Chapter 5

On Leave

Hollow sat in his small iron cabin in the depths of the heart of The Lady Vengeance. It's frame iron and barely decorated with a neat and ordered selection of everything he used and everything he held dear around the room. A single rounded window let a beam of light illuminate the slow floating dust and bring with it a sense of hope and calm. A cabinet, his armour neatly packed on top and his rifle resting against the side. He lay on his bed propped against the cold steel wall behind him, thumbing through the pages of a book as his eyes darted from word to word losing himself in another novel. Its pages old and crisp, he found a sense of solace and comfort in escaping into its paragraphs. Suddenly, from down the corridor he heard Rage's voice echo loudly "GET BACK HERE!" which made him blink, stumble and lose his place on the page and with it, his almost unwavering calm. "OH NO DON'T YOU DARE TRY AND GET OUT AGAIN!" Rage continued, before making several large clunking and banging sounds. Sighing and rising to his feet, Hollow put his book down and walked over to his heavy steel door, swinging it shut and locking it leaving Rage as nothing more than a muted, distant rumbling Turning round, he walked back over to his bed and reached down to pick up his book. Before he sat down his eyes glanced over to the only decoration on the otherwise solid-grey walls. Close to the top of the bed a single photo hung of him. He stood, smiling amongst a blue sky and a beautiful girl with long, fiery red hair and a coy grin hugged him from behind. In the corner, delicately signed "I'll be with you. Forever x." A small smile broke over his face before he lay back down on the bed and began reading from where he left off.

"Aylia you are SO much more trouble then you're worth!" Rage yelled as he slammed his door closed and turned back into hi room "but there's no way out now! Ha!" He added, seemingly shouting at nothing but his incredibly messy room. Unlike Hollow, clothes were scattered all over as his guns lay across his heavily dishevelled bed. A mix of scorch marks and posters covered his walls with several different themes creating a sense of visual chaos. Towards one side of his room stood a large glass vivarium that contained a mix of plants and dirt. However it was currently missing it's sole habitant. "Come on Aylia! I just wanted to feed you, why you gotta do this every time?!" he spoke as his eyes nervously darted around the entire room. After a few seconds of silence he heard a slight rustling to see the small spotted leopard gecko poke its little head out from amongst some clothes. Rage threw himself forward managing to clutch the tiny reptile in his hands before she could make her great escape; her small head poking out and darting around. "Got you now!" he gleefully mused as he bought her up to his face, smiled then put her back inside her home as she scuttled around. Throwing in a cricket for her dinner he turned back to his room and sighed, putting his hands on his hips. "This was neat twenty minutes ago, you are more trouble then you're worth Aylia" He moaned, before turning his head to look at her devouring a cricket as she turned her big black eyes up to face him. He smiled "aww I couldn't stay mad at you...but you're not being let out again." Seemingly either unenthused by his response, or not interested, she turned back to her meal before darting under a rock to hide.

Ashley sat in front of his large monitors that streamed a constant buzz of words, numbers and codes. His desk curved round and stood in front of a large window that gave him a tremendous view across the entire ship. He sat in his high backed black chair, typing frantically on his keyboard before wheeling it sideways to take note of numbers on another monitor, then heading back to type in more information. The numbers and words never stopped darting and dancing across the screen as his eyes took in seemingly limitless information. Stopping briefly he pulled out a small box from under his desk and placed it on the table. Flipping open its lid he pulled out tobacco, papers, some card and a clump of marijuana which he began to expertly roll into a joint. From behind him, the large doors parted as Gubiak stepped in and walked up to the desk. Ashley paused, looked up at his companion and instantly noticed his solemn expression; one he'd unfortunately become all too familiar with recently. Gubiak stared ahead at the monitors, his eyes stern yet his face contorted slightly. The image of a man who had seen the things men should never see. He took a few steps over to a wall where a giant board stood, on it the names of almost a hundred different ships and vessels were listed. Almost all of them were crossed off. Slowly reaching down he picked up a black pen before crossing off three more as Ashley watched from the background. His hand lingers and hangs as he draws the last line through. Only a small handful of ships left from the once impressive fleet. Replacing the pen he sighs heavily, as Ashley finishes rolling behind him and places the spliff in his mouth ready to light it. "We're losing" Gubiak states over his shoulder, his hands firmly by his sides. Slightly taken aback by the hearty chuckle he hears from behind him, he turns to face Ashley who is taking a long drag. Removing it from his mouth he replies "You say that as if we were winning once" before smiling and exhaling. A smirk passes across Gubiak's face as his friends cynicism brings with it a sense of odd reassurance, reaching into his pocket he pulls out a hip-flask full of a strong polish vodka and takes a large swig.

