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Romps and Reconstruction in Loka: Steam, Magic, and Mysteries in the Frozen Wasteland.

(Logfile from Winter’s Oasis - 8/1/2013)

Players of Note:

Terrence and Piper

Location:

Muon - Aerostatic Conveyance Terminal

Summary:

Terrence is looking for a quicker way to get to Esquemelin that a luxury airship can provide. Enter Piper

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Time: Lokan: LY325, Monday, April 9; 16:23:57 Pasu: LY325, Soma, Ashadha 9; 16:23:57

Muon - Aerostatic Conveyance Terminal The Aerostatic Conveyance Terminal is a decently-sized metal building with a huge open field in the back, various metal structures housing large vessels that travel the skies. Zeppelins and hot air balloons are frequently launched and landed from the terminal, letting the passengers soar through the skies and view the landscapes below. There’s even been talk of an air ‘ship’, similar in design to a seafaring vessel, from time to time, though none here have seen proof of it.

Terrence walks along the Terminal, looking over the various airships available here. The wolf checks his pocketwatch. He seems to be looking over each one to examine its worthiness for some task.

“Wait!” a feminine voice exclaims as its owner marches down the steps “That luggage is supposed to go to the outbound terminal.” the owner appears to be a diminutive mouse. Her voice is not squeky as one would expect though it is in the higher registers pitch wise, though not enough that it would make one cringe. She seems to be addressing a luggage handler, who is removing luggage from a small zeppellin that just recently landed with a family of passengers.

Terrence gives a slight smile, walking closer to watch the small episode, standing aside, and tilting his head. He looks over the vessel. Small. Perhaps the smallest zeppelin he’s ever seen. It might just work for what he wants. The wolf rests forward on his jade pommeled cane, balancing on it.

The luggage handler nods at what could only be one of the crew of the small airship “Yes Miss Piper, I’ll get it there toot sweet.” he tips his hat and goes on his way with his luggage cart brimming. “Thank Benji.” the young mouse calls before turning to head back up the steps. She barely gets her foot on the first step when she notices her singular audience “Afternoon sir.” her nose twitches slightly “Can I do something for ya?”

Terrence smiles, and looks up, “Sorry to bother you, but who is the captain of this…” he gestures to the ship, “Delightfully diminuative vessel?” The wolf’s tail wags.

Piper says, “That would be me.” she gestures to herself with a motion of her thumb “I’m Piper,” a worshipful glance is given to the airship, obviously she is quiet fond of the vessel, despite its size “I’m the pilot, which is pretty much the same in my book.” she waves off the apology “And its not a bother.”

Terrence nods a little, “I suppose on a vessel of this size, the usefulness of a distinct captain and pilot is dubious.” He rubs his muzzle, “I’m looking for someone who can do quick taxi-runs without me having to call over the much larger ships. This might be what I’m looking for.”

“All this one needs is a pilot to steer her and a mechanic to keep her running.” Piper begins to explain “Anymore than that and it would be taking up precious passenger and luggage space.” when her explains what he is looking for her head cants to the side “Might be? This is exactly what you are looking for. Tiger Lily,” which is the name of the small ship, “is good at quick runs and doesn’t have to deal with the same issues that bog down travel on the large ships.”

Terrence seems quite pleased with this, “When will you be ready for your next flight? And do you have issues with docking in… Esquemelin?”

Piper says, “She’s ready now, just need to be cleared for take off by the tower.” Piper answers that part of the question quickly enough, “I usually don’t go any further than Gilead. I don’t often get passengers wanting to go to the islands. It’ll cost a bit extra, but its doable.”

Terrence smiles at that, “Good.” The wolf’s tail wags, “Then I should like to head to Esquemelin now, please.” The wolf leans forward on his cane, looking over the zeppelin once more. Time to see how she and her pilot handle things.

Piper’s nose twitches some more, the thought of going all the way to Esquemelin bring an air of excitement out in her “Of course, right away sir.” she moves out of the way of the steps that lead up into the ship “Go on aboard. I’ll buzz the tower for immediate clearance.”

Terrence walks up the steps, and looks around for a seat. He smiles at the quaint transport. This should save some money for his trips, at least. He finds a place to get comfortable and straps in, observing the pilot.

