Nearby, Carson and Conner eyed each other, then converged on her at once. Carson's freckled face was set in concern and raging curiousity; Conner displayed more of a poker face, giving her an easy smile that to his credit, was rather dazzeling.
    "Oi, Jane," Carson began, "What did you-" he was cut off suddenly as a length of thick iron cord struck his lower back. Before anyone could think or cry out, the three of them were suddenly pushed forcefully together and dragged over the side by a lasso of the cord, splintering the railing. They fell in a heated tangle of limbs and torsos, and Jane felt herself enfolded protectively by both of the boys. They acted instinctivley, and it was best for Jane, who was on the bottom, that they did. With more splintering of wood, they crashed into the deck of another ship. Conner grunted, and Carson screamed. His arm had cusioned Jane's head, stopped it from smashing into the ground, and been broken.
    Before any of the could move, all three of them were struck on the head and knocked unconcious.

    Back on the ship, Raff, who had been headed their way to intercept the two boys, had seen what happened. He ran to the destroyed rail, leaning far over the edge. "Jane!" he cried, and was about to call for the others when what he was seeing really hit him. A Patrol ship, it's sails black and the weights hanging about it ship intricatly and sinisterly carved, veered out from where it had been hiding benieth them, somehow. "Red alert!" Raff bellowed with enough volume for every ear on the Cloudcutter to ring. "Battlestations! Captain Knight to the deck!" For a split second after his words, there was stunned silence all around; then everyone jumped into action. Alex and his gunners cranked the cannons up onto the deck while every other thing was lashed down.
    The Patrol ship angled away from them, making a u-turn to head back to the undertown they had left a few days ago. The Captain burst out of his office, back in his fine clothes, and sprinted for the helm, shouting orders as he ran. Raff told him what had happened as the Captain brought her about.
    Captain Knight swore under his breath. "Of all the times for the blasted Patrol to show it's ugly face," he fumed.

Mordecai heard the call to hands on deck and ran upstairs. When he got there he grabbed the first crewmember he could reach, who was J.J. "What's happened? What's going on?!" J.J. looked back at Mordecai with a face that seemed worried at first, but was all of a sudden horrified. At first, J.J. wouldn't open his mouth, as if afraid to tell Mordecai of what was going on. "J.J.! I need to know what is going on!" J.J. seemed about to wet himself, but he opened his mouth to speak. "It's Jane, she's been taken overboard by the Patrol! Carson and Conner too!" Mordecai realized why J.J. had been afraid, and now Mordecai had mixed feelings of horror and pure rage. He let go of J.J. and patted him on the back, then ran back downstairs to his hammock. Sitting there, leaning against the wall expectantly, was Mordecai's axe. He had gotten it from his father, and after he died Mordecai had only used it to actually kill a man once. The thought of killing made Mordecai uncomfortable, but those Patrolmen took his sister, and they were going to die! Quickly but reluctantly Mordecai took up the axe and weighed it in his grip. It seemed lighter than it used to be, then he realized that he'd become stronger for all his work. Mordecai swung it through the air with ease, and held it aloft admiringly. But he knew what he had to do. He steeled himself, and ran back up to top deck.
        Mordecai leapt onto the deck from the stairs below and took it all in. The running, yelling, tugging, hauling chaos. He looked over the side of the starboard bow, and off nearly 200 yrds and closing was a patrol ship; trying to escape Mordecai's and the Captain's wrath alike. Mordecai's anger flamed into hate, and all he could do for a moment was glare at that ship, and weigh swift judgement on all the souls onboard. Then he remembered himself, and ran back across the deck; seeing Captain Jackson on the helm. Mordecai approached and shouted from the deck."What's the plan of attack Captain?!"

   "We strafe 'em on the left side," the Captain bellowed to his gunners. "Avoid their counter strike and come around for another. We're smaller than she is; we're faster but less powerful." He paused for a minute to bodily throw a few levers, dropping the ship abruptly and taking advantage of the sudden drop to get some wind in their sails and speed after the Patrol ship, right on their tail. "We cut her weights, scuttle her, storm her, and get them back!"
   The Patrol vessel was twisted and dark, a messy thing of all sharp angles and spines. As they caught up to it, a name became visible in sharp silver letters; The Maleficent.
   Raff took up a strong position behind the Captain's left side, ready to back him up if the steering got difficult. Alex and his gunners, Beau and Gunny, manned three of the four cannons on the deck. Carson was also a gunner, and the Captain noticed his absence immediatly. "Conner is gone, too," he murmered with a stricken face. Turning eyes full of dispair and hard determination on Mordecai, he pointed to the unmanned cannon, a hunk of dark metal and sooty, exposed gears, an antiquated firing system involving loading a fist sized hunk of iron into the barrel, pulling a huge firing pin back and slapping the button to fire. "You won't be needing that, Mr. Mordecai," he shouted, nodding to his axe. "Man that cannon."

