The Sailors Converse

Writers: Devin, Anaria
Date Posted: 16th May 2011

Characters: Jerroll, Tiernan
Description: Tiernan meets Jerroll, and the pair have drinks
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 1, day 6 of Turn 6

It was just around dawn at Jade Harbour when Tiernan's ship came into
the dock. They had been out to sea for a while, and were going to
spend several days at the Hold while they repaired some damage taken
in a recent storm, and got the supplies that they needed to deliver to
Emerald Falls. Tiernan wasn't a fan of being on land, but after some
of the squalls they'd seen, he was actually looking forward to a warm,
dry bed for once. Walking down the gangplank he saw that another
vessel was docked close beside the Seawing, so he shouted up to one of
their crew members.

"Ahoy there!" He said with a smile.

"Ahoy!" Jerroll called back, leaning on the rail.

"It's good to see a bit of nice weather after some of the storms up
north," Tiernan commented. "The name's Tiernan, and this here's the
Seawing. I don't believe we've met before," he greeted with a smile.

"I'm Jerroll, and this is the Silver Sails." He studied Tiernan,
wondering if he was a threat, and kept a friendly smile on his face.

"Well met," Tiernan acknowledged. He didn't recognize the man - which
in and of itself wasn't odd, but he was unfamiliar with the ship's
name as well. He knew there were those that were not affiliated with
the craft who'd acquired vessels - some legitimately, some
nefariously. Jerroll didn't seem the threatening type, but one could
never be too careful. "What brings you all to Jade Harbour?" he asked
curiously.

"Trading. We've got some goods from up the river." Some of it was even
honestly acquired.

"Ah, nice. We're in port for a day or so while we get some repairs
done, and load up some citrons to take out east," Tiernan said. "I
hear the crop this season is especially good, extremely sweet," he
added conversationally.

"Ah, I'll have to try some. Maybe we'll take some on board."

"So how long have you been with the Silver Sails?" Tiernan asked,
noticing that his companion was being quite quiet about things, only
answering enough to be considered polite. Was the Silver Sails a
pirate vessel? Or just a private ship that wanted to avoid Seacraft
influence?

"Shards, I think I've lost count." Jerroll chuckled. It looked like
Tiernan was going to continue being chatty. "Say, I was headed down to
get something to eat and have a few pints. Want to join me?" If
Tiernan was just being friendly, no harm done. If he was being
suspicious, Jerroll might allay some of that suspicion by being
friendly himself.

"We've been out of good beer on the ship for a sevenday now, a couple
pints sounds fantastic!" Tiernan said, following the other man. "We
just returned from the Northern Continent. I like seeing how things
are up there, but I don't like running out of good supplies on the way
back!" he said, shaking his head ruefully.

"Out of beer? That's a tragedy." He laughed as they made their way
through all the crates, barrels and people near the docks.

"Yes, that's the downside to the small, fast, long distance vessels.
Most of our cargo space is reserved for the stuff we're ferrying, much
less for the stuff we'd like to have. I'm so sick of eating fish right
now that it's not even funny!" Tiernan said, with a sigh.

"That's the benefit of sticking closer to land. We're never more than
a few days from fresh supplies." Unless they were on the run and
avoiding ports.

"Aye, that is true. That's the downside of affiliating with the Craft
- we don't have a whole lot of control where we go, especially since
I'm a relatively new captain. I seem to end up being the one assigned
to sail all about Pern," Tiernan said with a shake of his head. He had
figured that the Silver Sails couldn't possibly be a Seacraft vessel,
but decided to assume that they were still for the most part on the
honest side of things.

They reached a tavern and Jerroll held the door open. "And that's the
benefit of being independent. We go where we choose, although we don't
get the protection of the Craft."

"There are benefits to both ways of doing it, that's for certain,"
Tiernan said, stepping through the door into the tavern. "Sometimes I
do wish that I could take my time between stops and just enjoy the
trip. So how long have you been at sea, were you born to a family near
the water?"

"I've been at sea most of my life, but I wasn't born to it. I do
believe I was born _for_ it, though." Jerroll led the way to a table.

