Introduction Grand Battery

[Kaii Nashirou]

Even while at the shore, Kaii still was at times needed at the Golden Hide. He didn't shy from any chance at getting some extra experience or income, so when he told that they looked for naval engineers to check and maintain all metal, mechanical or engine related things on the ship, Kaii was there the next day. Wearing a badge from the Urk, he was welcomed in without a word. And while he grew to like doing improvised work with Swifttail, there was something feeling good to him to have access to any tools he could desire from the dockyards.

There was just one tiny matter he didn't account for. After thoroughly checking the engine, making some fixes and getting to point out an inefficient solution he found while on the sea, asking and getting from the dockyard master the permission to rework it. The marble fox spent the next day checking the piping and water systems, all the pulleys, hooks and every single moving element of the ship and the rigging. He was pretty certain his work would be done after that, but he was still told to come again.

That was the one day he was slightly clueless. He was told to do maintenance for all the cannons and their little carts they were put at to deal with recoil. He could manage the latter without any problems, but while he knew how cannons and ballistics did work, it was more of an academic knowledge. Meaning that once he got to the first cannon, properly cleaning, levelling, sanding, derusting and dredging, it took him two hours to do it all. And there were seventy-three more of those. He wasn't afraid of the task, but there surely was a better way to do it, or at least, to maintain those, Kaii wouldn't have to basically restore them. Beasts that were on the ship could do so without spending days to constantly work on them.

Still, he had no idea how to approach this any better, so leaving the first, now looking brand-new cannon, he started repeating the process for the second one.

@Credence Moody

 

[Credence Moody]

It had been a long run ashore for Credence, but with new orders to report aboard the Golden Hide she was relieved to finally been getting away from the various problems that naturally plagued any sailor who stayed on dry land too long. Those mostly being money owed for gambling, free spending of coin on ale and other diverting activities. So, leaving behind all those joys and worries, Credence had reported herself aboard the Golden Hide, first to the officer of the watch and then on to the Armorer. After a brief conversation, she was sent to look over the guns. There had been a mention that some engineer had come aboard to also look over the guns, and she found him for'ard on the main gun deck.

Short enough that she had little need to stoop beneath the overhanging beams supporting the main deck above them she moved across the deck and paused to watch as the engineer worked on one of the guns.

"They been slackin' off that bad on keepin' their guns clean?" came the first surprised remark as she half-crouched to examine the barrel of the massive cannon, paws running along the black-painted metal, as if she might feel impurities or corrosion in the metal.

"Or do you just like breakin' your back, mate?"

@Kaii Nashirou

 

[Kaii Nashirou]

Kaii turned upon hearing the feminine voice. He didn't expect anyone coming and he was not familiar with anybeast on Hide having that voice. Seeing a smaller, but well-built rat in sailor's clothes, the marble fox relaxed slightly, but decided to stick to the formalities and procedure. Unmoved by the rough comment directed at him, he stood up and spoke calmly, trying to at least to gather some knowledge about the beast in front of him.

"I think no beast do, still, maintenance has to be done with adequate precision. Upon those depends our safety and combat ability after all." Kaii now gazed directly at the doe. "Tell me, who are you? I have not seen you on the ship before and while I doubt you were allowed to this place without passing at least multiple checkpoints, I am still obligated to ask. Don't take this personally." He continued in his usual, flat tone observing the potential reaction. The todd expected that she will most likely be a new sailor, but he had to be sure. He was after all in part responsible for the ship.

@Credence Moody

 

[Credence Moody]

Credence dipped her head, not quite deferential and she doesn't bother to knuckle her forehead--she has clearly discerned Kaii is no officer. She patted the cannon again and straightened to look back at Kaii.

"Credence Moody. Senior Seabeast. Been workin' with guns for a while and they told me someone might need help with 'em and so I headed down here. Need somethin' to get my paws dirty, after all." She grinned, sticking a thumb into the broad belt she wore.

"They got you doin' all of 'em on your own?"

@Kaii Nashirou

 

[Kaii Nashirou]

Kaii took in the words with a deep nod. She was a sailor, that was good. And she gave her name and position. Enough for him to at worst put a complaint if it was needed. But she seemed casual. Thus the fox accepted fully the explanation that she came to help.

"Well, I was the only Engineer who agreed to conduct maintenance during the break. So I was tasked with checking and, if needed, restoring each moving or metal part. Cannons are made of metal so I do suppose they are my duty, albeit I cannot say I am too familiar with cannon maintenance. I could use a paw that knows a thing or two, so if you are here for it, I would be honoured to have your assist."

@Credence Moody

 

[Credence Moody]

"Oh, aye, mate. Happy to help--though if this crew knows their duty they'll take proper care of th' guns, I'd wager--" Credence says with a warm grin and moves over towards the cannon that Kaii stands next to. She leans over it with a pursed-lip expression of concentration on her face, peering at the touch hole for a moment before running her fingers around it, feeling the metal for any cracks or signs of stress.

"Love these bloody things. Soon as I first heard th' great guns firing I knew I wanted to be a gunner," she mused happily. "Nothin' wrong with the touch hole I can see, better check th' muzzle and such next, then we'll look over the trucks and carriage."

 

[Kaii Nashirou]

Kaii observed Credence with interest, mostly noting how she was both passionate and capable alike. He could understand the former, there were many subjects he just enjoyed getting into and talking about. What he couldn't understand really was how she was casually stating the metal was alright by the touch alone. To check for microfissures, any deformations of internal structure of metal caused by heat and pressure, things like that were very difficult to check without a labratory. Kaii did his best to check for those but even he was limited by the tools he had on paw.

He also remembered one thing, to establish proper rapport, it was good for both sides to know respective names and he needed that rapport to potentially learn someting new. "Forgive my manners. I am Kaii, Gentlebeast of the Nashirou house, Seabeast and Engineer's Mate on this very ship. I wish to ask, since I can very much see the passion you have for those modern pieces of applied balistics, is it just experiece that allows you to speak so surely about the state of the cannon, or are there methods I am unaware of? I am simply perplexed you can by mere look and touch define if the metallic structure is still well, consideting how most issues are typically invisible to the naked eye."

While asking with a slight shift of his stoic tone into slightly curious one, he leaned down to assist checking the carriage. That was well within his capabilities and after producing all needed tools, he went over joints, fulcrums and bearings, making sure they are all in good shape, at proper places and within adequate skews to remain fully operational.

@Credence Moody