Pirates: A new beginning

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"Ye'd raise yer hand to me? After all the years we be sailin' ye've finally turned on me. Ye should be the one who recieves the lashings. It be yer job to punnish the crew. Yet ye let that maggot sew dissent in the crew. Ye've not taken on yer responsibilities like I had hoped. When the ship be attackin' the cove, ye did yer bit, but where were ye? In council, ye've been silent. Now, ye want to challenge me? Fair enough... we'll put it to the crew. I'm not above them, and I'll speak fer me actions, like ye can speak against them."

Turning to address the crew, he looked amongst them. Searching out old crew, and new. Looking into each man's eye, giving a nod to those he had bled beside.

"Yer Master has deemed me guilty of breaking the articles. In the terms of the rules, I may have. Striking another member of the crew be punnishable by Moses law. But on this day, it seems the articles have been ignored. First, they be ignored by the man that be killed. He saught to gain, at the expense of the company.

The second time, they be broken by the Master. He should have kept order. Giving the man leave to speak... that be his call. But when the man chose not to defend himself, but instead he chose to sow dissent, Turk's lack of action in restoring order, meant he was party to sedition. Lastly, they be broken by me. In restoring order, I laid punnishment on the head of that man.

Ye have seen much today, and ye have bled beside me recently. Some of us have not sailed together much, as some of ye be new to the crew. But that first fight, we all became family! Today has been a sad day fer this ship, and it grows worse with the conflict between me, and the Master. Now, I be askin' ye, Shall we let what's done be done? Shall we be lettin' today's troubles die, with that man, and the settin' sun? Shall we return to normal shipboard life, and let this day remain one irregularity? What be ye sayin' men?"

[ October 22, 2004, 18:38: Message edited by: Takara ]

 

The men were silent as Arvin finished his speech. As the captain's eye passed by Sol, he could have winced. Reluctantly, he stepped forward and took hold of the bullwhip in Turk's hand. Sol pulled it firmly from his grip and returned it to the chest.

"Arvin is our captain!" Sol shouted out "You all know how capable he is and I would say there was no better man on this ship, or in these parts!

"He's handled all of this well and for that he deserves our respect and loyalty. Turk is a good man also, but I think he has taken this too far. I say we concentrate on Black Pete and getting our gold back and let this pass."

The crew's cheer at the defusion of another death was loud and the relief was greater.

 

As the men dispersed, Arvin loooked at Turk.

"The crew have spoken, but we need to be talkin', please, come to me cabin."

Slowly, the two men walked up the steps, and entered Arvin's cabin. As Arvin entered, he walked over to his desk, and leaned heavily on it. Slowly unbuttoning his coat, he took it off. Putting a hand under his shirt, he could feel Alexa's stitchings from his wounds seeping a little. All the exertion of the past day was threatening to open them up, and he couldnt afford a fight right now.

Turning to look at Turk, he felt anger, and sadness well up in himself.

"We have been friends fer more years than I can recall. We have pirated together, fought together, and bled together. We have taken booty, and lost firends. Through all this, ye ahve been standing beside me. Why NOW? after all that has happened. WHY?

Many of the crew be new, and they be needin' leadership, and they be needin' a strong sense of purpose, NOT division! I dont want to be fightin' with ye. We've been through too much.

Yer actions have left me at a loose end. Why didn't ye put an end to that man's actions? Still, if ye had a problem, couldnt ye have raised it privately?

I be knowin' the articles better than any man on this here ship. I know what I did broke article 5. And maybe I let me anger get the better of me, but even so... This day be takin' a turn fer the insane.

Yer actions could have caused a mutiny, but ye do be havin' a role, and an important one. So I be sayin' this to ye. Ye want my blood, ye want to punnish me? Well we're here. We're in private. Ye be wantin' my blood,then TAKE me blood! Walk out that door, down to the mast, and get the whip. Come back here and LASH ME! I'll not be resistin' ye. The crew be knowin' what happens, and they be knowin' that I'm not above the articles. But I have me pride, and that was NOT the place! I only be sayin' one thing. When yer done, send Alexa up to me with a bottle of rum, fer I will be needin' her care after."

