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Post by Zoilus on Jan 26, 2018 21:17:07 GMT
Vigo led the party back to the cabin and the maps. "Now, ah, Shahar-izadi?" He pointed to the table, "This is what we have so far. I don't know how much you know about Talcary, but feel free to look it over and confirm. And, captain," he looked to Rackham, "We have a course up to the Alendronian border. Should we not be setting out?"
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Zoz was going back to the crew quarters, to meet up with the old crew and start making plans, when she noticed another thug following her. Did Trevastines have no subtlety? Let the stupid bastard follow her. He'd meet her friends soon.
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Post by Fyremage on Jan 29, 2018 20:17:46 GMT
"Ah, good on ye mate." James said, standing in the doorway. He reached out and tapped a deckhand on the shoulder, who turned and stepped closer to the Captain. "Get these 'ere charts to Smitty and 'ave him set off as soon as we be ready. Oh, and 'ave the cook send us some stew to warm our bellies." The deck hand was a recognizable face to James, a man who had served with Smitty and James in the past, and who gave a slight nod to his Captain followed by an 'Aye' for good measure.
Thereafter, James closed the door to his cabin and moved over to the pair, his teeth glinting of gold with his wide smile. He grasped a bottle of rum and three cups, pouring a healthy portion for all three of them. "T'is good to be at sea again, even though I'd prefer different circumstances." He slid a mug to each one in turn, filling his last and, as if an afterthought, took a long swig of the rum before putting the stopper back into the bottle.
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Post by Retrograde on Jan 30, 2018 1:27:39 GMT
Nawida stared down at the rum for a moment, considering whether it was truly wise to partake in such a strong spirit before such an undertaking. Yet there was some sense in it. It might steel her nerves. He had struck her bottom, yes, but there was some part of her, deep inside, that felt some measure of sympathy for James A. Rackham. She told herself that it was stupid, that he had no respect for her or really, any woman and that she would be doing the world a favour. But it seemed as though her father had not entirely excised the human element from her.
She took the rum, and raised the mug to the air. “To our healt’,” she said, before tipping it down to her throat. It burned, but had a slightly sweet taste detectable only to those that were familiar and used to spirits. Otherwise, it would have been lost in the strong taste of alcohol.
She winced only slightly, and then placed her mug down on the table, smiling at the two men inside the cabin with her. It occurred to her, dimly, that she was violating sacred hospitality by drinking this man’s rum and then planning to kill him. Her mother would have been so disappointed to see what she was planning. But it didn’t matter. She was not her mother’s child, not really. She was the daughter of the Hand of the Dragon. She had always been her father’s daughter, a weapon beyond religion.
“Yes, it is good to be away from Alendron. Hopefully we will see many shores together.””
--
Smitty grinned. “Alright, lads! Up and at’em!” He called out, and the ship began pulling away from port. Soon, the ship was free and the sails were full, the winds pulling them out into the ocean. The ship rocked uneasily, but a sense of freedom was spread over the ship. They were now on the ocean, away from the confines of national borders. Kings were confined to land, men were allowed to be themselves out on the sea.
“Aaah, nothing like it.”
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Post by Zoilus on Jan 30, 2018 22:04:44 GMT
Vigo had no taste for whiskey, but he supposed that it would be for the best that he forced it down. The Alendronians probably took all the liquor he used to have on board, good stuff from Talcary and the far south, the bastards. But hell, better a drop of the worst piss you ever drank than nothing at all, right? Vigo raised his glass to Rackham and Shaharizadi.
"To our health, wealth, and success!" Though really, he only thought one person in the room deserved any of the three.
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Zoz had finally made it back to the crew quarters, and thankfully, saw two of her 'friends' waiting for her. She approached them, and gave a quick backward jerk with her head: she was being followed. They gave subtle nods. Good, reliable, boys, always had been. Zoz gave them a grin, sat down on her bed, and waited. If the spy wanted to see anything but a woman relaxing in her off hours, he'd have to do better than skulk around.
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Post by Fyremage on Jan 31, 2018 20:42:36 GMT
James drank long and hard, downing the bit of rum he poured himself and and letting out a contented sigh after he did so. He set his mug down none too carefully and poured himself another portion. And without asking, he did the same for both Sizerihazitadi and Vigo. "So wha' did you lot do prior to being... uh... recruited by the good Admiral?"
What good was drinking with company if such company was no good for conversation? Such were the questions of life, and James' answer to that was that such ones were as valuable as the barnacles on the keel of a new cog.
