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Post by Zoilus on Jan 3, 2018 19:55:09 GMT
Commodore de Nemaine was pleased. Rooney's briefing had gone much better than she'd anticipated, and it was gratifying to know that at least some of Trevast's mercenaries were professional operators, but now...she had someone else to deal with. Sitting in her office on the Zephyr, Bellona waited for the constables to escort Rackham and whatever rabble he'd chosen as his officers to her. It was time they knew just how they'd be earning their pardons, and maybe a slip of loot.
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Far less pleased was Vigo of Bashny, smuggler, entrepreneur, soldier of fortune, and most recently, prisoner. The damned Alendronians find just a little a bit of contraband in your ship......ugh. Thinking back on it, maybe the bribe he'd offered to the constable hadn't been enough? Just one more thing that made the south so much more pleasant to work in: guards down there always had a set, relatively low price. First foray north in a decade, and this is what happens? Artis eat their souls.
Languishing in his cell, Vigo was quite surprised when oh-so scrupulous constable returned. "If you've changed your mind, I've nothing left to pay you with." The guard rolled his eyes.
"You're a Talcaer, yes?"
"Yes, yes. What's it to you? Alendronians don't become men until they kill one, right?"
The guard sighed, "Uh, how well could navigate the coast around Bassania?"
"'Bassania'? Idiot Alendronians still call it that? I can navigate around Bashny, but what fool would want to go there these days? Place is a pigsty and a death trap."
The guard gave him a real smile, "You. Welcome to the Navy, conscript."
The guard chained Vigo's hands and led him away, over his increasingly desperate protests.
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Post by Fyremage on Jan 4, 2018 14:55:54 GMT
Heavy footfalls of boots upon wood rang across the deck of the Zephyr as James, Smitty (Retrograde), and a pair of constables approached the Commodore's office. Surprisingly, James' demeanor was passably less overly casual, which carried over to when him and his first mate were escorted into the office to meet with the Commodore to receive their orders. The pair entered the room alongside their constables, with James cracking a wry smile and bowing in a profoundly over the top fashion. At least he was behaving himself.
"Good 'morrow Commodore. T'is a right ol' pleasure to be making yer acquaintance again if I do say so myself." He gave her a toothy grin, with his left hand extending to his first mate. "This 'ere be moi first mate, and trusty companion - Smitty, if you please."
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Post by Retrograde on Jan 4, 2018 23:36:41 GMT
Rutgardt was hard to convince when he was told he was going to be meeting with the Commodore. He made a habit of avoiding authority figures if only because they tended to be quite dangerous sorts who could have him hanged.
His opinion changed rather dramatically as he laid eyes upon the Commodore. His jaw slackened, and his eyes grew wide. By Artis, she is BEAUTIFUL, he thought to himself. Already, he was picturing what their children would look like.
"Hello, Commodore!" He said, moving to take her hand and kiss it. "I am Rutgardt Schmidt, at your service for anything you might need, ever."
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Nawida stood on the deck of the Beetle, having taken the time to inspect what she could. It was an ugly carrack, but the purpose was clear. It was a smuggler's ship, full of hidden compartments to bring in contraband to whatever port it landed in. Her father maintained many.
She peered over the railing, looking at the coming and going of other sailors. She saw the guards hauling someone up to the ship, but her thoughts were broken as she felt someone squeeze her bottom.
She looked back to see a Tlem man grinning at her. "Hello, there," he said eagerly.
She glowered and grabbed him by the hem of his shirt, throwing him over the railing and into the frigid waters below. He hit the water with a splash, and began thrashing in the water, looking up at her with murder in her eyes.
"You should be careful," she called with a smile on her face. "Dangerous up on a boat deck!"
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Post by Zoilus on Jan 5, 2018 0:15:21 GMT
Bellona stared at the...man who had seized her hand and was presently dragging it up to his lips. He wasn't a prisoner, so she couldn't have him beaten, but she did yank it away quickly. "For the services I require from you, such formality will not be necessary," she said, trying to convey her disgust with every word. "I do thank you for your voluntary service to the Crown, however, and for such a task."
