ic Blod in the Air (IC)

[Tiffany Korta]

It didn't take long to recover her sword, she had bought it along but kept it in her car just in case. A few quick texts to inform all her friends and important people she might be away for a couple of days and she was good to go.

So she wasn't more than 15 minutes behind Lord Steam as she drove up the drive off Steam mansion, which she had to admit was quite an impressive place. Almost unconsciously she shifted her clothes from a practical t-shirt and combats combination to a rather more fitting dress for the location.

[Ari]

Getting nimbly out of the outlandish car, Subito gave the thing a glance of wonder as he began to follow Lucien Lockwood to Steam Manor, his awe briefly interrupted by the sight of Lord Steam's servants, which got a sharp look at the older man from the stocky teen. He wasn't so ignorant of history that he didn't know that in Victorian Britain employing servants was common, but he had persuaded himself on the ride that Lockwood probably only had the driver for his eccentricities, and was otherwise like any modern 'richy'. Despite his discomfort with the evidence in front of him, he saw no need to stop being polite "Hello!" he called over cheerfully to the gathered domestics "I'm Subito Sondo, glad to meet you all!" he added, warmly shaking their hands in turn before passing on to the mansion.

Thanks to a few judicious stops on the way, it hadn't take him long to get what he needed together. A change of underwear, a small bag of nuts and dried fruit, and a water bottle were all he needed.

Entering the manor proper, his unease at the hired help was largely abated by the sight of new wonders, and the retro design of the place thrilled him to no end. Turning excitedly to Lord Steam he asked "Hey! Uh, sir, how did you get this place made here? A lot of the stuff here" he gestured to the outlandish steam-powered machinery that punctuated some parts of the mansion "it's pretty non-standard, yeah? I can't think of any contractors around here who could build a place like this in less than a few years either" he added, gazing around the sumptuous rooms.

[Supercape]

Lord Steam looked proudly on at Steam Mansion, then answered Subito.

"Most of the masonry was here already" he said, tapping the walls with his cane.

"I just happen to have the means, the staff, the resources, and the genius to build it all!" he said, pumping up his chest proudly.

He nodded to Singh as the chauffeur started winding up the Dirigible. Lord Steam jumped aboard and beckoned his guests to join him.

"Come aboard, come aboard!" he smiled. "It's not the fastest thing in the sky, but it is armoured and armed. Steam powered Gatling guns, fore and aft" he explained, pointing at the controls.

"And a hamper! Spiffing!" he exclaimed, spotting an enormous woven basket full of meats, cheeses, and champagne.

[Tiffany Korta]

Freedom City was a place of many strange sights and sounds. But even the most jaded of the city dwellers had to marvel at the sight of Lord Steam Airship taking to the air, a magnificent object all brass and wood gleaming in the sunlight, steam pouring from its engines. It kept low in the sky, for safety sake the various Aviation authorities insisted that the Airship stayed below the normal flight paths Lord Lockwoods staff were as efficient as ever and a flight path had been cleared all the way to their destination.

[Ari]

Subito had stared in silent awe as he and the other two boarded the airship, taking in its magnificence as best he could given his limited understanding of how such things worked. He had asked Serge about buoyancy and how the bag of lighter gases kept the thing up, and had a vague idea about how they worked, but the bronze-looking armored thing he walked up the ramp into looked far too heavy to work. 'How does it fly? I'll need to ask, Mr. Steam w-window seat!' his eyes had wandered slowly around the vessel's retro and rather beautiful interior, finally fixing on the neat and comfortable leather couches placed next to the round windows. Clearing the space in a moment and tossing his small bag to the floor near the seat, he landed with a bounce on the couch, staring out the window with glee as they soared up gracefully into the air.

Flying was something that Subito loved to do. His powers had very strict locks placed on them, and going for joyrides was completely forbidden. Turning to Blodeuwedd as she entered the vessel he said softly "You ever dream 'bout flying? I do it all the time, now that I can. This.." he gestured outside to the passing sky "This is what I'd love to do sometime" he sat with his face all but pressed against the glass, brown eyes shining with delight as the ship sailed northwards.

After an hour or so he reluctantly broke away from staring out the window enraptured, joining the other two. "So," he asked casually "we're going to go to this base the Avians have and ask them about these weird statuettes?"

[Supercape]

Lord Steam was indulging in some pate and a little too much champagne, whilst studying some rather antiquated looking maps of the region.

Kamil Singh was happy to pilot Cressida, enjoying himself immensely. He was an expert pilot, but the trip itself needed on a minimum of skill. A little turbulance struck now and again, but he kept the course true and calm.

"So," he asked casually "we're going to go to this base the Avians have and ask them about these weird statuettes?"

