The HMAS Darwin
Oct. 24th, 2008 12:06 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jack_babalonA solid wall of wound red and purple-gray cumulus clouds sweeps over a cold October North Atlantic, swallowing up the lingering twilight from the western horizon and casting a thick blanket of shadows over the restless waves below. Across this billowed ceiling bursts of pallid lightning ignite deep from within the crimson bellies of the storm... quickly followed by a long rattling groans of thunder that echos sternly over the darkened waters. A phosphorescent flash lights up the rough silhouette of what appears to be a massive bullet emerging from a bank of clouds. A second burst briefly illuminates the outline of an airship moving steadily across the storms canvas, before a third flash a few moments later reveals only its absence.
Captain Nathaniel Drake stood before the wall-sized windows of the HMAS Darwin's bridge watching, with a detached calm, the storm raging before him. A Lucky Strike burned forgotten dangling from his right hand as the back of his left hand hugged his lower back. Drake closed his eyes and took comfort in the constant purr of the Aether-Engines as they vibrated through the ships hull and up through his knee-high black boots, coursing through his legs and traveling up the torso to rattle lightly in the background of his thoughts. He didn't like taking his lady this low in the troposphere. It wasn't just that the Explorer Class airships were designed for the smoother currents of the stratosphere, having been built to sail over, not under the sudden tempests that frequented the North Atlantic this time of year. It wasn't the fact that the ship was down to her last three remaining Aether-Engines and the strain of the turbulence would easily see them losing another before the night was over.
What troubled the Captain was that he sailing through "Robur Country" and he knew full well that the old Master of the world's pirate fleet scoured the higher currents above looking for vessels unfortunate enough to have sailed into their territory to plunder. It was inevitable really. Sooner or later he would come face to face with one of Robur's Conqueror class air-ships. It was not a confrontation he looked forward to. For while the Captain had seen more than his fair share of aerial combat, the Darwin, while possessing a formidable artilery battery, was first and foremost a Science Expeditionary Vessel.
Still there was nothing to be done about it, really. He had his orders. He was to ensure the safe and swift conduct of Professor Archibald Cain and his team of naturalists to study the recent reports of 'terrible, indescribable things... creatures' that have been terrorizing the various science waystations posted along the Arctic rim the last six months. The reports were similar to those being filed expeditionary forces stationed in the Antartic - frantic descriptions of slithering mounds of restless protoplasm, whose surface shined with a faint green glow and was covered with a swarm of mindless eyeballs that bubbled open across its skin. There currently wasn't a survivor that wasn't locked away in one mad-house or the other.
"Sir!" Helmsman Robinson barked urgently from behind the captain.
Drake opened his eyes expecting a Conqueror Class battleship to come lurching out the clouds before him.
Instead a flock of luminescent blue women floated outside, their skin transparent so that would could see the movements of the storm through them and their bare torsos trailing at the hips into a wisping snake tail of cobalt mist. The creatures swam around the airships canopy, pressing their naked bodies to the glass and blowing kisses from faces that were too small for their spherical heads. Suddenly Drake became aware of a music playing in the back of his skull, it soothed his anxieties and began to whisper his name. Luscious voices sang to him, told him to come outside and join them.
Drake took a drag from his long neglected cigarette and pushed the song out of his head.
"Sky Sirens, Mister Robinson nothing more..." the Captain snorted, "keep a clear head and stay on course"
"Aye, Sir" the Helmsman agreed and the captain resumed watching the Sky Sirens flit about the airships canopy, gyrating and swimming around the Hagel as she trudged through the surrounding storm.
The Sky Sirens were one of the stranger creatures lurking within the Currents. The captain had heard their song before - a mesmerizing lullaby that made men want them with an intensity that had driven many a sailor to step out of their airship to partake in their company... only to plummet to a no uncertain death. No one knew what they were really... only that it was surmised that they were attracted by the sound of the Aether-Engines. Professor Cain had speculated, in full confidence to the captain, that the creatures were actually psychic in nature - a kin to the common ghost perhaps and he surmised that these creatures somehow fed off the emotions they instilled in those who behold them: The lust engendered by their promises and the fear of those that have given in.
Well whatever they actually were was of no consequence to Captain Drake at that moment.
From the Starboard side of the Darwin a flash of lightning revealed the underbow of the Phobos - the pride of Rubor's Conqueror fleet - sailing a few hundred feet above. From the underside of the ships bow a series of spotlights searched amongst the clouds around them.
Drake smiled despite himself. The Phobos hadn't seen them yet... and that gave them advantage, a fleeting one at best but one never the less. He knew he could give the order to run - but with only three engines the Phobos would catch them soon enough. Another was to cut the engines and float within the residual Aether field until they passed. Yet another was to attack. In a fair fight he knew she'd easily sink the Darwin. But a surprise volley to their Port?
"Sir!" First Officer Kirkfield coughed to his side.
Drake cut-off his number one with a single raised finger and weighed his options carefully.
The Phobos drifted ominously above them through the gloom of the storm, sifting through the clouds with its array of searchlights.
An excruciatingly long moment of silence passed, all eyes settled on Drake anxiously, waiting for his command. The Captain nodded to himself in silent approval and turned to the crew.
"Alright lads..." he grinned,"...here's what we're going to do!"
TO BE CONTINUED...
...maybe
Captain Nathaniel Drake stood before the wall-sized windows of the HMAS Darwin's bridge watching, with a detached calm, the storm raging before him. A Lucky Strike burned forgotten dangling from his right hand as the back of his left hand hugged his lower back. Drake closed his eyes and took comfort in the constant purr of the Aether-Engines as they vibrated through the ships hull and up through his knee-high black boots, coursing through his legs and traveling up the torso to rattle lightly in the background of his thoughts. He didn't like taking his lady this low in the troposphere. It wasn't just that the Explorer Class airships were designed for the smoother currents of the stratosphere, having been built to sail over, not under the sudden tempests that frequented the North Atlantic this time of year. It wasn't the fact that the ship was down to her last three remaining Aether-Engines and the strain of the turbulence would easily see them losing another before the night was over.
