>>38900483
Her smirk grows into a full toothy grin, the cigar hanging out the corner of her lips and just barely being held in with her teeth. She starts to take a few slow steps toward you, the dog following in front of her, his hackles still raised. She stops in front of you for a moment, and you can just now see that the dark part in the middle of her eyes was clouded over. They seem to stare at something beyond you as she does the strangest thing you may have ever seen a women do. She leans forward and sniff's you.

"Mhm..you smell of man and ill thought. Alright, first lesson" she says as she pulls her gun up and points it to the ceiling.

"A pirate never trusts, nor should you ever trust a pirate. If you make the deal sweet enough, I may not shoot you. As to where that treasure is, well that's up to you to find bloke. Aye, I'll cover our backs. There's sure to be some other scallywags around here sniffin out 'our' treasure."

She takes a step back and to the side, motioning for you to lead the way.

>>38900540
"Who said anything about making the deal? I'm just saving my life from that freaky dog."

Grindel walked back down the hallway, finding his knife still stuck in the floor

"I say we go......... that way."

Grindel walked down the hallway, passing by the closet he hid in

"I doubt I'll find a treasure chest, but I can hang someone out of a window until they tell me where it is."

>>38900575
The women whistled very quietly to her dog, and instantly he was in work mode, his earlier defensive attitude forgotten.

"Tyki, follow" she says, pointing toward you as you begin to walk away. The dog is instantly on your trail, keeping you within his line of sight. As Ella was being drug along, she chuckles and puts her gun away, preferring her sword for now.

"You don't really have a choice mate. It's either a cut of whatever we loot, or your throat get's left for the next bloak to pick up. But I like where that mind of yours is a wonderin'".

And indeed she did. She was never one to kill a man without cause, but there was no harm in scaring the piss right out of 'em, which she had done quite literally on more than one occasion. And crazy men were always the funnest to play with.

She continues to follow, using a practiced method to drown both your footsteps and the sounds of the ship out and into background noise so she could focus on any out of the ordinary sounds. The slightest thud of a footstep, the sound of a barrel being loaded then clicked into place, even a whispered curse could alert her to an enemy.

>>38900626
Grindel seemed to not even notice the dog following him.

"Hmm... signs.... signs.... signs..... .... no storage sings.... just more room numbers....."

Grindel turned around

"you'll tell me if you see a stair case... right? We could just head up and find the pilots, beat them into submission and force them to show us to the storage rooms filled with loot."

>>38900648
goat go for a bit. I'll make nother post later tonight, wait up for me please

>>38900648
Ella's head was turned the other way as you spoke, her attention elsewhere, but your words do filter through. At first she doesn't really respond, still not having much of a plan, but knowing that there were other pirates on board. Either that, or someone had just gotten a little gun happy. She finally turns her head back around to stare in your general direction.

"See? You be a fool of a crazy man, aren't ya? Why do you think I got this dog on the end of a rope, cause I want him to stick by me side? Aye yi yi.."

She rubs the back of her head as she shakes it, walking closer to you so she more easily cover your back.

"Look into my eyes boy. Do you see that? Those are the eyes of a blind women. Now how do you suppose I'm supposed to find stares, when I can't see an inch in front of me own face? Hmm?"

She shakes her head again, and starts to walk past you, having heard a sound coming from that general direction. If she were lucky, whoever had decided to plunder the ship might not be a half bad pirate, and she was always looking for a crew. One way or another, she would have herself a ship one day, even if it meant stealing it from someone else.

>>38901755
"Well then miss fussy, How the hell was I supposed to know your blind? I can hardly tell what color my hand is anymore because I've been wearing this mask for so long. And the only reason I wear it is because it makes me look good."

By now you can tell this man is completely and utterly insane and theres no way he could ever have been sane.

"Also, I always thought blind people could sense things.... maybe thats just me."

