Expedition Open Voyage to Croper's Cove: Hang the Treasure!

[Gyles Stowett]

"Seaward ho! Hang the treasure! 'Tis the glory of the sea that has turned my head."
– Squire Trelawney, Treasure Island​

Captain's Log, Her Majesty's Golden Hide. Bouillabaisse Harbour, 17 Notembre 1765. The Hide is restless. I can feel her. The sea is calling her. She is a soaring soul, our Hide, a creature of pure instinct. She is eager to be away, away to be in the arms of her lover, the great Ocean. She pulls at her anchor cables, at her mooring lines, each time a little more forceful, a little more urgent. The sea is calling her. She must answer. After refit and repair of some months' undertaking, we ready ourselves to embark to the edge of the World. First word was sent to Quartermaster Prizzack, then to the Purser, each in their respective wheelhouses, to prepare such space below deck and in the ledger as could be made for one hundred fresh souls, real payment being the matter of distant future concern, to be resolved by the discovery of the great Treasure of Croper's Cove – and division of such on our return with it to Imperium waters. Afterward was assembled a company of sailors to recruit into service just such a hundred of the Imperium's best gutter rats, Bilge brawlers, and rovers, all with a certain gambler's sense of luck. For make no mistake, the Treasure is a gamble. There will be dangers, there will be death, strange beasts, there will be hunger and thirst and disease. Perhaps there will be no Treasure at all to be found and we shall go back as Empty-Pawed Jacks, the lot of us - if we are all of us to survive the Voyage ahead. What, what may befall us on this fateful, some say foolhardy, venture? May the Blessings of Her Grace the Empress Tumble Down Upon You Like a Golden Fog.

"You may well ask yourselves why we're all here."

Gyles was standing at the quarterdeck rail where new wood had replaced old splinters. What a mischief Old Northwester was playing today with the waves. Almost as if you know what's coming.

Hard to believe before him stood a dozen shy of five hundred beasts, from main deck to forecastle, filling the Hide from stem to quarterdeck where the officers and warrants were gathered. He smiled knowingly as one paw went into his coat pocket, tracing the fold creases and raised letters on the parchment within. Fresh inked.

A new leaf, you could say, eh, Sarabande?

"We're the Navy, by thunder: word runs round quick in this village, don't it!" He held up the unfolded document, allowed the wind to open it. "It's official. We have our mandate from the Empress 'erself. We have our heading! The Treasure of Croper's Cove, that's our aim. We've a map, don't we! We've provisions to the wales!"

A cheer.

"We've the Imperium's finest lot o' Slups bilge rats!"

Laughter and a bigger cheer.

"Gutter snipes of the Yard!"

Hurrahs and guffaws.

"Rakings and scrapings of the Trenches!"

Deafening roars of agreement.

Gyles waved his arms wide for quiet. "Some o' you are new, some of you ain't, an' some of you've been with us for the whole show. We've lost friends and companions. Had our share of heartache, ain't we?" Hushed agreement now. "Had our share of glory an' gilders, too. From Hrushka to the Eastern Campaign to Urk. Still alive somehow, eh, an' singed the Devil's chinwhiskers for his trouble! Ain't it so, Master Prizzack?"

The shaggy old rat closed his one good eye and nodded. "No lie, Cap'n."

"I've nothin' special to say you've not heard a thousand times before, no fine words or verse or any of that pretty stuff the Ministers deal in. By Fire, we've wealth beyond imagination waitin', names to make, teeth to cut, songs to sing, blood to spill! I for one am ready to taste it all. 'Tis time to weigh anchor and be off."

The ship rolled beneath them, fighting her leash to the seabed below.

"I say. Demmed if our Hide ain't raring at the bit! Shall we let her free?"

"AYE!"

"Away with us, Master Prizzack, and have the mechanics start the boiler, if you please. Lively to it. Let's show Bully Harbour what a dozen sails and a bellyful of fire can do!"

As the drums beat to action and the crew rushed to and fro, this way and that, heads full of gilders and glory, as canvas was unfurled, lines pulled taut, orders barked and paws scrambled in answer, Gyles spoke through the clangor to Silvertongue, who stood by a table that had been brought to the quarterdeck with a fair heap of letters on its scored surface. "Lieutenant Songfox, have the veterans of our last engagement come up. I believe we've some names to make here and now, wouldn't y'say, sir?"

@Silvertongue Songfox @Arthur Barrett @Amnesty Greysoul @FinnianBrightfur @Kaii Nashirou @SwifttailTheFox @Till Dupré @Kinza Rainclaw @Lorcan Rainclaw @Morgan Liu @Vihmastaja @Darragh Harper @Greeneye @Kerney Erdősi @Alwyn Ryalor

 

[Silvertongue Songfox]

"Right away, Captain." Silvertongue said firmly, paws clasped behind his back- a stoic expression replacing his usually cheery smile. He was not going to take his new position anything other than seriously. He strode briskly across the desk, a beast with purpose, slipping between rushing beasts with expert ease, finding each member who had survived that cursed expedition and telling them plainly. "The Captain has requested your presence, post haste."

 

[Amatis Moontail]

Dr Amatis Moontail Swiftly walked onto the dock, his snout buried in the paperwork he carried. Multiple times as walked he bumped into dock workers and sailors running this way and that doing whatever sailors do. To be honest, Amatis had no idea what that was. Anyways, despite their annoyed glares he avoided eye contact and kept walking.

He had walked halfway across the dock before he realised he had no idea where he was going. Of course, he would never admit to that and ask for help. He was a scientist! He plumbed the very depths of the undiscovered! Surely finding where he was meant to be would be easy.

As he walked back up the dock, he peered at the names of each of the ships, cross-referencing them with his paperwork. It took far longer than he would have liked with all these beasts in the way, but finally he found the Golden Hide.

