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Captain Flint BGM: https://youtu.be/i8y6wSr3HBk

     Nassau Town, for those who haven't yet been, is a town situated on the (ostensibly) English colony of New Providence Island. It is the island's largest port, and since 1706 (ten years or so) it has become the beating heart of piracy in the New World, a thorn in the side of the English crown which even now is the subject of much debate among the lords of parliament.

     In theory, the entire island is governed by Richard Guthrie from the safety of his estate on Harbour Island some 40 miles away. In practice, no one respects his rule but the slave-owning landholders in the interior, or the Lords of Parliament. No matter anyone's claims of legitimacy, it is the 'Pirate Queen' Eleanor Guthrie, Richard's daughter, who rules here. She is armed with a sharp political intellect, a masterful grasp of mercantile affairs, and a practised understanding of where, when and how to apply force. Her 'throne' sits at the top floor of a tavern in Nassau Town.

     The island's fort, upgraded and rebuilt by the Flotilla Captains' advanced technology, guards the western side of Nassau's harbor, manned in equal parts by the crew of one Benjamin Hornigold and by members of the town's community of cutthroats, exiles and survivors. It is far from uncommon to see Multiversal visitors here, or to see signs of technology from other worlds. Places like this, which bend not to the knee of any king but power, often attract those who lead dangerous lives.

     The streets are, despite the wealth which enters into the island, dirty. Why? Because this is a place where people live, in the truest sense of the word. The stench of all manner of trades and lives still linger even in the night-time. For example--the pungent odor of treated leather, the stench of fowl and livestock, of offal cast aside by butchers for dogs, of dish and bathwater thrown out, of sweat and toil.

     Unruly children wishing to stay up and people-watch well into the night are rounded up and corraled back inside. The sound of revelry from crews on the beach is faintly audible even in town, and owing to Miss Guthrie's tavern, you're never far from that sound especially at this hour.

     It's that tavern where you'll meet, early-model electric lights mingling with candles and gas lamps to create a warm, well-lit interior. A fiddler plays a merry tune, serving girls and the odd boy (to better accomodate everyone's tastes) hurry between tables with libations, and the smell of perpetual stew is here strong enough to overpower those other smells.
Captain Flint      Captain Flint isn't hard to find. He's seated, with a bottle of port and some pewter mugs, by himself, on the lower floor of the establishment. John Silver isn't present. As usual for these sorts of affairs, Flint has some documents prepared for the purpose of planning this heist.

     "Thank you for coming," says the captain with a respectful nod, and a gesture to the mugs. Help yourself, says that gesture. If Eleanor is the Pirate Queen, this man is undoubtedly her admiral. "As you know, we've recently added the Royal Anne to Nassau's fleet. You may now rest assured my reasons for doing so were not, simply, 'because more ships are better.'" He smiles wryly, pouring himself a bit of port.

     "At this moment, Mr. Silver is making a proposal to Captain Vane, in the spirit of our... overcoming past disagreements. In exchange for certain concessions, Captain Vane will provide his crew to man the Anne, which I will helm. Mr. Silver will helm the Walrus. Together, with your assistance, we will make a raid on the Crescent Moon Flotilla, and steal their sole means of defense for use in protecting Nassau."

     He takes a sip from his mug. The first piece of paper is a map of the island. Making use of a compass--the kind you use to draw on maps, not the kind you use to find north--he draws a circle around the fort. "This is the effective range of Fort Nassau's cannons, with the Flotilla's improvements." It can defend the harbor very effectively, but the island is too large for its cannons to completely defend. If someone were to ferry men in from the opposite shore and march through the interior, for example, defending would be an uphill battle.

     "The Stone offers the advantage of being portable--which would allow us to frustrate efforts to land outside of the fort's effective range."
Guzma Guzma has never actually been to Nassau. He's here alone, today, and as he enters the tavern, water bottle in hand (because he does not drink), his arm's healed up enough that it barely aches at all, and looks as good as normal.

Taking a seat near Flint, Guzma listens to his explanation about the Stone of Storms. "Good to hear he's on board, yo. This Stone of Storms creates storms, yeah? Will be a real useful defense."

