[ WP ] In a world of airships and steamers you are the first airplane pilot .

Maximilian v. Richter was what the mechanized armour stand I stepped into said.. The red trimmed brass armor pieces covered my body and locked into place. The other armored up and grabbed their single edged swords, attached bucklers to their forearms and loaded their pistols, putting a few mags on their belts. 
 
 
 “ Iron Saboteurs, brace! ” A voice said, and the booms below said that it was show time. The side of the airship opened up just in time for us to don our red and brass helmets. We peered over the edges and readied grappling hooks in the left gauntlets. Fire came up from the ground at them to defend the armor transport they were spying, but the Iron Saboteurs don ’ t flinch at such sights, I personally welcome them. I was the first to leap and after a moment or hesitation or two the others followed. 
 
 
 The armor transport ’ s sails went full cover when the hooks dug into the metal hull, and we Saboteurs left a few gifts to make up for the piercing of the hull. The engines roared to life as if to announce the Iron Saboteurs reeling themselves on deck. Following procedure our bucklers were expanded to large round shields. The engineers and sailors on the metal deck of the ship weren ’ t sure what to make of what looked like five balls appearing over the railing. The armor present, steam powered constructs with automatic crossbows for one arm and swords for the other fired at the Saboteurs. The deflected bolts lay at our feet, not even denting the shields. 
 I took cover, ramming into the confused sailors in my way shield first, and taking confirmatory glances once I was settled in. I then took a few shoots, peering from the side of my shield and approaching slowly. Just like in practice the shots dug into the legs of the automatons and grounded them, lessening the thick stream of bolts coming towards my side. 
 
 Attention was successfully directed towards me, and rather than pounding his shield with bolts the things came with great haste, only to get shot in the back by the other Saboteurs. The ship violently rocked hard to port, our presents went off. The ship ’ s alarms started to blare and a behemoth roared to life. Steam poured violently from the construct ’ s core, curling the flesh of the sailors too close to it. It identified the Saboteurs as we raised our shields and charged. This gold-plated monstrosity had a heavy rifle on one hand and a rotating serrated blade on the other. And the slow precise shots broke through the guard of the Iron Saboteurs one by one, our shields were undented but the energy transfer knocked them off their feet and sliding to across the deck. 
 I was the last one standing and ducked the machine ’ s shot before going into a quick slide. My blade brimming with electricity sliced the construct ’ s ankle. The result steam blast took me off my feet and I deeply dented one of the cabin ’ s walls. I smiled despite my pain, this armor transport was going down. 
 
 Struggling to my feet, there was no doubt I ’ d need a week ’ s leave. And then the ship was hit by what had to be turbulence from hell, a wave of heat and screaming from the bridge said otherwise. The ship launched me free in that moment, along with anything not bolted down. 
 
 Lucky for me on the way down one of the other saboteurs grabbed me and we floated down in a parachute. I spied my helmet not far off while gathering my thoughts and catching my breath. 
 None of us pack explosives strong enough to take down a transport.I reasoned finally. And then we were caught in the shadow of something. I looked up to see zeppelin the size of a cityscape blotting out the sun, it was a vision of hell. Craning my head back in time to see the zeppelin ’ s cannons cutting a swathe through the allied forces airship line was awe-inspiring and gut-wrenching. 
 
 “ What do we do? ” My brother in arms asked. 
 
 “ Fight. ” I calmly replied, getting up and fitting the dislodged helmet back in its place. 
 An anchor from one of the surviving ships landed ten meters off where we were along with orders to get on it. 
 I covered the distance in a few seconds and endured the bone-jarring ride up to the ship. The anchor carried me to the interior of a ship where an engineer and an inventor started blabbing things and I took in none. The ringing head, aching body and all encompassing fear were not conducive to understanding. They ushered me to some type of aircraft suspended over the open air. It much smaller than an airship and using a four bladed device mounted on the front for propulsion. Its frame was moulded after that of a dragon, and with no understanding of how to fly it I was strapped in and given control. 
 
 They dropped the craft into the fray. I intuitively grabbed the stick and assumed the button was to make the thing fire. The ground to air fire was too cumbersome to hit such a fast moving target, and the armor and troop transports unarmed. The high speed volley of bullets erupting from each bullet press tore open hulls, killed pilots in the bridge and send the ships to the floor when they found themselves in the engines. 
 
 The main zeppelin was no such pushover, exploding flak started to fill the air on approach. Jerking the new invention about the skylines was the only way to keep it aloft. After finally arriving close enough I peppered the envelope with as many bullet as possible and steered the craft away to make another pass. Not noticing the man on the fins until it was too late, the craft was open and flying just right so he didn ’ t have to lead much. The aircraft was shredded by flak, but not before I unbuckled myself from the flying machine. My sword fell to the fin and even if I made a shot that shoulder mounted flak cannon would checker my armor. A quick grappling hook to the fin and careful angling of the swing and I was on the fin. 
 
 “ Gun on the ground. ” The man ordered, I now saw he was joined by another one. Both yelling due to the wind. Complying was always a better option than tempting a man with a bigger gun, so I did. 
 
 “ We don ’ t take prisoners. ” I smirked, knowing they didn ’ t hear the hydraulics of the armor when I kicked the sparking sword through the parts of the zeppelin and into the gas bag. I leapt free as the men fired after me. The blast knocking out my hearing meant that the monstrosity was no more 

