Sh'yl went to see Ambrose.
Hi Ambrose, I see you meet Francis and his Yak !
and with a tone of confidence he added Don't worry about his demands he's a little bit of "strange"
I'm sure will could come together to an arrangement. Ambrose is the best cook of the ship and he's already under the Captain's eye.
Between us, we need to stick together and help each other, isn't it ?
I think it will be best for the ship to be more like a family than a dictature. I'm sure Ambrose will agree with me that the Captain is more like a tyrant than a father ! Right ?
Ambrose's eyes grow wide but he gives Francis a crooked drunken smile. At this point Sh'yl walks in on the spectacle. Ambrose nods along with Sh'yl. "Well, I can't be going direct against the Captain's orders, you understand, but he ain't said nothin' about the yak yet and I suppose that if I don't mention it he'll forget soon enough. Too much else on his mind."
Ambrose takes ahold of Francis' armpits and lifts the sorcerer back up straight. "No, no, you don't need to be paying me back for Pudding. If he's yours, take him. Don't know what you'll be doing with him on the ship anyways."
---
The next day you are put on more routine maintenance, cleaning, and repairing duties for the whole day. Sh'yl works up a sweat in the kitchen with Ambrose, who has grown quite fond of the kasatha.
Xerxes will try to get to know their benefactor better. As soon as he has some time, he spends it with Sandara, eager to know her better, as well as understand humans better.
Tell me, Sandara, why are you helping us? You don't look like a regular space pirate, I *feel* that you are different. What is your story? Tell me yours and I will tell you mine.
Sandara smirks and thinks back to Xerxes, "In a hard place like this, it's not what you know but who you know. Friends are the greatest asset you can have and enemies. . . well, one too many enemies can get you killed."
She sits quietly for a moment before continuing, "I grew up on a hard colony, working on the space docks where I could, carrying out whatever jobs were available. I had a keen eye for trouble and a reputation for standing up for myself, I guess, and by the age of 12 I was hitting the taverns with the roughest of them."
"My true calling came one night though when I got word that a ship had been lost in a nearby nebula. My father was on that ship. I prayed to the forces of the spheres and when he returned the next day I knew my prayers had been answered by the powers that hold the 'verse together. I've devoted my life to those powers ever since."
She sighs, "I lost my father three weeks ago. So I took to the skies. It hasn't worked out the way I expected." She shrugs. "But I'm making the most of things I guess."
Then friendship is in order, Sandara, for you have been a reliable ally and a true friend. I am sorry about your father's passing... is that what humans says? I'm still trying to adapt. In my culture, the passing of a great warrior heralds great times to come, for he is now part of the Khala, the great order of things that drive our will to battle. The dead great heroes are the very reason we fight for and strive.
You speak of powers of the 'verse, what are those? Indulge in my curiosity.
After talking to Ambrose and befriending him, Sh'yl tried to befriend the human with the a blue handkerchief.
Hi, I'm Sh'yl, a Force adept, what's your name ?
We're different but we should be friends!
Sandara nods and smiles. "Hmm. I like that. The force of the spheres, the power that holds the 'verse together, is. . . well, it's hard to explain. Call it god or gods or fate or coincidence or meaning or the universal soul or spirit, it doesn't really matter. But I'm convinced there's something holding us all together."
Hey, whatchoname?
"What's it to you, Shill?" the man answers roughly. He sighs and strokes the blue bandanna wrapped over his head. "They call me Crimson, cause that's how I look when I'm angry. And that happens a lot so don't push me around, Four-Arms. I volunteered for this, ain't that f$@+ed up? What about you, were you f%%$ed up before you got here or after?"
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Francis hurriedly runs to find Pudding, hugging the beast when he finds him. "I thought you were dinner, Pudding!"
"Moooooo..." responds the beast of burden.
I volonteered too ! My parents where famous pirate before their ship crashed on Akiton ! But dispite my hopes, these put me in chains and gave me no choice but to serve them !
I'm sure you're as pissed as me to serve someone you don't choose, and yes I'm f$@*ing angry about what happened to me, and you !
You seemed to want the same thing as me and some others I've meet. We want the choice a choice we made. I don't mind doing cooking or cleening if everybody do it.
I'm sure you're a great guy Crimson, and my friend and I are looking for great guy like you.
Do you want more than following order and doing the bad work ? Or do you want some real adventure ?
I honor you for your faith of powers greater than ourselves. I am not unlike you, in fact. As promised, I shall tell you who I am. I am one of the Protoss, which aren't found in great numbers in this galaxy. We are fierce warriors, dedicated to the Path of Ascension, the Khala. It is like a religion to us, something that gives us purpose, meaning. It manifests in our ability to use our psyche to become one with others, one with the universe. I find solace in that. Do you feel the same in your religious enlightenmnent, may I ask?
