[M] Specs in the Ocean (IC)

[Highland Sniper]

Esvera, seeing the battle was over, quickly scarfed down a few more bites of food (whatever hadn't been turn onto the floor, anyway), and said "Thanks again," as she snagged the avian's gun on the way out.

She started on the way back to the ship just ahead of everyone else. The engines had been cooling, shut off for some maintenance, and she'd need to fire them back up.

She made sure to tell any other crewmembers that they were leaving, whenever she saw one on her way back.
The winding streets made it hard for a straight shot. She didn't run, but she did put some speed into her step.

[Yggdrasil_Hugger]

Will was almost disappointed to see the fight come to an end. He gave a quick glare about the room, his single yellow eye sizing up the rest of the patrons to see if they wanted to go. At the mention of the hired guards of the island, he quickly scuttled out of the bar. He didn’t particularly dislike officers of the law, but they tended to dislike him. He was far more comfortable on a ship, in the fleet, where he knew everyone and nobody tried to arrest him or bother him for no reason.

He stepped over the body of the lupine Shifted he had dispatched and made his was over to Shelk, his uneven footsteps thumping on the wooden floor of the bar. As the small group walked, he noticed their latest and presumably final addition to the crew, a short, wiry girl with a deep tan and a couple scars. Her eyes were curiously almost entirely pupils, and he recognized the damp scarf that Shifteds with gills sometimes wore. He reckoned she was Shifted, most likely with the features of a shark. She had that tiger shark nose, too.

Pulling his attention away from their selachine compatriot, he turned to Shelk. A thousand new questions were buzzing through his head about her staff, no, bident. He cleared his throat and asked,

“So ye said that thing’s name was Turok?”

[Vaidia]

The progression out of the Flying Fang went smoothly enough. All materials he needed were hastily and neatly packed away into his bag. Andras even managed to catch one of the musicians (the Shifted Singer) before she made her own egress, learning that they could make their way through some of the back dockways, although the path wasn’t always complete. (He also learned the name of the song from earlier, and he made a mental note to see if any of the crew– new or old– happened to know the whole thing) (It didn’t escape his notice that the singer gave a flirtatious wave towards William either).

Andras watched as Esvera darted off, knowing she was likely following the usual procedure of getting the crew back on the ship, and then alerting the members still aboard to start departing procedures. Each member of the crew usually knew where at least another would be when they were ashore, and they were no strangers to a quick departure. He had no doubt that most of the crew would be reassembled at the Orphan by the time he got there, although there would likely be much bellyaching about the time ashore being cut short (even though it was only by a few hours).

As for the new members… he supposed the ones that showed up would be the ones who got the job. He’d leave an apology note with one of the lads working the docks to pass along to any late comers. It’d be a while before they returned to this particular Island Nation port. And once they got back to the ship, he would have Dr. Hyde give the new members a quick physical, as well as those who were in the fight.

There was some further commotion from the main dockway, likely the ‘help’ arriving to the Flying Fang. It was time to hurry.

“William, I am moving ahead to get The Orphan ready. Make sure Ms. Shelk finds her way back to the ship without too much trouble,” Andras said, turning towards the towering Shifted man. He would move quicker traveling alone. He made quick eye contact with Yathia, keeping his expression far more measured now than before. Those who knew him well enough would be able to tell he was putting on his diplomat face and keeping his (usually less than kind) thoughts in check. “Yathia–”

“It’s Yen,” the girl replied automatically.

“--Yen,” Andras corrected, instinctively bringing a hand up to massage his brow. The facade didn’t last long. “Wait for further instruction.”

He would deal with the girl later. Now was about making sure they actually could leave this place. Andras turned smartly from the group before taking off at a light jog.

—

The scent of blood lingered even as Yen followed the others out of the crudely named Tavern. She never would let it show, but the salt and iron tang always put her on the edge, and what was beyond that threshold she never cared to explore. She much preferred to choose her violent tendencies through her own volition and not through the harebrained trappings of “instinct”. There was no time for such luxuries.

From smoke, old ale, and blood to the salt touched air tinged with the rot of stagnant weeds that bandied around the support structures of the manufactured city.

”Wait for further instruction.”

If Yen had to guess, it was that Andras was not pleased she was here. He was not unique in his dislike. He hadn’t even threatened her life yet, so this was a positively refreshing first encounter as far as she was concerned. There was still plenty of time for that to change. She knew better than to sleep without a dagger under her pillow. But for now, she would content herself with following behind the two remaining crew members, as the vulpine Shifted had left already. Several paces behind. Observing.