What troubled the Captain was that he sailing through "Robur Country" and he knew full well that the old Master of the world's pirate fleet scoured the higher currents above looking for vessels unfortunate enough to have sailed into their territory to plunder. It was inevitable really. Sooner or later he would come face to face with one of Robur's Conqueror class air-ships. It was not a confrontation he looked forward to. For while the Captain had seen more than his fair share of aerial combat, the Darwin, while possessing a formidable artilery battery, was first and foremost a Science Expeditionary Vessel.
Still there was nothing to be done about it, really. He had his orders. He was to ensure the safe and swift conduct of Professor Archibald Cain and his team of naturalists to study the recent reports of 'terrible, indescribable things... creatures' that have been terrorizing the various science waystations posted along the Arctic rim the last six months. The reports were similar to those being filed expeditionary forces stationed in the Antartic - frantic descriptions of slithering mounds of restless protoplasm, whose surface shined with a faint green glow and was covered with a swarm of mindless eyeballs that bubbled open across its skin. There currently wasn't a survivor that wasn't locked away in one mad-house or the other.
"Sir!" Helmsman Robinson barked urgently from behind the captain.
Drake opened his eyes expecting a Conqueror Class battleship to come lurching out the clouds before him.
Instead a flock of luminescent blue women floated outside, their skin transparent so that would could see the movements of the storm through them and their bare torsos trailing at the hips into a wisping snake tail of cobalt mist. The creatures swam around the airships canopy, pressing their naked bodies to the glass and blowing kisses from faces that were too small for their spherical heads. Suddenly Drake became aware of a music playing in the back of his skull, it soothed his anxieties and began to whisper his name. Luscious voices sang to him, told him to come outside and join them.
Drake took a drag from his long neglected cigarette and pushed the song out of his head.
"Sky Sirens, Mister Robinson nothing more..." the Captain snorted, "keep a clear head and stay on course"
"Aye, Sir" the Helmsman agreed and the captain resumed watching the Sky Sirens flit about the airships canopy, gyrating and swimming around the Hagel as she trudged through the surrounding storm.
The Sky Sirens were one of the stranger creatures lurking within the Currents. The captain had heard their song before - a mesmerizing lullaby that made men want them with an intensity that had driven many a sailor to step out of their airship to partake in their company... only to plummet to a no uncertain death. No one knew what they were really... only that it was surmised that they were attracted by the sound of the Aether-Engines. Professor Cain had speculated, in full confidence to the captain, that the creatures were actually psychic in nature - a kin to the common ghost perhaps and he surmised that these creatures somehow fed off the emotions they instilled in those who behold them: The lust engendered by their promises and the fear of those that have given in.
Well whatever they actually were was of no consequence to Captain Drake at that moment.
From the Starboard side of the Darwin a flash of lightning revealed the underbow of the Phobos - the pride of Rubor's Conqueror fleet - sailing a few hundred feet above. From the underside of the ships bow a series of spotlights searched amongst the clouds around them.
Drake smiled despite himself. The Phobos hadn't seen them yet... and that gave them advantage, a fleeting one at best but one never the less. He knew he could give the order to run - but with only three engines the Phobos would catch them soon enough. Another was to cut the engines and float within the residual Aether field until they passed. Yet another was to attack. In a fair fight he knew she'd easily sink the Darwin. But a surprise volley to their Port?
"Sir!" First Officer Kirkfield coughed to his side.
Drake cut-off his number one with a single raised finger and weighed his options carefully.
The Phobos drifted ominously above them through the gloom of the storm, sifting through the clouds with its array of searchlights.
An excruciatingly long moment of silence passed, all eyes settled on Drake anxiously, waiting for his command. The Captain nodded to himself in silent approval and turned to the crew.
"Alright lads..." he grinned,"...here's what we're going to do!"
...maybe
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no subject
on 2008-10-24 11:21 am (UTC)how odd....I'm usually done being bored by then.
no subject
on 2008-10-24 03:48 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2008-10-24 05:26 pm (UTC)For me, midnight is the cut-off point, so if I'm not in bed and asleep, I'm bound to be up till 4 or 5 am (and an energy drink junkie the next day).
Rather than tv, I surf the Interwebz, make muzak, or go see friends in the service industry as they close upat 1:20 or 2:30.
no subject
on 2008-10-24 11:57 am (UTC)Much like Livejournal ...
no subject
on 2008-10-24 12:02 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2008-10-24 12:03 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2008-10-24 12:04 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2008-10-24 12:07 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2008-10-24 03:55 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2008-10-24 04:49 pm (UTC)But then, anything with airships is cool to me....
no subject
on 2008-10-24 05:47 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2008-10-24 06:27 pm (UTC)Great nutty-Vincent-Price role.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055152/
no subject
on 2008-10-24 06:31 pm (UTC)Happy Birthday by the way:)
no subject
on 2008-10-24 07:14 pm (UTC)Speaking of
on 2008-10-24 06:17 pm (UTC)It's lovely, tho gruesome, of course.
Re: Speaking of
on 2008-10-24 06:20 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2008-10-25 02:12 pm (UTC)...maybe
Maybe my arse, too good to stop now.
no subject
on 2008-10-26 05:00 am (UTC)Thanks man, I'm glad you got a kick out of it. I do intend to go back to this story, as I have a few ideas. Mainly I'm just nervous about writing the accents of Drake and his crew.