| Logs |
1999-10-24
| Starfall |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
The Bosun Joins the Plan
- Starfall Bay
The open waters of the bay are fairly calm, as they are isolated from the open ocean on three sides and sheltered even on the fourth. The sun reflects gently off the water much of the year, with only the winter being rainy. With a day or two of sailing one can travel from the Kosallu Straits on the northern end to the city of Starfall on the western shore, or to any other point along the coast. The winds are a bit tricky everywhere inside the bay but are rarely too strong, even in stormy weather, as the water is sheltered by the mountains around the shoreline.
The Saucy Mare leaves with the tide and by noon she's well out to sea. Shipping dots the bay around the little sloop, but nothing is too close at the moment.
Carroll comes out on deck, and, basically, watches Jared work. He listens and learns and is visible through the departure. Jared is watching the crew from the quarterdeck, and keeping an eye on the sailors following Horatio's directions on re-rigging the sails. Jared turns and gives Carroll a vague salute. "Steady on course, Captain. Things seem to be settling in well enough." He pauses. "May I ask just what your brother is doing with the rigging?"
- Carroll Waynewright St. Genevieve stands on the quarterdeck,
dressed in a fine burgundy suit of some soft material. Beneath his paisley
vest is a surprisingly white long sleeved shirt, which lets white ruffles,
tipped with lace, spill from his collar and sleeves. Thin gold chains
trail around one wrist loosely while his short sword rides easily at
his hip; difficult to say if it's mostly ornamental or not. His full,
white-tipped tail seems to match the frilled sleeves. He smiles pleasantly
and nods graciously to those who meet his gaze.
Alexandra makes sure everything's running smoothly and the bay is safely left behind before she sighs and heads for Carroll's spot on the captain's deck. She's glad the crew's being run by Mr. Greytail... if there are any problems within the crew concerning their new command staff, Jared's kept them out of her sight and the crew in line. She ruefully thinks that doing the job of first mate is going to be much harder than just reading and being taught about it!
- An attractive young girl with proud carriage, her joie du
vivre is apparent in her usual cheerful enthusiasm. Despite the pretty
lace-trimmed silk shirt she's dressed in a decidedly non-feminine style,
with snug bottle-green breeches, well-worn black riding boots, and
long leather fencing gloves (finely embroidered with the house crest,
of course) tucked casually into her leather belt. Most startling of
all is the plain and practical military epee at her hip, which has a
decidedly well-used look to it. If she's stared at, she tends to get a
challenging glint in her large green eyes, and a defiant flick to her
luxurious white-tipped, scarlet brush.
Carroll smiles, and murrs, "He is improving it, of course. This change to the rigging makes the vessel faster. I'm certain if you ask him, he will explain, in copious detail, why this is so." Alexandra grins and rolls her eyes.
Jared nods, a bit ruefully. "Aye, that he did. I just hope we don't lose something in a gale, is all."
Carroll nods, and murrs, "We haven't yet. His work tends to be good."
Alexandra says, "If you're worried about that, Mr. Greytail, you should mention what precisely you're afraid will be lost to him. I know he'll appreciate it if he's not considered that yet, and if he has he'll cheerfully tell you at length how it won't be lost." She grins, "-just be sure you've got free time on your hands when you ask."
Carroll's grin widens, and he murrs, "At length, yes."
Jared shrugs. "Oh, it'll work right enough, but he's getting it by weakening the stays. It's the tradeoff that worries me. Not a problem right now, but come the winter..."
Carroll murrs, "I can't do more than encourage you to discuss it with him, and let him either allay your fears, or be warned by them."
Alexandra nods, then stands on tiptoe and leans to whisper in Carroll's ear, "Hey Carroll... is now a good time to tell Mr. Greytail about our um... plan?"
Jared nods. "He insists he's done the calculations and it's still strong enough. We'll see, I guess."
Carroll grins and murrs, "Ah, so you've experienced 'at length' already." At his sister's murmur he looks a little more serious and nods to her. He turns to Jared and murrs, "I have something I would like to discuss with you, Mr. Greytail. If you think the crew can be left unattended for a few minutes, now would be an opportune moment." Alexandra nods and heads for Carroll's cabin, where she'll hold the door open for him, then follow him in. Carroll murrs conversationally to Jared, "I would like to go over the plans for the rest of the journey," and walks him towards the cabin.
