| Logs |
1999-11-14
| Starfall |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
Learning to Jink
- The Deck of the Saucy Mare
The main deck of the Saucy Mare is clean and neat, kept that way by the dedicated crew. The twin masts tower overhead; aft is the steersman on the quarterdeck.
The Saucy Mare is out in the high seas now, racing along before the wind across the rolling grey waves.
As the sun sets Jared comes up to Carroll. "Change course to due south as soon as it's fully dark and don't show any lights, right?"
Carroll nods, "Yes. Set as many good night-watches as we can. If that bird comes anywhere near the ship shoot it down. Keep five crossbows out with people you trust, with watches around the ship."
Alexandra hms, then asks Jared, "Do we have any good swimmers in the crew?"
Jared nods. "Don't expect him after dark. Gulls aren't really good at night." He chuckles at the second question. "Besides me, you mean?"
Carroll nods, "Fortunately bats are." He grins.
Alexandra smiles, "Well... we need you on deck, yes? But we don't know if our opponents have good swimmers, and I'd prefer not to be attacked because all our attention was focused up instead of all around us." She grins at Dimitri, "Dimitri taught me to not let your enemy pick the field of engagement, after all."
Dimitri looks up, leaning on the bulkhead. "Also have Squee in the air to make sure their crow or gull is nowhere in sight before we make our turn."
Carroll nods and murrs, "Good idea, Dimitri." He relays it to Jared.
Skeee drops off the spar and flutters down when her name is mentioned. "No problem. I got a clawful of feathers as he went by. I suspect he'll be a little slow for a while."
Carroll grins toothily to Skeee and murrs, "I hope so." Alexandra covers a grin at Skeee, then casually glances to see if she's sporting any spiffy new feather decorations...
Jared nods with sudden understanding. "Oh, you mean good enough to keep up with a ship? Nah, not unless they've managed to enlist a few of the merfolk... the seals and dolphins and such. Not likely...they don't usually go in for piracy."
Alexandra nods, looking pleased, "Excellent. Okay then... let's do it!" She grins happily up at Carroll, "All set, captain?"
Carroll nods quietly to his sister. He isn't quite sure what she means but he murrs, "Yes."
Alexandra says properly, like she was taught first mates are supposed to do, "Carry on then, bosun, thank you."
The sun sinks below the horizon with a final flash of green, and twilight deepens. Skeee takes off, spiraling around the ship and working her way higher. The Hare is setting with the sun, and an hour after sunset the sky is completely dark except for the few stars that can punch through the hazy sky. Skeee comes back to report that the gull is nowhere to be seen -- or heard -- and things are clear for the course change. Alexandra watches as the bosun calls the orders... she won't interfere when she's not needed, and Jared knows his job better than she does. Dimitri slowly walks the decks, making sure of two things. One, that any sign of lights and fire are dimmed... and two, that no furr lingers by the gunwales to perchance let a message in a bottle slip over the edge.
The wind is steady from the west, and the Mare easily quarters it as she rides easily on moderate seas. Skeee makes occasional sweeps, but the night passes uneventfully. By morning, the sky is completely overcast, further hiding the ship from fliers. Alexandra sighs in quiet relief, pacing slowly along the quarterdeck on watch. Carroll resumes the deck and asks his first mate, "How went the night?"
Alexandra beams proudly up at her brother, "Looks good, captain -- looks like we lost 'em! All clear for you to address the crew, sir!" Carroll asks Jared to assemble the crew at the shift change, so he can address them.
Jared calls the crew to attention at the morning muster. "All present or accounted for, Captain." Dimitri stands on deck, quiet and silent and grim as Carroll begins his address, watching the crew... and specifically their reaction to the morning speech. Horatio has come up discretely on deck, after working through most of the maneuvers to keep a close eye on the rigging.
Carroll addresses the entire crew again. He murrs, "I wanted to thank all of you for your quick response to the threat of fire yesterday afternoon. That was well-done." He smiles and adds, "Forgive me if I hope we don't have to do it again though." Alexandra stands at firm parade rest, hands clasped behind her, at Carroll's right. She listens, but mostly keeps an eye on the ship. Carroll calls out loudly, not shouting, "I'm certain you noticed or have heard that we were attacked yesterday by a seagull intent on burning the ship. That bird apparently hails from a ship that's been following us, with a now clear intent since we passed through the straits." There are several chuckles from the crew, and a few nods.
Carroll calls, "You may also have noticed that we have a man in the brig, confined. His crime was sabotage, and it's what keeps us from going to full sail and fleeing our pursuers more quickly." The crew gets very quiet when the sabotage is mentioned. The couple of crewfurrs who'd been palling around with Shifty look surprised.
Carroll continues, "That we had someone intent on helping those who would harm us aboard makes me rather unhappy, and I hope that there are no others. Please do not hesitate to bring anything unusual to the attention of the officers, particularly our master of marines." He indicates Dimitri.
