Dyelli Beybi

Empire of the Clouds

Nikos, Urses, Hamelin, Aden, Carter & Zoe

Cowritten by @Expendable, @Terrans, @PrinceAlexus, @InfamousGuy101, Dyelli Beybi, @Shadow Daedalus

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Nikos appears with coffee. Zoe and Urses volunteer to help around the ship. Hamelin teaches Nikos the fundamentals of navigation. The crew spot a destroyed railway bridge - evidence of enemy movement nearby.

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"Ware below!" Nikos announced, then slid down the ladder into the gondola, a fresh carafe of coffee on hand as Urses returned from fetchign the piece of metal he assumed to be the sextant Hamelin was looking for "I've scrubbed out the percolator and put in fresh grounds, it hasn't tasted this good since the first day of the conversion. Anyone want a cup? And what's this about a parrot? Did another one get on board?"

"Coffee not made from a field kitchen or in a foxhole? I'll take a mug." Aden looked invigorated by the promise of fresh coffee. His zeppelin now accompanied by some light clouds and the peaks of distant mountains.

"Agh Coffee, bring a cup over good man." Hamelin said with a hope that coffee make life a little better, it was hot and woke you up at least. He had spent some time working on the charts now, lining the maps and systems correctly to true north. Placing the sliding glass wwas a challenge, a shake of his missing fingers as he locked the small screws to secure the array. But to his satisfaction he was finding that old skill and memories were returning.

"What about you, sir?" Nikos asks Carter as he pulls fresh cups from his pockets.

Carter let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head as he kept his focus on the wheel. "Yeah, I’ll take a cup," he said to Nikos, his tone casual. "Been a long shift, and coffee’s coffee, no matter where you’re drinking it."

"I'll have a cup," Zoe smiled brightly, "Now my friend, you must show me how to use that to free yourself up for more important tasks."

"I couldn't do that, it's not proper," Nikos said, sweating a little. How would the officers take it if they found out a lady was doing manual labor? He had to change the subject. Weren't they talking about parrots? "On the Kaikias, my captain's brother died and left him this parrot that he brought aboard. We left to do a recon, only a day out when we heard swearing comin' out of the captain's speaking tube, then as clear as could be, we heard 'turn about, turn about.' We thought we were off course or something, so we turned the ship. Half-way through, the captain comes into the gondola and starts demanding who told us to turn around? Then we heard the swearing from the speaking tube and once again, 'turn about, turn about'. It was that bl... parrot," he quickly amended.

"Nikos," Zoe said, raising her eyebrow, looking partially amused by the parrot story, but undeterred, "It would be truly inappropriate if this ship crashed because you were playing tea boy rather than making use of the skills I'm sure you have. It would be so inappropriate that nobody would comment on it again - because they'd all be dead."

"Anyone is welcome to work, we are going to need all help we can." Hamelin said, survival was be better odds if they pulled together.

At mention of work, Urses leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms, "Well, anything requiring technical know-how is out of my field of expertise, but as long as no-one's dying I can give a hand with any general, unskilled labour."

"Helm, what speed we at? And def....wind age? Am I compensating for? You'd believe me if i saw a Kraken right.." Hamelin asked the unknown merchants captain from the pirate lands with a story tellers heart. He joked at end, every sailor had some claim to something impossible..

Carter glanced at the compass and altimeter, his hand steady on the helm. "We’re cruising at about 60 knots," he said, his tone calm and measured. "Not pushing her too hard—need to save fuel if we ever need to make a fast escape from the Reds. Wind’s steady, slight cross from the east, but nothing to sweat over. She’s gliding smooth enough." He smirked at Hamelin's quip about the kraken, "You’re talking to a guy who’s seen skybeasts that’d give you nightmares and pirates bold enough to harpoon a ship like they’re fishing. If a kraken decides to take to the air, I’m sure I’ll have to log that one too. Good thing we're inland."

"Copy, 60 knots. If that's so we can get some harpoons and catch a light calamari lunch." He returned the quip, The lack of waves is... strange I must admit." He said reflecting on how are ship travel he was not fully used to. Looking at the chart Hamerlin carefully, and a little nervously, adjusted the dials of the unfamiliar plotting system, he managed to get the speed and such calculations in eventually on his third try crossing out a page of messy hand written calculations as he went. All this was familiar...yet alien enough to challenge his experience. It took him a little time before he spoke. "I have a rough course, it's not perfect, but bear 15 degrees port, we will meet a larger town in maybe a hour currently and I not want to risk it be a red town. Take us wider over ... some large lake, lake... Irons Deeps." He said looking at the grease pencil rough lines along the glass over the map.

Carter nodded, adjusting the helm to match Hamelin's calculations. "Fifteen degrees port. Over Iron's Deeps, it is," he replied evenly, his hands steady on the wheel as the airship made the gradual turn. The gentle hum of the engines filled the silence for a moment.

"Not a bad call, skirting the town," Carter added after a beat, his voice quieter now, almost as if he was thinking aloud, "But I can't help wonderin'... if that town’s still in one piece."

