Talinn listened to both the head engineer and the new marble fox engineering apprentice he had welcomed aboard the ship just before they had set sail for Urk, careful to maintain a neutral expression, but internally the old fox was growing more and more irritated. He had been assured by his head engineering advisor in Amarone, before he set out on Urk and during sea trials, that everything was fine as long as he kept the ship under normal operation and maintenance, and now apparently the damn thing could have exploded simply by firing a mere three sustained broadsides. Maybe a little visit from Dusk would encourage more honesty...and maybe he was going to pick a new head of the engineering department, depending on what he was going to find out. That and Rugg’s slight dig against the Fyadoran crown’s competence, his own family, dug a little into him. It had not been easy to infiltrate that far to the Dark Tower on the mainland to regain those old schematics, and even harder to exfiltrate, to give the Imperium the advantage it needed. Still, he could not exactly disagree with the beast, his father, Cyrus, had become mad over time, and led to their shameful exile to Westisle, and establishing a foothold again on the fractured mainland was going to cost so much blood.
Matters for another day, however.
He was far more pleased with Engineer Apprentice Nashirou, however, due to his polite and proper deference to him along with his competence. He had done a little digging on the fox, noting he was from the old Imperium nobility, albeit now something of a disgraced minor family who had picked the wrong side in the first phase of the civil war, but wisely stayed neutral in the second between the now Empress and the Ministers, enough to avoid the common fate of the old nobility of being pushed out of the nearest window. Evidently, what remaining wealth the family did have was spent on their legal case, and from what he could tell from the MinoJus’s archives, he had won the ruins of his old home and title back less because of the strength of his claim and more because the family’s remaining wealth had been spent on that helping to fund the cash-starved Imperium and becoming effectively no threat in the process. A humiliating kick back down to what could barely be considered the lower gentry in name and in effect a commoner, and a very long climb back up to even reenter the gentry proper, let alone the landed nobility.
Still, he could not help but feel a bit of sympathy for the young, eager marble fox. Seemed like a good lad, hardworking, polite, and eager to please from the wagging of his tail, and he could make use of that, and due to his own circumstances, he could not help but feel a little sympathy about the desire to bring back one’s family honor. He gave a quick nod to the head engineer, and a longer, more approving one to Kai, then spoke, his voice warm.
“Thank you for the report, Head Engineer Rug, and especially you, Apprentice Engineer Nashirou. You have done the Hide, and by extension the Imperium, a great service today, and such service will be rewarded. Perhaps when this mission is finished, you might accompany me to Innovation’s office near Amarone to deliver your report to our engineering department, and show them exactly where they erred. Such, of course, will also include suitable renumeration.” Talinn offered a warm, encouraging smile to the young todd.
And then help me figure out exactly how badly my engineering advisor had messed things up to determine whether or not he loses his position...or much, much more. I cannot be seen to be weak or easily fooled in my Ministry. I have skills managing beasts, not technical ones, so it is important that I am not lied to or have things omitted from me, otherwise I will simply become a joke.
Giving another brusque nod to the two of them, he turned marched back up the stairs to the deck, now assured that the
Hide was not going to explode or be stuck without its critical advantage over traditional ships for too long.
Reaching the deck again, he was greeted by even more chaos he would have to put into order. His Bosun, engrossed in her duties, being trailed by a seemingly desperate Finnian, the good lad desperately trying to get her attention, caught his attention first. He sighed internally. Ralynn was a good beast, and a valuable asset, but she, like many on the ship he was finding out, was willing to ignore her own health for the sake of the mission and the crew. A good thing, usually, but he was going to need a more hardened beast with her experience once on land, and those wounds needed stitching.
“Bosun Waverunner!” He declared, his voice booming above the chaos.
“It seems Surgeon’s Aide Finnian wants to say something to you, and if you could, listen. If those wounds cannot be handled here, then go to the infirmary. We need you in top condition!” He glanced around for a suitable free beast to do whatever task the dutiful rabbit was going to see to, then caught sight of Fairpaws.
“Seabeast Fairpaws! Go over to the Bosun and receive instructions on what you need to do! She has more important matters to attend to!”
With that, he continued marching over to the edge of the
Hide, glancing down to see if anybeast had gone to retrieve the valuable dagger and the symbols of authority of both he and his aide. To his surprise, the ferret that seemed to always be glued to Morgan, the one who he felt a vague familiarity towards, had decided to go ahead and do it, it seemed, holding both his own hat, the dagger, and Silvertongue’s. More surprisingly, Gyles himself was down in the water helping, and Talinn sighed in initial frustration. Another one of the ship’s vital crewmembers willing to throw caution to the wind for their mates, even if it could hamper their operational effectiveness for the mission. He then shook his head and smiled ruefully. Was he not like that, once? Willing to do anything for his family, and, indeed his subordinates when he could, consequences be damned? Before the wars and the losses had hardened him?
Try as I might, it is not my place as a mere temporary captain, and at least Stowett seems to care for the crew, that is better than I can say for most of the old officers we still have to purge. At the end of the day, it will be his ship, his command, and as long as he accomplishes the mission, even a Minister has no real right to tell him how to run it, not if he or she wishes to retain the respect of the Navy or her Majesty. Fine, as long as he does what I tell him to do and is ready, whatever else he does is his concern. Besides, I have to get to the infirmary to check up on the wounded, and, maybe, get to test a few things I brought from Amarone.
Talinn quickly marched into his own quarters, grabbing a small, silver box hidden under his bed carefully, making sure not to disturb its contents too much, then left the room, reached the deck, and began to head down towards the infirmary. He had no idea if what was contained within was needed, but it would be good to explain to Barret and Finnian what to use and when, as they needed everybeast as ready as they could be on the shore and casualties were sure to mount there.
Of course there is not enough to save everyone, and there are risks, but this is much better than we had back in the day.
Continued in
Waterlogged.
@Morgan Liu @Vihmastaja @Ralynn Waverunner @Kaii Nashirou @SwifttailTheFox @FinnianBrightfur @Captain Gyles F. Stowett @Silvertongue Songfox
