Shane, Main Deck
Shane circled the deck scanning for Masarde. When he spotted him, he politely interrupted, saying, "Forgive me but your expertise is needed below-deck sorting out a problem with the engine. Would you please accompany me down to the engine room. Shouldn't take long."
Masarde was with a group of nobles and officers, many of whom looked curiously at both Shane and Masarde when he mentioned engine trouble. The tiefling frowned. "What do you mean, a problem with the engine?" He sounded almost offended, which made sense when you considered that he had been taking credit for the Coaltongue all night. From what Shane had heard, Masarde made it sound virtually like he'd built the ship with his bare hands, all alone in a shipyard somewhere.
Ralf, Berth Deck
"Marine," scowled Ralf, "attention to duty is admirable, but we are not having time for this. Going off to find and bring back officer is wasting time we are not having. You may watch every move I make or even come inside with me if you wish, but unless you take responsibility for putting all on this ship at risk, you are unlocking door now!"
The young marine backed down in the face of Ralf's scowl. "Uh, aye aye, sir." She lowered her weapon and went to the first door to unlock it. "I can tell you nobody's been in here, though, sir." She stepped out of the way for Ralf to pass her, but stayed right in the door with her musket at the ready as he went inside.
Jaelynn, Gun Deck
"Of course you don't." Jaelynn muttered, "If I was putting this plan together, I wouldn't trust you with that kind of information, either."
She seemed to have almost forgotten the man, as she began to think, doing her best to puzzle out how this would work, and what would stop it.
As far as she could tell, the very important piece of the bomb was missing. If the boiler blew it would do a great deal of damage but if the decks and hull were designed well it probably wouldn't destroy the entire ship. The magazine was probably protected against fire, so there would have to be a bomb there.
Of course, if whatever wards protected the gunpowder from fire were removed then a boiler explosion could light off the powder, which would in turn blow up the foredeck above, precluding the need for a separate bomb.
So there were two points of vulnerability- the engine and the theoretical wards in the magazine- which had to be individually defeated unless the saboteurs wanted to bring in two separate bombs.
As the pieces clicked into place in her head, Jaelynn nodded. "Of course! It's so simple!"
She turned to her prisoner, and suddenly realized it was just she and him. Frowning, she grabbed his shackled hands, and began marching him down the stairs.
"You are going to help undo whatever you've done in the boiler room. I have other things to check on."
Masarde was with a group of nobles and officers, many of whom looked curiously at both Shane and Masarde when he mentioned engine trouble. The tiefling frowned. "What do you mean, a problem with the engine?" He sounded almost offended, which made sense when you considered that he had been taking credit for the Coaltongue all night. From what Shane had heard, Masarde made it sound virtually like he'd built the ship with his bare hands, all alone in a shipyard somewhere.
Shane felt an urge to grab the arrogant tiefling and yell, Your precious ship has been sabotaged and is about to blow up and sink like an anvil, but instead he forced a smile and said, "It seems the crewmen in charge of the engine did not properly understand your complex innovations. The ship is behind schedule and they need you to put things right."
Ralf nodded appreciatively at the marine as she stepped aside from unlocking the hatch. "Latcho, gestena." He took the time to put a hand on her shoulder and look into her eyes firmly. "You are making right decision. Am knowing is difficult to stray from orders but sometimes circumstances demand. Will be recommending commendation for good judgement."
She instantly left his mind as he turned to the hatch, running his fingers along the edge gap, studying the hinges and surface closely, looking for any hint of a tripwire or trap.
Finding nothing, Ralf carefully undogged the hatch and pulled it open slightly, stopping to examine the enlarged gap before pulling it open far enough to slip through. Seeing three compartments he paused for a moment...
... and then moved towards the port-side compartment.
Anthony frowns and shakes his head slowly. "We need to fix this now. More then likely the other sabotage that would make this dangerous hasn't been stopped yet. Whether its been put in place already or not remains to be seen, but if their plan hinges on us not being able to use this Emergency Release, then we need to be capable of using it. Do you have the parts necessary here to fix it? Perhaps make a work around?"
Anthony turns to start looking around for anything that would help, but suddenly realizes Aziel was right in the room with them and nearly jumps in surprise. "Ms. Charbonneau, apologies, didn't see you there."