Unsure of where to go from there, he simply stood, looking around. He was starting to regret his request to leave the confines of his desk. While it was certainly dull, there hadn't been nearly as many beasts. Here it was loud and uncomfortably crowded, and it took all his self restraint to just turn around and return to the museum.

Finally he took a deep breath, pushed his glasses up, and strolled onto the ship in what he hoped was a confident way, stumbling a little as the ship rocked, and towards a young fox rushing around who he suspected was a sailor.

"I'm looking to speak to the captain," he addressed the sailor "I have paperwork here about a position as a natural scientist aboard the..." he checked his paperwork again, not wanting to get it wrong and look like a fool, "...Golden... Hide... Yes, the Golden Hide."

(btw, the fox mentioned is @Silvertongue Songfox )

 

[SwifttailTheFox]

Swifttail had just turned toward the companionway, ready to head below deck to check the boiler again, when a familiar paw settled lightly on his shoulder.

He turned, and there was Silvertongue, having woven through the bustling crew like a fish darting upstream. Duty had smoothed his features into something firm and composed, but the moment their eyes met, a softer warmth broke through.

“The Captain has requested your presence, post haste,” Silvertongue said, voice steady and formal, just as he’d spoken it to every veteran he’d sought out today.

Swifttail’s ears lifted. “Of course, Silvie!”

Before the todd could slip away to find the next beast on the Captain’s list, Swift leaned in and pressed a quick, discreet kiss to Silvertongue’s cheek. A tiny spark of joy fluttered through his chest at the contact.

“I’ll go see ’im now!” he added, tail giving a barely-contained twitch before he reined it in and trotted off.

Silvertongue was already gone again, off to deliver the next summons.

The quarterdeck awaited him ahead, the ship around him alive with motion with sails unfurling, and lines flying. The Hide practically shivered with eagerness as the crew worked as one to get her underway. Swift bounded up the steps, the excitement from the Captain’s rousing speech still buzzing through his paws.

He spotted Captain Stowett near the rail, parchment in paw.

Swift straightened and snapped crisply to attention.

“Captain Stowett, sir! You wished to see me? I’m happy t' report the boiler is nearly at pressure. We should be ready t'get underway in mere moments.”

He held steady, respectful and eager, awaiting whatever the Captain had called him for.

@Gyles Stowett @Silvertongue Songfox

 

[Silvertongue Songfox]

Silvertongue had placed a paw to his cheek, smiling softly. He hadn't noticed the wildcat approaching until he was being talked to. "Ah-! Oh, right. A scientist, you say? I'm sure the Captain will be happy to have you. Just follow me, please."

He waved a gloved paw, urging the newcomer to follow him. Heading back over to the Quarterdeck, he casually slid into place besides Swiftail, holding his hat to his chest and saluting. "Sorry to bother, Captain, but we've got a new recruit with some paperwork for you to sign." He motioned for the cat to step forward. "Says that he's a scientist."

 

[Kaii Nashirou]

Before Swifttail managed to get to quarterdeck, Kaii already was there, waiting at attention after reporting for duty. It was mere seconds before his friend and brother in all but blood came outside, followed promptly by his lover and another one of Kaii's friends, Silvertongue. This time also including a new member, one that Kaii's ears perked towards upon the mention that he is a scientist.

Firstly however, greetings were in order. So he simply moved from behind the doors that obscured him and hid from the rest once they were opened and the others entered the spae and stepped to form a line with the other two foskateers. "Swifttail, Silvertongue. Good to see you friends." He spoke flatly, but with a modest smile, continuing on. "I was just about to show my report upon the engine's status, I would appreciate you joining me on this."

Then he had paused and pulled up the few pages of written data he brought. "Come Swift, we should let the captain deal with the new recruit. And in the meanwhile, I would gladly hear from you upon how do you think our pressure affects the tempo of wear of the gears..." Kaii went on, occupying Swifttail with technical matters, while also listening to what this new scientist had to offer.

 

[Amnesty Greysoul]

Amnesty had thought she had a sense of how busy the ship would be when setting sail. She had been wrong. There was a whole world of difference between the hubbub required to keep the ship functioning and the seething activity present when the entire crew of five hundred beasts was on deck, preparing to get underway. It was overwhelming.

And it was exhilarating.

This is the only thing you missed from the horde.

Which explained, perhaps, the roil of guilt and other mixed feelings that threatened to twist her stomach into something unrecognizable. She would deal with it later. Right now, she had duties to attend to. This early in the day it seemed unlikely anybeast would already be falling ill from exertion, but it was never impossible. So as she lent her paws and her back to the work on the deck, her slate-colored eyes kept a watch on her fellow crewmembers, the better to provide aid before they had to be carried down to the infirmary.

 

[Till Dupré]

The roar of beasts in the air, Till hurried as quickly as they could to the Hide's gangplank. Everything was so alive and looking ready to get under way and here Till was having almost overslept and missed boarding. Silently she cursed the uncomfortable room at the inn and how long it had taken to get to sleep on the small, itchy bed. Whether the place really didn't have accommodations for badgers or whether it had been her Alkamarian accent doing her out of a good room would remain a mystery.

Bulky bag on their back, skillet on hip, Till approached the nearest official-looking person with papers in paw.

"Allo! Permission to come aboard ze ship? I am ze new cook!"​

 

[Gyles Stowett]

Quartermaster Prizzack's big bushy eyebrows knit at the appearance of the newcomer at the gangplank and he held up a closed fist to stop the deck crew from pulling it up. "Old off, buckoes, one more comin' aboard!" he called. "Up ye come! We're shovin' off!"

When Till got on deck, he tramped straight up to her.
It must've been a mighty strange sight, grizzled little rat looking up at that great mountain of a creature, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Nothing different about them from anybeast else as far as he was concerned, that much they could tell.