Guzma isn't a super tactician or anything, but he's smart, and already knows what he'll pitch doing. For now, though, he asks the important question. "Tell us about this Crescent Moon Flotilla, and where they have the stone. We need an idea of what we're attacking if we're going to formulate how to attack it, yo."
Yuuki Kuran "So..." Yuuki sits, cross-legged, leaned forward just a bit with fingers laced and chin resting upon the bridge of her digits. "You'd also like a fortress on the opposite end, right? If Nassau town is the port, then perhaps the other side could be a military dock for your people, to house the Royal Anne and allow you to make repairs and drag ships back. Easier to take your 'prizes', right?"

Yuuki considers James Flint for a long moment, before grinning at Guzma.

"I'm sure it'd be simple for you to think about, Guzma, with your companions, but imagine the power that a magic weather stone could give a galleon like the Royal Anne. With those big sails and guns and the wind always at her back, she'd be an uncatchable lightning bolt across the water. Isn't that exciting? Plus, if the stone was housed at the port, they could sour the weather on approach to cut the island off and ensure good harvests inland too. Really, it's an all-purpose stone!"

She beams at the Walrus' crew. "It's genius, I love it, we simply must have it."
Starbound Flotilla     George is an easygoing guy and he goes easy here, particularly. He flows into the port like water, wanders to Guthrie's like the wind, and settles in like sand at the bottom of a boot at one of the seats nearer Flint. The rest of the Flotilla filter in over time, of course. "So," He rambles. "Sounds like this means a lot to Vane, too. What can we get a guy like that, from folks like Crescent Moon people? I did all I could to be real friendly with those folks last time, but I wanna make sure stuff gets *properly* overcome, y'know? Whole thing behind ya."

    Then he winds up stroking his beard. "Who's Crescent Moon defending from? Just the usual patrols and all? We should tip 'em off after, so they don't take a swing. What about that?"
Zero Kiryu "What outcome do you want with the Crescent Moon Flotilla itself? That is to say, do you want them completely eliminated, absorbed, or are you indifferent to their total final disposition and status so long as you obtain the object of your goals?" Once again, Zero Kiryu is simply suddenly there after a great deal of not being there. He stands, abruptly present, at Yuuki's side and takes a seat next to her after existing for a couple of seconds.
Captain Flint      "Among other things, yes," says Flint with a nod towards Guzma. Were Silver here, there would certainly be a smarmy remark of some sort. "It can create the kind we call ship-killers--massive waves, wind with force enough to snap masts, blinding rain, lightning strikes," the pirate casually explains. Yes, he's going to go after something like that. Do his men know what kind of danger they're in?

     "But Yuuki is correct in thinking that it can also be used in a less direct way. I'm of the same mind. Her own example notwithstanding... Imagine, if you will, the ability to calm the waters or push naturally occurring storm cells away. As a matter of fact," adds the captain with a confident smile, seafoam eyes glimmering with inspiration.

     "I intend to explore those other applications once the stone is secured. If my suspicions are correct, it could drastically improve the Walrus' ability to contribute to this Concord."

     He puts the map of the island on the bottom of the stack. The next page is a depiction of the Walrus. But there are some additions. Namely, of a series of horizontally oriented sails which hang over the port and starboard sides of the ship, labeled, tellingly, 'skysails.'

     George's question is answered subtly, for the presence of other ears not belonging to the Concord. "Captain Vane wants and respects the same thing: power." He lifts the stack, so that George can see the depiction of the fort again. "He's had his eye on a particular expression thereof for some time now. Mr. Silver is... explaining to him that we'll not frustrate any efforts on his part to take it." The stack is quietly reorganized. "So long as he understands when and where to apply it, I'm happy to allow him a hand in the future of this place." Vane's men are animals, and he encourages it--but in the time George spent getting to know him, he'd have found that Vane genuinely does wish for Nassau's continued independence, despite his disdain for Flint's intellectual approach.

