B.M.A. [8/11/17]: Where They Get Got

>Vivian: First, find rope that you can tie this guy with. Second, hold interrogation (with help from the captain, of course)

I also support looting the pirates' ship. If they have a ship. And don't loot them a lot; there's no need to be mean. Just loot them enough to teach them a lesson about how it feels to be looted on the high seas. NOBODY LIKES IT!

>Vivian: The best course of action would be to reverse it back on her. It is technically your first day on the ship, and you have no clue about what to do with P.O.Bs. If she insists, don't make him walk the plank. As a fish, it will be an easy exit.

>Instead, go for stern, but calm. As if you were dealing with a somewhat-more intelligent child. Wait for everyone to gather, and then board the ship after making sure the pirate that fell down the stairs is either dead or unconscious. If he is neither and is in hiding, he could run away with your ship while you are boarding the pirate's ship.

>Going alone onto an enemy ship, regardless of how strong Francine is, is bad. That is why it would be best to wait for others.

Francine putting you in charge of the situation suddenly makes you anxious, more than you ever were in the recent combat. Staying alive is simple, just follow your instincts, but trying to make a good impression on someone is hard. You are not used to giving commands!
You nod towards a bundle of rope and make an asking expression, but Francine shakes her head slightly. Take no prisoners. Since you are not intimidating in the least you decide to reason with the porbeagle instead.



“Hey, you should, like, give up and join us instead” you venture, unnerved by his huge, unblinking eye staring at you silently. “I'm sure you'd be paid well! Besides, I think your captain isn't treating you right. It sounds like a con where he gets rich and you an early grave…”
“Yeah, otherwise we make you walk the plank!” Francine interjects and looms over the sitting pirate, scowling and snorting.
“Wait what, if we do doesn’t he then get away? He’s a fish.”
“Yeeess? The captain doesn’t want to take prisoners so I’m letting him go. I have no intention of feeding his useless butt all the way to Goodport!”
“I think you’re willfully misinterpreting her orders…”
“Captain Earhart is a good kid, and a brilliant sailor for her age, but sometimes you have to take liberties interpreting her orders. In time she’ll come around and agree that your way was what she really meant without knowing it.”



“Excuse me, but I can't help feeling that I've been insulted in some way”, the porbeagle pipes up, “but I'd still be willing to hear more of this supposed betrayal by my captain?”
You breathe in deeply. Okay you can do this. You are going to impress the heck out of mr. Francine.
“Tell me something, mister…?”
“Just Benjamin. Pleased to meet you!”
“Alright, Just Benjamin, we picked you up from a pirate ship. How you ended up there?”
“Well, there was nothing left for me at the reefs. I picked up what little possessions I had and went to join the fleet to make ends meet. My useless brothers followed me afterwards.”
“Just like thousands of fishfolk before you?”
“Exactly.”
“And tell me, at any point did you feel accepted? Like you belonged?”
“Sure, of course. Why wouldn’t I? It’s the porbeagle fleet!”
“Uh. But. You see, the fleet is keen to talk about bringing progress and stability-”
“No, they’re pretty much all about pillaging.”
“Okay, but. Like. They’re building a bright future and it’s not meant for the likes of me and you, right?”
The pirate scratches his nose and furrows his brows. “I guess? I haven’t really given it a thought before.”
“Well, you shouldn’t bother to think too much about it! The bottom line is that they don’t think in terms of good and evil but whether you’re useful or not, and that’s really really bad and that’s why you should join us!”
“...”
“Pretty please?”
“I didn’t understand anything of what you were trying to say, which means you must be really smart! I believe you, sign me on!”







Suddenly Blake raises up from the cargo hatch and looks around, noticing you. He walks up to where you stand without any particular hurry, as if he was on a pleasant stroll through park instead of a battlefield. When he comes up close you notice he looks pained even though he tries to hide it, and shields his midriff as he speaks.

“Situation report.”
“We beat up some pirates and recruited this fellow!” you say, swelling with pride. You think you did pretty well for your first day at the job!
Francine makes a sour face and shakes her head. “The captain won’t like it at all. She hates pirates and won’t let one serve on her ship.”
“I run this operation. I make the decisions, not captain Earhart. He can stay.” Blake says with a flat tone, fully expecting the discussion to be over.



