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Chapter 31.5: POLLING AT LAST!

 
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Kalanna Rai
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 12:55 am    Post subject: Chapter 31.5: POLLING AT LAST! Reply with quote

And now, the second half begins. As we turn this corner I'd like to thank the readers who have been with me so far. Without you folks there would be no Galleons. Enjoy!
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Chapter Thirty-One pt 2: The Return of the High Lord

The light of the sun was slanting well past noon, illuminating the Hall in it's dim light. The storm that had been brewing since the morning churned off in the distance to the east, ready to sweep in and maul the town when night fell. Inside the Hall, the air reeked with the stench of unwashed bodies and stale beer. There had already been several fights resulting in cracked heads, broken bones, and spilled beer. And tempers were only getting worse as pirates pushed and shoved and cursed like sailors over their small spot on the stone benches.

It was a status symbol to come late. The more powerful you were the longer they would wait for you before starting the meeting. Of all the assembled pirates, Angelo Steel was notorious for it, usually staggaring in drunk as a skunk and too smashed to take much away from the meetings...or so folks thought. This time though, he was pushing all the limits, pushing tempers to a red line, and the worst part was since the meeting was based largely on things he'd brought to light nobody actually could start without him.

So the pirates sat, waited, and grew ever more hostile. To the point where several crews, fanned by the beaten crew of Mange and their mangled master, the sentiment was simply to hear him out then string him up from the nearest yard arm. Normally the comments wouldn't have met with much enthusiasim, Angelo had a well deserved reputation of being one not to cross. But some of these surly men had been sitting for several uncomfortable hours in steadily worsening conditions. The Hall had not been built for comfort afterall.

Just as the sun began to slip down, pouring through the westward windows, the Hall doors banged open to reveal a tall figure in red leather. The sun caught and shimmered off silver hair and steel wings, casting a shadow that flowed the length of the room and loomed over the chair that sat on the dias on the end. For a moment he surveyed them with cool eyes, listening as the noise died to hostile silence. Then he began a very deliberate, very ancient, series of movements. He stomped his foot on the floor twice and followed it up with a loud clap.

For a few moments it was just him and then the sound started to rise from other points of the room, as if groups of people had joined him. Had his crew already filtered in infront of them? Already several of the other pirates had joined in, the rythmic beat too infectious to resist. The tall figure of Angelo Steel never let the beat falter, several members of his crew now joining him, the guard every Lord and Captain was allowed.

A smile splitting his pale face, after one clap he pointed to a section of the room where a pale looking thin boy stood up, his voice echoing in the room with the words that accompanied the ancient beat. To those familiar with Angelo's crew it looked like the slim boy, the one called Saul. But if that was Saul then who was the roguish, slender figure that danced at Angelo's left next to the sapphire haired pluni girl?

As the chorus hit all the pirates roared out the old, familiar words. Words that had been chanted at sporting events since the days when Man had been confined to Earth. "We will, we will, rock you! We will, we will, rock you!" The building nearly shook with the vibrations as the tension and anger were given a release in the stomping of feet, the clapping of hands, and the roar of many voices all seeking to be heard.

Egged on by mobs of Angelo's crew, when had these people come in and where had they come from, the small group walking down the center made it, unmolested, to the table where the rest of the Lord Captains sat. The song wound to a close and, with a single gesture, Angelo managed to silence the mob. It was the kind of act that made his enemies grind their teeth in frustration, his admirers shake their heads in wonder. And speaking of wonder...where had those extra crewmembers gone? Nobody sitting anywhere near where they had seemed to appear from could find them. Nobody really cared.

Angelo, for his part, smiled broadly to the others who shared the table with him. Bradogan, his scarred face set in it's usual scowl. Qumurra Mak, a nearly pure blooded pluni who's ears were delicatly shaped fins and skin painted with alluring patterns. Tenogog, a short human with a big belly and the pug face that suggested canin blood in his lines. Phobos, another pluni, his head shaved bald save for the sea green topknot that spilled down his back. Kokarri, a mirthful old canin broad known for wearing her crew down to bones with the iron fist she kept hidden in a velvet glove. And lastly Pete a grizzled veteren with a patch on one eye, a hook for one hand, and a wooden peg for a leg. He grinned a mouthful of broken teeth at Angelo, feeding his red macaw a cracker when it asked him to.

