone."

*As the four rush off, they failed to notice the red smoke rising in the late afternoon sky.*

[RearAdmiralZill]

-Saloon-

Once word got out that Zill was running the Burning Skies tonight, people flocked from all over to be served by him for once. Of course, he wasn't having that and simply lined up random brews along the bar, and for a flat fee you got what you got. Patron's thought they were getting cheap drinks, but a few WSWs and Sake Bombs later, they realized their miscalculations. It had turned into pure amusement for Zill and Jun.

She was still playing the piano. The sane regulars huddled around to watch and sing along. Those still conscious, despite the new drinking system, conversed and had a grand time. One new guy tried to come onto Jun'ko, despite patrons' warnings. Of course Zill just threw him into a wall, forgetting they didn't break. Then he threw him out the front as an example. Jun'ko could only laugh as the music played and patrons sang.

[Skyraider]

*Sky laughs and comments*
So Zill, having a fun time managing the Saloon? Also you won't have to worry about one of my trainees crashing into a building, most of them have experience AND we'll be flying away from the city for practice. Only flying over it a few times for formations and such.

*Sky then writes down something and passes it to Zill*

"These are the coordinates to where we'll be flying, feel free to watch the fireworks."

[Yiski]

*Yiski walks back into the saloon after a satisfying day.*

"What this I hear about fireworks Sky? You know how I feel about those things anywhere near my saloon."

*Yiski turned to Zill.*

"Good news for you."

"Aside from sticking me on saloon duty."

*Yiski gave Zill a stoic expression.*

"Funny. I think I found a new ammo which could decimate any armor. Should be useful if you go off on any missions."

[Skyraider]

*To Yiski*

"I am referring to the area where my trainees will be practicing, they'll be doing dive bombing and aerial combat."

*Sky realizes what Yiski said about the ammunition and suddenly becomes interested*

"Wait, whats this about a new type of munition? I could be able to use it depending on its weight and if actually works."

[BdrLineAzn]

--City Center--

*As Liu and Ny-Lee drag Roland into a tailor shop, BdrLine is following behind chuckling to himself at Roland's position.*
*When they open the door to the tailor, the corner of the door hit a small bell signaling a someone of their presence*

"Good afternoon everyone. How may I help you?"

"Hello we are here to fit my son and my future son-in-law with tuxedos."

"Ah for a wedding I presume. And I take that you are the beautiful wife to be?"
*He gestures to Ny-Lee*

"Yes" *She blushes at the comment*

"Alright then, if the two ladies please follow me, I will take you next room to where we have our gowns so that you may chose. As for the gentlemens, please wait shortly as I get another employee to assist you."

*The employee then leads the two ladies to a different part of the building where the wedding gowns are displayed, before hand, he goes to another person and explains that Roland and BdrLine would need to be fitted into tuxs.*
*As he and the other two disappered through the door, the second employee goes up to the remaining men*

"If you two are ready, please follow me to the tuxedos."

*Roland looks to BdrLine who simply nods to the employee and the two ate escorted to another part of the building*

*Back to Liu and Ny-Lee, the employee takes them to the gown room where they had their breath taken away from the vast selection*

"Is there any design you like in particular?"

*Ny-Lee, who gets out of her trance, turns to him"

"Do you have ones made from Yeshan designers?"

*The employee ponders for a moment and goes to a catalogue on a table and flips through the pages*

"We have a few designs, but they are not from any famous Yeshan designers. But we have many from local designers as well from some from Cathedral"

"Well once we are ready, we call you"

*The employee nods and heads to another room*

*Back to our two "gentlemen", it's going more or less.... eh*

*As an employee goes over to BdrLine, he already picked out a tux and is wIting for it to be fitted to his size*

*For Roland, it takes almost half an hour to find a suitable tux that he likes*
*Once he finds one, he looks back to BdrLine who is already changed back in to his normal clothes*

"How are you finished already?"

*BdrLine hearing Roland looks to him*
"I've been wearing so many suits when I was younger, that I know the procedure. So you ready to try that one?"

"Oh yes. ... Um excuse me, I'm ready to get fitted."

*A new younger employee hears Roland and rushes to him, he over shoots him and trips over a stool*
*Roland watches as he gets up*

"You alight there?"

"Yeah, sorry. So you are ready then, follow me."

