"It's the Enterprise," Lowe said, once the sails were set, trimmed and the Grey was on her starboard tack. And that one name alone was enough to make the entire crew fall silent.
The Enterprise had quite a reputation. It wasn't all one-sided; she was considered a villain to the lawful side, and a more... noble vessel from the other. Kirk was known as being one of the best pirates to come along in quite a long time, both for his skills at taking vessels, and for his skill in charming his way through ports.
For a schooner, however, the ship was more the former than the latter.
"She outmans and outguns us," Winslow said, watching the ghostly white sails unnervingly off the larboard stern, closer by far than they had been.
"Aye, sir, but we can outrun her," Scott replied, a creeping edge of defensiveness in his voice for the vessel.
"Belay that, Mister Scott," Lowe said, though he didn't raise his voice to do it. "She's got the wind on her side; she'll likely not gain, but she's not going to disappear, either."
A square-rigged vessel like the Enterprise, even given how heavy she was, and even given that she wasn't as nimble, was still the best setup to run dead before a wind. The Grey could, on the other hand, sail far closer into the wind than any square-rigged vessel. But in this case, she had to tack, starboard and larboard, in order to keep ahead. It diminished the distance she could gain on speed alone.
It was, then, a stalemate.
"Go and see about the fellow we brought aboard, if you please," Winslow finally ordered, as he remained on the quarterdeck to watch.
"Aye aye, sir," came the reply.
Lowe and Scott both could not help glance back at the famous vessel behind them. And then they headed down to the maindeck to meet their new charge.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: Going for Grey
Date: 2009-09-20 12:39 am (UTC)The Enterprise had quite a reputation. It wasn't all one-sided; she was considered a villain to the lawful side, and a more... noble vessel from the other. Kirk was known as being one of the best pirates to come along in quite a long time, both for his skills at taking vessels, and for his skill in charming his way through ports.
For a schooner, however, the ship was more the former than the latter.
"She outmans and outguns us," Winslow said, watching the ghostly white sails unnervingly off the larboard stern, closer by far than they had been.
"Aye, sir, but we can outrun her," Scott replied, a creeping edge of defensiveness in his voice for the vessel.
"Belay that, Mister Scott," Lowe said, though he didn't raise his voice to do it. "She's got the wind on her side; she'll likely not gain, but she's not going to disappear, either."
A square-rigged vessel like the Enterprise, even given how heavy she was, and even given that she wasn't as nimble, was still the best setup to run dead before a wind. The Grey could, on the other hand, sail far closer into the wind than any square-rigged vessel. But in this case, she had to tack, starboard and larboard, in order to keep ahead. It diminished the distance she could gain on speed alone.
It was, then, a stalemate.
"Go and see about the fellow we brought aboard, if you please," Winslow finally ordered, as he remained on the quarterdeck to watch.
"Aye aye, sir," came the reply.
Lowe and Scott both could not help glance back at the famous vessel behind them. And then they headed down to the maindeck to meet their new charge.