3rd Wave

[tentacruelest]

[Jones is a deep, deep sleeper but he wakes with the sunrise. Each day is a new, hellish experience on the Barge but he scowls and stomps his way through them regardless.

Imagine his surprise when this morning he opens his door - releasing a small flood of his usual seawater, which, thanks to Maintenance, is contained by a make-shift dam - and spots children running about.

Not the handful of children he knows to be part of the Barge. New ones. And smaller people are easier to bully than full-grown ones.

Resolving to go about his day unbothered by the mechanics of the Admiral, Davy instead storms his way to the mess hall, literally using his claw to forcefully swat aside anyone smaller than four feet]


I'll thank whoever remains their true, full size to keep the vast majority of whelps under control. I've a mind to toss them over the side one by one; no ship is in need of this many cabin boys. No navy is.

Mind your brats. Or I will.

Comments

[deadliestviper]

So much as touch a hair on one of their heads and we'll have a crab bake-off.

[tentacruelest]

I'm not thinking of harming a one of them. I'm thinking of making this passage all the better by chaining them to the mainmast or to the brig doors and getting on with our day.

[deadliestviper]

Go ahead and find the mainmast and feel free to do that.

[tentacruelest]

The brig, then.

[deadliestviper]

Warden-locked.

If I were you, I'd go and have some quiet time in my cabin.

[tentacruelest]

It's a simple thing to pick up a tiny warden and have them act as my key.

[deadliestviper]

Pick on someone your own size, captain.

[tentacruelest]

There are none my size, and you cannot tell me these half-sized whelps are not just as dangerous as their full-grown counterparts.

[deadliestviper]

Most of them aren't.

If you must pick a fight, pick one with me.

[tentacruelest]

A fine example you would set.

[deadliestviper]

By protecting children? Yes, deplorable.

[tentacruelest]

Are you so hard-pressed for a sparring partner?

[deadliestviper]

If you insist on damaging something I'd rather it be me than one of them.

[tentacruelest]

How self-sacrificing of you.

Private threadjack AGAIN, I'm sorry /o\

[chlorophylliac]

He's not assigned yet. No-one would be alerted to his death.

If he steps out of line, I can destroy the body and we won't have to hear another word out of him until the end of the flood.

Private jack of threads

[deadliestviper]

Understood.

I've a feeling he's more talk than action. If not, I can do my best to surprise him with an attack.

Private

[chlorophylliac]

Understood.

I'm keeping the greenhouse secure so they have somewhere to go. You'll keep an eye on him?

Private | YOU DIDN'T SEE THAT

[deadliestviper]

I will. If he so much as touches a kid I'll make sure he's too distracted to do worse.

Private | NOTHING WAS SEEN

[chlorophylliac]

[She nods, once.]

Contact me if I can be of assistance.

Private

[deadliestviper]

Is the greenhouse set up for kids?

Private

[chlorophylliac]

Yes.

I've done this before, for much longer.

Private

[deadliestviper]

If I'm allowed in, I'll watch the door.

Private

[chlorophylliac]

You are, but I have sentries. I'm more concerned about what might be going on elsewhere on the ship.

Private

[deadliestviper]

Who's serving as sentry?

I'll scout through and round up everyone I can.

Private

[chlorophylliac]

It's not a 'who', it's a 'what'. It's covered.

Thank you.