Crimson looks at Sh'yl with a raised eyebrow and a scowl. "No! I don't want any f@~&ing adventure! I'm going to keep my head down and my mouth shut until I can get out of this s~@#hole."
---
Sandara nods along to Xerxes. "Yes, this seems similar to my outlook. You've got a good heart and a sharp mind, Xerxes. Can't say I've ever met any other protoss but I look forward to it some day."
Francis is going to hang out with Pudding for a while until dinner.
Sh'yl wasn't able to convince Crimson to go with them, but their stay was just beginning and he hoped to be able to change Crimson's mind in time.
...deep down in the hull and out of sight during a break, KarϮer had been working over Hartshorn with some tasty insectiod morsels he'd grabbed from the kitchen. During the casual chat, he offers the space-roach-hotel shakings to the lizardman, ”We brothas gotta stick together, you know what I mean? Now, I was pulling punches you know, when Plugg hold me to jump you. He can't be trusted-”
The towering hulk is clearly not used to being treated with respect and kindness and listens to Karter's jibber-jabber with a toothy. . . well, it kind of looks like a grin. He doesn't say much but Karter is convinced that Hartshorn would rather listen to him than Mister Plugg.
Suddenly you hear a siren going off over the intercom!
Captain Harrigan's voice comes over the speakers spread throughout the ship. "We've got a Ferengi merchant vessel up ahead trying to flee. I think it would look better in Orion green, don't you think? We're going to chase the big-ear bastards down and board. Be prepared for battle!"
With the rest of the crew, you run to the battlestations! For lowly swabs and servants like yourselves, this means the airlock.
The ship's master gunner Riaris Krine stands before you. She raises her voice above the siren and shouts, "All right! Now we're going to tractor beam her in close and lock on! When that airlock opens your going to rush across to their ship and kill the guards. From there, find their escape pods and guard them. Kill anyone who tries to get away! Don't move from there until the fighting's done or you'll have to answer to me. Now get ready!"
You hear the explosions and feel the vibrations as the two ships close and begin to exchange fire. Suddenly a loud BANG! followed by a shudder and many mechanical sounds indicates to you that the ships have made contact and the airlocks are closing together.
After a quick blast of air the doors open and reveal six frightened large-eared aliens trying desperately to guard the way to their ship. They hold small shock-sticks and laser rifles.
Xerxes is the first to spring forward, all too happy to find the thrill of the fight again. Blades of pure energy - psyblades, as he calls them - come to life on each of his wrists, which are then aimed at the Ferengi's throat.
For Aiur!
Although the Ferengi are known as powerful merchants and fearless negotiators, they prove less effective on the battlefield and one of them instantly falls to Xerxes' charge!
"And what are we supposed to fight them with?! –Our n#+$?!", Karter looks around for anything useful, seeing none, he takes advantage of the startled ferengis. Grabbing the nearest hunk of metal bar as an improvised weapon, he goes for one of their rifles, "Gimme that!".
Francis cheers on the group, stuck behind the group. "You can do it!" he cheers from the space lock, unsure why we want to kill these men.
Karter sends the laser rifle clattering to the ground. Francis hesitates, not certain that the threats of the master gunner are enough reason to assist in the acquisition of a merchant vessel.
Sh'yl was unable to kill the guard so he tried to knock them off
Surrender !
Sh'yl's attempt to hit the Ferengi in the leg is unsuccessful. The Ferengi shout back, "Never! It's our ship, you dirty scum! Get your little-eared heads out of here!"
The three in front guarding the way try to jab with their shock sticks!
One of the others, disarmed by Karter, fumbles on the ground and tries to pick up his rifle before stepping back and firing!
The other one fires at Francis!
Karter tries to step on the rifle before big ears can fire.
Then...
>>
Again, Sh'yl try to knock out the guards
But he missed.
may be I must let the force guide me, in good or bad
Xerxes nimbly dodges the shock sticks, then retaliates with both blades.
Karter is unable to disarm the Ferengi again but does deal him a heavy bruise! Sh'yl misses again but Xerxes lands a single hit!
"I'll help you Sh'yl!" Francis yells!
Francis' jolt injures the Ferengi facing off against Sh'yl. The alien merchants all switch to their shock sticks and move in around the party!
This time, Sh'yl closed his eyes to refocus and call the Force to aid him fighting his ennemies.
Then, he opened his eyes and strike.
This time, the force guided him and his strike and his light saber connected with his ennemy's body.
This time the Protoss isn't quick enough, and one of the shock sticks manages to send powerful jolts into his body. His mind steels itself to ignore the pain, and his long arms strike once more, relentlessly.
One of the men tries to zap Francis and he leaps back. Now will you listen to me? BURN THEM!
Francis begins to chant in an unearthly tone. It all makes sense... Cleansing fire will bring about peace... Visions dance across his mind of destruction and regrowth.
