Disclaimer: I do not own Storm Hawks or any of its characters. I do, however, own my own characters and plots.
Chapter 35
"Yes, sir!"
Repton considered the forms of his saluting brothers in front of him, eyes narrowed.
"Do you really think you are capable enough to do this?" he said scathingly. "Or am I to assume you will mess this up like you always do?"
"Yes, sir, no sir!" Spitz said in response. Both Hoerk and Leugey inevitably had a hard time differentiating between the two tenses and in which order to reply in. Luckily, Spitz was the one Repton was leaving Bogaton in the care of. Normally he would think against it, as it was Spitz at the helm of the Condor when he had left in pursuit of Maia all that time ago, but this time he had more Raptors at the base to defend against any revolts. Hoerk and Leugey, to stay out of the political trouble, were going to accompany Repton. Where they were going, they were going to need some brute strength if necessary.
"I would gladly do this myself, but I will need decoys," Repton said. "You remember how Murk Raiders are."
Leugey's face scrunched up a little. He was probably reminiscing their last encounter, which wasn't entirely pretty. "Why aren't we bringing more of us, Repton?"
"This is a secret mission. No one's supposed to know."
"Not even Cyclonis?"
Repton's eyes steeled over. "Especially Cyclonis. Can I trust you to keep your trap shut?"
Leugey usually didn't have to speak with Cyclonis directly, but words did fly far in the Atmos, and she had sentries at every corner. He nodded his head eagerly. Repton turned to leave and attend to some last-minute preparations. His shoulders stiffened when his brother whispered, sounding like he had just released a bit of excitement he'd been restraining;
"We're going to get Nakoto!"
Repton shot a look of warning over his shoulder, and Leugey shrunk a little bit, but not by much. He still had a smile on his face. The other brothers were aware that this was an infiltration and a rescue mission, but did not know the name. The two of them had looked at each other in confusion briefly.
"Go on and get ready. We leave at dusk."
When Cyclonis witnessed the sisters abducted by the Murk Raiders, she threw a fit. Repton had flown the next morning to attend an assembly she organized. Every Talon was there, with her elite at the front; Snipe, Ravess, the Dark Ace. Nightcrawlers slunk in the shadows of the room, muttering to one another as they do, often keeping to their own. When Repton arrived he stayed on the outskirts, having no intention to mingle. The Dark Ace glanced in his direction, probably having expected an encounter or snide greeting, but Repton didn't even have time for that.
A hush fell upon the crowd of soldiers when Cyclonis entered the room. She was dressed in her formal attire, robes that she had inherited from the former Empress. These robes were rarely worn at assemblies like this. Repton had heard that she had an encounter with the Storm Hawks herself recently, so it may be that her other set of clothes were in some need of repair. He could have smirked at her failure; she had the nerve to ridicule him when she couldn't even do the job herself.
As if she had heard his thoughts, her cold eyes sought him out and rested on him for a moment. The moment was brief, but he regardless felt the urge to remain as still as possible, a genetic response to the gaze of a predator. His upper lip twitched in disgust at his body's go-to reaction, but he could not make a move more noticeable than that.
Cyclonis raised her arms up, the sleeves of her robes trailing like wings.
"We've got a new tasks on our hands, my loyal Talons." She projected her voice to reach every corner of the room. "There has been a change of plans with our current hunt for Alpha and Beta of the Oasium Project. But the situation changes nothing... we turn our gaze to Terra Deep."
There was a murmur, which Cyclonis allowed to circulate for a few seconds. Cyclonia was a truly powerful military force, but venturing in that territory was suicide. If not the Wastelands or the Black Gorge, Terra Deep was where the filth of Atmos went to fester. Out of all the sky pirates, it had to be Scabulous -at the highest level of the Terra's hierarchy- who abducted the sisters.
"The Murk Raiders don't know what they've gotten themselves into," she continued. "Before they even settle a price, we'll be upon them. I am counting on every single one of you to give it your all."
As if that made any difference. Terra Deep was, in a sense, impenetrable.
Repton had been called to bring his squadron along for the attack a few days later. Cyclonis' Nightcrawlers had managed to pinpoint the exact location of the Murk Raider's roost, amongst all the canyons and crevices of Terra Deep. The way in, however, was to descend into the densest clouds and rise up again into a grotto. The depths were far too thick for riders to traverse in, lest their Skimmers be torn asunder by rogue gusts. No, Cyclonis' airships were more suited, and they had to be equipped to withstand the pressure. Regardless of the preparedness, the Murk Raiders did not make things easy for them. Their sound-detecting technology made sure Cyclonia had no element of surprise, and upon arrival many of the Murk Raiders' airships met with their visitors.
