In Time, All Things Are Possible (Rave & darkangel76)

[darkangel76]

The sirens from the alarms were blaringly loud, the lights flashing an obnoxious shade of red and yellow as it sounded again and again and again. Just what was happening? And, all so suddenly Laela had no idea. Then again, she never paid attention to how the ships ran. That wasn't her place or station and never had been. Besides, her mind had been too preoccupied with the fact that she'd finally been leaving her home planet of Helios...

It had been at least ten years since Laela had seen her cousin, Hal—ten long years of lonely isolation. She looked back upon her childhood, that time with her cousin, so very fondly. Hal had always been so kind to her, so fun. Though quite a bit older than herself, he'd never seemed to mind her tagging along and playing with him. And oh how she'd appreciated that! It wasn't often that she'd had any playmates as a child, at least none who stayed for any length of time and Hal and his family had stayed with them for a better part of a year before moving off planet to Themis. She'd cried that day when he had to leave, though—interestingly—Hal had not. She'd admired the boy for being so strong, but then that was why he was now an Illuminati Representative, was it not?

She often times reminded herself that it was.

Laela had always wondered how Hal was doing, had always missed him and inquired after him. But, her parents had always told her that Hal was busy doing good for both Helios and Themis, learning about the Lumos System and the ways of his bloodline within the Illuminati. Then, that fateful day had arrived when she'd heard word through whispers she'd overheard while lingering a bit too long in darkened corners. And eventually, her parents saw fit to tell her: Halmir Quinn is the newest Illuminati Representative for planet Charon. Oh, she was proud of him for earning a station within the ranks, though her parents had seemed a bit put out. Why? He'd earned a station, was proving himself to all just how capable he was.

Wasn't he?

Oh, Laela knew she wasn't overly versed on all the political nonsense of the Illuminati. Her family had kept her too occupied with other things...

Time to dance, Laela. Have you practiced your instruments, Laela? Are you ready for your art lessons, Laela? You must get ready for the party, Laela... Truly, it was always the same. She lived and breathed refinement, constantly 'bettering' herself for another, for that fateful day that she knew would soon be upon her. Her parents often whispered about it, though they never spoke directly to her regarding the matter, and it frightened her terribly. To be so alone, yet destined to be given away to whomever gave them the best offer. Too many times she'd wake up with nightmares of where she'd end up and with whom. It was why she needed to get off planet, to see more of the Lumos System than merely Helios. After all, she hadn't even seen Themis and it was practically next-door! Such a sad existence...

"Warning. Warning. Entering atmosphere." The ship's internal AI voiced the warning, the ship itself almost toppling as it began to literally fall from orbit into the atmosphere of the planet they'd been circling.

Charon. It was practically a desolate wasteland. Cold this time of year, so Laela had heard. Her blue eyes went wide as she looked over at where her parents were sitting, their own faces frantic as the ship's AI voice spoke in cool calmness. She swallowed hard, her mind a swirl of panic at not knowing what to do.

"Get to your seat, Laelestra!" Laela heard her father, Jareth Quentin—renknowned Illuminati official of Helios—shout at her. Her mother, Sherylindria, eyes seemingly wet with un-shed tears looked over at her only child, hands pointing toward an open seat.

Laela smoothed out her coppery gown, the skirts billowing as she began to move across the room. Just then there was a jolt.

"Warning. Warning. We have entered Charon's atmosphere. We have entered Charon's atmosphere."

The very idea that soon they'd be crashing sent Laela's thoughts into a whirl of panic. Instantly, she began to run, her feet trying their best to move. Unfortunately, as the ship jolted and jostled, she tripped on her skirts and fell to the floor with a hard thud and letting out a tiny howl as she landed. Wincing, she pushed her dark hair out of her face, her eyes connecting with those of her father's.

"No time!" Jareth shouted. The ship was falling fast. Faster, faster. All too soon they'd have to brace for landing, crashing upon the rough and harsh terrain of Charon.

Without further hesitation, Laela found a small nearby nook and crawled inside. It was next to what looked like some sort of control panel. But then, she was never any good with buttons, systems or technology. Not caring what it was, she hid inside the nook, her hands moving to cover her head, her face. As the ship continued its descent, falling... falling toward Charon's surface, she just let out a shrill scream. All sorts of things began to fall from overhead—gear, equipment, everything. Then suddenly...

CRASH!

"We have impact. We have impact."

The impact was hard and Laela felt her entire body shake and tremble, her teeth rattling within her skull as the ship struck the surface of Charon. Her thoughts ran wild and she wondered if Hal would ever find them. Would he know to look for them? As the ship seemed to skip along the desolate terrain, she could hear things banging, crashing about her. More things were falling, closing her in. Again, she screamed and her thoughts suddenly turned to her parents. Were they all right? Were they...?

