The Chronicles of Alec Blackwater Chapter VII Ship Shopping

Alec was walking back to Whisks’ place when there was a huge explosion coming from the Tower; Whisk soon gave Alec a call. “Alec,” Whisk asked Alec with a very serious tone in Whisks’ voice. “You see that?” “Yeah,” Alec responded. “Who’s responsible?” “Rain,” Whisk responded. “He’s nuts. Didn’t you help him on Venus? Eh, don’t worry about it, just get back here.” Alec got back as soon as he could to Whisks’ building; not paying much attention to the blast, he had a lot on his mind. Whisk had been in the hanger with Pheln, Jk-Bx, and some other man. The man was dressed in an apron full of machinist tools, had a rough looking expression, and a very thick Irish accent. “Oi,” The man said at Jk-Bx, who was river-dancing on top of a tool box to Celtic music. “Get down from there you crazy robot! And stop making fun of me kin.” “Alec,” Whisk said, noticing Alec. “This is Lyle, a gunsmith that has been my friend for a long time. He’ll help you with your weapon needs and wants.” “Glad to meet you, Alec,” Lyle said, extending a hand to shake Alecs hand. Alec just nodded his head on recognition. “So,” Lyle started to say, sitting back down. “You like the shotgun you’re carrying there? Well, I made that; kicks like my third ex-wives boyfriend.” “I like it,” Alec stated. “Good,” Lyle said, taking a long swig from his whiskey bottle. “Now,” Alec said, looking in Whisks direction. “Where’s my money and your ship?” “Oh, man,” Pheln exclaimed. “Whisk got your money from the FWC; they even took the bounty off your head as a bonus. Now, when Whisk was coming back, the, uh, Dead Orbit, yeah, they kinda’, you know, shot him down. All in all, we need a new ship; but hey, he got away with the money.” Whisk then proceeded to tell Alec of Logan’s’ Bluff, a place where ships were often abandoned or crashed. They decided to use some of the money to hire a ship to tow a ship that they could repair from Logan’s’ Bluff. Alec and Pheln decided that they’d go look for a new ship themselves. Alec had Whisk transfer fifty percent of the bounty to Spencer’s orphanage fund; the rest of the money Alec just stashed away. Alec and Pheln took a low cost ship and had themselves delivered to the location of Logan’s’ Bluff, a ship graveyard about fifty miles away from the city. Alec noticed Fallen tracks, only Dregs and Scoundrels though, so at least it wouldn’t be too dangerous. “So, uh,” Pheln started to say. “Know what we’re looking for?” “Something big,” Alec said with a start. “We need one big enough to support more than three or four Guardians.” Alec and Pheln then spent the next few hours looking through the graveyard for the right ship. Logan’s Bluff was a rocky valley, nothing grew there anymore, so many ships crashed there from being shot down or bad weather conditions. Soon, Pheln found himself in trouble, being chased by Dregs. “Alec,” Pheln yelled into his radio. “I, uh, need help! Kinda’ broke the no “Don’t shoot at random stuff,” rule.” “Run,” Alec responded. “You’ll be fine….maybe.” Pheln ran as fast as he could run, dodging Dreg gunfire, jumping over wreckage, and trying to shoot over his head at the same time. Soon, Alec appeared and grabbed Pheln from behind a wrecked ship. As the Dreg ran past them, Alec pointed at a ship to Pheln. “Oh, yeah,” Exclaimed Pheln with a smile. “We’re in bus-“ Alec pulled Pheln towards the ship, covering his mouth; mean while the Dreg turned around ran back towards the direction that they heard Phelns' yell. The ship that Alec pulled Pheln to had some power left in it, so Alec sealed the door. Pheln got in the pilot’s seat, trying to arm a weapon. “Hey, hey,” Howled Pheln. “Here we go! Dregs are gone!” With that, Pheln pushed a button and the pursuing dregs were reduced to ash. Alec asked Pheln to inspect the ship, before they took it for themselves. So Pheln began to check the ship, starting at the engines. Alec noted that the ship had an armory, kitchen, eight bunks, a toilet room, and two large storage rooms; it also had twelve cup holders. “Here’s the good news,” Pheln began. "The ship is in one piece and has some energy left to tinker with. The bad news is that the engines are in bad shape, the wings need repairing, and the weapon system needs repairing. Whisk can handle the computer stuff, but, uh, it’ll take me a few days to repair the broken parts of the ship. Both the external and internal repairs will cost a little money, not much though.” “Does she have the energy to get us back to the city?” Asked Alec to Pheln. “Sure, do.” Replied Pheln in a casual voice. “I’ll even fly us back. Better have a 'barf bag' though.” Alec strapped himself into the copilots chair, hoping that’d they make it back in one piece. Soon, however, they heard music coming from the roof of the ship. Jk-Bx had tagged along without their knowing. He was playing a country song of some sort, standing directly above the cockpit, hands on his hips, looking into the distance. They had arrived back at the shop, just in time for some big news from Whisk. Apparently, Simons was on Mars, hiding from Alec and the Council (The Council was not the Elders; the Council was the Elite Guardians who deal with punishment of crime of guardians in the city,). Whisk soon got to work on the ships computer while Phelns got to work on the engines and other ship issues that required his attention. Lyle pitched in by machining parts Pheln needed and prepared a small collection of weapons for the armory. Jk-Bx was, of course, the radio; while Alec went to and from locations investigating about Simons. About five days later, the ship was ready. “Woo,” Huffed Pheln as he finished the paint job on the large vessel, stepping back to admire his work. Pheln had painted tiger teeth on the engines and he painted a Fallen skull on the right side of the cockpit, under the window. The ship was all gray, with some black trimmings; Alec had Pheln paint LEVIATHAN on both sides, above the wings. Alec, Pheln, Whisk, and Lyle stood in front of it, admiring the beauty of it. Jk-Bx had run from the room, going to get something special for the occasion. When suddenly, Jk-Bx returned with something, something that was quite important to use on the occasion of christening a new ship. “Hear, ye, Hear, ye,” Yelled Jk-Bx. “I christen the, The Leviathan!” With that, Jk-Bx threw a bottle of Lyles best champagne at the hull of the Leviathan. The bottle smashed, covering some of Phelns tools and equipment. “Hey!” Hollered Phelns at Jk-Bx. “Oi,” Screamed Lyle. “That was some of me best liquor!” Phelns and Lyle go to chase Jk-Bx while Whisk and Alec discuss what’s next. “Mars?” Asked Whisk as he looked at the Leviathan; chewing a toothpick. “Yes,” Alec responded in a dark tone. “Were going after Simons, getting this bounty off my head and getting some personal business done between him and me.” “Personal,” Whisk asked questionably. “Simons,” Alec began to say. “Was there, at the house my wife and I had found in the wastelands, the day my family died. I remember.” End Chapter seven Chapter Eight http://www.bungie.net/7_Chapter-VIII-Sand-and-Tears/en/Forum/Post?id=62338545 Thanks for reading, feedback is appreciated.