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Vanimacar
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Post *The Far side of the World* See OOC to join!
on: May 24, 2004 07:07
Post in the OOC if you want to join! This thread is based on "Master and Commander".
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It is the dawn of the nineteenth century. With Britain and France at war and Napoleon's armies threatening the shores of England, it was up to the Brittish Royal Navy to defend the country and her fledgling empire. But when Napoleon threatens to extend the war by sending a French privateer, the Acheron, to the South Pacific to harry the British ships and interests in the region, HMS Surprise is dispatched to intercept and sink, burn, or capture the French ship. Captained by Captain Jack Aubrey, or known as “Lucky Jack” to his crew, the Surprise's commaner is well respected by his men and they trust him implicitly. And with plenty of naval victories under his belt, this French vessel should prove no real threat and a profitable bounty will be enjoyed by all.
But British intelligence is a little patchy and the crew of the Surprise discovers that the hunter has become the hunted. The French ship has been tracking them and when it attacks from within a fog bank, the Acheron inflicts heavy damage and causalities on the Surprise.
Virtually disabled with some well aimed shots to the rudder and masts, Cpt. Aubrey soon realizes that HMS Surprise is out manned, out gunned and out paced. Rejecting calls from his officers and crew to return to Portsmouth, Jack is determined to carry out his orders and instructs his crew to repair the ship and prepare for battle. After all, they don't call him Lucky Jack for nothing and he's not going to let the French Captain beat him so easily.

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HMS Surprise… 28 Guns… 188 Souls.
Off Cape Horn; April 1805

A steady wind filled her sails as the HMS Surprise plowed on through the night waters. A hush had fallen on the night watch, and the air above deck was filled with the creeking of the yard arms and the wind's whistle through the rigging. Faint strains of 'cello and violin drifted from the quarterdeck, accompanied by the occasional wispered order and the padding of bare feet as the sailors hurried to reply.
The Acheron had given them the slip at dusk, slipping from view behind the veil of a sudden rain shower, but under Captain Aubrey's orders the Suprise stayed on course, sails bent, destined to catch sight of their prey again at dawn.
The night wore on and the music died away. The rising moon showed itself between shreds of cloud that were flying swiftly away on the north wind. There was not so much as a glimpse of the Acheron all through the night but when a grey dawn broke with clearing skies, a sharp cry from Lt. Pullings sent the bosun's whistle blowing 'Up all hammocks' and there was a general rush as the crew scrambled out of their hammocks and dashed to their stations.
Jack Aubrey appeared on deck a moment later. He looked slighty on edge as he came through the hatchway, still pulling on his coat. The sailors looked expectantly at him as he passed.
Taking long strides across the deck, he came up next to Tom Pullings, the officer of the watch, and accepted the glass from him.
"Three points to larboard, sir. That smudge there on the horizon. What do you make of it, Jack? Smoke? Perhaps the Acheron had a run of bad luck."
"Perhaps she has." said Jack with a bit of a smile. "Mr. Mowett, the 'royals. A few more knots and a straight east-north-east course if you please, Mr. Bonden."

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HMS Albatross

Sophie Denison awoke with a groan, her eyes wandering around the cabin through a unshakable haze. She lay on the floor, shrouded in her underthings, their once white pristineness mired by the blood from the privious night's wicked ordeal. Her whole body ached, in spite of the fact that she had not yet moved. When she finally did sit up, she regretted it. Her head swam and her awakening body screamed at her. She found with a burning tear that her clothes had been thoroughly stuck to her scabs when they were torn loose. An unearthly groan sounded from beneath her and she was sliding uncontrollably before she knew what has happening.
The untimely lurch of the ailing schooner beneath her sent the poor Sophie crashing into the cabin bulkhead. Indeed these were the death-throws of the Albatross, whose works and rigging had been cut to pieces by the guns of a French man-o-war, Acheron, not five hours hence. All her crew were dead or captured and the young Sophie Denison was alone.
Sometime within the past five hours, the Acheron's crew had dissappeared with all they could carry. Having had all the cruel fun they could muster, the marauders left the Albatross' last occupant for dead. But Sophie was not dead.
Badly whipped and terroroized, wearing only shredded remains of her dress, Sophie staggered above deck.
Picking her way through the the tangled mess of the fallen mainmast and it's rigging whilst sheilding her face from the acrid black smoke that poured from the forward cabin, Sophie made her way as best she could to the Albatross' forward deck. Shielding her eyes from the wind and smoke, Sophie peered into the horizon. At first, the curve of the world was little more than a blur, but it soon sort itself out into its true form: a rigid, uninterrupted line of blue, clear against the grey dawn. Clear and empty....or was it?
A glint of ivory shown in the distance. A gull perhaps, only it was too steady for that....it was a sail.
Nearly tripping over herself, Sophie flew below in search of a telescope.




[Edited on 5/25/2004 by Vanimacar]

[Edited on 5/28/2004 by Vanimacar]
Beowulf_Son_of_Ecgtheow
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Post RE: *The Far side of the World* See OOC to join!
on: May 26, 2004 11:47
"ooc" Who is this Sophie? I don't seem to remember her from the movie or book.
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Having seen that the ship was not the Acheron but a British Merchantman Jack sailed toward the Albatross to investigate.
DiamondxOfxLongxCleeve
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Post RE: *The Far side of the World* See OOC to join!
on: June 02, 2004 10:55
((Ok, finally posting...Sorry it took so long :blush: Alright, I hope this is ok, I looked up a little bit about what midshipmen did, but let me know if there are any problems...))

Midshipman Blakeney was roused by the shrill command of the bosun's whistle. He rolled out of his hammock and staggered up to the deck among the commotion of the other sailors. Quickly he took his post and watched the horizon for a small smudge or any irregularities that could mean another ship. Slowly, he watched as a mast grew out of the blur and slowly a ship came in to view. He waited tensely as they drew nearer. Quickly, he recognized the ship as not the Acheron, but another British ship. Relaxing only slightly, he awaited the next orders.
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