Finally, after the ship settled, Laela focused on her breathing, desperately trying to calm herself down. At least she'd managed to live through the ordeal. Now she just needed to somehow get in contact with Hal, if that was even possible. Licking her lips, she turned to the side and began to push at the debris blocking her way. It was tough at first, but eventually she managed to free herself from her hiding place. Once out, her eyes went wide at the mess before her. Everything was in disarray, seemed broken or worse. As her eyes scanned the area, she noticed the injuries. No... deaths.

Deaths?

Just then, Laela choked on a sob that suddenly bubbled up from within. "No," she whispered half to herself. It couldn't be, but there it was, plain as day. Her parents were both dead and impaled in their seats, their bodies limp and lifeless. Tears streamed down her face, her tummy going queasy. She needed air.

Clutching at her stomach, Laela raced out of the ship. The air was startlingly cold, then again she was used to the warmth of Helios. But she wasn't in a state of mind to dwell on such things. Once outside, she fell onto her knees, her hands pushing back her dark hair. She dry heaved a few times before she finally vomited, feeling more alone than ever. As she finally stood up, she wrapped her arms about herself, her eyes watering. The smoke from the wreckage of her ship was billowing upward into the sky like a homing beacon, no doubt a call to anyone and everyone. She just hoped those who came were 'friendly'. Surely, once they saw that she was Illuminati they would be. Wouldn't they?

Of course they would, she rationalized. But even that thought didn't stop the tears from falling.

 

[Rave]

The ground shook and the earth crackled with quakes of impact as a loud boom of noise hit Icarus and Accalon's ears. It had been a day like any other, and for a pirate that meant another town pillages and their wealth stolen. There was a moment of shock and confusion as people tried to keep their balance, yells and growls to hold on and stay still echoed throughout the ship's rooms as pirates flooded them left and right. Icarus and Accalon looked at each other for a few seconds, before they burst out of their seats and sprinted upstairs faster than anyone could think humans could run. What the hell could have caused such events to happen, they did not know, but they needed to see what was going on. The stairs seemed endless as they climbed and climbed, finally reaching the top after a few moments of running. The barreled their way through the onlooking crowd of people and made their way to the very front, only for their eyes to widen and their bodies freeze at the sight. From the sky, it fell. Debree and Metal falling to the ground in a blazing show of fire, one after the other ramming into the ground as they hauled behind them the cause of the crackling earth. Icarus eyes widened even further as he watched from a distant, a giant ship twirling and twisting through the air, as if an invisible giant held it and threw it to the ground. Every passing second it came closer and closer to impact, and he stood there stunned and speechless. Accalon looked at him for a moment, watching his friend, basically his brother, grow a vicious grin along his lips.

"Everybody get your ass down!"

Accalon yelled out and grabbed his brother by the head, forcing him to duck down along with the rest of their crew as the ship made it's disastrous decent to the ground. They all closed their eyes except for the two Captains. Everyone cowered and held themselves down except for the two Captains, who watched...second by second...until...

CRASH.

The ground quaked viciously as an explosion of fire emerged from the distance. Only after a few moments of sudden quaked and fires did the ground come to a still, and the crew slowly stood up and talked among themselves at what just happened. Slowly, Icarus took to his feet again and watched as smoke escaped the ship and clouded the air around them. He turned his head and looked at Accalon instantly, drawing his attention.

"Take a few a men. Go scout out if anyone is still alive or if there's anything we can use and radio me. If anyone talks to you, kill them."

Accalon grinned at his brother and his tail swung back and forth, before he turned around and yelled out to the crew who was patiently awaiting orders.

"Ready the fucking Vessels, we're going hunting boys!"

The crew roared in savage excitement and a few of them rushed down to the belly of the ship and meddled with a few buttons. Once the right series of commands were pressed, the ship's side suddenly released steam and a small, squared portion at the bottom of the ship began to slide down. It was a door, and through it the sounds of engines and roaring filled the air. Six pirates came riding out on hovering bikes, and dragged behind them the largest one. Accallon looked to his brother for a moment, his fangs bearing in a grin.

""I will not save you any of the fun if you don't come along...have fun with your gentleman crap."

He snarled at his brother, before jumping off of the side of the ship. Oh it was a hefty fall, but Accalon wasn't exactly...as biologically frail as the rest of them. Wind blew through his face as he fell down and finally landed on his bike with a loud thump and crash. Instantly he revved the engine and threw a pair of thick chains around his body, mostly used for combat and whipping the disobedient. With one more loud cry, they were off with the speed of a thousand horses, darting towards the crash site with all the malicious, greedy intent a pirate could muster.

