Pre-departure to the realm of the Gearheads

[rubyrubyruby]

Ruby had departed via trump with Wynter, after being alerted by a trio of melonhead porpoises that she needed to pay a visit to the undersea realm of Rebma. The duo was gone for approximately a day, and when they returned to the Beast, Ruby had less personal cargo within her biological barge. Now it's on the outside. Her stomach is much diminished, and no matter how uber the ober's think they are, some things take some time to recover from. However, she's resisted advice to stay in her cabin, and insists on being on deck as much as possible. She's more amicable towards the idea of mercy, which may be due to feeling some relief or endorphins or something.
The fleet has been congealed into a new formation and what's been salvagable has been greedily secured for the next transit. The prisoners have been consolidated upon a few vessels for better security, rather than have them speckled amongst the fleet. That and it won't be long before they're set loose in their leaky, but technically not sinking, vessels.
Ruby has also brought a map and a painting of the next destination, having crafted the latter while she had some down-time in charcoal on parchment. A little visual reference to help Maggie sync with her when they pull the fleet to the next realm of gearheads and smoketech for repairs.

Wynter emerges with the wee babe in question, all wrapped up in warm blanket and nestled in her arms. She happily shows off the baby to sailors and soldiers alike taking on the role of nursemaid without the nursing part. For her part she's all smiles and is sure to stay near Ruby as the captian roves about and makes ready.

Wynter emerges with the wee babe in question, all wrapped up in warm blanket and nestled in her arms. She happily shows off the baby to sailors and soldiers alike taking on the role of nursemaid without the nursing part. For her part she's all smiles and is sure to stay near Ruby as the captian roves about and makes ready.'.

Merrisol went about coordinating prisoner transfer until those ships were populated by the right ratios of sailors. The officer-types remained sequestered until Mercier had conducted his interviews. One word was passed about that Ruby and Wynter had returned from their sojourn to The Deep, its Warden made his way back from the outer edges of the fleet. Only as he gets closer does the sailor chatter contain hushed notes of gossip and superstition about Incarnate's mini-acquisition. He climbs aboard the Beast warily then, starting with a poke of his head over the rail, gazing intently around the deck. A baby... paddle plant!... clobbers him in the face! Merri wrangles it by the snakey stem, and jumps hastily to the main deck.

Sidonie is only just arriving back from the Menestheses after a wellness check on its crew and sleeping cargo. First her medical bag can be seen getting tossed over the railing, then another bag that clangs onto the wooden planks. Then Jotch reaches down to haul the surgeon up the rest of the way onto the Beast's deck and holds her hand as she swings her legs over the railing. He makes a show of huffing and puffing as he pulls up the slender woman up, and wipes at his brow in an exaggerated gesture. "Oy Doc! What have you been eatin'?!" he says loudly, grinning. Sidonie makes a face at him, then glances back at Merrisol just as he also climbs aboard. Her eyes stray past him to see Wynter carrying the baby! Ruby's baby!

Given all the dragoning that has been done the last few days Chase is doing what dragons do,sleeping near the bow, his tail over his nose, his scalely chest rises and falls in slow steady rate.

Ah, a fleet after a battle! No shortage of good work to be done! No shortage of flotsam and jetsam to sniff at in the water! Clive is rather happily working about with the crew, apparently having slipped back in amongst them after the fray. Of course, happy is relative. He still doesn't quite seem to be cracking a smile, but he is neither intoxicated nor swearing! He just finishes securing a line when he turns around, catches sight of the baby, and staggers back away. He transitions into walking, acting as if he had intended to go in that direction all along. A nod of recognition is delivered to Sidonie along the way as he then arrives at the knot he had intended to check, we all knew he intended to check it!, and proceeds to check its sturdiness. A nod of approval is then given to this knot, of course!
Ruby moves with slow deliberate movements as she goes to meet those coming aboard. More shadow under her brow, or eyes that are a tad more sunken. The gravity of being no longer supported by the watery realm is taking its toll after relying upon it so much.
The only reason the fleet is as well organized as it is currently, is probably down to those on deck or arriving. A grudging thanks is attempted to be conveyed from a look here and there, but it's insufficient. "Welcome aboard all tha's comin aboard." Ruby bobs her head seriously, totally letting Wynter bear to the bundle about. This too is something she's grateful for. There's been no koochi-coo's or baby talk from Ruby's mumble-mouth. Things are weighing on her mind. "Looks like we didn't loose anyone?"

