Once upon a December ...

[dont_go_west]

There's something in the air. Something like ... a sense of yellow tinted blur, with unusually high contrast between light and dark! There might even be cross-dissolves.

Could this be a flashback?

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[try_corsets]

When she finds the Flying Dutchman anchored at Milliways, Elizabeth is prepared to admit she likes the place.

When she does not find her husband's ship, and thus her husband, readily accessible, her feelings toward the bar are decidedly less fond. Disappointment and irritation at wasted time and effort bubbles over, making her scowl.

Today's frustration is particularly keen; there is something she very much wishes to discuss with Will. But time and fate have not seen fit to conspire on their behalf and all Elizabeth wants to do is get back to the Empress.

If only all these people would get out of the way. The bar is full, more so even than when she went outside, and every path to the front door is clogged with bodies. Elizabeth scowls harder and starts working her way through the crowd, pushing people lightly aside as is needed.

[dont_go_west]

West's plans for the day do not include getting shoved by skinny ladies with an attitude problem.

"Watch it!"

[try_corsets]

Elizabeth spins stiffly on the heel of her boot and pins the boy she'd just bumped against with her best supercilious stare.

"Watch what, exactly?"

[dont_go_west]

"Uh, your personal space," says West, scowling back.

It is intruding on West's! And West's personal space is very personal.

[try_corsets]

One eyebrow arches imperiously. People from the future can be so tiresome and ill-mannered.

(Thinks the pirate.)

"Yours was infringing on mine, and that of anyone else who wished to use the door," Elizabeth replies, coldly. "Perhaps it is your personal space that bears watching."

[dont_go_west]

West rolls his eyes. It may not actually be calculated to look as irritating as possible, but that seems unlikely!

"Well, I'm really sorry, but if there's a rule against standing in one place, then that's news to me."

[try_corsets]

Did he just roll his eyes at her? Any inclination she had to ignore him and be on her way vanishes before his pupils resume their normal position.

"Apology accepted. I am not at all surprised that you are woefully uninformed," snaps Elizabeth. Then, smiling thinly, she asks, "What's your name?"

[dont_go_west]

"Darwin Suresh," West says, immediately, this being the first name combination that pops into his head.

[try_corsets]

Elizabeth blinks at him as if she is unsure what to make of his answer.

"Well, Mr. Suresh, I am Captain Elizabeth Turner," she tells him, loftily, "Pirate King."

Which is to say: KING!

[dont_go_west]

"You mean Pirate Queen," says West, eyeing her askance.

[try_corsets]

"If I had meant Pirate Queen, than that is the title I would have given."

Really, he does seem rather slow-witted.

"I am Pirate King," she declares, tone bold and slow, in case he still doesn't understand. "Voted on by the Brethren Court."

She pauses to allow him time to be impressed.

[dont_go_west]

West looks unimpressed.

"You're a girl," he points out. "Girls are queens. And what's a Brethren Court, some kind of Ren Faire troupe?"

[try_corsets]

"Not when they are chosen as Pirate King," Elizabeth insists. Her jaw is tight with annoyance, but each syllable comes out crisp and firm.

"It is the court of the nine pirate lords, of which I am one. We are keepers of the Code."

Lifting her chin, she drops a hand to her sword.

[dont_go_west]

West blinks.

"You're computer geeks?"

They're very pretentious computer geeks, clearly. Not that West would know anything about pretension.

[try_corsets]

"No, we're pirates," Elizabeth repeats.

Her fingers clench almost longingly on the sword hilt.

[dont_go_west]

"...Torrent...group?"

He's actually trying! "Or, like, LimeWire?"