Fantasy Starborn

[SilverFlight]

Starborn

Chapter one: Felony at a festival and fortune's favour

Things always seem much grander in the telling. Brala was sure, that when drinks were poured some months after this night, the story would be one nobody would ever forget. As it stood, the cluttered warehouse where she had sent her new hires was cold, damp and smelled faintly of cheese. Hardly the stuff made for stories. Brala herself was not there. Not yet. She had decided to see what the players in this rather dangerous game would make of each other before stepping in for her own memorable appearance.

The building was only a few tiers down from the palace gates, and any moment now they would be opening those gates and permitting the masses into the astoundingly spacious stone courtyard for the opening ceremonies. Dusk was fast setting itself upon St Celeste. Already the streets were littered with brightly-coloured lanterns, fire cracker strings, laughing children pulling kites, scolding parents, happy drunks and masses and masses of carts filled with the most delectable treats from all across Imperial space. The entire atmosphere was as festive as it could get, and even through the thick walls of the warehouse, made to hide everything, music filtered through, jovial and infectious.

The empress had requested the thaumaturgy academy to provide the spectators with a special performance. Soon the academy’s best and brightest would be up on stage wowing the crowds with their wonderworking, and soon, it would be the best time to sneak into the palace.

Brala was still antsy. This was the biggest job she had ever done. It was probably the biggest job anyone had ever done, because as far as she knew, kidnapping an Imperial heir had never, in recorded history, ever been done. But she had been given a plan, and insider’s info that seriously made her question exactly who had ordered the task, but the money reward was enough that even Brala was happy not to ask too many questions. The intel seemed legit, anyway, she had cross-checked it with her own sources. This was going to work.

And so, Brala waited. She waited for her team to begin appearing, and waited for them to find one another. She would step in soon.

~*~*~

The intergalactic unity festival. What a beautiful time to be out in the city! Of course, Anna couldn’t see much of it from where she was at the moment. She had crashed her jetpack (again) in a dark alley and it lay in a smoking heap, completely devoid of function. She got up out of the wreckage and stared down at it with chagrin. She certainly wasn’t getting back the way she had come. Anna supposed she should count herself lucky, her skull could have been just as easily broken, and yet, it was still intact under her leather flight cap. She dusted herself off and folded the battered remnants of her latest jetpack model back into the sculpted leather backpack.

Out of the alley the lights, sounds and smells of the festival were all around her. She couldn’t help but look around in absolute wonder, which did nothing for the deal she had made with herself this time: “don’t look like a tourist”, but she couldn't help it.
As she made her way down one of the crowded main streets away from the palace, even as most people were walking towards it, she did not notice a strange figure tailing her…

~*~*~

Up in the palace there were shouts and cries of urgency. Galatea, empress of half the known universe, was having the final adjustments made on her gown. The fabric was a cool mint green, which shimmered and faded to darker green close to the bottom. Every centimeter of fabric had been embroidered with glittering Atarrian crystal thread and studded with Crozoxen cloud diamonds. It was likely the most expensive gown every to have been made in the history of all time, and there was another just like it in light blue, sitting on a mannequin, waiting for its wearer.
There was a nervous tap on the door. Galatea’s attendants flinched, looking up with nervous eyes as the empress turned her regal head. Her hair had just been finished too, cascades of gold braided and tied in a complex arrangement which was also diamond-studded, and left room for the elegant twin gold wings that was her crown and the symbol of Imperial power.

“Enter.” She commanded, her voice carrying to every inch of the room.
It was the captain of the guard, and she looked near-terrified.
“Your immaculate Imperial majesty…”
“Just, get on with it. My speech is in less than half an hour.”
“Yes, well that is…the princess…she’s not in her chambers.”
Galatea’s thin-lipped line of a mouth nearly vanished completely.
“But you have located her in another part of the palace?” The empress of the universe ventured slowly. The captain looked ready to faint.
“It seems she’s…not in the palace...”

Naberius Lioness075 andujarprime Ghostiiys GamerCarrot InsanEleven GasglowJones CryptedCourt Feywild

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Larassa Sovna	Nickname: The Raven
Race: Khoelian	Home Planet: Khoeli
Occupation: Bounty Huntress	Equipment: Knapsack, Bow, Quiver of Arrows (19/20 Normal, 1 Grappling), Twin Daggers

As Larassa walked along the streets, several children sprinted past her while laughing and playing. Larassa paused to let them pass and then frowned slightly at the interruption. The difficulty of having a muzzle instead of a human's mouth was that she always looked a bit like she was frowning.
Sighing, Larassa continued on and soon found herself amongst the locals and many stalls that lined the street. The dazzling lights of lanterns and hung light bulbs around her made Larassa blink for a few moments as her mechanical eye adjusted. Not that the eye would have appeared abnormal to anyone else, as it simply looked like her eye was dilating and constricting depending on what lighting she was looking at.
Larassa's stomach growled in protest, as she began passing a few food stalls. One vendor shouted out, "Dumplings, fresh dumplings!" At that, Larassa walked over and inhaled the pungent smell of the dumplings being prepared. The vendor saw Larassa's longing stare and said, "Ey, if ye want any, ye gotta pay fer it." Larassa raised an eyebrow at the way the man had spoken to her, but fished into her coin pouch for the appropriate cost. After giving the vendor the coins, Larassa happily got herself a small brown bag of fresh dumplings.
Walking away from the stall, Larassa hungrily downed two of the dumplings and then continued along in the crowd towards her destination.

