4F for Freedom!

[Kevin Perrine]

MUSTANG SALLY (aka - Sally Singer)

The co-pilot nods. "We can put her down in this weather. It won't be pretty. She may not get back up again any time soon after, but we can do it. Give us the word, and we're there."

Sally listens over the roar of the engines... ...this is it... she thought, ...this is the real thing, ... Sally's brothers and dad had all done it... and that's why she's alone now. They're dead or worse - missing maybe even in enemy hands. She could barely bare the thoughts. And for a second she tried to shut it out - like she'd done for the past year everytime those type thoughts creeped into her mind.
But then the plane rocked and brought her back to "THE NOW" before she tumbled off into disbelief... and as Sally's eyes welled with tears, MUSTANG SALLY took over and started looking about the cabin - at the plane, at her new teammates, at the roar of the engines happening outside. And then over to her Angel-Wings.
The muffed mix of sounds filtered through again... Yes... YES - down... she thought, ...we gotta get down there, stop this madness.. and as she thought - her voice followed up... silently, almost to herself at first.
"We gotta get down there..."
then louder,
"We gotta get down there......."
then louder, this time over the engine and outside noise,
"We gotta get down there!!"
as MUSTANG SALLY begins to assess the situation, this time more as the soldier that her family had passed down in her. She pulled a small object from her Flight-Jacket, the lucky rabbits foot that Russel had given her before going off to the war... she hooked it to a small chain on her wrist then began rubbing it with her thumb in her hand as she thought and looking again to the make/model of the delivery plane they road in...

"Paul - no... uhmm, NEGATORY-BullsArt... we can't let Captain Dillon take this bird down in the muck of it!" Sally said with a respectful authority... looking up to Paul then the others "the FUEL, there ain't enough..." Sally knew that Captain Dillon was a brave man - but she knew that he was probably overestimating the reserves. There might be enough to get back up off the ground, maybe to make it out on a hop - but not enough if any additional problems hit the fan. Mustang Sally glances to the Captain...
"Sorry Sir, all due respect - but you know that's got some truth behind it, an' on topa that how much fire might yall take trying to gut back up. "

Bulwark looks around at the others before turning back to the copilot. He pauses for a moment. 'Am I really sure I want to do this? The others might not appreciate me taking charge...and I'm hardly experienced. But still...guess I'll see how it goes.' Bulwark clenches his jaw, and nods to the copilot. "Alright, let's do it. There's too much riding on this to put it off for even the length of a storm." Bulwark cracks his knuckles, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the others, watching how they react to his unspoken assumption of leadership.

"I agree Paul - but I think there's a better way, an it might be a little less conspicuouis..." Sally looks about the cabin again.... She's happy that Paul's taken on a role of leader, they'd need it. But she couldn't help offering her idea - it seemed like the only way...

"There! those equipment harnesses, we can tie them off to the Exo-Skeleton on my flight-harness - hang yall down from me an' my Angel-Wings, once we bail I should be able to go live and lay us down vertically - like a big whirly-gig..." Sally says with confidence built from her years of experience, but then her natural shyness puts a familiar touch of doubt on the edge of her plan...
"My flight-harness... it's not built to carry much more than the weight of my Angels an' me, but it's not like I'll be carrying yall - just a controlled decent... If I calculate correctly that should be around a couple tons I can manage down."
OOC: MS spends one Hero Point to get "passengers" as an extra on her flight power, making it happen via a net harness that would normally hang equipment in place in a cargo plane. The weight for the passengers will probably be based off her "push drag" limits I'd guess which is around 3.5 tons.


...so... so... what'dya think??
Looking at her feet again - just waiting for Lily to pipe up with some doubt or comment on "the little girl's" plan, she turns a corner and whips her head around...
"I CAN DO THIS... TRUST ME! ...you guys just gotta... ya gotta trust me..."

and Sally rubs her lucky charm over and over again hiding it from the others in the dark cabin as she looks steely eyed at the team.

 

[Mark Chance]

Elisa extents her hand to get the goblet, but her fingers pass right through the golden vessel, she cannot touch it. She tries it once more, but the same happens and again, she is unable to grasp it.

Frustrated, she yells at the hunchback: “What kind of trick is this!? Who are you and why are you making fun of me?”

Elisa now stands up and moves off the stone slab, she was resting on, looking Gujin angrily into the eyes.

The hunchback recoils as if struck, his momentary bravery shattered by Elisa's raised voice and anger. His head drops; his eyes do not stray above ankle level.

