I apoligize about the lateness everybody.
Disclaimer: I don't own Skies of Arcadia or any of it's characters. They belong to Sega and Overworks.
Chapter 3: "Encounter"
Cresent Isle, now bathed in the mid-morning sun, looked calm on the surface but as I entered the underground port, I was greeted with a sight that was anything but calm. The numerous members of my new crew where milling about preparing our new ship for departure to the capital of the Nasr kingdom, Nasrad.
"Vyyyyyyyyyse!" An all too familiar voice echoed throughout Cresent Isle's underground port.
"Morning, Aika," I called back, as I grasped the metal pole in front of me and slid down to the main floor of the dock. Looking at her, she had her head turned to face me, and was dressed in her usual attire. Her yellow top and skirt with her favorite black shorts visible underneath. A large, light blue belt around her small waist and her goggles resting on her head, her hair no longer in large pigtails but flowing freely down her back.
"About time you got up," Aika said, turning back to face the "Rogue's Honour," our new ship, built from the same design as the Albatross but with more powerful engines, cannons, and armor.
"Sorry, didn't get much sleep last night," I said, walking past her toward the gangplank that lead onto the ship, when an all to familiar red-haired air pirate jumped onto my back, locking her legs aound my waist and her arms around my neck. "Ahhh... Aika... Get off!" I managed to choke out before I fell to the floor with Aika on top of me.
"That's for you waking me up last night," Aika said, sitting triumphantly on my back. "You should learn not to laugh so loud, so early in the morning."
"O....ok just get off me," I said, as I squirmed underneath her trying, in vain, to get her off me and perhaps save some small amount of face in the progress.
"Aika, Vyse what are you two doing," came a soft voice from somewhere on our right.
"Hi Fina!" Aika nearly shouted. Getting off my back and running up to embrace her friend, and letting me get back on my feet. When I looked back to see them both, I couldn't help but stare for a moment at Fina's new outfit she had been wearing the last little while. A long white skirt that covered her legs, with the exception of two long slits up the sides, white leggings visible because of those slits. A blue tank top and white vest, leaving her midriff bare. White sleeves tied off so they left the top of her arms bare. And a blue bandanna on her head, keeping her hair out of face, with the exception of two strands.
"Vyse? you in there?" Aika said, waving her hand in front of my face.
"Huh... what?" I said, broken from my daze.
"I said, are you ready to go. The ship is almost ready."
"Oh yes, alright then, let's go," I said, turning back to the ship and walking up the gangplank to the deck. I made my way to the bridge to find our new helmsman, Conner, already at his post.
"Captain Vyse," Conner, the young fifteen year old, said. Immediatly standing up straight and giving me a salute.
"Heh, you can relax, Conner, you're not a soldier," I said, taking a seat in the captain's chair. Normally, I would take the helm, since I couldn't stand just giving out orders to my crew, but this was just a simple supply run so I decided to let the kid show me just how good he claimed he was.
"Vyse," Aika said, walking onto the bridge, with Fina right behind her.
"What is it?"
"Everything is set, we can leave whenever you're ready," Aika said as she took her position at the weapon's console, a postion she had occupied since the Delphinus. And Fina took her postion at the communication/navigation console, a postion she had taken a perament residence to.
"Alright then, let's go. Conner, take us out slow."
A heavy creak complemented the opening of the entrance to the underground port of Cresent Isle, as part of the Isle's small mountain lowered to reveal the entrance. The "Rogue's Honour" slid out smoothly from the hidden port, then, turning toward the island where Nasrad was located, started it's journey.
"Captain Vyse," Conner said, bringing my gaze to look at my new helmsmen. "The weather is good, the sun is out and we've got the wind behind us so we should reach Nasrad in about four hours."
"That's good to hear," I replied, hoping that those four hours would go by quickly since I was unaccustomed to just guiding my ship from a chair.
Unfortunatly for me, those four hours didn't go by very quickly. I found myself excusing myself from the bridge out of shear bordem. "Fina, call me from my quarters if I'm needed."
"Alright, Vyse," Fina replied, with a courteous bow.
I trailed through my new ship, slowly, trying to waste as much time as I could before I made it to my quarters. "I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I hope something happens sometime soon," I said, letting out a yawn, as I reached my quarters.
"Vyse, quickly, come to the bridge, we need you," I heard Fina's voice through the communication tube in my quarters as I entered.
"Huh, I didn't think that would work," I said with a shrug as I turned around and ran back to the bridge.
"So what's so urget that you need me?" I said as I walked onto the bridge.
"Vyse, there's a ship of starboard and closing. They're black pirates," Aika informed me as I sat down.
"Alright, Fina, inform the crew that I want them at their battle stations. Aika, stand ready. Conner, think you can handle this," I asked, not sure if he was ready for a real ship battle.
"Yes, sir."
"Alright then, bring us around, Aika, be ready to fire."
"Aye."
"Captain, they're almost within range of our cannons," Conner said, a slight bit of nervousness in his voice.
"Hold course until we're almost about to ram them, then hard to port and swing around them behind them and open fire."
A resounding "Aye, Captain!" came from my crew on the bridge as the "Rogue's Honour," and the black pirate ship closed the gap between us.
"Vyse, it looks like they have the same idea," Aika said, turning to look at me, then back at her console.
"Good, that makes it easier for us. Conner, now!"
With my order, Conner turned our ship hard to port to avoid ramming the black pirate ship, which also turned hard to their port. However, the far more manuverable "Rogue's Honour" had moved behind the black pirate ship before it had the chance to do the same.
"Now, open fire!" I shouted, as a thunder of cannon fire was released from our ship, and almost disintegrated the rear of the black pirate's ship.
"Vyse, the enemy ship's engine has been severly damaged and they are launching life boats," Fina reported, trying to sound as official as possible.
"Vyse, should we go after them?" Aika asked.
"No, they can't do much damage without their ship anymore. But, did any of you get a look at the flag they were flying?"
The answer "No" came from all three of my crew members. "Well, no matter, I'm sure we can find out who they were when we reach Nasrad. Conner".
"Yes, captain," Conner said, turning our ship back onto its original course. While I decided to stay on the bridge, wondering if these black pirates were simple fools trying to make a name for themselves by defeating us, or if this was a part of something bigger.
End of Chapter 3