Mercier is smoking a cigerette near the sternwalk, back against and towards the sea as the rest of him faces the crew and the hustle and bustle of an active ship. And... other things. Mercier's eyes narrow slightly, concerned, towards the new life brought aboard. Interviews had been conducted, and they'd even been polite! Sid could likley attest to this. Which was only logical, given the imminant parole of the important folks. He takes a final drag, then flicks the lit cigerette into the ship's wake, glancing down and considering it for a moment, before he spins about and makes his way towards a more central part of the ship, "Just the prison hulks."

Chase opens an eye and yawns, his dagger toothed maw in full viewa moment. He sighs and his form blurs, comming back into focus in a more human form, stretching to pop his spine back into place before he moves to join the others, his eyes linger a moment on the bundle in Wynter's arms before turning his attention back to Ruby, his expression all buisness "is the butchers bill in?" he casts a glance at the fleet beyond the ship.

Merri greets Sidonie with a passing nod, adjusting the paddling's seat among the new vines before trailing along behind the surgeon. He does not look at his ease, not with an infant potentially underfoot on the Beast. Wynter beaming around with a bundle of swaddling cloth gets a frown, but he turns his attention over to Ruby when she speaks. He comes to a halt and folds his arms on his chest, waiting expectantly for the news out of Ruby's own mouth.

Wynter settles down, the questions of deaths sobering her greatly. The baby shifts and squirms about in her arm and then quiets after a brief moment of fussing. She shushes the babe and bounces to keep it preocoupied. "One is too much and we all know there was more then that."

Jotch is left in Sidonie's wake, holding her bags, as she hurriedly approaches Wynter and the BABY. She restrains the urge to make some ridiculous high-pitched noises at her, opting instead to keep her voice low. "Hello there Wynter, kiddo." Clive's nod is noticed and returned, with a sparkling smile thrown in. Chase gets a nod of greeting, Mercier and Merrisol too. She would move to stand near the purser, but the lure of the baby is too powerful to resist, so she stands near Wynter instead and tries to not stare adoringly at the now most important person on board. "All accounted for on the Menestheses and the Cascarrabias, though the bosun's recovery is still not a sure thing."
Ruby starts to tabulate the bill. Eyes going a little unfocused as she draws upon an assortment of little lists all jumbled together. Her teeth bare a little as it all tallies up and then delivers, "All told, we lost a little more than a quarter 'o tha fleet. Either they was too damaged or were sent tha tha bottom. A few 'o those were boarded an taken as prizes. Lost a fair amount 'o those crews from tha lost ships, but rescue efforts salvaged more than I'd 'ave wagered on. An yer medical expertises seemed tah make quite tha difference. Can't really say if any waterlogged souls got snatched by..." She waggles her brows and flicks a look up towards the sky. "...Before they were checked by Chase an Wynter swoopin up intah tha sky. I think tha stalled one 'o them, an then tha others aborted soon after. Fortunately, we are able tah supplement our losses with captured or surrendered ships. They seem tah build'm good 'ere, with or without them creepy things on tha front 'o their prows. Still, we got 'urt pretty bad. I intend tah offer a pay off tah those tha collected them prizes, so we can continue onwards."

Clive cocks his head to the side as he remains on the outer edge of the gathering. He keeps an ear pointed toward Ruby as she is assessing the situation while casting a glance over the starboard bow. A moment later, he switches ears and then is looking off over the port. The sailor ponders the words in the context of what he is seeing all about the fleet and begins nodding his head slowly.

Mercier slips his hands in his trouser pockets as he listens to the numbers with a stoney countenance. He leans a shoulder against something convienence, eyes flitting to the child, then over to Merrisol, his body langauge providing silent agreement to the submariner's lack of ease. But he /is/ mostly silent as Ruby goes over things. "If we're going to call in some civilized, industrial port, I think that's a fine idea. Hopefully we won't need an Armada, moving forward?

