STEAM LONDON: Realms of Aether Game Thread

[Stella Gaslight]

Helena laughed "I work with Emma I am used to babbling. At least you didn't rattle off a complicated scientific formula and expect me to wright it down before you forgot it, she calls me her spare brain.  Utterly brilliant woman but a bit off in her own world sometimes."  She watched the activity below them slow down.  "I think we are almost done here and I could use about half a pot of coffee, care to join me?"

Angel squeezed him tight. "We have to, the dream says so and he is nice."  The being nice part was the most important qualification obviously.

[MWBailey]

"Open yer eyes, and turn over and look at me, Dreyfuss, I know ye be awake." it was the voice of the Ginger man, speaking to dreyfuss in an urgent voice. Dreyfuss figured he might as well humor the odd little fellow; maybe he would be more forthcoming this time.

'Okay, I'm listening," he said, eyeing the softly-glowing person seated on the couch opposite his bunk.

"First off, I want ter tell ye, I'm sorry if I've distressed ye, Dreyfuss, and I do appreciate yer not runnin' off screamin' bloody marder; its a singular person who can take a visitation wiothout losin' their water." He held up a hand"No, don't be askin me where I be from again, If I could tell ye that, I would, believe me, but 'tis forbidden...

[Nigel Wetherby]

"Coffee? What on earth is Coffee?" He suddenly felt very naive. This woman has seen the world, and the scars on her body acted like maps to where she had been. He felt like a lost termite, going where the queen told him and never taking in the feel of the grass of the scent of the air, only occupying himself with the deaths of those the queen told him needed to die.
"I mostly went on rations, just two months ago was I introduced to tea! You'll forgive my lack of worldiness."

Cain nodded in silent agreement. "It's hard to beleive he's half cold-one."

[Stella Gaslight]

Helena was rather surprised "Coffee is the stuff of the gods and what runs this place most of the time.  Do yourself a favor and if one of the drones her offers to get you some from the commissary politely decline.  I swear that a brew that is only technically a liquid.  I prefer the stuff Trip brews only without all the milk." She took him up to the viewing room they had sat in earlier and handed him a white mug full of steaming brown liquid.  Helena set down a try of strangely shaped cookies as well.  "I made the biscotti myself with a recipe I picked up in Italy last summer.  I travel around to all sorts of conferences for The League and I always try to bring something interesting back"

Angel sniffed "Something smells good Cain, let's go see what it is."  Angel had a cookie homing signal unmatched by any other. 

[Nigel Wetherby]

He took several sips of the rich black brew. The strength of which caused him to make a rather surprised "NGGHK!" He took a strained, sputtering series of gasps before looking down at the half-empty mug of hot, black liquid morning.
"Would you like some more?" Helena asked.
"Oh, yes please!" He spoke in  a tone that made him sound as if he had recovered from an attempted strangling. He grabbed one of the bards of hard biscotti, nibbling it contentidly.

"Right then, lead the way, noble cookie conquistador." Cain chortled at his own joke, opening the door with a gallant bow to allow her passage to the cookies.

[Stella Gaslight]

Angel popped he head in to the room all smiles. "Yay Helena Cookies."

"Aren't you up past your bed time?" She said bringing out another tray of cookies.

"Nope I had a big nap.  Did you make any pink ones?" Angel asked happily munching away.

"You are very lucky I just happen to have..." She was silenced by a very enthusiastic hug.  "I will get them for you if you stop trying to squeeze me to bits.  Hello Cain would you like a mug full?  It is the good stuff Trip brought back from the tropics."  Angel let out a squeal of delight and nabbed one of the pink glazed confections. 