"Rackham, my subbordinates have turned up a great deal on your past career: you were a far luckier catch than I gave the constables credit for, perfect for the assignment I have planned. Now, both of you, it's time you learned what I expect: you will take the Beetle south, to the pirate controlled port of Bashny (Bassania), and infiltrate their ranks as best you can. You will take note of their leadership, defenses, and the number of ships and defenders in the city. Once you've found an excuse to leave, you will report this information to me, at these coordinates," and she slid over a small nautical map.
"For this service, every member of your crew will be given Alendronian pardons, a small stipend, and you will be given a deed to the Beetle. Be warned though: once you deliver the information, you won't be released until it is verified. Lie, and you will all hang. Refuse now, and the volunteers may leave, but you will hung as soon as you return to the dock, Rackham."
"Do we have an accord?"
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The constables, with Vigo in tow, finally reached the docks. Damn bastards had shoved and tripped him the whole way there, but that was forgotten when he saw his ship. There she was: the Beetle, his pride and joy since the day he stole it, fifteen years ago. Of course, it had looked very different back then, but Vigo liked to think his modifications had breathed new life into her.
Now, though, it looked like a life would be ending on her, first with some unfortunate falling off of her, and then his own, when he showed his face in Bashny again...but wait. Who was that woman, standing up top? And why did she look familiar?
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Post by Fyremage on Jan 5, 2018 16:26:59 GMT
As the Commodore spoke about learning more pertaining to James' past, his upper lip curled slightly in a toothy grin. Alas, he remained silent, as even he was able to discern that this was an appropriate time to remain quiet. The details of the mission seemed straightforward enough, with the idea of betraying fellow brothers at sea a bit distasteful. Fortunately the unspoken code most brigands such as himself adhered to encouraged self preservation over the interests of the collective. And sure it sounded straightforward, but in practice it would take some doing. Not to mention not just one but two threats on his life levied by the Commodore, which he chose to merely smile through. He stared her straight in the eye however, despite his overall casual and lax demeanor, and waited for her to finish speaking before doing so himself.
"All in a day's work as they say." He leaned on her desk and stared at the map she slid over for a few moments, as if memorizing the spot she indicated before snatching it up and folding it to put into his coat. While he wasn't very close to her, it was altogether likely the scent of ale and rum was strong enough to waft into her nostrils, among other enticing aromas. He gave her a wink, nod, and as if it weren't possible an even wider toothy grin as he offered his hand to shake hers and said: "We 'ave an accord, Commodore." He pulled his hand back and paused slightly before adding.
"There is just... one thing: one does not just sail into a free 'aven without arising some measure of attention. I reckon i'll be needing some... cargo to transport and sell - for the benefit of moi deception you see - to really get the information you need. Ovverwise I can't guarantee much success in my endeavor."
His voice dropped a few decibels as he added, as if sharing a secret: "Sailor's tongues get a bit loose when they've 'ad a few lines o' powder savvy?"
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Post by Retrograde on Jan 5, 2018 16:44:10 GMT
Rutgardt's eyes widened as she pulled her hand away, but he did not look hurt. Instead, the admiration he had for the woman was written plain on his face. He had always loved a strong, mean woman and Bellona was no different. The mean ones were always the biggest softies once you melted their icy exterior. He wondered what she looked like when she giggled.
To make himself look professional, he nodded along with James as he spoke, but in reality he was lost in his own fantasy world.
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Nawida looked down at the man approaching the docks with interest. She decided that she would go and meet him; it was often an intelligent move to familiarize yourself with the staff and servants before a kill. They could give a lot of insights.
She wandered to the gangplank, one hand on her hip as she analyzed the man. She thought it amusing how miserable he looked. After all, he should be. Only an absolute fool got caught like this. She wondered what crime he had committed.
"Hello, and welcome to she Beetle," she said. Her eyes wandered to the guards. "I can take our friend off your hands, if you want. I'm sure you have much to do today."
She smiled a radiant smile, the kind that made men throw themselves at her feet and make marriage promises.
