[We Interrupt Your Usual RP to Bring You... International Talk Like a Pirate Day!]

[kirktastic]

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!]

Comments

Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

He didn't consider himself a pirate, because he wasn't one. The majority of his financial endeavours involved swindling them, dealing with them, maybe talking (down) to them, but otherwise he was an outsider to their vulgar profession, and would prefer to keep it that way.

This was the twelfth port city he had traversed since leaving Vulcan, though there wasn't much difference between them. Everything smelled faintly of salt, fish, and alcohol, walls and floors dirty and grimey, blood money being traded for useless goods and carnal pleasures. The entire atmosphere caught Spock between fascination and disgust, the former arising because of his upbringing among clean, rich courts and their respective dignitaries. Here, he could contrast the tastes between vintage wine and cheap rum, fine silk vests and raggedy woolen shirts, refined and royal language against the petty vernacular that grated against his ears.

One thing held constant: money, the quantity and the scarcity of it. And at the moment, his own pockets were too light. There was no plan he was adapting his finances to, so to say--it was a simple matter of he had nowhere else to go for the next six days and he only had money for another two nights at the inn on the west side of the harbour.

Option veh (): pickpocketting. Spock was better at this simple thievery than he would ever admit, but circumstances were not that dire.

Option dahkuh (): Odd jobs and/or actual employment at any one of the...fine establishments along the dock. He had his choice to be a waiter, labourer, to talk to the madam of that brothel..., or to use some of his more noble skills in any of the shipping houses, accounting and what not. This did not promise a favourable or fast rate of return, however, and so Spock did not consider this for very long, either.

Which left option rehkuh (): gambling. It was a battle of holding one's emotions in check, of observing your half-drunk opponents, of knowing the numbers and how to make them work in your favour. He knew of a card house adjacent to a tavern, supposedly of high stakes and lucrative odds. His life was already risky enough without such games--but he had little choice.

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

He sat at the back of the tavern, watching the crowd for those that had loose money and too much liquor. It was easy enough to gather them into a prospective game, once he talked in his smooth and respectable tones, a little bit of a sycophant for those who needed it, perhaps bullying one or two into it (with the help of three more shots).

Satisfied with the group he had ensembled, Spock cast one more surveying glance over the tavern, just in case he had missed any potential profit. There--the young man with the grin on his face, tankard in one hand and a girl in the other, throwing gold down on the counter as if it meant little. In that case, he would be glad to relieve him of it.

It took surprisingly little to convince young blue-eyes to join the game on such short notice. Perhaps he should have taken note of the lazy smirk, if his eyes could have stopped lingering on the gold doubloons laying carelessly across the table. All he cared about was that he had five people to play against, and potentially two weeks worth of living expenses covered.

Then, the game. It was easy to empty the pockets of two people, harder to strangle the last silver shilling out of the third, and it took the combined effort of himself and the young man to deplete the finances of the fourth.

But this--man (he couldn't have been one, not some ordinary port scum)...was making his evening difficult. The vast winnings were now split between both of them. They could finish the game, happy with this, and leave. Could, but wouldn't: Spock wanted to buy himself a nice dinner and perhaps move off this boring little rock, and he could see greed in the other's eyes.

Once it was a game of two, young-blue eyes insisted on even higher stakes, causing sudden shifts of money back and forth between them. Three times he had nearly had all of this man's coin, and twice he had nearly gone bankrupt himself. At the moment, the pool was large between them and their reserves dwindling. He had a favourable hand, Jacks full of eights, and he couldn't tell what the man across from him had. The smirk was ever-present no matter what the hand, and he was still and calm as Spock himself.

The weight of the rapier leaned comfortably against his hip. The mass of the flintlock on his belt would be more so, but it rested on the shelf by the door.

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

He liked whoever this guy was. A cool fellow with a way about him that got people's attentions. A man with command and a damn fine poker player and an even better poker face. Kirk was actually having to try to win against him, and the growing crowd around him was giving him all that much more courage to play harder.

People like the stiff-backed player across form him kept their faces smooth and calm during a match (in fact, he couldn't ever having seen someone who did it so well), but he was the opposite. He sat back in his chair and stayed light and easy, a grin on his face and a tankard of rum at his side, drinking less than people thought he was.

