ρ′
A bad day.
This morning Odysseus informed the fleet of his plan to attack the Ciconians.
Just after breakfast, the General asked that I retrieve an officer from each ship. -Counting the Milesian barge and the Lil' Tethys, we have fourteen boats.
Baius informed me that we only needed to raise a signal flag in order to recall the ship's liasons. However, only three of the ship's responded when we did, one of whom was the Lil' Tethys.
Eleven of our fleet took no action, whereas one promptly pulled her oars and dropped her mainsail. -I guess we've been on shore too long.
Anyway, with the aid of Antiphus and the Lil' Tethys, we were able to assemble the officers on our flagship by mid-afternoon.
Polites is usually very helpful when it comes to such things. However, today he was unusually scarce. I recall he tried to catch some ropes at one point, but wasn't of much use with his bandaged hand. After that, I didn't see much more of him.
Odysseus remained in his cabin throughout the whole ordeal. Once I informed him all the officers were present, the General dramatically hobbled out of his cabin, striking the deck hard with his Trojan walking cane.
Pacing in front of officers back and forth, Odysseus appeared thoughtful and grave. Finally, pausing in from of one of our sergeants, he turned and asked: "What love do you have for the Trojans?!"
Confused, the sergeant stammered: "Uh... none. I have none. No love General."
At that Odysseus nodded and continued. Several paces later, he wheeled around again, this time in front of a corporal.
"Ciconians spilled your General's blood, have they not?!" he queried.
"Uh, yes they have. …They have spilled your blood Sir.” the officer squeaked.
"And what does that mean?!” pressed Odysseus, leaning into the soldier’s face.
"Um... That... that we... that we attack the Ciconians?" questioned the now sweaty Ithacan.
"Do we?!" asked Odysseus, apparently surprised. The General then turned away, chuckling.
"Do we?" he whispered to himself thoughtfully.
I had almost forgotten just how weird Odysseus can get at sea.
The assembly remained silent as they watched the General slowly pace back and forth across the deck.
Finally, after a painfully long and obviously false deliberation, Odysseus froze. Spinning, he hobbled back to the corporal and clasped his shoulder.
"What's your name, sergeant?"
"Uh, it's Belus, Sir. …Corporal Belus."
Odysseus grinned and belted: "Well, Sergeant Belus, I agree with your advice. We shall attack the Ciconians! Let us show them the price of Ithacan blood, shall we?!"
The General paused for a cheer. However, none followed. Elpenor made some sort of noise, but cut himself short. -For a few moments afterwards, the deck was silent.
Corporal Belus went pale.
Obviously not receiving the response he intended, Odysseus frowned slightly. Without taking his eyes off his men, he shouted to Baius: "Set a course for the shores of Ismara!"
At that, the General nodded to Belus and me in turn, and then hobbled back to his cabin.
I waited a for a moment, and then unceremoniously dismissed the men.
They didn't leave. Immediately the officers began to press me about our new orders. As much as I sympathized with them, I wasn't in the mood to discuss it. I tried to wave them off, but they continued to badger me. -I could hear the blood flow to my head as the rabble on the deck just got louder and louder.
Unfortunately, it was Belus who put me over the edge. -He pushed through the crowd and asked excitedly: "Am I really a sergeant now!?"
In the midst of the torrent of expletives that followed, I think I told Corporal Belus he was being demoted to 'Private Harpy Shit'.
I lost it.
I dressed down Belus for a solid minute, and then stomped off to my own cabin. -I haven't come out since.
I spent the rest of the day carving a knife handle and drinking wine. -I ended up breaking the handle and managed to cut myself twice.
Oddly, I think I heard Odysseus and Elpenor laughing outside my door a few moments ago.
I guess I had better go and speak with the General before I turn in.
This morning Odysseus informed the fleet of his plan to attack the Ciconians.
Just after breakfast, the General asked that I retrieve an officer from each ship. -Counting the Milesian barge and the Lil' Tethys, we have fourteen boats.
Baius informed me that we only needed to raise a signal flag in order to recall the ship's liasons. However, only three of the ship's responded when we did, one of whom was the Lil' Tethys.
Eleven of our fleet took no action, whereas one promptly pulled her oars and dropped her mainsail. -I guess we've been on shore too long.
Anyway, with the aid of Antiphus and the Lil' Tethys, we were able to assemble the officers on our flagship by mid-afternoon.
Polites is usually very helpful when it comes to such things. However, today he was unusually scarce. I recall he tried to catch some ropes at one point, but wasn't of much use with his bandaged hand. After that, I didn't see much more of him.
Odysseus remained in his cabin throughout the whole ordeal. Once I informed him all the officers were present, the General dramatically hobbled out of his cabin, striking the deck hard with his Trojan walking cane.
Pacing in front of officers back and forth, Odysseus appeared thoughtful and grave. Finally, pausing in from of one of our sergeants, he turned and asked: "What love do you have for the Trojans?!"
Confused, the sergeant stammered: "Uh... none. I have none. No love General."
At that Odysseus nodded and continued. Several paces later, he wheeled around again, this time in front of a corporal.
"Ciconians spilled your General's blood, have they not?!" he queried.
"Uh, yes they have. …They have spilled your blood Sir.” the officer squeaked.
"And what does that mean?!” pressed Odysseus, leaning into the soldier’s face.
"Um... That... that we... that we attack the Ciconians?" questioned the now sweaty Ithacan.
"Do we?!" asked Odysseus, apparently surprised. The General then turned away, chuckling.
"Do we?" he whispered to himself thoughtfully.
I had almost forgotten just how weird Odysseus can get at sea.
The assembly remained silent as they watched the General slowly pace back and forth across the deck.
Finally, after a painfully long and obviously false deliberation, Odysseus froze. Spinning, he hobbled back to the corporal and clasped his shoulder.
"What's your name, sergeant?"
"Uh, it's Belus, Sir. …Corporal Belus."
Odysseus grinned and belted: "Well, Sergeant Belus, I agree with your advice. We shall attack the Ciconians! Let us show them the price of Ithacan blood, shall we?!"
The General paused for a cheer. However, none followed. Elpenor made some sort of noise, but cut himself short. -For a few moments afterwards, the deck was silent.
Corporal Belus went pale.
Obviously not receiving the response he intended, Odysseus frowned slightly. Without taking his eyes off his men, he shouted to Baius: "Set a course for the shores of Ismara!"
At that, the General nodded to Belus and me in turn, and then hobbled back to his cabin.
I waited a for a moment, and then unceremoniously dismissed the men.
They didn't leave. Immediately the officers began to press me about our new orders. As much as I sympathized with them, I wasn't in the mood to discuss it. I tried to wave them off, but they continued to badger me. -I could hear the blood flow to my head as the rabble on the deck just got louder and louder.
Unfortunately, it was Belus who put me over the edge. -He pushed through the crowd and asked excitedly: "Am I really a sergeant now!?"
In the midst of the torrent of expletives that followed, I think I told Corporal Belus he was being demoted to 'Private Harpy Shit'.
I lost it.
I dressed down Belus for a solid minute, and then stomped off to my own cabin. -I haven't come out since.
I spent the rest of the day carving a knife handle and drinking wine. -I ended up breaking the handle and managed to cut myself twice.
Oddly, I think I heard Odysseus and Elpenor laughing outside my door a few moments ago.
I guess I had better go and speak with the General before I turn in.
