Basch looks over, watching Balthier fixing the wiring. He stood guard to make sure nothing jumps out at them. Once the lights was on, he found some kind of form far from them. It was a body. Basch walks over and bents down next to it, checking the body for a pulse. "Dead...looks like he hasn't been dead long." Shifting his weight, he turns to Balthier, "Someone is still here..." stands up and walks around the corpse.

They walk cautiously down the hallway and heard a moan in a near by room, "H....h..elp..." a weak voice says. Basch looks over into the room and saw an Archadian guard struggling to get to the door. Noticing two people at the door he says again, "Hel..p...pl..ease..."

Basch rushes over and sheath his sword, "Oh my god, Kaia...what happen? who did this?" There was so many other questions, but he needed to see if the guard was ok first.

"Judge....Gabranth?...is that you?" the guard looks up at Basch, "The people of what was left of Lord Vayne's forces. Once...they took Emperor Larsa...some came here in search of Cid's research papers...." coughs, as the guard was having trouble breathing.

"And what about Larsa? where did they took him? Who is in charge of this rebels?" Basch says, trying to act as calmly, as possible, while tending to the man's injuries. Before the guard could say anything, guns start firing from the corner of the room, near another door. One of them, strikes the guard in the head, killing him. Basch rolls away behind some crates just in time, but not before getting a scrap of a bullet across his arm. It made him wish he had his other armor.

Balthier eyed the corpse with distaste, but followed Basch down the halls. He had both his guns at the ready not that he'd freed his hands once again and he stayed by the door, ready, while Basch tended to the guard. That was Basch's thing. He knew the people here, but all Balthier cared about was Basch, so he just watched his back.

The gunfire came out of nowhere. Balthier fell into a squat in an instant, firing off a round of counter-fire though he couldn't yet tell where the attack came from. "Damn it! Who are these people?! You okay, Basch?" he asked, not willing to spare a glance away from the enemy. He heard the sound of bullet on flesh though, the sound of dying.

One of his shots must have hit someone because they retreated back out the far door, still laying down cover fire. Deciding he was best suited to this task, Balthier took off after them. He didn't think to wait for anything like backup. These people were in his way and that was that. The door led to another hall and stairs down, toward the pits of the laboratory even he didn't know so well. Even the lights here seemed to flicker more. He took the stairs two at a time, sure the gunners must have escaped down there.

Basch looks down at his wound and nods. He winces a little, "Yea just a scratch...I'm fine, not sure but who ever is leading him had planned this out well." He grabs a potion from his pouch and takes it. Turns around just in time to see Balthier take off after them. "Balthier! wait!" but it was too late he had already run out of hear shot. The laboratory was indeed large so it was going to be not that hard to loose your way in it.

Basch had to help Balthier but it was going to be hard to find him now. The place was like a maze...and he sure there was rooms that they never had discovered during their first time here. Basch stands up and walks over to one of the enemies corpse checking for clues. He notice the symbol of a falcon on it, he was trying to think which house hold had it. It had to be worried about that later right now, he was worried about Balthier, since he ran off on his own.

Place the fabric into his pocket, he gets up and leaves the room, into the hallway. Basch looks around, both ways in the hallway, "Balthier, where are you?" he whispers to himself. Not sure which way he went it he takes off one one direction. He fought a few people along the way before reaching the stairs.

Balthier flattened himself against a wall as something clattered in the shadows, rolling across the floor now. The empty jar spun into sight, but besides that motion, the room appeared to be empty. He chased the gunners into the farthest room at what he guessed was the bottom-most floor. The door obviously once lay sealed, but now it hung open. He stood still for a minute, just scanning the area he could see.

"Damn it, I don't think they're still here," he muttered under his breath before holstering one gun so he could explore. It took some effort to find another light where it sat on a cluttered desk. Finally, it bathed the whole room in light and proved the enemy found some way to escape. Knowing this laboratory, secret exits had to exist. Balthier turned his attention to inspecting everything as he waited for Basch to find him. The empty bottle seemed like a good place to start so he sat on the desk edge with it.