Carroll adds, "I worry he wasn't alone. If they should overtake us, I don't expect that they'll let any of us -- conspirator or innocent alike -- live to tell about it, so it's vital that we not be caught." Jared looks a bit puzzled by that remark, but doesn't interrupt. Dimitri nonchalantly nods and slowly walks through the crew across the deck. Without a word, as if by coincidence, he stops and turns to listen to Carroll directly behind Shifty the Marten's mate. Alexandra watches quietly and expressionlessly... she's faintly relieved to see the looks of surprise. Carroll looks over the crew, and shakes his head, continuing, "Because of the damage to the ship we will have to land, hopefully someplace somewhat quiet, to make proper repairs. Expect this in the next several days; exactly when depends upon the winds and the fates so I cannot tell you more."
Alexandra whispers quietly to the captain. Carroll shakes his head briefly, no, to the first mate. Alexandra nods and goes back to parade rest. Carroll looks up and finishes, "Please continue the good work and we shall prevail and be successful. Thank you." He gestures a dismissal to Jared.
Jared bellows, "Dismissed! Duty sections to stations." Carroll murrs something quietly to Alexandra. She glances at Carroll and shakes her head slightly, smiling faintly. Dimitri just watches as the crew disperses. Horatio pads quietly to his siblings, brushing off hemp fibers from his hands. Alexandra grins at Horatio, "Heya, Horatio, how's the rigging doing?"
Horatio smiles quietly. "Almost done, I'm thinking. Once we stop we'll be able to finish it off. We've enough rope on board, but we've had to splice in a few places. That won't cause us any problems though.
Alexandra says, "Great." She sounds relieved, then glances up at Carroll, "So... hold course till we hit the point Horatio's picked out for us?""
Carroll hmms, "Actually I was thinking that if we can we might want to change course again tonight."
Alexandra says, "Jink a bit?"
Alexandra nods, "Okay, I'll tell the bosun. Anything else you want done? Er... you do mean more east again, yes, Captain?" She glances at Horatio, "That's how we're going to need to go, yes?" Dimitri walks the deck, before finding a clear space to begin this morning's practice...
Carroll murrs to his sister, "Head back to the east and make our landing on Lancer tomorrow to take care of business there, I think."
Alexandra nods, "Gotcha, Captain. Horatio, if your navigation requires us to change course at all let me know soonest, okay?"
Horatio says, "We'll be able to fix the rigging when we land? At Lancer, I mean?"
Carroll nods, "When we land fixing the rigging and mainstays is the primary reason, yes."
Horatio nods, "Right then. The carpenter and his mates and I'll be ready." Alexandra nods, and excuses herself... then trots down to find Jared.
Alexandra turns and trots back to Carroll, and leans to murmur quietly to him, "Hey, can I tell the bosun that you meant the crew should follow the usual chain of command as far as reporting anything unusual?"
Carroll hmms? and then nods to his sister and asks her, "I didn't say that? Damn."
Alexandra grins quietly, "Um... I'm sure you meant to. Shall I tell him that?" Dimitri finishes his workout and finds a place to sit.
Carroll mutters something about hating speaking to groups, and nods, "Please." Alexandra has that grin on her face that says she'd give Carroll a hug if she weren't in public... she just nods and trots off to find the bosun to report tonight's change in course plans. She's singing softly to herself as she goes hunting for him, enjoying the wind in her fur. She beams and waves to Dimitri as she goes by, "Hey, can I join you in a few minutes?"
Dimitri nods, setting his sword out of the way. "Sure enough." Alexandra patters on, beaming!
Horatio finishes some final studies of the rigging up aloft, then looks down and sees Dimitri about the practice. He looks around. Well, not much else to do... it's not yet time to take the next position fix. He has a couple of quartermaster's mates run the speed log and perches himself in the rigging to watch. Carroll begins to walk around the decks again, looking at crew and things, watching and smiling to them. He spends the time watching the crew, trying to learn their names and developing an opinion of his own about each of them. He also, as he passes the aft rail, pauses to look out over the horizon closely.
Alexandra passes on the change of plans to Jared, then trots back up to her room, where she leaves her sword belt, then trots out to where Dimitri is... coincidentally she's carrying yesterday's 2 staves under one arm... Dimitri looks up then, his head tilting, ears up. He considers, wondering what today's lesson might be. He nods. Alexandra beams excitedly at Dimitri, rolling up her sleeves, "I'm ready!"
Dimitri looks up and then speaks, quite serious. "Are you sure?"
Alexandra pauses, tilting her ears puzzledly... she thinks a bit, then nods slowly, "For practice, yes?" Dimitri nods quietly and stands. Before he takes one of the staves however, the long one, he walks across the deck. Seemingly at random he gathers a bucket of water and a clean rag and sets them down. That done the darkling fox walks back to Alex, the greatsword length stave in his hand. Horatio frowns slightly, watching. Alexandra looks puzzled, but watches attentively.
