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Post by Ladorak on May 30, 2011 19:01:07 GMT -5
((So this is for all the crew beasties who transferred to the Orion for the latter half of May/early June! This is the first of six major fleet engagements that take place during the French Revolutionary/Napoleonic Wars, so here it is!))
((Side note: I found out what a Norfolk accent sounds like at long last. Ladorak... certainly talks funny. XD Apparently, they don't like long Es, and say "beer" as "bear", and "dear" or "deer" as "dare". I find all of this rather amusing. XD))
((Side side note: Sort of a strange role for Ladorak but... it seems to fit XD))
Dawn was never quite as invigorating as it as for the crew of the Orion this morning. Indeed, for all of the fisher Admiral Lord Howe's fleet, it had an energy too it that seemed to be infectious, as infectious as the sunlight sparkles that played over the blue ocean and never seemed to end. Nearly four hundred miles out in the Atlantic, sailing west on parallel courses, two massive fleets sailed side by side, several miles apart. To the north was the 26 ship fleet of Admiral Villaret-Joyeuse, and to the south (where the wind was coming from, both fleets being on the larboard tack) was Howe's battle fleet of 25 vessels.
Never before had Caden Fugate seen so many masts blooming with sails. All around him, in front and behind, and off the starboard side of the ship, they rose like two forests that were gradually getting closer to each other.
Howe had put to sea at the start of May, hoping to intercept a massive inbound grain convoy heading for Rosferia. Over 100 ships sailed in this convoy, bringing valuable foodstuffs to a starving Rosferia. If the convoy got through, it was likely that Rosferia would be able to continue the war. And if not... then perhaps Rosferia would be forced to seek peace in order to obtain food for its hungry population. Of course, the Rosferian Grand Atlantic Fleet had no intention of Howe intercepting this convoy, and for the past several days had been leading the Welkinite fleet on a rather vigorous chase, trying to get them as far away as possible from the convoy's route.
The two fleets had sighted each other on the 28th of May, the Rosferians having the weather gage as they were in the south, the wind being from that direction at that time. The battle on that day was limited to mostly a night action, fought between a mammoth 110 gun ship, Revolutionnaire, and several 74s (though not the Orion) of the Welkinite fleet. Revolutionnaire was forced to return to Rosferia, and so was the Audacious for the Welkinite fleet, both ships having suffered damage too serious to warrant their continuing the fight.
The next day, the 29th, had seen yet more fighting, this time with Howe attempting to cut off the Rosferian rear division. The Rosferians had wore their fleet in time, and the two navies began sailing on parallel courses to the west. Howe intended to pass his fleet through the Rosferian line in order to gain the weather gage, but his leading ship, Caesar, had completely disobeyed orders, and instead of tacking, she wore, and threw the whole Welkinite line into confusion. The Orion had selected to wear as well, and cut through the Rosferian line right between the last two vessels, the 74 gun Tyrannicide and 80 gun Indomptable. Captain Duckworth, the commanding officer of the Orion, had then wore again, and chased after the 80 gunner, bringing her to action on her starboard side while the 98 gun three decked Barfleur engaged her on her larboard side.
The action was fierce, and sharp, the Orion losing three killed, and taking damage to her rigging and spars, but doing quite the good job of cutting up the Indomptable, and by the end of the engagement, the Rosferian 80 gunner was in no condition to stay with her fleet. Duckworth had been robbed of capturing her though, when the Rosferian fleet once again wore to protect its rear, and chased off the few Welkinite ships that had successfully attacked the Rosferian rear. Pulling back to regroup, Howe reformed his battle line, placing the 74 gun Orion behind the 74 gun Valiant, and ahead of the 98 gun Queen. They were now seventeenth in the line out of 25 ships.
Heavy fog over the next two days had prevented the two fleets from engaging each other, but now it was a clear sky, and clear sea. The first of June, 1794.
It was the Orion which the striplings had joined. They had been brought aboard her by a frigate, leaving from Personza as soon as Bastia had fallen. The frigate had learned through various squadrons cruising the Atlantic just where Howe's fleet was, and had caught up with them a few days before the action commenced. Caden had gone, as had Selvis and Carrow, and there was also one other, one considerably older than the younger striplings (though the list need not be solely limited to just them).
Caden was serving as a Midshipjack in training, or the lowest ranked Midshipjack on the ship. Captain Duckworth had been told to keep his eye on him, and ensure he gained some good battlefield experience.
The young Midshipjack was present with Captain Duckworth on the quarterdeck, close to the ship's wheel, learning the art of navigation from the Lieutenants, and learning how to take readings and give commands. This was his first active assignment after all, and it wasn't even on his "home" ship. He had to keep a log of everything that went on, and once a day, at noon, the Captain would check the log for accuracy and information present.
One of the things that the young marten was learning to do was to read flag signals from Admiral Howe's massive 100 gun flagship, the Queen Charlotte. Upon lowering his spyglass, the albino turned to Captain Duckworth (who was not in fact, a duck, but rather a sable), and spoke. "Captain Duckworth, sir. Message from Queen Charlotte. Crews are to have breakfast before combat, as there should be time."