 

[darkangel76]

As Laela stood up, she wiped the back of her mouth with her sleeve. Her lips turned into a frown as she brought her arm away and then about her middle. The air was freezing, a wind licking against her flesh as it blew through the wreck that had once been a beautiful ship, a sight to behold. It was still clearly Illuminati-make, anyone who happened to come by would surely know that those who'd been on board had been important, people of stature, of wealth, of...

Just then, Laela could feel her pale eyes prickling with tears. No one... no one else was emerging from the ship. Not a soul. Even the AI voice stopped its infernal dialogue, ceasing to warn or advise. Not that it had matter. She'd seen what had become of her parents, their impaled bodies stuck fast to their chairs where they'd been sitting in wait for the vessel to crash-land upon this godforsaken planet! The gruesome vision was all to ingrained in her mind, the way her mother had looked, her father... and even the chair that had been meant for her. It too had been broken. To think she'd almost...

No. No, she wouldn't think on it. She couldn't. She'd go mad.

Laela walked around the smoking debris of her ship, pieces still falling from the sky like snow. She tilted her face upward, her arms hugging herself tightly—hands rubbing at her body for warmth as the wind began to howl. What was to become of her now? Would Hal hear of what had happened? They hadn't been due for another couple hours at least, or so she thought. It could be a while before he bothered to send someone. Anyone. And what then?

What then...? What now?! Laela's eyes widened as she heard something loud rumbling in the distance. Almost instantly she felt her muscles tense. Pushing her dark hair away from her eyes, she stared in awe at another ship as it made its way toward her location. It was clear that whomever it was that flew it had seen what had occurred and had gotten curious. But... were they friendly, hostile, something else entirely? She had no idea. This was a first for her. And the ship was too far off for her to make out its markings to even remotely discern its origins, not that she'd know if she could anyway... To think she'd finally gotten the chance to leave Helios, to have the luxury of seeing her beloved cousin—the one person she recalled having been kind to her all those years ago—and now this. Chaos and mayhem! Was that what life was outside the comfort and warmth of the Inner Sanctum?

Both Jareth and Sherylindria Quentin had always reminded Laela—and all too often at that—at just how fortunate she'd been to be born into the world she was. Ah, such a life to be Illuminati-born, destined for a life where she'd want for nothing. Yet...

A part of her questioned. A part of her doubted.

Blinking hard, Laela forced back the tears and watched the new arrival, its engines roaring so loudly she felt the urge to cover her ears, land in the distance. A part of her was morbidly curious as to whom it was that had found her, another part—a larger part—felt that wave of fear, a fear of the unknown. Panic began to course throughout her body, prickling at her flesh and causing it to break out into goose bumps. She whimpered for a moment before letting out an audible gasp, though quickly she sucked in a breath so as to find her composure. After all, she was Laelestra Quentin. Illuminati-born, resident of Helios. Daughter to Jareth and Sherylindria Quentin. She had connections, pull, sway... didn't she?

Oh Hal...

Suddenly, the door to the ship opened and Laela caught sight of what appeared to be smaller vehicles exiting it. Just... what were those? She had absolutely no idea. She'd never seen anything quite like those on Helios. Tilting her head, she felt a knot form in her tummy. How could she have wanted to see Charon before this moment, she had no idea... But none of that mattered. She was on the abominable planet—alone, with no one and nothing—and now she there and there were... things... approaching. Like it or not.

"H-hello?" Laela called out, not knowing what else to do. There was nowhere to hide and even if she'd tried, she knew it would only be a matter of time before being found. They were many and she was one. Besides, didn't she want to be found? Yes. Yes, she did. She needed to get to Hal. He was expecting her. What was more, she was Illuminati. Surely anyone who found that out would be more than eager to assist. Surely... surely...

Biting down on her lip, Laela awkwardly moved through the obstacles of debris, her tiny hands reaching for her shimmering skirts laced with metallic objects—an Illuminati trait, especially those of the wealthier and more prestigious families—so as to more easily make her way toward towards the newcomers approaching the wreckage. She eyed them carefully. And though naïve, her mind swirled with the rumors she'd heard about the Barbaric Rim. Were they true... were they? No. Of course not. Those were mere fancy and fairy stories.

"I am Laelestra Quentin," Laela then announced without much thought that perhaps her name might be recognized... hated, despised, linked to the cousin who was wreaking havoc on the planet she now found herself standing upon. Oh how little of the world she truly knew... Her heart beating fast, she licked her lips and shivered, her mind going into a slight panic. Deciding to bold, she then asked, "Are you all here to rescue me? Did Hal send you?"

With hopeful eyes, Laela looked at the group of men slowly beginning to surround her and the remains of her ship and awaited their answer. As she looked upon them all, her pale eyes were immediately drawn to one man in particular. He stood out from the others, was different. In fact, he was unlike any man she'd ever seen.

