Uncharted Skies

[Piemanlives]

--Bridge--

"And our lives get that much more difficult." Reagan sighed.

"Helm, rig for flank speed, Mr. Allen get on the line to engineering, have them give everything they've got. Perhaps we can scare them off." She reached for the other transmitter. "Lord Ansager, be advised we're unsure what else the scavengers have in the area, take care." She switched frequencies to the Hanger Bay, "Hanger bay, do me a favor and make sure he doesn't get himself killed, launch scouts."

"Scouts already launching ma'am."

"Oh, well that's ok then."

--Hanger Bay--

The hanger tech, Hank, Davis had to remind himself, walked up to them from the intercomm.

"Let me guess, we're going up?"

Hank shrugged, "Yeah, try not to let the lordling get himself killed."

"Figured, come on Antonio." He turned to Courage, "Guess we'll join you up there later, save a few targets for me."

Moments later the two of them dropped out of the launch bays, pulling up to join with Kei and Farris, Lordling was nowhere to be seen but his instincts told him that the receding speck was him. Kei formed up on his left wing while Farris and Antonio took position on his right.

"Alright, so, our job, keep him from getting himself killed. I have a rifle and I had the engineers rig up some water skis, I'll land in the lake and pick off the scavengers. Kei watch my back and keep whatever they have away from me. Farris, Antonio, you'll be our first line of defense, if they come out to play I need you to engage, don't need to take all of them down, if there are any, but I have no doubt it'll be much issue for you two. Alright, let's get-" A rather loud sound came from nearby, they all turned their heads to watch as the engines on the Shadow began straining, they watched as it's speed increased as it charged straight ahead.

"Well, guess we should get moving."

[C r o w]

Fighter craft 5

"The ships that followed us were a couple of Goldfish class ships, both with using a disabile-strip-kill setup, both with a hwacha and two gatlings." Said Emil to the radio.
"Thier gunners were really good against a ship roughly the size of a galleon, now I want to see how they behave against a fighter craft."

"Current altitude 2000m. Beginning attack manoeuvre."

The craft points its nose down towards the water, reaching a greater speed, then raising the nose to 0 degrees when he is a few dozens of meters from the water level.
Flying low, he brings himself behind the Goldfish.
When he is a few hundreds meters far he opens fire.

The machine guns crackle as dozens of bullets are shot.
Many reach the intended target: the engines.
An engine simply explodes, another starts smoking and the propeller from the last one just falls off.

He then aborts his strafing run by pulling up the craft, using the energy and the speed it had accumulated during the dive to regain as much altitude as he could before reaching critical speed.
Before reaching stall speed, he levels the plane.

"I remember being chased by TWO Goldfish, here's only one, the other may have gone away to report my felling to their masters."
"Gods bless Anvala, sure this planes are a joy to drive."

He then notices that the plane is not even and it's slightly pending to the left.
Looking around him, he notices the he got some holes on the left wings.

"Uh, apparently their gunners know quite well their jobs."

He knew his job too, only that years had passed since he actually piloted an airfighter.
He had to get an airship because those past years the climate in his field of operation got very harsh and he needed something sturdier than a plane.
And then he also met Selenia.

"Well, I lost the element of surprise, I'm waiting for backup."

[Piemanlives]

--Eagle Squadron--

"Ok, you know that horrible idea of a plan I had? Yeah that's being scrapped, riiiiiiiiiight, now!"

Kei watched a Davis dove towards the rising Goldfish and went in after him. Honestly, he's almost bad as he is... Kei had to admit to loosing sight of their objective before spotting him hanging back in the clouds, smoke trailing behind. These guys...

"Davis..."

"Kei, no time, ready rockets and fire on my command." She formed up on his wing, two birds screaming as they descended from on high. The call of their engines altered the vessels crew before the two of them were in sight, gatling fire peppered the approach yet with their immense speed their gunners were unable to track them effectively, spent rounds glanced off their armor or missed entirely.

"Davis?!" What is he thinking!?

"Steady!"

The two of them soared past the ascending vessel, closer and closer the water's surface loomed as their dive continued, Davis pulled hard and Kei followed, pulling hard on the stick she strained to keep her craft straight as the two of them leveled out over the lake, their propellers raising a trail of water behind them. Davis rounded back and Kei mirrored him, the two of them crossing as they pulled into a steep climb beneath the vessel, it's lightly armored keel before them as they rose to meet it.