Francine looks incredulous and is about to say something, but you hurry to interrupt her before these two get into an argument.
“What happened to you, mr. Blake? You look pretty banged up!”
“I was cornered by another trio of pirates. Things looked grim, but suddenly a porbeagle fell from the sky on top of them. I used their confusion to attack and made them flee. Captain Earhart is chasing after them. That should keep her busy for the time being.”
“What about the others, are they okay?”
“Cassie and Doctor Lapin MD have boarded themselves up in their quarters, Joe is helping the pilot to secure the bridge, and Jan is out of sight hiding somewhere.”
“He got jumped on too?”
“I doubt he is even aware there is an attack.”



“New recruit! Welcome aboard to the Resistance. What is the composition of your forces, in herein and on your ship?”
“Just two parties, six in all. And there’s almost no-one on the ship...truth to be told we have had personnel retention problems lately after hitting a rough patch. Most of the crew mutinied and went to work for McPorburger catering instead.”
“Good, good…” Blake mutters absentmindedly as he turns to scan the ocean.



“There. That’s where the pirate vessel is located. We’ll take the ship’s boat and launch a raiding party. The primary objective is to sink it to avoid pursuit. The secondary is to secure sea charts and other useful materiel. The ex-pirate shows us the way in. Vivian, he seems to trust you so I want you to tag along. Questions?”
“Several”, Francine says, “but the first one is that it is a very stupid idea.” She crosses her arms and juts out her chest defiantly.
“That is not really a question.”
“Whatever! We can’t board an enemy ship while ours is still unsecured, and that proven turncoat might lead us into a trap!” She points at the porbeagle.
“It’s called taking the initiative. We have the situation under control here, and offence is the best defence.”
“The captain won’t allow-”
“Your captain swore her allegiance to the Resistance, and by extension that includes yours. If I give you a direct order will you follow it or not?”
Francine clams up for a moment, then shrugs out a sullen fine.



“We’re going stealing? Count me in!”
“Huh, where did you come from?” You are startled by Jan appearing behind your back, unannounced like a lazy cat.
“My loot sense was tingling. Where’s the joint we’re burgling?”
You point over to the spot where a dark shape floats under the waves.
“Aw jeeze, in the water of all the places? I have to get my floaties...”

Who will go to the pirate undership? The boat has five passenger spaces, of which you and Benjamin take two.

Blake is all around good at infiltration, but is wounded
Jan is the sneakiest, but can’t swim
Francine is the strongest, but cannot fit through narrow spaces
Cassie is aquatic, but panics easily
Joe is good at hurting people, but has dubious loyalties
The pilot can evaluate sea charts the best, but uses gunpowder weapons

Doctor Lapin MD is not available for off-board missions

Francine and Blake

Vivian, and Benjamin,
Pilot,
Jan,
Francine,
And then, let Cassie swim over. If it's too far to swim, them leave her here.

Francine and the Pilot can handle fights, Jan can scout before they need to, and for a simple sea chart smash and grab, that should be functional.

Blake chooses himself, Francine, and Joe for the away team, all competent individuals more than capable of looking after themselves, and you as Benjamin's handler. When Jan hears he is not picked he protests but drops the issue when he gets stonewalled by Blake - his decision is final. Still, you can see from Jan's expression that he is determined not to let simple lack of means keep him from all that sweet, sweet loot!



Neither does Francine say anything. Instead she goes straight to ready the windlass to lower down a small rowing boat for your trip, working with stiff, angry movements.

“Do you need help?”
“No, I can handle this by myself!”
She then stops and turns to you, looking tired. “I'm sorry that I snapped at you, kid. It's not your fault.”
“It's okay, I'm used to people wanting to get rid of me…”
Hearing that all the anger melts off her. “Ohmigosh that's so sad! Come over here let me give you a hug!”
Without waiting for reply she scoops you up in her meaty embrace and squeezes you tightly.



She is surprisingly soft for someone so big and strong, and smells like home. After an indeterminate time you are returned, giddy and lightheaded. “Hey kiddo, if you want to help then would you get some first aid supplies from Doctor Lapin, MD?” she says and pats your back, sending you on your way.



When you return carrying bandages and poultices you see Joe on the deck, taking off his clothes.