It took him at lease an hour before Basch finally was able to find Balthier. He scans the room once he entered then saw Balthier sitting on the desk. "Are you ok, Balthier?" was relieve to him ok. "You had been worried after running off like that. Plus I forgot how big was this place," Basch says shifting his weight, while he sheath his sword. He soon looks around the room wondering if there was anymore clues on where they could find Larsa.

"So did you find anything?" looking back over to Balthier and saw him holding the bottle. He moves closer to the desk and would look thru what was left of the papers on it. Then he remembered what he found on one of the attacker's bodies. He pulls out the cloth and shows it to him, "I found this emblem off one of the corpse...I know I seen it before but I can't remember. It may be those who are trying to over throw Larsa. Or at lease trying to use him to get another war started." placing his hands on the desk and lets out a sigh.

Balthier looked up when Basch entered the room. He never bothered to reach for his gun, able to identify the other man by his heavier footsteps. Huh, when did he gain that sort of ability? "Took you long enough. I was starting to get bored. Here, take a look at all of this stuff," he said as he tossed the empty bottle to Basch. The last bit of liquid in it looked rose colored, but had the same consistency as a potion. Just not the right color. "Want to guess what my dear old dad was researching here?" That man's descent into the occult knew no bounds, though this appeared to be a project abandoned when the nethacite became his obsession. It was nice to know the madness hid deep inside him even before then. Balthier rolled his eyes.

Taking the emblem, he inspected the thing with a hum. "Can't say it's ringing any bells for me. At least it's a clue though. They're messy leaving so many for us."

Basch gave him a look but it change when he caught the bottle. He held it up to the light which wasn't much. Staring at it closely as it did look strange. "Sorry I forgot how this place feels like a maze. Plus there seem to be more rooms than the last time we been here," he says before he looks back to the bottle. "I have no idea...what is it?" he leans against the desk. He knew how Cid was but he never knew how far twisted Cid. Basch looks back over at Balthier, "You're father....it's lucky you left when you did."

He figure they was done here, they wasn't going to find any else here. "Let's get out of here...we need to get to the ship...or head back to rest before leaving." If you ask him, he would wanted to head out soon as possible. They had to followed or lose the trail before it grows cold. Of course going without resting was bad too. After they had spend a few hours fighting off people.

Balthier understood though he still liked to tease Basch about getting lost in this place. Probably only he could explore it with ease and even he didn't know this room. "I'm sure we never explored it all before," he admitted before turning his attention back to the desk drawer. "I looked at some of the notes but didn't have time to read it all. There's a lot of material here so I figure we should just take it back with us. I just read enough to know it's no good." Not that he really needed to to read anything to know that. He felt it in his bones, or maybe his blood that he shared with his father.

Only after he jumped down from his sitting place and headed for the door did he answer the comment about his father. "It wasn't luck. It was will power." With that, he turned again and walked out the door and back the way they came.

Basch listens to what the other male was saying and nods. It was a good idea at lease he knew who ever had Larsa. They wasn't going to hurt him since they knew he was Vayne's little brother. He sure hope so that they wouldn't. Moving around and gathers up what Balthier had started reading so he could look over it. "Clearly, I think they was after the research of whatever this is so they could finish it. I agree we need to look over this later. Still doesn't explain why they kidnapped Larsa though," he said.

Basch follows him him to the door and stops once Balthier stopped. "Well yea, at lease you saw what path he was following. Even if it nearly destroy both nations with the Nethacite. Plus he was also influence by the Occuria." scratches the back of his head. 'It wouldn't be surpised if they was tied into this mess.' he thought to himself then but it was just a theory. Basch shakes his head and left the laboratories with Balthier.

Once outside, he stops and stares up at the full moon, resting his hands onto his hips. All of those was bothering a great deal as some things make sense and others not. He moved his arm a bit as it still hurts a little from where he got scratched. At lease the bleeding stop. He didn't used a Hi-potion but a regular one at the time.

