[Westport HtV] IC-Main Thread 1
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		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Extreme =&gt; Extreme Small Groups =&gt; Topic started by: ivygrowth on 06-12-2011, 06:42:42</h2>
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				Title: <strong>[Westport HtV] IC-Main Thread 1</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>ivygrowth</strong> on <strong>06-12-2011, 06:42:42</strong>
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				It was just past dawn as the Queen's Emerald navigated its way through the narrow opening into the bay.&nbsp; They were visiting an unremarkable little island not far off the coast, the only thing about it worth noting being the large bay that dominated its center.&nbsp; They had been sent here by a millionaire, who wanted all goods from a supposed shipwreck recovered.&nbsp; There had never been reports of a shipwreck in the bay, but then, it wasn't a place where many visited.<br><br>Captain Smith was a middle-aged women who was attractive in something of a masculine way.&nbsp; She was fit and weathered, with short cut brown hair just starting to go grey.&nbsp; She had been on deck long before the sun broke the horizon, making sure her ship was properly navigated through the treacherous shoals.&nbsp; Most of the rest of the crew were still below decks, sleeping in one of the cramped bunks or enjoying a quickly made breakfast of scrambled eggs, orange juice, and coffee.&nbsp; <br><br>The arrival at the Queen's Emerald in the bay was announced by a sudden silence.&nbsp; Captain Smith had cut the engines, and a moment later let the anchor drop.&nbsp; The ship's intercom rang out with her voice a few minutes later. <strong> "All hands on deck in fifteen."</strong>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Westport HtV] IC-Main Thread 1</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>AndyZ</strong> on <strong>06-12-2011, 16:48:24</strong>
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				<div class="floatright">(http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/6085/003avy.jpg)</div><br>When Stephanie had been growing up, there had been a number of credit card commercials talking about how so many things could be purchased in order to have a desired effect.&nbsp; Designer jeans, a light jacket and waterproof boots were easily picked up, but she was currently more concerned about a baseball cap, working the many strands of her hair up into the material as just another layer of disguise.&nbsp; Stephanie never wore baseball caps, which would be exactly why her father would never expect her to wear one, or to recognize her if she did.&nbsp; The ensemble was completed with a pair of expensive sunglasses, but she left her purse in her cabin, knowing the stylish black leather was too much of a giveaway to her identity.<br><br>So far as Stephanie knew, Captain Smith didn't know who Stephanie's father was, or much of anything else beyond her first name and her interest in going on a minor cruise.&nbsp; Put enough money into a situation and most people just didn't want to ask questions.&nbsp; It left people to believe in the eccentricity of high society, an excuse which enough people have used before, and was now sufficiently ingrained into the common belief that few even questioned the idea.<br><br>So adorned, she checked her smartphone for any messages before plopping the device into her back pocket.&nbsp; She couldn't wait to see her father again.&nbsp; It occurred to her, not for the first time, that it might have better had she simply called and mentioned her interest in going, but she hadn't.&nbsp; Years of coincidences, always being just too busy or plans changing at the last minute, had ingrained themselves into her mind, congealing from gooey slush into the concrete of certainty.&nbsp; He was avoiding her, and she didn't know why.&nbsp; Did he want a son?&nbsp; Was he ashamed of her?&nbsp; She knew only that had she simply tried to meet up with him, he would have vanished upon the wind before she even got to see his face.&nbsp; This time would be different.<br><br>Once she was convinced that he wouldn't recognize her on sight, or at least that she'd done her best to ensure the unlikelihood, she stepped out from her cabin to inhale the salty breeze.&nbsp; A slow but peaceful smile crept over her face.&nbsp; Whether on a yacht for a pleasure cruise or here on a salvage vessel, the sea was the sea, ever changing but eternally the same salty water that awaited her on vacation after vacation.&nbsp; Even if her plan utterly failed, it was a relaxing way to spend the time.&nbsp; Slowly at first, she started her way up towards the deck.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Westport HtV] IC-Main Thread 1</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dizzied</strong> on <strong>07-12-2011, 18:50:45</strong>
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				(http://i.imgur.com/GqfSzs.jpg)<br><br>Cheryl knew the importance of keeping well fed while at sea. If the boat was good, there wasn't much to worry about, but you never know when a problem could happen...a problem that could require hours of non-stop work to fix. Eat when you have the chance, she always told the crew of her own vessel, the <em>Sea Sword.</em> She took her own advice, eating a hearty breakfast of eggs and juice in the crew's quarters.<br><br>The Sea Sword...her late husband's fishing ship. She had left her first mate in charge of running it while she was aboard the <em>Queen's Emerald.</em> Andre was a reliable man, and had more experience sailing that she did by over a decade. She had faith in him. And while normally she would have preferred to captain her own ship, the <em>Queen's Emerald</em> offered some much-needed cash that would help cover her son's tuition costs at college. He had lost his scholarship, and she'd be damned if she would let him drop out halfway through a petroleum engineering degree.<br><br>She climbed up on deck, wearing a light blue windbreaker to stave off the October winds. She tied back her long, dark hair to keep it from blowing about her face. She was still unsure about what exactly the work would entail, but she was confident she could handle it. "Good morning, Stephanie," she said to the young woman on deck, greeting her with a smile. "Excited for today?"