Branching away from the main crowds, Larassa walked down an alleyway while eating a few more of her dumplings. The claws on her feet lightly tapped against the concrete, letting out an eerie echo. She grimaced at the sound, wondering if she should have wrapped her claws before coming here. She had at least changed her attire to better suit the job. It did not make her stand out in a crowd per say, but the clothing was darker with ebony leather covering her torso, arms, and legs. A simple dark brown leather belt was on with the hilts of her daggers on either side. Luckily, her fur was dark enough to keep the rest of her body concealed in the shadows.
Turning a corner, Larassa walked into the warehouse and narrowed her eyes as she attempted to find anyone else present. She paused near what she assumed was the center of the warehouse and began furtively glancing about. She had been told this would be a team effort, but it seemed that her fellow teammates were late. Her heart began to quicken, as she wondered if this all could have simply been a trap of some kind. Maybe she had made a mistake coming here at all.
Slowly, Larassa set down her bag of dumplings and then she drew her bow with an arrow nocked. If this were a trap, she was determined to be ready to defend herself. She slowly turned around in a circle, eyeing the several entrances and trying to figure out why she was alone.
Refusing to look afraid, Larassa called out, "Who's there?" Her voice echoed throughout the warehouse, the lack of a reply making her heart speed up.

Naberius SilverFlight andujarprime Ghostiiys GamerCarrot InsanEleven GasglowJones CryptedCourt Feywild

 

[InsanEleven]

The bronze-coloured automaton stopped in front of the warehouse doors, as if contemplating entering. A few children passed by, throwing bright coloured firecrackers onto the cobblestones and laughing. A girl in a simple but clean dress, and a younger boy in his best clothes that had already been stained with grime, probably from dragging them along dirty walls. He looked over to them, but the lack of expression only scared them. The girl quickly grabbed the younger boy's hand, and darted into an alley. Realising that he had frightened them, Xavier's head tilted down for a moment. A long expulsion of air from his ventilation systems was faintly similar to a sigh - but air over dry metal caused a melancholic whining sound instead.
He took his pipe from his fine, embroidered overcoat, and lit it with a brass wonderwork lighter. For a moment the red flame reflected on the brass-coloured metal, but then it settled down into a slight glow, and curls of smoke rose up from the tobacco. Instead of a sigh, smoke now billowed from his vents. With one hand he pulled down his wide brimmed hat, that had one side pinned up and several small but bright coloured feathers attached to the side. Confidently he opened the wooden door and stepped inside, another round of smoke trailing behind him. He pushed the door back, just hard enough to make it fall closed.

His footsteps ringed across the stones, the heels of his tall, buckled up boots clacking onto floor as he walked deeper inside. The darkness didn't pose much of an issue to him, as his systems picked up more than just visible light and could adapt immediately. The animalistic woman with a bow was quite the sight, and if he had had eyebrows, he may have raised one at her. He supported his elbow with his hand, and took out his still lit pipe. A metallic, hollow voice echoed from under his face plate.
"Depends on who's asking dear." He lowered his pipe slightly, gesturing with it to her bow. "But I doubt yer be getting an answer with yer weapon drawn."
Lioness075 SilverFlight

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Larassa Sovna	Nickname: The Raven
Race: Khoelian	Home Planet: Khoeli
Occupation: Bounty Huntress	Equipment: Knapsack, Bow, Quiver of Arrows (19/20 Normal, 1 Grappling), Twin Daggers

Larassa flinched when she heard the echoing sound of someone approaching and she kept her bow low, but ready if needed. Turning, she faced the individual and blinked when she saw the automaton before her. Given what little she knew of them, Larassa had definitely not expected one to show up and join this kind of team.
Cautiously, Larassa kept her bow out and warily eyed the automaton. A quick once-over told her that it was dressed and acting more like a male counterpart, so she figured it was safe to refer to him as such. He had an odd way of speaking, though, but Larassa was fairly confident she could understand him well enough.
In a vain attempt to look calmer, Larassa straightened a bit and then replied, "Better safe than sorry."

InsanEleven

 

[InsanEleven]

"I've to disappoint you then, those two are nay exclusive to one another." Xavier said his head cocked to the side slightly. Although expressionless, he didn't appear in any way intimidated by the woman before him. Tapping some of the ashes out of his pipe, he put it back into the vent as he took a few steps closer. Once in front of her, the faceless visage inspected her closer, another round of smoke slowly drifting from the unoccupied vent. Deciding she posed little threat, he straightened his pose out again.
"But if ye're to ask, the name's Xavier. Xavier Feighton." He raised one hand, and as he did showed her how he pushed a small blade back in between the plates of his chassis. "I've put mine away, 's about time ye did the same with yer own. Three sentences and a name in's nary the time to shoot a man." His hand tilted, the gesture opening up slightly to be more welcoming. As far as metal could be.
Lioness075

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Larassa Sovna	Nickname: The Raven
Race: Khoelian	Home Planet: Khoeli
Occupation: Bounty Huntress	Equipment: Knapsack, Bow, Quiver of Arrows (19/20 Normal, 1 Grappling), Twin Daggers

Larassa blinked at the automaton, confused by what he said and at a loss for how to respond. "I-um...come again?" She raised an eyebrow at him and then took several steps back when he calmly approached her.
"Woah, hey now, I don't know you. Ever heard of personal space, man?" She glared at him, for all the good it did her. The automaton seemed uninterested in her, or at least not even remotely worried for his own safety. It was only now that she realized her arrows probably would not do much good for her if she tried to attack him.
As the automaton made a show of putting away his own weapon, Larassa followed suit and slung her bow over her back once more. The mere idea of trying to attack him gave her several ideas for arrow designs and with a total lack of social etiquette, Larassa took off her knapsack and knelt down behind it. While Xavier formally introduced himself, Larassa pulled out a sketchbook and a pencil while she nodded and muttered, "Yeah, nice to meet you, too," in response.
Hastily, Larassa began sketching out her arrow ideas and then paused partway when she realized she had not introduced herself yet. She was lucky that her fur concealed anytime she happened to blush.
Abruptly, she stood back up with her sketchbook in one hand and her pencil in the other. She fumbled for a moment to transfer the pencil into her other hand and then held out her hand for Xavier to shake.
"Uh, sorry. I get these ideas in my head and just have to get them down on paper before I forget." She realized she still had not introduced herself and inwardly winced at how this all probably made her look like the rookie of the team.
"Right, um, I'm the Raven. I think it's probably best if we stick to nicknames or whatever you want to call them. Just in case, y'know, something goes wrong." She blinked a few times, as she realized that her nickname probably sounded ridiculous. She shuffled her wings and a feather came loose, floating to the floor beside her. This was definitely not the smooth introduction she had been hoping for.

