The Buccaneers Bay

[jammi]

King had the feeling that he'd got the worse end of the deal today. Him and the new Prospect, Ms Celio, had held up a Cryer Train full of Gaian Wildlife, and had demanded one each on top of the monetary fee. Celio had got a five-legged, horned housecat. King however, had been landed with a luminous pink chimp-looking thing. He'd specifically asked for a chimp so that every time Ambroses scaly lemur thing tried to pickpocket him, he could have his trained monkey tear it a new one. Obviously that wasn't going to happen now.

King tried to slip into the Bay unnoticed, a rope leash in his hand. The leash was loosely tied around the chimp's neck, which was waddling along a few paces behind him, it's knuckles trailing behind it. He hadn't named it, because he didn't intend to keep it. He didn't even know what gender it was. And he bloody hoped Ambrose and Thomas weren't about. If they saw his pink little friend he'd be a laughing stock. One person who did notice it was Morris, which was exactly what King had hoped for.

"Hey King. What'sat thing?" He rumbled inquisitively. King looked over his shoulder at the monkey that was now fishing around in it's nostril with a hairy digit. He beckoned conspiringly for Morris to come closer, as if the strange creature's origin was a secret of the highest calibre.

"That Morris, is a Gaian Pluminous Chimp," King said, making things up on the spot. "I stole him off a Cryer transport. Thing is, I can't look after him. He ain't as small as Ambroses little freak-monkey, so I can't take him in my ship. I was looking for someone who could do it for me." King watched mental gears grind, sparks of protest from a taxed brain almost visible through his eyes.

"I... Don' fly. Maybe I could look af'er it for you King?" King put on a mock expression of consideration, before appearing to come to a conclusion.

"I think I could let you have him. Just give him a name and he's yours." Morris just stood there for a second, his face blank. He'd had so many parts of him replaced over the years that it was a wonder his brain worked at all. Then a massive smile broke out. Simple things.


"Thanks King. I think I'll call 'im... Boris." King just shrugged. The man could call his pet what he liked. Who was he to question the name a man gave his monkey? Morris took a small step forward and bent over to grasp and shake the primate hand that wasnt burrowing in its earhole. Boris ceased his digging to peer up at the beaten and battered face looming over it, and said ook. It seemed the monkey had looked into Morris eyes and found a kindred spirit. Morris just grinned and lifted the suprisingly heavy creature up onto a barstool, next to his post at the door with no apparant effort. Boris seemed content enough to sit there, it's arms hanging down either side.

"Ye-eah, just remember to feed it Morris. I'll get you a bag of peanuts for him from Charles or something. Thanks for taking him off my hands." Morris just beamed, firstly because he now had a pet, and secondly because he'd made a Lieutenant happy.

"S'no problem King. Happy to help." King just smiled and nodded, and went to get a drink. Little did King know that Boris the Pluminous Chimp would become as much of a fixture in the Bay as Morris himself, or even Charles the bartender.

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