"That would appear to be the plan" answered Lord Steam, pondering the map and the statues at once.

"We should be there imminently. As for the Avians, we had best be prepared. Diplomacy is the answer, I am sure, but we must be prepared for every contingency!" he concluded, checking his pistol and tucking it away in his jacket.

[Tiffany Korta]

With such a pleasant picnic lunch and the landscape rolling below them it was easy to forget the purpose of this journey and instead just enjoy each other’s company. But Lord Steam marvellous vessels had quite a turn of speed, unexpected for such a design, and it was soon drawing near its destination. As it did a call came down from the speaking tube.

“I think you and your guests should see this my Lord.â€

As they all came onto the bridge they could see what the problem was. In an almost perfectly clear sky was a low lying, large bank, of clouds sitting menacingly above an island. Slowly and painful the airship climbed as it drew nearer to the cloud bank, until it was nearly upon them as they could she what lurked above the clouds.

Sat above the clouds was the large menacing shape of a zeppelin like airship, a sleek things of gentle curves of canvas and steel that almost seemed as if it was in black and white. Surrounding this was an airborne armada of Avians patrolling around the airship.

[Supercape]

"It seems Zepplins are all the rage these days" commented Lord Steam, somewhat irritated that the unique splendour of Cressida, his air ship, was somehow diminished in the face of an equally antiquated (yet functional) aircraft.

He turned to his companions.

"Well, it strikes me that we have arrived at our destination. Avians, Airships, the works....I am not, and I say this with some vexation...quite sure what it all means..."

He tapped his foot in irritation, before clutching his cane and tucking his pistol into his waistcoat.

"But by Vishnu I intend to find out!" he swore.

"Forward Singh! and keep those Gatling Guns hot just in case!" he added, as his airship drew up level to the black and white canvas and steel.

[Ari]

'More airships?! This is the best week I've ever had! Wait..I forgot my camera. Blagh!'

There wasn't much that Subito could do in this kind of situation. His ignorance about Avians besides the obvious, he didn't have much in the way of advice for dealing with airships or ways they could broach the subject of the statuettes, and the issue of the Avian that had tried to take back one of the small things would have to be delicately brought up indeed. So he went with what he could do. He turned on his heel to dash over the short distance to Blodeuwedd.

"Hey, Blodeu, what do you bet those guys would like to see us arrive with a flying escort?" he asked eagerly, his right hand placed over his shirt, ready to transform into the brilliant EL Heraldo and provide a unique accompaniment to the Earth Victoriana vessel. "If they try and shoot at us for some reason, I could also just catch their shots before they ever hit the ship!" he added excitedly. Here was something he could at least kind of be useful and do. The only other option was inaction, and that was almost intolerable to him.

[Tiffany Korta]

“Well I think the decision should be Lord Steam, I don’t want to put his beautiful Cressida at risk without his consent. And besides your flying outside might provoke the Avians.†She looked thoughtful for a few seconds. “Maybe we should….â€

She didn’t get a chance to finish as the radio crackled into life.

“Is this thing on? Ah yes I see that we are. I find these things so impersonal, just give me a minute.†The feminine voice contained a hint of a French accent.

From the radio jumped a spark of electricity, which swirled around in the air, shifting a altering until it revealed the image of a woman. She was a rather attractive woman of indeterminate age with porcelain pale skin. If it wasn’t for her mass of burgundy coloured hair the image could be in black and white. She was dressed in the khaki clothes of a traditional Victorian adventurer. After the image stabilised it began to move as if she was in the room talking.

“Now that’s much better. Ah Lord Steam I assume, and you bought your long friends along how quaint.†She held her hands to her face “I suppose I should really introduce myself I am Madam Vapeur…â€

[Supercape]

Lord Steam raised one eyebrow, then the other in surprise as the woman appeared before him.

This did not stop his acutely active brain from analysing the woman in front of him.

...French?

..Victorian? From the past? From his own dimension? Or just somebody with an eye and liking for the decor?

There were multitude of questions, but few answers...

He gave a bow, not low enough to take his eyes of the Madame.

"Vapeur by name, and by nature?" he commented. "I bid you good day, my dear. Perhaps you would care to shed some illumination as to the state of affairs?"

"And then perhaps you can reveal the Nature of that splendid trick of the radio waves!"

