Post by captntruesdale on Sept 4, 2007 12:23:38 GMT -5
Capt. Truesdale had marched in front of her small division with pride, dignity and grace, back to her ship. What she was thinking couldn't be more different. It was that girl. The Captain could tell she wasn't your average, thieving, drug-taking, murderous, back stabbing pirate. No, there was something about her that just didn't fit in. Maybe she fell in with the wrong crowd. Or maybe she had a very bad experiance with the Officials, just as Truesdale had had with pirates. Whatever the case, Katara wasn't a pirate. At least not the kind that Truesdale was familiar with. And Truesdale had met a lot of pirates.
When she was newly recruited Truesdale was brought to a crew of pirates had just been captured and required some looking after in the cells on land. No prizes for guessing who was placed as chief guard-on-probation. During that time Truesdale seriously considored her career in the RN. It wasn't just the rude remarks, nasty jibes and the foul language from the pirates that turned her. It was the long-serving officers treatment of the pirates. It was disgusting. They spat at them through the bars, dragged them out of the cells to pour a bucket of freezing water over them to wash, with a good kicking to encourage them back in. And the others allowed this to happen! But instead of pulling out Truesdale had decided that she would work hard, but fairly, and climb her way through the ranks to the very top. And when that happened, things would change. She hated pirates it's true, but to induce that kind of savagery on another human being made the Royal Navy just as bad. They had stooped to their level. An eye for an eye, they called it.
Captain Truesdale, embarked the HMS Dignity and ordered, unecassarily, that the pirates be taken to the cells. Including Katara. The Captain held the boomeraang at the middle in her left hand and she climbed the stairs to the bridge where her Lieutenant was waiting.
"Captain?"
"Spot of bother as you may already have guessed."
"Yes Captain. Any orders?"
"Not many really. We have the whole crew. Apparently." Captain Truesdale sighed.
"Apparently, Captain?" Rodgers frowned.
"According to one of the drunkards and the girl."
"Ah."
"Yes, so, we probably don't need to be too wary. But keep everyone vigilant anyway. I want security to be tight as always especially in this port."
"So the regular two guards at the gangway, a guard at each floor, two in the cells and irregular partols and checks?"
"Yep. But I want a Chief Petty and a Warrent Officer at the gangway at all times. Certainly no-one below Petty."
"If you'll permit me, that's rather extreme, is it not Captain?"
"At this port?! God no!"
"I take your point Captain." The Leiutenant smiled with his Captain. "And I assume you want Officers at the cells?"
"No." The smile was instantly wiped off Captain Truesdale's face. "No. Well, a Midshipman maybe, but I'd rather a Leading Rate or Able."
Rodgers' face had also stiffened. "Certainly Captain." He replied grimly and politely.
"And I would like three in there."
"Yes Captain."
Truesdale turned to face the window and inhaled deeply and blew out.
"Are you alright Captain?" Lieutenant Rodgers frowned again, it was becoming somewhat of a trademark move Truesdale thought lightly to herself as she considered her answer. She had almost been shot today. It had happened only four times before, but that didn't make it any less scary. At the time it doesn't seem much, only because she had always got out of it, but when you look back and think, I could have died today. Well, then it really hits home.
"Of course Lieutenant. I'm giving you orders am I not? It's when I stop that you have to worry!" Truesdale laughed and her second-in-command grinned. "It's just, well I don't like pirates on my ship while I'm not. No offence, I mean I have every confidence in you, I just ..."
"Yes, Captain. I understand. But, permission to speak freely?"
"Absolutely, Leiutenant."
"You should go. Perhaps you may ... conquer your worry?"
Truesdale and Rodgers exchanged warm smiles. Truesdale would never admitt it but she thought of Rodgers like a sweet uncle and she was like his young niece following in his footsteps. It wasn't that she had affection for him, but she would care if something happened to him.
"Thank you, Leiutenant. I leave you in command of the HMS Dignity until my return, to your duty." The two Officers saluted and about turned smartly and proceeded in the opposite direction.
When she was newly recruited Truesdale was brought to a crew of pirates had just been captured and required some looking after in the cells on land. No prizes for guessing who was placed as chief guard-on-probation. During that time Truesdale seriously considored her career in the RN. It wasn't just the rude remarks, nasty jibes and the foul language from the pirates that turned her. It was the long-serving officers treatment of the pirates. It was disgusting. They spat at them through the bars, dragged them out of the cells to pour a bucket of freezing water over them to wash, with a good kicking to encourage them back in. And the others allowed this to happen! But instead of pulling out Truesdale had decided that she would work hard, but fairly, and climb her way through the ranks to the very top. And when that happened, things would change. She hated pirates it's true, but to induce that kind of savagery on another human being made the Royal Navy just as bad. They had stooped to their level. An eye for an eye, they called it.
Captain Truesdale, embarked the HMS Dignity and ordered, unecassarily, that the pirates be taken to the cells. Including Katara. The Captain held the boomeraang at the middle in her left hand and she climbed the stairs to the bridge where her Lieutenant was waiting.
"Captain?"
"Spot of bother as you may already have guessed."
"Yes Captain. Any orders?"
"Not many really. We have the whole crew. Apparently." Captain Truesdale sighed.
"Apparently, Captain?" Rodgers frowned.
"According to one of the drunkards and the girl."
"Ah."
"Yes, so, we probably don't need to be too wary. But keep everyone vigilant anyway. I want security to be tight as always especially in this port."
"So the regular two guards at the gangway, a guard at each floor, two in the cells and irregular partols and checks?"
"Yep. But I want a Chief Petty and a Warrent Officer at the gangway at all times. Certainly no-one below Petty."
"If you'll permit me, that's rather extreme, is it not Captain?"
"At this port?! God no!"
"I take your point Captain." The Leiutenant smiled with his Captain. "And I assume you want Officers at the cells?"
"No." The smile was instantly wiped off Captain Truesdale's face. "No. Well, a Midshipman maybe, but I'd rather a Leading Rate or Able."
Rodgers' face had also stiffened. "Certainly Captain." He replied grimly and politely.
"And I would like three in there."
"Yes Captain."
Truesdale turned to face the window and inhaled deeply and blew out.
"Are you alright Captain?" Lieutenant Rodgers frowned again, it was becoming somewhat of a trademark move Truesdale thought lightly to herself as she considered her answer. She had almost been shot today. It had happened only four times before, but that didn't make it any less scary. At the time it doesn't seem much, only because she had always got out of it, but when you look back and think, I could have died today. Well, then it really hits home.
"Of course Lieutenant. I'm giving you orders am I not? It's when I stop that you have to worry!" Truesdale laughed and her second-in-command grinned. "It's just, well I don't like pirates on my ship while I'm not. No offence, I mean I have every confidence in you, I just ..."
"Yes, Captain. I understand. But, permission to speak freely?"
"Absolutely, Leiutenant."
"You should go. Perhaps you may ... conquer your worry?"
Truesdale and Rodgers exchanged warm smiles. Truesdale would never admitt it but she thought of Rodgers like a sweet uncle and she was like his young niece following in his footsteps. It wasn't that she had affection for him, but she would care if something happened to him.
"Thank you, Leiutenant. I leave you in command of the HMS Dignity until my return, to your duty." The two Officers saluted and about turned smartly and proceeded in the opposite direction.