Welcome to Gaia! ::

Be it by steam, by plasma, or by blood...



"Hm? Oh... oh, yes. Of course." He turned his gaze from her face, albeit reluctantly, to glance at the surrounds. Fortunately none of the other guests had entered the courtyard in that time. Had such a thing happened, to find them in that condition would have been disastrous. Still though, with the kiss still burning on his lips, he found he only hungered for more. And, had he not heard someone calling for him, he would have taken it. For now though, he had to reign in his urges like unbroken stallions.

"It seems it's time for me to fill the role of the triumphant war hero. Would you care to join me, Lady Irene?" He offered his arm, much in the way he had when they came to the garden.

Be it by steam, by plasma, or by blood...



Jasper returned her grin as he led them inside, heading for the main ballroom. The crowd grew thick as they moved, and Jasper couldn't avoid having to stop from time to time to acknowledge well-wishers and like, returning handshakes, giving nods and smiles. He led Irene to the center of the crowd, leaving her at the front and took his place next to the Chairman by the large hearth. The Chairman handed him a glass of wine, much like everyone else had, and introduced him.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, friends, colleagues, welcome. No doubt you've hard that the war has ended in our victory! Now, no victory comes without cost, and our finances have grown thin, but as a people, when can endure, and recover. But enough about all of that. Tonight is for celebration, and in honor of Porthleven's very on war hero, Admiral Lowel! The crowd applauded, most out of true enthusiasm, but a few, men Jasper knew well, only out of protocol. Jasper raised a hand to quiet the crowd, raising his glass, his face solemn.

"Indeed, tonight is about celebration. Celebration of victory, celebration of our Viceroy's continued reign, celebration of life anew. And much like the Chairman said, tonight is also about honoring heroes. But not me." He looked directly at Irene, his face a steely mask. "The real heroes are those men who aren't standing here today. The real heroes are the men who manned the guns, mended the ships, brought water and bandages to their fellow sailors and soldiers. I've held true, honest heroes, as they whispered the names of their loved ones, choked on their final breaths. I've watched real heroes battling the flames as they rode their ships to the ground. I am not a real hero, because I am here." He lowered his glass, his eyes turned to the red liquid inside. After a moment, he took a small sip, then turned and cast the rest into the fire, the wood hissing and popping. He turned back to the crowd, holding his now empty glass aloft once more.

"So yes, 'friends,' fill your coffers, worry about the flow of platinum and gold. Worry about how you'll pay your butlers, because the real heroes... The real heroes, their worries are over." Jasper handed his glass to a waiting servant and walked, briskly, through the crowd, giving Irene a glance, his eyes red and glistening.

Be it by steam, by plasma, or by blood...



Jasper, having set off at a brisk pace to find somewhere quiet and empty, was already halfway through the mansion when he felt her arms around him. He stopped, collecting himself, her warm embrace aiding him. Coming back to himself, he slid his hands beneath hers, unwrapped her arms from around him, and turned to face her, his eyes clear and sky-blue. He pressed another kiss to each of her hands, a smile slowly turning up the corners of his lips.

"Forgive me for that. I've never been one for speeches. What say you and I take our leave of this place? Wander around the town for a bit?"

Be it by steam, by plasma, or by blood...



His smile grew at her answer, and he led them to the front door, arm in arm. Retrieving their coats, he led them outside, passing through the gardens in front of the Chairman's estate. Coming to the crest of the hill, he stopped a bit, and looked out over the city. Small as it was, Porthleven had never ceased to provide new and interesting things for him to discover as a boy. The town had been his home since birth, and he only left it when he enlisted in the Viceroy's navy as a simple Plasma technician, working on everything from engines to weapons. He'd learned a great deal of things about the cutting-edge technology put forth by the province's greatest minds.

"So tell me, Miss Irene, how does the Governor's daughter explain being on the arm of the Admiral, at this hour, sans chaperone? It seems most unbecoming of people of our respective positions." He gave her a wry grin, knowing full well he couldn't give a damn about how other saw him. That's not how he came to be who he was, after all. He led her around the south side of the hill, toward the airship docks. The large hangars loomed in the darkness, black behemoths against a purple-black sky.

Be it by steam, by plasma, or by blood...



He chuckled to himself at her reply. she was a spry one, indeed. As they neared the hangars, Jasper caught himself slightly questioning his own motives. He paused for a second at the small side door, shaking his head a bit. It was futile to question one's motives when there were none to question. He was just out enjoying the night, and Lady Irene's presence was merely a bonus. He pushed open the door, stepping through first only to trip the heavy switch that breathed life into the hangar's lights.

"Behold, my true home, the Repentance." The ship was more a cuiser than the much larger naval Dreadnoughts, but that was precisely how Jasper liked her. Fast, agile, and sleek, he had almost single-handedly built and rebuilt the ship after countless engagements. He knew every rivet and every arc tube in her.