Although given the order to breach the defence of Terra Deep, Repton told his brothers to aid the Cyclonians while he investigated the mountain in which the grotto was located. Perhaps a few of these intertwining peaks would yield a passage small enough for individuals to pass on foot? Circling the mound, Repton happened upon such a place; it was easy to miss, with a hooded shield of rock curving downwards over the entrance. Would it be guarded? The space between the shield and the entrance's edge was tight, but wide enough for his Bonewing with its wings withdrawn. Looking around, alone in this portion of the sky -the cannons of airships still echoed loudly, close-by-, Repton backtracked, arced his course and propelled himself toward the opening. Tilting himself ninety-degrees, he deactivated the wings accordingly and passed inside.
There was enough airspace inside to right himself before landing, so he had done so unharmed. The air was dank, wet. It took a moment for his eyes to grow accustomed to the dimness but by then he had already dismounted his ride and ventured deeper. There was a steep hill, uneven all all sides, but he felt a breeze caress his face going down it. It wasn't long until he reached the end of the path, and to his satisfaction it opened up to the grotto his Master was trying so hard to reach.
He looked down at the Murk Raider's abode, a heap of long-plundered ships fashioned into a makeshift hideout. The pirates' trademark symbol was painted on various points of it in white paint, the famous cutlass through the eye of a grinning skull. The grotto was illuminated by giant lanterns in the walls powered by Solaris crystals, along with makeshift streetlights closer to the hideout itself. The base was alive with running forms, members fortifying more airships to join the defence. Among these forms, Repton managed to single out Scabulous, who was walking down the dock of the fort and barking orders to his underlings. Repton's upper lip twitched, uttering a low growl, and he cast his eyes to analyze the rest of the base. He was half-expecting, half-hoping to see some sign of the Oasium Raptors through the windows to get an idea of where they were held hostage, but to no avail. He looked back and found Scabulous again, but he was only accompanied by Eyeball (his first mate) and two taller Murk Raiders adorning bandages.
A horn blasted from outside, a sign of Cyclonia's retreat. This endeavour acted more of a reconnaissance, testing the forces they were dealing with. Repton was sure Cyclonis wouldn't be disappointed that the forces she employed now weren't enough. She would just order her Talon Elite to deploy more firepower next time to blast their way in. The main way into the grotto was too much of a hazard to try and manipulate... Repton turned back the way he came and mounted his Bonewing. He manoeuvred his ride out of the difficult, awkward crevice and joined his brothers following the Cyclonians out of Terra Deep. The Murk Raiders tailed them to their borders at a distance, their deep horns blaring like the voice of beasts.
No one took notice of Repton's absence in the skirmish. Leugey's Bonewing fell victim to cannon fire, so he hitched a ride on Hoerk's. The amount of vehicles his brothers went through was ridiculous, but now was not the time focus on the loss of resources, especially when it could be replaced. They would return to Cyclonia for further instruction, but chances were the Raptors would be dismissed until summoned for Cyclonis' counterattack.
Before then, Repton would get to the sisters first.
"Kill your rides," Repton called out. His brothers obeyed and followed his example. At high altitude, they cut off their engines and started their glide far from their destination. Due to the challenging nature of the secret entrance, Repton and Hoerk wouldn't be able to fly into it without igniting their vehicles and causing a ruckus. Bonewings weren't built for stealth, which made the infiltration of the Condor all the more impressive, but this was a job beyond their league.
Upon reaching the summit of the hideout, they circled and looked for a decent place to land. It was some time before they found one, and one with a place to hide Repton and Hoerk's rides at that. It was a hundred-or-so feet below Repton's discovered entrance, so they would have to climb up to it. If they were discovered, a quick getaway was impossible, but they had to work with what they had. The brothers landed on the mountain side, and Leugey idled while Repton and Hoerk rolled their vehicles between two boulders. Satisfied with the cloak of shadow, Repton returned to Leugey and held up his boomerang.
"I'm sure they'll be wondering why there's only one of us flying their skies, but at least it'll keep them occupied for a little bit," he started. He tapped his boomerang and then pointed to the entrance with it. "When Hoerk and I make it inside, I will give you a signal. I will light up my boomerang and you will leave. You're to fly around Terra Deep on overdrive; drive your engine to the max."
"That'll make a lot of noise," Leugey commented. Repton shot him a glare.