"برہمانڈ کے جادو آپ کی رگوں کے ذریعے چلتا ہے کے طور پر آپ کی جلد کو جھلسانا اور آپ کی ہڈیوں پاپ کرتے ہیں."
As Francis finishes speaking, he eyes pop open and an eruption of flames envelops a triangle of creatures in front of Francis.
Sh'yl knocks one of them down as Xerxes finishes off another! Francis then lets forth a blast of flame and any that are still standing drop their weapons and surrender!
Having fought your way onto their ship, you storm aboard! Sirens blare and sparks emit from the walls! You run down the corridor, trying to find the escape pods and eventually come out onto a hangar room from which two small shuttle pods can be piloted!
However, arriving to the room at the same time and heading for the shuttle pods are four Ferengi, one of them looking to be a senior officer. They shout to each other in their own tongue and try to break for the small craft!
I must let the Force guide me
Sh'yl call the force to improved his precision then moved near the Ferengi who seemed to be the senior officer.
Surender before the Force crush you !
Then strike him
As you run Francis babbles at you. "ذریعے چلتا ہے کے طور پر آپ کی جلد کو?"
”You shot me!”, Karter follows through with the metal rod on the same ferengi
>>
Sh'yl strikes at the officer as Karter charges in but misses! The officer steps back and uses a long rod tipped with a spear-point and a backward-facing hook to fend off his adversaries! "Don't worry boys, we'll be in the shuttle pod and out of here in no time!"
The others then rush back to help their officer!
off: 9 dmg
Francis moves forward to the group of men and looks at them strangely, muttering words in an alien tongue. "ہے کے طور پر آپ کی" His eyes seem to look through them as a streak of red flashes across his corneas.
His lips curl upward as the flames engulf the aliens. "آپ کی جلد کو"
Sh'yl continued to target the officer, hoping his fall will get the other in a better mood to surrender.
For Aiur!
Xerxes moves to get to the officer if he can, trying to flank him. However he's far too hasty in his moves, and slips at the last moment, missing his quarry.
Francis calls out to the Old Ones and burns two of the fleeing Ferengi, knocking one of them to the ground! Sh'yl drops another but Xerxes misses!
off: 9 dmg
#1: 6 dmg
”Come here you twerp!”, Karter chases after a ferengi like school yard fight, and in the chaos, maneuvers to flank with the other crewmen.
>>
Sh'yl deals a blow to the officer as Karter takes out another crewman! Finally, seeing the fate before him, the officer drops his spear device and puts his hands in the air. "Surrender! Surrender!"
The chaos continues to unfold around you. It is hard to see through the steam and smoke but you hear sirens, explosions, and the screams coming from all manner of aliens.
Just as you were commanded, you stand guard over the escape pods but are not assaulted further and within a few minutes the noises start to die down. You hear faint cheering coming from the Wormwood and soon Captain Harrigan himself marches across the airlock and into the newly-acquired ship, followed by the rest of the crew who begin assembling themselves in the loading dock alongside you. The few prisoners left after the raid are marched in front of the imposing figure of the Captain.
"Let's lock these ones up," the Captain motions to the prisoners, "and see what we've got. You've all done a fine job today, every one of you. I think it's time to celebrate."
The Captain seems in a rare good mood and Ambrose cooks up a meal that is better than you have yet tasted aboard the ship, although it still wants for some spice and flavor. Alcohol of various sorts is pulled out of storage and passed around liberally.
Additionally, after several hours of sorting, the Captain bestows on you your share of the loot:
The Captain gives everyone the rest of the day off but tells you to be ready and able by tomorrow morning, when he will decide what to do with the new ship....
Francis shares a bottle of space rum with Pudding. "We won the new ship, Pudding! Wonder what is going to happen with it..." He opens the bottle and little spheres of rum begin to float out of the bottle. Francis grabs one in his mouth and swallows, feeling that familiar burn.
The space yak licks up the alcohol spheres as they float around in the air.
"Gotta go Pudding, but you should keep watch over my money! You were always better with gold anyway!" Francis states plainly to the yak.
"Moooo...." responds the yak.
Francis bundles up his gold and slides it under Pudding's water trough before heading out to party with the men.
---
The four new recruits look over their new loot. "The necklace is shiny... but can I have one of those healing draughts?" Francis asks the rest of the group.
I hope they will ransom them rather than kill them... hopes Sh'yl when their prisoners were taken by the Captain.
-----------------------
Sh'yl help Ambrose in the kitchen taking his share of doing.
When the captain gave them their share, he said.
I'm interested by the amulet, but If Karter want it, I will easily let him have it.
I hope to ask again Crimson to join us, and I will gladly accept one of the potion as a token of trade to try again.
------------------------
During the feast, Sh'yl went to Crimson.
He Crim' how was your part ? I took down one of the officer you know, and we manage with my friends to stay alive and get back with only light bruises