Iale never imagined she could ever miss the Precipice more than she had already, but she had never once counted on being aboard the Cutlass.

She was, as they say, a "fixer-upper." Looked nice from the outside, of course - all of Hawke's domain did - but inside they found rotting spots, boards warped half to bursting, cockroaches and rats; it even listed a bit to the left when the rudder was straight. The sail, upon close inspection, had holes that had needed repairing. The entire crew had spent almost a week getting her shipshape, and by now they were halfway there.

They'd had a hard time with the map. Briny Joe had apparently written it himself, and it was full of inaccuracies and wild exaggerations. One of the Muluku Islands had been drawn to look suspiciously like a pair of breasts. But Angel eventually made hide and hair of it, for they had a heading, straight out into the Austan Ocean.

Iale felt the sea breeze on her face, the warm touch of the Aulus and the sweet familiar scent of salt, and sighed happily. The day was pleasant and sunny, the blue sky freckled with tiny clouds, and the ocean spread before them, vast and deep and free, begging to be explored.

The crew of the Cutlass were going about their duties as usual, having gotten used to the swing of things (and the constant repairs needed on the ship) and acclimated well to Lacey's iron grip on the ship. Even Iale did not mind sailing alongside her enemy, for she was a worthy opponent. Her plans to one day slip a knife through her ribs remained unchanged, but for now she was content to let the woman live.

Suddenly, a noise in the crow's nest made her jump. That arrogant, cheeky bastard had taken it upon himself to be the lookout. Seemingly impervious to sea sickness, he had spent the last week sitting up there reading, checking the horizon, or ambling across the deck like some landlubberly buffoon. Iale had been hoping to see him overcome with nausea at some point, as she was sure he was no sailor at all, but had been disappointed.

"All clear on the horizon, DuPont," he called down cheerfully. Grrr, Iale thought. She wished he didn't know her name.

"Close yer poxy head, ye blinkin' idiot," she yelled back. He smiled down at her impishly, and she wished dearly that she could toss her telescope as high as his forehead.

-----

((FYI the NPC crew of the Cutlass are listed on this page: http://thornsbook.com/wiki/pmwiki.php?n ... ldRoseNPCs))

Lacey strolled the deck, looking out over the ocean. She loved the sea, and she had missed it in the short week she was in Old Rose. Smelling deeply, she looked around at her crew. They were actually not so bad, with a little direction. She spotted Iale and grinned wryly. Who'd have thought they would be here again, on the same ship. It was strange. But Lacey knew not to let her guard down. Not with Iale or anyone. Although Noe...and that smithy. Her lips turned into a mischievous smile.



Lacey looked up at Emerson. He was like a bird, forever up in the crows nest. It didn't bother her too much, kept him out of trouble and it was handy having a lookout. But she knew Iale disliked him. A lot.



The green eyed pirate laughed and walked over to the short red head.

"Aw Iale, ye don't mean that do ye? Emerson is jus' tellin' ye how it all goes." She teased.

"He's no sailor, on me mother's grave," said Iale fiercely, not at all mollified by Lacey's defense of him. "Could have his kneecaps 'fore he knew what hit him. Don't like him talkin' down to me, is all."

"Don't see how he's got much choice in that," guffawed a pirate behind them, a large man gnawing on a bit of dried jerky. His name was Hard Harry Tibbs.

"Oh, by the clock, had that better be a comment about he's up in the crow's nest, ye goat's anus," snapped Iale, advancing on the man with a look in her eye that would have made the most hardened of criminals wet himself. Tibbs whimpered.

"He's simple, right? Didn't mean nothin' by it," commented little Winnie Loco, a skinny wick who had the helm at the moment. "Though it ain't no skin off my back if ye gut him."

"Gyaaaah! Maguala! Vrunta! There are no words for my rage in any language!" Noe stormed out of the ships galley, covered head to toe in whitish flour, carrying a small, half deflated sack of something in her arms. Her normally sweet face was dour and she stomped around, glaring at any unfortunate that dared stand between her and the captain. For a such a small girl, her eyes were a positive forge of anger.

Moving towards Lacey, her expression went from angry to consternated hope. Opening the bag, she stood in front of the captain, her body etched with seriousness.

