Post by Vio on Jul 7, 2021 11:35:39 GMT -5
Yvionne #6
As seaman after seaman landed firm upon the ship’s deck, Warrant Officer Nightingale observed with hawkish scrutiny the emptiness of their quarry. Ships of such size and form featured many walkways, halls, and chambers — a prison ship would have dedicated most of its core to an expansive brig. Her mind’s eye could clearly picture such a structure, concealed and fortified deep within the vessel’s belly, featuring row upon row of decently sized but still rather cramped, reinforced cells. Marines dealt with monsters on the regular; she would’ve had to lie to say that she’d never seen a man taller than ten feet in her years of service.
No deceptions; only the mission.
“Something’s not right,” Nightingale whispered under her breath. The last to cross the proverbial threshold into a potentially hostile zone, she had made sure each and every seaman and PO under her charge had crossed before doing so of her own accord, effortlessly leaping the gap and tucking herself into a combat roll on the off-chance of immediate engagement. The quiet was disturbing and ominous, something she could tell these men were feeling as well as she routinely counted heads for the second time.
And then the silence was pierced.—— ACROSS THE WATERS ——
Fwoom…! The sound of detonation was followed by the crackle of flintlocks firing, drawing the eyes and ears of many of those who remained aboard the ship. Junior Lieutenant Yngvildr’s eyes narrowed, her gaze remaining firm upon the target vessel even as their ship manoeuvred itself into a sharp, banking turn. Any previous frustrations — both with herself and her Captain — had been batted aside entirely in favour of that typically cold, menacing focus by which many knew her. It was just how she functioned, forgoing emotions for the sake of efficiency; a facet of her being that did not falter, even as she cast her eyes across the waiting troops.“Sir,” she heard one seaman say:
“Are you alright…?”“That’s not… Can’t be…”
“Argyle! Focus up,” Yvie called, not even looking in the diminutive demolitionist’s direction as she heard his breathless babble, at least until she felt the need to observe her troops and offer her own form of moral support. “That goes for all of you! Fear is the enemy’s weapon–?” Plum eyes settled upon the sight of a mostly stoic and ready arrangement of men of blue and white, but what truly caught her focus was Argyle himself, and not because of the fact the colour had drained from his face. Rather, it was brief hindsight that made the LT realise what was so off about this situation; since when did the man with dark cashmere curls fail to react with utter glee when an explosion occurred? Her stoic, steel expression tightened.“Ma’am…! That explosion,” Argyle cried out:
“There was something wrong about it…”
“Explain, Petty Officer,” Miss Yngvildr glared. Argyle’s entire body screamed loudly of discomfort, perhaps intermingled with an excitement that she just couldn’t fathom, but most definitely was the man uncomfortable about something. The sweat on his brow, the stony and dull look in his eyes, and the fact he yelled through gritted teeth instead of an ecstatic smile were all blaring sirens that something had rattled this man. Somehow, seeing it, a slight chill even found its way up her spine.—— BACK ABOARD ——
“Watch yourselves,” Nightingale spoke as Cross’ company entered the vessel, her firm stance offset by the fact that her sharp blue eyes were focused upon the masts and sails of the ship, rather than upon the deck at large, or the doorway through which the explosion had roared. Her face stiffened a little more so than normal before looking again to Ragusa. “Petty Officer Dubrovnik. I’ll stay above deck with the medic until the rest arrive. You accompany the fifth and seventh,” she announced, her gaze perhaps telling that something was wrong as she locked eyes with the quartermaster and tossed a small shell to him — a young Den Den Mushi fitted with the most basic equipment. “Take it slow. Every five minutes,” the Warrant Officer finalised, shifting her focus to the injured Wells and the medic tending to him…—— SOMEWHERE BELOW DECK ——“Mmm… Unwanted guests,” a shadow uttered:
“As I thought we would get because of him…”“P– Please… Stop! No more– Gyaargh!”
“Bleugh… Must you insist on such vile methods, girl? This is the first proper meal I’ve had in weeks, and I’d rather like to keep it down in my stomach, where it belongs,” another prattled, shielding his eyes from the grim sight across the room, whilst chewing a cut of grilled meat. “How in the Four Blues did you even get those things while locked up?” he quizzed, doing his utmost to avoid an observation of the very creatures he was referring to.
“If this disturbs you, go eat elsewhere,” came the reply. “Kehe! As for how I got them, well, they have an incubation period of around forty days in optimal conditions. I could only provide suboptimal conditions given the circumstances, so being jailed for the last three months worked in your favour as well as mine,” the woman said, taking just a moment to meet the eyes of the man who addressed her.“Alright– Wait. So you… Ack! I’m gonna hurl…”“Please do so elsewhere,” she retorted:
“I’d rather you not traumatise them…”“Me traumatise them?!”
“Enough! We should be working together right now, not squabbling amongst ourselves,” the shadow growled, standing and looming over the rest. “The ‘intruders’ that set off Francis’ trap are probably some simple Naval patrol answering that distress call, but that doesn’t mean we can afford to be lax or at each other’s throats, else this twist of fate that was so graciously given to us might sooner be squandered than capitalised upon. Luckily for us, the Marines have provided us with ‘compensation’,” he voiced with a wide smile, opening a door to a larger room beyond, where many silhouettes were arranged rank and file…{Post Synposis:}
Nightingale recognises something isn’t quite right and stays behind as Ragusa and Leman head inside, while Yvionne notices something is wrong when Argyle shows worry about an explosion! Meanwhile, some sinister shadows of an unlikely alliance make moves!
NOTES:— Crew Page
Yngvildr Yvionne | #8e4585 | Junior Lieutenant
Ragusa | #8f3d3d | Petty Officer
Leman | #fdc651 | Petty Officer
Nightingale [NPC] | #36b5dd | Warrant Officer
Argyle [NPC] | #e65219 | Petty Officer
The Shadow Man [NPC] | #709bac | ???
The Gentleman [NPC] | #aca270 | ???
The Girl [NPC] | #ac7085 | ???
Francis [NPC] | #72ac70 | ???
Unknown [NPC] | #7a70ac | ???
Jacob Talon [NPC] | #fada5e | Captain
Miscellaneous [NPC] | #eeeeee | #bbbbbb | #888888 | #555555