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Korra sat down next to him and looked at her plate for a moment. Before meeting Eric's eyes, she smiled a bit then looked back down at her plate not really having an appetite. "Well.. Besides a bruise and rope burn im fine.. I hope you didnt go through too much trouble to make this for me..im not very hungry.." she said quietly.

The fall had badly shaken her up and she felt more sick than anything. Korra hated the fact that Eric made the food and she wasnt hungry. It made her feel like she was insulting him or something but she just wasnt feeling very hungry.

Aiden was rather shocked and he suddenly grew angry. "I have a daughter to take care of and a ship to run! You cant do this to me!" he growled threateningly. No way would he forgive this for quite a while. He thought of Korra then the recruits meeting at the ship tommorow but mostly Korra. Though the gun at his side was uncomfortable.

Eric shrugged. "It's fine." Truth was, since he was with her, he'd sort of lost his appetite as well. He hesitated. "If there's anything you need, just let me know." He didn't know what else to offer her, short of his own near-death stories and she didn't look to be in the mood for those.

"You know," he offered suddenly, "it's not everyday a captain gets his ship stolen from him. You should have seen the look on your father's face when he realized who had stolen the Steel and Clockwork."

Jason flinched a little at Aiden's accusing tone. "I know," he said apologetically. "And I really am sorry, but, well, I didn't survive this long for nothing." What Jason needed, however, was to get Aiden and himself out of the limelight and into a place where they couldn't be observed by the men who'd kidnapped Jason--forcing him to desert.

"Come on," he ordered, "I don't have all day." Softly, in a bit of a whisper he added, "and if you want to get back to your ship and your daughter, we best go now."

Korra actually brightened up at this and a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Really? How did he react?" she asked curious now and slightly turned to Eric. Her green eyes brightened and she pulled her legs up into the chair so now she was sitting criss cross. Kinda looking like a kid now about to be told a story, she smiled.

It surely had been quite a shock to Aiden when he learned who stole his ship. Then he had been a fit of rage about being shown up by his own daughter. A girl no less.

Aiden scowled then growled something under his breath. "Fine," he snapped and let Jason lead him away. The only reason he was doing this now is so he could return to Korra so she didnt loose him too soon. He did want to catch up with her and make up for abandoning her and making her life a living hell.

Eric smiled, his eyes softening somewhat, and his composure relaxing a little. He hadn't realized how formal he was acting towards Korra until now. But most of that had to due with Daryn's threat and the captain's warning.

"Well, he had a fit. Although none of us knew that you were his daughter, he was hellbent on getting that ship back." He chuckled. "I've never seen him so distracted and focused. Especially when he learned who you 'kidnapped'. We were working over time to commandeer another ship."

Daryn at last reached the final shop on his route and looked around. He didn't see the captain anywhere, perhaps Aiden had gone back to the ship? Or maybe he was still working on finding recruits. Daryn settled down to wait, watching the hustle and bustle around him.

Sensing that Aiden wasn't going to struggle too much, Jason sighed in relief. He hauled Aiden with him to a busy intersection before dragging him down a little-used path that no one really seemed to know was there. Or if they did, steered away from it. At the very end of the path was a rickety old building that looked abandoned. However, upon opening the door, it clearly was not.

The interior was decorated with chairs, rugs, a table, some utencils that looked vaguely similar to the ones that had been on the Steel and Clockwork at one time.

"Have a seat," Jason said, releasing Aiden's arm, though keeping the gun trained on him. "I have a lot to tell you and not much time."

Korra laughed softly and she relaxed alot as Eric did. The air shifted to a more comfortable, relaxing quiet as she smiled. "Well Daryn wasnt the easiest to deal with at first so i shouldve just flew back over and let my father have him," she said with a smile, remembering the fight he had put up. Then she thought of Daryn softening up and she go lost in her thoughts for a second before shaking her head to clear it.

Looking at Eric, she smiled at him. "So what exactly do you do on the ship?" she asked, tilting her head to the side a bit. It made her look like a cute puppy almost as she tilted her head and her eyes got a curious look to them.

Aiden watched Jason for a moment before taking a seat in a nearby chair. "Well you better start explaining before i loose my patience with you Jason," he said, leaning forward a bit. Putting his elbows on his knees, he inspected Jason and waited. Honestly, Aiden wasnt much for waiting and it made him mad when someone threatened him. And Jason was clearly threatening him while holding the gun to him.