When Yen had approached the Flying Fang following the ill fated Pithos Clan members, it was down one of the main dockways. The way they took now seemed to a service dockway that snaked its way behind the few businesses and dining facilities. Occasionally there was not an official connection between the different docks, they either bridged by whatever paneling was conveniently long enough, or required the gap to be jumped. Every so often there was enough of a gap between the buildings that Yen could look through, catching glimpses of what was going on in the main street. The foot traffic seemed much less mundane and much more official, though none of it seemed directed to where they were walking. Yet. No need for a quick exit. Yet.

[Highland Sniper]

Esvera ran up the gang plank on deck, "All hands, prepare to cast off!" She called as she got up. She then quickly made her way to the engine room, calling all the way, "Come on! let's move! Batten down the hatches and fire up the boiler!"

She entered the engine room where some of the other crew was already starting to run the engines.
She checked some of the gauges and fiddled with a few valves, calling out more orders to further preparations. She looked around for one of the ships intercoms radio boxes. It was a potable little thing, and was moved around a lot down in engineering.
"Hey, it's Esvera. Someone get up on deck and look out for any unwanteds and help make sure everyone's aboard."
There was a quick response, as someone headed off to keep watch.

A pipe started spewing steam, "Oh, come on!" she shouted as she searched for a bunch of wrenches and shut off the line until she could tighten down the ends where the leak was happening. "Check all the lines! Make sure we're not getting any more leaks!" She called out as feet scrambled to get everything ready.

She felt at the gun once her leak was fixed. She itched to take a closer look at it and figure out exactly how it worked. But there was a bit more that had to be done before then.

[Yggdrasil_Hugger]

“William, I am moving ahead to get The Orphan ready. Make sure Ms. Shelk finds her way back to the ship without too much trouble,” Captain Andras gave his orders with the kind of quick efficiency William was used to, before walking away briskly.

“Aye aye, cap’m.” William nodded, then turned to Shelk at his side. He cleared his throat, then gestures toward the ship. “Right this way, Ms. Shelk.” Guiding her toward the ship, the duo easily cleared a path. When he saw Esvera dashing about like usual, he muttered a few choice words and hobbled off toward her.

“Oi! Ye best not be messing wit’ me engines!” He called, ka-thunking down the stairs to the engine room. Sure enough, Esvera was fiddling with a steam pressure valve. “Me valves! Argh, shoo! I don’ need yer help, an’ if I did, Neptune help us all!” He shooed her away from the pipe, his tone coming off as more slightly annoyed than genuinely angry. He kneeled to inspect the pipe with his good eye. With a few twists of his wrench, a bit of light hammer therapy, and the untightening of two blowdown valves, the issue was summarily fixed.

[Koti~]

Shelk was more than pleased to be given a guide to the shipyard, though more for her own protection than anything else. Pretending to be blind and having to jump between planks was a very strange action, thankfully using Turok as a walking stick as she had mentioned before. While she did want to answer Will about the name of her weapon, she couldn't get the words out before the tortoise man had already run off to work on the engines of his ship. Already she could feel the deep scent of the ocean just inches away as she headed aboard the ship, having to murmur apologies when crew mates went walking by. Unsure of just where she was meant to go, Shelk managed to get herself to the bow of the ship, the least busy area she had.

It was very strange being on a ship again with so many people, the gentle vibrations of hundreds of pounding feet and harried voices issuing and responding to commands. She was more than pleased to be back on a ship, and heading towards open waters, but was unsure how well it would go with so many people. Shelk would just have to give it a few days, feel out the temperament of the crew, before finding some vessel she could steal to use on her own. At least that was her temporary plan right now.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Lord Alyphonse Inegra Daiton watched the ship with eagerness, having been watching them since the second day of having arrived. He knew this port town like the back of his hands, watching some of the locals that he had treated before, even several more that had helped him shake his guards. Even now he could hear some shouting his name across the ports. Pulling the temporary wrap around his head to hide more of his features, he just studied the ships frenzied actions, crew and dock hands alike picking up the pace to prep for leave. Aly wasn't sure the cause for it, but today would be the best shot he could get.

Slipping his satchel into the burlap sack, Aly headed into the group hustling around, getting himself into the mix and tossing his bag onto a box before hefting it up and moving towards the ship. He followed the men in front of him, delving into the belly of the ship while bringing the box of food into the lauger. Once given just a brief moment to duck around the corner, he quickly grabbed his satchel from the bag and tossed the wraps, musing up his hair in time to run into a crewmate.

"Oi, wat you doing down here?" The man asked Alyphonse, jarring him some as he tugged on the satchel.

"Sorry, sorry, I was tryin ta find the infirm. I was told to meet with the doc, to be his new aid. I… got lost following the wrong guy, it seemed. Hi, I'm Aly, by the…" Aly began, holding out his hand to greet the crewmate. The man gave a sigh before scratching the back of the head. Sending in new crews without a proper tour of the ship was such a time kill. Motioning for Aly to follow, he led him down the hall and pointed back the way they came.