The airship moved gently like a cab carrying a noble lady with about as much drama, the turn was slow enough that a fussy baby could have likely slept though it. Hamelin was impressed by how smoothly the ship could handle under a skilled helmsnab. "Smooth turn on the Helm, my coffee barely moved," Hamelin said drinking his coffee watching the expanse beyond the large windows, such a different world to where he started squinting out the gutters periscope, "Anyone want navigation basics while i have a long watch?" He asked, he might as well find some way to be useful and teaching someone some basic skils was somthing more than being idle.

"Iffen you don't mind, sir," Nikos says a little hesidently, glancing between Hamerlin and Zoe. "I wouldn't mind learnin' how to navigate." The more what know how to navigate, work the engines and steer, the more likely we'll survive if there's casualties, Nikos thought to himself. And I already know how to steer.

Hamelin looked over at the man who asked, a airship crewman who had been helping serve coffee. Well Coffee was valued but he could not deny that he could do more, "Not at all, come on, get over here, she won't bite, maybe steal a airship, but alas. No time like right now. A navigator must be confident, then you can make other confident, and that's a good ship. Is that not right." He said, gesturing him over and deciding that he would start on most basic foundations. Zoe he hoped would not mind the joke, he was a little nervous and maybe the lady had him a little...socially feeling...out of place.

Urses was far less concerned with social graces and openly chuckled at Hamelin's joke as he stepped away from the navigation table to fish out a packet of cigarettes from the pocket of his waistcoat. He wasn't sure about which brand they were; one of the local flavours but it didn't really check when he was buying them. "She doesn't? Shame, I like a little fire in a lady..." Moving closer to the front windows, he put a cigarette between his lips before going for his lighter, shielding the flame with one hand as he struck the flint with the other. He had the good sense not to put a lit flame near the very important paper maps, so he was fine to watch Hamelin's impromptu lesson from a distance as he partook in his chosen vice of the evening.

"Well," Zoe's smirk only deepened at the comment, "That's not quite true, but sadly this isn't the right setting."

Hamelin gestured to man on Helm to hopefully reinforce the lesson, "As you maybe know, everything boils down in the end every time to a simple formula items. Where you are, where you want to go, your speed and direction of travel. As long as we have at least 2 we can calculate any of the rest. " Hamelin showed him the course he plotted, breaking down the components and how each simple part interacted with all the others. Maybe simplistic but he started at very foundations making sure they where strong.

Zoe followed Urses over to the window, "Hmm," she commented, pointing out towards the curve of a small waterway, "Someone has blow the railway bridge,"

It wasn't the biggest bridge and people could probably still wade the river without too much difficulty, but the gap would definitely slow the Calarians down, once they got there. The lack of soldiers working on it, implied they weren't there yet, but given it had been blown, they couldn't be far away, "Hmm, well hopefully that will give us some time at the gold reserve. Has anyone radioed ahead to tell them we're coming?" she paused a long moment, considering what to say before eventually stating, "Be vague and just say we have orders that we'll present on arrival. They'll know me and it will be fine, but we don't want any suspicion that we aren't supposed to be there before we arrive."

Hamerlin looked over when Zoe mentioned a destroyed bridge, Urses seemed to least be less stressed, and less stressed people with guns was not a bad thing in his mind, he has sense to not smoke near the maps, they would be in the shit even more without maps and chats. Her comment resonated with some of the plans he had heard and other things he had seen in his diplomatic role, including the redundancy plans things fell apart too fast to even implement when the 5th column rose.

"Maybe a day or two for them to bring up an railway brigade to build a temporary crossing. They are not going to be held up for as long as I would like," he said not wanting to dwell on the gold, that was just a headache on top of headaches, he had to get them to somewhere they could even pause to take stock before they planned how to even manage gold. "Telegraph... we've not got that online yet. Someone was going to take a look at it when we can spare someone who knows how." He did not sugar coat half the crew where civilians who did not have the skills to do that, maybe run a watch once they got set up but they needed someone to get it set up and check if it even did work.

"Oh well, I imagine we'll be there in a couple of hours so I guess we just hope for the best!" Zoe declared.

Carter kept his focus on the helm, his expression unreadable as he listened to the exchange. “A couple of hours, huh?” he finally remarked, his tone edged with pragmatism. “Let’s hope your name’s got enough pull to smooth things over, Lady Spirou. Last thing we need is some jumpy officer thinking we’re here to rob the place.” His hands tightened briefly on the wheel as he adjusted their course slightly, eyes flicking toward the window and the blown bridge in the distance, “And if that bridge is anything to go by, it sounds like the Calarians are closer than we’d like. Wouldn’t mind having that radio running, but since we’re flying blind, I’d suggest keeping everyone sharp when we touch down.”

"Id like to give you a more exact number, but best i can say is few hours, Airships do not handle like ships." Hamelin said as he consulted the plot on the navigation table.

“Glad to see they made sure the rear guard will stay on this side of the river.” Aden sounded offended at the notion. The river falling away as the marksman gave a pondering look at the revealing horizon. “Do you suppose this reserve has any emplacement weapons? Something that might prevent us landing?”