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Westport HtV] IC-Main Thread 1</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>AndyZ</strong> on <strong>07-12-2011, 20:23:03</strong>
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				<div class="floatright">(http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/6085/003avy.jpg)</div><br>The sudden recognition surprised her a bit, making her give a quick glance around in the hopes that her father wasn't in earshot.&nbsp; It was most likely a silly thought, since they were already out to sea and it should be too late for him to try any sort of escape, but she didn't have the practice in such matters to attempt to hide her nature.&nbsp; Even so, she hoped that the captain hadn't already revealed her first name to everyone on board, since her father wasn't apt to believe in coincidence.<br><br>"Oh, hello," Stephanie said, taking a seat to grab herself a bagel and slather on just a touch of cream cheese.&nbsp; "It's nice to meet you, but you have me at a disadvantage, Miss..."&nbsp; She paused to allow the other woman the chance to fill in the blank, her hands trembling just a little.&nbsp; "It should be an interesting day; I've never seen a salvage before."&nbsp; Her eyes glanced back out towards the cerulean waters.&nbsp; "Just a little sad that it's too cold for swimming.&nbsp; I don't even have a bathing suit, just that when I'm usually out on the water, it..."&nbsp; She seemed to realize that she was babbling which made her shut her mouth.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Westport HtV] IC-Main Thread 1</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dizzied</strong> on <strong>08-12-2011, 04:05:42</strong>
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				(http://i.imgur.com/GqfSzs.jpg)<br>"Moore. You can call me Cheryl, though," she answered. "It's nice to meet you. The captain mentioned some of the other crew members names...and I thought you fit the bill," she says with a self-satisfied smirk. "This is my first salvage, too...mostly I'm just a fisherman. I'm hoping for good weather...storm season is over but you never know what might crop up," she says, looking out over the sea.<br><br>"Swimming?" Cheryl laughs. "Well, there might be some free time when we get on the seas, but I wouldn't count on it. Not sure how the captain would feel about that anyway. I've only spoken to her a little...I think we'll be kept fairly busy." <br><br>Cheryl stretches her arms over her head, yawning. "Though a swim in this water would sure be a nice way to wake up..."
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Westport HtV] IC-Main Thread 1</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>AndyZ</strong> on <strong>08-12-2011, 05:40:32</strong>
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				<div class="floatright">(http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/6085/003avy.jpg)</div>Bits of concern slipped their way over Stephanie's features.&nbsp; It wasn't that she didn't like making friends; quite the contrary.&nbsp; However, it was going to absolutely kill the element of surprise.&nbsp; She tried not to make a fuss, simply smiling and hoping that Cheryl wasn't paying enough attention to notice Stephanie's concern.<br><br>Who was she kidding, anyway?&nbsp; She wasn't exactly skilled at deception.&nbsp; Her father was probably already a thousand miles away.<br><br>"Just seems strange to be out on the water and not going for a swim," Stephanie said, a little bit of embarrassment in her tone.&nbsp; "Nice to meet you too, Cheryl."&nbsp; She just decided to be out with it.&nbsp; "I don't suppose you've heard if the millionaire is actually on board with us?"
