Capes In Space! (IC)

[Lone Star]

A bead of sweat fell from Kid Cthulhu's brow. "Aye. I do be a pirate, but I am no cousin of yours. My comrades and I were washed up on this filthy planet, and we were just wanting a little help. We had heard of the fearless Captain Kraken before, and we were sure we'd be shot down on sight if we were ever to approach. We've heard you never show mercy, is the thing. So I said all this so we could have a chance to talk with you. We're...in a bit of a predicament. Our captain, Captain...Cape has been stranded among the stars. We were hoping you could give us a lift so we could get him, and take us back to Earth. Seein' as he left the ship in cloak, and we don't have the keys."

[Quinn]

Push nearly blanched under the scarf, but covered it well, stepping up and speaking easily the second the kid had finished.

"Not that we wouldn't be willin' t'pay ya for the service, captain! We left a great treasure in our hidden base on Pluto, full o'plunder and spoils we'd managed t'steal from this planet, aye! If ya help us save our captain, we'd be glad t'hand over a fair portion of the treasure, and tell ya where t'find more!"

He spoke quickly, improvising on the spot as the words flowed out of his mouth.

Yeah, right, like he's going to believe this load of bushwah...

[Supercape]

GM

Captain Kraken paced up and down, brandishing his cutlass.

He paused by Kid Cthullu "I knew you weren't my cousin, you lying dog! even though you look similar, I'll give ye that. Not one of landlubbing earthlings". He put his cutlass under Kid Cthullus nerve and gave him a beady look "anyone tries to fool Captain Kraken, I'll Keel haul them, do you hear!"

He turned his eyes towards Push.

"Treasure ye say? Now that does sound interesting. Plunder and Spoils?"

He sheathed his Cutlass and put his arm around Push in a jovial manner "Welcome aboard mates!" he laughed, before thundering some orders to his crew.

"Set the Solar Sails, men! We are off to Plunder Pluto! Arrrr!"

And with that, the Stellar Bucaneer's Engines rumbled into action, and the mighty craft off took off, speeding towards the edge of the solar system.

[Flare Knight]

Piratehouse's stock actions of staring stoically and pretending to be the muscle was enough to keep him silent for the entire exchange, very much aware just about anything he said would ruin the entire idea of what was going on. However, when the Octopus man finally agreed thanks to Mr. Piratush's fast talking, Piratehouse allowed himself to relax and went back to questioning Piratepush and Mr. Kid Cthullu, using what he had picked up of the pirate tongue to his advantage. "Yo Ho Yo Me Matey! How bouts shall we yo ho go abouts retrieving our captain-yo ho arghhhh- from his predicament arrrrgh?" He questioned, placing his hands behind his back and standing with his legs shoulder-width apart, attempting to be a pirate.

[Supercape]

GM

The Stellar Buccaneer was fast, if nothing else. Its antimatter engines had soon accelerated the ship to over light speed, via its advanced alien technology.

At that velocity (if it could be called velocity at such relativity - breaking speeds), it was only a few minutes before the cold distant dwarf planet of Pluto swam into view, and the ship dropped to more "normal" speeds.

"There we are, me 'earties. That luvvly lump 'o rock is none other than Pluto!" Captain Kraken rubbed his hands in glee. His eyes practically shone at the thought of buried treasure.

"Now than' Now than' lets talk about this 'ere plunder shall we. Fair's fair, I say. What's mine is mine, and what's yours is mine too. If you don't like it, no hard feelings, you are welcome to say farewell and step outside. "

[Quinn]

Push looked at the Captain, seemingly mulling over the captain's words, and leaned on the wall of the ship (away from the railing, he wasn't taking that risk).

"Arr...t'be put in such a situation, it lies poorly with me...and what's worse is that we can't tell ye where the treasure's buried! Our captain, a fine buccaneer, aye, he buried the treasure somewhere down on that there dustball, with a crew o' ten men...and he shot 'em all dead so that no man'd ever find it. If ya want the loot, then you'll have t'save 'im first, Captain. And we're the only ones who know where he's floatin', so y'shove us overboard, ya won't get anythin'."

