A Spit O' Rock

As the Heat traveled it's course, a rather plain clump of rock came into view. Some people just called them rocks. Some people called them obstacles. Scientists called them micro-islands. Whatever they were, most people agreed that they were too small to have a water supply of their own and were generally difficult to inhabit without being a parasite on a near by island's resources. In fact, most of them remained uninhabited for this very reason.

This island definitely looked like one of those deserted rocks, to the unknowing observer, in this case Juliana. The poor captain found herself biting her lip, clinging her hands close to her chest when it looked like her brand new Chadan was going to crash into the side of this rock. They were all going to crash and die and she was never going to find her brother because she was going to be dead and her ship was going to be ruined and-

Oh, look at that, a tunnel. A difficult to see tunnel in the darkness of the night as well as the shape of it's crafting, but a tunnel none the less. It was a bit of a difficult tunnel to get through and Ana was almost certain the balloon scratched one of the sides on their way in, but once they were through the U turn it was smooth sailing into the man made center of the island. It wasn't anywhere near as big as the Centricus side of Central City, but it was at least big enough to fit in 8 full sized cargo ships and even had the docks to accommodate them. Most of the docks were empty at the moment however. While there were a few holes punched into the roof to let in some sunlight, most of it remained sealed off save for the entrance.

Ana glanced around the cave as they landed at the dock, her unease growing again. She knew what this place was, she had heard enough stories from co-workers to puzzle it together. She also knew that it was the sort of place that walking confidently would not help her in. Not with her lack of knowledge in self defense beyond 'claw for the soft bits'. She also didn't like the implications of her navigator knowing how to find one of these little pockets, though was quick to tell herself that it was probably for emergencies.

With a glance to 'Pace', she said, "This looks kind of dangerous. Mind escortin' me?"

Ethan nodded. "Might be best if I went down alone first," he recommend. Though it was hard to see from his face he was more than a little nervous himself. They were unarmed and he'd not been here in over four years. Even if the some person was managing the place, he didn't like the idea but being recognized in front of Ana and the others.

Syme hadn't liked the look of the rock at all. It was a robber's nest if ever he saw one, (which he never had, but that didn't make him any less sure of his conclusion.) He didn't knock on the cockpit door, before coming in. He glared at Ana, but swiftly shifted the glare to Ethan. "I suppose you are responsible for taking us here?" he asked.

Ethan nodded, "We needed to the fastest possible port."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but this place appears to be a din for thieves," Syme narrowed his eyes, "Who are you really and what have you led us into?"

"I am the navigator and I've led us to a place where we can refill. Now if you'll excuse me, Govnah," Ethan pushed past Syme and through the cockpit door.

Ana followed after Ethan as he left the cockpit, keeping her eyes on the ground. She would rather walk into a den of thieves than get glared at by nobility all night. Going against something known to be dangerous was better than being dragged down by self doubt.

Once outside the door, she said to Ethan's back, "You shouldn't go alone, it could be dangerous out there."

"If it is, then it will be safer for you to stay on the ship," Ethan said, "Our only chance of escaping would be in a swift retreat out of here. I'll be just as safe going alone, as would with you."

Syme was following them, still frowning and annoyed at being ignored. "I don't trust you to go alone, Mr Reagan, nor do I trust you to look out for the Captain." He looked at Ana, "Captain I think it best if I disembark with Reagan and you stay abroad."

Ethan rolled his eyes, imagining what a disaster Syme might cause, if there were any really dangerous crew around.

Ana flinched when hearing Syme following them out, still avoiding eye contact. "That might be a good idea. Don't know if you, Tentcher or Mr. Fairchild would know 'ow to fly the ship," She muttered. She really didn't like being glared at. Part of her wanted to yell at him to stop doing that, though her common sense told her that screaming at nobility was a bad idea.

Ethan glares over at Syme. "It really would be in everyone's best interest, fer me to go alone, but if the Captain insists..." he waved a begrudging hand at Syme. Then added darkly "I recommend you go arm yerself."

Syme looked from Ana to Ethan then turned to walk under deck and get his sword and pistol.

Ethan glanced at Ana and then turned to go on without the nobleman.

