I'VE ALWAYS LOVED YOU, BONNIE. I'VE ALWAYS LOVED YOU.

[dousing]

PARTNERS IN CRIME MEME You're madly, hopelessly in love. You also just happen to be a crime duo. Whether you're bank robbers, pulling off jewelry heists, going on spree murders, committing arson, stealing candy from babies, or whatever else, you do it together. The Bonnie to your Clyde, the Thelma to your Louise. If you go down, you're going down in a blaze of glory that will always be remembered. Maybe you're on the run. Maybe you're the authorities chasing after the pair of criminals. Can you catch them? Bring them in peacefully? You have to try no matter what. • Top level your character. Include any details you might think are relevant. Or don't. As always, we're not the cops. • Reply to other people's top levels! • Have fun!

Comments

hello I'm sorry this took me so long I fail

[calicojack]

Jack's primary concern was keeping the British out of Nassau and away from his ships, funnily enough the British Navy's primary concern seemed to be something awfully similar in return, it was an acceptable battle with an almost familiar feel. Then the French happened.

The French, it seemed, were making more of a nuisance of themselves currently than the Spanish had been, and suddenly he had a common enemy with the British, especially when he found himself and his crew stuck in a port town, currently besieged by the French, at the same time as a naval vessel, and he was smart enough to know which way victory lay.

Still, he wasn't all that certain of his own intelligence the first time he walked into the mostly-navy populated bar where the British were planning their next move. He did his best to ignore the stares he was beginning to attract and walked right up to the person who looked like they were most in charge.

"I have a proposition for you," he began, there was no time for preamble when surrounded by enemies who would happily see you hanged.

psh slowtags are my whole ish

[midship]

It wasn't a good sign. It wasn't remotely a good sign.

This far out, there should only be the pirates to contend with. In these waters, there should only be an uneasy feeling out of the tension between the Spanish three-deckers and the odd British ship of the line to be spared. The fact that the French are here--that they're showing force this far out into what ought to be the Crown's domain--doesn't bode well for the war on the continent.

Nations must be falling. Bony must be turning the rest of Europe entirely upended. The Spanish might even be switching tack, if things continued in this vein.

The Admiralty is getting desperate. Even newly-minted captains like Horatio Hornblower can feel the tension radiating down the line.

That desperation, more than anything, is what has him gesturing down the instinctive movements of his lieutenants. It's hardly proper protocol not to pounce upon known pirates (or, at the very least, to throw strangers away from the quiet conversations that took place in rooms like this). It's not exactly a time for proper protocol.

"Talk, then."

Re: psh slowtags are my whole ish

[calicojack]

Jack is tense, watching the movements of the lieutenants around the man, knowing that they'll attack with a single word from the captain. Thankfully, when that word comes, it's a call to stand down, and his gaze returns to the captain with the tiniest appreciative nod, he knew the man was well aware Jack's life was in his hands, and while he didn't exactly want to acknowledge it out loud, it wasn't going to go unnoticed.

"A ceasefire, of a sorts, in recognition of our common enemy," he went straight in with his proposal, words measured but rapid, clear but quick enough that he could get them out before anybody decided to interrupt.

"Several pirate crews I have contact with are willing to call a halt on all raids on British naval vessels and instead turn their attention solely on the French, on the understanding that no man will be arrested for piracy by the British navy and no pirate ships will be attacked by you until such time that the French are dealt with and the ceasefire is called off. After that, everything goes back to normal."

[midship]

They're already here. He's already allowed that the man shouldn't be tossed from the room or clapped into irons. Surely that means the plan deserves a fair shake.

That doesn't mean Horatio's face doesn't briefly crease into an obvious frown.

It isn't a bad plan. Honestly, it creates something of an ideal situation. They don't have nearly enough support from their own guns to repel the French. The help which might be on the way will take more time than they have to keep the situation in hand. A few more ships, a few more highly capable crews (and, Horatio had to admit, he'd yet to see a pirate ship not crewed far better than half a dozen of the sorry excuse for pressed French swabs); they might just squeak a victory out long enough for the truly heavy guns to sail back into place.

There is, of course, the difficulty of knowing he would have to write back to the Admiralty about it.

"And how should this be-- solemnized, in your mind?"

It's not that he doesn't trust the pirates. It's just that it's difficult to trust the pirates.

[calicojack]

"Ah, of course, the navy and their paperwork," still, Jack's tone is a little less biting than it might normally be, almost playful instead, he can see that his proposal is definitely being considered and he doesn't want to ruin it with his smart mouth before it's agreed to. "I still don't understand what's wrong with taking a man at his word." He was always a little offended that they wouldn't accept his assurances and wanted some kind of contract or collateral to prove he was trustworthy, if he gave his word he meant it. Mostly. Okay, so he knew plenty of pirates who were not remotely trustworthy, but still.

"I'm willing to do what is necessary, within reason, what sort of thing would be amenable to you? A hostage situation to encourage our cooperation, some kind of written contract, threats of violence, what do you wish?"