 

[GamerCarrot]

Uvri walked down the busy street eyeing the vendors off to the sides, it wasn't long till one of them noticed the innocent little alien walking around. "Hey you!" They shouted out causing her to turn in place a little to see if they were talking to someone else, she pointed at herself with a confused expression "Yes you come here." They said slightly annoyed that it took her so long to notice. She walked up to the vendor and looks down at what they were selling, small bits and bobs all festival themes. The thing that caught her eye was a small flag obviously made for children. The vendor picked it up and held it out to her, which she happily took. The vendor raised their eyebrow at her and looked down at the coin purse securely attached to her side, it didn't take Uvri long to realized what he was implying. Grabbing the count purse she opened it and pulled out a large some of money that looked more than what the flag was worth but the vendor smiled slyly and leaned over to pat her head so she figured it was the right price to have him react in such a way. She waved goodbye to the vendor whilst waving her little flag slightly before heading off to where she needed to go.

It didn't take her long to find the alley way leading to the warehouse she was meant to be attending, as she walked in she was still admiring the flag in her hands when she noticed three others were already here. Smiling at everyone she waved and approached them all "Oh hello! Sorry being late I was buying something from the nicest vendor." She smiled, obviously too oblivious with her mistake.

 

[Feywild]

Slipping through crowds and blending in was Francesca’s speciality. She didn’t stick out, keeping her clothes simple and light without feeling too clunky in them. In her practical holster, decorated with a few stickers for the occasion, lay her old blaster in its ever pristine state. In her pockets were her brass knuckles. If anything was to occur, Fran hoped she would be able to handle herself. She offered gracious smiles to strangers on her journey to the warehouse, she was a human so it was only natural people weren’t put off by her appearance, being quite friendly in response with bright smiles. It wasn't unusual for her to be on the streets, no one knew her face, that's exactly how she wanted to keep it. Tonight was meant to be a night of splendour and the streets certainly reflected that with the lanterns and colourful kites, the vendors being a wonderful addition too. Gorging herself on food sounded very enticing, food from vendors were always something to be treasured, but it wasn't the time. There was things to do and places to be. If she hadn’t have been invited to this job she would’ve joined in on the festivities herself, after all, it would be the perfect chance the pickpocket and make some easy cash or trinkets to hoard.

Heading into an alleyway, Fran got her bearings together and stopped wishing to back onto the streets, finding her way through the darkening paths.

Arriving at the warehouse, Fran entered in silence. It wasn’t a luxurious sight or smell she was greeted with, her nose scrunching as she got a faint whiff of cheese. Her posture stiffening at the sound of a voice at her immediate entering, and then another. She hadn’t meant to be late, looking professional mattered to the human. Making a fool of herself by being late was simply unacceptable. Collecting herself, Fran inhaled sharply before striding forwards with a face of neutrality. Her eyes scanning the other three in the warehouse, one of her brows raised in interest. Fran hadn’t known what to expect, but these folk were certainly not what she’d guessed she’d be encountering tonight. “Lovely conversation youse are having, truly.” Her mocking voice cut through the room as she quirked a thin brow at the two, arms held out halfheartedly in a demonstration of her own peace, "Don't mind me, I'm harmless, swear I am." Fran added on coolly with a feigned innocence, smiling pointedly as she watched the other three, eyeing them curiously.

Lioness075 InsanEleven GamerCarrot

 

[InsanEleven]

Watching Raven take out a sketchpad and pencil, Xavier slowly pulled back his hand. "I meant to say," he began, vocalising more clearly albeit still metallic, while she drew. "That safety and sorry can be there at the same time; safety is a status, sorry an emotion, they can coexist as far as I've seen." Another long expulsion of smoke followed, and it appeared that his voice wasn't related to his ventilation system. There was no air passing vocal cords, just an electronic sound produced elsewhere.
The mention of nicknames intrigued him, and the black feather came loose he followed it downwards.
"If it all goes tits up, I assure ye a nickname won't save yer feathers - I'll do."

The sound of newcomers intrigued him, and he turned around to see both the redheaded, jaded woman, and the chipper - perhaps too much so seeing the task at hand, green alien girl.

Lioness075 GamerCarrot Feywild

 

[Ghostiiys]

Ayala had spent the beginning of her night wandering the cities streets, it had seemed everywhere she went there were people celebrating , today was a day of celebration of course! Even Ayala had her own festivities planned. A festivity with a big payout at the end for Ayala. So of course who could not be as happy as she was in this very moment. Her heels tapped against the concrete pavement , She could not help but feel a bit apprehensive , she wondered who she was going to be working with , things like this where not a one person type deal anyhow.

She turned into an alleyway , away from the prying eyes, the fireworks, and the commotion of a bustling city. A six foot tall alien woman wearing a spaghetti strapped dress with a fur shawl was going to turn heads so walking into the shadows was her best bet if she didn't want to be noticed.

Before she knew it she had arrived at a warehouse. She could already tell by some faint echos that people where inside much to Ayala's dismay. Upon entering , the smell and overall appearance of the place made her scowl in contempt. This was not where Ayala wanted to be spending her night. Scanning her surroundings , and the people within she crossed her arms and chuckled. "What a lovely bunch of people you are all. " She sighed knowing this was going to be a long night.