"Well, stripe me." The weathered face broke into a kindhearted smile. Either he didn't notice the Alkamarian twang, or he didn't pay it no mind. "Welcome, young un. Wot's that? A cook? Ain't put off to sea yet, but we already found the treasure, mates, hear?" There was little in this life sailors loved more than a good cook. He took Till by one great finger in his small ratty paw as he elbowed his way through the clamoring throng, a beast following a well-worn path through the chaos he'd trod a thousand times before and knew better than he knew himself. "Come, come. Bless yer fer a saint, love. Warms the cockles o' this ole heart to 'ave a real cook in the galley again. Ole poisoner Grimshaw's been feedin' us on boilt bootstraps an' jellyfish when 'e ain't feedin' us 'ardtack an' questionables, would ye believe." He shook his old head slowly in wonderment at this stroke of fortune as he led her toward the quarterdeck stair. "Best see the Cap'n quick-like, get all the 'enscratch an' nonesuch out the way. All this work's goin' to make hungry beasts, a lot of 'em! What's yer name, matey?"

@Till Dupré

 

[Darragh Harper]

Darragh wanted to go aloft.

Anybeast could stow mooring lines, or scrub a deck, or pump the bilge. You just pushed and pulled. Eskila was right to call him a ‘pull-it’ rather than a poet. When Darragh went aloft though, he was a proper sailor, because not everybeast could spring up the ratlines like he did. Not everybeast could effortlessly balance himself on the footropes of the main topgallant yard, wind pulling at clothes and fur, ship swaying below, waiting for the order to let loose the furling lines and let fall the sail.

On shore he was sometimes a scribbler, a stationary salesbeast, or a kit-sitter. He had had his adventures - sneaking into an exclusively aristocratic library, escaping the destruction of the opera house… meeting a kindred poetic soul. There had been fights and drinking and dressing fancy, the typical hard-and-fast life of a Bully Harbour rogue. None of it made Darragh hold his head higher though, than when he had confidently marched back up the gangplank of the Golden Hide, haversack slung over his shoulder. There goes a Navy jack, lads. There goes a tough sailor stoat, better not catch his eye! Little Darragh towered ten feet tall on days like this.

The Golden Hide's young poet felt his heart light in his chest, listening to Captain Stowett’s speech. He recognised the art in the officer’s words - though Stowett professed disdain at fancy jargon. It was a fine performance that called upon their camaraderie, their excitement for the adventure ahead, and their zest for rewards and recognition. The Captain had to be the foundational rock of the ship, the beast that made them a crew, not just a rabble of cut-throats that happened to be good at tying knots. Darragh reflected that Captain Stowett had a sizable pair of boots to fill, after the captaincy of Talinn Ryalor, and the terrible consequences that the elder fox would now have to bear.

Nobeast was more eager to make for the shrouds than Darragh, but reaching the maintop, he found that a certain, elegantly dressed fox had beaten him there. Silvertongue looked as fine and confident an officer than ever, having mastered the rigging with the easy grace that seemed to come natural to the bard. Darragh tugged the brim of his cap respectfully, and gave a hearty “Aye-aye, sir!” at the summons to the quarterdeck.

Darragh felt out of step with the rhythm of the Hide, as he scuttled back down to the deck. He couldn’t think what Captain Stowett wanted him for. A flicker of nervousness made the stoat’s stomach do a little jig. He wasn’t in trouble, probably. Not majorly, at least. He had arrived for duty on time. He hadn’t been arrested while on shore leave. He had acquitted himself honourably during the battle at the opera house, and given those madcap supremacists their just allotment of Navy steel.

Mentally re-reading the Articles of War to himself, Darragh saluted as he came onto the quarterdeck- one of the myriad Navy traditions that he was poring over, searching for any misbehaviour on his part. Aha! Perhaps this was about his investigation of the Wolf Idol, acting as an Assistant Scientist to Kaii. Doctor Barrett must have reported them after all. That heartless pine marten! Well, Darragh was ready to face the consequences. They had discovered an entirely new metal! That was going in the history (and science) books, breach of medical orders or not.

Darragh stood beside Kaii in the line of Foskateers, straight and tall as he could (ears pricked he could have brushed under the marble fox’s chin), brought his footpaws neatly together at attention, and saluted directly to Captain Stowett.

“Deckswab Harper reporting, sir!” Darragh said, his voice raised over the hubbub. It was a formality to announce himself so, but Darragh expected it might be a while before the Captain could actually bring his attention to a lowly deckswab. Did he hear correctly? Another scientist was coming aboard? That would certainly get the below-decks rumour-mill started.

 

[Morgan Liu]

Morgan hated thinking about Urk.

It wasn't that she hadn't liked the place; she'd barely gotten to see it. Granted, it had been cold, but she'd lived in cold lands before, had shivered on the frigid streets of Blackbone Isle. The waters around Urk had been terrible, true, and she still work up in cold sweats from nightmares of drowning, but that was no fault of the place. She'd been the damned fool who had swam under the keel. No, what really haunted her was the shrews.

She hadn't gotten an accurate count as to how many had died; no one seemed to have taken any, other than a few boasts that they must have killed shrews in the hundreds. That was what haunted her. All of those deaths had been from her failure to communicate, to negotiate their point. If she'd handled it differently, if she'd managed to make their offer understood...

She tried to beat back the shame with logic. There was no one else who could have communicated in her stead. Talinn would simply have bombarded the shrews until they were all dead. True, they'd lost crew in the undertaking, but who knew how many would have died anyway. None of it touched her guilt.