[ October 22, 2004, 19:52: Message edited by: Takara ]

 

Sol wandered over to the prow of the ship, staring out over the water at Black Pete's ship. He propped his forearms - a set of Jean's knives now unashamedly strapped to them - up onto the railing. The ship floated over the water, effortlessly gliding through the waves. Sol longed to be borading the other ship, to show her crew what it meant to cross the Violet Marauder and to get their plundered gold back.

Sol turned around and wandered back to the main deck to begin his checks again. He'd have to wait to see if the council was going to continue.

 

Turk looked into Arvin's eyes, an angry buzzing in his ears. He had heard the buzzing earlier, when he was arguing with Arvin above the deck. It was louder now. Turk stood up quickly, his left fist connecting with Arvin's jaw, sending the younger man to the floor.

"After all these years, ye still think yer better then me, don't ye? Now lissen 'ere ya dog!! Ye do MY job, and ye question MY ways, and ye wonder why I did what I did?!? I AM THE MASTER!! IT IS MY[b/] JOB TO PUNISH THOSE WHO DESERVE TA BE PUNISHED!!!" Turk pulled out his old Derringer with a shaking hand. He wiped the large beads of sweat off of his forhead. " WELL NOW IT"S YER TURN TO BE PUNISHED... AND I ... I ... you ..."

White faced, Turk started to sway, the gun dropping out of his shaking hand. His eyes rolled backwards into his head, and he stumbled back. With one final gasp, Turk fell with a crash on to the floor.

 

Wiping the assorted blood and grime from his hands, Reeves felt a lot better. He no longer felt the call for blood thrumming through his veins; in fact, he felt decidedly… woozy. Grimacing, he reached inside his shirt to retrieve the tobacco pouch that held his… special… leaves.

It was not there.

With an oath, Reeves began to rummage through all of his various hiding places, frantic panic settling into him as he began to realize that he had, indeed, lost the leaves.

He slammed his fist into the bulkhead, heedless of the splinters or the blood on his knuckles.

This was not good.

 

Reeling from the blow, Arvin spat blood out of his mouth. Furious at being struck, he watched as Turk drew his firearm. Confused at his friend's behaviour, he realised that he had nothing close to hand, and was caught dead in the water.

Waiting for the shot that would finish him... he was surprised when Turk collapsed. Hauling himself to his feet, he picked up his cutlass, and pulled it from it's scabbard. Walking over to Turk, he could feel the rage threatening to engulf his soul. Every ounce of his boddy shook, from rage, and from adrennaline. Looking down at Turk, he hauled back his arm, and prepared to end the life of his oldest friend.

As he held his arm poised, the same thought kept bouncing around his mind: WHY!? Realising that he needed an answer to this question, he lowered his cutlass, and bent down on one knee. Checking Turk, he made sure he was still alive, and hauled the man up. Slinging Turk over his shoulders, he took him out of the cabin, and slowly walked down to the deck, and went below to Alexa's infirmary. Catching Sol's eye, he motioned for him to follow.

"What ye been doin' in the hold Sol? Lookin' through the stuff we took off the Nightwind eh? Follow me."

Carrying Turk into the infirmary, he laid him down on one of the beds. Concern started to etch its way accross his face. This wasnt Turk's normal behaviour. Something MUST be wrong. As Alexa entered the room, he turned to her. Alexa, "Turk's been acting all strange, and he be collapsing up deck. Can ye take a look at him, maybe ye can be findin' out what harm has come to him, or his mind."

Looking over at Sol, he walked over and spoke quietly to him. "Turk be acting mighty strange, and almost killed me in me cabin. I dont know what be going on with him, but I be wantin' ye here... as a gaurd I guess, fer when he be comin' round."

As he started to move back to stand before Turk, he spat out some blood, and winced in agony. His side was really hurting. Putting his hand inside his shirt, he felt a sticky warmth coating his side. Withdrawing his hand, he saw it was coated in sticky red blood. His stitchings must have torn loose, and he was bleeding badly. Looking up at Alexa, he was about to ask her for assistance, when he felt his legs give out, and he went down hard. Cracking his head on the decking, his vision blurred, and everything swam out of focus.

 

Sol fingered through the cases taken from the Nightwind. There were some partially damaged silks, some grotesque demon ornaments and a small cache of weaponry. Sol sorted through the weapons case, snorting at some of the cheaper pieces before he came across a two handed tulwar amongst three claymores. He lifted it out examining the blade and hilt. It was long, almost to Sol's shoulder's when he held it against him. The blade was wide and straight at the bottom, but wickedly curved at the top. The handle was long as well, long enough for three hands, rather than two and wrapped in red leather. Sol found a suitable strap for it, and fastened it across his back beside the scimitar. It would take some practice to use, but it would scare enemies better than the scimitar.

