To be Free, by Sea (IC)

[Ari]

El Heraldo stood still for a short while, to let the newly enthused captives let loose their outburst of passion, and also because being hugged was something he was quite used to. After accepting their jubilant thanks, and encouraging them to look forward and press onto the coming day and other inspiring phrases. At length, he focused on what one of them had said <"A few were taken away? I fear they might be the unfortunate souls who were found in the harbor earlier today, and who alerted I and my doughty ally to your plight. Stay close with I and her, we'll get you to safety, and to Freedom!"> with that he tore off bars from the cage and fashioned them into rude clubs which he handed out to the captives.

Coming back to Glow he said grimly "Okay, I've got them from the cages and back on their feet, what do we do now? I can't hear any guard activity, should we make a break to the yacht and get these people away, or should we stick around and apprehend Diamond and the captain?"

[Scuffles]

Glow grimaced, then nodded at the victims who were still comatose in the hospital-style beds. "I don't think we can move these ones." She said. "Well we can, but I'm not sure we should."

She lowered her voice further. "And I'm a little worried that they might have the same sort of on-off switch as Diego. That'd be ugly."

After a look around she met Heraldos eyes. "I think we should get them to stay in here while we do our thing. One of those guards with machineguns gets a look at this kind of crowd on deck and we'd have a massacre on our hands. What do you reckon, we take the radio room, make sure help is on the way and then see if we can subdue the rest of the crew without anybody getting shot?"

[Ari]

Subito looked at Kristin in puzzlement "Yeah, radio room sounds good to me. Give me a sec and I'll tell them to stick around here, no problem" he turned and called over to the freed captives <"Friends! I and my ally will go for a quick trip to the radio room to call the Coast Guard so they can arrest these fiends that kidnapped you all! I must ask that you remain here, so that she and I can work quieter and not attract attention until we can be sure all who were party to your torment will be brought to justice. We have the element of surprise, and shall be as a strike of lightning through a tree to these brigands!"> he turned back to Glow "Okay, so now we go look for the room I guess. Should we bar the upper deck thing there?" he pointed at the balcony they had come from "Or d'we leave the doors and stuff like they are, so they can escape if things go south?"

He felt a sudden creeping sense of dread at the vastness of the ship, and a sudden urge to charge through the decks, breaking them heedlessly to get to a wider space..and shook himself, muttering "Sorry"

[Scuffles]

"You alright?" Glow asked as she gave Heraldo a close look. "I don't think I like the idea of locking all these people below decks on a ship like this. Heck, you already ripped the propeller off it, who knows what else might happen while we're dealing with the rest of the crew. It'd probably be best if you tell them not to fight armed guards if any turn up though, I don't think that would go real well."

She looked towards the door then back at her classmate. "I don't know my way around a ship like this, but I guess the radios are probably on the bridge or something? That'd be up right? Think we can find our way up there quick? I reckon if we take out the ones in charge the rest might give us less problems. What do you think?"

[Ari]

"You alright?" Glow asked as she gave Heraldo a close look.

"Nah, just..a bit claustrophobic, I'll be fine" he shrugged it off and smiled reassuringly "Where'd the radio be? You're asking the wrong guy about that, I have no idea myself. I'm guessing there might be, I dunno, maps maybe? In case people need to know where stuff is on the ship right away? At any rate we'll need to get going, I'll tell them not to go looking for trouble"

Turning once again to the currently freed and active captives he told them <"My friend Glow"> he gestured to Kristin <"wishes for me to advise you that feigning passivity might be your best bet if any guards DO show up before we can stop them. We do not wish for any of you to lose your lives or your dignity, and that would be best served by you not attempting violence unless you completely outnumber your enemies and have them surrounded and at close-quarters. And even then, think twice. We shall return shortly, and I will be able to hear from very far off if you come to danger, be right back">

He nodded to Glow "Alright, we ready to go? I'll go a little ahead, I can hear any guys that might be in our path long before they know we're there"

[Supercape]

GM

As Kristen and Subito crept back up to deck, the incredible hearing of the masked hero caught the sound of DIamond's conversation.

"Captain, please!" said Diamond "There is no need to get so upset! I promise, I can transport your...cargo even it is most unusual, to the shore, nobody will be any the wiser! Sure, the newspaper boys all keep their eyes peeled on me...but that's the point! whilst they are all looking at me, they sure as hell aren't looking at the bodies being smuggled out..."

