The Drunk Elf Pirates and the Quest for the Holy Wine

[Indril Anarion]

Luthien: *busy with varioius tasks given to her by Flannery* Battle? I'm not a warrior...I'm a theif. A sneaky little theif that can steal anything she wants. So why are they making me do all this hard labor and prepare for battle? *walks up to Flannery* Are you sure you want me to weild a weapon? Couldn't I be of better use somewhere else?

[Willow Oran]

OOC: There should have been enough time for the two of you to have returned XK. Perhaps it's time to revive the discussion thread.

[Sicirus]

ooc: yay I am finally caught up. Wow and what I have caught up too. Now we have two vampires and a dead evil ninja and I hellucinate (sp) no surprise on that part. here I go.

ic: Sicirus: So what should I do Luthien? I asked after watching Earniel my rumy mate fly away.

Luthien: Just carry out all the canon balls you can carry.

Sici: Okay! By the way do you think we will win and still have all the crew and the wine?

Luthien: Well if you don't die then you'll find out how it turns out.

Sici: So I should not die right?

Luthien: *thinks about this*

Sici: hey!

The rest of the crew on the Nal worked for the rest of the day dragging out old guns and canons covered in dust. All of the dust bunnies had to move out because of the destruction of their homes and coursed us on the way out. We found different types of fire works as well as old wine bottles and bullets. We dragged out boxes of oil bottles to start fires and some leather for making and repairing pirate hats.

sici: Didn't know we had this much stuff down here.

EXK: Well this will be useful. I need my hat repaired after this journey. *several nods follow this comment*

[Lady Magpie]

Nearing the ship, the Captain sees a scouting party out near the beach,
mostly hidden in the trees. Well actually she *hears* them, but that's
beside the point; the point is she knows they're there. Slowing down to be
even quieter, she sneaks up to the clearing where they're all waiting for a
sign from Roya.

The sign they get instead is the death of one of their crewmates as a knife
somehow appears in his throat. He gurgles and dies. The crewmembers from
the Emerald look around, readying weapons, and are quite suddenly surprised
when another of their number is run through from behind with a longsword.

And then the fight begins.

They see the Captain, standing there behind the second-killed man, sword and
dagger ready. She is still outnumbered, five to one, but seems cool and
confident and deadly.

They all attack at once, for, unlike most villains in movies and whatnot,
they are not too stupid to attack one at a time until they are all dead.

And somehow, she parries all of their attacks, being, to their eyes, in
three places at once.

In actuality, she's just really, really, inhuman (or elf-)ly fast. Soon
they are all of them incapacitated or dead. She grins, cleans her blade,
and finds one of the dying ones. Kneeling, she props him up on her knee and
asks:

EG: Where is Obsidian?

Incap'd Pirate: On. . ..*rasp* the ship. . .who. . .what. . .what are you?

EG: Wouldn't you like to know. . .and I do believe you are about to find
that out.

and she bites into his neck, drinking his blood. She is, after all, a
vampire now. And then she promises herself not to be quite so evil about
drinking next time. Evil, or corny.

The man dies. She picks up her knife and moves on.

Reaching the beach near the ship the Emerald Star, she sees crewmen milling
around on deck. Staying hidden, she takes the bow off her back and strings
it. Pulling out an arrow, she searches for a target, noticing her night
vision is much, much better now. She picks a target, nocks an arrow, and
shoots. The crew is, of course, immediately alerted to not only a presence
but also a direction, so she moves to another location amid the bushes,
quietly and quickly, and shoots again. This time she stays, shoots one more
and then, while moving, puts her bow away.

Meanwhile, aboard the ship, the XK has found her nemesis, Captain Obsidian.
. .

[ooc: finally! a computer that works! eee! Hi, guys. . .I'm back. . with a new name. . .er. . ]

[Sicirus]

oc: So there is a battle away from the ship and one thats going to be on the ship?

ic: The crew of the Nal worked all day and at sunset were each armed with their own canon or bow or sword of some size or type. The enemy was nearing and we could hear the loud pounding of their feet. Our hearts raced in our chests making it hard to concentrate on how to defend the ship let alone ourselves. In the distance a large band of rugged looking pirates neared us on a ghostly black ship that sailed swiftly towards us.

sici:*wimper*

Luthien; *pats the scared wimpering crew mate on the back* its okay mate this will all be over. And it will be over quicker if you die.

sici: *wimper*

[Elfmaster XK]

XK is sitting up in the crows nest, watching the enemy ship getting closer. She glances down and sees the crew amassed, ready to fight, but knows that this way, they will not win. She leaps from the nest onto the rigging and hurries down, hopping onto the deck and walks right up to the prow of the ship and peers out across the waves.

