Relentless and Rakehell

[Red Cat Jenny]

She drives a hard bargain this Captain..but she looked like she really needed ta spill her story to someone an I was flattered it would be me. I held my glass out for a refill and considered since she be drinkin more than I kew her to be used to, this would be an interesting conversation.

I selected a hot croissant from the tray and sat back chewing for a moment. "mmm Ransom! these be tasty! a damn sight better'n that sorry excuse fer grub ye used t' have onboard..my compliments to er..whoever be teachin Goose" I took another bite an gestured toward her with the golden pastry.." ok one..I need a chart of Bermuda..yer turn" ~smirk

[Ransom]

"Burmuda? What do you need a chart of Burmuda for?" I narrowed one eye. "Come on Red Cat. You're playing awfully coy. What's in Burmuda that's so important you'd come and beg a chart from me?"

I figure I better stop slurping up the brandy, 'cause this conversation was heading toward very interesting territory.

"Oh, and, don't get too used to good eats from Goose. He's only had one day's worth of lessons, so his repertoir is small. Acually, I think you just got the best of it, other than a decent plate of Toads in the Hole."

[Red Cat Jenny]

"Toad in th hole aye?" I wipe the butter off on my slops "does he know it's not really a toad?"

Ransom starts to giggle and I notice she has wisely slowed her tippling.

"ok well I know you have sailed about Bermuda and you have a much more detailed chart of the coves an hiding spots there than any I have in my posession" she looks surprised and a bit wary of my knowledge " I am going to find someone who has summat belong ta me"

"Now...." I fix her with a squinty stare "come clean yerself lass.." afore Jacky comes pokin about. I know his lookout spotted me from th crows nest when I came aboard and I'm sure he's wonderin what wer're up ta"

I lean back in the chair feelin satisfied wi my answer t her and cross my arms waitin for the lass ta start dishin..

[Ransom]

"I'll let you look at my charts, an copy them if you wish, but, you best be careful around Burmuda. Strange things are wont to happen there. I've had my compass go crazy as a dervish, run into huge islands of seaweed with all manor of odd sea creatures living in it, and seen strange...well, really strange, things in the sky. It's a haunted place, the waters around Burmuda."

I pluck a roll from the table and pick off bits to nibble. "As for Jacky, well, it's the usual. One step forward, two steps back. This morning he offered me a fancy ball gown. Can you imagine? Don't know what possesed him, but it was a lovely gesture. Could have blown me over with a feather."

I didn't intend to entertain Red Cat with the knowledge of just why I needed a dress at that moment. However, I notice Red Cat is rolling her eyes, and taking another gulp of brandy.

"Well, you asked." I lean back in my chair. "You know Cat, that man drives me crazy — in more ways than one. I never know where I stand with him. One minute we're all cozy an intimate, and the next thing I know, he pulls back and acts all business-like. Which puts me in a foul mood, which just makes the situation worse. Sometimes he says things that put my back up, and the next minute he says something so sweet it makes me get all tingly inside.

"But, I suspect his cook, Spoons, wishes I'd take the Rakehell on a long sea voyage. Come to that, this relationship has my crew a little spooked too." I let out a chuckle. "Maybe I should sail with you to Bermuda."

I give her a grin. "So, what's your Cat-ish advice?"

[Red Cat Jenny]

Ransom has finished telling her tale and Red Cat just stares at her for a moment as if she be reviewin the whole thing an lookin fer a sign that anything was..left out.

Which in these circumstances there most always was....some small tidbit conveniently forgotten. Left for later like the good silver.

The Cat slowly poured herself another glass o brandy, spillin a bit as the plum colored liquor had begun to take hold of her faculties, and leaned back in the ornate chair at Ransom's table.

Takin a deep breath she started.

"Well....these things can be tricky, ye see a man like Jacky Tar, he be both simple and complicated" Ransom rolls her eyes and begins to think this might have been a mistake. Laughing, Red Cat contunies "Ya see he be a private man an tho he fancies ye he fears the loss o summin very valuable ta him..his freedom. So he kinda shoots himself in the foot now an then when things git too close. But make no mistake, that don't mean he doesn't feel the same. Plus I spect he enjoys the friction" she raises one eyebrow " between you two. "

Taking a long second drink the Cat contemplates her glass a moment as she swirls the well aged brandy within.."Now as fer Spoons n the crew o the Relentless..wall thar be nuthin more disruptive ta their way of freedom than a lass wot the captain fancies. One on board ship changes the whole natural order of things." "However"

Both women hang on to the table an their glasses as a stray wave rocks the Rakehell, a muffled thud is heard from abovedecks folowed by a muffled swear.

"However Ransom me dear.. there are ways around that"

The Cat inspects her glass to make sure none was lost in the wake of that wave and waits for Ransom ta reply.

