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Breakfast was a bigger success than dinner had been for sure, not only because it was easier to make, but because Rob was a little more confident the second time around. Ishaan's help had been a welcome surprise, as the cleaning up was the easiest but also the worst part of the process.

"I'm happy to do it for free." he said with a smile, wiping his hands on his apron after washing the last set of dishes. "This is easier than I thought. The captain helped last night, I didn't know she could cook - and this is quite informative." He picked up the cookbook from the counter and gave it to Ishaan to check it out, opening it on the recipe he'd made the previous night. "See? It even has pictures!"

***

While the rest of the crew had their meal, Klaire had been busy writing a letter to Brimstone requesting files of the officers on reserve duty. She'd just released the messenger bird through her window when the person she'd been meaning to talk to next knocked on her door.

"Come in!" She said, waiting for the door to be safely closed behind him to let it all out. He didn't even have to ask - Klaire told him everything. From Rob's emergency call, to Ishaan's desire to forfeit the mission and everything in between.

"I fucked it all up, Rowan." She said in the end, plumping down on her chair and covering her face with her hands. "This is a disaster."
 
"The Captain helped cook?" Ishaan asked, the tone and expression on his face showing a mixture of surprise and amusement. If her carrot chopping from two nights ago was any evidence, Rob was merely being polite, just as he had been. He wandered closer to inspect the recipe (and picture!), dark gaze scanning over the page in interest. It was fairly simple to follow, but damn, it'd been good. "Have you worked long with her? The Captain, I mean. Or this is your first mission together?"He inquired innocently, flipping the page of the cookbook to glance at the next recipe.

---

Rowan had eventually taken a seat on the opposite side of her desk, facing her, and listening intently to every word she uttered. Once she was done, the smallest of smiles appeared on his lips. "I've served a number of capable captains, commanders, and admirals - if they didn't call their very first mission a disaster, they were lying to themselves."

He'd watched her grow and train, through blood, sweat, and tears, to be where she was today. This was a mere hiccup. A hiccup that could easily be fixed.

"We are porting in Brimstone tomorrow. What do we do about the three vacant positions, Captain?" He wouldn't give her the answers - she knew what to do, she just needed a little nudge in the right direction.
 
Rob leaned against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest while Ishaan flipped through the pages.

“Byrn and I go way back, she’s been kicking my ass since we were fifteen.” He chuckled. “No wonder she’s captain now, and I’m… Well, you know. How about the two of you, how long have you met?”

***

Rowan always knew what to say to make her feel better. Klaire smiled at her mentor; she still felt terrible, but at little bit less, thanks to him.

“I’ve already gotten in contact with HQ, hopefully one day is going to be enough time to interview and try out three new officers.” She answered, lighter after spilling all of that out to him. There was still the matter of Ishaan, but that was something she’d have to figure out by herself.

“I’ve also written a report for their trial. I don’t think we’ll stay long enough for the sentence.” Some crimes took longer than others to get judged. Flying a skyship with black flags was enough to sentence a sailor to death for piracy, but when the defendant was an officer - especially when it was a well connected one - that sort of thing tended to last longer, if it wasn’t just pushed under the rug.
 
Ishaan chuckled beneath his breath, easily picturing fifteen year old Klaire beating on the boys, short brown bob and all. It didn't surprise him, she had the type of aura around her that matched Rob's response; driven, intense, goal-oriented, up for the challenge. Though he swore he'd seen her confidence waver a handful of times already... though perhaps that hadn't been in a professional sense.

"Not long," the man responded, looking up from the recipe book. He didn't know what Klaire had told the rest of the crew; surely not that they'd met the day before they'd departed or that Ishaan hadn't even been her first choice. Regardless, the man felt like he could depend on Rob - trust him. "She managed to convince me to sign the contract the night before we left. She's quite persuasive."

---

Leaning back in his chair, hands folded within his lap, Rowan merely listened to her plan, to the actions she'd already taken. Pride sprouted within his chest, though he didn't show it, his face remaining neutral and stoic. Once she was done, he nodded his head, before asking, "And the navigator?"
 
“Sounds like her.” Rob walked past Ishaan and opened the kitchen door just enough to peek through, closing it again once he made sure there was no one in the mess hall. He removed a small flask from inside his jacket and sipped on it, before handing it over to Ishaan with a wink.

“She told you how dangerous this mission is, didn’t she?”He asked, a little hesitant. It would come as a surprise if she hadn't said that this was a high risk, high reward situation. “I’m pretty sure Jay wanted your job. A navigator gets twice the pay a regular officer does, and you coming out of nowhere pissed a lot of people off."

***

Klaire let out a heavy sigh. It was obvious that was going to be a problem. She stood quiet for a moment before answering.

“He signed a contract, he can’t leave.” She answered simply. Klaire had thought a lot about it the previous night, how much Cilma’s shop meant to Ishaan, and how easily it’d be to take it away from him. It was a viable threat, that she’d never put up to use if she could avoid it. “How’s his training? Do you think he’s getting any better?”
 