     "Ideally," he says, answering both George's second concern and Zero's first, "In this account, the moment one strikes the black, there ought to be a surrender. The flotilla is known for its complete lack of cannons, however, and has survived solely on their use of the Stone. Primarily, they live wholly from the sea, and often must defend themselves against pirates."

     "They are all experienced sailors, and each of the three ships worships a different sea god. Legend has it the Stone was bequeathed to them in exchange for their unshaken devotion to the sea. Therefore... it's unlikely they'll give up without a fight barring an extreme disadvantage in their favor." Flint frowns. "Even then, their faith may still compel them to fight."

     "That said... Mr. Kiryu, I'm not at all opposed to welcoming them as citizens of Nassau. I believe we may have more in common than it seems--we all make our living from the sea and are beholden only to the sea. I will have the Stone--but I'll not turn away any who would join my cause."
Guzma "Agriculture, huh? Makes sense." Guzma nods to Yuuki and Flint as he thinks of other applications, and then listens about the enemy flotilla. He already has a plan, for himself.

"So, are you going to take in your ships on head first? Stormy waters is probably their first resort...so we'll need to get some people in sneaky-like. I can take Golisopod and some scuba gear and sneak up on them, and maybe I could take one of Zero's plants for him to do whatever it is he does, and get them on one of the ships - preferably the one with the stone. I can bring in Gladion as a deckhand for you, have him learn something and also give you extra firepower."

A pause, from Guzma, who's leaning back. "Anything I'm missing that might make this not work?"
Yuuki Kuran There's a long pause from Yuuki, as she considers the words. The ideas, really, about the stone.

Leaning back in her seat, Yuuki moves her laced fingers to capture one of Zero's hands.

"Well, Flint, don't you? A devotion to the sea, to your own freedom, and to me? This seems like a people who we could appeal to. A king needs subjects, doesn't he? If you have a group of priests who have a real divine stone... Why not entertain a bit of religion?"
Zero Kiryu Zero contemplates the answer directed at him in silence for a long moment, moving affirmatively in reaction to Yuuki reaching for his hand before he actually answers. He says, "As Yuuki says. If it's Sea Gods that they worship and they aren't hard-line enemies that have to be eliminated, it may be more efficient overall to cow them with a show of power, subordinate their consciousness, and ease them out into regular alliance. There are enemies that I'm not inclined to treat in such a way, but an enemy that is not especially bitter and not especially indecent within the context of their contemporaries can be useful recruits."

"As, I suppose, Vane might be argued to be," he adds. He doesn't seem to wholly understand the relationship there; 'enemy' might be too strong a word for Vane.
Starbound Flotilla     "Wonder what I could do with men like that." Pavo speaks up, grinning. She settles down in one of the seats further back, with a drink and a grin on her beak. "Maybe not much, but I want to take a look. Could make the pitch to them." She contemplates that for a while.

    "So, for that guy, we probably wanna make sure everyone knows who makes that happen." George nurses his own drink slowly, methodically, using it as a thinking aid. He snorts, briefly, as a thought crosses his mind: "'Weather Vane.' Well, good thing, we'll figure a way to give the man his due." He thinks a bit about that one. "I'll talk with Moonie, make sure we have a way to make it known, what he's doing."
Captain Flint      Yuuki's idea seems to intrigue the captain. He leans forward in his seat, nodding in agreement with Zero, brow furrowed in thought. "A warship, the most feared captain in the West Indies," he says, pausing to look around the table. "...And a compliment of fearless souls the Multiverse over, does cut an intimidating figure, coming over the horizon. If they should come not to strike the black, but to make an offer... I imagine it would make the offer all the more intriguing."

     The captain sends the schematics for the Walrus' proposed alterations to the back. The next page is clearly information sourced mostly from second-hand accounts, but it shows the three ships quite clearly. One is a sloop, following more or less the same design philosophy as the average ship from Flint's world. It's called 'Ondra's Grasp.' The other two are drastically different. One, whose name translates as Eye of Olukun, appears to be a ship of West African make, and the third ship, Sirsir's Blessing predates the other two considerably, looking as though it sprang from the days of Gilgamesh and Enkidu.