As Sol left the hold he noticed the captain motioning for him to follow. Sol moved after him, heading into the sawbones. There, Arvin told them what had happened in his cabin Sol was suprised Turk had taken it that far and he turned to follow out Arvin's order. As he took a step toward the door, he heard Arvin's fall and spun around.

Sol leapt down to lift the captain up, grabbing him by the shoulders and hauling him onto the sawbones table while Alexa took his legs and lifted them up as well. Alexa moved in to examine him and Sol stepped back to let her work.

Moving over to a seat by the wall, he looped the tulwar over his head and set on on his lap while he watched Turk.

 

As Diego wandered around his gun deck, doing the usual routine of checking the powder to examing the cannon barrels, he took a brief moment to survey his Realm. The gun deck was spacious, to allow for the cannons rolling, yet even tho there wasnt that many cannons, they still occupyed most of the space, meaning the gunners had to be careful not to whack a knee of the cannons as they moved back and forth.

Diego himself was medium built, with dark black curly hair, his skin was naturally light tanned, and being below deck most of the day didnt allow for much exposure to the sun to darken his tan. He wasnt handsome yet at the same time, no where near the ugliest member of the crew. He originated from the Spanish Colony of Venezuela, where he had been exiled from Spain, for theft and adultery, but had escaped and made his way to Freetown hidden on a merchant ship.

As Deigo reflected on his thoughts he heard someone stumbling towards the sawbones, as he moved to inspect he heard Arvin and Sol talking to Alexa. When he moved closer to the door Diego heard a thump, as Diego raced in he saw Arvin's body lying prone on the floor.

 

Marius watched carefully as the Violet Marauder slowly came about and started to leave the cove in pursuit of the ship that sat out on the horizon, tempting them as gull on the surface tempted sharks from below. Arvin's obsession with getting revenge on Pete made this almost comically easy.

The one thing Marius hadn't planned on was night falling faster than it ought. Arvin's ship was moving slowly - surely Pete could see that too, for he was hovering at just the right distance - more slowly than it should have. If he didn't make better progress, Marius would face the challenge of slipping in behind his pigeon in full darkness. There would be no moon tonight to help make sure he hit the perfect distance for pursuit.

What could be going on, he wondered.

 

Sol leaned back in the chair. He felt so tired! How long had it been since he slept? two days? What he wouldn't give just to lie back and close his eyes for a few hours. Glancing down at the Captain, he pushed thoughts of sleep from him and turned his attention back to Turk. His face looked grey and stretched. Sol felt sorry for the old man. He seemed to be on death's door.

Sol stood slowly, his weary legs struggling to keep him upright. He moved forward and looked down on Turk's closed eyes. "Pull through old man."

 

Closing her mind against the memories that threatened to overwhelm her, Alexa turned to look over her two patients. Alexa hissed in dismay as she saw that Arvin had collapsed and that her stiches hadn't held up as well as they could have. She worked quickly, cleaning and re-stitching the wound.

She finished soon after, then turned to attend to Turk. "Sol, I need space. Go look after the captain. If I need help, I'll let you know." Her eyes drifted to the doorway where she noticed another crewman come into her infirmary. "If you're not injured, get out! I need space to work here, and that means not needing to trip over anyone!" Alexa's eyes flashed dangerously. "Get out!" She turned her back on the newcomer, hoping for his own safety, that he left.

Her eyes narrowed as she took in Turk's appearance. There was something more than just age affecting him. Grabbing a bottle of medicine, Alexa tried to get Turk to drink it. She started swearing as he started coughing up the medicine, unable to swallow it. She started searching Turk's pockets, trying to find something to give her a clue as to what was wrong.

Pulling out some dried leaves, Alexa frowned. She knew that Turk smoked a pipe, but this wasn't the same. She crushed one of the leaves and smelled it. She threw it down, and looked back at Turk, dismayed.

There wasn't anything she could do to save him. She recognized the symptoms now, and knew that the combination of his bad health and smoking these specific leaves was more than enough. Alexa rested a hand gently on Turk's chest.

