aptain Garson hurried up a set of stairs leading to the helm at the back of the top deck of his frigate.  This high-set deck was directly above his cabin and referred to as the poop deck. He looked over the  ship from the higher position to oversee the work of his men.

 "That was quick," said a man strolling lazily up each step to join him. "You didn't even make a mess of your fine garb."

 Captain Garson gave a quick glance to the crewman who casually leaned against the rail beside him.

 "Haven't you work to do, Radnor?" Captain Garson muttered. "Why is that pile of rope strewn about my deck?"

 Radnor turned and looked around until he saw a young crewman.

 "Addison!" he yelled down.

 The young man dropped a bucket he was carrying full of water, and Captain Garson glared at Radnor.

 "Clumsy!" Radnor shouted at him. "See to that pile of rope and use that water you spilt to swab the deck!"

 "Yes, Quartermaster," Addison replied and quickly hurried to follow the orders of the second in command.

 "You have your work cut out for you with that one," Captain Garson told Radnor. "I think you should mind your own affairs before concerning yourself with mine."

 "I was only wondering what you plan on doing with her," Radnor replied, unaffected by the captain's attempt to avoid the conversation.

 "The whole crew is, Captain," said the man at the ship's wheel.

 Captain Garson huffed and looked around. As the crewmen worked, they would occasionally glance up at him and at the door to the officers' quarters.  

 "If you don't make a decision soon, it will be made for you," Radnor warned quietly. "That girl is more valuable than the largest diamond in the world at the moment. Every man here wants to get his hands on her until there's nothing left to enjoy."

 "Weren't ye gonna question her about her cousin?" wondered the helmsman.

 "I'll get to it," Captain Garson replied. "Seeing that her cousin and his ship are too far away to bother us and that they weren't accompanied is my priority."

 The three men looked toward the north east of their heading to watch her uncle's ship continue sailing in the opposite direction. It was headed back to port and didn't appear to want any further interaction with the pirates.

 "Should we have let them go?" Radnor wondered.

 "Something tells me they would have been missed," Captain Garson replied. "The last thing we need is some pretty boy's rich father hiring a flotilla to search our waters."

 Radnor watched Captain Garson thoughtfully. "But you kept her. Don't you think they may come looking for her?"

 "You're assuming that sniveling scallywag will tell anyone what he did," Garson replied calmly.

 Radnor watched him a moment more, inwardly questioning what could be a careless decision, before they were interrupted. 

 "Captain!" came a shout from below.

 Captain Garson looked down to find three men holding various tools for cleaning and repairs staring up at him.

 "Are ye gonna share that pretty little thing soon? Crew's gettin' anxious!" one of them called up.

 Radnor turned away so they couldn't see him talking.

 "You know what they'll do to her," he said just above a whisper. "Sweet innocent thing like that doesn't deserve such an end. I don't believe her cousin for a minute. Something's going on and you don't know what will happen to us if she gets hurt here."

 "Quiet," Captain Garson muttered.

 He squinted his eyes reflectively as he noticed other members of the crew staring up at him for an answer. He moved around Radnor and walked with purpose down the steps.

 "In case you've all forgotten, she was gifted to me," he told them. His voice boomed over the entire deck so that not one man missed what he had to say. "I'll decide what to do with her in my own time."

 As he reached the door to the officers' deck, he turned to face them.

 "As with any other fortune I have claimed, my property is not to be touched."