Jared nods. "I think Dimitri can keep them in line." He follows Carroll in and stands in front of the desk. Alexandra settles on the window bench behind Carroll's desk chair, where she can easily re-open the box when he wants to show it to Jared.
Carroll closes the door behind Jared and murrs, "Firstly let me say that I'm pleased with your work so far and hope we'll be able to continue to work together for some time." He smiles and murrs, "If that can be arranged." He goes over to his desk and picks up a large sheaf of papers and asks, "Can you read, Mr. Greytail?" He offers the papers and murrs, "This is the ship's manifest. Do you know what we're carrying?"
Jared looks... both puzzled and interested. "Go on, sir." He looks at the manifest. "I take it this isn't it?"
Alexandra picks up the crowbar and glances inquiringly at her brother. Carroll murrs, "This is the manifest. It goes along with what the Councilman told me we'd be carrying. Exotic fashions for the imperials. We all thought the cargo was odd, though, didn't we?" He points, murring, "We've got a crate here." Giving Jared a moment to turn and look at it, he nods and says, "Open it up again."
Alexandra pries the lid open easily, since it's already been opened once, then sets aside the crowbar. She tosses a rough homespun linen shirt and a pair of peasant's pants to her brother. Carroll catches them and spreads them carefully across his desk, murring, "Aren't the Impys going to look fine this season?" His voice drips with sarcasm.
Jared shrugs. "He does ship things like that sometimes. But there was a special shipment not long ago..." He pauses and looks at the contents of the crate, then starts chuckling. Alexandra glances at her brother with a quizzical expression at the chuckling -- odd reaction?! -- then goes back to watching the bosun.
Carroll cocks his head and murrs, "You have rather a different reaction than I did."
"Aye, they'll be just tickled with such unique clothes." Jared is laughing now, finally calming down. "I can just see those lordlings when they're told that these are the cutting edge in fashion." He looks at the manifest again, carefully inspecting the papers.
Alexandra murmurs dryly, "Of course it's possible that if the ship never made it to port due to an unfortunate incident with pirates or somesuch, the Pravinchandra would not only not be embarrassed by these clothes... but would also have rid himself of the annoying St. Genevieve offspring AND every single sailor that's annoyed him in the last year or so, no?"
Carroll nods quietly. He murrs, "An entire shipload of problems, solved all at once." Alexandra folds her arms and watches, her tail swishing slowly (and a touch impatiently) behind her.
Jared frowns. "Even if we make it we're doomed. The manifest does NOT have any of the code marks that indicate that it's a fake shipment. I wondered why he hired all of us again..."
Carroll nods and murrs, "I thought about going to him while we were still in port and trying to resolve this then, but I couldn't help but think he'd have a convenient explanation waiting... and another, more difficult conundrum to cope with afterwards. Personally I think he's trying to ruin the lot of us, once and for all. And I don't like it one bit."
Alexandra growls softly, "None of us do... nor do we intend to just 'take it.'"
Jared sighs. "Either we won't make it, or we'll be arrested for theft on arrival. And the Factor won't even need to be in on it."
Carroll nods, and murrs, "It's a lovely plan, isn't it?"
Alexandra nods sharply, "Only if we let it happen, Carr- uh -captain."
Carroll's tail flicks behind him, and he murrs, "I for one am not going to be quietly manipulated in to prison, to let some schemer make off with everything I have ever worked for."
Alexandra hotly adds, "Nor making Da- er, father go missing, nor what that rat's done to our family name!"
Jared nods. "And an Imperial prison at that? Ghastly." He looks at Carroll. "You've got an idea or two, haven't ye?"
Alexandra switches her fluffed up tail once or twice as she nods firmly, then looks at Carroll to tell the plan. Carroll smiles, the sly fox, and murrs, "Yes. And I want your help and that of the crew. I won't force anyone; we'll tell everyone just before we reach the next port and anyone who wants to leave may do so, no questions asked." He leans against his desk and murrs, "But instead of sailing into the jaws of the trap we'll simply disappear... and later we'll show up and do what we can to do hurt his little empire, one way or another."