[MWBailey]

"No, what I've come tae tell ye, Dreyfuss," The Ginger Man, as Dreyfuss called him, (for lack of a better name) was holding forth in Dreyfuss' cabin, this time; apparently no place was forbidden to him to manifest in, "Is that ye need tae protect that Half-Cold one fellow, Sigmund. he's a cold one, alright, and was one o' the queen's personal guardsmen; they went 'round, killing the people she told 'em to kill, and suppressing technology wherever they found it., true, but he only did iut because he's hereditarily proframme dto obey the Queen. he has no choice. No, Protect  him, Dreyfuss, he's the thing that will make sure this new mission of Emma's works out right.

Now. About what I am, Jaisen. I can'yt tell you that. What I can tell ye is that while yer soul is as old as Patrick's," Dreyfuss heart skipped a few beats and felt like it was pumping backwards all of a sudden, "yours has ne'er been used before; ye're that rarest of things, Dreyfuss; ye've a bright one's soul, but you're too young to be aught but human for many decades yet, but that spart o' the good news; ye'll live far beyond other men, and still be the vinegary cuss ye are now. Ye'll have tae be, to survive."

"But protect Sigmund, and Emma, and teh others. and if Esmeralda decides to tag along, well, it might be for teh best; yer Cousin's about tae leve; you should've been closer with her, Dreyf. you can't keep family at arms length, you have tae let 'em in your heart."

"at least give me a name, you could tell me that much," Dreyfuss groused, not at all sure he liked this bit about Patrick being a centuries-older version of himself' for petes sake, he's younger than Rosita! he complained to himself.

"Och! Did I not tell ye?" He passed a hand over his face."I didna think we got senile, but maybe we do, now that I see what I've forgot! My name's Mahon, Dreyfuss. thats all, just Mahon." He looked upward then, and apologized, saying, "Sorry, but I have tae go now, and suddenly he was gone. Just like that, as if he had never been sitting on the couch in Dreyfuss' cabin.

Dreyfuss Swore sulphurously, then apologized, then got mad because he did something so ridiculous. Just who's listening for you to apologize to? he muttered tohimself. A few mor eminutes, then he went ahead and typed the whole thing out for Patrick, hoping the man didn't make his desk or whatever into a clipper ship and fly over and roast him alive for being a cast-iron nuisance...

"Dear Patrick, you'll never believe what just happened..." Dreyfuss was sure he was going absolutely barking, Tonker-headed mad now...

Finishing the teletypescript, he decided to go out and around and see if the Lab had any coffee up and available, so that Irene, and Captain Ishmael, and Jock could get some sleep without his puttering about awakening them.

[MWBailey]

Esmeralda Millicent Litton-Van Huiyck pinne da note to her pillow for Lotta, her roommate, to find and give to the Headmaster and Headmistress in the morning.

Dear Lotta:
I am very happy to have seen you again, and I promise that I shall be back, but the Boheme is leaving on a voyage again soon, and this may be my only chance to go and see Uncle Jaisen before he leaves. Please know that I favor you more than any other friend I've ever had.

Your friend, and servant,

Esmeralda M. Litton-Van Huiyck

She crept to the door, and looked up and down the hallway. No one was about, and it sounded as if everyone on this side of town were snoring madly away. She crept down the hall, shoes off, but everything else on, and carrying the derringer that Mama had given her for travelling. She lifted the bar on the gigantic front doors, and eased one open, slipping out and then closing the door, unable to bar it.

This is too easy. its as if the people in charge have no idea of security, she thought, then turned around and ran right smack into the form of Headmistress Jennifer O'Landry. "Oh! Headmistress! I just was going out to see if--"

[Stella Gaslight]

Dreyfuss heard laughter as he entered the lab and smelled good strong coffee.  Helena couldn't help herself it was the part of late night were the morning was creeping in and things were far funnier than normal. "You look like a squirrel." She sputtered and Angel did. She was holding a cookie in both hands and nibbling it she even had the right expression of confusion the squirrels in the park would get every so often.  She stopped her giggles suddenly as he poked his head in.  "I am sorry Commodore Dreyfuss I hope I didn't wake you."

