Luna's father-in-law is maneuvering the large vehicle that her family has also been living in. Cibor is in the distance repairing the armor of a pirate while other pirates are lined up holding items for repairs right behind him. The room in the vehicle everyone is in, is a floor connected past the house's basement. The room is large enough that it also lines up directly under the other houses that were later installed next to Luna's house. Erik is telling his brother Ryan and Bernard, "Luna's husband drove this vehicle himself after the reign of Adira. This landship helped clear the entire area of debris like rocks and discarded metals so the pirate nation would have a suitable resting ground. Before that, his father also was a brilliant driver for tanks like this as well. I'm surprised this one still runs smoothly. It's been buried under tons of dirt for years!" Luna hears this and she tells the Pirate King, "Oliver was proud of the duty he was tasked with sir. He always made the right repairs instantly. And woke up every day to work on and clean this entire vehicle for at least 6 hours a day. He always would tell me, "You never know when our people will need this. " it looks like he was right because here we are..." The pirate King replies, "Oliver was a very wise man Ms. Luna...I'll make sure we honor him with a victory in this battle."
She looks to the king and nods in agreement. And jumps up remembering something. She begins to say, "This reminds me. If victory is the goal. You have to at least have some type of armor and advanced weaponry protecting you. And you are almost rid of all of yours Mr. Sullivan."
Bernard is surprised she points this out. Then Luna motions for some of her people to step forward. The widowed mother then says, "I talked with a few of the soldiers about lending you the best pieces of their backup stock in weapons and armor. They gladly agreed once they knew who you were. TROOPS! Step forward and present Sullivan with your gear!"
The fighting pirates step forward and give Sullivan the best armor and weapons from their stock. He examines the pieces one by one. He tests a few of the weapons. He puts a weapon down. And looks to his new allies. He tells them, "These will work great. Thank you. I'll make sure to return all of these once we're done." He gives them a nod and begins to suit up.
As Luna watches everyone prepare themselves for battle she tells herself, "This vehicle will get us there in half the time! Gideon will be shocked seeing us. We'd be at risk of our home being destroyed. Forgive me, son. But without your father, this feels less of a home for me. Just like you I'm tired of running. I just wish I knew for sure if I'll make it back to thank our neighbors who live off the vehicle for watching the other two kids. If none of us don't make it back, they promised to help train them to be great warriors like their older brother. I pray we will all make it back. I know I'm no warrior. But for your father, I'll fight till my last breath in his honor." Luna's thoughts are interrupted when she hears her father-in-law say, "Well be near the war zone in about 20 minutes Luna." Luna replies, "Thank you Silver we should all be prepared by then."
Luna tries to hide the worry in her voice, and she succeeds, but all the worries now can be seen through her face. Then her gaze goes back to the legendary hero Bernard Sullivan and the pirate king Erik Lowell. And her worry eases. Through their presence, she remembers all the examples and stories of their leadership on the battlefield and begins to maintain her calmness throughout the rest of the trip.
Near King Erik and Bernard Sullivan
Erik tells Bernard, "We're nearing our destination hero. I hope the new set of weapons won't slow you down. I know you're typically a close-range type of soldier when you're in battle." Bernard replies, "I appreciate your concern pirate King, but no disrespect it seems you skipped the stories of me being adept at any weaponry that's been available to me." The king smirks and says, "You're right. Forgive me. Maybe that was my nervousness speaking to me."
Zachary who is right next to Bernard says, "Come to think about it, Bernard. Why didn't you bring any of your inekium armor or weapons? If you had Those at your disposal it would've withstood the fight we just had!"
Bernard tells Zachary, "Ah you noticed that huh? Well as I said, I'm getting old young man. Inekium or not I can only take a handful of clean blows to the head before I end up dazed, staggered, or maybe even knocked out. I thought it would've been better to wear basic armor instead of my inekium one. It won't give our enemies the chance at obtaining more inekium to use for their evil deeds."
Zachary says, "Ah that makes sense. Now I feel guilty for bringing this armor dead in the middle of a war zone." Sullivan looks to the young soldier and tells him, "You have no reason to feel guilty son. Compared to me you look like you were left untouched while my armor has been ripped to shreds. Kill any feeling of guilt you have, because I'm gonna need you to watch my back when we get out there. So I won't run the risk of my armor being destroyed again. As a fellow brother in arms I'm asking you, can I count on you watching my back?"
Without hesitation and full now of confidence. Zachery replies, "Yes you can sir!" The soldier finds confidence in the legendary hero's words and begins to plot upcoming strategies for the upcoming battle. Eric and Ryan head off in a different direction and come up with plans of attack of their own.
At the center of the floor, King Eric with his brother Ryan talk through their plans of attack. Reference boards and examples of these strategies are laid out on a large table for both brothers to see. However, the brother's conversation is interrupted when Ryan notices Maxwell approaching their table. Ryan attempts to stop Maxwell from approaching until he hears Erik say, "No brother. Don't worry. Give us a moment. I pretty much understand the strategy you want us to execute once we get to the eye of the storm."
Ryan hesitates for a moment then leaves the floor to his Younger brother and Maxwell. Erik smirks and says to Maxwell, "What you wanna fight? Even if you win? Could you fight a whole troop of us while you are stuck in here?" Maxwell tells the pirate king, "I'm not here for a fight. I'm here for a conversation. I can't allow you to talk about my father that way." Erik looks at Maxwell and realizes. Just like him. He's also a son trying to fulfill their father's role to a legion of people who trust their vision.
