| Logs |
1999-11-28
| Starfall |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
Sail and Weapons Drill
Saucy Mare
A lateen-rigged sloop, the Mare has a large
triangular sail on the mainmast (slightly forward of the center)
and standard square sails on the after mast. She is a sleek vessel,
maneuverable and fast, although she has little cargo space.
The ship sails northwest through the night uneventfully on the first leg of her return journey to Andalin. In the morning, Jared announces to the crew that there will be sail and weapons drills.
Alex grins quietly as she watches the crew's reaction to Jared's announcement... she can't blame them for being less than excited, despite their knowing how necessary the drills are... especially if they've been paying any attention at all to how rough Dimitri can be in practice. They don't know how careful he really is... all they see is Alex getting knocked off her feet periodically.
Setting his greatsword aside, Dimitri walks across the deck carrying a cutlass rescued from the lockers. As he does, he gathers the off watch crew, finding a clear bit of space amidships. He starts quietly, with but a simple question. He pats the blade of the cutlass with one paw, and asks, "Any one of you actually used one of these before?" Alex watches quietly from the sidelines, interested to see how one teaches weapons use. Carroll watches from the quarterdeck, quietly surveying the deck, the rigging, most of the ship. He does tend to watch the weapons demonstration more than the rest.
Mackenzie (the official master-at-arms, a wolverine) and Natasha (the other official armsman, a wolf) chuckle at the question. "'Course they have!" says the wolverine. "They polish 'em twice a week."
The wolf shrugs. "A few of 'em even know which end to pick up, sir. They could use a bit of training, though."
Dimitri chuckles dryly, "Well. That's better than the last crew I was with. They used them to cut sausages. Pick out your best handful and pair them up. A little sparring first, so we can see what we have here."
Mackenzie looks around the off-watch section, confers briefly with his partner, then starts handing out practice swords. "We're serious about this, furrballs. Anyone who doesn't try their hardest will get to go the next round with me or the Major here. Got that?" Alex grins quietly to herself... she'd consider that more of a threat coming from Dimitri, but that's just her lookout on the matter.
When the wolverine is done there are four pairs of furs ready to go. "Begin!" The sparring is... amateurish, for the most part. One pair looks halfway competent; Owen the fisher and his opponent Dominic the otter. At the other end of the spectrum Tina the mouse, one of the apprentice seamen, has apparently never had a lesson in her life, but... watching her, the experienced fighters notice that she never gets tagged the same way twice and she scores on her much larger opponent regularly. Alex watches with intent interest. This is a learning experience for her also.
Carroll walks the quarterdeck, watching the practice sometimes but also watching the men in the rigging, the set of the sails, and the horizon.
Very quietly Dimitri walks through the group, his ears up, eyes sharp, watching the pairs at work. When he stops he doesn't yell, but quietly reaches in, improving a stance here, a bit of advice there. "That's it, good spirit, sharp eye, but if you bring your leg back here you present you opponent less of a target. Even as small as you are, you can be even smaller, yes?" A few more steps, smiling grimly. "That's good, both of you. This is obviously not your first time. Next spar we'll split you up so the others can learn from you too. In the meantime you have to learn to watch. The drop of shoulder, the turn of his wrist. Those direct the blade and it can't go anywhere without a telltale signal first. Eyes can lie." Each step quiet and sure, and never a harsh word, only a 'this is how you can be better.' Not at all like Alex's lessons now. But maybe, if she remembers, like her very first. Alex smiles quietly to herself, watching... and remembering.
Mackenzie and Natasha watch, too -- concentrating on Dimitri. The wolf smiles briefly at her partner, who grunts noncommittally. No one but the bat overhears his grudging compliment, "He'll do, Tasha." The wolverine calls a halt after about fifteen minutes. "Rest break." The two professionals walk over to Dimitri. "Well, what do you think?"
Alex curls up on a coil of rope, tail neatly tucked around her feet, and sips her hot mug of soup as she watches and listens... and learns. Carroll walks around the railing of the quarterdeck, looking carefully out to sea, and just as carefully back at the ship. Dimitri steps to the scuttlebutt and dips in the ladle, pouring the water for the sailor's cups. With a nod, he looks back to Mackenzie. "Good. The fact that they are willing to learn, that's most important. And a few of them already are good prospects, which is more than I had expected, considering we are a thrown-together lot." He glances up to the rigging, "Do you think we can get maybe two more good starts from those on watch?"
