Bribing the Smithy

Posted on Wed May 15th, 2024 @ 6:23am by Lieutenant Katherine "Kit" Vulpes & Lieutenant Nicolette Riviere & Petty Officer 1st Class Amalia Darcy

2,119 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: The Trafalgar Roll
Location: Blacksmith shop
Timeline: England 1805

Kit placed a hand over her breast pocket, tapping the items inside for what felt like the fourteenth time. She had several pips, including her own, her combadge, as well as a smaller tricorder that she'd already broken down into pieces and parts. She headed back in the direction of the market by the docks, walking with the purpose of hopefully not garnering attention from those around her. She'd insisted on leading one of the groups going out into the town, knowing she had grown up in a colony community that prided itself in living much like this timeline. If she was going to locate a blacksmith and coax them into allowing her to use their facilities, it was probably best that she be the one to make that inquiry.

Giving yet another reassuring tap, she gave a glance over her shoulder to confirm that Amalia was still right behind her as rounded a corner and entered the outer edges of the marketplace.

The only thing good about going to the marketplace was that Nicolette did not have to be as near the water as the docks. She had no explanation why she was in such loose fitting clothing. She had no explanation why people were calling her "lad." What she did know was that she could not find anyone from her ship and she was in very ancient times. After all, who used coins for the purchase of anything now?

Barring any logical explanation, she concluded that she was in "then," not "now," and that terrified her. Of course, it could be that the holodeck was just broken. The problem with that theory was that she had no memory of entering the holodeck or creating such a program.

The counselor started darting about, her eyes glassy. Whenever she felt that she was near alone, she'd call out again, "Computer, arch!" only to get no response. OK, Nico, nothing to do but play this out for a bit. She rounded a corner and bumped into someone. "Pardon," she called out to whomever without looking in her British accent with a slight French lilt, just praying that someone might send her some sort of help.

Kit stopped abruptly, turning back to the woman she'd crashed into. "I am so--" She blinked, and then smiled. The woman, like her, was wearing one of the sailor's uniforms, something she'd been told was unlikely for this time period of Earth history. "I think I recognize you. We came on the ship at the same time, right?"

Amalia took a look at Nicolette and gave a nod in greeting, "Hello there" giving a half smile, she was keeping an listening ear as well as her eyes sharp, to see if the sound of a hammer hitting metal or a nearby stable where horses could be shoed. "Perhaps we can find a blacksmith close to a stable?" Amalia offered.

Nicolette's eyes went wide at Kit's reaction and she did, in fact recognize the woman. "Yes, we did, and is everyone calling you 'lad'? Are we stuck in a holodeck program?" she asked, her eyes darting about frantically. "I don't remember starting this program and I certainly would not choose this setting. Do you...either of you...know how we are here?" The Counselor was not about to confess to her aquaphobia.

Kit shook her head. "Most definitely not a holodeck program. We've found the Captain and several others, but I'm not sure we've found all of the members of the crew." She heard the sound of voices behind them, and motioned both Amalia and Nicolette around the corner, lowering her voice. "Coms have connected to the ship briefly, but not well enough to have a conversation or to be able to beam us out."

Kit gave a quiet sigh. "I'm not sure why we're here, or what sent us here, but the time that we're in is pretty similar to the colony world I grew up on. Amalia and I are hoping to locate a blacksmith and, with any luck, start to work on something that will let us boost the combadge signal to reach the ship." She gave another look at their surroundings. "Smithys are usually all located in a tradesmen row, and that usually isn't too far away from the local marketplace. We probably aren't too far away."

The question unanswered, the Counselor asked again, "Do you see me as I am or as a 'lad'? I do not understand what is going on here. This can't be mass hysteria. It does not fit."

Amalia took a good look at Nicollete. "Well no I don't think you look like a lad at all. But your outfit, did you come off the ship, the HMS Victory?" She looked down at her own outfit. "I am not in women's clothing, it's more of someone being part of the ship's crew." She looked back at Nicolette, then towards Kit.

"Well, at least there's that.... Everyone else seems to think I'm a boy." The Counselor somewhat relieved, ranted a little more, "And let me tell you, this outfit gives me absolutely no support where it is needed!"

Her outburst over, Nicolette answered Amalia's further question. "I had no idea what that was. I don't think I was on the ship. When I was in this, I was told to go get some silk. I had no idea it was the historical HMS Victory." Something about those words filled the Counselor with dread and her face turned white.

Kit put on a brave smile--she was a department head, after all, and should probably act the part--and put a hand on Nicolette's shoulder. "It's alright. You're with friends. We'll stay away from the docks, if we can." She gave another reassuring look to Amalia. "You can come with us, and we'll rendezvous back with the Captain and the rest of the crew when our task is done."

Nicolette nodded. "Thank you. As the Chief Counselor, I really should be much more able to handle this situation. I am sorry that I am behaving this way but there is something about this. Something about the Victory. I can't explain it Kit and Amalia. It is worse than deja vu."