"I couldn't tell you for sure. I was never that interested in that sort of thing," Zoe replied, "But this is an Imperial Airship. They will be unlikely to fire unless they are sure we are unfriendly, even without a telegram. Do you have any idea how expensive one of these is! I'd pity the gunner who shot down a friendly airship. Money, after all, makes the world go round! Once we're on the ground... don't worry. They'll do as I ask," she said, with a sigh that sounded disappointed for some reason.

Empire of the Clouds

Carter, Aden, Zoe & Hamelin

Cowritten by @InfamousGuy101, @Terrans, Dyelli Beybi, @PrinceAlexus

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Where Aden and Zoe tease Carter for his outlandish stories of the other continent.

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Carter had been standing at the helm, his hands steady on the wheel, eyes fixed on the horizon. The soft murmur of conversation drifted to him from the others on the bridge, but he made no move to join in. He adjusted the course slightly, the ship responding with a gentle groan as it held steady through the frigid air. The colder temperature didn’t seem to bother him much, his focus entirely on guiding the airship forward.

He glanced briefly over his shoulder, catching fragments of introductions and polite exchanges between Zoe, Hamelin, and Urses. Their voices were low and measured, a stark contrast to the earlier tension. Carter didn’t interject; he preferred the quiet distance, letting them carry on while he kept the ship on its path.

A merry whistling preceded the opening of the rear most hatch of the bridge. Aden appeared, the last notes of the marching hymn dying with a slight embarrassed grin, "Hello." The marksman gave a perfunctory wave of his hand before he closed the hatch behind him; standing beside it in a obviously loose posting. His rifle still slung across his back and his pistol holster snapped in place. His helmet was missing at least; replaced with a dark stocking cap that allowed wisps of hair to curl from underneath.

Carter, still steady at the helm, let out a low chuckle, “I had my fair share of run-ins with a sort of air pirates back in the Evig. They’re not as fancy as they sound. Most of ’em don’t have their own airships—just small boats with harpoons. They’ll try to snag low-flying crafts, drag ’em down for plunder. Only works on the smaller ships, though. The big haulers like this one? They’re a little too much for those harpoons to handle, that and they can reach higher altitudes." Carter adjusted the wheel slightly, his eyes flicking to the horizon. “Now, down south in the archipelagos? That’s a whole different story. Ain’t just pirates down there—there’s all kinds of nasties waiting for anyone foolish enough to fly or sail through. Heard stories of crews vanishing without a trace, ships found adrift with no one aboard. Some folks say it’s just storms or bad luck. Others? They think there’s... other things out there.”

"Harpoon an airship?" Zoe raised an incredulous eyebrow, "What kind of tuppeny-ha'penny airships do you fly in the Main?"

"Sounds like something in the penny novels." Aden piped in. The man having dragged a chair to where he could sit down. His notebook balanced on a knee and opened to a page that was on one side a range estimate and a half finished journal entry on the remaining space.

Carter smirked at Zoe’s incredulous tone, keeping his hands steady on the wheel. "You’d be surprised what desperation can do," he said, his voice carrying an easy drawl. "Harpoons aren’t just fantasy. You take a rigging gun, fire off a steel harpoon with reinforced cabling, and you’ve got yourself a problem. They aim for control surfaces or latch onto the hull. Once they’re hooked, they’ll drag you down or force a landing. It’s not always the harpoon that gets you, though—it’s the crew panicking. Seen more than a few greenhorns tear their own rudders off trying to escape. That’s a quick way to kiss the ground—or the sea." He glanced at Aden, his smirk deepening, "Yeah, it does sound like penny novel stuff. Thing is, a lot of those stories? They’re based on real tricks pirates pull. I’ve flown in the Main long enough to know better than to laugh it off. All it takes is one harpoon to ruin your day, no matter how ridiculous it sounds."

"Sure thing. I'm sure they also launch flying machines up to force zeppelins to the ground." Aden was still grinning as he scribbled away at his journal entry. Summing up two weeks of hell and horror into two paragraphs that did little to capture the enormity of his journey. A tear threatened his eye as his thoughts turned to the 46th Alpine, or rather, where they had died. The mountain pass had been held against the first few assault; but the fourth one came at the heels of clouds of gas and artillery. Faces contorting into terror as the gas or the Calarian's caught up with them....

Aden threw a grin onto his face and squelched the tear. He finished the paragraph and began the ones about the zeppelin. The cocky Mainer, the young silver tongued spinster promising gold, the civilians and military factions forming. His pen moving rapidly as he turned to the next page; a sketch of the air ship developing as if to illustrate his new home for the foreseeable future.

"Perhaps you could train a troop of flying monkeys to claw their way into the helium bags?" Zoe suggested deadpan.

"Maybe we could get a catapult and launch bears at the gondola's to eat the crew?" Aden finished the outline of the Zeppelin and begun to add the gondola and engines.

"Or train an albatross to mimic human speech, fly in through the window and command the crew to land in the voice of their Captain," Zoe added, clearly finding teasing Carter quite entertaining.

"Has to be a parrot." Aden began shading his sketch. "A parrot is colorful enough to fool them into thinking they're a captain."

Carter glanced briefly at Zoe and Aden, their banter about flying monkeys and bear catapults still fresh in the air. He didn’t take it personally; it wasn’t malice, just ignorance. Folks of the old continent had no clue what went on beyond their neatly drawn borders.

