Hoshiji Yuugi - Departure for the Red Archipelago [ask first]

Claes considered the question (after managing to consume her meal without gagging, that was).

"An educational experience is definitely part of it for me as well," she admitted. "Though it also has to do with obligation. As someone who has sworn to protect the people of Esterelf, it's crucial that I understand its neighbors and its people. I also believe seeing Sakigake for myself will help me better serve the Enkidu in Esterelf since it would clue me in on their background and their ancestry."

To alleviate the taste of fish in her mouth, Claes took a sip of tea before continuing.

"As an Expiate officer, I'm obligated to perform my duties as informed as I possibly can," she said.

The talk quickly move to what each of the officers was looking for in this endeavor, something which managed to distract Goibniu from further pondering about Tuirbe. And such a question brought color to the younger Enkidu, as he turned to the monk to explain himself. "Just like the Officers, I am definitely seeking to learn more from Sakigake and anything that it might bring! Although, I would say my pursuit is more personal. My parents had seldom talked about the land beyond more superficial aspects, so it made me curious about what could lay on the other side of the ocean!"

As for Tuirbe, his previous apprehension vanished instantly as he heard his godson express interest and curiosity for his roots, a sign that he managed to do a good work in steering him towards such a disposition. His parents knew nothing but dark times when it came to Sakigake, and while he could understand why due to their social position in comparison to his own, he felt that still was no excuse to leave their kids in the dark. "I would like to reconnect with my place of birth, as well as aiding these Officers in what to do and not to do in Sakigake. An inter-medium between them and the locals, to not have to rely on the admittedly generous offers of others such as yourself at every waking hour."

"Hoh hoh hoh," Qirin chuckled as he heard everyone's replies. "That is good. That is good indeed. Let this be a memorable time for everyone then!"

Mealtime went by peacefully with the crew of the ship being very merry before settling down and gradually departing to their quarters for the night. By the time the last shiphand was slinking down to their cot, the ship was quiet save for the sound of the waves and the creaking of wood as well as the faint sound of gears and rumbling pipes.

But in the peak of the night, a sound pierced the night. It was a soft sound, gentle and melancholic, the sound of flute very different from the brass instruments of Esterelf. It comes from the top of the crow's nest, still held in place tightly by thick ropes, but newly furbished with carefully places nails and reinforcements.

Perched atop it, watching over the ocean was the young shiphand, the enkidu with red hair and monkey features, Osamuugi, with a pipe made of some sort of wood on his lips, gently playing a tune that can only be described as practiced but still amateurish.

......

Meanwhile, below the decks, down the hall from the guest quarters, the decorated officer, Jinn Brettman, was leaning out a window, a hand on his hat to keep it from blowing away in the wind. His eyes were glittering with eagerness as he looked out at the ocean. In his other hand he was holding something, a thick roll of paper with writing on it that wasn't native to Esterelf. The man didn't look at all tired. In fact, he looked restless.

........

*crunch*

"It is good we had the foresight to pack out own provisions. What absurd dining standards."

Sitting around a table in a room down from the mess hall, Lance Corporal Grant was eating apples and jerky with his men, who were munching while chattering over parchments and notebooks in their free hands.

"We won't be able to replicate this, but if we use a pull system in its place..."

"We'll have to account for space and weight. As a result it'll be much bigger. If we use this though-"

"The maintenance for something like that is unreasonable! I say we compensate by combining these two parts are one."

The Stahlim representative watched over his men quietly with a harden expression as he bit into a sandwich, sitting on the only chair in the room while his company made due with crates barrels.

"Hmm. The captain said we were making good time and should arrive on the island by tomorrow..." Douglas Grant grumbled as he sparked a match to light a cigar. "If only we had more time to study the mechanisms on this vessel..."