Aja was sitting in her office, going over the latest shipping manifests, when the watchman came into the office and waited for Aja to look up.
"Aja. The Banshee is coming in, she doesn't look good."
"Crap." Aja got up then, heading out of the office, and out to the docks. She hoped the reports they got were exaggerated, but she saw the Banshee being towed in, she knew things got bad out there. "Holy hell." She ran a hand through her hair and stood with her guys waiting to secure the vessel once she made it dockside.
The Banshee edged ever closer, sails are torn, the rigging was chipped, planks of wood from the Banshee's sides were lost in places and her crew were working as quickly as they could to keep the ship's mast from breaking apart altogether. It was obvious that Hina's ship was the only thing keeping the Banshee moving at all. Aja could see the long oars in the water off the back of the ship used to steer, as the rudder had to have been severely damaged.
Aja stood with her crew on the docks, completely speechless of the vessel as she practically limped into the mooring bay. She nudged the man standing next to her. "You. Go get Parker, in case someone's injured." "You got it, boss." The man took off for Parker's office and Aja returned her attention to the Banshee, watching her crew spring into action to secure her to the dock and keep her afloat till the repairs could be made.
Moments later, Hina was walking down the plank of the lead ship, with a rather sour look upon her face. Bridget was helping her men push the plank down on the dock, several of them looking worse for wear. Soon Captain Bridget Kidd was making her way off the ship to meet up with Hina. They stood silent for a moment, Hina spoke first. "We'll find him. Don't fret Bridget, he's a strong man....He'll be alright." That caught Aja's attention, she looked between the two, concerned. "Who's missing?" Bridget looked up at her, she looked as if she had been sobbing for the better half of three or four days. "Padriq.." Bridget replied softly, and Aja felt her heart practically stop. She stood stunned for a long moment, just staring at Bridget and Hina, praying that she had heard them wrong. Bridget's face told her she hadn't. "Padriq." The name was practically whispered, then she took a deep breath and tried to gather information about what happened. "What the hell happened?" she motioned to the damaged ship in the harbor. "The Banshee looks like it's been through a war." "We got caught in a hurricane." Bridget answered. "Swells over took the ship and most of the crew that could be spared was down below tying things down. P...Padriq wasn't wearing a life line because....because....because there wasn't enough rope. I thought he was just being defiant, but I discovered that he used the last of the rope to tie me off." She started to sob again. "A swell came up, knocked me back....and I looked up to find Padriq gone."
Aja was sure the world was spinning cause she didn't feel so good all of a sudden, she wasn't even thinking about what the expression on her face gave away, she and Padriq may not be together anymore, but she never wished him harm of any kind. Aja looked at Bridget then. "Do you know about where you were" I'll pull strings with every captain from here to Tarton if I have to. Pirate. Legit, it won't matter...I've got favors to call in." she looked between Hina and Bridget, she was so intent on the two ladies and her mind going over things to help find Padriq, she didn't notice much of what the yards crew or Parker were doing as they settled the Banshee, it's crew and got the wounded attended to.
Hina nodded and motioned to Aja to follow her. Bridget had to go tell her family of the issue, but it looked like she wasn't quite ready to do that the way she followed along with the ladies. Hina started to speak since Bridget didn't. "We found the Banshee about three days ago. Looked like hell then and it's breaking apart now. From where we found her, Padriq could be anywhere," She paused to nod to Parker for his work with the crew. "But I have the coordinates on my ship." Aja numbly followed Hina, nodding in the right places and considered what she was saying. A man lost at sea was never good, somehow this was worse. Aja put an arm around Bridget. "I'll send everyone I know a photo of him...we'll find him Bridget." Bridget nodded to Aja as she murmured. "I don't know what to do Aja....His luck just isn't there any more....The storm was so.." She broke off between sobs, too afraid to say what was running through her mind. "No...don't you even think it...Padriq's the single most stubborn man I've ever known. He's going to be fine." Aja said forcefully, trying to believe that herself. "No way some damn storm takes down Padriq Kidd. "No way the sea will ever be able to claim the Kidd family Bridget, so don't think on it." Hina reiterated as she stepped into her office, heading to her desk. Hina paused before the women and offered up a rolled up map. "I don't know how the others are going to take this. You know how they felt about Padriq."
