William Brand

"I had thought to be more careful since that ark-ruffian Muller took me from the ship, but I cannot see enough fault in any of these men to be too suspicious of them. Flint is quick to please...and polite. I have witnessed no harm from him to any man aboard, save Jonas only, and he watches over Nathan with an auspicious eye." William paused to sip his drink, then added. "I prefer not to feed a man in chains if I can feed him at the ropes. I admit that my interaction with any of the three is limited, so I'll defer to your opinions gentlemen. I will ask Mister Flint if peace can be had betwixt him and Mister McCormick. If he agrees, I should like a nay or yay from each of you as touching Jonas. You may consider on the matter if you like, but should any of you...Flint included...say 'nay' , I'll leave the man in the fore lastage until we can put him ashore."

Miss Smith set a glass in front of Mister Pew and William filled it for him as he took his seat at the ward room table. "These new castaways are at the forefront of our discussion, Mister Pew. As are those who previously joined us here." "Flint's men." Mister Pew said, making it neither a question or statement. "Aye. This Jonas McCormick." William shook his head. "We are ever trading one prisoner of the cable tier for another. I would rather have him join the crew then make him a castaway again. However, given his recent loyalties, or those loyalties in question, I should like to know him better first." William stood and fetched another glass which he poured for Miss Smith who stood hard by to serve food and drink as it was needed. Then he turned back again to the Master-at-Arms. "Give me your opinion, Mister Pew. What think you of Flint, Bly and McCormick? Speak freely, man. Give us your thoughts."

You just described a Scottish Fraternity Party.

William eyed the empty glass that Mister Lasseter put before him. He eyed Mister Lasseter as he filled the glass half as much as before, then paused. "Remind me, Mister Lasseter. Which of us has the deck tonight...?" He smiled and filled the glass the rest of the way to the top and slid it back. And topped of his own glass. Miss Smith set a bowl of hot soup before the Captain and the Quartermaster. Just then there was a knock at the door and Mister Pew was ushered in. He removed his hat and William gestured to the chair opposite the Quartermaster.

William filled Dorian's glass and then his own. William measured his glass for a moment, holding it near his mouth, but without drinking. Then he proposed a toast. "To castaways. Be they cast off from ships or whole nations." Dorian added a personal punctuation of his own mother tongue, but it eluded William. "Dorian...we've become carrion dogs." He began, filling both glasses again. "Picking the meat from dead ships. By my calculations we'll have a new moon tonight or tomorrow. How many survivors have we pulled from the sea since the last new moon?"

It might take a great deal of persistence, and no small amount of infamy, bribery and coercion, but that's at least two of us in two different parts of the country willing to man the ropes.

About six years ago I found several webpages which celebrated today as National Pirate Day. Over the last six years those reference have slowly disappeared. Now, I can't find any references at all. I tried every combination of words in a search I could think of today and I cannot find even one exsisting reference. This may be the last time I celebrate this holiday. Maybe I'll have a pirate funeral for it. Burn it in effigy!

HAPPY NATIONAL PIRATE DAY! This is not to be confused with "National Speak Like a Pirate Day" which is held on September 19th. This is just "National Pirate Day", a holiday that has slowly disappeared over the years. The general public has become so familiar with "National Speak Like a Pirate Day" that many people refer to that as "National Pirate Day", so the original holiday has all but vanished. It is now nearly impossible to find any reference to it on the internet, due to this confusion of names. Still, isn't it nice that we get two holidays, almost equally spaced in the year? Two times a year when we can invite people over and serve them stale, maggoty food and cheap rum. Aye. A pirate's life for me.

Nope, but speaking of stripes, here is my next quote. "She looks fast Truman." "Yeah, it's the stripes!"

Well...that topic took an unexpected turn from a period camp to containers and measurements. I do appreciate the additional reference materials provided in the debate. There was some very interesting stuff. It's too bad that cost and convenience are often a factor in camps and reenactments, because the possibilities of a good camp are endless.

I was married by a traditional handfasting ceremony in a small period village.

The most thankless, but equally necessary profession. I for one thank you.

I have a large yard and some neighbors I could do without.

Thank you, Pew. I nominate Redd Oktober. Simple. Humorous. To the Point.