"That's the point. Make your presence known and draw any attention away from the base."
"And if I get caught, Boss?" His brother's face paled a little at the possible result of this plan. Rescuing Nakoto didn't involve getting overtaken by Murk Raiders in his mind. Repton smiled snidely and smacked his shoulder.
"Make sure you don't, eh?"
Leugey gulped and looked out into the dismal cloudline. His older brothers started their descent, which did not prove difficult for them. A few slip-ups here and there due to crumbling rock, but Raptors were made for this kind of thing. They reached the lip of rock and Repton ushered his larger brother in before going in himself. He turned back to look down at his remaining brother, who was still looking out at Terra Deep. As if feeling eyes upon him, Leugey looked up the mountain side and searched for where his brothers had gone.
Repton stuck out his weapon arm and kindled the energy in his boomerang. The weapon spurted ablaze with orange light and reflected on the stone walls, undoubtedly making the entrance look like a hooded eye of the mountain. Leugey saw it, as he responded with the revival of his ride. He revved the engine, and he shot off the cliff face. Engaging his wings, he curved upwards and made his Bonewing roar in the sky. Repton withdrew his weapon and killed the light before sliding it back into place on his back. He walked ahead of Hoerk and lead the way into the wall, signalling him to remain quiet. Only the sound of their footsteps and water droplets against stone kept them company.
The Murk Raiders' base wasn't as bustling as it was during Cyclonia's first attack a few days before, but there were still pirates at the docks. One of the airships was disembarking, although there was no telling what for. The chains suspending the ship initially unhatched and let the mass drop into darkness. It disappeared for a moment before violet lights from its exhausts flared and slowed its fall. The pirates at the docks shifted their attention away from the ship and went about their own business, which seemed to involve stocking up other carriers and bring in goods into the abode. Such goods were inevitably plundered from their most recent victims.
Repton held a finger to his lips and then pointed along the wall to their left, gesturing to a rather treacherous path that would help them get down. Luckily columns of rock formed by stalactites and stalagmites meeting would make for good cover. Slowly, they made their way carefully along the wall, making sure not to knock loose any rocks that could give away their presence. Their path soon overlooked some miserable-looking storage sheds, which was where a few pirates were getting their ammunition. When the coast was clear, the two Raptors dropped down and slide down the remaining height against the rock to delay their harsh landing. Once on solid ground, Hoerk followed Repton's nimble lead into the shadows, away from any buccaneer that could chance upon them.
Finding a way in was surprisingly easy. Not your typical trudge in any sewer system, nor a crawl through dusty airducts. It did require a lot of skulking behind crates and barrels, but a lot of pirates were too occupied to notice any activity. This was especially fortunate, considering Hoerk wasn't the most spry. Repton had to catch his brother's arm a couple times out of possible detection, but had no opportunity to reprimand him properly. Things would have been easier if they had managed to get their hands on some Cloaking crystals, but time was of the essence.
They found access into the hideout through a set of patio doors -crudely made in the torn underside of a fishing carrier-, and they used the accumulated steam of the kitchen to cloud themselves. The cook was busy with dinner it seemed, cutting ingredients for a brew. The scent of the concoction stung Repton's nostrils and distinguished his appetite. The cook paid them no heed and they slunk down the hallway leading out, momentarily unused. When they heard approaching footsteps, they succeeded in finding spots to remain unnoticed. It was tempting to knock out some pirates when their parties were small, but the Raptors couldn't risk their unconscious forms being discovered by their kinsmen and thus sounding the alarm. Repton and Hoerk would just have to continue sneaking around like rats.
The further stories they went up, Repton got more frustrated with the lack of clues he was picking up. Nothing was hinting the location of where they keep their prisoners, and at this point he was beginning to think he was going to have to yank a pirate out of the picture and get the information of him. They were in the dormitories now, which were between them and the next set of stairs leading up. They crept through this area with greater care, but Repton's mind was still impatiently fuming.
Rapid footbeats sounded and with sudden panic they took cover in a vacant room, sliding its curtain-for-a-door across. Hoerk inched his hand closer to his short-sword, ready to draw, however unneeded. The pirates were gone, leaving Repton with a spark of confusion. There was no reason for urgency right now, not unless they had been discovered. He briefly looked around in the room they took shelter in, taking note of the open porthole shedding a bit of light from the Solaris lanterns outside. The area was small, leaving very little room to walk around, and it conjoined with what appeared to be a small washroom. He assumed that not every pirate had his own toilet, leaving this to be possibly reserved for higher-ups. Still not as established as a captain's cabin, but better off...