The sable nodded, and turned to the Midshipjack. "Make it so. Tell the Boatswain to pipe the crew to breakfast then."
Caden passed on the word, and headed out to meet his companions. He could see them, as all of them were up on the main deck, most likely watching the enemy fleet after having holystoned the deck. It was just after 8 AM now, the usual time for breakfast aboard a warship.
Caden could see an older stoat standing with them as well, dressed in plain slops, and looking for all the world like the rest of the crew. The golden pince nez spectacles and white splotch of fur on his head gave him away as Captain Ladorak Fugate, who was of course traveling in disguise.
The stoat had found himself unable to resist the urge to tag along on this expedition, both to witness and partake in the upcoming combat, but also to keep on eye on the younger ones as well, and see how they did. They knew who he was, though Ladorak was of course trying to keep his identity a secret from Duckworth, who knew his face well.
"Well! We can all go eat!" Caden said as he walked up to them. "How's everything been so far?" he asked, hooking his claws in his pockets. "Everyone holding up OK?"
"Ah, very good, sir!" Ladorak stated, throwing the young Midshipjack a salute, his eyes sparkling playfully. "Why don't I take your orders, and act as mess cook for today?" the Captain turned seajack suggested. "I haven't done this in at least fifteen years after all! Feels... odd yet strangely good to be amongst the regular crew for a few weeks. So what would everyone like?" he asked, not looking directly at Caden as he knew that the Midshipjacks dined in the cockpit, on the orlop deck, where they also slept as well.
Breakfast usually consisted of the options of coffee, bread, oatmeal, cheese, crackers, and sometimes, a fruit of some kind (provided supplies were in stock). Breakfast was always the lightest meal, with dinner and supper being the real meals on board ship, and the striplings could take their pick of any of the above.
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Post by Carrow on May 31, 2011 16:23:40 GMT -5
As soon as they had shipped out, Selvis Frenata had spotted a certain mouse companion of his looking more tense and anxious than he had been in quite some time. He hadn't been expecting to leave as soon as Bastia fell, but that was exactly what happened. However, it didn't come as anywhere near as large a shock to his system as it did to his rodent friend's. Cerinus Apodemus was almost completely overwhelmed by the speed at which things happened. He had made an effort not to show it, but the signs had been there for all to see. Despite being about as talkative as ever, the mouse had hardly touched his food at dinner, something that had been most unlike him for a number of months.
Everything was pointing towards the mouse not being able to rest that particular night, and this was something Selvis had promised himself he would absolutely not allow to happen. Carrow had after all settled into a new routine, and Selvis had to keep it going no matter what it took. Had he been able to pick up something to help his friend sleep on nights like this, he would have - but then again, that was a moot point as he was broke anyway. So he'd had to rack his brains for a short while after dinner, desperate to make sure that Carrow wasn't jolted from his routine, especially not on a night as important as the first one on a new ship. However, he hadn't needed to think for long, because a plan struck him out of the blue.
For it to work, the weasel had needed quite a stroke of luck, and thankfully for both creatures, it just so happened that they were able to set up their hammocks side-by-side that night. Carrow had changed into his white-and-blue-striped pyjamas and clambered into his hammock, gazing into the middle distance and looking quite pensive. Selvis had seen the slightly dazed look on his friend's face and known he had to step in. He came around to stand on the mouse's right-paw side, speaking softly to him. "Hello, Carrow... look, I know you haven't been feeling the best today, what with how fast everything's happened. I didn't think we might have had to leave as quickly as we did either. How are you holding up?," he enquired kindly.
Carrow shook his head timidly, almost seeming to shrink into his pyjamas. "N-no-not very w-well, I-I'm afraid...," he stammered nervously. "I've really been trying to keep myself together as we've come closer to leaving, but well, now that we've actually left, I'm kind of struggling... well, no, I am struggling," he admitted sadly, whiskers drooping a little. "I honestly don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight." No sooner had he said this than Selvis's eyes gleamed gently. Carrow looked at him, nonplussed. "You'd been expecting that, hadn't you..."
Selvis smiled, nodding. "Indeed, I had... I know how you don't deal well with things like this, Carrow.. which is why I planned ahead this time. You're fond of lullabies, right?" Carrow, slightly surprised, nodded a little. Selvis gently tipped the mouse's hammock, setting it to rocking. "Mind if I try something out?" Carrow's eyebrows rose curiously, which the weasel took as his signal to continue speaking. "Lullabies can be very soothing, as I'm sure you know... reassuring and comforting, too... I know you need a sense of comfort at a time like this, Carrow, so here, let me help you. I want you to concentrate on the sound of my voice now," he instructed, watching the hammock sway.
