The Captain's Trial (3)

Writers: Anaria
Date Posted: 1st June 2011

Characters: Tiernan, Uvannt, Hawthen, Paraner, Fievan
Description: The Seawing is hit by the Storm.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 2, day 8 of Turn 6

Tiernan rubbed his head quickly before looking down at his hand to
ensure that he wasn't bleeding. His ears were ringing, but he wasn't
certain if that was because of the blow he'd taken, or because of how
loud it had been above deck. Tiernan straightened for another attempt
to go above, then was knocked back down as someone was propelled into
him as the ship bucked once more.

It was apprentice Fievan. His face was white with fright, and his eyes
were wide. "S...sorry sir, I was told to replace Galliet above. My
father works as a Woodcrafter. I know some about repairing boats," he
explained quickly.

Tiernan felt his heart go out to the boy, who looked to be around 14
turns. The sea wasn't the place for him, and he knew it. But they
needed every man they had working, and that meant that he couldn't
precisely force good help to stay below decks. "Be careful," he said.

Tiernan hoisted himself up, and was astonished by what he saw. Despite
the fact that everything had been tied down to the best of the crew's
ability, a few barrels had come loose, and were careening about as the
ship was tossed by the waves. Tiernan pointed to one, and shouted to
Fievan to be heard over the wind. "Get that one below deck, I'll grab
the other," he said. The wind was now strong enough to bend him over
double. The wind was bringing the bow of the ship around, and as a
result, the Seawing was being propelled sideways through the water.
"Well, that explains why we're getting bucked around so much..." he
said softly.

Ignoring the barrel for the moment, Tiernan moved to the helm, where
his First Mate Paraner was fighting with the wheel. "I'll take over
here," Tiernan said, wrapping the rope that was about his waist around
the ship's wheel to ensure that he stayed in place near it.

"Aye aye, Captain," Paraner said.

"Grab that barrel over there and chuck in below, and see to it that
Fievan knows what he needs to be doing," Tiernan commanded, as he
fought with the wheel to bring the ship about to face properly. "We'll
break up into half candlemark shifts at the wheel," he added. "This is
too strenuous of work for anyone to do for long."

"Yes Captain," Paraner said, as he left to go wrangle the errant
barrel into a less damaging location.

At the helm, Tiernan was fully at the mercy of the storm. The rain
drops that were falling hit his face with force hard enough to sting,
making it difficult for him to keep his eyes open. He squinted hard,
trying to determine what direction the wind and waves were coming from
so he could steer the ship accordingly. After some though, he decided
it best to stop fighting the waves to maintain course, and instead
just to allow the water to push them about as it would, and to deal
with the consequences later. He'd worry about where the water had
taken them once they had a good clear night.

By now, the storm had been raging for over a candlemark, with no signs
of slowing. There was no doubt in Tiernan's mind that what they were
in the middle of wasn't no tiny summer squall - it was a full blown
hurricane. And despite the fact that Tiernan had steered the ship to
best avoid the full force of the churning seas, it was still a
constant battle with the wheel to keep the ship steady.

All of the sudden, it became easy to manage for a moment, and Tiernan
had a glimmer of hope that perhaps they were reaching the eye of the
storm. But then the storm punished him for his optimism, as a huge
wave came up over the side of the Seawing, crashing directly into
Tiernan. Tiernan lost his grip of the wheel, and forced down against
the deck. The force of the impact forced the air from his lungs, and
when he gulped to refill them, he got only sea water.

Coughing and sputtering, Tiernan grabbed ahold of the ropes that held
him to the wheel, and pulled himself up to a standing position.

"Captain, are you alright?" Second Mate Uvannt said, clapping him
roughly in the back. "Paraner sent me up here to relieve you, it's
been a half candlemark," he explained, roping himself to the wheel in
much the same fashion that Tiernan had.

Tiernan nodded, as he continued to cough sea water up from his lungs.
Uvannt assisted him in getting his rope untangled from the wheel, then
turned his focus back to the task that was steering the Seawing
safely.

Tiernan headed back below decks once more, grabbing Fievan as he
passed. "You're shift up top is over, get back down where it's safe,"
he directed.

Hawthen was waiting for him below decks, and wrapped him quickly in a
mostly dry fur blanket. "You alright Captain?" He asked.

Tiernan nodded, "Yes, I think I'm alright. How's Galliet."

"The arm is splinted, and he's had enough fellis to put him out. I
can't do much more with him until we get to calmer waters," Hawthen
said.

Tiernan nodded his understanding. The longer the arm remained
unsplinted, and the wound unstitched, the greater the chance that it
would become infected, or worse, require amputation. Tiernan sighed
deeply. In his 2 turns as a Captain, he'd done rather well for
himself, rarely having anything more than a minor injury aboard his
ship. This would be the first real test for him and his crew. He just
hoped that everyone made it out alive.

"Can I get you anything?" Hawthen asked.

"Rum. Just rum."

Last updated on the June 13th 2011

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

The Captain's Trial (3)