Grindel looks at the dog

"So this guy is your eyes eh? Anyway, how'd you go blind? And if you are blind, why do you have a gun? Doesn't seem like the right weapon. Now a sword, that would be cool."

>>38901920
I want to respond but I'm also kinda only have enough to say for a short post. Going to wait for someone else to post, so I have something more to write with.

>>38905300
This seems a job for me!

>>38901920
"Watch out miss! That man is potentially dangerous and dangerously lacking in opium!" Said the clearly out of breath voice wich belonged to Lord Hottington. His physical fitness had gotten little sloppy, wich was probably Why he had only now managed to catch Grindel.

He was now sternly aiming his rifle at Grindel, with a very serious expression on his face. "And he's probably a pirate scoundrel! How shamefull... " he added quickly to his last statement.

>>38906517
"I am not a pirate, and I am insulted that you refer to me like that."

Grindel crossed his arms and stared at the man

"How do we know YOUUUUU are not the pirate? For all we know you could be a pirate and plan to kill us all!!! But no matter, I am in a search for treasure and weapons, care to join us??"

>>38906557
" If We pillage only from pirates, native tribes, and poor people. That makes us heroes you see!" He said sharply. He had always wanted adventure in his life, and currently it contained no real action. He had planned long for dramatic change in his life, and now, as the opportunity conveniently presented itself, he might as well take it.

"So, I guess I'm in then fellows! Where do We start?" He asked as he lowered his rifle.

>>38906872
"Pillage from the poor?"

Grindel shook his head

"Find a way to the cockpit so we can beat the pilots into taking us to the storage areas so we can start looting!!!"

Others could post here

>>38907418
[.... Where is everyone?]

Lep looked up into the darkened areas of the ship as the pantheran vanished from view. Shrugging, he pressed on, .45 in hand as he slowly headed off towards the safes at the back of the ship. He stopped, listening to some commotion up ahead in the corridor, turning the corner to go down another way to avoid contact, soon righting himself down a parallel hall. No one was in sight, and not even a sound was emitted from his business partner up above him. Matter of fact, there wasn't even a call from Mac.

Well, the plan was going smoothly so far. And then it was sounded.

The klaxton and call to arms echoed through the ship. Feet shuffled and rushed as troopers ran to and fro, manning the limited defenses upon the luxury liner. A Pirate vessel had come into view, and the booming of their guns was heard, though not a shell hit the craft Lep was on.

"... oh great... just what I needed, Claimjumpers..."

Bagger already didn't like this. He didn't like Airships, and he was on one. He didn't like their engines, to finicky, and he was assigned to work on an Airship to repair their engines. Worst of all, he didn't like incompetent gits muckin about where they weren't needed, and right now they had all hands working to get these blasted engines firing before something else blew up and he had to fix THAT too.

"Goddamn goggles. GOT NO BLOODY IDEA WHAT YER DOIN!" He yelled as he batted away one of the many younger staff hunched over the engine.
"Think yah know e'ry damn thing jus cause ya fresh out ah class! Pint say's yah wouldn' be able to tell a crank from a drive!"

At that same moment, the klaxon began to ring through the ship and the guards stationed at the door began hoofing it to their posts for defensive positions. The other ensign pushed his way back above the engine, mumbling something about a short drunken beard on legs. This pushed the already strained and unhappy Bagger over the edge.

" SOD IT! YOU THINK YOU KNOW E'RY THING BOUT THIS STONE DAMNED THING, THAN YOU FIX IT!" He yelled as he kicked the engine and then walked out the door. "Luxury Cruiser", right, more like pain in his ass.

And then he heard the tell tale thumps of cannons that made him stop dead in his tracks. You never mistake that kinda thud. Like a Bass drum slammed with a baseball bat, it rings true no matter where you are.

"Oh the stones be damned. This day jus canne get any worse can it! I SWEAR I GUNNA RIP THE FIRST BLOODY PIRATE I SEE IN TWAIN LIKE A WEE RILED UP GINGER MIDGET!"