     "I think we shall, Mr. Guzma," says Flint. "We'll cow them, with a display of force, as Mr. Kiryu suggests. You and Golisopod shall be our envoy. You'll carry aboard one of Mr. Kiryu's plants. If they agree to a parley, we can simply cross over via the plant, and discuss our terms in person. If not, then that plant shall be the means by which our crews storm the ship of your choice, take it by force, and hold the crew as ransom for the exchange of the Stone."

     Flint nods at George and Pavo. "Ben Hornigold won't give up the fort easily--but we can address that upon our return to Nassau. If at all possible, I'd like the transition to happen quietly. If George can get Captain Hornigold to see reason, to understand that this is a force he will not resist with will alone, all the better. You'll have the assistance of Mr. Silver, to ensure that public opinion is on your side, if it should be necessary. And, of course, Captain Pavo may have her share of the sailor-monks as it pleases."
Zero Kiryu The fact that his plants are immediately invoked as a suggestion by Captain Flint elicits a rather sly smile from Zero. He inclines his head a little, "Vane took to that quickly, too, once he got over how strange it was. If we can get them to eat the fruit, I can assert control over them with very little resistance-- though there is little enough way to disguise them as anything but what they are. An offer of power, temporary or otherwise. The taste isn't especially pleasant unless you've had one already."

"Having said that... 'cowing with a display of force' is ordinarily mutually exclusive with doing things quietly, so I'd like to ask particulars. How are you defining 'quiet'? Quick and without opportunity for the narrative to spin out of control? Sufficiently unobtrusive that it isn't remarked upon by the general populace? Or something else?"

"Additionally," he continues, "are there any auxiliary goals that you would like considered?"
Yuuki Kuran "Honestly, I was just thinking of you accepting them as a group and becoming their head, not simply running them over. Being open to acquisitions! Sometimes people's prices are quite affordable, and their loyalty simple to earn."

Yuuk's eyes are bright, her expression fond and cheerful. She beams with energy at this topic.

"Sad people love those that deal in money, because they don't want a relationship, ownership of what they do. I think that people who can gather up a group are the best, those that can share goals and form wholes out of parts. That's what a king does - form a whole. The crown is the shape of that whole, the flag its face. A captain is like a king with a wooden nation, isn't he?"

Her tone, like her eyes, are dreamy.
Priscilla     "It hast been a while, since those days of our first assaults upon the English. The Anne. The Isle. Ah, the 'cannibals', if mine memory serves. Yet it doth feel so shortly ago."

    It is uncommon to hear Priscilla speak of anything with nostalgia. Her presence around Nassau has also been uncommon, but historically here and there. There is no need, nor purpose served, by her wandering into the tavern from the front, but despite the fact that she simply fades from thin air into view of the table, one should presume she hasn't been silently listening the whole time. The days of her doing that amongst shared company are long over. She should just be arriving.

    "Though it shouldst bear going unsaid, thine industriousness over the past weeks and months hath both served thee well and reflected well upon the Director's and mine own faith." She says so while appraising the ship designs, the ghost of an upturn appearing at the edges of her lips when her slit-pupils alight upon 'skysails'. "To speaketh of matters of faith, Lady Pavo shouldst be more than sufficient for the converts thou shouldst desire. Men who live upon the sea without cannons art a surpassing rarity indeed. No doubt they wouldst be equally opposed to those who shouldst claim ownership of the vast oceans for their own, and their ways of powder and fire." It is at least worth remembering that her world is ostensibly one that uses sailing ships of a similar bent as well.

    "Though Sir Guzma's assessment of entering the ship unawares is with merit, I believeth I shalt decline from such an obvious position. We knoweth now, from the days of the Anne, that the seas shalt bow to the Painted World for a short time. Though it is outside of mine power, most likely, to stymie the efforts of a sea-stone relic of storms, waves and gales bend knee to ice and winds well enough. I shalt see the ships locked, shouldst they maketh attempt to flee or charge, and well-enough defend thine own vessels from such 'ship-killers'." She pauses for a musing moment. "I hath little idea of how those who worship sea-borne storms wouldst react, however. Prophecy or heresy, I wonder?"
Guzma As the others talk, Guzma listens. When Priscilla speaks up, though, Guzma is a little bit deferential, if still himself, especially since his plan was said to have merit. "Yeah, it was an option. If we want to take the frontal assault, I'll still likely use Golisopod. They'll have trouble targeting something relatively small with the storm, so I can speedily make it to them and ferry around messages, information, and gear - and kick in heads, if we have to. Gladion will take the same role I mentioned before - crewmate."