Aja merely took the map and nodded at that, the Kidd family had its quirks to be sure, she wasn't sure how they would react to Padriq being missing. She motioned to one of her crew, who dropped what he was doing to come over to the ladies, stopping in front of Aja, standing at attention. "Captain?" he asked, and Aja handed him the map. "Every captain we know...you get the communications officer on it, contact every single one...friendly or not...send them the photo of Padriq Kidd. And if they act like they don't want to help, tell them there is a reward in it if they find him. No one tells me no on this. Any that do, I'll visit personally." The crew member didn't even raise a brow to her serious tone, that matched the stony expression, he was a little surprised at the order. But concentrated on the matter at hand. "Where is the photo, Captain?" he saw her make a small face at that and exhale softly. "My top desk drawer. Go!" she ordered, making the crew member take off with the map. Aja looked back to Hina and Bridget.
Hina swallowed softly as she watched Aja do her best to assure Hina and Bridget. Bridget was still besides herself as Hina spoke again. "Padriq has always been there for Bridget and me when the boys have been up to their own misdeeds. It would be wrong if someone didn't look for him." Bridget nodded in agreement with Aja's actions. "Thank you....Even after everything that has happened, you're still a great friend." Bridget was being sincere, Aja only felt guilt. Had she found a better way around the mess, this may have never happened. She looked at Bridget and sighs a little, blinking back some tears that had crept up on her. "It's my damn fault he's out there." Aja ran a hand through her hair. "Anything you need, Bridget." Aja meant that, but she paused as her eyes caught sight of the ship that was three bays over. The one she was building for Padriq. The idea hit her quickly. "The Whirlwind....it's almost finished...I can put every damn man I have on...get it done...Send it out to aid in the search." It would seem fitting that his ship would be out there to find him. Bridget nodded as Hina looked out the window to the Whirlwind.
"I'll help, have some of my men come and put them to work too. Together we'll have that ship out in no time to look for him while the Banshee is fixed up and made stronger. Bridget you can go on the ship and your ship can stay here to be fixed, what do ya say?" Hina made a good suggestion, but Bridget shook her head then to Hina. "My place is with my ship....It always will be....My brother would want that. Stephen and Robert know that too." Bridget looked to Aja then. "Put someone you trust with your life on that ship to find my brother, please. Someone who won't quit when other's have." "I'll captain the Whirlwind myself if I have to, Bridget. We'll find him. I swear to it. And he's gonna be fine...alive. You just keep believing that." Aja looked then at Hina. "Any help to get the Whirlwind operational would be appreciated...we were a couple weeks out from finishing." She turned her attention back out the window, to look at the nearly finished vessel. "He helped design her...would be good fortune if she is the one to find him." "Let's pray the seas haven't swept him far." Hina murmured under her breath as she looks to the ship. A soft shake of her head comes and goes before she murmured to Aja. "I'll send scouts ahead to scour the seas, once the Whirlwind is done....We'll fill it up with crew and set it out to find it's captain." Aja nodded a little.
"We'll find him...we have to." She touched Bridget's shoulder gently. "You know him...he's stubborn...He'll make it, Bridget. You'd feel it if he was gone...you two were always connected closely. He's alive out there...just waiting to be found and cursing that's there's no decent rum." That made Bridget laugh softly and she shook her head. "True. So we better make sure the ship is stocked with plenty of it." "You know we will." Aja looked between the ladies and got determined. "We'll bring him home." She gave a wave to the yards. "I'm going to get the boys on it, I'll run shifts...This is now a full time...twenty four hour project till it's done. I'll get the shifts set and get them going." Aja took a step to the door then, Hina nodded at her statement. "You'll have extra hands by the end of the hour. A whole crew, tell them what to do and where to go and we'll be done with the ship in no time." Hina's attention was then on Bridget. "You go get rest I will inform Stephen and Robert....And Donal." Hina shook her head a little. Telling the Kidd boys that Padriq was missing was not going to be easy.