"I see we're all here, almost amazing when you realize we havn't come together since the death of Red Savage all those years ago. Amazing we're all still alive considering the recent upswing in Armada activity. Even I've heard about the ships being blown out of the sky. However, unlike the rest of you, I decided to do something about it."

Qumurra sniffed at him, shifting in her revealing silk robes, her bangles chiming as she waved a hand at him arrogantly. "You have always talked big Angelo Steel, when you were not in your cups. I am only here because Bradogan said that this time you were saying something worth listening to. Now you seem bent on proving him wrong."

He ignored the deeper scowl Bradogan gave him, smiling cheerfully at Qumurra instead. Reaching into the pockets of his coat, he produced the little black box again, this time leaving the sonic damper behind. "Listen to this, it will be made availible for every Captain, every crew. I risked my neck to eavesdrop on these transmissions, to record them. But they are the truth...and what they say makes my blood run cold."

He pushed back from the table, staring the Lords in the eyes, then letting his gaze sweep the crowd. "The Armada, with the full backing of the Star Council, will soon undertake a series of operations that could jeopardize our way of life and the balance of power as we know it. All of you know about the Forbidden Knowledge, most of you have heard the legends of the Vaults. Now it seems the Armada has gotten their hands on some old documents that could possible disclose the location of the Vaults...and they are looking for them."

Noise washed through the crowd as the pirates began speaking amoungst themselves, a growing clamor that Angelo silenced by raising his hands, spreading his wings. "This is not the first time they have done such. Once before the Council has gone looking. Once before we have stopped them. Did you think that Angel Blade wrote the Accord out of the goodness of his heart? I don't. Do you think that he laid down the laws we follow today from generosity? I don't. Do you think he devoted his life to amassing an army of scoudrals, theives, murderers, whores, and alcoholics because it amused him? Well, he might have, but most likely not. He did it because we, the agents of free enterprise, are the only thing standing between the Council and total control."

He turned, glancing again at the Lords that sat at their table, his smile chilling. "I prepose we do it again. We take up arms. We fight. We win. I prepose that we hit the Armada so hard, they won't be able to find their asses with navigation equipment, nevermind the Vaults."

Phobos laughed scornfully, one hand flicking the strands of his topknot. "Ah you talk big Angelo and you dream bigger. You want us to go to war, over rumors and hearsay, just as we did in olden times. But you forget. In olden times a great man sat in that chair. A great man guided our victories." He pointed an accusing finger to the raised dias beyond the table.

It was dominated by a chair, a throne, made from old swords, conquered swords, that had been forged together in a seat that was forbidding if nothing else. It's arms were wide with gaps between them and the spined back, it's metal seat unforgiving. A message from Angel Blade himself perhaps, that none who sat there would ever do so comfortably.

Phobos smiled mockingly at Angelo. "Or do you prepose to sit there, to claim that seat? Are you really so bold Angelo Steel? Are you yet another who would wish to rule us?"

For a long moment there was a hush, then Angelo turned and walked up the steps to the dias. Reaching down, he tweaked the cloth that covered the iron seat, brushing at the dust on it a little. "I don't just prepose to sit in the chair Phobos." one of his guns was in his had, the weapong arcing upwards and discharging an echoing shot before anyone had more than a moment to blink. A few chips of rock rained down, striking harmlessly off the iron chair, off Angelo's wings. But in his hand, the hand empty of a gun, something else caught. Something else that had been hidden against the ceiling, that had been disloged with that gunshot.

A band of shimmering metal, metal that seemed to crawl and slither, as if it were liquid bound in a sold form. A band that any pirate knew from song, story, and tall tale. The crown of Angel Blade. With an easy motion Angelo slipped it onto his head, the metal circlet constricting, sizing itself against his skull. With a flourish, he tucked the gun away and settled himself on the seat, wings fitting neatly into the gaps between the arms and the back, one leg resting crossed atop the other. The picture of nonchalance. "I prepose to carry on the work of my Father. And that means I prepose we go to war."

For a moment there was shock, there was consternation. And then there was a mighty cheer as Vixen lept to her feet, a her stunned crew following her. "AN-GEL-O!" She cheered once, repeated, and continued to repeat until the room rocked with the sound. More than a few faces looked disgusted, more than a few faces looked shocked, and more than a few faces looked thoughtful. Could it be? Was it true? The band on his brow seemed to be the convincing decider.