Her eyes lingering a bit on the one man—she wondered if he was their leader—she sighed heavily. "Well, did he?"

 

[Rave]

The engines roared louder and louder as the men drove closer to the ship's wreck, and grins formed along all their faces when the ship's patterns began to clear. Oh this was not a regular merchant ship, nor was it a pirate ship like their own. The intricate details, the markings, the metal, all of those things came from one place alone, and that was the inner sanctum. "We've hit it big boys!" One man yelled out, and the rest burst into laughter. Only one kept his composure, only one remained with a grimace on his face and a heart beating slightly faster than the rest. Accalon was not concerned with money, nor was he interested in the metals of the ship. Such desires...they faded way with adolesence, they faded away when he met him...

His goals would never be revealed, not yet. Nor could he be distracted by them right now, and in another engine roar he sped ahead of his men until they finally made their way to the crash site. It was a massacre, with bodies flung all over the ground and blood staining every piece of metal that they could lay their eyes on. Only one thing stuck out, the only remanant of life...a single voice. A soft voice...crying out for help. Accalon raised a hand to halt his men's speed and motion for them to proceed with caution as they made their way around the ship and finally saw the figure that stood there, yelling at them.

"Capt'n! We've got ourselves a live one! It's a li'l prin-sess."

The men burst in crude laughter as their bikes, hovering off of the ground, surrounded her, circled her slowly like predator stalking it's prey. They waited and listened to all of her cries, examined all of her clothes, with silence in response to all her questions. One of the men rode up to the side of Accalon and leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"Capt'n...Quentin is that rich family from Inner Sanctum...ya'know, they be on the radios all the time...she'd fetch a mighty price to the right buyer."

The man grinned and Accalon looked at him for a moment, before swatting him away with one hand to shoo him from his side. Suddenly Accalon stepped off of his bike and let it and onto the ground, his feet thumping down on the ground. He stood up, and only then could she really tell how tall he was...how different he was. As he made his way towards her, she could see everything about him. His skin was scaley, and dark leaf green. His finger nails were extended and long, much like claws. Fangs beared over his lower lip lightly, a long, spiked green tail swayed behind him from side to side, and a pair of horns pretruded from his skull and curved backwards. The man looked more human than animal, a mixed breed...a mutt...as all the filthy nobles called him. He made his way to her and circled her himself, leaning down lightly to sniff at her and catch her scent. Ah, the smell of lavender and oil. She was not of this planet...and the man's words were all but confirmed.

"You've wandered far from home, little princess."

He flashed her a grin and his hand extended forward, his nails retracting so he could grasp her suddenly by her chin and yank her gaze upwards towards him. His eyes were a golden yellow, his pupils thin and cat like, his fangs sharp and visible when he flashed her a grin.

"M'fraid your Hal isn't gonna be seein you for some time...now you best behave before we send you to him in tiny little bruised, fucked, raped, stabbed pieces."

His grin was all but wicked, and his crude and vulgar nature revealed. Just then he grabbed her by her hair and tossed her effortlessly to one of his men before he made his way back to his bike and turned it on, roaring the engine viciously before turning around and having the bike hover off the ground once more.

"You, tie the bitch princess up, the rest of you salvage what you can and kill ANYONE who comes within a five mile radius. If a fucking fly hovers by, you end it."

The men nodded and the one holding the girl grabbed rope from his bike and threw the girl on the ground. Once there, he hog tied her and made sure the rope was rather tight on her wrist and ankles. Only then did he pick her up and throw her onto the back of Accalon's bike, and the scaled man took off back towards the ship.

Once there, it only took seconds for the men to swarm out of the ship and surround him, grabbing the girl from the back of his bike and dragging her into the ship. No doubt under orders to see the other half the led this ship, to see the man that changed Accalon and molded him. To meet Icarus.

 

[darkangel76]

What happened next took Laela off guard completely. With eyes as wide as saucers, she watched the one man—the one that drew her attention—get off whatever it was he was riding. When he stood up, his height causing her to gasp in awe, she suddenly found herself swallowing hard as she took in the sight of his other odd features. Features that had been somewhat hidden while he'd been sitting down moments prior. He seemed angry, upset, ready to unleash his wrath upon anyone or anything that crossed him, yet...

She was Illuminati! She was Laelestra Quentin! And, she was in need.

As the strange-looking man approached, Laela felt her insides flutter. Was it nervousness or fear? She didn't know, but that look of malice in his eyes... for a brief moment she felt a wave of heat wash over her and her body shuddered while her eyes blinked rapidly. But before she could make any sense of anything, she was tossed aside and being bound tightly with rope.