"Follow this hall and take the second left, down the stairs and first door on your right. Just try not to get stepped on." The man directed Aly, already moving elsewhere to get back to work. The young man nodded his head before taking off, having to dart around some of the crew before finally making it to the infirm, smiling at the scents of herbs and medicine around him, fingers itching as he looked around the tools and picking up the knife he found to fiddle with, twirling it around in his hands while walking around.

[Vaidia]

It was late afternoon in the small Island Nation of Deriton.

The sun was just beginning to make its decent, unabating brightness beginning to give away into lengthening shadows. The stone of the mountain tips changed from stoic grays to honey gold, and the weathered statue of a long forgotten ruler that towered over the city seemed to regain some of its former splendor. There were already many nooks within the ramshackle flotilla of discarded ships and half constructed structures, but the growing darkness made them easier for someone to vanish into. To watch as a procession of panic spiraled out from a small tavern at the edge of town, until there wasn’t a set of ears that hadn’t heard the news.

Murder at the Flying Fang. Four confirmed dead, possibly more.

There were already rumors. Rumors of it being some the Seabound whose caused the commotion. Of them getting far too rowdy with some locals over the affections of the singer. Or a Shifted turf war that disturbed their peaceful lives. Or perhaps a conspiracy against the Tavern owner, who just spoken out against one of the new city laws. Or pirates trying their usual plans, but being handled by the locals. Or a simple brawl of bawdy fun that escalated into deadly violence. Voices whispered to one another, from light into shadow into light again. Stories moved quicker than the truth, and too often overstayed their welcome.

There was a great deal of commotion at the docks. Even for the end of the day, there was more activity as usual as word spread that there was some form of fight in town, and most of the Seabound knew that things were likely to get quite uncomfortable for them, and especially for the Shifted crew members. Usually the ship that left the quickest was known to be involved in whatever trouble had come up, but the Island Nation people would never hear that from a Seabound. Whispers were exchanged as one of the larger ships that was docked, a cargo ship that flew one of the flags of a major fleet, made a quick departure.

Some watched the ship until it vanished into the distance. Hands clenched into fists in a silent vigil of rage, each marked by a uniform band around their upper arm. They could not leave so easily, there being five missing members of their crew.

And, from the shadows, others watched. Or perhaps it was only a trick of the failing light, as when someone looked again at the shadow, they only saw darkness.

—

The crew of The Orphan moved with impressive efficiency, for as much a mess the ship was. Yen never had much of a chance to investigate the retrofitted Cargo ship, as it was often away from the main fleet on Scavenging and Transport missions. When it was with the main fleet, there always was some overly festive gathering planned, and she would rather go back to surviving on her skiff than have to participate in such affairs. She knew the ship ran on both scavenged and alchemic elements from her reading some of the supply manifests that were ‘left out’ by some of the administration on The Hearth, and recognized the base model the ship was built around. It was decorated quite distinctly with a design of bright blue paint that Yen couldn’t quite make out, as well as several other unnecessary cosmetic adornations.

The Turtle Shifted moved surprisingly quick once they entered the ship, disappearing somewhere beneath deck. Shouts echoed both across the deck and on the intercom, followed by more mumbled complaints by the crew as they adjusted the departure timetable up by several hours. There was a variety of both Shifted and non-Shifted aboard, as was common with the Poseidon fleet. Most seemed to move with purpose, but there were a few that seemed to amble around slightly. There were two large insectoid Shifted that hunkered around the outside of the accommodation area, as well as an apparently non-Shifted woman who sat on a stack of several bags. She was talking animatedly at the other two who, as far as Yen was concerned, were listening with rapt attention.

The door that the three were waiting by began to open, but Yen didn’t stick around to see who it was. Anyone who wasn’t involved in the running of the ship didn’t really interest her. She considered going below deck to the engine area, but without being able to explore it in a calmer environment knew she would likely get in the way. She drifted about, following behind the crew on deck as they checked to make sure everything was secure before departure, catching the occasional muttered statement, veering off to follow someone else before they could fully notice her.

As such Yen, after taking a few odd turns too many, found herself closer to the bow of the ship. There were far less people here, which defeated the purpose of her reconnaissance activity. Already she learned that the chef on the ship had burned this morning's crew meal due to the oven malfunctioning (again) and the front right crane had the nickname of “Chompy” and was a “very good chompster”. She had walked into a dead end alcove of containers stacked a few high, but the one nearest the bow was only one high. There were footsteps that seemed to be coming from behind her as well. Yen looked at the container again.

She was only told to wait. Where that waiting happened was not specified.

Yen rebalanced the bag so it rested more on her back, eyeballing the top of the container. It was a perfectly manageable climb. She tactfully shifted her weight, before making a running leap at the container.

