ANNOUNCEMENTS/NEWS (IMPORTANT)

[Lupin Leaflaw]

*Lupin looked over to Silvara, her head resting on his shoulder, he was not sure how Zine might feel about it, but his worries were quenched, only slightly, when he saw the lookin Zines eyes. Following the gaze outwards from the coach, Lupin looked in equal awe and wonder at the great machines that seemed to dominate the skies so. It was very well like a sea port of sorts as airships based on the old water fairing craft in design, took flight into the air. Powerfull blasts of white, hot, steam billowing from stacks atop the vessels. A rather ponchy man with messy blonde hair and a chisled face, he wore the uniform of the captain and was greating people as they paid for their tickets to board the vessel to Ghenna. Walking up to the man, Lupin gave him the collective money from all three of them as well as the papers needed to travel, given to them from Vaden.*

Welcome aboard lady and gents, this fine vessle ya see before ye is the infamous Aethra! I am the captain of this air ship, the name is Cid. If you three could just make your way onto the craft, we will be heading up and off in no time at all!

Thanks very much Cid. Your vessels name, Aethra, what does it mean?

Clear skies, young man, clear skies!

*Lupin could only hope to himself that the name would hold true and that their journey on board the Aethra would not be a tiresome one. That it would in fact allow them a safe passage to their current destination and goal. However, Lupin should know better than that.*

[XSilverEternityX]

Silvara yawned slightly as she steped from the coach. Stretching slightly, she caught the eye of severl people and jerked her hood up to cover her face. Walking a step behing Lupin her eyes were narrowed as she survaied the place. She had never seen the likes of it and was ancious to get under way. Her eyes seemed to glow under her hood as she took it all in. She had never been one to enjoy man made things, but they were wonderious. Keeping an eye on Zine, she listened to the captain politely as her eyes continued to dart around, taking everything in. She was like a sponge, soaking everything in. Stuffing her hands into her pockets, she ran her toung over her bottom lip thoughtfully. This trip was going to be very intresting.

[Zine]

Zine walked passed the captian without giving him a second, he climbed aboard the airship. Zine grabbed a bench and put his feet up claiming the entire thing for himself; other passangers were coming and going giving Zine a disgusted look and whispering quietly to themselves. The glances Zine could deal with but the whispers just fueled the flames of hate in Zine's eyes, ever second that passed made the black flames higher and higher. Zine's hands clutched and his knuckles turned white from the lack of blood, Zine tried to control himself but he did not know how long he would last.

[Lupin Leaflaw]

*Lupin walked past Zine, giving him an odd look. The man was all over the place but his latest manouver was just plain rude. Lupin was starting to obtain agitated feelings towards the man and had to remind himself that he was a friend. However lacking in the term he might be. Lupin ignored the crowds, the sites, he started to make his way straight up to the deck of the airship so that he could enjoy the sites of the grounds bellow. He hadn't noticed the men eyeing him down, slowly tracking him as he made his way towards the deck of the ship. An annoucement could be heard over the ships pipe systems, they would be taking off into the dark skies ahead of them. That is when this whole trip would start to take a deadly turn.*

[XSilverEternityX]

Silvara Followed the boys up onto the air ship. She had never been on an airship before and was beginning to feel a bit nervious. In her opinion if the gods had ment for people to fly, he would have given them wings. The fact that Zine was still acting werid didn't do much to calm the butterflies in her stomach either. Her face was a bit pale, but her eyes were curious as she stepped onto the air craft. This was going to be an intresting trip and she wasn't completly sure she was going to like it. She had always had a distinct fear of hights and such. Glancing around, her eyes narrowed slightly as she studdied the diffrent walks of people that occupied the vessle. There was someone from every in Gaea sitting around or talking. Her hand stayed close to the hilt of her sword just in case as she kept close to Lupin. He acted like ha knew what he was doing atleast.

[Lupin Leaflaw]

*Lupin had once been on an airship, never in the air, but he had been on one. It was when he was at the academy that he had gone on a tour of such a vessel. The school covered every possible angle when it came to warfair, some knights would have to fly off into far away places and the kingdom had been secretly working on airships of their own for just such a case. He stood out at the front of the deck, a slight wind in the air, they had not left yet, but he could feel the rumble of the ship coming to life. He held onto the rail and turned around to see Silvara looking slightly nervous about the whole ordeal.*

Come grab onto the rail, it will help keep you steady.