“Hi, what are you doing?”
He groans and pretends not to see you at first, but eventually has to accept you persisting within his field of vision.
“I was informed that a 'special task’ is chosen for me.”
“Oh right, you're coming with us to sneak on the pirate ship. Are you taking your clothes off so you can swim better?”
“...yeeees? That is exactly what I was thinking of. What else could it possibly be?”
One or two reasons come to your mind, but you decide to change the subject.
“No offence but I just don't see why they drag you along, it's not like we're going to need a bartender over there.”
“No offence but I just don't see why we're dragging you along, except perhaps as a live bait. Let's just say that I am a man of many talents and leave it at that.”
“But-”
“At. That.” He glowers at you.



Seeing how Joe has decided to play a grump you turn to Benjamin to pass the time.
“So, what was your job at the pirate ship?”
“I was the mid-undershipsman. It meant that I stayed in the mid part of the undership and out of everyone’s way. I passed the time by practicing ropework and embroidery and got pretty good at it! Want me to show you after we get back?”
“I would be delighted to! I love knitting...wait, what is an undership anyway?”
Benjamin shrugs. “It’s just a normal seafaring vessel traveling on the ocean’s surface. Except that it moves on the other side of the surface than usually, of course. It’s really good for sneaking up on unsuspecting people!”
“Is your captain there?”
He laughs. “No, no, of course not. She’s with the Porbeagle Fleet’s main flotilla a couple day’s sailing from here. We’re just one of the many raiders they send out to gather loot for her shiny, glorious-”
“Yes yes I know the Retirement Fund. We really need to talk about that too after the mission…”

With the preparations ready you get in the small boat and slip away from your main vessel. Francine takes the oars and with her powerful strokes you glide across the deceptively calm sea. Spray glitters and sparkles in happy colors in the warm sunlight and the boat creaks and rocks gently, the journey's pleasantness completely at the odds with the sense of dread creeping over your head. The others do not seem to pay attention to it - Blake is focused on scanning the sea while Joe keeps moping, and Francine seems positively happy being lost in exerting herself - so they do not notice Benjamin growing more anxious the closer you get to the pirate undership. He leans in and whispers to you.

“Heeyy...don’t tell the tiger boss guy, but there is someone else on our undership I didn’t mention earlier.”
“What? Why not?”
He seems flustered. “It’s kinda silly thing...there is, like, this weirdo I kept seeing every now and then, but I don’t think he really is part of the crew.”
“Weirdo, how? What they look like?”
“I can’t really say! I just caught glimpses of him disappearing behind a corner, or heard walking noises from corridors that were supposed to be empty… I just assumed the higher-ups knew who he was and tried to ignore him, because if he was a stowaway then they’d make me search for him, and he gave me the heebie-jeebies!”
“I think this is something Blake should know about!”
“Please don’t tell him! I don’t want him to think that I’m a coward who’s jumping at shadows…”

You consider this for a moment, then nod in agreement. It does sound a lot like just a ghost story, and you can always pretend it was you who saw the mystery stranger if it turns out to be true and Blake needs to be informed.



Soon your boat stops next to a dark shape looming under the surface. Benjamin explains that most of the undership is dry and has breathable air, but the main access is through a moon pool at its bottom so a short swim is necessary. He leads the way by jumping into the sea and one by one the rest follow. You are the last one left bobbing alone above the waves, making you hesitate. What you are about to do is dangerous and crazy, and there is a very real possibility that you could die here alone and away from your family. You do not know these people very well and neither you are sure you want to help their cause to begin with - you can sympathize with them but you are not an adventurer - and Blake's plans for your future do not exactly fill you with confidence either...

Why Vivian chooses to follow them?

You are a weapon now. That's a scary thought and a huge burden, but it's going to be the truth. If it shall be the truth, let it be true on your terms. Seize your destiny.

Because Blake said so.
You're finally part of something bigger than you, surrounded by people that rely on you. Have faith in your superior and do your part. Teamwork makes the dream work, insubordination can only drive you away from your destination.

>Ask Benjie for a layout of the area. Surely he knows all the good hang-out spots for his ex-crew. (By which you'll avoid at all costs)

>Now would be a good time to inform Francine of any unknown entities that might be lurking on this ship.