The young mouse pilot grabs a pair of flags from thier holder on the side of the steps and moves in visual range of the tower. With sharp movements Piper uses the flags to signal the tower, up, left, down, the flags go the fabric snapping sharply with her movements. Her signalling down she waits a moment for the response and then charges up the steps and unhooks them and pulls the gangplank up, latching it in place. “We’re cleared for take off Mr….” she is at a loss as to what to call the wolf, as he never introduced himself.

Terrence smiles, “Terrence. And your name?” His wagging tail thumps on the seat cushion as he inclines his ears to hear, looking out the window of the vessel to see ground crew scattering about to prepare for the vessel take-off, wheeling attached items out of the way.

Piper says, “Piper.” she reples as she slips through the open archway that divides the pilot’s cabin from the passenger’s cabin. There is a similar archway in the back where the mechanic sits “That’s Archie.” she begins turning knobs and pushing levers causing the zeppelin to whosh out a belch of steam, easily seen through the windows and the vibration of the engine turning can be felt, “Mr. Terrence, the Tiger Lily doesn’t have the comforts of the larger passenger ships, but she will get you to where you are going in half the time.” she straps herself into her own chair and takes a moment to glance over her shoulder “Once we hit cruising altitude feel free to helf yourself to what little refreshment we have to offer.” she gives a nod to a little cabinet style compartment in the back of the passenger area.

Terrence nods, slipping a paw over to the cabinet. He does prefer more luxery, but the smaller vessel could help him keep better time. And for him, that’s more important. He looks over the goodies in the cabinet, eyes flicking outside on occasion. He seems at least slightly nervous. Perhaps he’s never been in so small a vessel before. But if the mouse managed to land here in the first place, she must have some idea what she’s doing.

As the zeppelin lifts into the air, Piper turns the wheel, that would look easily at home on a seafaring ship as it does the cockpit of the airship. With the turning of the wheel comes the turning of the ship so its facing the proper south east direction “You’re in luck Mr. Terrence, we have a nice tail wind going.” she leans forward to look at one of the guages “Near 7 knots. That should help us make better time, at least until Gilead.” out of the window the buildings have become small and the people are so tiny as not to be noticeable “Full speed Archie.” she says, with a ship this size a speaking to isn’t necessary. There is an ‘Aye’ heard from the mechanic’s cabin. The ship’s vibration eases as she goes into cruising mode.

Terrence smiles at this, and pours himself a drink, and picks at a couple of crackers, “Excellent news indeed.” He looks out the window, seeming more at ease now that we’ve made it into the air, “You’re impressing me so far…” The wolf watches the people disappear, “If you continue to, I may be coming back— and often. Though… I do have a couple of questions for you first.”

“We’ll we have a a bit of time to kill so ask away.” Piper fiddles with the levers and buttons, making a few minor adjustments, one paw kept steady on the wheel, “Hopefully my answers will be as impressive as my piloting.”

Terrence smiles and nods, looking out the window at the landscape, “I may occasionally have… senstive dealings with people I bring aboard. I need to know if you and your mechanic can be discrete.” He looks over at Archie, and back at you.

The mouse’s ears twitch forward at the implication of secret dealings “What you and your companions talk about is no business of mine, or anyone else’s for that matter.” she turns in her seat to look from Terrence to where her mechanic is barely visable through the archway “As for Archie, I don’t think I have ever heard him say more than three words unless he is talking about engines.”

Terrence seems pleased with this answer, sipping from his drink, “Excellent. How long at this speed until we reach Esquemelin?”

She doesn’t answer immediately, Piper makes what could only be described as a thoughtful expression as she does the figuring in her head “Unless you want to stop at every city we can get to Gilead in about..” she rattles off time lines between the cities, and how long of a delay to expect if there is heavy air traffic around Helios or Gilead. “The trip from Gilead to Esquemelin,” she lifts her shoulder into a shrug “To soon to say, those ocean breezes can be unpredictable.” either way her ship is faster but of course the sacrifice is the comforts common with the luxury airships.

Terrence nods a little, listening. It’s faster than the normal ships, certainly. This pleases him. Though, as she noted, it’s too soon to say with finality. “Already sounds better than I’m used to. So that’s good for me.”

“Yes it is.” Piper agrees as she turns the wheel to bank slightly further south “So just sit back and enjoy the ride.” with that she locks the wheel in place, unstraps and goes back to check on her mechanic.

Categories: Logs