002 Gestra and Corlis After the Aboleth Battle
- Corlissandro and Gestra have a brief conversation after the aboleth attack: 25 April 1690
April 25, 1690, after the aboleth attack
Gestra was in the middle of repairing his armour after his conversation with Alethea when he saw Corlis head down below the deck. He stayed up longer on the deck instructing the shipwrights on what needs and can be fixed. Something still was strange about the man. He walked and acted like he owns the whole ship in a manner that was all to familiar from Gestra’s navy days. But at the same time he helped with mundane tasks all the same, respected that Scarlet was the captain and the while his expectations were high, he tried to teach as best as he could to those that are newer to the sea. It was obvious he has done this for most his life which judging from the white hair that start to show was already awhile.
But while this was all something Gestra was really curious about there was one other thing thst he had noticed during the battle that intrigued him. “That sea serpent must have really liked you. If she now aids you in battle.” Gestra directly asked the quartermaster as he got closer to the table that Gestra was working on.
The deck repairs had been significantly complicated by the combined efforts of the Phantom Sea and the nature of the makeshift skeleton crew. Half the crew was untrained in ship maintenance and could not reasonably be trusted to do the job on their own, but their precautions against the Phantom Sea meant that Corlissandro avoided having more than one extra person above decks unless absolutely needed. He and Sabine had determined who was capable and set up a rotation to get the work done, and there was little surprise that Percy was not on the list.
Corlissandro’s turn was thankfully over. He had used a bucket of sea water and a mostly-clean rag to scrub the tar from his hands and face, but his borrowed outfit was filthy and sweat stained. He stifled a yawn as he moved deeper into the ship, yet remained aware of each member of the sparse crew he passed. He noted what they were doing, how they spent their downtime, their reactions to him and to each other–it was not the things a person said that spoke to their true character. He saw Gestra repairing his armor, which Corlissandro marked with approval, and gave the young man a respectful nod as he passed.
“That sea serpent must have really liked you. If she now aids you in battle.”
Men aboard a ship were often quick to share both japes and barbs, and it was not always easy to tell which was which. Corlissandro chose to take the statement in stride, and a faint smirk crossed his features as he replied, “At least there’s one lady in the sea my charms work on.”
Corlissandro took another couple of steps, thinking himself content to leave it at that, but Gestra had prodded at something that bothered Corlissandro. The aboleths marked the first time Corlissandro had battled at sea since the event at the Windward Passage, and why that tentacle had risen up and lashed at the very aboleth he fought remained both a surprise and a mystery. The implications of, and explanations for, had been at the forefront of Corlissandro’s mind ever since.
His pace lagged ever so slightly as his smirk turned into pursed lips and his eyes narrowed. Corlissandro took a deep breath, pensive and thoughtful, before he added, “No, I suppose whatever that was simply saw an opportunity to grab an aboleth as a snack.”
It was the most reasonable explanation. With that said, Gestra had not exactly invited Corlissandro to stay and speak, so he never slowed to a full stop. The young man had the chance to speak again before Corlissandro passed him by, otherwise Corlissandro had a cleaner set of clothes to wear and a mostly decent book to read waiting for him.
Gestra let out a small chuckle at Corlis’s reply. For how serious he always appears it was good to know he didn’t take every thing Gestra said fully serious. Although there was a second woman that Gestra could think of that was susceptible to his charms. But then Corlis paused for a second before explaining what happened which felt like he isn’t entirely sure what that was as well. Which reminded Gestra to when he first discovered his magic so he likely wasn’t going to get more out of the quartermaster at this time. “Well better that thing than us”.
Although while it looked like Corlis was headed somewhere he did slow down after Gestra’s comment. Which was a good enough invitation as it gets for Gestra. “You seem to know the Captain well, have you worked with her before?” Gestra as overheard some parts of there conversations and they have seem quite familiar with each other although there were some bits that could indicated that they haven’t always been on the same side.
