Saturday, January 19, 2002
Logfile from Chandra.
Midships (#5881)
Towered over by reaching masts, the foremast's boom extends a goodly distance overhead, spars glistening with the protection of lead. Lines of manila and sisal, wood in its natural grain, and the sparkle of metal all exist here along with the scents of salt and the sea, fish and wood. Solid sides extend six handspans up, trimmed with a rail of virgin white, and the extensive details of hand-long dragons in a multitude of colors, set to sail by seablue curls of engraved wind.
The Foreanchor and Aftanchor are lowered into the water.
The JibTopsail, FlyingJib, Jib, Foresail, ForeClubTopsail, MainTopmastStaysail,
MainClubTopsail, and Mainsail are neatly lashed to their booms.
It is a summer sunrise. The sun rises in spectacular display over the ocean, lighting the waves with golden sunfire. The wind begins to blow in from the east, off of the ocean.
On the perch are Scamp and Sparkly Bodice Blue Hatchling.
You notice Cecily, Jerle, Faolain, and Jasla asleep here.
Obvious exits:
Down Aft Fore
The ship sails on into Waters Off Igen Peninsula ...
Passing the heated palisades of stark black rock, with the occasional white sand beach peeking from inside the many coves, you soon sail past Igen Sea Hold Peninsula. The Sea Hold is on the other side but the rock peninsula surges out into the surrounding sea. Too close and the bottom of all but the shallowest draft ships will rip asunder. The waves crash against the cliffs while the water below allows for games of hide and seek by dolphins.
Chandra warily eyes the cloud of silver off to the west, her lips purse slightly, knowing it for what it is. Gloved fingers rub on the handrail as she flickers a glance to the antsy firelizards off on the starboard rail. "Shells.... I was hoping the wind would pick up and carry us away from it."
Dejah surfaces from below deck followed by Auren, Dejah doesn't look too well, the morning sickness has gotten the worst of her and Auren has his arms around her shoulder as they walk over towards Chandra. Auren looks to Chandra. "We're all set in the galley." Dejah gives a faint tired smile.
Rhylar happens to be standing close by when Master Chandra is heard. In response, he nods his head as he stares at the very same cloud in the distance. "Aye, captain." he finally says. Dejah and Auren are acknowledged as well and the apprentice turns to face them all. Eagerly awaiting orders, he watches in silence.
Chandra sighs, glancing askance to Rhylar, "Go below and get the hats... pass them out to the crew." Those would be the lead-plated conical hats, used to deflect thread into the water. She lifts her chin to Dejah, pointing to the helm. "Even go through threadfall on a ship before? Steer us into the leading edge. Straight on." And then she glances to one of the second mates, "Prepare to unship the sails. We are heading into fall."
Dejah nods and looks to Chandra with a smile. "Well on my father's ship...and well it's not like I haven't been through 'fall on the 'Wing before over the past 8 turns." She takes on a seriousness of her duty as she nods being pointed to the helm. "Yes ma'am."
The silver cloud upon the horizon slowly grows more and more ominous. The flicker of blue, green, and a kaleidoscope of other hues flash here and there where the land exists below them. But as the rain moves over the water, those draconic flashes are near to nonexistent.
Rhylar obeys his orders and goes to retrieve the hats for the crew post haste. Upon arriving with them, he distributes those to the captain and first mate before anything, then hands them out for the rest of the apprentices and crew. Getting one for himself, he puts it on and glances out to sea again. His pulse quickens. Threadfall.
In the Wing's Helm, Dejah heads to the helm to steer the 'Wing straight on seeing Threadfall from the skies that were once blue with scant white clouds.
Chandra tucks the hat under her arm as she bustles forward, making sure the crewmen are ready to take down the sails when it comes time to... but first, they need a bit of momentum to sail through the quickest way. "Rhylar, get ready to have the canopy pulled over the helm." Ah yes, that would be that heavy, shiny, leaden canopy that only covers but a minor area of the ship, over necessity. As the ship turns towards the fall, Chani finally gives the order to take in the sails, loosing their power.
With the crew working madly aloft to pluck the sails from the lead-plated masts, that cloud comes ever closer. One can hear the thread striking the waters with sickly plops. All of a sudden, a web of the stuff flutters just a breath away from the bow, criss-crossing the water before sizzling away underneath. That was too close.
Rhylar fastens the hat securely so it won't fall off or become loose as he swiftly moves about when Master Chandra gives orders. "Aye, captain!" he replies. Green eyes blink and he pulls his gloves on a little farther up, just out of habit as he walks. The lad does as he's told and gets ready to pull the canopy over the helm; though it's rather heavy, it's nothing he can't handle. He awaits further orders.
Chandra winces as the thread comes ever closer, far too quickly than anticipated. She howls a harsh command up the masts, and just a second later the mainsail drops to the deck in a violent rustle of canvas. Crew is quickly moving to bundle it up and set below. "Everyone below who is not needed." This includes the ships' cook, but seeing as he is too busy being awed by the sight of the Thread, he is missed. And with a latching sound, the openings to below are sealed tight. "Rhylar, flood the deck." And the rest are suggested to make it rather quickly back towards the canopy.