>>38907565

Bagger wasn't really quite sure how he spotted the bugger in the dark corners of the ship, and he was fairly sure he probably heard his yelling, but this lad was lurkin about in the dark corners, with what he thought he saw was a glint of steel in the persons hand. Looks like a pirate, acts like a pirate, Pirate. Charge!

"I GUNNA MAKE YA REGRET COMIN ON THIS SHIP PIRATE! SO HELP ME YOUR NOT GONNA GO BACK TO YER BUDDIES OUT THERE IN ONE PIECE!"

There is now as stout, greyhaired angry dwarf coming at Lep, How is this going to be handled?

>>38908437
The equivalent of a bowling alley was made in the skies that day, and Lep ended up being the lone pin the Dwarf needed to knock over to get the spare. The impact literally sent Lep head over heals, knocking him onto the unforgiving floor, winded, and aching from the impact.

Pain shot through his legs, stomach, and it hurt to breathe. He more than likely fractured a rib or two when the Dwarf smashed into him full force. His eyes were still seeing stars. The .45 he held flew a ways down the hall, thunking on the floor.

There weren't many things one could do in the event of a dwarf charge, especially when one didn't note the damn being charging directly at them hollering like the drunken Caissic men they were.

For such tiny things, they had the muscle strength of a Clydesdale.

>>38911215
As Smiling Fox had watched silently from above, even he flinched at seeing Lep fly down the hall. It would seem the pantheran overestimated the poor pirates abilities, and failed to assist him in time.

Anticipating the possibility for a fight, the assassin removed his weighty jacket and shoes and placed them neatly on the floor, leaving him wearing only a tight, black, poloneck sweater and slightly scuffed dress pants.

Lowering himself down from the storage component behind the Dwarf, sticking to the shadows. If the dwarf made any move that threatened to kill or seriously injure Lep, he would strike immediately.

>>38907459
Perhaps Ella could post here?

>>38911215

"I Gunna make ye regret every bit of loot ya stole from good people ya mangy sky rat!"

With that, Bagger began pummeling the poor fool pinned beneath him, though it was mostly to torment and put the poor sap in pain than kill him.

"...Wait a tick, ain't there usually more of yah in a bordin party?"

With that, he actually stopped punchin the poor lad. His mind began to rattle away the possibilities, and if he got charged for attackin another guard because he was pissed off he was more likely to be thrown off the side of the ship and fall like the rock he was. Now was the time for a total shift of momentum.

"Oh Damn IT! Ye're one of de crew ain't yah! Ya were patrol wer'nt yah! Ah crap! Get back on yer feet lad, and get back to yer post! None o' dis happened, an' the bruises were from a rat that found 'is way on the ship."

With that, Bagger pushed Lep back up on his feet after beatin him about like a drum for a bit. He ran down the hall on his stubby legs, grabbed the .45 and brought it back to him.

"Funny that ye be usin this puny little thing lad, Not much good in boardin action if ye ask me."

>>38912030
Grindel looked around

"Anyone else hear a ruckus going on? It might be dem bunny rabbits causing another ruckus! THERE MAY BE LOOT!!!"

Grindel runs off, tripping over himself

"God damn it Right foot! I KNEW YOU WERE A TRAITOR TO THE CAUSE AND I WILL NOT STAND FOR IT!"

>>38912030
After seeing the previously enraged dwarf calm down, and help Lep up to his feet, Smiling Fox decided to strike while his guard was down. Sneaking along the walls as silent as the shadows themselves, he slowly made his way to the small man helping Lep up, and handing him his gun. Once he finally sneaks up behind him, he stands up, towering nearly two feet above the dwarf.

Smiling Fox doesn't hesitate as he sharply strikes two specific pressure points at the back of Bagger's knees, a few to his lower back, and one to his neck with uncanny speed, attempting to temporarily parazlyze the targeted areas, and cause the poor sod to fall to the floor.