Hoerk looked out into the hallway. "The coast is clear, Repton. How much further do we go before we find them? ...Boss?"
This was Nakoto's room.
The scent wasn't apparent because of the fresh air coming in from the porthole, but he caught wind of it once he had looked at the desk. There lay the bottle of Aquinosian water that he had given her, the one he had taken from Maia on Terra Saharr. The icon triggered the familiarity, and Nakoto's scent filled the space as if suddenly. He looked at the hammock, the clothes, and he found himself going over to the desk. He picked up the bottle and held it up to the light. There was a crack along its surface, having withstood some sort of trauma. If he were to hazard a guess, it was in Nakoto's pocket when Scabulous assaulted her. Along with it, there was a first-aid kit with its contents strewn along the surface messily.
Repton didn't understand. Were Murk Raiders so confident at how inescapable their fort was that they gave their prisoners regular rooms? Or perhaps because of their hefty value, Scabulous treated them to better quarters you'd expect normal prisoners to have? In any case, Nakoto wasn't here. He had a feeling Farida wasn't nearby either. If he had found Nakoto here, he would have assumed that she was treated kindly, seeing as she was provided with a first-aid kit to attend to her wounds. Since she wasn't... it seemed more plausible the sisters were subjected to being pirate entertainment, in one way or another. The idea set rage aflame in his gut, and his mind worked furiously to work out this new information. What was their next course of action-?
"Nakoto! I found Nakoto!"
Repton's pupils contracted, and he went over to the porthole with Hoerk. The window allowed them a view of the docks below, and lo and behold stood Leugey, the confounded imbecile. His ride lay in a smoking heap at the edge, and Repton wondered how he managed to get there and why he hadn't heard the crash at any time. It was probably some time before Repton and Hoerk stumbled upon Nakoto's room, which would explain why those pirates had sped by so quickly. Damnit, Leugey had one job! Repton had been growling under his breath but he registered what Leugey had said. When he directed his eyes back to the brother, he was in the midst of picking up a figure by her torso happily, constricting her arms in place with an eager hug. At this distance it was hard to discern all the details, but Repton couldn't mistake the spines on her head for anything else.
One of the Murk Raiders struck Leugey's backside with a projectile and the lizard yelped at the discharge. Repton uttered a deep snarl and took out his boomerang. He shoved his shoulder into Hoerk's and barked, "We've been discovered. Stealth's out the window, you can be as noisy as you want!"
Repton caught the smile on his brother's face, and he knew the hulking Raptor relished the chance to crush some skulls. The Scalus crystal in his sword charged up and enveloped the blade, casting the room in amber light. Repton mindlessly slipped the Aquinosian bottle into his pocket and lead the way, toward the stairs.
There was no caution now; any pirates that they encountered were to fall victim to their weapons, not evaded through means of hiding. Some of these pirates were still minding their own business with chores, while others were rushing to the docks as much as the Raptors were. Upon seeing them the Murk Raiders screamed aggressively and drew their weapons. Thus, the battles began; the amount of bodies Repton forcibly took down exceeded any number he would have bothered to count. Hoerk bellowed in delight every time he sent a crowd of Murk Raiders flying. Away from the dormitories, hallways and stairways contained bound supplies above and at all sides, barrels of marinated cloud-krill and wine. When things got dicey, Repton slashed these obstacles apart and let the contents rain upon his opponents, momentarily stupefying them. Only a moment's suspension in their advance was enough for the Raptor brothers to break it and further their own advancement.
Landing on the main floor, they charged down into an open area, an edifice filled with larger ship parts filched from victim ships. Sky pirates in this bay-like area noticed their arrival and dropped their precious cargo precariously in order to bring up their cutlasses. Repton unleashed a war cry as he fell the first who chose to challenge him, and he sent his boomerang spiraling through the space. While it curved, he took the fleeting distraction to land blows with his fists, plummeting his knuckles into cheekbones and jaws. Despite the number of pirates he and his brother took care of, more seemed to flood in from the docks. Repton's weapon returned and he followed its momentum into a fluid transition of attack.
