Thread: Ardent

Prologue

City of Cann, Third Week of Summer, Evening

It is a magnificent sight. The Ardent glistens with polish, its copperbrass and ironwood hull stitched together by no less than mage-fueled Bursian metalcrafting. Her infamous name glints in the orange-red glow of dusk and moon, the last rays of sunlight caught in the sheer fabric of her sails. Lines run taut to hold the sleek beast down, and she pulls at her restrains just as she did two years ago. She is ready.

Ready, but for a captain, crew, and purpose.

The beloved Queen of Tyrisia herself funds this second venture. Her sovereigns have ensured that some of the finest mercenaries are added to the roster, joining the already impressive crew. They have provided the means for new weaponry, more powerful engines, a larger flight deck, and more. But the same hand which spills coins for the Ardent has provided many other ships with the same. It will be up to the crew to make the difference.

In a few hours, the sails will have soaked the last of the daylight and will be ready to embark across the Vast Sea and into the uncharted lands to the west in their second attempt to take the Shift Particle for themselves. This time, they will succeed.

Fortinbras Carlyle was elated; he positively walking on air as he slung the duffel of personal effects that had served as his luggage during his stays in Cann's inns, seeking information and able bodies in equal proportion. Never mind that his brow was knit and low over his eyes, or that his jaw was already sore from clenching. Say nothing of the determined cant of his shoulders as he left the bean-counters and bawdy-houses of the Highstreet district behind. He was excited damn it. Absolutely overjoyed to be setting out on this glorious adventure...with a leash and collar and a stuff-shirt anchor to boot. Excited. Happy. Gainsay his rapture, and you'd more than likely find yourself bleeding from a new cornhole, compliments of Fort's bolter.

Throne, but it was good to have a job, for all of its ills. Too long on terra-firma. Too long by half. And for every strike against this contract (murderous rivals, long treacherous route, terrible history, direct supervision, an employer with her own Navy), at least it got the Ardent flying again.

Eastdown Docks, quay three. There she was.

Fort took a moment to just drink her in. Soarwood, ironwood, bronze, iron, copper; every lovely line restored with studious care. The little Bursian barque had risen from the ashes, wrapped around that spar of limestone. The keel swept in that sinuous arc that he'd loved so well (perhaps the Bursians had taken something out of the elves' aesthetic book for that one). The single primary mast set with its heavy solarsails had been restored from the original lumber; shorter now, sleeker as the sails caught the sun's last dying rays. The gunwhale had been restored, it's railing capped in bronze lightning-sinks. Even the gangplank which had been salvaged whole-sale from the wreckage was freshly varnished and set with new iron anchor-stays. Someone had even stencilled her name across her stern once more, sepia-gold against the burnished brown of cured soarwood: Ardent. Fort let the bag hang from his hand, his eyes watering like a groom's watching his bride advancing down the aisle; or a father watching his little girl make that same walk.

"Throne..." Fort whispered to himself, swinging the duffel back across a shoulder and making for the gangplank which connected the world of Cann with his little flying nation. Ten steps to the gunwhale, and fifteen further to the mizzen where he touched the chisel-marks set into the masts lower quarter; only an inch long, and no wider than a knife-edge, one had been carved for each member lost on the last voyage. "'Till it's done." It was simple, as far as oaths go, but it would serve.

Fort slung his sea-bag and made toward the door set offset into the aftcastle and the promise of his quarters. By the Golden Throne, but it was good to be home.

Cas Seingalt had had bided her time since the sun hung midsky, when the air was hot with summer and the sky-wharf buzzed with workers and insects alike. She had patrolled every inch of familiar wood and trailed thin fingers across the railing, smiled at the clunk of boot on wood. A sound she hadn't realized she missed. She counted her steps on the ladders, down the corridoors, to her old room and back up again. The rifle Vega felt lighter at her side when she was here, her heart as well. This was home.

Elaborate lace-ridden dresses had given way to simple, well-used attire which tucked away her bosom, padded her against fall, and made her feel less like the thing she had fled from becoming. Maquillage had given way to bare skin across which trailed the fibrous tissue that was her mother's legacy. Scowl had given way to smile.

These past two years had seen all too much change for her. The Ardent hadn't just been her home, it was sanctuary. No longer able to take refuge from her own kind in these hallowed halls, the young elf had been forced to make her own way in the world. She'd taken odd job after odd job, traded dignity for needed coin, joined crews and captains that had less patience and ability than her own. She'd learned to behave herself, mostly. Her mother had carved humility into her lovely face, these past two years finished the job. Mostly.

Topside, she laced her arms together and reclined against the ancient mast contentedly. Eyes on something beyond the sea. Her thoughts turned to the man whose brain had found her bullet, the stolen kiss of the ship's pilot, the broken lips of her captain, the face of the crew's escort in Kerria whose face she found herself unable to forget...she was lost in the fragmented reflections of the evening sun which rode the sea far below when the first arrived. She felt it.

Her captain.

Cas pushed herself from the mast and swung round with the sort of half-smile that might have left the old crew shaking in their beds two years ago: a genuine one.

But, no.

It was not only the captain, but the guide behind him politely heading into his quarters. Her eyes drew themselves to the old man despite themselves, before returning to the copper-haired commander she had not seen since the months after the crash. Reclining once again against the wood-tower, her smile slipped deeper into her features and her arms crossed themselves.

"Mon fusil est le vôtre, capitaine."

Fort felt Cas before he heard her...or saw her, for that matter. Had one of his less attuned senses been the first to sniff her out, he might've reached for a weapon, or started, or yelped like a frightened schoolgirl, or something else downright embarassing. As it was, he was already smiling his wolf's smile, a match for Cas' own unguarded grin. He looked her up and down, noting her change in bearing, in wardrobe, and in expression with no little bit of concern. Generally she was only this happy when she was putting bullets to men who badly needed them with the clockwork monster at her hip...and they didn't all have to need them all that badly, if Fort's memory could be trusted.

But damned if she didn't look happy, and double damned if that didn't make his own heart sing like a sparrow in springtime. Maybe she'd missed her captain, after all.

"Ensuite, je suis un homme chanceux," Fort offered back in somewhat poorly accented elvish. And he was. Never had the little bullet witch failed him when violence needed doing.

Fort seemed ready to go on, but as her eyes drifted he followed her gaze as it shifted toward the guide with a momentarily puzzled expression tugging at the corners of his eyes. When he saw the man they'd all called simply "Guide," Fort straightened up with a small nod to the older gentleman. "You do sneak about, sir. Welcome back aboard the Ardent."