[XSilverEternityX]

BIting her lip, she walked over to the railing beside him and took hold with both hands. When the ship rumbled to life, she gripped the railing until her knuckles turned white. Sending him a shaky smile, she took a deep breath and did her best to force her nerves to calm themselves. She was nervious, but slightly excited as well, although she still remaned by the fact that people were not meant to fly. Glancing around in an attempt to take her mind off the flight, she noticed a rather creepy looking man eyeing them. Brushing off the feeling, she bit her lip and looked out across the landscape as they waited for the ship to take off.

[Zine]

Zine felt the gentle rumble of the airship as the steam powered engine built up pressure, the ship began to lift off the ground like a leaf caught in an updraft. Zine lay in his bench that he had taken over, it was not the most comfortable place he had ever laid down on but it would surfice. Zine stared out the window and watched the ship rise, slowly at first then more quickly building its speed and angle. Zine closed his eyes as he felt the rush of zero g in his stimach, it was an odd feeling but one that he did not dislike. He wondered to himself how long this flight would take and why he was on it in the first place. He knew he had come for a reason but something was preventing him from remembering, he shrugged and laid back. He would worry about it later.

[Lupin Leaflaw]

*Lupin looked out into the vast expanse before him and he breathed deeply the air around him, or about as much as their altitude would allow him to. Looking ahead of himself he could see the darkness that surrouned Ghenna. Great purplish black clouds with lightning inside them, it all looked very imposing and yet people still seemed to want to vacation there. He shook his head, it seemed as though the darkness was already aproaching them, but he was mistaken. It was nothing more than the nights sky taking its rightful place in the way of things. Even in that encroaching darkness, the darkness that lay in wait for himself and the others still seemed that much more imposing. He turned around to face Silvara, he could see the men and women in cloaks watching him. He could here their whispers, their plans for attack. He would not make things easier for them. He would take them all some place out of the way, so nothing happened to anyone else on board the ship.*

Lets go and get Zine, I want to explore the workings of this vessle a little more.

[XSilverEternityX]

Looking down at the ground below them, she took a deep breath as the ship lifted. It was amazing how these things could fly and such. She had never really put much thought into it, but it was rather intreasting. Looking out across the wide span of earth and water, she smiled slightly to herself. Their world was indeed a beautiful one. Even the places of danger and distruction had a beauty to them that still stunned her. Her sharp ears picked up the sound of whispers and she turned her head to glance around. She spoted the whispering groups and her eyes narrowed. She could pick up snipits of words and phrases that didn't sound too plesent. It seemed that where ever she went with her friends, there was always someone after one of them. The strange thing was that it didn't bother her in the least. She had people she could count on now. Although she wasn't sure what exactly was going on with Zine at the present time, he was really starting to worry her. A slender hand came to rest on Lupin's arm. A invisible signal that she was there behind him and ready for what ever would come next. She nodded at his words. She could almost see the wheels in his brain working. He wanted to get the action away from the innosent people on the plane so he was playing it cool for now. Sending him a smile, it didn't reach her eyes. The clear blue windows to her soul were filled with an alert kind of primal look. Almost like an animal caluclating its next move.

[Lupin Leaflaw]

*Lupin could feel the slender hand grasping onto his arms, it was all that he needed, his focus was on those who wished to bring him and his friends harm. And what better place to try and do it than several thousand feet into the air where there was really nothing to stop it? Lupin guided Silvara along with himself towards the passengers area of the vessle. Shoving right past the cloaked men, he swore he could hear the sounds of weapons being drawn, but Lupin made absolutely no effort to show that he was aware of it. Rather instead he continued to walk through the doors and over towards the captains chambers, where Cid was no doubt piloting the ships coarse. A couple raps on the door and it swung open, Cid at the Helm.*

What can I do for you?

I left a few important items with my bags, do you know where the cargo bay is? I need to go and grab them.