Alexandra nods sharply again, "The Pravinchandra wants to give us trouble? We'll show him trouble! We intend to hurt him as much as we can while looking for Father... and once we find Father he can give us the proof we need to demonstrate to the Council that Pravinchandra uses pirates -- and ruin him, and restore our family's honor! But... we don't want to drag anyone into a battle they're not wanting to be a part of. So we wanted to invite you to join us, since you have reason to dislike the mongoose too... you and all the crew. We want willing crew members, not forced."
Jared nods. "Most of 'em are good furs. A few of them are just bad eggs, though, like that idiot that you had the run-in with, milady. We might want to think about that a little more."
Alexandra nods, "That's why we wanted to ask you for your help, Mr. Greytail... you know the crew better than we." She hesitates, then her ears turn a little red as she adds a little hastily, "And... because book learning isn't the same as uh real life experience..." She looks both embarrassed and a little bristly, as if she'll BITE anyone that laughs at her just now! Carroll smirks but doesn't let his sister see.
Jared smiles in a gentle fatherly sort of way. "Ma'am, you have no idea how happy I am that you realize it. Some of the young idiots I've had to deal with over the years..."
Alexandra looks a little relieved... then nods and adds rather sheepishly, "Well um I was um well sort of hoping that you could um... help me through some of the parts I don't really know yet? I um... well, I know the First Mate is supposed to make sure things happen so the Captain really doesn't have anything to do and I..." she takes a deep breath, eyeing her brother, then amends, "...well, we... we really have had the command crew book training, Mr. Greytail, but um aside from Horatio who's really done his experiments, and Dimitri who really is a fighter uhh..." she falls silent, her ears at a quizzical tilt... has she said too much, she wonders?
Jared smiles at Alexandra. "You've had the book learning and you need to make it practical. Just like every ensign in the Navy and every new officer in the merchant fleet. We'll get you up to speed. We'll work your tail off in the process, but you'll do fine."
Alexandra grins in immense relief at Jared, "Oh good! I can handle that -- Dimitri's the same way when he's teaching me sword!"
Carroll nods, and murrs, "She may not have lots of experience, but she is not a fool." He murrs, "As to our future... we're planning to harry the Pravinchandra. Do you have a problem with that?"
The muskrat shakes his head. "Not at all. There may be a few of us with families though. Have to give them the option of rescuing them."
Alexandra nods at the muskrat's next comment, "Ah! We um had a suggestion about that? We're going to try making our property at Ettore a base of operations for us -- we're going to tell a few trusted servants at the manor house here about it -- that might be a good place for families to go? There's a nearby village, after all?"
Jared looks much happier about that. "Sounds like a very good idea. Farming and fishing and such, keep them safe and away from House P..."
Carroll nods, "And giving us a base of operations, yes, as well as giving those with families a safer place. We can also build a cache of stores and weapons there."
Alexandra looks pleased, "Good. Okay, then we were thinking it would be best to tell the crew when we're close to another port, so those that want to disembark can, and those we want to fire we can. That's um..." she glances inquiringly at her brother for confirmation, "-in a day or two? What port did Horatio say was closest, Carroll? Er, captain?!"
Carroll murrs, "I'd also like to sell all this crap there, and buy a load of supplies before anyone thinks of us as 'pirates'. I fear that's the name we'll be labeled with." Alexandra nods, her usual enthusiastic expression going sober for a moment. Carroll's smile becomes a little sharp as he murrs, "And to House Pravinchandra perhaps we will be."
Alexandra thinks about that... and gets a slow smile on her face. She raises her chin proudly and grins mischievously at her brother, "Let the mongoose see how it feels when the shoe's on the other foot!"
Jared looks thoughtful. "If they all contain clothing like that you might want to keep some of it. Useful stuff."
Carroll nods, "An entire shipful though? If it's useful, it can also be profitable."
Alexandra tilts her head, "Why not let the crew take what they want of it, Carro- darnit! Captain, before selling it? That's one way to show the crew we mean business regarding harrying Pravinchandra."
The muskrat shrugs. "You might want to check the boxes. They didn't all have the same weight, now that I think on it."
Carroll nods, "I want to check them anyway; I'm worried there's some ringers and perhaps something dangerous."
Alexandra adds pragmatically, "How else will we pay them, except from cargoes we've seized from the mongoose?"
