Pirates: A new beginning

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Nodding to Turk, Arvin stood and walked around the table. Laying a hand on Turk's shoulder, he looked him in the eye.

"It be good to sail with ye too old friend, but we not be done yet I hope."

Those words were all that were needed between them, for they didnt need to say any more. With that, he strode up onto deck. Seeing that they were getting close to the cove, he started shouting orders to the mates and getting the crew prepared.

"Trim the sail! Bring her tight into the wind! Get the cannon loaded, and prepare fer battle! This be it men... Fer fortune, and revenge!"

 

Sol dismounted silently and drew the scimitar from it’s sheath, it’s black blade and hilt mixing with the darkness. There was a little moonlight now, enough for them to see by. Sol cast his eyes about and suddenly he felt much more nervous. From his high perch, Hangman’s Cove seemed normal and the ship’s in the harbour were anchored, but he still felt something was wrong. One of the men beside him whispered in his ear “Should we move in?” Sol looked around once more, then shook his head slightly.

“We’ll circle a little, and get a better view.” Sol said to stall for time. He still couldn’t be sure what was the matter, but he knew something wasn’t right. After several minutes of moving Sol decided they had best go for it, and if something went wrong, hopefully they’d be able to get a message to the Captain before he made his attack.

Sol and his band swept down the hillside at a silent run. There were no battle cries or mad screams, just the soft patter of their running feet. The men were well spread out, and they halted at the bottom of the hill. Sliding on his belly, Sol took a wide route and crept up to the first sentries with four other men. There were only two of them, but if they eliminated this post, there would be a very large opening for the entire band to make their way in.

Sol swept to his feet and grabbed the first sentry, sliding his scimitar across his throat as another slid a cutlass into the sentries armpit and into his heart. The other sentry went down the same way and Sol moved his band in. They’d have to eliminate another sentry post to get the pack horses in. Sol sent six men to deal with it whilst he moved on to clear the way to the ships with the rest of the men.

They had to sneak through the ramshackle huts and makeshift shelters the pirates had erected, but they made it to the water without trouble and Sol sent for the pack horses. This was the part Sol had dreaded – getting out to the ships in the rowboats on the beach. At this point they were very vulnerable, as the boats would be slow moving, and there would be little chance of escape if they were discovered.

Sol ordered the men to load the explosives onto the boat and he sent one man to return the horses, with orders not to come back, but to warn Captain de Grath somehow if things went wrong.

The boats cast off, four in all to support the weight of each heavy cask. In each boat, there was a very long piece of what appeared to be rope. Alexa had said this would still burn under water, but Sol had been sceptical until she had proved it.

They reached the ship, to find no sentries on board. This surprised Sol, and he kept it in his mind as he set the explosives. With that done, they put the fuse in place, and swiftly left the boat. As they rowed back to land, they unravelled their fuse, allowing it to drop into the water. Back at land they made their way to a small dip in the land where they could hide from the shanty town and safely light the fuse once Avrin arrived.

[ October 04, 2004, 22:35: Message edited by: The Kilted Crusader ]

 

Standing at the stern of the Marauder, Arvin looked down the deck. All crewman were in position. The men on deck were ready, and word came from the gun decks below, that all men were prepared, and the master gunner was eager to unleash the Violet Marauder's teeth.

As the ship came around the mouth of the cove, he looked at the sky. The inky black of night has started to take on a slightly blue haze to it. Dawn was 20 minutes away. Perfect. Now, all he had to hope was that Sol was prepared, and had succeeded in his task.

Swiftly, the Violet Marauder entered the cove. Eagerly, Arvin strode to the front of the helm, and slowly a smile tugged his lips. There she was, the Nightwind, anchored as the interrogated prisoner had screamed.

Still, she wasnt smoking, and that had him worried. Had Sol failed in his task, was he dead, and all the men with him? Just as he had these doubts, the casks on the ship blew.

With a thunderous roar, and belch of smoke, they went up. The whole ship was blanketed in a haze of fog. Alexa wasnt kidding about the effects. Grinning to himself, he knew that Sol and his men HAD to be alright.

"This be it men! Death to our enemies!"

 

Knowing that Arvin's attack was imminent, Marius had risen before dawn. When the explosion went off he was just finishing his breakfast; he frowned when the concussion made a drop or two of tea fall onto his waistcoat. Well, if that was the worst stain the washer-woman had to deal with this day, he'd call it a success.