A mere second of hesitation passed before Ishaan accepted the flask, bringing the opening to his lips and swallowing half a mouthful of the contents. He handed it back to Rob and closed the recipe book, sliding it back onto the shelf, where it belonged. A small handful of others welcomed it, sitting like innocent maids.

"She said it was dangerous, yes. Personally, I figured the danger would come while travelling through the desert or finding the pirate city, but yes, she did warn me." He didn't say anything about his position though, nor his pay. A gentleman didn't speak about his salary, especially when it was so substantial.

"Do you know if there's been earlier missions?" Unsuccessful missions.

Of course, Klaire had told him about one - one that'd occurred fifteen years ago. But he wanted to know more without asking the woman he was going to let down.

---

"Contract or no contract, men have done far more foolish things than break their word," Rowan responded, tone low and hopefully not too grim. She should be prepared for either scenario.

In response to her question, the stoic man finally gave in and chuckled lightly beneath his breath. "Ask me in a month and maybe I'll have a different answer. He's green, eager, but significantly weaker and undisciplined compared to the rest of the men." He paused. "He will have enough skill to fend for himself, if needed, at least until the others can step in." Besides, his role as the navigator was far more important. Heaven forbid they got lost before or after they found Armadilla - it would be a death sentence. In most cases, at least. Klaire knew that well.
 
Morning drinking was not a good idea, but Rob couldn’t help but take another sip after Ishaan’s question. He wasn’t sure if he should answer it, but lying wasn’t really a thing he used to do.

“Yeah, a few.” He frowned, screwing the cap of his flask shut and putting it back where it belonged. “They still pay though, even if it fails. Do you have family, Ishaan? For me it’s my twin brother, our mother and our little sister. We’re pretty screwed so… I asked Byrn for this job. For them.”

***

“I’ll do what I have to do to keep him here.” She said, though her tone made it clear she wasn’t happy about it. They were soldiers, they all knew what this mission entailed, but Ishaan… He’d survive and return with a map to Armadilla, even if he was the only one. After everything had been said Klaire stood up, guiding Rowan towards the exit.

“Thank you, Rowan.” She smiled, leaving the room with him. He surely had other things to do, and she had a navigator to locate.
 
A few.

That wasn't promising, nor was the rest of Rob's response. The mission paid well and his family was desperate for money; they'd get it regardless of Rob's success. Regardless if he returned.

Gods, he should've taken another sip.

"No, no family left. Had a fiancé once. Only left behind a couple friends and a house. What about you? Got someone back home?"
 
Rob raised his eyebrows.

"A fiancé? What happened?" He asked, crossing his legs and arms, still leaning against the counter. He shook his head. "I don't have anything like that, unfortunately. Never been very lucky with women."

Speaking of women, the door to the kitchen was pushed open and Rob was glad he'd hid his flask. The officer stood up straight, raising his right hand to his forehead when he recognized who'd walked in.

***

Klaire knocked on Ishaan's door, getting no response. Her second guess was the main deck, and after failing to find him there she thought that maybe if Rob was still in the kitchen he'd have any idea of where Ishaan was as they'd seemed to be getting close. It was a relief to find both men hiding there.

"Hi." She said, motioning for Rob to relax before turning to Ishaan. "Can we talk?"
 
If that was the case, between the two, Ishaan must've gotten all the luck. He'd never had difficulty in that department, even during his early adolescence. Of course, nothing ever got quite serious as it had with Molly, though it hadn't been his first proposal either. First serious one, but not his first.

Back then it'd been harmless fun; a simple copper ring, one they'd found and he carved up, fit for a girl who was anything but simple. She'd practically forced him into it - for the ring, of course. After all, from the moment they'd found it, she had wanted it. For a little while after fleeing Goswick, he had wondered if it made it's way back to the sands where it belonged.

"Her name was Molly. She didn't want to share me with my work," Ishaan responded, the smallest smile present across his features. "In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have had as many late nights." His smile widened. "Learn from my mistakes. When we get back home, we'll find you a nice girl."

The door swung open and Ishaan's smile faltered upon seeing who had interrupted their conversation. With a slight nod, he began to walk to the door. "Your office? Or mine?"
 
Klaire tried to keep her face as straight as possible, despite her relief when Ishaan asked her a question that gave away no indication that she had been caught listening to people's private conversations.

"Mine." She answered, stepping out of the doorway so Ishaan could walk ahead of her. She then smiled at Rob. "Thank you for saving me." He smiled back.

"Anytime! I'm gonna try to bake a cake next, so wish me luck!" Rob turned around, picking a rag out of the counter and slapping it over his left shoulder.
 
