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Commodore James Norrington (navalofficer) wrote in mirage_rpg,
@ 2008-06-28 07:27:00

Entry tags:

arrival, complete, day 5, james norrington, sonya blade

Who: Commodore James Norrington & Sonya Blade
When: Day 5, Morning
What: James' arrival
Where: Next to the lake
Rating: TBD
Status: Incomplete

Commodore James Norrington stood on the battlements of the fort, his hands clasped behind his back, his uniform impeccable and his gaze fixed on the sight of the preparations being made on and around the Dauntless. From what he could see they were nearly finished and approval crossed his face for a moment. There were two hours until Jack Sparrow's one day's grace was up and being the fair and just man that he was, he intended to give Sparrow every moment of that single day.

Both William Turner and Elizabeth Swann had been in his office the previous day to ask him to reconsider his pursuit. He had been polite to both but adamant that he would not discard his duties as an officer of the British Navy and the commander of the Port Royal fleet.

He sighed and looked over to where the Interceptor should have been moored. Not much of a fleet at the moment. He felt a pang as he remember how his beautiful Interceptor had been destroyed. Such an ignominious end, at the hand of pirates. She'd been designed to catch pirates, not be stolen by one set and destroyed by another. And the Admiralty was not likely to look kindly on her loss. He needed to redeem himself in their eyes and while stopping Barbossa would ordinarily have been helpful, that was one report he had yet to write. How could he possibly explain what had happened in a manner that would not have him committed to a sanatorium. Well, he had the entirety of this trip to come up with something plausible.

He turned one heel and headed back to his office. He had a little more work to do here then he could board the Dauntless. He was far away with his thoughts when he opened the door to his office and as such, it took a moment to realise that he hadn't actually stepped into his office but was instead walking on the grass next to a rather picturesque lake. He whirled around but the door he'd walked through was gone. His jaw dropped for a moment before he snapped it closed, struggling to maintain his normal stoic demeanour. Where in God's name was he? And how had he gotten here?

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sharpasablade
2008-06-27 05:49 pm UTC (link)

Just because Sonya had been abducted by a planet it didn't mean she was about to give up on her training and exercise regime. The solider needed to be in the best shape possible for when Earth was invaded and she also needed to be in peak condition for whatever she might encounter on Mirage. One part of her routine was jogging. It helped build up her endurance and besides, there were times it was better to run away than fight. No harm in making sure one could run fast when needed.

This morning she had dressed in dark blue shorts, a white tank top and running shoes before heading out toward the lake. It was a good path for jogging with a good mix of flat spaces and steep areas. It was a beautiful day compared to yesterday which put Sonya in a good mood, despite her circumstances.

Yes, it had weird, frightening and very annoying for Sonya to find herself on another planet but Sonya wasn't going to stew over it anymore today. She had done enough of that yesterday and now was time to focus on the problem at hand. After she finished her exercise for the morning the solider planned on tracking down some of the other people Souji Okita had mentioned to her the other day.

The funny thing about plans though was that as soon as one made them, something was sure to come along and screw them up. For Sonya it was the strangely dressed man up ahead that threw off her plans. The blond slowed down to a walking pace as she drew nearer. Is he wearing a wig? she wondered as she came closer.

"Uh, good morning", Sonya greeted him but her face showed her surprise. When Sonya was able to get a good look at the man she saw that he was wearing 18th century clothes. Oh boy, he's not from the past too, is he? the lieutenant wondered. "I'm Lt. Blade. Are you new here?"

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navalofficer
2008-06-27 07:20 pm UTC (link)

James turned when he heard the woman speak and for a moment the sight of her managed to break through his normal sangfroid. The woman was nearly naked! What on earth was she doing running around in her underclothes? He hurriedly schooled his expression and averted his eyes though he was unable to hide the slight blush that pinked his cheeks.

It was then that the rest of what she'd said sunk in. Loo-tenant? Who had taught her to mispronounce the title? And what was a woman doing claiming a military rank anyway?

An alarming thought occurred to him that perhaps he was in a sanatorium. Where else would young ladies be permitted to run around in their drawers and call themselves Lieutenant? Had the whole affair with Barbossa been an hallucination? Had it happened at caused him to loose his mind? Maybe that was what had happened and that was why he didn't remember coming here.

The question now was what did he do? He'd heard that one should humour those who had lost their minds. That they could turn quite violent if one didn't do that. Perhaps he should just play along until he could find whoever was in charge.

"Good morning... erm, Lieutenant," he said stiffly, pronouncing the rank 'Lef-tenant' as he looked over her shoulder, pretending not to notice her manner of dress... or undress as the case may be. "Ah, apparently. Of course, I'm not quite sure where here is."

