Act 1 Scene 4:
(We can now see the stage transformed into an industrial dockyard. The audience can witness the small, sleek form of the ÆSF Worcestershire, a striker airship, positioned at the centre of the stage. Captain Selene Star-Caster, Lord Preen, the Protagonist, and the Adepetus Æther enter from the right, awestruck by the sight.)
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkYmucDaCXY
Protagonist: (Squinting at the nameplate) What doth that inscription read? Wuh... Worchester... uh...
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGBy0baYtd
Adepetus Æther: (struggling) Wuss... worce...
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2PsIF9bqub
Lord Preen: (with confidence) ‘Tis Worcestershire, my dear comrades. Named after the heart of Narciss, my homeland.
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1QDwQ2YIT
Protagonist: (beside herself with enthusiasm) Beside a genuine airship, aye! It's not as grand as I did imagine, yet it doth seem a formidable contraption.
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdbciHkuEY
(The Adepetus Æther seems impressed as well)
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJsqMClVZS
(Stage direction: the stage should be bathed in soft light)
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Crjxuhu1h
Adepetus Æther: (Unusually confident) Verily, this striker is a marvel of Etheric artifice. It doth showcase the progress we have made.
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEUfxqk8Cg
(The captain of the ship emerges, unseen to the group. He wears a blue flight suit with gold bars)
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFa792RV0X
Captain of ÆSF Worcestershire: Salutations, one and all. I extend my regrets; the ship's launch doth remain in the stage of preparation. We art most honoured by your presence.
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwvf67pe2D
(The protagonist visibly starts at the unseen speakers statement)
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOCf730iip
Protagonist: (Startled) Oh my! Thou did startle us, sir. Who art thou?
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddUa9NhKZ7
Captain: (Struggling with pronunciation) I am the... captain of this magnificent vessel, the ÆSF Wooster-sheer. These Narcissian designers do have a peculiar sense of humour, I must say.
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJoo3VzVPFy
Lord Preen: (Offended) It’s pronounced ”Woo-ster-sheer” sir. (Lamenting) Seems no one can ever get it right.
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGZqrGrK8G
(Captain Star-Caster begins to ramble, evidently excited)
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFZdf3XRmz
Captain Star-Caster: In the vast azure stage of the heavens, ærial combat unfolds like a dramatic performance, where every manoeuvre, every cannon’s fire, and every choice can be the climax or downfall of our fate. The presence of advanced Suspendium lasers and the power of Æther engines adds complexity to this aerial ballet, where our ships become the leading actors.
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTRUXaaaBE
ÆSF Captain: (Shocked by her knowledge) Art thou a captain too?
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQggJmWdjaF
Captain Star-Caster: (choosing her words carefully) Of a sort.
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEVzkLqOkpY
(The protagonist, whom had been listening intently, seems to recall something. She stares at the nameplate of the striker for a moment)
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2kmzfeQjbn
Protagonist: (Confused) ÆSF... What doth it stand for?
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqvZ9aceSok
ÆSF Captain: It stands for-
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjE72nSMit3
Adepetus Æther: Æther Strike Force!
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡylxqr9Yoqg
ÆSF Captain: Art thou the Adepetus that invented Æther? I simply must shake thine hand!
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgLxD8FbPPe
(The Adapetus is humbled but shakes the hand offered)
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXf8CCTXi8
Lord Preen: (Curious) Pray, what is this Æther Strike Force that you speak of?
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwBUeqaT7D
(Both Captain Star-Caster and the ÆSF Captain sigh loudly)
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2ffcTAJfr
Captain Star-Caster: (Explaining) The ÆSF, or Æther Strike Force, is an elite sub-branch of the ÆDF, our Æther Defence Fleet. Its main mission is to guarantee air superiority throughout the realm and guard against carrier-class threats. The ÆSF's fighters include experimental strikers known as Vanguards, which often lead squadrons, ensuring our aerial dominance.
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQY5inUISTX
Lord Preen: (With a smirk) Well, it it looks like Narciss isn't the only one with a few tricks up their sleeves, hmm?
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG24ylLTLvu
Protagonist: (Playfully) The one thing Narciss excels at is giving their ships the most preposterous names, almost like a disguise in itself!
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qvbUebfoz
ÆSF Captain: Indeed, speaking of disguises, we work closely with the ÆRB (Æther Recon Branch), which utilizes advanced Corsairs. There have been rumours circulating about Wraiths—these experimental Corsairs are said to be equipped with Æther Disruptors, but that remains to be confirmed.
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5w6pRMObz2
Adepetus Æther: (Terrified) Rumoured Wraiths with Æther Disruptors? The mere thought of our own technology potentially being turned against us is truly... disconcerting.
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9sjxJfplZm
(The Adepetus Æther walks around to the back of the striker, he begins examining the Æther engines)
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRo8Yd7FwDs
Lord Preen: (Chuckles) Adepetus Æther, I must say, your examination of these Æther engines is quite impressive. Could there be any dissonance in your etheric orchestra?
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUY9GDYdmh
Adepetus Æther: (Grave) My lord, the mere thought of the Dragoons obtaining an Æther disruptor sends shivers down my spine. The havoc they could wreak with such technology is beyond imagination.
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUjcmIV0ll
(Lord Preen hesitates for a moment)
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHkSerZpHgy
Lord Preen: (Addressing the Adepetus, and both captains) In the shadows, there are whispers of Dreadnoughts—gigantic, dreadful aerial leviathans of unknown lineage. They say their armament can lay waste to armadas, their armour shields them against mortal blows, and their diabolical weaponry possesses the potential to unravel the very fabric of Æther itself Should these behemoths come into existence, the skies shall turn into a dominion of unrelenting terror.
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTydc6TlGr
Protagonist: Dreadnoughts, oh my! Just the name alone gives me chills. Do they serve tea on these warships?
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42CC9zl1E9
(A loud bugle call rips through the relative quiet, the lights dim)
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZfGKgeiBh
Captain Star-Caster: (Frantic) What’s happening? Brace yourselves!
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUsblqWEEV
(A strange humming sound begins. The characters are in full panic now)
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlc9mv2fMn
Protagonist: (Panicked) This can’t be good!
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPgR8d0h19
(An eiree sound precedes the bright flash of blue from the side of the stage)
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5WGGVu9LSc
(The ÆSF Worcestershire is engulfed in a shimmering effect, achieved by lighting, before the stage is engulfed in fog)
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDZ0UFMYEW
(Amidst the fog, figures dressed in ominous dragoon uniforms emerge)
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpN6PMzQTOE
Adepetus Æther: (Anxious) Dragoons! We need to get out of here!
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdUGyOnVeN
(The Dragoons move swiftly towards the characters on the stage)
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6kFIqkt2r
Lord Preen: (Frightened) We’re in for it now! I forgot my bow!
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuE6RL0DPjz
(The Dragoons grab the characters and violently drag them offstage one by one. The Adapetus Æther is the last one to go)
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZVL3QkkuP
(An older man holding a Staff of some kind in one hand, a bugle in the other, turns to the audience and sounds a call, clearly in victory, he and the other Dragoons depart the stage)
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lW6fsdWCy
(The fog lingers as the stage returns to darkness)
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDEFarX4IUZ
End of Scene Four
244Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ72ZHBlfcFl
