((explanation thread: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=633))



Remses sat down heavily at a table near the door, so he could glower at anyone who came in to sit at the bar without straining his neck. He lifted a rusty flask to his mouth and took a mighty swig.

This was as good a place as any to do some recruiting. Nodding his head to the barkeep, Mr. Spitz, he reached into his back pocket for a switchblade and rammed it blade first into the table. A few curious eyes turned to look at him strangely, but most assumed he was just a drunk; the few who knew better didn't say anything.

It was common knowledge that the Bad Brothers recruited this way, but Silas had his quirks. Secrecy was one of them. It made finding people to fill the spots left open by the five dead men a challenging affair, and Ramses regretted his role in it immensely - right now, he could be kicking in heads or raiding a legit ship, not playing spy with a bunch of local lushes...

The air in the bar was rancid with the lingering scent of beer and its cousin, vomit. The smoky atmosphere was so different from the wafted incense from back in Mugroba, as far removed as the patrons were from her. Noe ground her teeth, knowing full well that in coming her she was making a mistake. The sign with the peddler reminded her that she ought not to be even trying to sing here.

However, she had learned a few songs, some ship-hop and some rowdy drinking ones, enough that she could passably perform without making a fool of herself. She really needed the money; her savings were now completely dried up and there were no jobs that could pay her enough to live off. It was a tight spot, between the bottom of the barrel and everyone else who was trying to shove their way up. So, she stood beside the door way, looking over the crowd, for entirely too long before going up to the bar. Leaning over the bar with a delicate smile, Noe tucked her hair behind her ear and looked up at the barkeep.

“Would you, by any chance, have need of a performer here at this exemplary establishment?”

Mr. Spitz's eyes traced lewdly down Noe's body, wondering about the last time a decent woman had seen the inside of his tavern. Sure, there was Naulanda, but the wench had seen better days...he raised a bushy eyebrow at Noe, and grinned with a mouth full of yellow teeth.

"Ye can perform here, if ye like," he said, in a reasonable tone of voice. "Set up a tip hat. I bet ye'll rake in a pile o' copper. I'll just be skimmin' a bit off the bottom, an' ye can have all the ale ye want. An' a dry room to boot."

That sounded like a good offer to Spitz. He didn't mention that the dry room was a moldering loft filled with drunken sailors at night, but there'd be apt time for discovery later on.

Thank Hulali I decided on the low cut blouse, Noe thought to herself as the man's eyes slimily worked their way down her body. She even attempted to press what little chest she had out, hoping that the rest of her made up for the lack. Father wouldn’t approve, but she was getting a little desperate for cash, and as soon as she got enough to bolt she would. And they say the gods help those who help themselves.

“Thank you, your kindness is great.” The terms were as awful as the stench. ‘Skimming a bit off the bottom,’ eh? More like he’ll take half of what I make if not more. However, the chance of even making a little money was enough to draw her into it. She bowed low, the neckline of her shirt sinking just enough that if he had good eyesight he might catch half a glimpse of something.

Standing smoothly, Noe walked back to the front of the bar, slowly making minute adjustments to her attire; a slipped sleeve here showing some shoulder, rearranging the gathered skirt there to show off some leg, smudging the little kohl she used about her eyes to make them darker. Adjusting the corset was a little harder, but by using a pin to hold the slack she could pull it tighter without undoing it altogether. Now she was fit for performance. Taking out a small, vaguely wrinkled cap she’d picked up off the ground one windy day, she made sure that the three coins she had to her name were safely ensconced in her shirt. Now she was really ready.

Instead of making an announcement, she instead rocketed into the first lines of one of the more popular tunes, The Green Shore, swaying a tad to the music. Dancing would wait until she saw how grabby the men were here.

“Take me to the green shore, Fill me with the darkest pour...”

Remses lifted his thick, pockmarked face to look over at Noe as she prepared for her performance.

Pretty little wench, he thought to himself. Going to distract the potential men, though. Ah well. Anyone who would turn his eye away from a profit for some guttersnipe's charms wasn't worth the copper he'd be paid in.

Lacey stomped into the tavern, shaking loose the wet sand on her boots as she went. It was fun being back in Old Rose. So far she had managed to visit the Mad Queen, The Widows Walk and gotten incredibly drunk in both. She'd also helped in the destruction of the large and grumpy Beefman with that nice green haired Harlin fellow. Now she'd decided that The Black Dove would be a good a place as any to have a drop to drink.

Striding to the bar, she tapped on the wood and grinned at the barkeep.

