Ace of The Duck Pond Thunder of the Ghost Ships.

[Stella Gaslight]

"He was fighting the green ships.  They exploded my wind shield with a shell it cut my face and made him mad.  He hit back but I think it was too much.  The king under the tree may be able to help I hope."  Donna said softly.

"We will do what ever we can to bring him back.  Cross my heart promise." Jace said seeing the sadnesses on her friends face.

[MWBailey]

"King under the tree, huh?" Al said. "Heard tell of somethin' like that a few years ago. I hear the li'l folk under the hill can cure almost anything, but there's always a price." he rocked back on his heels, still squatting beside Donna and Liam. "Got ta be careful of teh merfolk, but I'll go too. He needs more help than I can give him, and th' docs at the Station Hospital'll just put him to bed and throw up their hands, and not sound a lot different from me, except they don't want him goin to any islands in his 'condition.'"

[Stella Gaslight]

"There are very few prices I would not pay to have him back with me.  I learned things today and I know he is the other half of my soul. The Greeks have a legend about that.  We were all conjoined people with two hearts as one.  But the gods got angry that we were so happy and split us apart with lightning.  I thought that was silly until we came together in the coconut grove." Donna spoke face half buried in Liam's hair.  She looked up at Al with a sigh.  "We had better see what happened with that big ship.  We fought too hard to let things go pear shaped now."

[MWBailey]

"First things first; gotta get Liam looked after. Then see what's up with Wilfred and that big dang flyin' flattop. And Where's Meri? I saw her land at Wil's hangar, but nothin' much after; There were some other people there, too, but I couldn't tell what was goin' on. I hadda crank Duck's wheels down and lost sight of 'em after that."

[CPT_J_Percell]

Highlord Alison DuBlade limped over to the port side windows to look of the strange port. In over 100 years since she had miss cast the healing spell, science, technology had never been able to cure her aliment that troubled her every time she traveled across dimensions of time. She grabbed a tablet and pulled up the 1949 photo of Wilfred.
"I'm surprised with how old he looks compared to that photo." Liam said looking out the window.
"He has also traveled through time." She said looking at the ship chronometer. "Who is that woman beside him, she look Chinese."
Liam hissed through his teeth, "she a Vampyre!"
Alison adjusted the sword on her hip and limped across the bridge, "now that we have found him, we should go and arrest him."
She left the bridge with Liam hot on her heals.

[Stella Gaslight]

Jace pulled up one of the heavy duty ammo cart and smiled.  "I know it is a glorified wheelbarrow but it is better than tiring your arms and I don't think you will be letting him out of your sight anytime soon."

Donna's face softened and there was a ghost of a smile there.  "Damn straight."  She gently set him in the cart kissing his forehead. 

[Ranger Reid]

First Lieutenant Liam McSwain swayed for a moment as he walked behind the highlord.  "Great. Another one is nearby." he thought.   Warily he began to scan the surrounding area for trouble.   These meetings had gone very badly before.    "Ma'am, I think I have another splinter nearby.   Strong one too." he said.

[MWBailey]

Meri stepped a bi closer to Wil as teh two figures came ashore. "Looks like you've got a general or something after you," she said. "A pretty one, too. I'm jealous," she joked, then wondered why; was she perhaps becoming too humanlike? Still...

She relaized what she looked like, and turned to Wilfred when teh two were about halfway across teh tarmac coming toward them, "I look a fright. Er... Wilfred, I'm going to change into an old uniform of mine; I'llbe right back." she then opened up te Not-place; in this instance, it looked as if she split a pictire of teh background with her hand and stepped through. she changed into teh uniform in a flash; all it required was a rearrangement of her form, but or tis particular change, she had to dispose fo teh fist coverings, then assumed the Russian hell galleon commander's dress whites uniform, hanging the Ta Chi in its harness at her side. She wanted nothing to do with the German or Japanese Imperial uniforms that she had worn until recently, and felt that the kinomo of the Village of the Youkai would be inappropriate. Teh Bitish Secret Service had no uniform other than the famed Black Suit, and she didn't like that one in any case.  She checked her image in the full-length mirror, adjusting a gold-braided epaulet here, a sleeve there, and did on the officer's wheel hat. It looked impressive, even if teh Ta Chi was a bit gigantic compared to her frame.

All in an instant, and she stepped back out again and close teh not-place, to find the visitors still nearly fifty yards away.

"They certainly take their time, don't they? She looks..." she struggled for the words "Foreign, I guess. Those ears, she looks like she might be ... elvish? and her companion." She studied the fellow as they came closer. "If I hadn't seen Liam in Donna's ship through the window back up there, I would have sworn that was him walking across in that popinjay uniform." The Hell Galleon Captain's uniform was no slouch for looks, but it had significanly less bullion on it, and was decorated with only one medal (An order of knighthood); Meri had entered the Cold One's service barely a year before the Boheme's crew disposed of the Czar and Tsarina, so had had time for only a few actions in that capacity. She still felt superior; she was a seasoned veteran in more ways than these newcomers could probably imagine. That Woman, however; She was irritatingly impressive in the way of aristocracy in all universes everywhere. You could always tell Bluebloods.