"Oh hey you remember those rockets? FIRE!"

She immediately complied, loosing four rockets as Davis challenged the vessel with his cannons, armored rounds piercing the vessel's vulnerable underbelly, shredding components and punching large holes in the vessel's deck. Her rockets followed moments after, finding purchase within the vessel's hull the goldfish shuddered before it burst apart in flames, it's balloon, freed of it's weight ascended further into the sky before disappearing out of sight.

"Alright I've decided, Kei and Davis are complete show offs. Couldn't have left something for us could ya?," Antonio's voice was replaced by Farris.

"Antonio, what am I going to do with you?

"Buy me a drink is what."

Both wings formed up again Kei on Davis' right with Antonio and Farris on his left.

"Hey, uh, boss man?" Antonio broke the moments silence.

"Yeah Antonio?"

"Tail's smoking."

"Wait, are you-"

Kei turned her head towards Davis' tail, sure enough several holes punctured the rear of the craft's fuselage, vertical and horizontal stabilizers were dented and sluggish when he tested them.

"OH COME ON!"

All three wingmen watched his cockpit in amusement, his fragmented resentment at the situation over the radio reflected beautifully as he waved his arms at his tail, his confusion at when he his craft had been lamed and his failure to notice. Kei also wondered, confused at how she could have missed it seeing as he flew lead the entire time.

--Bridge, Eagle's Shadow--

"Hostile vessel destroyed Captain."

Reagan let out a relieved breath, quick and easy, just how she liked it. She took out her own spy glass as she scanned the skies.

"Any sign of the other vessel Mr. Allen?"

"Negative, no other vessels in the area." She sighed.

"Right, stand us down from combat stations, have the crew on deck keep an eye out, they could be lurking nearby."

"Aye Captain, relaying orders."

[C r o w]

Fighter craft 5

"Ansager returning to base."

Doing a spiralling descent, he tried to reduce his speed as much as he could.
Then, cutting the throttle to 50% he pointed towards the hanger bays.

On the radio, it could be heard Emil uuuhing for several seconds.
"I may need some instructions about how to land this thing.
I was used to land on airfields, an this is no airfield."

[Piemanlives]

--Eagle Squadron--

Davis sighed, Davis sighed really hard. He took up his radio and keyed the other craft as he pulled up on his wing.

"Right, ok... We're going to do a thing, form up on my wing and I'll walk you through it." Davis waited until the two of them were next to each other before he began giving instructions, "Right, reduce your airspeed to 1/8 as you near the underside of the ship, then look to your dash, you'll see a button labeled LHOOK, press that and look above your cockpit." He pointed to the loop of metal atop his craft. "You'll need to land that onto the hook they'll lower from the launch bay. At 1/8 speed it should be easy... ish. J-Just watch me do it."

He flew ahead to one of the few bays beneath their vessel, red and green lights directing him to his designated bay, hook deployed he circled about before going for it, speed rapidly dropping as he neared, eventually he the straining of metal as the hook caught the loop. Letting out a relieved breath he shut off his engine and stowed his wings before the crane lifted him back into the heart of the ship. Once safely in the landing bay he opened his cockpit and hopped out as the hanger crews transported his craft back to their maintenance bay. He pulled up a nearby box and sat, waiting for everyone else to finally get back.

[C r o w]

Fighter craft 5

"Roger that."

Mirroring Davis' moves as much as he could, Emil directs his plane towards his designated bay.
He ends up being too slow and pending on the left side.

Emil turns left, looking to his wing that was hit.
"Damn you!" He waves his fist.

He was about to reach stall speed.

"Flak it."

Giving a boost to the engine he sends it at full speed to quickly close the distance between his craft's landing hook and the ships' one.

*clang*

The hook gets attached.
Immediately after he cuts power to the engine, while his plane is dangling.

As the craft is raised into its bay he says:
"For being the first time landing like that, I say it was good."

He then climbs out of the cockpit and sits near the plane, looking at it.

He then pats it on the side.

"Good boy."

[BdrLineAzn]

Gunnery Deck, Port Battery

After hearing the order for the scouts to mobilise, Courage hurries up to the Gunnery Deck and ready the main guns. On his way the cooridors are filled with crew running to their stations with several running with him to the Port Battery. Once on station, the maintenance team has already loaded and place the guns into their firing positions where Courage hops into the front most Hawacha.