"Never trust a sea story, I've not told or heard one that was ever completely true. Even if you float than fly. I've told plenty to know." Hamelin put in. He had taken the opportunity of Aden's arrival to start working on plotting out exactly where they were on the charts.

Empire of the Clouds

Zoe, Hamelin & Urses

Cowritten by Dyelli Beybi, @PrinceAlexus, @Shadow Daedalus

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Where Zoe introduces herself to the Favian crewmen.

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The bridge had emptied out a lot after the chaotic disturbances earlier, though Zoe was still there, leaning against the table with the charts on if, staring thoughtfully out into the darkness of the night beyond the gondola. She shivered slightly, hugging her arms around herself. The room was colder than the rest of the ship without any heating and the young noble had fled without a winter jacket... which hadn't been that silly given it was summer. But high in the sky the temperature plummeted.

Hamelin, walked slightly stiffly as he made his way down the narrow passageway, it was all too, ships moved and this Airship was somthing he had not got used to yet, it felt alien to him, like it was subtlety wrong vs Sea going vessel. He made his way past cabins to the bridge, a woman and a few others gathered though his aim was the chart table he found slightly damp... Grease pencils, maps, and a complex brass plated directional compass. He was looking about for the sextant and astrological equipment.

"Taking a look at the charts?" the woman asked, "Zoe Spyrou," she introduced herself with a slight smile.

Hamerlin looked over at the woman leaning against the Navigation station, a noble by the looks of her in a rather fashionable blouse as far as he knew. He turned his head as he had a black patch over one eye and a several visable scars. "Yes Miss Spyrou, well if I can find the rest of Navigation equipment." He spoke politely and a little more formerly, he could still be a Gentleman even if it had all gone to shit, "Hamelin Le Marinier, Diplomat and a Post Captain before i could only Aye, instead of Aye Aye." He said lightly and rested slightly against the chart plot and soothed his right leg, phantom pains from the effort of late and old injury.

Urses appeared a moment later, though with noticeably less purpose in his stride. Truthfully, he hadn't come here for any particular reason; After the initial argument on the bridge and subsequent discussion in the armoury, the Medic had busied himself by clearing one of the unused passenger cabins as an ad-hoc medical bay but now he had done so, he needed a change of scenery and found himself here, although he wasn't sure if he needed fresh air or a cigarette. The cooler air was pleasant enough, although he noticed that not everyone would agree... Sighing slightly to himself, and slipping off the coat of his civilian attire, he approached the Inburrian woman and offered the garment to her. Suspicions or no, he reckoned should at least extend her the courtesy, if only to prevent more work for himself later, "I hope you don't mind if I cut in, but do you need to borrow my coat? The cold seems to be bothering you and you don't want to catch something from it; I have the supplies to treat wounds, not cure colds..."

"That's very kind. Thank you," Zoe gave Urses a warm genuine smile. The gesture had meant something to her by the looks of it.

The Medic nods with a slight smile in return. "Urses Mallory, by the way. Medical Technician, Favis Army... not that you'd guess from the clothes."

"Oh really?" She let him drape the coat around her shoulders before slipping her arms into the sleeves, "I would have picked up the accent, and guessed you were military given you weren't squabbling in here earlier... A pleasure to meet you, Urses, Mister Marinier... I think we met before, must have been at some silly function," she said dismissively.

Hamelin racked his mind and he did link her to something, not a person or a perfect link but he has been attending. Yes, he knew, he remembered the night after rather fondly. "The 12th Innovation hall, Opening night. Good wine, but the sea food was to be desired. Apologies if my memory is a little loose, it's been quite eventful. " He said, not affronted and used to the rather ... less than open diplomatic events. He shifted his weight with a slight hiss of pain. "Well met Mr Mallory, You made it, so that what's matters,. Can you check the lower cabinet, sextant? anything?, old injury, never forgotten." He asked respectfully, rank really did not matter with the dangers still so close behind them, and he would give him curtesy and try to offering him a hand to shake, though his right was where his fingers where replaced.

"Oh yes, I remember that!" Zoe remarked, "I generally liked the wine at that sort of think but Papa was always worrying I'd do something frivolous. I imagine taking an airship out for a spin around the country would qualify as frivolous!

"The wine was always better after the 2nd glass." Hamerlin said matching her slightly more open mood, he definitely could give her a interesting way to escape boring diplomatic functions, grand theft airship...air piracy maybe? "Air Piracy...I'm not even sure If they even have invented the crime. Am i now a pirate?" He could not help but smile at idea, air pirates with cannons along broad sides etc and skyborne boarding actions. Airships where still rather novel.

"So how are we for weapons?" she asked, "And can I have one."

And then.. it dropped, he had to phrase this carefully and he chose his words delicately "We are prepared, but I hope we will remain as we are, and uneventful. Our flight estimate is about a day worst case right now Miss Spirou."

"Yes," Zoe nodded, leaning forward across the desk conspiratorially, "But I don't know who all of the people we picked up are and I suspect many would sell their own mother for a cheap bottle of brandy. They may try to hurt me or decide that the gold goes further if there are less people involved. I'd feel more comfortable... but if you don't want to, I'd also be happy to accept your protection - as an Officer and a Gentleman."