"Humans. Hmf." She finally snorted under her breath. "Come on, hurry up, this isn't your coronation..."

[Stella Gaslight]

With Donna leading the pack they made their way down the tarmac slow and easy.  Steps falling in to time with the rumble thump of the cart.  Jace saw two people walking their way one a lady that looked like trouble and another that confused her mightily.  ,"Am I seeing things or is that another Liam?"  She asked Al quietly.

[CPT_J_Percell]

Highlord DuBlade walked upright even though her leg was killing her. The botched enchantment over 100 years ago making its self known.
Her pace was slow and purposeful and she watched kept her eye on Wilfred ignoring those gathering around her. The black iron collar around her neck, the sign that she had once been forced into slavery felt like it was suffocating her.
"Wilfried Oliver Lewis Ferdanand do you know why I am here?"
"I could hazard a guest."
Highlord DuBlade cast a look at the woman in uniform next to him, her hand strying towards her special issue revolver, "Wilfried Oliver Lewis Ferdanand, you are under the arrest for murder and the theft of the Special Project MKXXX Supermarine Spitfire. You will surrender your self and the aeroplane to us at once." She held up a hand and the side of the Tempest opened up revealing a hanger sized cavern. When it finished opening, armed soldiers and technicians flowed out and headed for the Blue Fang behind him.

[Ranger Reid]

Lt. McSwain continued to scan for signs of a splinter.   He had been crossing paths with them for years, but lately the frequency had increased.  Liam was concerned that they were approaching the rift periapsis.   He would have to be careful.  This splinter could be the most dangerous yet.

[Stella Gaslight]

"How about no."  Jace said firmly and pushed back at the others trying to get at the blue fang knocking most of them down.  "I am Jace and you had better talk to me before this becomes a fight.  We took down the Germans you were fighting with and we have plenty more where that came from."

Donna looked at Lt. McSwain with hoping and confusion. "Liam,?"

[Ranger Reid]

Liam looked at Jace.  She had an air of authority and leadership.   He decided he liked her.

Out loud he said, "Not your Liam ma'am.  But I would like to meet him if possible."  Liam spoke directly to Wilfred's mind.  "Do not make this ugly.  You know how far the Highlord will go.  Don't get your friends hurt. Ask for a hearing."

Liam secretly hoped to smooth things long enough to find the splinter.   The stolen ship didn't matter nearly as much as controlling the temporal rift resolution.  So many worlds would be in jeopardy if this went badly.

[CPT_J_Percell]

Wilfred turned to look at the new Liam, "Aquantinces not friends. What they do is up to them."
"Lady Dublade, your duristiction does not count for anything on the duckpond."

* * *

Alison looked at the woman who had introduced herself as the leader of this rag tag group, "So you believe you are a match for me?"
She cursed her human blood for giving her the look of someone in their late 50's. She tugged on the iron collar around her neck and rested a hand on her sword, removing the other from her gun.

[Stella Gaslight]

Jace sighed diplomacy was not her best skill but they had another Liam and if she could somehow heal the one Donna was in love with it was worth it. "It is not that I think I can it is that I will fight to the death to defend my Aces.  Now if one of them has done wrong by you we can come to an accord  but if you want to strong arm us I think you will find the duck pond full of fights.  So what are you here for and how can we stop this from becoming a bloodbath?"

Donna was confused as she looked from the cart to Lt. McSwain.  "How are there two of you?  Liam doesn't have a brother he told me of."

[MWBailey]

Al had been through negotiations with native chieftains who acted a lot like this eldritch-looking person; lots of flash and pomp, and overwhelming numbers. Mostly window dressing, but you never really knew how close they were to popping off, or which tree held a sniping blowgun artiste. Thingds were dicey at best, here.

He'd seen elves in Undertown, all classes were down there. It was like a chinatown but with elves instead of Asians. This person looked elvish, but...not. Maybe a half-caste? When her hand went to her sword, Al's moved toward the khukri and gripped the hilt. He noticed Meri taking a similar action, and moved, hand still on the hilt of the massive, almost sword-like nepalese weapon, to stand beside and slightly in front of the vampiress.

"Do nothing until they act -" he muttered sotto voce, head turned to the side and slightly back to look at Meri sidelong, taking in the uniform, the epaulet braids and single shoulder brush, and the rather minimalistic "scrambled eggs" on the visor of the wheel hat, "Commander, huh? You might outrank me in the Russian Airfleet, but here, we're equals at least.  If you get Jace in a sword or fire fight and she gets it, you'll get it from me. Got it?"

Meri felt the silver inlays and magical nature of Al's knife; there was something there besides just regular Khukri mystique, to be sure. She doubted the thing could be as much of a threat as he seemed to think it was, but that magickal taint was nothing to sneeze at, and in any case, Al acted (and looked, damn him! both Dreyfuss and this loudmouthed cad of a merc lieutenant had the same face!) and talked like a certain Texian who'd shoved her off an airship and inadvertently into a certain hole in time.