On the subject of prophecy or heresy..."Well, oceans don't normally freeze over, yeah? Probably negatively. They might think we're the coming of the end-times, or something, and get even more zealous. But that's all speculatin'."
Guzma And a pause. "Heh, diplomacy is nice too, but I'm thinking in that old fashioned Alola way - you fight them, and *then* you talk to them." Guzma adds.
Captain Flint      Flint's hand comes to rest over his mouth, fingers tracing across the lines of his goatee as he pores over the depiction of the Crescent Moon Flotilla's three ships. "The taking of the Stone is where we shall apply that show of force. The threat thereof is often more intimidating than its actual employment. It's..." He pauses, eyes narrowing as he scans the bar for listening ears. Evidently not satisfied that he can discuss the matter in open terms, he chooses his words carefully.

     "It is Captain Vane's payment which should be done quietly. Without a show of force, if at all possible. The... current custodian *of* that payment is well-liked, as I said. He's a relic from a time when the walls weren't so obviously closing in on men of fortune as ourselves."

     "Allowing Vane take his reward by force should be a last resort--because unless his opposition is removed from the picture entirely, he will certainly become a problem later." The captain is struck by a sudden inspiration. "There is, I believe, a way in which he might be removed, without incident, without the town or the other crews thinking much of it. Here." Flint procures a quill from his coat, as well as a bottle of ink. He begins writing in an elegant, flowing script, upon a blank scrap of paper. It is pressed forwards to Zero and George.

     On it, there is a brief summary of the War of Spanish Succession, and how it relates to Captain Hornigold, the fort's current custodian. He was formerly a privateer for the Royal Navy, before he and his men defected. Hornigold has kept his crew solely for his preaching that they will one day return James the Pretender to the English, Irish and Scottish thrones, and considering he was exiled three years ago, that seems less and less likely to ever happen. It's likely his men could be manipulated into abandoning him, with a coordinated effort.

     Flint looks up, with a smile, upon the sound of Priscilla's voice. "I'll throw my lot in for prophecy," he says with a confident smile. "Though I admit, perhaps it's wishful thinking. But no matter how it's received, I'll not deny aa bold a gesture as yours would make our case all the more effectively. We would approach them not as another net from which they might slip, but as equals. I and my men would be glad of your assistance, Priscilla."

     Yuuki's mention of commandeering the Flotilla causes him to lean back, setting his empty pewter mug aside. "What you're proposing is nothing other than integrating and adopting a state religion. At the very least, that's how the crown would see it. But then... what is this endeavor, if not another step towards independence from the very same?"
Yuuki Kuran "Ah yes. The English Crown."

Yuuki's deadpan is perfect. Her tone is that professionally iced pleasant that implies she pleasantly hopes the matter finds them well and if they could just stop existing that'd be great.

"I'm sure they think they have someone more worthy of worship than Pavo and the Sun, than freedom, than the sea, than power and choice and care. They must, to have convinced you, James."
Starbound Flotilla     "Oh, I like how this looks." George says, regarding the scrap of paper with a cheerful, wide grin. He mutters to keep his voice low, below the hearing threshold of the patrons. "You know *my* opinion about kings, and I can't figure anyone would *keep* that kind of loyalty after that long."