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Larassa Sovna	Nickname: The Raven
Race: Khoelian	Home Planet: Khoeli
Occupation: Bounty Huntress	Equipment: Knapsack, Bow, Quiver of Arrows (19/20 Normal, 1 Grappling), Twin Daggers

Before Xavier got a chance to keep talking, two other individuals walked into the warehouse and Larassa glanced over at them and then back at Xavier to see that he was not going to shake her hand. She frowned at this, but withdrew her hand awkwardly and then went about putting away her sketchbook and pencil. Just as she put her knapsack back on, she overheard the others speaking now and she turned away from Xavier to look over the newcomers. She loved to think she knew about many races and cultures, but she did not recognize the blue alien joining them. The other individual was easy enough to recognize as a human and Larassa decided to simply give each a nod since she was not entirely sure what to say to them.

Hearing the blue alien had bought something from a vendor, Larassa glanced back at her and tilted her head to the side, "Oh? What did you buy?" While it was a bit odd to make casual talk considering why they were all gathering here, Larassa just hoped she would be able to better communicate with one of them. It was then that Larassa remembered her dumplings and briefly knelt down to retrieve the brown bag.

The human mentioned not being harmless in a tone that suggested she was challenging someone to test her. Larassa raised an eyebrow at this and then promptly ate a dumpling in response. It was not like they would accomplish much by fighting one another.

It was then that Xavier chipped in once more and Larassa quickly stuffed another dumpling in her mouth just to avoid having to respond to the automaton. Yet again, he made little sense until he mentioned her nickname again and Larassa practically choked on her dumpling when she heard the phrase he used. Swallowing, Larassa gave the automaton a perplexed look before she asked, "Has no one ever taught you social etiquette before?" She yet again raised an eyebrow at him and then shook her head. She should have expected some oddballs on the team considering what they were about to do.

Just then, someone else joined them in the warehouse and Larassa turned away from Xavier to watch the person make their entrance. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the butterfly wings and her eyes widened at the sight. She was so mesmerized that she completely missed what the person said and merely gaped at her, promptly forgetting her own social etiquette in the moment.

InsanEleven Feywild GamerCarrot Ghostiiys

 

[GasglowJones]

Jack stood outside the door of his boss' office impatiently fiddling with his pocket watch.

"if that blasted gangster doesn't hurrry this meeting along I'm gonna be late."

Suddenly the door opened and a tall spider-like automaton scuttled out into the hall followed by the lumbering grey skinned giant that was Harmu.

"Now, Mr Telae if you have any questions about our deal you can just call me up anytime." The old alien said as he locked the door and motioned for Jack to follow behind him as he escorted his client out.

"Not to worry Harmy old pal." the machine hissed. "I have all the confidence in the galaxy that this deal will prove most profitable."

As the group reached the door Accipitis began making a soft clicking chirp and glared towards the balcony of the building across the street.

Jack quickly adjusted his goggles and drew his pistol once he saw what his feathered companion did.

"Sniper! Get down!" Jack shouted as he fired at the assassin who quickly fled after realizing their cover was blown.

"Well don't just stand there! She's getting away!" Telae ordered.

jack turned with a puzzled look to his boss who seemed to share his sentiments.

"How do you know it is a woman?" Harmu asked, drawing his pistol with his eyes still trained on the automaton.

"Well, I-I don't know for certain..." Telae replied nervously looking behind Harmu. "I just assumed based on their speed..."

Jack sighed before turning around and firing a round of ammo into the mechanical assassin behind them foiling the attempted ambush.

Jack's bird then flew over to the smoldering heap and pulled out a slip of paper and gave it to harmu before returning to his master's shoulder.

"I'm afraid there has been a change in plans Telae." Harmu said examining the paper. "the deal is off on account of your sudden and untimely death."

harmu then fired a shot into Telae's central processor causing the automaton to spark wildly qnd then shut down permanently as it burst into flames.

"Awfully fragile for a kingpin." Jack said as he holtered his weapons.

"The bigger the ego the easier they burn kid." Harmu said with a chuckle as he lit a cigar with the flames coming from his fallen mechanical foe's corpse. "Now, shouldn't you be heading to that meeting?" Harmu asked.

"How did you know about that-" Jack began to say before he glanced at his watch and paniced when he saw the time. "Crikey, I gotta go boss I'm six minutes late already!"

"Well here, take this with you." Harmu said tossing Jack a bag of coins. "Consider it a holiday bonus!"

"Thanks boss, try not to get yourself killed while I'm gone!"

Jack replied with a tip of his hat before dashing down the street with Accipitis flying close behind him.


Jack weaved his way through the crowds of people in the market place. However he stopped dead in his tracks when caught the scent of roasting meat and freshly baked bread. Given he hadn't eaten dinner yet the smell was too much for him to resist and he quickly stopped at one of the food vendors.

"Ah, if it isn't my favorite customer!" The cook said. "What'll it be Jack?"

"I'll take two spice rolls, and one of those meat pie thingies."

"Aye aye, coming right up!" The cook said as he put the food into a bag and passed it to Jack.

"Keep the change." Jack said setting down well over the price of the food as he stuffed a roll in his mouth and continued on his way.

Eventually he arrived at the warehouse and carefully opened the door slightly. Peaking inside he saw a decent sized group of individuals and he was excited to see most of them were alien. Granted, he didn't mind humans. But aliens always seemed to be much easier for him to befriend.

"Ahoy there!" Jack loudly said in greeting as he marched inside. "The name's Bracton. Jack Bracton. I appologise for our lateness and I hope Accipitis and I didn't miss anything important."