"Al..." she answered, also sotto voce so that none would hear her but Al, and poerhaps Jace, "I will defend my comrades, including you, Jace, Donna, that hun-ahem. That person Liam, and Wilfred, to the edge of Tartarus' pits and within them. I won't precipitate a battle, but if one develops-!"

"Shut it!" Al's sotto voce managing to override Meri's. "leave it at that before they hear you. I get it, and I'm grateful."

[CPT_J_Percell]

Several or the armed guards had there weapons trained on the Vampyre Commander leaving the other to target the rest. There was a cough and a splutter from the carevness hold before a tracked tractor rolled out and upto the plane. The technicians connected a tow bar to the front of the blue fang and the tractor dragged it across the runway and into the airship. "I wan't this hanger searched, Wilfred, you will open all secure storage units before you are escorted to my ships hold." She turned to walk away then stopped and cast a look over her shoulder.
"If anyone fancy's trying anything heroic, my people are prepared to defend themselves." Taking one last glance around, she walked back to her ship.

[Stella Gaslight]

Jace was mad enough that random stones were lifting off from the tarmac but she tried to calm down. She did not put her hands up instead they hovered near her weapons daring any of the armed men to try her crew. "Wilfred what exactly have you gotten us in to?" Her whisper was quiet and calculating. She noticed Donna hovering near poor Liam and he wondered if the posturing was intentional to shield the body on the cart from bullets.  Jace swore she would not let it come to that. She would not fail her friend again.

Donna very carefully touched Lt. McSwain and Her Liam. The same warm skin was under her fingertips and this close they even smelled similar but her Liam hat a touch more of green sent to him like a forest after a rainstorm.  "So you are both real."

[MWBailey]

Al said to Wilfred, as he walked by with his escort, "This ain't over, kid. Th' knack tells me somethin's gonna happen soon that changes everything."

"Are you just going to let that popinjay take Wilfred?" Meri fumed. "AND his plane? That's the only one thats made for killing something like the vosh!"

[CPT_J_Percell]

"Was nice knowing you, but they had to come for me at some point. I Killed Gerhard Vogel, the designer and dimensional engineer on the Blue Fang."

[MWBailey]

"Still, like I said, Wil, don't give up."

Turning to Meri as the guards escorted Wil into the hangar, he said, "Commander..." He startged again. "Meri, I've never seen that kind of a ship," he jerked his thumb up to point back ove rhios shoulder toward the thing that had landed in the harbor, "before, but I've seen battleships, and flattops; that thing looks like both in one, and teh guns on 'er, whatever they actually do, look like the biggest damn rayguns I ever saw. They cojuld blast us right out of the water and grind the island we're moored to like it was nothin'. Besides, you wanna get along with what coudl be a powerful ally, you gotta play nice with 'em. You're sworn now to defend this floating menagerie, right?" Meri nodded reluctantly, almost as if forced to do so. "Right," Al continued. "I know jace'll back me up on this; you gotta protect th' people what can't fight as well as them that can., adn attackin' that thing'll make it damned hard to do that - not to mention recruit 'em."

[Stella Gaslight]

"Wasn't Vogel the madman that tried to brainwash me?" Jace asked turning to follow Will.  As far as she was concerned that was a good deed. There was a sound she knew well growing.  "Oh hell get ready we have company on the way."

[CPT_J_Percell]

"Highlord, I'm detecting a storm brewing" Came the electronically distorted voice over the ships internal coms.
"And how is that supposed to be of my concern?" she answered into the com panel near the cargo bay door.
"Sir, it matches the storm we traveled through to get here."
She spun around to look at the Blue Fang and spotted the blue glow surrounding it. "Get the plane secured and powered down." She looked down the staircase to where Wilfred stood, "And get him secured in the brigg. I want this ship in the sky ready to leave!"

[Stella Gaslight]

"I think we better get up in the sky and quick. We don't have Liam to save us this time."  Jace said quietly.

Donna looked at Lt. McSwain.  "Listen we are going to be under attack soon and I know she is your commander but we were barely able to stop them last time.  Liam is like this because he saved us without him I don't know if we will make it out.  If the order takes this station it may not effect you right away but they will keep coming until you have to face them and if you can take them out now you are saving yourself a harder fight."

[Ranger Reid]

McSwain stood frozen.   He hated dealing with splinters who had friends and loved ones.   Besides, this battle could be the catalyst of the rift that created it all.   Liam wasn't sure he was ready to face this event.

Instead of voicing any of these concerns though, he simply nodded.   

"Ma'am, I think we need to stay and help defend this station."   Seeing his commander's eyes go wide, Liam cut off her reply "Ma'am, this has to do with the directives in the brown envelope.   I am calling on you assist me in my mission, by order of High Command."

Liam knew that this would catch her off guard.  She didn't know he was aware of her special orders, and in fact had been at the heart of them.