"Rum me good lad!" She said briskly, turning to look at the girl singing. Sort of a dingy place to hold a tune, but when the mood took you...Lacey smiled at the girl. She was a rather pretty thing, all gussied up too it seemed. The blonde had a bit of a weakness for the whole 'thrown together' appearance, especially when it involved corsets. Looking around, she noticed a rather glary man sitting by the door. Raising an eyebrow, she nodded her head at him.

By the second time she sang Let them all go down, down, down, Noe had a few of the fellows singing along, casting glances at her. She moved about a bit, making sure her tail was showed off, followed by a delicate cat-like stretch. More eyes turned to her, and Noe couldn't help it, she loved it. One particularly ugly fellow by the front had a knife stuck into the table in front of him, had a particular cast of his eyes as he saw her, one that might mean money. Besides, that blade did look lovely wicked... She shook off the craving, focusing instead on finding another song to sing. Deciding it was time for something bouncy and a local favorite, Noe hurriedly sang her scale, making sure nothing was off. Ship Hop takes a strong set of chords.

She rocketed into the opening lines of Maiden Voyage, but instead of sticking to her corner, decided to wander around, scoping out possible sources of cash. The woman by the bar was pretty, her green eyes lively. Well, it's not like she'd turn down any opportunity that looked safe, but if that lady were to try anything Noe wouldn't charge too much. However, no sense being premature. So she sang loudly, moving in time with the tune, trying to draw all eyes to her. Her lilting Mezzo Soprano arced over the rough and low conversation, and she made sure to smile widely, showing off good, white teeth. Drawing closer to the knife man, she added an extra flick of movement to her hips, in respect for such a beautiful blade.

Mr. Spitz was not accustomed to being called "lad," but did as he was bidden, grumbling something about cockroaches while he poured a filthy mug of rum. Handing it over, he spat on the floor, and there was a faint squeaking noise as his spittle killed something small.

In the table by the door, Remses looked up and eyed the pirate woman with approval. Now that's a girl what can take care of herself, he thought.

Lacey took the dirty glass and peered through it with a squint. It seemed like she could drink it okay without risk of too much grief the next day. Shrugging, she turned and took a gulp.



The pink dressed pirate grinned and raised her glass.

"That's the stuff lass! Classic ship-'op fer ye!" Her green eyes watched her as she moved over towards the glary man's table.



Taking another swig of the delightful spirit, she walked over to the table and appraised him for a moment, before speaking up.

"Ye look like yer waitin' for someone ye don't really wanna meet, love." She said pointedly, swilling the rum in the glass and eyeing the rather nice looking knife he'd thrust into the wood.

With a sly grin, Remses kicked the second stool out from under the table and gestured with his silver-tipped boot. "Can't say I'm too disappointed as to the present company, lass."

He gestured with a three-fingered hand to the waitress, Naulanda. "You, wench! Crack open the cellar to hell itself an' fetch me the best rum this side of Muluku, will ye?"

Naulanda gave the man a very rude gesture indeed, and he laughed heartily.

She returned the grin and smoothly dropped into the seat, sitting with an arm draped along the back of the chair, the other resting elbow down holding her rum on the table, legs crossed.



Lacey's grin was accompanied by a raised eyebrow.

"Well, isn't she the vision of beauty? Ye got good taste in rum, me hearty. So tell me, what is a man like ye doin' sittin' here with a girl like me? Ain't just 'coz of me pretty face is it love?" She gulped heavily on the remainder of her rum and batted her eyelashes in jest.

Vik gritted his teeth and stalked toward the Black Dove. He hadn't returned to the bar since he'd first arrived in Old Rose. It was most definitely not his kind of place but business required he darken Spitz' doorstep once more. If there was one obvious place to begin his search for Briny Joe it was the Dove.

Not as intimidated as he was on first arriving in Old Rose, Vik stormed through the front door of the bar and hands on hips declared. "I'm looking for Briny Joe Billows!" He declared. If a list of Viktor Mirko's strengths were to be made, subtlety would not be among them.

Remses had opened his mouth to answer Lacey, when Vik came bursting in the door. He turned around to look at the burly blacksmith along with everyone else in the bar, including Mr. Spitz, whose cigar fell from his open mouth as Viktor yelled:



There was a moment of silence.

"Get in line, son," said Remses gruffly. Some appreciative titters arose from the bar's patrons. "'alf of Old Rose has their heads up their erses lookin' for that bugger."

His eyes wandered back to the vision of seafaring loveliness before him, and hoped there would be no further distractions this evening...

