[Survival!] A Cold and Lonely Beach

[wraithben]

Price nodded at Fuller's words then turned to the two Spaniards in front of him.

'Indeed boys, we doesn't have the money or anything to bet with, but we can still entertain you. You say we're retreating, but we're still here and were headed towards the froggies not away when our boats went down.'

He thinks and smiles in remembrance as a story springs to mind.

'Why don't we tell you about the time we caught some vaulters* out in the open, and took out most of the company before they even knew we were there - and what our regiment did to theirs afterwards.'

He leaned back into the fishing nets behind him, the bowl of hot soup cupped in his hands, and smiled as he took up the story.

'It was a couple of months back and our Regiment was ahead fo the bulk of the army on the left flank. No-one knew where the French were, so the light company, that's us by the way, were ahead of the rest of the regiment scouting. We'd stopped for a rest in a wooded area when Brown, on watch, spotted a company of frogs coming straight towards us.'

He paused for a moment, remembering Brown's body piled up on the beach, stripped of it's red jacket, he'd be spotting no more Frenchmen now.

'Well the Captain quickly had us in skirmish order, with one person spotting, the other ready to shoot in each pair. We had the normal orders, officers and sergeants first. As they get closer we could see their red epaulettes, and knew they were vaulters like. Anyway the Captain played it cool, they couldn't see us in the undergrowth and didn't seem to know any British were near, so they walked closer to the woods with out a care in the world.'

He lifted the soup bowl to his lips and started to sip at it, looking to see if Fuller or MacNeil would pick up the story.

[*Vaulter - what the English tended to call the French Skirmishers - in French it was Voltigeurs which translatse to vaulter in English]

[w00hoo]

Rifle cleaned to his satisfaction and bread all but gone Snout looks at the bowl of soup and almost gives in to his grumbling stomach, but holds steady to his paranoia as Price takes another mouthful.

"So it almost goes pear shape right there and then, we're meant to hold fast until Frenchie comes closer, right, but Gilford gets all ahead o' his self and takes a shot. Only bit of luck is, he's gone for a frog right near the far edge of the bunch, asked him later, and he says he reckoned him an officer type, but I ain't sure he didn't just miss 'is aim completely me self. Any road, the Vaulter goes down in a heap, screamin a right ruckass his hands reddening with blood where they clutched at 'is thigh and the others turn face, they must 'ave guessed they'd walked past us or summit and gave us their flank as they tried to go to ground.

I says to the old haggis muncher here, that I'd spotted the feller called 'em to halt, didn't I?"

Fuller indicates MacNeil although is looking to either to continue the tale.

[dpmcalister]

Tom looks up and calls across, "The way I heard it told, it was you who missed your aim Snout." He laughs and winks at the others knowing full well that Snout's aim had never been wrong as best as he could recollect.

[wraithben]

Price starts to laugh but it turns into a choking cough as he swallows some hot soup suddenly. Once he can talk he picks up the story again.

'So there we are, shots lined up, supposedly waiting for the frogs to get closer and it all goes to hell - or at least seems to. We all want to shout at bloody Gilford but don't want to give away where we are at all. I swear that twenty odd seconds all of us are staring murder at Gilford, from the Captain on down, whilst he's reloading his musket oblivious. His face when he realises no-one else has shot, half way through ramming down the ball he stops and looks up to see the whole company glaring at him - he almost dropped his damn gun. And all the whle the frogs are still looking in the wrong direction.'

Price stops as his own laughter at the story prevents his from continuing at the moment.

[ElaineM]

MacNeil grins as he remembers the encounter.

"So we're all holding our breath and hoping they don't get wise and spot us, when damn if this fox don't come haring out of the woods 'bout 50 yards down from us, most likely spooked from Gilford's shot. Heads straight for those frenchies, and they act like it's the British cavalry itself bearing down on them. At least three of them fired at that poor wee critter, and I reckon it was a damn miracle none of them hit it. I guess they figured it ran cos we were right behind it, so they advanced all careful like into the woods, but of course they've missed us. There they are, creeping past close enough to touch if only they stopped to look behind as well as in front!"

He shakes his head, chuckling.

[Halfbat]

Hempwick shakes his head at the reminiscing and crosses to sit with Carmichael. He is thinking about communications home and a need for a lifeline - but how to ensure one is set up?

