Chaz circled around towards the back, sneaking on all fours through some underbrush, failing miserably. He was loud and obvious, but hopefully Grayell was obnoxious enough to distract them.
A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works with as few original ideas as possible.
There was no questioning, no query of the Orcs and Grayell had predicted as much. They only yelled some indecipherable nonsense as they lunged, massive weapons quick to cut him down.
If only he'd let them. His blade arced from it's sheath and severed the arm of the first, him thrusting a boot into it's face and sending it to the dirt. The second lifted it's weapon high as it closed upon him - but the next swing of his blade sent a shimmering blade of light from it's tip, severing the bully's leg. The blade did not stop, only turned; before slicing it's throat from it with ease.
More were now rushing to him, climbing down the mess of gangplanks and ladders that smothered their weapon. It had come to a halt and the Orcs and goblins were all screaming in some manner. This was the confusion Chaz needed, NO ONE was looking in his direction.
Chaz snuck around the back of the machine, to the first boiler. He put a hand on it as he passed it. Instantly, he had a flash of fire, of death and horror and carnage the machine had wrought. He could feel its soul, twisted and tortured.
For a moment he was frozen, then he shook his head, patting the side of the machine. He whispered to it.
I'll put you out of your misery, old girl...just wait.
He climbed into the mass of pipes and valves between the two boilers, his small frame letting him slip in easily. He followed the pipes with his eyes, labeling them in his mind. In his brain he started laying out the pipes in a blueprint fashion, memorizing where they were. After a moment he selected one and followed it until he found where it connected to the boiler. He put his wrench around the bolt and pulled it down, bracing against another pipe, trying to loosen it.
A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works with as few original ideas as possible.
Chaz forced the bolt to move, but had to be careful. The orckin were sprawling down the gangplanks, rushing to deal with Grayell - who was causing quite the ruckus below.
Grayell laughed as he severed another throat, the hand before it lopped off. He swung his blade back, feet light across the ground and then whipped around. The spear missed his side and his knee pressed it aside as his sword found the Orc's gut.
Another flourish, another dodge and another one dead. The blade sang in the moonlight with ease and grace, the unrefined attacks of these Orcs no match for his skill.
The Orc at the helm screamed in it's rage and issued a babble of orders, cursing. The great turret on the machine creaked and started to slowly winch downward... pulleys and gears savagely being wound by the goblins. A sane opponent would not use this machine of war on such a small target. An intelligent force would know it was risky. But... these were Orcs.
Below, a grate rolled up and a large ogre lumbered out, a goblin mounted upon it's shoulders. It was heavily armored, cruel spikes over it's shoulders, arms and knuckles... and it lumbered toward Grayell who was quite busy with the lesser grunts.
Chaz hid under the gangplanks of the thing, gritting his teeth, scared out of his mind. He crawled around the second boiler, to where the chain assembly was. Again his mind plotted out a blueprint of the thing, every gear and chain and pulley that controlled the barrel and firing mechanism in its place. He followed the gears even as he hid among them. There was a spare length of chain on the floor, and he picked it up and slowly, slowly, tried to slip it into the main gear that controlled the barrel chain, and knock it off course.
A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works with as few original ideas as possible.
Grayell snarled as he downed another of the green brutes, leaped off it's cowering body and skewered another. They were throwing everything they had at him and not getting anywhere. The wheel house commander was still yelling and moving frantically, working his end of the mechanism that operated the cannon. The goblins readied the cannon for fire and suddenly a chain was jammed...
BOOOOM!
Grayell was thrown to the ground in the blast, but unharmed otherwise. He was on his feet again in a hurry and now was bolting toward the massive weapon itself.
Chaz had prevented a fatal blast... but a goblin spotted him and was screaming frantically.
He went into full on panic mode, falling to the floor and crawling on all fours through the tangle of machinery. He could feel the machine encouraging him as he touched it, calming him and pushing him on. It was...protecting him. It wanted this.
As he slipped around the boiler, he saw a series of release valves. Knowing immediately where they led, he loosened them all, sending white hot steam screaming out, hoping to fry anyone who chased him. He ended up near the barrel, above him massive valve that would send the fire into the barrel. He'd have to change his plans a little.
He put his wrench in between his teeth and pulled himself up the side of the boiler, grateful for his gloves. He would have burned himself otherwise. He would be going to the top of the boiler, where a large platform was. Hopefully no one would be up there...
A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works with as few original ideas as possible.
Golden crisp goblins squealed in agony which brought more attention to Chaz and now it seemed, the lower Orc guards where rather concerned with him. Grayell ran one through as he closed from behind, dropped and the lifted another one off the board walk to fall with a sickening crunch as it's head bounced off something solid.
He scrambled, the wood under him bouncing and thwacking in impact, before he swung onto a series of chains and scrambled higher, toward the control room.
Chaz managed to scurry to the top of the boiler... and found a pair of goblins there, now very aware of his presence.
Chaz pulled himself up and pulled his wrench from his teeth, now scared out of his mind and trying to think of what to do. The butterfly valve was right behind him. He could stick it closed and cause the machine to explode. He'd just have to run. He growled, baring his teeth, trying to look menacing, then quickly realized that was useless.
He thought of his family, what would happen to them if he died, and then he thought of the machine. All of them needed him. He set his jaw, and charge, yelling, at the two goblins, trying to shove them off, not caring about any injuries.
A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works with as few original ideas as possible.
Grayell swung in through the front of the wheel house and kicked the chief Orc. The Orc fell back, jerking the wheel of the giant, lumbering cart and sent it rocking to one side.
One of Chaz's goblin opponents fell immediately into the boiler and to a quick death. Both the Cathian and the remaining worker goblin slipped and grabbed onto the rail, the boiler bubbling beneath them.
Chaz yelled and grabbed onto the railing, hold onto it, in a full panic state now. He looked around for options, but found none or very few, the goblin still beside him on the railing.
Having no other real options, he begged the machine. He could still feel it, slow and lumbering, the damage done to it for far freeing its spirit a little. He saw himself asking it for help...and it responding. But he would have to meet it halfway.
He knew what he had to do. He grit his teeth and shifted his weight, swinging back and forth, trying to dislodge the rail from the bottom of the platform. Maybe, hopefully, it would break and bend outwards, carrying him to safety and dropping the goblin into the boiler.
A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works with as few original ideas as possible.
The machine answered to Chaz as Grayell's sword arm did it's deed on the Orc overseer. The machine chugged and ground to a halt as the rail gave, throwing the goblin to it's doom and then lifting Chaz up and onto a platform.
Grayell has scrambled from the helm and climbed up toward him, searching for him.
Chaz dropped to his knees, trying to take in a breath, and also trying to figure out how the hell that happened. He thought him talking to the machine would maybe make it move a little, but that....just seemed illogical. He got up and waved to Gray, stretching his back.
It's....it's okay. I'm okay. It's been disabled....but if you want to destroy it entirely I can...do that too.
A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works with as few original ideas as possible.
Grayell grunted as he made his way up to Chaz. He stood, caught his breath and then looked at his arm, a decent gash upon it. He then surveyed the monstrosity they stood upon.
Blasted Orcs. Yes. We need to disable it entirely. It's much too dangerous. We also need to understand the best way to stop one should they have another.
I'll leave that to you whilst I pilfer what little riches they may have.
Define "disable." Because I could try and turn it off so that no one could turn it back on again, but it would stay here and people could scavenge from it. Or I could....permanently disable it. He grinned.
A good scientist is a person with original ideas. A good engineer is a person who makes a design that works with as few original ideas as possible.
