I think the time is right for my two pennies to be added. I hope you will enjoy the story. Certainly was for me, to write a piece of history for the crew that I came up with. It's not so much a piece about how my character, Samantha, got into her clothes and organization. But rather how she completed the look and became a full on gunner on the Pyramidion. I apologize in advance if it's perhaps too long.
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Six years ago.
Amongst the rocky outcrops, as high as the clouds themselves a Pyramidion was flying. It's engines at full throttle and trying to use the rocks to stay out of line of sight. Slightly less then a kilometer behind it, another was flying. Colored in dark red with a wolf painted on rear the balloon. The occasional flak shot that was brought forth was professionally dodged. However, the pilot of the lead ship had trouble staying calm.
“This is some serious bad luck.” He exclaimed, his eyes more to the back of his ship then the front.
“I told you we were being watched!” Yelled the woman from the port gun.
“If you had just listened we wouldn't be in this mess.” “Any ideas on taking them down? With every corner they're gaining on us.” The pilot almost screamed. She glanced at the engineer on the main deck.
“Edison, take over from me, I need to discuss this with Fabian.” She said to the man. The engineer nodded as his answer, going up the small stairs that led up to the main engine and upper port gun. The woman was quicker then him however, jumping from the top of the stairs, to land on the main deck and cover the distance to the helm in almost half the time.
“We need a plan now.” The pilot said the moment she stood beside him.
“Yea, a plan of engagement. I think they're Flak and Gatling front. Haven't seen what they got on the side, but we could use our own Flamethrower to throw them off.” Was the quick assessment she gave. Fabian nodded slowly, his attention half taken away. If he hadn't he would had noticed the shot coming right in.
“Incoming!” Yelled the engineer as his eyes tracked the shot. The pilot distracted could not make the turn in time. The shot landing square on the main engine. Immediately allowing the chaser to close the distance faster. Fabian cursed loudly and shook his head.
“Sam, give them hell.” The woman's lips curled in a grin. Immediately she bolted to the Flamethrower at the back. At the same time the pilot put the ship in a hard port turn. Getting the ship's side to the other. Immediately a Gatling started to fire from the pursuer. The bullets hitting the metal plating violently and putting strain on the armor module. Edison was just fixing the main engines and ran down to give the component a quick fix up.
The distance between the ships didn't remain that large, the momentum of the chasing ship causing it to get precariously close. Just too close as Samantha opened up with the weapon. A cone of fire spewing forth that quickly covered the entirety of the enemy Pyramidion. Causing fires over the entirety of the ship, to the point that the person at the Flak had to abandon his station to help repairing. Sam, however, did not let up. Putting the entire canister of fuel into the enemy. The moment it was empty she let go of the weapon. Running across the deck again and hurrying up the ladder. Almost in sync the pilot put the engines in reverse as the front got pointed to the other Pyramidion.
“Edison, get on the guns!” He yelled to the engineer.
“Am going!” Edison answered, following the gunner up the ladder to the upper walk way. But before they could even get on the guns the enemy Gatling was firing again. Putting large holes in the ship and pushing the armor further down.
Halfway through the woman grabbed the handles of her own Gatling, returning fire with as much fury, if not more. The enemy didn't keep their distance in the mean time. Seeming to put as much speed forward as possible. Fabian noticed the blades turning as fast as they could and mirrored it by putting his ship in full reverse.
“What are the chances of surviving this?” He yelled up as his eyes locked with the other pilot. It was then that Edison got on the Scylla Mortar launcher and just emptied it into the ship. The explosions throwing out debris of the enemy ships, knocking out the front guns but not damaging the ship all that much. Samantha had reload the next clip of ammo into the Gatling and opened up again.
“Below half if this keeps up. We're lacking a fourth person!” The gunner answered quickly. Finding the moment of no return fire to be pleasant for a change, on the other hand. But even she noticed that the space between the ships was decreasing.
The pilot glanced again to the rear and what he saw almost surprised him. A cliff face was rapidly approaching. His mind went in overdrive and he ordered.
“Sam! Flamethrower now!” Without hesitation the woman let the half empty Gatling go and jumped over the walkway rail, falling two stories down. She landed perfectly, turning herself into a ball to turn the momentum from vertical to horizontal. The moment Sam had put her feet on the deck Fabian put the ship in the sharpest port turn he could manage. The maneuver causing damage to the ship's engines as long as it held up.