The follow up question did bring Corlissandro to a halt, as it became clear the young man wanted to converse more fully. Corlissandro grabbed a chair and slid it to the table opposite of Gestra, sitting down before taking a moment to examine Gestra’s work. Armor repair was not within Corlissandro’s skill set, and so he did not offer help. He was content to pick up the small light and hold it to allow Gestra a better view of what he was doing, having decided that was how he could be most useful to the younger man.
“We have exchanged more cannon and musket fire than words over the years.” Corlissandro watched Gestra as he worked, never turning down an opportunity to see someone do something better than he was able to. He felt that Gestra’s question was not inquiring about idle gossip into some relationship between Corlissandro and Scarlette, but was probably driven by a desire to learn about the woman directing them towards probable death. Corlissandro could not blame him for wanting to know more about the person he had invested what could be the rest of his life into.
“I likely know precious little more about her than you do.”
A bit to Gestra’s surprise Corlis took a seat across from him and gave Gestra his full attention. Gestra couldn’t help but to let a laugh out at the fact that he and Thea weren’t the only ones on board that tried to kill each other. “I can say from personal experience that can be the start of a good friendship.”
He could get into the reason why they have been on opposite sides of conflicts in the past but honestly that’s not really what Gestra interests, he wants to know who people are now much more than their past.
“Well then we both will just have to learn more about her in the coming days. But why join up with her? Because from the way you act and know your stuff you are seeming more like a Captain yourself rather than a quartermaster.” This was the heart of the confusion that Gestra had with the man sitting across from him right now. Because while in a lot of areas he perfectly fit the description of the higher ranking navy members, there were others were he couldn’t have been further away from them. The fact that he now sat across him still covered in sweat and tar was the perfect example of this.
Corlissandro grinned for a moment at the shared humor and Gestra’s laughter. Mirth and happiness made a ship run well and kept the soul vibrant, and it was pleasant to see that not even the Phantom Sea was taking that away from them. Corlissandro’s smile faded as the conversation moved on, though only because that was the nature of good cheer. Fleeting.
He paused for the span of a few breaths as he considered Gestra’s question, one hand tipping the light for Gestra to see. “If a ship sinks, the sea does not ask who was captain or quartermaster, it drowns us all the same. In that, every job is of equal importance, from the greenest deckhand to the greatest commander.”
Corlissnadro’s left hand idly brushed over a particularly interesting bit of craftsmanship in Gestra’s armor. It was merely a clasp, but in a style that Corlissandro had not seen before. He idly investigated it, examining how it worked as he continued, “Scarlette promised to help me with my own interests. She is as insane as she is ruthless, but she is a woman of her word.”
Then his hazel green eyes lifted to regard Gestra as he asked, “And you?”
The constant shift of Corlis’s expression was still something to get used to but Gestra learnt that you can have a conversation with him.
The answer didn’t confirm what his previous position was but also didn’t deny it and with everything Gestra knew about him, Gestra’s assumption was still that of a Captain. Corlis words were backed by his action and truly seemed to respect ever position of the crew. Probably only as long as they show the willingness to but in the work but that was good enough for Gestra. Afterall he could pull his weight.
As there was nothing to add from Gestra’s side he simply gave a nod of approval. The way Corlis’s persona comes across will still take some time to get used to as it reminded Gestra of his time in the navy but Corlis respected his crew which was a far cry away from what Gestra experienced.
“Needing help from a former adversary? Sounds intriguing.” Normally Gestra might have pushed the issue a bit more because he was curious but he already was close enough to overplay his hands a lot in that conversation and even Gestra had his limits. So it was more up to Corlis if and how he answered it.