Rhylar helps a few people off below deck and those few underneath the canopy, safely. Moving swiftly about the deck, the lad makes his way to the other side and obey's the captain's order. He begins to flood the deck as efficiently and quickly as possible.
Rhylar gives the command of 'FLOOD the DECK', and the pumps come to life and cover the deck with seawater, preparing for the comming of THREAD!
Auren definitely missed the warning as he keeps his eye on Dejah. It is obvious he is concerned about his pregnant wife though he knows her duties to the ship...he is anxious and has gone to the helm to be with Dejah. Dejah's concentration taken up by manning the helm and other duties as First Mate she didn't notice he hadn't gone below deck.
Just moments after the seawater washes over the deck, another long stand of thread plummets just to the port, striking the waves with a splash, only to be gobbled up by one of their accompanying dolphins. The next piece of thread slaps against a mast, sliding down the lead protection and into the water on deck. Rendering it dead. Gradually, more and more of the vile things strike as well with the crew's flizens darting here and there with their own small flames.
There is a loud *CLANG* as this time a piece of Thread strikes the canopy above them, slithering off to the side to spill into the waters. A moment later another piece hits the canopy again, but this time as it slithers off, a gust of wind hits it, drawing it under to drape over the railing. And there it clings, sickly and throbbing, and in a place Thread really shouldn't be. A sizzling as the wood is ate into. "Get rid of that!" Chandra bellows, only to have the thread eat through enough of the wood that it slips under one of the belaying areas for the canopy. *SNAP* The canopy is thrown back, brandishing all those under there to the mercy of the falling Thread.
Chandra winces and ducks with just about everyone else under the canopy as it is peeled away. Good thing they are nearly through the fall as already the dropping hunks of Thread are falling few and far between. Alas, another thick tangle drops square after the group to the aft, webbing and stretching into a wide area. A few of the more quick-thinking of apprentices scramble through the water forward and out of the way. In the scurry to get out of the way, Dejah goes sprawling in the water and well clear, obviously pushed by someone.
Rhylar happens to be one of the apprentices who dodge the thread. Grabbing a plank of wood, he rids the aft of the wretched specimen. Then the voices of other apprentices are heard as the first mate is pummeled out into the open. Without thinking, the lad dives for her and pulls her away from pieces of thread that are falling all around, though he is careful about her condition. A gust of wind blows in their direction as he pulls Dejah into some sort of safety. She appears to be unconscious..
Please, oh please. Don't let any of the last tangles hit the helm, or anyone else. Chandra sends out a flurry of orders, one of which is to try to secure that canopy before they loose that /extremely/ expensive bit of material to the sea forever. That thing alone could pay for all the food that the members of the ISH consume in a turn, and then some. Pretty soon, the plops and splashes become fewer and fewer, and the sun returns to shine upon them. Shining back to the aft to show the wreckage. The helm made it, but Auren apparently did not. She flickers a glance to Dejah and Rhylar, bellowing for the ship's healer, present because of their cargo of elderly holders.
Rhylar scrambles to his feet, clothes soak and wet from crouching down and helping Dejah. He literally runs for the ship's healer and yells their name loudly. Moments later, he returns with the healer and they both gather around Auren, who looks to be in pretty bad condition. Green eyes look at the Captain and his pulse quickens again. The sun may be shining, but a grey cloud has descended over Auren.
Chandra is not one who often curses. In fact, it is an extremely rare occurrence. Even that time when someone dropped a boom on her foot, she didn't mutter a since curse. Except for now. With the healer tending to the unconscious Dejah, she passes not a glance that way, too busy trying to put the ship to rights. "Damage report!" The canopy is being tugged back to the deck, tangled and bent at angles it has not right being set. "Rhylar, make sure all of the Thread is dead. Use sticks to toss it overboard and then drain the deck. She then sends another group to tend to what is left of Auren.
Rhylar nods after Master Chandra gives him an order. "Aye captain." is said, and he goes about to inspect the deck accordingly. Grabbing a thin plank of wood, he prods the dormant particles of thread upon the deck and uses the plank to toss them over board. He goes about doing that, glancing every now and then back towards the captain, first mate and healer. It doesn't look good.. But, still, he tends his duties.
Chandra gives the all clear signal, and the pumps come to life draining the deck of the ship of the seawater and drowned thread strips.
With the aftermath of the fall over, the silvery cloud disappearing far over the eastern horizon, the flurry of activity on the deck increases. Hats are removed and the deck is drained but glossy. Hatches are opened and the other members are allowed back up, where the hushed muttering begins over what happened. Silent looks are cast aftwards, to the sail shrouded body. At least there was one. "Back to work!" bellows the Captain, all business. As the ship turns back towards Keroon, she risks a glance back to the healer, getting a nod that everything is well. Just a little bump on the head. Healer takes his charge below. It is almost a good thing that she is unconscious now.