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Post by Retrograde on Jan 31, 2018 20:47:37 GMT
Nawida felt mildly uncomfortable as James poured her another glass. She thought to herself that this one had to be the last, or else she was in danger of losing control of her faculties. She definitely didn't need that.
"Oh, I am on zhe run from some family trouble. Decided maybe my life would be happier oh zhe open sea."
She shrugged, and then downed her mug. She looked to Vigo, wondering what his answer was going to be. Was he going to lie or tell the truth? That was the real question.
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Post by Zoilus on Jan 31, 2018 21:55:02 GMT
Another? Ugh, hell, why not? Vigo downed the second drink, and said, "No more, if you want to hear my story, anyway." And he would have to tell them a story, nothing too detailed, but enough to build that foundation of trust.
"I've been a smuggler most of my life, moving up and down the coast of Ettin and sometimes into the Bay. Lots of money to be made down there for the subtle sort, hey? Unfortunately, I made a few mistakes, had to come north to lay low, even abandoned my ship, too distinctive. I was working as a....consultant on another smuggling ship to make some cash, but the fool captain got caught and killed by Alendronians, and I went to prison." He shook his head. "The rest you know, I believe?"
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Post by Retrograde on Jan 31, 2018 23:37:47 GMT
The hours passed and the sun drooped below the horizon. The vessel rocked with every wave, the groaning of the wood adding to the general melody of the sea. The sound of thunder rolled in the distance, making the people above deck eager to complete their work and scurry into the safety of the ship’s interior.
Nawida stood in one of the ship’s many hidden compartments. It was desperately cramped, especially with so many people inside, but only someone who had either overseen the ship’s construction or had been on board for years and entered into the absolute trust of the captain would ever be able to find it. Though the Beetle was a big, lumbering ship, she had a newfound appreciation for the art that went into its construction. How many port officials had this ship fooled?
She sat on top of a crate full of illegal narcotics, dressed in a pair of shorts that began at her belly button and terminated her thighs, along with a simple vest and brassiere, her feet warmed by soft slippers. She wore the usual beads in her hair, and kicked her legs gently.
“So,” she said softly. “Zhis is more zhan I expected you to scrounge up.”
She grinned ferally. “I am surprise, but pleased, Vigo. So, we know zhe plan, yes? I poison zhe Captain, and zhen you can retake control. Very simple.”
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Post by Zoilus on Feb 1, 2018 1:52:37 GMT
Very simple, indeed. Of the old crew on the boat, he'd managed to re-recruit most of them on the promise of not going to Bashny and fleeing as far from Alendron as possible, and of the new, more than a few had been amenable to the promise of gold, once he'd flashed a piece or two. If Rackham were to die, that grinning fool Smitty certainly wouldn't be keeping control, oh no. Still...so much could go wrong. Most of the crew wasn't all of it, there could be last minute springs of sympathy, leaks, liars...a mutiny was a nasty, dangerous business.
The most important question, though, was timing. "Simple enough, Shar. Now, our main issue is the when of it: when's Rackham getting poisoned, and how long will it take to work? Everyone needs to be in position at the right moment to take control."
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Zoz had pointedly not been invited to the meeting. She was party to the mutiny, but her attitude about Shaharizadi had not improved, and more than once threatened to undermine the entire operation. Vigo had told her not come, and she'd nearly slapped him...but then she had a better idea: why did they need the southern whore? It seemed to Zoz that the men could take the ship with or without her, and the chaos of an attempted killing would be just as good a chance...
She smiled. Rat her out, see her in chains, mutiny, and then kill the whore and the drunk. Perfect.
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Post by Fyremage on Feb 1, 2018 3:37:21 GMT
As the hours passed, James could be found in a few different areas of the ship, but mainly on deck. While the trope of him always being seen with a bottle of something in his hand at all times normally rang true, the afternoon had passed (save for his brief time talking with the smuggler and the runaway in his cabin) with him being relatively dry. He stepped back and forth of the main deck inspecting his ship and growing all the more familiar with her, down to his hands running along the railings as if to feel even the slightest splinter and grain of wood. He had arranged for a second shift of men to take over after the bulk of today's duties were handled, with the crew heading below decks in high spirits given the extra ration of rum James had seen to it they had been granted. He may have been a brigand, but when he gave his word, he tended to keep it. Aside from inspecting the different lines and knots tied along the railings and the state of what weaponry they were granted, James found himself atop the quarterdeck with Smitty, who had remained despite the previous crew being relieved. The old seadog meandered to his first mate, saying in a low tone: "Been able to find ou' anything?"
