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Raid
Sept 11, 2012 11:35:36 GMT -5
Post by Ladorak on Sept 11, 2012 11:35:36 GMT -5
Ladorak pondered the mouse's question but a few seconds before offering a smile and a nod. "Yes... I think that goes without saying. You should always be taking the opportunity to better yourself, at least in the situations you have a say in. I myself always try and do the utmost I can if I'm not being restrained, though I have to admit..." He paused here as his features fell a little.
"Things haven't really been working out for my career as of late. Or... indeed..." He didn't finish that sentence though. The "or indeed" would have been "since this war started." As much as Ladorak hated to admit it, that ever elusive quest for glory and personal recognition had come to a screeching halt. He'd slammed into a brick wall and had not been able to move around it as of yet.
While the stoat remained perturbed for just the briefest of moments, he quickly did his best to put on a much better face. He at least had this raid to look forward to, and some prize money to boot. Granted it would be split between his squadron, but that was OK in his book. Every captain in his squadron deserved it, as far as he was concerned, as did every crew member too.
"But we won't dwell on that." he finished. "One can only really ever do the best they're capable of in any situation, and I think that's all anyone can really ask of another. I'm glad to see you've become so proactive as of late, however." the stoat said, giving the mouse a smile and a nod once more.
He was going to try not to dwell on his own problems. Yes, his career seemed incredibly frustrating at times, but there was really nothing he could do about it save for put on his best face and bear it. As a captain, it was his responsibility to the rest of his crew after all. Ladorak had to admit that the lonely aspects of being a captain could really catch up to him at certain points in time, and that had definitely been the case this past year. Nothing really for it though. He'd chosen his path, and everything that came with it; the positives and negatives had to be taken in paw after all.
As for Carrow, the monocled stoat genuinely meant that. He was glad to see the mouse starting to flourish at last, and try and come into his own. While the stoat couldn't say for certain just what the future held, he felt assured that they would all get their spot in the sun someday. The young ones in particular had their whole lives ahead of them yet, and had much to look forward to in the years ahead. "It's rather nice seeing this new side of you." the stoat complimented the rodent quartermaster's mate. "You could say it's been a long time coming, perhaps." he concluded, fixing the mouse with his good eye, that smile still there upon his face.
Caden coughed a little as Selvis mentioned that he was all grown up now. Or the next closest thing to it. Caden was sure he'd make plenty of mistakes in his time, and learn and become wiser as he continued to grow. He wasn't sure just how tall he'd become, but he felt fairly certain he'd find out in a few more years. All grown up... he never pictured himself being this tall, or having such a deepened voice at this age. Sure it still cracked plenty of times, but he was certainly changing.
He was a little embarrassed, but he did his best to not look away, though his pink eyes DID dart off to the side briefly. "Eheh... yeah... I guess I have. Hard to say what we're all going to be like in another ten years or so. I'll be 25 then... just think... 25." He shook his head, having a hard time picturing it.
"Huh... yeah... I think you've changed a bit too... well a lot I guess. You've certainly grown more distant from your homeland. I guess we'll see if that's a good or bad thing. Hard to say what your country's going to do now that it's at peace. We're no longer direct allies... though with that said, we aren't enemies either. No matter what happens on that... you and I will never be opposed to each other as far as I'm concerned." The marten shook his head here, and folded his arms across his chest.
He leaned back then, resting against the trunk of the mainmast as best he could. "Heh... yeah... we've both changed... but I think it's great. We're just sailing through life, I guess you could say. The ship takes us to different regions of the world, and we get to explore, learn, travel, and grow. I don't think I would've chosen to grow up any other way." he stated. The navy certainly gave you a lot of responsibility and early perspectives. Perfect for growing up, at least in Caden's eyes. "And I will say this... you're coping a lot better with the future, and seem far more prepared and stronger because of that." he told the weasel.
Ocean meanwhile was letting his eyes widen at the news that Evi's father's family was rather quite old in terms of lineage. "Huh... wow! So they go back to almost medieval times then?" he asked. "Old family... and certainly one to be proud of. I myself come from an older family as well, one rooted in nobility. Well I suppose that's obvious though, as I wouldn't be a Knight Hospitaller otherwise." he said, smiling and shaking his head.
"Still... good to know you come from an ancient name. As for your mother... ah yes, well I suppose you wouldn't fully know. Kostritz has owned that region for almost a hundred years... eighty or so if I recall. Makes sense she might have some mixed in there. You know... your parents were Catholics, though?" he asked now.
"Marriage is of course considered sacred and cannot be broken in the Catholic faith. The church never would've granted your family such a divorce, so I'm guessing... the seperation must have occurred under civil terms. I still find it unusual though. Marriage is entered before God in our faith, and isn't something taken lightly. The way you described your mother just kind of leaving... it sounds like she didn't take her vows seriously at all."
Divorce was rather uncommon in these times, and usually occurred due to infertility or loss of sanity. For commoners though, the rate was far less than for nobles. Ever since Henry VIII had set the precedent 200 years ago, it was becoming slightly more common, though still sparingly. He doubted that Evi's father had suddenly become sterile... while not completely unheard of, it usually didn't just happen out of the blue. Neither of them had lost their sanity either, so it just sounded like Evi's mother didn't take her faith or religion seriously.
"Well..." He frowned here. "Your mother will have to take that up with God at some point. Her leaving your family has affected you... I can tell... but she'll have to answer for that one way or another, don't you worry." he said, giving the hedgehog a nod. "I'd say your stepmother, given how she treats you and doesn't really talk about religion is not a believer herself. How she treated you was wrong and cruel, but she'll answer for that as well. God looks out for His own after all, and He'll never forsake a child of His." He reached over and gave Evi a pat on the shoulder. "Your reward in Heaven will be a great one my friend, just rest assured of that."
"I'll keep your father in my prayers however." he continued. "His wife forsook him, and it sounds like he could've made a better choice remarrying. Ah but that's why we're mortals after all... we don't know all there is to know about the world or people around us, and need that spiritual guidance to help get us through. He's just in a tight spot right now... and I don't blame you for leaving that tight spot. Maybe... maybe when we head back to Livorno, I could visit your family with you? It might help having another person that's not related to you by blood present for that... that is if you're comfortable doing such a thing. Perhaps I could assist your father, and study your stepmother to see what kind of hedgehog she really is. As a Knight Hospitaller, I took a religious and holy vow to lend any sort of aid to my fellow Catholics in need, and it's both my duty and my desire to do so." he said, smiling widely at Evi. "Of course, if you truly don't want to see them again, I understand that as well."
As he hammered away, he nodded at Evi's other statement. "Oh yes... Welkin is certainly very Protestant. Once again, have mostly Henry VIII to thank for that. But there are a few Catholics here and there. They're no longer persecuted like they were in the days of the Tudors, after all. Thank God those days are long behind them." he said thankfully.
He glanced over at Evi again, though still remained focused on his work. "You know Evi... I believe that with strong faith and the desire to put your mind to the right things, you can find the strength to do anything at all. My own foster brother... I'm sure you remember him. Well... his sanity slowly ebbed away from the fever, and left him with nothing but a shell of his former self to hold on to. I've left him on Personza to lead a simpler life... yet I'm still considering perhaps transferring him to Malta for better care and attention..." He paused here, a distant look crossing his features as he stared out into seemingly nothing. "Not to mention an education... a PROPER education." he murmured.
"Anyway... I feel confident he'll be able to rejoin society someday as a productive individual, and if not... then at least I know I'm never truly alone in my troubles." he finished, offering another smile now.
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Raid
Sept 17, 2012 19:02:26 GMT -5
Post by Carrow on Sept 17, 2012 19:02:26 GMT -5
"You're absolutely right, sir" Carrow responded to the stoat, smiling. "It's like Shakespeare said: 'Opportunity knocks but once'. I can't afford to be passing up things like this, because, well, who knows if I'll ever get the chance to experience them again. I've said things in the past that I didn't fully believe in at the time, but I have to start taking my own advice, so that's a good start. I know you try your best with everything that comes your way, sir, and that's the best way to be." He listened as the mustelid told him that things hadn't been working out in his career recently, and while the mouse could certainly see that this was the case - one recent example was still in his mind - the brief perturbed look that appeared on the stoat's face caused him to shake his head slightly. He knew how his Captain felt, at least to some extent.