Turning towards Zoe, he had to track people from his one eye, he would protect her as was his duty but he did not want to get caught up in gold business. Money, stressed people was a disaster waiting to happen. "I of course, am still a Officer and Gentleman, I shall do what I can. Gold.. of course you'd bring trouble." He said quietly, with a small sigh, his memory linking her better... "Mi lady, You where always .. lively." He said, Zoe he seemed to recall was somewhat a woman whom could never be called dull.

Zoe flushed slightly at Hamerlin's comment, giving him a coy sideways glance, "Well it does have a habit of getting me into trouble, though in this case I rather think it's getting me out of it!"

"I cannot deny that, Least you were not in a ball gown and heals dodging a upset dukes coachman, Even though I was absconding with a Lady I shall not name to the Grand Royale Hotel, Nice Diversion for some of us anyway." He laughed as it was good for the soul to joke a bit however he would not name names. He was a Gentleman, in less gentlemanly pursuits.

Zoe smirked at that comment, apparently the idea of dodging a coachman didn't seem that concerning, "You know, I am pretty good at dodging people when I don't want them to know what I'm up to. Essential life skill!"

Wild Beasts of the Earth (Gothic Horror)

Nicola Hoffman & Adam Temple

"Not lucky for me!" Nicola yelped, "I went walking back home from here last night."

"But you were in the company of others. From what we know our attacker prefers to attack people who are alone. So that gives us some useful avenues to pursue," Temple paused to stub out the butt of a cigarette, "We are starting to build links between the victims. Young, female, poor. Whoever, or whatever, we are hunting has a type it prefers... but for some reason the first victim was a male grave digger. Why and what further clues can we find about this murder?"

"These are enquiries to follow with the police," he said, pausing a moment before asking, in a tone that suggested he had a plan, "Do we have any marksmen amongst us?"

Empire of the Clouds

@Shadow Daedalus BTW if you feel like joining us on Discord, you are very welcome! I realise you didn't get a chance to get into the big cowrites.

We are, incidentally going to switch to solo posting now. And the TL/DR is at Zoe's urging they're going to try to steal some gold

Empire of the Clouds

Arkadios, Zoe, Yuri, Carter, Itzi, Volodar, Aden, Chamer, Giogoula, Marietta

Cowritten with @Pragia12, @InfamousGuy101, @Bingelly, @Athol, @Terrans, @Tesserach, @Badarby & @Imaria

Part One: A Cunning Type

It was a clear morning in Inbur, barely a cloud in the sky. Dawn crept over the fields and woodlands of Inbur far below them as the ship drifted onwards, seemingly without direction at this point. There was plenty of room for people to take cabins but most people were on the command Gondola. Arkadios was cleaning his pistol, leaning against one of the walls, while Zoe paced back and forth, somewhat distractingly. Before anyone had a moment to tell her to stop, however, she did exactly that, "So. Has anyone got an idea of where we are going?" she asked.

Arkadios looked up, raising an eyebrow, "I was assuming we were headed for Grendell."

"Could fall by the time we get there. Then what?" Zoe posed, leaving a pause, purely for dramatic effect, before declaring, "I'm quite in favour of going to Grendell, but, just in case, we should really have some money on us so that, in a worst-case scenario, we can actually refuel this ship and put ourselves somewhere useful and, as it happens, I know where to find some."

Yuri had pulled in a few of the maps kept in storage behind the bridge, a topographic layout of the eastern half of the continent typical to Inburian war planners. He had begun penciling in the rough extent of the Communalist advance based on the reports he had received earlier this morning, "Last orders we have are to pull up north to form a defensive line." The defeat in his tone was being suppressed, but not successfully so. Yuri gives a deferential but grim look to Arkadios. He still believed in those orders. The words of the civilian caused his brow to furrow "What do you mean money? This is a military decision, ma'am."

"Oh naturally," Zoe declared, without sounding like she actually intended to bow to the military, "But if you are willing to indulge me a little and hear out my idea, I will give you something which could lead to a chest full of medals if our brave boys hold in the North. And if they don't, at least we can afford to keep this ship in fuel and caviar until Judgement Day... or we decide to set down."

Carter stood at the helm, his hands steady on the controls, his expression as neutral as ever, "The Main," Carter suddenly spoke, turning his head slightly toward the group, his tone casual "It’s our best shot." Trusting Itzi with the controls, Carter stepped away from the helm. His boots clanged lightly on the metal floor as he approached the others, "This continent?" he said, gesturing vaguely out the window toward the land below, "It’s a powder keg, and it’s about to blow a hole so big no one’s getting out of it." He leaned against the console, arms crossed, and fixed Arkadios and Yuri with a pointed look, "Captain, lieutenant... I get it. Your plan? It’s dutiful. Brave, even. But let’s be real for a second. It’s not practical. We’ve got women, youngsters, people who’ve never held a weapon in their lives. The way I see it, this isn’t a military ship. Not anymore. It’s a refugee ship. And that means you don’t get to unilaterally dictate where we’re headed." His gaze shifted to Zoe, then to the rest of the group, "The Main’s got the space, the resources, and—most importantly—it’s far enough from all this mess that we might actually have a chance to breathe. You stick around here, you’re just waiting for the next army to knock on your door, whether it’s ours, theirs, or someone else’s. You want to live? You head west. Simple as that."

