The Captain's Trial (2)

Writers: Anaria
Date Posted: 1st June 2011

Characters: Tiernan, Hawthen, Galliet, Paraner, Fievan
Description: The Storm begins - and injures it's first crewmember
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 2, day 8 of Turn 6

Tiernan stood next to his First mate at the Helm, waiting for the
storm to begin. The winds were beginning to pick up a bit, and the
waves were starting to get bit higher than normal. "How's she
responding to the wheel?"

"It's not bad yet," Paraner said. "I don't think this storm will be as
bad as you feared, sir. Just a squall."

Tiernan shook his head, "Honestly, this is one occasion where I hope
that you prove me wrong." Light rain drops began to fall, splashing
lightly on Tiernan's face. To the Captain, the raindrops were mocking
- deceptively non-threatening. But he wasn't going to get too
comfortable. He still had the sense that it was going to be a big
storm.

"We should untie the sails, try and take advantage of this bit of
wind, at least until it gets worse," Paraner said.

"I fear that this will go from just a light drizzle to a very intense
storm in short order," Tiernan said. "But I don't want these supplies
to be late, else I'd just have us try to steer around it."

"I think you're right about that, I doubt this one will be worth
trying to avoid," Paraner agreed. Tiernan silently hoped that his
First Mate was correct.

A half candlemark passed, and the storm hadn't increased in intensity,
and Tiernan was beginning to wonder if he made the wrong decision.
He'd been a Captain for around 2 turns now, and he still had moments
where he doubted himself. Swearing under his breath, he decided to
give the storm another half candlemark before making his decision.

Mere moments after the thought of waiting occurred to him, the wind
picked up strength drastically, tossing Paraner and Tiernan about at
the helm. He quickly struggle to right himself, an action that was
made far more difficult by the rain that was now falling in sheets.
The wind was whipping around so much that the water seemed to be
coming from in front of the ship, rather than from the side. Tiernan
was not fooled.

The Seawing bucked from side to side, as wave after wave crashed into
her. The few crew members who had stayed on the deck scrambled to keep
their footing on the slick wooden deck, and Tiernan watched as one
slammed into the side of the ship with a sickening **CRACK**. Tiernan
stumbled down to the main deck, struggling to identify the man as he
approached, who's identity was masked by the large hat and jacket that
he was wearing.

As he got closer, he recognized it as the ship's carpenter, a man by
the name of Galliet. "Gall? Gall, are you alright?" Tiernan asked as
he suck to his knees beside the man.

"Aye Captain," Galliet responded, his voice strained as he attempted
not to cry out with pain. "I... My arm. I fear it's broken," he said
after a moment.

"I'll help you get below deck to the healers," Tiernan said. The ship
was bucking too wildly for him to pick Galliet up, but he managed to
half carry, half drag the burly man down below the decks. "Hawthen!"
He called out, trying to find the Journeyman Healer who was on the
Seawing.

"Aye Captain?" The healer responded, carefully making his way over.
"Oh... Galliet's been hurt, that isn't good."

"No, no it's not," Tiernan agreed. While every seagoing apprentice was
required to have basic ship repair skills, their carpenter was nearly
as vital to their survival as their cook was. And he wasn't going to
do anyone well with a broken arm.

"I'll get him fixed up as best I can, Captain," Hawthen said. He
quickly removed the jacket from Galliet's form, and managed to get him
into a small cot where he would be more comfortable. The jacket
removed, Hawthen gave Galliet a dose of fellis, and inspected the
broken limb carefully before gesturing the Captain aside.

"I'll do what I can, sir, but this is a bad break. I couldn't set it
properly out here even if the ship wasn't shaking like mad, and the
bone is through the surface. If we don't get him back to shore
sometime soon he might lose the limb - or worse," Hawthen said.

Tiernan shook his head. "Who knows how long we'll be stuck out here at
this rate," he said. "Do what you can, make sure he stays comfortable.
Talk to me before you try to amputate, or if he gets any worse, you
hear?"

"Of course, Captain," the healer said, cleaning his hands with
redwort. "I'll concentrate on getting it set a bit better, and
stopping up the bleeding. Maybe we'll get lucky and the winds will
push us towards the Northern Continent quicker than we'd hoped."

"If only we could be that lucky," Tiernan said dryly. "I'm heading
back to the deck, hopefully I won't have any more patients for you."

"I hope so as well, Captain."

As Tiernan departed, he almost immediately went back on his words, as
a particularly strong wave send him sprawling awkwardly into a wall.
He hit his head, although not hard enough to cause serious damage.

"Oh sweet Faranth, how much worse is this going to get?" Tiernan said
aloud. But the storm had just begun, and he knew that it wouldn't be
over that easily.

Last updated on the June 13th 2011

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The Captain's Trial (2)