"You've certainly been doing your best, even if present circumstances have been frustrating" the rodent said, sympathising with the stoat. "You've proven yourself to be more than capable recently. Things haven't gone quite the way you'd expected them to, but the rough needs to be taken with the smooth. I've learned that the hard way, but one just needs to take things as they come. Even if our fortunes may be as fickle as the seas themselves, sometimes we just have to get on with it. I was quite upset when Tally had to leave earlier in the year, but I've come to terms with it now. What I'm trying to say, sir, is that life goes on, and I'm sure you've got the best bits of yours ahead of you."
"Thank you, sir" the field mouse responded softly, smiling, "I have to say it's nice to see this side of me, too. I never really knew it was there, you see, but this year has helped me to discover a lot about myself. I still have baggage left over from my past - who can honestly say they don't?" he asked rhetorically, a thoughtful expression crossing his features for a moment before he resumed speaking, "but I've learned to move on from it. My past may have helped to shape my present, but I'm not going to let it define my future, as I have other things that can do the job just fine, and in a more positive manner than would otherwise occur. And yes, it has been a long time coming" he acknowledged. "It's taken almost 11 years for me to be where I feel fine, but I can honestly say that I've never been happier," he told the mustelid, brushing away a stray tear. He needed to say things like this more often, he knew - positive affirmation worked, after all. Archie knew all about that.
--
Selvis shook his head when Caden mentioned that they would be 25 in 10 years' time. "I'm trying not to look that far ahead, but yes, it's quite something when you think about it. I can't quite get my head around it right now," he said, shaking his head again. Would he even be alive in 1805? Would any of them? That sort of stuff was tough to think about, but he knew how perilous a career this could be. He stroked his chin thoughtfully as Caden went on the comment on how Selvis had grown more distant from his homeland. "Regardless of the situation between our two countries... I think even if Ferlusan had stayed loyal, I would have drifted apart from my homeland nonetheless. I've seen so much more of the world in the last two years than I had ever thought possible, and of course that's going to change a creature's perspective, but I feel like that sort of thing was inevitable.
"It's hard to say where Ferlusan will end up even a year from now, but I'm glad that you understand loyalty better than my home nation did," he said, a trace of bitterness in his voice. "Even though they've only been knocked out of the war, I still feel a little let down. I'm sure it was the best thing to do, mind you. I see myself more as an honourary Welkinite than anything else these days. As far as I'm concerned, I'm still fighting for my country. I know it sounds odd when I put it like that, but I need somewhere to call home, and Crittenden can't fill that role anymore. I'm closer to Welkin than anywhere else, even though I've never been there. It's ironic, but it's true. I'm rather glad to hear that you'll never let me down like that - we're brothers, after all," he told him, smiling and unable to keep from blinking back tears.
The weasel sniffled a bit. "I realise that too - I'm never going to be fully prepared for the future, irrespective of what happens with Ferlusan, but I was bottoming out this time last year, and I'm perfectly happy with my lot today. In fact... I don't think I've said that aloud in quite a while. I'm actually quite content. If you'd told me I'd find a way out last year, I wouldn't have been able to believe you fully, but now..." He trailed off, needing a moment to compose himself. "I know I've become stronger since then, as well, I'm still here. I wouldn't have lasted this long if I hadn't toughened up somewhere along the line. I think our last visit to Florence helped me to see the light... well, more accurately, you did" he told his pine marten friend, beaming. He'd been working this whole time, but he hadn't paid that any heed at all, completely engrossed in his conversation with Caden.
Over beside Ocean, Evi's conversation with the ermine was in full flow. "I'm certainly proud of my lineage. There were times when I couldn't find much to be proud of, but that's been in my mind ever since I was filled in on our family history. Most of it, at least. My parents... were Catholics, yes" he said, emphasising the word 'were'. "That is to say, my father remains devout - he drew solace from his faith after his... first divorce?" he said hesitantly. "I'm not sure if he and my stepmother are still together, though I'm guessing not. A lot of things may have come out in the wash since I left. His split with my mother was a civil affair, both in atmosphere as well as in method" he said, chuckling, unable to resist a bit of dark humour. "He didn't want her to leave, but she did, so technically she ended up divorcing him.
"It mustn't have mattered much to her faith, though, and I'm guessing that perhaps she was a lapsed Catholic. She used to be as devout as my father still is, but she had grown distant from him. She did seem to be struggling with her faith in the weeks before they separated." He let Ocean continue, finding his pat on the back to be quite reassuring. "I've taken comfort from my beliefs for a while, and it's nice to know somebeast else that shares them." He smiled as the ermine mentioned possibly visiting the hedgehog's father. "Yes, please. I would like that very much, if ever we were to return to Livorno. My father will most likely be there... my stepmother, perhaps not, but this is all conjecture. I'll need to write home and get an update from him first before I mention any of this, but I'll make a note to bring it up when I can" he assured the stoat. "I would be rather grateful for your help, brother."
He nodded when Ocean raised the topic of his brother. He'd never said a word to Spender either before or after he'd contracted his fever; he'd found him to be a creature devoid of sense at all times, and his quiet nature might have made him a target for his bullying ways if he'd made contact with him. Thankfully, he'd avoided all that. He listened as his mustelid companion told him what his hopes for the ferret were. "I do remember what happened with him, yes. That was... unpleasant, but I hope he's able to do the same someday, too - I never interacted with him, but I can see that having him fully recuperate would mean a lot to you. I hope he reaches that point. What did he used to be like?" he enquired, curious about a creature he'd never really known.
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Raid
Sept 18, 2012 11:16:25 GMT -5
Post by Ladorak on Sept 18, 2012 11:16:25 GMT -5
"Yes... well none of us can ever truly be prepared for what's coming." Ladorak commented with a nod. Likewise with Molly... he'd married her because she had stayed with him at sea all these years... and now she too was gone, back to Welkin. He knew not if they'd still be together when he got back, as he hadn't been corresponding with her.
"I suppose I should be saying that I have the rest of my life ahead of me, though I still strive to make that impact as often as I can. Knowing that I haven't yet achieved what some of the captains have achieved in this fleet is a little disheartening, and something I would like to change very soon... starting today at least." the stoat said in a determined fashioned.
He looked out once more to the targets, growing ever larger bit by bit in their vision as they crept their way toward shore. Yes... today was a fresh start... and he could start turning things around very soon. Hotham wouldn't be in command forever, after all, and by the end of this year, Ladorak knew that their temporary admiral would be gone, and someone else would be in. Sadly it wouldn't be Hood, but whoever they chose, Ladorak was certain that he would be up to the task. Anyone (except maybe Hyde Parker, the fleet's second-in-command) would be better than Hotham at this point.
"Yes well that's the key. Being happy with yourself, you can then spread that happiness and security around to others. Need to help yourself first and foremost after all, and once that's taken care of, it just spreads from there." Ladorak began moving his paws outward in a growing fashion to demonstrate.
"I'm glad you're in this position too. You do certainly seem to be changing. It's gradual... but I'd say they are steps in the right direction." the stoat captain commented.
"Hmm... not much longer now... we're getting ever closer to our destination... and then the real fun can begin." He grinned here, showing off his white teeth, and his monocle caught the sun for a moment, flashing briefly before he turned back to the ship's wheel. Already a midshipjack at the bow was "casting the lead", and testing the depth of the water every so often. Galleys had a much shallower draft after all, and it wouldn't do to run the Agamemnon aground. Ladorak was confident that they'd have enough room however. The Rosferians were anchored near Vado, and Vado was deep enough for a 64 gunner to enter.
"So what we're going to do once we get up there is execute a turn to port, and then we'll heave to, so that we'll be right alongside our target. We'll grapple onto her, and charge aboard with the boarding party. Quick and clean I'd like to make this, and our crew will definitely be outnumbering their crew. With only five guns on that thing, they'll be pretty much defenseless, as guns on galleys only face fore and aft. We'll have a 32 gun broadside staring them down!" the stoat exclaimed, grinning once more. "Ready to batter them into driftwood if they even think about resisting."
Caden could only smile at this, and fought to keep his own emotions under control. That was enough to bring tears to anyone's eyes, and the marten was doing his best to blink a few tears away.