Shane, Main Deck
Shane felt an urge to grab the arrogant tiefling and yell, Your precious ship has been sabotaged and is about to blow up and sink like an anvil, but instead he forced a smile and said, "It seems the crewmen in charge of the engine did not properly understand your complex innovations. The ship is behind schedule and they need you to put things right."
Masarde rolled his eyes but looked mollified by Shane's announcement of his genius. "Hmph. Well, if that's the case then I should get down there to see what they're stuck on. We had thought we'd made it simple enough for a monkey to operate, but I suppose the one thing you can always count on is the stupidity of people." He gestured at Shane. "Lead on, young man."
Jaelynn, Gun Deck
"You are going to help undo whatever you've done in the boiler room. I have other things to check on."
Natick sneered at her, but allowed himself to be pushed around easily enough. "That's the beauty of it. Can't be undone."
Ralf, Berth Deck
Ralf nodded appreciatively at the marine as she stepped aside from unlocking the hatch. "Latcho, gestena." He took the time to put a hand on her shoulder and look into her eyes firmly. "You are making right decision. Am knowing is difficult to stray from orders but sometimes circumstances demand. Will be recommending commendation for good judgement."
The young marine looked like she'd rather he forgot about her assistance altogether, but she nodded back at Ralf.
Finding nothing, Ralf carefully undogged the hatch and pulled it open slightly, stopping to examine the enlarged gap before pulling it open far enough to slip through. Seeing three compartments he paused for a moment and then moved towards the port-side compartment.
The magazine was lit by an enchanted lantern mounted on the ceiling, revealing a small room full of tightly bound casks. Just from the smell, Ralf could tell they were full of gunpowder.
Ralf didn't see anything amiss.
Anthony/Aziel, Engine Deck
Anthony frowns and shakes his head slowly. "We need to fix this now. More then likely the other sabotage that would make this dangerous hasn't been stopped yet. Whether its been put in place already or not remains to be seen, but if their plan hinges on us not being able to use this Emergency Release, then we need to be capable of using it. Do you have the parts necessary here to fix it? Perhaps make a work around?"
Fitz frowned up at the rusted valves. "Yes, but the hard part is going to be getting those off without destroying those pipes. I don't even know how they could've made the rust do that." He shook his head. "Must've been magic."
The young machinist's mate looked back at Anthony. "Sure, yeah, we can fix it. It might take a while, but we can do it."
Masarde rolled his eyes but looked mollified by Shane's announcement of his genius. "Hmph. Well, if that's the case then I should get down there to see what they're stuck on. We had thought we'd made it simple enough for a monkey to operate, but I suppose the one thing you can always count on is the stupidity of people." He gestured at Shane. "Lead on, young man."
Once they got down to the first level, Shane began to explain the real situation. I regret to inform you that the situation is much more serious than I could say in front of the other guests. RHC agents discovered saboteurs who claim they have set in motion the ultimate destruction of the ship. We need you to help us determine if this has in fact been done and if so to determine what can be done to reverse it. The perps were caught working in the engine room, so we should look there first. The other agents may have discovered more by the time we get down there.
Shane evaluated Masarde's response to determine if he was going to react badly to the risk he was stepping into. Now is where you can prove your genious, Shane thought as he waited for Masarde's response to the dire news.
Ralf quickly scanned the compartment, looking for wires or timers or anything out of the ordinary... while mentally kicking himself for not yet knowing how to scan for magical auras.
Must be learning to do that, he thought sourly while returning to the short hallway and heading to the forward compartment. Better to give each area a quick once-over and follow up with a detailed examination, he reasoned, than to spend too much time in one area at the expense of the others.
Shane, Gun Deck
Once they got down to the first level, Shane began to explain the real situation. I regret to inform you that the situation is much more serious than I could say in front of the other guests. RHC agents discovered saboteurs who claim they have set in motion the ultimate destruction of the ship. We need you to help us determine if this has in fact been done and if so to determine what can be done to reverse it. The perps were caught working in the engine room, so we should look there first. The other agents may have discovered more by the time we get down there.
"What!?" Masarde's eyes opened and he took a step back in shock. [b]"We have to tell the King! We have to get out of here!" It looked like Masarde was going to react as badly as Shane feared.