This hand was getting more and more on the line. The bastard might have really, honestly good. A royal flush was out of the question - the cards had long since gone by for it. But all the jacks were still in play...

"I'm in." Kirk said lightly and pushed in his entire amount of gold into the center of the table.

Or... what everyone thought was his entire amount. He had been slipping away dubloons into his pockets the entire time so even if he lost what everyone saw, he would still make it out with more then he had come in with.

And he might have used the gesture to change out a single card in his hand. Now a delicious jack of clubs sat right on top, completing his straight flush.

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

He stared at the pile of gold, unblinking, for only a moment or two, before he mirrored the action wordlessly. One hand pushed the remainder of his coin into the centre pool. The other tilted his cards down towards the pockmarked wood of the table, his thumb quickly nudging out the jack of clubs from his sleeve while tucking an eight back in. Four of a kind. That should be enough insurance for the evening.

"Check."

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Kirk kept up that easy smirk as he nodded to the gentleman across from him and he flipped his hand over. Immediately, instantly, he saw a big, big problem as the other did the same thing. So, I was right. He has been cheating. That was the first thought.

In the other's hand were four jacks. Including a jack of clubs. Despite the fact Kirk knew there was no way that was possible because he had been the one to palm the jack of clubs out of the deck earlier.

His head lifted and met the other's eyes in a split second. They would both get in deep shit for cheating. "Ye bastard!" He snapped, everyone's eyes going to his face as he snarled. His hand swiped across the table, sending doubloons and cards flying, hiding any sign of their cheating.

He also palmed several golden coins in the process.

"Ye think yer gonna get away with cheatin' with me?!"

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

Ah, well. He had other options to gain the gold, now that the doubloons were scattered across the floor. There were more pressing matters at hand.

Spock stood, drawing the rapier immediately, the surest and most honest sign of his stifled nobility with its ornate wire hilt. He arched a single eyebrow at his opponent, the first change in his expression throughout the entire game.

"I advise against false implications, sir." Spectacles. They always distracted people from more important questions and details.

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

"Then I advise we move this outside." Kirk hissed through his teeth, giving a very pointed look to the other then jerking his head towards the door.

And using the time to palm another coin or two.

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

He lowered his rapier, and his gaze only left the man long enough to locate his flintlock on the shelf by the door. But once they were outside, alone, amongst moist tropical air and dim street lamps (clouds blocked out the moon overhead), Spock rounded on him again, rapier raised for the attack. The calm facade dropped into something more stern. "T'var'eth. ()" The amount of coin in those pockets right now, the quantity he had palmed, would be enough for some fruit, at least.

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Kirk held up his hands, offering a lazy grin in return to the man's insult. "Come on now. Fair's fair, we both cheated. We got 'way unscathed. In fact..." His tone changed, all charm and sunshine, "Was wonderin' if ye didn't have other 'rangements, maybe ye'd be lookin' fer employment. Need good hands fer me ship..."

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

The essence of brightness inherent to him, especially amongst their surroundings and their company, the dregs of society...it annoyed him more than anything else in this city. He did-and-didn't belong here as much as Spock did, but he seemed much more pleased with the arrangement.

And now he was talking about ships. A captain? It hardly mattered now. He wouldn't accept employment from this free radical of a pirate, for his own sake. "I must refuse." He had been offered similar positions before, and similarly turned them down. "There are other places you can recruit cabin boys for your sailed row boat, and I personally do not enjoy entertaining children in their reveries of grandeur."

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Oh no, he didn't. This stranger did not just only refuse his offer, which would have been fine, but insulted his lady!? All the brightness fled from Kirk's face as it turned into a mask of cold anger.

"Ye'll pay fer the insult to my lady, stranger." The cutlass was in his hand a moment later, feet shifting apart into an easy fighting stance.

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

So this young captain had nothing better to do than puff up his chest and defend the honour of his inanimate ship. Very well. He was at a slight disadvantage, working on an empty stomach and the fatigue of a long day, but he hoped that alcohol and sloppy footwork on his opponent's part would make up for it. After all, most pirates learned their skills on the job, technique that could not match the training he had received on Vulcan.

He lunged with the blade.

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Kirk growled as the other man jerked forward in a skillful lunge, no doubt hoping to catch him off guard with speed. The rapier was a fast blade, meant for quick work and a stab through the heart - the blade of Vulcans. The cutlass was a beautiful thing in its practicality and brutality, but it was not made for speed.

