William Brand

But of course...

William was many things at once. He was grateful. Anyone recommended by Fournier came highly recommended indeed. Second he was amused. It was becoming so common for those who knew the Doctor's real name to almost but never quite say it, that he was beginning to thing of her as Miss B. Fitzgerald. Also, he was surprised. Her was a man he had never met and Fournier was offering him up as a new recruit as easy as one hands over a pistol. Still, he was about to give his thanks and except the new man aboard when he felt a tickle at the very back of his brain. It was subtle, like a tickle in the throat proceeding a cough, but it was as real a thing as any physical irritation. There was a long pause. A very long pause. It was long enough for a silence to fall, broken only by the next sounding of the bell. William looked his old chessmate in the face and asked only one very searching question. "Why?"

"I've lost almost as many as I have gained, so in terms of pure arithmetic I am balancing the numbers fairly well." William said with a false smile, then added, soberly. "But of course, we are too few surrounded by too many. We have lost a few that cannot be replaced...only...replenished with others."

William smiled at the charts, more grateful of them than many of the provisions coming aboard. He might have sacrificed some of the fresh water stores in exchange for good charts, then dismissed this thought at once as he mind crossed over memories of the Danzig Trader. "There is no need to apologize, Capitaine. It is all apart of the days work, and what work must be done is still being accomplished. I should think we wil be underway very soon...once all of animals are brought on board two by two."

Stumpets? Ye lost me Dorian! Yes. Yes he did.

William invited all aboard. They made their way through a small sea of onlooking faces. Most of the crew was accustomed to seeing Fournier of late. Some nodded. Some didn't. And some still seemed not to know whether they should nod or not. The well buffed uniforms implied the very power they held in their epaulets, but no man aboard the Watch Dog considered this alone when acting as they did. And since many were hard at work they kept to their labors. Fournier seemed not to mind either way. He carried his power outwardly like a mountain. Strength in silence. He was not diminished by any lack of respect shown or unshown. Still, William greeted them with a wide smile. He met them at the rail with the familiarity that had become common between him and the two officers. He was introduced at once to Raphael-Etienne Chanault, but beyond his name, nothing else was offered, and William asked for no more, content to usher them to the ward room. They encountered Bill Flint conversing across the companionway to Lazarus Gage and Ciaran, but the conversation paused as they passed.

Mmmmm...tea and crumpets.

You mean you'll pay for the URL, maintenance and all other financial obligations?

I'm an illustrator, graphic designer, photographer, sculptor, and like Petee, I'm an art director. I've designed a great many flags, but the only large scale flags I've done were hand painted on heavy canvas. Example... This makes them very sturdy, but they only serve well as wall hangings or camp backdrops. They are generally too rigid to flap in the wind when painted this way. Still, I've done at least four painted flags and they make wonderful editions to rooms and camps.

Well...it would include taking that down to the Pyracy Island thread. The beads here are free.

Nope. That has a lot more detail about the exact details that a Master Gunner should know about ordinance, firing distances and the like. The Exercising of the Great Guns is a step by step of the preparation of one pre measured weight of powder and all the steps to load and fire a cannon. It is a primary step by step that a gunner must perform when firing a gun. The quick how to for the common gunner. Edit: DAAAAMN. I cannot find the original page anywhere, but here is what it looks like.

Thank you for the wonderful links. I am very grateful. I have a pdf for the Exercising of the Great Guns, but I cannot find the original link for it. If anyone would like a copy, drop me your email into a PM. It's 12 pages and it goes through the step by step of firing great guns. -William

"The men are survivors. It seems that their ship was sunk by the French and they made their way here by longboat. Whether the greater powers that be are in an official declaration of war, I couldn't say. I take my allies where I can, when I can." William shook his head slowly. "Wars begin with one enemy and end with another, but they have no love for the French, whatever may be the case. We'll set our feet ahead of us one at a time. Mister Pew is going to take stock of their arms and secure them below with the rest. With any luck, they'll soon find too many countries live in this one barrel to argue over who hates who and who hurt who when." And to the comment on Armand, William only said "Aye".