She obeyed the captain's summons, joining the line of beasts reporting, though she kept quiet. She hoped that they weren't about to be rewarded for their performance. She didn't belong beside them in such a case. Yes, she'd spent her time at port fervently learning as much as she could, honing her language skills even further in the hope that, next time, she wouldn't fail, but her quiet guilt told her it was inevitable.

 

[Amatis Moontail]

Amatis stood silently on the quarterdeck, looking around at all the sailors here, unsure if he should let them go first or if they were waiting for him to do something, or if they were all waiting for the captain together.

Well, this was awkward. Dr Amatis Moontail hated awkwardness. He liked things to be in controlled environments where he held the power over the variables. If you were having issues with a plant or a rock you could always just test for whatever was wrong. Here there were too many variables to control for, and he was pretty sure running experiments on the crew would not be approved by anyone. There were so many beasts of all kinds on this deck alone! And half of them seemed to be glancing his way with curiousity.

Curiousity was certainly an admirable trait, unless of course it was focused on him, and then it just made everything so much worse. He wasn't particularly interesting, at least wouldn't say he was. Amatis was just a wildcat with an interest in plants and the like. His work was the interesting part, not him.

He decided that it would be best to let the captain act first and address the gathered beasts however he saw fit. He just hoped the captain would be quick about it or he might give in and return to his desk, consequences with the Board be damned.

Captain... Ah, he was going to need the captain's name soon enough. He buried his snout back in his paperwork, trying to find it in the small, neat typeface. He was certain it was in there somewhere. This also had the added benefit of hiding his face from those gathered here. It was a temporary fix, to be sure, and it probably made him stick out from the crowd, but it did make him feel more secure.

 

[Gyles Stowett]

Gyles looked up over wire-frame readers and a table full of parchment at the welcome sight of familiar faces, thankfully quite a few of them, on the other side. Truth be told, that report in the Engineer's Mate's paws was the subject of no small part of the captain's concerns. Nearly slew us all, demmed contraption. Deuce of an idea, fire in the heart of a wooden vessel! Still, some thoughts - best let lie. Wouldn't do, frightening the newcomers with the huffing-and-puffing ... thing below their footpaws. His eyes lingered but a moment on the papers in Kaii's paws, then no more.

"Recruits, eh? Salt of the earth, ain't they, new beasts: willing to throw their lives to chance, go to the World's - and maybe their own - end. That's what makes the Imperium go 'round, ain't it, Silvie?" Had the newcomer bargained with all that? Maybe not. Fine clothes, too, for a deckswab hopeful. No, not any kind of sailor. Presumably the wildcat was something else entirely - and at that thought, he was rudely reminded that Duke Ryalor's brother, a Stoatorian Guard no less, was forcibly assigned to his ship as ... well, the capacity didn't matter, did it? It was saying something already, putting an officer of the Empress's own guard on a Navy ship. He chewed his lip. It all boiled down to the bald-faced fact that the decisions about Who Is On the Manifest and Who Is Not were very much not within his wheelhouse, when push came to shove. Cog in a wheel with the word "Captain" nicely scrawled on was a cog all the same.

Alwyn wasn't a bad sort, no. Imperial meddlers in Navy business more often than not employed beasts with far fewer scruples. But: Principle of the whole thing, ain't it. Salt water and fresh don't mix, as they say.

If there was one thing he knew in the heart of him now, whatever fresh designs the Ministries had in mind for the Hide and its crew, demmed if he wouldn't be the 'here' where the buck stopped. This crew had better things to do than lose their lives for a Minister's political whims. Urk was the last - had to be the last straw.

He let himself smile a little as he raised the simple faceted glass and wet his lips with a sip of brandy. None of that mattered. Not now, anyway. One more secret to share.

Nodding to the wildcat in his finery, Gyles continued, "Introductions are in order, I'm sure. Do meet me in my cabin after." Then he turned to the others. "I've some explainin' to all of you to do first, I'm afraid. News."

He set the glass down on the table and let his words and the brandy soak in before continuing.

"Somebeast let slip to the Ministry of War that a certain crew acquitted themselves heroically during that whole business on Urk. Most heroically, by the Blood! Hang the blaggard who spilled it, but what can you do? It's out there now." His eyes shifted across each of them knowingly. "The best of us stayed on that beach, but those who made it, and that's you lot, well ... you've all earned one more punishment." He stood up. "Responsibility."

Beneath them, the ship disengaged from the jetty and began to move in earnest now, with a creak, a shudder, a groan, the gentle list as she turned in the water. Never got old, that feeling of going somewhere.

"As you may know, our friend Rugg from the Ministry of Innovation's returned to his post, leaving us without an Engineer. Wouldn't do. We'd be out of luck if it weren't for our new Engineer, Todd Fairpaws."

He smiled ever-so-slightly wider as the gravity of that appointment set in.

"And Kaii Nashirou, as restored gentry of the Imperium with mettle proven on the engine deck, is made technical Ensign. Engineering, Carpentry, and Gunners, Ensign Nashirou will work with all o' these to ensure all projects run along in harmony as the Service demands."

"Likewise," he motioned from Silvertongue to the young foxkit standing on the deck before him. "We find ourselves without a Midshipper. Young Finnian, as Midshipper and Aide de Camp I expect you shall continue, young sir, in your diligent learning as understudy to our most capable surgeon, Doctor Barrett, expanding the purview of your education to learning the elements of each Warrant's business aboard the Golden Hide. We intend to make an officer of you someday. In that business, Ensign Nashirou and Master Prizzack will guide you, as will I'm quite certain Lieutenant Songfox, having newly left the boots you now occupy."

Prizzack appeared up the quarterdeck stair, then, and raised a knuckle to his forehead in a hasty salute. "New Cook, sir."

"Charmed, m'dame. High time we had real vittles in our bellies, ain't it."