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sharpasablade
2008-06-30 05:26 am UTC (link)

Sonya raised an eyebrow as she noticed his eyes wouldn’t meet hers but she just shrugged, not realizing that her manner of dress might be causing the problem. Compared to her time and some of the people Sonya knew, her clothes were downright modest. None of that matter right now. It appeared Sonya had happened yet another new comer to the planet and like Souji had done for her yesterday, it seemed like it was up to Sonya to fill this guy in on what had happened.

The only thing was, she didn’t think he’d believe her. “This place is called Mirage and if I’m guessing right, you were actually somewhere moments ago, yes?” Sonya took a deep breath before speaking again. “You’re not going to believe because I wouldn’t believe it either yesterday but you’ve been abducted to this place by forces yet unknown. We, the other people here and I, suspect that someone’s behind this but so far all we’ve found is this plaque that claims the planet is behind the abduction.” She paused there with look on her face that clearly she didn’t believe that.

“So far people here seem to from everywhere and every time period possible”. In fact, looking at the gentleman before her, Sonya was willing to bet he was from the past, 18th century it looked like. “I know this all sounds crazy”, she added gently. “But if you want proof what I’m saying is true, I can show you to the main building”.

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navalofficer
2008-07-02 05:49 am UTC (link)

"Ah, quite," James said stiffly. "Port Royal in the Caribbean." He frowned when she continued, almost unable to comprehend what she was saying. "Abducted?" he sputtered then his face hardened. "This isn't some elaborate charade put together by Sparrow, is it? That would certainly explain your..." He gestured towards her clothes with one vaguely appalled gesture. "... state of undress."

He simply stared at her when she mentioned people being drawn here from different times and places. This was impossible. It had to be. As impossible as cursed undead sailors? a small voice in the back of his mind suggested.

He took a deep breath and straightened his waistcoat, his shoulders going back and his chin going up as he drew his dignity around him. He was a Commodore in the British Navy. He did not panic, he did not overreact. He approached things calmly, rationally and logically. The woman had offered to show him to this main building. That was the place to start in order to make sense of this madness.

"Very well, Lieutenant," he said with a small nod of his head. "Lead the way."

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sharpasablade
2008-07-04 06:59 am UTC (link)

“I have never heard of anyone named Sparrow”, Sonya replied with raised eyebrows, an amused look crossing her face. “And I assure you he has nothing to do with my clothes. Let me guess? You’re from the 1700s, right? Well, in the future, women aren’t bound in corsets and stuffed into ankle length dresses”, the solider informed the commodore. Sonya had to give the man credit though, he was handling this all very well.

When he gave her a nod, Sonya turned around and started back toward the main building. It was a small distance away from the lake and gave the commodore a chance to see of the surrounding area before the pair reached the barn styled building. In the centre of the complex was a wall with a stone tablet that was engraved with the rules of Mirage.

“Here you go, Commodore”, the blond said, gesturing toward the sign. “The laws of Mirage. Simple enough but I have to admit the whole ‘you cannot leave’ part bothers me. Frankly, unless there are bars and chains, there’s no reason we can’t at least try to leave here”. Sonya fell silent for a few minutes to let the commodore read in peace and once she was certain he was finished, she opened her mouth once more.

“There’s a desk inside were a series of keys are kept. They’re for our rooms and since it seems like we’re going to be stuck here for a while, I suggest you might want to grab one. I can show you were they are if you like”.

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navalofficer
2008-07-05 04:49 am UTC (link)

Well, that news was at least one small measure of relief in what was rapidly seeming to be some sort of insanity. No Sparrow to torment and irritate him. He looked somewhat affronted that she seemed so amused by her state of undress. "1726 to be precise," he said stiffly. "And I do apologise, Lieutenant, if you find it amusing that I am accustomed to women dressing like women."

Not that he'd minded seeing Elizabeth dressed like a hoyden. She'd looked utterly beautiful the day he'd received his commission as Commodore though. He firmly pushed all thoughts of Elizabeth away. She was not to be his. She loved Turner and that was that. He would honour that, no matter how much it hurt. It was why he'd released her from their engagement when she'd taken her place at Turner's side.

He followed the woman, glancing around him to get a feel for where he was. He was disconcerted to find so much land around them. He was a man of the sea, he liked to smell salt water in the air and hear the creaking of ships at anchor or better still the familiar sounds of a ship at sea. He wasn't sure he liked this place so far from the sea.

He walked over to the plaque Blade was indicating and read it with a frown on his face. A planet was doing this? Surely that was impossible? And they couldn't leave? He was surely not expected to spend the rest of his life so far from the sea?