And just for that common factor, he gives him this moment.
Maxwell begins to say, "I'm not the one to start a conversation with pointing fingers. I'm just replying to what you said about my father and his beliefs. Earlier you mocked his death by saying his final creation was a failure just because we're rushing to help Supremeo defeat the War Hawk droid. Well, I'd say you're in the wrong for saying that. Because if we compare, we could also say the Nation your father led and created was a failed experiment as well. Because under their new leadership, they're now teamed up with people who he viewed as the enemy to help them take down a common foe who cut their group down by the hundreds! What do you think your father would say that is? What about you? Did he or did he not fail the pirate nation he's built by handing it over to his son and only daughter? By your standards, I'd think the answer is yes right?"
The entire room goes quiet as both pirate and Soldier hear the statement made by Maxwell. The pirate king approaches Maxwell close enough to the point that they are practically nose-to-nose.
Maxwell is the first to speak. He tells Erik, "Since you understand the strategy your brother put out. It won't matter if I do this!" Instantly Maxwell grabs the pirate king by his wrist. Pulls him over his shoulder and slams him on the nearby table. A projector on the table with drawn-up strategies for the upcoming battle is
smashed. The pirate king's wrist is still locked in the hold by Maxwell. He starts to notice the king's fellow pirates ready to tear him off their king. Maxwell stands over Erik putting the pirate king in a tighter hold.
He tells the incoming pirates, "ANY CLOSER AND ILL TAKE HIS ARM OFF! I'm just getting my lick back!" the pirates instantly stop approaching Maxwell. Until a laugh is heard from Erik. He says to Maxwell, "Go ahead and take my dumb arm. There won't be anything to stop me or my men from taking yours after!"
Maxwell notices Erik's people beginning to move forward. Until Ryan grabs Maxwell's wrist. The soldier says to Maxwell and the pirates, "Alright! Enough! We've touched down! I can see everyone's thirst for battle in this room. That's good! We don't have to worry about any nerves getting to us! But please EVERYONE! Direct that energy to the ones who deserve it!"
The Pirate troops listen to their king's brother and so does Maxwell. He lets go of Erik's arm and then lets him get back to his feet. The pirate king shakes off the soreness from his arm and gives a grin to Maxwell. He tells him, "I thought you were gonna do it!"
With an expressionless look on his face, Maxwell looks out the window to the upcoming battle he'll have. He tells Erik, "Nah I was bluffing. I did say I was gonna get my lick back earlier. You threw me down and embarrassed me in front of your people. So it was only right for me to drop you and embarrass you the same way." Erik says, "Ha! Is that what happened now? There's no time to think about your ego when you're engaged in a fight that involves potential death, my friend. Guess you don't usually think about that since you bulldoze your enemies in that huge sphere suit. Must be nice to know such a safe feeling."
Maxwell laughs to himself then tells Erik, "But didn't I just slam you out of the suit? Sure I feel safe in that suit like how any other fighter or soldier would feel when they wield a powerful weapon. Be happy you got a tank on your team for this fight. I use this suit the same way you jump head-first into battle in your armor. I may not be a natural-born fighter like you are but I will do the same and jump head-first, into a fight to protect what I love. I may not have seen the levels of death and destruction you've seen. But from what I've seen. I saw enough! That's why I'm out here with everyone. So make all the judgments you want. YOU NEED ME!"
The pirate king is left speechless as he just glares at Maxwell. He then nods and tells Max, "You got heart kid. I respect that. Pretty decent slam too. But yes, I do agree with my brother. We need to direct this energy towards the ones who deserve our wrath."
The pirate king extends his hand for Maxwell to shake. He accepts. Ryan sees this and says, "Great now that everyone is friends I'll tell you my view of things. Guys like you Erik, you Max, and me are children of old leaders who are trying to maintain what our fathers have built for the people who chose them as the ones to bring them out of the dark ages that Adrira's empire has put us through. Our passion for maintaining the prosperity of these cities, resting grounds, or whatever you wanna call it is evident in battle. because of the community. We might have disagreed with a few things when we saw how our fathers ran things. But the community and prosperity these places represent are undeniable. Now that we're the ones at the reigns. I'd say we have it easier. Those things we disagreed on we don't do. I heard my brother's side of the nation stop killing soldiers who delivered supplies to neighboring towns. And now that the droids have been freed to work. Many tech cities have resumed being built. The vision of our lives being prosperous is there. All we have to do is fight together!"
The rumble of the landship stops and the entire party can hear the thunderous boom and ringing clash of metal as they trade hits in battle. Bernard Sullivan looks through a Window to a hatch the entire group will be exiting.
He looks behind him and notices just like him, the party is ready for a fight. He says to the crew, "Everyone didn't forget their spots right?" The crew shakes their heads telling the hero, "No."
Bernard grins and says, "Good I always believe the battle signs of a sure victory are shown when everyone in the room is of a like mind. And I say we need more golden scraps for our inventory! Wouldn't you agree?"
The pirates roar in agreement. Erik screams back at his men saying, "ALRIGHT THEN! LETS GIVE EM HELL!"
ns 15.158.61.54da2
