(no subject)

[bringmethatnpc]

Everything in Panama City had gone mostly according to plan, a rare happenstance for the pirates in this motley crew, and the more superstitious among them spent the first few days on board their new vessel debating whether this meant good luck or bad, fair wind or foul.

The Spanish ship they'd stolen isn't large or particularly pleasing to the eye, being in need of some new paint and wood maintenance, but it's seaworthy and swift before the wind, and most importantly, well-stocked for a long voyage.

And a long journey to Singapore it will be.

Comments

Above deck

[bringmethatnpc]

Some days and nights are more quiet than others.

For several of the pirates, this is the first they've seen of the mighty Pacific; it's met with no small amount of reverence. There's hard work to be done, but there are also tales to be told and songs to be sung.

And some days and nights are fair, while others are not.

Such is the nature of the sea.

Below deck

[bringmethatnpc]

Spanish colors stowed and forgotten in a dark and damp corner of the hold, the ship that had once carried silver is now firmly in the hands of pirates. This is particularly evident below decks, where the mess is soon that of sea dogs thinking more often of grog than running a tight ship.

The dim light and faint creaking are ever present.

Re: Above deck

[try_corsets]

Elizabeth had been sure that once they were at sea, moving ever forward with a decent plan in place, the waiting would become less agonizing.

It has not, nor have the thoughts of Jack and what they face, what she has done, faded.

She sometimes works in an effort to keep her hands busy and dissuade conversation, but in the heat of midday, she steps away to stand at the port rail or in the bow, steadily watching the others and turning her face into the wind, silently coaxing it to fill the sails.

Re: Above deck

[clumsy_auror]

'Dora's coaxed a large umbrella into existence alongside the mainmast. She's sitting beneath it, bare feet peeking out from beneath her skirt, and practices tying knots.

(Don't ask. She's bored, and it seems the thing one does when one's at sea.)

[try_corsets]

It does, and between them they have tied hundreds of knots.

Elizabeth watches, unable to resist a small smile at the umbrella, and finally makes her way over. She doesn't notice how easily her sea legs returned, nor that the sun is gently tanning her skin. Pulling an empty barrel toward 'Dora, she turns it over and sits, reaching for her own thick and rough length of rope.

[clumsy_auror]

Tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth in concentration, Tonks makes one failed attempt at a mildly complicated knot, then another, and finally succeeds. "HA!" she crows, pulling it taut. Then with a sigh she sags against the mast and turns her attention to Elizabeth. "I haven't thrown up once today," she says proudly, and somewhat apropos of nothing.

Re: Above deck

[bushel-o-apples.livejournal.com]

There's a captain at the helm.

For all intents, and despite the meager extent of the other's acquaintance with him and the way his face remains impassive, looking over at the horizon, Barbossa seems to be content. Almost, if it weren't kinda blasphemous to think so, happy.

Which is quite logical, because he is. After so long, to be at the wheel once again. To feel the wind on his face, the spray of the sea... To be alive and captain of a ship. Not -his- ship of course, not the Pearl, but that can and will be solved in time.

He even seems to be singing something under his breath.

Anyone dares to try and sneak upon him to hear just what tune it is?

Re: Above deck

[pirate-gibbs.livejournal.com]

Not far off is a first mate and boatswain. He's surely not happy, but transferring his discontent into the actions of a sailor calm him some. As has seeing Barbossa's skills as a captain. The man is not and never will be Jack, but he's a far sight more able that Gibbs' last commander in the navy.

"Ship seems to be ship shape."

Re: Above deck

[bushel-o-apples.livejournal.com]

"It'll do"

He doesn't take his eyes from the sea ahead. The Pacific is honoring its name so far, but it's not the kind of sea you can trust. It's not a noble ocean like the Atlantic. This one is treacherous and bloody-minded, and will sneak upon you if you but give it a little break.

"What is there on your mind, mister Gibbs...? A blind man with his back to you could see the troubled look."

And a good captain listens to his bosun, lest he ends up marooned on a tiny spit of sand with naught but a pistol and one shot.

Re: Below deck

[badinlatin]

Mal doesn't like staying below deck. It's not that he's bothered by the movement of the ship on the water (something still more or less new to him) but compared with the view above, being surrounded by wood planks is not how Mal chooses to spend his days.

"Will?" Mal calls around in the mostly-darkened space immediately below, hammocks swinging around him calmly. "You about somewhere?"

[try_corsets]

"I'm very pleased to hear it," Elizabeth replies, quite sincerely.

For her own sake as well, of course.

"You're getting better."

A frown of concentration lends her a mulish look as she examines the three-stranded rope, turning it over in her hands, and begins to methodically tie a slippery hitch.