“Edison, keep the balloon fixed!” He ordered to the man above. Without a word in return the engineer let go of the Scylla and put his full attention on the balloon.
“Burn their balloon!” He quickly followed up. The Pyramidion narrowly missed the rocks. It's turn just in time to give a hair of space. For the pursuers however, the cliff came as a surprise. Simultaneously the woman opened up the flames again, putting the balloon a light as fast the weapon could spew out fuel. Just as the tip of the chasing Pyramidion buried into the rock. The metal collapsing in on itself as the ship's inertia could not cope with this obstacle. The beam structure around the balloon quickly collapsing in on itself and puncturing the fabric. Allowing the gases inside to take fire as well. Fabian quickly put the engines to max forward, canceling the momentum of his own ship as he watched the other balloon burn.
At this point, the enemy could not recover anymore. The ship plunging until it's hull found the canyon floor. Samantha had by now thrown in two canisters worth of fire onto the enemy ship. The grin on her face telling everyone she was eager to put in a third if it meant the destruction of that ship. Fabian took a deep breath and yelled.
“Sam, hold fire!” The woman just glanced at him, her expression not having changed at all. The pilot didn't like it. His eyes went up and followed the engineer going down the ladder, hurrying to the armor module to fix all the strain on it. Fabian then put the ship in a slow dive, closing the distance to their crippled enemies on the ground. Ordering again to the woman.
“Hold your fire.” This time, he got more reaction. Samantha turning to him with a frown, but no confirmation whether she would adhere. He shook his head and her foul expression only increased.
“Please take over Edison.” The engineer's eyes went up from the module to the helm, then rushed over to relieve the pilot.
“I got it mate.” The man quietly said as he took over.
Fabian almost stomped over to the woman. Once there he took her wrists, pulled them up, forcing her to let go of the weapon, and frowned just as foul back.
“I said hold your fire. Have trouble understanding that?” Her eyes did not turn away, a staring contest ensued, as she answered the pilot.
“I have no trouble understanding. But they should be wrecked and left there.” “Left to die you mean? I don't agree with that. I will not have dead people on my name in my first week of owning this ship!” He stated fiercely. The two stared some more, Samantha not answering. She then closed her eyes, letting him win and pushed herself away from him. Defeated she softly responded.
“Fine. I will not fire at them. But it better be worth it.” Fabian sighed in return, shaking his head as he went to the main deck. The leftover hull just coming into view. The balloon of the defeated Pyramidion having fallen of the ship onto the ground below. The enemy crew standing there, unarmed, their arms up and their gazes lowered. Edison had done a good job of putting the ship right next to theirs. Allowing people to easily cross over to the either ship. Sam, meanwhile, sat down on the edge beside the Flamethrower. Her eyes fixed on the four people. Fabian took a deep breath and said to them.
“I will not kill you now. You have been defeated and I think that's a loss enough as it is. However, I have some rules that need to be established. If you break them, you will lose more. First of all, any attempt on hijacking this ship is forbidden, if you do. You will most likely not survive. Second, what's on your ship is now mine. Supplies, food, money. The only exception being you and your clothes. Third, you will listen to all of us. And last, do not complain. See us as kind hosts willing to put you off in a town. Don't make us not be kind.” The only woman of the defeated crew stepped forward, looking up to the man that stood just a small gap away.
“I admit my defeat and surrender. You're kind to allow us on your ship and bring us to the next town.” She politely stated. Fabian nodded once and he said.
“You have permission to come aboard.” The four then helped get their stuff across. Their every moment observed and taken in by at least Samantha or Fabian. When they were done, the four bridged the gap and got onto the main deck. It was at this point that Samantha got on her feet and slowly approached them, observing them. Looking intently at them. Until she found the one thing that had caught her interest. With a few steps she got up to the defeated pilot and grinned. Taking hold of the black spectacles the woman was wearing. Carefully Sam took them of and put them on her own face. The grin not leaving her face as she quietly said to her.
“Thank you.” At a distance Fabian saw it happen. And quietly allowed it to.
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