After a few seconds, he was sure he'd gotten the timing right. He began singing softly, his voice low and gentle as he recalled a lullaby that had been taught to him by his mother. Carrow was of course unaware of this; nor was he aware of the fact that Selvis had made a few changes to the words. He could definitely concentrate on his friend's voice, though, so let himself relax. His eyes began drooping steadily as the longtail sang to him:
Hush-a-bye, little one, close those eyes, sleep until the dawn Let your thoughts turn to rest now the day's come and gone Nothing can harm you whilst we're here; rest peacefully, free from all fear New morning will come crystal-clear, 'til then you can sleep on Rest for me, my little mouse, hear slumber's gentle call And drift away to dreamland as your eyelids... slowly... fall
If Carrow had closed his eyes then, he could almost have imagined himself back in his cot in his small house in Poppyville, with Archie singing him to sleep as she had been known to do. Selvis's gentle voice was about four octaves lower than what he was used to, but the effects of the deep, soothing baritone meant that Carrow's eyes had closed, just as Selvis had suggested, by the time the weasel had finished the verse. He drifted off to sleep, the peaceful rocking of the hammock ensuring that he was sound asleep within moments.
Selvis smiled broadly at the sight of his friend lying there, out for the count. He'd never really rated himself as much of a singer, so was slightly surprised to find his voice had carried so well, and even more so to find it had had such an effect on Carrow. He'd expected that he would have needed to go through the second verse before stopping. Then again, he thought, he's quite susceptible to them anyway. He's told me himself. Tucking the blanket beneath the slumbering mouse's chin, he was unable to resist gently stroking Carrow's forehead to give him one final push. "Goodnight, mate...," he whispered, before getting into his own hammock, removing only his shirt; the feeling of the wind upon his fur usually helped him rest. Sleep claimed him just as quickly as it had Carrow.
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It was now almost two weeks later. Selvis had been hoping that his timely (and unexpected) intervention would have an effect, as he had been sure that if Carrow lost his usual routine, his composure would surely follow. At times like that, the rodent couldn't hide the fact that he was on edge, and the longtail had wished that his assistance would help him to settle in without much difficulty. His wishes had come true. After that first night, Carrow had never again felt so anxious or nervous that he couldn't sleep. In fact, the field mouse had settled in very well indeed, and was quickly becoming reaccustomed to the routine of ship life after spending six straight weeks on land.
Admittedly, he had been wondering how on earth he was going to regain his sea legs after such a prolonged stretch of time on land; after all, not one creature who had taken part in the siege had been expecting it to drag on for six weeks. He'd been slightly worried about it, to tell the truth, but soon found out that he never should have bothered panicking about it in the first place. He had settled back into his normal sleeping routine, only now there was one crucial difference: when Carrow closed his eyes, he fell asleep, and what's more he actually stayed asleep (with a minimum of tossing and turning) until he was roused.
This was why, on this particular morning, when the mouse was woken at 4am, he felt fresh as a daisy. This was not something that was usually associated with him that early in the day, but six straight weeks of eight hours' sleep every night had worked wonders for him. He was cheerful and optimistic, even despite the fact he knew he'd be in combat sooner rather than later. He'd spent the morning sticking close by Selvis, grateful for the company of even one of his friends at this early hour. Since Caden had been promoted to Midshipjack, he'd been spending only as much time with his companions as he was able to, but Carrow didn't mind that in the slightest, as Caden didn't at all seem like the sort of creature to neglect his friendships.
Selvis had noticed a slight change in Carrow's physical abilities while they had been besieging Bastia, and it had become even more pronounced once he'd settled in on the ship, so much so that the weasel was sure that the mouse, who was still, by his own admission, the weakest out of the group he called his friends, was much more able to pawdle work like holystoning the decks. As it happened, the mouse had drawn the shortest straw, so to speak, for most of the mornings they'd spent on deck, being given a 'Bible' more often than a 'prayer book', but this bothered him much less than it used to. He stood with his weasel companion, taking in the sight of the enemy fleet whilst being unable to hide a smile at the amusing sight of their usual Captain in plain slops.
The sound of a familiar voice made the pair turn around, and their eyes lit up as they saw Caden walk up to them. Carrow smiled, throwing a salute; he was actually about to say something when his stomach cut in, rumbling quietly. He patted it, chuckling. "Oh dear! I don't think your arrival could have been better timed, sir! I'm absolutely starvished!," he exclaimed, using a word he had picked up in his youth, a cross between 'starving' and 'famished'. He had struck a balance between adressing Caden formally and still treating him like he would any friend who was around his age. "Asides from that, I'd say I'm doing alright. Selvis told me that the first night would be the worst for having trouble sleeping, and now that we're well past that, it hasn't been bothering me." His long tail playfully rubbed the fur on the back of Selvis's legs, and he giggled a bit at the sensation, knowing full well what Carrow meant by the gesture.
The weasel was next to speak, his eyes sparkling as he saluted the pine marten. "Nor me, sir. We're both settling in just fine, and even though it looks like we might be in for some combat today, I'm not worried about it. I'm looking forward to it now, and besides, we're here for one reason and one reason only so there's no point in not just accepting it and pawdling it as well as possible. Having a Midshipjack around who's doing as good a job as you are generally helps as well," he told the marten, smiling warmly at him. It really did seem as though Caden was perfectly suited to the role he'd taken on.
