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Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2014 20:56:28 GMT
Dressed in the Naval uniform that was coloured blue and white. The epaulet pinned to his shoulder meant that he was a junior post-Captain. Jack stood on the quarterdeck of his Intrepid. She had only just run into harbour, and already work had started on repairing her. In an action with an American privateer she had lost quite a few spars, and she had not set sail with enough to fully repair her at sea. Besides, she needed to resupply anyway. The water tank was nigh empty, and the rations had been quite low for the last few days. Finally, Jack also wanted to get more powder in again.
A Captain who had command of a ship for less than six months was only allowed to fire a third of a broadside each month with regulation powder. He was a fighting Captain, though, and he expected the best from his men. And to do that, they needed practice. Luckily, Jack had been fortunate in the way of prize money, and was therefore able to buy his own powder for practice.
Right now, he was expecting his cousin, though. He was all for punctuality, and could not stand it when people were late.
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Post by Zachariah Sutton on Jun 23, 2014 23:17:11 GMT
The little boat bobbed up and down as it was pulled towards the Intrepid. Rye was shoved in the middle, packed tightly with other visitors and at least one important fellow who kept one hand upon his hat and the other clutched tightly to the edge of the boat. The man was indecisive – he looked as though he very seriously considered jumping out but a fear of the darkness of the water kept him glued to his seat. Rye shared that fear. Like so many others, he had never learned to swim. Large ships, such as the one commanded by his cousin, were no problem. They felt sturdy – for the most part – and sound. But small boats such as the launch he was currently trusting his life to? They were too easily tossed about. One could just as easily lose his balance or trip over his own feet and suddenly find himself in an eternal watery end.
But his brief journey went smoothly and soon the boat was brushing up against the side of the Intrepid. Rye remained in his seat as the other passengers disembarked. He followed lastly, up the side of the ship. He stood awkwardly a few moments as he surveyed the deck for his cousin. He spotted him, at last, standing tall upon the Quarterdeck.
”Cousin!” He called up to him, uncertain if he was allowed on that sacred deck.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2014 10:39:32 GMT
Jack had watched the launchas it came to the ship. While he had a spyglass in his hand, he could distinguish the people in it without any diffuculty. First, there was his new Third Lieutenant, a lad by the name of Blakeney. Then, there was his coxswain, Bonden. And finally, there was his cousin. The Captain grinned as he saw how uneasy Zachariah was.
As he saw that the launch was coming up to the side of the ship, Aubrey turned to his Steward, and told him to prepare some food, and to have a few bottles of wine ready in the great cabin. Then he heard the shout of his cousin. "Zachariah, dear cousin! Come, come! Follow me to my cabin, if you please"
The Captain walked to the great cabin of the Intrepid, not looking behind him to see if his cousin was following him. He smelt the food his cook was making, and saw two bottles of wine standing on the table. Jack picked one up, and poured two glasses, and held one of two out for his cousin to take.
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Post by Zachariah Sutton on Jun 30, 2014 3:37:14 GMT
He followed him into the cabin. "That would be Rye. My father was the last one to call me Zachariah." His mother too but after he was disowned, he forsook the name as his family forsook him. Rye was more familiar - less pretentious - happier.
Rye took the offered glass and immediately took a drink. The food smelled delicious. Evidently there was an advantage into being on a ship in harbor. He would have hated to have had to eat salt pork and ship's biscuits. It would have been worse fare than what he received in the army.
He took a seat before his cousin had a chance to ask. "Jack, it has been quite a long time since we had last seen each other. How have you been?"
(very short post but I'm in the middle of packing right now and wanted to get something up before I left!)
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Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2014 21:57:11 GMT
Jack laughed at his cousin's comment about his name. Jack had never called anyone by a name other than the one they had been born with. Other than shipmates, of course. After his cousin took the other glass, Jack raised the one that remained in his hands. "To ourselves!", he yelled before he drank the liquid.
