RP: Running a Legal Business Pt. 3

The last hint of the sun disappeared in the West just as they lost sight of Booty Bay to the East. The Guppy was the registered name of their ship for this job. They were to sail overnight and park around the corner of an island for the job the next day. Xionn had made the crew pick straws for their respective watches. However he was still awake while much of the crew had retreated to their quarters. It was Alejandra's watch first. Everyone wanted either the first or last watch, it meant they wouldn't have to get up in the middle of the night. The new girl was assigned to breakfast duty so she was free of watch duty.

Xionn pursed his lips, hanging over the side of the stern of the ship. He'd tied the wheel of the ship so it wouldn't move. Alejandra would let him know if they were coming up on anything in the water. He exhaled wisps of smoke, looking out over the darkened sea. A familiar voice spoke up beside him, just loud enough to be heard over the wash of the waves.

"Last call fer chow. 'Bout t'close up." She leaned over the stern beside him, looking at the horizon while she breathed in spiced smoke and salty air, a respite from the dank below decks.

A single lamp hanging nearby illuminated Xionn and Skulley from behind. He didn't look at her directly. " 'm not hungry." He took a long drag from his cigarette then tossed it over the side. "Expectin' a farkin good breakfast though."

"Eggs 'n sausages. Dunno if y'like watermelon but it's on th'menu." The winds were soft this far south, and they toyed with the wisps of smoke that curled up from the cigarette wedged between her knuckles. "How long y'expect it'll be before shite hits the fan, then?"

"If we do everythin' right, shouldna be nothin' hittin th' fan." He gave her a sidelong glance. "Y'know how t'use a divin' helmet?"

"Don' need one. Have a bottle a' some fish scale extract bullshite." She turned her head to look at him and exhaled a cloud of smoke into his eyes.

"Masks traditional way ta go, filled with danger if'n it don' work." He turned about, the lamp now illuminating his face. He smirked around a new cigarette. "Guess'm stuck on tradition. ... Shouldna ye be in yer bunk?"

"Not tired. Don' sleep much before a job. You?"

He took the cigarette out from between his lips and spit over the side. He looked up into the rigging where Alejandra hung, looking the other way. She wasn't watching them, but she was most certainly listening in. "Just t'night." His eyes stayed on Alejandra.

"With all due respect captain, quit staring at me ass."

"S'farkin' creepy, Alej. An' yer arse ain't shite ta look at."

Alejandra gave a subtle smirk and a snort. Their exchange wasn't without humor. Skulley didn't seem to notice. Then again, she probably did. "Don't lose your wits, new girl."

Skulley looked up over her shoulder at the girl suspended in the network of ropes. "Reckon I'll manage. Guess we'll see."

"Oi ye tw', s'a salvage job, cut it down. Only thing tha' could go wrong 's equipment failure." He placated. "Alej, make sure ye wake Lafoot fer his shift, imagine he'll be more'n happy t'sleep through it if he ain't woken up."

"That's a given by now." Alejandra still hung from the same place in the rigging.

"I'm thinkin' I may 'ead down t'sleep meself." Xionn kicked himself off the railing, starting down the steps towards the main deck.

Skulley flicked the stub of her cigarette out into the water and turned on her heel. She called up to Alejandra as she ducked into the cabin. "There's a screw-top fulla coffee tied t'the sink, if y'need it."