"Thanks, Selvis. Means a lot, you know. I try really hard at this job, and sometimes I feel like I'm always in over my head... but hearing you say that... it at least lets me know that I'm doing a good job on the personal side of things. Professional well... I still have a LOT to learn." The albino chuckled here, still leaning against the mainmast as they worked.
"Well I don't think you can't say your home nation wasn't 'loyal.' Yes, maybe at Toulon they weren't, but they didn't want to see the balance of power drastically shift in the Mediterranean, just in case they... well ever become Rosferia's allies again, which they have always traditionally been. In terms of dropping out of the war, they really had no choice. Their border fortresses had all fallen, and without those, they would've been forced to fight a major battle on open ground which risked the smashing of their army. If their army got smashed they'd be in an even worse position, because armies aren't cheap to rebuild after all, and Ferlusan just didn't want to risk that, I'm sure. Plus, I think peace terms would've been harsher on them had they resisted longer. They're lucky that they lost no territory whatsoever on the continent, and got to keep their border fortresses. Rosferia could've easily kept Figueras and Roses, after all." Caden reminded Selvis.
"I'd say they fought just as hard as any of our allies, but their getting crushed at the Black Mountain didn't help things, and opened up their border fortresses to attack. Roses resisted for uh... two months I think, and that's certainly a good length of time. No... if anything you should be proud your nation fought on our side, and it was through difficult circumstances that they had to make peace. They could've kept fighting with a much reduced army and risk getting defeated again and having Madrid occupied, or they could've realized it was most likely over, and asked for peace when they did. I mean hell... Welkin would be forced to surrender in an instant if an enemy ever landed on our shores." Caden said, shaking his head.
"We have nowhere near the numbers that Ferlusan has, and that's why it's so important for Welkin to maintain a good standing navy. It keeps foreign invaders away and keeps us independent. If anything, I feel you can look upon Ferlusan as having done the best they could, and that they got off relatively lucky with the peace treaty that was signed. You guys only lost the two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola that you owned. That's it. That's not that bad. Still have Puerto Rico and Cuba after all, as well as Trinidad." he pointed out. "Still ALSO have substantial holdings in much of North America, AND you own almost all of South America, save for Portuguese controlled Brazil of course."
"That's a respectable empire." Caden pointed out. "Always admired the Ferlusanians for being able to maintain it all through the various wars they've fought. Yeah... I'd say it wasn't a question of loyalty at all. I mean hell... Gradvar and Mordenz are out now too, and Mordenz even joined Rosferia in an alliance! Ferlusan didn't do that, even as our list of allies is growing thin." It was basically just down to Kostritz and some of Calgary now, at least in terms of forcing Rosferia to make peace on the continent. Welkin couldn't really do that on its own.
"That's something I'm thankful for. Mordenz brings even more ships to Rosferia, but Ferlusan WON'T be, thankfully. So there is that. They ARE still loyal because they're staying out of the war." He smiled here. "So I think you have less to worry about than you realize. However, I'm glad I've been helping you too. That really DOES mean a lot after all." he said honestly to Selvis, grateful for how the weasel viewed him and his efforts. And yes... brothers they were now. That wasn't going to change, even if Selvis made it back to Crittenden by the end of the war.
Ocean was delighted to hear that Evi would have him accompany him to visit his father the next time they were in Livorno. "Excellent! I think it would benefit him as well as you. I think he needs a good talking to about what God wants and how to live a better life. I mean if your leaving wasn't a wake up call, I'm not sure what will be." he said, smiling now. "Of course, I'd be only there to assist, and not actually interfere in your family life. If your father still has any respect for our faith, he'll at least hear me out."
He hammered in another bit of "junk" and moved on to the next seam, getting ready to fill that one in as well. "He's got to just take life a bit more slowly, and realize that while a female can be a good thing to fill the holes in one's life, if one doesn't think carefully about their mate and just kind of goes around acting willy-nilly about it, then one will inevitable end up breaking his vows before God. Sorry... didn't mean to criticize your father." Ocean said quickly. "I don't judge after all... that's not my job. I just want to help others understand that entering into their faith is not something that should be taken lightly. I mean you leaving just said to me that you weren't really happy with your home life, and that is of course a problem. God wants you to be happy with the life you live, and if others aren't seeing that well... maybe we can do some things to at least mend that."
Ocean knew of course that Evi had given his commitment to the navy now, but even so... maybe things COULD be patched up in his domestic life. That would at least give the hedgehog more comfort while at sea, at least in the ermine's eyes.
"My brother?" he asked now, blinking. "Oh... him. Right... well... he... heheh... I guess he wasn't much different than he is now. Still kind of an empty sieve, if you know what I mean." The ermine shrugged his shoulders here, hammering away as he talked.
"I think that'd be a lie if I said he wasn't different though. He WAS meaner... and nastier. He was intolerant of others and there were some in particular he enjoyed mocking for their circumstances." Ocean chose his words carefully, as he didn't want to embarrass Caden here by mentioning his name. "He really... well he never really grew up from his youth, I guess you could say. I had been HOPING that the years would have changed him... but when I met him again in Crittenden, I could see he really hadn't changed emotionally. Maybe physically he'd grown, but his mind still remained locked in his adolesence. I just... I DON'T know what my foster father did to make him so... odd." It was the only word that Ocean could think of to describe Spender.
"At any rate, I'm still thinking about what to do with him. He proved recalcitrant to change before he lost his mind, and now that he has well... he's little better than a fool you'd see in the streets these days." He sighed here, shaking his head. "Someone you can just no longer understand and aren't sure what to do with."
"Well... I think I've said all I need to say about him." Ocean concluded. "He didn't take the path I took in life. I wanted answers and I needed things that my old life just couldn't offer me. When I decided to join the Hospitaller Knights, I knew it was the right path, and I'm glad I did it." he said with finality, nodding his head and moving forward yet again to continue his work.
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Raid
Sept 21, 2012 13:52:53 GMT -5
Post by Carrow on Sept 21, 2012 13:52:53 GMT -5
"I agree, sir - one just has to do whatever they can to deal with what life throws at them from one day to the next. There are of course going to be times when one feels that they've bitten off more than they could chew - I still feel like that some days myself, but I've realised that there's no point in any of us just quitting when times get tough. You say you haven't made as much impact as the other captains in the fleet, but that's not your fault" he assured the stoat. "Decisions have gone against you, but when things are out of your paws, there's nothing to be gained from worrying about them. You just have to keep trying, and I know you'll do that, sir. Today would be as good a starting point for that as any, I think. The boarding crew have an exciting few hours ahead of them, that's for sure!" he exclaimed, giving the mustelid a smile.
The mouse was still smiling as Ladorak complimented him on how he had changed. "Nothing like that ever occurs overnight, sir," he responded, winking at him. "It took a while, and there were times whether I wondered if I really wanted to see it through, but I've taken inspiration from those around me in dealing with setbacks. I used to be the kind of mouse who would run away from a tough decision when one needed to be made, but these days I strive to move past such things. If I hit a wall, I want to try my hardest to push through it. I want to be more like you, sir; more like my friends, too. We've all faced adversity in our lives, but I never used to do enough to deal with it. Now, though, I'm much happier in myself, and I can take strength from that, as well as the support of those around me. I swear, sir, that support means more to me with each passing day," he told his Captain, beaming.
He took note of their position as Ladorak pointed it out to him, and his ears twitched as he took in the stoat's instructions. "All right, sir. A turn to port before heaving to, and then those who are lucky enough to be part of the boarding crew will grapple onto the galley. Whatever happens from there on, I won't directly be a part of, but I wish you all the very best of luck with that," the rodent told the mustelid. There were a few things he wanted to ask Quartermaster Judson a little later on, as his earlier chat with the coati had been quite rewarding. He found that he enjoyed such things quite a lot, and was learning to be more outgoing.
--
Selvis heard Caden out as he launched into explaining why things weren't quite as bad as Selvis saw them. He was passively engaged in his work, having fallen into a steady working rhythm. The weasel's mind was half on the upcoming boarding action, and half on the situation that his home nation found themselves in; it was impossible to see the full picture, so he did indeed need reminding of a few things, but Caden made some good points in any case, and the weasel was inclined to agree with him. He didn't feel like arguing with his good friend, as they'd done a little too much of that in the past, but there were no points that his fellow mustelid raised that he felt the need to contest, and found himself nodding as he listened to his companion speak.