Bridget nodded, looking like she could use the sleep rather than having to deal with her brothers. She didn't want to tell Stephen or Robert....She wasn't sure she wanted to tell them at all. Aja watched Bridget for a moment, she could see the toll the last couple days had had on the woman. "You can stay here at the yards...On the Breeze if you don't want to accept a guest room in my house." Bridget shook her head to the offer. "I will sleep with my ship for now Aja, thank you." She wiped her eyes and nodded as if she had made the decision and that was that. Bridget soon was making her way out of the office to head back to her ship while Hina shrugged to Aja. Aja gave a knowing look to Hina, then headed out to yards, shouting orders to the crew that had them moving en mass to the Whirlwind and starting the work of finishing the vessel.
Hina followed after Aja as she frowned. "You can't think like that either Aja. Alright' Bridget will come around, just give her time okay?" Aja looked at Hina confused by the words for a moment, then caught what she probably meant, and nodded a little. "She's out of her mind with worry. As am I...Padriq and me ...may not have worked out...but I still care very much for the man. We will find him, Hina. I'll do everything in my power to see to that." "And when he's found" What then" What will happen to him when he comes home to a family that all for one feels he should be lost forever or back in Ireland and the one woman he pledges his heart to still today is married" Or to be wed as Franco says" What will we do with such a broken man?" Hina looked to Aja curiously, who just sighed.
There was little she could do about the way Robert and Stephen reacted to Padriq. That was a family drama she had her opinions about, but it was always up to Padriq to deal with. As for her and Tru, that was something different. Padriq and her had already talked it over. The day he left, they had vowed to remain friends, they cared too much for the other to cut ties completely. Aja wasn't sure what other people had thought of the situation, but that wasn't her concern either. She had enough to deal with in her life, she couldn't start fretting over public opinion. Padriq and her had come to their own understanding, that was enough.
"It's a very complex situation, Hina." Aja stared at the Whirlwind as she talked. "I never wanted to hurt him. Ever. He's a good and decent man...He'll someday find someone who is deserving of that love and devotion." It was a Politian's answer, Aja thought, but one that would work for now. "Mmm....I know that." Hina nodded softly from her spot and gave a strong sigh. "The question is, how will the storm have changed him' If at all?" Aja thought about that for a long moment, then decided that such questions were not to have answers right now. "I don't know...Hina...I just don't know. That's a secondary problem...we have to find the Padriq needle in a very large haystack first...then we'll concern ourselves with other things." Hina sighed again as she stood there.
"Ten to one Stephen will care with this issue." "Which issue?" Aja looked at Hina, Stephen on any given day, chose to care or not about any number of things. "Padriq. I don't even know if I should tell him at all." Hina frowned a little more. "He always seems not to care." Aja could only nod about that. "Stephen is a strange man to be sure. He always wanted Padriq to be someone he wasn't...and that, was not good for Padriq. Always trying to be someone for someone else." She looked back at the Whirlwind then. "I had hoped he'd take the time to discover who he was for himself..." Aja trailed off then and waved a hand. "Secondary issues...we have to find him first." "Yeah." Hina frowned a bit while she folded her arms behind her back. "God I hope that boy is doing alright. Please, please, may he have found a plot of land with fresh water." "If the gods have any mercy, he has." Aja's eyes then scanned the sea. "He's going to be found." "That boy lived through a siren, he'll be found and he'll be fine." Hina said quietly, Aja only nodded then looked at Hina. "We both have work to do. I'll have Parker keep a close watch on Bridget. Make sure she eats and attempts to sleep." Hina gave a nod to that. "I have a family full of Kidd's to hunt down and tell the news to." "I do not envy you. Good luck." Aja said sincerely. She did not envy Hina's job that day. "Thanks Aja, for all the help." "Least I could do. Like I said, I do still care very much for him. I'm going to help the boys. Gods speed to you, Hina.? Aja gave a wave as the ladies parted ways.