He turned to Piper. "For those of you who don't know, Marine Piper's brought back a bouncin' little shrewtyke. A mother now, ain't she, our Piper! Not a one of us doesn't know her from her service in Lieutenant Tultow's bunch, because she made it more than it was." He looked for an expectant nod from the guardsbeast; the discussion had already been had between them. "She'll be serving as Master's Mate with Master Prizzack. Together, you'll make this Hide we call home worthy of the name."

"Faith, sir, sure an' that's just grand," said Prizzack, beaming with ruddy cheeks aglow under his patchy fur. "I ain't 'arf the rat I used ter be. Use all the friend I kin get keepin' the Ole Goldie on course."
Then there were the seabeasts.

"Vihma Rhoodie. What else is there to say? Nobeast like our Vihma with a bow in a pinch. Looks like you've already caught the eye of Lieutenant Tultow for your bravery. It was his personal request that you be transferred to the Marines, a request I was inclined to grant."

There was the stoat. Stoet, maybe, eh? "Darragh Harper. Stand proud. A heart on you, sir! Talinn Ryalor still draws breath and you're partly why. Now, there's no precedent to bypass the ropes examination... you will stand your examination forthwith, after which you will become Darragh Harper, Able Seabeast. Master Prizzack, in lieu of a Boatswain, I'd say that's your business."

And, finally, there was Greeneye. The sea rat was in the back, looking as sullen as ever. Eyes on Silvertongue one moment, off him the next, then back again. Gyles didn't quite grasp the dynamic between them, but something was plainly off. Officers and crew didn't have squabbles. Officers commanded. Crew obeyed. That was the transaction. "Take Swab Greeneye as well. As a beast with more years before the mast than most, high time he put the ropes exam behind him." A technicality, really.

"Aye aye, sir," said the old rat, adding the pair to the list of beasts he had to get coordinated, situated, or what-all else. Prizzack dropped two gnarled paws on Darragh's and Greeneye's shoulders. "Well, me swabbies, 'tis you an' me an' our new cooky now." Good old Prizzack.

Ah, yes. He had almost left out one more - not making herself obvious in the group. Morgan. Now, here was a rebel if ever he'd laid eyes on one. The picture sprang to his mind of her, giving Duke Ryalor a run for his gilders. Was it on principle that he opposed Talinn's punishment of her? Or the arbitrary nature of it? "Seabeast Morgan Liu. You will stay after everybeast else has gone. Word will be passed on to the crew after."

Gyles let the newly-minted officers, warrants and seabeasts chew on all this for a moment. Make no mistake, they would be needed in the perils ahead, to the jack, this voyage and the voyages to come. He would need them.

The horizon was wide open. It was freeing, but another part of a beast felt like a mouse in an open field at night. Somewhere in the mists above, an owl on the wing, silent as the grave. One moment, on your way, the next moment...darkness.

More than islands and water out there.

 

[Kaii Nashirou]

Kaii stopped sharing notes as soon as whole crew was gathered up, he stood through the announcement at perfectly still attention. His muzzle nor tail showing any sign of emotion whatsoever, yet his mind mulled over it, letting it sink. Technical Ensign. Responsibility. Managing Carpentry, Engineering and Gunnery...

He was capable. Even if he was self-taught mostly, he was (despite his own opinion) one of the brighter minds in the imperium. Kaii knew little about ships or ballistics a month before coming to work on The Hide. The day he had applied, he soaked all knowledge he could find on both of those matters, even challenged himself to fully design one in purely engineering way. Based on his calculation, his design of a schooner would work and be reasonably efficient both in cost and performance... before he actually went to the sea and saw it for himself how the navy worked.

Still, he was capable, he was sure of it. If anything, he was just not ready for being a beast in charge. It was not his style. He could sure manage other beasts and give them tasks, but he was more of a leader than a boss, working with the same people he managed towards the goal.

He was first to break silence. stepping forward and turning on his paw to face Swifttail. With fully serious expression, he spoke in his neutral, regally stoic voice.

"Chief Engineer Fairpaws. Here is my first order to you. Heed it well and make sure it is fulfilled. Till land ceases to be, I forbid you from seeing me as anything but your equal. Effective immediately."

He then winked and pulled his paw forward toward all other Foskateers and smiled widely.

"Gentlebeasts, friends... I congratulate all of you. I am more than happy to share the ship with all of you and to call you my friends."

Awaiting the others to put the other paws on his, he added more encouragingly. "Foskateers! One for all..." Starting the cheer and hoping they would all join.

 

[Corporal Sarra Piper]

Piper had to be carried up on deck, the magnificent chair that Kaii and Swifttail made for her hauled up separately. A method of ascending and descending between decks had not yet been devised for her, at least, none that would not require stripping apart the ship and rebuilding it so different that it would no longer be the same vessel. That had been part of her motive for requesting, through Tultow, that she be reassigned to the quartermaster's service. The armory, the infirmary, and the cot where she slept all occupied one level; save for when she helped to train Vihma, she could pass her whole life on that one deck.

And what of Yuki? A pang of fear seized her as she imagined the shrew pup, currently safely asleep in the infirmary below, grown enough to run wild over the ship. Kits chafed at being contained, refused it altogether where they could; as she grew, the flat plane of her adoptive mother's world would become far too small for her. Even now anxiety bubbled in Piper's stomach, the fear of temporary absence becoming permanent separation welling within her. The deck of the ship is so slick in a storm; the ropes coil like serpents, each one a snare. The vessel seemed a hulking leviathan to which the beasts clung, helpless passengers who comforted themselves in their powerlessness by pretending themselves its crew, as if it could not shrug them off and devour them upon a whim.

Calm yourself, she silently lectured her terrified heart. Everybeast around you loves Yuki, and would die and kill to protect her too. You aren't alone. It was some small comfort; her daughter had died, alone, in a moment when no one had been there to protect and save her. Yuki would never be alone on a vessel like this.

