"Sal, Lycius. Lycius, Sal." Danny grins as he introduces them.
"Hey Lycius. There's a guy getting a boat ready right over there. He's going to rondevue with another boat and pick up some goods. We need to be able to follow him and catch them red-handed. Maybe bust up their party for good. Morien says there's a chance you can help us with a boat or something?"
Burbling out the words, the fish replies. "Moriens golla boat moored down here, get it to you soon." the works come slurred from the lips of the moustached fish whilst it bounces in the harbour. "Half-hour or so..."
Sal takes a step back as the water stirs and the fish's head emerges, but stands fast when Danny does not retreat. She merely nods at the creature when they are introduced, uncertain as to piscine social conventions.
"Half an hour. Let's hope it takes this other vessel some time to get ready. Maybe they have to call out their crew from home or something." Sal fidgets nervously, then shoves her phone in her pocket, not wanting to anger the fish-thing by taking an unwelcome picture.
Kenneth reaches for a tankard without his usual flourish or praise or snark, Best tae keep quiet, lad, as tae not have one's sister suddenly notice the handsome, clever and witty chap in the corner...
He nods to Laura in thanks, but finds himself unable to completely overcome his nature and whispers, "D'ye get the feeling we brought tae many chaperones on our date?"
"That's great! Thanks Lycien. We'll see you back here in about half an hour. They don't look like their in too much of a hurry." Danny nods in the direction of the other boat down the dock.
Tossing Lycien a smart salute, Danny stands back up and hooks his arm in Sal's.
"What's wrong Sal? Your gaping like a fish." Danny asks casually.
"You look as if you've never spoken with a fish before." He grins as he leads them, slowly and wobbling, towards the pub.
"I should have known your friends would be fishy," Sal snarks back, "Hey, drop me off in a shadowy spot here and touch base with the team. Update them on our situation. I'll keep an eye on the boat. If they look like they're taking off, I'll... uh... I dunno. Put a hole in their fuel tank?"
"You have NO idea."
Danny grins, glad to have jibed Sal and have no bruises to show for it.
"Nothing so drastic I think. I'm pretty sure that Lycien can probably find them as long as we don't give them too much of a head start. Just keep an eye on it. I'll go tell the others. Bring you back anything?"
"Nah, I'm good. Bad discipline to eat on lookout. Hey, this looks like a good spot. Later." Sal slips her arm out of Danny's and fades into a nearby shadowy corner where she can watch both the pub and the Boat of Interest. She waits there motionless with a patience born of many long night watches.
Unfortunately, the gnawing emptiness in her stomach coupled with the unusual sights and sounds of the docks distract her somewhat from her watch.
Danny blinks as Sal practically vanishes into the shadow in front of him. Then grins as her rumbling stomach gives her away.
"Riiiiight,... No eating on watch. Got it. One ham N rye coming up." He winks and ambles along back to the pub to inform the others.
Laura smiles warmly to Kenneth, raising an eyebrow promising more later. However the atmosphere inside the pub is warm an jovial, with the aroma of the decent alcohol mixing with the smoke from the hearth.
The clock turns for a quarter of a revolution, Molly shares an uncomfortable silence with the Captain. He tries to make small talk, but is put off by her impatient foot tapping.
With a sigh of relief from the brusque man his phone beeps with a text and he informs Molly that the scow is ready. They get up and Molly goes to pay the tab at the bar, not noticing her brother or the entourage.
Molly and the captain leave the pub and walk down to the dock, Moriens' boat is due - but not here yet....
When Molly and the captain are on their way, Morien sets her glass down with a sigh of relief. Pretending that she liked gin & tonic had been getting old quickly. But then, that was why she'd ordered it.
She settles her tab and pauses at Kenneth's table on her way to the door. "The Mote should be arriving before too long; I'm headed out by the water to meet her. Care to join me for a little night boating?" she asks whimsically.
As she enters the night air, with a refreshing nip to it after the cloying warmth of the taprooms, the stars speckle against their inky backdrop. The salt air brings a promise bearing upon the breeze and Morien can feel the mote approaching in her core.