Mackenzie runs through the list in his head. "Lefty and Kennard, of course -- never seen a bear yet who wasn't good in a fight. Ferdinand is pretty good too, but he's a little slow. Samantha's not powerful, but she's damn quick. Haven't had a chance to work with the apprentices yet." The wolverine grins. "And Sandy, of course." He points to where the ship's sailmaker is sitting by the mast, using her own quills to punch holes in the canvas she's working on. Alex grins.
Natasha shrugs again. "Most of the rest are typical amateurs. Doc and Bert are pretty good, Mack. I don't think you've ever worked with either of them."
Dimitri nods quietly again. "Speed can be worked on, and it can be made up for by experience and smarts. I have yet to see anyone faster than that one," he nods towards the first mate, "-but I can still take her down nine times out of ten. When the watch switches we'll check them out. In the meantime swap partners, and let's set Mister Alex against you, Mister Natasha, and I'll take you, Mr. Mackenzie. I haven't used a cutlass in a year, and I don't think we can allow matters to stay that way." Alex grins cheerfully at Dimitri, then gulps her soup down quickly and sets the mug aside.
Alex trots out, picking up a practice sword and swinging it experimentally for a few seconds, her expression curious... then she steps up, salutes Natasha, and waits for Dimitri's command to commence. Dimitri stretches once, then gets into stance. He nods, looks to Mackenzie and calls out, "Lay on!" Alex drops easily into combat stance, watching Natasha.
Mackenzie watches Dimitri carefully, then feints left, followed by a rightward cut. Catching the feint, Dimitri blocks, but it is slow, barely able to block the blow. He follows through, however, with a quick attack, thrusting to MacKenzie's upper left quarter. Hit and parry, attack and duck back, perhaps a few light tags on the wolverine, matched by a handful of heavy whacks on the side of the fox's noggin.
Alex isn't watching Dimitri's combat... instead she's keeping a quietly wary eye on her own opponent, Natasha. Natasha watches Mackenzie and Dimitri briefly, then turns to Alex. "Ready?" Alex simply nods, still in combat ready stance.
Mackenzie, matching the usual reputation of a wolverine, is both fast and powerful, though his reach is a little short. He parries nearly everything Dimitri can throw at him and his returns are fast and almost random, repeating just often enough so that his opponent can't ignore ANY line of defense safely.
Natasha probes, not committing herself to any deep thrusts yet until she sees whether or not Dimitri's boast about his sister's speed is true. Alex parries as necessary, and idly wonders if Natasha's missed all of the practice bouts between Dimitri and his little sister... but doesn't commit herself to anything. She's also feeling out her opponent, after all. Natasha feints low and right, then high and left, but strikes low and left. Alex lets her practice blade float along with Natasha's, following its path... the third feint-that-turns-out-to-be-real she's caught slightly by the repeating pattern -- but blocks successfully, if a little roughly.
Natasha nods and steps back from her lunge, her sword weaving and probing again. Alex watches quietly, warily on guard... she's willing to play defense as long as necessary to be sure she doesn't embarrass her brother. She's quite aware defense is easier to do than offense in a sword fight, so until the parameters of the practice change, she'll play it safe. Natasha waits for a bit, then her eyes narrow and she starts attacking in earnest, feints and true thrusts coming rapidly and in no obvious pattern. The wolf is bigger than her opponent, and Alex has to give ground to maintain her defensive posture. Alex continues to parry as necessary, watching her partner carefully...
Standing his ground, Dimitri at least doesn't let Mackenzie control the practice, perhaps even surprising the wolverine when he isn't sent flying by a successful strike and instead just shakes it out to resume his en guarde. Finally, though, after the proper amount of time, he calls a final, "Hold". Stepping back, he adds a last salute with a flourish befitting a Blackpool's Marine, then offering his partner a paw. "Thanks." The darkling fox then takes a further step back, to watch Natasha and Alex.