"Captain, whichever fool was set to the task of buying flour for our voyage must have replaced his eyes with oysters. This is inedible!" Scooping a handful of the white powder, she let most of it run through her finger. What was left was obviously the carcasses of weevils.

"Now normally I do not mind bugs in the bread. They add protein and a delightful crunch to some recipes. I am used to ships 'hard tack.' But these weevils are dead. That means this flour is not fit for consumption." She sighed, realizing what a chore it was, cooking for the entire crew.

"I am going to need more money allotted for foodstuff to replace this. I apologize, I swear if I had been provisioning this would not have happened." She bent at the waist in a respectful bow. When she was business, she was entirely focused on the letter of propriety. No kissing the captain when money was involved.

"Good luck buyin' new vittles out here," observed Jim Jaffordey in a morose tone of voice. "We'll prob'ly all starve t'death afore we reach this bloomin' island."

"Don't start that again, good grief," snapped a well-dressed man in the far corner of the deck, a brigand by the name of Lucius Dreadholme. "We've heard quite enough of your dire predictions." He turned to the Mugrobi girl with a kind and slippery smile. "Noe, darling, there should be some corn flour in the right bulkhead cupboards."

Iale spat. "How are we supposed to eat that? What the blind devil-ghost is corn flour?"

"Something a more civilized person would be expected to know about," Lucius replied smoothly. "No matter for you to worry your pretty little head about."

Lacey shook her head at the heated exchange. Obviously these stop clockers hadn't figured out which side of Iale was a safe side. Watching the ocean with one eye and the situation with the other, she wondered just how much of a wild goosechase this was.



The blonde turned to look at the white storm that was Noe, and would have grinned if the girl didn't look so angry. The piratess raised an eyebrow, she was altogether ravishing in her rage.



That was not good. Lacey's normally nice face darkened and she slowly looked up the mast at Emerson.



Frowning, the blonde glared up at the Bad Brother.

"What th' clock Emerson? Yer lot brought the supplies aboard! They bought the supplies, don't ye brothers check yer stock!?" She was really mad, and thumbed her pistol slightly.



Lacey turned her narrowed green eyes to Lucius, disliking the way he smiled at her cook. Corn flour?



Gripping her pistol firmly, the woman scowled.

"Ye watch yer tounge thare lad, DuPont is my first mate, an' yer superior. I suggest ye change that attitude before I change it for ye." Not moving, she spoke to Noe.

"Sorry love, go an' find this 'ere corn flour he's speakin' of. Better than starvin'."

Iale didn't seem to appreciate Lacey standing up for her; she bristled, and stalked off to the stern of the ship to fume in privacy.

"I answer to you, and Mr. Hawke," said Lucius coldly, "not any traitorous little pet of yours."

"Watch yerself, there, Lu," said Winnie, chuckling nervously. "No need to get all...personal. Am I right? He's still sore about th' Precipice, ma'am, no harm intended. To be honest, lotta decent men lost their jobs over what she n' her cap'n did."

Angel scratched her chin as she looked at the map. Though she had flown over these oceans many-a-time in her past, she was on the verge of pulling her hair out making anything out of this mess. She stood next to the wheel, giving the man directions every so often as their course required.

However, she would have to have been deaf to ignore the argument that was brewing. Slapping her hand against the railing in front of her, Angel heaved herself up and over down onto the main deck. "C'mon you lot, no sense in starting aggression now, else we'll all go stir crazy on this ship!"

Turning to Noe, she crossed her arms and sighed, "We've still got fruit and meat right? That should hold us over til next port?" For a second she tapped ber bottom lip. "If'n we're desperate for provisions... there are a few islands nearby according to Billow's map. His scrawling--as best as I can tell--seems to show that there's something there. Mayhaps we could... check it out?"

Lacey looked at the man shrewdly, not liking the sound of this. Oh DuPont, just when I thought I could stand to like you.

"What exactly did they do, Mister Winnie?" Her hands rested on her hips, face frowning.



The blonde's green eyes turned to the fiery red head and shook her head.

"I need t' know just how many of this crew was screwed over by DuPont, an' how many o' them are gunnin' t' slit her throat. Makes th' voyage a little harder."



