Day 1, Early AM - Taking stock

[Rixy]

"All of us are capable sailors as well as crafters, O-Kaiu-sama." There was the faintest hint of upset in the man's tone though it was well hidden. "But, hai, we do one craft and do it very well."

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko nodded, apparently satisfied with Chuckles's reply. It was possible that she was even pleased.

"Good. So what needs being done the most?"

It seemed that the Kaiu was eager to get to work.

[Rixy]

"I wouldn't presume ta tell O-Kaiu-sama what she'd best be fit for."

Eyes were kept carefully down.

"If it was Amaya-san here to do the askin', though, I'd tell her that we've got a need of more ballista bolts after O-Moshi-gunso's practices. Recovered a few, mind, but they still have to be repaired."

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko was quiet a moment.

"Well, since Amaya-san is taking care of ropes, I will take care of the ballista bolts, starting with the ones in need of repair."

There was another pause.

"Chuckles, how long have you been a sailor?"

[Rixy]

"Took to the sea with my da startin' when I was a lad of three or four summers. Nothin' fancy, just a little fishin' skiff, but I been on the sea ever since."

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko actually smiles at him.

"So it would be safe to say that you have a bit more experience than I do with sailing?"

[Rixy]

The smile wasn't returned or, for that matter, observed...the man was still looking at his own gnarled toes.

"If O-Kaiu-sama thinks so, must be true."

[Kaiu Seiko]

Seiko sighed. She never was very good at this whole "talking" to other people. Not really.

Ironic.

"Show me where the ballista bolts in need of repair are," she said, technically ordered.

[Rixy]

The man saluted and then led the small group back to where the others, who had been whispering, fell silent again, studiously working and avoiding the samurai's gaze, though the girl did flash a smile at Amaya.

The pile of rescued bolts, a half dozen in all, lay neatly stacked in a corner behind some chests of tools. "All you'd need is in there." Chuckles pointed it out and then waited to be dismissed.

[Kaiu Seiko]

"Arigato, Chuckles," she replied, keeping her tone as neutral as possible. "You may go."

[Rixy]

Go he did, returning to his fellows...but not without sheparding Amaya in front of him, clearly putting himself between the newest ashigaru and the samurai.

[Amaya]

Amaya saluted the samurai and waited a moment to ensure the 'if Amaya is doing the ropes' comment had been a dismissal. She seemed to be just on the cautious side, wanting to avoid making any sort of scene with strange samurai she didn't know before getting to work on the ropes. It was hard to say if she was nervous, though. Her face showed no sign of it, but she was also weather-beaten and battle hardened enough not to look much like anything but 'rough.'

[Kaiu Seiko]

It seemed that Seiko had dismissed Amaya, as she was concentrating on repairing the ballista bolts instead of watching to make sure that the heimin have moved on.

[Amaya]

The salute done, Amaya followed after Chuckles, looking about for the rope that was in need of tending. As she squated into place, she seemed eager to be about doing something, while privately taking note that she'd probably be working at least in the same general viscinity as the other woman for the foreseeable future.

[Rixy]

Knots was delighted to see her, once he was done bowing and scraping at least. Leaning toward her, he murmured quietly into her ear under the guise of showing her a knew knot.

"Good ta see ta Cap'n let ye stay w'us. Not a good time ta be on decks, away from yer fellows that can keep ye from troubles."

[Amaya]

"Tell m'bout it," she muttered in low tones. She almost looked towards the Kaiu, but thought better of checking on the woman and sat down to the ropes with a grunt and a sigh. "Anythin t'stay outta folks way fer a bit's my wish right now. Let'm forget I exist again. All's better that way."

[Rixy]

He nodded, some of his smile fading a little. "Dunno what's ta be done yet but I 'spect we'll learn soon...Happy said he saw the Cap'n callin' in them what was involved ta his cabin."

[Amaya]

She frowned and shrugged. "It's not s'much a change f'me. Feels like mainland, only lots more'f then than us than I'm used to. Still, things're ... normal," she said, though something in the low tone that she used to murmur back to him didn't exactly sound pleased that thing were so normal.

[Rixy]

"Not fer a Mantis boat." Like most Mantis-looking peasants, Knots was justifiably grateful of and appreciative of his masters' (relatively) benevolent lordship. "I mean, sure, Budoka takin' a swing'd get him punished fer sure but bein' where we was 'n all it'd be treated differen'."

[Amaya]

She nodded. "Might go back t'normal for that soon 'nuff. Cap'n is Mantis, an so's a Gunso, an th'Isawa sounded like that when he talked t'me," she said just above a whisper. "But till't does, I'm playin th'way I know. Less they ask more'f me, it's jus like old times. Safer, I say. Never know which're touchy bout ways they know better."