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Post by Zoilus on Jan 5, 2018 21:48:16 GMT
Bellona gave Rackham a resigned look. They'd expected his request, of course, but did he really need to be so eager about it? "Fortunately, the Beetle's capture wasn't too long ago: we've left most of it illicit cargo on board. In this case, it was some exotic animals from the far south, mostly snakes, used for venom 'farming', and other very interesting poisons."
"Obviously, nothing we'd want in Orleons, but I think your new friends in Bashny will love them. Though, please try not to actually sell them these materials, and if you can, sink them on your way back."
"Unless you have anything else to say, you're dismissed."
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The constables stared at the woman, transfixed. "Are you sure, madam? This one's very dangerous, perhaps-"
His partner shook his head, "Captain will have our heads if we're late, I'm sorry to say. Let's go." And they dejectedly shambled off.
Vigo watched the pair of fools leave. What sort of sailor woman dressed like this, looked like that? She could be mistress of any great lord of Alendron, and yet she was on a trip like this? He recognized the look of her, of course: Seven Cities, to the bone. Vigo had spent a lot of time and made a lot of money down there (all lost now, of course). Such a people were hard to forget. Taking a breath, he approached her.
"That work with all the constables, or just the really stupid ones? Eh, don't answer: too obvious. The real question is, what is a creature like you doing so far away from the markets of Pherai? I might have sold a sister of yours down there, but you...seem different."
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Post by Fyremage on Jan 8, 2018 15:24:36 GMT
James' hand hung in the air for a few moments as Bellonna replied to his request. When it was clear the Commodore was not going to take his hand, he cracked his knuckle as if he was stretching his hand and ran his fingers through his hair as if to slick it back. His fingers soon found themselves running through his beard, as if he were listening intently at what she was saying. With a wink (which he carefully timed for when she looked down at her papers trying to ignore him) and a smile, the Captain nodded and gave her a slight bow.
"O'course Commodore. Yew can always count on Captain James A. Rackham..." He slowly backed away, maintaining his slight bow in a slightly grandiose manner to address the Commodore, and eventually turned to exit the cabin as he was bid. When he stepped back out to the deck of the Zephyr, he paused a moment to take in a deep breath. He could feel the salt in his blood, which therefore added a bit more pep in his step as he set about disembarking and making his way to the Beetle. The constables kept in step with him and Smitty, with James content to remain silent while they were in tow. His eyes skipped to and fro as if take in his surroundings one last time before setting off, a slight grin still apparent on his lips as if only he were privy to some secret joke.
This carried on until he was greeted by the sight of his new ship. As was made abundantly clear when he first laid eyes on her, she was not a new ship nor the prettiest, but any seasoned seadog could see she had plenty of tales to tell and surprises under her decks to be found. He proceeded up the gangway with Smitty and tow and the constables remaining on the dock, with James turning and giving the pair of men a curt salute that ended with a slight flourish.
At that, he made his way to the Quarterdeck, bypassing Nawida and the Talcaer smuggler without even a blink of an eye, and grasped the helm with what amounted to a slight reverence. He was back in the game, and although it came with strings attached, he had to admit - it felt very, very good.
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Post by Retrograde on Jan 8, 2018 19:04:31 GMT
Nawida's smile turned almost bestial as she looked at the man, all warmth departing from her eyes. She did not take kindly to the implication that she could somehow be enslaved. She had half a mind to open his throat right there, but she restrained herself. The guards were not that far away and while she could probably easily sway them to seeing her as the victim, she certainly didn't want to endanger her chances of killing off Rackham.
"Oh, trust me... If you sold any of my sisters you would have met me a lot sooner, and it wouldn't have gone very well for you."
Her eyes drifted towards the captain as he came and approached. She looked at Vigo, smirked, and then turned to go and meet with the captain. She gave a little shake of her rear to taunt the man, giving him an idea of what he would never have. Then, she moved to the helm, getting close to the captain and grinning at him broadly. She easily resumed her old persona of the starstruck girl, her eyes twinkling.
"I can't really believe it, I'm on a ship wit' you!" She snorted a laugh, and looked genuinely amazed. "Zhe ship, she isn't very pretty, but I'm certain you can make her dance."