When the marten was finished, Selvis spoke up, continuing his work. He just needed to get the job done at this stage. "They weren't loyal at Toulon, and that was where they definitely did let us down, in my opinion, but what you've just said makes a whole lot of sense. It's hard to look at all the different reasons for their pulling out of the war. I suppose I was only concentrating on the more obvious ones, but you're right, they do seem to have come out of it in better standing than could otherwise have been the case. I said before that I was proud of them for their efforts, and even if I'm looking at that a little differently now, that hasn't changed. I was disappointed that they decided to pull out, and I still am, to an extent, but they had to make a choice, and it could have ended up a lot worse for them if they'd carried on fighting even after Rosferia had offered to make peace with them. They had to cut their losses, I guess.
"You say also that Ferlusan isn't directly assisting the Rosferians at present. That's something I'm also thankful for, and for reasons other than the obvious. Welkin may be light on allies in this war at this stage, but our loss of my home country as an ally hasn't been Rosferia's gain... at least, not yet," he added. "If it comes to that, I'm prepared for it, because the only thing tying me to my homeland at this stage is the fact that my parents are still there, but they have their own plans, and they want to make a fresh start - it's something they would have had to consider anyway, but now they have a kit on the way, changes definitely need to be made. I've raised the issue of them making a new start somewhere else, so we'll have to see where that leads. Whatever happens, I'm sure we'll remain together" he said, sniffling again. "We've had our disagreements in the past, but I'm glad we're at this point now. You're certainly doing a good job with that sort of thing - and that's another way in which you've changed from a few years ago, if I'm not mistaken" he commented, patting the marten on the shoulder. "You should be proud of yourself for that!"
Evi, meanwhile, wasn't entirely content with the tone that Ocean was taking when talking about his father. He was just as much in the dark about what sort of creature his father had become as the ermine was, and while he agreed that he needed to be sat down and talked to by somebeast about this, he needed to take a moment to figure out what else he was going to say, and so held his tongue for the moment as he wanted to hear what else his friend had to say. Once he had apologised for criticising the hedgehog's father, Evi spoke up, feeling like he had to say something in his father's defence, even if he hadn't seen him in more than two years. Time changed some things, of course - who could say what he was like now?
"Ocean, I don't doubt that my father still has respect for his faith, and that he still takes it as seriously as he used to. Things could have changed since we last spoke, of course, but in my mind, that's the kind of creature he was, and I don't see any reason why that would have changed. He found comfort in his faith after my mother divorced him, so I'm quite sure that he would have done the same thing, assuming he and my stepmother are no longer together. He didn't stand up for me against her, but he was just as scared of her as I was, so I could see why. He's made some poor decisions in his life, yes - we all have" he pointed out, "but we live and learn. He let me down, yes, but I don't hold that against him. "He probably does still need help, though - he was never all that assertive, and has to learn to stand up for himself. I did too, in fact, and I'm better at that now, but in any case, I think you could be of assistance. NOT to show him the error of his ways" he emphasised, "because I'm sure he's had plenty of time to reflect on that, but to help him to get back on track."
He nodded every now and then as Ocean told him about how Spender had been. Evi hadn't been mistreated by the ferret, but he'd seen it happen. "Yes, from the little I saw of him, he appeared to be an antagonistic creature, who got a rise out of inflicting hurt, either physical or emotional, upon others. He was... what, 14 or 15 years old when he joined up here? I could tell he wasn't the same age as Caden or Carrow, but it seemed to me like he was in a state of arrested development. I'd heard rumours that things had become so bad that he was about a year an a half behind on his promotion at one stage... and then that accident happened." He decided to let the subject drop. "As for you, though, what in particular convinced you to join the Knights of Malta? You needed things that your old life couldn't offer you, as said, but was there anything else?," he enquired, continuing his work as he did so.
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Raid
Sept 21, 2012 17:56:37 GMT -5
Post by Ladorak on Sept 21, 2012 17:56:37 GMT -5
"Indeed, Mr. Apodemus, it does not." the monocled stoat Captain agreed, nodding his head. "But I'm glad you've worked on it with time, and I'm sure you're happier now than you were before. Having that support around you is an essential part of being in combat and living on a warship, so I'm glad you've formed those bonds and that support network... now!" Ladorak exclaimed, his eyes constantly moving about the deck to ensure that everything was running as it should on his ship.
He looked aloft briefly before nodding. "We're getting closer now so prepare to execute that turn. This is going to require some very fine maneuvering on your part." the stoat explained, studying the situation. "You need to make the turn without ramming the ship directly into the galley... as a collision here wouldn't help things in the slightest. Still... line the bow up so that it's in between the two galleys, and just to starboard of the stern of the galley we're going for. That way, you'll give yourself plenty of room when you make the turn to larboard."
Ladorak explained his reasoning clearly as if he himself were at the wheel showing a class his methods, and used a paw to indicate where he wanted the quartermasters to point the ship. "At the same time, Jal King will order some of the crew aloft to begin shortening sail and getting us hove to so we can stop right alongside of our target." He laid out his plans he was envisioning smoothly and with aplomb, as if what they were about to do was nothing out of the ordinary. "By now you've become a good enough judge I think on distances between ships and how close you can get before turning. The Battle off Genoa earlier in the year should have been good enough practice for that after all." he pointed out, mostly to Carrow. "Quartermaster Judson will walk you through the rest. Now if you'll excuse me gents... I've got a ship to board." he said, flashing them a grin as he patted the hilt of his sword and began striding out onto the weather deck proper, cutting the rather dashing figure as he moved.
"Right... so as he said..." the coati Quartermaster stated. "We're gonna line ourselves up for the gap, and then cut over when the Captain gives the order. Turn the wheel to starboard as far as you can, and then straighten her out when we start coming about for the turn." Judson explained to Carrow.
"Ah but wait..." Caden said, raising a paw up as Selvis spoke. "Rosferia didn't offer peace to Ferlusan at all. Nay... they had every intent of driving upon Madrid after Roses fell. At that point Ferlusan knew their capital was exposed and saw the writing on the wall. They had to sue for peace. Rosferia by no means offered them anything in regards to that." Caden chuckled. "Nah that was all Ferlusan's doing. They were smart. Knew they couldn't continue without risking their capital being attacked, so had to ask for peace. Rosferia has not offered peace to any member of the Coalition yet, Ferlusan included, from what I read." the marten pointed out. "Gradvar asked for it after being worn out, and Mordenz was occupied, so yeah."
"So I can understand that too... and you SHOULD be proud of their efforts." The albino smiled here, giving his friend a reassuring nod. "And yes, they aren't a boon to Rosferia by any means, so there's that too. I'd say overall, everything's still working out on Ferlusan's end. You shouldn't at least give that up for now, but good you're making plans all the same, just in case." He was still smiling as he said this, and looked over at Ocean and Evi briefly before turning back to Selvis.
Ocean was nodding as Evi responded to him, biting his lip at the hedgehog's words. "Of course... I didn't mean to imply that I WOULD be interfering, as said... I merely wanted to offer advice... but you'd know far better than I would in this situation after all... I haven't even met your father on that note." Being a Hospitaller Knight was a delicate position, as he had to offer aid to fellow Christians, but sometimes fellow Christians didn't necessarily want help, so he had to come off as determined but still humble, and it was something he hadn't mastered yet.
"Hm?" he asked softly, his thoughts being broken by Evi's question. Damn... the one question he always had difficulty answering. "Um... well..." He thought a moment now as he moved forward again. "It was mostly because of several reasons. I wanted to be part of a very ancient order, grounded in tradition and devoting itself to the aid of others. I needed access to resources that the Knights had as well... but that was secondary of course. Their libraries and collections of books fascinated me in particular, and I felt it was the perfect way to serve my faith by giving myself to the order and embarking on missions across the world to assist others and help spread the word. It was a rigorous process as well... the Knights have changed much from how they used to be, but I DID manage to get in. I'm hoping... to be a moral example to my brother Knights, and..." He couldn't finish however as the call from above them suddenly sounded out.
"Boarders topside! Prepare to board enemy vessel! Look lively lads!"