*Roland looks at the employee as he leads him to a room, what Roland doesn't know is that this is his first week on the job and is an apprentice*
*For the next few minutes, yelps of pain come from Roland as the employee accidentally pokes him with the pins*
*Eventually, one of the older employees hears Roland and comes and relief the you get man*

*After a few minutes, the older employee fixes all the mistakes and lest Roland go*

[Yiski]

--NARRATOR--

While getting Roland and BdrLine fitted for tuxedos simple, having Ny-Lee choose her wedding dress was an entirely different matter. BdrLine and Roland sat at a bridal dress store well into the evening while Ny-Lee and Liu discussed what the dress needed to look like. After the first hour or so, BdrLine and Roland couldn't tell the differences among the dresses Ny-Lee tried and rejected. During this frenzy, Ny-Lee and Liu noticed the two men where still there and Liu chuckled.

"You do realize you could've left."

BdrLine didn't say a word and got up, left, and headed toward the saloon.

"I hope I can get some drinking done still."

Roland sat in the store for a bit longer.

"Love, you don't have to stay."

"I know, yet I cannot help but keep looking how absolutely stunning you look in any dress you wear."

Ny-Lee blushed and Liu went over and gave Roland a hug. Liu to Roland.

"I see you've learned it's always a good idea to keep your girl happy and well complimented."

"Yes, it is one of the few things that Yiski has taught me about relationships."

"Smart man."

Meanwhile at the saloon, Jun'ko was still playing the piano and singing along with a few patrons. Yiski, Skyraider, and Zill were discussing about Sky's training exercises and expressing high interest in Yiski's new tungsten rounds.

"So you're saying these rounds could pierce through a whole galleon?"

"Not sure about through the whole galleon Sky, but it should at least completely pierce one side."

Yiski then explained to the two about today's test with small caliber rounds and its devastating effect on spire and pyramidion armors. Zill about choked on his Hellfire.

"Flak, Yiski. You get a small firing squad on a ship, they can cause serious damage."

"I know. I wish I had made these during our ground fight at Lu Tower. Would've made quick work of everyone there."

"Yiski any chance of me potentially using those rounds on my planes?"

"Well, there's a few designs I have to finalize, but if you're willin' to field test them for me then by all means go for it."

Skyraider and Yiski would work out the details of their arrangements later. Right now, their mugs were getting light. That had to be fixed.

--NARRATOR END--

--END OF DAY 73--

[Yiski]

--START OF DAY 74--

--NARRATOR--

The morning came as it always did, but with a few clouds accompanying. The saloon's 'tenants' woke up and headed downstairs to see Yiski also walking into the main floor. Roland and Ny-Lee gave a big yawn which caused Jun'ko to giggle at the soon-to-be-newlyweds.

"I'm guessing you two didn't sleep that much."

Neither Roland nor Ny-Lee blushed which confused Jun'ko. Usually talk of their sexual activity would cause them to blush. Now it was Roland's turn to chuckle.

"You are correct about our lack of sleep, but wrong about the source. Darling here was excited yesterday in being able to find a lovely dress and took all that excitement to bed."

While those three were talking, Zill walked over to Yiski. The both of them gave small yawns and laughed at each other.

"Speaking of activities Zill, hope you and Jun aren't wrecking my upstairs."

"If we were, would you want me telling you?"

"Good point."

"Anyways, why do you still seem tired?"

"Come with me and I'll show you."

Zill tilted his head, but followed Yiski into the back into Yiski's room. Inside, Zill saw a number of designs for various weapon systems.

"Flak Yiski, did you come up with these last night?"

Yiski's only response was a smile. Zill could tell though there was a fair amount of wickedness behind it and gave him goosebumps. It was pleasant seeing Yiski making weapons again.

"Glad to know Yiski fights for Anvala. It'd be a nightmare going against his creations."

--NARRATOR END--

[Skyraider]

*Sky was one of the first few to enter the door, this time Iris isn't with him*

"Good morrow everyone, how are all of you doing this fine day?"

[Yiski]

*Everyone turns to Sky and greets him. Roland then turns to Ny-Lee.*

"Well, I need to head out. There are a few matters I need to take care of."

*Ny-Lee stared into Roland's eyes to see if she could get anything out of his face.*

"Does it deal with our wedding?"

*Roland at Ny-Lee and gives her a kiss on the forehead.*

"It does."

"Will you tell me?"

"Nope. It is a surprise."

*Ny-Lee puffs out her cheeks in protest and Roland gives her kiss on the lips this time. Roland heads to the door.*

"I will be back shortly Yiski."

"Take care of that ankle of yours."

*Roland headed out and Yiski went to his room quickly to grab many of his blueprints.*

"Ny-Lee, you think you can watch the saloon for a bit? I need to drop these off at the armory and check a few things."

"Of course."

"Sky, you're welcome to come along to see if they've made the tungsten rounds for mercs."

"Sure, I'd like to see if they'd be viable on my planes."

*With papers under his arms, Yiski and Sky head for the Academy Armory.*