[Jacky Tar]

I enter the galley, an Spoons is hummin' a sea chanty, "Spoons hav ye been tipplin' the whiskey, again? Ye seem a wee bit too gay!" He chuckles, an replies that he's just glad t' hav things back t' normal. I suppose it was a bit unfair t' saddle him wit' Goose.

I see Spoons has laid out some of his biscuits, which are much softer than the rocks made by Goose. I grab a biscuit an a thick slice of bacon, an return t' my cabin.

The slops I'd lent t' Ransom are lyin' on my bunk, folded an hardly worn. Except for these, there is no sign that she was ever really here. No left articles of clothin' or personal affects, yet her memory lingers.

Fer that brief period she were here, an sleepin' in this very bunk, I just sat an watched her sleep. I can trace every curve of her face in me minds eye. The romantic fool in me, wanted t' wake her wit' a kiss, an t' tell her wot I thought she wanted t' hear. Alas, I felt she needed no romantic alliance wit' me, I will wait an see if she be as keen wit' out the drink.

[Ransom]

I look up at the sound of the thud, then shake my head. "Well, I imagine one or more members of my crew are dieing to know what we're talking about. And I'm sure Goose has embroidered the tale of last night to...well, I'm sure he's exagerated things." I peer at the stern window. "I'm surprised they haven't dropped someone on a line and hung them off the stern, just to keep tabs on us."

I pop another bit of roll into my mouth. "As for Jacky, well, no one knows how complicated he is more than I do. Trouble is, we both like our freedom, which is, I think, the biggest obsticle to our relationship. I told him I didn't want our times together to be nothing more than a nice meal and a friendly chat between voyages." I lean over the table, picking at the roll and dropping the bits onto the table. Then I look Red Cat full in the eyes. "But you know, Cat, I'd do anything for the man, if he but asked me. Anything except give up the Rakehell. So, where does that leave us?"

[Red Cat Jenny]

Ransom looks genuinely perturbed. Picking at her roll and flinging the bits about, illustrating to Red Cat's amusement, that Jacky has managed to ruffle her normally smooth feathers.

"Ye gonna eat that? r just turn it into bird food?" Ramsom puts the roll down quickly and snatches her glass back up annoyed at herself for bein so obvious. Red Cat just laughes and leans forward pourin her the last of the brandy "Oi gerl, he's gotten to ye! " she says with a wan smile unable to resist twittin her friend. Ramson just "hmphs" and takes a sip.

"Well it seems you two are alike and that can be troublesome...peas in a pod ye be." She stops to think a moment tiping her empty glass and looking at the lady Captain with a raised eyebrow. "Crew is crew..." she says casting a look to the ceiling where noises of objects being moved about echo. "pay no mind ta whet they says, but now..where was I ? Aye..mayhap ye need te find out what he'd do for you?" She looks up at Ransom an runs a finger around the rim of the empty brandy glass - dinging it with a nail. (what does a gerl have ta do t throw a hint about here?)

[Ransom]

With my headache still pounding behind my eyes, and the brandy starting to fog my brain, I didn't have any idea what Red Cat was talking about. Come to think of it, I'd spent the last 24 hrs three-sheets-to-the-wind, which should have been a sign that I was not my usual self. I resoved to resist the temptation of alcohol until I could once again think straight.

"Jacky's a polite man, for a pirate, and he'd do for me what he'd do for anyone - watch my back. Further than that, I just don't know. Actually, I'm kinda wondering where that dress he offered me came from, and what it was doing in his sea chest. It's worth a tidy bit of the shiny, so why'd he keep it? What lady was so special he couldn't bear to part with her dress?"

The thuding around above was sending cannon salvos through my brain. I lept up from my chair, unlocked the door, leaned out and shouted, "Oi, what are you gutless bilge rats doing, throwing cannon balls across the deck? Give it a rest, would ya!"

I relocked the door and returned to my chair. Red Cat watched me with a feline grin on her face. "Sorry, but my head is killing me. So, when are you planning to sail for Burmuda?"

[Red Cat Jenny]

Speaking more quietly as the din above subsided much to Ransomes obvious relief. "Mayhap I didn't make meself clear enough.. you could try to be a bit aloof about the man. Aye, he be polite.... and bein such, none too forward" She stops to consider this for a moment. Confused because a pirate warn't polite....Jacky certainly warn't when it came ta fightin r sailin.. but then this was neither..quandry resolved she started again.

"So now that 'e knows wot yer feelin, be aloof an see what his reaction may be.. long as yer not too distant so as t' confuse im, ye know how quickly men can git jealous r at least assume things..so draw him in a bit aye?"

Red Cat tired o waitin, stood an crossed th cabin which seemed to sway oddly, an helped herself to another bottle from Ransomes cabinet. " I won't be sailin t' Bermuda for about a month, me ship is bein careened and re fitted as we speak. Want er nice an fit fer the trip....Eh, lass.. what else can yer galley turn out? I'm needin summin ta soak up all this brandy. " She flopped back int into the chair. "Or should we send out to the Tsunami Kate?"