"That's our cue!" Caden exclaimed. "Just leave your tools with the Caulker! Let's go chaps! Come on! Move it out!" he clapped his paws, and pointed up the stairs.
"Well... this is it. Let's go." Ocean said, setting his hammer down by the Caulker and giving the fellow a salute before he began making his way topside.
Their Captain was waiting for them up there, his paws behind his back once more, and a supremely confident look upon his features. He smiled at them as they began to assemble, flashing his teeth as it became apparent he was in high spirits. Already the crew could see they were drawing closer to their quarry, whose crew was scrambling now as they realized the ships approaching them were hostile. It was too late to get underway, and indeed, it seemed as if the few crew in sight might not be up to full strength either at present.
"Great! It's a fine day to take a ship, lads!" the stoat proclaimed. "Now let's make preparations. Jal King, start to shorten sail... conduct our turn to larboard now quartermasters, if you please!" Ladorak called over to the mouse and coati at the wheel.
"Front row... Jals Sleet, Frenata, Panettos, and Alleline! Head over to the Coxswain and start breaking out the ship's boats! We're loading them to capacity and will be sending them over as soon as we heave to! You know the routine by now!"
"Yes sir!" Came the united reply, and salutes were given and returned by the Captain. Ladorak's original plan to grapple the galley had to be abandoned, as closer inspection revealed she was shorter than the Agamemnon, and he wasn't going to risk breaking his crew's necks moving to the lower elevation. The boats would serve the purpose just as well.
"Lead on, lads." Alleline said, standing aside to let the shorter ones pass first. They would work together to lift the boat and bring it over to the davits, where they would attach it and it would then be loaded and lowered over the side for the skip over to the galley.
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Raid
Sept 25, 2012 17:44:25 GMT -5
Post by Carrow on Sept 25, 2012 17:44:25 GMT -5
"Thank you, sir" Carrow responded, smiling. "That support network I've formed has gotten me through some tough times, and I couldn't be happier to have those close friends around me. There's a great sense of camaraderie on this ship; that's become perhaps even more apparent to me over the last while than it used to be" he told the mustelid, his smile widening. True, there were some things that he was still dealing with, mostly small things he had to take care of on his own, but he was grateful for having friends that he could go to with his problems and ask for advice about. Tally had been a good sounding board at times, too - there were days when he still missed her, but more as a friend than anything else. She hadn't been sure about their relationship - neither had he, to tell the truth - and then, suddenly, she had gone. It didn't look likely that he'd ever see her again, but that was life. That door had closed. He wondered if a window would open sometime.
The mouse gulped as Ladorak told him that his task would require 'very fine manouevring'. He hoped he was up to the challenge. The Battle of Genoa had indeed been good practice for him, but he was still worried about things going awry in the heat of the moment. He nodded as the stoat Captain outlined his plans. He did so with a confidence that the rodent wished he shared, but he knew that this would ultimately be a matter of timing. Saluting smartly as Ladorak excused himself, he briefly responded: "Yes sir! I'll be careful, of course. Good luck over there. I hope there isn't much, if any resistance but the Rosferians, but if there is... please come back safe. All of you" he said quietly. The last time he'd stayed behind for something even remotely similar to this, Caden had been bayoneted and Selvis had broken his ankle, so he would be sure to keep them in his thoughts. He turned to Quartermaster Judson, listening attentively as the coati explained the rest of his plan, head bobbing anxiously as he replied. "All right, sir. I need to line up the bow like our Captain told me to, so I can leave myself room for the turn to larboard when he gives the order. Got it." I hope I do, he added mentally.
--
"Oh, right... I remember now. You told me that a while back. Ferlusan took themselves out of the war last Christmas because they didn't want to risk any further calamities. You told me that, and then that was all swallowed up by other things," he commented. There were some parts of that dramatic Christmas Eve at the Pitti Palace that Selvis wasn't at all proud of... and others that he definitely was. "My abiding memories of that time involve you, actually - the other stuff we talked about is less clear in my mind, but I recall that now, and I think it was a sensible decision. Sometimes the correct decision isn't necessarily the easiest one, after all. A good run's better than a bad stand, and it wouldn't have done my homeland any good to be stubborn in the face of seeing their capital devastated by the Rosferians" the weasel said with a nod.
"It is indeed good that I'm making plans - even as recently as last March, I didn't have a plan B if Ferlusan happened to defect, and then I got news of my mother being pregnant, and that my parents were planning to make a fresh start somewhere else anyhow... that was rather serendipitous, now I think about it. It means that all of us can still come away with something if that should come to pass." Every now and then, the longtail felt a rather intense sense of relief over how all that had come about. "I need to be prepared, but yes... on the whole, I would say I'm proud of what my homeland managed to achieve." Selvis wasn't entirely comfortable with calling Ferlusan 'his country' anymore, but he'd already explained this to the marten. "Right now, though, I'm mainly just focused on what's to come... as in the immediate future, like this raid!" he exclaimed, a game smile on his features.
Evi, meanwhile, merely smiled at Ocean's response. "Of course, of course - I'd appreciate any possible help you could give. I'll mention that to him after I've re-established contact with him. We'd grown a little distant from each other before I decided to leave, but that was more my fault. Because of the power my stepmother held over me, I got to the point where I didn't feel like I could talk to him about anything that really mattered. He had always been there for me before then, but I just reached the stage where I didn't feel like I could talk to anybeast about what was happening to me. I'm willing to bet you that it's all been blown out into the open since then - if he didn't understand why I was like that towards him back then, he should now. We were like two peas in a pod a few years ago, so he'll surely know that I didn't just up and run away for no reason. I'm getting sidetracked, though" he said in a softer voice, blushing a little.
"You don't know him, sure, but you can get to know him. I think he needs to be shown a different perspective, and a creature that's an outsider to our family will certainly be listened to if they have something to say. I feel like we're becoming friends a lot more quickly than I had thought would happen, Ocean" the hedgehog admitted, chuckling. "He always had time for my friends when I was younger - those that I could get to come over under my stepmum's nose, that is - so I'm sure he'll make time for you if we can arrange something. I'd be glad to have you there with me" he said honestly, listening as the ermine told him why he had joined the Knights of Malta. He heard him out, nodding every now and then. He wanted to say something, but before he could get a word in, the ermine was cut off, and the call came from above. He wouldn't get a chance now for a while - that particular thread of conversation could be picked up later.
Upon hearing their cue, the weasel and hedgehog downed their tools before leaping to their paws, both throwing salutes to the wolf Caulker before joining Caden, Ocean and Alleline as all five of them hurried up the stairs. By this time, Carrow had managed to successfully lined up the bow of the Agamemnon, meaning that the vessel was now in prime position for that turn to be made. The field mouse was now anxiously awaiting Ladorak's order, his paws gripping the ship's wheel so tightly that his knuckles paled considerably, and he winced, letting go before gripping the wheel more comfortably. It was clear that he was nervous about what was to come, but he knew that he had to get on top of that before anything else happened.
The boarding crew soon assembled topside, and were buoyed by seeing their Captain in high spirits. It was indeed a fine day to take a ship, and Selvis and Evi felt the fur rise on the backs of their necks as Ladorak ordered that preparations start being made, giving the Quartermasters the order to start making the turn. Carrow swallowed nervously again, sweat forming on the pads of his paws as he glanced at Quartermaster Judson, nodding before working with the coati to turn the Agamemnon to larboard, using his usual push-pull technique to guide the wheel through his paws, and making a hard left turn, spinning the wheel all the way to the right before evening it out so that he could straighten out the ship.
Selvis and Evi nodded, saluting as they were given their orders. "Yes sir!" They chorused, both seemingly as excited as their stoat Captain. They nodded again, thanking Alleline as the tall monitor lizard let them pass, each of them giving him a supportive pat on the back before approaching the Coxswain and waiting for Alleline to catch up with them before they could start lifting the boat. Such a task would require all four of them, and the lizard's considerable strength would no doubt be greatly appreciated. He soon joined them, and on the count of three, all four worked together to lift the boat, keeping it steady between them as they guided it over to the davits, attaching it. It was now ready to be lowered.