When he speaks, his voice trembles. "No tricks. No tricks. I told you who I am. I am Gujin, and the master has commanded me to see to your needs. There is much you need learn, and I am honored to be your teacher insofar as it is permitted."

The quaver fades from his voice, replaced by a practiced confidence, as if he is repeating an oft-taught lesson.

"If you want the water, you must take the goblet. To take the goblet, you must do more than reach for it. You must will solidity to your hand, your lips, your mouth, your throat, indeed your whole body.

"This is no trick, Elisa Cameron. When you were born, you had to learn to grasp, to eat, to drink. You are born anew, and must learn anew, but all learning is remembering. Remember what it is like to take and drink, then take and drink."

Gujin offers the goblet again, his gaze still fixed on the floor.

 

[Synchronicity]

Bulwark, HP 4/4, Status: Uninjured.

"I agree Paul - but I think there's a better way, an it might be a little less conspicuouis..." Sally looks about the cabin again.... She's happy that Paul's taken on a role of leader, they'd need it. But she couldn't help offering her idea - it seemed like the only way...

"There! those equipment harnesses, we can tie them off to the Exo-Skeleton on my flight-harness - hang yall down from me an' my Angel-Wings, once we bail I should be able to go live and lay us down vertically - like a big whirly-gig..." Sally says with confidence built from her years of experience, but then her natural shyness puts a familiar touch of doubt on the edge of her plan...
"My flight-harness... it's not built to carry much more than the weight of my Angels an' me, but it's not like I'll be carrying yall - just a controlled decent... If I calculate correctly that should be around a couple tons I can manage down."
OOC: MS spends one Hero Point to get "passengers" as an extra on her flight power, making it happen via a net harness that would normally hang equipment in place in a cargo plane. The weight for the passengers will probably be based off her "push drag" limits I'd guess which is around 3.5 tons.


...so... so... what'dya think??
Looking at her feet again - just waiting for Lily to pipe up with some doubt or comment on "the little girl's" plan, she turns a corner and whips her head around...
"I CAN DO THIS... TRUST ME! ...you guys just gotta... ya gotta trust me..."

and Sally rubs her lucky charm over and over again hiding it from the others in the dark cabin as she looks steely eyed at the team.

Bulwark turns to Sally as she begins talking, and listens attentively. After she finishes, he just stands there, looking at her, for a long moment. The look in his eyes could be best described as appraising, his mind weighing the pros and cons of Sally's idea. After his moment of contemplation, Bulwark nods once, and a half-smile breaks onto his face.

"That sounds like a good idea to me. Nice one, Sally. Alright, let's get a net rigged up! Time's a'wasting!" 'That's a darn good plan. I was hoping there was a way to do this without risking the plane; lucky she's a smart kid.' Bulwark looks at the co-pilot to show them where a cargo net could be found, and intends to help affix it to the best of his ability. As he moves towards the plane's storage, Bulwark claps a gentle and approving hand on Sally's shoulder, and gives her a nod and a smile.

 

[Kevin Perrine]

"That sounds like a good idea to me. Nice one, Sally. Alright, let's get a net rigged up! Time's a'wasting!" 'That's a darn good plan. I was hoping there was a way to do this without risking the plane; lucky she's a smart kid.' Bulwark looks at the co-pilot to show them where a cargo net could be found, and intends to help affix it to the best of his ability. As he moves towards the plane's storage, Bulwark claps a gentle and approving hand on Sally's shoulder, and gives her a nod and a smile.

Feeling the comforting hand hit her shoulder Sally instinctively puts her hand up to meet her big brother's, gently pausing her cheek on his... thanks Jackso........ Sally remembers her place and embarrassingly straightens her head pulls her hand down quickly and jams it into her flight-jacket with the furry rabbit's foot charm...
err, uhmmm.... thanks Mr. BullsArt-Sir... Sally begins pulling together rig-ropes to attach to the inner werks of her flight-harness, trying to fill her uncomfortableness with the work of tying off the net lines. She hadn't done that in awhile... mistaken someone for one of her brothers... It happened back on the base a month or two after word came back about her family. The lab guys were always nice about being called another name by accident, but after awhile they stopped conversations with Sally - not wanting to make her feel bad... But it was probably more for them than her.
I... I ... didn't mean to... ummm, my brother, my oldest brother - his name is ... umm.. was Jackson. He was a Lt. Col., got shot down in the war... same with my other brothers and dad. Sally glances to see if Paul was annoyed with her...
...I mean... it's just ... Jackson - he always told me... he made sure that the others didn't make fun of my ideas, no matter how lame-brain they were. and well... I'm sorry Sir, but for a minute there... well... I hope you understand is all..... I won't let it happen again. I know the big brass frown on the whining.
by this time as she's talking Sally's already ripped and stripped a cargo net without even thinking about what she was doing... grabbing leathers, canvas and mettle grips to retro-fit a large baglike hang-net to hold the others. To comfort the others (as she so often tried to do) Sally began explaining the process of what she was doing...
The names of the knot ties, showing everyone interested in watching the different bits she was using to attach the net... asking the others to hand her certain bits, not because she couldn't get them herself - but more to help bond them as a team....... getting them involved with the plan, asking for their help. She did it subconciously, it was just the way she was raised...
and to some it might even feel patronizing, but Sally didn't mean it that way... she just did it.