Ladorak spoke up, and Selvis transferred his warm smile to the rust-furred stoat. "It feels good, you say? The feeling is definitely mutual, Jal Fugate," he said, remembering to remain formal even though his fellow mustelid was without his title for the moment, "it's nice to have you here among us. As if we needed any further proof that you're good company, you seem to be pawdling this 'regular seajack' thing as well as you do captaining the Agamemnon!" His ears twitched a bit as the stoat put forward his offer. "That's quite a good idea, actually! I'll have... hmm... let's see... coffee and oatmeal, and probably some sort of fruit if we have any going, please. How about you, Carrow?," he asked his mouse companion.
The rodent was the sort of creature who knew what he liked and usually chose to stick to it, so he ordered the same combination as he had been doing since the first morning aboard the Orion. "Er, I'd like bread and cheese, some crackers and some fruit - again, on the condition that we have any left. That'd be excellent, Jal Fugate, if you'd be so kind," he requested politely. It still felt a tad strange to be addressing the Captain of the HMS Agamemnon as a member of the regular crew, but Carrow found he quite enjoyed it. He loved the fact he got more time to speak to the stoat in this situation. He was a great listener and offered sound advice - he could certainly see where Caden got it from.
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Post by Ladorak on Jun 1, 2011 21:44:25 GMT -5
"There should be some left, as this ship hasn't been at sea quite a month yet, so we'll still have some dried fruit going. Dried mind you, but I find I really don't see a problem with all that candied taste it has going on." the stoat explained, licking his lips a little. He was quite getting into the regular seajack "act", and was fondly enjoying himself.
"We'll have to see what's on the menu. Basically it's going to be salted, dehydrated or bottled at this rate, but I'm sure you're all used to it by now." They wouldn't get "fresh" goods until they made port, and as the ship had been at sea almost a month, they were starting to run into the preserved stuff now. It was a still a good deal healthier than many ate on land, however.
"So I'll head down to the Purser, get your orders taken care of, and be joining you for breakfast. Caden, as we all know, must dine in the cockpit, but we'll be seeing him right after, I'm sure of that. Oh... sorry... the good sir here, has to dine in the cockpit." He said, catching himself and smiling.
Caden smiled back, and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. It's good that you're in my subdivision, you two. We see each other a lot more that way, as I get to supervise and oversee a lot of your work." He was happy that he still got to spend time with his friends, and watch over them in a way. Of course, he could see that perhaps because of his absence when he had to work near the wheel and present his log to the Captain (as he was just beginning to learn the ways of navigation), Selvis and Carrow had certainly grown a lot closer.
There was something going on, and no matter what Carrow said, Caden could see that the mouse was far closer to the weasel than he'd ever been these past few weeks, and it did make the Midshipjack feel as if he'd been guilty of neglecting his friendship in some way. It was to be expected though. Selvis was more like a brother to Carrow, and Caden was just... Caden. The Midshipjack who oversaw their subdivision.
His face fell a little, but he kept it as steady as he could. "Right, how about I head down to your mess table with you, and see you set up? Just for old time's sake?" the albino asked, as Ladorak departed, heading for the companionway down below, so he could drop down the three flights to the orlop deck and get the food situated.
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Post by Carrow on Jun 2, 2011 8:02:34 GMT -5
Selvis smiled at Ladorak again. "Nor do I, sir. In fact, fruit of any kind is nice to have, in my opinion. I must admit I have a small bit of a soft spot for the dried variety, though, for the exact reason you mentioned," he told the stoat 'seajack', his eyes twinkling a little. Well, that was one thing the longtail had in common with him." Ladorak had a little more to say, and despite the fact that the options left to them weren't exactly the weasel's favourite, neither did he have much of a problem with them. Beggars couldn't be choosers after all, and after four hours work, he was starving.
"That's quite alright. It's all edible, at the very least, so I don't have an issue with any of it. We'll see you soon then, Jal Fugate," he said gently, smiling again as he thought of their Captain sitting at a table with regular seajacks. it remained an amusing image, even though that practice had been going on for the best part of two weeks. The stoat's mention of Caden having to dine in the cockpit stung Selvis a little, though - he had to admit that things just weren't the same now he and Carrow were unable to do something so simple as eat with their good friend.
He responded to the marten Midshipjack with a small smile of his own. He was grateful he even got to see Caden full stop, and knew Carrow must be in the same position. "Indeed, you do, and I must say that you're doing a rather good job of it. How are you settling into this new job of yours anyway, sir?," he asked. Caden hadn't really had much time to talk to them about this over the previous few weeks; Selvis was desperately hoping they could use this time to catch up, because he missed having Caden around.
The sense of loss he felt was nothing compared to Carrow's, though. He was unable to hide the fact that he was having real difficulty with getting used to the fact Caden wouldn't be with him the whole time anymore. He was also missing Elle, so this just made things worse. It was no wonder he'd grown closer to Selvis, because the weasel was really the only creature his age that he knew aboard the Orion that could stay with him whenever possible. Sometimes he felt lonelier than he had been in a long time, and even Selvis could see that without one of his friends around on a regular basis, and the other thousands of miles away, the mouse was suffering.
