Flying Away Again

"I'm saving you from your damn mistake!" Alistair snapped, holding still as he forced himself to continue concentrating. "Now get the bloody repellent on before the barrier gives out! I can only 'old it so long!"

Juliana quickly scurried up the ladder and camped herself at the top. She clung on for dear life with one hand while spraying on the foamy, gritty repellant with the other. The cloud of foam flew over the ship, propelled by the magics known as science. Once the entire top had been nicely coated with relative easy thanks to the barrier, Ana began to climb back down to the second floor again.

---

"The entire family, or at least what's left of them," Luke responded, still shaking. He could hardly think, hardly force himself to move. His mind kept telling him the ship was tilting, that there was fire creeping along the walls still.

Dmitri put a hand on Luke's shoulder, saying, "Tell them it's okay. Tell them that everything is fine, and nothing will happen to the ship or either of you." He meant the Fairchild brothers when he said "you". Since Luke had said they were family, he figured that, whether the Fairchilds cared for anyone else or not, they would be the most at ease knowing that Alistair and Lucas were safe. "Try to calm them down. If you can do that, then you should feel better." Dmitri was beginning to feel sort of panicky himself, though he thought not because he was afraid for the situation. Death wasn't a new possibility for him and, in the past 200 or so years, he felt he had nearly gained an immunity to fearing death. Humans weren't so lucky, however. He didn't know much else he could do, but maybe talking Luke through this and, maybe the Fairchilds themselves, if they heard him, would help him.

Alistair kept up the barrier to keep the wind and lightning at bay a bit longer, though he brought it in just a bit, less worried now that the balloon would be struck as had been likely before. Now he just worried that the wind and rain might toss the ship about too violently. "Check the engine!" he shouted as he hurried down the steps, trying to keep up concentration on his barrier with each move he made. Surprisingly, fear and panic tended to make concentration on using his magic to stay alive much easier.

Juliana headed down the hallways again at the mention of the engine, cursing her shirts under her breath as she ran. Pants. She was going straight to pants while on the ship once all this was said and done. Once she was down, she looked over the engine. A bit hot, but it wasn't exploding or on fire, which was a good sign by this point.

---

Luke kept shaking, his knuckles white as he grabbed the table's edge. "Think they can 'ear you. The memories won't stop though," He grumbled, fighting to keep himself composed.

Alistair ran past, checking the engines himself because he didn't quite trust Juliana to do it. It was a bit hot but not on fire... not that that couldn't change. Alistair was not going to take any chances. Quickly, he began to work to relieve the pressure. "Get that damn vampire back in the cockpit and make sure we're steady! We need to make port soon, or find a way out of this damn storm!"

Juliana paused in her checking, heading back down the hall and to the kitchen. "Mr. Fairchild says we need to land. Now!" She called.

---

Meanwhile, up in the cockpit, a call rang on Lavinia's mirror.

Lavinia ignored the mirror, too concerned with getting the ship somewhere safe. She didn't know what to expect any time soon, but she hoped that she would get out of the storm before Mr. Fairchild's barrier gave out for good.

Dmitri voiced an okay to Juliana, looking back to Luke. He wanted to help more, but he didn't quite know how. He pat Luke on the shoulder, in an "it's going to be okay" gesture, running off toward the cockpit, his eyesight having returned just enough to let him travel safely, and see well enough to possibly steer well. He entered the cockpit, moving to take the steering wheel from Lavinia. His eyesight still a little fuzzy, though, he asked, "Do you see anywhere we can land?"

"No!" Lavinia answered. "It's too thick out there. We need to put out lamps. No doubt others will do so."

Dmitri nodded, saying, "I'll keep the ship as steady as I can. Could you ask Miss Highland about the lamps?"

"Right," Lavinia answered before hurrying off to see that it was done.

Dmitri mumbled as he rubbed his eye, cursing the lightning. He still couldn't see all that great, and his messed up sight kept him from concentrating on steering the ship. With a sigh, he went to the door, opening it and sticking his head out. "Lavinia," He called. He would wait for her to turn before continuing, "I can't see well enough to steer yet. I'm sorry, but could you take the wheel again? I'll ask about the lanterns." He didn't want to leave the doorway yet, as he wanted to make sure that if the ship was buffeted by wind again, he could run to the wheel.

Juliana took a few moments to consider just what was needed. Lightning repellant, keep everyone inside, don't touch the metal on the walls. Part of her wanted to cut the power to save the fusebox if they got struck, but she wasn't entirely sure that would cause problems for the engine. With some hesitation she moved to head back up to the second floor and for her room, leaving Luke behind to continue to panic.

When she made her way into the hall, she paused and cupped her hands over her mouth to ask, "Do you know how far the nearest island is?"

Lavinia was almost to the stairs when Dmitri called her back. "Very well, but do be quick about it."

Dmitri nodded, and was about to exit the room when he saw and heard Juliana. "Last time I checked, we should be three days from Audum." He went back into the cockpit, to look over the map, taking longer than usual due to him having to try to read the map. Afterwards, he went to Juliana, saying, "Da, three days." With a small pause, to let the subjects separate, he said, "We should probably get some lanterns out there..."

"No need if it's going to take three days. Storm should be over with by then," Ana replied.

Dmitri shrugged. "True, but we'll still want them while we're in it right now. Wouldn't do to run into another ship while we are flying through the storm."

Lavinia watched out the window, glad for the water shield but also somewhat irritated that she could not see very well beyond it.

Alistair, meanwhile, had averted disaster in the engine room, but was worried about using up all of his power again so quickly.

"We can put out some lanterns with the shield up, but that's also dangerous," Ana replied, looking up to think. "Are you sure there isn't anywhere closer? Somewhere we can land for a while to wait out the storm?" She asked.

"Not that I can see on the map..." He thought a little, and offered, "Perhaps if we fly higher, we can get above the storm clouds, and away from danger."

Juliana nodded. "They we should keep 'eading straight. I'll throw some lanterns on the deck," She replied, heading back out into the hall to retrieve some.

Alistair made his way back to the kitchen, still concentrating on holding his shield while the others began setting out the lamps. He did not fail to notice that Luke looked shaken. "Luke," he said, trying to get his brother's attention. This state of affairs could not continue.

-------

Lavinia held steady, keeping the course as best she could with Alistair's shield distorting the view. Nevertheless, after some time steering, she thought she saw a light out there, one that grew steadily brighter every moment, as if a whole city was sitting out there beyond the view of the window... "Captain! Come see this!"

Despite Alistair's words, Luke kept his eyes glued to the ground. He tried his best to assume himself it wasn't tilting under his feet but his brain wasn't believing him. He opened his mouth to try and respond and instead fell to his knees and lost his lunch all over the floor in the doorway.

---

Juliana headed over to get a better look out the window. Once she had managed to get the lamps out, she had chosen to wait in the cockpit. With some urgency, she ordered, "Land! We can get out of the storm there!"

"Right away," Lavinia answered, "but I shall need guidance." She held steady to the wheel as she guided the ship toward the city or island.

----------

Alistair grew rather green at the sudden pool of sick. He had trouble keeping his own lunch, and the shield grew a little patchy all of a sudden. "Lucas!" he yelled, trying to get through to his brother after a moment of desperately holding back his nausea.