"The Main?" Zoe wrinkled her nose in distaste, "I would say most of us have family on this continent and therefore pretty good reasons not to want to leave. However, if we go and get the money, you can get a first class ticket home, even if we ultimately carry on to Grendell."

Taking the helm with a nod, Itzi simply listened. A merchant's life led one to be a vagabond of sorts and as long as it wasn't another war zone she was content to go wherever as she knew she skills could find her work in fairly short order. Hearing other's mention The Main she perked up. "If we're casting lots." She said finally. "I'd say The Main as well." Letting go of the helm with a hand for a moment, she gestured to Carter. "Like the man said, there's no sense in sticking our noses into a fight if we don't have to..." She let out a bit of a sigh. "Plus...this is just me, but I guess it'd be nice to head home; haven't seen my folks in a few years."

Yuri looked up from his scrawling as the Mainers spoke. "This country's the one I'm sworn to, and the one who owns this ship." the defeatism being burned away in indignation "We drop off you civilians behind the lines and bring this airship back into service. If you want to get off the continent you can arrange that with your own means. There will be no casting of lots." a pleading glance would be spared in the captain's direction.

Carter turned sharply toward Yuri, his expression hardening as the man finished speaking. His voice, steady and assertive, "Let me remind you, Lieutenant," he said, locking eyes with Yuri, "it’s the civilians—the ones you want to shove off behind the lines—who got this ship running in the first place. It’s folks like me, Itzi, Christina, and the rest who made sure we’re even having this conversation instead of digging our own graves back in Inbur. Where were your soldier boys? Running, or worse, switching sides. So don’t come at me with talk of duty and ownership." He stepped forward, gesturing broadly to the gondola. "This isn’t a military ship anymore. This is a lifeboat. And you’re not a commodore, just like I’m not a damn admiral. We’re all on this floating piece of metal trying to stay alive, and we all have a say in where it’s headed. If you want to stay and play soldier in a war that’s already lost, be my guest. But you’re not dragging the rest of us down with you!"

Lieutenant Kasrikos graced Carter with a roll of his eyes and a shaking of his head "You've earned your escape from communalist hands, and will be delivered from them. Lifeboats bring their people to the nearest safe harbor, not half across the world."

Volodar turned away from the maps that Yuri had been marking and turned to address the group arguing around him. "Shall we squander more precious time listening to an uncultured Mainer who wishes to steal command of this vessel? Furthermore, if we do listen to him, how exactly shall we pay for food and fuel for this voyage across the Evig without gold and currency? So let the woman speak."

Arkadios gave a sigh as he reholstered his pistol, exchanging a glance with Yuri, "Okay, Zoe, you are dropping hints about a vast fortune. What is this fortune?"

Zoe blinked innocently before adding, "The Imperial Gold Reserve, which is held in Castle Custospada. I would wager there hasn't been time to move it. Certainly not all of it! There is, after all, rather a lot of gold in the vaults," she paused before adding airily, "As to the matter of getting it out, I know people there and, more importantly, they know me. Papa took me there one time when he visited for business. I'm reasonably sure I can at least get them to talk to us and not shoot," she declared, "Then we just need to convince them that we're going to move the gold to Grendell. If some goes missing on the way, well... call it inverse taxation."

"If it's red or us instead...?" The Chamer blurted out with a wan smile from the corner.

Aden had been at the rear of the cabin. Picking away at a can of beans; taking a moment for the first time in weeks. Now, however, he stood. Rifle leaning back by his seat but pistol still holstered, “So your idea is the military members of this crew, desert. And not only desert but rob the nation on the way out?”

"Don't be ridiculous!" Zoe replied with an exasperated sigh, "We get the gold and return most of it to the Government. It's better than leaving it for the Communalists, isn't it?"

“So only partial treason. A great plan!!” Aden threw up his arms as he stepped closer to Zoe. “Maybe we can give the Communalists the battle plans for the Northern redoubt while we’re at it. Make sure the side we’re robbing has no way to come after us.”

"This isn't treason at all. Well, not unless you decide to tell everyone some of the gold didn't make it's way to Grendell," Zoe declared, "As I see it, we're doing the Government a favour by recovering their gold. You'll get a medal not a punishment!" she gave an exasperated sigh, "Really, I don't see how people can be so short sighted. That gold will be necessary for the war effort!"

"Well, I’ll be damned," Carter said with a low chuckle. "Didn’t take you for the cunning type, Miss Zoe. 'Inverse taxation', huh?" He nodded thoughtfully, clearly weighing the proposition. "As long as me and the others—your ragtag little lifeboat crew—get a fair share before the Inburians take it all back, you can count me in. If this gold means some restitution for my lost ship, my crew, and the hell we’ve been through just to get this far, then I’m fine with that. Hell, I’ll even help load it up. But don’t expect me to carry it all the way to Grendell unless there’s something in it for everyone here."