"<Indeed, my friends, what is happening, now that the French have taaken Curruna? And where, perhaps might your loyalties lie aftere tonight? It is a Christian and noble deed, indeed, but one which gain you much trouble. Mind you...>" and he likes sideways at Carmichael for a conforming nod "<...there may be something in it for you, of course, as in our recommendations for trade with the English fleet, of course.>"

[Neil Gow]

Mareno smiles and pushes the silver back towards the Captain. <"Senor, your money is no use to be here. Your men may not have shared my church, but I swear to you that those we find will be given a Christian burial in a place the French will never find them ... and I hope this answers your question as well, senor".> He turns towards Hempwick. <"Corunna may have fallen to the French, but our land will not remain occupied for long. We are Spanish, Lieutenant. Would you side with the French if they set foot in your blessed England?">

Mareno takes a draught from his wine. <" I apologise, my friends, this has been a terrible night. To answer your other questions, the Salvajes are no longer lead by Vidal - he died during the last winter. The Salvajes fight under the command of Jose Terisse, the brother of the lady you spoke of before, Captain. The estate lies on the way to the Salvajes' camp and I could recommend to Sanchez and Romero that you stop there, if that would be convenient?">

You get the distinct impression that Mareno would prefer that Carmichael concentrated his attentions towards the Lady Terrise than his sister...

[Neil Gow]

Sanchez and Romero laugh and smile as they listen to the tale of the attack upon the French, as do a number of the other fishermen. A mood of quiet joviality settles across the room as the night wears on ...

... and that mood is shattered as a young boy bursts through the door. His panic'd cries are in Spanish but everyone can tell the topic and the urgency.

< Father! Father! the French are here, on horses! They are heading into the village!>

[Fight or hide? Fight or hide.....?]

[wraithben]

Price has no idea what has been said but immediatly picks up on the tension. He pulls the sword bayonet fron his belt and looks to McNeil and the officers for orders.

[w00hoo]

Fuller has picked up almost no Spanish from his time there, but he can recognise horses and French and the panic tells him everything else he needs to know. Grabbing up his coat, dryer know though still damp the sea water having settled deep in the cloth, he takes up his newly serviced rifle and looks around for anyone who might have dry powder to go with his shot.

"Sarge, how many? They'll home in on this place in no time, all lit 'n cozy this late at night, we need to get out and spread."

[Halfbat]

Hempwick grabs his jacket and hanger. "Price, grab the box! The French are on their way!" He rolls his eyes at his friend. "It's fight, flee or hide, again, my friend. Except these are your troops, now, not my sailors, and these are French, not family!" He smiles. "Carmichael? Whither away?"

All awhile he looks around for a place to hide- is there a hidden cellar, perhaps, or a way into the eaves?

[Zuki]

[Im guessing, if we include all the NPCs we generated there are probably 10-15 men here, so hiding in the rafters seems a bad idea, tho im not sure. ]

Carmichael grabs on his coat and whispers out his orders "Ok boys, stay down and keep close to the door, if they come in here we will have to take em down.." he motions to the men to get into position around the room stationed by the entrance, hoping that Mareno's charms will be able to keep them out of the room and discovery, but ready to fight if they come inside.

He draws his sword, keeping his rifle ready in case they need to take down any stragglers, saying a silent prayer it doesnt have to come to that, the thrill of imminent battle making it hard to stay down and out of sight.

[w00hoo]

Being stuck in the building seems like folly to Fuller, but orders are orders so he hefts the rifle ready to use as a club and hopes he can grab a bandolier of powder, plus perhaps a pouch of baccy and papers, from any Frenchie that appears through the doorway. He whispers to a nearby private, "if one comes through, you grab 'im in, I'll club 'im down."

[wraithben]

Price drags the crate into a shadowed corner then crouches low in front of it. He holds his Bayonet low, point up, ready to stab upwards into any Frenchman who comes close.

[ElaineM]

MacNeil is straight to business when the alarm is sounded. Still temporarily without a rifle, he draws sword instead.

"Price, watch yourself there," he says, "element of surprise, you hear?"

"Here, Snout," he pulls out the scant few wraps of powder he managed to salvage on the beach. "Make them count, now. You've got five shots out of that, I'd say."

"The rest of you, you heard the Captain - down and look sharp."