XK: Eärniel, come here.
Eärniel: *steps up behind XK* What is it?
XK: Look. They've stopped. Their ship will never make it through the shallows there. They're going to have to go around. If we're quick...yes...
Eärniel: Yes what?
XK: Eärniel, I have an idea. *heads back towards the cabins and pauses* Weigh anchor. Turn her around.
Eärniel: What? But...we're all ready...the cannons..
XK: Do it!
Eärniel: *sighs* Aye.

Eärniel sets about readying the ship to move and XK runs down below decks and into the captain's cabin. She rummages through piles of rags strewn across the room and in barrels and cabinets, but finds nothing. She swears and slams a fist into the desk when her eyes are drawn to a crate under the hammock. She tears the lid off and rifts through some old flags. Something clunks on the floor, ans XK grins.

XK: I knew it!

She picks up the glass balls, wrapping them back up in their rags and heads up on deck.

XK: Eärniel, tie these to the cannons and the catapults. Anything you intend to use.
Eärniel: Okay, what are they?
XK: Something Eruviel and I came across a long while ago. They call it 'alchemist's fire.' Don't worry, you'll see. Now, Sicirus, Flannery, everyone. Retreat, but be ready for a fight. Understad me?
Crew: Aye!
XK: Good. Eärniel, you're in command.
Eärniel: What?
XK: I am going ashore. If I don't come back, take the Nal far far FAR away from here. And do what Willow said. Don't let them follow you.
Eärniel: I will. Er...try to.
XK: Right. *goes to the side of the boat and peers over, seeing that they are not very far from land.* Wish me luck. *jumps over the edge.*

XK splashes into the water and the Nal sails by. She swims the short distance to shore and draws her blade, her pistol by her side. She creeps slowly through the trees, always heading towards the mast she can see above them. Looking ahead, she spots someone lying on the floor. Sword pointed towards them she slid towards them. Xhe gave the person a poke, and they did not move. They were already dead. Suddenly, she jumped around, hearing a rustling in the trees, but she couldn't see anything. Knowing someone was watching....following her, she carried on towards the Emerald Star, her ears pricked for a sound, any sound from around her.

[Lady Magpie]

XK continues on, listening carefully, looking around. . .

And finds a dagger at her throat and hands holding her back. She's about to try to fight back, or struggle, when she feels her attacker stop, suddenly, and hiss in her ear. . .

EG: Twin. . .sorry, I didn't realize it was you. . .keep quiet, we'll go up to the ship together.

She nods, and the captain puts away the knife. They grin at each other and move towards the Emerald.

[Finrod Felagund]

Finrod: OMG! Don't die!

[Earniel]

Eärniel: We're not going to die, Finrod! At least, not just yet. Is Xen's alchemist's fire positioned?

Sicirus: Aye.

Eärniel: Good, Sicirus,Luthien, you'll be in charge of the canons this fight. Finrod and Flannery, handle the catapults. I know you don't have too much experience with it but we'll have to do now that Tano and Willow have chickened out.

Luthien: Er, you mean left us to bring the Wine into safety?

Eärniel:*absentmindedly* Yeah, probably... *suddenly distraught* Everybody's leaving me... First the captain; then Roya's doing a runner and then having the audacity to die, then Tano and Willow who run off and then finally Xen who leaves everything in my hands....

Sicirus: *nudges Luthien and whispers hurriedly* Uh-uh, she's going to have an emotional breakdown, right in the beginning of a sea-battle! What are we going to do?

Luthien: Er, Eärniel? The ship?

Eärniel: *sniffs* I think I need a lie-down and a hug.

Flannery: Um.....

*Suddenly Eärniel squares her shoulders again and looks up.*

Eärniel: What are you all staring at? Don't you know we have battle to fight?

Luthien:*whispers* Wow, she should wear a sign that says "warning, moodswing every 5 seconds"

Eärniel: *sharply* What was that?

Luthien: Oh, nothing, nothing. The cannons are ready to fire at your command, Eärniel.

Eärniel: Good. I suppose this is as good a time as any to say it, you've been a wonderful crew and we have some great parties and hang-overs together. And even though we're sadly lacking in crewmembers at the moment, we'll show them the crew of the Nal is one to reckon with! How far off is the Emerald star?

Sicirus: Still 10 meters out of firing range.

Eärniel: Wait for my signal.