Ralf, Berth Deck
Must be learning to do that, he thought sourly while returning to the short hallway and heading to the forward compartment. Better to give each area a quick once-over and follow up with a detailed examination, he reasoned, than to spend too much time in one area at the expense of the others.
Ralf quickly scanned the next two magazine chambers and noticed nothing amiss. He did notice over the hatchway a small wreath made of live oak twigs and sage bound with fine metal thread to a copper plaque marked with a rune.
"What!?" Masarde's eyes opened and he took a step back in shock. "We have to tell the King! We have to get out of here!" It looked like Masarde was going to react as badly as Shane feared.
As Shane saw the fear grow in Masarde's face, he stepped between Masarde and the ladder back up to the main deck. He laid a hand on Masarde's shoulder and made a fist to hold onto the fabric of his fine formal jacket.
"The captain of the ship and the king's guard have been alerted. They are relying on you and me to get down to the engine room and anywhere else we have to look to determine if this is real or not!" Shane leaned in close and elevated his voice to demand Masarde's attention, while he held the man firmly in a grip that said You are not going anywhere unless I allow it! "The threat could be a hoax to cause the king to abandon ship and in the chaos, he might be attacked without the resources of the King's Navy! So grow a pair and get down to the engine room or I'll hog-tie you and carry down!"
Natick sneered at her, but allowed himself to be pushed around easily enough. "That's the beauty of it. Can't be undone."
Jaelynn gave the man a beatific smile as they reached the top of the ladder into the boiler room. "It's a bit steep. You'll want to use the handrails for bal- oh." She cut off after her "gentle" shove had sent the man off-balance, and she "suddenly realized," just before he hit the deck below, that his hands were manacled behind him - thus, unable to use the handrail.
"He's here to help with the un-sabotaging," she called down to the others, then turned and took off running to the magazine.
When she got there, the elf looked quizzically at the Marine - standing beside an open hatch.
"I thought we had agreed that the King Himself wasn't getting in there," she said, the fingers of one hand twitching in the pattern for an offensive spell, should it be needed.
Anthony turns back to the smaller man and gives a nod. "Lets hav-" A crash interupted his words. In a moment both him and Scrapper had their hammers in hand (though this was easy for Scrapper, who had a hand that was a hammer) and were turning toward the source when Jael's voice rang out. Anthony sighed and rehooked his hammer onto his belt, Scrapper doing the same a moment after. He glances down to the man in the manacles and then over to Fitz. "Get started. I'll be with you in a moment to assist you. Aziel, would you like to have a nice chat with our new friend here to see if there are any surprises in store for us if we try to fix things?"
Anthony asked the question as he oh so politely hoisted the manacled saboteur up by the manacles chain and then dragged him over to the unconscious man bound by rope. They were certainly gathering quite a collection here. The taller man wondered if there were actual requisition forms for that sort of thing as he propped the manacled man up a good five feet away from the other bound man and anything important in the room, thinking it would be best to avoid giving him any chances. "I'm sure he'll be very helpful considering not helping means anything bad that happens to us will likely happen to him."
Aziel smiled an unpleasant smile when Jaelynn called down to them. "A gift! How thoughtful. A pity I didn't get her anything."
He glances down to the man in the manacles and then over to Fitz. "Get started. I'll be with you in a moment to assist you. Aziel, would you like to have a nice chat with our new friend here to see if there are any surprises in store for us if we try to fix things?"
Anthony asked the question as he oh so politely hoisted the manacled saboteur up by the manacles chain and then dragged him over to the unconscious man bound by rope. They were certainly gathering quite a collection here. The taller man wondered if there were actual requisition forms for that sort of thing as he propped the manacled man up a good five feet away from the other bound man and anything important in the room, thinking it would be best to avoid giving him any chances. "I'm sure he'll be very helpful considering not helping means anything bad that happens to us will likely happen to him."
Despite her injury, Aziel managed to prowl towards the manacled prisoner, one hand on her rapier. "I am sure Natick would much rather speak with me about how to avert any problems with the engine than about how he shot me in the back, non?" she purred, pressing him back with a boot on his chest.