A day of reunions is always sweet...wasn't that how the old Au proverb had gone? Or had Old Sam made that one up, too? No matter. Death and danger awaited, but as yet, let what lay ahead remain a vague threat, overshadowed by the warmth and laughter of the gleaming present.

Cas' eyes once again were drawn to the old sherpa before his head disappeared into the underbelly of the ship and Fort became the only face demanding her attention. Her grin widened.

"You look..." she struggled for a word that wouldn't be too forward. "...recovered." She glanced at his gloved hand and lifted herself off the mast. "Is your hand is still...?" She hadn't spotted any limp, though she couldn't be entirely sure. She glanced over his figure for any extra lumps under his clothing that might give away still-healing wounds. None. Her smile grew. The Ardent was fully repaired, as was its captain, it seemed.

She canted her head towards the empty deck, patting Vega's copper head. "I see Cain isn't here. Any chance he quit and decided to take up a life of solid-ground solitude?" she asked with a smile.

"Oh, by the way."

Cas turned a little and dug her hand into a side-pocket, retrieving a small, wrapped box before tossing it over with unsurprisingly stellar aim. It felt a little heavy, and if he chose to open it, inside was perhaps the world's oddest present: a small carved figurine of the Ardent, lettering and all, resting upon a simple mount. It wasn't the fanciest thing, but there was certainly a pleasant amount of detail.

"Happy launch."

Had she been a different sort of person, Alcy might have been intimidated by the legendary ship that stood before her. The Ardent. A legend among those in her profession, every self-respecting air mercenary/pirate/title of choice dreamed of working on that ship. Somehow, Alcy Covington had managed to score a spot. She was still wondering how she'd done it.

Actually, no she wasn't, that was her being modest. Realism was the knowledge that she deserved that spot. Perhaps it would come off to the wrong people as cockiness, but as Alcy had never vocalized this to anyone, there was no one to consider her cocky. Not to mention the fact that she knew no one on this ship besides the short interview to fill her position as gunner. She wouldn't be the only gunner, she knew that, and she knew she wouldn't be the best. But she had been good enough that even at the very young age of twenty Alcy had procured a spot upon the famous Ardent.

She stood upon the docks for a long while, staring up at the ship with her pack slung across her shoulders and hanging at the hip. Alcy's hip was jutted out and her face wore a bright grin. Her future lay on that vessel. If she survived this journey, the bouncy young woman would never have to hung for work again. Not that she had that much of a problem finding jobs. Her skills spoke for her, and her personality made most want her amongst their crews to lighten the often somber moods of jobs.

Well she'd stood here long enough. It was time to introduce herself.

She was intimidated, of course, she'd heard some of Captain Fort's crewmembers were unfriendly and mean, and Alcy already knew she had something to prove. A twenty year old who'd only been on the circuit three years didn't expect a warm welcome on the ship. On previous ships the crew had always bullied her, asking her if she thought she was better than them because she was so young and allowed to be more than a deck swabber. Normally, those conversations ending with Alcy punching them in the face. She was a bastard child of a noble abandoned to a life in the slums, she damn well knew how to handle a fight.

But fighting was not her intention. She would go into the crew with humbleness and a desire to learn from the much more experienced team. Alcy respected the Ardent's crew, unlike all the other ships she'd been on. And with that thought, Alcy climbed the gangplank and found herself on the deck. She saw an elven woman talking to the captain, and from the looks of her this woman wasn't new to the Ardent.. Alcy would've liked to have greeted the captain, but it was otherwise engaged and she wasn't the type to be rude, so she cast her attention elsewhere.

It seemed she was one of the first ready to embark. Alcy figured she had a right to take a look at the ships big guns, considering that was what she was hired for, and so she made her way over there, planning to greet the captain when she saw that he was free.

'This is it' Alcy thought to herself, leaning against the railing and looking off into the horizon.

DM Note: For the sake of simplicity, pre-launch roleplay will remain in the Docks of Cann location and only move to the onboard locations when I indicate.

Cain sniffed, brushing a thumb against the tip of his nose. His eyes stared up at the beautiful maiden in front of him, her form gracing the sky line as if she were doing it a favor by being there. How long had it been since he’d looked upon her, since he’d felt each shudder and heard each moan as she moved with his guiding? How long had it been since he’d smiled so earnestly? Too long. Terribly too long. Would she still appreciate the feel of his gruff hands or had they outgrown each other, the effects of age keeping them from the rambunctious days of their youth? Some nights, Cain found his self worrying about this. Growing old. He’d already lived a hard-knock life on this maiden’s back, but that didn’t mean he was ready to stop living it.

In truth, Cain had been walking on air when he’d received word of the Ardent’s repair and the new adventure planned for her. Upon learning where applications were being taken, Cain had to dial back the complete giddiness he’d felt to appear normal, calm, and responsible. He’d also had to appear regretful when quitting the other aeronaut position he’d taken to fill the void left by the Ardent’s crash. The captain was more than thrilled to let such a wild pilot go. The shipping company he worked for was less so. Something about using a popular image for the public. Whatever it was, Cain didn’t give a rat’s ass. He knew exactly where he belonged and there was no keeping him away anymore. When he heard Captain Fort was still in command of the ship, Cain all but messed his drawers in sheer happiness.

They couldn’t get rid of him that easily.

Cain hefted his things onto one shoulder and boarded. He took note of the familiar faces but casually breezed past them, making a note to have formal greetings once he’d made sure of the most important thing the ship had. It was beyond the galley, in the store room where food supplies were kept dry and cool away from the engines. In there was a shadowed alcove in the walls of the ship, just long enough for a man to curl up and nap in peace behind barrels of supplies. It was here that Cain carved notches in the wood and strung up his trusted companion: the hammock. Happy with the set-up, he climbed in and settled against it, heaving a comfortable sigh and closing his eyes for a moment. Yup, this would do nicely. This would do absolutely perfectly for the voyage ahead.

But first? Introductions. Cain wandered back onto the deck and looked around. Cas was happily discussing something with Fort. Probably asking how soon she was allowed to throw him, being Cain, overboard. Hopefully never. Fort was good about keeping his crew in check. Thank whoever created him.