"I..." He broke off and cleared his throat, desperately trying to hold onto his sangfroid. He suspected he may well be failing. "Very well. It... it would seem I have little option." He was feeling a little lost. This place was so foreign and bizarre and he found himself wanting to go home in a way he had felt since he first set foot on a ship as a cabin boy.

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sharpasablade
2008-07-05 03:41 pm UTC (link)

"At the moment, no you don't", Sonya admitted but she said this gently because the blond knew how disorienting this might be for him. She had a hard enough time yesterday and Sonya was use to going to strange worlds. But she didn't want the man to lose hope of ever going home so she added, "Hopefully once we become more acquainted with the terrain, we might be able to figure out a way out here. I have no urge to stay here longer than have to myself".

The solider turned toward the main building and headed for the entrance. It didn't take long for the pair to reach the main desk where they found another blinking key slot. "That must be yours", Sonya pointed to it but let the Commodore get it for himself.

"The sign wasn't kidding about the whole 'every need fulfilled' part", Sonya informed him. "The rooms appear to be formated for our specific tastes and have any supplies we could need like toiletries, clothes...speaking of which", she added, glancing down at her jogging clothes. "Just so you know, I don't normally dress like this revealing. Only when I'm running".

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navalofficer
2008-07-08 07:10 am UTC (link)

James drew in a deep breath and shoved down all his feelings of apprehension, fear and confusion and drew the shield of his office around him. "I cannot stay," he said firmly. "I have duties as the military commander of Port Royal... and I have a pirate to catch. One who is overdue for the hangman's noose."

Even as he said it, he felt the same misgivings he'd had the day Sparrow had escaped. Sparrow was a pirate and the law had only one answer for a pirate... a short drop and a sudden stop. But part of him kept insisting that Sparrow could be a good man. A liar, a thief, a scoundrel, a coward and a fool... but a good man as well as all of that. He didn't know what to think.

He followed her through the entrance and stared at the blinking key slot. What kind of magic was causing that? He reached out carefully and took the key from the slot, giving a sigh of relief with the strange blinking light didn't harm him.

He glanced down at her clothes... or lack thereof then firmly forced his eyes up. "Ah, I see." He paused and frowned. "Running? You do so... deliberately?" He hesitated again then looked around. "You seem to something of this place. Is this all there is to it? All this... land? Is there no sea anywhere?"

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sharpasablade
2008-07-09 09:29 am UTC (link)

"Yes, I run deliberately", Sonya replied in an amused voice. "It was part of my military training when I was a private and I just kept at it ever since. It helps build endurance and strength. Two qualities I need for my job", she explained.

When he asked about the lay of the land, Sonya frowned. "I know a bit of the immediate area around the main building and the residential areas but I have yet to explore the forest or the mountains", she admitted. "As for any signs of an ocean, no, there aren't any in the immediate area. The only water sources appear to be the river, the lake and the hot springs".

Since Sonya didn't want to deflate his hope of finding an ocean, she added, "But that's not to say there isn't access to the sea over the mountains. I'm hoping to get somethings gathered up today and make a trek that way myself tomorrow. Just to get to the top to see what's beyond the valley here. If I should find anything, I'll be heading back to let others know. If I see an ocean, I'll let you know".

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navalofficer
2008-07-23 07:15 pm UTC (link)

"I see," James said, rather nonplussed. It wasn't something that he'd ever considered in his own training. It was rather difficult to run for any distance on a ship after all. "Obviously military training has changed though I confess I don't know what requirements the Army has. The Navy and the Marines, yes, as part of my rank I must know that but my own training is really restrict to sword practice." And a great deal of that too. He prided himself on his skill with a sword and knew he was one of the best.

He swallowed hard at the idea of not being near the sea. He struggled enough with the duties that kept him landbound as it was and at least he lived in a port town. If he could not go to sea to escape, what was he to do?

"Please do," he said, trying to subdue his reaction. "I may not have the Dauntless here but if this place truly does provide what we want, surely it would not begrudge me a stretch of ocean and a fine ship." Could he dare to hope that this place might give him his beloved Interceptor back? That would be a fine thing indeed.

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sharpasablade
2008-07-26 07:10 pm UTC (link)

"I don't know. A whole ocean might be a bit much to ask but it can't hurt to hope", was all Sonya said to that. Personally she thought that if the planet was going to give them anything they wanted then it would have given the people an option to go home but she kept that to herself.

As far as Sonya could tell the only people were going to Mirage was by finding their own way out. None of what she was thinking right now was useful for the Commodore however so instead Sonya asked, "Would you like me to show you were the rooms are? Although, I'll need to know what your key says first".