Ana did her best to slip back into the cockpit, deciding to leave this to the other two men. They could handle themselves, right?

Outside of the ship, three men had gathered near the dock, eyeing the ship with suspicion. Two of the men carried rifles, and one was an older man with a soup strainer mustache. All three were quite displeased with having an uninvited, unmarked ship pulling into their cove. For all they knew, it could be someone sent from Central City for investigating, and they thought said nosy investigators needed a little gas let out from their ships. Preferably all of it.

Ethan came down a ladder and jumped down to face the men, his gaze steady and his hands not far from his guns. He thought he recognized one or two of them, but couldn't recall any names.

"Eve'nen," he greeted, then added, "And the winds never catch the stars, nor do the rains fall on the moon". It was the lyrics to an old ship shanty and had once been a password among the smugglers and pirates of the Central City area. He had no idea if it was still in use today, or if these men were the type to hold to such things, but he didn't give them much time to think about it before continuing, in a casual manner. "Name's Pace Reagan. Is ol' Smitty Hywitt still run'n this sorry boulder, or did he finally up die up from all his damned fleas?"

Syme came back on deck and glared when he saw that Ethan had gone down without him. Nonetheless, he kept his mouth shut and only walked to the rail, looking down at the group of men below.

The two men with rifles were quick to take aim at Ethan in a threatening gesture when he jumped down, though redirected their aim for his feet when he recited the bit of song. The man to the left squinted at Ethan, trying to get a better look at him despite the lack of light.

"Ya look familiar. Where's the rest o' yer crew?" He asked.

Ethan nodded towards the the ship. "They stayed a-bored. We just need some air 'fore we fall out'a the sky."

The mustached man turned to head for one of the buildings in the cave. "I'll send word with 'im. Ya stay there an' we'll keep from filling your balloon with lead." He was quick to head down the road, leaving the other two behind.

The man on the left still found himself puzzled over Ethan's familiar look. "Ya ever run a boat?" He asked, thinking back to some of his previous ships.

"I was capt'n of the Borealis 'bout four years back," Ethan said trying not to speak too loud and wondering if Syme was going to storm in like an offended rooster and ruin things. "Yeh might have run in'te me back then. Worked out'a Audum mostly."

Syme leaned on the rail, listening and trying his best to see though the dark. As he caught a few of Ethan's words, he frowned, then climbed over the rail and starting to descend as silently as possible.

The man studied him, trying to place his face. His face turned into a crooked smile when the connection finally hit, the man finally putting away his rifle completely. His companion remained armed, though seamed to relax somewhat when hearing Lefty say, "'Ey, it's old Holm! Last I 'eard you was 'sposed to be doin' the hemp fandango back in Central City. Bet there's a good story 'hind that one."

After a short rest, Alistair felt he had enough will and strength back to make a showing on deck for the rest of the crew. He could not let it seem like the fall had affected him overmuch. A man was never weak.

He strolled out on the main deck after the ship had landed looking, despite a bit of pallor to his coloring, rather unaffected. Syme's suit, while not perfectly tailored to him, nevertheless fit marginally well. He wore it with the practiced ease of a man used to such finery.

Ethan smirked slightly and put his hands in his pockets relaxing more himself, as Lefty changed his tone and put his gun away. "Things took an un'spected course," he said, "Might say I turned over a new leaf, and now I'm looking to turn back again. I.."

He stopped as there was the sound of Syme landing on the deck behind him and he glanced over his shoulder. The nobleman was scowling but didn't say anything as he walked up beside him.

"I'm go'n by Reagan now," Ethan finished and nodded at Syme, "He's with me. A shipmate."

Lefty redrew his weapon on seeing Syme land, aiming it for him while the other man did the same. Neither of them seamed thrilled or willing to trust someone who was sneaking around not thirty seconds ago, even less so someone in such finery.

"'E some kind of loon?" Asked Righty, aiming down his gun.