Dimitri brings it up in a salute. "You are fast and your form is good. But it's only a matter of time before you will be in a real fight, Alex. And there are some things you need to know... so when they happen for real they don't kill you. Are you ready?" Dimitri reaches out and tags Alex's shoulder hard, a simple drop snap. "Ready?"
Alexandra takes a slow, deep breath... then, with a resolute expression, nods and brings up her own stave, "Yes." She blinks at the tag, then looks faintly chagrined... and drops lightly into stance. Carroll sees this, and takes a long look before he turns away, presumably just watching for their pursuers, but probably not wanting to watch. He has an idea what the bucket is for.
Dimitri starts the practice combat, his great "sword" against her "rapier". Across the deck they go, letting her chase him to try and close the distance, the loud sounds of the staves' smashing echoing through the rigging... Alexandra does her best to both push Dimitri, like he wanted her to do yesterday, and to keep her guard up. Dimitri falls back across the deck until she finds herself pushing him back against a set of barrels, nowhere left to run, having to go into total defense against her faster blade as he is driven up against the makeshift wall... until they are face to face, their hilts smashed against each other, caught for a moment... and then -- he can see that split-second of 'uh-ohh!' in Alex's eyes as she suddenly realizes where she is -- but she's not got enough time or training to change her position- Dimitri pivots his stave about hers, smashing hard not with the long blade, but rather rotating the pommel hard into her snout. There's a sharp and distinct CRACK as Dimitri's stave pommel connects with Alex's jaw, and her head rocks back sharply. She blinks, looking shocked for a fraction of a second, her eyes watering... then blinks in astonishment at Dimitri past the stave she's got up en guarde between them. Dimitri slowly, very slowly, lowers his stave and reaches directly down to take the cool, water-soaked clothe from the bucket and hand it to Alex. He softly wuffs, "I cheated, didn't I."
Horatio blinks, shifting in his position in the rigging. Jared snorts at this. "No such thing in a real fight. Just winning."
Carroll looks over and adds, "No you didn't. You didn't kick her once she was stunned."
Dimitri nods to Jared. "Exactly."
Alexandra studies the cloth for a moment, still looking a bit blank... then snarls suddenly, "I am NOT a quitter!" and snaps her stave sharply against his once before lunging at him, attacking furiously. She yells furiously, "And I DON'T need you to play nice!!"
Horatio shakes his head. By now, Dimitri should know that sets her off... he blinks. Maybe he does at that. Dimitri slams his stave up in her stave-sword's general direction as he rolls over the barrels, getting them between him and her, his own stave coming down hard and without quarter now that she can't just press him backwards. He smiles darkly, "Then come get me, bratling."
Alexandra kicks a barrel hard and directly at Dimitri and comes up fast over another at him, stave still swinging. Dimitri dances backwards, one step, two, then three. "Good!" and then immediately does what he shouldn't and presses an attack against her, to push her back... over the loose barrel she just kicked forward. Alexandra bounces lightly across the barrel, still parrying blows -- then drops down on the other side of it and tries again to kick it into her brother's path.
Jared nods. "Good."
Dimitri moves back and away from the barrel to gain a bit of space. He waits for her to close again, the tip of his stave out forward and eye level. "You got to come to me, remember. I'll just run away from barrels."
Alexandra growls irritatedly, her hackles up and her stave tip weaving slightly in front of her... she starts her lunge forward in her usual all-out attack -- then partway blinks and gets an odd expression on her face -- and whips past Dimitri in a full parry. Dimitri steps back ninety degrees from Alex's path, letting her step a handful of paces beyond him while moving himself away from the rolling barrels, to find a clear space of deck for him to hold. Alexandra turns and pauses, her ears tilting back and forth uncertainly and her ruff starting to settle somewhat. She hesitates, studying Dimitri... she looks around at her environment, her stave dipping slightly, then back at Dimitri. She frowns, her expression puzzled... she finally takes a deep breath, bringing her stave up to en guarde again -- and comes skittering in fast to attack Dimitri with a quick flurry of blows. Alexandra is (perhaps to her brothers' surprise) attacking carefully and deliberately, thinking out where her attacks will leave her.
Dimitri nods and lets her come in close again, moving with her attack, carefully watching the pattern of her blows until he matches pattern with chance and lets her bat away the long stave so he can grab a handful of tunic with one strong paw. He starts to swing his other fist into her face. Alexandra ducks out of the shirt, and lashes out with her stave. Dimitri laughs, and throws her tunic back into her face.
Alexandra whips the stave up into the air, catching the shirt, and grins at her brother, "Stand down, yes? I want to be in one piece for watch tonight... and I think I got the message today." Dimitri smiles, walks up to his little sister -- and slams his fist into her gut.
Alexandra is completely unsuspecting -- she initially folds around the punch, then flies back and lands hard and rag-doll limp. Dimitri silently gathers her carefully up, then heads into their cabin with a grim expression.