Turning around gave him a view of some new tail. She was leaning on the rail and looking toward the sky line. Cain crossed his arms and did a once over, sucking his teeth when he finished. She was too young. It’d be creepy. Way creepier than what he did to Tassa. Hopefully, someone older will board soon. Still, no use not saying hello.

“First time on an airship or just the Ardent?” he asked, leaning against the rail beside her.

She had been in her own world, looking out at the horizon. Alcy hadn't even noticed the footsteps as the man walked towards her. She only turned to face him when he spoke to her, only then noticing that he was there.

"Oh no, I know I look young but I've been on airships for the past three years. I have a knack for shooting people." Alcy grinned, turning to the man. He had the look of a man aged by his life but his countenance told her that he had been a handsome man, and still was in some ways. Of course, he was probably old enough to be her father, she couldn't be sure. "I'm one of the new gunners, although something tells me you've been on the Ardent before." She said, grinning at him "I'm honored to be on a such a famous and beautiful ship." Alcy might as well start the sucking up, he was the first crew member to approach her and she needed to have a good reputation.

"I'm Alcy. Pleasure to make your acquaintance." She grinned, offering her hand for a handshake. As Alcy spoke to the man, something dawned on her. There may be no eye candy on this ship for her to look at. The two men she'd men so far were at least ten years her senior, and she wasn't sure if there would be anyone younger. It had been around a long time, this ship, and the nature of skill it required to be on it usually took years. Alcy just got a stroke of dumb luck mixed with a little natural talent.

From the moment word had reached her that Deryn was being sought out to board the infamous Ardent her mind hadn't been able to steady itself, nor had the eager elf been able to get an ounce of shut eye. None the less; it wasn't bringing down her stamina one bit, in fact she had spent every moment since doing some of her own investigation. Of course she knew of The Ardent, and she had remembered picking up the front page of the local paper before it had blown by her on the street and in bold faced print the revealed details pertaining to The Ardent and it's crew coming to an unexpected end in their journey for The Shift Particle. Deryn was not shy to a bit of unruly gossip, usually having an easy time sifting through stories to find the real truth and figured it would do her some good to have some insider knowledge on the legend that this vessel and it's crew members were. It was hard to get the actual names of most of the crew other than Captain Fortinbras Carlyle and what a name that was, he was certainly born for a title as prestigious as captain.

But why the anonymous nature of the crew? she thought, making her way toward the docks and leaving the city of Cann behind her. Perhaps this will be quite the motley crew... With that thought she pictured a group of bloodthirsty criminals flooding the deck and bearing devious grins. Was she to be easy prey aboard a ship of senior ranked crew members? I think not. Taking quick and jump like steps down the stairs that led down to the docks she took another crisp bite of her reddish yellow apple in her fist. Deryn was adamant on making sure not to let her guard down once boarding the ship, and by far not becoming a lackey of any sort. If the elf had done her research a little better on the characters she were about to meet she would have known that idea may be far from the truth she was going to be forced to accept, but lets just say her ignorance was keeping that confident smile on her face. But it was clear she had "virgin sailor" tattooed across her face as she approached the glorious ship; not only because of the clear over packing job she had done with not only one but two large pouches on both shoulders filled with tools of the trade amongst other things that she deemed necessary, but the awed expression on her face. She hadn't even been close enough to make out the group standing before the ship out clearly and she had already begun basking in it's impressive beauty.

Nothing but a fascinated gasp escaped her painted lips as her eyes remained unsteady, examining every perfectly orchestrated line. Her feet stopped underneath her, glued to the creaking wooden boards of the dock, seemingly frozen in place. "Oh I can't wait to get inside you, beautiful." Her voice was seductive, as if Deryn had to seduce the ship before taking reigns of her... simply out of respect of course.

A very large smirk crossed his lips as he set eyes on the vessel. He could not care less about the mission of the Ardent, and hell he didn't give a rat's ass about anyone on it. It was a tool, a method. He needed it to find her. Some of his guard had recently returned from a very failed attempt at catching her. She'd even cut the hand off of one of them. Apparently his little to-be wife had bite. Perfect. He needed a little bite to keep him interested. Although the real reason he wanted her back was to make her pay for leaving him. Nathaniel never failed, and he wasn't about to lose a woman, something he could have collected very easily.

He had a few guards surrounding him, though not many. Only three. They were Nathaniel's personal guards, told by him to do whatever the crew asked them and make nice. He himself would make nice, not invading on the captain. Nathaniel needed the captain to at least be civil to him, and the best way to do that was to never, under any circumstance, tell them the truth. He was the bereaved loving fiance of a poor kidnapped noble. He would never tell them he was a cold, cruel man bent on ownership of said runaway noble. Never.

The odd thing about Nathaniel was that he wasn't dressed in finery. He was wearing something quite functional, though still clearly expensive. It was made of a heavier cloth though, no silks or satin in sight. He was also packed remarkably light considering he was a man used to opulence. But he wanted to look as little like a snooty noble as possible, though the crew would always consider him an outcast. He'd never fit in, but that was fine. As long as they found Rynn he could care less what they thought.

He'd stood outside the Ardent long enough, and so the man boarded the ship. His first order of business would be to speak to the captain and let him know that the guards were his for the using. Unfortunately the captain was busy, and so the man, now wearing the most pleasant, innocent smile on earth, decided to take a round about the ship and get a feel for his new home. As he walked he saw something mildly interesting.

First, were the two elves. He'd seen elves before, but never in a position where they were his equal. He supposed he'd have to adapt to that. But he chose to remain quiet for the time being, wanting to be as unobtrusive as possible. And then he saw a woman around his age leaning on the railing next to a man a little older. The girl herself wasn't particularly interesting, she had slum rat written all over her. It was her face that interested him. She looked just like Frederick Kensing, a respected lord. She looked more like him than his own daughter did.

Well now that was interesting.

She was currently otherwise inclined, but the minute the woman was free Nathaniel intended to talk to her and find out exactly why she was the spitting image Frederick Kensing. Until then though, he continued to look around the deck and wait for the captain to be free.

Upon hearing her initial response Cain’s first thought, and he wasn’t proud of it, was a very rude “Great, we’ve got another one.” This was referring to a young, spry female who was well-versed in and enjoyed using her weapons. Hope of all hopes? This one had a sense of humor and would not spend most of her time looking down the barrel at his old mug. Desperate prayer above all hopes? She was actually a very poor shot. This one seemed far less likely, but a man could dream. Shame that dreams don't improve your chance of not dying. His only course of action would be to pull his most polite behavior ever seen and to never let her near Cas. Ever. No girl talk. No elven witchcraft or mind-bending powers or whatever it is that they do that makes people do what they want. Cain sent a side-long glare at the back of Cas’s head, telling her to politely stay the f*ck away from this one. Then he regretted his decision and told her she was a talented individual and they were all lucky to have her onboard again.