Alex backs slowly, giving ground and defending, letting Natasha continue to attack... she circles slowly as she retreats, not letting herself get cornered. She waits, parrying with what appears to be increasing tiredness, observing Natasha's strong attacks... and then at some point Natasha is too confident -- and Alex spins her practice sword oddly around Natasha's, knocking it aside, and darts in to tap Natasha's chest in a graceful lunge. She steps back into en guarde again, no longer looking quite so tired.
Natasha yelps in surprise as she's tagged, slipping a glancing blow to Alex's arm as she's 'run through'... She steps back, watching the young fox with a renewed respect. Alex looks faintly chagrined at being tagged herself, but keeps her wary gaze on Natasha.
Natasha starts a second flurry of attacks, using her size to counteract the vixen's speed in parrying. Alex steps out of the way, blocks, or dodges repeatedly, letting her speed keep her out of reach... she parries, parries, parries, then taps at Natasha again, although defending herself more cautiously this time. Natasha manages to block this thrust, but at the expense of ending her attack cycle. She steps back a few paces, raises her sword and calls a hold. "They weren't kidding. You are fast."
Alex nods politely, still in combat-ready stance, "Thank you, sir." She adds carefully, "Are we both now to stand down now, sir?"
Dimitri softly growls, "Stand down, both of ye..."
Alex nods and drops out of ready-stance... her behavior changes dramatically as she grins cheerfully at Natasha, her tail fluffing happily. Natasha looks a little puzzled at being 'sirred' by the ship's exec, but decides to ignore it. Alex misunderstands Natasha's puzzlement, "Sorry... Dimitri insists I always stand down only after I'm sure my sparring partner has agreed to stand down also!"
Dimitri softly growls, "And tha rest, a good workout. Get yourself a drink, and if you want I'll be resting on tha quarterdeck to chat a spell. It was a very good way to start a trip, and by the time we're done you'll be able to show many a marine a thing or too. Thank you all. Mister Mackenzie and Mister Natasha, they are yours, now..."
Alex patters over to the water barrel and dips a drink for herself, then happily offers Natasha a mug of water also, "Thank you for sparring with me."
Natasha smiles. "Nichevyo, gospazha. I thought you were timid at first. Why did you run away so long?"
Alex looks a little sheepish, "Umm... well, 'cause I knew you were better than me and um..." her tail curls embarrassedly around one leg as she murmurs softly just to Natasha, "I um didn't want to embarrass Dimitri...?"
The wolf snorts and pokes her superior with an outstretched finger in counterpoint to her words. "You nearly embarrassed him by running away from fight! In real fight, dropping back like that would have exposed your partner's flanks. Sometimes you haff to hold your ground even if you not know your opponent, nyeh?"
Alex nods thoughtfully, "True... but no one was on my flanks this time, so I took the opportunity to learn how you spar." She frowns, thinking, then nods, "I need to stop differentiating between sparring and real combat, I think."
Natasha grins. "That is it exactly. Is no difference except you all walk away from practice. You have to practice same as you fight."
Sitting down upon the quarterdeck stairs, Dimitri begins to rub out his sore muscles, working away the knots and sprains. "You have a good, strong blow, Mister MacKenzie. I am glad you are on our side, yes?"
The wolverine gives the closest thing to a smile he's shown yet today (it's not a very nice one). "Don't think luck had much to do with it. From what you said the other day, I'm here for much the same reason you are. One of P's young snots took offense that I outclassed him and didn't act apologetic about it. It's past time someone did something about him."
A hatch opens on the quarterdeck, and Horatio pokes his head through, blinking in the sudden light. He manages to clamber out onto the deck, and closes and secures the hatch.
Alex flashes a quick, cheerful grin at Natasha, "Maybe we can practice s'more later -- I'd like that?" then trots over to set a mug of water down next to Dimitri. She bounces acrobatically over the railing to seat herself just above Dimitri, and starts rubbing out any muscle knots in his back and shoulders with a familiarity that shows she's done this before, calling out, "Heya, Horatio! Whatcha doing?"
Horatio blinks at the sound of his name, and turns to see Alex bounding over. "Oh! Just preparing for our shakedown, Al- ah- sir! Ma'am! Checking the keel belowdecks one final time."