[Lone Star]

KC nodded, and gave a hearty "Hear, hear!" He swaggered around the cabin. "Arr, I agree with...First Mate Samuel Push. Unless ye wish to search the planet yourself. I imagine ye'll run into it, before the century's up." KC nodded at Push. Supercape would give them the edge they need over the intergalactic pirate lord. He had no doubt they could take the crew on their own, but none of them unfortunately knew how to fly the Stellar Buccaneer.

[Supercape]

"The captain, do you say?" replied Kraken, pondering the matter. His tentacled face fluttered in what was probably a mixture of vexation and thought.

"Well, there be only room for one captain on this ship, mind ye. But if this Captain Cape of yours knows where the plunder be, then I guess to Captain Cape we must go. I am sure he will be willing to share, like I said"

He thought some more "Captain Cape eh? Named after the Cape of Good Hope on Earth? He must be a mighty fine pirate in that ca..."

At that moment, Supercapes voice spluttered over the communication channel of the Buccaneer.

"I say, well done folks! Sterling work! I can see the Buccanner from here! I'll send a homing beacon. Errr... I mean, I'll send a homing beacon so you can rescue the man overboard, me swaggering scoundrel mates...err... Keel the jigging and raft the poles and all that!"

Kraken looked at the crew suspiciously before ordering the ship towards the beacon.

"That yer captain then? sounded like a landlubber to me!"

[Flare Knight]

Piratehouse gave the man a nod, the sights whirling too fast for him to really contemplate what was going on, as the man pointed out that Mr. Cape didn't sound like a Pirate. Piratehouse then took the initiative. "ARRGH! What right thoughst got to be insulting Mine Captain Arrgh? Yo Ho Ho he be as fine a pirate as any yo ho keelhaul! Just being cause he don't spoke a Yo Ho like us right fine Pirates Arrgh doesn't meant that he isn't as good a pirate Yo Ho Yo Yo. It's not the color of a man's Mizzenmast that defines him Yaaaar, nor the tone of his speak! It be what he holds in his haaaarght, and I assure you his heart is every bit as stone cold and black with evil as what right any of us! yaaar!" He finished, bending over and expressing all the Pirate talk he'd learned so far. Piratehouse thought he was doing a very good job, though he wasn't sure how well the captain would buy it, but he DID use all the pirate words, so that must mean something, probably.

[Lone Star]

Kid Cthulhu nudged Powerhouse. "What my good friend Piratehouse means to say is- he may not sound much like a captain, matey, but he be the best pirate captain I've ever had the pleasure o' servin' under." KC cleared his throat and remembered the few acting classes he took. "Why, I remember when we took over the planet Uranus. Those Uranians never knew what hit 'em! We got a boatload o' treasure and as many Uranian wenches as we could fit on the boat. Then we threw 'em over! Yar-har-har!" Needless to say, KC was getting into character. "He always gives 'is crew a fair share of treasure, and although he be a scurvy dog, he be a fair captain." KC stood proudly.

[Supercape]

The Stellar Buccaneer drew up beside the spinning Supercape, and extended its wooden plank.

"Thank goodness" sighed Supercape, not quite believing he had got out of this with his cape intact. He flew towards the ship and alighted at the end of the plank. The doors, unfortunately had not opened as yet.

Kraken drew his flintlock and cutlass, and, together with a small squadron of pirates, beckoned Kid Cthullu, Piratehouse and Piratush to follow him to the dock. It was a short walk, punctuated by talk amongst the crew of fabulous plunder and exclamations of "'aaaar, me 'earties" at every juncture.

Spinning to face the heroes at the dock, Kraken picked up a microphone.

"This 'ere be Captain Kraken, and this be my ship, Captain Cape. Before I lets ye onboard, I be wanting the location of the Plunder on yonder Pluto. That be the price for ye rescue!"

Supercape clung on to the plank.

"Errr, plunder? oh... yes, Plunder? well, as I am sure... errr... Piratehouse and...errr... Pirateush told you, it is in the equitorial regions, but...err... well... I will need to come on board and show you... err.. whencewithforth, and on a stellar map, and so be it..."

Kraken considered the matter for a moment.

"Very well, but no false moves, or I'll keelhall ye all! without space suits!"

He pressed a button, and the dock doors opened, the plank retracted, and Supercape floated into the Buccaneer.

Catching sight of his rescuers, he stammered a "thanks...err... crew....at ease...men...."