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Westport HtV] IC-Main Thread 1</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dizzied</strong> on <strong>08-12-2011, 18:48:24</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				"The millionaire...you mean the one funding this operation? Afraid I have no idea...Captain Smith never said. I wouldn't count on it though...I wouldn't be out on a working vessel if I had that kind of money," she laughs.<br><br>"So whats your deal? No offense but you don't come off as a nautical type...are you in college or anything?" Cheryl asks.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Westport HtV] IC-Main Thread 1</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>AndyZ</strong> on <strong>08-12-2011, 19:13:35</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Stephanie nodded as she took a seat, giving a gentle smile, but her cheeks ever so faintly blushed in slight embarrassment.&nbsp; "Maybe he won't..."&nbsp; She couldn't help but sound disappointed, both in the situation, and in herself for not thinking of that.&nbsp; "Guess we'll find out."<br><br>She paused for a bit to consider, not sure if she wanted to say things right out, but at least grateful to have a friend here.&nbsp; She lowered her voice, leaning in to explain.&nbsp; "I'm his daughter.&nbsp; I came on hoping for the chance to surprise him; I haven't gotten to see him in years."&nbsp; It sounded so foolish and childish when she took the time to explain it, but she didn't want to go into detail about her personal life, at least not yet.&nbsp; She probably already sounded pathetic enough.&nbsp; "You're probably right, though; why would he come out here with everyone?"
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Westport HtV] IC-Main Thread 1</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dizzied</strong> on <strong>09-12-2011, 05:00:58</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Cheryl looked stunned. "You're his...oh. Wow. Sorry, I didn't know..." She licked her lips nervously. "Well, he might show up...I mean, I don't really know what he's planning this whole salvage for anyway...wasn't much info in the ad." She paused. "You don't happen to know, do you?"<br><br>"Why haven't you seen him in so long? If you don't mind me asking," Cheryl makes sure to add.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Westport HtV] IC-Main Thread 1</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>AndyZ</strong> on <strong>09-12-2011, 05:47:50</strong>
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				Cheryl's sudden surprise made Stephanie smile, both in reassurance and in feeling so much better that the woman didn't find her actions silly.&nbsp; "Yeah, I haven't mentioned to anyone because I want to surprise him if he's here."&nbsp; The questions, however, made her shake her head.&nbsp; "He'll claim to be around, sure, and I usually end up feeling bad if I try to say anything..."&nbsp; Her fingertips danced through the air in a futile attempt to figure out how to better explain.&nbsp; <br><br>"I have no real idea what would be in the salvage; I'm mostly just curious to watch and try to understand why he would be interested in such a thing.&nbsp; Mostly, though, I'd like the chance for more than just a few hours with him."&nbsp; Softly she sighed, leaning back against the wall.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Westport HtV] IC-Main Thread 1</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dizzied</strong> on <strong>09-12-2011, 18:17:30</strong>
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				Cheryl wanted to comfort the young girl...but it wouldn't be wise to assure her he'd be there, since she had no idea if that would be the case or not. "Well, if he does come, I'm sure he'll be very happy to see you," she said, lightly touching Stephanie's shoulder for a second.<br><br>"Has he ever done anything like this before? Salvage or anything like that?" Cheryl asked, curious about the operation, and the man. She was surprised to hear this was uncommon for him...just what was supposed to be on that sunken boat anyway?
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Westport HtV] IC-Main Thread 1</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>AndyZ</strong> on <strong>09-12-2011, 18:35:15</strong>
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				Although Stephanie fought to keep her smile on her face, a gentle trembling worked its way through her body, and her eyes drifted back off towards the waters once more.&nbsp; "...yeah..." she replied noncommittally, not really sure what to say and barely responding until the question of her father's activities arose.&nbsp; "I don't really know what he does.&nbsp; I've never heard of him doing anything like this, but he might.&nbsp; He never talks business at home, just smiling and evading any questions about it."&nbsp; She probably shouldn't have said anything.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Westport HtV] IC-Main Thread 1</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Dizzied</strong> on <strong>10-12-2011, 17:58:06</strong>
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				Cheryl could tell the girl didn't have the healthiest relationship with her father. She was striving for his attention, to the point of trying to arrange some surprise time together...she hoped she'd never put her own child through that.<br><br>Deciding it was time for a change in topic, she cleared her throat. "Well, if this is your first time working at sea, you should ready yourself. Do you know if you get seasick? Being related to the sponsor won't get you any special treatment, if I've read the captain right," she says, trying to lighten the mood.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: [Westport HtV] IC-Main Thread 1</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>AndyZ</strong> on <strong>10-12-2011, 18:17:51</strong>
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				"Well, I was hoping just to be able to watch, maybe help out with light things where I won't be too in the way."&nbsp; Gently she shrugged.&nbsp; "If the captain really wants, I can try.&nbsp; But no, I haven't been seasick since I was a little girl."&nbsp; She smiled with a degree of pride.&nbsp; "So how much do you know about this wreck?&nbsp; I haven't heard much of anything."
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