Followed by a prompt “Please, don’t kill me.”

Turning back to the new recruit, Cain smiled and took her hand. “Ha, you caught me. I’ve worked on the Ardent before. Was it the natural finesse my sky-legged stance bears? The rugged lines of my face? It was the beard right?” He chuckled at his own joke and waved it off. “I kid. The name’s Cain. Pleasure to be working with you. Any questions you might have, I would be happy to answer. In fact, one answer free. See that elf over there? The abnormally tiny one?” He pointed over toward Cas and the captain. “She’s psychotic. Avoid her. The captain though? He’s great. Stony. Doesn’t talk much, but great. I assure you, you’ll love him. The rest of us? Maybe not. Tensions get high when you’re forced to spend long periods of time in small spaces with people as I’m sure you are aware, having served on airships before. Captain Fort is phenomenal at handling situations that get out of hand so we’re all in very good hands.” Cain rapped on the rail. “And the Ardent will be the best ship you fly on.” He paused for a moment before nodding and turning back to her. “What made you sign up for this job anyway....uhhhhhh..." Cain wracked his brain for the name she'd introduced herself with. Had she said it? Yes, he vaguely recalled a "My name is," before he'd lost focus glaring. He looked at her and sucked his teeth. F*ck it.

"I'm going to level with you. I forgot your name."

So much for a nice start.

Like the murder maiden a ways up the ship, Deryn Langdon would, despite herself, find her eyes a least momentarily drawn to the fur-wrapped old man who hobbled out from the crew's quarters and back into the fading sunlight.

The old guide caught her eye, glanced over his shoulders in the direction of the captain, and made his way to Deryn. Aged hips creaked and cracked with each step, his simple walking stick wobbling under his weight. Thump, thump, thump, went it on the steps.

He smiled at her.

Odd voice, accent she'd never be able to place. Each syllable sounded the tiniest bit malformed. "I was not informed we would be joined by two elves this day."

The guide did not say more than this, for he knew his presence would be enough.

To others, it would seem impossible to break the stare that Deryn had fixed on the ship but something had disrupted her, bringing an uneasy feeling to her mind. What's this? she thought as her glance shifted down to an elder man, his skin tone and facial features gave him the appearance of a withered Kerrian but that wasn't what was keeping her focus. This man was making his way right toward her, and with every inch her heart would stammer. It wasn't fear... what was it?

A vexed expression was plastered on her face as a wrinkle of confusion sat upon her brow. He stopped right before her, only a few feet separated the two of them as he kept those sagging eyes on hers...

... and then he smiled. As if he thought something was amusing, as if he knew something about her she had not yet come to understand. That common gesture did not put her at ease in the slightest, if anything it stirred up some kind of life inside her she did not live. "Qu'est-ce que c'est?" Those words almost a whisper, slipping from her tongue as opposed to staying in her mind where she had preferred them.

A large part of her wished to ignore the old man, but that desire wasn't strong enough to beat out her curiosity. He spoke of two elves aboard this ship, now that would be a sight. Wondering if the reason why he had previously nodded in the direction of the Captain was to draw her attention to this other elf, she was not sure... but now that the idea had popped into her mind she couldn't help herself but glance over the mans shoulder to see who the Captain was speaking with.

Not much could be recognized from the angle she was receiving, seeing more of Captain Fortinbras than the female figure. But it was true enough, she could see those pointy and distinct ears peering out through dark strands of hair. Taking a moment to think, she had never heard word from her mother that anyone else in the Cann area of elven decent would be accompanying her so the woman could not be local, but her side stare kept affixed on her to attempt to catch a glimpse of her face for that aura did feel familiar.

The old man's whiskery face stretched into more of a smile as her eyes spoke confusion and her lips murmured elvish. His weathered hand lifted seemingly of its own accord and he placed it on her shoulder, patted once, twice. His throat vibrated with almost-laughter when he spoke, clearly amused by her reaction.

"Tell me, girl. What makes you find yourself on this ship, bound for so great a prize?"

He turned slightly to follow her gaze which had landed on the captain and his gunner down the way. "Am I keeping you? My deepest apologies." The guide stepped out of her path and with a tiny smile, opened his hand towards the deck.

Nearby, one of the passing crewmembers gave the pair an odd look.

The guide rarely ventured from his room, even pre-launch. And another elf? Hell, they just might start seeking another job for that...cap'n Fort'd gone daft, he thought, shaking his head and continuing on.

Enris finished off the last piece of salted pork with satisfaction as he approached the docking area where the Ardent was kept. He thought about reaching into his messenger-style bag to grab another piece but restrained himself. Best to save what he had left for the actual voyage. He had been requisitioned by a Captain Fortinbras Carlyle to join him (and others) aboard the Ardent to search for the Shift Particle. Enris had heard of the relic before, but knew it by another name: the koysqatsi. His parents had told him about it and about the boundless power it was rumored to possess. All rumors. He wasn’t even sure if it existed. No one had recovered it yet and he found it hard to believe something with so much power could actually be real. Then why was he here? Why had he accepted the offer? He didn’t know. Curiosity? Boredom? Or something else? Well, it definitely had something to do with his boredom as of late but other than that, he could give no reason.

Sighing, Enris adjusted the strap of his bag so it sat more comfortably on his shoulder. Ahead he saw the Ardent and almost stopped walking completely. It was an impressive sight to say the least. It’s silhouette was so graceful and intense that he could only describe it as being fiercely feminine. It wasn’t the largest ship docked here by any means but size wasn’t everything. The Ardent was a fine vessel and lived up to its reputation if not surpassing it. Seeing the vessel for the first time made Enris’ thoughts of why he was there disappear. At that moment, he was just glad he was there.