Lacey turned at the voice, eyebrows raised. The burly man that had just stormed in with his announcement was rather attractive. She grinned and looked him up and down. A girl couldn't resist a man with muscles.



Lacey chuckled along with the rest of the bar.

"Yer better off searchin' fer a needle in a haystack!" She said loudly, turning back to the eyes of the glary man, smiling sweetly.

"Ye were about to say somethin' luv?" She said softly, wondering if that rum was really coming.

Vik grinned, he was rarely brushed aside so easily and it amused him. He looked at the man who had dismissed him. Obviously an agent of the underworld, even without the dagger stuck in the table.

Viktor approached the man's table and gave a quick glance at the attractive lady of fortune sitting with him. Always a sucker for a beautiful face he gave a smile and a wink before injecting, "I've always been one for a challenge, love."

He placed his gloved fists knuckles down on the table and made sure the man occupying it was fully aware of his sincerity and competence. "I'm NOT half of Old Rose and I most definitely do not have my head up my erse. I came here for whatever information I can dig up on Joe, if you would like to enjoy your drink and your conversation with this ravishing creature just tell me what you know. Or who would know and I'll be on my way." Vik stated slowly, clearly, and with just a dash of aggression, blacksmiths have a way of flavoring all their actions with it.

Finishing Maiden Voyage (no easy feat; she's seen other performers get too drunk to even get through the second chorus) Noe paused a bit and after picking up her mostly empty coin-hat, wafted over to the bar, throat in need of some kind of lubricant. Swishing past drunk sailors with the barest of smiles, she waltzed over to the barkeep, making sure to pass by the pretty pirate woman. Now, if somehow she could become like her, not having to worry about diseases and coughs, and feel the freedom of the winds and the ocean, where money was only as far as the next prize... Noe shook her head slightly, making what was amotion of dispair into an adorable girlish flick. No use wanting; if wishes were watches then we could all keep time. Smiling, she inclined her head.

"Mm, I'd like a bit of that drink you were talking about earlier." She smiled sweetly, and turned to face the knife table, when there was a commotion at the door. A man, a big man who had a country air. As he marched about and leaned over the table, Noe wished she could have chosen another pair of criminals to be enamored with; she really didn't want to move, but this man was mostly in her way. So, instead of trying to fight her way through the crowd, she hopped up on top of the bar and readied herself that way, legs crossed in just such a way that the slit in her skirt showed more than a little thigh but covered everything important. She was getting too good at being bad. Tossing back what ever the hell the bartender thought worthy to put in her cup, Noe wiped her lips and called out, her voice ringing.

"Hows about a lullaby for all you sons of sin!" She called out, smile inviting. Winking down at the table with knifeman, pirate-queen and big mouth, she began the fist lines of the song. "In this way my friends and I, Sing ourselves a lullaby!" It wasn't exactly as slow as she'd heard it the first time, but she wanted to fire up the joint.

The green eyed pirate turned her eyes to him again with a grin and a raised eyebrow. She did like a man with cheek. As he rested his fists on the table, she reached out to poke a forearm. Oooh...muscley!



Laughing, the blonde didn't find herself ravishing. But it was fun when others did. She glanced at Remses and shook her head.

"It ain't in our cards t' 'ave a quiet conversation tonight, luv."



Lacey made a mental note to chat with that singer, she had the most lovely voice...and..other assets. There were so many lovely people in here that she wished she'd come in sooner.

Where was that rum!!!??

"Chan and Whiskey, Hatcher Piss, Vulker's Sap, and all the Whice..." Slipping off the bar, Noe spun around once, skirt flying up to reveal skimpy white knickers, mostly consisting of frills and lace. Then the folds fell back into place and Noe pretended to have the grace to be embarassed, covering her cheeks and her hands, flitting a smile. "All of these I drink to you, Give a hand for potent brew!" she took a bow, and sweetly brushing a hand over her brow, made sure all within ear shot could hear her.

"Oh dear, I think I overdid that one..." And with a sort of flourish, Noe fell into Lacey's lap, eyes bright and coy. She smiled up at the older woman and batted her eyelashes a few times, smiling widely. "Oh, thank you!" She nuzzled Lacey's cheek, planting a kiss. "A heroine's reward, for saving my rear from the floor!"

Remses was about to say something that might pass as clever to Viktor, when Noe fell into Lacey's lap, and every other thought was chased from his mind.

"Clockin' hell," he mumbled to Viktor. "I do love the Big Rose, don't you?"

He shook his head like a dog trying to clear water from its ears.

