The Algiers Caper-Part 1

Stash · **Posted:** Sun Apr 06, 2008 10:24 am

{{This is a long story, so it's going to be in parts. Be patient and I'll get them done as soon as I can}}

The two boys fidgeted standing in the cabin of the captain, especially with the captain himself pacing front of them. The younger one shifted from one foot to the other in an attempt to make his breeches give a lighter touch on his skin. Both had just been strung over the aft chasers that resided in the cabin, and their bottoms switched. He glanced at the older boy, with a look of amazement. He couldn't understand how he stood so still, he himself wanted to walk around to get use to his burning skin.

"Did I say you could move, Mr. Solstar?"

The younger boy snapped back to attention, staring forward. "No Sir." He said softly.

The Captain stopped in front of the two boys, turning to stare down at them both. He spent a few minutes studying them, looking back and forth between them both, watching them sweat.

"Well you have me in a delima." The captain started to talk to them in a lecturing tone. "As you know, we were given orders by the Admiralty, commissioning us in the Royal Navy." He paused a moment to let that point sink in.

"We can't have these antics on a Kings ship, which we are now. They might of been fine when we were just a Privateer, but now we have to have discipline. That is the trademark of the Royal Navy, and we will maintain it." Again he paused, looking at the two boys, both red in the face from both the switching and embarrassment. The taller one was only 15, only a year older than the smaller. Both had learned seamanship faster than any he had ever seen, and both were probably at this point better sailors and seamen than half the captains in the navy. If they lived, both were set for very distinguished careers.

Frowning to give himself a look of seriousness he continued. "Now I do not expect to see any goats in the crows nest, nor any other hijinks, for the rest of the voyage. We are on our way back, and should be in Weymouth in a few weeks. Do the two of you think you can act like proper sailors until then?"

Both the boys spouted "Aye, Aye Sir!" Although the younger boy was a bit quieter.

The captain nodded sternly. "Alright, on to other business then." He turned and walked over to his desk, picking up some papers before returning to stand in front of the boys. "Mr. Arringale. These papers officially make you my Second Lieutenant. I expect you to not make my decision a mistake, and to live up to my expectations. I realize that your not normally a navy man, and this is a bit out of the ordinary, but you now have the option to stay with the navy. As they say, you've been made. I've sent a copy of my orders to the Admiralty along with my recommendation, so you shouldn't have any trouble getting your next ship."

He turned to the younger boy "Now Mr. Solstar. I know most, if not all of these past antics have been your idea." He paused again as the boy blanched. "Your seamanship is par none, and I expect that your commissioning will come before too long. I've also sent a letter recommending you and your skills to the Admiralty." He turned to face both boys again. "Now no more of this for the rest of the voyage, aye?"

Again both boys spouted "Aye, Aye Sir!" Although both added a knuckling of their foreheads to the exclamation this time.

"Good, good. Now get out of my cabin, the both of you, and don't let me see you two in here again."

He walked around his desk and sat down as the two boys raced for the door. After they had left and the door was closed, Captain Rogers laughed.

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On the fore deck, far from the cabin they had just left the two boys finally started talking.

"Oy! Second Lieutenant! Ye a made man! Oy sorry, mate. I mean, Aye, Sir!" Stash knuckled his forehead in a mock salute. "Any orders Sir?"

"Aye, I've got an order for you, alright. Don't get me into any more trouble!"

"Whada ye mean, it were a grand scheme. An it almost worked. We had tha Bosun turning circles tryn ta figure out how ta get that goat down." Stash laughed "Look Gabe, don ye worry none. I won't pull any more capers fer tha rest o' tha voyage. I promise ye, on me parents graves I do."

Gabriel Arringale frowned as he gave Stash a sidelong glance. "Now why don't I believe you."

Stash just grinned.

"Look Stash, once this ship makes port, it's paying off. After that we don't have anything. I'm going to take the Captain up on his offer here." Gabriel held up his new commission. "And I don't need you messing that up."

Stash gave a smile. "No worries mate, I won't mess thins up fer ye. I'll be a good lil middy fer tha rest of tha voyage, ye see!"

Stash · **Posted:** Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:55 am

Gabriel walked in to the Laughing Lion tavern, the local Inn of Glastonbury. Looking around he could see many of the people he knew, many of those were friends. As he moved through the crowd there were a few calls to him, and all of which he acknowledged with a smile and a wave. It only took him a moment to find what he had come here for, a brown haired figure, talking confidently with a small group, a broad grin marking his face as he talked. He took a moment to look back to the front door. He could make it without being seen if he left now. Sighing as he turned back to the table, he did his utmost to interrupt the conversation going on there.

"Ok Stash. I'm here. What do you want?"

