The Sky Breathes All Life - IC

Lily shrugs, smiling.

"I dunno. I'm not that great with weapons either. At least not with that kind. But sure, I'll show you what I know. Wearing a belt knife to warn off a bar brawler's one thing...but in a battle you might have to use it. If you dance, you're probably pretty coordinated, so we can focus on techniques that take advantage of that over physical strength."

She nods, then peers curiously at Sye.

"Out of curiosity...why -did- you sign up? Military doesn't seem like it'd be the place for you...and I mean that as a compliment."

Sye looks deep into Lily's eyes for just a moment and then breaks the stare. "It has to do with my father and my mentor, Jacobus. I had a very happy life until my dad got into drinking when he lost his job. That's a sad tale in and of itself, but needless to say I felt it was time to leave home. I loved music, and when I left home I met Jacobus. Jacobus tried to teach me all that he knew about music - I learned what I could. We weren't together for all that long and Jacobus grew quite ill and coughed all the time. I had to learn to perform by myself - it was the only thing that brought a smile to his face in the midst of his consumption. But as always happens with people who suffer from consumption, he eventually did die. I then spent a little time alone - touring the land and making some honest money. That's when I heard about the call for troops. I knew I wasn't a soldier - but I also knew that there were going to be plenty of people here who needed to smile - just like Jacobus. I can't go home, so I've nowhere to go. The soldiers need me here to remind them to enjoy life in the midst of their circumstances. So I decided to come. But you're right. I'm not a typical soldier. I'm here for the people, not the fight..."

Sye stops, thinking for a moment. "Well, look at you Lily. Seems like you have a gift of listening as well. I guess when I'm on stage everyone wants to hear my music but I seldom get a chance to tell my story. So ... thanks for asking. I guess I needed to get that off my chest."

She takes another sip of water and starts to cough a little, having swallowed it too fast. Once she recovers, she takes another drink.

Lily chuckles and clinks her nearly empty mug to Sye's over the table.

"That's something to watch out for. It's great you want to help people...but you have to have something for yourself too. I gotta figure it's pretty hard to make other people smile, if you can't smile for yourself."

She shrugs. "Still, what do I know?" With a sigh, the young soldier pushes away from the table and rolls her shoulders tiredly. "I'd better hit the roll. Morning drills and all."

For a moment her dark eyes rest on Sye's, then dart down to her hands. "My tent's a bit crowded for practice. Lets meet for lunch, and we can work out times...places...all that." She seems a little embarrassed for some reason, and reinforces that impression with an awkward shrug at the end.

"Sound okay?"

"That'll work for me, Lily. Assuming we're still here for lunch, that is. We may be taking off for battle sometime soon. But if you tell me what ship you're on I'll be able to keep track of that information and I'll find you whenever we get to where we are going."

Assuming Lily and Sye exchange ship information ... Sye replies, "See you around, Lily. You're welcome in this tent anytime you need a smile. Chances are when I'm not on duty I'll be hear, either performing or listening."

Lily does indeed exchange ship info...and bids Sye a fond farewell before returning to her own tent to sleep.

Alister nods slowly as he engages with the problem put before him by Jonathon. It doesn't take him too long to reach a decision. "I don't see a need to worry overmuch about one ship. It's unfortunate of course, but it would be foolish to pour all our resources into fixing such a relatively minor problem. Redistribute the maintenance crew among any other ships that might need the extra hands."

"Is there anything else?"

Jonathan Vars

"Nothing at all, sir, everything else is as ready as its going to get for tomorrow's events. I suppose the only thing left to do is pray, if you're into that sort of thing... Well I won't be keeping you longer, have a good night sir, and I will see you tomorrow morning!"

Jonathan lifts the tent flap and ducks inside, which for a brief moment spits candlelight into the growing dusk and deepening shadows of the evening-to-come. Alister stands alone outside now, all of his chores and stops to be made completed for the day.

Alister returns Jonathan's goodnight and then turns and makes his way back to his own tent, there to pore over charts and make plans for a while longer - though it is entirely unnecessary and probably counterproductive - before going to bed.

Takeoff!

"Go, go, go! Boarding now! Hurry up, hurry up, don't lag behind! Get to your launch posts! Go, go, go!..." You awake from your boredom with a snap to hear the Sgt. yelling orders at every troop on your ship. You've all been sitting on the launch grounds below your assigned ship all morning, after having been in hurry-up-and-wait mode since the moment you awoke. Hours had passed with nothing to do, as everything in your personal jurisdiction had been taken care of, and your ship was only waiting on the other ships to be ready and the orders to fly.

There is a mild sense of uneasyness among the couple hundred troops assigned to Rose 3, as there is with every Unit among the army, especially on the morning before the fighting begins. The commanding officer of your current station is Alister Delbraeth - a Captain in rank, but not of the piloting of this ship. He oversees the operations of the maintenance crew on this ship directly, all flight planners and shipwrights including Duncan Freehold, and issues orders to the higher ranks of the Special Operations group also stationed on board, which also counts Lily Foster among its ranks. Sye Dillinger has been assigned to the ship as well, specifically as Captain Delbraeth's troop movement advisor, a position she has never officially held before.