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Raid
Sept 25, 2012 23:21:51 GMT -5
Post by Ladorak on Sept 25, 2012 23:21:51 GMT -5
"Boat attached and ready to go, sir!" the Coxswain called over to the stoat Captain. Ladorak gave a firm nod, and strode over. "OK! Start loading up! Come on! Step lively now! Step in! Step in!" he urged, swinging his paws over the gunwale and stepping into the boat himself. It rocked a little, but it held, and the boarding party began stepping in as well, filling it to capacity before the lowering.
With creaking and groaning, the boat was gently lowered over the Agamemnon's side, and across the way, Ladorak could see the rest of his squadron pulling even with their targets. Carrow and Judson had executed the turn beautifully, and gotten the Agamemnon less than a hundred yards from the galley.
The crew began taking to the oars now, and pulling for all they were worth, bringing the longboat across the waters, gliding over the distance between their home ship and their target. Ocean was one of the ones on the oars, as was Alleline, the two working in tandem on one oar while the other three were simultaneously worked to propel the ship forward.
Ladorak stood in the aft section, tapping the hilt of his sword with his claws, the peridot flashing in the sunlight, and the opal in particular shining in a dazzling manner every time the stoat shifted his weight. He stared ahead at the galley with determination, and checked to ensure that the boarding operations were going well throughout the squadron, and so far, it looked as if they were. Just one of his frigates was more than enough to pawdle these brigs and galleys, after all.
Pulling up alongside the galley, two of the crew swung grappling hooks and tossed them upward, latching onto the Rosferian ship's gunwale and holding their boat fast to the hull. "You're first, Coxswain." Ladorak said to the aforementioned beast, and the Coxswain gladly began ascending the ladder. He was the Captain's bodyguard after all, among overseeing the operations of the ship's boats.
Ladorak was not far behind, followed by the rest of his crew. The stoat hauled himself through the entry port, and bounded over to the nearest enemy crew member he could find. Already it looked as though they were in the process of surrendering their ship to the armed boarding party, but just to be sure, the stoat drew his blade and in one swift motion raised it up in a flash right go the fellow's neck, just barely grazing the hairs on the fox's furry neck.
Ladorak shifted his weight forward, leaning toward his opponent and resting on the pads of his paws, a very nimble stance which would allow him to spring into action at the slightest sign of resistance. "I'm informing you now that we're seizing your ship in the name of the King of Welkin, and any resistance will be met with deadly force... your call." he said, narrowing his eyes, and cut rather the dashing and powerful figure with his blade, the monocle completing the look.
The fox smiled and raised his paws in the air. "Aye..." he said in a halting manner. "I... we... are surrendering... no chance of fighting." he said shakily, noting the massive broadside the Agamemnon could bring to bear on them compared to the mere five guns that his ship mounted.
"Round them up!" Ladorak ordered. "Take their weapons and make sure they're all together! Keep a close guard, and make this ship ready to sail!" He proceeded to sheath his blade now, sliding it back into its scabbard with a smooth hiss. The fox wasn't armed, and as the boarding crew began to spread out and take the crew prisoner, there was no resistance to the swift and decisive action Ladorak had brought about. While these ships hadn't stood much of a chance from the start, the stoat had taken no chances.
Within a short time, the crew had been rounded up (some were on shore and were simply left there) and the galley was being made ready to sail out of the anchorage with the rest of the prizes. Ladorak knew they didn't have enough prize crew to effectively take all the ships though, so he ordered two of the merchant ships to be burned.
As the flames and smoke rose behind them, the prizes weighed anchor and got under way with the rest of Ladorak's squadron, the Agamemnon proudly leading the way to the south. Ladorak had returned to his ship, not of course being able to permanently place himself on a prize.
Caden was another story however. He'd wanted to study the lieutenant placed on board to command the prize, and learn how to command a small ship as it was. He also was extremely fascinated by how galleys sailed, and wanted to learn about that as well. Thus, he stuck with the galley as it sailed out of the anchorage, following in the wake of the Agamemnon.
Taking a brief break from his work, the albino wandered over to his friends, inhaling the sea air and smiling. "Well! This went rather well! No resistance... and I was kind of hoping for a fight, but it's nice knowing we won't be taking any casualties all the same!" he exclaimed. "Looking forward to spending the night aboard her?" he asked now, pink eyes gleaming.
Ocean was hauling on some lines in order to adjust the lateen sails on the galley, working with Evi to do so. "Yeah! Should be quite the experience. So Evi... we didn't get a chance to finish our conversation earlier... and for that I apologize... did you have anything further you wanted to add that was on your mind?" the ermine asked, pulling the line back over and over again in order to adjust the oddly positioned yard on the mast above them.
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Sept 27, 2012 18:20:26 GMT -5
Post by Carrow on Sept 27, 2012 18:20:26 GMT -5
Carrow found that he had to take a moment to get a hold of himself after making the turn. It had been nerve-wracking for him, because he knew that he wasn't au fait with such things and that it could easily have gone the other way, but relief flooded over him as he and Quartermaster Judson successfully completed the turn, leaving the Agamemnon less than a hundred yards from the prize which the mouse had picked out. He eased himself into a sitting position for a moment, trying to calm his racing heart, yet feeling inwardly proud of himself for what he had achieved. He was far too modest to openly express it, but as he got to his paws once again, he gave the coati Quartermaster a small smile. "Good work, sir" he complimented his superior officer.
Selvis and Evi stepped into the boat as the field mouse silently wished all his friends the best of luck. He wouldn't have been able to make himself heard over all the activity, so kept that to himself. Ladorak had said that there wasn't much chance of any sort of resistance from the Rosferians, and as there was the threat of being all but obliterated by a 32-gun broadside if they refused to comply, it had been quite safe to make that assumption. They took to the oars, following Ocean and Alleline's lead and working in tandem, in a similar manner to how they operated when a part of the Agamemnon's gun crew. Working together was second nature to both creatures at this point, and while they both had powerful muscles, this kind of work certainly gave them a workout; there was no doubt about that. They were approaching the galley at a steady speed, and their cautious sides were on display as each periodically looked to their chosen weapons.
The rodent Quartermaster's Mate figured that now would be a good time for him to have a word with Judson, as he had been wanting to before now but had been unable to, as he'd had other things on his mind. He cleared his throat softly before speaking up. "Excuse me, sir - I was wondering if you'd ever been involved in a boarding action before. Seeing my friends go off to take a ship has left me more curious than anything else; I would obviously like to be with them, but I know that my place is here on the ship. Actually, now I think about it, I can't say I know very much about your naval history, so would you like to enlighten me about it?" he enquired, his earlier nerves having subsided rapidly. He was now a lot calmer than he had been for a little while. Now that that turn had been completed, he could relax for a bit and enjoy a brief break.
The boat that the hedgehog and weasel were in soon pulled up alongside the galley, and they squeezed each other's paws reassuringly, a sign that if there was indeed any trouble, they'd be there for one another. Selvis was going to do his best to protect his friends if it came to that, but at the same time, he hoped it wouldn't. He was more or less used to injuring and killing in combat; at close quarters, not so much, but that took a little more time to become accustomed to, for obvious reasons. The grappling hooks were tossed upward, and the Coxswain was the first to go, hauling himself up through the galley's entry port. Ladorak was next, and he was quickly followed by the rest of the crew. Selvis let Evi go first, wanting to look out for the hedgehog as he made his ascent.
It was better to be safe than sorry, and both creatures were mindful of this as they hoisted themselves through the entry port and onto the deck of the galley which had been marked out as their prize. They were both slightly surprised and quite relieved to learn that there would be no resistance forthcoming from any of the crew. Even with that powerful broadside staring the enemy in the face, the weasel had briefly thought that one of the more reckless crew would try to save face and inflict violence upon one of the crew, or at least attempt to. This didn't happen, however, and at their mustelid Captain's command, they did their bit to assist in rounding up the Rosferian crew, once again working together, and finding that they worked as a team in environments other than those they were used to.
Soon, the former crew had been rounded up, and the galley was being made ready to sail once again. Evi thanked Selvis for his help, then returned to Ocean to see what he could do to assist the ermine. The mustelid was hauling on lines to adjust the lateen-rigged sails, and the hedgehog decided to lend a paw, smiling broadly as he responded to Caden's question. "It'll certainly be interesting! I haven't even read about a ship of this kind before, much less been aboard one!" he exclaimed, clearly excited by the prospect. He started working with Ocean in hauling on the lines shaking his head in response to the ermine's apology. "No need for that! Couldn't be helped, really. There was indeed something I wanted to ask, actually. I've read a good amount of books in my lifetime - they were usually a means of temporary escape into another world, as I'm sure you can imagine - and I'm wondering, what are the Knights' libraries like?"