Suddenly, the Murk Raiders who meant to rush at him stalled, then stepped back. A second later, Repton heard his brother yowl in pain following the sharp clang of his fallen sword. Repton turned and found Hoerk with his back to him and arms flayed out back for balance. In moments, the figure grasped the front of Hoerk's vest and pulled down while simultaneously shoving her hip into his gut. In one graceful motion she flipped him off her hip and onto the ground, the result less graceful in Hoerk's regard. He landed heavily and remained dazed as the Raptoress stomped her foot onto his sternum. She drew her sword in a flash and held its fiery blade under Hoerk's chin. This happened all so quickly neither brother could comprehend what transpired.
Before Repton could speak, Farida sought him out with piercing eyes and hissed;
"Stand down."
Repton could only gape, his weapon arm slightly slack. Hoerk snarled up at his captor and attempted to push her off. It was impressive that Farida, half the mass of him, managed to disarm and manipulate his entire body weight against him, and it was even more phenomenal that she exerted dominance over him now. At the first sign of shifting beneath her, Farida rounded on him and snarled back, more menacingly with the aid of her rippling crown. Hoerk turned his head away, either to shy away from the heat of her blade or to consent compliance.
"I said, stand down."
"Farida, are you out of your mind?" Repton managed to gather his senses, and the moment he had, he blew up incredulously. He shook his head, not making any sense of what was in front of him. Farida, without turning her teeth away from the submissive Hoerk, cast her gaze back at Repton, pupils dilating. Repton threw up his weapon arm in dismay. "What is the meaning of this?"
He noticed Leugey in the back of the throng of Murk Raiders who flooded in from the dock, a few cutlasses poised at his jaw and back. His eyes were pitiful, beseeching for Repton's forgiveness for his blunder. Had he been caught outside the hideout, things wouldn't have gotten as messy as it did. Leugey was however spared from Repton's frustration, as it set its attention on the situation at hand. Farida had his other brother pinned to the ground, and by the look of things, the Murk Raiders were on stand-by, letting the Raptoress do as she pleased. She was still bandaged up, but she looked far from weak and damaged in this crowd. This was not the look of a prisoner. This did not make sense! Where was Nakoto in all of this? Before he could demand this loud, he was interrupted.
"What are wee lil Raptors of Bogaton doin' in my den?"
A voice slithered from behind Repton, and he looked over his shoulder to find Scabulous stepping out of the crowd. He circled on the outskirts so that he would soon stand at Farida's side, his flesh hand resting on the hilt of one of his sabres. His eye never faltered eye contact with Repton. His mouth split into a lopsided crescent of sharp, serrated teeth, and he chuckled. "Has Cyclonis really resorted to sendin' lizards through the cracks?"
Repton straightened up, his attention shifting from Scabulous to Farida, then to Scabulous again. He took a moment before proceeding, recognizing that the fighting might be over and it was time to speak his terms. He had to get to the bottom of this, but he couldn't let his disoriented emotions cloud his judgement. His nostrils flared as he inhaled breath.
"I'm not here in her name, but under my own," he started. Scabulous scoffed, shooting a look in Farida's direction.
"Likely story! And what business do ye have wit me, then? I'm assuming this is totally unrelated to our sweet lassies."
Farida growled contemptibly, rolling her eyes. Repton's brow quirked for a moment, but he recovered and pointed his boomerang at Farida, calling her regard back. She considered him with a neutralizing expression, degrading into a guarded curiosity.
"I have come to take the sisters from here and to Terra Bogaton."
Scabulous burst into more laughter, loud and cruel, and his lackeys followed suit with their own chorus of mirth. Farida looked around briefly, not joining in Repton's mockery.
The captain didn't recover completely from his guffaws and questioned with crackling composure, "And 'ow do you think ye'll take 'em from me?"
Without pause, Repton shot back;
"If I must subdue you, I will. You up for that challenge, you filthy hull-leech?"
Scabulous' humour died after that remark, and he stepped forward with the intention to draw both twin sabres at the same time. His arms crossed his torso and grasped their hilts, ready to pierce the air with a violent X. Repton was well prepared to meet with the attack but the both of them were halted by Farida's own scoff of disdain.
"Well isn't this just rich!" she spat, hoofing the foot she had pinning Hoerk down. The Raptor grunted in response, trailed by a wheeze. She waved her sword carelessly and flicked her tail impatiently. A shard of violet crystal was evidently growing back at the tip.
She continued scornfully, "You think we're just a bunch of possessions to win, huh? If you think you're worth that much, don't flatter yourself."
The Murk Raider captain's bearings were undecided for a few moments, paused mid-step and mid-draw. His fingers twitched before he withdrew his hands from the hilts, straightening up. He closed his eye, coughed into his fist and cleared his throat.
"My apologies, lil Sky-Lily."
