James T. Kirk (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
kirktastic) wrote2009-09-19 12:31 am
kirktastic) wrote2009-09-19 12:31 am
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[We Interrupt Your Usual RP to Bring You... International Talk Like a Pirate Day!]
It was morning on the Enterprise, and it came with the slow creaking of wood deck around him, swelling in the heat of the morning, the sound of waves against the sides of the ship. Definitely a damn good way to wake up.
Even better was waking up between two warm bodies, one pressed to either side of him. On one side was his cabin boy, a young buck with a foolish head but a pleasing face and tongue. On the other, his first mate, a smug, stoic, uptight, ridiculously intelligent bastard who he had finally talked into ...sharing his bed. At least in the physical sense. He'd won the argument that the captain's bed was the most comfortable place on the ship, but anything beyond that was met with a pointed look and a reach for the sword hilt.
It was a damn good life here on the Enterprise.
He was Captain James T. Kirk of the pirate ship Enterprise, the most feared name on the open seas. He ran his crew with a mixture of charm, command, and the point of his sword. He was a good swordsman, a better brawler, and decent with a flint lock.
[OOC: This will be the ONLY pirate thread everyone, no multiple posts on multiple journals! Post just in here for this! Today only!]
Even better was waking up between two warm bodies, one pressed to either side of him. On one side was his cabin boy, a young buck with a foolish head but a pleasing face and tongue. On the other, his first mate, a smug, stoic, uptight, ridiculously intelligent bastard who he had finally talked into ...sharing his bed. At least in the physical sense. He'd won the argument that the captain's bed was the most comfortable place on the ship, but anything beyond that was met with a pointed look and a reach for the sword hilt.
It was a damn good life here on the Enterprise.
He was Captain James T. Kirk of the pirate ship Enterprise, the most feared name on the open seas. He ran his crew with a mixture of charm, command, and the point of his sword. He was a good swordsman, a better brawler, and decent with a flint lock.
[OOC: This will be the ONLY pirate thread everyone, no multiple posts on multiple journals! Post just in here for this! Today only!]
Re: Going for Grey
The voice that rang back, however, cut through the air as though it were made for it; it would be hard to believe that it came from a man of only five and a half feet, if not for the fact it most obviously did: "Boat ahoy!" A standard hail. "Come alongside!"
Relief. Flooding, overwhelming relief. He became aware of a childish urge to punch the air, but ignored it and maneuvered the lifeboat as instructed. He was vaguely aware of the litany of "thankyouthankyouthankyou" pouring from his mouth; there was no way they could hear it, really, but there it was.
The man who had called to him didn't waste any time; the curious crew along the rails of the schooner threw a line over for Harold to climb up, even as the man barked back over his shoulder, "Coming aboard now, sir!"
He snatched at it like the lifeline it was, and gave a strange backward glance to the lifeboat he'd come to love. So many times he'd stowed things in it, the fantasy of escape bringing him the illusion that the boat was the only thing in the world truly his. A silent, split-second goodbye, and he scrambled his way up the line and to salvation.
"Secure!" the man yelled, then immediately turned to return to stand below the quarterdeck; another man joined him there quickly.
"Make all sail, gentlemen!" the fellow who had to be captain yelled from the quarterdeck above.
It became a flurry on deck; the crew pushed off the rails, and the two officers barked -- the one who had rescued Harold handled the mainmast, whilst the one who had come down to join him ran to the foremast. Shouts rang out in the approaching darkness as the officers ordered their respective watches -- setting stay's'ls, setting the gaffs, flying every stitch of canvas the Grey had aloft. A well-ordered crew, the deployment was swift; they were trimming quickly.
"Helm, ten to starboard!" the Captain cried out.
Harold stood. Some kind of freedom; he didn't know yet what he'd escaped to, but it was different and that had to be something. He stood with a thousand-yard stare and simply breathed. Eventually, he took a few careful steps to turn around and face the ship he'd called his home. Loss and relief in equal, wrestling measures.
