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.)
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhwfrHW5oo
Protagonist: (Squinting at the nameplate) What doth that inscription read? Wuh... Worchester... uh...
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡviog1l2zhq
Adepetus Æther: (struggling) Wuss... worce...
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhArosDvOH
Lord Preen: (with confidence) ‘Tis Worcestershire, my dear comrades. Named after the heart of Narciss, my homeland.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡusmIJgBueb
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.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNj7waevjP
(The Adepetus Æther seems impressed as well)
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDDcLvJrUl
(Stage direction: the stage should be bathed in soft light)
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDb5ESDcAun
Adepetus Æther: (Unusually confident) Verily, this striker is a marvel of Etheric artifice. It doth showcase the progress we have made.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCi6PfP2La6
(The captain of the ship emerges, unseen to the group. He wears a blue flight suit with gold bars)
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjhJItLxmH
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.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFav75F3vml
(The protagonist visibly starts at the unseen speakers statement)
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBij5vbLHqI
Protagonist: (Startled) Oh my! Thou did startle us, sir. Who art thou?
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLesM6hCu9T
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.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDPesShNsy
Lord Preen: (Offended) It’s pronounced ”Woo-ster-sheer” sir. (Lamenting) Seems no one can ever get it right.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2ASJOf302
(Captain Star-Caster begins to ramble, evidently excited)
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhy84tK9gV
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.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxRZO4owHj
ÆSF Captain: (Shocked by her knowledge) Art thou a captain too?
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjKZ8l2EKO
Captain Star-Caster: (choosing her words carefully) Of a sort.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI31QcnkB5x
(The protagonist, whom had been listening intently, seems to recall something. She stares at the nameplate of the striker for a moment)
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4LeTYolxg
Protagonist: (Confused) ÆSF... What doth it stand for?
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2a1hGTn9v9
ÆSF Captain: It stands for-
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGML7ITMSsJ
Adepetus Æther: Æther Strike Force!
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJi42j7SxqX
ÆSF Captain: Art thou the Adepetus that invented Æther? I simply must shake thine hand!
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbL6oNTn4Dl
(The Adapetus is humbled but shakes the hand offered)
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsCq3U9VVqz
Lord Preen: (Curious) Pray, what is this Æther Strike Force that you speak of?
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAghrc6LsCA
(Both Captain Star-Caster and the ÆSF Captain sigh loudly)
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJsY7pR25s
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.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4f80cnqS7
Lord Preen: (With a smirk) Well, it it looks like Narciss isn't the only one with a few tricks up their sleeves, hmm?
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmTDVJLrvw
Protagonist: (Playfully) The one thing Narciss excels at is giving their ships the most preposterous names, almost like a disguise in itself!
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCSvsr20lB
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.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjlx3diAcoo
Adepetus Æther: (Terrified) Rumoured Wraiths with Æther Disruptors? The mere thought of our own technology potentially being turned against us is truly... disconcerting.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnPErCUnUZ3
(The Adepetus Æther walks around to the back of the striker, he begins examining the Æther engines)
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2OQaMmAwz
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?
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpceloCPpAv
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.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrzGnkSHkr
(Lord Preen hesitates for a moment)
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqRKFsVzVD
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.
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0MxCyFuNvE
Protagonist: Dreadnoughts, oh my! Just the name alone gives me chills. Do they serve tea on these warships?
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQL1farCAd7
(A loud bugle call rips through the relative quiet, the lights dim)
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEdbzNoArr4
Captain Star-Caster: (Frantic) What’s happening? Brace yourselves!
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2fEHe3a4pZ
(A strange humming sound begins. The characters are in full panic now)
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7LiGVFa3l
Protagonist: (Panicked) This can’t be good!
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTmIQ92qPx
(An eiree sound precedes the bright flash of blue from the side of the stage)
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLg49CWTsz
(The ÆSF Worcestershire is engulfed in a shimmering effect, achieved by lighting, before the stage is engulfed in fog)
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCOertLl2Vm
(Amidst the fog, figures dressed in ominous dragoon uniforms emerge)
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulgBWm0Y9j
Adepetus Æther: (Anxious) Dragoons! We need to get out of here!
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaBiqb3eHN
(The Dragoons move swiftly towards the characters on the stage)
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqcvjrev5x
Lord Preen: (Frightened) We’re in for it now! I forgot my bow!
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡagsEkrVmql
(The Dragoons grab the characters and violently drag them offstage one by one. The Adapetus Æther is the last one to go)
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUsReXCJcA
(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)
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdPvtnxqKM
(The fog lingers as the stage returns to darkness)
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyyfPMneTfc
End of Scene Four
142Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70dnamovRK