Kenneth nods, "Aye... though I'm thinking I may need tae swing o'er and give Molly's boat a small technological mishap tae prevent it from getting tae far ahead ay us before we're ready."
Morien shrugs, not letting the prospect of delays dampen her anticipation for being at sea again. "Join the rest of us when you're done, then. We shouldn't be hard to find." The selkie nods as if to say 'that's all' and heads out of the pub.
Past the car park, she pauses to take a deep breath and looks upriver expectantly.
Tangris looks up from his beer to see everyone leaving without him. He gulps the last glass or two, belches loudly, wipes his mouth with his arm and races outside, nearly colliding with Sal. "Sorry, whatta we doing again?"
Kenneth and Laura fall back from the group slightly, walking hand-in-hand and doing their very best to appear to be a couple taking a casual stroll near the water while staying out of Molly's sight. He stops at a post and begins kissing Laura's neck, whispering, "Can you see anything that looks like a good target tae hex? Something that'd slow them down but willnae stop them -- maybe an electrical winch motor for a sail or the anchor?" He continues kissing her, "Assuming I amnae distracting you tae much. I'm only doing this tae keep our cover, ye ken."
"Easy there Tex." Danny says to Ken as he rises with the rest, hurriedly finishing his cider.
"We WANT them to get where they're going, after all. The last thing we need is for your sister to figure out that she has someone interfering with her party. And your special brand of equipment malfunction, or dare I say it, 'Special HEX', is bound to make her nervous and suspicious. If not give us away outright."
"Besides, I'm pretty sure that Morien and Lycien can track a dolphin through a hurricane. I'd bet money, if I had any, that following a boat won't be much trouble." He grins.
Danny wraps the half sandwich up in it's paper and carries it with him.
"Besides, you don't want to hog ALL the fun now do yah? Let Morien have a little." He winks at Morien with a grin as they move en masse towards the door.
Laura gives Danny a pointed look at the interruption, seemingly having got a bit distracted by Kenneth's ruse. She rubs her mussed hair; "Of course Kenneth, you're just trying to get under cover." her tone is wry and breathy. "I couldn't see anything....what's that." She points up stream, there's a faint hoary glow between the buildings.
With Molly and the Captain aboard their old vessel, they join a drunken first mate and another seaman. The thick smoke and grumbling engine indicate an older ship, it has a couple of decks and works as both a fishing and commercial ship. Upon it's side is the name Otter Waist, with a little caricature.
The boat pulls out and chugs towards the harbour and out towards the sea. However from between the buildings upriver, as if illuminated by it's own light is a pale shallow drafted boat. Seemingly powered by some mystical energies it glides across the waves emanating a ghostly light. Then it pulls into the harbour within a short walk of the pub.
A the Mote moors itself up at the dock, the pale phosphorescence slips from it's bows like a silk negligee unveiling the beautiful wooden craft in the pale moonlight. There's a faint whisper upon the air; "Here she is...." the voice just identifiable as Lyceus.
When the Mote arrives in front of her, Morien steps aboard and joins the foxfire glow for a moment before it ebbs. "Thanks, Lyceus. Care to join us for a little outing tonight?" She ties the sailboat at a single point to keep her dockside, starts to move away, then evidently thinks better of it and adds a second point at the other end. After that, she falls into a familiar routine of checking over the boat from stem to stern, whispering something as she checks each knot in well-rehearsed order. It's only a few minutes before she has the triangular mainsail up and the boom tied only loosely, ready to maneuver. She looks down at the group from atop the short cabin. "All aboard. Any of you know how to properly use a two-way radio?"
Danny raises his eyebrows appreciatively at Morien's handling of the boat.
"Radio? Well if it's got a microphone I can probably figure it out." He grins, stepping up to the boat. "Yeah, no, not really. But if you show me I can pick it up pretty quick." He admits ruefully, but still grinning.
"Thanks Lycius." He adds to the water in general, not being able to see the Fae, but fairly certain he's still nearby.