Hina nodded again and turned on her feet. Soon enough she was starting off the ship and heading towards the RhyDin docks, or at least the Powder Keg to tell the Kidd family one of their own was missing.
The Banshee edged ever closer, sails are torn, the rigging was chipped, planks of wood from the Banshee's sides were lost in places and her crew were working as quickly as they could to keep the ship's mast from breaking apart altogether. It was obvious that Hina's ship was the only thing keeping the Banshee moving at all. Aja could see the long oars in the water off the back of the ship used to steer, as the rudder had to have been severely damaged.
Aja stood with her crew on the docks, completely speechless of the vessel as she practically limped into the mooring bay. She nudged the man standing next to her. "You. Go get Parker, in case someone's injured." "You got it, boss." The man took off for Parker's office and Aja returned her attention to the Banshee, watching her crew spring into action to secure her to the dock and keep her afloat till the repairs could be made.
Moments later, Hina was walking down the plank of the lead ship, with a rather sour look upon her face. Bridget was helping her men push the plank down on the dock, several of them looking worse for wear. Soon Captain Bridget Kidd was making her way off the ship to meet up with Hina. They stood silent for a moment, Hina spoke first. "We'll find him. Don't fret Bridget, he's a strong man....He'll be alright." That caught Aja's attention, she looked between the two, concerned. "Who's missing?" Bridget looked up at her, she looked as if she had been sobbing for the better half of three or four days. "Padriq.." Bridget replied softly, and Aja felt her heart practically stop. She stood stunned for a long moment, just staring at Bridget and Hina, praying that she had heard them wrong. Bridget's face told her she hadn't. "Padriq." The name was practically whispered, then she took a deep breath and tried to gather information about what happened. "What the hell happened?" she motioned to the damaged ship in the harbor. "The Banshee looks like it's been through a war." "We got caught in a hurricane." Bridget answered. "Swells over took the ship and most of the crew that could be spared was down below tying things down. P...Padriq wasn't wearing a life line because....because....because there wasn't enough rope. I thought he was just being defiant, but I discovered that he used the last of the rope to tie me off." She started to sob again. "A swell came up, knocked me back....and I looked up to find Padriq gone."
Aja was sure the world was spinning cause she didn't feel so good all of a sudden, she wasn't even thinking about what the expression on her face gave away, she and Padriq may not be together anymore, but she never wished him harm of any kind. Aja looked at Bridget then. "Do you know about where you were" I'll pull strings with every captain from here to Tarton if I have to. Pirate. Legit, it won't matter...I've got favors to call in." she looked between Hina and Bridget, she was so intent on the two ladies and her mind going over things to help find Padriq, she didn't notice much of what the yards crew or Parker were doing as they settled the Banshee, it's crew and got the wounded attended to.
Hina nodded and motioned to Aja to follow her. Bridget had to go tell her family of the issue, but it looked like she wasn't quite ready to do that the way she followed along with the ladies. Hina started to speak since Bridget didn't. "We found the Banshee about three days ago. Looked like hell then and it's breaking apart now. From where we found her, Padriq could be anywhere," She paused to nod to Parker for his work with the crew. "But I have the coordinates on my ship." Aja numbly followed Hina, nodding in the right places and considered what she was saying. A man lost at sea was never good, somehow this was worse. Aja put an arm around Bridget. "I'll send everyone I know a photo of him...we'll find him Bridget." Bridget nodded to Aja as she murmured. "I don't know what to do Aja....His luck just isn't there any more....The storm was so.." She broke off between sobs, too afraid to say what was running through her mind. "No...don't you even think it...Padriq's the single most stubborn man I've ever known. He's going to be fine." Aja said forcefully, trying to believe that herself. "No way some damn storm takes down Padriq Kidd. "No way the sea will ever be able to claim the Kidd family Bridget, so don't think on it." Hina reiterated as she stepped into her office, heading to her desk. Hina paused before the women and offered up a rolled up map. "I don't know how the others are going to take this. You know how they felt about Padriq."