"Not another dull moment is it?" says a voice behind.

Turning, Courage recognises that it was Theodore Cutler bringing up a cart of rockets.

"Never is, " he replies as he turns back to get a glimpse of the skirmish.

Due to the angle of the gun and how massive the ship is, there is no way in telling what's happening in front of him unless the transport turns to starboard. After several minutes, a call over the PA systems orders e crew to stand down the Gunnery Deck and place a watch team topside. Sighing, Courage pull a lever by the side of his seat which reposition the turrent back inside the vessel and closes its hatch. With the help of Theodore, the pair unloads the Hawacha. With the last casing removed, Theodore carts the munitions away as Courage heads towards his him.

"Hey meet me up on the Weather Deck once you are down with that." he calls back.

"Where are you going?"

"Just getting a few things... Just get a team and meet me there."

With a shrug, Cutler continues on his way to store the cart and begins to muster their watch team from last night.

Renard/Courage's Quarters

Entering his shared space, Courage notices that his roommate haven't returned.

Man, he must have gotten hit good, he thinks to himself before going to his locker.

Opening, he retrieves his carbine and straps on the ammo belt across his waist. On his weapon, Courage also retrieves the scope for it and attaches it on the left side of the receiver. Sastisfies, he loads in one of the magazines and heads out to the Weather Deck.

Fifth Season

"Skies are clear at the moment, but proceed with caution to the wreck" comes the order from Allen to both escorts.

After the destruction of the Goldfish, both crews on the Galleon and Junker are on alert with their ships weaponry at the ready.

"That was quite a show. Thank goodness they are on our side," pipes Ulric to Alexi.

"Yeah, but keep your head up. Remember we are in the dunes, the sands always change and nothing is as expected."

Still going their speed and coarse, the pair arrives over the wreck. From their position, they notice that the hull is split in two and that some of the pieces are in the lake itself.

"Hmmm," Ulric goes while pondering the situation. Grabbing the radio he tunes in to the Bridge, "Shadow, we are over the wreck. So far the coast is clear and are landing to investigate."

"Copy Mr. Culvin. We are approaching the position as well."

Looking over his shoulder, he sees the transport flying at almost its maximum speed towards the two. Nodding, he switches channels back to Alexi.

"Think you can handle the wreck on the coast? My ship is equipped to make water landings for I'll check the lake."

"Sounds like a plane." was the response.

The pair breaks off where the Galleon slowly descends to the ground bellow. Ulric does the same but over the body of water where he pulls a lever next to his helm where two two long balloons inflate on either side of his lower hull. By the main engine, a rudder is lowered as cogs and pipes start to connect it to the helm.

"If you guys are still below deck, come up. Gonna be wet soon." he says to his crew.

Soon the Junker touches down, and with the inflated pontoons, float right on the surface of the water. Making sure all systems are responding properly, Ulric starts deflating his main balloon and securing both turning engines.

The crew stands perplexed as how an airship transformed into what is essentially now a boat. Seeing their confusion, Ulric manuvers the craft towards the floating wreck and calls to them, "Perks of being a researcher on an island."

Hanger Bay

Once all the planes have been retrieved, Marie and several others on the maintenance team goes up to the five planes sitting idle. Face palming, she notices the damage on two of the planes.

"We just fixed one this morning and already the spare is damaged." she mutters under her breath.

[Carn]

Bridge

"I'll prepare my Squid to launch.  I'll maintain a high altitude circle over the wreck, and keep the swabbies on lookout.  After we're done, I'll swap with Alexi."

Turning around to leave the bridge, Alister makes his way to the hangar bay.

Hangar Bay

Walking up to the Kibeth, Alister surveys her state.

Not to bad, hull integrity is sound and armor is patched.  Wish I had time to prep her with more bombs, but the decrease in weight should increase my speed.

Climbing aboard, he looks around for idle crew members, spying a cluster he calls out.

"Going out in five minutes!  Any of you been on a Squid before?"

Roughly a half dozen hands go up.  The owners of all but one, looking rather green.  The remaining one happened to be the engineer who took the helm before.  Mentally sighing, Alister signals him, and two others to join him.

I really have to get his name.  He seems to be one of the few who has any idea of what to do.

[C r o w]

Hanger bay

"Mhhh...Uh? What the...?" Emil looked around himself, he found the plane where he left, but he could only recognise the engineers, everybody else seemed to have gone away.

