Captain's Logbook, entry 1
13 March, In Solis 475; 6 o'clock in the eve
North-East en route to VdZ. At current speed, expected to enter port in 21 hours. Dark as pitch, fury in the skies, and a shriek in the wind; sense a storm rising. Hope to be cleared and anchored before then--supplies low and crew anxious.
Standing on deck, his long hair tousled by the wind, Geddoe felt a nudge at his boot and looked down. Shadow, the captain's cat, was rubbing his furry little head against his master's leg, demanding attention. With a faint smile, Ged reached down to give Shadow a scratch behind his ear, eliciting an immediate purr. The two were a matching set--each missing an eye.
"Good ev'n, Cap'n."
The captain of the pirate ship Blackjack didn't respond to the greeting, verbally or physically. He stood and watched the cat rub his tail along Ace's boot as he walked by, then turned back to the sea, simply continuing to stare out into the darkness that had settled upon them so suddenly.
"Lovely night out!" the first mate continued to chatter. He drew a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. "All a man needs in this world: fresh air and a starry sky."
The captain looked up at the black clouds. "I must be blind in both eyes," Geddoe finally answered, pretending to straighten his eye patch and grinning. He had a brilliant smile, something that often took people off guard. Who'd ever heard of a pirate with such perfectly straight, pearly white teeth, and nary a gold nugget in his mouth?
Ace laughed out loud, his voice quickly picked up and carried away by the rising winds of the oncoming storm. "God help us if you are! Looks like it's going to get nasty out there."
"You're ready to anchor," Geddoe said accusingly.
"I am," Ace admitted. "Haven't you been craving a proper smash? Vinay del Zexay's tavern is the best there ever was, I say."
"You would know."
"Abeunt studia in mores." Ace sighed. "One more drink of Joker's stash and I just might be forced to walk myself to the plank."
"You've been drinking that?" Now the captain turned to look at him with an incredulous expression. "It's a wonder we haven't already had to toss you overboard! He makes that himself, you know."
The first mate clutched his stomach. "And now he tells me!" he cried to the open sea.
The sound of lightly approaching footfalls made them both turn their heads to the side. "Is this a private conversation?" a low voice asked.
Geddoe smiled faintly at the familiar voice of his crewmate, but he didn't meet her gaze; he was facing her with his blind side.
Ace turned back to the captain with a warning expression. "If you tell her, I'll slit your throat!"
Queen had to laugh. "He'd have you in pieces before you could beg for mercy."
"Aye... Hey--! Who said I'd need mercy?" Ace looked at her with indignation.
"Please! Has any man stood up to Captain Geddoe and faced another dawn?"
"Has any woman, for that matter?" Ace spat back at her.
"I don't believe any have tried."
"Of course not. Useless, women."
"Are you calling me useless?!"
"You belong in the kitchen with Joker, woman."
"How dare you--!"
The captain sighed. It was an old argument, a battle of the sexes, yet to be won. He doubted it ever would.
Geddoe left the two quarrelling on the deck and headed for his cabin with Shadow in tow. It was beginning to drizzle.
13 March, In Solis 475; 6 o'clock in the eve
North-East en route to VdZ. At current speed, expected to enter port in 21 hours. Dark as pitch, fury in the skies, and a shriek in the wind; sense a storm rising. Hope to be cleared and anchored before then--supplies low and crew anxious.
Standing on deck, his long hair tousled by the wind, Geddoe felt a nudge at his boot and looked down. Shadow, the captain's cat, was rubbing his furry little head against his master's leg, demanding attention. With a faint smile, Ged reached down to give Shadow a scratch behind his ear, eliciting an immediate purr. The two were a matching set--each missing an eye.
"Good ev'n, Cap'n."
The captain of the pirate ship Blackjack didn't respond to the greeting, verbally or physically. He stood and watched the cat rub his tail along Ace's boot as he walked by, then turned back to the sea, simply continuing to stare out into the darkness that had settled upon them so suddenly.
"Lovely night out!" the first mate continued to chatter. He drew a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. "All a man needs in this world: fresh air and a starry sky."
The captain looked up at the black clouds. "I must be blind in both eyes," Geddoe finally answered, pretending to straighten his eye patch and grinning. He had a brilliant smile, something that often took people off guard. Who'd ever heard of a pirate with such perfectly straight, pearly white teeth, and nary a gold nugget in his mouth?
Ace laughed out loud, his voice quickly picked up and carried away by the rising winds of the oncoming storm. "God help us if you are! Looks like it's going to get nasty out there."
"You're ready to anchor," Geddoe said accusingly.
"I am," Ace admitted. "Haven't you been craving a proper smash? Vinay del Zexay's tavern is the best there ever was, I say."
"You would know."
"Abeunt studia in mores." Ace sighed. "One more drink of Joker's stash and I just might be forced to walk myself to the plank."
"You've been drinking that?" Now the captain turned to look at him with an incredulous expression. "It's a wonder we haven't already had to toss you overboard! He makes that himself, you know."
The first mate clutched his stomach. "And now he tells me!" he cried to the open sea.
The sound of lightly approaching footfalls made them both turn their heads to the side. "Is this a private conversation?" a low voice asked.
Geddoe smiled faintly at the familiar voice of his crewmate, but he didn't meet her gaze; he was facing her with his blind side.
Ace turned back to the captain with a warning expression. "If you tell her, I'll slit your throat!"
Queen had to laugh. "He'd have you in pieces before you could beg for mercy."
"Aye... Hey--! Who said I'd need mercy?" Ace looked at her with indignation.
"Please! Has any man stood up to Captain Geddoe and faced another dawn?"
"Has any woman, for that matter?" Ace spat back at her.
"I don't believe any have tried."
"Of course not. Useless, women."
"Are you calling me useless?!"
"You belong in the kitchen with Joker, woman."
"How dare you--!"
The captain sighed. It was an old argument, a battle of the sexes, yet to be won. He doubted it ever would.
Geddoe left the two quarrelling on the deck and headed for his cabin with Shadow in tow. It was beginning to drizzle.