Alex giggles at Horatio's mode of address to her, then nods, "Great! Hey, Dimitri, are we done here? Can Horatio do his shakedown cruising now?"
Dimitri looks up, nodding to Mackenzie. "Well maybe not luck. Poor planning on his part. Either way, it's good to have you here." He turns his head. "Yes, the deck is cleared. It's all yours, Horatio."
Horatio nods, and looks to Carroll. "Captain? Permission to take the conn?" His tail quivers a little as he says that.
Carroll looks at his brother and murrs, "Granted. The ship is yours."
Horatio nods, thinking to himself that he almost wished Carroll hadn't, but banishes that from his mind. He turns to the deck and calls out with unusual carry to his voice, "Sailing master, stand by to unfurl the mains'ls! Crew up top! Helm, come about starboard to due south!"
Carroll moves to one corner of the quarterdeck, quietly watching the crew work. Alex rubs Dimitri's back and shoulders strongly and slowly, watching Horatio with a small smile... she grins happily up at the huge sails as they rustle and flutter slowly down, then billow out with a small *crack* and fill with the brisk wind. She sighs happily and murmurs softly to Dimitri, "I love this part!"
There is a flurry of activity as the duty watch and the offwatch race to the sails. Skeee rouses and drops off her usual perch to sit on the quarterdeck railing. The ship heels over and comes around, racing before the wind under full sail as she turns, then slowing again as the new heading takes her across the wind again. Alex beams, leaning to hug Dimitri excitedly once, quickly around the neck from behind -- and then she goes back to working on the tight muscles of one massive forearm, her gaze still darting around, happily watching the lovely ship.
Horatio narrows his eyes slightly. She handled staying well enough, coming about with the wind abaft the beam, but how about wearing, when she comes about into the wind?
Dimitri's ears perk as the sails snap. His gaze might shift, but that's all the attention they receive. Instead he stays quiet, letting out a small breath. "For me it's the quiet after a boarding, knowing that those I've been watching over are safe. The rest, the rest is just making sure we only draw the sword at the last possible moment. But then, I'm just a marine, yes." His words are light, however, certainly not self-condemning. "And Mister Natasha was right. That and you should spend the first half of the practice with Mister Tina. Otherwise, you were good. You need to learn now to tangle with folks other than your brother."
Alex nods, "Okay!"
Horatio nods slowly, looking up at the rigging. "Helm, come about to southwest. Sailing master, we're going to be tacking into the wind with it from our starboard bow, and trying to wear across it. Warn the crew, please." Jared sets up the commands as Ferdinand brings the ship to the new heading. The ship slows a little more as she comes into the wind but is still making a good six knots as she reaches the limiting angle. Horatio lets the ship run the course for several minutes, keeping an eye on the sails for any luffing. He takes in a deep breath. "Helm, come about to starboard to northwest!" He unconsciously tightens his hands on the rail as he announces that.
The crew moves to change the sails, a little roughly since they are still unfamiliar with each other, but Jacko and Jared keep things together. The ship turns nicely and Ferdinand steadies the rudder at exactly the right moment. The sails snap full again and the ship steadies on her original course in less than two minutes. Dimitri sets one arm back, as the ship rocks back and forth across the tack. Not for him, but to steady his sister.
Horatio lets out a breath, and can't help but let out a cheer as the sails *snap* and take up the wind. Alex laughs delightedly and waves to Horatio as he cheers. Carroll smiles, watching the sails and crew. Jared nods back to Horatio. "Looks good. Nice thing about our crew of bad boys -- we seem to have a lot of folks who can think for themselves and do what's needed, eh?"
Horatio nods, beaming. "That we do, Mr. Jared. I was worried she'd luff and be caught in irons. We'll try some regular turning exercises, put the rigging through it's paces..."
Jared nods. "And some sail-setting drills, I'd recommend. Strike 'em all, then set them up again?"
Horatio nods, "A good idea. Let's try that! The modifications to the rigging should make it a little easier, but... uhm... no, I don't need to tell you to tell them to be careful. I apologize for even thinking it.
Jared chuckles. "Never tell 'em to be careful. Anyone too damn stupid to figure that one out deserves to fall on his head. Except it might break the main deck." The muskrat nods. "Shall we do a strike exercise now?"