Lacey didn't answer, instead she made a face as if to say 'whatever you want' and walked over to Winnie.

"So, can ye enlighten me?"

Winnie gulped, turning red under Lacey's stare.

"Well, cap'n, ye see, her cap'n originally took the map we's usin' now an' just disappeared," he said. "Hawke had to go mad findin' him. An' Briny Joe left the Precipice to the mercy of th' crowd. They gutted her. Lousy harbor trash, no respect fer fine vessels, if ye can believe it."

"I can," said Lucius darkly. "If the captain had not abdicated his position, she would still be a fine vessel."

"Without a cap'n an' with the Precipice outta commission, those sailors were out on their erses. An' all the Brothers what failed to find Joe got canned. Now she's followed along on this voyage, an if ye don't mind me sayin' so, the men prob'ly suspect she'll be off with the treasure moment we turn our backs in the port."

"Can't be trusted, that Precipice lot," said Jim Jaffordey, rubbing his red nose. "Why d'ye think the King sent him along? Wants to protect his investment this time."

He motioned up to the crow's nest, where the silhouette of Emerson could be seen leaning casually against the mast.

"Not here, but next time we weigh anchor. We have some good flour, but of the three bags I've opened, two had dead things. I have little hope for the rest." She narrowed her eyes at the melodramatic pirate. Talking of such was bad luck on a ship; didn't anaxi seamen know that?


Noe watched the interchange without amusement, eyes flicking up and down from face to face. She wasn't sure what she thought of Iale (someone smaller than even she and seven times as deadly was a confounding conundrum), but Lucius seemed kind enough. She could deal with the ooziness. Nodding once to both members of the crew, she straightened her apron and did her best to look unaffected and calm. However, she just felt ridiculous for making such a scene. I ought to be more careful on a ship of brigands.

"Corn flour would do just fine, thank you. I am not quite as versatile in that medium but I can make do with anything that isn't tainted." She turned tot he captain, awaiting further instruction.


She bowed again at the waist, this time less starchily. It was good to have the captain on her side, and she liked the feeling that she was protected. Although she'd allow the smug victory to simmer for now, she couldn't help the slight smile on her face. So this is what it's like to be someone's for keeps. Well, kind of. Swishing by Lacey with a little more bounce than could really be explainable, she paused as the navigator looked her over.


Noe smiled up at the navigator,and barely used to the galdor's presence on the ship, she bobbed a very polite nod.

"We should be fine. I mean... like any good chef, additions to my pantry would always go well. But we are in no dire straits."

She listened to the tale of the Precipice with quiet pause; ships ought to be treated better, they were mans way of communing with the waters, and Hulali's gift to man. Iale dropped a few levels in Noe's esteem, if not her fear. Turning to the the assembled crew, she realized that she would need a little help with the bags. Sighing, she quickly chose Lucius and smiled at him.

"I do not suppose you would mind very much helping me move the bags, would you?" Looking up at the crows nest, she wondered if Emerson himself had bought the ruined flour, or had made some common thugs done the shopping. Next time I go too, I will not have repeat of this fiasco. She swore to tell the captain next time she could. Something about him... she didn't know what, but although handsome, his presence sent shivers down her spine. It is nothing... but still. I will watch.

((sorry for the wait, I was traveling all today T_T ))

A little old man slowly limped his way over, taking one step at a time and pausing, as though preparing himself to step again. A small piece of blue fur was nestled on top of his head, looking bizarrely out of place. He siddled past Noe over to the port side of the ship.

He looked down.

"Hmm." He looked about again. "Not on the Leevin current yet, I see."

He turned back towards the ship.

"Oh look, women." He said, sounding delighted.

Vik looked up from his work, many of the repairs had fallen to him. He didn't mind, it kept him busy and he was able to distance himself from the crew for the most part. A few of the lads weren't too bad, just hard working folk like himself. A few were less savory, the first mate especially drew his ire.

Noe's flour troubles raised a chuckle from him, it was difficult to take her anger seriously so covered in flour. He'd have to visit the galley and see if he could be of any help.

