simplestgift | Twenty-three bells: [WRITTEN/ACTION]

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Twenty-three bells: [WRITTEN/ACTION]

This is Mr. Kennedy. The Britannia, Luceti's new sloop of war under command of Captain Hornblower, is finished and for all purposes ready to sail. Unfortunately, as she cannot sail herself, Captain Hornblower is in need of a crew.

Not many are required simply to sail her. A half dozen at least, although we should prefer more. We do not expect exclusivity--in Luceti, there is no point. If you are already part of another crew, you are welcome to remain a part of that crew and sail with us as well. As the winter months are approaching, we are not likely to weigh anchor for some time, so there will be plenty of time to train recruits who have no sailing experience.

Thank you, and I look forward to any questions you may have.

-A. Kennedy

[He's using the "Lt." less and less nowadays in his signature.

Tonight he'll be working at Cloud Nine. He'll be home late.]

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[Ginia will be at her usual place behind the bar, polishing the table and staring off at something unseen. She snaps out of it when she hears Archie approaching, smiling faintly at his signing.]

/Yes, if you don't mind. Should be slow tonight.

You're getting better./

/Thank you! I have been teaching a friend./ [He continues talking and signing as he finds words he knows.] This means you'll have to start teaching me how to make the drinks, you know.

/Who are you teaching?/

[She nods at him and motions for him to come around to the other side, also taking her notepad and pen out of her book bag. Some things are still easier to write out, especially when explaining things.]

Also remember Marco and Flynn are bartenders here so you can always give them a call, but Monday, slow night, you'll be fine. We don't get as many requests for mixed drinks here, but I get a few requests, usually common ones from my time period. Martini. Rum and coke. Screwdriver.

[It's nice teaching. It takes her mind off the day and it's nice passing her bar knowledge onto someone else. Her father would be proud.]

Stephen Maturin. [And he spells the name as he speaks, too!] A doctor from my time.

[He quiets to pay attention to her lesson.]

/I've met him. Nice man./

[The first step is prepeation. Ginia begins walking him through her general setup of her bar counter. The ice chest, where she keeps the lemons, oranges, and limes for garnishes or fresh juice, all the different tools a bartender will use and the function of each one, all are explained with neat little notes.

On another day, she'd go into more detail, maybe share an anecdote or two, but today, she's doing all she can to keep herself together and functioning.]

[Archie pays close attention to Ginia's instructions, and therefore, close attention to Ginia. He doesn't make a mental list of anything he sees, but what he does see makes him tense even though he's hardly trying to read her. He couldn't name it, and he couldn't put his finger on exactly what it is about her tonight.

A person more learned in psychology or body language might be able to say it's the way she pauses every so often to pick up her train of thought, how she loses track more easily than usual, how she's slightly pale or her smiles don't quite reach her eyes. How she rushes and doesn't dilly-dally on tangents, or any number of other slightly off behaviors characteristic of someone very practiced at hiding when they've been triggered. Archie can only tell that something about her is making him feel oddly gloomy.]

Thank you, Ginia.

[Ginia sighs and looks around as she finishes, trying to think of anything else he might need to know before offering a practiced smile, unaware of the read Archie did on her.]

/You're welcome. You'll be fine. Any questions?/

[Not a read at all, just subconsciously picking up involuntary signals. Your typical sensitive, empathic person doesn't necessarily come up with an ingredients list when they know something's wrong with someone--they just feel like something's off. In retrospect, he might be able to name what it is, but not now.]

None I can think of. Is everything all right?

/I'm fine. Just a little tired./

[Not entirely a lie; pretending everything is fine is exhausting and she's only been out of the clinic for a few days. Enough to get back on her feet and be active, certainly, but the cold weather isn't doing her freshly mended wing any favors.]

[Okay. Maybe that explains it. He nods, still looking worried.]

Very well. Now. You were interested in sailing?

[A nod and another smile, quite thankful for the change in subject. She considers signing, but decides to use her notepad this time. A lesson in ASL can come later.]

I am. After the last draft, I've been interested in the finer points of sailing. Never know, might be another battle on the ocean next time.

A trade, then. You teach me to sign, I teach you to sail.

[There is, for a second, something genuine in her smile.]

Sounds like a good trade. It'll be useful on the ships too.

It will! Perhaps we should give you a whistle, should you need to get our attention in an emergency. You'd hardly be the first mute sailor, but it'd be better to be safe.

I have a whistle from when I helped Ami with swimming lessons. We worked out some quick signals and all that.

That should be fine, then. After I'm looking at you, you can sign anything you need, if I'm good enough to understand you by then.

You're learning quickly, I think you'll be fine by then. Whenever then is.

I've been thinking about teaching sign language to anyone else who may want to learn. It's an immediate benefit to me, but it's quite useful in combat situations or other situations where quiet is needed.

Edited 2011-11-11 00:38 (UTC)

It's an excellent idea. I should encourage the rest of the crew to learn.

If they wanted to. I'd hate to force anyone into learning something.

[There's a pause before she writes something new, a slightly new topic.]

I may be busy for a few days. I'll leave the bar in all of your capable hands. Giles can take care of performances.

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