"Oh, hey Sal. I saved you a bite. Working on an empty stomach is the pits." He grins once more, handing her the paper-wrapped half sandwich. (With a couple of fries still clinging to the side)
"Okay, anyone besides Danny?" Morien pauses to give any of the others a chance to catch her eye, then continues. "Danny, I think we're going to need you out here blowing hot air into the sails." She tries to keep a straight face, but doesn't quite manage to hide the smirk in her voice. "Don't want our prey to leave us behind."
She adds for everyone else, "There's a heater, a stove, and the head inside. If you like being dry on brisk nights like this, I recommend it." The fact that 'inside' and 'out of the way' are nearly synonymous is left unsaid.
Low mist rolls in from the sea, thick and low clinging to the waves as a errant toddler. Conjured up from a rapid moving front, from the earlier weather reports there was meant to be a wind, but it must be bringing in the humid sow-east winds to confront the cold North Sea. The chugging fishing craft is visible as it moves to harbour and with it's lights will continue to be.
Laura draws her coat around her, and nods to Morien. "There's no gang-plank, do we just jump aboard?"
Sal squints as the light from the open pub door falls across her hiding place, revealing her to everyone. I need to pick hiding places more carefully. This isn't the wilderness. The fries - chips - sticking to the sandwich wrapper suddenly resemble giant maggots devouring the ham on rye. She closes her eyes against a rush of nausea and holds up her hand, gently pushing it away.
"Thanks, but, um... no. Thanks anyway, really," she murmurs to Danny, then watches as the fey boat docks nearby while their quarry chugs out to sea. Even in the relatively calm waters of the river, the little boat bobs and rolls gently, bobs and rolls...
Swinging the heavy pack off her back, Sal digs around a bit and comes up with a short, capped tube that she hands to Danny. "It's a rangefinding scope. Keep it away from the walking technological disaster there," she jerks her head in Kenneth's direction, "Take the caps off to use it, put them back on when you're done, and don't drop it. Especially overboard."
She slaps Tangris on the shoulder and gives Morien a farewell wave. "I... I can't do boats. Not right now. I'm going to hang here and keep an eye on things, make sure nothing happens at this end. You guys be careful."
Laura's question catches Morien by surprise. "Yes?" she replies, as if it hadn't occurred to her that anyone would want such a thing. Since the tide is in the Mote's deck bobs several inches above the quay, but there's no railing around it, only a lip to keep small objects from rolling off. On the far side, the slatted portion of the deck between main hull and outrigger doesn't even have that. Despite the requisite life preservers placed for easy access, the Mote was clearly designed for someone who wanted to get in and out of the water with a minimum of fuss.
Morien waves back to Sal. "You, too."
Tangris looks confused at Sal. "What's the deal with boats?"
"Okay, anyone besides Danny?" Morien pauses to give any of the others a chance to catch her eye, then continues. "Danny, I think we're going to need you out here blowing hot air into the sails." She tries to keep a straight face, but doesn't quite manage to hide the smirk in her voice. "Don't want our prey to leave us behind."
Danny raises an eyebrow, a salute to a jibe well-placed. He tosses her a jaunty salute and an "Aye-Aye Mon Capitain!" as he moves aside to let the others board first.
"Although at the rate their going, I think we'll be hard pressed NOT to catch them." He adds smugly, indicating the slowly chugging vessel."Thanks, but, um... no. Thanks anyway, really," she murmurs to Danny,
"Oh? Ok. Next time." Danny says with a shrug. He peels off one of the fries and pops it into his mouth, oblivious to Sal's mental imagery.
He narrows his eyes at Sal, but only for a fraction of a second, before accepting her inference of tummy troubles as a valid reason for not wanting to join the rest on what Danny sees as a fun outing.
"Cool, thanks. I'll be careful with it." He says as he pulls the caps off and holds the tube up to his eye.
"Yar matey! There be ships teh plunder or my name's not Bluebeard! Terror of the Seven Seas!" Danny growls in a pirate-y voice as he looks towards the slowly departing vessel. "Oh, cool." He murmurs in a (more) normal voice as the small electronic rangefinder kicks in and starts scrolling numbers next to an electronic crosshairs.
