<Storyteller> The ship glides forward across the blackened waters of the Tempest. In
the horizon, you begin to be able to see land.
<Storyteller> As the land grows ever closer, ships begin to dot the view
* Hans stands by the railing, watching the waves splash against the water.
<Rogers> "Land ahoy!"
* Erik is writing in his notepad, muttering to himself
<Rogers> "Captian, there's a harbor ahead!"
<IronJohn> "Slow the approch and bring it in."
<Storyteller> The ship slows, and the harbor is even closer
<Erik> "In the realm of death, there is no respite/From the wailing of souls and the
wind's evil bite."
<Storyteller> You can now see, high towers of jade loom over the harbor and city
* Remy looks off towards the port
<Remy> "Orders, captian?"
* Brianna watches as we move closer to shore
<IronJohn> "Pull it into harbor."
<Storyteller> The ship carefully pulls into harbor, and the dock workers tie her down
* William leans against the rail.
<Storyteller> The plank is unfolded, and a long slender figure waits to board.
* Friday hands IronJohn the envelope
<Friday> "Here's the delivery, captian."
* IronJohn looks at Friday
* Remy eyes the figure, suspiciously
* IronJohn takes the envelope
* IronJohn waits at the side of the ship near the plank
<Storyteller> The figure looks up at you. You can clearly see her face
* IronJohn motions the figure aboard
* Brianna stands near Remy and looks at the figure
* William stares at the city.
<Storyteller> The figure walks up the plank
* Hans watches the figure.
* William looks at the person walking up the plank.
* Katoshi bows
* IronJohn returns the bow
<Katoshi> "I am the Imperial harbormaster, for his eminance the Jade Emperor."
<Katoshi> "There is a message?"
* IronJohn hands her the message
<Katoshi> "Thank you, and I have a message for you as well."
* Katoshi slips her hand into her cloak
* Katoshi pulls out an envelope
* Katoshi hands it to IronJohn
* IronJohn accepts the letter
<IronJohn> "Thank you."
<Katoshi> "Have a safe journey."
* IronJohn bows
* Katoshi walks down the plank, and disappears into the crowd
* Hans goes to his cabin, then reappears a few moments later with a violin.
* IronJohn hands the letter to Brianna
* Brianna blinks and takes the letter
<IronJohn> "Do you sense anything on this letter?"
* Friday looks on the crowd
* Brianna focuses on the paper in her hand
* Hans stands on deck and begins to play one of Beethoveen's symphonies.
* William watches with interest
* IronJohn mentions to William to keep an eye out for signs of our "friend"
* William nods
<Brianna> "I sense destiny, or fate is tied to this letter."
<IronJohn> "Thank you."
<Hans> The strains of the Ninth Symphony waft from the violin in Han's hands.
<Erik> "So, what exactly does this message say, anyways?"
<IronJohn> "After our last port of call we can't be too safe."
* IronJohn opens the letter
<Friday> "Yeah, let's open it."
<Brianna> "The contents of this letter will save a life with a life."
* Hans stops playing. "Are you sure opening the letter is a wise idea."
<Erik> "Are you sure it's not?"
<Hans> "Well, who is the letter addressed to?"
<Erik> "Ten bucks says it's not me."
<William> "If God has plans for us, opening the letter will not affect them."
<IronJohn> "Its adressed to me."
* IronJohn continues reading
<Hans> "If it's addresses to us, then open it. If not, it is not our business."
<Hans> "Then read it."
* Erik stands next to a railing, and begins to write in his notepad
* Hans continues to play on his violin, emersing himself in the music.
<IronJohn> "We are getting a new crew member."
* IronJohn puts the letter away
* William looks up with interest
* Erik looks up
<Friday> "A new crew member..."
<Erik> "Oh wonderful. Will this newcomer be taking my job?"
* IronJohn looks at Erik "No."
* Brianna asks curiously, "Who?"
<Erik> "Oh."
<Friday> "Umm would that new crew member be him?" says as he points to the plank.
* IronJohn turns to where Friday is pointing
* Hans stops playing again. Who is the new crew member?"
<Erik> "The best laid plans o' mice and men oft go awry."
* Erik goes back to scribbling in his notepad
<Storyteller> A tall amoured man stands at the bottom of the plank. He is tall, and
wears a sword at his side. His face is of rugged seriousness.