Slowly the lords looked between each other, then glanced back at the figure on the throne. Finally, Bradogan leaned forward and whispered to them. "What do we do? Do we follow him, declare war? Or do we fight him and see if we cannot prove him false? Or do we just give him enough rope to hang himself with?"
--------------------------------

So there are your options. Does he have a willing army? A mutiny of mass preportions? Or are the pirates simply waiting for the perfect time to betray him? Of course there are other suggestions out there, and I'd like to hear them. Only you know afterall.
---------------------------

Whew, done, and not a moment too soon. I hope you enjoyed as the story begins to swing toward the climax. It's all the fast ride from here folks!
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Last edited by Kalanna Rai on Thu Dec 24, 2009 7:53 pm; edited 1 time in total
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Slowly the lords looked between each other, then glanced back at the figure on the throne. Finally, Bradogan leaned forward and whispered to them. "What do we do? Do we follow him, declare war? Or do we fight him and see if we cannot prove him false? Or do we just give him enough rope to hang himself with?"----So there are your options. Does he have a willing army? A mutiny of mass preportions? Or are the pirates simply waiting for the perfect time to betray him? Of course there are other suggestions out there, and I'd like to hear them. Only you know afterall.


Just to be clear...we are talking about a bunch of no good, thieving, rotten, stinking, devishly, devious, violent, impatient, and unrulling pirates here in varying states of drunkness here?

That said, Angelo is probably expecting some "objections" to his declaration, and mostly likely has a plan to deal with this cleaning and effectively. He also probably expecting betrayal eventuallly, these are pirates afterall.

So I'm going to suggest something completly and totally unexpected...a wrench thrown in the proverbial waterworks if you will, at least I hope it is completly and totally unexpected.

My suggestion is to have Angelo's naval commander from a couple of chapters way back when walk in with a few choice men and a couple other admirals just for good measure dragging or marching the "guards" of the hall before them effectively breaking up the conference of the Lords before it even gets started. Call me crazy, but I think the presence of the navy would add a bit of unexpected interest and insanity that may just be what this story needs to get it started on "a wild ride".

Competly unrelated to the suggestion you propose, Kalanna, of course, but you did ask for other suggestions. Just call my suggestion Curiosity....curiosity to see what you do with such a suggestion.
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Kalanna Rai
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 2:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That would cause quite a stir, the Armada invading Bloodswath and Trinity showing up in the middle of the Council.

However, yes I could do quite a bit with that suggestion. Not a wrench at all. Good call on spotting a different path Mirel.

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PostPosted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 1:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh, just follow him. It's not worth fighting him, not when he's known to be such a good pirate.

Besides, he evidently knows something about what he's doing. Follow him until he doesn't.
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 8:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There are some here who would demand more cause to accept him as their lord! Mange, for one... who may well order a full scale melee between his crew and theirs, refusing to bow to Angelo's authority. Others may simply need to know the full depth of what Angelo knows, his biological claim to the throne, and what he plans to do so as to be willing to accept his rule.

Finally caught up... when I stopped reading this I wasn't quite as far back as I had assumed I would have been. Your writing has improved immensely throughout the telling of this tale, Rai! And its a good one, front to back so far. Don't stop now!
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CHAPTER 25: Near-Light Speed (NEW CHAPTER! (12/4/2011))
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 24, 2009 7:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Why yes Santa it is a Christmas miracle that this story is polling again.
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 31, 2009 12:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I still say accept. Pirates are a sneaky lot, remember, and those that aren't can be convinced by those that are. If they accept and his plan goes well, all the better for them. If it doesn't they can easily stab him in the back while he's leading the way, then claim they were just waiting for an opportunity all along. What's more, accepting and dossing about while he does all the brainwork has got to be better than beating each other to death then trying to do it individually.
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What shall the next move be?
The pirates accept, he obviously knows what he's talking about?
50%
 50%  [ 1 ]
Trinity shows up and all hell breaks loose on Bloodswath?
0%
 0%  [ 0 ]
Pirate vs. Pirate action until Angelo proves his claim in a more difinitive fashion?
50%
 50%  [ 1 ]
Total Votes : 2
Who Voted: The White Blacksmith, Thunderbird

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