Mordecai nodded. "Aye Captain!! Though I certainly hope to use it." Mordecai said to himself after yelling to the Captain. He ran to the last gun on that side of the deck quickly and  assessed the situation. The Ammunition was neatly splayed in a net on the floor next to the gun, the firing mechanism was old fashioned but Mordecai remembered how it worked. Soon enough, Mordecai had loaded the cannon balls into the mechanism, was seated, and ready to fire. He rubbed his sweaty hands on the handle, bracing and steeling himself with the machine. he looked over at the other boys for reassurance. They seemed well enough, and the Captain looked almost ready to give the order. Mordecai put his eye back in the sights and concentrated on his target, getting closer, he waited for the command; his hands trembling with anxiety and cold excitement.

    "Fire into the weight pulleys!" the Captain yelled for Mordecai's benefit. They came into range of the other ship's cannons, and everyone on deck dropped when they heard the whistling and deafening cracks as the shots were fired. A split second after the shots began, the Captain suddenly swooped closer to the other ship, throwing off their gunners and giving his gunner's a closer target. "Fire!" he bellowed.

Mordecai flinched as the enemy fire whizzed over his head, then gripped the gun hard and fired the moment Captain Jackson gave the order. The world exploded and shook for a moment, and Mordecai's shot flew true. The ball crashed into the ship's hull and through the weight rope. At the same time, shots from all over the deck had gone off, and the more experienced cannoneers made Mordecai's shot look like child's play. Not only did they sever the weights, but with maximum efficiency and perfect momentum and targeting, they tore right into the enemy ship's hull and did even more damage.

    The Cloudcutter took her share of damage too, loosing some weights. Some of the levers up at the helm rattled as the weights they controlled were severed. The Captain threw more levers as Raff struggled to keep the ship on course and bring her around. The Captain moved with insane speed, compensating for the lost weights and gradually bringing the ship right again just as they rounded for another run. The Maleficent floundered, her helmsman not as fast as Captain Knight, and shuddered through the air. "Grapplers ready!" came the order, and the other crew members, even Brax, hefted big iron grapples on thick ropes, ready to hurl them at the other ship.
    Suddenly, the Patrol ran up a green flag of parlay. The Captain grunted. "They've discovered Jane only has the necklace," he said. "They'll be wanting the other peices as well, and don't want to risk loosing them if they destroy the Cloudcutter." He steered the ship out of their range and set her to hover as the crew set down their grappling hooks and started on some hasty, temporary repairs. Luckily, no one had been seriously hurt in the quick battle. Beau had been grazed across the cheek with a splinter of wood, but Dr. Damien already had it bandaged and Beau was as stoic as ever. A strained mood settled over the airship, as everyone worried terribly for Jane, Carson and Conner.
    The Captain confered in hushed voices with Raff, Wesley and Alex, with Brax hovering worridly near, then they raised the answering green flag, accepting the parlay. Raff walked up to Mordecai. "The Captain himself is going to negotiate the release of your sister and the other crewmen," he informed him gravely.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:25, Fri 14 Jan 2011.

Mordecai nodded to Raff, and walked back down the deck. He stood at the bow again, watching that ship. He discerned the name on the bow, though battered, he knew the name. Maleficent was a ship he had seen before, and one he didn't like. He knew what the souls on that ship were like, and they were colder than his had ever been. He hoped more than anything that Jane was unhurt, and that the others were alright. But he knew that they wouldn't be on that ship. He hoped that Jackson knew what he was doing, going to make terms with those men alone.
        Wait! Alone? I should think not! Mordecai immediately turned back to the deck and strode to the helm. Jackson was there, seeing to the ship being in order before he left it. Mordecai approached the helm carefully and addressed the Captain. "Captain, Sir!" Captain Jackson didn't even glance his way, but he heard Mordecai nonetheless. "Yes, Mr. Mordecai?" Mordecai did his best to remain discreet, but he could barely control himself. "I would request that you take a man with you than to go alone on this, hardly diplomatic venture."

   The Captain threw three more levers, locking the last in place slowly as his shoulders moved in a quiet sigh. The ship groaned and stabalized, from where it had been listing three inches to starboard. The Captain placed his hands on his narrow hips and turned to face Mordecai, his face stern. "Mr. Mordecai. Thank you for your offer, but I'm going alone."

Mordecai's face didn't change, he was good at keeping his cool. But inside his spirit was shot down. He just smiled. "Be careful sir!" Mordecai turned and walked across the deck. He reached the bow, and looked at the ship just a number of yards away. He narrowed his eyes, and made a sombre promise to the axe at his belt.

   The Captain blinked, having expected Mordecai to put up more of a fuss than that. Oh well, it was fine by him, as long as Mordecai didn't try anything foolish.
   He pounded out some details with Raff, quickly and quietly, about the music box and the heart-shaped trinket. They were not to be handed over, even if Jane and the Captain were both killed. In that case, they were to flee, and hide, and hope to get the necklace back sometime. But the Captain didn't beleive for a second that that would happen. He had had too many close scrapes with death, too many close calls and near misses for it all to lead up to this, and have him die right at the end. The curse was about to climax, he knew; he could feel it growing in him as all the artifacts came together.
   He would save Jane, and get the necklace off of her tonight. Then, they would see. The Captain put on his best suit jacket, austere black with pinstripes to match his pants, with a dark red woolen waistcoat underneith and a longsleeved white shirt. But no tie. Jackson hated ties.
   He stood by the helm, allowing himself to be seen by the other ship as being ready to negotiate. As soon as they signaled, he would go over to their ship. He felt the comforting weight of some throwing knives strapped to his legs and back, and hoped they would be enough.