"Still, Mr. Diamond.." came the gruff voice of the Captain, a grizzled, deep voice full of anger and hard knocks "...it's Risky! I know El Diablo back home, he trusts you, hell, he payrolled your career, and you owe him...but me, I seen men die and bleed from the bad hands of fate!"

"So don't push it Diamond. Keep your ego to yourself just this once, or me and my men, we show you how we deal with careless men, back home, bandito style! do I make myself clear?"

"Yes" gulped the subdued Diamond.

"Good, now then, our friend the doctor, he got some more trials he would like to run. He says he is getting close. So, we got another body for you to dump, and see what happens..."

[Ari]

As the syllables echoed their way to his ears, Heraldo made the 'wait, stop' gesture to Glow. Listening intently until the captain and Steve Diamond had finished their latest chat, he dropped his arm and whispered to Glow "The captain and that Diamond guy again. Seems the man in charge of this business, an 'El Diablo', who I'm guessing is this new drug lord guy, has Diamond in his pay. Steve's going to drop off another victim of that doctor man, which I'm guessing means he'll be on his way to the prison room back there. I think we should hurry and find the radio first, what about you?" he glanced back and forth up and down the hall, listening to the myriad of noises echoing about the metal-hulled ship.

[Scuffles]

Glow stopped at Heraldo's signal and looked around cautiously as he paused to listen to something she couldn't hear. While she still felt completely out of her depth their course of action seemed clear enough. Contain or disable the crew, call for help to rescue the victims. Sounds simple enough..

"Well if they're heading for the prison room and we're heading for them they'll probably run right into us." She whispered by way of reply. "And if not, we'll likely get a message off before they really know we're here. But damn, if they get to the prison room they'll find the guards and the scientist and know that something's up. They could use people as hostages against us."

She looked thoughtful for a few moments. "I still think we go for the bridge and the radios. If we make a ruckus taking out anyone who's there then we'll attract the attention of the rest, but I think that's better than the alternative.."

[Supercape]

AT the Radio Room

The Radio room was at the heart of operations on the ship: the bridge. Heraldo and Kristen had no particular difficulty reaching it - they had to dodge one or two seamen at one point. But the Bridge itself was busy.

They could count five men there. One was clearly El Capitan and looked like a rougher, older version of his crew, complete with grey beard. He wore an admiral's jacket, and wore a sabre at his side! he clearly took his position a little too seriously, for it was quite clear this man had nothing to do with any professional naval force.

There was a radio operator who looked rather bored and disinterested. He was playing cards with another man. Discipline was rather lax on this ship, it seemed.

The captain paced up and down in the room.

"I cant stand Diamond. But El Diablo has faith in him, and so be it..." he muttered, half to himself, half to his crew "I sure hope the Doctor finished his cursed work. I don't want to go pick up another load of desperado immigrants. "

He drummed his finger on the wheel of the ship.

"One has to appreciate the poetry of it, eh, comrades?" he laughed to his crew "they pay us to smuggle them into America by sea. And, haha, we get them there, eventually. Never made any promises about how...haha!"

[Ari]

Examining the scene Heraldo asked Glow "So..how are we gonna take these guys? You want me to draw their fire while you toss them about? I could definitely take down a few of them before they could manage to do damage to me" he scanned the men on the bridge with little love, wondering how much any of them thought about the people held captive in the lower decks.

[Scuffles]

Glow looked over the men, her teeth practically grinding as she listened to the conversation inside the bridge.

"Diamond is gone." She hissed. "Okay, no problem. He's not going anywhere fast."

She turned to look at Subito and gave him a little frown. "Let's try not getting ourselves damaged on my account okay? Nobody gets shot today right? We do it the same way we did the other guards - hard and fast so they don't get to shoot at us. Alright, I think I can smack all of them at once on the way in. It takes some concentration but I should be able to make it work. Do you want to follow it in and hammer anyone who's left?"

[Ari]

"That's an even better idea" replied El Heraldo brightly, glancing at the hallway "Not much risk from these guys escaping out the door either" he shrugged and put himself in a 'charge' position "Tell me when to go, and I'll bust them as best as I ca-" he suddenly stopped as an idea occurred to him. "Hey Glow!" he whispered excitedly "How about I fly us in there? You can get the guys on the bridge easily then, any you miss at first I can mop up, and they'll never expect us to attack from that direction" he pointed at the window and looked back at Kristin "What d'you say?"

