[Alex is going to go with half genuine, half dickish. And he approves.]

Well, I'd say let them explore on their own, but someone might hear me.

I am sure the governor would be so pleased setting out on his own. [He holds no real love for Narvin, for whatever reason. Perhaps he just grates on his nerves.]

We should look for food, at some point. [More grudgingly.] I doubt we'll have this ship fixed overnight and I'm not sure all of the grain survived.

It's a green enough island, we should be able to find something.

It's also a dangerous one. The things that are coming through- [He taps the screen of his communicator.] -may have plans for us to be their food. I am not that good at mediating disagreements and the idea of being someone's meal does not appeal to me.

So, if we go out, we should definitely not go alone.

Buddy system? I can do that. You need a buddy, sir?

More than one always helps. Dylan and I are going to investigate the pirates location. When we come back, you and I can go around the other side of the beach and see how secure that route is.

Sounds good. I'll be waiting here, not getting into even a little bit of trouble.

[. . . ahahaha]

Well, one of our passengers definitely asked me if I could arm her.

I sent her Marine-wards. So have fun with that.

I'm certain that will be entertaining. [He stretches the word out with an eyeroll.] Which one is it?

Miss Isley.

To be honest, I wouldn't have pegged her as the... wanting-a-musket type. [ She may have unleashed an unknown monster in your direction. Sorry, dude. :( ]

A pistol and some shot we can spare. Anything larger Miss Isley should stay on the ship to retrieve when need presses.

I believe regulation might be waved when there are pirates on the island. I doubt my commander would begrudge me that.

Yeah.

We're gonna get them, right? The pirates.

We will be prepared for them at least. I am going with Dylan to investigate their location on the other side of the island, to be certain what condition they are in.

If they are more battle ready than us, it may be an issue of concern.

No one's more prepared than the Navy.

[ She wishes she really believed that. ]

I wouldn't put it past pirates who have been robbing the navy for some time. But I hope you are right, or else that they're not organized enough to use their materials properly.

Sometimes pirates can be pretty dangerous. These guys...

I don't know.

[He has the good sense to switch to private. He doesn't take his job so seriously that he won't listen to the concerns of others, but he doesn't want superiors to see conversations and assume the worst.]

Is there something unusual about them?

They just seem really... disciplined isn't the right word. Determined, I guess. Not like your usual scum-of-the-seas.

They are likely more experienced than many out there. If they came from countries where they were originally supported in their efforts, they may have more solid tactics. They did have a better ship than I am used to.

And if they were able to capture her, that implies some organization on their part beyond ordinary.

Usually pirate ships are barely holding together.

I'll assign a guard to Miss Bellringer and her maid. [Both very pretty. And Mr. Bellringer looks like the sort of father who is protective of his child. That might be difficult to find a man who won't stare when he shouldn't and cause offense.]

I don't know if we can spare the manpower for the governor's protection. If he's not going to help repair the ship, then we damn well can't pull another able bodied man away from the work just to guard his pale arse.

Rightfully done, sir. She's got a touch of an adventurous spirit- Miss Bellringer, that is. But the maid and her father might keep her still.

Is he still being demanding as per usual?

I hope so. This is no place for a well born lady to going a-wandering. If she slips away from her guard there's all manner of danger she could get in to.

He's complaining about the delay. As if any of us can magically make the ship repair herself.

We should survey the island and pin down the pirates' position, and make certain those blackguards don't develop a fancy for ambushing our crew.

[He feels his face heat up, because at the other end of this comm he's blushing. Not that it can be seen over audio, and he's grateful for that.] Just the two of us? [He clears his throat.] Perhaps Blonsky can be trusted to guard the Governor. And we can call him to our side as we should need him.

[How hunting pirates could ever be romantic, one may never know. And he knows the idea is misplaced, too. He eventually chides himself for it.]

Well, we could bring along the entire platoon, but that might be a bit obvious if we're trying to be stealthy.

[Dylan is oblivious to the romantic possibilities of pirate hunting and equally oblivious to Rhade's thoughts on the matter.]

Blonsky's a good choice. The Crown probably wouldn't be happy if we lost their new governor before they even got to try him out. And he won't put up with his Governorship's nonsense.

Do not attempt to start a fight this time. Your sense of survival, Dylan, it... there's a word here that means the very worst and I can't remember it. That's the one I would like to use.

I will meet you on the beach. [This may be why it's difficult for Dylan to tell.]

Edited 2013-05-06 06:51 am (UTC)

[Dylan gives him an innocent look.]

Abysmal? Atrocious? Abominable, perhaps?

