"Up!" Markus called, his voice falling on deaf ears as the new crew hung limply in their new hammocks. The sun had risen, and thank the Gods it was a fine day to sail. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and the wind was with them. If only his crew was. Markus had lead men before, and he knew how to wake sleeping mercenaries. With a quick swipe of his sword, Jax's hammock fell head first. The fey touched hit the ground with a thud, and he arose with a myriad of curses. 

"Ack, who the bloody-...oh, marning Captain." he replied, far more jovially when he realized who had cut the rope. 

"Up, ye scabrous dogs!" Sketti roared and clanked his metal appendage to a hammer, and soon the crew was stirring and hopping out of their hammocks.

Minutes later, Markus stepped out onto the deck. He cut the figure of a warrior prince in all but attire, though he had changed out of the rags. He wore full, dark breeches contrasted by a white linen shirt. The brown frock coat he wore had its sleeves rolled up, and on his chest was a baldric where four knives hung, as well as a brace of pistols Sketti had gifted him. On his hip, his backsword hung ready. 

He was simply out here for appearances sake. Soon he'd steer the ship's wheel out of the bay, but for the moment the whole party wasn't on board the ship. Sketti called for the mainmast to be risen, and the triplets scurried to do just that, bringing the lad Jim along. Sketti then began his ascent to the helm, unscrewing the brass head of his arm stump for a reason Markus couldn't guess. 

Sron had begun to pull up the anchor with their muscled bodies, though the mooring line was still in place. The Gnoll yanked it up in short order, growling as he did so. Markus remembered how much of an ordeal it was for himself to do it. The beast made it look far too easy. Then again, everything seemed to move slow when he was running for his life. Meanwhile, Corsica and Halvar, along with the Elven Scholar had begun to transport the items they had requisitioned from the marketplace onto the ship. The red headed woman looked nearly as strong as the Norgard Viking, and the Elf helped where he could. 

Sketti had been dubbed Quartermaster the night before, and the Dwarf, with typical perfectionist Dwarf tendancies, made sure they were accounted for with food, water, and rum for two weeks, even with a Gnoll on board. That, coupled with six barrels of shot & powder, backup weaponry, oil, and various other crafting materials and even witchery equipment. Once Sketti made it to the helm, he gave Markus a grin. "Everything looks good, Captain." 

"Now we just need to wait for the first mate." He replied, a hint of criticism in his voice. Still, he gave an acerbic smile. He didn't know what Calliope would be up to, but no doubt it would cause a stir. Her fierceness was one reason he had made her First Mate and not Quartermaster. Typically, pirate crews did not have First Mates, the title usually going to the Quartermaster, as he was the crew's representative and second in command. But the title of First Mate was often given to one who was not responsible for the crew, instead simply having near the power of the Captain. 

"I been meaning to talk to ye about that." Sketti said, taking a hook and screwing it onto his forearm. Markus thought it was a bit on the nose, but he supposed hook hands had practical value. "How long have ye known her?" 

"A week, give or take. Why?" His tone showed the swordsman was wanting Sketti to get to the point. 

"And ye trust her? I don't need to remind ye she went home with that bastard." 

"Not particularly." Markus replied. He trusted that she was angry enough at the world to stick around while Markus cut through it. She wouldn't deter them, at least. A call from Jax in the crow's nest signalled that Calliope was arrive via carriage. The Half Elf also gave a suggestive whistle that carried on the wind as she sauntered up the plank.

"Don't get me wrong, I like her so far. But she's a viper, mark me words." Sketti said. Markus chuckle. "Just make sure the crew is ready to sail." 

It took them less than an hour to get out of the bay and onto the open ocean. The wind had them moving at 7 knots due north east, as Markus had some sense of where they needed to go. Calliope would provide the precise bearings however. Aeltheron kept their mileage. They would need to use Dead Reckoning for a time. As Calliope left her quarters, she would be greeted by Jim, the lad. He obviously did his best not to give a dumbfounded gaze at her voluptuos charms, simply telling her the Captain wished to see her in his quarters. 

"Thirty fathoms!" Phil the deckhand called, and Sketti gave him the thumbs up. The crew moved to and fro, keeping the sails with the wind and the ship from cresting the waves too quickly. She would approach Markus' cabin, to the passably carved oak doors that led to his joint office and bedroom. Inside the Captain's cabin, there was a Queen sized bed on the bottom left corner of the room, and a lantern hanging over it. There was a work desk at the back center of the room, and behind that was the view of thew open sea. Framing the desk was various bookshelves, and to the right was a weapon's rack. Above the center of the room was a lamp chandelier, and below that was a fine table for dining. 

Markus was now pouring over the map, and he did not bother to look up as she entered, instead tracing his finger along a path through the north eastern ocean. "So, did you have fun?" he asked her. He then looked up at her after her next reply, his eyes examining her before meeting her own gaze. "What did he want?" 
[@Penny]