    "I'm not expecting they're going take to it easy, even if we make the big show of it. You got any idea what their gods and their orthodox look like?" Pavo wanders a bit closer to the table, to talk more Business. "If Great White's on our side here, we'll have a chance to make proper divine impressions, but we'll need more than just substance. I gotta know what style looks like, too."
Zero Kiryu When Captain Flint hesitates to speak openly, Zero assesses the surroundings fairly obviously. Immediately afterwards a strange vapor begins to pour off of him, yellowish in color. It drifts through the air and snakes its way into breaths. By the time anybody notices it -- present company excluded -- they're not going to care about it. And that's what it does: It makes them not care. They're not unconscious, they're not unable to eat and drink, though being merry will be a little goofy and out-of-character in the way that someone freshly out of minor surgery might be.

But on the whole, it makes things bland. Uninteresting. Enough so that if something like Zero decided to close his fangs around them, they wouldn't care. So this conversation, they'll care even less about that.

"The superstitions of seafarers often tread towards both," he asides to Priscilla, "owing to the vast contact they have with a greater portion of the world. With the presence of an artifact like this one, I suspect it will be taken as some other fel device, and whether it is blasphemous will vary from one to the next. But I would not be much surprised if most considered it an ill-omen at the very least."

Zero takes the summary given to him and scans it. "Coordinated into abandoning him BECAUSE of his mad quest, or coordinated into abandoning him FOR the mad quest?"

Evidently he doesn't consider 'overthrow multiple monarchies for a bunch of malcontents to obtain a single fort' to be a particularly strange potential branch of goals.

A knowing glance is cast towards George at his, but he doesn't voice a specific preference between the possibilities.

To Yuuki's remark, he says, "Pavo's results speak for themselves. I haven't enjoyed standing opposite her previously."
Captain Flint      "I had hoped you would say that," says Flint to George with a wry smile. So, Hornigold they have a clear and clean way to deal with.

     Pavo's question about the gods is evidently something else he had already done a bit of research with. "Entirely," he says to her with a nod. "All three are sea gods, from different cultures, each with different portfolios. For the purpose of brevity, we may assume each represents, in a general fashion, 'the ocean.' Aside from that..." He shuffles the depiction of the three ships to the bottom of the stack. The next piece of parchment is organized into thirds, with symbols and scrawled research for each god. "Ondra represents loss, forgotten places and things, and mourning. It's a common Ondrite practice to entrust one's belongings to the clergy, where those belongings have painful memories, to forget them as a means of healing from loss. Her religion primarily exists within the world of Eora. She's said to have loved the moon, and her symbol is a cresting wave."

     "Olokun is a Yoruba deity associated with health and wealth, and may be depicted as male, female or androgynous. They are said to have created the Atlantic in rivalry with a wife of a divine king called Oduduwa. Seashells are known to be a favored gift."

     "Sirsir..." This section has the least information, compared to the other two. "Is a Babylonian or perhaps Akkadian god, the patron of mariners and boatmen. He may be an aspect of Marduk or his own entity. If so... creation, judgment and magic would also be his purview. I'm afraid I haven't found much about him--not much survives from that time period here, and the one man whom I could ask is understandably not fond of me."

     Zero's point of clarity: "Because of it," he says, now that the mist has afforded them some privacy. "He's been stringing them along for three years now, telling them they crusade for the rightful king... and all they ever do is guard that fort. His numbers have already dwindled as-is, albeit slowly."
Priscilla     Priscilla is used enough to Zero oozing various strange vapours and evil plant mists that she doesn't even bother asking him what he's doing with it. Even if yellow usually is a danger colour. Instead, she has more of a rueful half-smile for Flint's assertions on his efforts to find out information about the gods of ancient Mesopotamia, adding "I shall not promise, but . . ." as potential suggestion on her end.

    "And what of thine own opinion on the old Catholic?" she then poses Flint, open ended, and demonstrably at least somewhat caught up on the politics involved.
Zero Kiryu Zero nods, leaning back a little in a fashion not altogether unlike Yuuki. He asks, "If that's the case, are there any of them who have left already that might be of use in convincing the others if they were able to vouch for our offers?"