[Scuffles]

Glow glanced from Heraldo to the large glace window at the front of the bridge, then back again as a grin spread on her face. "I like it, let's do that!" she replied. "But don't drop me, else I'm going to have to punch you once we're finished with the bad guys!"

She stepped in front of her friend and let him scoop his arms under hers, and a moment later Heraldo took flight, hauling them both into the air and towards the bridge. The air around Glow flared green as she spread her arms and exerted her will to lash out with her telekinesis.

The huge glass window shattered inwards and sent men scrambling for cover as shards flew in all directions, but it was far too late to dodge. Cards flew everywhere as the radio operator and his opponent were punched clean out of their chairs and went down in a tangled heap. The two other bridge crew members were caught squarely in the chest by shining green light and thudded into the wall before sliding slowly to the deck.

The captain however was made of sterner stuff. He took the brunt of Glows telekinetic assault and stood his ground as the two young heroes landed inside the bridge, glass shards crunching under their shoes.

[Supercape]

GM

"Posiedons Beard!" yelled the Captain, as he took a few steps back from Glow's powerful green energy.

He cast a quick look left and right, scanning the unconscious debris of his men and quickly establishing that they would not be rising to his aid.

"Who on Neptune are you?" he demanded, shaking his left fist at the heroic duo. "This is piracy. Piracy I say! And I'll not let my ship go down to pirates, no matter who you are! I'll be clapping you in irons and throwing you to the brig! or even better, let the doctor have his way with you..."

His hand shifted down to his cutlass hilt, fingering it for a moment, before smoothly extracting it from its scabbard in a fluid motion.

"Let me show you a bit of naval history..." he said, brandishing his cutlass, which by the looks of it was quite the antique, but still with a practical sharpness.

The Captain was quick, and skilled. A master swordsman who brandished his cutlass with flourish but effectiveness. The Blade hissed through the salty air straight into Glow...

[Scuffles]

.. and stopped cold with a loud clang as green light flared off her telekinetic barrier.

Glow narrowed her eyes at the captain as she pushed the wicked looking blade away with the force of her will. "Piracy? There isn't even a word for the disgusting crimes you've committed on this ship!" she snarled as she pressed forwards, then lashed out with her powers again, a jolt of pure telekinetic force slamming solidly into the mans chest.

As the solid seaman absorbed the blow with barely a flinch Glow leaped into motion, her left foot planting solidly on a console next to the steering wheel of the ship as she launched herself towards her foe, hoping to distract him from Heraldo's approach. Her balance wasn't perfect however on the pitching ship, and the lunge was far from convincing.

[Ari]

Subito looked in awe at Kristin's agility, but at her attack's lack of effect he frowned, tossed the Banner to his left hand, rolled up his right sleeve, and slamming his right foot into the floor of the bridge hard enough to leave a dent, sent himself directly at the captain. Punching the man hard enough to send him into the wall with a resounding clangor, El Heraldo stared in bafflement as the man righted himself without apparent hurt. "What foul metal protects your hide, villain?!" he demanded furiously "Or are you merely too afraid of JUSTICE to let yourself be beaten?"

[Supercape]

GM

"Columbo!" spat the Captain, in surprise.

"I confess you have the strength of a bull, my friend, and strike like a maddened one. But it will take more than a bull to put me down! The sea is a harsh mistress, and yet I am her master!"

He straightened up, looking at Glow and giving a sudden movement with gritted teeth to her.

"You, young one, may have the some mighty shield, but this is the wild ocean, kid - you are all alone here, and the sea has taken many to the bottom. Drowning will be your fate, sucked down to Davy Down's Locker, a horrible, gruesome death! you are no sailor, you sap!"

With that, he turned his blade, quick as a snake, to El Heraldo and with a thrust and jab, he finished with a lightning swipe straight at the costumed hero.

[Scuffles]

Glow flinched slightly as the Captains words hit home. Truth be told she was frightened, although more by the situation than the man in front of her. Even with Heraldo at her side she felt unsettled, alone and well and truly out of her depth and the canny villain helped bring those feelings to the fore.

