Crew Wanted: Apply Within (Chaos Guaranteed)
Several weeks had passed since Oliver and Atom became partners. The two spent numerous hours pouring over the details of the ship as well as what it would be used for. Piracy was never an option, seeing as the Admiral of Limsa Lominsa would have them blown out of the sea long before they had a chance to even get started. So, the two decided on Cargo transportation between the Doman cities and any other ports along the way. However, cargo only pays so well. The real money was in passengers.
First thing, though, they needed a crew of about thirty for the operational crew who manned the sails, cannons, navigation, and other ship related jobs, as well as another 20 for hospitality staff who would tend to the needs of the passengers and ensure guest rooms were kept clean, they also chose to add on ten more as general crew who could help either side. The Kraken’s Call was more than large enough to house all that crew plus a good amount of cargo and passengers. So, the two went out into Limsa Lominsa proper.
Starting in the lower decks, they placed a few fliers around the massive Aetheryte Crystal. At night, the magic emanating from the crystal provided a glow that gave the whole area a very magical feeling. As the citizens of the coastal city went about their evening, be they closing up shop or heading home for the night, there was still a sense of life in the area. The several Inns and taverns were bustling with activity and it even spilled out into the streets a bit, though the Yellowjackets, Limsa Lominsa’s keepers of the peace, were doing well to keep it as contained as possible.
As Oliver and Atom continued to post their fliers, they were eventually stopped by one of the officers who was following behind them the whole time, ripping the papers down after they put them up. “We got a board fer these things. Ye wantin’ me ta haul ye in fer littering r’something?”
Oliver’s face went from total excitement to absolute fear. She could see her life as a Privateer Captain ending before it even had a chance to begin. “We’re… we’re so sorry, sir. We just…” and Oliver burst into tears.
Letting out a sigh with a smile on his face, Atom placed his hand at the small of Oliver’s back and looked to the officer. “Our apologies, sir. My partner and I just purchased a rather large ship and are simply looking for a crew. Might you be able to direct us to the notice board so we can do this properly and then we can simply forget this whole thing?” The officer pondered for a moment, glancing at Oliver a few times before waving them on, then Atom nodded, “Thank you. We shant make this mistake again.” and then guided Oliver away. A good fifty feet away, Oliver’s head snapped up, not a tear on her face. Atom looked at her in complete shock! “Wait… you weren’t ac-” Oliver beamed a smile at Atom. “Oh, you are good… and a little scary.”
“Look, what’s the point of having feminine wiles if I don’t use them?” Oliver was still grinning from ear to ear.
The Notice board was located in an opening between East and West Hawker’s Alley. Unofficially known as “Recruitment Row”, the area was littered with all sorts of people, most of them looking less than… professional. After all, this might be the seat of one of the Allied Settlements of Eorzea, but it was still a home for privateers and swashbucklers at it’s core. As the two made their way through the crowd, they were not want for attention as the eyes of almost everyone in the area fell on them, which was no surprise considering the way Atom was dressed. Granted, he was a Bard, but his finery was a bit more on the upscale side. He stood out like a sore thumb but this thumb had a sign on its back that said “Look at me! I have money!” in bold, invisible letters. The crowd just watched as they finally approached the board. Waving his hand from Oliver to the board as if to say “after you.” Atom smiled at the crowd, his hand now holding on to Oliver’s collar. Slowly, uncomfortably, Oliver took a flier from her remaining stack and tacked it to the board.
Instantly, Atom yanked Oliver backwards as the crowd rushed the board, almost in a frenzy! In less time than it took for her to put the paper up, it was gone and the crowd was grabbing the rest from her hands! Then, a second later, a vast number of them took off at a full sprint away from Recruitment Row, clearly heading to the docks. Once the papers were gone and a good number of the people standing by with them, the calm after the storm arrived and the area went back to the way it was, as if the last few moments never happened. Such was the way of Limsa Lominsa. “We should get back to the ship. I’m willing to bet we’ll have a bit of a line of interviews to do before we turn in for the night.” Atom smiled softly at Oliver. She didn’t know why but that smile made her feel like everything was okay and nothing else mattered. She felt like she was safe but only time would tell if that feeling was just his charm or something more.
Upon returning to the docks, to say there would be a line was the understatement of the year. There were easily well over one hundred people in line, all of them shouting and pushing as the Dockmaster was doing all he could to get them under some semblance of control. Seeing Oliver and Tom, a look of relief washed over him as he started waving them down. “Put some confidence in your step, Captain.” Atom told Oliver as the two started to make their way to the front. Either Oliver didn’t hear Atom or she was REALLY bad at walking with confidence. She proceeded, side by side with Atom, her chest almost comically puffed out and with a slight stomp with each step. Her eyes squinted as she pursed her lips into a scowl, which also was just… too much. It took almost everything Atom had to not burst into laughter at her. There was just something about her that he couldn’t understand. He didn’t want to be anywhere else than at her side. From performing in the halls of the Sultanate in Ul’dah, to being a co-captain on a ship in Limsa Lominsa about to interview people to become members of their crew and, at that moment, there was nowhere else he’d rather be.
As the two walked up to the Dockmaster, he looked up at them with wide eyes. “Well, you best git aboard an’ git ta work! Ain’t no tellin’ how long it’ll be a’fore the Jackets come down ‘cause o’all tha racket these bilge rats r’causin’ at this hour!”
Atom smiled at him. “You don’t belong on this dock, friend, and I think you know it.” The Dockmaster’s gaze dropped to the ground. “Our ship will need someone who knows these ports inside and out. What say you?”
After a moment of contemplation, the Dockmaster nodded and extended his hand toward Atom. “Okay then. I’ll do it. After all, someone needs ta make sure that Oliver doesn’t crash this ship into the first city you guys get to! Name’s Jero, by tha by. Now, seriously… We need ta git this line shortened and fast… Last captain tha’ had a turn out like this ended up spendin’ more time in the brig than on their ship!”