Lioness075 Ghostiiys GamerCarrot InsanEleven Feywild

 

[SilverFlight]

Brala listened while her initial optimism receded like the tide. They were all skeptical, mistrusting. Very well, she couldn't expect much else, they had never met. The trust and cooperation she needed for this job had to be built. So, it was time to build it. She sat no a stone's throw from the door, in the shadow of a pair of sculptures, wolves, still and stoic, glaring out at the distant lantern-lit main road.
Brala reached for a dull brass mask, goggled with tinted glass, gears set into the frame of it. One the inside sat a small receiver. She flicked it on.
The sculptures eyes flickered and began to grow yellow, then they began to move, for they were not sculptures at all. They were automatons, steel and copper weapons, made in the likeness of wolves. They stepped off their pedestals and turned to the door, left slightly ajar from the last team member to step through it. Their iron teeth glinted black in the dim light.
Brala rose, donned the mask and smiled.
"Attack."
The wolves cam bursting through the wooden door, which was knocked back so hard it splintered against the wall, alerting everyone to their presence. Just as the wolves came into the room two crates on the opposite side shattered, revealing another pair of automatons, human in shape and armed with swords. The ends of their spines were affixed to weighted gyros, allowing them to roll with alarming speed and precision. All four automatons came for the team, two from the door and two from the back of the room. They were fast, and would not be defeated by single combat. In the small space the team would have to work together, and learn fast. Brala reached the doorway, her own weapons drawn, and energy-loaded hammer and a pistol. No one was escaping the fight.

((You have free reign to control these four automatons.))

Naberius Lioness075 andujarprime Ghostiiys GamerCarrot InsanEleven GasglowJones CryptedCourt Feywild

 

[andujarprime]

The purple sky encompasses his vision. Rolling blue clouds, briefly illuminated in sporadic moments as thunder filled the skies. Alaric takes a deep breath, turning his head to the bow of his ship. A few quick pulls on the rigging and the sun sails unfolded. Glowing a brilliant gold as they began to release stored energy. He secured his line and rushed back to wheel. Placing a hand on the center it hummed to life at touch. The small ship lurched forward, a small trail of gold specs left in the air as it flew. “Yer not catchin’ me! Not this time!!!” He exclaimed you no one in particular. His face taking on a mad grin as he picked up speed. The clouds rolled in faster. Purple lightning struck out into the air in haphazard patterns. Thunder booming through the sky. The clouds seemed to move with a mind of their own. Picking up speed, chasing the small air ship. Alaric turned a few nobs, a shimmering dome rose up over the deck. Rising higher with each turn until it came to a close at the top of the mast. He pulled another rig and the ship began to angle upward. Higher into the atmosphere. Alaric’s smile widened as adrenaline rushes through his veins. He held a telescoping spyglass in one hand, fully extended. His two lower hands on the wheel. A clap of thunder boomed across the sky “Depends on who’s asking dear” Alaric looked back, a concerned look on his face. “What?!” He called into the sky as the ship tried to outrun the increasingly fast clouds. A short while later “What a lovely bunch of people you are” followed by “Has no one ever taught you social etiquette before?” The thunder across the sky came across in unfamiliar voices. Alaric grew increasingly confused. "I'll be damned if that voice don't sound familiar..." He said aloud, apparently to no one. That last voice poked at the back of his mind. He found himself thinking, thinking hard. So lost in thought, he didn’t realize he had lost speed. The dark blue storm cloud rolled in above him as Thunder shook the ship. No invoices this time but a loud ‘CRACK. BOOM’. The noise rocked his ship as he fell to the deck.

“Aaahhhh!!!” Alaric came to,falling, still falling. His surroundings noticeably darker, the floor rushing to meet him wasnt the polished cherry wood of his deck. It was a dark, dull concrete. “Oh right!” Alaric’s thought you himself as his mind recalled the proper events. He was in a warehouse, waiting to meet a new team. But those voices, in his dream. What was that about? He thought to himself. His reflexes kicking in as he tumbled from a high stack of crates. His upper arms reached out grabbing onto a nearby shelf. He frowned as his body collided with the shelving unit, but it stopped his fall. He heard whirring and voices around the aisle. He slowly made his way back to the top stack of crates as he jumped from the shelving unit. “Interesting” he said aloud as he viewed beneath him several people gathered. In the dim light of the warehouse he could make out first a metallic figure, an automaton without doubt. Facing several others, one of which looked strangely familiar. Coming in from the door two metallic animals, canine in features but he was unsure. Behind the group two more armed automatons rolled in. Blades weapons in hand. “That ain’t good!” He exclaims as he pulls out both scimitars. He takes a few strides across the row of stacked crates before leaping. “Look alive folks!” He cried as he came streaking down, his blades in a reverse grip. He managed to impale one of the auto fighters at an angle. Poking into its chest cavity as his other blade severed an arm. “Reaper, at your service!” He exclaimed as he used a free hand to salute everyone with a smirk. Then pushed and rolled off the automaton in the direction of the group.

Lioness075 SilverFlight GasglowJones Ghostiiys InsanEleven Naberius Feywild GamerCarrot

 

[GasglowJones]

"Nice outfit."
Jack said to one of his soon to be partners as he made his way to the back of the room. The sharply dressed automaton had a sort of gentlemanly air about them.

Meanwhile Accipitis flew off Jack's shoulder and over to a large winged canine and simply stared at her with his head cocked slightly in confusion. Likely trying to figure out if the creature was a wolf or a fellow avian. Given he followed with loud and excited squawking Jack presumed accipitis had decided the being was a bird.

"Heh, pardon my avian companion's curiosity madame."
Jack said to the biowoman as he picked up the bird and placed him back on his shoulder.
"He has a tendency to try and befriend anyone or anything that has feathers."


Suddenly the door to the warehouse violently slammed open shattering it to pieces as two canine automatons entered the room. Given the look in their glowing mechanical eyes as well as their predatory stance they were clearly set to attack mode.

Before Jack could react two humanoid automatons burst forth from a pair of crates behind him.


"Blimey, seems you can't go ten feet without running into these clankers..."
Jack said drawing his guns and turning to the gentleman automaton once he realized what he said. "Er, no offense mate."

As Jack turned to face one of the humanoid machines a four armed alien leaped down onto it striking it with his sword before greeting the group.

"Ha ha! Now THAT is what I call an entrance!"
Jack shouted as he dashed over to aid "Reaper" as the being called himself.

"Ya mind if we help with the harvest?" Jack inquired jokingly as he fired a volly of shots into the machine's base as accipitis began clawing and ripping bits of metal off of its head.