Walking up the ramp that led to the vessel, the thought crossed his mind of how he would be received by the crew. Innates weren’t exactly welcomed everywhere. But before he could pursue the thought further, he had reached the deck where members (he assumed they were members) were milling about, waiting for everyone to show up no doubt. He saw an old man speaking with an elven woman (Great. An elf.), a gruff-looking man speaking with another woman who looked much too young to be aboard, a man with dark hair who’s aura dripped with cruelty and then a familiar face speaking with yet another elf. He hoped the elves wouldn’t be trouble, he would have to keep his eyes on them for a while. The familiar face was none other than the very Captain who requisitioned him. He felt he should greet the man, but he was still speaking with the elven girl. Adjusting his strap again he walked towards them and hovered at a polite distance while he waited for them to finish speaking.

He seemed to zone out for a few minutes, Alcy noticed. He looked over at the elf speaking with the captain. Alcy had never met an elf, at least not that she could remember. She'd heard some pretty nasty things about them, heard they were not very nice, but Alcy hoped they might be nicer to her since she was female and therefore not attracted to them so she wasn't going to be hitting on them.

"Well I guess it was a few things..." Alcy grinned. "You do seem at home here, and you are rather old." She chuckled a little bit, clearly teasing him. "Gruff too, very much the look of a well-traveled airman." Alcy turned and rested her back on the railing as she looked at the Captain and the other elf. "Avoid that elf? Is she really that wretched? I've heard things about elves and, not gonna lie I'm a little intimidated." she turned her head back to Cain. Shame he wasn't her age, Alcy would've liked a little eye candy. Cain was handsome, but in the way that one thought a friends father was decent looking. Alcy wasn't really that young. Twenty wasn't a baby.

"Its Alcy..." She chuckled "Getting senile old man? Already forgetting names?" she teased again, but it was a good natured teasing. There was no venom in it. As she looked out over the deck, she watched another man board. A noble it seemed, she scoffed at him as she watched him parade around the deck, Alcy had a bit of distaste for nobles. A few moments later, one more man boarded. This one was younger, but not so young as Alcy. He was handsome, but seemed disinterested in most everyone, although that could be because he was waiting to speak with the captain, something they all were doing.

"Whats it like on here? They gonna be nice to me?" She asked, grinning over at him again.

The elf didn't let herself dwell a moment on her captain's response to the gift, though she wanted to, instead dragging her attention by the hair to hiss at the passing shipwreck that was Cain Nakim. Of course he'd still be here. Her hand still resting on Vega's head, she gave him a warning look as he turned away.

It was then that she felt the tiniest bit sick. Her nose twitched. An Innate. Belo? Or was that just Cain's stench?

Cas quickly scanned the deck, scowl in hand, but the blonde-headed bitch fueling the entire alchohol industry was nowhere in sight. No, a new pariah of the extended family was onboard. She briefly recalled her mother's comment of how quickly they seemed to reproduce. Indeed.

Let's hope this one bears a little humility.

A tall, dark Kerrian stood not far away, apparently waiting in polite silence for either her captain's or--far less likely--her own attention. She grinned that wicked grin. The less familiar faces, the better. She intended to make a comfortable, permanent home for herself here.

"Did you replace Belo, then?"

She took a moment to glance back at the captain. Cas'd been too occupied trying to keep herself from chatting Fort's ears off--finding herself more talkative than she liked to be, gods above had it really been so long?--to...hells, it had been long. The evening light struck him, and all his age. It had only been two years. His hair had faded, the elf could even spy the beginnings of colorless threads at his temples.

She set her jaw, feeling a little sick.

Captain Fort caught the package that the elf-gunner tossed his way one-handed, more from luck and a knack for protecting his face than any actual skill. He plucked it from the air and, transferring it into the crippled left hand so that his more dextrous right might set to the task of unwrapping, fixed Cas with an inquisitive little stare. "What in the merry sphincter of...?"

When the ribbon came off, and the box lay opened, he blew out a little gasp of surprise, his eyes crinkling into genuine mirth. Crows feet showed at the corners of his eyes, deeper than they'd been during the last voyage. "Cas, doll, it's..." He whispered, drawing the carved wooden model of the Ardent from the package. "Thank you." He tucked the model back into the package, adding with a knowing wink. "Know just the place for her, too."

Cain tramped on board, and Fort gave a nod of recognition. Good, the ol' Aerodar had remembered which dock and quay. Surprised he hadn't come trundling up at the last possible minute, still half-asleep and nursing a mason-jar of that horrifying brew he insisted was coffee. Still, another familiar face, and that was always a rare delight. He wasted no time in seeking out their newly acquired young gunner. And of course, why wouldn't the old lech? She was young enough to be his daughter, and she lacked Aleta's good-natured hatred for him...

"Did you replace Belo, capitane?" Cas asked, her view askance. Fort laughed, but it was a rueful one; like a man who'd slammed his thumb in a door and could only laugh at his own stupidity. "Who could replace Belo, Cas? Throne, if she'd been game for another go at the Particle, I'd have snapped her up in a minute. But," he shook his head, running a hand across his jaw, "I don't think she's been quite the same since ma'Deu, and the crash. But we can't go in again without an Innate; 'd be like hunting Stroud with a pop-gun." Fort motioned toward the newly arrived figure of Enris, the Ardent's new Innate. "Enris came with a glowing recommendation from Aleksy and Bruno from the Heaven Sent. They say he's the best they've ever seen. So I figure, he might be able to hold a candle to our old girl." Fort shrugged, a good natured smile tugging at his lips as he spread a hand placatingly. "Maybe."

Another figure caught his gaze, his stuff-shirt watchdog. What was his name? Ravensdayne? Randersvayne. Right. That was the one. Cousin to the Queen and valuable cargo in this endeavor of dashing heroics and nigh upon certain doom. Fort sucked in a breath through his nose. "You'll have to excuse me, Cas. There's some business I need to see to." He flicked his eyes to indicate the nobleman. "I assume you remember the way around the old girl? We'll cast off presently." He looked her up and down with his old wolf's smile. "Good to see you again, doll."

Captain Fort crossed the deck toward Randersvayne with the assured swagger of a man firmly upon his own territory. He extended his good hand to shake. "Glad to see you found us, y'lordship. Fine day to get underway. Wasn't any trouble finding the old girl, was there?" For a man who counted himself an antagonist amongst the upper classes, Fort did his very level best to offer a courteous face to this endeavor. After all, the man was a meal ticket, and they had a VERY long trip to look forward to.

Nathaniel gave a smile as the captain approached him. He shook his hand, the typical niceities people did. "Oh hello captain. Yes, I found her just fine. She is a fine vessel" Nathaniel said, looking around the ship appreciatively. Best to start up on the right foot with the ruffians. He did, after all, need their help. He took no issue with them, but they probably didn't care for him.