Balthier shook his head, but didn't respond to Basch as they made their way outside. Under the light of the full moon, they looked cast in sharp shadows and highlights. He noticed Basch looking at his arm and Balthier shifted closer and grabbed his arm to look at it. "Not too bad eh? I never had a chance to ask before and forgot. Sorry," he said before he let Basch go. He saw for himself that the other man hadn't been maimed and that was good enough. Basch always acted so tough though that Balthier would never guess he got hurt in the first place.

After shaking himself, he tried to get back to the task at hand. "So you want to go right into the search? Ah seriously, our only clue is that emblem. Someone's got to know who it belongs to," he groaned as he dragged a hand through his hair. "I guess we're off to go wake some important people up then." It didn't seem right to go to sleep and wait till morning with something like this after all.

Basch looks over at Balthier felt him grabbing his arm. This was the first time he ever did that. At lease he knew Balthier cared even though he had a feeling he did. This just proved it more. "No it's ok...I should had been more aware of my surrounds more. Didn't know that gunman was waiting in the room." smiles lightly. He rubs the back of his head. "Any case...I need to report this so they can come and claim the fallen so the families can have peace." Basch was that type of person...like how he managed to carry Ashe's husband back to her after he died. It was all the right.

"We should head to Bhujerba, the marquis may know something. Or remember anything since he was there when Larsa was taken." Basch turns on his heels. "Lucky my airship as auto pilot so it probably give us time to rest,"explains while they make their way to the air dome. It seem to be midnight now and most people was already gone for the evening. A few still hangs around waiting for their flight so it wasn't to hard to get to the hanger.

Balthier rolled his eyes. "Of course you'll make it out to be your fault," he muttered under his breath. "That's so like you." Even if he complained though, he didn't hate that part of Basch. He could just point it out because he too shared similar flaws. He just never felt the need to take on all the weight, all the blame.

Shaking his head, he turned back to the serious conversation as they walked back through the streets. "That's a good start. How about you deal with your report and I deal with getting ready to set out? Say...meet in the airship hanger in an hour? Should give me time to get us the proper supplies before we head to Bhujerba then." Certainly, that was as good of a place to start as any. He smiled at Basch, knowing just how important it was to report the death of the guards. Because that was also the sort of person Basch was.

Basch knew it wasn't his fault but someone needed to take the weight. Plus ever since he took his twin brother's place, he had more weight place on his shoulders. If you thought being a captain for the late king was a lot. Try to be a a judge but he then remember Balthier was a judge for a short time. So he sure Balthier knew how it feels. So he couldn't help but to take responsible for other people who was below him.

He turns around to Balthier and nods, "Alright...sounds good to me..I'll see you at the hanger in a hour." He takes a step closer to Balthier and kissed him on the cheek, "Just be careful...I'm sure there has to be spies around. Figuring most of them haven't left the city." He takes a step back and turns to leave, so they could both do what they needed to do.

Balthier rolled his eyes, but mostly to hide the way he flushed from a stupid little kiss. Fine if he expected it, even more so if he initiated it. He was always cool and composed then, but the surprise tenderness at a moment like this made him unexpectedly melt. "Yeah, okay. An hour, don't forget!" With that, he hurried off before Basch could call him out on it.

It took less time than Balthier set out for them so a bit more than thirty minutes later, he let himself onto the other man's airship and got himself familiar with it before flopping down in the pilots chair and closing his eyes for a quick nap while he waited. What a day. He expected far different sleeping quarters for the night, but then, this feeling of adventure came more naturally to him. He found he didn't mind the inconvenience.

While they was getting ready. Two people sneak aboard the airship, knowing Balthier was inside and slipped into the engine room. They would place a small nethacite bomb that would disable the engine once they was in flight. The two men would slip out quietly before Basch returns to the ship an hour later.