The bar was noisy and alive with the sound and song of drunken revellers. Its walls beige and peeling with dozens of ornaments of the old world as decoration. Its many chairs taken by a mix of old and young, survivors and scavengers all enjoying the strong drinks as a way of escaping their troubles and cutting loose. At the bar, and with his deep american drawl now slurred from the large amount of alcohol consumed, Tyde sat heartily laughing and joking with nearby survivors that wanted to hear tales of the famed crew of Songbird. "Oh man lemme tell ya we were THIS CLOSE to gettin all our guts ripped out by a baby votor because SOMEONE got the egg mixed up with our food supply" He bellowed out to the group of equally drunk revellers that had gathered around the large man. Taking a swig of his drink, which he then slammed back down onto the already booze-soaked bar he turned a broad hand around and tapped the shoulder of Fluke who was next to him, facing the bar. "And who did that huh fluke?!" Tyde drawled, the turn of his head causing him to have to drunkenly regain focus over a few seconds. "Tyde that was you" Fluke responded with a laugh as he picked up his own drink and took a swig, leaving the big guy to spend a few seconds trying to piece it all together in his alcohol-hindered state. His face contorted into one of confusion, it was quickly interrupted by his bellowing laugh before he turned back to the group, "Oh yeah I guess that WAS me!" as his attentive audience also laughed. He picked up his drink, downed the remnants and gave the mug back to the bartender who knew the American well enough to get him a new round. "Either way, it tasted delicious!" he finished and the entire group began laughing together. It was hard not to, his upbeat demeanour was infectious. Fluke however still dwelled on what was said before and what lay ahead. Finishing his drink off he looked up at the bartender as he gave him the empty glass "Graves can you make sure he doesn't cause too much trouble and gets back in one piece?" Fluke stated, half joking. The barman smiled and nodded as Fluke picked himself up, patted Tyde on the shoulder to say goodnight and headed out. Passing through the room several people waved and said hello with smiles, attention the talented captain normally relished but tonight there was too much on his mind.

He walked along the long metal corridors that housed a large amount of the ships inhabitants. Salvaged from old sea-ships and tankers they had a thick metal design that carried with it a sense of safety and inhumanity. His footsteps echoed down the empty corridor as he passed dozens of locked doors until finally stopping outside one. Decorated with cute drawings and childlike images of animals, fluke peered in through the circular porthole on the door. Inside the room was a haven of soft with blankets and pillows everywhere. It's walls almost completely covered by pictures and drawings as the faint glow of fairy lights strung up around the corners of the room added a serene sense of comfort and peace. Curled up in a thick blanket and fast asleep on the bed Pocket lay her face poking out amongst the mountain of warmth. Fluke smiled at seeing his crew both enjoying himself although the thought of what was to come and where he had to take them quickly re-entered his mind as he looked to the floor. Memories of his crew before still haunted him and he swore it would never happen again. Picking himself up with a determined look on his face he headed down to the hanger where his ship was being fixed. He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.

"For the last time I KNOW what i'm doing you insensitive, grating piece of software now will you let me work in peace!" Evanz shouted at his glimmering blue companion who stood a few feet away projected from a circular platform. Sat inside the engine room of Songbird, Evanz was arm deep in a panel rearranging dozens of wires and cables in an almost madcap fashion. The AI sighed and crossed his arms "Fine but it doesn't mean i'm wrong" he responded in his typically sarcastic know-it-all tone. Rolling his eyes Evanz continued to plug various objects into each other before finally moving back and slamming the panel closed. Taking a few steps over he turned on a couple of switches before turning to face Juke. "Yeah well you being right doesn't mean i'm not either!" he snarkily replied before opening a large metal case and taking out a small, blue circular disc that glowed faintly. Returning to the wall panel next to the switches he plugged it into a flat panel on the wall and with a click it began to whir and turn as energy passed through it. "Right, finished. I hope" Evanz smiled before being interrupted by the smooth AI voice "You hope."

"You know one of these days, i'm going to remove you" Evanz replied as he begun walking out of the ship and into the hanger.

"You can't remove me, you'd be lost without my conversation. Who else would you talk to for hours about science and crystals that ACTUALLY understood you?" Juke stated as he passed from various different AI devices before finally ending up in a floating UFO similar that mirrored the miniature model, just with more features.

"Well then I can just replace you, I mean, A.K.A.S.H has been coming a long way" Evans smirked as Juke's face fell.

"You told me you stopped work on that!" The concern audible as Evanz only laughed in response. As they got out of the ship and into the hanger they were met by Fluke who walked over to the pair, interrupting their domestic. "Ah Fluke! Just in time, i'm about to test the new feature of songbird" Evanz stated, the excitement obvious in his voice as Fluke's face turned into one of a slight smirk.

"You say that every time, what is it now, new seats?" He quipped. Evanz paused a moment

"Well...Technically there ARE 5 more to hold the others but it's not JUST that. The invis mod is up and hopefully running, new engine ballasts which i'll need Tyde to go over" He replied before heading over to a nearby panel that housed dozens of keys and buttons for Evanz to remote test the new components. "Well you're gonna have to wait til morning, he isn't exactly in the clearest state at the minute" Fluke replied. Seemingly changing direction instantaneously, the mad scientist headed over to a nearby case and flipped it open. "Oh before I forget I made you this!" he says, turning to face the pilot, arm outstretched and clasping onto a metallic armguard. Almost an entire solid piece of metal, it twisted and curved beautifully with a large screen on the inside. Fluke took it from the beaming scientist inquisitively before turning it over in his hands "New armour?" he questioned

"A small part of, the rest is in the box behind. This however is a Songbird Operational Adjustment Remote or, S.O.A.R" Evanz responded, clasping his hands together in front almost unable to withold his excitement at explaining his latest creation. Fluke flicked a switch on the side which made the information panel light up and come to life. Small boxes, buttons and an ever moving gyroscope hologram projected from his wrist as numbers began to appear across the main display. He pressed a button. A large roar sounded throughout the hanger as Songbird's Engines came to life causing Fluke to startle for a split second before realising that it was him that started them. With a look like a kid at christmas he glanced up and smiled at Evanz, the inventor stood with a similar expression. "Complete remote access to most of Songbirds primary functions, including this" He said before reaching over and pressing a key on the panel causing Songbird to disappear. Fluke, still amazed at how his huge airship could seemingly vanish into thin air at a touch of a button on his wrist could only manage another smile as he looked up at where it once stood, pressed the same button Evanz had and turned off the invisibility. "You two are getting better at all this" He stated, directing it at both Evanz and Juke who seemed surprised to be included in the compliment.