[Flare Knight]

Clasping his hands behind his back, Piratehouse took up a position directly behind and to the left of his 'captain', a protective position as if he was the man's bodyguard. "Yo Ho As you command captain!" He offered, still wary of how they were going to get out of this without a fight, so he, quietly, cracked his knuckles behind his back, his feet shoulder-width apart, close enough to Supercape to pretend to be a body-guard or similar, adjusting his hat first before resuming position, a slight frown on his face.

[Supercape]

"Set course for Pluto, ye scurvy dogs" Kraken shouted at his crew, as he led the heroes and his crew back to the bridge, brandishing his cutlass and flintlock as he paced there.

The crew may have been scurvy dogs, but they knew their way around the ship, and the ship was, if nothing else, fast. By the time they had made the short walk to the bridge, Pluto was already on the view screen, and they were descending to the surface.

"So, captain cape, where be this treasure of yours. No japes now, my patience is wearing thin..."

Supercape put his finger at his neck piece, loosening it slightly, and sweating. "Well now, me 'eartie..." he started.

What on earth have I got myself into... he thought with a curious panic-induced detachment.

"The treasure is... yo ho ho... right outside..."

Captain Kraken gave a shifty look "Is it now? is it now?" he said, his tentacles squirming. With a signal, the dock doors opened and the plank extended. "Lets have a look then..."

The crew once again walked to the dock doors, leading out to the cold desolate vacuum of pluto...

[Quinn]

Push smiled slightly, looking around the bridge. Poor Supercape seemed a mite uncomfortable, but serve him right for disrupting his lunch. Still...he'd let him sweat enough. He shifted over to Kid Cthulhu, muttering under his breath.

"Tell Powerhouse that the second Supercape is at the controls, we take the bridge."

He then stepped up with a flourish, patting his "captain" on the shoulder and pointing at the Buccaneer's controls.

"Cap'n Cape! Surely y'not planning on lettin' 'em go out without sendin' the unlockin' code, are ya? Y'gotta send it through the proppa frequencies, or yer'll never find it!"

The scarfed wonder subtly winked at Supercape, making a slight move-along motion. He decided to play on the classic failings of all pirate captains. Paranoia, and greed.

"Ya always told us that if y'didn't do it right, there'd be....consequences."

[Supercape]

"Ah, yes" replied Supercape "Consequences. Thats right, you scurvy dogs!!!"

Supercape made a move to the ships controls, although as he scanned the mixture of antique terran and advanced alien decor, he doubted he would be able to make much sense of them, without a fair bit of study at least.

"Not so fast, Captain Cape!" roared Kraken, blocking Supercape's path with his cutlass "I don't trust ye, not one bit!". With his other hand he waved his flintlock at Kid Cthullu, Pirate House, and Push "nor your lapdogs here!"

He thrust his flintlock into his sash, and pulled out another gadget, which looked something like an old navigational device. He pressed a button on it.

"I've locked the controls on the Bucanneer now! and only the Stellar Sextant here can unlock them" with another click and slide of the Sextant, he laughed again.

"And now, you will tell me where that plunder is, my hearties, or you will be walking the plank!"

[Quinn]

Push smiled, sauntering forward once Kraken had shoved the pistol into his sash, and spoke real friendly-like, the smile extending to a cheery grin that even stretched above the scarf.

"Now, Cap'n, no need t'be so violent. After all, it's all dishonest men here, right? And dishonest men, y'can always trust t'be dishonest. Honestly!"

He stepped up beside Kraken, looking about at the others...and the grin turned wolvish.

"Now, it's the honest ones you have to look out for, because you never know when they're about to do something incredibly...stupid."

Within the space of a heartbeat, Push's hand had shot up to his hammer, and, spinning on his heel, let loose with an absolute torrent of force, slamming the end of the hammer right into Kraken's gut!

[Supercape]

Kraken was fast, but not fast enough. The hammer struck him on his body with such force that his whole body rotated a full circle from the force.

For all his talk and bluster, Kraken was not all words. He was also an expert swordsman, a veteran of many a skirmish. Despite the force of the blow, he kept hold of the sextant and the cutlass, and as he rotated from the force of the blow, came round with a whip of his Cutlass at Push.

Hurt but not down, he leapt to the rigging of the bridge and, with his tentacles wrapped round the ropes, hung there, several feet above the floor.

"Treachery! you mangy dogs! I'll have ye guts for garters! Have at 'em, men!" he shouted.