The old man was a curious character, Vik didn't recall seeing him aboard before. With a shrug, Vik stretched his tired neck and resumed repairing the warped and rotting deck.

Lucius seemed for a moment as though he was going to refuse, but he smiled gallantly after a moment and stood to open the door to the hatch for her. "After you, my darling," he said slickly, causing sniggers among the other pirates.

Lacey looked up at Emerson with narrowed eyes, and then slowly around the ship. Turning her green eyes to the direction Iale had stalked off in, she wondered if it was time to have a more private word with her first mate.



She felt Noe flounce past and in a quick moment, smacked her on the rump. She looked over at Lucius as he contemplated.



The piratess sucked on her teeth.

"That is Capn's property Lucius, ye keep yer hands t' yerself." She looked at the others.

"All of ye." As she turned, she noticed the smithy was working on deck. A sly grin crossed her features and she gave him a wink.

"Perhaps with the exception of a few."



Lacey walked over to the old man. What on earth had possessed him to get on the ship. Was he a Bad Brother? Leaning against the rail beside him, she pursed her lips.



She grinned and made a casual look around.

"Aye, that they be."

Johanes looked up the Captain and grinned, baring his few remaining teeth.

"It does my heart good to see such fine women. Even the very small one." He said, hands behind his back. "Where am I, by the way?"

Then he fell over.

"Forgot my cane again." He said, lying happily where he could see up the Captain's skirt.

It wasn't as though he was actively looking, it was just nice to know it was there.

Noe harrumphed again, smile fading from her face. Well! It was only to be expected, but still. She smoothed her dress and gave him a look.

"Not a good idea to be disliked by the cook. Never know what sort of surprise you're apt to get in the stew, hm?" It wasn't a deathly threat, more of a sass than anything. The worst she would do to any of the crew here was some spit and dirt in their meals. If I wasn't terrified of them, maybe...


Noe had felt the strike to her rear and proceeded, but if there was a bit more swish to her tail than before, well that was just that. The grin resumed it's place on her lips, and she turned to wink at the blonde.


Oh dear, I fear that will not go over so well. Noe sighed, realizing tat though something of a protection, the captain had also separated her from a good portion of the crew. Now she was an outsider. Well, I guess it's for the good... but Lacey was a busy woman, and with no one else to be with, it was going to be a long journey...


If he hadn't been working so hard, she would have flitted past the blacksmith as well, eyes afluttering and nothing but giggles. But so far, this was no pleasure cruise. Descending below decks, she shook the worst of the flour out of her hair and began the search for the proper bulkhead cupboard.

"I'll need your help carrying them is all, Mr. Lucius. I'd rather get them to the galley as quick as can be managed so no one has to wait for their food." She opened one door, and not seeing what she needed, went the next. They hid things in suck odd places on a ship.

Lacey looked down at the crazy old man with a grin, before stepping over him. She lent on her knees and spoke down at his face.

"Ye be on The Cutlass, an' I be her Capn'. Now, I hope ye got something useful fer this ship, coz I ent int' throwin' old men into th' ocean." She straighened and continued walking over him, making her way to the stern of the ship, looking for Iale.

The pirate in question was leaning against the railing of the ship, shadowed by the enormous sail, sulking.

Lacey had seen that look on Iale's face twice before. Once had been during an invasion of a Muluku trade port, during which the Precipice had done its part in conjunction with the other ships to secure the port and take their trade territory back from a gang of (now extinct) Mugrobi air pirates. The Precipice had taken a cannonball to the belly and things had looked grim, but Iale didn't begin to frown until she saw their sister ship destroyed and sunk, all its men lost and its flag burned.

The other time had been at the Widow's Walk.

Iale was not predisposed to bouts of emotion. She felt emotions in short bursts every couple of weeks, and the emotion was generally anger, or hunger. What Lacey saw in the hunched posture of her occasional mortal enemy was something approaching tired frustration.

((Noe: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1010))

Lacey walked over and leaned on the railing beside Iale, staring out at the ocean, not saying a word. She smelt the sea breezes and relished the cool whipping breeze on her face. Looking down into the water, she could see dolphins keeping up with the ship. Looking back up to the horizon, she waited for Iale to speak first.