Piper bore through the promotions and rewards, her own feeling hollow in her chest. Become a mother. When did I cease to be one? It was likely words spoken in innocent ignorance; Tultow, though he knew Piper's history as well as she did, was not the type to gossip about her, even to his oldest friend. The old stoat was absent from this ceremony, and Piper could guess why. Some days the lieutenant could move himself about with the help of a cane, hobbling with a measure of dignity befitting his status as a decorated veteran; other days he lay stiff in his bunk, paralyzed but for the twitches of his face that gave away the agony consuming him. Piper had heard him once compare it to 'fire in the veins, lightning in the sinews' while seeking help from Barrett in suppressing the worst of it. That help, thus far, had been fruitless. The golden drug, administered with the best of intent by young Finnian, had condemned the marine officer to a small preview of the torment that, to hear Tultow talk in his most despairing moments, he was certain awaited him beyond the veil as well, in whatever place beasts who became monsters for crown and country found themselves at the end of it all. Piper could only hope that he was wrong; her mentor had suffered enough, in her eyes at least. If he was bound for a hell of some sort, perhaps he would at least be reunited with his beloved Honeytail there.

Piper gave those rewarded a congratulatory, triumphant smile, especially Vihma, Kaii, and Swifttail, those she most counted as friends among the survivors of Urk. Tultow had already asked her to train Vihma with the crossbow; the weasel had shown promise on Urk, and the old stoat had a mind to unlock it with Piper's aid. Piper, for her part, was eager to spend more time with Vihma again. Her friend had been quiet since Urk, a quietness that Piper remembered well from her own days of grief and guilt. She hoped that Morgan was doing well to pull her out of it. It hadn't escaped Piper's notice how close the pair stood, the little moves and gestures between them, a silent push and pull that the corporal had seen so many times between lovers in the ranks. She wondered if Vihma's transfer to the marines would be considered distance enough to mitigate any impropriety in the relationship. Given the happiness she saw silently radiating from Silvertongue and Swifttail, she had to believe that such was possible.

As for Morgan... Piper winced on the ferret's behalf as she was ordered to stay behind. The ferret could hardly be said to have conducted herself with honor; her discipline before the entire crew had not even instilled her with the humility appropriate to her post, and her recklessness at Urk had endangered herself and the crew. Sure, she was scrappy, and more gifted with words in a variety of languages than she let on, but neither were traits that the navy demanded of its crew. After murmuring her humble thanks to the captain, Piper shot Morgan a sympathetic smile, granting her a moment of commiseration, before turning and wheeling herself away to catch up with Vihma.