Aja merely took the map and nodded at that, the Kidd family had its quirks to be sure, she wasn't sure how they would react to Padriq being missing. She motioned to one of her crew, who dropped what he was doing to come over to the ladies, stopping in front of Aja, standing at attention. "Captain?" he asked, and Aja handed him the map. "Every captain we know...you get the communications officer on it, contact every single one...friendly or not...send them the photo of Padriq Kidd. And if they act like they don't want to help, tell them there is a reward in it if they find him. No one tells me no on this. Any that do, I'll visit personally." The crew member didn't even raise a brow to her serious tone, that matched the stony expression, he was a little surprised at the order. But concentrated on the matter at hand. "Where is the photo, Captain?" he saw her make a small face at that and exhale softly. "My top desk drawer. Go!" she ordered, making the crew member take off with the map. Aja looked back to Hina and Bridget.
Hina swallowed softly as she watched Aja do her best to assure Hina and Bridget. Bridget was still besides herself as Hina spoke again. "Padriq has always been there for Bridget and me when the boys have been up to their own misdeeds. It would be wrong if someone didn't look for him." Bridget nodded in agreement with Aja's actions. "Thank you....Even after everything that has happened, you're still a great friend." Bridget was being sincere, Aja only felt guilt. Had she found a better way around the mess, this may have never happened. She looked at Bridget and sighs a little, blinking back some tears that had crept up on her. "It's my damn fault he's out there." Aja ran a hand through her hair. "Anything you need, Bridget." Aja meant that, but she paused as her eyes caught sight of the ship that was three bays over. The one she was building for Padriq. The idea hit her quickly. "The Whirlwind....it's almost finished...I can put every damn man I have on...get it done...Send it out to aid in the search." It would seem fitting that his ship would be out there to find him. Bridget nodded as Hina looked out the window to the Whirlwind.
"I'll help, have some of my men come and put them to work too. Together we'll have that ship out in no time to look for him while the Banshee is fixed up and made stronger. Bridget you can go on the ship and your ship can stay here to be fixed, what do ya say?" Hina made a good suggestion, but Bridget shook her head then to Hina. "My place is with my ship....It always will be....My brother would want that. Stephen and Robert know that too." Bridget looked to Aja then. "Put someone you trust with your life on that ship to find my brother, please. Someone who won't quit when other's have." "I'll captain the Whirlwind myself if I have to, Bridget. We'll find him. I swear to it. And he's gonna be fine...alive. You just keep believing that." Aja looked then at Hina. "Any help to get the Whirlwind operational would be appreciated...we were a couple weeks out from finishing." She turned her attention back out the window, to look at the nearly finished vessel. "He helped design her...would be good fortune if she is the one to find him." "Let's pray the seas haven't swept him far." Hina murmured under her breath as she looks to the ship. A soft shake of her head comes and goes before she murmured to Aja. "I'll send scouts ahead to scour the seas, once the Whirlwind is done....We'll fill it up with crew and set it out to find it's captain." Aja nodded a little.
"We'll find him...we have to." She touched Bridget's shoulder gently. "You know him...he's stubborn...He'll make it, Bridget. You'd feel it if he was gone...you two were always connected closely. He's alive out there...just waiting to be found and cursing that's there's no decent rum." That made Bridget laugh softly and she shook her head. "True. So we better make sure the ship is stocked with plenty of it." "You know we will." Aja looked between the ladies and got determined. "We'll bring him home." She gave a wave to the yards. "I'm going to get the boys on it, I'll run shifts...This is now a full time...twenty four hour project till it's done. I'll get the shifts set and get them going." Aja took a step to the door then, Hina nodded at her statement. "You'll have extra hands by the end of the hour. A whole crew, tell them what to do and where to go and we'll be done with the ship in no time." Hina's attention was then on Bridget. "You go get rest I will inform Stephen and Robert....And Donal." Hina shook her head a little. Telling the Kidd boys that Padriq was missing was not going to be easy.