A low, loud whistling horn sounded on The Orphan. It was departure time.

Yen just barely made it to the top of the container, and took a few extra steps forward for good measure. The container was one of the last near the bow, and it happened the other one in front of her was also only a single container high, giving her a good view of the ship and sea ahead. The sun had begun to cross from afternoon brightness into the evening glow, the glint on the sea turning from diamond to topaz. There was another bellow from the horn, and a fury of gulls began to circle around the ship, driven into a tizzy by the sound. Yen looked back towards the stern for a moment, catching a cloud of orange tinted smoke billowing out from the smokestack.

The ship lurched forward, and Yen looked back forward.

She was glad to have spent little time ‘at land’. She found the most comfort at sea. In motion, with new sights ahead. Perhaps she had been stagnant for too long.

Yen paid little attention to the other ‘new’ crew mate, one of the others who was at the airborne tooth (or whatever it was called) inn. The one that had the interesting AMI bident. Who was blind, or thought blindfolds were the next fashion rage. And apparently deposited in a spot quite close to the rails. She looked back at the AMI. The person was probably replaceable, but it would be a shame if such an item were lost to the sea. Yen moved closer to the edge of her container vantage point. Watching.

Just in case.

[Yggdrasil_Hugger]

Dr. Cornelius Hyde had a bit of a strange habit. Every time The Orphan left port, he’d climb as high as he dared into the rigging and watch the island shrink as they headed out to sea. This time was no different, and he enjoyed watching the island come alight as the sun sank lower in the sky. Sunsets at sea were always beautiful, giving the distinct impression that one was sailing upon a lake of fire. As he began his descent, he noticed somebody perched near the bow. Probably one of the new crewmates they picked up from the brief island visit.

He slid the rest of the way down, and made his way belowdeck, to the infirmary. The Captain would expect him to give the new recruits a medical once-over to make sure they weren’t carrying any nasty illnesses. Sickness was always a terrible thing, but in the confines of a ship, any disease could spread like wildfire. He recalled one of Mr. Shelle’s favorite songs included a verse about measles and “the captain’s ole dog”. In any case, he should be able to easily determine if any of the greenhorns had a sickness about them.

He pushed open the door to the infirmary to find someone already inside, fiddling with…

“My scalpel!” He blurted out in shock at seeing a stranger messing with his tools. “Excuse me, but can I help you?”

[Highland Sniper]

"Now listen here ya old hard shell, I was here first, and I got to the problem first. If I weren't here, you'd have a larger mess on your hands." She said, and she raises a hand to stop any argument, "But I shall now leave this mess to you, now that you're here."
And with that, she walks off with tools in hand to finish up the last of her repairs on the second port crane. The thing had been acting up a little before they had reached port.

She climbed to the top deck and began to inspect it for likely causes, removing panels to look at internal gears and pulleys as well as the wiring.
"Well, exposed wire." she said, fingering some wiring that had the coating removed, "Probably not the core problem, but. . ." She took some electrical tape and covered it and continued looking, poking around the insides, "Come on, you" she muttered, "what's wrong. What's with all the jittering."

She looked up and sighed before poking through the insides a little more. If she didn't find anything else down here, she'd need to climb. Perhaps the gears and pulleys needed some oiling, they did look like they would need to soon.
She gave another sigh.

[Koti~]

Alyphonse jumped as the man shouted, pulling his attention away from the latest point of interest to stare at the man that suddenly entered the room. He couldn’t get his tongue to work for a few minutes, studying the shifted man in front of him. While he had seen many shifted before, the man in front of him was different. Long and lanky, the man looked like he had pulled taut from legs and arms, putting him close in height to Aly. What really caught his attention though was the square jaw and just noticeable canines pushing out his upper lips some. He didn't even pay attention to the rest of him as he quickly put the scalpel down, showing enough consciousness to seem apologetic.

"I'm sorry sir, I have a bad habit of picking up and playing with things to keep my hands busy. Aly offered an apology once he could get a few words in, taking a moment to see how the man would respond. Moving closer, Alyphosne offered up his hand in a gentleman's handshake, his previous apologetic nature slowly vanishing at meeting who was most assuredly the ships doctor, or so he was hoping.

"My name is Alyn, your new assistant. I don't know if my paperwork has made it through just yet, but I am more than eager to learn." Aly mostly lied to the man. He meant it when he spoke about becoming the new doctors aid. His paperwork would never really show, and even his name was mostly a lie, close enough for him to at least catch people calling for him. He had planned out a lot of this moment so that he could be able to join the doctor in his work and learn even more than what books could ever hope to teach him.

"I promise to not be a hindrance. I have studied as much as I could to be an apothecary, but books can only take one so far. The only real way to learn is in the field with on hand work." He continued, hoping to butter the doctor up.