[Ari]

Subito had begun to nod slightly when Cerys pointed out how it might raise a few Avian eyebrows "Huh. Yeah it's probably for the be-WHOA, what the hecK?! Who's there?" he started with a violent jolt when the unfamiliar voice rang out nearby in the crowded space, staring at Blodeuwedd in confusion for a second before whirling around to see where the new voice was coming from, quickly realizing that it was from the radio with no little chagrin. The appearance of the.."Wait, an electric hologram? Huh?" he wondered aloud, looking suspiciously at the old-timey dressed woman, his dark eyes narrowed slightly. She clearly wasn't an Avian, and her presence and name struck him as deeply bizarre...'Wait a sec, why would Avians have airships? Wouldn't they just fly.. Constructing sky palaces is best done with machines, I think.'

For all that he nodded to this Madam Vapeur, saying politely "Hello Ma'am, I'm Subito, this lady's assistant." he gestured to Cerys with a slight flourish of his broad hand "Y'seem to know Lord Steam already, so I'll stand over here and let you guys sort this out" with another nod he backpedaled over to his schoolmate, muttering to her "What d'you think? I don't like her."

[Tiffany Korta]

Blodeuwedd gave Subito a little side look “She’s gone to all this just to get us, well him.†She waved towards Lord Steam “I don’t think she’s a particularly nice person. Personally I’m more worried about her personal army of Avian warriors. We had enough trouble with one…â€

Oblivious to the two teens Mme Vapeur continued her conversation “Well I’m just using the radio as a carrier wave to excite the Æther existing inside your quaint little airship. You much come see my little Vickie, I had to borrow a little from another world for her, well her whole hull really. But we’ll have plenty of time for that later. You really must join me aboard the Vickie for cocktails, I really must insist…†there was no real malice in her voice, only a enthusiasm “Oh you can bring your little friends alone if you wish.â€

[Supercape]

Lord Steam raised an eyebrow.

"Cocktails you say? It just so happens I have some champagne and a little caviar left!" he replied, gathering up the hamper.

"We would of course be delighted to join you!" he bowed, giving Blod and Subito a wink.

How could I say no? he asked himself. At least Madame Vapeur was talking, a revealing little snippets of information as she did. He could only presume - and it was, for now, a presumption, that she had stolen the airship (or parts of her) from his home dimension.

Damn...should have checked with M before I left...he kicked himself. As marvellous as Cressida was, she didn't have the facilities to communicate back with his home dimension.

He ordered Singh to take Cressida up to a docking position, and told the faithful pilot to stay on the ship.

[Ari]

The reminder that their peril came also from the nearby army of Avians gave the powerfully-built young man pause. "...Oh yeah. I hadn't thought of those guys. This is pretty bad" Subito commented, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously as he moved to follow Lord Steam, halting at the hatchway to add "At least we'll be safe for a little bit, right? I mean, we can't make her mad enough to drop the hammer on us while havin' a drink?" he ducked out of the Cressida, wondering why he had the vague urge to offer his hand to Cerys when she came with them out the hatch. He distracted himself by looking with gleeful interest at their new surroundings, drinking in the awe-inspiring view around the young Puerto Rican.

[Tiffany Korta]

“Splendid, I shall have my staff meet you. Au Revoir.â€

Her image just flickered out to a faint smell of ozone.

As the vessels begun they slow graceful dance together Blodeuwedd stepped up to besides lord Steam

“For the record I think this is a really bad idea, she done all this to bring you here and who knows what’s she going to do now. But whatever happens I’ll be here, after all I got you both into this mess…â€

When the two airships finally docked the three of them stepped between the two vessels to be met by an amazing site. Waiting to meet them was a Avian, but this one was dressed and showed the demeanor of an English Butler.

[Supercape]

“For the record I think this is a really bad idea, she done all this to bring you here and who knows what’s she going to do now. But whatever happens I’ll be here, after all I got you both into this mess…â€

"Excellent!" noted Lord Steam as he boarded, as a reply to Blod and as a comment to the butler's dress.

The warning, he noted, was quite sensible, but his interest was burning beyond satiation. And at this stage, he reasoned, they could do little than put their head in the lion's maw.

"Come now come now. Shaky nerves will not serve us, deserved or not..." he said to his companion, thrusting his cane under his arm and striding forward.

Whilst he strode forward his mind wheeled and stewed over Madame Vapeur, wondering exactly what type of creature she was. He had little to speculate on at the moment, but at least she did not appear overtly aggressive. Of course, that could indicate the wit and intellect to savour her meal, so to speak.

[Ari]

'I do not like Madam Vapeur' Subito thought to himself, glancing back at the image winking out of view before turning back to the amazing sight before him. Cerys' words drew his attention sharply back to her as the other airship drew nearer and nearer to them, and their unsettling host with it. "Blodeu, you better bet we won't be dead weight you'll have to drag out. We'll keep our heads on straight, figure out what's going on and what these figurines have to with anything, and stop Vapeur if she's up to somethin' sketchy" he smiled and clapped her on the shoulder as he began to follow Lord Steam, keeping in step with her "I'm sure everything will work out if we put ourselves to it". He looked up at the towering structure they approached, his smile not wavering in the least and his legs thudding on the walkway.