"I still plan on killin' ye one day, Lacebottom." The threat came out more like a tired, baleful hello. "It be nothin' short o' torture bein' yer first mate. Part o' me wants to scrag ye soon as yer back be turned, part o' me's watchin' it to make sure no one else gets there first. I reckon ye've got a similar conundrum."


----




The blonde pirate smirked.

"The feelin' is definitly mutual, DuPint." She picked her thumbnails quietly for a moment.

"Ye realise half me crew wants t' see ye hung? Why do ye protect him who left ye fer the wolves?"


----





"He's my cap'n," said Iale sullenly, turning a stubborn frown to Lacey. "He be stricken with a terrible affliction, one he'd not have had I not convinced him to sail to deeper waters, no doubt. 'Tis me own fault for not realizin' it afore we docked."

She spat over the side of the boat.

"He'd been actin' all funny, ye know, givin' strange orders, not talkin' to me, broodin' in the hold. I figured he was upset because the Brothers had called him back from his voyage. Didn't know nothin' about the damn map. He must'a gotten it from that raid on the Pinotza." She shielded her eyes from the midday sun, and gazed out across the water, wondering briefly if they had come near any ports on their voyage to the waypoint. "Ye know, I ain't even got a professional educated guess what be marked on that accursed map. An' I knows me treasure."

------


Lacey listened to Iale berate herself for her captains illness. In that situation, she would have been exactly the same. The woman turned around and leaned back against the rail, nodding.

"It must be worth a lot, Hawke is very intent on gettin' it." She squinted at Iale.

"Should know what it is soon enough lassie. But watch yer back Iale. These banders, they got it out fer ye. I ain't about t' let them take the pleasure of guttin' yer from me, but I can't have me eyes ev'rywhare at once." The green eyed pirate said softly.



----



"Don't need yer lookin' after," said Iale brusquely, but Lacey could hear a reluctant grin in her voice, even if it didn't register on her irate face.

"Bloody Brothers couldn't hit the broadside of a frigate if they was leanin' against it on a day with no wind an' clear skies. 'Arf those men ain't never set foot on a ship, I wager me life. Look at the disgraceful state o' the mainsail! Blood o' me mother, I aughter tie 'em up by their clockin' toes, the poxy mongrels..."

Still protesting indignantly about the state of the ship, Iale stalked off the deck, her small boots making surprisingly loud thumps on the aged wood.


---




"She's in quite a state Captain, problems at sea?" Vik asked as he finished his repairs and gathered his tools together. Seemed there was friction of some kind from every member of the crew, the whole lot seemed to be out to get one another.

"Fine day out, the repairs are coming along rather smoothly, if a bit slowly. How fairs our worthy Captain today?" Vik wiped his face with the sleeveless rag of a shirt he was wearing. It seemed good insurance to show the crew he wasn't lacking in muscle or attitude.

Besides, the Captain tended to pay a little extra attention to him thus attired. He had to admit she caused a definite increase in his pulse when she was around.


-----




Lacey turned her eyes from Iale's departing form and smiled at the smithy. She'd wondered when he was going to finish his work.



Pushing herself away from the railing, the blonde walked over to Vik and made a wistful sigh, eyeing his lovely muscular arms.

"Aint to bad, smithy, could do with some company though. Seem's like I ain't entertaining enough t' be around t'day." She made a little pout, before reaching out to stroke a sweaty bicep.

"Ye should get in out o' the sun fer a bit, lookin' a might hot out 'ere. All...glistening." The green eyed woman smiled invitingly and walked backwards slowly to her quarters.

"If one were lookin' t' get out o' this sun, one might find the Capn's quarters offers excellent shelter." Stopping at the door of her hold, Lacey winked and pushed it open, raising an eyebrow questioningly.


-----


From a fair distance away a small voice, negligible really, piped up.

"I say, could someone help me up?" Johanes warbled quietly. "I seem to be stuck."

Angel sighed as she watched her comrade's antics. The way Lacey and Iale went at each other, it was difficult to tell when they were serious or enjoying playful banter.

Her boots thrumming against the deck, she walked over to Johanes and offered a helping hand. "Alright then." She mumbled as she helped him out of his predicament.