Zoe smirked, giving Carter a wink, "I'm full of surprises."

---

Part Two: My damn rifle till I can’t pull its trigger anymore

Arkadios grimaced, "I'm not sure I agree with taking a cut from the gold reserve... but we do need everyone onboard for this and, realistically, this ship can carry a lot of gold. Far more and more quickly than they could move out by truck. I suspect this would be seen as a valuable use of the resources we have at our disposal."

Yuri, meanwhile looked at Zoe curiously "How in God's name do you know where that's kept?" he didn't sound opposed to the concept.

"Daddy was involved with the mint," Zoe replied, a little vaguely, though it was possible she didn't know exactly what he did.

For once, Yuri smiled, "If you're certain the gold is there, I have no issue with seizing what we can." he said positively, darting a though glance towards Arkadios.

“Involved with the mint?” Aden studied the girl who was apparently holding sway with this crew. “Who are you exactly?”

"Me?" Zoe raised an eyebrow at Aden then shrugged, "I'm nobody much. As for Papa... Not sure exactly. I was fairly young. Warden to the Mint... or something like that?"

“How close to the front is this reserve anyways? Won’t we have to beat the Communalists and their allies there?” Aden demanded.

"The Castle is on the Edge of the Morktree and yes, we will need to beat the Communalists there," Arkadios answered for Zoe on this occasion, "But they are on foot and we are in an airship. We will get there first."

“I hesitate to ask;" Aden continued, "but do we have enough people to maintain this craft and deal with the Comminalists on the way. “

"Talk to the mechanic about maintenance," Arkadios motioned up towards the balloon where Christina was working, "As for the Communalists; they are on the ground, we are not. We will simply fly over them."

“We captured an airship. I believe the capabilities to mimic us is there,” Aden persevered.

"Of course they could, but there is no evidence they have yet," Zoe replied, "And like I said, they know me already. I am quite obviously not a Communalist."

“If anything goes wrong. You’re the first ballast I drop," Aden grunted in irritation.

"And if it goes right?" Zoe took a step forward, chin tilted upwards in defiance, a flash of anger in dark eyes, "Are you going to give me your share of the gold? Because I feel after that comment that I'm rather entitled to it."

"None of these ships were ready for civilian evacuation." Yuri put in sharply, as the situation took a turn for the tense.

“So this is the only ship that was ready for civilian evacuation?” Giogouka asked, having been silent for most of the conversation. The comment got a nod of confirmation from Yur.

Aden matched Zoe and took a step forward; almost bumping into her. “If this goes right I’ll give you my damn rifle till I can’t pull its trigger anymore.”

"Hmm," Zoe smirked slightly, "You know, I'm still partial to the money - a girl's got to eat - but I'll take that. I'm far more convincing than I look," she added, giving Aden a wink this time. It seemed she was quite confident in her plan.

“Apparently….” He waited a few seconds before their proximity registered and he brushed his neck before he stuck out a hand. A resigned sigh preceding his words. “…..Private Aden Robertson. 46th Alpine Regiment.” His accent was definitely not native Inburian but it had enough inflections to reflect that of someone familiar with the region.

Zoe took Aden's hand, slightly tentatively, as if she wasn't quite used to shaking hands, "Zoe," she introduced herself, "Zoe Spyrou."

Aden cocked his head at how a self assured person could be so timid in her handshake. But he let it slide as he drew back his hand.

---

Part Three: Mechanics and Morse-Code

"'Ware below!" Christina called out as she starts climbing down the ladder into the gondola. She looked around the compartment for Nikos, but didn't see him. "The segaiolo who took my pistol, where is he? I want my pistol back." She frowned slightly at the discussion she had stepped in on, "You cannot let the pezzo di merdas take your treasury. You should take it with you and what members of your government you can save." She paused then turned back to business, "We need more mechanics," she glanced towards Carter, "Since service we provide, wages would be fair."

"Well," Carter crossed his arms with a smile, "a few gold bars would be a fair wage for your services I'd say!"

"Guns would be fair," the mechanic stated flatly. "Many pezzo di merdas to kill."

"Well how about this," Zoe cut in, "We take ten percent of what we load up and split it between the people here. If you feel morally compromised you can return your share to the Crown. And if anyone asks we say we needed to throw it overboard to gain altitude or something Airshippy like that."

"They will not trust us, will send guards. Best have a contract that says what we get for doing this," Christina scowls. "They not dumb.
Pay up front."

"I'd advise against a contract," Zoe gave Christina a cheeky grin, "Since we're technically committing a crime. And no, they aren't fools, but I would gamble this rather pretty blouse I'm wearing, which sadly is all I have to gamble, that I can bluff my way past them."

Yuri cut in at that "A crime in peacetime, but this is an emergency action in the best interest of the crown." perhaps he was lying to himself to some degree, but clearly the idea of the revolutionaries seizing it was convincing enough to quell his concerns.

"Exactly!" Zoe agreed cheerfully, "Everyone wins!"

"Then someone get me my gun and a whole lot of mechanics. Can't run that compartment myself," Christina looked from Yuri to Carter, "Get me eleven mechanics, we then okay. Five very least."