'With these two, we can't fail. Nor will I.'

[Tiffany Korta]

“If you’d follow me.†The Avian spoke almost perfect English, though with a slight unidentifiable accent.

He lead them through the corridors of the Vickie all sharp angles and steel in sharp contrast to the wood and padding of the Cressida. The dining room was similarly stark in it Stainless Steel design, in stark contrast to their host. She had changed her clothes into a flowing gown, a more practical version than those Lord Steam had seen on the streets of his home, in a bright scarlet.

“Please take a seat and help yourself, I’m afraid I had to source locally so it’s not the finest to be had.â€

The table was filled with a variety of different dishes with a distinctive Gallic flare.

[Supercape]

"Really my dear, it isn't too bad..." said Lord Steam, who, even though he was used to fine cuisine, was not at all disappointed with the fare. Momentarily considering the possibility of poison and drugs, he decided to throw caution to the wind this time. If the madam had wanted them dead, he had no doubt she could have arranged it, despite the strength of his two companions. She seemed to have an army at her command.

He merrily stuffed some food in his mouth, savouring the juices and flavours.

"So my dear, I confess this little soiree, whilst delightfully entertaining, is for reasons enigmatic. I fail to penetrate your motive. You have spared no expense in either coin or wit to snare my attention, and have succeeded completely. I am at your mercy, dear lady!" he said, with simple honesty.

He patted his mouth with his napkin and put it gently to one side, then pressed his fingers together in concentration, awaiting the next move of chess pieces.

[Ari]

The powerfully-built young paragon had grown closer and closer once they were actually inside the floating fortress, watching every corner in case sudden..something, anything, lay behind it. The sparsity of furnishings compared to the Cressida made it all the more unfriendly along with what it was made of, and he was nearly happy to turn that last corner, face that last door, and enter into the heart of this woman's flying palace. He glanced sharply at the food and drink on the table after seeing the first blur of their host, wishing his powers allowed him to see and smell as well as he could hear. He glanced back up at Madame Vapeur and started a little obviously, not expecting that she would be so..grand in person. Seeing her clothes he suddenly realized how shabby he looked, and for an instant he toyed with the idea of transforming, to-

'Subito? No.'

-remain as he was. Unsure what the protocol for paying their respects was he said as politely as he could "Madame Vapeur, it is beyond even our highest hopes t'be given such a bounty as this. Thank you." he sat down and quietly selected some of the more fishy dishes and letting the adults do their thing. He had at least a little sense.

[Tiffany Korta]

Blodeuwedd quietly sat and picked at the food. Like Subito she was happy for Lord Steam to do all the talking. It was for slightly different reason however, the best way she found to judge a person abilities was to watch and observe. So quietly she sat doing just that.

Madame Vapeur for her part just sat there sipping on Champagne. Looking for all the world like she’d just stepped out of a Salon.

“To understand my motives I think you should understand something about my origins. I was born in a backwater of the mighty Napoleonic Empire…â€

[Supercape]

“I was born in a backwater of the mighty Napoleonic Empire…â€

"Viva La France!" saluted Lord Steam, toasting the universe with a glass of champagne and bite of something wonderful.

"Napoleon......big on war...short on stature....clever at it, mind...." he explained in rushed bites to his companions. His target, however, was Madame, to gauge her reaction. Had she known him - personally? - or was born in his time?

"Pardon the interruption, dear, do go on...but...wait...that would make you rather mature..." he added "you look rather splendid for your centennial status, I must say. Unless your magnificent ship flies through time as well as space!"

[Tiffany Korta]

She gave a sparkling little laugh “Well it’s impolite to ask a woman her age, but no I was born long after the first Emperor. I was the second born of a minor noble family and as such I left to my own devices, even allowed to gain an education. I became fascinated with the sciences of the Æther, I believed that the flowed allowing almost instantaneous travel. So I applied my engineering knowledge to build a machine, it worked but not in a way I expected. Instead of brining me to another part of the planet it bought me to another Earth one of technological wonders beyond even this one."

[Supercape]

"Another dimension? who would have guessed of such a thing!" replied Lord Steam with a wry smile.

"That explains this marvellous ship. And perhaps even your smoke and mirrors trick along the airwaves" he continued stroking his chin and drumming his fingers.

"And what brings you to return to this dreary dimension?" he inquired, studying her carefully. "It's tea is quite sub standard, you know...." he complained, airily flicking his fingers at the imaginary offending article.

"And perhaps too why you went fishing for us with a little statuette?"