There was a genuine touch of excitement there, perhaps even for sailing with Rackham. She was interested to see what parts of him were fact and which were fiction - it was much more satisfying to kill a genuine legend than it was to end the life of some pompous blowhard. There was a place in history for the great assassins of the world. Sure, most would never know it was her, but there would be whispers in the bars and taverns and many questions as to whether the good captain REALLY died to alcohol poisoning or if he had something more sinister happen to him. There was an immortality to be found in the conspiracy theories of sailors.
Meanwhile, Rutgardt instead focused himself on getting the ship ready. Thoughts of Bellona drifted through his head even as he checked the sails and started on giving out orders. The woman was so... captivating.
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Post by Zoilus on Jan 8, 2018 19:24:25 GMT
Vigo smirked at the girl's little show. Whoever she was, she was easy to bait: it wouldn't be long before he had some certainty on her. What more immediately caught his attention was his ship's supposed new captain and first mate drunkenly swaggering up the deck to grope his helm. Vigo felt his nails dig into his palm, and fought the urge to scream. This is MINE, I redesigned her, paid for her, decorated her, NAMED her, she's mine! But he showed a bit more self-control: tantrums, like that foolish girl's, wouldn't get him his beloved Beetle back.
So, he approached his new captain. The fool was distracted, seemed lost in thought at the helm. Vigo knew the feeling, but camaraderie was hard to feel when it was on his stolen ship. He tapped Rackham on the shoulder, "Captain? Vigo of Bashny, your selected navigator. I know the waters around that city like the back of my hand, and I'll get you and your boys there safe. For a pardon, I'd make anything happen."
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Bellona sat in her carriage, annoyed. She had to see Rackham one last time, inspect the boat and crew before it set off. She didn't want to, but the Beetle was technically under her command, and it was a commodore's duty, right? She saw the ugly tub in the distance, sighed, and began to prepare herself. Last time.
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Post by Fyremage on Jan 8, 2018 20:27:54 GMT
He was somewhere else. Somewhere far and away from the Port of Orleans. He couldn't quite finger where he was exactly. Somewhere exotic, where the breeze rose high and the merchantmen were relatively undefended. The smell of salt filled his nostrils, along with the sound of grumbling men milling about to carry out their tasks. The voice of a woman echoed in his mind, which became all too real as he was brought back to reality with the voice of Nawida S-Ssh-...
Shahatazadi filling his mind. His eyes flitted down to her attractive form after he heaved back into reality, but so it seemed that he was in this instant more focused on returning to the open seas that her alluring charm didn't seem to have the same affect on him as it did prior. That didn't stop him from stealing a greedy stare into her cleavage as he addressed her though. "Indeed Ms. Salty-dazadi. The pleasure is indeed all mine, you can lay to that." His gaze flitted elsewhere as he said the last bit, giving her a dismissive wave as he spotted a deck hand dozing by the taff-rail.
He was just about to let out a bellow to set him in line when he felt a tap on his shoulder. At first, he thought it may have been Nawida, but as he turned he was greeted by the sight of a man wearing baggy clothes, and speaking with a thick accent that he couldn't quite place. 'Vigo of Bashny eh?'
"You be from Talcaer eh? Fancy that." Talcaer was not kind to criminals, that much James knew even though he didn't venture too far south. He did seem to remember the threat of gelding, which may have factored into his choice of avoiding Talcaeri waters. It was quite interesting amongst men, how many would prefer a hanging over a gelding.
"You're... not a eunuch are you?" James' eyes flitted up and down the ex-smuggler with a semi-disgusted expression. It was somewhat of a valid question however, as if the man was a eunuch, well that may well explain his navigation skills and in avoiding detection.
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Post by Retrograde on Jan 8, 2018 20:39:55 GMT
Nawida cursed internally. She could tell that the captain was in some other place. Hopefully, the sea's spell on him wouldn't be too strong. She needed him to be infatuated with her for her plan to work. If he wasn't interested in sleeping with her, then she couldn't exactly use that to lure him to his demise, could she? Then, he looked at her breasts once more. Well, he's still a man at least, she thought to herself. Perhaps she had a chance after all.