"Now that Joe Billows," he said, winking at a surly Naulanda as she dropped off the bottle of rum, "there's a mystery wrapped in an enigma stashed in a box of what-the-clock. Never has the same face from month to month. But he's gone and disappeared for good, he has. Folks were sayin' he was real down in the doldrums of late. Prob'ly got an eyeful of the Yellow Man out there on the briny."

Popping open the cork from the bottle of rum with his yellow teeth, he took a swig and passed it to the two women.

"Around here, the Brothers have everyone turnin' over stones an' emptyin' their hatches lookin' for the sonovabitch," he continued. "There's a good reward in it. An' wouldn't you know, I'm here recruitin' for that very reason. Yer a big strong lad. You got a job?"

Vik realized his mouth was hanging open, he snapped it shut and shook his head.

"Oh aye, glad to say I call it home, I may frequent the Dove a bit more." Vik said with a laugh.



"I'm the local blacksmith, been working at Ue's place. The man has quite a debt with you Brothers and I made it mine. Hence the interest in Briny Joe. I know the type that have been searching and I believe myself to be the match for any common swab when it comes to brains. I can find the man, I just need a good starting point." Vik replied. He glanced over at the two ladies sharing the rum while he continued.

"I'm not above helping the Brothers, Mr. Hawke has been generous enough to do business with me thus far and keep the crime down near my place of business. I just look to do my part to strengthen the Big Rose, if my helping you lot will get me closer to Joe, then so be it."

(( I love how Lacey is thinking about how muscley Vik is, and hasn't once thought about Angel and Iale ))

The green eyed blonde grinned at the pretty singer now sitting quite comfortably in her lap. She put a hand to her lips in mock modesty.

"Oh my, t'was nothin', luv. Yer rear can be saved fer as long as ye want." Her eye's wandered approvingly.



Lacey turned her gaze to the men in turn, giving them each a come-hither-i-dont-bite-much look. She would DEFINITLY visit Black Dove again.



Taking the bottle, the pink dressed woman drank deeply and held it out to Noe. All this talk of Billows was starting to make her think..wasn't she supposed to be somewhere? Noe's firm behind in her lap was to pleasantly distracting...



It finally sunk into place. She swore violently, but looking around, she felt she still had just over a house left before midnight. Looking at Remes, she spoke casually, one hand playing with Noe's hair.

"I'm interested in yer job offer luv. As long as ye are acceptin' girls into ye Brotherhood?" Her lips formed a wry smile as she said the word, gently twirling a lock of the singer's brown hair. She turned her green eyes to Viktor.

"And I'd be especially interested if yer gonna be hirin' someone like him," almost purring, she traced her fingers down to Noe's hand and laced them together.

"Or her."

Remses looked back and forth from Viktor to Lacey, grinning slightly.

"Here's the deal, friends," he said. "Briny Joe's done a bit of work for the King in the past. Mostly scout work. An' before he went all missin', he'd found somethin' quite lovely in the little cays of Muluku. I can't be sayin' what, lovelies, but it was quite a big job, if you get me."

He motioned for the bottle of rum.

"He took the map," said Remses, "an' scuppered with it. But we sent out missives as to his whereabouts, an' nothin's come up at all. Last time he was seen, he was at the docks, an' there was some sort o' riot. Far as we know, he ain't on the seas at all. He's inland, dodgin' about somewhere. Silas, he wants that map. He wants what's on that island. An' he'll pay out the ears for the crew what brings him that map."

"

"Clocking hell, I was there." Vik exclaimed, squinting his eyes and rubbing his brow in disbelief. "That was my first day in Old Rose, I was...well distracted."

The big smith looked over at Lacey and the multi talented young lady in her lap. Though he was none too keen on splitting the prize, the task would be easier, and more visually appealing with a crew.

"Suppose I could be convinced to make this a group endeavor. Pool our resources as it were, what do you say ladies?" Vik asked, then tore his attention back to Remses. "You have anyone else in mind to join us?"

Lacey was all ears now. This was the sort of stuff the girls would like to hear. A thought suddenly occurred to her, was it more beneficial to the girls if she stayed here instead of going to meet them tonight? She would think on it more...



Map. Pay. That was all the blonde pirate needed to be sold on the idea, and her grin said it all.



The green eyed girl raised an eyebrow at the man, her grin turning devilish.

"Aye luv, that's t'e sort o' thing I was interested in all along. You, me, her...arr..the things we could do." Eyes sparkling, she winked at him and looked down at the singer.

"What say ye? Shall we make a party o' this then?"