The longtail caught Caden's momentarily upset expression, and immediately alarm bells started to ring in his head as he wondered what it meant... hoping it didn't mean something in particular. Carrow caught it too, but pretended he hadn't. It was better that way. He'd become more fond of Selvis, sure, but that didn't mean he'd drifted away from Caden at all. He was as fond of him as he'd ever been. Nothing about what the field mouse thought of the albino pine marten had changed. He just... missed him terribly. So much so that he had trouble keeping a stiff upper lip when Caden suggested that he accompany them down to their mess table 'just like old times'. It hadn't even been two weeks...
As upset as he was about the whole situation, the fact that Caden was spending time with him now helped to cheer the rodent up. He smiled. "Of course. We'd both like that. You're as good company for us as you ever were... y'know, even if we don't get to see you as much," he added, voice softening a little. The mouse and weasel caught up with Caden as he started off towards the companionway, with Carrow wanting to change the subject, for his sake more than anything else. Talking about those new arrangements depressed him, after all. "Selvis speaks for both of us, though - you should tell us as much about your new position as you possibly can!," he exclaimed, eagerness written all over his features... sunshine and showers existing within him at the same time. Caden was moving up in the world; Carrow doubted he'd ever do that. He was far from jealous, but his self-confidence had taken another few knocks recently.
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Post by Ladorak on Jun 3, 2011 14:36:42 GMT -5
While Caden may been spending some of his leisure time studying, he still made time for his friends, and if anything, he was probably working more closely with them now than he had been before. There was no guarantee that any of them would be working the same job in the past, but now, he directly supervised most of their work.
The only things he wasn't directly around for was scrubbing the deck in the morning (though he still helped distribute the holystones), meal times (as he ate and slept in the cockpit now), noon (when he had to record the ship's position and present his logbook to the Captain), and when they slept (but he hadn't slept in the gun deck anyway, as he'd been in the gun room before this). He was also absent for gun drill, as he no longer worked a cannon in combat, but would help to direct gun fire and command a battery during actual fighting. The other exception would be rigging work, as officers did not go aloft.
The cockpit, his new home on the ship, was down on the orlop deck, and was smelly and lacked ventilation, but on the bright side it was private, and there were no cannon cluttering the space, making the cockpit a far more roomy place on the ship than the oft times cramped gun decks.
It was a bit of a trade off in retrospect. Caden honestly felt as if he was spending more time with this friends now, because he was their direct supervisor, but perhaps the times he was away were adding up. He couldn't be sure.
He wanted to find out, but of course, they were both asking him about his new job. He had caught the look on Selvis's face after he had passed the distress on his own features, and wondered if they simply weren't trying to distract him because they suspected he knew what was going on. Perhaps his presence here was not such a good idea after all...
They started down the stairs, Caden ducking as he reached the upper gun deck. "Well I'm not sure I fully agree with that." he stated, his tone a bit more flat now that it had been. "If anything, I think we might see each other more, or if not, then just about the same as before. No more gun drill and eating together, and I admit I've only spent about half my leisure time with you two, but now we're working together more closely than we've ever been. I get to actually oversee all of your efforts, and direct you in our daily tasks. I mean surely it can't be that bad, can it?" he asked, having rounded the first staircase and starting down the next one.
He only hoped he hadn't been too much of an overbearing superior officer. He always tried to make their work fun, whatever the task was. He saw them more like a team on the ship being part of the bigger crew. But maybe they secretly resented that he was now their leader. He really couldn't say, as he hadn't asked them about any of it.
"As for how it's going well, you've been with me so far. For the parts I'm not around, I can say that Captain Duckworth is really teaching me what to include and what not to include when I write in my logbook, though he says I have good attention to detail. As for the rest of it, I've been meaning to ask you about how I've been doing leading the subdivision. It's really new for me, as I haven't commanded like this before, but how have you guys been finding it? Do you... like working under me? Can I improve in any way? I try to make it more like an activity than work, and keep it fun." they were walking forward now, heading for the galley, the tables lining each side of the lower gun deck flanking them and already being set up for the morning meals.
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Post by Carrow on Jun 4, 2011 5:31:47 GMT -5
Selvis had the horrible feeling that Caden thought he was still in competition with him for Carrow's friendship. The weasel was inwardly despairing over this. Why couldn't the pine marten just accept that there was no point thinking this way? He'd been told a similar thing in Florence, and the mustelid wasn't entirely sure if it had ever really changed. If Carrow had ever been told about this, Selvis knew, he would have cried his eyes out.
Carrow didn't think Selvis was a better friend to him than Caden was, and vice-versa. He loved them both just as much, and indeed would have been devastated if he'd found out about all this. When it came down to it though, the mouse had a special attachment to Caden because the pine marten had helped him, more than anybeast else, to start coming out of his shell in the first few months they had been together - those which had been the most important of all.
He'd never forgotten that; of course, if he tried explaining this to the marten, he wasn't sure how it'd be received. Caden was still bashful and reluctant to accept he'd ever helped anybeast, much less in the way he'd assisted Carrow. This was the most depressing thing of all for the mouse: that his best friend remained unable to realise that he was the rodent's best friend.
He had no idea how Selvis felt, though - how the weasel didn't want to compete with Caden because he felt it wasn't worth it. They both knew they did their best for Carrow, it was just that one of them was far more reluctant to admit it than the other. Selvis thrived on helping others. It was his lifeblood, and it had given him a reason to not let his post-Florence depression overwhelm him entirely.