 

[Goonfire]

A ‘la cucaracha’ horn sounded by the landing pad, prompting an old woman to glance up in terror at the source of the shadow eclipsing her. With an audible ‘thud’, Quelathik’s clown car of an aerial vehicle rammed her. “Oh, damn... Time to find a new parking spot,” he gurgled in irritation, immediately taking his flying machine to a new landing pad. Of course, he needed to wipe up and scrape off the mess on the front end. By then, he was running quite late.

Quel’s heavy metal footsteps echoed through the alleys as he made his way to the meeting. It was unusual for him to be late, but this was the exception. Stepping onto the street next to his destination, he could hear a commotion from inside, with the automatons and wolves being unleashed upon the people. His beady yellow eyes seemed to dance with glee as he pulled his shotgun from the custom holster on his thigh plate, oblivious to Brala’s presence. Leaping in through the doorway, he pumped the cannon before unleashing a deafening crack of gunfire and a devastating spread of large pellets into the nearest rolling automaton, launching it back into another crate that was reduced to matchsticks by the sheer force. The glassware inside said box met a bitter end as the flying brass-plated monstrosity turned it to powder. “I’m glad I didn’t miss the welcome party,” he declared, racking the weapon for a second shot with a satisfying series of metallic clacks. It may have been worth noting that his tone was rather chipper for someone who walked in on an automated kill squad attacking his apparent coworkers.

SilverFlight Lioness075 GasglowJones andujarprime Ghostiiys InsanEleven Feywild GamerCarrot

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Larassa Sovna	Nickname: The Raven
Race: Khoelian	Home Planet: Khoeli
Occupation: Bounty Huntress	Equipment: Knapsack, Bow, Quiver of Arrows (18/20 Normal, 1 Grappling), Twin Daggers

Just as Larassa was waiting for most everyone to respond, a resounding clang and reverberating crash rang through the warehouse and Larassa flinched before tensing. She quickly caught sight of their assailants and whistled for her raven. With an echoing cry, Luness flew down from the rafters and shrieked in defiance as she dove at the nearest wolf automaton. Luness' metallic claws shone in the moonlight and sparks flew from the wolf's left eye as the raven clawed through it. The wolf attempted to lunge at Luness, but Larassa whistled at her and the raven withdrew, circling above the group now.
Pulling out her bow once more, Larassa nocked an arrow and backed away to the edge of the group. She took aim and was about to let her arrow loose at a rolling automaton when Alaric made his entrance. Larassa blinked in confusion until she closed her left eye and saw just who was dismembering the automaton. Her breath caught in her throat and Larassa panicked. Of all people to be here today, she had not expected him. Not after what they went through.
Hearing a whirring and metallic howl near her, Larassa whipped to her side to see an automaton wolf lunging for her. Eyes wide, she dove to the side and then scrambled back to her feet while the wolf landed and slid a few feet away. It turned to face her once more and Larassa's wings opened with a soft wind clap. She whistled as she took flight, Luness diving at the wolf automaton once more to claw out its other eye. At the same time, Larassa's wings beat several times and she circled until she was up in the rafters. Muttering a curse, she scrambled onto a metal beam, stumbling a little in the awkward attempt. She folded her wings against her back once more and then whistled for Luness to retreat again.
Balancing herself, Larassa knelt precariously on the beam and then took aim with her bow once more, now shooting the same wolf automaton in the hindquarters. Sparks flew in the air again and it stumbled when it attempted to lunge at another person.
andujarprime Naberius SilverFlight Ghostiiys Feywild GamerCarrot GasglowJones Goonfire InsanEleven

 

[CryptedCourt]

Cora was delighted when she had learned her arrival at St. Celeste coincided with the unity festival. After being abroad and exploring the universe for so long, she was yearning to return home.

Today was her 6th day in the city; she spent a week with her family at the old house, catching up with all her siblings and making up for some lost time with her parents. Things were almost exactly the same as when she had left, except she now had a nephew. Cora left before she overstayed her welcome and before the itch to explore kicked in. Her family didn't always understand her love of travel, but she could feel that it was time to start a new adventure.

And her new adventure was already scheduled to start. Before Cora left the ship that transported her back to Imperialis, she arranged for new employment through the ship's financier. He had given her a name and an address, saying that this job was "right up your ally". She didn't ask any questions, as she was familiar with this line of work and its know by need basis.

Cora weaved her way through the celebrating crowd, looking up with bright eyes at the fireworks and decorations. She wasn't in the heart of the city, yet it was as packed as ever. She breathed in the smell of firework smoke and enjoyed the mix of conversation, music, and laughter. Cora wished she could stop and partake in the festivities, but she was already late to the meeting. She slipped into the quieter streets to speed up her arrival.

At a block away, Cora could tell something was off. In the distance, she heard the echoes of smashing wood and commotion. As she approached the warehouse it became clear it was the source of the noise. She looked down at a scrap of paper and checked the address. As she turned the corner, the sounds of screams and crashing metal boomed out of the destroyed wooden front door. Cora peeked in and saw a flash of metal fly by. An arrow whizzed out of the air. Aliens ran left and right, and the source of chaos seemed to be from the mechanical canines that attacked everyone in the room.

"Dear god, already? I guess it's just going to be one of those gigs." Cora muttered to herself. She ran into the room, threw off her backpack and kicked off her boots. In the flash of an instant, her clothes ripped apart at the seams. Black hair sprouted all over her body. Muscle bulked and bulged out as she fell onto her knuckles. Her teeth extended, which was one of Cora's favorite parts of transmutation.

With the fiery rage of a mountain gorilla, Cora charged at the nearest canine automation and threw her fists into it. The automation, who had not time to outrun her, collapsed to the ground with a dented skull. She used her momentum to deliver another blow, this time aiming for critical components in the wolf's body. It lunged back out at her, grabbing her forearm. Cora howled at the sharp pain of the metal fangs and flung her ape arm high into the air. The wolf automation flew with her arm, lost its grip, and crashed into the ground. Cora howled again, this time louder with anger in her gorilla eyes.

