City of IF

[Kalanna Rai]

Alrighty it came down to a tie, due to the already epic cast, I picked the easier option to write. Enjoy!
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Chapter Twenty Six: The Steel Siren

The Arcex home-world was a ghost planet. The great sky-cities lay in ruin, inhabited only by mindless beasts and the wraiths of bygone times. The floating gardens were tangled with growth, wild and unfettered, rank with rot and stagnation. Mist swirled from the ground that no mortal had ever glimpsed, rising and writhing like a serpent around the tall needle-sharp peaks of the unforgiving mountains. And through it all, a song echoed and danced. Heart rending and haunting. An alluring melody.

She sat in a palace that had once belonged to the Arcex nobility, a fine gauze shroud wrapped around her metal skin. The sheer white material trailed away from her like the mists that tangled around the world itself, fluttering on the errant breezes her wings stirred. Her hair, filliment fine wire, chimed softly against her skin like a luscious symphony. And her voice. It spilled forth in liquid abandon, carrying far beyond what mortal ears could hear and wandered amoung the stars.

She was not hungry, had fed only two days ago. Upon a merchant ship who's helmsman was young and had strayed too close to the haunted world. Her song had ensnared him and, by the time his error was realized, it was far too late. Their lives had sated her, would keep her young for another score of months. This song she sang for a very different reason. She'd felt the touch of her son, his power flairing ever so briefly. And she sang for him.

After a time she stopped, her voice fading away ever so plaintively, as her features twisted into a grimace. Even if he heard her he wouldn't come. She had no lure that worked upon her own flesh and blood. With a sigh she rubbed her arms and strode gracefully to a small orb that floated above a pool of some viscous liquid. Crackling bolts of energy surged through the liquid, occasionally arcing to the orbs silvered surface.

She slid into her chair and gazed into it, eyes peeling into the depths of the thing. "Show me my son." She commanded, voice melodic as ever. It shivered for a moment, expanding into a oval surface in the air, a mirror. Slowly, like steam from a hot shower, a film covered the area. Then, it vanished to leave a clear image, like a holo-screen only flat.
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The decks were awash with blood, the screams of the dead and dying ripped through the air. Above it all was Angelo's laughter as he swung his massive sword in one hand, holding steady his wheel with the other. The men were pirates of some kind, freebooters who heeded not the Accord. They screamed and cursed at him, cut and shot at him, and were cut down and shot down by him.

There were other figures in the madness too. A pair of Canin, one with a long staff the other with razored gauntlets, fighting back to back. A male and a female in deadly concert. She would use her staff to sweep a victim into the range of the male and he would gut them. The looks on their faces were that of concentration, his grim hers energized.

A pluni danced through the men, her slender sword whirling and twirling as her seductive motions brought only death to those foolish enough to become mezmerized by them. She swirled her main of unbound hair like a cape, her delicate clothing unsuited for combat and yet only adding to her distracting abilities. She showed plenty of leg and even winked as she brought men to their deaths.

A young human fought not far away from her, his daggers dancing. He was quick, quicker than a human should be, and of slight build. His brown hair swept into his brown eyes time and again as he laughed. He punched, kicked, slashed, thrust, and even bit to accomplish his goal. Men, thinking the shrimp could easily be taken, were piling up around him in groaning heaps.

The last two were a human maid and an arcex youth. She weilded a cutlass, pistol and occasionally a boot to the kneecaps. Her expresion was unreadable, tense and bleak. Her companion was a tall youth, his white wings spattered with blood like an unholy messenger. Blood slicked his golden curls, his blue eyes ice cold. He often put himself in dangerous positions to protect the firey-haired beauty he fought with, even though she was holding her own just fine.

Suddenly the violence ended, a massive gunblast ripping out and calling a halt to everything. Angelo stood, smoking barrel pointing toward the sky, a corpse missing it's head at his feet. "Well I really love this little welcome home party but do you think we could wrap it up and talk like sensible folk? Oh and I'll expect the survivors of you lot to swab my decks. Blood tends to get sticky and I hate that sensation underfoot."
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She froze the image, tapping fingers to her lips with a softly musical sound. "Steel hair, steel wings, steel eyes, and at least his right forearm...oh my poor boy." The smile on her face suggested she was feeling anything but sorry for Angelo. "It's a losing battle my son. It would be much better for you to just accept what you're becoming and come to me."

She studied his face with it's mocking smile that didn't reach his eyes. His tall form with it's whip-like muscles. His wings that curled easily yet angrily. Oh he was so like his father, so very much the image of Angel that it made her sigh. Her Angel...

She dashed the thoughts by dashing the vision, scattering viscous liquid onto the image and returning it to orb form. As bolts of electricity played down her damp hand, she stood and walked to the balcony. Her servant would be here soon and she would take passage off this world. She would command him to set sail with her abord. She would go seeking her son.
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Angelo looked at his young crew and slowly nodded. "You did well." It was sparse but high praise. There were a few bumps and bruises, a laceration here and there, but it was nothing to get excited about. "You've been blooded in your first star battle and proven yourself worthy."

Ambrois snorted. "What was it all about anyway? I mean you're one of the Pirate Lords, why would they attack?"

Angelo spat. "Those mangy curs don't hold to the Accord. They'll attack anyone as long as they think they can get away with it. The way we sail, the way you look on deck, makes us look like an easy mark." He smiled grimly. "Welcome to Bloodswath, home of Safe Harbor."