Now, though, as he had a few times before, the longtail wondered whether it had been a good idea for him ever to have joined up. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was just getting in the way of their friendship. Despite all this, he wasn't planning on letting self-doubt sweep his cheerful mood away. "You're right, it's not - we're still getting used to you not being there as much in leisure time, and not being able to eat with us. That's all, really.
"You did that every day for a year after all, so it's still a tad difficult. Don't worry, though," he assured his friend, finding he needed to duck a little as well as they reached the upper gun deck. Carrow, of course, had no such trouble. "We miss that sometimes, but then you're supervising us a lot, so it mostly balances out."
His mouse friend spoke up when Caden asked what they thought of him as their superior officer, his insides twisting in knots when he caught the pine marten's slight hesitation as he asked them if they liked working under him. Did he doubt himself that much? Carrow, again, definitely couldn't talk in this respect, but even he could see this as entirely unnecessary.
"You're settling into your new job better than any of us could have expected," he told the albino marten. "You're really impressive, I think - I'd much rather work under you than most other staff I can think of. In a way, it's like working under Ladorak, as I can see more than just a bit of him in you. He's really rubbed off on you, it seems. I really enjoy working under you, because it's obvious you care about us and making things worth our while. It's like I've said before: I've always seen you as the leader of our group, and well, now we have concrete proof!"
The mouse chuckled, gently patting his friend's paw. He could also see a little anxiety in Caden. Maybe this induction wouldn't quite be just for fun after all. Selvis thought that Carrow had mainly hit the nail on the head, but the longtail wanted to throw in his tuppence as well. "Yes, indeed we do. I'm amazed how quickly you've taken to this new role of yours. We're both proud of you. I'm not sure there's anything you could improve on, at least not from what I can see." Carrow nodded at this, smiling warmly at Caden, who he saw as extremely well-suited to the job. "If you do, well, that's your call, but I'd say, for what it's worth, you haven't put a footpaw wrong thus far."
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Post by Ladorak on Jun 4, 2011 10:54:11 GMT -5
"Why... thank you. The both of you." he said, feeling a bit relieved at this. It seemed his inner fears were probably not well grounded. He mostly couldn't help it though, as it was his nature. He'd grown up so distrusting and feeling as if the world was against him. It had taken a year to gradually open up to Ladorak, and even then some of his older habits were harder to break.
He really did want to just be OK with Selvis, however. Selvis was a good friend to him, and he knew it wasn't really a competition. Caden had been taught to view life as competitions by his caretaker though, and Helandria had not been the best of influences on him. Life was not a contest. They were on the eve of battle, and he needed to get his mind right and start focusing.
"It really makes me feel at ease to hear you guys say that, and I'm going to ask Captain Duckworth if I can command the battery that you'll be working in during the battle. This way, I can learn the commands that the Lieutenants give out, and still be close by you. Ladorak too, as he said he has every intention of working the gun you're on." He said, chuckling as he thought of it. It was so strange how he was willing to just let loose and have fun like this, but appropriate as well. Watching over them from afar, so to speak.
Speaking of Ladorak, he was already sitting down at their table, having gotten the food and taken it up from the Purser's storeroom on the orlop deck to the lower gun deck. The four square plates were already set out, as were the wooden utensils. "Turns out we had some dried pears still left over." the stoat said, smiling at the approaching group. "It's better than nothing. Cheese is still pretty fresh, and the coffee's being brewed as we speak." he pointed over in the direction of the galley, where the Cook was hard at work. As they ate on the starboard side, and all the gun ports were open, they could easily see the Rosferian fleet off their starboard beam. The Welkinite fleet was lying to, so it wasn't moving at the moment, but it soon would be, and heading straight for the Rosferians.
"Well... I guess I should head down to the cockpit to take my own breakfast, then. Did you guys want to tell me anything else?" Caden asked, clasping his paws behind his back as he stood over their table. "I'll see you again before the action starts... we've been cleared for action for the past five days now, so it's been a lot of work, constantly being on and off our action stations. Enjoy your meals, and I'll see you in about a half hour." he said, waiting to see if they had any last bits to add before he headed below to eat.
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Post by Carrow on Jun 4, 2011 16:30:56 GMT -5
Selvis waved a paw in a playfully dismissive manner. "Anytime, Caden. Don't you dare think, even for a second, that we're anything less than one hundred percent behind you in all this. You might be our superior officer now, but it makes no difference. The fact that you're such a good friend to us makes working under you all the easier and more enjoyable," he said softly, smiling. If it had been Spender who was in this position, things would have been noticeably more strained. Selvis thought of the ferret in an officer position and stifled a smirk. It was hard to imagine him, well, going anywhere on the ship when he didn't seem to care about the work.
Carrow was quick to back up his longtail companion. "Things like this just need getting used to, is all. Must admit I'm rather proud to see how well - not to mention how quickly! - you've settled into the role of Midshipjack. Onwards and upwards, mate!," he exclaimed, eyes sparkling. Caden had after all made a promise to shoot for Lieutentant, and Carrow was quite certain he would reach it sooner rather than later if he kept up his good work. There was no point focusing on his own doubts when he could instead celebrate the achievements of his friends. The mouse was ready to take whatever he could get, in all honesty.