So... Mr. BullsArt-Sir, how long have you led the team? Sally hadn't known that the others were brand new to the team just like her. The others, they'd been together when they met her so she'd just assumed that they'd trained together for awhile...
Mr. Atlas and Lily... are they always as quiet? I don't think they like me... Sally rolled into a whisper.
Did I ... do something wrong? I sure hope I didn't.
Sally finished up the net...... she had it designed in her head within the first couple minutes after it came to her,
Okey-doke! Fabrication was the easy part. Testing, well testing, THAT is the fun part. Looking toward Lily and Atlas,
Who's first!?!. as she held up the finished passenger net......

Don' worry guys.... I made onea these back in Frisco to scoop up pumpkins for the fall-fair not moren two years ago!! As she smiled the biggest smile anyone could manage.
White teeth, dimples and all, Sally decided that it was best she didn't tell them about how all the pumpkins ended up smashed...... that'd only make them nervous about jumping out of a perfectly good airplane without a parachute.

 

[Velmont]

Lianne is stayin in her corner, calm. She doesn't seems inetrested to enter the conversation, being more consume with her toughts.

I am suppose to fight Japanese super soldier and I can barely support the flight of this plane. It is worst than falling sick. Take a deep breath... it was close. As long as I don't show what I eat to everyone, it's ok... what is she talking about... she wants us to jump attached to that? Hope it will shake less than this plane. I hope she knows what she is doing.... but she doesn't inspire confidence, she is too nervous. Looks like an acrobats who walk the tight-rope for the first time, she doesn't trust her own skills. She... close again. Why there is this storm. Come on! Let this torture ends...

 

[Thanee]

Elisa Cameron, aka Ghost

She hears the words, Gujin speaks. Somewhere deep inside, she also understands that he is trying to help her, but there is this uncontrollable anger building up and overshadowing her feelings, she cannot resist it any longer.

“What have you done to me!?”

With anger-filled eyes she lashes out at the goblet and the golden vessel flies through the room, bounces off the wall and clampers to the ground, spilling the water. Sometimes, anger is the quickest path to success. Sometimes, not.

“Leave me alone!”

She sits back down on the stone slab, sobbing quitely. She was a strong woman, but this was too much for her at this moment.

But it wouldn't take long for her longing for answers to take control again, and after a while she stands up again, and moves over to the goblet, which is still lying on the floor, trying to pick it up.

 

[Thanee]

Elisa Cameron, aka Ghost

After a moment of silence, the questions are coming back...

She suddenly realizes, that she doesn't even know her own name. The hunchback called her Elisa, would that be her name? She doesn't remember.

He told her, that she was born anew. What might that mean. This place, this freaking green stone room. Is this her hell? Is she... dead?

A flood of undiscernable memories rushes over her, but nothing, that makes any sense. Random places, random faces. Nothing, which would make her remember.

Yes, this must be it. She must be dead.

With the revelation, the anger is coming back. She throws herself against the wall, which is surprisingly hard. She punches into it, until her knuckles are sprained and blood drips off her hand.

Damn, that hurts.

Frustrated, Elisa sits back down on the stone slab.

 

[Synchronicity]

Bulwark, HP 4/4, Status: Uninjured.

I... I ... didn't mean to... ummm, my brother, my oldest brother - his name is ... umm.. was Jackson. He was a Lt. Col., got shot down in the war... same with my other brothers and dad. Sally glances to see if Paul was annoyed with her...
...I mean... it's just ... Jackson - he always told me... he made sure that the others didn't make fun of my ideas, no matter how lame-brain they were. and well... I'm sorry Sir, but for a minute there... well... I hope you understand is all..... I won't let it happen again. I know the big brass frown on the whining.