"Safe Harbor my ass." Saul said. He glared at Angelo as ash from the chimney's fell down around them like snowflakes, the light of the Watchfires bathing the world in a golden glow. Oily smoke billowed behind them as they sailed into the choked port, seeking a favorable berth. "If this place were 'safe' it wouldn't be full of pirates now would it?" He rubbed his head and the bandage around it. He'd taken a good blow to the skull in the last momets of fighting. Even as he winced in pain he grinned, remembering the howl the man had let out as his knuckles had shattered.

Donovan looked at him and chuckled. "Always said you were hard headed."

Angelo cleared his throat. "Look mates, what we're here to do isn't going to be easy. There are several other Pirate Lords aside from myself and Bradogan we need to convince. And not all of them hold me in the highest of regards."

Saul perked up at that. "Just how many other Lords are there?"

Angelo looked thoughful for a moment and counted on his fingers. "Well there are only seven of us total. There used to be more and we like people to think there are more, but just seven of us. It's not easy to become a Pirate Lord mates. Takes hard work, dedication, and a tolorance to alcohol you wouldn't believe." He said this last with a mischevious wink.

His crew groaned, save Cobalt who merely nodded along with them. "This is not my first visit to Safe Harbor. There will be those wondering about my 'defection'." She said it quietly, eyes flicking downward as Angelo stared at her.

"Yes, you've not fulfilled your end of the bargain. You've not told us what Mange knows of the Articles...nor what his intentions with them are. Nor even how he came by the information in the first place." His voice was harsh, cold enough to make them shiver.

Saul stepped infront of Cobalt instantly, the little look that passed between him and Ambrois imperceptible. "No need for such a tone Captain. I'm sure she'll tell us everything," he stared hard at Cobalt "and leave nothing out."

Cobalt took a deep breath, still not meeting Angelo's eyes. "The Journal of Radiant Blade. Mange got his hands on one of the copies. It was charred, most of it unreadable, and in generally horrible shape. But he learned enough about the Articles to guess at where four of them were hidden, learned a little about something called the 'Vault of Slumber'...if you give me time I could tell you more..."

"I've got a better idea." Angelo said as he squatted down next to her and pulled her face, with it's ruined eye, up to his. "Why don't I just rip it out of that pretty little head of yours?"

Cobalt gasped, her eyes going wide and frightened. "No...please no..." She struggled against him for a moment, tears that seemed genuine filling her eyes. "Stay out of my head Angelo Steel. I'll tell you anything you want if you'll just please leave my mind alone."

Angelo's grip tightened, his wings flexing to keep back the rest of the crew. "Now lass...what is in that head of yours that you want to hide so badly from me? There's got to be a reason for your fear."

"Do you like people poking around in your mind?"

He smiled. "No, but then there are things in my mind I don't intend to share. And besides, some of the things I've done in life would scar the casual thought-seeker forever." For a moment they were both quiet. "Well?" Angelo asked.
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So what's Angelo do? Be the bad guy and strip her mind? Or just see if she's trustworthy enough for the truth?
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It's all up to you folks. Hope you liked! P.S. Spellcheck still not working. Will fix when it is.

[Lilith]

STRIP THE HUSSIE'S MIND ALREADY! QUIT BEING THE NICE GUY!

[dinranwen]

A letter shaped envoloped floats on an errant breeze as vivid as the darkness on a moonlessnight and as colorful as the layers of shadow. Fluttering like a butterfly with a brokenwing it lands on the deck. Inside it reads

As much as I would like to see the slut get her due and as much as I would hate to disagree with Lily (as unpleasant things happen to those who do), stripping Cobalt's mind would be of no use to Angelo. Yes, curse it all it would be faster, easier, and the surest way to gurantee the mink leaves nothing out while also assuring that she tells the truth.

But...But...

Who knows what damage such a striping would do to the poor fragile things mind? And as pleasurable as that may or may not be, Cobalt is no good to anyone of them if she is to put it delicatly 'damaged'.

As long as she is whole, sane, mentally and physically healthy, she is a tool that can be used. A barter piece, for however little worth she may be, or a fighter on their side if she could be trusted to do that much.

Damage her however, and yes curses you have your information, but Cobalt would have lost her usefulness, for what it is worth, to the crew.

It would be a shame to loss such a useful little minx, wouldn't it?

Let the slut speak, but don't trust the information as the pure unadultered complete truth nor the whole story. Such distruss should come easy to Angelo, I strongly suspect.

Sincerly.....

Yet do I haunt the shadows, yet do I linger, but yet I am no more....

Signed the one who used to be called by the hand of a ghost,

Dinranwen

When the note has been read a breeze springs up, shredding the note and sending it to the futherest shadow leaving no evidence of having ever been.

[Syranore]

F5 Lily, rip it from her mind...perhaps rip her mind to shreds in the process...

[Mephistopheles]

even mindless, she still has a purpose for saul, so...take what is wanted and be sure of her intentions.

[Kalanna Rai]

Coming soon, a poll. Yup, that's right. I'm going to run one anyway because I can...

[Lilith]

How about that promised poll, Dragoness? And a chapter too please.

[Kalanna Rai]

The dark poll you have requested is run...

[Kalanna Rai]

Is Lily seriously the only person out there?!

[Crunchyfrog]

I would have voted for option 2. Have caught up now. :)

[Chinaren]

Kalanna Rai wrote: Is Lily seriously the only person out there?!

It's pretty quiet atm!

[Reckless_s0ul]

Hey i finally caught up on the story. I would say take the information and what ever else he wants in her mind with out ripping it to shreds or damaging her. As some one else said she can be usefull.