It rose and fell once more, then Turk was silent. Alexa bowed her head and murmured something that sounded like "be at peace" and drew a sheet over Turks body.

Alexa turned back to Arvin, shoulders slumped in defeat. She took a damp cloth and started to clean the blood from his skin.

 

Diego, sensing Alexa's anger, motioned Sol over to him and quickly departed the room carrying Turk's body with the help of Sol. They moved slowly up to the main deck and palced Turk's body in the middle of the deck, next to the main mast, so that the rest of the crew could pay their respects to the departed Turk.

 

Slowly... Arvin groaned. Trying to open his eyes was more straining than some battles, for it felt like they were made of lead. As they slowly opened, his eyes stung. As light filled them, all he could make out was a blurryness to the room. Slowly, he remembered ehat had happened, and as soon as the agony in his side kicked in, it all came back full force.

Letting out a sigh of pain, he regained focus, and looked up into the eyes of Alexa. She was standing over him, and seemd to be washing away the stains of blood on his side. Trying to force a smile onto his weathered face, all he managed was a twisted grimace.

Starting to speak, all he managed were few unintelligable syllables, before he started to croak out a sentance.

"Again.... I seem to be findin' meself in yer care. Ye've looked after me so much, in so short a time. I be thankin' ye deeply. All the fighting, and scuflles of late... be testin the stitching beyond breaking point."

Looking up at Alexa, he saw she seemed to be distressed. Placing a hand on her arm, he spoke gently to her.

"What be the matter? ye dont seem to be yerself. I be sorry if the events on deck brought back... troubling memories."

 

Alexa looked down at Arvin, emotions warring within her. The stress of the day had been overwhelming, and she wasn't sure how much more she could take.

"Troubling memories? It's more than that, much more. Some of those techniques I used, those were used on me and the others with me." She turned away, desperately trying to hide the tears that started to fall.

"On top of that, I'm afraid that I couldn't save Turk. He was too far gone for me to help. And for that, I am sorry."

 

"Turk? dead?"

Arvin lay back stunned. He'd sailed with Turk for over ten years. Although he'd been acting very strange... he couldnt believe him dead. Collapsing back to the table, his mind whirled.

Still, the tears on Alexa's face brought him back to reality, fast. Gritting his teeth, he raised his body from the worktop. Biting back an anguished cry, he bit his lip, to focus his mind.

Sitting up, he swung his legs off the worktop. Gently, he rested a hand on Alexa's shoulder.

"I dont be knowin' why, or how, but I be knowin' ye did EVERYTHING ye could fer Turk. If he.... died... I be knowin' fer sure, it not be because of ye!"

Turning her round, so that Alexa faced him, he looked into her tear stained eyes.

"Half o' what ye be going through be my fault. And fer that, I cant apologise more. I knew yer history, and yet I made ye... torture that man. I KNEW what it might do, but I asked anyway. If yer in pain from the memories... then I be the one at fault here. I cant make the pain go away... but I CAN help ye through it. I've had me share of painful times. None, certainly, of the sort ye faced. But I can talk to ye about pain. And if ye be needin' someone to be angry at... then I can be that person too."

 

So the man was dead. Reves cursed. He, along the others, was "paying his respects" to the dead man, and he could recognize the faint smell still clinging to the corpse.

This was not good. If those leaves could be traced back to him, he would be in a world of trouble. And now the pretty sawbones would know why he'd be asking her for certain remedies.... biting his lip and keeping his eyes downcast, Reeves did not notice that his fingers were twitching as if he were running an invisible coin along.

He just hoped he'd pull it through until Marius' plan came into acton.

 

Alexa looked at Arvin, eyes flashing. "You know nothing of pain! Nothing!"

She rolled up her sleeves to show the scars on her wrists, then turned slightly, moving her braid aside to show an ugly scar at the base of her neck. "This was done by the person I told you about. This, and more. He enjoyed every scream, every plea for mercy, and he kept inflicting more pain. He revelled in it."

Alexa sat on a nearby chair, shaking. "He kept forcing us to do things, and kept doing things to us. Things like some of the tortures I used earlier. Do you think I enjoyed doing that? I was remembering having similar things done to me while I was inflicting pain on that man." She drew her dagger and threw it into the wall, where it stuck.