"Oh and I wanted to let you know, the guards that I brought on board, they are yours to direct and use as you see fit. I brought them to calm the Queen's worries that I would die, but I don't need them to protect me on here. So if you need an extra hand that will always listen to you, just ask any of them and they'll be sure to help you out promptly. I look forward to the journey." Nahaniel smiled again, meeting the captain's eyes.

"One more thing, before I forget" He grinned self deprecatingly, as if he often forgot things "Where is it that I will be sleeping, I do not expect special treatment, I was just wondering where it was so I could go ahead and drop my things off there." Nathaniel lifted the large bag in his hand, underscoring his point. He was still smiling, in a good mood it seemed. And he would be, he was after all about to set off on the journey that would reunite him with Rynn.

“I like to think I’m aging well. No creek in my joints or undeniable urge to wave a cane at children.” He glanced at her and smiled deviously. She teased him about age. Clearly, that was free rein to tease her back. “You seem like a troublemaker. Count yourself lucky.”

Cain nodded, scratching at his chin and smirking. He liked this girl. They had barely broken through small talk and she already demonstrated at least the remnants of a sense of humor. This was one of the best signs he’d ever had when meeting new crew mates. It actually threw him off. Cain was so used to people, upon seeing his scruffy head approaching, dig out the complete extent of loathing they could have for a single person. He was not used to someone treating him kindly, let alone not hating him enough to tease him. Seriously, why wasn’t she like…five years older? Wait...how old was she? Would five years be enough? Hmmm...as soon as he got a moment to his hammock, he’d do the math on that one. Figure out the acceptable age difference between paternal and flirt-ternal. He’d also come up with a better term for that. He glanced at her and clicked his tongue. This one still seemed off-limits. Even for him.

Fort would be so proud to know that.

He looked back over toward the offensive sight of the midget they were discussing. He caught a glare from her and wrinkled his nose in response. There was a prickle at the nape of his neck, the warning of a spiraling stand-off between him and his old nemesis. It really was a shame. Sometimes, when she wasn’t snarling or fondling the captain like her personal prized piece of china, Cas could be cute. Like a cat. Before it clawed his face off.

“Yeah, she’s trouble. Like’s to shoot her team if she doesn’t get along with them. She’ll probably view you as competition, so she won’t like you much. The rest of the crew? I’m sure they’ll like you.” Cain noted the stuffy looking gentleman who boarded and stood up straighter, picking himself up off the rail and watching for the way Fort treated him. “Huh, that one doesn’t look promising,” he muttered to himself. When she introduced herself again though, Cain made sure to pay attention. “Alcy, huh? I’ll be sure to remember that. It’s important to shout at the proper gunner when they miss an important target,” he shot back, an amused smirk on his face. “I assure you, everyone will like you on this ship. We may not get along, but there’s a lot of trust we place in each other. The only thing you should be worried about is doing your job when it’s needed. That’ll make the crew happy. Doing it well will make the captain happy. Keep up this process, add in a few jokes and polite conversations, and you’ll have everyone on your side. ‘Cept Cas. But she can be ignored.”

"I was only teasing you.... you aren't really that old. I think its the life that make you look like a grandpa...." Alcy chuckled again. That would be her last age joke. For now. As he commented about her being a trouble maker she grinned at him, clearly a sign that he was correct. "I prefer the term 'mischievous' or 'mood lightenting' to troublemaker. Troublemaker just doesn't feel right. Its more amusement than trouble." She shrugged, still grinning.

The cards were looking good, at least with Cain. Save for the likely ten year or so age difference, he seemed like a great friend. Probably would be her best. They seemed to understand each other, neither taking anything too seriously unless absolutely necessary. At least she knew for sure at least one person on this ship liked to have a little fun every now and then. She foresaw spending lots of time with Cain watching the others and making all sorts of jokes about them. And likely annoying the hell out of them, or at least Cas from what he told her.

As Alcy saw the look on his face in reference to Cas, she decided perhaps to be careful with her, though she'd rather not have to be on guard. Cas just wasn't a candidate for her tendency to tease and patronize lovingly.

"Competition? For what? Certainly not the Captain's attentions..." She scoffed, looking at the captain. He was the oldest of all of them. "I'm not here to take anyone's place, I just wanted to take this job. If she's head gunner then, well, I guess I have to keep her happy. I can be a good girl, I swear Cain..." She wore a glinting smirk, making it clear that while, yes, she could be, she had very little interest in being a good girl. In the slums, good girls don't survive.

"I don't like that one either...." Alcy said, actually sounding serious as she referred to the nobleman "He's one of them, like the man that kicked my mom out to live in the slums after he knocked her up with me." She snarled as reasonably as a person could snarl and not sound ridiculous "Yeah, I'm a bastard child of a noble. Fun times." It didn't seem to bother the girl, and in fact, even under her tough exterior, it genuinely didnt. She didn't need some uppity fop to help raise her, her mother had done just fine. Alcy just wished he hadn't broken her mothers heart and that he'd at least given her some money.

"I certainly hope they like me, I've had issues with people thinking me cocky because I'm 20 and a gunner. They say to be any sort of good shot you need at least ten years experience. I prove them wrong, they give me shit, I punch them in the face." She grinned again "And no, I'm not kidding about that last part. Although I don't think I'll be punching anyone on here, I have too much respect for Captain Fort and everyone else."

Her eyes snapped back to the focus of the old man before her when he imposed an understandable question, which she didn't even need to think about really. "The prize isn't what brought me here, the voyage did. It's risky, exciting and just the kind of mission I need to really prove my skill and expand my knowledge of that vast sky..." Looking up at the clear sky above her decorated with flocks of birds overhead; a strong gust of wind came onto the deck sending her coat tails flapping and once again drawing her attention toward the elf who was now standing alone, since Captain Fort had managed to make his way to greet a noble fellow.

Miss Langdon had spent a lot of time mingling amongst the nobles since she left her home many years ago. It wasn't her favorite thing to do but one thing nobles had was money and with money came good education and if she could get her hands on a man who had knowledge and wisdom to spare she was pleased.