Carroll grins, and murrs, "Besides the satisfaction of what they're doing."
Alexandra points out quite pragmatically again, "That might work for us... but satisfaction doesn't feed your family, Carroll. Some of the crew have families. Daddy always said take care of your people and they'll take care of you, remember? That's why some of the servants are helping us... 'cause they know we're good to take care of them." There's a slight emphasis on her last words, "We won't abandon them."
Carroll nods, "We want to pay and house them well." Alexandra nods, satisfied, and sits back.
Jared smiles happily. "You DO get it, milady. I think you can make this work, I do."
Alexandra gives Jared a slightly startled glance, then smiles tentatively, "Umm... well, that is what Daddy used to say all the time to me?"
Carroll murrs, "Her father was a good teacher."
Alexandra folds her arms and aHEMs at Carroll, "What's that supposed to mean, brother mine?!"
Carroll looks innocent, and murrs, "Because you're a good student, you learned well."
Alexandra grins with a faintly teasing challenge at Carroll, "And yourself, mm?" Carroll shrugs. Alexandra hesitates again (almost as if she's not sure just how familiar she's allowed to be around Jared), then with a cautious smile adds, "Thank you... that is kind of you to say so, Mr. Greytail." Then she grins again at Carroll, "No matter... that's what First Mates are for, neh? to take care of everything so you can think planning thoughts!" She adds a little fiercely, "It may take a bit of work and Mr. Greytail's help, but I will be a good first mate -- the best I can!"
Carroll murrs to Jared, "So that is what we have discovered and what we plan on doing about it. I'm glad you seem to approve, and hope we can count on your help."
Jared grins, showing his teeth. "The mongoose doesn't really care about anyone. That's his weakness."
Alexandra nods, her ruff bristling slightly in anger. Carroll nods, "He gave us a crew of people who hate him. It may be the only mistake he makes, and I don't plan on wasting it."
Alexandra looks up as Horatio wanders into Carroll's office, where she, Carroll, and Jared Greytail (the bosun) are in deep discussion. She grins happily, "Heya, Horatio! Mr. Greytail seems willing to join our um... quest!" Horatio pokes his head in, blinking and noticing the deep discussion. He slips in discreetly, managing to not get his sword caught in the door... so of course he gives a start and his efforts at a discreet entrance are for naught when Alexandra pipes up. Alexandra covers a giggle at her wonderfully absent-minded brother.
- Well, he stands a bit shy of five and a half feet tall,
and has some noble features about him. That seems to be where nobility
left him and had done with him, though. A pair of bright pale blue eyes
peer out, and sometimes squint, at the world around him, from behind
a pair of spectacles. He also walks a little awkwardly, though you
notice his drooping tail is held motionless behind him, as if he was
concerned he would turn his back and accidentally swipe an experiment
in his workshop. He wears a tabard and cloak in the colors of the
St. Genevieve family, as well as somewhat rough (and slightly singed)
clothing fitting for a nobleman's (younger) son. A sword-belt is cinched
around his waist as well, with a scabbard in the hangar, though he seems
to carry the shortsword with not a great deal of dexterity. However it is
with somewhat more grace that he carries a well-worn satchel, its strap
crossed over his chest like a bandoleer. You get the impression that he
has a lot more little items tucked away in the folds and pockets of his
tabard, cloak, clothing, and boots.
The muskrat looks up. "Done with the rigging? Everything set up the way you wanted it, sir?"
Horatio coughs a little and cleans his spectacles on the edge of his cloak. "Oh! Oh yes, it is now, thank you very much..."
Carroll murrs, "Good, good, Horatio. We were just discussing future plans. You remember that chunk of property off Ettore?"
Horatio blinks again and nods. "Yes I do, actually. Not very much good unless you're raising a crop of granite..."
Alexandra says, "Well, the lumber there's supposed to be good, if I recall what Daddy's said about it correctly... and the lands are lovely and wild -- good hunting!"
Horatio says, "Oh! Oh, yes, that's right."
Carroll murrs, "Lumber, hunting, and if we can raise a little garden we ought to be fine. I don't know how much of a village we'll wind up with, but ah well."
Alexandra says, "Um... well, is there any reason we couldn't let them fish there, Carroll? It's a pretty protected cove, after all, and the lumberjacks' camps could be expanded some perhaps? At least enough to feed themselves... and maybe us sometimes?"
