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[pirate_gibbs]

Things are tense. Very tense. And Gibbs keeps eying the lifeboats. Thinking that soon he and the captain will have to use one.

Not that Gibbs is letting on about that fear. He's busy inspecting the ship in the early morning, hoping that maybe he can forestall the mutiny one day more.

Comments

[mnt_raph]

Wouldn't it be odd if while during Gibbs' early morning inspection he were to find crates in an off to the side section of the hold just slightly off from where they're supposed to be. Maybe as little as a couple of inches in some places. Possibly as far as a foot in others.

That'd be something of note, wouldn't it?

[pirate-gibbs.livejournal.com]

Gibbs does notice such things. He does his job well, even when he's not trying as hard as he ought to.

He takes a closer look for a few minutes.

[mnt_raph]

All it would take is a few mental calculations from someone who knows the ship better than most to deduce that there's now plenty of room behind this stack of stores for....just about anything.

Further investigation will reveal a sizable shadow. More than enough room for a man to hide. Heck, if that black netting just barely giving the shadow texture is any indication, it's plenty of room for a man to nap in.

[pirate-gibbs.livejournal.com]

Truth be told, Gibbs is an expert on covert napping from his navy days. So he can tell all the signs. But which of the crew would be so slack as to do such a thing?

"Whoever's in there, you best come out. This isn't a ship for lollygaggers."

[mnt_raph]

"You sure 'bout that." says a voice from behind.

[pirate-gibbs.livejournal.com]

Naturally, Gibbs jumps about a foot up and a foot forward, hitting a crate. He then turns around, already sure the face will not be one he knows, since the accent is not Chinese. Or English.

[mnt_raph]

It's been sometime since Raph has seen Gibbs. Nearly tens years time, to be exact. He's hardly the wheelchair bound emo boy he was the last time the two had a chance to speak. For one thing he's mobile. For another, he's bald.

He greets the pirate with a nod. "Gibbs."

[pirate-gibbs.livejournal.com]

Gibbs gives the rather impressive looking bald man a look. He has the look of a Royal Marine. But something else. "You seem familiar...we met in the Bar, yes?" Which makes sense. Where would a Royal Marine come from here?

[mnt_raph]

"Might've."
The deep New York gutter of Raph's accent is still present, but there's no denying that his time in Tortall has left its mark.

[pirate-gibbs.livejournal.com]

"You came here with the captain?" But wouldn't she have told him about this?

Well, she has been dealing with a lot lately.

[mnt_raph]

"Me? Nah, I'm just a helpless stowaway."

There is seriously nothing even remotely helpless about Raph right now.

[pirate-gibbs.livejournal.com]

Gibbs offers his finest look of dubious. A finer dubious look you couldn't buy in Paris.

"Then I suppose I should tell the captain about you."

[mnt_raph]

Raph takes a step forward. A step, it might be good to add, that very nearly blocks Gibbs into the makeshift alleyway.

"Do we really think that's necessary?"

[pirate-gibbs.livejournal.com]

"We do. Unless you can explain your presence." Gibbs should be scared.

In fact, he is scared.

But he has his duty to ship and captain, and that means not letting the man who seems to be made from marble get in his way.

[mnt_raph]

The knuckles of his left hand crackle as he flexes his fingers into a fist.

"You can't possibly still be loyal to her. Rumor has it she's knocked up, you know. Ain't that bad pirate juju?"

[pirate-gibbs.livejournal.com]

Gibbs wants to run. It would be prudent. He takes a breath. And promises himself a lot of rum later.

"She is the captain. And the King of the Pirates. Unless and until she does something that renders her an unfit captain, she stays as captain.

"And as for...bad pirate juju...it would be worse magic indeed to risk offending the captain of the Flying Dutchman by standing against his wife."

[mnt_raph]

For a split second there it almost appears as if that might have been the wrong answer, what with the way Raph continues to loom.

Once that split second passes though, Raph steps back and leisurely rests his shoulder on the nearest stack of crates. Heck, there's even a smile on his lips.

"Good. You can stay. Not only that, but you can tell your captain that I could use another blanket if she's got one to spare. It gets ass cold down here."

[pirate-gibbs.livejournal.com]

Gibbs looked very confused. Very relieved but mainly confused. "And now that you think I can stay, can you tell me what's going on? Or do we have to get the captain involved?"

[mnt_raph]

His head tilts to one side.
"I ain't on her boat without her leave, if that's what you're askin'."

[pirate-gibbs.livejournal.com]

"Fair enough. But it's not the best of ideas to be here and not at least tell the boatswain about your presence." The fact that the big guy is apparently trying to be unseen implies that some is odd here beyond the obvious.

[mnt_raph]

"I'm sure we'll all be well acquainted soon enough."

If you catch his meaning.

[pirate-gibbs.livejournal.com]

"And what do I call you?" Any resemblance between this man and anyone Gibbs knows is purely derived from the drinking of rum.

[mnt_raph]

"Me? Nothin'. You ain't seen me. I ain't here."
His tone indicates that this is not a point up for discussion.

"Liz knows I'm here, and that's all that matters. I'm insurance an' nothin' else. But, for your personal piece of mind, name's Raphael. I'm Mikey the Barman's older brother."

Or one of them, at any rate.

[pirate-gibbs.livejournal.com]

If Gibbs recalls the state he last say Raph in, he doesn't say. But at least there's context.

"Insurance might not be the worst thing." Even if he's not sure how to use it.

[mnt_raph]

That's the spirit!

"Not that you're gonna need it. I got a good feelin'bout this boat. I think things're gonna simmer down."

Spoken like a man who knows a thing or two about diffusing a situation.