Yawning he looked around.

He found Selenia sitting next to him, checking, disassembling and then reassembling an SMG of hers.
"Oh, you are awake! I never thought you of being capable of taking a short nap."
Emil answer is largely incomprehensible and uuhed.
"I mean, you either don't sleep at all or you sleep like you are dead."
The uuhing continues.

"Your flying looked a bit rusty."

That comment totally woke up Emil.
"Oooh! Excuse meee! Sorry I didn't live up to your expectations Ms. Ace-fighter-pilot!"

"That's more like you now.
You wants to eat something?"

Emil tilts his head and grins.
"You found the galley?"
"Yeah, and it's almost official lunch time."
"Good, very good."
"You know, you should change out of that suit." Pointing at the pilot suit.
"Willco"

A minute later he comes out of the changing room wearing his usual duster and heavy anti-bullet armour.

"Lead the way dear, I swear that right now I could eat an entire galleon."

[ShadedExalt]

Engineering:

Striding into engineering looking remarkably refreshed, he takes a look around, suprised that most of the damage is nowhere to be seen.  Grabbing a swabbie and dragging him along, he says, surprisingly pleasantly, "So, tell me what needs to be done, and whether anything was damaged in that last attack.  I'm raring to go, here."

[Carn]

Hangar Bay

"Alright lads, we're going to circle over some wreckage awhile, then begin our shift.  Keep your guns loaded, and your spyglasses out."

Pointing to the engineer from before, Alister asks him his name.

"Otto Smith sir."

"Well Mr. Smith,  as I know you are capable, you get to main.  Keep the mine launcher loaded with lesmok."

Pointing to the other two, Alister tells them their stations.

"You take front, keep greased rounds in the gatling for now.  And you take the side, load the banshee with burst.  Standard repair kits, aside from Mr. Smith who will be taking buff. Any questions?"

"No sir."

"Nope."

"What are the harnesses for?"

The last question was from the youngest engineer.

"Lad, those are for repelling off the ship.  At full speed.  While being shot at. Any more questions?"

All these shake their heads.

"Good, set up.  I want to be in the skies in less than five minutes."

[BdrLineAzn]

Crimson Dragoon

With a massive thud, the Galleon touches down onto the level ground just a few meters from the wreck. The crackeling of a fire is heard and any semblance of the craft is mangled as metal is strew everywhere.

Going down the stairs to the compartment directly below, Alexi stands in front of a wall
Inked with lockers and starts to open two. Coming from the gun deck, his crew stands idle waiting for orders. What they didn't expect was to be thrown a rifle by Alexi as pulls them out to all three. Same with a backpack and ammo belt to the three, he grabs the same armament and equipment before closing the metal container.

"Alright," Alexi says while turning around and unbolting the rifle. Loading a clip, he returns the bolt back to its original position and starts down the stairwell, "Let's go, we are burning time."

Dropping a rope ladder down the aft end of the ship near the turning engines, the four climbs down quickly and is soon by the wreck in 15 minutes.

Grabbing his portable radio, Alexi calls in on all frequencies to conduct the search, "Kasparov here, my men and I are at the land wreck. Anything of value that I should find?"

"I agree.", comes Ulric, "I made my way to my portion and it looks like some of it is underwater. I'm suiting up to dive in."

Eagle's Shadow, Bridge

"Umm hmm, wait one." came Allen's reply.

Turning his chair around, the faces both Reagan and Frey, "Sir, what are we finding?" to the Commander.

"Have all scouts been retrieved?" Frey asks.

"Yes just a few moments ago."

"Make a call to have Lord Ansager to come to the Bridge, he'll should know."

"Roger," giving a small salute and turning back to man the PA system ,"Lord Ansager, you are needed at the Bridge. I repeat, Lord Ansager, you are needed at the Bridge."

Weather Deck

Finally having everything situated, Courage arrives topside to find his team all on the starboard most forward end of the transport. Curious, he makes his way to the small crowd and see what they were staring at. The Transport turned slightly to port to make the starboard guns ready to cover the ground team as they have a wide view of the area.

"Looks like you made it on time," says Theodore who finally notices the man.

"Yeah...anyone has a spyglass?" he requested.

Brig

After much deliberation between his three other raider compatriots, the one next to Jsaper's cell agrees to join and help escape.

