Keep them

"Good idea Mr. Michaels." Brenan said without hesitation. "But we won't be firing live rounds until I'm damn sure this raw crew knows what they are doing." Brenan could see the gun-officer's disappointment but he didn't give a damn. This schooner was never going to out-gun any other ship, and he wasn't taking any chances on having a powder cartridge explode on his deck and set his new purchase on fire.

Brenan wanted to watch Calisto as he worked with the Lantian twins to shift the empty casks in the hold, his gut still warning him about the handsome swashbuckler's reaction to working with the odd looking half-breeds. However no sooner had they started working than he was approached by James and Mr. Michaels.

"Captain?" Began Mr. Michaels "Might Mr. Caruthers and I have a moment of your valuable time?" Brenan was startled by the formality of the request, even for his quirky third officer it sounded odd - especially after working bare-chested side by side with these two men. "In private perhaps?" Added Mr. Michaels during Brenan's moment of silence.

"Very well then." Brenan told them as he picked up his tunic and motioned to his cabin. "Perhaps you would share some of the Cryn wine that Walter Ambrose is having us ship?"

The two men followed Brenan into his office but even before he had pried open the wooden crate with his thick fighting blade Mr. Michaels was speaking.

"Captain, we must sail to the Caruthers’ house at your earliest convenience." Brenan raised an eye in a look that those who knew him better had learned to interpret as a warning, but not the excited Mr. Michaels.

"This paper" he waved the scrap that Sasha had written "this has the formula for the smokeless powder in the vault-tech weapons." Brenan hid his surprise by wrenching the top of the wine crate open and pulling out a green tinted bottle.

"The powder in James' peacekeeper cartridges?" He asked trying to stay calm now himself. "That is exciting, but why do we need to visit young James' house?"

"My Grandfather had a workshop there with all sorts of machines and supplies." James answered for Mr. Michaels. "We think he had the materials needed to reload these cartridges." Brenan worked out how long it would take to finish the run to Veertor, and then get back to the Caruthers estate.

"It can't be for a while." He began and lifted his hand to halt Mr. Michaels objections before they began. "I think we might be there in about two months, if all goes well." Was this just another attempt on James part to get home to his girlfriend? Brenan dismissed the thought as soon as it occured, James was as eager fro adventure as he had been at his age. Besides, if he could make his own smokeless powder with it's added power and reliability...

"Then we'd better drink to your health and the health of your growing family." Brenan said as he filled three wine glasses with the dark red wine from Cryn.

"To you and yours!" Saluted Mr. Michaels and the three men drank the full bodied wine savoring the complex flavors and rich feel of the wine as it filled their mouths.

"Damn that's a good wine." Brenan muttered "I can almost see why the Veertor wealthy are willing to pay smuggler's prices to drink this." The others agreed and after a second glass for each of them the three men returned to work. The mood on the rest of the ship was not as jovial as it had been in his cabin. The new water casks were in place, but Brenan could sense a tension between Harry and the others. He’d have to keep an eye on this situation. Up on slightly raised aft-deck by the wheel he watched the harbor flotsam carefully looking for the change in the tide.

Finally he saw enough to make him call out. “Prepare to cast off! Kyle and Tyler get the gaskets off the mizzen sail we’ll take her out in five minutes.” How will this new crew handle slipping out of Freeport amongst the crowded shipping lanes?