Basch steps on board as he thought he saw movement in the hanger when he came in. He shakes his head and thought it was nothing he closes the door. He made sure everything was set before he makes his way to the front. Seeing Balthier sleeping there and smiles lightly. Maybe once they was in the air they could get some rest. At lease now one thing was now off his mind was the men who lost their lifes and the families will have peace. Basch walks over and sits down across from Balthier.

Not having been deeply asleep, Balthier woke when Basch walked into the room. He opened his eyes without moving much to smile at the other man. "All ready? Then let's get this bad boy in the air." He spun in the chair so he could face the consuls and had everything switched on in a few seconds. He maneuvered them out of the hanger and once they had good height, he put in their destination and initiated the autopilot.

"That should do the trick." He stood and stretched, finding his balance more easily on the ship than he did on the ground. Or heaven forbid a Chocobo. "Do you want to rest first? I plan to go over the research and watch the ship from here so feel free to wander off," he said. It would give him something to do and after his catnap, he didn't feel much like sleeping more.

Basch was impressed that Balthier got to know the controls. Since his ship was a little bit different from Strahl, even thought it was both Archadian. His was just an updated version compare to the older models. Letting out a chuckle, he leans back against his chair. "It's good thing they installed the auto pilot now. So that way when we are send out on long distance missions we can get rest or whatever." looking over at him.

He turns his chair around once they was in the air. "Alright," he said standing up. "Probably take a shower, first. Ok well...if you find out anything from those papers, let me know." Basch stretches before he leaves and heads to one of the small quarter rooms. He got undress and got into the shower to take a quick one to clean up. He finishes it up, getting dressed, and goes lay down for a bit.

Balthier nodded, but he was already taking the papers out from his pack and immersing himself in them. He was already lost in one page before Basch finished leaving the room. Feet up on the console and the papers spread around him, Balthier spent hours just reading. At first, it didn't make much sense. There was so much data to even make sense of half of it. Obviously, his father had researched the project for years though.

One line caught his eye just before he tossed an otherwise nonsensical page away. 'Effects on subject #17: Faamran- Minimal. Duration- Less than an hour.' Balthier fell against his chair back with a sigh. "Just what were you up to, father...?" And why were the kidnappers rummaging around in that corner of the basement? Should he just test it? Since it seemed he lived through it before, what would be the difference. He eyed one of the bottles they snatched and now sat near his feet, then glanced back to where he knew Basch rested. He'd probably never notice.

Basch wakes up a little bit later. It felt like days he slept like that. Figuring it was a good thing, he rarely slept so this was the first time he slept well. Stretching, before he sits up and lets out an sigh. He turns place his feet on the floor and stands up. Wondering if Balthier found anything interesting, he walks out of the room and heads to the front of the craft. Basch rubs his hand thru his hair and looks at Balthier, "Find anything out?" He knew all of that research was from Cid. Clearly Balthier would be able to make more sense of it. It would be bad if Cid was still alive.

Meanwhile, in a abandoned ruins, that no one had discovered in Acadia near the ocean. So it was hard for people to find him. Larsa lays on the ground, out cold until he finally wakes up. He groans a little before he sits up to look around. It look like he was in a cell not sure where. The young emperor slowly gets up and brushes himself off. "W..where am I?" he mumbles to himself. He slowly walks over and place his hands on the bar. He heard people walking about but it was to dark to see. Larsa takes a few steps back and looks around. "I need to get out of here..." he walks over checking for the wall for weak spots.

Balthier set the bottle down just before he did something stupid. Basch startled him and he did his best not to look sheepish when he turned around. He couldn't help but feel a little guilty though. Apparently Basch showed his face far sooner than planned. "A bit, but I'm afraid that I won't ever know what all of this research means just by reading it." He didn't mention the mention he found about himself because it would just make Basch worry. And besides, he needed to make sure. No, if he was going to test anything, he'd do it somewhere more private and perhaps after they helped Larsa. He couldn't forget that took up precedence.