The rope burned as it was wound without care about her wrists and ankles. No thought or consideration was given to her delicate nature, her feelings, her situation, her status. Nothing. No one cared. Not a soul. And Hal? Where was he... where...? She wondered if he'd begun to notice or worry. Had she been missing long enough yet? It had felt like an eternity, but then again time had a way of playing tricks on the mind in dire situations such as this.

Suddenly, Laela felt her body being picked up and carried toward the strange-looking man. Just what was his name? Why she cared to know, she had no idea, but for some reason... she found herself wondering nonetheless, wanting to know. Before she knew it, her body was bumping about on the back of his strange vehicle, speeding along the horrid terrain of Charon and toward the ship in which they'd all come. As they approached, she began to make out its markings.

Pirates... and immediately her heart began to sink.

It wasn't long upon arrival at the pirate ship that Laela felt hands grabbing at her tiny body and dragging her on board. Their laughter echoed in her ears and it only served to frighten her all the more. How she wished she'd remained on Helios. If only she'd listened to her parents! Perhaps it wasn’t the most desired fate to end up married off to some unknown man chosen by her parents, but at least she'd have been taken care of, given everything she wanted and needed. Her life wouldn't be filled with... this.

Immediately, Laela could feel her eyes pricking with tears and before she could stop them they began to fall. At that, she could hear more laughter, mocking. Yes, mocking her in all their glory. How glorious to see someone like her crying, cowering, unable to move or do anything at all.

"I demand release," Laela stated through her tears. "Do you not know who I am? You will be rewarded for my return, but you will get nothing if I am harmed..." her voice trailed as she tried to reason with the men holding her hostage, but it only served to make them laugh all the harder.

"We'll be making the demands, princess," one of the pirates exclaimed, his tone quite seriously as he looked Laela squarely in the eye. "Y'see, this be our 'palace', not yours. So the only ones making orders or doing any taking is us. You, little lovely..." he walked up to her and stroked her cheek. "You just do as told."

Laela whimpered, fresh tears falling as she looked at the pirate looming over her bound body. Her heart raced as all the rumors she'd heard of the Barbaric Rim suddenly became a reality before her very eyes.

~~

Meanwhile in the Illuminati Stronghold on Charon, Halmir Quinn began to pace back and forth in his chambers. An hour had passed before his people had taken it upon themselves to inform him that they'd lost contact with his cousin's ship. And now another hour had passed before he was finally feeling a twitch that perhaps something might have gone wrong. Contact had yet to be re-established and he was beginning to wonder if it ever would.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Hal could see all of his plans unraveling before his eyes. Plans that were too perfect to not take advantage of. If something went wrong, he'd be stuck on Charon for who knew how long.

Unacceptable!

Pacing a bit more, Hal's golden eyes focused on his comm.-watch. Pressing a few buttons, he spoke into the device. "Any more news on my cousin? Her family? Their ship?" he asked.

"No sir," came a voice through the device. "Nothing."

 

[Rave]

Through the hordes of horny, cruel pirate crowd that surrounded the poor woman, tied up and looking like she did not belong anywhere near the entire planet, emerged Icarus. The men had dragged her all the way to the deck of the ship where Icarus sat at the helm. She could see him, though probably upside down. In the area behind the steering wheel, there was a large space where the Captains stood to steer the boat and look from the back of the ship. In that area was a table with two chairs set up, one empty, one filled. There sat the man, with a black tuxedo and a pair of pants to match. His shoes were dark black and spotless, his hands were gloved and his cane rested at the side of the table. His white hair was covered with a black top hat, with a white strap running through the middle, and a golden monocle hung by his eye, attached to a golden chain. He picked up a white cup and brought it to his lips, taking a small sip of the liquid within it before setting it back down.


Finally, he turned his head to look at her, crying and beaten. Yet despite the sight, a smile came along his face. On the surface it was the most innocent and warm expression...yet it held cold and dark intentions. The difference between Accalon and Icarus was very simple. Accalon was rougher, more violent, sure. Yet what you saw with Accalon is what you got. Icarus would never reveal his nature...Icarus would seem like the kindest of friends before ramming a blade through your back. The man stood, and clapped his gloved hands together.

"Now now, Brutus, that is no way to treat a young lady."

At the sound of his Captain's voice, the pirate grew cold and seemed to shutter in place. His words were stuttering and his speech slurred, suddenly as he turned around to face his captain. "S...so...sorry captain...I'll...step away right now..."

Icarus made his way to the woman on the ground, and leaned down so he would untie her. None of his steps were out of place, the man carrying himself with such divine dignity that no one in a million centuries would guess he was a pirate. He unraveled the ropes that tied her ankles yet kept the ropes along her wrists. A hand locked with her arm and he picked her up, raising her to her feet.

"Come, miss...Laela, was it? Let us talk like civilized individual and indulge in some tea. You do have a taste for herb, no?"