"We have been partially introduced already." William said, smiling a little at the affectation. Holland was a name he had used so infrequently in the past that it surprised him of late to hear it so often. Still, one name was as good as another, as Tempest herself understood. For these women might have loyal ties to countries undiscovered. "Good evening, ladies." William said as he and the Quartermaster entered the room. Murin made as if to rise, as did Ana, but William waved them down again. "Please. There is no need to stand. You'll pardon me, but I have some questions." They nodded together, though even in this they differed, the first nodding with a lowered gaze and the second with a raised chin. One was dressed plainly and in clothes that were not her own. While the other was dressed in finery reduced to tatters. They were as prison vagabonds brought up from an oubliette into too much light. They both looked pale and tired and William wished he had not changed his mind, but he pressed forward with his questions nonetheless. "Am I to assume the Apollo was altogether lost?" "Sunk. A sto'm....it..." The first began, but William needed no details. "That will do...Miss?" She hesitated a moment before answering. "Murin. Murin McDonough." "Welcome aboard, Miss McDonough." He said with the warmest smile he could muster, hoping it served. The other woman was rising again from her seat and with an effort. She extended her hand in a courtly fashion that was a graceful yet Herculean effort. She swayed a little and William was forced to take her hand more out of necessity for her safety than out of any courtesy. He bowed low over the hand. "Ana." was all she managed, and it was not much more than a sleepwalker's whisper. If there was more to her name than that she was either too tired to say it or it was momentarily beyond her. He returned her hand and her name. "Ana." Then he left as quietly as he had come in, nodding to the Doctor and motioning to the two able seamen to follow him and Mister Lasseter from the room. The ship's bell was struck as they went out. July 18, 1704 - Aboard the Watch Dog Two bells of the Second Dog Watch

But of course, Mister Pew.

I'm a huge fan of mango and sweet rice.

William changed his mind almost at the very moment that Mister Lasseter left the ward room. He decided himself to ask after those in the surgery. He made his way forward from the Ward Room, meeting the Quartermaster as he came out of the galley, teapot in hand. "I have changed my mind, Mister Lasseter. We will ask them some questions together and avoid this chain of communication and have everything in the open at once." He went to rap gently on the door of the surgery, mindful that the ladies might be undressed in examination, but it opened at once, as Chanault made his exit from the room.

William nodded. The matter would depend a great deal on Mister Flint. He and Jonas had come aboard together and shared a past and perhaps an animosity that might prevent them from sharing that space forward. The fo'c'sle was small enough, even for those who got along, but let there be enemies together there and the place would not contain them. Fights and even murders were not unheard of before the mast. William wondered, and not for the first time, how Mister Sons had met his untimely end.

William turned away from Mister Lasseter or else he might have made a comment or two on the Quartermaster's false starts. Instead his thoughts drifted away at once to more personal reflections, and only when Mister Lasseter offered to excuse himself to further inquiry touching the new arrivals, did William return again. "No, Mister Lasseter. Let us leave them to the ministrations of the Doctor for the present. I must have an answer to the Jonas problem before I can move on to other matters. Perhaps an audience with Mister Flint is in order?"

"All very different possibilities with significant outcomes." They were both pacing now. When one would stop the other would circle. They were buzzards hovering around the same undying problems. "The 'Dog is quickly becoming a sanctuary for the most unlikely vagabonds. The luck is ours that so many of them get along. A full fourth of our crew is women and I've never known the company of so many aboard a ship that wasn't shipping passengers." He shook his head and sat himself down again. "I'll be performing marriages next."

William considered saying yes, but his consideration might be inconsiderate to those poor women just now brought aboard. "No." he said shaking his head. "Not yet. We shall let them find their sea legs again and respite from their recent tribulation. The answers should come on their own." William stood and turned to the windows astern. He watched the rain fall on the sea for a time with his hands behind his back, pondering on the matter of castaways and the man Jonas. He had not yet determined what to do with the man and already he was beset with others to deal with. He turned again to the Quartermaster. "What think you of this man Jonas? Can the man be persuaded to join us here? I would rather have another working man upon this ship than a man to be dealt with, but can such a thing work? What think you?"

Blade Runner. Back to my movie. Quote number two... "You are the most irresponsible person I have ever met." "Well, somebody had to be."

Today's special is... ...toasted coconut shrimp.