"Anyway, do you feel refreshed? I'm feeling the need for a shower myself," Balthier added as he stood and stretched.

Basch watches him as he notice he had startled him. "Oh sorry...didn't mean to scare you. Looks like you was deep in though there." He pushes himself off the door way, walking over to his seat and sits down. He checks to make sure everything was alright and see how far they was. Soon he turns back toward to Balthier and leans back. "Whatever it is...they surely wanted to get it." He leans over picking up a few pieces of note from the floor. "Looks like there are bits of pieces missing..." looking over it. It was starting to worry him. Some look like had been important. The only other person could have made sense of this was Cid. But he was dead....right?

Leaning back and nods, "Yes...never knew how much sleeping was good. I haven't slept in days..maybe every three or four hours." shrugged a little. Basch looks over at him and nods, "Sure...if you want. The shower is free..you can used it. I'll make sure everything up here is fine. Looks like we are like an hour from Bhujerba." stretches a little.

"You didn't scare me," Balthier scoffed. Scared was for little children and midnight games. He shook his head before heading toward the door. "Anyway, both of us should try to rest a bit more before we get there. The gods only know what we will find once we get to Bhujerba. Who knows, it may be a big bad monster." A hint of a grin flashed over his face for a second. They thought they put that behind them when the journey ended, but it sure seemed like it was determined to pull them in all over again. Except this time, it was just him and Basch. He was starting to regret not picking up any of the others even if they didn't have time for it.

"See you in an hour then." Balthier headed to the ships quarters and stood under the showers water for almost half of the time they had until they landed. It relaxed him better than any actual napping would and he didn't want to be groggy when they landed. That done, he headed back to the control room and sat in the chair next to Basch. "Almost there?"

Basch looks over at him and says, "It's fine. I think I got all the rest I need." He leans back against his chair as he hope the marquis was ok to talk. It was going to be rude to come in but they needed answers. Since the marquis was there turning the time he sure would tell them something. Plus it was best to keep the others out of it for the time being. Until they get more info to go by. Especiality since they don't know about Bathier yet.

Basch watches the man head back while he turns, looking out of the window. He was in deep thought for the time Balthier got clean up. The ship was a few miles away from the floating city. Basch reaches over turning off the auto pilot and grabs onto the controls. It was surpising how well the flight was to city. Maybe they won't encounter anymore problems. "We are nearly there. Listen....I think it is best for me to have a meeting with the Marquis, since no one knows you are alive. And I would hate to have rumors start cause you know the marquis," he says looking over his shoulder.

Balthier frowned and almost told Basch no. Stay behind? Sky pirates like him did not sit on their bums well while others got the real work done. It was different if the task didn't matter, but this one did. He deserved to go. And yet, everything Basch said made sense. Sighing, he dragged a hand through his hair still damp from the shower.

"Very well. I guess I still have the rest of this research to read. Take a communicator though," he added as he reached into a pocket to pull one of the small devices out. He figured they would need such things so he tossed one to Basch. "Keep in contact and tell me if you need anything. I can't keep my secret from the world forever anyway." It was starting to look more pointless that he didn't just tell everyone he lived. His previous qualms seemed small after all the time he spent with Basch. Flopping down in a chair, Balthier picked up a piece of paper he already read, feinting content at this arrangement.

Basch lands at the air dome and catches the communicator that Balthier tossed at him. He turns his chair around and stands up. "Sure...and I don't know why but I have this strange feeling. Just hope it's just a feeling and not something bad." He walks over picking up his sword and sheath it on him. "You may have to come out of hiding soon if it is. Funny...I like the fact to be the only person to know you are alive." chuckles lightly, looking over at him.

He turns around, walks over to Balthier, reaches over to lift Balthier's chin. "For some reason, I just want to keep the others away to know about you,"whispers lightly. He leans down and kissed the lovely pirate's lips. He so wish he could but if this feeling was real. There would be no other choice.