Two Spooks Meet In A Bar... Part III
Posted on Mon May 15th, 2023 @ 7:14pm by Captain Edmund Merrick & Petty Officer 1st Class Kaylara Loran
Edited on on Wed May 17th, 2023 @ 9:39pm
0 words; about a 1 minute read
Mission:
Episode 14 - The Poseidon Adventure
Location: The Repulsive Sailboat Bar & Holodeck - Poseidon Station Promenade
Timeline: MD005 0030 hrs
Stefan scaled the rope ladder, rather quickly, despite him carrying the food and drink over his arms. As soon as his feet touched the planks of the Black Fury, a bosun's whistle sounded and a voice called out, "Captain on the deck!" and there was the sound of pounding feet of the crew being there to greet him, to stand for him to inspect.
Kaylara waited long enough for the captain to be recognized, then climbed the ladder after him. She stayed in the background as she considered herself another lowly crewman. This was Stefan's show and she was going to enjoy watching him as much as she enjoyed participating.
He sent the cabin boy to take the food to the captain's dining room, and set the table there in. Stefan then walked through the lines of men giving them a sort of inspection, then he stopped in front of Kaylara and whispered "I'll set the ship to sail and then we dine."
Kaylara being the last one, he inspected Stefan went to the upper deck to where he could see the whole crew. "Mister Talbot, raise up the anchor. Standby to make sail! Lay aloft and loose topgallants! Clear away the jib! " Stefan said to his number one, who called out the commands to the men, and the men sprang into action.
Men went up the rigging, scrambling like spider monkeys to get the sails ready, once all was done the wind caught the sails, billowing them out as the Black Fury leaped forward. Stefan had motioned for Kaylara to stand with him as the ship set sail, wanting her to see it from his view.
She watched the men go up and down the rigging with an ease that impressed her. She'd been on ropes courses and climbed something akin to the rigging, but never on a tall ship. She couldn't help being impressed as she stood by the captain and watched.
Kaylara looked over at him and grinned.
The ship was angled away from the sun, with the sun coming from the left side. The rays of it dancing upon the waves.
"I love sailing at this time of the morning, it makes for a great day." Stefan said softly to Kaylara. He then looked at his First Mate,
"Mister Talbot, you have the helm, let me know when we spot a prize"
"Aye Cap'n, will do." Mister Talbot answered.
Stefan then turned to head to the captain's dining room. "Shall we?" pausing for Kaylara to follow, before continuing on.
It was a moderate sized room with a table in the center for four people, a skylight above and a window to the rear of the ship, showing the Rio de Janeiro port disappearing from view. Upon the wall were Four portraits, one of a man who looked like Stefan, an older woman who was blonde, a younger woman who was blonde as well, and in her features showing similar traits shared by the two men, and there was a portrait of Stefan. The women were clad in a simple dress of that time.
She looked around the room appreciatively. "Your family?" Kaylara asked, going over to the portraits. It was a nice touch, whether they were his real family or not.
"Actually, yes they are." Stefan walking over to look at the images. "Something we decided to do when playing in this holoprogram." He reached out to touch the portraits of the three.
"Remember when I asked you if you had seen a devilishly handsome man like me? It wasn't just a quip but it was actually a valid question."
Stefan gazed at the one who looked just like him for a moment or two longer, then turned around. "Come, let’s eat before the food is cold. I don't know about you but I am starved." flashing a brilliant smile.
She put a hand on his arm for a moment and gave it a gentle squeeze. There was a story in that, but she wasn't going to ask. Not now, anyway. "Yes. I am rather hungry."
Stefan pulled out the chair for Kaylara to have a seat, then went to his own across the table from her. Placing the two mugs upon the table, he popped open the cork and poured them both a mug of grog.
"What sort of conversation shall we have?" giving a cheeky smile. "Weather, what sort of ship we'll be going after or... another subject you'd like to find out about?" Stefan had noticed her querying glances towards him.
"Well..." she hesitated for a moment. This was new territory for her in many ways. "I do want to know about what we could find...but I think I'd rather hear more about you."
Stefan had picked up the bowl which held the jambalaya taking a deep inhale to catch the scent of the food before setting it down upon the wooden table top. He picked up a spoon filling it, he looked up at Kaylara, "I am a man of many layers, some stay hidden, other layers do not. What would be your first question?" a half smile with a teasing expression in his green eyes.
She raised an eyebrow and gave him another slow once-over, a wicked glint in her eye. "I think I'll ask the second." Then her expression grew more serious. "Why are you looking for your brother?"
"He's not had contact with me nor my sister nor... my aunt/mother, for a little bit of time. I know he is alive, there is that connection between the three of us. Well actually I am wrong he did send a message that he was okay. But that was a little bit a while ago. You see, I've been slapped by some women, that thought I was him." Stefan giving a bit of a chuckle.
"Makes me wonder though if he's been slapped by others thinking he was me." a devilish grin appearing.
"Are you telling me you're a rake?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Should I be concerned?" By the look in her eye, she wasn't concerned at all.