"Thank you, Mister Pew." "Yes, Miss Smith. You have my permission, but take someone with you. I'm not allowing anyone deep ashore without company. Take Hingerty or Woodington. They haven't been shore much this trip." "Thank you, Sir." She turned to go and he called her back again. "Miss Smith, take Hingerty and Woodington." he said smiling. "And while you are out, please try and find something suitable to the powder monkeys in the way of hard candy if you can. Something entirely too sweet if you please. I don't know when they'll see the like again.

Many congratulations, Lady Snow. Beads!

"One dead. One in the brig." William replied, still looking about the deck as casually as before, but taking in everything. He noted that Mister Lasseter was doing the same and they passed the briefest of looks between one another. "Mister Pew...when those lads are fed and provided for, I should like their arms collected and noted in the locker and ledger, if you please. They've had a run of bad luck and an unwished trip in a long boat after the loss of comrades and ship. I'm mindful of their dislike and fears of the Spaniards and the French, but it has been the same with some already aboard the Watch Dog. I've oft heard our dear Mister Franklin profess his own feelings for the 'Frogs'. Still, as Master-at-Arms, I should like you to be mindful of them."

William watched after the men and did not answer for a time. Then he focused on Mister Pew, but addressed Mister Franklin. "Mister Franklin, if you'd be so kind as to send for the Master Carpenter and Blacksmith and have them report at the bow." "Sah." Eric went off at once. "Report, Mister Pew."

Welcome aboard. I'm sick with the flu or I'd take you up on that drinnnn....thud.

Brave patrons one and all.

First Dog Watch - 3rd Bell (Aboard the Watch Dog anchored at La Margarita) William was a man of few languages, but second only to English was his recognition of body language in all of its subtleties. This understanding of unspoken words that came with a nervous glance, a glazing over of the eyes, a shifting contrapposto, a tick, a subtle pause or quickening of speech was to William a cartography of hidden shoals and reefs. William was practiced in the arts of half truths, deceptions and the slight of hand he used to observe events peripherally. Even as he spoke with Tommy Halsey, his eyes were elsewhere more than with the castaway Marine. He noted in the reflection of the highly polished cascabel of the starboard 24 pounder that Bill Flint was in a hushed conversation with the one just introduced as Jonas McCormick. He couldn't hear their words, but their sudden confidence while he stood so near gave him pause. William looked at the man called Bly and found that his eyes were elsewhere, but not on Jonas or Bill. He interrupted part of Thomas Halsey's narrative to ask if any of them had eaten. This gave him the opportunity to turn as if searching out Mister Lasseter, whom he found near at hand and he understood at once. The French and the English had ever been bitter enemies and sometimes uncomfortable allies. Here, standing not thirty feet apart, stood all the old grievances and prejudices sizing up one another. And with news of fresh hurts between to beloved countries arriving almost daily, it was a powder keg let loose on the gun deck. He diffused almost at once, at least for the time being. "Go and get some food and rum from the galley, lads. I'll see what can be done ashore for this Henry Walcott."

That counts... ...and all I have in stock is chocolate covered scorpians. A clerical error on my part.

"Aye, Mister Flint. Report to the Master-at-arms there..." William pointed to a sturdy, smiling fellow who was even now tying off the cascabel on a new 12 pounder. "Have him provide you with an escort. He knows the lay of the harbor and can provide another man of his choice to go with the two of you. Mind you...only one hour. We'll let providence decide who is found and who isn't. I cannot spare the hands long."

The Captain clapped hands with the Lieutenant, and the Frenchman's company suddenly reminded him of something else entirely and he excused himself to search out the new recruit. He found Bill Flint throwing his weight against a net full of bales being swung over the gun deck to the waiting hold. The man still showed his sunburns from his recent days stranded at sea, but for the most part he seemed no worse for wear. William watched him work awhile to measure the man's capability. Then he called him over. "Mister Flint, a word if you please." "Aye, Sar." "I was hasty before and quite overlooked a subject that may be of importance to us both. I need a few more hands aboard and you spoke of other shipmates stranded here on La Margarita." "Aye, Sar." "I wonder then how many of your compatriots you could gather in an hour's time if I sent you with a few of my men to fetch them."

Once again I lament my lack of History Channel access. Still, very exciting.

^Was once imprisoned with me in an iron banded cell complete with rats.