Welcome to Gaia! ::

Cast Aweigh was opening the latest package sent from her mother via postal air drop to the lighthouse. She'd gotten used to every manner of vehicle dropping parcels, mail, and supplies to the small dock that she'd even set up landing lights for helicopters on the flatter side on the shore that she'd routinely turn off and on when needed.

Utility knife in hoof, she was just about to shred the cardboard for the recycling and throw it into the bin when she heard something she wasn't accustomed to.

A knock!

It sounded almost alien to her. Who the devil could be knocking? Out of habit she looked out the large porthole shaped window to the dock, then realized that obviously it must be coming from the door two floors down. Putting down her cutter, she went down to open the door.

"H-Hullo?" she said, pulling the door open with a huge rusty, creaking sound.

Cast looked up, then up some more.

"Oooooooh," she said. "That's me, sir! I was just in the middle of inspecting some parcels. Would you like to come in for tea? Mom won't let me keep rum," she sighed.

"If you're okay with three flights of stairs, that is," Cast Aweigh led the way up and up the winding stairs. "The first floor, I'm afraid, is mostly full of wooden crates and ropes and things. Mom won't let take the dingy out after dark, I'm to do all my fishing in the morning."

Cast let Jolly follow at his own pace as she put some water on the kettle to a small potbellied stove where her hammock and a small footlocker sat next to it for warmth in the night.

"I'm Ensign Cast Aweigh," she gave a salute to no one as she took up her box cutter again to sift through her packages. "Or at least I am when I'm aboard my mom's ship. She says I'm not old enough for Lieutenant and First Mate."

" 'Scourge of the Deep' ," Cast Aweigh mused out loud, pulling out loose tea from a tin. It looked to be fine imported tea from somewhere like northern China or Tibet judging by the tin's ornate label. "Does that mean you went diving with it? And why would you come all the way out to this lighthouse when there's adventures to be had out at sea?"

"Oh, you're welcome!" Cast said brightly, pouring tea into a cup for Jolly. "I have a schedule I have to keep! Once when I had a cold, I had to practically drag my way all the way up to make sure the light was working properly! We can't run too much on electricity out here, so it runs by fire and sometimes magic but the crystals don't burn as brightly."

Cast poured herself a cup of tea and offered Jolly a jar of sugar lumps.

"Fortunately, Momma sends me so much stuff from all over the world that I have lots of medicine. Our pantry is pretty much the whole second floor. The first floor is for things I've unpacked and dismantled crates. I use that crate wood for the stove. Nothing's wasted out here!"

"Yeah, I suppose it is," Cast nodded, sipping her tea. "Anyway, Mr. Roger, how can I assist you? I hope I can help, you've come a loooong way just to visit the lighthouse!"

"Oh, there's always work to be done," Cast sighed. "But it's what's called busy-work, you know. That pile of things that always need doing, like dishes or mending, or restocking. But it's not often I get company. All the contact I ever get from anyone else is by mail out here. I was thinking of putting in an order for carrier pigeons as I've saved up enough money for a set."