Lowering the rangefinder, he pulls back slightly at Sal's petulant stare.
"What? I said I'd be careful with it. I never said I wouldn't have fun!"
He grins.
"Not feeling so hot right now," Sal tells Tangris softly, then raises her voice, "Oh, hey, happy birthday, Tangris! Somebody give him birthday spankings."
Kenneth turns and gets one good look at Molly's rental and chuckles, "I dinnae think I could hex that dinosaur in any case. Poor Molly, she'll be aghast at the smell ay grease-smoke..." He winks and adds, "It'll remind her of Auld Reekie, ye ken?"
He heads over to the Moiren's boat and nods appreciatively, "Well now, we cannae complain about the timing."
As Sal makes his proclamation, he steps over to her and asks, in a low voice, "If ye want tae come with us, I could try tae fill ye with inspiriation and possibly overcome your fear.... 'Tis up tae you, though, as the spray ay the water is as like tae undo any magics afore we'd get back, ye ken."
He then chuckles at Danny's mock-pirate antics and uses his long stride to steps over the gap and into the boat. "Ye always did seem the swabbing type, Danny-boy," he says with a wink. He says, "But d'ye think ye could manage a soft rolling fog tae keep us all hidden while working that thing in your hands?"
Danny grins, hopping nimbly into the small, sleek craft. After only a momentary wobble, he makes his way along the low deck with a grin.
"Well now, I do believe that I might be able to come up with something,..." He grins, giving those who know him only a small nervous feeling, wondering what pirate shanty they might be forced to endure soon.
Morien eyes the two people hanging back with undisguised impatience. "We could be heading for open water already," she points out.
"Um, it's best to never talk to Danny or look him in the eye when 'he's working that thing in his hands.' It makes him all nervous and sweaty." Tangris adds with a lopsided smile.
Sal gives Kenneth a nod. "It's not fear, it's... just go before Morien takes off without you. Later."
With a brisk, businesslike wave, the soldier backs away from the water and finds a convenient spot to lean against the wall, watching as the Mote departs.
"Um, it's best to never talk to Danny or look him in the eye when 'he's working that thing in his hands.' It makes him all nervous and sweaty." Tangris adds with a lopsided smile.
Danny starts to grin, stops, stares at Tangris, Raises an eyebrow, then finishes the grin.
"Your confusing us again. I NEVER turn down an audience!" He smiles evilly.
As the others get themselves on board, Danny starts humming phrases of tunes, trying to pick one for that fits the situation. He returns Sal's wave without actually looking, a sign of his focused attention.
Laura sniggers at the banter as the group slide out of the harbour, onto the open sea.
Flitting across the roiling waves as a bumblebee in search of pollen. The shallow draught of the Mote, used to handling the huge callous Atlantic waves cares little for the North Sea. Heavy fog clings to the lower bows of the vessel, coating the sea in a frosting of intrigue.
In the distance your quarry is apparent, chugging along it's path to the rendezvous, leaving a slick trail of smoke and ugly diesel stench to your highly attuned senses. Illumination from it's cabin gives a muted beacon through the mist.
Kenneth asks, "Can ye navigate without light? Their cabin light gives us an easy target tae follow, and assuming I can keep away from the spray, I can use the blood I share with my sister tae ensure we're heading the right way and that isnae a trick.... but if we can see them, then we ken that they can see us...."
Unless...
He pauses for a moment and then turns to Danny and says, "Lad, how much can ye focus your abilities? Can ye keep your tricks visible tae just the folk nearest ye? And, if so, can ye make light?"
Sal scowls at the shadowy figure, arms folded across her stomach. "Yeah, never a good idea to go boating with a bad gut. I'm going back inside out of the cold, wait for them to get back. Get something to settle my stomach, maybe. Later." She edges back towards the pub, not turning her back on the alley.
It's gonna take a really desperate guy to keep trying to pick up a sick girl who's not staggering drunk.