"Goodie, we must wait for the right time..."

Jasper stops mid sentence as it looks like he is trying to feel something. The four others notices it as well and are about to asks but is cutoff by a hand. Placing his other hand to the bulkhead, Jasper listens tentatively by placing his ear onto the metal. Feeling no vibrations, his eyes goes wide with joy.

Grinning, he looks at his new partners, "It maybe time yet." finishing with a grin.

[C r o w]

Galley

"Lord Ansager, you are needed to the bridge. I repeat, Lord Ansager you are needed to the bridge."

While munching a piece of meat Emil turns to face Selenia.
"Did I do something wrong?"

"Maybe they want to ask about the wreckage of the Hammer."

"Uh, right, the ship. Well, I should get on my way..."
He starts walking, then stops on its track.
"Do you know where is the bridge?"

"Yeah, follow me."

Bridge

"Lord Ansager reporting. What am I needed for?"

[Piemanlives]

--Weather Deck--

"Ms. Belle?"

"Yeah?" Janet swept her hair back again, the wind blowing it into her face every so often. Amelia, with her bun, didn't have this issue.

"How is it that things would end up this way?" Amelia set her carbine against her shoulder as the two of them leaned against the ship's railing. Both of them adjusting their coats as the wind picked up again.

"What the watch duty?" She reached inside her coat and pulled out a cigarette, "No idea."

Silence fell between the two of them as she lit up, blowing a puff of smoke that dissipated shortly afterward.

"Hey Amy?"

"Amelia Ms. Belle."

"Well Amy, did you see that?" Amelia turned to see her companion staring intently out into the distance.

"Ms. Belle?" Amelia tried staring into the distance but saw nothing but the endless expanse of sandy terrain.

"Ms. Belle, what do you see? Janet?"

"Amy, do you see it?"

Amelia raised an eyebrow. "What am I searching for?"

"Well, it's just that..." Janet turned to her, "I see something out there, and it begins with s."

--Engineering--

Marcus Graham was having an interesting day, since he woke up he had been terrified by the head of engineering, the incredibly muscular and bearded James Crowe. Since then he had been creeped out by a strange women who came as soon as she went, which was very he reminded himself. Being dragged about by another engineer who seemed to know his stuff? Wasn't half as weird as the other stuff.

"Well, nothing was scratched during the last 'battle,'" he did air quotes with fingers, "if you could even call that a battle, word going around the ship is our scouts are a bunch of showy badasses, no idea though, haven't seen them fly." The two of them continued through engineering, him reading off the points of prominent strain on the system.

"Captain had us at full power for a bit, some of that strain caused a few minor ruptures, some areas are still being worked on from last night."

He closed the notebook, "Other than that, since 'Our Lady of Engineering' has awoken things have been going pretty smoothly, not to say things didn't previously... but... well... ya know, swabbies being swabbies..." That was when he and Gaige spotted Crowe and Tucker standing before the furnace, two pairs of gloves on a shovel poised at it's entrance.

"Any last words Lorena?" Crowe looked at the gloves solemnly.

Lorena, hand over heart, furnace light reflecting off her skin, looked at the gloves. "They did their duty to the last. Toss em." The two of them chucked them into the furnace and shut the door.

--Bridge--

Reagan maneuvered the Shadow into a holding position high above the wreckage of the vessel. She had decided to let their escorts deal with salvaging the vessel while the Shadow remained alert. Someone had to after all. With their vessel at a stand still she could feel the slight sway as the wind buffeted the vessel. A vessel of this size wouldn't be affected all that much but it was one of the telling signs they were still in the air, as much as they had to worry about that at this moment.

Lord Ansager entered through the bridge door, his traveling companion having returned with him, thankfully he didn't seem all that much worse for wear. Something she could be thankful for, it would probably be a mess of paperwork if something happened to him. She gave the two of them a slight nod as she continued about her duties.

[BdrLineAzn]

Bridge

"Ahh greetings you two," Frey acknowledges as Emil and Selenia enters the Bridge, "As you already know we are above your wreck and currently searching it. Is there anything of value that is worth retrieving?"

Weather Bay

As Courage eyes both teams on the ground, he can't help but overhear a conversation a few feet from his position. Turning he sees both Amelia and another female, most likely someone who worked for the Bridge.

"I see something out there, and it begins with s," the female says.

Tilting his head with a huff, he eyes the pair, "Really?"