Being so distracted, she never noticed that the deck was now full of what she could only imagine to be fellow crew members. One of which had a presence that was doing an exceptional job at bothering her, he wasn't saying a word but as a Langdon trait she could smell an Innate from a mile away. There was no point in stirring up trouble with the likes of him, as long as he was willing to do the same Deryn wasn't going to go out of her way. A little farther down from the Captain and the noble, an attractive girl who seemed to always have a smirk on her face was casually leaning against the rails of the docks as she spoke with a man who showed the same veteran signs that the captain did. They both seemed to be conspiring against the now lone elf, for reasons Deryn would soon find out.

With that the elven woman managed to turn enough to reveal her feminine yet strong features. That face, could it be? No that was impossible... how could she be alive let alone walking about so casually on the docks of Cann? Not much made her flustered but this was certainly getting her heart to race, unbeknownst to her Deryn's gloved hands clenched into fists as she debated in her mind how to handle the situation. It had been so long but she did not change, other than that probably well deserved scar on her face she was just the same as the day Deryn left the mansion.

The now steaming elf was left alone as she stood, the old man leaving her to tend to her business. That was probably best, she didn't much enjoy the presence of the old geezer and Deryn had some new issues to tend to. Oh you little brat, you're lucky I'm not making a scene my first damn day... A tornado of different trains of thought and emotions were swirling inside her head. Was she relieved that her childhood friend was alive? Was that sense of betrayal boiling it's way back up to the surface? No, now was not the time to let these feelings overwhelm her and possibly get her banned from the voyage. But Deryn wanted one thing, she wanted her presence known to Cas.

With that she walked farther down the dock, not too far away from where Cas was standing, and leaned her back against the railings... never letting her eyes part from her, burning a stare into her skin.

From the way those two were speaking to each other, the Captain and that elf girl were obviously close. They had probably worked together during the first attempt of retrieving the Shift Particle. The elf girl. . .she could be a problem. He could tell she disliked him, or rather hated him; he could sense it spewing forth from every pore on her body. His family had warned him about the condescending nature of elves towards Innates and so far, it appeared to be true. She was quick to judge, already hating him before speaking with him. Enris didn't think himself better because he judged people too, but at least that was after a first conversation. Speaking of which, he would have to have one with the elf sooner or later.

He was just out of earshot so didn't hear what the Captain said before walking off to speak with the dark-haired man who emanated malice. The only reason such a man would be aboard this ship was either that he was exceptionally skilled or had an exceptional amount of money. From the way he dressed, Enris guessed the latter held true.

He turned his attention back to the elf girl and hoped he would not regret speaking to her. She seemed a bit volatile so it would be best if he kept his guard up. He had never really met that many elves. They tended to avoid him and he them. However, on a ship this small they couldn't "accidentally" avoid each other forever.

"Excuse me Miss Elf." He greeted as he approached her, nodding his head at her politely. He was always polite when opening a conversation, during however was a different story.

"Are you going to be a problem?" Blunt and to the point. Was it rude? Probably. Was it necessary? Probably not. He didn't care. Enris could have asked the same thing multiple ways so why not the most direct and clear. It made sure there were no misunderstandings at least. He noticed the second elf had taken a position behind Miss Elf and was staring at her with unabated hatred. Interesting. So not everything was all happy and peachy in elf land.

The miniature monster's heart positively soared at Captain Fort's reaction, and she let an even grander smile break her bored facade. Her throat tightened just the littlest bit and she returned his wink and words of gratitude with a slight nod.

Who could replace Belo, Cas?

She realized her heart sank just the tiniest bit that Belo would not be joining them. Cas despised her, truly, but for all her trickery and stench of ale and magic, the elf had caught herself musing whether, had things been different--herself human, Belo untainted--they might have got along, even be friends. It was a strange thought to direct towards a person one might have killed had they gotten the chance. But Cas had found herself entertaining many odd thoughts these past two years.

Enris, hm? Might be able to hold a candle? Cas turned a doubtful eye on the dark man. Bitch or no, Belo had still been crew. And that meant this one had to earn his place.

But alas, the ship was beginning to fill, the evening growing yet later, and her captain had places to be, people to see. She nodded and unlaced her arms, dropping them at her sides to watch, disappointed, as he left. Her throat tightened again.

"It was good to see you, too," she whispered.

Cas glanced towards the Innate--Enris--whose words demanded her attention, and answer. She spoke as she turned, with a curl of her lips in what might have been either a cruel smile or an attempt at a friendly one. Are you going to be a problem? "That depends. Are you?" she answered, her hand on Vega's gleaming brass head.

She noted, dispassionately, his pleasing build.

As she finished turning towards him fully now, she spied the familiar face burning a hole in her eyes not far beyond the man before her. Cas' throat tightened at the sight of her, features paling just a little, the reminder of her mother trailing across her face made all the more visible. Cas' hand flew up to cover it, glancing away.

Her other, slid one of her pistols from its holster just enough to give her the advantage, should Deryn try anything. Two years prior, she would have shot first and asked questions later. Any other day, she would have demanded an explanation from someone. But the years had bred good behavior, and the presence of the fop whose attention Fortinbras found important demanded her own discretion. Embarrassing the captain in front of, what--a noble? financier?--would not do.

What would do was a warning look thrown across to her old friend. Instead, her features betrayed uncertainty, a hint of fear, and a dollop of joy.

Keeping her eyes on Deryn, Cas finished speaking to the Innate. "I wish to see this job completed. So long as we are on the same page, and you do not send us into death-dives on a whim like our pilot over there, we have no problem."

What was that? An attempt at a kind smile? If so it was terrible. If anything it looked like a wicked smirk as if to say "Please, a filthy innate like you would be the problem, not me." Really, why elves hated Innates was beyond him. It's not like they had slaughtered their race, in fact, it was the elves that did just that to them! Well perhaps slaughtered was too strong, but they hunted them for sport for god sakes! Just thinking about it riled Enris up. His moral compass was acting up again. How he wanted to to just say how wrong elves were to do that, how conceited and arrogant it was. . .but that would have to wait. There would be another time for such talk.

"That depends. Are you?" Enris held up his hands in a placating gesture. "I don't intend to be but from my experience, the trouble tends to come from your side, not mine." He wasn't saying that Innates were the helpless victims of elves (many if not all were far from helpless) because there were probably Innates out there that deserved to be hunted down and killed but hating or judging someone because of their race was wrong too. Prejudice was something Enris felt strongly about and would not stand for it.

"I wish to see this job completed. So long as we are on the same page, and you do not send us into death-dives on a whim like our pilot over there, we have no problem." He hoped she was joking. What kind of pilot would do that? A skilled one he hoped and not a stupid one.