Before he was able to ask, the man took a seat. His seat, no less. Jack was in a good mood, though, and let it slide this time. Jack agreed that it had been a while since the two had seen each other. The last time was back in England, as far as the Captain could remember. It was just before his uncle disowned Zachariah. It did not matter, though.
"I have been marvelous! Made post, and got command of Intrepid. I tell you, brother, she is a plum ship. It is highly unusual for a Captain as junior as I am to even get a ship of the Line. Yet here I stand. Though I must confess that I would not have minded a nice little frigate. Ships of the Line are usually so sluggish. Even so with the modifications I made to Intrepid. Enough about me. How have you been?"
Then he turned to the steward that just entered with two plates with food on them. Jack looked the man in his face, and told him to get his quill and some paper so that he could write a letter to Zachariah's commanding officer.
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Post by Zachariah Sutton on Jul 10, 2014 18:54:08 GMT
"Well my deepest congratulations then. For some, promotions are a welcome blessing." He shook his head. "I'm afraid I know surprisingly little about ships. The majority of my time is spent on land. And when I am on a ship, it's usually a drastically over-crowded ship and I'm underfoot."
It wasn't that because he was a soldier, he had no knowledge of ships. There were plenty of soldiers, some that he knew quite well, who were practical experts due to either relatives at sea or an ardent desire to become sailors one day themselves. Until recently, Rye never really knew any relatives who were sailors. And he had no wish to become one himself. And he really did not care for ships and sailing. However, when it came to muskets and military strategy, he was quite familiar.
"Well enough. I've been a soldier for ten years now and it always amazes me how that time's flown by." He thought a moment. "Let's see, I was in the colonies for a good three years and then we were sent to St. Vincent. And let me tell you, that place is one of the worst I've been to. Those Maroons are a hundred times worse than any Rebel here. But after two years fighting more disease than enemies, the 14th was returned to the Colonies where here I am."
He frowned when Jack asked for a quill and some paper. He was not going to let this whole promotion thing go.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2014 19:27:04 GMT
"Well... We could remedy that, you know? I have capable Lieutenants that would teach you if you'd like," Jack said as his steward came in with the paper and the quill. He quickly began writing.
"To the Officer, Commanding, 14th foot.
I am writing to you, because I wish to purchase a commission for my cousin, Zachariah Sutton. While I do have some knowledge of Army regulation, I have no idea how this is supposed to be done, as I am a man of the Navy myself.
Accompanied with this letter are the funds necessary for the commission of Lieutenant.
I bid you a good day, sir.
J. Aubrey, Esq., RN"
All the while, he listened to what his cousin had to say. Apparently he had seen quite some combat already. "I am glad to know that you are well, then. Now, take this letter, and this pouch, and give it to your commander when you return. Now, we eat and have fun!"
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Post by Zachariah Sutton on Jul 16, 2014 3:29:29 GMT
Rye let out a deep laugh. "No thank you," he said. "I have very little interest in ships and certainly no need for it. I'm a land creature, after all."
A stray wave caused the deck to slope sharply. Rye quickly scooped up his glass to keep it from spilling. He downed the rest of it and set the empty glass back on the table as soon as the deck straightened itself again.
"Jack..." he began with a sigh. But there was no sense in arguing his point. Promotion was important to most people on the earth as was such traits as honor and duty. Rye cared little for his honor. According to his father, he had lost his long ago over Adeline. While a promotion may restore that honor, he was selfish. He did not want the responsibility. He did not want to be responsible for anyone's deaths - be they this side or the other. Cannon fodder was the appropriate place for him and he had been happy in that place for the past ten years.
He reached out and took the letter. After giving it a long, hard look, he put it in his pocket. The thought of dropping it over the side of the ship briefly fleeted through his mind. But he couldn't be that rude as Jack was his cousin and the only member of his family still speaking to him. He would decide what to do with it later.
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