While her opponent was crawling back to her, Cora scanned the room to see the others fight the automations.

 

[GamerCarrot]

Uvri turned to the wolf looking lady and smiled, holding up her small flag almost like a kid showing its parent something "Oh! I bought this. I know it's simple but I saw so many kids running around with these and the vendor seemed very eager for me to buy one. So I gave the nice vendor some money and took this." she said, still completely unaware that it might of not been a good idea to approach that vendor who was desperate to talk to her. Before she could open her mouth to ask the rest of the group who they were she was interrupted by the sound of the wooden door being broken down, turning she saw four automatons and a masked person entering the warehouse. Her eyes widen in fear as it quickly hit her that she was no where near prepared for this fight, she had nothing on her other than the clothes on her back, a tiny decorative flag and her coin purse. Noticing a few others had already jumped into the fight she quickly dashed in the complete opposite direction, immediately looking for a place she would be safe. Nothing screamed out to her immediately so instead she hid behind a nicely dressed automaton who she had notice was here earlier, she knew it probably looked very strange to him that an person her age would immediately run scared and hide behind the closest thing she could for protection but as of right now it was the best idea she had.
InsanEleven andujarprime Lioness075 SilverFlight CryptedCourt Ghostiiys Feywild GasglowJones Goonfire

 

[InsanEleven]

As the hostile automatons broke into the warehouse, Xavier immediately drew an energy pistol from his side. Instead of rushing in immediately however, like some of the aliens crashing through the room did, he watched as Uvri hid behind him. Scanning her quickly he noticed that she had no blades or weapons to speak of. Knowing that she would stand no chance against an automaton; being both fleshy and unarmed, he raised one arm to form a barrier between her and anything that would go for them.
"Stay behind me love." He said loudly to overcome the sounds of the combat, slowly pushing them both back against the wall so they couldn't be ambushed. "Take me gun, aim and shoot if any of those clanking bastards get near." Faster than any biological eye could follow, he'd switched the gun around in his hand and held it out for Uvri to take, drawing a thin, long and curved blade with his other while carefully watching the the developments of the combat.

 

[SilverFlight]

The figure drew closer and closer, blending in with the bright colours of the festival goers; yellows and blues and bright reds. Anna stopped at a stall, bought a ball of brightly-coloured candy on a stick, the moment she walked a way a hand came upon her shoulder and she started.
"Zark!" She exclaimed, as the creature's melancholic face came into view. He looked more than a little put out, and was breathing heavily. He had obviously seen her launch and followed her all this way. Zark sat in his usual half-crouch, Anna wondered why he didn't stand up to his full height, and she couldn't just ask him, Zark didn't speak, she was pretty sure he didn't understand much of what she said either. He attracted only a few strange looks, his bright red colouring and elaborate markings, not to mention his extravagant teeth, made his appearance seem more costume-like than a lot of the actual costumes out that night. If there were any of his species even close to the Centratus galaxy, Anna had never seen them. His brass collar glinted in the light of the lanterns, simple but well-made.
"Well, you're here now, you better stay with me."
Zark gave a snort as if to say "what else would I do?" and together they continued into the throngs of people.
It was a conversation she heard in passing that caught Anna's ear. Talk about the show put on by the Thaumaturgy students of the academy.
"Yeah! I hear they're going to land their new ship right in the courtyard! It's a beautiful ship! Blue solar sails, tri-fusion salik thrusters. It was a gift from the empress herself!"
Anna stopped immediately and turned. They were going to bring that ship? Anna had been at the dry docks when it was being built, she had even been allowed to work on it, by her unsanctioned mentor. She had a personal connection with that ship. She had to see it...one last time.


Brala pushed up from the steps where she sat, no one had noticed her yet seemingly, though to their credit, the automaton wolves were much more of a problem. She had seen enough. She pressed button on her mask and all four automatons (or what was left of them) powered down and went still.
"Well!" Brala cried, the dim light catching the glass of her goggled mask, making her look like more of a demon than a person.
"I've seen some interesting fighting styles," She looked about the room. "Not too shabby," she added with a nod.
Then she crossed her arms. "So this is it huh? This my crew? This is the group that's gonna do what cannot be done?" She let the skepticism leak into her voice, but it was more a friendly jibe than a criticism, meant to challenge more than goad.
She strode into the warehouse like she owned it, passing the faded, lifeless eyes of the automatons that had, moments before, been accosting them. he turned to the group, grabbing a nearby crate and sitting atop it. The wood groaned under her weight.
"So, who wants to know how we get this done?"

Naberius Lioness075 andujarprime Ghostiiys GamerCarrot InsanEleven GasglowJones CryptedCourt Feywild

 

[Goonfire]

All four of the durable assailants had keeled over at once, causing Quel to lower his gun. “So that was all you?” he questioned the masked figure who had just entered. “I can see we’ll get along fine if you keep this up,” he then commented gleefully, walking over and lifting the one wolf with scratched-up eyes from the bird’s attack. He whistled at the damage, taking mental notes on who not to pester. Hearing challenging rhetorical questions—another thing he enjoyed—he dropped the disabled automaton he had been inspecting back onto the floor.

“The impossible, hm?” Quel chuckled dubiously, shifting closer to listen carefully. “How do we do it?” The gel around the orbs inside his helmet narrowed, displaying broad upward arches that signaled his utter delight.

SilverFlight Lioness075

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Larassa Sovna	Nickname: The Raven
Race: Khoelian	Home Planet: Khoeli
Occupation: Bounty Huntress	Equipment: Knapsack, Bow, Quiver of Arrows (18/20 Normal, 1 Grappling), Twin Daggers

Before Larassa could nock another arrow, someone new joined the group and they were quick to transform themselves. Larassa narrowed her eyes at the biological transmuter, a deep hatred for them causing turmoil with her emotions. She snarled at the person who was now a gorilla and smashed one of the automatons. Nobody was close enough to hear Larassa's snarl, but Luness squawked at her. Larassa raised an eyebrow at the raven, but then harrumphed and proceeded to stay where she was perched while the others continued the fight.

