Thomas smiled to the First Mate as she opened the door. Her transformation back to the hardened, yet strikingly beautiful naval officer was in stark contrast to the woman he had glimpsed earlier. The blue eyes that met his own copper gaze felt icy and distant, but Thomas refused to let the happiness drain from his face. 

“I didn’t imagine you did, Lieutenant. Forget about our meeting, that is.” Thomas said as he came into the small cabin and took a seat, with the smile still curling his lips and the stubble upon his jaw. “Thank you for seeing me.”

With great care, Thomas set the two mugs down on the table, and poured generous helpings of coffee into each. When they were filled, he set the pot aside, and placed one of the mugs before Nicolette as she took her seat across from him. She asked after the purpose of their meeting, and further if he was hurt. To these questions, Thomas’ genuine smile grew fractionally larger.

“Ah, well the answer to your second question dovetails nicely with the answer to your first.” Thomas brought his mug of coffee to his lips and blew upon the steaming ebony liquid before sipping at it. The coffee was still very hot, but the first sip danced pleasantly upon his tongue nevertheless. He used the moment as he sipped to organize his thoughts, and decide upon his next words. 

“You have a keen nose,” Thomas said as he turned in his chair, presenting his back to the First Mate and resident doctor. With only a slight cringe as he contorted his arms, Thomas lifted his linen shirt, exposing the freshly marked tattoo upon his flesh. Thomas spoke down to his boots, as he no longer faced Nicolette. “I must confess that this injury is of my own doing.”

He shrugged, “It is perhaps a foolish thing to have done before a voyage, but the man that has been tattooing me is only available on rare occasions.” Thomas pulled the shirt back down, and shifted in his chair to face Nicolette once more. The smile, ever present since his visit, remained.

When he spoke next, his voice was the smooth and romantic sound of buccaneer French. “As for the answer as to why I asked for you to meet me, I wanted to speak with you about trust. That is why I showed you my back. No one else besides the artist has seen the work. Its meaning is very personal to me, and I hope you take my forwardness in showing you in the light of friendship that it was intended.”

Thomas sat forward, leaning his elbows upon his knees. He looked to Nicolette with a gaze that spoke of openness. “I trust you, Nicolette,” He said, softly emphasizing the use of her given name. “I trust you because I see your drive and commitment in handling the [i]Skate[/i] and the men that sail her. Your merit is without blemish, and that is why you are my First Mate.”

He opened his hands and shrugged once more. “You were bold in coming to me and seeking out a berth on this ship. I liked that about you, as you well know. However, you must also realize that your boldness notwithstanding, I would never have allowed you aboard my ship if I did not trust you, or more appropriately, thought you capable of gaining my faith.”

Thomas paused to smile, hoping to keep the conversation light. He took another sip of coffee.

“I know you are a private individual, and that is your right, as it is any person’s right. I know very little about your past, and that fact does not trouble me. Discretion is freedom in the New World, and I value it highly. When it comes to my friends, and those in whom I place my own fate, I look only to the now, and to the horizon beyond.”

Thomas lifted an eyebrow to the First Mate, the corner of his mouth naturally following the upward arch of his brow. “Your are my right hand aboard this ship, the person I know who has the capability to sail the [i]Skate[/i] through hell’s black waters, and back out again.”

With his eyes glittering with curiosity, Thomas leaned back into his chair. “What I want to know, Lieutenant, is how I can gain that same trust from you?”