There was once again little purpose in thinking about that far in the future, when the immediate present was much more important - even more so because the rodent knew he'd soon be taking part in another battle. "We're glad we can be helpful like that. If you ever want to ask us anything, please feel free," he offered, eyes lighting up a little as the pine marten put forward his suggestion. "That's a great idea, Caden! Hopefully he'll let you watch over us - oh, and Ladorak too, of course. Funny how things change, isn't it?" The field mouse smiled broadly as the image of Caden watching over the creature he thought of as his father popped into his mind. Ladorak was settling in well too, now he thought about it.
That same stoat could be seen sitting at their table. Upon spotting him, Selvis and Carrow quickened their pace a little, eager to catch up to him and see what the situation was with breakfast. The results were better than they had been expecting. Carrow licked his lips slightly at the mention of the cheese (more importantly, how fresh it still was), and wondered how the dried pear would go down. It would certainly provide him with a bit of sugar, though; even though the mouse was wide awake, he still needed the energy boost, as there had been times during the previous few weeks he had momentarily crashed during the day. He was dreading such an occurrence today, of all days.
"You're too right it's better than nothing, Jal Fugate!," Selvis exclaimed, smiling. Here was a weasel who was particularly fond of pears. They were one of his favourite fruits, in fact. "Generally, creatures as hungry as us won't complain - but I must say, having pears left is quite fortunate, as I really enjoy them." Selvis wasn't in need of sugar as much as his mouse friend, of course being less prone to feeling run down than the rodent. It would certainly help him be on top of his game, however, and that was pretty much all the longtail needed. He reached his seat, studying the Rosferian fleet.
He was impressed by the sight, but nowhere near as much as Carrow, who regarded it with wide-eyed fascination. He had to tear his gaze from it as Caden addressed him and Selvis once more. He smiled. "Actually, there was one thing. I'd just like to tell you that even though I haven't been practicing *on* anybeast since we left Bastia, I've been keeping up with some self-hypnosis every now and then. So I'm not rusty at all. Whenever we go ahead with the induction, you'll hopefully be put under by a mouse who's on top form!" He chuckled, winking at his friend before taking a seat. Selvis smiled. He'd have to ask Carrow for an induction one of these days, now he thought about it.
The longtail spoke as he took his seat, still smiling, tail curling and uncurling from around his legs in a busy manner. He looked like a creature pondering things... but these were all of a more personal nature and weren't related to the upcoming battle. He was cool, calm and composed - his mind filling up with thoughts of home. "I don't think I have anything else to say, Caden, that is except to wish you the best of luck with Captain Duckworth. It'd be great to see you in such a position - you have the knowledge, of course, and I reckon you'll do a sterling job. Let us know how things go, mate... er, sir," he correcting himself, winking at the marten. "See you soon, then!"
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Post by Ladorak on Jun 5, 2011 20:08:59 GMT -5
"Righto, well I'll see you guys soon." Caden said, nodding and taking off for the stairs that led down below.
Ladorak was studying the Rosferian fleet, and picking out their opponent in the line. A nice 74, like them. Would be an even contest, but he was willing to bet that the Rosferians fired slower than they did, so the Orion would have the upper paw. "Well lads... not having Caden around for mess will probably be something from now on, but rest assured, the cockpit is a good place to eat." he told them. "Plus, you still have leisure time together, as he doesn't have to constantly work. He won't be serving as officer of the watch for a long time, as he's still the most junior of the Midshipjacks."
He could see the coffee being served now, and he gave the two of them a smile. "Be right back." he said, getting up with the cups and walking over to the galley. "Two cups please. Fill 'em up." he requested, and the cook dished out the hot coffee with a ladle. No alcohol for breakfast of course. That was reserved for dinner and supper.
Taking the steaming wooden cups back to his table, the stoat sat down and set one of the mugs in front of Selvis, and the other in front of himself. He dug into his oatmeal with his spoon, and began stirring it. "Breakfast... is served." he stated, giving the two of them a smile. He set in, eating his oatmeal and spreading his cheese out onto his bread. He also had a few slices of dessicated pear, for good measure. "Been awhile since I've eaten food like this." he joked, biting off some bread.
"Looks like we'll be matched up with a 74. Same amount of firepower, but I doubt the opposing crew is as well trained. Rosferians try and shoot for the rigging and masts... leaving the hull relatively untouched. We prefer to go for the hulls. Smash them up completely and devastate their gun decks. Fortunately, I doubt you'll see much of that from them. Any of you ever been aboard a three decker? Heheh, quite the spacious type of vessel, and those Rosferians certainly know how to make them big. The Ferlusanians too. Ours are a bit more spartan, a bit more warlike. Theirs are designed for war as well as comfort. I'll have to take you aboard Victory or Welkania once we get back to the Cobalt. Show you what a first rate is like." the stoat was certainly in the talkative mood this morning. He yawned a little, still getting used to this early schedule.