He finally withdraws his hand from Yuuki to take a notebook out of literally-nowhere, and a pen from his pocket, "I'd like to round things up a little now that we've felt things out reasonably thoroughly. What is your... let's say, 'perfect' action-to-outcome flow? The result that you would most like to achieve, but do not necessarily expect."
Captain Flint      "He should stay in exile," says Flint coolly to Priscilla. "The Jacobites hold a number of ideals which the Stuart line opposes, and their movement is, in truth, more complex than merely supporting the Old Pretender. But his reappointment to the throne would lend credence to a number of ideas which are unacceptable to me. A king should rule because he is just, because he deserves his station in the eyes of the people. Not because of divine right." he says, pouring himself another drink.

     "I'm sympathetic to the Jacobites' desire for Irish autonomy. One day I should like to see an independant Ireland. I may even commit my men to the very same. But granting one man an unprecedented degree of control over countless lives spanning three countries is unacceptable, given the cruelties the crown of today perpetuates with what control it has."

     Are there any men who have left already? "I can give you a few names. Older men, who sailed with Captain Hornigold in their prime. They'll not be hard to find, even if they've taken to other crews."

     "My perfect outcome involves securing the Stone for use by Nassau, with no loss of life on my side, ideally with none from the Flotilla, either. They join their strength to ours. Vane takes command of the fort from Hornigold, who leaves Nassau for good with no intention of coming back to frustrate our efforts, his men absorbed into other crews about the island. At which point, study on the Stone's secondary properties can begin."

     "Agriculture," he says, nodding towards Guzma. With a knowing smile at Priscilla, "And naval applications abroad."
Starbound Flotilla     "We shall assist, of course," Moonfin calls over, coyly, from a nearby table. "In all matters of research, in all matters of development, in your sought-after goals with the secondary properties of this stone." He seems particularly smug about that. "After all, it is the nature and history of my people to seek to grant that particular gift."

    "Yeah, let's get the extra-extra-*extra* reactionary shit outta here, tee-bee-aych." George agrees in that upbeat way, seeming cheered up by how this is looking. "I'll be especially down for the Hornigold stuff, make sure ya call me in for that."

    "I'll get a lil' prepwork done. See what I can learn about sea-gods. Not really ever kept up with them, you know -- it's always been sun-gods, or at least the heavenly kind. Need to brush up." Pavo is contemplative rather than manic or maniacal, and she's already on her way out, having found her own point of interest.
Yuuki Kuran Yuuki claps excitedly, beaming all around and clearly uncaring for being overheard by Normals in the bar in Nassau.

She is acting for their benefit! And she has no patience for spies.

"My suggestion, Pavo? Impress upon them that they serve the god of a sea of stars, and the most radiant star of all is yours. That sounds nice, doesn't it? That way, everyone can be right: and perhaps they'd like to sail among the stars with James Flint. Ah, mm, I already can't wait! I shouldn't get ahead of myself and plan the victory celebrations until after we're done, but..."

"Between George handling Hornigold and Pavo handling the church, I'm certain any result will be the absolute shame of the English Crown and the absolute victory for our Concord."

Yuuki uncrosses and recrosses her legs, settling back and basking in a catlike smile. "Zero's right, by the way, James. The last time *I* tried to stop Pavo, they still got what they wanted. Now with all of us working together, we can plan for a perfect victory! Dream big, everyone!"
Zero Kiryu Zero nods towards the subject of older crew members of Hornigold. "That's fine. Tilt things towards the ones you know are slanted in the favor of what we're doing, if you're able to evaluate them like that in advance. If not, it's fine."

He finishes writing down the parameters given to him. "It's no good to begin with realistic parameters. I trust that no one will fail to seize on opportunities that they could have taken, and will adjust to roadbumps accordingly."

To Pavo, he asides, "Sea Gods might be better compared to Space Gods, if such a thing is common to you. Gods of Darkness and Death, also. There is an intrinsic fear of the unknown in them, and a certain minimum element of reverence for the wrath of nature. The sea is a dangerous place. How specific cultures treat it varies, of course. There are those that make a bounty of it, and those that only fear it. I doubt we'll find many who only fear it here."

He puts away his notepad and offers his hand to Yuuki again. There's no real insistence that they should finish business and run, but there is a clear vibe that he thinks that the business itself is, in fact, complete for now.