OOM: Pearl Repairs

[politestpirate]

The sky is cool, grey, and occasionally misting, but that just means when you are working hard you can keep warm enough.

And there is certainly plenty of work to be done. The deck of the Black Pearl has been cleared off, with debris and pieces that are large enough to reuse stacked carefully. All over is the gleam of cut and exposed wood, the splintered edges cut and smoothed in preparation for patching sections. One mast has been cleared of charred and torn sails and rigging, the canvas and rope set in one area to work on before it can be sent back up.

One of the current priorities, however, is fixing the stern section of the ship, the back wall of the captain's cabin, that took some of the worse damage from the kraken-

Scottish autumn nights can start to get chilly, afterall.

Party thread style, slowtimes more than welcome.

Comments

[pirate_jack]

Jack grins, and there's something utterly enchanting about the sweetness of it.

"So they do, mate. So they do."

[seeks-sixfinger.livejournal.com]

Inigo shrugs, bending back tot his work as well.

"Well, I am sorry my future countrymen did not leave you with a better impression."

He is, but...it's not like it was any of his doing.

[mercurialist]

Mercer's expression doesn't change, except for the sudden unnatural sharpness to his eyes as he watches the knife spin toward him.

And then --

Thwap.

At the last second, a hand shoots out to grab the hilt from midair.

"Thanks!" he calls, and flops out flat on the stay as he wiggles the flat of the blade into the knot.

[aj_crawley]

[ESPAÑOL: aletazo aletazo aletazo ALETAZOALETAZOALETAZO ESTRÉPITO]

[politestpirate.livejournal.com]

The pile of wood gets a frown.

"... Wouldn't be your fault, sir."

[pirate_jack]

"... now that's very interesting." Jack grins at him, and takes a step back for a better angle of view.

"Need anything else, mate?"

[mercurialist]

"Don't think so."

He's got the tip of his tongue poking between his teeth as he works.

"I'll yell if I do, how about that?"

[seeks-sixfinger.livejournal.com]

"No. But that does no' mean I canno' be sorry for it."

His tone is mostly neutral, but a hint of what might be lecturing comes into it--the same tone he'd use with a careless sailor or hotheaded fencer.

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

This is why most people can't help but like Jack. Archie returns the grin.

"Though I think some folk are probably coming out just for the chance to be on a real pirate ship for a bit."

[politestpirate.livejournal.com]

His jaw clenches, and shoving one piece of wood back down roughly onto the pile, Wellard stands suddenly. Hands are still down by his sides- purposely perhaps, as they are clenched into fists.

"And what exactly-"

[river_meimei]

The world may never know if River managed to avoid being splatted by a sail-encumbered demon through luck, skill, or ethereal intervention. Possibly some combination of all three.

She's curled up on her knees, head defensively cradled in her arms, hair and skirts spreading across the deck -- and tucked beneath the bedraggled arch of one black wing, unharmed.

Slowly, she sits up.

[pirate_jack]

"Sounds like a plan."

A thoughtful beat.

"And not a bad one, at that."

[pirate_jack]

He shrugs, still grinning.

"No trouble to me if they do, so long as it helps."

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

He chuckles again softly.

"I don't think many of them realize what kind of work needs to be done on a ship such as this. God, I remember my forst few weeks on board; my hands bloody and torn, my arms about to fall off from climbing up and down the rigging so often. I didn't think I would make it."

[pirate_jack]

He's been watching this for a few minutes now, as Wellard's voice started rising, and Jack judges this to be the opportune moment.

"Do we have a problem, lads?"

His tone's easy enough, but the look in the black eyes as he strolls up is sharply assessing.

[seeks-sixfinger.livejournal.com]

Having stood as well, Inigo looks from Wellard to Jack, a bit uncertain.

"I would say that depends on the young man, here," he says. There's maybe a slight bit of emphasis on 'young'. "If I've offended, it was no' my intention."

[mercurialist]

"Hey, thanks, I thought so myself." A wink. He digs the knife further in and twists his fingers into the loosened knot, seeking the end.

Then there's another swift glance to Jack, and a small smile bereft of any teasing or sarcasm.

"We'll get her to rights." And he picks up his earlier...'tune,' for lack of a better word, only in a whistle this time.

[politestpirate.livejournal.com]

And now, Wellard will indulge in a deep breath and a momentary wince, before he starts pulling the sailcloth and ropes off the two of them.

[aj_crawley]

Crowley gets to his feet, brushing himself off and trying very hard to look as though nothing happened.

"We're good. We're good. You're good?" he enquires of River, helping her up. "We're good."

The sail, thankfully, has stayed largely rolled. Crowley sighs with relief, and sets to helping Wellard straighten them out, muttering under his breath.

"'Hard-a-port'. I'll hard-a-port you..."

[politestpirate.livejournal.com]

There is a tick in the muscle of his jaw, and Wellard glances from Jack back to Inigo.

"No problem at all, sir. Now, if you both will excuse me-"

He turns to leave.

[pirate_jack]

"Ah, but you're tougher than all that," he says dryly. "Or else you wanted it enough to make the difference."

[river_meimei]

"Next time allow for gravity," River informs Crowley.

[politestpirate.livejournal.com]

Wellard gives Crowley a sideways look.

"... dodging would have worked either which way, however..." A quiet mutter, and he then works on winding some of the ropes trailing from the sail.

He glances over at River. "... That was sort of the plan, just a little bit more... controlled."

[pirate_jack]

That's about as far as he gets, though, as Jack's hand descends firmly on Wellard's shoulder.

"Might be best if I introduced the two of you properly, aye?"

Given the tone of Jack's voice, it's not exactly a question.

"Captain Montoya, this is Henry Wellard, once-midshipman of the Royal Navy -- and now much more better, a valued member of me crew."

A beat.

"Son, this is Captain Inigo Montoya. Think you might have heard me tell of him before -- he's the Dread Pirate Roberts, savvy?"

[mercurialist]

Mercer's been enlisted to take on the snarled ropes and sailcloth dangling from the mizzenmast. He's whistling as he balances precariously on the cracked stay, alternately untangling and cutting the knots as he goes.

The tune's unidentifiable, and yet, somehow, it still manages to sound off-key.