* Hans looks at the newcomer.
* IronJohn calls down to the man..."Akira Toryitomo?"
<Storyteller> He bows, and you can see that his moustaches nearly touch the ground
<Akira> "Yes."
<IronJohn> "Come aboard then."
* Akira nods and boards the ship
* IronJohn introduces the memembers of the command crew
* Akira nods and shakes their hands when introduced.
* Erik ignores Akira
* William shakes his hand
* Hans shakes his hand.
* Brianna shakes his hand
<Akira> "I am eager for work, when do we leave?"
<IronJohn> "Soon."
* Akira smiles
<Friday> "Captian."
<Friday> "I just checked the missions statements."
<IronJohn> "Yes."
<Friday> "Well see there are no mission statements left."
* Erik looks up
<Erik> "Captain?"
<IronJohn> "Good...the busy work is done."
* Friday smiles
* Erik walks over to Friday and Iron John
<Erik> "Captain?"
<IronJohn> "Yes?"
<Erik> "Do we have anywhere we HAVE to be?"
* IronJohn looks at Erik
<IronJohn> "Why?"
* Akira walks over to Brianna and William
<Erik> "Well...if we're not due anywhere...can...can we go home, sir?"
* Brianna looks at Akira
<IronJohn> "Where is home for you?"
<Erik> "There's someone I'd kinda like to see..."
<Erik> "New York, sir."
<Akira> "Hello...Brianna?"
* Brianna nods. "Yes, that is my name."
* Akira smiles
<William> "Good day sir."
<Akira> "Good day."
<Akira> "I have a question, Brianna."
* Brianna looks at Akira curiously
<Brianna> "Yes?"
<Akira> "When I shook your hand, you had a strange expression on your face."
<Brianna> "I did?"
* Brianna looks confused
<Akira> "A far away look."
* Brianna repeats, "I did?"
<Akira> "maybe it was my confusion. I apologize."
* Brianna shakes her head.
<IronJohn> "Set the sails men.....we are heading west."
<Brianna> "No, I probably did..I get so easily distracted at times..."
* Brianna gets a strange look on her face, and puts her hand up to her forehead
<Brianna> "Oooh...not again.."
* Brianna grabs the railing for support
* William helps Brianna
<William> "What's wrong?"
* Brianna doesn't appear to have heard you, or notice your presence
* William stares into her soul
* Brianna gasps and opens her eyes
<Brianna> "We...we have to go back to New York!!"
<IronJohn> "We are."
<Brianna> "Something horrible is happening... I saw.. the city was in flames, and
there were spectres everywhere, they had blackened suns on their foreheads, it
must be Markova..."
<Brianna> "The Legionnaires were losing the fight!"
* Abe turns the wheel and the ship lurches as it hits top speed.
<Erik> "Samantha!"
<Abe> "Heading to New York, Captian."
* Erik drops his notepad, and random pages skitter across the deck
<Remy> "Emily!!"
* Brianna looks extremely frightened, and gets to her feet
<Erik> "If there's anything I can do to speed this ship up, tell me."
<Brianna> "Yes, please...we have to hurry!"
<Hans> {Remy: And don't forget, the spectral armies just got a new volunteer. The
slave you freed is now one of them. Tee hee hee, you will be seeing him soon.}
* Nephrutu silently joins everyone on deck
<William> {Don't bother, you'll all die. Jump ship, I'll lead you to saftey in the
Tempest.}
<Brianna> "Nephrutu!"
* Nephrutu looks at Brianna
<Erik> {William: Even as we now move, my armies are destroying the city. Your
pathetic god can't save you or the city now...}
* Brianna rushes over to him, tears collecting in her eyes. "Did you see it?"
<Nephrutu> "Yes..."
<Brianna> "Is it happening now? Or was it a glimpse of the future?"
<Nephrutu> "I saw the city burning."
<Nephrutu> "It is now."
* Brianna buries her face in her hands
* Nephrutu puts his arms around Brianna
<William> (The city will not fall to the likes oy you, or your kind.)
<Nephrutu> "The fires have come, and it is time to return."