>>38912953
Hottington cast a sidelong look at the tripping fool, before turning towards him.

"Fix your internal issues later! We need to move forward now!" He said as he dashed ahead towards more adventure/valuables.

"Tally ho lads! Tally Ho!" He screamed as he ran forwards.

>>38915263

Well this was extremely unfortunate, as Bagger's body decided "Huh, you get jabbed by sharp pain and will fall flat on your face unable to move."

"GRCK! WHATS THIS TRICKSY SHITE! YOU BLOODY BACK STABBIN SOD! I'LL KILL YA!"

Where normally he would be shouting and fighting yelling this, he still remained stiff as a board bolted to an I beam. He was going no where fast.

>>38915438
"Not my fault! It was my right foot! He's a traitor to the cause of treasure. I say we cut him off and I get a new foot!" Grindel said, running along side him, "He's given away mission specific information, and ruining my sneaking attempts."

Grindel began looking through his pockets, before taking out what appeared to be a kitchen knife.

Ella heard the other man coming running down the hall long before he actually rounded the corner, and it set her senses on red alert. Once the had come into Grindels sight, and she could hear his laborous puffing, her mind began work on a plan to ditch the two fools.

"Sps, come Tyki.." she whispered quietly to the shepherd, who proceeded to turn and trot down the other hallway with her.

She had gotten the massive german shepherd when he was only a pup, barely weened from his mothers side. Now, after five years of training, he was an exceptionally smart companion who could tell just from the slightest body language of his owner what his job should be. And right now, his job was to be quiet, to sneak along the sides of the hallway and avoid detection however possible. He didn't pant, he didn't bark, and for god's sake, he didn't growl or go running off after the ships few cats that hissed and ran from him. He was a very, very, well trained canine. Every step they took together only further showed how their teamwork, and as Ella rounded another corner, she gave the dog a grateful pat on the head. Without him, she would never have been able to get anything done.

"Now boy, where do ya think that treasure is, hm?" she whispered quietly as she stopped in a long hall, trying to listen and get her barrings. She closed her eyes and tried to drown out all the other noise so she could focus on which direction the sound of the engine was coming from. If she could figure out where she was exactly, then maybe she could find out where the captain of the ship kept their more important goods. She might even get lucky enough to find a safe or something.

ok, so I have a little more free time then I thought lol. Um, can I get some dm direction here, or should I just make her continue on?

>>38917071
Smiling Fox crouched down next to the poor, paralyzed dwarf, lowering his head down close to the Dwarf's. As his yelling and shouting began to cease, the pantheran asked, in a somewhat mocking, snide way:

"I do so admire your people's strength, dwarf. Such fierceness and gusto... Shame they don't have much in the way of intelligence."

Patting the the dwarf on the cheek, he springs back up to his feet, and turned to Lep.

"I apologize for not protecting you from the ruffian sooner. He most likely would have overpowered me as well."

>>38917774
"It's alright..." He groaned, resting his back against the wall, shaking his head, a bit weary. "... bastard got me good, and if there be anything I learned from dwarves, is that they're drunk, angry, and will more than likely be capable of tearing out an entire engine block from a bomber with their bear hands and lob it over their heads like a brick..."

He coughed some, groaning a bit. "... Bastard got me good... Better get going now, before they decide to-"

The boom of artillery was heard, the wall nearby suddenly getting a hole blasted through it near the door, the grappling hook's arms shooting outward as it was suddenly pulled back, grasping at the edges it made. The door got the same treatment, however the slab was torn from its hinges as it was pulled away.

"-... boarding party." He gritted his teeth, looking at the Pantheran. "... come on, let's get going. Let the security do its damn job, we got a safe to get off this ship..." He limped and hobbled off down the corridor, a bit more hurried. Time was against him, and Lord knows what Mac was doing down below with the sound of the alarm and gunfire from above.