Horatio blinks. "We're planning on relocating the estate?
Alexandra grins fondly at her nearest brother-in-age, "Horatio, that's where the servants we trust are heading... so we can establish a base there to work out of."
Carroll shakes his head, "No, but the families of some the sailors, and making ourselves a safe base of operations.
Alexandra adds (with surprising diplomacy for her), "You were probably busy packing your stuff when we talked to them, right?"
Carroll nods, "I expect we'll wind up with an interesting little group there, yes."
Horatio says, "Well yes, actually, Alexandra. I guess it's protected from the landward side in case someone decides to come calling?"
Alexandra says, "Um... well, there's a thick forest on the mountainside, and not much reason to go there unless you're fascinated by hardwoods, at least according to Daddy? Or the hunting, although it's a great place to hurt yourself if you're not careful... you can't ride a horse in the forest, it's too thick."
Horatio grimaces and shudders a bit. Horses and he don't get along. "All right... uhm, that's about a week's journey from here at least, if I recall correctly."
Carroll murrs, "We can go there. We'll stop at Jarrow, let crew off, sell some of these clothes, buy general supplies, and head back out. Sound fair?"
Alexandra nods, "Sounds good to me. Mr. Greytail, do you know who you'd like to have let go at Jarrow? Also will the crew with family need time off, or can they simply send messages to their families? Does anyone need financial aid?"
Horatio nods, "Sounds good to me, brother."
Alexandra adds honestly, "We don't have a lot, but I can do my best to help those that need it, if you think they really do."
Carroll asks, "Everyone else think that plan is good?" Horatio nods. Alexandra nods, glancing at Jared for his response to her queries.
Jared has been thinking it over. "Need to get rid of some of the bad apples, I think. Hopefully somewhere that they can't quickly get back to Starfall. I don't suppose we can maroon them somewhere?"
Alexandra gives Jared a small grin, "Tempting though that is, unless Horatio knows of a likely island for them where they can easily survive I wouldn't want to be the agent of their deaths... just because we don't like them."
Carroll murrs, "We could simply put them ashore between towns and they'd have a week or so's walk."
Alexandra says, "Is there any such place we could safely land?" Carroll looks to his navigator. Alexandra glances to Horatio also.
Horatio's ears flick as he thinks. "Well... we can put them on the mainland easily enough. There are a lot of coves that we can put them ashore into." He shakes his head. "No islands that I can think of, though. Not where they'd have a decent chance to survive."
Carroll murrs, "We can just drop them in the middle of nowhere, then. That'll give us enough head start."
Alexandra nods, "Pick a place on the mainland that's the farthest from any town then, please, Horatio? We'll aim for there first, all right, Captain? and after that, Jarrow?"
Horatio says, "And what do we do when they reach a city or a town?"
Alexandra says, "We be very, very gone by then."
Carroll asks, "Do you want to let some off first, or just dump some?"
Horatio nods and sighs, "Right, I'll check for a good place to put them. I'll need to look at the charts we have aboard the Saucy Mare."
Alexandra says, "No, I think best first to find out who Mr. Greytail thinks should be fired, and set them ashore. Then we'll head for Jarrow and you can talk to the rest of the crew before we get there... that way they'll have time to decide." She glances at Jared again, "So... do you know yet who should be fired, and who might need financial assistance... if any?"
The muskrat clears his throat. "Begging your pardon but I don't think that marooning part of the crew BEFORE you tell them what's up is that good an idea."
Alexandra points at the locker of charts that are in the captain's cabin for Horatio, as she glances at Jared, "You think we should have the talk first? When would you suggest? As we're landing where we'll be leaving them, or before?" She oh!s and hands the keys to Horatio too.
Carroll chuckles, "No, it's not. And perhaps we should let the ones who want off with the miscreants and give ourselves a few extra days. Also not make that extra division."
Horatio blinks over at the cabinet, gives a silent 'oh!' and goes over to them, starting to search for an appropriate cove. Alexandra nods, "Okay, before we land then." She glances at Carroll, "You're going to have to do the talk, Carroll... you're captain."
Carroll murrs, "I know that." Alexandra nods, and settles back again.