"How did you find the combat of three days ago? With that 80 gunner. We only lost three killed... or so I heard. Poor bloody wretches... they had us on their starboard side and the 98 gun Barfleur to larboard. We really hammered them good. I don't even see that ship anymore in the fleet... though it looks like several new ones replaced her. I take that as a good sign. Would've had her I think, had not the entire Rosferian fleet been bearing down on us, and Captain Duckworth had to pull out."
He chuckled now, shaking his head as he looked down at his food. "Well I rather talk a lot. How about you two?" he asked, biting into his bread and cheese again. "Go ahead and spill your guts. Anything you want at all. Put your minds at ease, loosen your tongues, and just talk." He said, waving his paws at them in a serene manner. "Let the words flow." He leaned against the hull, looking from one to the other from behind his spectacles, the good natured smile still upon his features.
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Post by Carrow on Jun 7, 2011 7:39:02 GMT -5
Carrow nodded, smiling a little. "Yes, Jal Fugate, we'll still have that, even if we still have to get used to this new arrangement a bit. I'm finding it a tad difficult to adjust, I have to admit. It's like, you get into a routine and then that routine is disrupted. It'll be alright though, and sooner rather than later, I expect. I just..." He sighed. "I just wish I knew more creatures here. It's strange only knowing three crewbeasts on the entire ship."
Selvis could certainly see where his mouse companion was coming from. Out here, in foreign waters, you really had to rely on what, or indeed who, you knew. At the same time, though, he couldn't help but wonder if the rodent's usual bashfulness was stopping him from putting himself out there a little, so to speak. Selvis smiled when Ladorak got up to fetch the coffee. "Alright, sir; see you in a moment."
Neither mouse nor weasel had touched their food. Selvis was waiting for his coffee to be served before he started to tuck in, but as Carrow hadn't ordered a beverage to go with his breakfast, he had no excuse. The longtail wondered if something was bothering the field mouse, and patted his shoulder gently, whispering in his ear: "Everything alright, mate? You're not too nervous to eat, are you?"
Carrow shook his head resolutely. "No, I'm not. I haven't been thinking about the upcoming battle all that much, just now. I've had my mind on... other things," he murmured softly. "They've been a tad distracting, so that's why I haven't eaten." He immediately set about rectifying this, beginning to make inroads on his bread. The 'other things' the mouse had been thinking of were ones he had not done yet and needed to find a way to go through with. Maybe when we're on our way back to the Agamemnon, he thought, maybe then I'll find the courage for them.
Selvis nodded in an understanding manner. "Alright. Well, if you want to open up about it, Caden and I will be here for you. Ladorak will be too, of course. In fact, here he is now," he said gently, eyes brightening as he saw the stoat 'seajack' returning with two mugs of coffee. "Thank'ee, sir," he said appreciatively, immediately taking a sip from his. "Ah, it's not too hot. Good! Wouldn't want to accidentally burn my tongue or anything like that. I like being able to talk when given the chance." So too did Ladorak, in fact, and the longtail listened to his fellow mustelid speak for a bit. He started working on his oatmeal. This, too, was perfect for him. "We've been quite well trained, yes. That might give us the extra edge we need today. Well, that and the fact Caden will hopefully be overseeing us two. We're... well, not planning to make a conscious effort to impress him or anything, but his presence would certainly give us a boost."
Ladorak's yawning was contagious, and Carrow caught it, following suit seconds later, eyes drooping a tad. Selvis patted him on the back, something which gave him a much-needed jolt. "Wakey, wakey! My, this is one tired mouse we're looking at, right, Jal Fugate?," he enquired mischievously, winking at the stoat. He passed his coffee to the field mouse. "Here! Have some of this, might help perk you up." The weasel resumed listening to Ladorak as Carrow sipped at the strong coffee. It was something he'd never properly developed a taste for, but it certainly warmed him up.
After taking a few grateful sips, he passed it back to Selvis, who was responding to the stoat's query. "It was certainly different to what we're used to... well, I say used to, more like, what we had experienced before." He frowned a little at Ladorak's report. Even though only three had perished, it was still significant, at least to him.
Carrow shook his head at the stoat's admission that he talked a lot. "Well, that's not a problem. You talk when you have something to say; you're not the type who loves the sound of his own voice and will just talk for the sake of it!," he exclaimed. "Put my mind at ease, eh. I could do with that. Last time this happened, I was terrified. Back in October, I mean. At least there's been prior warning of about two weeks this time. A question of when and not if... not the other way around, thankfully. It's the uncertainty I can't bear. I like working on the guns though. A lot more than I used to. I think having Caden overseeing things will help me now. Y'know... I see a lot more of him in you than he realises."
He took another bite of his bread and cheese. The mouse had chosen to sensibly save some of the latter for the crackers. Selvis remembered how panic-stricken Carrow had been when he'd begun training the previous July and smiled a bit. "I'm glad you feel better about it. You really didn't seem very confident back then, did you?" The mouse shook his head again - thankfully, things had changed, albeit only a little. "I've been looking forward to this a bit. How do you feel about it, Ladorak?," he asked, in between mouthfuls of oatmeal. "You've obviously been doing this longer than we have after all."
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