The drone of the enemy's engines almost drowned out whoever was on their bullhorn, shouting the traditional "Stand and Deliver" spiel to the Penelope's crew and passengers. The wire the grapple was tied to went taut, as the hiss of pirates zip lining down towards the ship was heard.

>>38917986
"Yes... Of course. Allow me to grab my supplies." Fox replies, and hastily pulls his coat and shoes out of storage, as well as a small shoulder bag, quickly putting them on as they walk down the hallway. He also pulls a rather ornate, decorated knife from his pocket.

"I just pray they do not hurt the passengers..." He says, checking the contents of his bag. "We need to hurry. My superiors are expecting some... fireworks in a small while."

>>38917986
>>38919175

"...goddamned flying thieves....'

Bagger really couldn't do much beyond grunt, strain and yell. He now knew how those unlucky sods that got slammed with shrapnel in their spines felt, and stones did it suck. Being unable to move was very....uncomfortable to say the least. He tried to fight the nerve lock down, but it wasn't doing him much good. He could barely move his neck around, and couldn't see a damned bit.

"WHEN THA REST OF THA CREW FINDS YE, YOU IN FOR A WORLD OF HURT!"

Mac didn't like where this was going at all. The ship swayed with the impact of each grapple, being towed closer towards the enemy ship. The security detail aboard didn't look like they could push away an attack made by vacuum salesmen, let alone pirates. He groaned, rolling his eyes as he sprinted towards the safes.

"... Kid, you owe me for this..." He kept his trenchgun at the ready, his hand unfastening his combat medic's helmet and slapped it onto his head, the chinstraps slapping at his cheeks and sides of his face. The sounds of footfalls down the halls caused the medic to raise the bore of his trench gun, as two figures bearing the marks of the enemy pirate crew stormed in, carbines and SMGs in hand.

Mac pressed back hard on the trigger, blasting a spray of buckshot at the enemy group, his left hand slamming back the pump action as he held down the trigger, slamming each deadly hail of buck at the boarding party, spent shells thunking down onto the floor nearby, the brilliant red ends of each of them blackened by the burning powder.

Mac slammed his back against the wall into a nook leading to a room, loading more shells as the pirates took the time to reorient themselves and start firing back.

Lep swapped his .45 to his left hand, his right grasping the hilt of his Dessari saber, unsheathing the blade and moved forward, shaking his head. The pain had mostly subsided, though his body protested each movement he made. The sounds of gunfire were sporadic within the corridors, and the sound was echoing every which way. The young air pirate turned a corner, keeping his .45 up. There was sure a hell of a lot of people, and none of them looked like pirates.

"... Friend or foe?" He looked at them, the .45 still up, his saber at the ready in case anyone decided to come up close and personal with him. "I won't be having any funny business from either of you, much less from the bastards that decided to swarm this cruise!"

Sitting in her cabin room was a woman spread across a few pillows in luxury. Perched between her lips was the hose end of a small hookah she had brought on board. She tilted her head back and a plume of smoke rose from her nostrils and she gave a happy and contended sigh as her drug of choice deepened its affect on her.

As the first reports of fire ring throughout the ship. She sits up lazily and looks around her room, she sets the hookah hose back onto its catch. "Bloody hell." She murmurs before getting up and stretching her back. "Can't I get a moments peace?" She adds before standing up and picking up a bag containing her things, after setting some components out of the bag she picks up a small but powerful revolver. She had a few containers of contraband. She wasn't drug smuggling however, the small amounts she was carrying was for her own recreational use, and perhaps selling some when she got to port for spending cash.

However one does not carry as many rare and illegal contraband like Burst did and not come across someone who wanted to try and take it from her every now an then. Since she was trapped on a ship, flight wasn't an option. It was time for fight. Putting the revolver into her belt she takes a small grenade and some string, and begins rigging a trap on her door. In case anyone foolish decided to force their way in to get at her stuff they'd catch a lethal surprise. She sets up a safety trip release, for when she herself returned and stepped out into the hallway looking left and right carefully.