   Meanwhile, as the other ship prepared to recieve him, the three captured crew members were put together in a small room in the bowels of the ship. All were tied to a chair, even Carson, who's arm was broken. All were still unconcious. In the middle of the room was an odd box about the size of man, with a window in the top, but it didn't look like it could be opened.

   Jane slowly began to regain consciousness, along with a terrible headache. She groaned, and lifted her head up to look around. Her heart skipped a fearful beat, and she looked around the unfamiliar room. She tugged at the ropes tying her wrists and ankles to the chair, and cried out softly. Too tight. She looked at Carson and Connor, calling their names softly.
   She could still feel the necklace, heavy against her chest. A part of her sighed with relief, and another groaned in despair. Her eyes were drawn to the strange box in the center of the room, and she called for the two boys again, praying that they would wake up.

    Conner was the first to whisper her name back to her, a few minutes after she'd woken up. His handsome face was twisted in pain as hers must have been, and his breathing was ragged as he looked around, his gaze staying on Carson for long moments. "Are you alright?" he asked her.

   "Headache... But," she looked at Carson, and his swollen and twisted arm, "...but my arm isn't broken." she shuddered, and tugged at the ropes around her wrists again, "Are you alright?"

   He nodded, also testing his bonds. "The Captain will save us." he said with certainty.

   Jane tried to reasure herself with his certainty, and glances to the strange box once again, "Do you know who has us?" she whispers, looking at him.

  He nodded again, this time with fear blatantly on his face. "The Patrol," he whispers.

   Jane's fear rises to the surface, and her breathing quickens, "No. No, no, no, no..." she shakes her head, "I'm wanted..." she drops her head, her hands clenching into fists.

   Conner laughs breathlessly for a few moments. "Every man aboard the Cloudcutter is wanted. It's the reason we took you in. You were being chased, and you would have led them right to us if we hadn't taken you and ran," his laughter turned to wheezing breathing as he rubbed his wrists raw on the ropes binding them, trying to make them wet with his blood so he could slip out. "The Captain has protected every one of us from them for years. But this time, somehow, they got the better of us."

   Jane laughed weakly, "Good to know." she tugged at the ropes around her wrists, bending down to try and bite them loose. Was it even possible to get off this ship? Probably. With enough luck, but Carson and his arm... Jane bit down on the rope hard, partially to keep herself from crying out.

Back on the Cloudcutter, Mordecai had been trying to think of a way to reach that ship, without being noticed by the Patrol or Jackson's crew. It was rediculous, Mordecai knew; but there had to be a way. Mordecai paced next to his hammock, absolutely furious. He couldn't think of any way that was at all realistic. He kicked a pile of ropes in frustration, and held his head in his hands. Suddenly, Mordecai had an idea. It was rediculous, but it might work. He gathered up all of the rope and measured it. It was definitely long enough to reach the other ship, but he couldn't go directly to it, he would definitely be seen. He coiled it over his shoulder and headed for the back of the ship.

    Up on deck, the Patrol ship finally extended a plank for Captain Knight to cross on. Raff grabbed his arm before Jackson could take a step. "Captain, with all due respect, this is ludicrous." he growled. "You shouldn't be risking yourself. Let me or Alex go." But again, the Captain shook his head.

    "The Patrol know about the curse. If any but I go, the negotiation will be mishandled. You guys don't know about the details; I do. I know things even those b***ards don't know. Now. If the worst happens, you know what to do. Save the crew, as many as you can." He gave a sad little smile and clapped his Quartermaster on the shoulder. "That little voice in my head is whispering about how this will all end. I'm not going to let it end that way."

    Straightening his jacket with a toss of his head, Captain Jackson stepped onto the plank, his face grave and determined.

    Tall, shaven-headed Patrol officers waited for him, long black trench-coats covering them from chin to ankle. The three of them took up flanking positions around the Captain, and they walked into a doorway leading below decks. Jackson's crew watched with fearful and proud expressions, fingers itching to do something to help their Captain and crew mates. But all they could do was be ready. They understood that. If they did something rash, it would only put their friends in more danger.

    No sooner than the Captain was out of sight then the Patrol officers struck, faster than he had anticipated. With a quick jab of a drugged needle on the Captain's neck, he collapsed in a boneless heap, his expression vaugely surprised.

    They carried him to the room where the still unconcious threesome were bound to chairs, and sealed the Captain in the box in the middle of the room. As they gradually woke up, he was actually in their midst. He stirred a little as the quick sedative wore off, and a rustling was heard from inside the box.

   Jane froze, her eyes turning toward the strange box on the floor. She watched it with worry and fear, "Um, Connor? Did you hear that?" She nodded her head toward the box.

    Connor looked confused. "No, what?" He looked toward the strange box, and was about to speak when the rustling came again, this time accompanied by a soft moan. A hand pressed against the little glass window on the top of the box from the inside. Connor gasped.