[Ransom]

Feeling a bit helpless as yet another of my bottles of brandy was opened, I said, "Actually, Jacky sent over some lobsters yesterday. Africa steamed them while Goose was having his cooking lesson. And there's a few loaves of good sourdough bread. Would that suit ya?"

I wasn't too sure about her idea to ignore Jacky a bit and see how he reacted. I was pretty sure playing games with him was not the best way to get his attention. However, I was hungry, and lobster sounded good. And the bread would help soak up the brandy. Now, if I could just get rid of this blasted headache!

[Red Cat Jenny]

Sensing Ransom wern't completely in accord with her suggestion, Red Cat put her chin in her hand an thought some more.. But her stomach growled loudly an both women laughed. "Aye!" She said chuckling "Lobster and Sourdough would do fyne!" Again the Captain poked her head out the door speaking to someone who always seemed to be just outside waiting for her orders. She came back to the table rubbing her brow.

"Ye need ta eat summin gerl t'will put ye right"

The Cat stretched, reachin her arms across the back of the chair an put her feet upon the table..seein Ransoms face she quickly took them off again settling for leaning back the chair instead. "Well as far as I heard from yer crew when I came aboard, ye already donned yer frippery an right flounced over there, I doubt he missed that clue. Mind ye they didnt" She flicked a bit of lint from her breeches and looked towards the now silent above decks "Droolin like dogs they were when they told me. I'm sure he appreciated it and I would lay odds he know what be in yer mind. So....what exaclty did or more importantly did not happen then aye? Mayhaps then we kin form a plan of action for ye"

[Ransom]

I sighed, figuring the Cat was going to keep needling me until she got the whole story. "Well, what did happen was, I got drunk. Not entirely my fault, as I suspect Spoons was putting Irish whiskey in my coffee when I was attempting to sober up. Next think I knew, it was morning, I was in Jacky's bed, and I was naked as the day I was born."

I watched Red Cat's eyes get big a saucers. "No, stop thinking what your thinking, 'cause THAT didn't happen. He gave me some clothes of his, but decided he didn't like the way they looked, so he offered me that fancy dress to wear. Naturally, I refused it, which is when he sent Goose over to the Rakehell to fetch my usual outfit. God knows what that idiot told the crew, but they been rolling their eyes at me ever since. All but Africa, who knows the truth of it."

At this point I thought my head would explode, so leaned back in my chair with a hand over my eyes. "So, there you have it. I left the Relentless this morning, still half hung over, and very upset over the way the whole evening ended up. And that's when this &^%*# headache started up."

[Red Cat Jenny]

Thunk! Red Cat's chair came back down ta rest on the hard planking and she cringed not intending to add a dent to poor Ransom's achin head "Sorry Ransom..sorry"

Ransom shot her a look that could've sunk a ship. "Let me give ye a hand " she said "I'll be right back" Red Cat disapeared out the door and came back shortly with a large basin of steaming water with some lemons floating in it and a cloth. Soaking the cloth she shook it about to cool it a bit. "Now put this on yer noggin an I'll go see about those Lobsters. I an't seen Africa in a while anyway" Ransom plopped the cloth on her head and sank back into the chair. Naturally one of her crew popped in and insisted on giving her a rundown on supplies the needed while she tried to nurse her head. Red Cat headed off to see Africa looking forward to teasing him. It had been a while and well..he was just so much fun to tease. Plus she wanted to compare Ransoms story to whatever information he'd overheard,.

[Red Cat Jenny]

Red Cat came back ta find Ransom wit her feet on the table's edge, leanin back in her chair an the cloth on her forehead an eyes. A serene smile now decorated her face.

"Dreamin o the Captain?" Cat twitted her.

Walkin back to her chair an cup she said "Well I think I about made up f' lost time wit poor ol Africa.. He threatened t' throw me in th lobster pot he did! He'll be by soon.

So as ye set here in yer reverie, come t ' any conclusions?"

[Ransom]

I lifted the cloth a bit and squinted at Red Cat. "Yeah, I conclude that I'd like someone to cut me head off. I also conclude that I need some time at sea, to clear my brain and have some time to think. A quick run, a little smuggling maybe, I'm not sure. What's this Burmuda plan you've got going?" With an oath, I place the lemon-scented cloth back over my pounding forehead, then mumble, "Better watch yourself with Africa. He really would throw you in the lobster pot."

[Red Cat Jenny]

Red Cat gave a hearty laugh "I b'lieve yer right!"

She circled the table and stood lookin out the aft windows, hands behind her back. As the gulls drifted by she considered the trip.

Well I must retrieve summin from an old....friend therebouts. I haven't been t' Bermuda in quite some time and could use t' stick me dogs in the sand thar. Mayhaps we kin both have a rest n figure out a few things..or jes a quick trip aboyt an see what may lay in these waters...wot ye say?