[IC] Airborn; A Swashbuckling Airship Adventure (Mature)

[Navy_Vet]

Captain Taggart paced the room, his ship the HMS defiance was currently taking on supplies in the ship yards. A three day Parlay had been declared in the Keys so this meeting could take place. Tag stood in the front of the room as the other ship captain's slowly trickled in. Some he knew by their faces others by their reputation. He had paid a hefty sum to get messengers out in the area to make this meeting happen. The last several months had been rather treacherous for the Air Ship Captain, many of the major countries had formed a semi-alliance when it came to piracy. They decided to let merchants receive a marque and bounty for taking down pirate ships and their crews. The impact had been rather surprising as merchants found they could make more money hunting pirates than shipping goods. The merchant trade business had suffered and created a demand for more traders but that was not the issue that forced this unlikely meeting between Navy Captains, Merchants, and Pirates. Though he despised the pirate captains, he knew with certainty that events in the near future would force them to work together whether he liked it or not. There were larger events happening in the grand scheme of things that had frightened him enough to make this meeting happen. Luckily for him though, Tag had many friends in the Navy, simply due to his years of service, and they had been able to provide more concrete information than the rumors he had heard. He looked at the room slowly filling and gathered his thoughts and prepared to give his speech. It wasn't a grandiose speech, he wasn't into those kinds of things but what he did have were facts and those were frightening enough. Clearing his throat he said, "It looks like we are waiting for one or two more Captains. As soon as everyone is here we will begin. There are glasses and a single pitcher of ale at each table, please feel free to help yourselves."

[McHaggis]

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[Gendarme]

Albrecht walked into the room with a wary look on his face. The stories his grandfather told were tall tales, but they had a profound influence on the man. In addition to their overall rowdy behavior, pirates were brigands who had a penchant for taking everything that wasn't nailed to the floor, and killing witnesses. Albrecht almost spat in their direction. He even contemplated insulting their mothers for raising such curs. Yet he didn't; that would undoubtedly put his employer in a bad light for letting a member of the crew be beaten to a bloody pulp. Albrecht's gaze shifted to his employer. The Moor... Albrecht thought with a perplexed frown. He had been told repeatedly by the Spanish that all of his ilk were all but rotted to the core. Yet Amir seemed none of these things to Albrecht. He had appeared much kinder than the stories the members of his former ship had let on. Were all Moors this kind? Albrecht's thoughts wandered back to the former ship. "Rata Alemán," the sailors had called him - German rat. Albrecht was unused to such language, but soon enough took on the name himself to show them that he wasn't soft. Over time he had made friends. Friends whom he promised to write. Yet he never seemed to have the time to write; there was always something to do, or an anxiety-ridden dream, the callings of his former home in the old world. He wouldn't admit it, but he missed home. He missed the stories of the farmers, his grandparents, and even his father. The father that had given him so little, had shown him little love, he pined for. Albrecht focused on David for a moment; a peculiar first mate to him, but he would follow orders as a good sailor always did. He nodded firmly. He had a promise to fulfill. One that he would fulfill one small task at a time. Return home either rich, famous, or dead.

[May]

It was so humid here. It wasn't like home. Which shouldn't have been all that surprising. And it wasn't like it was his first time down in the Caribbean. Nor in the Keys. But still, even with the scenic views, he couldn't understand why people would live here all the time. It was too hot, too wet, and he didn't even want to think about the storms that came through every year that could easily wash away the little villages that sprang up here and there. Jeremy was standing at something of attention outside the room. It was hopefully precautionary, and he wouldn't be needed to do anything. But the room was filling with pirates and other non military types. Things could get messy. And quickly. He nodded at one of the last few to enter, turning his head some to listen. He wanted to know just what exactly they were getting into. Rumors were one thing. Hearing things straight from the captain's mouth was another all together.

[Navy_Vet]

Captain Taggart stood in front of the room with his arms crossed over his chest. The room was filled with Pirates, Merchants, and a few Naval Officers as well. He cleared his throat before continuing, "I'm sure you're all wondering why I called you here today for this parlay. I am captain Taggart for those of you who do not know me. As I look around the room I see several of you I do know, some I have served in the Navy with, while others of you I have chased and hunted. Those of you who do know me know that I am a man of my word, so for the next two days until you leave this port all will remain neutral. Now let's get to the crux of the matter. I've asked you to come here with with a couple of your ship's personnel. I have brought my Chief Gunner's Mate with me, This is Chief Gunner's Mate Edwardson and he will have some things to say shortly. Before he does though I ask that you heard me out. We have all heard the rumors of a doomsday device that is able to bring down air ships in a single shot. This weapon has been called a maser and I'm sad to say it is not a rumor. Chief Guns Edwardson will explain more about the particulars in a minute but the maser will be able to take out every ship in 500 yards upon it's detonation. This horrific weapon developed by an alliance between the French and Spanish . It cannot be allowed to be used no matter what the cost. If such a weapon is allowed to exist it could doom us all." Turning to the man on his right Captain Taggart motioned for the man to come forward. "This is Chief Edwardson, who will give us a few more details on the weapon."

[McHaggis]

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[Kirah]

Edwardson glanced at Barakat and his crew. He had spent a bit of time looking up reports on everyone present today. The ones about Wakefield, Barakat's first mate, were wildly different, as if the young man were two different people. Barakat himself also had a strange line of tales following him. The frown on Edwardson's face showed his displeasure at having been interrupted. He wasn't fond of speaking in front of large crowds, his own crew was one thing, but this here was quite different. Julius had put way too much effort into the speech though. "You can figure out how you want to react to this after I explain the Maser." Edwardson stood up a bit straighter and pulled down on his light jacket letting it resettle on his shoulders. He raised his chin a bit and then started speaking, "The Maser is a highly intense and invisible beam of microwave radiation. Using redirective zinc plates the Maser could fire this beam at a target up to 500 yards away with pinpoint accuracy and with none of the kickback of conventional guns. Your ship," Edwardson glanced at Barakat. "Is in more danger for not having defensive weapons on it. The Maser can take out your ship with a single hit." Wakefield frowned and glanced at Barakat. Edwardson turned the attention back to Captain Taggart.

[Navy_Vet]

"Thank You Chief Edwardson. Now then why are you here exactly? The maser is only the beginning of the problem ladies and gentlemen. It seems the test firing of the maser has attracted the attention of some unusual creatures. These creatures have been called cloud cats. Apparently some of the first test firings has brought on attacks of these creatures. They are large and feline, and have wings. It is unknown where they live but they seem to attack from out of clouds hence the name cloud cats. They have already attacked several ships and have left no survivors. The only reason we know they exist is because a couple of them were killed and their corpses were collected for study." "So first off we have two threats to our way of life first The Maser and second The Cloud Cats. I know not everyone will want to join in the fight but I figured if we could work together we could face these threats head on. If you are not interested it's ok you could probably make a killing in trade right now with less vessels in the air, but Captains I leave the choice in your hands."

[McHaggis]

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