Anthony glanced back, already halfway back to the engine, when he heard Aziel's words. She had been shot? And she was still moving? He was impressed to say the least. "Don't worry. I'm certain Jaelynn is easy to find gifts for. Maybe a couple teeth or an ear will make up for not having it right away?"
He wasn't nearly as good at the intimidation thing as most people would think. His size and stature surely added a bit to it, and his muscles and hammer as well. However Anthony wasn't ordinarily the type to look at a person and think 'what would make them crack', at least not nearly as often as he did mechanical stuff.
Anthony/Aziel, Engine Deck
Anthony glanced back, already halfway back to the engine, when he heard Aziel's words. She had been shot? And she was still moving? He was impressed to say the least. "Don't worry. I'm certain Jaelynn is easy to find gifts for. Maybe a couple teeth or an ear will make up for not having it right away?"
Natick was winded and shaken by his fall and looked thoroughly cowed by the two constables but he shook his head. "It's not a question of how to fix it. We used a rust monster antenna. Those pipes are rusted through. You're gonna have to take them apart to fix the valves."
He peered over at the floor near the engine, away from the side where Rost was still lying, unconscious. The saboteur frowned. "I thought I dropped it over there."
Jaelynn/Ralf, Berth Deck
When she got there, the elf looked quizzically at the Marine - standing beside an open hatch.
"I thought we had agreed that the King Himself wasn't getting in there," she said, the fingers of one hand twitching in the pattern for an offensive spell, should it be needed.
The marine frowned and glanced back over her shoulder at the open hatches to the magazines. "Yes, ma'am. But the other constable was very... insistent. He said there was a bomb. And I thought that since he was with you, it was just the same as letting you through." She sounded like she didn't quite believe it, either.
Shane, Gun Deck
"The captain of the ship and the king's guard have been alerted. They are relying on you and me to get down to the engine room and anywhere else we have to look to determine if this is real or not!" Shane leaned in close and elevated his voice to demand Masarde's attention, while he held the man firmly in a grip that said You are not going anywhere unless I allow it! "The threat could be a hoax to cause the king to abandon ship and in the chaos, he might be attacked without the resources of the King's Navy! So grow a pair and get down to the engine room or I'll hog-tie you and carry down!"
The tiefling engineer looked terrified. "Of course! Of course! I... just let me go, and we'll go right down. Straight down to the engine room. Whatever you say."
The tiefling engineer looked terrified. "Of course! Of course! I... just let me go, and we'll go right down. Straight down to the engine room. Whatever you say."
Shane patted the engineer on the back and let him lead the way down the next ladder. Just before Masarde descended, however, Shane stopped him and looked down through the hatch to see if any obvious threats waited below. As he looked, he said softly, "I'm scared too, but everyone else on this ship is depending on us to sort this out before it turns into a disaster. If we find a problem that can't be fixed, we will alert the captain and everyone can focus on abandoning ship. I assure you, we'll be getting out of here if we can, one way or another. And if the ship is still intact, I will buy you a keg of your favorite liquor--best quality--and polish it off with you to celebrate."
The marine frowned and glanced back over her shoulder at the open hatches to the magazines. "Yes, ma'am. But the other constable was very... insistent. He said there was a bomb. And I thought that since he was with you, it was just the same as letting you through." She sounded like she didn't quite believe it, either.
Jaelynn nodded. Other constable... It should be Ralf, but assume nothing.
"Stand aside, Marine, and keep your wits about you. There is a live potential threat to this ship, and this magazine is one of the biggest targets for sabotage. And from this moment on," she gave the Marine a hard smile, "no one gets by you. Even if they identify themselves as being constables, unless they're from Unit 11, or outrank me in the RHC."
She didn't wait long for a response, instead she raised her voice, spell still at the ready. "Ralf? Status report?"
Having sotted nothing amiss in the other two compartments, Ralf was crossing back from starboard to port magazine chambers when he heard Jaelyn grilling the marine. Stepping to the hatch he said, "Aiwa, was my fault. She is good soldier, rigid following orders but knowing when to bend. I was... 'very insistent'," he said while glancing at the marine, a twinkle almost appearing in his eye.
"Jaelynn. Am not finding anything on quick look. About to make closer check. But you are knowing what this is for?" As he asked, Ralf stepped back from the hatch into the short hallway to make room, and pointed at the inside wall above it.