"Good luck," Ishaan grinned, shooting Rob one last look before taking his leave with the Captain. "I imagine it's been a while since the crew has had cake on the Dragonfly," he mused, glancing over at her as they walked down the hallway. "Tell me, Captain, do you have a sweet tooth?"
 
Klaire knew her next conversation with Ishaan would be a difficult one, but seeing him in a better mood than she’d seen him last time brought an unintended smile to her lips. Ishaan’s guess was right, they’d never had cake at the Dragonfly or any other skyship she’d ever been to.

“Doesn’t everyone?” She asked back, feeling his eyes on her while she looked forward. “I hope he gets it right, I like cake.”
 
"People can surprise you," Ishaan responded with a shrug. "He'll get it right though. And if he doesn't, I'll teach him." He flashed her a smile, despite the underlying meaning behind his words. The likelihood of Rob beating him to a pulp was low, even if he did interfere - how fortunate for them all.

Soon enough, they reached the larger office, Klaire opening the door for him and later closing it firmly behind them. In the middle of the room sat a massive table, with the map of the world stretching across it. It was impressive, beautiful even. The tiny details and precision were evident from afar, and merely confirmed as Ishaan stepped closer to it. "Whoever made this has quite the eye," he commented, dark gaze raking over the finely drawn lines.
 
Klaire couldn't think of a rebuttal for that, and for that reason she remained quiet all the way to her office. Ishaan was the one to break the silence.

"It's from an artisan in Cósta Duba, I can't remember his name…" Klaire said, following Ishaan to the edge of the table. She placed her hands on top of the South Sea and Dragontail, leaning down to look under it. "It should be encarved here somewhere."

The table had a few loose pieces on top of it. Red dots in most cases, spread out across the desert section. Most of them were more concentrated on the west, near the mountains. After failing to find the artist's name, Klaire stood back up.

"How are you doing today?" She asked, walking over to a cabinet under the window, searching for a bottle of scotch and two glasses. She poured a small amount in each glass and took a sip of hers, before offering the other to her guest.
 
Attention to detail was essential in his work; without it, a map was inaccurate, a journey would very likely be led astray, souls had the potential to be lost forever. As she searched for the name, a name he knew was Williams - Kendrick Williams (there was no one else in Costa Duba who had such talent) - Ishaan's gaze flickered over the red dots. They were significant in the desert, by the mountains - no man's land. Potential leads? Past pursuits or missions? Failures?

He looked up as she did and watched as she turned and began to pour the drinks. A second alcoholic beverage, and it wasn't long after lunch. Did he look like he needed one? His jaw was slightly swollen, he had developed some significant dark circles beneath his eyes, and dark stubble had appeared across his cheeks. But was it enough to warrant day drinking? Perhaps.

Her question, a rather innocent question that avoided the elephant in the room, well, it reminded him of their first meeting. A smirk appeared across his lips and he watched her intently, taking the glass from her once offered. "Can't complain," he responded, taking a sip of the rich liquid. "And yourself, Captain?" The man asked, deciding to play along.
 
"Can't complain? Really?" Klaire narrowed her eyes, taking another sip of her drink and holding it up. There was also a smile on her lips; if he was in a good enough mood to dance around the subject, there was still hope for her.

Klaire changed the weight on her legs, her fingers trailing over the edge of the textured table. There were a million ways she could go about it: If her father was captain he would quickly bring up the contract, her uncle would likely offer Ishaan more money. Klaire had been coming up with a strategy of her own, but her gut told her to improvise.

"I need you to stay." She said.
 
"Yes really. Today I can't complain." Again, ignoring the mental and physical fatigue, the swollen jaw, the slight headache...

Her next words were quite forthcoming, though obvious. His smirk faltered, turning into something less sly, and more bittersweet? "I know you do. And I know that I said I would." That I'd signed my name, that I'd promised. He paused, trying to find the right words, and unable to do so. "But..." The dreaded word. "I don't know if I'm built for this."
 
"Why did you say yes?" Klaire asked, and her expression hardened. "I told you it'd be dangerous, you know where we are going. A couple punches and it's not worth it anymore?"It wasn't supposed to come off as an offense, but if Ishaan took it that way, Klaire wouldn't apologize for it. She needed a reason, and she knew money wasn't the only one.
 
Now that was a response he hadn't been expecting. A perfectly valid, assertive response from someone he hardly knew, and yet he was still caught off guard. Not that he'd let it show.

His smile faded, and he placed the glass firmly on the table, allowing silence to fill the room. Tense silence.

"The money, naturally. And the contract, of course. One that clearly outlined my duties, and yours, as my employer. And yet you were unable to uphold your end of the bargain." He paused, gathering his breath, before continuing. "Now, I do recall you mentioning that it'd be dangerous - you are correct. I also recall mention of ten highly trained officers that would ensure my safety. Ironic, isn't it?"

"Captain Byrn, I try to be a fair and honourable man. So no, it's not the punches that have deterred me, but rather the inability of my employer to uphold the contractual agreement."
 
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