Luckily, the man wielding it was.

Kirk brought up his own blade swiftly and parried the lunge off to the side, using the strength of the parry to come in straight at the stranger's shoulder in a downward chop.

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

Most people he tried to kill in this manner were dead by the first lunge through his agility alone; obviously this man did not want to follow precedent.

Once he saw the cutlass coming straight for his shoulder, he used the momentum from the parry to step to the side, just out of the way. Less grace than he would have liked, and with the blade too close for comfort. He quickly shifted his footing back a little, now no longer directly facing the other man. Another lunge, deeper, to go under where he had been parried before.

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Kirk hissed as he realized he had underestimated the other's ability for a lunge. Few men could practically do a split in a lunge, getting parallel to the ground and coming upwards under his guard. He let out a grunt of pain as the sharp tip pierced his clothing and sliced through skin, skirting off his ribs as he turned.

Kirk roared and brought his cutlass down as hard as he could on the enemy's blade, using sheer brute force to force the rapier down, then getting into the other's guard and instead of bringing his sword in, twisted his body and came up with a sucker punch aimed for the jaw.

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

The punch sent him back onto the ground, which was now damp with a faint drizzle that had started up. Pain blossoming along his jaw but ignoring it for the time being, Spock rolled aside and then to his feet, keeping some distance between them now. Wary. He could have been killed in that moment, and Spock wanted to focus on hurting him sufficiently to take the stranger's money rather than be distracted on the question of why that particular move had been avoided.

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

The rain would make it harder for them both, but even harder for Spock. A lunge could slip easily and they used fancy footwork that would work less well on slick footing. He circled Spock slowly - fencers were all forward. They wanted to work going forward, though he was no fool. They were fast.

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

It rained wherever he went, so he had become used to the conditions as much as he could. But in this still moment of no action, he took in the environment they had stepped into, with uneven cobblestone beneath their feet, puddles beginning to pool along the street, random boxes and burlap sacks aligned along buildings. Obstacles.

He stepped as Kirk stepped, waiting, not allowing him to catch him where he couldn't parry.

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

My turn. Kirk slipped in fast, blade coming free arm coming around his stomach as his other arm crossed above it. He used the down swing of his blade to try and hide the draw of his dagger on the other side.

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

Out of muscle memory, he brought the rapier up in a parry, even as he saw the hand reach across for supposedly another weapon. The cutlass would do more damage in its present form. But he could try to parry it with his own, yes--

A little too late. His own dagger drawn from his right hip, he pushed Kirk's off to the side, but it glanced his side, cutting through his shirt and skin. Spock leapt back, putting distance between them once more as green blood began to spread along the shirt from his wound. Silent, hearing the rain begin to fall harder around them.

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Vulcans. Strange people from the north with their thick, green blood that made people whisper prayers of protection and curse them as demons from the deep. He pressed his advantage immediately, his own thin blood staining his shirt and creeping along his side. The pain was ignorable - for now. He just hoped it wasn't too deep. He came swinging in, refusing to give the stranger any refuge.

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

Kirk rushed far too much swinging the cutlass like that. The true edge of his rapier caught the broad steel, and slid with the grating sound of metal against metal until only the wire hilt of the rapier protected his hand from the cutlass. The same happened with the daggers, clashing together, practically grinding--

And then the rain became a real factor. His footing slipped on the wet stones, cutting down what advantage he had in strength. As Spock attempted to regain his stability and stance, he was forced back. Until he met a wall.

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

Kirk forced his greater weight against Spock, their bodies almost touching as he forced his arms to press against steel. One slip either one and one of them could be dead...

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[cso-spock.livejournal.com]

Spock shoved back against him, adrenaline and indignity fueling his already superior strength. Getting him away--always needed more distance--and disengaging their blades, he took the opportunity to thrust the rapier forward towards Kirk's chest.

They needed to end this soon, now. He was hungry, tired, wet, and bleeding. Generally not how he wanted to end his evening.

Re: Two Sharks and Spilled Blood [Flashback]

[kirktastic.livejournal.com]

It took every bit of speed to whip the dagger up and bring the point of the rapier just past him, enough that it sliced his shirt but didn't skin. Kirk growled and jumped back, moving just out beyond a pool of light, standing in almost complete shadow - watching.