The lieutenant bobs his head lightly as he regards Christina "I can offer spare hands, for what its worth." he considers the soldier "No other ships at the aerodrome were in working order, they might be able to get something from the commercial yard, but we're in the clear for now."

"Come with me after this," Christina told him.

Carter stood arms crossed as he listened to the back-and-forth. When there was a moment of pause, he spoke up, "I can lend a hand with maintenance too," he said, nodding toward Christina, "The ship I flew might’ve been a hell of a lot smaller than this beast, but an engine’s an engine. I can turn a wrench just fine if it means keeping us in the air."

"Hear hear!" Itzi backed up the fellow Mainer as she still held to the helm, "I can also twist a few bolts and screws myself. Wouldn't have made it here if I couldn't..."

"Lieutenant," Volodar cocked his head back towards the young man before he could be led away to do maintenance on the ship, "If we are requisitioning some of the Imperial gold, I suggest sending a message to Castle Custospada once we are in range of the wireless. It would not do us well to be fired upon by our own people."

Yuri nodded, "Once I got the telegraph fired up I'll get it sorted. Still have the codebook, also will try to smooth it over with them before we talk in person."

"Yes," Arkadios nodded to Volodar, "We'll need to alert them that we are coming."

"For the first time I agree with the stuck up elgamann," Itzi spoke up, her gaze still focused on the horizon ahead, "would be a shame to get holes in this here big girl!"

"Okay," Christina pauses, about to climb up the ladder. "When you two come, bring cigarettes. Filtered."

Having been seated at some unused desk space in the bridge, Marietta was typing up the minutes of this discussion. Hearing the mechanic stop to ask for a cigarette, "You probably shouldn't smoke miss, you're far to young for such a vile habit."

Empire of the Clouds

Arkadios Andreaou & Zoe Spyrou

As another line fell slack and a couple of minutes later, Arkadios came scrambling back up the ladder, "Who can pilot this?" he bellowed, his voice cutting across the din in the gondola, "And if anyone has experience in the military, and isn't a pilot, follow me!"

A few moments later Zoe climbed up onto into the gondola as well. He didn't know the names of most of the people onboard, which was annoying, though he had shared a proper introduction with her, "Miss Spyrou - make sure someone takes command. I need to get people on the guns. It's only a matter of time before the enemy find this ship."

It did rather stand out.

Zoe looked alarmed, then nodded, stepping over the ship's wheel, casually leaning against it, "So, who is going to take the wheel?" she asked, "Or should I take it and make it up as we go along?" Arkadios was sure she was joking though she sounded serious. He hoped she was joking at any rate.

Empire of the Clouds

@Bingelly Looks good to me!

Empire of the Clouds

Character Roster

Arkadios Andreaou - An Inburian Army Officer
Chamer - A Confederacy Poet Prince
Christina Ferrari - A Calarian Mechanic
Giogio Giorgiou - An Inburian Secret Policewoman
Hamelin le Marinier - A Favisian Diplomat and former Naval Officer
Itzi Ku - A Hunyunakian Merchant Pilot
James Carter - An Ardellian Airship Captain
Marietta Barbachollo - A Calarian Typist and Propagandist
Mitunbaal Vasiliou - A Shariq Academic with a secret.
Nikos Vassiliou - An Inburian Airman
Puskurunuwa Petrides - A Shariq Circus Performer and Petty Thief
Urses Mallory - A Favisian Medic
Volodar Naesandoral - An Elgan Adventurer
Yuri Kasrikos - An Inburian Signalman
Zano Mirazdar - A Sakhian Inventor
Zoe Spyrou - An Inburian Aristocratic Refugee

Empire of the Clouds

Arkadios Andreaou

Yuri Kasrikos

..
. He wasn't sure who this man was, but he would raise a salute "Captain." In acknowledgment "Lieutenant Kasrikos, Imperial Air Service Signal Corps, sir." He'd offer sternly in introduction, waiting for acknowledgment even now. Clearly this soldier did not believe the chain of command ever truly failed.

"Glad you had good taste in escape method, wasn't sure if she'd ever take off again."

@Pragia12

The Captain returned the salute quickly, "Captain Andreaou, East Morktree Regiment of Foot," he introduced himself, "We need to get the cords released so we can take off. There should be others firing up the engines. O I'm going to do that. Care to join me?"

---

Zoe Spyrou

The ship was not actually too far off the ground yet and as Arkadios sprinted off to attend to a different mooring line, Zoe, who had dropped down, a little ungracefully, next to him, looked up at the Iktani man on the ladder, "Hold a moment... that trunk has your life's work in it?" she asked, "When you get to the top, toss down two ropes. Your man will want to drive back here to save time on the return and when he does, we will attach one to each end of the trunk and draw it aboard. Or hopefully someone stronger than I will. It wouldn't do to loose a life's work if there is a practical way to save it!"

"For now though," she motioned towards the vanishing figure of Arkadios, "I should probably help with the lines. Better to lose a life's work than your life, after all!" she said with a reassuring smile, though in truth she felt a little concerned. She had a sneaking feeling she recognised the man from somewhere. But she didn't dwell on that. Instead she took off after Arkadios.