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

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

Archie's up on the main deck, catching a bit of fresh air before plunging back into the depts of the gundeck. And so, he's sitting on one of the intact bits of railing, sleeves still rolled up, looking out over the lake, trying to decide what he wants to tackle next. Company is more than welcome.

[pirate_jack]

From his location on the quarterdeck, Jack gives a half-wave, then hastily supports the sail that had gone slipping in his moment of inattention.

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

Archie turns about and slips off the rail, heading up to give Jack a hand.

"Afternoon, captain. how are things going up here then? Aside from dropping bits of canvas?"

[pirate_jack]

"Mmph, mmph mmmmmmf." Jack finds a way to brace the sailcloth, then takes the needle and oiled silk from his mouth.

"Going rather well, I think." He eyes the seam that he's been working on thoughtfully. "Harder to sew than a woman's dress, but more useful."

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

"I've never tried sewing a woman's dress, so I wouldn't know really."

He's had to mend his own shirts often enough to prove he can sew better than Svava can though.

"Though the idea of a ship with sails made entirely of petticoats is rather amusing."

[pirate_jack]

"Not strong enough," Jack tells him absently. "Tear too easily."

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

Archie snorts softly.

"I said amusing, not particularly practical."

He glances around with a practiced eye.

"Things do seem to be coming along nicely."

[pirate_jack]

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

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

[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."

[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]

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

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

He shrugs.

"I hadn't a choice, really. And I was stubborn enough to refuse to let my father's declaration that I was too soft turn out to be true. I grew callouses and when I could hold a book again without bleeding on it, I read Shakespeare. Just to prove I could do both."

[politestpirate.livejournal.com]

Millitime!

Sometimes after this (http://midshipwellard.livejournal.com/18444.html?thread=157964#t157964)-

Thankfully there are some repairs that do not require delicate work. Like pounding in nails on new planks on the deck.

Given Wellard's apparent mood at this moment...

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

Archie wanders over from where he'd been taking a break.

"Something wrong, lad?"

Because even if he hadn't been in close quaters with the boy for some time, this mood would not be hard to guess.

[politestpirate.livejournal.com]

Wellard glances up to Archie, then sits back on his heels with a sigh.

"Can I say 'nothing', and have that be true for the most part?" He mutters slightly.

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

"You could, but I reserve the right not to believe it."

He sits on the edge of a nearby hatch, arms crossed over his knees, regarding him steadily.

"I do know the relative value of 'nothing' after all."

[politestpirate.livejournal.com]

Wellard snorts, giving Archie a wry look.

"Do you remember Captain Sparrow mentioning the Dread Pirate Roberts (http://prone-to-panic.livejournal.com/18094.html?thread=363950#t363950), sir?"

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

"Quite well. That was a memorable night, after all."

He raises an eyebrow, waiting for the lad to continue.

[politestpirate.livejournal.com]

"Apparently he met Roberts here, at Milliways. And he's helping repair the ship as well."

Wellard eyes the planks on the deck.

"His name is Inigo Montoya."

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

"Really now?"

There's a small pause, and a faint frown.

"A Spaniard then, I've not met him."

And if his tone has grown a bit more clipped, it's not entirely his fault.

[politestpirate.livejournal.com]

Not Archie's fault, and Wellard quite understands the tone.

He sighs.

"... He's from quite before our times, I do believe. Not his fault at all, sir."

It is addressed to the both of them, really.

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

Mildly:

"I've not yet met a Spaniard that did not want to either kill or torture me."

He sighs softly.

"Still, there's a rule about no business in the bar. I suppose this would fall under that category."

[politestpirate.livejournal.com]

"'Least he's a pirate as well?" Wellard offers, then shakes his head.

"He apologised, but even so, he didn't really know what he was apologizing for." He frowns, though it is more due to himself loosing his temper and making any vague apology even needed.

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

"An apology's no good unless one knows what one is apologizing for."

He tilts his head a little.

"Though if he was willing to apologize, perhaps we should be willing to put aside our own irrationality?"

Which is to say: Archie would probably have reacted very smilarly.