Eric smirked. "He's good at breaking up fights, did he tell you that? But I don't think he ever considered getting in one to begin with, let alone with you." He noted the way she trailed off and then she was asking about his duties.

"Well, mostly I order the other two petty officers around; giving them the orders that the captain gives me. I'm in charge of the gunmen on the ship. Daryn's in charge of the rigging and the guys who do that stuff; and then Johanson, our 3rd Class Petty Officer takes care of minutiae that Daryn and I aren't willing to do. Like taking inventory and stuff like that."

Jason lowered the gun but didn't take a seat. If someone came in through the door it would look bad if he was sitting down next to his "hostage".

"Alright, long story short--I never deserted the ship. I went looking for pirates and found them, or rather, they found me. When they caught me, they refused to let me go. I had to swear to join them or they would kill me. I told them to go ahead, but they wouldn't follow through. What happened after..." he grimaced, his eyes betraying horror. "They didn't kill me but I almost wished they had."

"I can't return to the ship, Aiden. If I do, and if they find Daryn and your daughter and whoever else is with you--you'll all be in danger. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. You'd be better off telling Daryn that I was killed. Circulate that rumor instead. If he finds me...he'll find the pirates. And I don't want that." He rubbed the scar on his neck.

Korra listened and eventually pulled her knees up to her chest, putting her chin on her arms and listening quietly. Their duties sounded rather tiring and busy. "Wow thats a busy day huh?" she asked with a sweet smile that made her look radiant. Her bangs fell over her left eye and she sighed as they did.

Aiden stood up after listening wether it would seem threatening to Jason or not. "Look Jason, those pirates wont harm you if your with us. Korra is strong and so is Daryn. Those pirates cant get to you. Come back with me. Your family needs you Jason and..I need you to help me run the ship," Aiden said seriously. Aiden knew it would be dangerous but it would also be adventurous. He trusted that Korra, Daryn, Eric, Jason, and himself could hold off the pirates. Not to mention the extra crew members coming on board.

Eric studied Korra for a moment. "Eh, it's work; it pays well; I'd jump overboard if it meant I'd make another grand a year. Well, assuming we were grounded. But what about yourself? You're a pirate but not...?"

Jason sighed and took a step back from Aiden. He wasn't threatened, but he wasn't completely off his guard either.

"I've already been labeled a deserter, Aiden. Do you know what they'll do to me when they find me? What they'll do to you for taking me on board as a fellow shipman? I've cooked my own goose. I should own up to it...but I can't let Daryn see that. It would crush him, especially after he's worked so hard to make Petty Officer 2nd Class." Jason smiled bitterly. "I envy his drive; his courage to surpass his own father in rank."

He trailed off for a moment. "Besides," he said, coming back to himself with a start. "Who's to say that whoever you hire isn't really a pirate in disguise? It would only take a rumor, and there are enough of them that fighting would be treacherous. A pyrrhic victory at best." Meaning, even if they won, they'd lose just as many men in the process.

Korra faked a offended look and set her feet back on the floor. "Eric! How dare you call me a pirate!" she gasped in a obviously, faked and offended tone. Then a grin broke out on her face and she relaxed, leaning back into the chair. "Im not a pirate. Just simply a girl who works as a mechanic on ships and roams the sky by myself. Well used to be anyway. I dont steal or anything anymore and i now have my dad back. As well as a nice ship i can work on," Korra explained with a shrug and smile.

Aiden looked at Jason for a long, silent moment. "Jason. I have Daryn checking out half the men that are going to be on the crew and i trust him to be able to tell the difference between a pirate and a real airship man. Besides he knows what a pirates like. My daughter used to be one..but that was my fault. Jason, i am the one who called you a deserter. I've already labeled you as a missing man and not a deserter. I did the same for Daryn. Im not leaving here without you, and trust me when i say Korra will come looking for me. When she does, she wont go to easy on you," he said but at the last part he had to chuckle softly.

Eric grinned wryly, a flash of humor briefly flickering across his dark eyes. "I'm just calling it as I see it; if you don't like it, tough luck."