As she tried to quash her fears she lashed out at the captain again but missed the mark, a green fist of telekinetic force smashing brutally into the back wall of the bridge and leaving a mighty dent. The sound of it was a loud dull boom that echoed through the superstructure.

"No man masters the sea." she replied through gritted teeth, although her voice sounded a little shaky. "And as much as you might deserve it, nobody is drowning today."

[Ari]

The blade cut a jagged tear is his shirt, and left a narrow gash where it had traveled.

Subito didn't say anything as he dove for the man, arms thrown out in an embrace after holstering his Banner. It wasn't because he didn't want to say anything, he just couldn't make up his mind which of the very angry Spanish phrases his parents had taught him to refer to such as the Captain would be properly vitriolic. As he arms swung around the man's sides to pinion his arms, he wondered what his cousin would have done. Rodrigo was quite fast, after all, and had a tongue much sharper than Subito or Galanta's.

He resolved simply not to be very specific. If he had, he doubtless would have been deluged with suggestions days after the fact.

"What she said" he blurted at last.

[Supercape]

GM

The Captain was fast, but not fast enough. Distracted by Glow for a moment, he turned around to face El Heraldo, but was entwined by the colourful heroe's mighty arms.

"Eh! Let me go!" he shouted, struggling with all his might. He was a strong, tough man, and no doubt had been in more fights and scuffles than Glow and El Heraldo combined, but he just was not strong enough against the superhuman strength of El Heraldo.

"I spit at you!" he cursed, doing just that at El Heraldo's face.

"I am Captain of this ship, you dog!"

[Scuffles]

Glow smiled fiercely as Heraldo barreled into the captain and took him to the deck in a tangle of limbs. She stepped forwards next to the wrestling pair and looked down, then gestured at a heavy looking hardcover book sitting on a nearby desk. It floated towards her in a halo of green light, turning over in the air and then snapping shut with a loud crack.

"Ships log." she said helpfully. "Wonder if there's anything interesting in here for the port authorities?"

She gestured sharply at the captain and the book snapped downwards, whistling past Heraldos ear as it belted the sea dog solidly between the eyes.

[Supercape]

GM

"Leave that alone!" yelled the Captain as Glow telekenetically picked up the book.

"That's Ship Business, that is! my eyes only!" he continued, trying to intimidate Glow. However, his position was blatantly incompetent.

This was drummed home to him, and to all, when the book landed solidly on his head, between the eyes. His head lolled back, then forward.

"You scurvy dogs!" he mumbled, as his eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he let his cutlass drop to the floor with a clang, his hand limp.

And with that, he lost consciousness completely.

[Ari]

Lifting the captain, the Herald carried him over to a chair, which he tossed the unconscious man unceremoniously into. Pulling off strips of metal from the bridge that he gauged wouldn't be needed, Subito rapidly secured the man in case he woke up soon and wanted to try his luck again. Looking around at the others he quietly applauded Glow's power and skill, setting himself to the task of piling them into a mound near the captain.

Upon accomplishing this task, he floated over to Kristin and said brightly "So..now we radio the Coast Guard, find Diamond and finish these guys?" he glanced over at the radio in question "Er..I don't know how to work that. Do you?"

[Scuffles]

Glow looked around as Heraldo quickly secured the Captain and the rest of the bridge crew. "That.. was awesome." she breathed as she picked up the logbook again and leafed through it. None of it really meant very much to her, but it was still clearly going to be useful to someone.

She dumped it back on the table as she headed back over to stand next to Subito as he regarded the radio. "Yeah, lets make sure help is coming, then go find Diamond. He's got a lot to answer for too. Let's see, if this mob can work it it can't be that hard right? I think this thing is frequency..."

She looked at a list of frequencies that was taped next to the radio and stabbed her finger down on one labelled "Coast guard". After twirling the dial to set the right frequency she picked up the microphone and thumbed the button. "Uh hello? U.S. coastguard?" she asked hopefully, then released the button to listen.

[Supercape]

GM

THe crackling voice of the coast guard came over the radio after some tuning through a variety of stations

Whheeeeeoooooopvwupvwupand now on Radio Mellow its time for a golden oldie with The FooowrapapawpapapapaAh caramba caramba this is Radio Mexicano with all the lateblipblipbleeeeppcrrrchhhhme tender, love me troooochrckkkkkk

"This is the national coastguard!" came the final answer, a stiff voice that was still ripe with concern.

"What seems to be the problem?"