 

[darkangel76]

Laela felt her heart racing, the bile churning deep in the pit of her tummy as the pirate looked down upon her as if he owned her... as if they all owned her. Swallowing hard, she tried to find her voice. But, much to her dismay, it wouldn't come. All that came were tiny whimpers as she opened and closed her mouth like some creature of the deep seas, gulping water so that it could pass over its gills, giving it precious oxygen to breathe.

Suddenly, as more tears began to fall, fears rising, heart pounding, a voice struck Laela's ears. The voice was unfamiliar as was the face in which it belonged. As she peered over toward him, her eyes fixing upon his face, she felt the adrenaline which had been coursing throughout her body begin to ease. Was this calm? Oh, who knew? She hadn't known calm since entering orbit around Charon!

Looking into these new eyes, Laela felt relief consume her. It was a welcome sensation to be certain. As the man, all suave and gentile, spoke she hoped to have finally found some sort of civility aboard this vessel she now found herself upon, amidst the chaos.

Laela gave the man a nod and a smile as he helped her up and away from the vicious brutes whose looks and glances did more than make her blood curdle. "Yes, sir," she began. "Laelestra. Though I go by Laela. I prefer it." Her smile broadened.

At the mention of tea, Laela felt her mouth begin to water. Oh, it had been ages—well, mere hours—since she'd had a cup of the hot drink, something she fancied and drank often on Helios despite the fact that it could be warmer. It was one of her many indulgences and the fact that she was being offered some made her feel better, comforted, safer.

"Mmm... yes, I'm rather fond of tea. I should very much like a cup," Laela then added looking at the man.

Laela just wished her hands weren't still tied together at the wrist. It made her wonder how, exactly, she'd be drinking the beverage once it was prepared and served. As she continued to walk with the man, her thoughts swirled. Though she wondered about her future and tea... she wondered what happened to the other man—the strange-looking man—the one who'd brought her aboard. Where had he gone? Or had he been an apparition or something out of a fantasy? So many thoughts, so many questions... so little answers.

"And civilized conversation sounds wonderful, sir. Though... it's hard to have civilized conversation when one's wrists are bound and it is implied that your guest is a prisoner."

 

[Rave]

Icarus kept that cold, mysterious smile stapled to his face as he led the girl to the table and had her sit comfortably opposite him. Gloved hands let her go so she could sit free, before he leaned back into his chair and snapped his fingers together two times simultaneously. With the sound, a man dressed very much like your traditional butler, mustache and all, seemingly came out of nowhere with a pot of hot tea in his hands. He nodded to Icarus in respect and awe, and gave a little bow before leaning forward and pouring the liquid in both white cups, filling them up to the brim once more. She spoke, and before he answered her he stared at the ropes that tied her hands, still wrapped around it. He finally looked up at Laela and flashed that smile once more, a laugh escaping his lips.

"Ah yes, where are my manners."

With that, he slowly lifted one of the gloved hands and reached it forward. His hand stopped halfway between them, and his pointing finger extended forward. The finger was not pointed at her, but the ropes that tied her hands. Slowly he began to sway his finger back and forth, and that is when she would feel it. The ropes began tugging against her hand, scratching and shifting without her interference. With the sways and motions of his finger, the rope began to unravel before her eyes. In a few seconds, it untied from her wrists and was lifted in mid-air as if it grew wings and flew. Just then, he flashed her another mysterious smile before flicking the air, sending the rope flying with a booming force and in an instant smacking one of his crew members in the face with a loud slap, sending him flying backwards as if he was hit by a cannon, his back smashing against the wooden wall behind him and breaking through it from sheer force and velocity at him being hurled into it. The whole ordeal was loud and it all happened in one loud bang.

Just as the man was smashed into the wood, the door right next to it opened up and Accalon stepped out of it. He paused for a moment as everyone on deck was suddenly staring at him. He stared back, unsure of what the ordeal is.

"The fuck are you all looking at?"

He asked in his ignorance, before he felt a coldness at his feet. Accalon set his gaze downwards to find blood pooling beneath him. He raised an eyebrow of curiosity, unfazed yet interested. He looked to his side and saw the unfortunate man, his spine broken and his face impaled with shard of wood. He snorted, lifting his foot and shaking it like a dog to clear all the blood from it.

"Icarus you fuck, don't go around breaking shit just because you're not the one that fixes them. I will beat you with your own cane if you even think about telling me to fix it later. You do it fuck, I'm tired of your shit."

Accalon grumbled and walked through his men like a tank driving through people. Knocking over everyone that stood by him from sheer strength, he made his way to a door and walked through it, disappearing from sight for now.

The commotion was over for the most part, and Icarus returned his gaze to Laela. The smile had not moved an inch off of his face, one would even call it creepy. His hand withdrew and his finger slipped itself through the cup's handle, bringing it up to his lips for a sip.