"Anyway, it sounds like you know what you're doing. So I don't have any qualms about that. Just don't be stealing my stuff and we'll be okay." He looked down at his plate and then took a bite. It wasn't bad. A bit cold...but not terrible.

Jason just stared at Aiden. "You...you would do that?" He seemed confounded by the idea that his kidnapping by pirates would be smoothed over as missing in action. He looked down at his hands, calloused and scarred from working on a ship. "It's not Korra I'm afraid of facing," he said at length. "It's Daryn." How would his son react to seeing him again? In this condition, no less? He expected anger, hate. There was no room to think Daryn might just want to see him again--as a father.

Korra rolled her eyes then propped her feet up on Eric's lap. With a grin too. Then she put her head back on the top of the chair and looked at the ceiling. Her thoughts trailed off to where Daryn was and how everything was going. Hoping he would be back before night because she was missing him a whole lot. She wanted to fall asleep with him and not alone.

Jason sat back down and let out a heavy sigh. "Yes Jason. Put the gun away. Daryn had been looking for you for two years. Him and Korra are getting pretty serious and he needs you back. Both as a father and so you can take care of your family. Im offering you a job on my new ship Jason. Your not being labeled as a traitor and its a high-paying job. Take this offer Jason and im not leaving till you do," Aiden said firmly and leaned back in the chair to prove his point.

Eric looked down at Korra's feet as they planted themselves on his lap. "You...probably shouldn't do that. Daryn would have a cow if he saw us...touching."

Jason eyed Aiden's refusal to leave and smiled wryly, before sighing. He really couldn't pass up this opportunity. It was his last chance to get back together with his wife, and bail Daryn out of having to take care of the family he, Jason, should have been providing for all along.

"It'll be dangerous and we need to leave as soon as I climb aboard." Jason said. "So when are you planning on getting everyone you've recruited to your ship? I'll try to arrive a little after that so you have time to ready the ship to take off."

Korra snapped back to the present then took her feet off of Eric's lap. "Oh. Right," she said then got off her chair and took her plate. "Im gonna go wash off my plate," she said before leaving and going down to the kitchen. Where she dumped the food into the trash and washed the plate off. Then dried it off and put it up. Pouring herself a half of a glass of wine then downing it rather quickly and leaning on the counter for a second. After a minute, she stood up and washed the cup before putting it up. Finally leaving to go back to her and Daryn's room. It was getting pretty late out and the sun was starting to go down, so she wondered where her father and Daryn were when entering their room.

Aiden looked up at Jason and a grin broke out on his face before standing. "Tommorow morning before dawn. They'll all be there and start working on the ship. You better be there Jason because we arent leaving without you. I wont tell Daryn. I'll leave it for when you see him next. Now take me back to town before it gets dark," Aiden said in a friendly manner.

Daryn paced back and forth as the sun set. What was taking the captain so long? Surely he had gone back to the ship! But yet, Daryn lingered still, scanning the crowd with worried eyes.

Eric followed Korra out of the room; he wasn't going to linger behind in their room. He took his plate down to the sink, washing it clean as well before heading back to the control room. He made a few checks to make sure everything was in running order, before heading to his room again. Daryn didn't need to know that he'd talked with Korra.

Jason nodded and motioned for Aiden to get up. "It's not far. Just complicated." It was one reason he'd been able to use this place so far; only he was able to find his way through the maze of alleys and back routes. "And I'll try to meet you at the ship." He hesitated then added, "Thanks for looking after Daryn for me. It means a lot."

Korra paused just inside the doorway to their room and looked at the empty bed. It looked rather cold without Daryn and she wasnt looking forward to getting into it. Backing out of their room, she went down into the loading bay and looked around, shivering at the cold draft in there. Standing beside the hatch, she sat beside it and wished Kyro hadnt died for them. If she hadnt been stupid enough to call him, he wouldnt be dead.

Aiden grinned then shrugged and headed for the door. "I've always still considered you my best friend Jason. I got over out little dispute and i knew Daryn was your boy just by looking at him. You better be there tommorow though. Cause we arent leaving without you," he said as he opened the door and waited outside for Jason.

