Act 1 Scene 3:
(We are now next to a battered Æther craft in its secure dock. The scars of a recent attack run deep. Torn panels and fractured suspension lines hang like wounded limbs, while arcane energy conduits flicker erratically)
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(Upon sighting the craft, the Adepetus Æther exclaims in shock)
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Adepetus Æther: By the heavens! The extent of this devastation....it doth boggle the mind!
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Lord Preen: Adepetus, this battered craft in front of us reminds me of an expedition into the Misty Woods to collect Suspendium.
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Adapetus Æther: Ah, a tale I have heard whispers of but never had the fortune to witness. Pray, do share the details.
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(The protagonist shifts uneasily at the subject)
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Lord Preen: (Dryly) Were mine am that day successful, I would bear a trophy but lack a narrative of redemption.
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Adepetus Æther: Pardon?
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Lord Preen: (Dryly, with an enigmatic grin) In that cursed thicket, where shadows whispered secrets, the quiver of my purpose held a lingering arrow of profound precision, yet some tales remain better left in the dark.
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(The Adapetus Æther walks toward the damaged Æther craft, carefully inspecting its intricate mechanisms with a sense of fascination)
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(The lights focus on him)
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(There is a moment of silence)
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Protagonist: (Deadpan) He almost shot me.
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Captain Star-Caster: (In disbelief) Thou nearly did what!?
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Lord Preen: Thine intentions in the Misty Woods were deplorable, and I am profoundly sorry for that.
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Protagonist: Your humility is a rare trait, my lord, and it speaks of your character’s strength.
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(The Adapetus has finished inspecting the craf. Hee walks over to Captain Star-Caster and stands beside her)
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Adepetus Æther: I fear, dear Captain, that the vessel’s plight is dire; it is damaged beyond redemption. We must regrettably part ways with it.
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Adepetus Æther: (With enthusiasm) Ah, this vessel! It is reminiscent of the early experiments with Suspensium propulsion, much like the advancements we have seen in the last five years....(He pauses) Well, I suppose thou art unaware of the recent changes in our world?
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Protagonist: (Nods in agreement) Indeed, we have been out of touch for quite a while. What has happened in the last five years?
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Lord Preen: (Dryly) It seems, my dear, that we have been inhabiting a most splendid and oversized boulder, blissfully oblivious to the cultural and political shifts of the past five years.
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Adapetus Æther: (Excited) In essence, our current era of Etheric progress is a thrilling continuation of the ground-breaking Suspendium research my master embarked upon.
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Adepetus Æther: (Enthusiastic) The essence of the skies, my dear friends, empowers Æther in a most exhilarating manner! The possibilities are boundless – we hath mastered flight, harnessed the cosmos for energy, and discovered technologies that, in days of yore, were deemed utterly unimaginable!
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Lord Preen: (Sarcastically) Suspensium Cannons- where they finally figured out how to shoot something other than themselves.
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(The protagonist and the sky pirate desperately fight to appear unamused)
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Captain Star-Caster: (With a serious tone) Forgive my abruptness, but in the past five years, the world hath transformed dramatically. Warfare hath undergone a significant shift, with advances in weaponry, particularly Æther powered armaments, airship fleet combat hath become commonplace.
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(Lord Preen and the protagonist do not respond, waiting for her to continue)
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Captain Star-Caster: The advances in weaponry have given rise to more accurate Suspendium cannons, while new Suspendium lasers cut through the skies with precision. In our sky-faring world, we have seen the emergence of agile strikers, designed for rapid attacks, and the innovative Corsairs – specialised vessels for stealth and reconnaissance. And there is talk of Dreadnoughts, akin to mobile fortresses, under construction to rule the upper atmosphere. These developments have transformed our approach to warfare in the skies.
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Lord Preen: (Smirking) Dreadnoughts sound like the physical embodiment of the Narciss ego – what they might build when they are composting for something.
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Adapetus Æther: (Nervously) In the past, the Order of the Dragoon was known as noble guardians of the skies, but recently, they have taken a darker path.
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(There is a pause. The Adapetus recalls something he heard)
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Adepetus Æther: I have heard a rumour that there’s an airship launch happening soon. We should make our way there.
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(The protagonist and Lord Preen exit the stage)
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(The Adapetus Æther and Captain Star-Caster remove the craft from the stage and exit themselves)
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(The lights dim to nothing)
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End of Scene Three
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