Back near the buildings, the mustached man began to head back, followed by a man in a heavy red duster, presumably named Smitty Hywitt.

~~~

Inside of the ship, Juliana looked out the cockpit window, not sure how to take the looks of the negotiations. She could hear shuffling outside the door, though she wasn't confident enough about the situation to go running around the ship and investigating it. Though she did yell out, "If you need anything, I'm in the cockpit!"

Syme crossed his arms looking at Lefty, Righty and Ethan with pretty much the same disapproving expression. "I should say not," he replied to Rightly," His crisp educated Coxish accent stood out rather painfully to the common slurs of men around him. "And I don't plan on being Reagan's shipmate for much longer. The Heat is giving me a ride to Phiah. I am simple a passenger."

Ethan looked from Syme to the others. Mostly, he hoping this wasn't all about to go south, but there was a tiny part of him that was thinking how entertaining it would be to keelhaul the blue-blood.

Righty's aim lowered a bit, aiming for Syme's kneecap, his finger itching to hit the trigger. A rather unpleasant smile hit his face. "Looks like we gotta smart one. Wonder how much his family would pay fer his return if they can afford that fancy speech teaching."

Lefty kept his gun trained on Syme as well, though was more on a defensive than his trigger happy companion. "What you think, Reagan? Think he'd be a good catch?"

Alistair looked around for the source of the voice, found the door, and poked his head into the cockpit. "What is happening?"

Ethan shrugged, "Hell if I know. I just met him. But seeing as he is a member o me ship at the moment, I think you better leave him be." He gave a Lefty a slightly warning look.

Syme looked at Righty's gun, then Lefty's. His glare intensified, but his stance and expression changed very little. He flicked his glare at Ethan when he spoke then looked back at Lefty. "Before you come to any decision, Gentlemen, I better warn you that I'm studied and accomplished in magic and I don't need a family or a shipmate to protect me."

Smitty and the mustached man came up and Syme and Ethan both looked up at them.

Ethan cleared his throat, glanced at Lefty and Righty a little nervously, before stepping forward and offering Hywitt his hand and a smile, "Hey Smitty, 'member me?"

Juliana glanced back, waving him closer to the window for him to get a better view before looking back out. She was defiantly tense, clenching her hands my her sides in worry. She said in a hushed tone, "Pace an' Lord Syme left to ask the owners 'ere for more hydrogen. Looks like things ain't going well as far as I can tell."

Down on the dock, Righty would have taken that as a challenge had his boss not come by to ruin his fun. With a bit of a disappointed look he pointed his rifle at his own feet. Lefty was a bit less determined to shoot, though was looking unnerved enough to be unpredictable if things got hot. He slowly lowered his gun as well.

Smitty moved to shake his hand, offering a smile in turn. "Long time no see, Holm. Wasn't expecting to see you again at all. What can I do you fer, an' what did ya do to upset my men?" He asked, his last statement not an accusation so much as a calm invitation for an explanation.

Back on the deck, Ana signed with relief when noticing the guns being lowered. "Looks like things cleared up a bit." With a pause, she glanced over at Alistair, an epiphany hitting her. "You owe me somethin', don't ya? For saving your life an' all. Can I ask you a favor?"

Alistair frowned, looking her over. "What is it?" That was no acceptance because unlike some, Alistair was perfectly content being an ungrateful bastard. Still, if it wasn't too much an inconvenience, fulfilling the request would likely earn her goodwill, something that could serve him later.

When the men lowered there guns, Syme took a half step back, falling into a more relaxed but guarded stance. Even while watched Hywitt and Ethan, he kept a watchful eye on Righty and Lefty.

"Yeah sorry about that," Ethan said glancing at Righty and Lefty, and then jerked at thumb at Syme, "Got a passenger who's not used to these circles."

Syme hesitated and then nodded to Hywitt, "Lord Sullivan Syme," he introduced, with grudging politeness.

"Could you teach me to be lady-like?" Ana asked, still keeping an eye on the situation outside. Her voice dropped to nearly a whisper when she added in, "If I'm more lady-like, people might listen to me for once."

Hywitt raised his eyebrows at Syme and offered a nod of acknowledgement, not particularly caring who he was as long as he wasn't ruining the place or snitching on it's location. "Smitty Hywitt," he grumbled. He then looked to Ethan again. "And what brings you to bring a pretty boy to this ol' hunk of rock?"

Alistair stared at her. "You wish to be a lady? First, you must learn to clean yourself and become rich."