He made his way to the deck. There was a haze in the lightening sky and the air was acrid with gunpowder. Apparently the sawbones really had come up with something useful and not just noise. Excellent - the longer it took for the ruse to be discovered, the better.

Several crewmen met him with wide grins and gleaming eyes. They were obviously spoiling to join the fighting. "Patience, boys," Marius couldn't help but smile at their barely-contained eagerness. "The battle in the cove's only begun. Reports are that the good Captain de Grath is well laden with shot. We have to give him plenty of time to lighten his load sufficiently so he can keep up with us later." The waiting didn't sit well with the men but they knew better than to defy their captain.

If any of them noticed that Reeves was missing from his usual station on deck, they knew better than to say anything aloud.

[ October 06, 2004, 16:32: Message edited by: Rallymama ]

 

Turk could feel the energy vibrating from the crew as they began the surge forward. This was what they lived for. This is what they were born for.

Most of the crew was focused on their tasks, but it was Turk who noticed that something was wrong first. Nothing horribly wrong, but something that just shouldn't be.

With a look into Arvin's eyes, Turk knew his captain felt it as well. Now they just had to figure it out.

 

Sol grinned as the casks blew. The explosion was tremendous, and he was suprised the ship did not sink. He had lit the fuse the moment the sails of the Violet Marauder hoved into view.

It was now up to Arvin to make his move...

 

Alexa smiled as she saw her explosives work as she had promised.

As she watched the smoke expand, she ran her eye over the ship, and realized that something was wrong. Even through the haze, she should have been able to see people running on the deck of the ship, trying to locate the source of the smoke.

Running to where the captain and Turk stood, Alexa pointed to the other ship.

"Captain, even through the smoke, we should be able to see crewmen running on deck, trying to find where the smoke is comming from." She looked at the ship again, worried. "I don't see anyone onboard."

 

Concerned, Arvin scanned the smoky haze. Alexa was right, there was not a lot of movement. Just then, he slowly saw some stunned crewmen making it onto deck. Some looked to be bleeding, and others desperately trying to wipe their eyes, given the sting of the acrid smoke.

"Looks like we be catchin' them nappin', just as I be hopin' fer given the time. All this smoke, and they dont seem to have noticed us."

Laughing evily, he turned to Alexa, "They might not be seein' us now, but they'll be seein' us fer sure when our cannon be bouncing accross their deck."

With that, he turned to the decks, and shouted down to the master gunner.

"Diego, turn that there ship into maggot ridden cheese! I want her torn and tattered!"

[ October 25, 2004, 19:46: Message edited by: Takara ]

 

Eyes wide with pretended fear, deliberately making himself look young and vulnerable, Reeves reached the deck.

Not many of the pretendee-crew were functional; he had made sure that they'd been well into their cups last night. Of course, it had led to some pretty fast-talking from his own behalf, since he had to keep his cover up, but he had... persuaded... them to cease and desist their accusations.

Now, he was making sure that he would live through all this, and do as his captain had bid.

When a flying splinet caught the sleeve of his shirt anfd tore it, he nearly swore; but then bit his lip and ran faster towards what cover there was. It could only work to his advantage.

 

The Violet Marauder swung slightly to the right, so as to expose the Nightwind to her port side. As she did so, the cannon flaps were opened, and the guns pushed forward.

With the word given from Diego Cervada, the crewmen of the gun decks spiked their charges. With a resonant booming sound, the cannon fired, sending their shot plowing into the exposed flank of the enemy vessel. Wood splintered, and sundered under the assault, and the screams of the dying came echoing across the cove.

Watching all this with a grim smile of satisfaction, Arvin stood, and observed the destruction wrought on his nemesis' ship. The smell of powder filled his nose, and he heaved a sigh. This day had been a long time coming.

[ October 25, 2004, 19:45: Message edited by: Takara ]

 

Sol watched the cannon's blast and smiled. They were winning. He turned to face the men "Alright, we return to the horses. I doubt we'll be recognised in the town, with all the chaos that is going on, but we'll circle it anyway, just to be sure."

 

Gripping the rail on the fron of the helm, he watched as Diego put another barrage into the Nightwind. The resulting damage sent splintering wood flying in all directions. Many of the dagger like splinters hammered into the stricken ship's crew. The central mast was hit for a second time, and slowly began to twist, and topple, into the cove.