Bridget nodded, looking like she could use the sleep rather than having to deal with her brothers. She didn't want to tell Stephen or Robert....She wasn't sure she wanted to tell them at all. Aja watched Bridget for a moment, she could see the toll the last couple days had had on the woman. "You can stay here at the yards...On the Breeze if you don't want to accept a guest room in my house." Bridget shook her head to the offer. "I will sleep with my ship for now Aja, thank you." She wiped her eyes and nodded as if she had made the decision and that was that. Bridget soon was making her way out of the office to head back to her ship while Hina shrugged to Aja. Aja gave a knowing look to Hina, then headed out to yards, shouting orders to the crew that had them moving en mass to the Whirlwind and starting the work of finishing the vessel.
Hina followed after Aja as she frowned. "You can't think like that either Aja. Alright' Bridget will come around, just give her time okay?" Aja looked at Hina confused by the words for a moment, then caught what she probably meant, and nodded a little. "She's out of her mind with worry. As am I...Padriq and me ...may not have worked out...but I still care very much for the man. We will find him, Hina. I'll do everything in my power to see to that." "And when he's found" What then" What will happen to him when he comes home to a family that all for one feels he should be lost forever or back in Ireland and the one woman he pledges his heart to still today is married" Or to be wed as Franco says" What will we do with such a broken man?" Hina looked to Aja curiously, who just sighed.
There was little she could do about the way Robert and Stephen reacted to Padriq. That was a family drama she had her opinions about, but it was always up to Padriq to deal with. As for her and Tru, that was something different. Padriq and her had already talked it over. The day he left, they had vowed to remain friends, they cared too much for the other to cut ties completely. Aja wasn't sure what other people had thought of the situation, but that wasn't her concern either. She had enough to deal with in her life, she couldn't start fretting over public opinion. Padriq and her had come to their own understanding, that was enough.
"It's a very complex situation, Hina." Aja stared at the Whirlwind as she talked. "I never wanted to hurt him. Ever. He's a good and decent man...He'll someday find someone who is deserving of that love and devotion." It was a Politian's answer, Aja thought, but one that would work for now. "Mmm....I know that." Hina nodded softly from her spot and gave a strong sigh. "The question is, how will the storm have changed him' If at all?" Aja thought about that for a long moment, then decided that such questions were not to have answers right now. "I don't know...Hina...I just don't know. That's a secondary problem...we have to find the Padriq needle in a very large haystack first...then we'll concern ourselves with other things." Hina sighed again as she stood there.
"Ten to one Stephen will care with this issue." "Which issue?" Aja looked at Hina, Stephen on any given day, chose to care or not about any number of things. "Padriq. I don't even know if I should tell him at all." Hina frowned a little more. "He always seems not to care." Aja could only nod about that. "Stephen is a strange man to be sure. He always wanted Padriq to be someone he wasn't...and that, was not good for Padriq. Always trying to be someone for someone else." She looked back at the Whirlwind then. "I had hoped he'd take the time to discover who he was for himself..." Aja trailed off then and waved a hand. "Secondary issues...we have to find him first." "Yeah." Hina frowned a bit while she folded her arms behind her back. "God I hope that boy is doing alright. Please, please, may he have found a plot of land with fresh water." "If the gods have any mercy, he has." Aja's eyes then scanned the sea. "He's going to be found." "That boy lived through a siren, he'll be found and he'll be fine." Hina said quietly, Aja only nodded then looked at Hina. "We both have work to do. I'll have Parker keep a close watch on Bridget. Make sure she eats and attempts to sleep." Hina gave a nod to that. "I have a family full of Kidd's to hunt down and tell the news to." "I do not envy you. Good luck." Aja said sincerely. She did not envy Hina's job that day. "Thanks Aja, for all the help." "Least I could do. Like I said, I do still care very much for him. I'm going to help the boys. Gods speed to you, Hina.? Aja gave a wave as the ladies parted ways.
Hina nodded again and turned on her feet. Soon enough she was starting off the ship and heading towards the RhyDin docks, or at least the Powder Keg to tell the Kidd family one of their own was missing.