"So, Princess Laela. We know of you who you are, who your parents are, and we've most likely guessed who you're here to see. I believe...you have a cousin here, yes?"

A vicious grin escaped him for a moment, slipping through his composure, when he mentioned her cousin Hal. It held clear meaning that he had malicious intent when it came to him, but she...she would be unharmed.

 

[darkangel76]

Though her wrists were still bound, Laela could not help but smile as the well-dressed and more civilized of the men made a final demand for tea. She had to admit, he certainly had presence. Much more so than most Illuminati men she'd encountered in court back on Helios. Had he not been a pirate, he could almost fit in, she thought to herself. Yes... almost. Just then, she bit down on her lip and looked down at her lap as her thoughts had just begun to stray. Her cheeks were burning slightly and she didn't wish to call attention to such things. As it was, she was already in a compromising predicament. Thankfully, the man seemed preoccupied with making sure that tea was poured for the two of them. Thank goodness.

Ah, that was more like it, Laela thought to herself as she watched her cup become filled. It definitely made her smile grow bigger.

Suddenly, without much warning, Laela could feel the ropes about her wrists moving. The man was waving his fingers and the ropes were literally bending to his will. What sort of magic was this? It was unlike anything she'd ever seen. None of the Holy Men or Seers back on Helios could even accomplish such tasks! It made her wonder how he was able to do it. Licking her lips, she just watched until the ropes were fully off her wrists, her hands then immediately moving to rub at them when, her eyes were drawn to the man's.

He had a strange glint in his eyes and smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Clearly, he was thinking something. But, what? Laela tilted her head somewhat confused when suddenly...

BOOM!

The ropes had flown across the room and struck one of the men, the one who'd mocked her earlier when brought on board. The ropes had hit him squarely and with no mercy, sending him flying backwards into a wall as if he were nothing but a mere ragdoll. Her eyes went wide at the sight, her heart pounding beneath her breast as her breath caught in her throat. She turned to look at him, her face blanching, but a door flung open and the strange-looking man who'd found her began to shout, his anger all too clear. Laela's tummy fluttered as her body shifted; her gaze moving towards the other man instead. But the moment he left, she turned to look back at... Icarus.

Laela swallowed, her thoughts a bit muddled as a jolt of adrenaline suddenly coursed through her. Whether it was the incident with the crew member or the fact that her abductor had just waltzed through without a care in the world save the mess made of the place, she wasn't certain. Still and all, she could feel her body shaking as tiny goose bumps formed on her flesh making a tiny shiver roll along her spine. All these sensations were new and curious and frightening.

Looking back at Icarus, Laela tried her best to remain the picture of calm. How was he able to remain calm? Then again, this was his ship... Carefully, she extended her hand—her wrists already donning burn marks from the ropes that had bound her earlier—and reached for her filled teacup.

"Thank you," Laela said quietly in regards to the tea and for removing the ropes. "Yes, I do have a cousin named, Hal," she continued. "Halmir Quinn. He is stationed here on Charon. I believe he's been out here for about a year now, maybe two. He's done very well for himself among the Illuminati and by our family." She tried her best to smile, though her eyes shifted a bit toward the puddle of blood that still pooled on the floor. Giggling a bit nervously, she tried to make light of the situation. "I'm guessing your... friend... will be cleaning that up soon?" she gestured toward the mess, trying not to wince.

Quickly, Laela took a sip of tea and then set down her cup. As her eyes looked into Icarus' she truly hoped that the strange-looking man would be back to clean things up sooner than later. But for some reason, she got the feeling that wouldn't be happening. After all, her day just wasn't going as planned. Why would it start now?

~~

Pacing would get him nowhere and Hal knew it. Eventually, he'd have to take action. As it was, it had been a couple hours since they'd had contact with his cousin's ship and now it was becoming clear that something had gone wrong. Having to face the reality of the situation, he knew he'd need to assemble a team to scout the perimeter of the Illuminati Stronghold and all areas in which the ship itself could've 'fallen'. As much as he didn't like it, he knew he had to face the possibility that the ship had gone down and fallen from orbit. And that meant scanning all areas in which the ship might have fallen given the location they'd last had contact. The area would be broad, the search wide. But he had to... it would be worth it...

It would mean getting off the fucking rock!

Pressing a few buttons on his comm.-watch, Hal began to speak into the device. "We're going to have to assemble a team. I want the perimeter of the Stronghold searched, at least a 100 mile radius. And we'll have to determine where about Charon the ship last held orbit. We'll have to do a sweep of the planet and search for wreckage."