A cannonball fired from the Nightwind missed his ship by a small margin.

Surprised that it had taken them this long to respond, Arvin decided to go in for the kill, rather than slug it out.

"Hard to port Mr. Jenks!"

Swinging to the side, the Violet Marauder swung about, and sped up to the side of the Nightwind. Now, the crewmen on his deck flung graples at the nightwind, to link them together, closing down the gaps.

When the distance was short enough, his men bellowed with fury, and led by Turk, swung accross to the Nightwind's deck. Fighting through the smoke that still shrouded the enemy vessel, they charged headlong into the confused, and wounded crew.

With cutlass' swinging, and pistols firing, the ring of battle reched Arvin's ears. This was what he was born for, he thought. The thrill of battle. Striding down from the helm, he drew his cutlass, and headed for the enemy vessel. Though he was supposed to remain on the Marauder, he had a score to settle.

Swinging accross the gap, he stalked along the deck of the Nightwind. Most of the enemy crew were dying fast. Wounded, and sleepy, they stood no chance from his psyched up crew. Looking to the left, he saw Alexa throwing some little bottles towards unengaged sailors, setting off small explosions, which disoriented, and wounded their victims. Before long, he was cutting and thrusting himself. Matching steel with a toothless pirate, he parried, and lunged at his foe. More focussed, and better than his last fight, the tide was all from his offensive. Before long, he had beaten down the man's guard, and plunged his cutlass deep into the man's chest. As warm blood gushed over his hands, he smiled grimly. Revenge, was sweet.

However, where was Pete? he seemed curiously absent. As he strode into the captain's cabin, he found it looking decidedly empty. What manner of scheme was this?

As he stalked back onto deck, he met another sailor. Jumping at him in frustrated fury, he savagely brought the man's guard down, and ruthlessly cut him open. Looking about for Pete, he felt tears in his eyes. The acrid smoke from Alexa's barrels stung his eyes badly, and his nostrils were filled with the coppery scent of blood, and harsh scent of powder.

A shout came accross to him through the smoke, from the Marauder.

"Cap'n, we be seein' a ship on the edge of the cove!"

[ October 25, 2004, 19:47: Message edited by: Takara ]

 

Marius took the helm of the Devastation himself, easing it around the headland just enough to have a line of sight into the cove where the battle was still being fought. Pete, aboard the Nightwind II, was ahead of him as good bait should be. A stranger would never get Arvin to budge from path of revenge, but the idea that his quarry escaped once again should fuel his smoldering rage. If he was as single-minded as Marius had heard, this was likely the perfect spot for watching a grand chase - and entering it in time to ensure the result he wanted.

*****

Colin twisted against the rough grip of the pirate's hand on his biceps. He hurt in a dozen places, from the smoke in his eyes and throat to the cuts he'd taken from flying schrapnel. Normally he'd be more meek in front of such a big man, but when he was thrown to the deck he'd had enough.

"Wha' be ye doin' here, ye turd-breathed son o' a whore? Canna ye tell th' difference between an active ship an' one tha's bein' refitted?" At the look of astonishment in the other man's eyes, Colin stood a little straighter. "Tha's righ', ye kelp-brained bastard, I'm a shipwright, nae a pirate. Pete gae me title t' this vessel as part o' fair trade fer the new one I delivered t' him just yestereve. Now I'm left with no payment, not even salvage, an' less than half the trained men who be workin' 'ere. If ye ever want t' have yer ship mended or stocked in Freeport agin, ye better be thinkin' o' a way t' make amends!"

 

Running back to the rail, he vaulted accross the gap, to his own deck. Racing up to the helm, he snatched the spyglass being held for him by Mr.Jenks. Looking through it, he could just make out a ship passing accross the cove's mouth. Unable to tell who was aboard, he looked up the mast. Gasping in disbelief, he saw that the ship was flying the flag of Black Pete.

"What devilry be this!? I must be talkin' to Turk.

Racing back down the ship, he swung accross to the Nightwind. As he tried to make his way accross the deck, he came accross a tattered man, who looked out of place.

After throwing him to the deck, he was angered at the abuse he recieved.

"Ye be threatenin' me? Try to block me ship, and I'll have you killed, slowly, and VERY painfully."

Driving his fist into the man's face, Arvin watched as Colin's head snapped back, and blood spurted from his nose. As he collapsed to the deck, Arvin drove his boot into his stomach.