Daryn paced anxiously, and finally could stand it no longer. He began to ask about the captain--who had seen him, where he'd been seen, whether anyone was with him... But the shopkeepers were beginning to lock up for the night and the foot traffic was beginning to pick up as people hurried home. If the captain didn't arrive soon, Daryn would head back to the ship without him.

Eric played with the revolver he had in his room, opening the cylinder to check that it was loaded, then snapping it shut and spinning it to listen to the well-oiled whiz, before opening it up again. He wondered what was taking the captain and Daryn so long in getting back.

Jason offered a brief nod at Aiden. "I'll do my best, but if you have to leave for any reason and I'm not on board, leave me behind." Mostly he was worried that the pirates would find the ship and try to take over. Jason didn't want to be responsible for that. Not one bit. "I'll try to be prompt," he added, knowing he needed to do a few things tonight before he could ready himself for tomorrow. It was going to be a long night.

Korra couldnt stand staying in this stuffy ship anymore. Wether anyone was with her or not, she opened the loading bay door. Walking outside and onto the dock, she closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. The fresh air gave her a small spark of energy and she walked off the docks. Nodding to men as she passed by since women usually stayed away from the docks. Stepping off the docks, she headed away from town and toward the woods. A well walked trail led into the woods and she needed some time to herself. A gentle, cold breeze made a shiver run down her spine and made her wish she had brought a light coat. The trees overhead blocked out the little sun that was left and it was quite dark. Shoving her hands into her pockets, her breath billowed out in a cold as the temperature dropped from the lack of sun. It was getting very close to the winter months.

Aiden grinned then lightly patted Jason's shoulder. "I plan on you being there. My daughter had been helping your son for quite a while and im sure she will be very eager to meet you," he said as they made their way back to town. He rubbed his hands together as the temperature dropped as night approached. "Man, sure does get cold around here," he commented.

Daryn shivered as the night began to close in. Cool air wrapped around him like a cloak, and he finally gave up waiting for Aiden. He began to trudge his way to the airship, before hearing a familiar voice. Aiden? Where was the captain and who was he talking to all the way out here, this late at night?

Eric heard the loading bay doors open and close and he frowned, sitting upright. Had someone just entered or left? He jumped to his feet and headed for the door--calling for Daryn and Aiden, when he stopped short. He was alone on the ship. He frowned. Where would Korra have gone on a night like tonight?

"Korra?" He called after her, but she didn't seem to hear. He frowned. Should he go after her? He grabbed a jacket--at the very least he could say she would need it. That might appease Daryn some. He could only hope.

Jason paused as they reached the more heavily trafficked area of town. "The docks are that way," he pointed, "if you're turned around. And I should get going. I'll look forward to tomorrow." For the first time in a long while, Jason had something to look forward to that didn't involve pain or trepidation.

Korra headed deeper into the woods and listened to the natural sounds of the forest. Suddenly she paused as she heard the soft, trickling sound of water as a smile flitted across her lips. Then she turned off the well-trodded path and headed into the woods. After a minute or so, she came upon a small creek and smiled. Bending down, her fingers lightly touched the glassy surface as it swept past. Small ripples broke the surface and the small minnows dispersed quickly. Looking around, she found herself in a small clearing and there was moss beneath her feet. Lightning bugs glowed and dimmed her and there throughout the clearing. Standing back up, she watched in wonder as the bugs looked like small dimming stars that had fallen from the sky just to float before her now.

Aiden nodded then bid a good bye to Jason before heading towards the docks. Stopping as he saw Daryn, he quickly jogged over and smiled. "Sorry for the wait. How did the interviews go for the men? Update me on how many you agreed to and how many you didnt," he ordered Daryn, not giving him a chance to question him on his whereabouts.

Eric grimaced as he set out to find Korra. She'd just taken off, hadn't she? But why? What did she hope to accomplish? Had she gone to look for Daryn? He scowled, and occasionally hollered out her name.

"Korra! You forgot your coat!" He called into the trees around him. He wasn't even sure she had gone this way. Wouldn't she have gone to town instead? He made his way along the path, ignoring the fireflies.

Daryn opened his mouth and then shut it promptly at Aiden's directness. "Yes sir; about three-quarters of them will be showing up; the other quarter weren't interested." Ie: he'd weeded them out." He hesitated briefly. "How did things go on your end, sir?" Jason, of course, was nowhere to be seen.