[MWBailey]

"Please, just "Dreyfuss," Miss Helena," Dreyfuss said. "I'm still not used to being both a knight and a Flag officer. I keep looking behind me to see if there's somebody else with commodore's braid standing behind me," he joked. "And no, you didnt wake me, I had a visitor who awakened me, and I suddenly wanted coffee. That smells like some of Trip's stuff there, may I?" he reached for the pot, hooking a mug from the counter as he did so. "My word, Sigmund, you seem to enjoy this Stuff," seeing the fellow take a couple of gulping sips. "Might have to put in an extra supply," he said, joking again.

[Stella Gaslight]

"If not for him than for me I don't know what I would do without it.  Some of the boys in the bio lab are trying to grow comparable beans but they haven't gotten it figured out yet."  The last batch they had her test was overly bitter and god awful.  Helena watched the last of the repair crew wander off to bed.

"Want a Helena cookie Dreyfuss-bear? They are really good and the pink ones are the best."  Angel was swinging her feet and humming appetite satisfied for a little while.

[Nigel Wetherby]

Cain took a deep swig of the hot, black brew. As he pulled ot from his lips, one could see the steam roll off his tounge as he unleashed a contented "aaaahhh". He placed the white cup on the table and chewed slowly on the pink-glazed biscotti. "Fantastic as always Helena." He said between bites.
"It's is amazing!" Sigmund exclaimed, stirring a few teaspoons of sugar which he had shovelled on in white, snowy piles. He had already decimated one bar of biscotti, and reached for the next, swirling it about in the sugary, bittersweet concoction before taking a large bite out of the dripping segment of cookie that had been delved within.
"This coffee brew is amazing! I feel so...awake! In fact, I feel like I could take on the entire queen's royal army!" None of the crewe were aware how succeptible his cold one nature made him to caffine. However, they got a good idea when they heard the incessant tapping of Sigmund's foot.

[MWBailey]

Dreyfussnoticed how incredibly energized sigmund was becoming; in fact, he found it somewhat alarming...

Er, Sigmund, perhaps you'd better slow down on that stuff," Dreyfuss said, carefully, "it can make some humans go absolutely tonkers if they ingest a lot of it..."

[Stella Gaslight]

Angel was listening to the beat and humming. She nodded as of she had decided something and took the cup from his hands and pulled him to his feet. Soon she was twirling around the room with him. "Miss Angel." He sputtered in confusion.

"You were tapping your feet like you were full of music.  I thought you wanted to dance."  She smiled and twirled him some more.

Helena watched this and shook her head.  " I guess that is one way to use up the coffee rush."

[MWBailey]

Dreyfuss got out his fife and started playing the Carousel Waltz, watching Angel and Sigmund twirl around like a couple of ballroom butterflies, while Helena looked on in openmouthed surprise, and then was even more surprised when Cain got up and offered to dance with her...

[Nigel Wetherby]

Cain watched, entertained as Angel urged Sigmund to dance. His dancing was really a stumbled, stifled reinterpretation of Angel's own moves.
"Miss Angel, I am not a very good dancer, perhaps I should just do a few laps around the ship or perhaps some pushups?"
Angel giggled and shook her head. "Dancing is much better, it makes your spul move too! Running just makes your body stronger, but your soul needs ex-er-size too!"

"And that, class is how ta craft level one spelltech. Remember, ye all have laws that have been engraved into yer, none of yer can use technomancy in a way yer culture, creed, or personal philosiphy forbids. Try ta keep that in mind. Class dismissed!"
A torrent of students fled from his class, some carrying small, midnless constructs which carried their books and supplies for them.

[MWBailey]

Dreyfuss wondered if perhaps that were something he needed to do for his own soul; Exercise it, so it would grow; maybe gro him some armor, like Patrick's. The mail in the mailshirt and that in the coat did what he needed it to do, but if he were really a bright one, wouldn't he have some kind of skin plates too? he scratched at an itchy spot on his abdomen, wishing that scaly spot would stop spreading. it had bee there for four or five years, and every year, it seemed to get a little bit bigger.