Then, bending down, he grabbed the gasping man by the front, and hauled him up.

"Now you be listenin' te me ye guttercrawlin' cur. Ye be knowin' what vessel this be, and ye be knowin' that this ship not be all that popular so ye can shut yer pie hole. Yer gonna tell me EVERYTHING, and if I not be satisfied, I'm gonna string ye up by yer balls, and watch with glee as ye choke! Now, what be this about another ship? and a trade?"

 

Turk sat down, hard, clutching his chest. The swing over hadn't been bad, but the fight that followed was hard on the aged pirate's health. He took a few steadying breaths before he looked up to see the captain beating on a man in the middle of the deck.

Fighting through the pain, Turk managed to stand up, planning on going to help Arvin. He was halted when the familiar sensation of a strong feminine hand pushed back down again, hard.

Looking up, his eyes met Alexa's, who's hand was holding him down. And from the look in her eyes, she had seen the troubles Turk was having, and wasn't planning on letting him up.

 

Colin spat out a mouthful of blood before he looked up at Arvin, fear and hatred mixed in his eyes.

"I tol' ye, I'm a shipwright - been trainin' under me Da since I could walk. Pete and some other fella came t' Da one night askin' us t' build a replica o' the Nightwind, with a few...enhancements, 'e called 'em. More guns, a faster keel, an' even galley ports. Well, Da din' wan' any part o' this, but I decided t' take the job. Time t' make me own name, an' all... Part o' me payment was the old ship. Now I got nothin', thanks t' ye, an' I canna even go back t' me Da fer more work."

 

Alexa looked at Turk with a critical eye. She could tell that he was not as healthy as others may think. Smiling slightly, she handed Turk a small flask with some medicine in it.

"This should help you feel better, Turk. But, for right now, you need to sit in one place. Do you really think that the Captain wants his crew, especially you, to be sick all of the time?"

 

Backhanding the man accross the face, Arvin split his lip. Shaking him forcefully, he snarled at him.

"Enough of yer lip, or it be the last thing ye do. I've a might short temper right now, so ye'd best tread VERY careful. Ye might have learnt a thing or two from yer father, if ye had cared to. Maybe he didnt go near that deal, was because he could smell trouble sure enough. Yer misfortunes are yer problem, make them mine at yer peril.

Now, tell me everything I want to be knowin', or I'll have to get nasty. Maybe keelhaul ye, perhaps, so dont waste me time. When these men visited, and ye made yer deal, who was the other man? Tell me all, or I swear to God himself, that yer'll be in agony the rest o' yer short life!"

 

"'E din' say much, but 'e din' need to. 'E was the one as had the purse, an' Pete kep' lookin' t' 'im fer approval. Thought I 'eard Pete call 'im 'Marius' or some such once." Colin paused to wipe his mouth. "'E was the one me Da din' wan' t' deal wi', an' 'e was the one who approved lettin' me take on the job. Funny, but 'e was starin' at me th' 'ole time Pete was talkin t' Da...like 'e wanted me t' do the job from the beginning." He paused again. "We delivered the new ship jus' two days ago, righ' 'ere in this cove. Once Pete's crew was aboard he tossed me th' rest o' me payment and sailed off. I never seen tha' Marius fella agin."

Colin spat out another mouthful of blood and looked up meekly. "Please, Cap'n, let me and th' boys sail wi' ye, jus' long enow t' find somewhere new t' set up shop. I canna stay here, nae in th' same town as me Da. We'll keep yer vessel in prime condition, we will, an' we'll take...'alf as much as yer other men. An' Cap'n," he added quickly, seeing Arvin's hand rise for another blow, "don' ye be fergettin' that no one knows the design o' tha' new ship better'n me."

 

Sol leapt onto horseback as the new ship moved into view. Sol cursed as he drew out a spyglass and pointed it toward the Marauder. On board he could see Arvin preparing to give orders to set sail.

Sol hurled down the Spyglass and kicked his horse into a gallop down hill. The men followed, drawing sabres and cutlass alike as they charged through the town. "We need to reach the Marauder!" Sol shouted over the hoofbeats.

The swords cut through any who seeked to stop them, but there were very few of them, and once they reached the beach, the men hurtled into the rowboats.

Sol was lucky enough to catch the Marauder after Arvin had made the ship turn, and he hauled himself up a rope thrown down by one of the crew.