Merrisol points out, "Their 'deal' was with those who broke pact with Captain Incarnate.. if past encounters are any indication, they claim the losers in the battle. Which is not to say they're not capable of swooping up anyone else.. by mistake." Glancing at Sidonie hovering over Wynter's arms finally clues him into the Rubyspawn's location, he eases his stance just a fraction in the opposite direction, while staring. "...Some of the companies who suffered capital losses will want to make use of these prizes, of course," he resumes slowly, "Until they can buy a more likely replacement."

Ruby tongues the inside of her cheek. She follows the glances towards the baby, and her lips purse a bit more pronounced before she's ready to ramble on further. "I be willin tah negotiate. I not snatch when they still employed towards final purpose. In tha comin days, while they gettin themselves familiar with their prizes, I make a visit an put forth a deal if it'll serve both parties. Right now able ships be more valuable than most things. An I did promise danger pay for those I shook 'ands with. A prize won fair an square isn't somethin I trod on with both feet." Ruby licks at the corner of her mouth. Mercier's comment gets a nod and then a tilting of her head. "I wish it didn't, Truth. But if anythin, this realm 'ere makes me think tha strength in numbers be in me best interests. Tha bigger tha better. Fill tha 'orizon. Too big tah fail."

Wynter gets a half smile as she catches Sidonie getting doe-eyed at the baby and offers the child to the ship's doctor. Muttering small words to babe and Sidonie both as the meeting rolls on. "What do you plan on offering the radical faithful that they may want to hear, Ruby?"

Mercier gives a small nod to Ruby's point, eyes, turning to spy out the rest of the fleet, and arks, in particular, "Were we not escorting the three great ladies, I might find some disagreement with your strategic presumption. But no use in trading strength for somethign dartful and fleet if they'd just be sailing circles around them. I might ask about /paying/ a fleet, being purser and all. But I don't think this is a group that has any particular problem with that."

Clive is looking off in the other direction when his eyes widen. His jaw cocks to one side and he mutters veeeeeery low under his breath, "Heard that one before..." Turning back around, he is looking over the others gathered there, sizing each of them up and considering the whole of the thing before looking over the railing at the water. That lovely, inviting water. His mouth opens, but he catches himself. The words "Size ain't everything" is decidedly not a phrase he is going to utter aloud. His mouth closes again.

Merri looks back at Ruby presently, nodding agreement with her prize payout policy. "Every ship along for the shift should be adequately manned now, in any case. I presume there's still time before departure? I want to give the ships' undersides a check." His gaze strays back in Baby's direction, while the discussion continues along its course... without even touching the subject of the new arrival. He mulls unspoken questions around in his mouth, tipping his head slowly one side, then another, catching small glimpses of the sproglet way over from where he stands.

With a smile of thanks to Wynter, the ship's doctor carefully accepts the baby into her arms with a blissed-out, goofy look on her face. "'ello poppet," Sidonie says rather quietly. She half-listens to the conversation at this point, now focusing on saying hello to baby and, because Sid is who she is through and through, examining Ruby Jr's hand as it grips her finger really tightly.

Ruby thinks and then gives a big sigh. "I gots no time or skill tah begin some sorta diplo-smatic mission. Not a proper one. Dunno who even tah approach...their Captains, or tha wooden things. ~Wherever~ they be lurkin. I don't get along with gods well. Most effective screwy thing seemed tah be when some sort 'o wrinkle was introduced durin tha meetin with two Captains. An 'o course, they got bloodied 'ere, so tha'll count in ways good an bad."
Ruby grunts softly and gives a nod to Merrisol. "There be time. I need Maggie's 'elp tah bring tha fleet. I gots a good focus an reference tah unify our expectations in terms 'o destination. Wouldn't be surprised if it be an intersection for a number 'o realms. Does good business, bloody gear 'n steam lovers.
Ruby eyes Mercier thoughtfully. "Aye, speed will always be a problem. Maybe there be a solution in next realm. I shudder when I think 'o them tinkerin on things, but maybe..." She does actually shudder. "Nnngh. We see, aye? I not opposed tah paying out for more 'o anythin, if it can be trusted or is respected. Recent events 'as made me less ~quick~ tah go an poach wealth or crew from tha odd realm. Karma can be real, I'm findin."