If that's my armor growing in, thought Dreyfeuss, it'll take til I'm 90 before It gets big enough to do any good, and by then I'll be too old to use it. He didnt really believe all that claptrap about living forever; he was  abit ashamed that he'd cranked all that off and sent it to waste Patrick's time, now. he continued playing for one more verse, and then Angel stopped dancing and he stopped playing...

[Stella Gaslight]

Angel smiled at Sigmund.  "See it is not hard at all."  She said depositing him in a chair.  "May I have more cookies please?"  Helena could not say no to those puppy eyes and brought out another round of sugary snacks.  Cain was an excellent dancer and she wondered if Angel had anything to do with that.

She settled down in to a chair herself and looked out the wide windows on the other wall of the hanger. "Look the sun is coming up."

[ShredsnPatches]

The last stragglers of Patrick's class scattered, as Jen swung into the room, her loose hair flying out behind her.

"Patrick! I did it!!!"

[Duellist]

The gentleman known as Leyton sat in the first-class carriage, sipping Assam tea with milk and savouring every mouthful.  It had been too long since he had tasted tea, just as he regarded the plate of toast properly browned on one side as a special treat.  It was good to be back in Her Majesty's lands once more.

Beside his plate, taking up as much room as his breakfast, sat a pile of notes in a crabbed and foreign hand, an almost-unintelligible Cyrillic script.  He knew some of the words from his self-imposed exile, but there was little to know; a vague translation had been prepared by a certain civil servant in a more civilised cursive, which generally said only that he was to meet some band of 'interesting' individuals.  They were apparently pushing science, along with the patience of a certain subset of society, outside the comfortable norm.

Mr Leyton briefly read the note again, wondering quite whether he had been invited or assigned to this curious band.  It amounted to much the same thing when one considered the office recommending his presence.  In any case, he was fascinated by the ideas thrown around.  Quite ridiculous, but Leyton himself might have said the same of vampires six months prior...

With a glance to check that he was alone, the gentleman drew a cigar from its case and conjured a subtle flame upon his finger.  It would, he reflected, be good to practice a certain amount of discretion when he was back among society.  For now though, it was fun to play the rogue...

[Nigel Wetherby]

"You did it!? YOU DID IT!....what did you do?" Patrick said, scratching the side of his head before Jen held a paper in front of his face, it appeared to be a list of ingredients.
"You made a very...oddly composed tea?"

Cain let go of Helena, leading her to Sigmund as he took a grasp of Angel in a switch of partners. Cain's cheeks flushed as the two found their hands locked together in a unuiqe sort of whirl.

[ShredsnPatches]

"No, no, no, the colonial commission. Smallpox? I've come up with a formula that works!"

Jen snatched back the scrap of paper, hopping from foot to foot with excitement.

"Patrick, this is enormous! Think of how many lives this will save! I must send a message to the Governor at once..." she broke off distractedly,

[Stella Gaslight]

They were awkward at first, turned sideways and watching Cain and Angel more than focusing on their own movement but then she looked in his golden eyes and they fell in to a rhythm.  The song was far too short and the dance ended.  Helena smiled and looked away.  "Thanks that was fun."  

[Nigel Wetherby]

"YES! This is phenominal! I can see yer name in the headlines now! Jenniffer O'Landry, mistress of medical miracles!" He hugged her tightly, but then noticed her rather glazed look.
"Jen? Is everything alright?"

Cain couldnt help but smile as Sigmund broke off the hold he had on Helena's hands, his golden eyes falling to the floor as he turned away.
"Er...yes. I've never done anything that exilirating."

[ShredsnPatches]

"I'm fine, just have some more tests to ... wait - someone's coming..." Jen murmured. With barely a sigh, the small woman folded and collapsed to the floor. Exhaustion had finally claimed her properly.