Horatio nods, smiling, albeit a little grimly. "You're right, it's redundant. But they did the wearing exercise well. Yes, strike the sails, then wait a bit before we raise them again.
Alex grins happily down at Dimitri, her eyes sparkling, "Isn't she marvelous, Mitya?"
Dimitri tilts his head back and looks up to Alex. "Now we know where he fits in. Carroll says, we go there. Horatio is the one who gets us there."
Alex leans her chin on her crossed arms, on one of Dimitri's broad shoulders, and grins mischievously at him, "And you're the master of marines... so where do I fit in, hmm?"
Dimitri looks up and nods, "That's easy. Midshipman looking to be a lieutenant, being groomed for her own ship. That means you have to learn everything, from command to garrison duty to having a good knowledge of how to navigate and sail. Lots of thoughts to stuff in that li'l bratling head of yours, but you'll do fine."
Alex laughs! "Got a lot of the book-learning there already, thanks to Daddy letting me loose in the library but not on a deck!" She grins happily out at the ship, her eyes getting a slightly far away, dreamy look, and murmurs softly, "I'll get there... I'm on my way for real now!"
Dimitri smiles quietly, "No, Alex... we're on our way for real."
Alex tilts a curious ear at Dimitri... then suddenly brightens excitedly, "We? Really? So you'd be willing to be on a ship with me?" She thinks a bit, then adds more calmly, "Oh, wait... you mean us as a family, to find Daddy, right?"
Dimitri quietly shrugs his shoulders. "Someone has to watch over you."
Alex blinks... then beams happily at Dimitri, and gives him a quick, excited hug around the neck from behind again! She whispers quietly, "Don't worry... I'll watch your back too, promise!"
Dimitri chuckles softly, nodding just once. "Good. Else I'll beat you black and blue at the next practice, right?"
Alex sticks her tongue out at Dimitri, then grins delightedly at him, "Only if you can catch me!"
Jared blows his whistle, calling all of the watch sections out for the drill -- striking the sails is a MAJOR evolution -- but it goes without any major hitches, only a couple of little bobbles with the apprentices and one with the modifications requiring a slightly different procedure. Time elapsed -- 12 minutes and a half.
Carroll nods and murrs, "Looks good, gentlemen," from his corner out of harm's way.
Jared lets the crew stand down for five minutes, then starts the setting drill. This also goes well, though it takes a little longer and there's a moment of excitement when Apprentice Seaman Tina misses her grip and falls onto the shrouds. Fortunately, she manages to hold on.
Dimitri starts and is halfway off the stairs as the little mouse loses her grip, but sits back down when she is caught. Alex gasps and straightens when the mouse falls... then sighs in relief when Tina manages to hold on. Carroll watches the crew, missing the actual fall by looking elsewhere, but watching concernedly as soon as he sees it. He too, lets out a long-held breath when she seems to be all right. Horatio clenches his hands on the railing, not letting his breath out until Tina regains her grasp. He lets out that breath, and nods. "How does she handle, Mr. Jared?"
Alex murmurs softly to Dimitri, after he reseats himself, "That was an uncomfortably close one."
Dimitri nods, frowning a bit. "There will be more, Alex. And someone will fall. But the wild still blows and the seas still roll. You do your best."
The ship regains way as the sails go up, the bull at the helm nodding to Jared. "Handles fine."
Horatio nods. "Good! I think we've put her through her paces enough." He glances at his siblings and sighs. "Especially since I don't think we'll have much more time to practice before... before this becomes real."
Alex smiles at Horatio, "Don't treat it like it's not... make practice just like the real thing."
Carroll looks over and murrs to Horatio, but not hiding anything, "It is real, Horatio. We've begun. Don't forget it."
Horatio nods and lets out a breath, turning to Carroll. "She's ready, Captain. As ready as she can be."
Jared dismisses the off-watches, telling the sailors it was a decent job. Walking back to Horatio and Jared, Carroll murrs, "I hope we'll have time to do another set of drills." He pauses, shrugging and adding, "I can't promise it." He murrs to Horatio, "Set us back on course for the straits, Horatio. We need to make good time, now."