As you're being yelled at, you grab all your gear and move as quickly as possible onto the ship, along with everyone else. Each knows his or her position, and they are quickly filled as the engines fire and propellors whirr, and the ship slowly begins to lift off the ground. Activities are hectic, as people move about the cabins, work inside the holds, monitor each system to ensure operability, and all manner of things. Soldiers begin to prepare for combat, and last minute briefings are given to each unit on their responsibilities. Within moments, every ship is in the air, and the entire fleet is sailing off to the East at cruising speed.

Soon the opposing fleet can be spotted on the horizon, a huge mass of airships at least equal in number to the Human/Dwarven fleet, floating above the water of the gulf and the Elven border town of Ayalis. As they fly they eschew a multicolored mist behind them ranging from a deep blue to a light green, forcing the ships to assume a more lined, zig-zag formation to avoid being blinded by the ships in front. As the fleets approach one another, speed is heightened and you begin to hear shots fired by the artillery ships - both from your side and the Elven side. The ship that currently holds each of you is somewhat farther back in the formation - partially because of the forces it carries, and partially because of Captain Delbraeth's father's decision.

Eventually the front-liners clash head on with the Elven ships, and the sounds of battle can be heard almost above the cannons firing nearby. Occasionally a bullet will rip by your ship and explode nearby, but until now, nothing has come very close. It seems as though the Elves had started to push around the front point of the Human forces, when a faint hum can be heard increasing over the sounds of war. The sound started out very faintly, but slowly grew to an intense volume, forcing both sides to almost completely stop fighting. The air shook with the noise. Looking to the sky, the terrified combatants saw a huge growing darkness spread slowly across the sky, covering them and blacking out the sun.

In an instant, the terrified soldiers had a new enemy as thousands of Cloakers descended upon every airship. Communication went crazy as people were being bitten, clawed, and suffocated. Men fell from the sides of the airships, blinded by Cloakers covering their faces. Others ripped and tore at their friends’ assailants, only to be attacked themselves, requiring them to leave their friends to their own devices. Senior leadership had no idea what to do, and soon Cloakers were pouring into the cabins and hallways of the interior airships.

Suddenly, another airship slams into the now not-monitored flank of Rose 3, blowing a hole the size of a house through the exterior armor and piercing the engine held underneath, screams can be heard coming from the ship, and looking down, you can see the crew members being assaulted by the Cloakers, seemingly paying no mind to the crash as they are attacked. The crash sends your two conjoined ships spiralling out of control as you head straight for the ground. Within moments, every airship was in the same predicament as your own, all coming down out of the sky in a metal rain.

____________________________
The impact was abrupt.

You wake up in a daze on the cold ground. The sun filters down through the blue/green colored mist floating down above and over you like a cloud, casting odd shadows among the fallen. Staring up through the mist, you recall everything that happened, though as you think, you can see no trace of the Cloakers. Eventually the mist dissipates, leaving a partly cloudy sky to gaze at. Sitting up, you appear to be unharmed, though the same cannot be said for the rest of the troops.

Bodies lay everywhere, as though a massive ground battle had just been fought in and around the town of Ayalis and the bordering land and sea. Looking around, you can see the airships piled on top of each other, some on land, some in the water, a few crashed into the homes of the small village. A few townsfolk are running back and forth from their town and this graveyard, tending to those who have not yet passed. Numerous other troops are also up and about, attempting to help each other in the wreckage, and though a great disaster had just befallen both armies, there still seems to be a tension of battle in the air. Elves, Gnomes, Humans, and Dwarves all mixed together lay and run everywhere, but each race seems to be tending to its own, unfortunately. Everyone seems confused.

As each of you rise, you spot your commanding officer, Alister Delbraeth, as well as each other, and you recognize many of your shipmates lying about, few moving.

"Sir! Sir! Please, you seem to be a man of rank, I recognize the symbols on your shoulder, please! We can't find anyone else of rank in the immediate vicinity, and the mayor of the town needs to speak to you! Please, come with me, and bring any able-bodied troops you may still have with you!" A young Elven boy runs over to the staggering Alister Delbraeth, beseeching him to follow. You all see this, and you all hear his pleas.

Alister gives a slow groan of confusion and pain as he comes to. He has no desire whatsoever to get up. He feels like a house has landed on him, and his natural inclination is to play dead until he either feels better, or the act becomes a reality.

But he doesn't.

You're an officer, he tells himself firmly. You're responsible for the welfare of the people under you. You've been entrusted with important duties. You're an officer. *Act* like it. Steeling his resolve and propping himself up on his ranseur, Alister slowly picks himself up and surveys the carnage with a sinking feeling that he is completely out of his depth.

The feeling is hardly dissipated when the Elven boy approaches him and identifies him as the only ranking man conscious in the vicinity. He swallows hard, before slowly nodding. "Of course." He tries to sound calm and in control, but doesn't quite manage it. Taking a deep breath he turns to see who else has survived the wreck, and sees that a handful are stirring. He musters all the self-control and authority he can, trying to reassure himself as much as anyone else of his officer status, and walks closer to address them without raising his voice. Somehow shouting out orders over this misty scene of devastation would seem crass, boorish. "We need to put together a delegation to speak with the mayor of this place. Anyone who can walk... you're with me." Miraculously, he manages to keep his voice level and his face composed.