[[OOC: This was written, in large part, by
Re: Going for Grey
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.
Re: Going for Grey
Loss and triumph. Captain.
He closed his eyes for a long moment and turned. He opened them to the sight of two men who could, at a glance, be related. Dark hair, dark eyes.
Re: Going for Grey
"First mate Harold Lowe, and you're aboard the schooner Lady Grey of Cardiff," the elder finally said. His accent, for those who knew it, was Welsh, an almost sing-song note to it that seemed nearly at odds with the way he could bark from the stern and hit the bowsprit with his voice.
"Second mate Montgomery Scott," the younger added on, giving their rescue a quick bit of a grin, before schooling his features back to something more acceptable. Similar accent, but not nearly the same.
"What brings you to us?" Lowe asked, his even gaze never wavering.
Re: Going for Grey
The odd combination of commanding and sympathetic was comforting, but he was still wary. He felt drawn in both directions; he wondered briefly which would win out.
He found a small optimistic smile for the one who had introducted himself as Scott, before turning a set jaw to the one who shared Harold's name.
That... was a rather large question, wasn't it?
Try an introduction instead. "My name is Harold Lee. I was pressed into service on the Enterprise after she took the merchant ship I served on. I saw your sails, and took a chance." He put out a hand. "Thank you. How can I help?"
Re: Going for Grey
Generally speaking, a man could go his whole life without seeing an Asian sailor, absent the Philippines. That being said, Lowe had indeed been to the Far East, and carried a good deal of respect for the cultures he was exposed to there, however limited his dealings.
Re: Going for Grey
Another trick up her sleeve, one that few knew about, and it made Kirk grin at the sheer thought. The Enterprise had been outfitted for her lower decks to pack one hell of a surprise when she needed to overcome ships.
Re: Going for Grey
Spock only left his side for the time necessary to organize the crew below deck for the oars, before he returned, and took the helm, steering to parallel the other vessel.
Kirk wanted the ship. So he would get it for him.
Re: Going for Grey
"We may have to abandon course and run like Hell," Winslow commented to his faithful second in command. Lowe was not a bully mate, but he was his captain's enforcer, and a master mariner in his own right.
"Aye, sir," Lowe replied, narrowing near-black eyes on the ship astern. "We can cut a sharp larboard tack if she does gain; we'll be in bow-chaser range, but she'll have a far harder time turning than we will. It might buy us some time."
Winslow took a breath, then growled quietly under it, "Maybe even enough."
Re: Going for Grey
Harold decided to keep his mouth shut unless he was asked any direct questions. He didn't really want to volunteer that he was the Captain's pet; he feared the men in front of him would recoil at that knowledge, toss him aside.
"Please, allow me to repay this kindness, sir. Put my hand to whatever you will."
Re: Going for Grey
Scotty watched, a mild expression of worry, then turned to look back at Harold, and gestured, "Ahead, then, to the foc's'le. We lost a man three weeks ago, and we havena replaced him yet. Ye'll have his berth, though we'll have to outfit ye for gear from the slopchest. But pay's decent and ye'll likely not find a more fair ship. We're all hands right now, so as soon as ye have a look at where ye'll be sleepin', come back above and stand by the foremast." He wasn't quite so strict in tone as Lowe, not able to mask the curiosity in his voice, but he still had an officer's tone. "Have ye eaten, Lee?"
Re: Going for Grey
Most of him wanted to stay alive, so he didn't. "I-- haven't eaten since the morning, sir. I left some things in the lifeboat, they could be useful if they can be retrieved. Food."
He felt like an idiot for forgetting it was there, but hoped the offering would be enough to put Scott off of asking more personal questions.
"Lead on, sir."
Re: Going for Grey
He turned to go, but gave a brief, not-hard pat on Lee's shoulder to make up for the otherwise stricter tone, before heading back up to the quarterdeck himself.