She remained there, listening to the conversation between Vigo and the Captain. At first it seemed like it was going to go normally, but then James asked his question. Her eyes bugged out of her head, and she couldn't help herself. She began to laugh. She tried to control herself, but she her shirt slip a bit and reveal something. She looked down, blushed deeply, and then readjusted herself. Those were more useful when the promise of seeing them was there, not actually showing them off.
Trying to bring the situation back to Vigo. "I don't know, Vigo, are you a eunuch?"
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Rutgardt grinned as the flag was hoisted up, raised up by the crew. He watched as James Rackham's colours rose up into the air, billowing in the breeze: a heart pierced by three arrows, on a field of black. For all his misgivings about this adventure, he felt a strange sense of comfort in seeing that flag fly once more.
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Post by Zoilus on Jan 8, 2018 20:55:16 GMT
Vigo stared at Rackham, and then the girl. Were they mad? What kind of imbecile would ask such a thing? His face reddening, he said, "I am not, no. Such barbarities are why I left my homeland, long ago. But now, it seems I must, and I'll warn you, Rackham: you could very well end up a eunuch or something worse if you don't play your cards just right-"
But he was cut off. There was some kind of commotion on the docks.
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Commodore de Nemaine stepped off her carriage, and was already eager to get back on. This shouldn't take long, Artis willing. She marched up to the ship with a few marines in lockstep behind her. No member of Rackham's crew greeted her or invited her aboard, so she just stepped on the boat. What did a bunch of pirates know about protocol anyway?
She shouted, "Rackham, final inspection! Bring your crew out for examination-" But then, she saw the woman, laughing, framed perfectly by the sun. Bellona wished for a brief moment that she was a painter, and her throat went dry. What was someone...like that, doing here?
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Post by Fyremage on Jan 9, 2018 14:18:45 GMT
As the Talcaer spoke his peace, he was interrupted by the arrival of the Commodore, who brought it upon herself to initiate a final inspection of the crew. James let out a surprisingly loud and authoritative bellow which rose above the din of the ship. "Hop to it lads! Final inspection on the double!"
He took a step towards the Commodore, but turned around to face Vigo to say one more thing before he departed. "And that's Captain Rackham to you." He bore the same trademark smile he always did, but his tone was a touch harder than his normal relaxed demeanor. At that, he set off and stood next to Belonna, his eyes watching as his men aligned themselves opposite the pair.
By the look of them, half of them had the bearing of hard, able seamen who had seen more than their fair share of what the sea had to offer. The other half, were what one would expect when dredging up prisoners to form the rest of the crew. Even still, it was clear that some of them were seamen of some sort, with one in particular carrying a pungent odor of fish indicative of his previous profession. James was sure Belonna would have something to say about the ragtag bunch of men James had under his command, but in his eyes - they were the best he could get under the present circumstances. And he had done more with much worse before.
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Post by Retrograde on Jan 9, 2018 18:00:46 GMT
Nawida snapped to attention, having been subject to inspection before. It came with having to assassinate a lot of sailors. However, her eyes watched the Commodore curiously. She had known the people of Alendron were liberal but she had trouble believing they had employed a female Commodore until she actually saw it. But she also saw the way the Commodore looked at her. The way men often did. That intrigued her.
She remained still, hands behind her back, but her mind was still analyzing everything. Her eyes scanned across Bellona, trying to make sense of the woman.
She is tall...
Nawida had always been the tallest woman she knew, so seeing one that dwarfed her was especially interesting. She knew she wasn't typical considering how small many of the women in Orleans were, but it made her wonder what else about the Commodore was special.
She lamented internally that she would be departing Alendron for what was most likely the rest of her life soon. There were so many strange customs and people here that her curiosity was piqued. However, it wasn't like she could change plans. Once she killed Rackham, it would look suspicious to immediately come back to Alendron and even not so immediately. Besides, Lady Akonyta would be waiting for news in Shtokol and could see fit to deduct from her fee if she took too long, and that would mean Nawida would have to kill her too for the insult. Too messy, too messy.
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