Stefan's spoon paused in midair and then was set back down as he laughed, a genuine pleased laugh. "A rake, nice turn of phrase." he picked up his spoon, and took a bite. "I do not think you'd be concerned; besides you may have the ability to out seduce the seducer." he reached out and touched her hand, "You are a rather dangerous woman, gentle hands and yet strong. Intelligent, quick witted"
"I like your description." She chuckled softly. Not only did he not seem to care that she was Romulan, she was enjoying the repartee and the subtle flirtation. She met his gaze for a long moment, her eyes flashing a challenge and something more. "I may just take you up on that." Then she smiled and began to eat.
Stefan gave a closed mouthed smile as he chewed and also gave a nod. There was silence as he concentrated on his food, once in a while he glanced up at Kaylara, it was his practice to eat while he could before any sort of other activity. Especially when you never know what will happen next. He came to the last bite of his Jambalaya, his mug of grog all finished, then leaned back with a beignet in his hand.
"Sorry for the lull in the conversation, the food is that good." He remarked.
She shrugged. "I didn't think there was a need for conversation." In fact, she appreciated that he didn't think he should say something inane just to talk." She picked up a pastry and took a bite, closing her eyes in appreciation. Then she took another bite and smiled. "These are very good. So, captain, what might we encounter out here?" Her grin turned playful as her eyes met his. "And what sort of treasure."
"Historically speaking, we'd be taking a merchant ship, no navy ships. There will be fighting or we can try to take one of the smaller ships and add it to our own fleet." giving Kaylara an intense gaze, then bit into his own beignet. He stood up to get a pitcher of water that was on a side counter and brought it over to pour himself a drink. The grog was good but he wasn't about to get drunk not when they were going to get into a scuffle.
Taking a swallow of water, Stefan looked at Kaylara, and moved the pitcher of water towards her to see if she wished some.
She poured herself a glass and drank it slowly before she set the glass down and stood. "I'll help clear the table so we can move on to...something else while we wait for a ship." She was deliberately baiting him just to get a reaction. "I'd like to climb the rigging and maybe see how good you are with that sword."
Stefan who had his back to Kaylara putting the grog in a safe place, slowly turned around. "Aye I'd like to see that myself. Maybe you will be the one who will spot a prize ship, that we can take as ours." he walked up towards Kaylara, and leaned in closely, his lips almost a hairsbreadth to hers, and yet not touching. "It is thrilling to be the one to spot a prize ship, from atop the mast, then swinging down to engage."
"When I choose to engage, there's no swinging," she replied softly, tracing a finger down the vee of his shirt. "I just go in for the kill." Chuckling, she stepped back. "Shall we see what's going on topside?"
Feeling her finger upon his flesh, it was electrifying to causing him to do a sharp intake of breath. He could feel the goosebumps rise. He grinned, "Aye let’s do such." popping the final piece of beignet into his mouth, and finishing off the water he had in his mug. Wiping his mouth on the back of his sleeve, Stefan led the way to the deck, taking a look at the activity that was going on. They were now out away from Rio de Janeiro and into open water.
"Report Mister Talbot!" as he came up near his first mate.
"It is clear and fair sailing Cap'n we've not sent anyone up to get a gander, was just getting ready to do so." Talbot answered.
Stefan took a look at Kaylara, then said. "Mister Kaylara head up the mast and let us know what you see."
"Aye, aye, sir." She snapped him a saucy salute and headed up to the mast. She wasn't as quick or agile as the rest of his crew, but she was familiar with ropes courses, so she did well enough. She enjoyed the climb and the ever-present sea spray.
When she dropped into the crow's nest, she took a good look around. At first, there was nothing to see, but the program wasn't going to let them go on for long without something happening and soon she saw a dark shape on the horizon. "Ship ahoy!" she called, pointing.
Upon the horizon could be seen that the ship was slightly larger than the sloop that Stefan was commanding, however it had the flag colors of the East India Trading Company, which had black and white stripes. Another had placed their spyglass to see what the ship was coming into view.
"There, there is our prize, and we will be having it!" shouted Stefan. "Mister Talbot ready the men, we are going to be capturing that ship! "
Talbot began to bark out orders and the men scrambled, Stefan taking the wheel of the ship to pilot it towards their quarry. "Hoist up the colors!" Stefan roared out. and the Jolly Roger, was ran up the line. The flag snapping and billowing in the wind.
It looked like they were going to be getting into a fight, as the EITC ship was moving towards the Black Fury. The wind was in the favor of the Black Fury as it leaped forward across the water, under Stefan's hand the ships drew near. Cannons roared as the ships began their fight. The Black Fury moved out of the way then, brought about to the other side of the ship, " Break out the grapple hooks!" Stefan called out. "And prepare to board!"
A Joint Post By
Lieutenant JG Stefan Zamfir
Of SB50 Intelligence
played by:
Captain Edmund Merrick
The Cure Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
Petty Officer First Class Kaylara Loran
Data Systems Analyst, USS Pioneer
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