"I wish for the same, and doing things on a whim is not what I'm known for so things should go smoothly." 30 might not be very old, but it was old enough for Enris to believe that whims were for children only.

The preparation of the ship is nearly complete. The dockworkers, and the ship's own sailors, work fast. The sun is almost set. Soon, the ship will launch and the crew will have their usual launch night dinner--to better get to know each other and celebrate the start of a grand journey. Afterwards, we will time skip to Fort Rock.

Certainly, the mountain city of Cann was a sight to behold. Grandeur and befitting of the royalty that manifested within the city itself, with all it's diplomatic pandemonium equal in its gaiety. It was lively and well assured by its impervious fortress but was immensely deficient in what the scholar knew as home; in the peaceful culture that made up his people. He was on Tyrisian soil, a place where war had taken visible claim, a place that nought ten years ago, controlled the lands of his own people. It was... unsettling despite the fact that the hostility had faded in functioning negotiations dedicated to allying the lands on peaceful terms. Nor could he conduct any bout of dismay towards his brothers choice to live there, but the fact firmly remained, Barasa was not home. As he suspected, he would not be for a long time yet.

It had been almost a year now, that he'd acquired status in mountainous region. A visit to his brother and his Tyrisian family had fortified into an extended stay to study the archives of the Kerrian people through the discoveries and eyes of the Tyrisian people. They were old scripts, old writings often broken and fragmented from explorers and adventurers back before they could date. He'd managed to break in a number of old codes within the last few months, but the anomaly of his initial studies had yet to find a potential grip by the time the Ardent's acquisition reached his ears. At the time, he'd been surprised, caught a little off guard despite his standings and previous encounters.

As a renowned scholar from Kerrian, his name was well known around Cann, predominantly for his studies on the koysqatsi. But of all the ships he'd heard of venturing out to seek the item founded in Kerrian lore, he was not expecting the Ardent to approach him. For all the stories and allegations he'd heard of the ship, their first run had not ended well. And of the numerous ships that ventured after the koysqatsi and failed, there were not many daring enough to venture back out. But as he discovered, the Ardent was impertinent, if not impeccable with timing.

Many ships had asked for his help before, some near threatening even, but he'd denied them of his help. Finding the koysqatsi; retrieving it, it was an vigorous, daring task and it was not one he'd been certain of attempting himself. Much of what he'd learned about it led to potentially hazardous circumstances, and there was much underlying fear in what the outcome of finding it would be, even if they did manage to retrieve it. Most of the lost world, the old world of his people lay strewn and hidden for a reason. However, upon recent discoveries in his studies, a moment of anticipation, almost a kindling need had embraced him. A promotion to venture out himself and out of the dank libraries and studies. Whatever the koysqatsi did, he was certain, was tied deep within Kerrian history. And he wanted to figure out why.

If it hadn't been for that, the famed scholar would not have agreed to the Ardent's request. And now, he stood, before the quaint vessel, bountiful in it's presence. The previous ship; the only ship he'd ever sailed on, from his homeland no less, had been much larger in size, bit had retained a shabby reputation, no personality. The Ardent on the other hand, blew it out of the sky, in blatant terms. It's presence almost seeking attention with it's Brusian make.

He had a very limited knowledge on ships, and even less on their inner workings, being one more associated to the ground beneath him than the sky and beyond. Still, he was, enamoured to say the least.

The sun was sinking, the sky's horizon muddled with colour, and the air around the docks felt free despite the constricting factor of being surrounded by ships preparing to disembark. And yet he couldn't stifle the excitement stirring, no more than he could stifle the nagging anxiety that followed him all the way from his brother's home. This would not be an easy trip, nor was he sure it would be a successful one, but he was determined to see it through, whatever the outcome.

With the last few moments, standing before the ship, he knelt down beside the overstuffed bag of notes and books, pulling out a notebook and a writing utensil. Quick as he could manage, he sketched out a drawing of the ship, sprawling neatly the title of the ship below it. He was no artist by any means, but at the very least one could make out the basic architectural design of the ship without much trouble.

Stuffing the notebook back into his bag, he heaved it up onto his shoulder, with much difficulty. The one problem he had with joining the Ardent on their expedition, was the limited amount of reading material he would have access to. To compensate he'd managed to claim temporary ownership on many of the old documents and had taken notes and whatever he could from those he couldn't take with him. Long strenuous nights had been involved in the process, not only in taking notes but in determining which books would be most helpful and which he would be forced to leave behind. It was not something he enjoyed doing. He was just lucky that his brother had made the effort to carry them down to the docks for him before leaving him there after what seemed like a long awkward goodbye.

They hadn't been close, all things considered, but they were close enough for it to mean something.

He looked down, somewhat miserably at the other larger bag that lay at his feet. More books were stuffed in it, but shared an allotted amount of space for his clothing and basic living necessities. With a grunt, he managed to latch his fingers around the strap, deciding to drag the stupid thing for all it worth.

Boarding the ship had been no easy task, his fingers having been forced to pick up the other bag despite its obnoxious weight and lug it across the ramp and onto the vessel itself. The moment he reached the deck he dropped it with a heavy breath, not at all accustomed to strenuous activity of any sort. The other bag followed, slumping beside it with a thunk and he sunk down as well, leaning against the larger one as he looked around.

His eyes widened briefly, the amount of people on board and bustling about more than he was expecting. With a sigh potent of questioning and insecurities, he stared up at the darkening sky, resting his arms against a top his bent knees, waiting for his heartbeat to settle.

Chapter One
brave intrepid and then some
look out new world here we come

The hand of Sol had left the world. The Ardent’s sails shimmered from its touch. High sea breeze, cool and salty and seductive, wafts up, a reprieve from the hot summer air. An invitation from the Vast Sea herself. The Ardent was nothing if not ready to heed her call.

Dockworkers scrambled to get the last of the supplies onboard, sailors kissed their wives--or airport lovers--goodbye. Far below, the engine began to hum, it whirred as it was brought back to life. Two long, long years. The lines snapped, a little unexpectedly, dockmen and dockwives sent scattering for cover. The Ardent was free, and she was ready for her pilot’s guiding hand once more.

The ship does not actually "launch" until one of the pilots begins flying it. Please continue your posts in one of the Ardent sub-locations, not in the Ardent location. If you require a new area to be made, PM me. Dinner will be at nine, try not to kill each other before then.