Horatio nods, and turns to the helm, almost forgetting that Carroll didn't ask to take the conn back. "Helm, come about starboard to northeast..." The quartermaster nods, spinning the spokes until the ship settles back onto its old heading. Jacko and the other duty sailors trim the sails accordingly, then go back to lookout duty. Carroll resumes his position out of harm's way.
Alex nods quietly to Dimitri, her chin resting on her crossed arms again on Dimitri's shoulder, and her gaze flicking around the deck, watching folks... she finally murmurs, "Perhaps, Mitya... but don't you still fight to keep them from falling, for as much as you can? You may know it will happen... but you don't welcome it?"
Dimitri softly growls, "That's right, Alex. But you forget. You and Horatio are the two idealists. Carroll and I too practical for our own good, yes?"
Alex chuckles softly, "Maybe... maybe we're just practical in our own ways, mm? And maybe you 'n Carroll are idealists in your own ways..." she tilts an ear towards Dimitri, and murmurs just for him, "Isn't it idealism that makes you wish I'd never have to kill anyone? Isn't it practicality on my part to know it's going to happen someday, probably... but I'll keep an up attitude 'til that time, and I'll probably try to keep it somewhat after that time too?"
Horatio nods, as the ship comes about, then as she makes for the northwest, he checks the chart, does a brief sun-line with the sextant, consults one of his books, then nods again. "Steady as she goes, helm..."
Alex smiles quietly, watching Horatio, "Look at him, Mitya... isn't what he does practical?"
"Navigation?" Dimitri blinks and follows Alex's gaze to Horatio. "That's not practical Alex. That's magic!." Alex giggles!
Carroll finds his way over to his brother and sister, commenting, "Only if you don't know how it works." He looks at Dimitri and asks, "But what are we going to do about their mage?"
Alex sighs happily, "I'm starting to learn it, Mitya!" She glances up at Carroll from her comfortable seat behind Dimitri on the stairs, "Um... whose mage, please? Also... do we have anyone that knows anything about how to use those spell components we have?"
"I'm presuming," explains Carroll, "-that the ship we avoided as we fled the strait has a mage. Otherwise, why that crate?"
Alex says, "Um... goods for sale? Or for some outpost in particular?"
Horatio walks over to the general area of his siblings, taking the role of watch officer very seriously as he scans the horizon as well, watching the sky and the sea and the wind carefully. Alex smiles over at Horatio but doesn't distract him with conversation.
Carroll murrs, "The rest of it certainly looked like supplies. Why not gold, rather than salable goods? I think they have a mage, and that they'll not be terribly happy with us."
Alex says, "Well... what if Pravin's pirates have a port, just like we're going to have? Surely it would be smarter to keep your mage there?"
Jared walks over to the conversation. "Leave your mage at home? Naval ships all have at least one on board, and most of your bigger merchantmen. Best artillery you can have at sea."
Alex frowns thoughtfully, "Hmm... sounds like we're going to need one then, yes, Captain? We need to find one that's unhappy with Mr. P, though, I think?"
Carroll nods, murring, "Yes. Also a way to find some more crew. Both could be tricky. I think those are the next things to think about after we get families out of Starfall." Listening to his sister, he adds, "That's the obvious choice, yes."
Alex says, "Okay... so families first, then more crew? Hmm... bosun, do you have any suggestions on finding more crew?"
Jared shrugs. "Might be we could hire some folks on if we went off a ways. The Empire wouldn't be much help, but some of the little places might have a few folks willing to come on with us, mercenaries and such."
Alex says, "Um... well, d'you know if there might be any more folks the P'd offended, on Andalin?"
Jared grins. "Oh, job lots. But it won't be easy to recruit there. We're basically giving up our homes on the hopes that we'll win. A lot easier for someone from Maidstone to sign on with us, they hate Starfall's guts anyway and they can always quit and go home if they want."
Alex nods, looking faintly surprised, "Ah... okay."
Carroll nods quietly. He murrs, "I think that's something to keep in the back of our heads to think about next. We have a few things to cope with first."
Alex nods, "The families of the crew first, right."
Dimitri nods, "That's our first task."
Alex glances curiously at her oldest brother, "Do you really have someone in mind who'll um... cause problems at a Pravin warehouse?"
Carroll shrugs and murrs, "Nothing specific yet."