Having sotted nothing amiss in the other two compartments, Ralf was crossing back from starboard to port magazine chambers when he heard Jaelyn grilling the marine. Stepping to the hatch he said, "Aiwa, was my fault. She is good soldier, rigid following orders but knowing when to bend. I was... 'very insistent'," he said while glancing at the marine, a twinkle almost appearing in his eye.
"Jaelynn. Am not finding anything on quick look. About to make closer check. But you are knowing what this is for?" As he asked, Ralf stepped back from the hatch into the short hallway to make room, and pointed at the inside wall above it.
Jaelynn felt a previously unnoticed tension leave her neck and shoulders as soon as Ralf stuck his head out through the hatch.
'Very insistent,' indeed, she thought, he would be. At Ralf's request and pointing, Jaelynn stepped through the hatch and looked up.
Anthony/Aziel, Engine Deck
Natick was winded and shaken by his fall and looked thoroughly cowed by the two constables but he shook his head. "It's not a question of how to fix it. We used a rust monster antenna. Those pipes are rusted through. You're gonna have to take them apart to fix the valves."He peered over at the floor near the engine, away from the side where Rost was still lying, unconscious. The saboteur frowned. "I thought I dropped it over there."
Aziel grimaced, flashing fangs. "If we simply do not feed the fire, will the engine go out in time? Or perhaps we can pour water on the coals. Alors, I can stand a little steam."
Jaelynn/Ralf, Berth Deck
Jaelynn felt a previously unnoticed tension leave her neck and shoulders as soon as Ralf stuck his head out through the hatch.
Jaelynn was able to identify the wreath and plaque as a charm to suppress fire, a sensible precaution in a room full of gunpowder. A quick check of the other two magazine rooms found similar charms in place there, too.
Aziel/Anthony, Engine Deck
Aziel grimaced, flashing fangs. "If we simply do not feed the fire, will the engine go out in time? Or perhaps we can pour water on the coals. Alors, I can stand a little steam."
Fitz chimed in. "We could, but if we kill the boiler it'll take hours to start back up. And if dump enough water in there to put out those firegems we'd probably blow the thing up. Too much pressure- boom. Those firegems'll burn for a good long while, but eventually if you stop shoveling them in they will go out. Unless you want to try to shovel them out? That might speed things up, if there were fewer firegems in there."
Jaelynn/Ralf, Berth Deck
Jaelynn was able to identify the wreath and plaque as a charm to suppress fire, a sensible precaution in a room full of gunpowder. A quick check of the other two magazine rooms found similar charms in place there, too.
"Wards against fire," she told Ralf, "As long as they remain in place, the magazine should be highly resistant to fire or explosion, I would think." Her eyes narrowed. "Which means, if I were planning to destroy this ship, I would have planned to remove them."
Aziel flashed Fitz a smile. "A good idea. Have you something to shovel burning firegems into?" Rolling up her sleeves, she grabbed a shovel and approached the engine, only limping a little.
"We should set you to do this, you stupid fool," she growled at Natick as she opened the door to the boiler. "But we don't have time for any more of your foolishness."
Ralf nodded. "Is good news then, if they are not tampered with. But is not making sense, powder magazine is obvious target. Please to check for something I missed?"
He stepped out of the hatch to give Jaelynn maneuvering room. "Am thinking big weapon may be next logical target, aiwa? Who knows how much pent-up power it is holding."
Aziel/Anthony, Engine Deck
Aziel flashed Fitz a smile. "A good idea. Have you something to shovel burning firegems into?" Rolling up her sleeves, she grabbed a shovel and approached the engine, only limping a little.
Fitz frowned. "You could shovel them back into the bin, he gestured at the huge pile of firegems nearby, "as long as we spread them out the heat probably wouldn't light the whole lot. Or you could just shovel them out here onto the deck. The deck is resistant to the heat."
"Don't...!" Fitz reached out toward Aziel as she reached out to open the firegem door, but pulled back his hand quickly as she opened it.