[clumsy_auror]

"You're still much better at it than I am," 'Dora observes with a crooked grin. Then she sighs. "Have I mentioned how much more expedient wizarding travel is, even if this is prettier?"

[try_corsets]

"I learned on the passage from England," Elizabeth tells her, "but variety is not my strong suit."

Finishing the knot, she blinks at Tonks.

"Actually, I meant to ask you how wizards move from one ocean to another."

Re: Above deck

[turned_captain]

Will has been keeping to himself most of the voyage, not having a lot to say to anyone. He's thrown himself hard into working with the crew, to limit the amount of time he spends watching Elizabeth and waiting for her to talk to him.

But sometimes he finds himself with nothing to do, and at those times he finds a moment near the prow, staring at the horizon ahead. Keeping his thoughts on what he has to do prevents them from turning to his fiancée, distant in attitude if not physically.

Re: Below deck

[turned_captain]

Will isn't hard to find when you need him. If he's not working, he's watching Elizabeth or, like now, lying in a hammock and trying to get some sleep even in the middle of the day.

He's not asleep, though, and rolls out of his hammock the instant Mal calls out, reaching for a shirt quickly.

"I'm here."

Re: Below deck

[badinlatin]

"Stay there, I'll come to you."

And Mal does, even though it takes him some time -- no matter how tightly stowed some people's things are, it's still an effort to sidestep stray clothes or belongings on the path to Will's hammock.

"You sleep any?"

Re: Below deck

[turned_captain]

It's enough time for Will to fully dress, turning his back to the wall anyway out of some remaining shame regarding his whip scars. He's certainlynot the only man on the ship with similar, but that doesn't mean he's comfortable with the fact his father gave them to him.

"Enough," he replies, fastening his belt on firmly, and checking for the position of his sword.

"What do you need?"

Re: Below deck

[badinlatin]

"To do something."

It's a quick enough answer, and true, even if Mal does keep his voice down in the otherwise empty space for no reason.

"We're close enough to our destination that I figure there can be some planning in specifics taking place? Not that being out on the actual ocean ain't pleasin' and all -- "

Re: Below deck

[turned_captain]

Will lifts his head up to look over Mal's shoulder at the ladder to the main deck, checking or anyone else listening.

He can understand having to do something.

"We don't have flying ships around here, Mal. Sailing takes time."

He's not happy about it, though.

Re: Below deck

[badinlatin]

"Trust me, I'm aware -- if I could've fit a shuttle through the bar door I would've."

Mal pauses, here, not sure where to go next, or how to advance plans already laid.

"There're lifeboats on this thing, right? We're not that far out, away from the temple."

Re: Below deck

[turned_captain]

Looking back at Mal, Will nods.

"We have dinghies. Are you saying we should just take one and go to the temple?"

Change Barbossa's plan? Leave behind Elizabeth and Tonks?

Re: Above deck

[pirate-gibbs.livejournal.com]

Gibbs is quiet for a moment. As if gathering thoughts. Or maybe courage.

"I've been meaning to ask you...why did you betray Jack?"

Re: Below deck

[badinlatin]

"Absolutely. We leave before everyone gets into position in the city, gettin' out before Barbossa meets with Sao Feng. With travel time between the temple and the main city, we're going to return to the ship with the map before anyone suspects where we could be."

Or before Dora's drawn out somewhere without him.

Re: Above deck

[bushel-o-apples.livejournal.com]

Barbossa pauses for a moment, then signs for Mister Cotton to take the wheel and keep the ship on the same course. He turns to Gibbs, walking to a coiled roll of rope and sitting back on it heavily. This had to come, hadn't it...?

"Why does one mutiny, or desert, or any of the many names treason has depending on the circumstances, mister Gibbs? There are a thousand reasons, and seldom is it just one that's involved. Now, I want you to consider this, mister Gibbs. A one-man mutiny never works. Jack's crew mutinied because, quite simply, we didn't think he was a good captain."

He tilts his head back to regard his First Mate. There is his perennial arrogance there, in the stare of his yellow-rimmed dark eyes, but there's a lot more to be seen if one looks closely. Weariness at the whole matter, maybe, and a fierce determination that has nothing to do with the undead's obsession with breaking the curse.

Re: Below deck

[turned_captain]

Will takes a second to reply.

Leaving Barbossa would betray the fact that he doesn't have Will's full loyalty, before Will's finished working out how he's going to get the Pearl for himself. On the other hand, maybe Will can prove himself trustworthy by getting this done fast. After all, Barbossa already thinks him simple. Simple and trustworthy would be ideal.

Leaving Elizabeth would mean he didn't have to wait for her to talk to him.

"The temple's on a river. Two men can take the boat up there without much difficulty."

That's a 'yes'.