Tiernan nodded affirmation. "Aye, that is certainly the truth.
Sometimes we get these apprentices in from completely landlocked
Holds. And we think that they're going to end up going back to their
Holds at some point, until we get them on a boat, and it's just
natural. My Da was a Sea Captain, although I fear I don't have his
ability of managing a life at sea and one back at the Hold. But who
needs a woman to nag them, eh?"

Jerroll laughed. "My woman comes with me. She's our cook."

"How does that work for you?" Tiernan asked. Several people had
suggested taking a wife and bringing her along, but Tiernan feared
what that would mean for his life at sea. "Do the two of you gt sick
of dealing with one another all the time, or have you gotten used to
it by now?"

"It can be a little trying at times, but I suppose that's the same
with most couples. And I must admit, it's nice to have someone warming
my bed every night." Edele had become as much a fixture in his life as
the sea and Lerra.

"I suppose there is that, I bet it makes those cold, rainy nights at
sea that much easier to deal with. I think what I fear the most is if
we were to have a child. The Seawing is no place for a little child to
be, Shards, half of the Apprentices we acquire are too young for the
life," Tiernan said.

Children. Now there was an idea he didn't think of too often. "That
would complicate things."

"Aye, I think if I wanted them, I'd need to have a wife who was
willing to stay back at a Hold or Hall. Although I suppose my mother
could be put to watching them, Faranth knows she has been pestering me
to have a few for turns now. Gotta love women, eh?" Tiernan said,
shaking his head.

Jerroll chuckled. "Of course. How can we not?"

"There's the trouble. Can't live with them, can't get the cabin boys
prettied up enough to live without em! Although one of mine certainly
does look a mite feminine if you ask me, but I think he's just a
youngun." Tiernan said, as he flagged down a server to come handle their order.

Jerroll wasn't quite sure what to say to that. Thankfully, a server
came by and spared him from an answer. "Beer, please. Since he's got
me thinking about it."

Tiernan cracked a mischievous grin, "Aye, I'll have one as well," he
said. "So what's your captain like?" Tiernan asked curiously once the
server had headed off. If there was one thing that seemed to be
consistent amongst seafaring folk, it was that they all had strong
opinions about their captains.

Considering their location and how much trade the Hold had with the
North, he didn't feel the need to lie. "Very reliable, very smart.
We've known each other for more Turns than I care to count."

"That's good to hear, I'd like to hope that if you run across any of
my crew that they'd say the same, although I am still a bit new to the
whole "captain" role. You've been at sea a while, what traits do you
think are most important for a sea captain to have?" Tiernan asked,
wanting to get the opinion of someone who wasn't a part of the craft.

"Intelligence, strength of character, the gut sense of knowing the sea
and how she's going to turn ... and love. A captain's got to love the
sea, the ship, even the crew," Jerroll said.

Tiernan nodded, filing the information away for later use. He liked to
think that he embodied all of those things, but he wasn't so
egotistical as to just assume it. "I do love my crew, even the
apprentices," Tiernan said with a chuckle. "Even though they may cause
trouble from time to time, I have a soft spot for every one. And how
can a man not love the sea?"

"Quite a few manage not to," Jerroll said with a chuckle.

"I suspect that those men are crazy!" Tiernan said, finishing his
drink quickly and requesting another. "Heard any good gossip around
these parts? I've heard a good bit of rumors regarding a goldrider up
at Dolphin Cove, although that news is a few months old by now. Still
possibly news to you if you don't get up that way very often!"

"Ah, yes. I heard that bit last time we were in a larger Hold."
Jerroll shook his head. "Gossip about Weyrwomen is always popular.
It's unfortunate, if what I heard is true."

"Yes, I agree. It's never good to see problems in Weyr like that,
especially in the leadership." Draining his second mug of ale, Tiernan
contemplated getting another one. "How long are you all in port for?"

"A few days." Long enough to sell their current goods and find
something else to haul.

"Well perhaps we will meet again before we sail out," Tiernan said.
"But I'd better get back to my ship before the apprentices tear her to
pieces. Thanks for the company!"

"Nice to meet you." Jerroll gave him a nod and finished his drink.

Last updated on the June 13th 2011

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

The Sailors Converse