"I'm running a discount on exploded heads if any pirates wanna take advantage of a once in a lifetime sale." She says spinning her revolver and clicking it into place.

>>38924202
[... Could I assume Grindel can answer that yell?]

>>38924269
I have no problem with this

>>38924202
"Discounts on Exploded Pirate heads? I'm in!"

Grindel leaves the pompous old man and runs down the hallway, looking at each door

"Well... theres the problem.... Right... you got any Idea where the voice came from?"

Grindel looks at his right hand

"You don't know? Ahh come on man, you have to know."

Grindel sighs

"Time to check random doors...."

>>38924360
Burst grins at him dangerously as she sets her hand over her own door and firmly holds it in place. "Careful buddy, or you're gonna get more than you bargained for from my room."

>>38924408
"Treasure? Or a trap?"

Grindel pulled a knife out and played with it

"If you were really in the business of killing pirates, you wouldn't trap your own room on an airship."

Grindel slipped the knife around, doing small little tricks with it.

"You also wouldn't get distracted by a crazy man with a knife but... I don't have experience with that. Do you know where Treasure is? I've been trying to find some for a small while."

>>38924492
Burst seems undaunted by the knife tricks. She merely folds her arms and leans on the door with a bit of a knowing grin. She looked Grindel up and down with an appraising eye. He seemed of the adventuring sort, she pondered. Adventurers tended to frown on some aspects of her business, and smile upon others. Recreational drugs tended to be their purchase of choice. This seemed like a bad time to make a sale, given the fighting going on somewhere, but.. potential customers were potential customers.

"What sort of 'treasure' you looking for? Because if you skip the adventure portion and cut straight to the treasure bit, it'll cost ya." She says, pinching her forefinger and thumb together.

>>38924588
"No thanks, I already have a set of happy drugs."

Grindel put the knife back into his trench coat.

"But, if we could possible go and find where the rich people store their belongings we could rob them and then kill some pirates to make it seem like we were doing good."

>>38924608
"Mm, too bad." She shrugs.

"Alright, I'm not against a few opportunistic grabs." She comments looking him over once more to gauge how well he'd be able to hide loot in his clothes.

>>38924718
"Whats wrong with your eye?"

Grindel stared at it

"Seriously, Whats wrong with your eye?? Its so weird looking and stuff. You should wear a mask or something."

>>38924735
"I ran with scissors when I was a little girl." She lies, with a raucous round of cackling laughter.

"Let me guess.. you're the brawn of whatever operation you're involved in.. not the brain."

>>38924748
"Brawn? Do I seem the strong type to you? No I'm the guy who sits in the corner talking to himself before people start making fun of him. After that I'm the guy covered in blood, running away from the pile of meat I just made from those people making fun of me."

Grindel twitches a tiny bit

"What about you? You have to be crazy"

>>38924798
... so not quite smart enough to equate 'brawn' with a penchant for killing without thought.

She laughs. "Wholesale murder? With no profit in mind? You know what they say friend. If you're really good at something you should never do it for free."

"That mean you're bad at killing?"

>>38924871
"Ask the 150 people who are now under the dirt, 600 people who are also still missing, and the 20 arms I have sent to families telling them their fathers died pissing their pants. I do it for free because killing is just soooooo much fun!"

Grindel is giggling like a madman before straightening his jacket

"Now you coming or what?"

>>38925180
"I'd say go for quality, not quantity." She says with a shrug and begins walking after him. "But, to each her own." She says walking past him.

>>38923525
Smiling Fox, who'd been following a few paces behind, entered the room with Lep.

"If I may interrupt... I don't believe bothering with these frilly types is of much use." Fox said, idly twirling his knife around his finger. "Unless one of them knows where that safe is. But of course you already know that, I assume?"

Rest in peace thread. You looked like you were going to be a lot of fun.