"Are you talking about maybe you were here in a past life? I have heard tales of people experiencing something that happened way in the past." Amalia responded.

"I've never believed it, but the theory may have some merit," Nicolette admitted reluctantly. "Or maybe it is a current life now? Whatever it is, I don't like it."

"Well, right now it is the hand that our current strange life has dealt to us. And I got this funny feeling that we really need to get somewhere to boost up the power to our combadges." Amalia looked like she had a slight amount of worry showing.

"I'm a counselor, not an engineer," Nicolette told Amalia. "I'm up for any suggestions but if this is the 18th century, where would we find that sort of power? If I recall my history lessons, the Industrial Revolution is still decades away."

"Then it's a good thing my colony was still stuck in the Industrial Revolution." Kit gave a smile and patted her jacket pocket, jingling with the extra pips and badges. "Let's go find the tradesman row and see if we can't build ourselves a com booster."

Helplessly, Nicolette saw that she had no choice but to follow and fell into space behind Kit.

"And I am a firm believer of being inventive, you have heard the old saying, "Necessity is the mother of invention and we are certainly in a great need to get hold of the ship and extend our range of communication," Amalia replied, falling in behind Nicolette.

The further away from the water that they got, the more confident Nicolette became. "Well, this definitely is not my field of expertise but I can speak both English and French. So, to the extent that some intelligence is needed, I can play scout."

Kit gave a smile. "No worries. This is one instance where growing up on a mostly-primative world is going to work in my favor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It didn't take the trio long to locate the avenue where most of the trade shops were located. Kit stepped up to an open-air shop, the multiple doors and windows opened wide to the street. The clang of metal on metal could be heard from the outside, and the cool sea air blew the stifling heat of the forges and bellows out into the street. Without seeming to miss a beat, Kit stepped over the threshold, pausing at the rail that kept customers from wandering into the path of a wildly-swinging hammer, and gave a head-nod to a broad-shouldered man in an apron, who set down their hammer and approached.

Amalia was taking all of this in. She was loving it. She though stuck close to Nicolette to keep the young woman company.

Nicolette thought back to her ancient history. This was a time when women were generally not treated as equals. It was a man's world. She wondered where she fit in, as people saw her as a boy. When Amalia got close to her, she wondered if others might see Amalia as her mother. Regardless of the situation, Nicolette decided that waiting and watching was going to be the better choices for the moment.

"Afternoon," the burly man grumbled, wiping his sweaty brow with the back of his hand. "What can I do you for?"

"Was wondering if I could borrow your forge." Kit's face reflected all the seriousness of your statement.

The man gave a single chuckle. "Hitting the drink a little early today, are we?"

Kit reached into her breast pocket. "Can make it worth your while." She pulled out one of the extra pips she'd collected and set it on the railing.

He looked at her. He reached out, picking up the pip delicately in his large hand and holding it up to the light. "Where did you get this?"

Kit gave a shrug. "Family heirloom. It's yours for the use of your forge, bellows, and anvil." At his skeptical glance, she extended her hand. "Or not. I'll gladly give that to another smith."

He quickly pocketed the pip. "How long you need?"

"Afternoon, at most." Kit gave a nod to Nicolette and Amalia. "Let the Captain know we're good?"

For an answer, Nicolette nodded in the affirmative.

"Definitely will do so." Amalia answered. "Just give a shout if you need the help." she answered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A couple of hours later, Kit stepped away from the forge, plunging the metal she was working on into a bucket of water. Sweat plastered her hair to her brow, and as she wiped the sweat away, she smeared grit and soot across her forehead. She pocketed the pieces of metal that she'd hammered thin--as close to a creation of wire as could be expected with current technology, and returned the tools to their respective racks.

It was at that moment that she looked up, realizing that the smith and several others were watching her. She gave a nod of her head. "Thanks for the use of your tools."

The blacksmith returned the nod. "You need a job when you finish your tour..." He left the rest of his statement trail off, unfinished.

"Will keep that in mind." She ducked under the railing, waving Nicolette and Amalia over from the shady corner they'd settled into. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a piece of silver metal that she'd worked into a small circle and offered it to Nicolette. "Some historian is going to have a field day if they find a tritanium coin, but it's as close to a silver piece as we'll get." She gestured with her head further down the row. "Let's see what food that might get us, and we'll reunite with the Captain."

"I really had not thought about food," Nicolette told Kit. "I don't feel like I could eat a thing." The Counselor's stomach, however, disagreed with her audibly.

"I wholeheartedly agree one hundred percent." Amalia responded. "Food and also linking up with the rest of the crew. I would like to see how the others are doing and find out if there is any other information as to how we got here."

"I certainly do not have any logical answers to that one," Nicolette answered, putting her hand over her stomach.

"Okay then lets go." Amalia replied, her thoughts drifted towards where the others could be waiting for them to connect.

PO1stClass Amalia Darcy
Engineer

Lieutenant Katherine "Kit" Vulpes
Chief Engineer

Lieutenant Nicolette Riviere
Chief Counselor

 

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