*And the skeleton crew of the Nancelot watches with bated breath as the enemy ship slowly creeps closer and closer.*

[Willow Oran]

*Meanwhile, on a patch of ocean, getting steadily farther away...*

Tano: So... Where exactly are we going?

Willow: Someplace else. The Nal can jump worlds right?

Tano: Dunno, probably, it wouldn't be surprising. Will it need to?

Willow: Yes. We're going to Flannery's and my home world. I'm not entirely sure why, but it's an interesting places with lots of places to sail, I'm sure we'll figure out the why eventually.

Tano: Sounds good to me. Er... how are we getting there?

Willow: There should be a crossing point somewhere around here.

Tano: What's it look like?

Willow: No idea. I expect we'll know it when we see it. Keep an eye out for ships. We're going to leave a message with Maeve Flannery and we need to find her.

Tano: What should we look for?

Willow: A ridiculously large ship called the Sea Flame crewed by a whole lot of red heads dressed in garishly bright clothing. It's sort of hard to miss. Maeve doesn't go in for subtlity.

Tano: No kidding.

[Elfmaster XK]

Xen and her twin move silently through the undergrowth, and turn suddenly off to one side, heading for the beach. Xen throws the occasional glance at her twin, still unable to believe she's seeing her. It's like she's there, but not. As if able to sense Xen's thoughts, Eruviel pauses.

EG: *turns to face her* It's okay, sister. I made it out didn't I?
XK: You said you wouldn't get...killed.
EG: I know.
XK: *silent a moment* But you did. You shouldn't have gone on by yourself.
EG: I know, I'm sorry but that was the way I had to do this. But I'm still here, sister. I'm not gone.
XK: Aren't you? You're still dead.
EG: That's true, but it isn't going to change so you're just going to have to get used to it. Come on, we don't have time for this now.
XK: *nods*

The captain and mate crawl across the beach, sticking on the edge of the trees. They watch as the Emerald Star slowly makes its way towards them, coming within metres of the beach. In an instant the two elves leap out into the shallows and swim to the ship. They carefully climb towards the deck, and XK pauses as she puts her foot onto one of the cannon ports.

XK: Twin! Here, we can climb through the hole.

The two push the cannon back and shimmy through the hole, landing quietly and scurrying behind a table. The crew of the Star seem to be hanging around upstairs.

EG: Perfect. We don't have a lot of time, here. *hands her sister a bag of powder.* Sprinkle that around and then set it alight.

They carefully trail the shinning substance over everything and wait at the stiars. EG lights a match, when a fist crashes into the side of her face and she stumbles sideways, drawing her sword as she does.

EG: Fire, XK, the fire! *is attacked by three crewmen*
XK: I got it! *Grabs the match and throws it into the powder.*

A low boom sounds and a huge cloud of grey/blue smoke engulfs the ship. From on deck they hear Obsidian's voice, shouting for calm, and for his crew to ready as the Nal is almost within sight. XK sees her twin heading for the hatch to the deck and grabs her wrist.

XK: No. Obsidian and I have a thing or two to square. His head is mine.

[Earniel]

*From aboard the Nal Eärniel and the rest of the crew hear a muffled explosion and see smoke billowing from every opening in the Emerald Star. The Nal's crew cheer loudly as Obsidian's proud ship shivers as if it was pounded by Ulmo's Hammer itself. The ship is slowed in its approach but its momentum keeps carrying it closer to the Nal nevertheless.*

Luthien: *cheers* Woohoo! They did it! Three cheers for the Captain and the First mate!

Eärniel: Not so fast, crew. It isn't over yet! The Emerald Star still floats and her crew undoubtedly still outnumbers us. When does it come in firing range?

Sicirus: *upset* You can't fire! The Captain and the First mate are still on there!

Eärniel: *snaps* I know! Answer the question, when does the ship come into our firing range!?

Sicirus: *subdued* Six minutes or so...

Eärniel:*regains control over her emotions again* I know that they're still on the ship, sorry for snapping at you, crewwoman. But my priority now is keeping the Nal in one piece and the rest of us alive. In order to do so, the Emerald Star has to go down. So when it does come into firing range, we will fire. Xen practically ordered me as much. So the Captain and the First mate have six minutes to leave Obsidian's ship. Are you all prepared for hand to hand combat?

Finrod: *with knife between his teeth* Yeff, ma'me, tho fe teef!

Eärniel: Good. *mumbles to herself* You heard it, Captain, Xen, get the hell out of there. Don't try to tangle with Obsidian.

*But of course, that's just what Xen intends to do.*