Meanwhile, Selvis was picking back up his own conversation, smiling and nodding as his albino companion put forth the idea of spending the night aboard the galley. "I'm very much looking forward to it, yes - it's certainly not something I envisioned myself doing at this early stage of my naval career, spending time aboard another ship in this manner, but it shall certainly be an interesting experience. I can see that you're fascinated by this particular vessel; something tells me that you're looking forward to learning how to command a ship like this. Would I be correct in saying that, mate?" he asked, grinning as he studied the layout of the galley. "She's an interesting specimen - you don't see many of these about anymore, I believe!"
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Sept 28, 2012 11:10:48 GMT -5
Post by Ladorak on Sept 28, 2012 11:10:48 GMT -5
Caden smiled, but shook his head. "No... you wouldn't be entirely correct there, Selvis." the marten responded. "Actually, commanding a vessel like this holds far less interest than say, learning to sail her. A galley is a curiosity as far as I'm concerned, and wouldn't be practical for Welkin's use outside of the Mediterranean. But that..." He pointed over at the Agamemnon now. "THAT is what I want to command someday. Actually, I'd like to start on a frigate and work my way up to a three decker."
His pink eyes gleamed as he described it now, and could only picture himself standing on the deck of a giant warship, giving out the orders and leading the ship to new waters and new adventures. He pictured his friends by his side as well, though knew not if they'd be there in reality, but hoped they would be, and it was a nice thought all the same.
"So I'm learning how to sail this ship, which is incredibly fascinating, and of course to command a prize ship in general, though you couldn't say I'd want to command a galley later on." He gave the weasel a nod here, and a pat on the back. "Good guess, though. I can see why you'd say that. She IS an interesting vessel, though one not very practical for sailing the high seas. I'm sure she'll be put into use once we reach Personza."
Ocean just finished up hauling on the lines to realign the yard when he answered Evi. "Ah! There we go." he said, tying the rope down to a belaying pin in order to make it secure. "Well! The Knights have an incredibly substantial library! Mostly historical documents dating back to the Crusades, but also records they've had for the past 700 years, any research they've carried out, and captured enemy documents as well. That was of course part of the reason I joined, as said. Their archives are very well kept, and have been established in Valletta since the 16th Century."
He paused here, wondering if he should bring this next bit up. "Well you may find it strange that I'm aboard a foreign ship. That of course risks contradicting our 'no fighting other Christians' rule, but so far I think I've been able to avoid that for the most part. Rosferia is mostly atheist now anyway from what I hear, or at least the republican aspect of it is. Either way, I still try to hold true to that creed." It was of course an unusual situation the Knights had entered into. Many of them did indeed go off to join foreign navies, and that of course almost made the creed inevitable to break, but such was the current state of affairs. Ocean knew just how much the Order had changed since its inception, but he was still trying to be a moral example, and improve things from within as part of his own personal mission.
"It's just one of the things that has changed over the years. But don't worry... I recognize such changes, and I myself try and at least be a moral example to some of our brothers who... stray." He wasn't sure how else to put that, but offered a shrug here and a smile. "Our Grand Master is at least an honorable Christian, and it's a real joy serving him. He's Rosferian, but feels only regret and sadness over the current state of affairs of the Catholic Church and Rosferia in general. Hence, I'm not really going against my Order's creed by fighting them." He gave another smile now, and stretched, pushing his chest out as he moved his arms behind him.
"I'm sure you'd like Valletta." Ocean concluded, glancing over at Evi now. "If we ever get the chance to head to Malta, I'll be more than happy to show you around the Knights' fortresses and castles there. It's like... well probably nothing you've ever seen, if you're used to Calgarian architecture." he said, nodding at the hedgehog and grinning.
"Oh me?" the coati asked, smiling. "Oh... one thing before I get into that, young master. NEVER sit down while on duty at the wheel. If a sudden breeze had sprung up and started catching the ship from an odd angle, you'd quite literally be unprepared for it cause you'd be down and not gripping the wheel." The coati Quartermaster shook the wheel just a tad to demonstrate. "NEVER let go of the wheel and rest for ANY means. It was OK because I was here, but if you're working on your own you can't afford to do such things. You'll have plenty of time to sit all you want on your off hours. If you're nearing physical exhaustion, summon the officer of the watch and he'll send for one of your replacements." Judson explained.
"Though of course with that said... Quartermasters are expected to be hardy, like any of the crew, and expected to work long hours guiding the ship. So just so you know for future reference... you were relieved that you'd done a capital job of things, but celebrate on your own time, not the ship's time." He smiled here. "Don't fret about it either. You're still learning. Next time just give yourself an inward 'well done!' and keep about your task. Feel free to order a full grog ration if you want during meal time, provided you're off duty after the meal, but when you're up here, it's paws on the wheel at all times." he said.
"Now... my life's story, eh?" he asked, chuckling. "Not as exciting as I'm sure yours has been, young master. I've been conning ships ever since I was 21 years of age... rather young to be a full Quartermaster, mind you. I enlised in the navy at the age of 13, serving as a Captain's Clerk back then. That was back in 1773, or just before the start of the Mossflower Revolution. I was on the Royal Oak back then, 74 guns, a relatively new ship at the time. I was present for the Battle of Grenada, where we were defeated by a Rosferian fleet, though lost no ships... under Admiral Byron that was... and later on at the Battle of the Chesapeake... also a defeat." he said, pursing his lips and shaking his head.
"Rather inauspicious I'm sure you could say. My captain at the time noticed my penchant for learning how to steer the ship, and made me a Quartermaster's mate at 17, where I started apprenticing, right around the time the war broke out. By the time of the Battle of the Chesapeake, I was one of the full-fledged Quartermasters of the Royal Oak, at only age 21. I've been conning them ever since!" he proclaimed, smiling widely.
"Had a bit of a quiet spell after the war ended, as I'm sure you can imagine, but all's well and good. Did a brief run with the Merchant Marine during the peace before re-enlisting in the navy and being recruited from my home area by our very Captain, Ladorak Fugate. 'No jailbirds!' says he, 'only local Norfolk males for my ship!'" he glanced over in the Captain's direction, who was at present consulting with the ship's Master.
"So that's about it in a nutshell, young master. I've seen my fair share of actions, though I'm glad Captain Fugate seems to know what he's about, and has taken us through numerous small victories so far. I'm waiting for the day when he'll do something truly glorious for his ship and crew... and of that I have little doubt." he said, clear that he did admire their Captain for his determination and ambition.
Three Days Later
It was now August 29th, and supper was being served aboard the Agamemnon. They were making their way with their prizes back to Personza, where they'd deposit the extra ships and await Admiral Hotham's arrival, who was due back around mid-September with the rest of the fleet. Ladorak had since detached the frigate Southampton and the corvette Moselle to watch over Genoa, as Ladorak had spied two French frigates present there when they'd last passed by the port.
With the rest of his squadron he was now sailing south, making his way to San Fiorenzo and their usual anchorage. But today was of course Caden's birthday, and the albino was turning 15! 15! Caden himself could hardly believe it. It seemed like only yesterday when he'd been a mere lad of 11, and now he was halfway to 20 from 10!
Ladorak had something special planned this year however, and when it came time to eat supper, the Captain had his clerk Sestrius dispatch messages to Caden and his friends, requesting their presence in the Captain's cabin for supper rather than with their usual messes.
Caden hadn't been expecting this, but had shown up all the same, and so here they were now, ready to be treated to a meal like no other which the Captain had his cook prepare for tonight. "Ahem... thank you all for coming." Ladorak said, addressing them. They were standing in front of his desk in his main cabin, afforded a brilliant view out the stern of the ship as she glided over the sea. "I'd like to start a new tradition from now on, starting today."
He rose, and walked from behind his desk. "I'd like to get to know my crew better, and in particular my crew that are particularly good friends with my ward." He glanced at Caden here before looking at the rest of them. "Selvis Frenata... you've been a good foster brother to my ward so far, and you are still welcome in my household at any time, for whenever we do get back to Welkin. Carrow... or Cerinus Apodemus, rather." he said, correcting himself with a smile as he turned his gaze to the mouse.
