milliways_bar | (no subject)

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Barney is both ticked off and not wearing a suit this morning. He's in a green shirt and pants, for reasons you'd have to ask him.

He is frowning and poking at a bowl of some multi-grain cereal. It doesn't make him an old person, just health conscious.

He'd love to grumble about Ted at someone.

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Catalina shakes head. "Thank you, I am not hungry. Maybe tea? The bar gave me something named Earl Grey a few days ago, I must say I liked it."

No, she is not blushing. Why she would be blushing?

Barney snaps his fingers at a waitrat. "Earl Grey tea for the lady, and be quick about it."

He turns back to Catalina. "How about you? How is Catalina doing?"

"Hmmm... I am well. My fleet is stopped at Syracuse for now, while my ships are mantained... general cleaning, caulking and carening as needed, then we will go on a circuit of the eastern mediterranean looking for turkish raisers." Good money in that, of course.

She does seem tired and a trifle tense, while sitting down at Barney's table.

"Always good to stop for some caulking," Barney says. "And I don't think those Turks will know what hit them."

"Oh, they will, I am becoming quite infamous with them. I have heard Suleiman the Magnificent put a price on my head." And she says that with an edge of pride.

But really, with all that work ahead, she should take a chance to rest. Maybe take a vacation...

"Wow. Now that's impressive. Though I hope you'll make sure no one cashes in on that," Barney says.

"I will make sure of that. My crew knows that if they tried to cash it, they would be arrested and executed along with me. The Turks do not make deals and do not pay if they already have the goods in hand."

Of cours,e there are several monarchs and rich people who would pay a lot to have the firce lady pirate as a pet or slave, but Catalina is blissfully unaware of that.

"Good. I like your head right where it is," Barney lies.

Because, well, he knows he'd prefer it a bit closer. And down a few feet.

"I like it as it is, as well. I would not look nice wearing a rope around my neck." She makes a face, shaking head.

"Noose chic, not your thing," Barney says.

The waitrat finally shows up with Catalina's tea.

"So you've got yourself a busy time coming up."

"Soon, yes, a couple months of sailing, and battling, to keep the trade routes open to Europe." The tea is accepted and enjoyed.

"Man," Barney says. "Sounds rough."

"But needed. And profitable." She will never find the Franco fleet unless she sails along. And while sailing along, better to make a lot of gold to keep the crew happy.

"Is that really all you want, Catalina?" Barney asks. "Profit?"

"No, I want revenge. This is all a means to an end, find the cowardly scum who ambushed and killed my brother and my fiance." Oh, that is a new cold tone of her voice.

Barney pauses for a second. "Wow, that really wasn't the answer I was expecting."

A sigh and a shrug. "It is the truth. Gold just means a large fleet enough to hunt down the Francos and send them to the cold depths."

"Well I hope you find them," Barney says.

"I know João Franco is sailing the world with the Franco Fleet. I know they have the prince of Portugal hostage, and that Duke Leon Franco is going to try to usurp the throne to his family as well. I will get my revenge, and I will expose that bastard as the murderous scum he is."

"That's a pretty tall order," Barney says. "You sure you want to worry about that now?"

"Less than a year ago I had nothing, now I am the commodore of a five-galleon fleet. João's frigates will be a challenge, but not impossible." No, she is not overconfident.

"I meant, like, right now," Barney says. "In the bar. With you. And me."

Ahe blinks, startled... "Ah... sorry. I am sorry, I lose myself in certain ideas sometimes." Like revenge.

She really needs to think away from it, lest the obsession consumes her.

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't mind losing myself in you sometime," Barney says.

Startle, blink. "What?" She is not sure of what she heard, really.