<Erik> {William: Ah, William, but it already has...}
<Storyteller> The Ulysses speeds ahead
<Brianna> {Hans - ahh, it will be just like old times...I can see the flames now...
are you ready to start some more fires? *chuckle*}
<IronJohn> {Erik: Sam will be taken by our dark brothers......}
<Remy> "Lemme get dis straight. We're going to sail to New York, and fight an army
of spectres?"
* Brianna leans against Nephrutu for support
<Erik> (NEVER!)
<Hans> (I never made fires, and it will not be like old times. I am going to fight
them since I don't have to obey them.)
<William> (Visions are just that, visions. They are not all true.)
<Hans> {Remy:And then there's dear sweet Emily. Oh yes, we are getting her too.
Some protector you are.}
<Remy> (You take her, an' I'll kill every last one of you)
* Remy nods
* Remy looks like he's decided something
<Hans> {Remy: We already did.}
<Erik> "Remy, when we go in the city, watch my back. I'll be too busy fighting saving
Sam to do that."
<Remy> "Alright, let's do it, then."
* Friday shakes his head
<IronJohn> {Erik: Its too late, my brothers have told me that she IS OURS!}
* Akira puts his hand on Remy's shoulder
<Remy> (Well, then, I'm comming for you and all of your devil kind)
* Remy looks at Akira
<Erik> "NO!"
<Akira> "I know I am new to all of you."
<Akira> "But your fight is an honorable one, and it is now my fight."
<Erik> "Who has Argos? I need to get to New York NOW!"
* William puts a hand on Erik's shoulder. "I will fight with you for such a worth
cause."
<William> "I do."
<Erik> "Then let's go! Sam's dying!"
<Abe> "Erik, we are moving as fast as we can. The Ulysses is the fastest ship in the
fleet."
<IronJohn> {Erik: too late too late too late too late too late too late too late too
late too late too late too late too late too late too late too late too late too
late too late too late too late too late}
<Erik> "There's gotta be a faster way!"
<Nephrutu> "You must not split up."
* William puts a hand on Erik's shoulder. "The ship is moving faster than I can."
* Nephrutu lets go of Brianna
<Erik> "When we hit New York, I'm going straight to Sam. Anyone else is more than
welcome to come, but that's where I'm going."
* Remy nods. "We'll make it, Erik"
* Nephrutu turns to Erik
<Hans> {Remy: ready for a family reunion, when Emily comes hunting for your heart.}
* Brianna wipes her eyes and walks determinedly to the railing, where she watches the
water impatiently
* Remy turns his head and rolls his eyes, wondering if the same thing is going to
happen again...
<Nephrutu> "If you go alone into the flames..you will not return."
<William> {Bri: Come with me! Just leap over the railing! Please don't go to the
city, I don't want you to get hurt. If you come with my I can take you to a place
where you will be safe.}
<Erik> "Yeah, well, it'll be just like last time."
<IronJohn> {Erik: Listen to him....the flames are bad....sam is safe with us}
<Erik> (Fuck off)
<Nephrutu> "No...it will be nothing like the last time."
<Erik> "You don't know what happened last time. I went in alone, and got trashed."
<IronJohn> {Erik: I only say that because I care about...us...damnit the flames are
bad}
<Erik> "No one was even around to scrape me off the ground."
<Erik> (Anything bad for you is good for me.)
<Storyteller> The ship races along
<IronJohn> {Erik: I was there...even though Sam abandonded you along with those other
assholes}
<Brianna> {You think I would listen to you, after what you have done?}
<Erik> "But I'm different this time."
<Erik> (Yeah, and then you put me through your little arena o' tortures. It's not
gonna happen this time, though.)
<Erik> "Now, I know where I'm going when we hit New York. Who's going with me?"
* Remy looks sadly at Erik
<Remy> "Sorry, friend, but I gotta find my daughter."
<Erik> "Then go."
<Erik> "I went alone last time, and I can do it again if I have to."
<William> "I am with you my friend."
<Remy> {John, your crew is going to die...and there's nothing you can do to save
them. Don't let them go to New York...}
<IronJohn> {We are all ready dead....you argue a moot point}
* Remy sits down on the deck, his eyes glazing over
<Remy> {There are much, much worse things than this, John. Why don't you let me
protect you?}
<IronJohn> {I have never needed your help before, and I never shall dark one}
* Erik draws his gladius, and looks at it silently
<IronJohn> {Erik: Thats the spirit}
<Erik> (This is to save Sam, not kill me.)