The blond crossed arms just under her breasts as she waited for his answer. "The units are spilt into six buildings, ranging from A to F, three on each side of the resort", she explained. "They're not really hard to find once you get use to them".

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navalofficer
2008-07-28 04:13 am UTC (link)

To be honest, James would take even part of an ocean. The idea of being landbound was one that made him shudder. Let him have some ocean and a ship to sail and then he could worry about the rest of it.

"Ah, yes, if you would be so kind," he said then looked down at the key in his hand. "It says B210."

He nodded at her explanation then finally a small smile curved his lips. "I believe once I have things fixed in my mind I should be able to find my way around. Once you learn to navigate by the stars, the rest come rather easily."

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sharpasablade
2008-07-28 06:59 am UTC (link)

“I can imagine. I’ve always had a little trouble with that myself”, she admitted. “Thank god for compasses”, Sonya added with a small chuckled before turning to lead the Commodore to Unit B. Like the main building, the units had a rustic, ranch like appearance but Sonya had learned that the interior’s were rumored to be vastly different, particularly the rooms of the different guests. Her own room had been fairly standard and had resembled her old apartment she had noticed that it had changed on occasion. Usually when Sonya thought of something she wanted. She wondered if she should mention this to Commodore Norrington but decided against it. No point in freaking him out anymore, right? Sonya glanced back over her shoulder at the man, “This is it”, she gestured to Unit B as she opened to door to the residences.

“210 is on the second floor”, she added, gesturing at the nearby staircase and letting the Commodore go first. Since he was a newcomer, Sonya felt like it was her duty to give Norrington the basics about Mirage, or the basic’s she had learned about so far. “The main building has a kitchen and restaurant in case you get hungry. No money need. The rest of building just seems to have a bunch of rooms just to keep people occupied during their stay. Frivolous”, Sonya added, “But better than being completely bored out of one’s mind. The library is worth a visit, if nothing but to check out the few bits of information that’s available about Mirage. Aside from a map and some descriptions, there’s not really much”.

As the pair reached the Commodore’s room, another thought came to Sonya’s mind and she decided she should probably warn Norrington about this. “Oh, there are other…uh…things here besides the other captives..I mean, guests”, Sonya corrected with a roll of her eyes. “The assistants the plaque mentioned. They’re a group of men-like creatures that look like wood, stone and dirt. You’re bound to see them around the resort at some point”.

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navalofficer
2008-08-03 07:01 am UTC (link)

James followed Lieutenant Blade over to what he assumed were the accommodation buildings. They were far different from anything he knew, such strange architecture but then he'd thought the same thing about many of the building in the more native areas in the Caribbean. He would adjust.

He nodded and climbed the stairs, listening to Blade's descriptions. "The library sounds ideal," he said after a moment's thought. "I don't get much time to read, especially when I'm out at sea and I do enjoy it." Plus he was suddenly curious to see what had been written throughout the years. This place must be in the future so there would surely be some fascinating books available.

He paused in the process of opening his door and gave Blade a curious and wary look. "Are they dangerous?" he asked as he completed the process of unlocking the door then he pushed in open and walked inside, his question about the creatures momentarily forgotten. "Good lord! Why it's... my cabin. On the Interceptor. But... she was lost." He looked back at Blade with a baffled expression. "What on earth...?"

It was indeed a slightly larger version of his cabin on the Interceptor, complete with wooden floors, walls and ceiling. The bed was tucked away in the corner along with his sea chest and the sturdy, slightly battered wardrobe he'd asked for. The battered desk under the window looked exactly the same as when he'd last seen it as was the table in the middle of the room - both covered in parchment and maps. The only oddity was two extra doors. One appeared to lead outside but the other was a mystery.

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sharpasablade
2008-08-04 10:34 am UTC (link)

“Haven’t had any sign that the assistants are dangerous but…” Sonya shrugged. “Haven’t exactly tried fighting one either. They could be”. She watched curiously as Norrington opened his door and was just as surprised to see the interior of cabin from a ship just as much as he was. “Don’t ask me. I have no idea how it’s possible, I just know that rooms can look like how you want them to. Mine looks like my apartment back in the States”. Sonya stayed outside of his room as he looked around, feeling it rude to enter without permission but that didn’t stop her from looking.

Her own room had been very plan and sparse, just like the apartment back home. Sonya travelled a lot so she rarely had time to make anywhere feel like home. To her, most place were just buildings you slept in but this place had a personal feel to it and one could get a sense of the man just by looking. Geez, I wonder what that says about my blank room? she silently mused as he explored.

“Is there any else I can do?” Sonya offered after a few moments. “I can show you around the resort or if you’d rather just get settled, I take off”.

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