"Congratulations, Private Rhoodie," she addressed the weasel with a smile of genuine sympathy. "You earned it. If you ever want to practice or learn, I always have time to help." A bit of a bold promise, perhaps, but Tultow had specified words to that effect. "That includes my old crossbow," she added, gesturing vaguely in the direction of the armory below. "Tultow was hoping, based on how well you did on Urk, that you might take it up. You have quite the eye on you."

~~~

Morgan braced herself as the others went to their duties, leaving herself behind before the captain. Was she to be disciplined again? It was too late to leave her ashore, but she supposed the new captain might decide that repeating Talinn's little demonstration would be a good way to show the crew he meant business. Maybe she was to be the whipping girl for every new petty tyrant. Well, she'd bear it as she had the last, with her head held high and a refusal to break. She hadn't told her mothers about the punishment; Eirene would have been furious and would likely have made things worse by going to the Minister of War himself with her complaint, while Bezine would have shrugged and simply said that thus was the way of the world, those in power scapegoating the weak for their own gain.

"Sir," she addressed the captain, keeping her voice level as she stood at attention. This time there would be no provocations. Whatever he accused her of, she would account for honestly and without indignation. If he wanted a display of insubordination from her, she wouldn't give it to him, not this time at least.

 

[SwifttailTheFox]

Swifttail stood at attention, paws steady but his heart bucked like a startled seal. When Captain Stowett’s voice cut through the wind with “you've earned one more punishment,” something cold and sharp quivered down his spine. Urk surged back into his mind like a flash of smoke, cannon fire, and screams... and the heavy silence after the dead had been counted.

Punishment?

It wasn’t how he’d ever imagined this moment. Wasn't what they went through enough already? Still, he forced his ears up, straightened, and saluted cleanly.

Then he learned about his promotion, and Rugg's departure. No wonder the old badger was nowhere to be found aboard the ship! Wait... he was the new Chief Engineer of the Hide!?

"Aye, sir. I’ll serve the Hide with all I've got and keep her runnin' strong and true!"

The words came quiet but solid, humble. And then slowly, like the dawn sun clawing its way through morning mist, joy cracked across his face.

Chief Engineer!

The Ministry of Innovation had been his distant dream once. An end goal of a lot of mettle and grit. Now the Hide’s iron heart waited below for his paws alone, and he was one major step closer, entirely out of the blue!

Before he could drown in it, however, Kaii stepped forward and delivered his first order as Ensign. Eternal equality, anchored in friendship deeper than any chain of command. Swift grinned wide and warmly back at his Engineer friend with pride for their joint accomplishment.

"Aye! Equal it is, then! ’Til the land itself sinks into the sea! An’ if ye ever act like yer tail’s too fancy for grease an' coal dust, I’ll drag ye back down to the boiler myself."

His paw slapped down atop Kaii’s without hesitation. Finnian’s joined, then Silvertongue, then Darragh. Each paw stacked in the knot that had seen Urk and lived.

He felt the Hide tilt beneath them, wind filling canvas as the sea whispered welcome. This was their time to shine. To set off on a new adventure beyond the horizon together

"Foskateers!" he called, heart full to bursting.
"All for one!"

The answering shout rang loud, so even the beasts in the high rigging could hear. Their familial bond stronger than ever.
As the circle broke, his gaze snagged on Greeneye at the fringe of the gathering. Just an instinctive, wary measure taken between past foes that lasted a mere heartbeat, but then he moved on. He had won the duel. It was time to move past it.

He drifted past Morgan as the others peeled away toward their duties. She stood rigid, awaiting the Captain’s word.

Swift slowed just enough to murmur, low and earnest:

"Good luck, Morgan. Ye don’t face it alone."

Then the moment belonged to her.

Duty tugged at him. The boiler was waiting, pressure built and coiled like a living thing.
With one last look at Silvertongue, proud in his lieutenant’s coat, and a breath that felt like setting down one life and picking up another, Swifttail turned toward the companionway.

The Hide wanted to sail, and now he was the one who’d make her truly fly.

 

[Amatis Moontail]

As the speeches started, Amatis lowered the paperwork, keeping a claw firmly on the spot where it said the name of the captain - Captain Stowett it seemed. He'd need that later, but names always seemed to elude him when he needed them, so best to have a reference on-paw to check when he needed it.

Amatis had barely managed to keep his footing as the boat started to move. He really hoped no one had noticed that particular blunder. He was ill-suited to the sea, and it was likely they would all learn that soon enough, but hopefully he could go an extra day without looking like a complete fool.

He didn't really understand what the speeches were about, exactly, although the talk of new recruits throwing their lives to chance rattled him a bit. The ranks sounded confusing and they referenced things he knew not, but the rest of them seemed to understand. During the shouts of "Foskateers!" Amatis stayed quiet, unsure what was expected of him.

As the group peeled away, he started to panic. Was he supposed to stay here and talk to the captain? He couldn't quite remember what the captain had said to him. Something about a cabin? Where was that? He could look at a boat and say "Well, that is certainly a boat", but after that his knowledge of boats came to an end. He didn't really know where on this ship he was supposed to be at all

Frozen with indecision, he remained where he was, still besides his swaying as he kept re-adjusting how he stood in an effort to not fall on his snout or tail as the boat rocked in the water. His typical frown hid his confusion about everything going on.

There seemed to be another beast staying behind, though...

He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

He turned to look at the sailor that had lead him here in the first place, hoping that they would remember him and let him know where he was actually supposed to be...

 

[FinnianBrightfur]

Finn could barely sleep the night before. Alwyn had almost lost his temper with him, trying to get him to bed. The foxkit couldn't help it. He was just as restless in his soul as the Hide was in dock. But after his third trip to the kitchen for yet another snack, Alwyn emerged from his bed looking so exhausted and miserable that Finn actually felt bad for him. There he was, in his foxors, fur all disheveled, bleary eyed -- and completely resigned to the fact his dibbun would not be going to bed at any reasonable hour.

"You can stay up if you'd like, but, I expect you to be prepared to carry out your duties tomorrow AND your training."

And that was no idle threat. Alwyn ran him hard. The very last thing Finn wanted to do was give him incentive to train him even harder -- and so he scurried to bed.

That morning was the usual bluster of activity. Despite only getting a few hours of sleep, Finn was still up first, and busy going over his trunk locker a second time, just to make sure all his affects were there. His uniform had been tailored to fit, and for the first time he'd have more than one change of clothes with him!

Captain Gyles' speech to the crew was electrifying, and Finn was so giddy with excitement that he felt dizzy. Like Darragh -- he felt six feet tall in his uniform. This was his crew, and this was his ship, and he let out such a roar and yip at the end of the speech that he nearly shouted himself hoarse.

As the crew began to disperse to their various assignments, Finn dashed over to the dock side of the ship, and looked about the crowds gathered to see their loved ones off. There he lingered for a few more moments, searching the crowd -- before he heard Mr. Barrett calling him over. The foxkit glanced longingly at the crowd one last time, before running over to the gathering of his mates from Urk.