Everybody at the table leapt up to greet Gabriel, shaking his hand and slapping his shoulders and back with general affection. These were the folks he grew up with, his closest childhood friends. Lexel, the only level headed one present, Culhan, the thug of the group, Dismas, who was a bit crazier than Stash, at least when it came to the women, Kaichee, Gabriel always thought of him as a younger brother really. Almost all that had called themselves Glastons, a name that gave reverence to their home of Glastonbury, but was really just a title they started when they were kids because of the legendary Glastons up on the Mustering Stone at the Abby. Basically all the people Stash could always talk into doing something. Gabriel Finished up saying hello to his friends and when he came to Stash he got that old sinking feeling in his chest. Stash had that grin on his face that said he was up to no good. Gabriel got the waitresses attention and ordered ale before sitting down, he had a feeling he was going to need a drink.

Before Gabriel or Stash could say a word the others started talking.

"Stash has a good caper, Gabe." Culhan said excitedly

"Aye, we could get some serious coin!" Piped in Kaichee

"And become hero's, don't forget that Kai! The lasses love heroes!" Dismas nudged the other Glaston.

Gabriel threw up his hands. "Hold on mates! Slow down. You lot are talking faster than I can listen." He turned to Stash. "Well? What’s the deal?"

Stash gave a wry grin again. "Well it do seem that a certain noble type got his family nabed by some Barbary Corsairs. And well I be known where they be held. An well, they souldn be too difficult ta get out."

Gabriel blinked. "And where is it that they are being held?"

"Algiers!" Piped in Culhan.

Gabriel's eyes widened. "Algiers?!? I can't go to Algiers! I'm supposed to report to my new ship here in a couple months!"

"Ye ship ain't even off the shipbuilders dock yet, and ain't spected to be for nother six months, plus the inital fitting out, which I might be adden ain't goin ta need tha help o tha second leutanenant. Ye aint goin ta report fer at least eight months, plently o time fer a quick trip ta Algiers an back."

Gabriel gave Stash a narrow look. "How do you know all that?"

A beaming grin was all the response he got back.

"Look, enough time or not, I'm not jeopardizing my naval career."

Stash took a drink of his ale before he answered. "Look mate, I don't want ye ta jeprodise anythin. Ye need ta distinguish yeself ta gain a promotion, an well I jus thought tha this would be jus tha oppertunity ta do jus that. Affore ye even got ye first boat even. How many officers cin say that, eh?"

Gabriel glanced around, all the faces there looked eager. When he gave Lexel a questioning look, Lexel nodded.

"It does look pretty solid, Gabriel. I haven't been able to find many holes."

"Um, Stash? How are we going to get to Algiers?" Kaichee's face fell a bit as he realized that this point had been overlooked in their previous discussion.

"I got it all set up, mates. We leave in three days, on a Privateer. She be Cap'n by Benjamin Hornigold headed ta tha pacific, an I talked him in ta givin us a ride ta Algiers first."

Gabriel rubbed his eyes. He knew he was going to regret this, but he couldn't let Stash get the other Glastons into trouble. He knew Stash better than they did. Stash had come to live with Gabriel’s family after Stash's parents had died of a fever, and because of that, they had become best of friends. Besides, who would save Stash from himself?

"Ok, I'm in. But I'm not taking any chances. Call me John Hellion on this trip. If things go well, I'll pipe up with my real name. But…." Gabriel paused and gave Stash a very knowing look. "If things don't go well, you’re not going to ruin my career."

"Oy! Gabe me mate! Ye thinkin like me now!"

Gabriel just groaned and rolled his eyes.

Kargarok · **Joined:** Fri Jul 27, 2007 5:59 am **Posts:** 813

((Hah! Guess you had it planned that way too! Just a minor point of continuity, I had Dis give Kai the Kargypants name when he first came to the Caribbean. Good stuff mate! Keep it coming.

))

Stash · **Posted:** Mon Apr 07, 2008 11:36 am

((Actually no.

Karg and Dis I had orginaly come in after the caper, as Midshipmen on Stash's first ship. And THAT was due to a comment I made in one of the Thursday nite RP sessions. Where I told Bellaz that I should of hired a shcoolmaster for both you and espessily Dis when you were Mids on my ship. Going to try to figure out how to work that in somehow, but I'm at a loss as to how now. If you read "On a Hill in Glastonbury" Stash is the only one that gets left behind in Algiers. So the two of you can't go that way. So if you have any ideas on that, or Dis does, go for it. Just remember it's after the Algiers caper, and everything went wrong on that caper.))

Hellion · **Posted:** Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:45 pm

^_^ more more more !!! ooc I love this stuff !

Kargarok · **Joined:** Fri Jul 27, 2007 5:59 am **Posts:** 813

((Nono! I'm just talking about the point where you have Dis, calling me Karg up there.

I'll freely change the "Kargypants" story so that Kaichee already knows those he knows. It was when he rejoined the Glastons after Asia that he got the nickname. He was probably called Kai by his friends or other colorful nicknames. I suppose I can rewrite the bit about Kai sticking with Stash for a month or so after "Algiers" as well. Maybe it was a conversation the two had before Stash was officially a Corsair and Kai left then.))

Stash · **Posted:** Mon Apr 07, 2008 2:56 pm

Fixxed

The Algiers Caper-Part 1

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