"We should set you to do this, you stupid fool," she growled at Natick as she opened the door to the boiler. "But we don't have time for any more of your foolishness."The heat inside the furnace was tremendous. Even with her natural resistance to fire, Aziel could feel the metal nearly sear her hand. The temperature in front of the open door jumped a hundred degrees as a wave of super-hot air wafted out. The tiefling constable was unaffected, but Fitz and Natick both jumped back away from the stream of hot air.
Fitz cleared his throat, eyes wide as Aziel displayed her toughness. "I guess you're alright, then. We, uh, we normally wear gloves and aprons and goggles to do that."
Ralf/Jaelynn, Berth Deck
He stepped out of the hatch to give Jaelynn maneuvering room. "Am thinking big weapon may be next logical target, aiwa? Who knows how much pent-up power it is holding."
Ralf remembered that the buffet on the main deck was currently being held under the glass canopy of the Capacitor. He knew that the Capacitor had to be charged first before the Brand could fire. As long as it held no power the Brand had no energy to fire, and it was currently empty to accommodate the ship's noble guests.
Aziel had been expecting heat, but the intensity of it caught her by surprise. Alors, what were you expecting? There must be plenty of heat to move so heavy a ship. Though her hand was unblemished from its contact with the boiler door handle, it was so hot that sweat began to bead on her skin. That never happened!
Glancing back at the others, she gave them an apologetic look.
"Er... I am sorry if the heat is too much for you. Take the ladder up to the next deck, and I will start shoveling the firegems onto the floor." She didn't like the idea of tossing lit firegems into a bin of other firegems, no matter what Fitz said. Unbuttoning her blouse a bit to ease the heat, she waited for the others to clear the area before digging into the firegems with her shovel and tossing them onto the deck. At least you are not in your armor.
"How much do I need to take out?" she shouted after those who had departed.
Anthony had been reaching out to the woman to stop her, unaware of her peoples natural inclination toward hotter environments. He hissed as the heat flooded over him and quickly took a few steps back, but not before his scars seared to life with phantom pain mixing with the real. It took him several seconds to collect himself, but he shook it off and looked up to the woman, shielding his eyes.
"I won't be leaving you with these idiots, tied up or not." Despite the fact that he hadn't actually cried out, Anthony's voice sounded a little hoarse. The engineer, who had taken several steps back, resists the urge to kick Natick in the side as he says this. Morons tried to kill hundreds, or were complicit of those who were trying. Either way they deserved a lot more then his boot. Still, he wasn't the one who would give it to them.
Anthony looks away from the woman as he he sees her in the light of the engine begin to sweat and unbutton her blouse. He was used to a bit more then most of noble birth, or the like, but not that used to things. The rather proper minded man was grateful that the heat had made his skin pink and red. Rather then let himself be completely useless, he spends the next few moments looking for the gloves, aprons, and goggles; then passes a set to Fitz while donning the other half himself. "Come on. We can't expect to keep this engine without power all night. While she's doing that, we get to fixing that emergency release."
Anthony/Aziel, Engine Deck
Fitz's eyes nearly popped out of his head when Aziel started unbuttoning her blouse, and he quickly looked away. "I, uh, well, we're not really near a critical mass yet. Like I told your friend, um, partner... constable here, everything's running fine at the moment. We don't really have anything to worry about as far as the boiler overheating yet."
He nodded at Anthony. "There are spare parts over this way. We'll have to start with cutting, though, I think. Follow me, we'll get tools and stuff." The little engineer started forward toward several closed bins.
Ralf nodded. "Is good news then, if they are not tampered with. But is not making sense, powder magazine is obvious target. Please to check for something I missed?"
He stepped out of the hatch to give Jaelynn maneuvering room. "Am thinking big weapon may be next logical target, aiwa? Who knows how much pent-up power it is holding."
Jaelynn frowned, nodded, and stuck her head into each of the three compartments, starting with the one to her left.
As she glanced into the first compartment, she was somewhat distracted by Ralf's theory.
"I don't believe it is charged at all, just at the moment," she said, moving to the center compartment, "if it was charged, I would agree with you. But right now, I suspect we're either about to be attacked by someone who is supposed to make this place flammable, or they've seen that the plan has been compromised, and will abort."
"I don't believe it is charged at all, just at the moment. If it was charged, I would agree with you."
Ralf grunted in realization as Jaelynn offered her observation. He stood in silent thought for a moment, a finger rhythmically tapping his chin as she examined the rest of the magazine.