Bulwark speaks in a soft and sympathetic voice. "I'm real sorry to hear about your family. No need to apologise for that; from what you're saying, I should probably take it as a compliment. It sounds like they were good men." 'Seems like bad things happen to good men all too often.' A shadow crosses Bulwark's face for a moment, making him appear grimmer. For a moment, something seems to weigh on him; but it's quickly gone again, as he moves to help with the net.

So... Mr. BullsArt-Sir, how long have you led the team?

Mr. Atlas and Lily... are they always as quiet? I don't think they like me... Sally rolled into a whisper.
Did I ... do something wrong? I sure hope I didn't.
Sally finished up the net...... she had it designed in her head within the first couple minutes after it came to her,
Okey-doke! Fabrication was the easy part. Testing, well testing, THAT is the fun part. Looking toward Lily and Atlas,
Who's first!?!. as she held up the finished passenger net......

Bulwark coughs in a slightly embarassed fashion as Sally broaches the question of leadership. "Well, by all accounts, since...now. I'm just hoping I won't screw up." Bulwark also lowers his voice to reply to Sally's querys about the others. "Well, I only met them a couple of hours before you. I think Atlas prefers actions to words, and as for Lily...I'll be darned if I have the slightest idea what makes her tick. Though, at the moment..." Bulwark glances over at the woman, and back again. "I get the feeling she might not like this flight very much. It's not that they dislike you; you're doing fine, kid. Don't worry."

Bulwark again stepped up as Sally asked for volunteers. "What kind of a guy would I be if I asked someone else to do something first instead of me? I'll be your first passenger, then I reckon probably...Lily, then Atlas. Everyone alright with that?"

 

[Mark Chance]

She hears the words, Gujin speaks. Somewhere deep inside, she also understands that he is trying to help her, but there is this uncontrollable anger building up and overshadowing her feelings, she cannot resist it any longer.

“What have you done to me!?”

With anger-filled eyes she lashes out at the goblet and the golden vessel flies through the room, bounces off the wall and clampers to the ground, spilling the water. Sometimes, anger is the quickest path to success. Sometimes, not.

“Leave me alone!”

Gujin stumbles backward, his feet caught in his long robes. He bows repeatedly, almost comically, and then flees from the room without another word.

She sits back down on the stone slab, sobbing quitely. She was a strong woman, but this was too much for her at this moment.

But it wouldn't take long for her longing for answers to take control again, and after a while she stands up again, and moves over to the goblet, which is still lying on the floor, trying to pick it up.

As thoughts race through her head, Elisa stands over the goblet. She kneels, hand reaching out. She touched the vessel once. She touches it again. The chill of sudden realization traces its icy fingers along her spine. She can pick the goblet up, hold the goblet, drink what little remains inside, but only so long as she wills to. Once she stops willing, she again becomes immaterial to the goblet.

Truly, something strange and terrifying has happened to Elisa. She remembers the persistent pain in her neck. A sharp snap! as of bone cracking. Gujin did say this place was in the Shadow Hell.

Would that make her a shadow? A ghost?

 

[Kevin Perrine]

MUSTANG SALLY ready to bail

Bulwark again stepped up as Sally asked for volunteers. "... I'll be your first passenger, then I reckon probably...Lily, then Atlas. Everyone alright with that?"

"Prepped and ready Sir.
I'm ready to bail on your call, hold tight to the harness guys it'll likely be a big jolt when my Mustangs kick in..."
she says, as Sally picked up the "Rolls Royce Merlin 60" engines (more commonly called "P-51 Mustangs" ... more specifically called Sally's "Angel-Wing"). They looked unbalanced in her small hands, how could a girl of her size hold up these 400lb engine blocks?
The gears & gyros within her flight-jacket clicked and clacked compensating for the load to bare.
Sally pulled the Wings together in the cargo bay near the cargo door, eyeing them up looking for any flaws or inconsitencies... "Kicking the tires" so to speak, then cautiously lowering one to the ground to pull down her goggles and button her leather flight helmet.
She looked back to her team, then to their net-harness, then to the still props of her Angel-Wings.
The she motioned to the others with confidence they'd never seen in Sally prior...
giving the...
*THUMBS UP - SALUTE - & GO*
waves
as Mustang Sally turned to the now open cargo door, ready to follow her team as they bailed for drop......

...geeeze... ummm... I... uh.... hope they fire, I haven't spun the props since way before they were boxed and trucked out from San Francisco... it sure is a long way down....
heh heh heh....
she chuckled nervously to herself waiting for the others.........