"You've been a true and close friend to Caden since coming aboard, and you two have helped each other grow, and I'm sure you will continue to do so in the years ahead."
"Ocean Sleet." he continued. "You have done your best with what you've had, and then some. Your family has been... notoriously difficult to deal with, but that's perfectly fine. You yourself have navigated it all with finesse, and I thank you for being the way you are. And finally, let's not forget Evi Panettos, the newest member of this group. While new, Caden tells me you've been forming friendships with Selvis Frenata and Ocean Sleet in particular, and are a pleasure to have in his subdivision. Consequently, I thought it right to treat you to supper tonight. Cerinus, I intend to invite you to supper as well on your birthday, should we find ourselves at sea during that time. Same for you too, Selvis. There's no reason why I shouldn't treat a select few of my crew to a sumptuous meal on their special days, and I'd like to carry this tradition over to whatever ship I may command in the future after we leave Agamemnon behind."
Of course, it wasn't like that day was rapidly approaching, for as far as he knew, he would be sticking with Agamemnon for the foreseeable future.
"And now... enjoy the amenities of my cabin for a few hours, and why don't we commence Caden's 15th birthday celebration with the giving of gifts?" the monocled stoat asked, clasping his paws behind his back and looking one to the other. He had asked Sestrius to ask everyone but Caden (for obvious reasons) to bring their gifts with them to his cabin, and had also sent a special early message to them to hold off on the giftsgiving until the supper hour.
"Ahem... I'll go last." the Captain stated, sitting on the edge of his desk now and removing himself from the proceedings for the time being.
"Wow! I... I don't know what to say! Birthday suppers for all of us on our birthdays from now on?" Caden looked around, rubbing the back of his neck bashfully. "I... I don't even know if I deserve this." he said, averting his gaze and looking down at the carpet in a shy manner.
"Nonsense! You should enjoy tonight!" Ladorak pointed out, giving the marten a smile.
Caden initially didn't say anything in return, and just offered a small smile, waiting to receive his presents now from whoever wanted to go first.
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Raid
Oct 2, 2012 19:51:26 GMT -5
Post by Carrow on Oct 2, 2012 19:51:26 GMT -5
Three Days Later
Carrow was very surprised to receive a message from Sestrius. This was something that was an exceptionally rare occurrence. Indeed, he hadn't yet met the Captain's secretary, so he wondered if he would be present as this gathering. The Captain was inviting him to dinner, along with (he assumed) Selvis, Ocean and possibly Evi. He didn't need to be a genius to figure out why exactly he was being invited, and was now thankful that he hadn't gone through with his plan to present Caden with his gift earlier in the day. He had held off because he'd wanted to find the perfect environment in which to give the albino pine marten his gift, and he was quite lucky that that very thing had presented itself. It was quite a surprise for him, and he had gone along in a rather intrigued state of mind, though his present caused him difficulty on the flights of stairs he had to conquer to get to the Captain's cabin.
Of course, the rodent hadn't seen Selvis's present yet, so he was unaware that his weasel companion was in possession of something even more unwieldy. It was something quite thick and heavy, and a creature with the back issues that Selvis was prone to shouldn't have been carrying it up several flights of stairs, but the weasel reckoned it would be worth it just to see the look on Caden's face when it was given to him. Both creatures had scrambled to obtain their respective gifts, because they had each drawn up a small list of suggestions and had taken a while deliberating; almost too long in Carrow's case - he'd eventually chosen a gift that had been way down at the bottom of his list due to its supposed scarcity. He hadn't been sure where he'd find it, but he had stumbled across it suddenly and had immediately snapped it up.
Evi had been quite surprised at his invitation. He'd only been friends with Caden for a short while, certainly not as long as Carrow, Selvis or Ocean. The hedgehog was also rather pleased. He might not have had a gift for Caden if not for the fact that he had come across something small in a curiosity shop the last time they had been ashore. It was a small token of his appreciation of how the marten had been instrumental in coaxing him out of his shell and helping him to open up to the others around him. He'd since struck up a solid friendship with Ocean, as well as Selvis, and spent as much time with Caden as he could, working around the Midshipjack's busy schedule. This all came back to the mustelid's assistance. As it was, he was the first to arrive at the Captain's cabin, followed closely by Carrow.
They had to wait another moment for Selvis to arrive, the longtail knocking heavily upon the stoat Captain's door, and Evi letting him inside. There was a conspicuously large present being held in both his paws, and even though it was well-wrapped, it was clear that it was a book of some kind. Carrow's was less obvious - he had made sure to have his gift boxed up before it was wrapped, thus concealing its true shape. Evi's was in a considerably smaller box that had also been wrapped. It was in his pocket at present. The mouse had set his down beside him, and so too did Selvis once he'd gotten himself into place alongside his friends. They all nodded as Ladorak told them that he wanted to introduce a new tradition, and more nods followed as he elaborated on his idea.
All three were too modest to properly respond to Ladorak's praise, but Evi was the only one to blush. A reddish tinge showed on his fur; slight, but there all the same. He was still coming to terms with the fact that his superior officer, who had only really known him for... not even two months at this stage, had invited him to a celebratory dinner. He clasped his paws behind his back, smiling over at Caden as he was praised. He'd had little idea that the marten thought of him that way, and was honoured to be involved with something such as this. Selvis was the first one to speak after Ladorak had finished doing so. "Thanks very much, sir! I'm honoured that you would consider treating us to the same courtesies. This is quite an interesting way to celebrate Caden's birthday, and I'm sure that we all shall make the most of it!" he exclaimed, blue eyes gleaming.
Carrow backed up Ladorak's advice, giving his mustelid companion a warm smile. "Yes, you should, Caden. This is a rather special occasion, after all - just like your 14th birthday was last year! As befits that, I've managed to come up with a special gift for you." The mouse bent down to pick up the box that contained his gift to Caden. It was heavy, but he found that he could manage it just fine. He approached his friend, holding out the box for him to take. "You wouldn't believe the trouble I had to go through to get this thing. I had a number of different ideas in mind, but I didn't think this one existed. It's something that commemorates our first battle that I think you will quite like. Go on" he urged, smiling, "have a look at what's inside!" Inside the box, Caden would find a model of the Melpomene, the ship that they had faced in their first battle, almost two years ago. The field mouse had half-expected a model of that particular vessel to only be available in Welkin, as they had succeeded in capturing it, but thankfully, this had not been the case.
Selvis was the next to go, and it took an effort for him to lift his present. "Ergh... well, we didn't collaborate on our presents this year, so I have no idea what was in that box of Carrow's, but if I know him, he's gotten something that's quite relevant to your interests. I definitely have!" He was soon by his companion's side, placing the present down before him and gesturing to him to open it. "You've probably figured out what it it already, to an extent - I would have loved to be able to raise the levels of mystery as to the nature of my gift, but there's only so much that one can do with a book that size. I was in the market for something a little more succinct, perhaps even specialised, but then I saw that. It covers a lot of ground, from what I've seen of it, but what I know for sure is that it's going to be right up your street. It's rather comprehensive, yes, but there is a ton worth of reading material in there, and I would not at all be surprised if that was literally the case!" He chuckled; it would be interesting to see how his fellow mustelid reacted to the tome, because a sizeable amount of information on myriad kinds of ship was held therein. He didn't know it yet, but his and Carrow's gifts were cut from the same cloth.
Evi was the last to go, and he stepped forward shyly, keeping his eyes focused on Caden's pink ones for reassurance as he approached his companion. He cleared his throat before he spoke. "Caden, I know we haven't really known each other for that long, but you've become quite a dear friend to me, and I feel as though were it not for your assistance, I wouldn't have the friends I do now. I'm quite grateful for that, and I got you a little something in return. I wasn't sure what I could pick up for you, so I settled on something simple." He pressed the small, wrapped box into Caden's paws. "I hope you like it!" Inside was a gleaming peridot, a vibrant green in colour, that had been affixed to a chain so it could be worn around one's neck if one wished. He stepped back, and all three had expectant looks on their faces as they waited for their friend to open his gifts, all three quite intrigued as to the nature of the present Ladorak would soon be unveiling.
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