Farida's nose wrinkled at the title, but she said nothing. Repton grew fed up with the run-around and threw his hands up in annoyance.
"Answer me, Farida!" he shouted. "Why are you siding with them? Tell me what's going on; none of this makes sense!"
"Nah, what doesn't make sense is the fact that you thought to bring these two bumbling buffoons with you on a stealth mission... or at least, that's what I'm assuming you were aiming for." Farida took a moment to glare down at Hoerk, who diverted his gaze. She looked back at Repton with a risen brow. "What did you think you could do?"
Repton could only respond with a shake of his head, disregarding the Raptoress' derogatory statements. "It's going around the Atmos that these bandits stormed Atmosia and took you against your will, but the truth is you're friends? They assaulted you!"
Scabulous looked pleased with himself and made a series of steps back toward Farida, a saunter. "See, they believed it. I made it quite convincin'," he purred.
Farida's lip twitched. "I never said you didn't. I still think it was a bit overboard..."
Their Atmos-cursed insolence!
"Why-are-you-here?" Repton enunciated through clenched teeth. "You don't look like you need saving at all! Answer me!"
"Cyclonis was sending over Nightcrawlers, so Scabulous got us before they did."
The Raptor King blinked at the suddenly clear and to-the-point answer. It seemed Farida was done with her games and decided to take him seriously. Her expression didn't waver.
"How... did you know about the Nightcrawlers?"
Farida stepped off of Hoerk and put her sword away. She shot down a strict look at him, wordlessly commanding him to behave, and he may as well have understood. He got to his feet slowly, groaning under his breath, and he then stood quietly. Farida moved towards Repton and perched her hands on her hips haughtily. The words that left her lips next took him by surprise, having been the last thing he would have considered at that moment. Farida retorted with a sneer,
"Oh I dunno, aren't you the one who sent the freakin' letter?"
Repton's mouth opened slightly in confusion, unable to form words. The letter? The letter that Nakoto never received? Luchas was by Section Zero almost the entire time, and Repton would've thought there would be mention of this letter even if it had arrived without his monitoring. But what of it? A Murk Raider abduction was definitely not something he thought would result in her receiving the letter. Farida watched him with a look of impatience, which Repton resented.
"I sent a letter, but I didn't send it to him," he said lowly, jerking his head in Scabulous' direction. He dismissed the crystal in his boomerang and swung his arm down, but he walked toward Farida with an aggressive air. Scabulous tensed and stepped to intervene, but Farida only stepped forward as well to shorten the distance before he could. Repton slightly towered over her and brought his face close to hers, snouts almost touching.
"I need an explanation," he breathed. "Where is Nakoto in all of this?"
Farida suddenly grew solemn at the question, setting a spark of perplexity within the King of Rogues. The Raptoress closed her eyes and nodded, turning her face slightly away and exhaling through her nostrils. There was a long moment of silence, and everyone waited.
"She seems to trust you enough," she said simply. "I guess we can talk about this in the cabin."
Repton looked to Scabulous, who had been watching the sister gravely. Upon feeling the regard, the captain switched his gaze to Repton, but he didn't change in disposition. He didn't hold the contact long, and he raised his hand high.
"Alrighty, lads. These boys are good in me books. Get back to ye business."
The Murk Raiders eased their weapons and started pulling away. At the moment of release, Leugey waddled quickly to Repton's side, keeping care to stay a good distance from Farida. Hoerk also stepped closer to the party, having picked up his sword and rubbing at his left elbow sorely. With mute authority, Farida made her way past Repton and lead the way, Scabulous keeping up with her pace. Repton glanced at his brothers, who both gave him lost looks, but he made no effort to explain anything to them. He merely beckoned them forth, and once they started moving he brought up the rear, following suit.
The cabin was away from any bustling bodies, making the trip to it feel increasingly eerie. Repton instinctively took note of the path, even though he knew at this point an escape was not completely necessary. Once they got to the door, Scabulous held it open for them as they filed in. Farida, Leugey, Hoerk, then Repton. The captain narrowed his eye at him, to which Repton bore his canine in a scowl. He stepped past him into the cabin, which was a large and spacious study. What you would normally expect of a navigator's room, with a large table in the center and a map of the world on its surface. Various daggers were shoved into the parchment at different points, probably indicating Terras and peaks of importance. Nearby there was a desk and regal chair, and on the wall behind hung a mural of the Murk Raider's insignia, much more decorative than the ones outside. On the opposite side of a room were two chairs and a low coffee table. Casks hung in fish-netting from the ceiling, superstitious charms of sorts, and trinkets on shelves were evidently starting to collect dust.
