[h3]Urses Mallory[/h3] Pain burned intensely through Urses’s gut as he staggered back, his world narrowing into a struggling breath and an guttural rage. He slammed the butt of the rifle against the deck to steady himself, teeth bared as he sucked in air that refused to come easy. Every muscle screamed, but the discipline of a soldier within him helped him up. He worked the bolt hard. [i]Clack-chunk. Clack-chik[/i] A fresh round seated into the chamber and Urses raised the rifle again, shouldering it tightly, his eyes scanning between the crates looking for the fugitive. “You stupid bastard…” he snarled, voice breaking into a rasp as he tried (and failed) to sound composed, “You’ve just signed your own death warrant, Mainer. Should’ve stayed a hero instead of a thief!” He advanced a step, then another, rifle sweeping low and ready despite the pain surging at him. Then a pair of voices echoed from the entryway. [quote=@Terrans] [h2]Aden[/h2] “Inburian Army. Everyone freeze!!!!” [/quote] [quote=@Badarby] [b]Giogoula Giorgios[/b] "Whoever fired that rifle, come out with your hands up!" [/quote] Urses halted, chest heaving. Relief flared for half a heartbeat before pride and anger wrestled it down. He backed toward the light, his rifle visible as he revealed himself to Aden and another person, a woman with a revolver. “Attempted theft,” Urses said sharply, breathing hard, “That mainer tried to steal the imperial gold. He resisted order and attacked me.” He gestured briefly to his abdomen with the rifle barrel. "He's armed and still inside.” [hr] [h3]James E. Carter[/h3] Carter pressed his back against the crate, jaw clenched as blood ran warm down his arm and soaked into his sleeve. The pain came in waves, an intense burning sensation followed by a cooling off with adrenaline keeping his hand steady around the Harlan’s grip. He breathed slow through his nose, fighting the cold sweat pouring throughout his body. [i]Idiot… idiot…[/i] He hadn’t meant for it to go this far. The kid was just a soldier doing his job, same as he once had been. Then his voice called out. [b]“You stupid bastard…”[/b] Urses' voice echoed through the hold, [b]“You’ve just signed your own death warrant, Mainer. Should’ve stayed a hero instead of a thief!”[/b] Carter’s expression hardened. [i]Death warrant,[/i] he repeated to himself in his head. His fingers tightened slightly on the trigger of his gun. If Urses found him again, there wouldn’t be room for restraint, he knew that now. He didn’t want to kill anyone but he would not die here either. Then new voices cut through the hold. Aden, followed by another voice, female by the sound of it but strangely authoritative, it definitely was not Zoe's. He managed to hear Urses explaining what had happened. Carter stayed low, silent, breath shallow. [i]Alright,[/i] he thought grimly. [i]Now it’s everyone’s mess.[/i] [h3]Itzi Ku[/h3] Itzi ran. Her breath shallowed and ragged as cobblestones clapped beneath her boots. The city rushed past in streaks of color and banners, flags of kingdoms she barely cared as all she could think about was Carter’s face when he’d bolted for the ship. The panic in his eyes and the shot that had ranged out soon afterwards. This was wrong, all of it. All because of that stupid gold. She then skidded to a halt so suddenly she nearly slammed into a lamppost, catching herself with a sharp gasp. [quote=@PrinceAlexus] [h3][b]Post Captain Le Marinier[/b][/h3] In a new clean uniform, the fit was a little out but better than he could expect on this time line. He saw the sun still shining over the city and the shade cast by the great air ship masts. He had done his duty to pass on what he knew and had seen, the whole battle for the fort, the escape, the valley, the gold. So much had happened in a short time. He left the embassy feeling lighter with a sea bag, a promise of new clothes and access to contacts and links back home again. He would have to send the young private down to pass on what he could add, what could help them to make the best of what was a growing and ever difficult time. [/quote] A man stepped out of a building just ahead, in a seemingly fresh uniform. “Captain!” she blurted, recognizing him a split second too late. “Le Marinier! Carter’s in trouble. On the ship. They’re going to take the gold and—” She didn’t wait for an answer as her eyes darted to the one place she hoped to find help, the Embassy of the Commonwealth of Ardell. Turning on her heel, Itzi sprinted again, straight for the building with the blue-and-gold flag hanging over its doors. She bursted inside, nearly colliding with two guards in crisp navy blue uniforms who looked up in shock, rifles in hand. “I need the ambassador,” she said breathlessly, half demand, half plea. “Now! It’s an emergency. One of your citizens is about to get himself killed.” The room froze, the soldiers glanced to one another before one of them looked back to Itzi. "Come with me..."