Dreyfuss brought up the rear of their little group, looking for all possible avenues of escape, should it become necessary; he gave a small start when he noticed Trip running down another corridor, with someone who looked like Shai in the lead, carrying Brian O'Landry! HE then asked the oldest question asked by guests anywhere in the multiverse, and was relieved when the common courtesy that also seemed to be multi-universal was paid as well.
"Um, excuse me, please. The head is out of order on my ship, and I have a frightful urge. could I possibly use yours?" A technician turned to him, and condescendingly gave him the multi-universally-constant answer.
"Down that hall, and to the left. jiggle the handle, if you please."
He followed those directions, waited until whoever was following him was likely to have given up and gone back to wjhat he had been doing, and then left, goingback out to the docking bay, and walked right up behind Trip and Shai. "Ahem! he cleared his throat, and was rewarded by Trip practically flying up off teh dock -- and Shai lifting him up by the neck, squeezing just enough to show she meant business.
"Who are you and what do you want?"
"Jaisen Santiago Dreyfuss, owner-master of teh St. Elmo, at your service...m-ma'am.*choke* Could you loosen your grip, please?"
"That is your ship?"
"Yes, its mine"
"Take us aboard!"
"now just hold on, its a warship, and has my instructions to do certain things at certain times depending on the signals I give or fail to give. Just walking up to it and knocking on the EmDe hatch will likely get us all killed."
Shai put him down and asked, "how do you signal it?"
With this, in "Morse Code."
Dreyfuss pulled out his watch, and squeezed off the Universal Countermand order ha had worked out with Ishmael and Jock two years prior, on the mission against the kidnapping Marauder Pirates, for just such emergencies as this, wehen the previous arrangements were no longer practicable; it countermanded the shave and a haircut order, and caused Ishmael to appear at the hatch, accompanied by Mister Leyton, at about the time Dreyfuss, Trip, and Shai appeared.
"Take these three aboard, Capn, and put the wounded fellow, there, Mr. Brian O'Landry, in Sickbay; he'll probably require traction immobilization for broken bones. I have to get back somehow. shave and a haircut is back in effect, only now its one and one-half hours instead of twelve. Understood?"
Ishmael nodded and said , "Aye. 'Twill be a bad wait, but we'll do as ardered sir."
"Good. close this hatch ASAP and stay buttoned up. don't even open a cabin or stateroom windowhatch."
"Miss Shai, you don't know me here, and your counterpart in the world that we came from didnt know me well either, but I swear to you that if you are against the Cold Ones, then I and all of my skeleton crew and the crew of the Boheme are your allies," Dreyfuss said frankly and urgently. "It's unfortunate that accomplishing our current goal (rescuing and repairing a certain between-walking former Boheme crewmember) entails dealing with the enemy in currency other than bullets and missiles, but that's the way it is.
Be assured that I, at least, believe that even benevolent action toward them can be a weapon against them." He sighed and then finished, "I can't make any guarantees as to when we can help find or return you to your compatriots, but you are welcoime aboard my ship as my guest, and especially if you are willing to lend a hand in battle and in regular operations. We are woefully undermanned, as you will see when you go on board; we were treating ourcurrent vopyage as an exercise, and did not expect to go on campaign, but now that we're here, we are determined to see the voyage through. Now, please, board and help the others keep this vessel uncompromised. Thank you."
Dreyfuss walked back to try and find his group. it proved an uneventful journey, and it was almost as if he hadn't even been missed...
He hoped that the current Debacle between Emmas 1 and 2 did not escalate beyond the current one of words and oneupsmanship. then Black slowly turned and stared straight at him.
"You. You are related to Caractacus Dreyfuss, aren't you? you have his face, and the same hard set of jaw. Which one of his descendants are you?"
Dreyfuss stiffened, and mastered his rage; he wanted to pull steel, impale black on it, and then tell him his full name and former ship as Black slid off of the blade, but he schooled himself and then realized only the truth would do, and said, "I am Jaisen Santiago Dreyfuss (at your service), formerly Captain of the Bayou Marauder Mercenary Company's Belted Monitor Flying Ironclad, the Mad Anthony Wayne. I am now Commodore Dreyfuss of the Republic of Texas Air Fleet, Liaison to Her Majesty's Secret Service, and owner/Master of teh Pocket War Zepplein St. Elmo. And you are Hieronymous Black,Coomodore and Captain of the Louisianan Privateer Ship Eastern Star. It's been many years, Commodore Black." You cable-cutting, scabrous dog!.