"So I stand and leave my shirking, for I really should be working,
Before the pirate Maryn tans my hide. How do those lines work for you?" Maryn called down the stairs with a grin, hearing Sanjuro's new tune.

"Come on, Singer, we're havin' us a gam. Flags to hoist, weapons to load, preparations to make. Captain's orders." She stopped at the top of the stairs, turning her head to listen.

A few silvery notes drifted back up to her.

"Heavens preserve us," she muttered. "A musical pirate."

"Her song was better then my song." Sanjuro declared almost in shock, he jumped to his feet, grabbing the stone and rushed up the stairs, "Tell me how you wrote that so quick and I'll..." Sanjuro looked at the stone in his hand. "Well, I won't do that, but I'll do something else.... something... good."

"That rubbish, better than the works of a devoted musician? Guess I hit you a bit too hard, then, ey?" Mary said with a crooked grin. "Sorry mate; wasn't really aimin' for your head, but, you know..." She made an embarrased gesture at her dark glasses. "My aim's not as good as it should be if I'm throwing anything other than my hatchets."

They came up on deck, where the rest of the crew was running here and there, hurrying about their various duties.

"Come on then," she said, nodding her head towards the general hubbub. "Let's get this all taken care of, and with any luck this gam won't last too long."

"Damnation..." Jennette sword, scrubbing the blood mark a little harder. She finally gave up, deciding that the stain wouldn't be removed unless they sliced out the piece of wood itself, and moved on to cleaning other areas.

The banner of the ship displayed a skull wearing a black cloth mask and two crossed rapiers. They also flew a white flag. Soon word on the ship spread. "It's the Revenge."

Somat finished the last bit of scrubbing, then sprinted over to the ballista and aided in preparing them.

"Cap'n, shall we keep the ballista readied? The Revenge flies a white flag, and she be our friend, does she not?"

"White flags mean nothing."

Somat was a bit startled when Thomas appeared behind him without a sound. The scarfed pirate stared at the oncoming ship.

"Don't ever kid yourself. There is no such thing as honor out here on the seas. White flags are ways to get close enough to an enemy to attack. Burning ships and leaving people in them is a way of cleaning up. And property belongs to those strong enough to keep it."

"Oh I know Captain Robarts is a good and decent man, but he is still the Dread Pirate. As we all know Pirates can't be trusted."

She winked at the crew and laughed.

Galen simply shrugged from his post at the Ballista, not finding the Captain's joke particularly funny. He couldn't help but get a funny feeling though-as if something was about to happen. "But what?" he muttered softly, trying to think back to any fortunes relating to today.

ooc: New thread