Screen 1
ONE:
SABRE lunges and PAYNE barely manages to parry aside. This forces PAYNE back, further from the MAP CASE on the deck.
1. SABRE: You are, of course, free to disembark at any time.
TWO:
SABRE attacks again, now swiping at PAYNE’S head from the opposite side. PAYNE is still retreating, and again barely manages to parry in time.
2. SABRE: Provided that you are willing to depart—
THREE:
We now see that Sabre’s attacks have allowed her to advance over the MAP CASE, so that it is now on the deck just behind her BOOT.
PAYNE is reacting as she KICKS the MAP CASE back, towards us (or alternately, further away from PAYNE).
3. SABRE: —without what you came for!
4. PAYNE: Blast you!
Screen 2
ONE:
PAYNE charges at SABRE, swinging wildly. She is parrying and side-stepping at once.
1. PAYNE: Witch—
TWO:
FLAMES are eating through the DECK, the MAP CASE rolling towards them, and PAYNE is leaping with one hand outstretched, the other holding his SWORD, to grab it before it reaches the fire.
If you can get SABRE in this, she’s spun around, still en garde, to see Payne’s desperate attempt.
2. PAYNE: —no it’s mine—
THREE:
PAYNE’S outstretched hand, and the CASE, now surrounded by FLAMES. The DECK has been eaten through in part, and we can see boards have fallen away, revealing the inferno below.
3. PAYNE: —it’s mine!!!
Farewell Payne.
I get the feeling you’re going to pull a Toht here…
Probably you are right.
Payne can’t die. The whole point of this (burning the Pegasus included) was to communicate to the Smoke that the map was lost. If Payne dies, this was all a waste. Unless there is something else going on that I missed entirely….
One question is “can a servant of the Smoke escape the Smoke via Death”? IE even if Payne is dead, the Smoke might still be able to question him.
Looks like Payne will be leaving us very shortly.
But I suspect he will make some sort of return eventually.
Wonder if Her Ladyship would be above giving Payne a boot to the posterior just to (heh heh) help him reach the map case.
I never liked Payne, personally, but he makes a fine villain for our Lady!
Payne has always been expendable.