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Post by Retrograde on Feb 1, 2018 4:03:59 GMT
Nawida toyed with a stray bang, looking serene. This was her element, her home field. She felt exceptionally comfortable. Better yet, it looked as though it was going to go off without a hitch. She loved an easy job.
"Right after we finish zhis little meeting. I am going to go and offer to share a drink wit' our captain, let him t'ink he is going to get a chance to bed me... Zhen I will dip the poison from zhis ring," she wiggled the finger upon which her signet ring rested. "Into bot' our drinks so he doesn't try and swap zhem. I have developed an immunity so all it will do is make me slightly uncoordinated for a little while. For our dear Captain though, he will have a minute before his lungs begin to freeze and he can't breathe anymore."
She smiled evilly. "Zhen you are all free to mutiny and you can drop me off at zhe first port we hit."
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Smitty looked over at James, looking a bit irritated. "That we've employed a couple of morons. Bunker got a nice tongue lashing for being found by one of his targets and Stahl decided to get drunk and pass out on Shaharizadi's bed."
He frowned. "That said, the other boys have been looking and have seen neither hide nor hair of either Shaharizadi nor our humble navigator. It's probably nothing, just hiding from the storm, but I would be ready."
Thunder crashed in the distance and for a moment, everyone on ship was illuminated. "Bugger me blind, it is looking like this is gonna be a bad one," he said.
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Post by Zoilus on Feb 1, 2018 4:17:04 GMT
Bold plan, but functional enough. Wasn't often you got assassination so cheap either, but then again, he wasn't really the one paying. Ah well."Tonight then? Works for me," he turned to a few of the other men, and barked in Talcaer. Turning back to Shar, he said, "Telling the ringleaders to get our boys in position. You have a signal you can give us?"
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Zoz left her quarters and found the nearest officer, a man noted by the mutineers for his unfortunate loyalty to Rackham. Today, though, he was a stroke of luck: in addition to being stupidly loyal, he was also illiterate. Perfect delivery man for the note she'd written. Of course, she wasn't going to hand the thing over personally, too suspicious, so while he was looking at the sea and she was around the corner, she threw it right in front of him and very quickly slipped into a nearby supply closet.
Hopefully he'd take it right to Smitty.
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Post by Fyremage on Feb 1, 2018 4:47:43 GMT
At the news Smitty had to share, James couldn't help but grimace. It wasn't entirely unexpected though. What more could you ask of a crew that was literally dredged up from the realm's underbelly? He still had a funny feeling about all this,
but even more he had nothing to base it off of. His disquieting thoughts were mirrored by the storm brewing not too far away. AS any old sailor could tell you, you can feel any storm in your bones, down to the moment it strikes. And the lightning crackling in the distance wasn't the only storm James felt. Wordlessly, James set himself about the watch, checking to make sure the ship was ready for the storm as it approached. "You should get some rest." James said to Smitty.
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Post by Retrograde on Feb 1, 2018 5:04:00 GMT
“I’m going to wail ‘oh no he’s dead’ about as loud as I can.” she giggled softly. “Alright, I need to get into position. Wish me luck.” She rose, and began to wander out of the compartment, pushing up and rising onto the deck above.
She wandered down the halls and headed for the deck. She was going to see James Rackham dead tonight.
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Smitty looked to James, and then shrugged. “I’m not quite tired yet, Cap’n,” he said softly. The reality was he could feel something coming too, though what he wasn’t exactly sure of. What he was sure of was that he didn’t want to leave the Captain alone. Smitty often had a sixth sense about these sorts of things, especially when the omens were so clear. He clenched his fist and looked out onto the roiling ocean.
Then, Devereaux came racing up. An ugly little man who couldn’t read worth a damn, but quick and one of the best fighters that he’d ever seen. He clutched a note in his hand, and quickly handed it to Smitty. “I think you oughta take a look at this,” he said, his Osais accent thick. Smitty frowned, and read it over, then he felt his blood run cold.
“Cap’n, you’ll want to see this,” he said, before handing the note over to James.
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Post by Fyremage on Feb 1, 2018 16:35:18 GMT
Without much delay, James strode over to Smitty and grasped the note, reading it's contents. "Shaharizadi is not what she seems. Be wary, do not trust her." His eyes flicked up, looking into Smitty's with a knowing glint, then switching back to the crewman who gave the note in the first place. "Where did you find this?" James asked, with a surprisingly calm tone. Light specks of rain began to start peppering the deck at that moment, as if an omen of things to come.
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