Sifting through the crowd, he pushed his way to stand near the band of Foskateers as the captain gave his commendations and promotions. Needless to say, he was quite startled that Gyles had chosen him to be Aide de Camp -- gates! That job nearly killed Silvie by exhaustion! But after a split second, gave a hearty nod, and fierce grin. "A-aye sir! I won't let you down!"

But the cheering was hardly over. The Foskateers circled after the promotions, and Finn just KNEW they were going to stack their paws. He'd already missed his chance to do that once, and he wasn't about to miss it again. Though he had no idea what to say, Kaii spoke up, and the reply was nearly automatic: "ALL FOR ONE!" he barked out, before leaping into the air and socking @SwifttailTheFox on his shoulder (with perhaps just a little too much enthusiasm.) "Engineer!?" he cried with incredulous joy. "You'n Kaii are gonna be running this ship!" he said, grinning from ear to ear. "I'll see you guys on deck tonight?"

Duty called, though -- and Finn pulled away from the group in short order. Normally, he'd have run to the infirmary to be with Mr. Barrett, but with his promotion, he figured @Silvertongue Songfox would be wanting to see him first. "Mr. Songfox, sir!" he said with a sharp salute. "I..." -- and suddenly, the wind left his sails. "...I was hoping to see someone off on the docks, but... I didn't see her --" Oh goodness. He was giving away the goat now, wasn't he? "I didn't see 'em yet... Can I go check one last time?" he asked. And of course, the good lieutenant indulged him.

Turning from the command staff, Finn dashed off towards the bow of the ship, hoping to look for a certain familiar face in part of the crowd he hadn't searched through yet. He was so busy looking over the railing that he ran straight into one @Amatis Moontail. Finn was a nimble thing, and reacted quickly enough to catch a hold of the poor startled beast before bowling him over.

"O-oh! Oh gates, 'm sorry!" he said, apologizing profusely. "I wern't lookin' where I was goin' and..." Finn's voice trailed off as he looked over the queerly dressed feline. At one point in time, he'd been new to the Hide as well -- and stuck out like a sore thumb. Amatis looked just as out of place. "...aaaand... ...are you new here?" he asked, tail swishing cheerfully behind him. "Y'look lost!"

 

[Arthur Barrett]

Arthur watched the preceedings with a much more reserved demeanor than his young protoge. Though he had spurned his charge at first, the foxkit was endearing enough to soften some of his harder edges. Admittedly, he was a little jealous that he'd have to share the foxkit with Mr. Songfox now... but it would be quite the learning experience for him. It really was for the best -- and besides, he had a new recruit under his purview.

As the small meeting Captain Gyles held with the Urk crew dispersed, the marten folded his paws behind his back and milled around the ship. She couldn't be too far off. Spotting the white fox, he smiled softly to himself, and drew over to her. "Making yourself quite busy, I see? ...I'd expect nothing less from you, Miss Greysoul. I trust you were able to get all your affects stored properly? ...I don't mean to be presumptuous, but... it's simply marvellous not being the only beast on this ship that knows how to patch someone up. Some times, I could swear this crew simply wants to get injured!" he remarked with a wry grin.

@Amnesty Greysoul

 

[Amatis Moontail]

Finn could barely sleep the night before. Alwyn had almost lost his temper with him, trying to get him to bed. The foxkit couldn't help it. He was just as restless in his soul as the Hide was in dock. But after his third trip to the kitchen for yet another snack, Alwyn emerged from his bed looking so exhausted and miserable that Finn actually felt bad for him. There he was, in his foxors, fur all disheveled, bleary eyed -- and completely resigned to the fact his dibbun would not be going to bed at any reasonable hour.

"You can stay up if you'd like, but, I expect you to be prepared to carry out your duties tomorrow AND your training."

And that was no idle threat. Alwyn ran him hard. The very last thing Finn wanted to do was give him incentive to train him even harder -- and so he scurried to bed.

That morning was the usual bluster of activity. Despite only getting a few hours of sleep, Finn was still up first, and busy going over his trunk locker a second time, just to make sure all his affects were there. His uniform had been tailored to fit, and for the first time he'd have more than one change of clothes with him!

Captain Gyles' speech to the crew was electrifying, and Finn was so giddy with excitement that he felt dizzy. Like Darragh -- he felt six feet tall in his uniform. This was his crew, and this was his ship, and he let out such a roar and yip at the end of the speech that he nearly shouted himself hoarse.

As the crew began to disperse to their various assignments, Finn dashed over to the dock side of the ship, and looked about the crowds gathered to see their loved ones off. There he lingered for a few more moments, searching the crowd -- before he heard Mr. Barrett calling him over. The foxkit glanced longingly at the crowd one last time, before running over to the gathering of his mates from Urk.

Sifting through the crowd, he pushed his way to stand near the band of Foskateers as the captain gave his commendations and promotions. Needless to say, he was quite startled that Gyles had chosen him to be Aide de Camp -- gates! That job nearly killed Silvie by exhaustion! But after a split second, gave a hearty nod, and fierce grin. "A-aye sir! I won't let you down!"

But the cheering was hardly over. The Foskateers circled after the promotions, and Finn just KNEW they were going to stack their paws. He'd already missed his chance to do that once, and he wasn't about to miss it again. Though he had no idea what to say, Kaii spoke up, and the reply was nearly automatic: "ALL FOR ONE!" he barked out, before leaping into the air and socking @SwifttailTheFox on his shoulder (with perhaps just a little too much enthusiasm.) "Engineer!?" he cried with incredulous joy. "You'n Kaii are gonna be running this ship!" he said, grinning from ear to ear. "I'll see you guys on deck tonight?"

Duty called, though -- and Finn pulled away from the group in short order. Normally, he'd have run to the infirmary to be with Mr. Barrett, but with his promotion, he figured @Silvertongue Songfox would be wanting to see him first. "Mr. Songfox, sir!" he said with a sharp salute. "I..." -- and suddenly, the wind left his sails. "...I was hoping to see someone off on the docks, but... I didn't see her --" Oh goodness. He was giving away the goat now, wasn't he? "I didn't see 'em yet... Can I go check one last time?" he asked. And of course, the good lieutenant indulged him.

Turning from the command staff, Finn dashed off towards the bow of the ship, hoping to look for a certain familiar face in part of the crowd he hadn't searched through yet. He was so busy looking over the railing that he ran straight into one @Amatis Moontail. Finn was a nimble thing, and reacted quickly enough to catch a hold of the poor startled beast before bowling him over.

"O-oh! Oh gates, 'm sorry!" he said, apologizing profusely. "I wern't lookin' where I was goin' and..." Finn's voice trailed off as he looked over the queerly dressed feline. At one point in time, he'd been new to the Hide as well -- and stuck out like a sore thumb. Amatis looked just as out of place. "...aaaand... ...are you new here?" he asked, tail swishing cheerfully behind him. "Y'look lost!"

Oh no... A kit...

Amatis righted himself, still wobbling, before frowning down at this young bundle of energy, the tip of his tail flicking as he tried to think of the best thing to say.

"Well, yes... Yes I am. Here from the museum. As a natural scientist. Amatis Moontail."

He paused

"Dr Amatis Moontail."

He never new what to say to other beasts, but children in particular. His own kittenhood felt so far away now, and even the bits he remembered were nothing like the kit standing in front of him. He was... What? 13? 14?

At his age, Amatis had been pretty quiet, preferring his solitude to anything else.

Not much had changed, really.

As usual his words failed him, so he was left awkwardly looking down at the kitfox.