I'll join you there.

Abominable. [It's hilarious in his accent.] That would be the word I need.

[He's waiting on Dylan by the time he gets there. Rhade does a good job of appearing timely when honestly he's always eager to meet his commanding officer. Even if at times it's excruciating on many levels to spend time with him, like when the conversation takes certain turns.

He's always careful not to allow most of the other crew hear him say more than "Aye aye" to Dylan (though that in itself is conspicuous because he's a social, talkative man). He is all the way down the beach before he chooses to speak.]

[Dylan has always appreciated correct and proper promptitude in his soldiers, and thinks that Rhade is no more than a particularly keen soldier with an eye for a promotion. They're close enough in rank that he can consider Rhade a friend, at least while they're off duty and away from other crewmen, but he suspects nothing more. Dylan's romantic thoughts are three thousand miles away, back on England's shores.]

Rhade. [He nods a greeting to him.] I'm going to order you to go against regulation and remove your uniform coat. The red will show up against these trees like a harlot in Westminster.

[Dylan is removing his own red coat as he speaks.]

[Obediently he pulls off the overcoat.] Thank you, sir. It's very warm here, anyway. [And he folds it to leave near them, on a log. It will be easy to find later for the very reasons that Dylan cited.]

It has been a long time since I would know about that, though.

[For very embarrassing reasons. He checks his sheath as a distraction.]

I wouldn't expect otherwise. [But not for any of the reasons that were most pertinent.] It's been a long time since we docked near London. [He sighed. London wasn't very far away from the town he called home.]

God's blood, I miss my Lizzie.

[And then Gaheris's good humor fades, more quickly than it usually does when Lizzie is mentioned. Since that last time they took port his willingness to discuss her has greatly decreased. Instead he focusses on checking his pistol.]

I don't expect they'll attack with any intention to kill the lot of us, not when their ship should be gone, too. I will say it is likely that rescuers will come for us before they would come for them.

Indeed. They may try to rob us for provisions, but it's likely not worth the risk for them. We're fortunate that we made land on such a hospitable island. We have game, fruit, fresh water. Otherwise I would expect men to start killing each other over a ration of drink before long. Luck is smiling on us.

[Dylan is still a bit of an optimist, even with a damaged ship on a island full of pirates.]

They may still kill each other for drink- [He gestures around them] -the fruit may grow on trees, but the bottles do not.

Perhaps we can find a way to ferment the fruit? Surely people could be convinced to make the attempt rather than risk life and limb for a drop of grog.

[He believes the best of people. The marines, the sailors, and Lizzie. He can't believe they would willingly do bad when they were presented with an alternative.]

[And he rolls his eyes.] You are an idealist, Dylan. But I am sure anyone can be convinced of anything in the interest of survival. Whether it's getting along or ah.. exploiting the available resources. [He motions around them, keeping his voice relatively low the further from the ship that they get.]

I am glad you agree, Rhade. I hope it's not simply because I'm your superior officer. [Not that that's ever stopped Rhade from disagreeing with him in the past, but he does like to tease.]

[He unbuttons his shirt, because the island is hot and he wants to tie it around his waist, twisted up like a belt. He snorts at Dylan.] If you were not smug when I agreed with you, sir, I would do so more often. [Though he actually didn't mind the smugness. Not one bit.]

But I like it when people agree with me. I suppose that I shall simply have to attempt to be less smug.

[He decides that Rhade has the right idea on how to deal with this climate and removes his shirt as well.]

[He doesn't know how he got to this point. Conventionally Gaheris was very attracted to women; he never had any inclination toward a man before. But the more time he spent with Dylan, the more that his mind wandered, his dreams betrayed him.

And now he has to look quickly away from Dylan.]

I saw Lizzie, right before we left. [He says before he can stop himself, staring straight ahead.]

[Dylan saw Lizzie, too, but knows well enough that she might hide things from him that she wouldn't from Rhade. But what he thinks she might have been hiding was crushing grief at his departure that she was holding back for his sake.

Because that's how he'd felt upon leaving her.]

And how was my best girl when you saw her?

Happy. Pleased. And drifting past a window with her arms around your grocer.

[He doesn't look at Dylan, and he's intensely bitter sounding. For many reasons; part of him knows that Dylan looks upon her like she's perfect, and partly because he's known for some time that she betrayed his friend.]

We were about to set sail, you were already aboard, warning you would have made no difference.

[Dylan stopped in his tracks.]

You must be mistaken. It must have been someone else, someone who looks like my Lizzie.

[He wants it to be a mistake.]