* Remy traces the thin strands that bind him to his loved ones...
<IronJohn> {Erik: two events.....all to the same end.....*giggle*}
* Remy smiles, a bit reassured
<Erik> (I don't think so. I beat you before, and I can do it again. I WILL do it
again.)
<Remy> "I wouldn' put too much faith in what that voice inside your head says, Erik."
<Erik> "I don't."
<William> {Bri: Fine. If you are determined to enter the flames and face the
darkness, remember, I will be there to help you.}
<Remy> "Would you like me to check on her for you, Erik?"
* Brianna abruptly straightens and walks belowdecks.
<Brianna> "I'll be in my room if anyone needs me."
<Erik> "No...I...I think I can..."
<Brianna> (There is nothing that I need from you, king of liars.)
<Remy> {There will come a time, John, when you need my help. And maybe I'll forgive
your insults...}
<IronJohn> {Erik *whistles for the next hour* song is one Sam used to sing}
* Brianna goes into her room and meditates, searching for pease amidst the chaos of
the memories of her recent vision
<IronJohn> {Erik: you know...there is a way to get to Sam real quick like}
* Erik smiles faintly
<IronJohn> {Erik: you know if you go back into the darkness, you return to your
fetters....you return to Sam}
<Abe> "Captian, we are at maximum speed."
<IronJohn> "Good."
<Erik> (Where I can still fight on, until Oblivion claims me. Sam will never fall
into your clutches.)
<IronJohn> {Erik: Yo master of thickness......what I mean is that if you fall into
the tempest you will return to Sam.}
<Rogers> "Captian!"
<IronJohn> "Yes."
* William goes to his quarters to pray for victory
<Rogers> "Ship ahoy!"
* IronJohn takes out his looking glass and takes a look
<Erik> (Look, mon shadow, Sam will never fall into the Tempest while I still exist.)
<Rogers> "She looks deserted captian!"
<Erik> "We don't have time to hang around a ghost ship!"
* Remy 's lip curls into a sardonic smile, but doesn't say anything
<Storyteller> The ship speeds ahead
<Storyteller> You can see the name plate upon the ship
<Storyteller> Estiva
* Remy looks at the ship
<Remy> "Don' mean anything to me..."
<IronJohn> "Its a Hierarchy Ship."
* Remy looks
<Remy> "Something's on board..."
* Remy looks to the captian, glad he doesn't have to make this decision
* Remy looks up to the look out guy
<Erik> "Let's just go. For all we know, it could be like that creature on the other
ship..."
<IronJohn> "I know."
<Remy> "You there! Who's on board that ship?"
<IronJohn> "William!"
* William hears the commotion and comes up on deck just as Erik mentions the
possibility of another Thing being on the ship
<Storyteller> Suddenly from the hold of the Estiva several men race up and man the cannons
* William draws his sword and comes up on deck.
<Remy> "I take it they ain't friendly..."
* William looks at them, into their souls
<Storyteller> There's a loud booming noise
<IronJohn> "Hard to port"
* Erik gets behind whatever meager cover he can find
* Hans grabs his gun and prepares for an attack.
<IronJohn> "Fire on them!"
<Storyteller> The Ulysses jerks toward the port
* Brianna opens her eyes, concentration broken. She hurries up on deck to find out
what all the noise is about
<Storyteller> The Ulysses is rocked as the cannon hits the ship
<Storyteller> Hans flies from the deck of the ship into the Tempest
* Remy tries to grab Hans
<Storyteller> The Estiva stops firing and suddenly the wind picks up
<Remy> "What the hell was that?"
<Storyteller> The wind and waves sweep Hans aboard the Estiva. The Estiva is begining
to turn and flee
<Rogers> "They are fleeing!"
* IronJohn draws his gun and sprouts wings from his back
* Brianna is waiting for someone to tell her what to do, as this is not exactly her
cup 'o tea
* IronJohn turns to Remy and says "If I don't come back....you are Captian!"
* Remy nods
<Remy> "Good luck..."
* William follows the captain
* IronJohn takes to the air, heading towards the other ship
<Remy> "Ok, turn the ship around! We're getting Hans back!"
<Storyteller> The Ulysses turns hard and heads towards Estiva
<Storyteller> This concludes Act Two: The Ties of Duty