Farida made her way over to the desk to retrieve something. When she turned around, she held up a piece of paper, folded twice in order to have fit inside an envelope. Now the folds made it crumple pathetically unto itself as she waved it.
"Your letter," she stated. "This letter arrived on Terra Atmosia, addressed to Beta. It's not signed at all, and there was no return address. She's sure it's from you."
Repton nodded. Instead of waiting for him to start asking the same questions again, Farida looked down at the sheet and continued speaking.
"Beta and I were under confinement due to some... incidents. I'm sure you thought that the letter would go straight to her, but because of the situation everything was at a standstill. The only next-of-kin-" Her lips momentarily pursed at those words. "-that wasn't under custody ended up being the Chancellor. He read the letter and essentially arranged an indirect jailbreak."
"With Murk Raiders?" Repton's brow raised skeptically. "What does Scabulous owe Atmosia?"
"I don't owe anyone anythin', let alone that miserable ol' fool," Scabulous uttered coldly. Farida went on without addressing his comment.
"The Chancellor couldn't act publicly; the Terra was going to press charges on us and we were scheduled for a trial. Any attempt to delay this because of some 'warning' would have raised a lot of questions. Maybe the people would have thought he was abusing his power to twist things in his favour. I'm sure there'd be a riot if precious justice wasn't passed quick enough. So, he needed to contact somebody who didn't play by the rules, who also just so happens to know Beta."
The trail of Farida's words disappeared into Repton's consciousness, and in their wake something suddenly clicked in his mind. The mysterious uncle that had been so often mentioned in conversations. Nakoto's uncle, who the Chancellor disapproved of, who could only keep in contact through letters. Of all people, Nakoto's uncle was Scabulous, captain of the Murk Raiders? How did he possibly fit into the Oasium Project? Repton glanced at him and noticed he had crossed his arms, his eye closed and contemplating. The fact that he was, for some insane reason, a legal guardian at any time didn't change the fact that he beat Nakoto senseless upon 'rescuing' the sisters. He did mention before that he tried to make it convincing, but that was a bit too convincing; even Nakoto was so dazed from the encounter she couldn't give away their relationship. Had Scabulous not knocked her out so quickly, maybe she would have.
This explanation eased Repton a little bit, no matter how far-fetched it was. As it were, the entire Atmos was led to believe that the Murk Raiders stole them away for profit, completely unrelated to foiling Cyclonis' plan. His letter made a difference after all. Farida noticed Repton's relaxed demeanour and raised her brow.
"Not gonna ask how they know each other? You've been shooting questions left and right since you got here."
"I'm sure Nakoto will tell me if she so chooses," Repton replied absentmindedly. "I'm assuming someone has gone to inform her I'm here?"
Again, the solemn look returned to Farida's face and she cast her eyes to the ceiling, thinning her lips. A feeling of discomfort seeped in when she didn't say anything. Repton waited, but he had to speak up again, his voice taking a serious tone.
"Am I wrong?"
There was a jolt of agitation in Repton's heart when Farida, again, hesitated. Her eyes shifted on what she was focusing on the ceiling. Repton pivoted toward Scabulous, squaring off his shoulders threateningly. The captain gave him a hard look, then shrugged his shoulders with a sigh.
"She's not in at the moment," he said.
"'Not in'? Where in the world could she be right now?" Repton asked. Farida hummed for a moment, calling his attention back. She brought her eyes back to him and wrinkled her nose.
"She didn't say why, but..." she started, "... but she said she had something to do... in Cyclonia."
The name hit him hard. What? He had come all this way, and Nakoto wasn't even here. Why would she go out in a time like this? Sure, the Atmos suddenly had wool pulled over its eyes, but she risked totally ruining the charade by flying out. She was supposed to play the part as the Chancellor had planned. She was supposed to stay in her haven here and wait until Repton would take her to Bogaton, where he would keep her safe. Cyclonis would still think the sisters were with the Murk Raiders, and that would keep her busy for a bit. If she ever did find out the sisters were gone, it could be assumed that they were either dead or sold, but that seemed so far off in the future to consider right now. Right now, she wasn't even here. She was in the place she swore she would never return to unless it was on her death wish.
Death wish.
"I have to leave," Repton said urgently. Farida stared at him in alarm, taken aback by the change of tone. "She didn't tell you why she was going and you let her go? Do you understand what you've done?"