Well the conversation had to turn around to himself eventually. But for that question it actually was quite simple he wanted to make a name for himself and if what Scarlet said was true he would have enough gold to return home and save his family from the poverty that has been placed upon them. Hopefully including Anne aswell. “I am trying to make something for myself, to earn more than what I have been allowed in the past.” He shortly paused also thinking about Scarlet and the first impression she made in that tavern. “I will also admit heard some of the rumours about our Captain and I am curious about the woman behind them.”
When Gestra made the comment about the intrigues of needing help from an adversary, it only elicited a non-committal grunt from Corlissandro. He felt the deal between him and Scarlette was rather transactional, not much different from a similar accord made on the Wreckshore when they first met, and thus failed to see any intrigue in it. He would help her, she would help him, and likely they would be back to shooting at each other after that.
Such was the cycle of life between the two of them.
Corlissandro listened as Gestra talked about himself, his gaze rising to look at the young man as he spoke. Seeking wealth to support ones family and community was noble, but it require flirting with the sin of avarice. Corlissandro was not Gestra’s priest, though, and so he simply nodded, reserving comment about Gestra’s motives for the time being.
“Tell me what you want to know, and we will see if I have the answers.”
Gestra’s pressing was only met with an unemotional grunt but that was already for him, while he was interested in the circumstances that led to Corlis being here now, that was his thing and Gestra cared more about who people are now than how they got there.
Likewise Corlis didn’t push futher into Gestra’s own motives for being here. Which Gestra was glad because while he wouldn’t have trouble explaining it, the whole story of Gestra failing to make it at home or in the navy was still a bit of a sore topic but at least he is now in a place where he can finally prove his worth.
“There are two kinds of stories you hear the most from her, one is that she only turns her eye towards those that had it coming and the other that you should pray to whatever you belief in to never meet her on the open sea because she has no mercy. While I am sure the truth is somewhere between that, still curious which one of those is the truer one.” Gestra stopped to think for a moment to see if there was any other stories about Scarlet. Before remembering one. “Also is it true she made a deal with the devil?”. In the past Gestra kinda dismissed those stories but considering the form she takes own and that they are now in was verdammt noch einmal the Phantom sea is there might be something to it.
Corlissandro smirked, and even almost chuckled, as Gestra listed off the rumors he heard about Scarlette, though in secret he wondered if some day they would tell the same stories about him–if his decades of service to God and Spain would be overshadowed by the scandal of one time saying yes. He glanced up at Gestra and shrugged. “A devil? Perhaps. You have seen her change.”
Corlissandro paused for a moment as he considered the other half of Gestra’s rumors. “She can be a reasonable woman in an unreasonable world,” he said at last, “and the complete opposite if it suits her. You never know which you may get, but I believe her compass always points towards what benefits her. Stay on her good side, stay alive, and maybe she will make you rich.”
His eyes dipped back to the armor, then, hooding his own thoughts that the lad seemed rather all right. It would be a shame to lose him to piracy, for the noose or a watery grave were the only rewards most pirates could hope for.
“Ja, I wasn’t full sure the first time because I was busy with Jester. But seeing it again today meant I didn’t imagine things the last time.”
Gestra could work with what Corlis described and staying on her good side was already the plan anyway.
Through the conversation Gestra has learnt what he wanted even if there is more to Corlis than he was willing to share. But that’s going to be true for everyone on board. For now he is content having a better understandingof Corlis and that they will get along better than first thought. “I won’t take more of your time. You deserve some rest aswell before you have to sweet talk the next giant sea creature.”
Corlissandro had never been known as an extravagant or emotional man, and he found more discomfort than joy in frivolity and small talk. The Prussian seemed to be a kindred spirit in that regard–a man who minced little with words and made them count.
A smirk played across Corlissandro’s lips as he sat the light back down onto the table. “Indeed. It would be a sad day if we sank because some sea serpent found my tar-stained clothes unattractive.”
With that he pushed back from the table and stood. He gave Gestra a small nod before saying, “Que pase unas buenas noches.”
Then, without further ado, Corlissandro walked off to find a change of clothes and a book to read.