As the glow of street-lit civilization fades astern Morien makes no move to turn on the Mote's running lights, allowing the boat to fall into night's shadow. Instead she steadies herself in the corner formed by the mainsail boom and one of the ropes holding it in place, with the attitude of someone prepared to stay there indefinitely. For those who are still dazzled by the lights they're leaving behind, her position is picked out only by the red power LED of the radio handset clipped to her belt.
"Huh? Um, thanks but no thanks. The Mote and I have been out in storms where you could hardly see the end of your nose. No lights for now." She leans back to check what's on the far side of the sail, then continues, "If someone could keep an eye out for other craft, though, that'd be nice. Since we're running dark it's on us to keep a safe distance away."
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Danny sits towards the rear of the small craft, watching Morien skillfully handle it towards open water after the larger, noisy boat.
The singer sits staring at the moon a moment. The celestial body's nearly full face casting a silver shimmer upon the gently rolling waves.
After a bit, just before Morien looked as if she wanted to say something, Danny starts singing. He sings softly, but with full energy, his warm baritone carrying easily into the hold below deck, yet not carrying far over the water. Certainly not enough to be heard over the chugging of the lead craft's smoking engine.
"I've a whale of a tale to tell you lad,
a whale of a tale it's true!
'Bout the flappin' fish and the girls I've loved,
On nights like this with the moon above,
A whale of a tale and it's all true,
I swear by my tattoo!"
There was Mermaid Minnie,
Met her down in Madagascar,
She would kiss me,
Anytime that I would ask her,
Then one evening,
Her flame of love blew out,
Blow me down and pick me up,
She swapped me for a trout!
"I've a whale of a tale to tell you lad,
a whale of a tale it's true!
'Bout the flappin' fish and the girls I've loved,
On nights like this with the moon above,
A whale of a tale and it's all true,
I swear by my tattoo!"
"There was Typhoon Tessie,
Met her on the coast of Java,
When we kissed I,
Bubbled up like molten lava,
Then she gave me,
The scare of my young life,
Blow me down and pick me up,
She was the Captain's wife!"
"I've a whale of a tale to tell you lad,
a whale of a tale it's true!
'Bout the flappin' fish and the girls I've loved,
On nights like this with the moon above,
A whale of a tale and it's all true,
I swear by my tattoo!"
Danny begins speaking in rhythm, his voice low and husky,...
"Then there was Harpoon Hannah,
Had a face, that spelled out 'Danger'!
My heart quivered, When she whispered,
'Come here stranger'
Bought her trinkets, that sailors can't afford,...
And when I'd spent my last red cent she tossed me overboard!"
"I've a whale of a tale to tell you lad,
a whale of a tale it's true!
'Bout the flappin' fish and the girls I've loved,
On nights like this with the moon above,
A whale of a tale and it's all true,
I swear by my tattoo!"
As Danny sings, the silver shimmer on the water takes on a life of it's own. The water doesn't change, but the valleys between the 'rays' of moonlight grow deeper, and the Mote gracefully slides into the channel of darkness between the moonbeams, and the angle is such that if anyone on the lead boat looks back, all they would see is the moonlight reflecting back to their faces.
Morien raises an eyebrow at the first chorus, then smirks appreciatively. With Danny's assistance the Mote slips just beyond moonlight's touch, like a playful seal.
Drifting into the shadows of the waves, the mote advances towards the vessel - whilst at the same time keeping her distance. The older lead vessel is not keeping to the cost and from Moriens knowledge it seems to be heading southerly.
*note to self: Stat up a Fire Wizard/Vampire*
Morien raises an eyebrow at the first chorus, then smirks appreciatively. With Danny's assistance the Mote slips just beyond moonlight's touch, like a playful seal.
Noting Morien's look, Danny shrugs his shoulders.
"Too much?" He asks, all wide-eyed innocence.
"Too much and not enough," she replies with a flash of teeth. "Do you know 'High Barbaree'?"
"I know 'Put Another Shrimp on the Barbie', Does that count?" Danny asks with a smirk.
The young singer concentrates for a minute, eyebrows furrowed and lips slightly moving as he struggles to recall the tune and words. Then he grins and starts singing, but it's not exactly the tune Morien was remembering,...