"What are you so jumpy about?"
His brothers, who had been quiet throughout their conversation also shared their own expressions of bewilderment as he passed them. Before he got to the door, Scabulous hooked his arm with his claw-hand, the rough steel clamped tightly. Repton bore his teeth at him and grasped the fingers of the prosthetic.
"Y'know somethin' we don't," the captain grunted. Repton bent the hooked-appendages back and shook himself free.
"Nakoto would never go to Cyclonia for just anything. When did she leave? I need to stop her!"
"Hold on, lad!"
"Get out of my way! Leugey, Hoerk, move!"
The brothers were too disoriented by the turn of events to respond. Repton gnashed his teeth at the incompetence and evaded Scabulous' attempts to further immobilize him. He got to the door and opened it sharply and fully. In its outward arc, it collided with something, making the steel shudder. There was a yelp of dismay and then a series of noises expressing pain. Puzzled and a little annoyed, Repton stepped out into the hallway to investigate, and he found Nakoto doubled over, rubbing her face.
"Ow, ow, ow," she repeated under her breath with a hint of a whine. She straightened up and revealed it was the bridge of her snout that suffered the blow. Her eyes were watery and she blinked away the tears, having not registered Repton yet. "I didn't see that coming..."
The King of Rogues stared at her blankly. Nakoto snorted and continued to rub her face gingerly. Both Farida and Scabulous joined them in the hallway and took in the situation. Farida glanced at Repton with hooded eyes, unimpressed.
"You were saying...?"
Repton would have barked something back at her, but he had to address the amount of relief that washed over him then. He went to press his back against the wall beside the door opposite of where Nakoto was, letting out a gust of breath he had been holding.
"Welcome back, Nakoto," Scabulous said. "Y'alright?"
"Yeah, yeah," she groaned. "No worries. Why were you rushing out?"
"Oh, it wasn't us..."
There was a pause where no one said anything. Repton looked up and from around the door Nakoto slowly approached him. For what seemed like a long time, Repton had watched Nakoto through the Eye and never felt her gaze upon him, but now he realized it was something he missed. Her expression was a mixture of surprise and wonder, and she ended up smiling a little, her eyes following its influence. It brightened up her overall weary visage.
"I can't believe it... I didn't think you'd come here," she said. She caught sight of Hoerk and Leugey in the cabin, who lingered by the door. "These... must be your brothers."
Hoerk looked back at her warily, probably paranoid she was secretly as malicious as her sister. Leugey, on the other hand, smiled at the floor bashfully, twiddling his fingers.
"I came to speak with you." Repton found his voice at last, thankfully free of any hints of weakness. He did, however, find it hard to form exactly what he wanted to say. "I was... caught off-guard by the turn of events, and I wanted to..."
Nakoto watched his struggle for words for a moment. "Of course. We can talk in the cabin in private."
"Well, if that be the case-" Scabulous rattled his metallic fingers in Hoerk and Leugey's direction. "-I want these louts workin' with their snouts to the brimstone. Can't 'ave 'em loiterin' while ye handle yer business."
"So be it," Repton answered. "Hoerk, Leugey; do whatever Scabulous tells you."
The brothers seemed reluctant at first, but they left with Scabulous on their heels, who was going off about how they were to address him as "Cap'n". Farida lingered behind and shared a serious look with her half-sister, who in turn placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I'll talk to you later, Farida. I don't think we'll be too long."
Farida's lips pursed and she looked at Repton, then back to Nakoto again. She eventually nodded and made her way down the hallway, in the opposite direction Scabulous and the other Raptors exited. Nakoto stepped into the cabin and Repton followed suit, closing the door behind them. Nakoto made her way to the chairs and coffee table, laughing a little.
"Praise, Lord of Bogaton," she sang tiredly. "It really hasn't been long since we've seen each other, but there's so much to catch up on."
End of Chapter
A/N: Anddddddddddddd guess who's back!
It has been quite a long time. I'm sorry for any of you that are still sticking around, I've done you a great disservice. Life has been incredibly insane for me emotionally and physically. Now I'm graduating university, seeking new love and seeing the world at a different perspective than I had before. And all the while, I always came back to check on this story. Your reviews meant a lot to me, you know, and when I saw new ones appear during my absence it really touched my heart. I wanted to release this chapter when I had a lengthy buffer of chapters but I just couldn't keep anyone waiting. I hope that it makes up for things.
The next chapter will be released next week. In the meantime, I would love to hear your thoughts and how you're doing!
~Vix