Take the freight all the way to the bottom level and from there you will be able to make your way through the steam room. Ask one of the shovelers down there to show you were the cargo hatch is and you can find your bags from there.

Thanks very much.

Not a proble...and try not to make a mess down there.

*Lupin stopped short for a brief moment, it was as though the man knew what was going on. He said nothing as he left the room and started to make his way over towards Zine and his seat.*

[XSilverEternityX]

Her eyes were dark as she followed him. When they reached the captain, she waited as Lupin spoke to him. The tall man at the helm sent her a knowing look and she nodded slightly in his direction as they turned to go. She wasn't completly sure how she felt about starting a small war on an air ship. It was hard enough for her to simply deal with the ride in the first place. Doing her best to shrug off the feeling in her chest, she bit her lip slightly. When they reached the passenger area, she looked around for Zine with narrowed eyes. Her muscles had already began to tense and shake slightly but she slid her arm through Lupin's. He calmed her and made her feel stronger. Glancing up at him, there was somthing diffrent in her eyes, but before it could be clearly defined, she looked away to search the cabin again.

[Lupin Leaflaw]

*Lupin looked down at Silvara as she once more linked arms with him. He could feel her relax, he could see the concentration and determination in her narrowed eyes. He placed a hand on her shoulder and spoke softly to her.*

You need to relax, as far as the both of us are concerned, we are just going down to the cargo bay. What happens there happens there. Your energy is going to make the other passengers nervous. Just calm yourself and don't give away the fact that we are totaly on to them.

*Lupin could see Zine, he motioned to him to follow Silvara and himself, they could use his help, though in his current state, Lupin did not think Zine would follow. So he took Silvara anyway, hoping that at one point or another, Zine might indulge the rest of the group and join in on the game. Lupin continued to make his way towards the freight, ushering in Silvara and shutting the door. The others would need to wait for the freight to return. As far as Lupin was concerned, that gave them enough of a head start to get a lay of the battle field, for lack of a better term. He turned to Silvara.*

Don't place a hand on your weapon or anywhere near it until we are in the cargo bay. We don't want any of the workers in the boiler room to start to feel brave, these men are out of their league and you know it.

*He gave her a reassuring smile and then turned to watch as the freight moved past a couple floors on its way to the boiler room. When it arrived, Lupin jammed a small piece of scrap metal into the door frame so he could buy themselves a little more time.*

[XSilverEternityX]

Nodding, by the time they reached the boiler room, she looked the part of a completly relaxed and Nieve woman. Running her fingers through her hair, she set her expression into a plesent smile as they approched the workers on the ship. Sending a slightly coy smile at a few of them, she decided to let Lupin do the talking. Batting her eyelashes, she kept her arm threaded through his and stayed close to his side. Dispite her calm appearence, her sences were working over time. Her hearing had sharpened until she could hear every echo and foot fall. Her eyesight had sharpened as well as her sence of smell.

[Lupin Leaflaw]

*Lupin seemed almost devoid of expression, despite the smile on his face. His blue eyes seemed to glass over a little bit as he continued on with this little game of cat and mouse. He said his hello to a few of the workers, even stopped to ask on of them for better directions to the cargo hatch.*

A brave man you are to be going after the hatch yourself. It has to be near the hottest part of this flying heap. Don't get me wrong, it gets a little cooler once your inside, a lot of ventilation holes and things of the like. But at the right time, the metal ladder could very well melt through your boots and scald you in a most horrific way!

I'll be sure to keep that in mind.

*And indeed he would, Lupin already had plans to put that heat to use, the cogs were in motion. Every step he took towards the hatch was another note in the opus of death he was about to conduct. He looked over to Silvara. It was a good thing she forced herself to live in the wilds those many years. He knew he could count on her to adapt to anything he needed her to. Quick to think and even quicker to act, he needed her on her toes. He couldn't explain everything to her, he needed her to be compitent on her own, and he knew her capable of that.*

Once we are inside that hatch, the first thing you need to look for is anything we can use to our advantage. Don't bother pointing it out to me, because I am not going to point them out to you. We are about to tango and were both making up the steps, lets hope we can keep in sync with each other. We don't have to much time before they arrive.