 

[Rave]

Icarus watched her the entire time with great curiosity. Not even when Accalon had barged in did he turn his attention to look at the reptilian male. His eyes were firmly locked on her, watching, studying how he could use her and bend her to his will. His observation skills were uncharted, unrivaled. There was nothing that went on that he did not predict, no lie that he could not flush out. The man's brilliance rivaled Accalon's strength, and it seemed that no matter what went on on his ship, he knew every last detail about it, from the lowest of ranks to Accalon himself. And so he watched her as she looked at Accalon, watched as her body tensed and her cheeks flushed a light red. Ah, the spark to control her presented itself right before his eyes. A wicked grin, unfitting a gentleman snuk across his lips quickly while she was not looking, before he switched it into a smile when she turned around and tried to keep her composure, picking up her tea to continue her conversation with him.

"Ah yes, Hal. He's been causing us quite a bit of trouble as of late...nothing we couldn't handle though."

He paused a moment to sip at his tea, before watching his men and waving a hand to dismiss them, scattering the crowd about.

"But to answer your question, Princess, no. Accalon is above such things, not to mention the co-captain of this vessel here. He cannot help himself but to fix up the ship sometimes, it was him who built it from scratch after all, it was him who recruited all these men...I came in...later."

He paused again and returned the tea to his lips, placing one leg atop the other as he snapped his fingers together again, and his butler emerged and bowed before the table, wordless.

"Here's how things are going to go, Princess, as you must be dying to know. We will hold on to you for a small while and even contact your cousin for you. He will come to pick you up...for a small price, of corse, and you will be delivered, unharmed and untouched by filth until said moment comes."

He paused and smiled at the butler, who pulled out Laela's chair to signal that it was time for her to leave him.

"And to ease your worries...I'll have Accalon himself watch over you. If he questions it, tell him I ordered it to be so."

He paused, remembering something.

"And that reminds me, once again my manners slip as I have forgotten to introduce myself properly."

He stood up and pulled his chair back, taking Laela's hand into his own gloved pair and raising it to his lips, where he placed a cold kiss against her knuckles.

"Captain Icarus Dawnsun, Infamous Outer-Rim Pirate and notorious savage. It was a delight getting to talk with an Illuminati once again. Now, follow Bernard here and he will take you to Accalon's chambers. I bid you adue."

With that, he gave a small bow and turned around gracefully, within moments disappearing from her sight.

 

[darkangel76]

So, his name was Accalon. Laela wasn't entirely sure why it mattered so much to her that she know that strange and all too gruff man's name. He'd been mean, coarse, ordered her to be abducted and thrown on board the ship as if she were nothing but a common bitch. But, for reasons she couldn't begin to fathom or explain... it did matter. It did. Her mind going hazy, she thought the name over and over. The sound of it dancing about as if she were speaking it aloud, causing her cheeks to burn with each thought as she 'spoke' it to herself within the confines of her head.

As Laela's mind preoccupied itself, she almost forgot that she was listening to Icarus. But his words snapped her back to the moment of reality, every little thing he'd uttered suddenly coming clear when she'd heard him say she was to be placed under Accalon's watchful eye for the duration of her stay on board their pirate vessel.

In that instant, Laela felt her heart suddenly stop as time around her began to slow. Just what did this Icarus have planned for her? Surely it couldn't be as simple as he made it sound... Could it? A part of her wanted to believe so desperately, but another part was beginning to doubt, beginning to wonder if she'd truly ever see Hal again or Helios. But now wasn't the time for negotiations. She was outnumbered. Alone. So far from home. Giving the well-dressed pirate a nod before he disappeared, she hung her head and did as he demanded.

Slowly, Laela stood up and followed Bernard. The butler-like pirate totally acted the role and for some reason, that gave her comfort despite everything. He didn't say much, only a few pleasantries... "This way, miss... Watch your step, miss..." And before she knew it she stood in front of a door. Bernard knocked on it and gave her smile before bowing and stepping aside. As she waited for something to happen—the door to open, anything—she looked over at him and smiled nervously.

Her tummy fluttered as wave after wave of nerves washed over her. Laela knew she was about to face her abductor. The very one who didn't seem to have a care for anyone or anything. Her hands balled into tiny fists at her sides for a moment, before she released them and then gripped at the material of her skirts instead. She could feel her heart pounding with anticipation, her breaths coming shorter. Just then, her mouth went dry so she licked her lips a little before biting down on her bottom lip. Trying to stay calm, she focused on her breathing, trying to slow them down and make them rhythmic and even. But oh... she was failing miserably! If she was this nervous before he opened the door, how would she be once he did? She didn't even want to remotely think on it.

At that, Laela averted her gaze toward the floor, her grip on her skirts tightening. She truly didn't know what she was going to do or how she was going to get out of things. Why hadn't she listened? Why hadn't she just stayed put on Helios?