Then someone approached the group from the shadows of the warehouse. Larassa blinked in surprise, as she had not even realized they were being watched. At the mention of 'her crew', Larassa belatedly realized that this was the leader of their planned heist. Making a face, Larassa also realized this meant she needed to get back down from the rafters. Due to her body size, her wings were a full wingspan of fourteen feet and thus, they were difficult to maneuver in tighter spaces.

Leaning away from the rafter she had perched on, Larassa had to leap off of it and let herself fall a few feet before her wings shot out and she then glided down in circles to land beside Alaric. She folded her wings against her back and then promptly, and very stiffly, walked away from him to stand near Xavier once more. She turned to face their leader and crossed her own arms. She would have asked the question that was expected of them, but the metal stranger beat her to it and so Larassa decided to keep quiet for now.

A soft caw echoed in the warehouse and then Luness glided down to turn sharply and land on Larassa's right shoulder. The raven immediately began preening, as she had now lost interest without the combat. Her metal claws glinted with the reflection of moonlight, a reminder of just how dangerous the little bird could be.

SilverFlight andujarprime Naberius CryptedCourt Ghostiiys Feywild GamerCarrot GasglowJones Goonfire InsanEleven

 

[Naberius]

Oh man, just my luck. I lost them. How am I supposed to find anyone in this crowd?

Elnaril made his way through tightly packed streets and winding paths in an unfamiliar city on a planet he had never been to before. He kept jostling into other people, squeaking out apologies as he stumbled along, looking for his classmates. He had been invited on this trip by one of the more popular students at his university, Talerion, a prodigy in the field of automation and designing new industrial technologies. Elnaril had seen it as an opportunity to make a new friend. Or, well. A friend in general. He had never been one for actually having friends in any real sense. Sure there were other outcasts that he got along with well enough, but none that he would actually consider a friend.

He stalked through the city streets for what felt like an eternity but in reality was more akin to a couple of hours before he decided to switch tactics. He saw a large pile of brown, shaggy material, most likely some sort of carpeting, and began climbing atop it to get a better look. He would apologize for dirtying the wares afterwards, and pay for any he may have damaged if he could. And if they accepted the currency from his planet. Once standing upright again, now several feet higher than on his own, he could see much further and began his search anew for his new friends. From this vantage point, he could make out quite a bit more of the marketplace, and the sheer number of people packed together was astounding. Then, something....strange happened. The ground began to vibrate. Though, no one else seemed to take notice. It took Elnaril much longer than he'd care to admit to understand just what was going on. It was not a pile of rugs or carpets that he had climbed atop, but a very large, very hairy pack beast of some kind. And having someone standing on it and walking around on its back was not something it could sleep through. The beast bellowed, drawing the attention of everyone nearby as it easily drowned out the murmuring of the crowd, and the shopkeepers hawking their goods. He fell to his stomach, gripping onto the things fur and trying desperately not to fall off as it rose to its full height. He must have pulled some free, as it bellowed again but this time in pain, and took off charging down the street through stalls and passersby, everyone pressing as far away from the thing as possible. My some miracle, he made it clear of the marketplace without causing anyone any serious injury. After that, he lost track of where he was going or who was in the way. It was a nightmare come true, and he felt numerous unseen things crushed beneath the hulking mass, the booming of its massive paws on the streets beneath it echoing through side streets and alleys with every step.

By some stroke of fortune (Good or bad, he wouldn't know until much later), the beast came to a sudden, jarring stop. This however, was caused by it slamming headfirst into the side of a rather large warehouse, sending the poor boy flying into the opposite wall as he landed in a large stack of crates and shattered them with the force of his impact.

SilverFlight Lioness075 andujarprime Ghostiiys GamerCarrot InsanEleven GasglowJones CryptedCourt Feywild

 

[andujarprime]

Alaric let a grin cross his features as he turned to the young human man that jumped in to aid him. "By all means, the harvest is meant for all hands to enjoy!" He exclaimed as he brandished his scimitars. He winced a little as he watched the bird tear up the automaton's head. "All beaks as well buddy" He said with a grin before turning to the rest of the warehouse. He watched in silent curiosity as that same familiar winged figure disappeared into the rafters. He heard the whizzing and clinking of something flying and puncturing metal. Within seconds he spotted the arrow shafts sticking from one of the wolf automatons. A loud bang as a gun was discharged. He jumped with a start, whirling his blades around to see a hulking metal figure eyeing the automaton that was nearby. Now amidst a pile of metal and glass, and wood from a nearby crate. He chuckled, that bit of action in his eyes was short lived as a huge Ape like creature crashed through the warehouse and all but demolishing one of the canine automatons singlehandedly. Another figure rushed to the dapper dressed automaton, seeking shelter. It seemed like forever, but was most likely just a minute or two. That minute or two of action resolved quite efficiently though as they powered down quite suddenly. A mysterious person walked in, showing themselves. "Doing what can't be done eh? That sounds like my kinda job." He started to say as he felt a presence descend and set foot beside him. He took this opportunity to look, and try to figure out why the winged being was so familiar. His jaw dropped slightly as recognition dawned on him. "He-" His call was cut short by another massive crash. He brandished his scimitars at the unseen threat, only to see a strange figure flying through the warehouse and coming to a crash landing amidst the rubble of crates and merchandise. "Is that another one?" He asked nobody in particular as he walked over. He used a scimitar to tip and push some of the crates aside and kneel down. "Hey, you alright there? Is this a child? Did someone lose a child?!" He asked aloud turning his head to the others as his free hands began to move the debris.

Lioness075 SilverFlight Naberius GamerCarrot CryptedCourt InsanEleven GasglowJones Feywild Ghostiiys Goonfire