"Huh. Very insightful. Am thinking you are right, Jaelynn. But now am also thinking: Capacitor is not charged now. Dignitary's buffet is being held on... actually in... capacitor, aiwa?" His face went slightly pale as he offered the thought newly worrying him.
"What happens if someone charges capacitor now?"
Anthony followed, grateful for the distraction from the heat and other things. The fact that his fellow constable could touch the firestones without burning herself was certainly impressive but he had long ago learned that there were impressive people out there. The fact that it was possibly from her heritage didn't bother him either. Same reasons really.
The scarred engineer did exactly what Fitz told him to do. He was careful to take a moment and analyze everything the man was asking of him but otherwise Anthony did his best to be the perfect assistant right now. Do what he was told, keep his mouth shut and not get in the way.
Anthony/Aziel, Engine Deck
Fitz lead Anthony to the bins of parts near the bow and started pointing out things to grab. "We'll need a couple of sheets of metal, a pair of new valves, cutting tools, welding tools..."
Aziel started shoveling hot firegems out onto the floor and Natick moved toward the ladder. "I'm about to pass out. I need to go up a deck. And Rost, too. This can't be good for him."
Aziel had just turned to dump another shovel full of firegems on the deck when there was a bright flash inside the engine and the furnace door clanged shut. The constable didn't see anything that could have caused either thing to happen. A heartbeat late, Natick threw an arm up to cover his eyes. "Ah! I can't see!"
The heat in the enclosed space redoubled and Aziel could feel it creeping up as the seconds ticked by.
Jaelynn/Ralf, Berth Deck
"Huh. Very insightful. Am thinking you are right, Jaelynn. But now am also thinking: Capacitor is not charged now. Dignitary's buffet is being held on... actually in... capacitor, aiwa?" His face went slightly pale as he offered the thought newly worrying him.
"What happens if someone charges capacitor now?"
Whatever might happen notwithstanding, Jaelynn and Ralf suddenly had something else to worry about. A trio of monkey sized humanoids made entirely of flames emerged in a flash of quickly dissipating fire and flew directly toward Jaelynn, Ralf, and the marine.
Jaelynn instantly recognized them as fire sprites, little nuisances from the plane of fire commonly summoned by a low level conjuration spell.
Jaelynn/Ralf, Berth Deck
Whatever might happen notwithstanding, Jaelynn and Ralf suddenly had something else to worry about. A trio of monkey sized humanoids made entirely of flames emerged in a flash of quickly dissipating fire and flew directly toward Jaelynn, Ralf, and the marine.Jaelynn instantly recognized them as fire sprites, little nuisances from the plane of fire commonly summoned by a low level conjuration spell.
"Fire sprites!" Jaelynn called out a warning. "Summoned by someone. Fall back!" That last was directed at the marine. If they could get the hatch closed before the sprites got inside, they stood a chance.
The analytical part of her brain, however, did some quick math.
"She won't make it in time, Ralf." Her voice pitched low. The math was simple, but letting the Marine know she was doomed, unless they risked keeping the hatch open and letting the fire sprites into the magazine, didn't seem wise.
Somewhere in the back of her head, a small voice pointed out her callousness. She filed it away with the rest of the irrelevant thoughts that flit through a mind in a crisis situation.
Aziel whipped out her rapier and spun around, the shovel in her other hand, looking for whatever foe might present itself. The heat was rising - had some of the lit firegems gotten into the bin after all?
"Beware!" she cried out, alerting anyone who for some reason might not have noticed the sudden spike in heat. "Someone or something is down here with us, and the engine is heating up!"
She scanned the room, looking for some source for the weirdness.
Aziel/Anthony, Engine Deck
She scanned the room, looking for some source for the weirdness.
Aziel spun away from the furnace to look for the source of the sudden changes, but couldn't see anything that might account for the strange happenings. With her back turned, she didn't see the closed furnace door instantly rust shut, either.
Shane patted the engineer on the back and let him lead the way down the next ladder. Just before Masarde descended, however, Shane stopped him and looked down through the hatch to see if any obvious threats waited below.
If Shane sees or hears anything to suggest there is trouble below, he'll preceed the engineer down the ladder.
Perception: