Post by Ladorak on Apr 9, 2012 11:50:51 GMT -5
Caden entered the sumptuous cabin of Ladorak Fugate. The stoat always had such fine tastes in decorum; indeed, spread out beneath his paws was a massive red carpet. The stoat was sitting behind his desk, sunlight streaming in from behind him, which was afforded access to the cabin through the Agamemnon's stern gallery windows.
He came to attention, saluting the stoat, who returned it a second later. "You... wanted to see me, sir?"
"Yes... have a seat." he motioned with his quill pen to one of the chairs opposite the captain's desk. Caden crossed the carpeted deck, and slid into one of the high backed chairs. "How has life as a Midshipjack been?" Ladorak asked, regarding Caden through his monocle.
"Well... stressful sir... I can admit. Not quite as easy as I thought it would be."
"Dispense with the formalities, Caden. There's no need for it here. We're alone." the stoat informed him.
"Oh... right! Of course, Ladorak." Caden responded, nodding.
"It's at least not over your head, is it?" Ladorak inquired now.
"No sir... it's not." the albino shook his head.
"Good... I wanted to show you something, Caden. Something that's very old... and something I've had ever since I was a young lad of 19. It's... one of my most prized possessions, you might say." the stoat pulled open a draw on the table now, and gingerly retrieved an old looking book from it. He held it across the desk for Caden to take, and the marten tentatively received it. The description and use of the Sector and Crosse-staffe and other instruments, With a Canon of Artificiall Sines & Tangents to a Radius of 10000,0000 Partes & the use Thereof in Astronomie Navigation and Dialing. That was some rather laborious verbosity right there! Typical of the 17th Century though!
"How... old is this book?" Caden asked, looking it over.
"1636." Ladorak answered. "159 years old."
"Wow!" Caden breathed, his pink eyes going wide.
"It's an early navigation manual... not essential for the basic seajack, but required for those interested in the science behind seafaring." the stoat said, cracking a smile. "Open it up... I want you to look at the names of previous owners."
The albino marten did so, flipping to the first page, and being careful not to tear the paper, as it looked so delicate. "Given to my son, John, 5th of May, 1671. John... Benbow!" Caden gasped, looking up to fix Ladorak with a stare as his pink eyes widened again. "THE Admiral John Benbow?" Ladoark nodded, closing his eyes.
"Yes... given to him by his father, also named John. Go on... keep reading." he said, smiling again.
The famous Admiral Benbow had owned this book? He was not well known by mainstream Welkinites, but every naval officer knew his name. He was a giant in his time, about a hundred years before their present year. He died tragically in the War of the Ferlusanian Succession, in one of the more bizarre battles of that war. From what Caden knew... many of Benbow's captains had disobeyed his orders, and left him to die when his flagship became isolated. Many of those same captains were later executed for cowardice, or at the least, dismissed from the service.
"Passed to Captain Thomas Hardy on 30 November, 170..." but the page was torn, so it was impossible to say the exact year.
"I assume it's 2." Ladorak stated. "Benbow died in 1702. Go on."
"Upon retirement, was given to Rear Admiral James Mighells, 28 March, 1717. Given to..." Caden paused here, his breath caught in his throat again. "Wait... upon Mighells's death, book passed on April 4, 1733, to Lieutenant Edward Hawke? Surely not... THE Edward Hawke?"
Ladorak nodded again, a wide smile spreading over his features now. It was clear he was having fun with this, and enjoying Caden's discovery. "That's... crazy! This book was owned by the famous Admiral Hawke? The one who destroyed the Rosferian convoy at the Second Battle of Cape Finisterre, AND went on to destroy the Rosferian fleet at Quiberon Bay?" he asked, blinking a few times, the book suddenly feeling very heavy in his paws.
"The very same." Ladorak nodded sincerely. "Mighells fought at the Battle of Malaga by the way... in case you didn't know. And yes... that is THE Edward Hawke." he confirmed. "And... one more entry... go ahead and read it." he pressed, lifting his paw.
Caden once more turned his attention to the book. "Presented in 1777 to..." here, it was Caden's turn to smile. "...Lieutenant Ladorak Fugate." he looked up now, beaming.
"Aye... I was a young lad of 19, as I said. Hawke was six years retired at that point... and you were still three years from being born. As it was passed from distinguished officer to distinguished officer, he decided to give it to me. He said I had all the markings of greatness at that point. Heh... I suppose I'm still trying to live up to that." Ladorak joked. "Him feeling me worthy of such a gift has only... increased my desire to prove him right."
Caden said nothing, smiling still as he looked down at the book in his paws. "So it's all theorems and equations in here?" he asked.
Ladorak nodded. "Yes... mostly. I've kept it with me on every ship I've served on. It's been sort of my good luck charm, in a way. I figure... if it's survived this long at sea, it'll keep doing so. Caden..." He said now, pausing to look directly at him. "I'd like you to have that book someday... I'm going to pass it on to you when my own career comes to an end."
Caden couldn't respond at first... he was simply overwhelmed by it all. "I... I see." he said, gulping. "I'll... I'll try to be worthy of it, Ladorak!" he nodded nervously.
"You are worthy of it, Caden. There's a good chance you'll live to see its 200th publication anniversary." Ladorak reached out, and retrieved the book. "It belongs with you." he tapped his claws on it lovingly, then looked up at the marten. "It belongs with my most prized possession." He said, looking right at Caden now as he placed the book back in the drawer, and slid it closed.
Caden hesitated here, wondering if what he just heard was correct... but he knew. He knew from the way the stoat was regarding him. Smiling, he closed his eyes. "Thank you... dad." he said, reopening them to gaze into Ladorak's proud countenance. "I won't let you down." he rose to standing now, nodding.
"Now... get back to work. I'll see you later." Ladorak said, nodding to the door, though still smiling. Caden returned it, saluted, and turned to walk back out onto the quarterdeck.
He came to attention, saluting the stoat, who returned it a second later. "You... wanted to see me, sir?"
"Yes... have a seat." he motioned with his quill pen to one of the chairs opposite the captain's desk. Caden crossed the carpeted deck, and slid into one of the high backed chairs. "How has life as a Midshipjack been?" Ladorak asked, regarding Caden through his monocle.
"Well... stressful sir... I can admit. Not quite as easy as I thought it would be."
"Dispense with the formalities, Caden. There's no need for it here. We're alone." the stoat informed him.
"Oh... right! Of course, Ladorak." Caden responded, nodding.
"It's at least not over your head, is it?" Ladorak inquired now.
"No sir... it's not." the albino shook his head.
"Good... I wanted to show you something, Caden. Something that's very old... and something I've had ever since I was a young lad of 19. It's... one of my most prized possessions, you might say." the stoat pulled open a draw on the table now, and gingerly retrieved an old looking book from it. He held it across the desk for Caden to take, and the marten tentatively received it. The description and use of the Sector and Crosse-staffe and other instruments, With a Canon of Artificiall Sines & Tangents to a Radius of 10000,0000 Partes & the use Thereof in Astronomie Navigation and Dialing. That was some rather laborious verbosity right there! Typical of the 17th Century though!
"How... old is this book?" Caden asked, looking it over.
"1636." Ladorak answered. "159 years old."
"Wow!" Caden breathed, his pink eyes going wide.
"It's an early navigation manual... not essential for the basic seajack, but required for those interested in the science behind seafaring." the stoat said, cracking a smile. "Open it up... I want you to look at the names of previous owners."
The albino marten did so, flipping to the first page, and being careful not to tear the paper, as it looked so delicate. "Given to my son, John, 5th of May, 1671. John... Benbow!" Caden gasped, looking up to fix Ladorak with a stare as his pink eyes widened again. "THE Admiral John Benbow?" Ladoark nodded, closing his eyes.
"Yes... given to him by his father, also named John. Go on... keep reading." he said, smiling again.
The famous Admiral Benbow had owned this book? He was not well known by mainstream Welkinites, but every naval officer knew his name. He was a giant in his time, about a hundred years before their present year. He died tragically in the War of the Ferlusanian Succession, in one of the more bizarre battles of that war. From what Caden knew... many of Benbow's captains had disobeyed his orders, and left him to die when his flagship became isolated. Many of those same captains were later executed for cowardice, or at the least, dismissed from the service.
"Passed to Captain Thomas Hardy on 30 November, 170..." but the page was torn, so it was impossible to say the exact year.
"I assume it's 2." Ladorak stated. "Benbow died in 1702. Go on."
"Upon retirement, was given to Rear Admiral James Mighells, 28 March, 1717. Given to..." Caden paused here, his breath caught in his throat again. "Wait... upon Mighells's death, book passed on April 4, 1733, to Lieutenant Edward Hawke? Surely not... THE Edward Hawke?"
Ladorak nodded again, a wide smile spreading over his features now. It was clear he was having fun with this, and enjoying Caden's discovery. "That's... crazy! This book was owned by the famous Admiral Hawke? The one who destroyed the Rosferian convoy at the Second Battle of Cape Finisterre, AND went on to destroy the Rosferian fleet at Quiberon Bay?" he asked, blinking a few times, the book suddenly feeling very heavy in his paws.
"The very same." Ladorak nodded sincerely. "Mighells fought at the Battle of Malaga by the way... in case you didn't know. And yes... that is THE Edward Hawke." he confirmed. "And... one more entry... go ahead and read it." he pressed, lifting his paw.
Caden once more turned his attention to the book. "Presented in 1777 to..." here, it was Caden's turn to smile. "...Lieutenant Ladorak Fugate." he looked up now, beaming.
"Aye... I was a young lad of 19, as I said. Hawke was six years retired at that point... and you were still three years from being born. As it was passed from distinguished officer to distinguished officer, he decided to give it to me. He said I had all the markings of greatness at that point. Heh... I suppose I'm still trying to live up to that." Ladorak joked. "Him feeling me worthy of such a gift has only... increased my desire to prove him right."
Caden said nothing, smiling still as he looked down at the book in his paws. "So it's all theorems and equations in here?" he asked.
Ladorak nodded. "Yes... mostly. I've kept it with me on every ship I've served on. It's been sort of my good luck charm, in a way. I figure... if it's survived this long at sea, it'll keep doing so. Caden..." He said now, pausing to look directly at him. "I'd like you to have that book someday... I'm going to pass it on to you when my own career comes to an end."
Caden couldn't respond at first... he was simply overwhelmed by it all. "I... I see." he said, gulping. "I'll... I'll try to be worthy of it, Ladorak!" he nodded nervously.
"You are worthy of it, Caden. There's a good chance you'll live to see its 200th publication anniversary." Ladorak reached out, and retrieved the book. "It belongs with you." he tapped his claws on it lovingly, then looked up at the marten. "It belongs with my most prized possession." He said, looking right at Caden now as he placed the book back in the drawer, and slid it closed.
Caden hesitated here, wondering if what he just heard was correct... but he knew. He knew from the way the stoat was regarding him. Smiling, he closed his eyes. "Thank you... dad." he said, reopening them to gaze into Ladorak's proud countenance. "I won't let you down." he rose to standing now, nodding.
"Now... get back to work. I'll see you later." Ladorak said, nodding to the door, though still smiling. Caden returned it, saluted, and turned to walk back out onto the quarterdeck.
