A Vessel for a Captain

Viktor was punctual as he was dedicated to designing and creating technological marvels, arriving promptly and at the time featured in the note he had received just mere days ago. He had actually been preoccupied when a cannonball crashed down on the pavement just short of the laboratory, a gesture that could be considered an attempt to level the facility but the Herald had known better than to assume such a thing. A short investigation found that a note that was hastily tied to the offending object had been written by one Captain Gangplank of the Dead Pool, a notorious pirate also known as a Champion of the League representing Bilgewater, who seemed to have a request to make of him.

Sure enough, Viktor set foot upon the docks of Zaun just as the aforementioned vessel drifted into port, the crew of the Saltwater Scourge hard at work dropping the anchor to keep their ship from moving away from their current location, as the Captain himself oversaw the preparations to disembark unto Zaun. Little did they know, there was a welcoming committee in the form of the Machine Herald and a handful of individuals who were seemingly like him - parts of their bodies replaced with mechanical prosthetics and hextech devices made to substitute the original anatomy - but not as thoroughly augmented: the pirates would have no doubt that these individuals were the rumored "acolytes" that had come to follow the eccentric Zaunite who preached of a "Glorious Evolution."

"Captain Gangplank, I bid you welcome to Zaun." the Herald stated loud enough for Gangplank to hear as he drew closer with his own posse in tow. "I trust that the voyage was not too arduous for a man of your stature?" The men and some women behind him, six in total, chattered amongst themselves and began to formulate rumors surrounding the current situation taking place before them. It was clear that these people were but newly inducted members of Viktor's fold, having not yet grown to know of the strange and interesting activities their Herald was capable of.

The Herald listened to the old sea dog, whom he'd had the honor of facing on the Fields of Justice countless times, speak as his acolytes continued to whisper to themselves. A simple gesture from Viktor, of raising his left hand and closing it into a fist, was all that it took to make them fall silent so that he could properly hear what his fellow Champion was saying. Gangplank was proud of his work and status, indeed, as he spoke so highly of his experiences and of his beloved ship - and the augmented Zaunite was rather pleased to hear the pirate talk about adapting to the times as technology became more prominent. The request was a simple one, although the work he would need to do would be of a scale larger than he was accustomed to. Still, Viktor was always up to the challenge where upgrading the archaic was concerned - to improve the Dead Pool was no easy task, the expectation of her crew would weigh heavily upon the machinist's reputation after. But the Machine Herald, seemingly devoid of emotions such as fear and feelings like doubt, never backed down or turned away such projects.

"I have no doubt that such a well-sailed pirate like yourself is capable of meeting any price I could set for my work, Captain. Thus, I will merely set the funds at 300,000 Valors to cover the cost of the materials I will need to acquire. No more, no less, and you have my word that yours will be the finest ship to ever sail the seas." as he spoke his autonomous hand, the very same that was known for the destructive beam it emitted, saw fit to give the dreaded Saltwater Scourge a thumbs up in assurance of its owner's words. "Contrary to popular belief, there is still at least one sentiment I am capable of.....That of enjoying the work I do. And this work will take me no less than five days to complete, then you will possess the most superior sea-worthy vessel known to Valoran."

Five days later

It had taken the entire week, and after many mishaps on the part of his more bumbling acolytes Viktor had finished the project assigned to him by his fellow Champion. Gangplank and his crew would no doubt be astonished and pleased with the modifications Viktor had made to their beloved vessel, which would look the same but for a handful of added techmaturgical parts. The most notable improvement was that now the side cannons were automated, no longer requiring as much effort on the crew's part to ready and fire. The sails were now made of a material similar to the cape that the Herald wore, which had the lightness of cloth and the durability of chainmail, and the mast was now a steel shaft that was certain to endure cannon fire from most any ship.

It appeared to be the best of both worlds - the traditional features that the pirates were accustomed to blended perfectly with the revolutionary technology that was the augmented Zaunite's expertise. Viktor and his followers greeted the crew of the new and improved Dead Pool, meeting them just after they entered the laboratory. "So, Captain, what do you think?"

Viktor didn't know how to respond to the pirate's offer, although his followers seemed rather interested to party with such rough and tough men. It made him think back to simpler times, the days when he was merely a weak but brilliant young techmaturgist replayed in his mind as he stared motionlessly at Gangplank. His current status, having undergone extensive augmentation to replace the majority of his offensive biology, included a lesser need for sustenance. He contemplated with the utmost stress, as he came to worry about how well the man before him would take rejection.

"I suppose it wouldn't be out of the question to celebrate this achievement, Captain. After all, it's not every day that I have the opportunity to enhance something as admirable as the fine vessel you inherited." the Herald stated calmly, yet even then there was the faintest hint of doubt buried beneath the courtesy he spoke with. This went unnoticed by his surrounding acolytes, who didn't seem to have taken notice of their superior's uncertainty and enthusiastically accepted the drinks offered to them. Viktor, too, took a mug of the drink for himself and carefully pulled up the bottom of his mask to slip some of it into his mouth. The Zaunite was careful not to let anyone but his most trusted of associates see his face as it currently was, but there was no guarantee that he could ensure that if he were to become intoxicated.

A few hours later

Viktor and his acolytes were completely and utterly hammered, either barely conscious in the case of Viktor or knocked out in the case of the majority of the augmented followers. The Herald's mask was now misplaced on his head, obscuring all but the left side of his jaw as he rambled incoherently to the mug in his hand. Something about how people nowadays just don't know anything anymore and everything going to hell. He didn't even seem to care if anyone was listening, if the pirates were still around, but he was so out of it that it mattered little.