The plan is easy enough. Scout the town out for a bit, make your way around until you find a bank of some sort, then steal everything they have and run. Simple!
You ask for directions from the locals as you disembark, affecting as much of a casual air as you can while giving a fake name for yourself and your boat (Ching is a very well known surname thanks to your mother).
Caihong, unfortunately, must stay behind on the ship and keep her ready for a quick getaway. And head off any questions about their passengers. Other than that, however, you've got most of your crew and a few cultists along to help carry the treasures you're about to steal.
"Can I have a gun?" Fan asks from your shoulder, a position drawing stares.
"After you train with one."
"So not right now?"
"No, sorry." You say, ruffling her hair.
She pouts. "Can I hold some of the gold?"
"Soon as we get some coins you can hold in one hand." You promise.
She brightens. "Coins? With the ugly faces on them?"
"Probably will have the imperial sigil in all likelihood. Your cut will be whatever you can reasonably carry."
She squees. "I'm gonna get a bar! No, two bars! FIVE!!"
Eun tries and fails to hide her smile.
"Reasonably, Fan." You poke her forehead. "If you can't run with it, it doesn't count."
"Awww." She pouts. "But I can ride your back!"
Amaya pulls out her pocket watch, then glances at you, eyebrow raised.
You shake your head. "Should be a quick one. In and out, five minutes tops."
Amaya nods and puts the watch away. You're not sure why she doesn't want to stay long, but you don't pry.
The bank is a large building, as one would expect for a trading town, but the name is what catches your eye.
Loch and Kei: Safer than buried treasure.
"… This place is begging for it." Ping pulls out his pistol, and the crew goes into the bank.
-
You carry more than your comrades, of course, but you all get a decent load before getting out of the bank.
Fan, in her infinite wisdom, had tried to take three golden bars. Unfortunately for her, small children are not generally capable of lifting 90 pounds of anything, let alone gold. So she eventually settled on some shiny doubloons.
The rest of you piled in as much treasure as you could into various sacks. You leave behind the cash; who uses money when you have gold available anyway?
It's only after you've all left that the alarm sounds, which is fortunate indeed.
Because the Armiger only rushes into the city once it hears the bells.
"VILLAINS! MISCREANTS!! COWARDS AND THIEVES!!! HALT OR BE ANNIHILATED!!" the pilot roars out of his armor's speakers as he lopes into the city, running for the bank with a speed that would terrify lesser men. Like Ping.
"Shit!" he yells as he sprints as fast as his legs and his giant sack full of treasure can carry him.
"Halt." You say instead, to which all of your men slide to a stop, and then immediately start objecting. You're proud to be leading people who are obedient but not insane.
"Captain I do not wish to question you-" Eun says.
"I DO!" Ping yells.
"But why?"
"Because it's fast. If we run to the docks and get back onto the Dagger," You jab your thumb back at the knight, "It'll see us getting on the ship and blow us out of the water before we can get away."
Amaya looks apprehensive, but she nods. Fan looks at the knight loping its way towards you all, apprehensive.
What you don't tell them is the fact that you could easily outrun the knight if you abandoned the rest of your crew. Because while you're smart enough to know this, it's not really an option any more than flirting with the death machine.
Eun steps closer to you. "If we can't run for the ship what's the plan then?"
-
The armiger's pilot has threatened you to halt or be annihilated. Running isn't an option here, because getting away would require you leave your comrades (or the treasure) behind, which is unacceptable. How do you respond?
[] – Challenge him to a duel (mean it)
You can beat the robot in a fair fight, and the knight will be honor-bound to let you leave.
[] – Challenge him to a duel (but not really)
You'll fight him, but come on. What kind of pirate engages in a "fair" duel?
[] – Wreck it
Do not duel it. Just let it get close enough to arrest you, wreck its legs and run.
[] – Run
Leave it intact and run. This thing is all the town has for protection.
Gonna be honest: not happy with this update. Ended up splitting it twice and deleting a scene inside the bank because it felt boring as shit, ended up way too short. But it's been a month, need to move on, and it wasn't getting any better.
I'll see if I can do any better with the next one.
Y'know, I have to wonder if this is the most action this little knight has seen in a while. They seem pretty angry about the whole thing. (though it could just be that we robbed the bank.)
Damn shame they're facing a Primarch though, almost feel bad for the poor guy.
Y'know, I have to wonder if this is the most action this little knight has seen in a while. They seem pretty angry about the whole thing. (though it could just be that we robbed the bank.)
Damn shame they're facing a Primarch though, almost feel bad for the poor guy.
Probably frustrated that he's nowhere near the front lines of the war that will decide the fate of not only his house but those whom he has sworn to serve.
Probably frustrated that he's nowhere near the front lines of the war that will decide the fate of not only his house but those whom he has sworn to serve.