"Turk died because he had been smoking certain drugs that didn't go well with his failing health. The man who captured us used that kind of drug frequently. There's no way I can forget the smell." Alexa started to cry in ernest.

"To add to the troubles, he didn't just leave me with scars." She took a shaky breath, and looked at Arvin sadly.

"He left me with child."

 

Arvin reeled with shock. He couldnt believe what Alexa had just told him. With Child? The monster.

"Alexa... I dont know what to be sayin'. I dont know how ye be copin' with this. But I do be thinkin' ye be stronger than I ever gave ye credit fer. If there be anyhin' I can be doin'. Anything at all... I gladly be doin' that."

Slowly easing off the counter, he slowly hobbled over to the doorway, he hammered his fist on the frame. Biting back a curse, he felt something iside him wrench. He felt that maybe... he ought to tell Alexa of his own pain. Perhaps... perhaps, it might help. Facing the doorway, he slowly talked, unacustomed to speaking what he kept locked away.

"Ye be knowin' I be havin' a feud with Pete. One that stretches back... back until before I be a captain. I was master, aboard a pirate vessel, a successful one at that. One day, we be setting into port, loaded with coin. I was more of a fool back then. All posture, and not much humility. It was in this town that I met a girl. The most beautiful I had ever seen. Her eyes were the colour of the sea. A rich mix of blue and green. Her hair was fine, and flowed with the breeze. And her smile.... her smile. It could have warmed the heart of the devil himself."

With these words, a tear started its way down his cheek. The memory brought a smile to his face, and he couldnt help but feel free, if for a moment.

"She be seein' this other man. A pirate on the way up. Name of Pete. I hadnt known of him then, and I didnt much care. With me charms, and me coin, I swept her off her feet, and Pete became naught but a memory. Together... it just felt right. It felt like we'd been together for an age or more, and couldnt bear to be apart. I dont know how long we be together... but I was prepared to give it all up fer her. We got engaged, and were going to be wed. I had a rich haul from me share, so we had coin to be startin' a life. She even.... she even was with child. Nobody knew, except her and me, and I never did tell anyone else since. But it weren't to be. Fer I had not counted on the bitterness of Pete. He was a pirate to be sure, and a vindictive one too. One day, as we be leavin' an Inn in freetown, he appeared out of the night. Drawing his pistol, he went to shoot me. Before he got a shot off, I be on him, and we be tusslin. That's when it went off. At first... at first I didnt think much of it... but out o' the corner of me eye... out o' the corner.."

Letting a sob break from his throat, he tried to hold it in, but the memory threatened to overwhelm him.

"... I be seein' her. My life, my love. My Liza... dyin'. The shot had hit her square, and her life was leakin' away on the cobbled streets. I struck Pete, and knocked him cold. Rushin' to her side, I got to hold her, as her life blood coated me. Slowly, I watched the light fade from her eyes. Her dying whisper, was to go easy on Pete. Even in death, she felt responsible. 'Till this day, I wished I had ignored her plea. But I had to spare him! And how I've hated him fer it. I be knowin' the nature of revenge, and I be knowin the nature o' pain."

Turning to look at Alexa, he brought his gaze to meet hers.

"I'll do whatever is in me power to aid yer revenge. And I'll do whatever else and more ye be needin' fer ye and yer child. This I swear to ye."

Walking over to Alexa, he kneeled down, and rested his hand on her side.

"Yer pain hurts me, fer that kind o' viciousness wounds me deep. I cant be takin it away, I wish I could, but I can be promisin ye that I'll not let it go unanswered."

Hobbling over to her dagger, he wrenched it out of the wall. As he returned, he slowly knelt, holding his aching side. As he extended the hilt to her, he uttered an oath.

"We be sailin after Pete, fer booty, and fer wealth. But I have me scores to settle, and a pain to be puttin to rest. I be swearin' this to ye: Yer pain, and mine, shall be answered by the end o' this voyage, I swear. And I'll not stop, 'till yer blade be wet with the blood of those who wronged ye!"

[ October 29, 2004, 00:57: Message edited by: Takara ]

 

Reeves' knuckles were white despite the raw wounds as he squeezed the railing; he could feel the first tremors of a craving settling in. He could ignore it, he had done so in the past; but it was the fact that he needed to be at his peak that worried him.

"'ey, lad, yer lookin' a wee bit green th're... dont ye worry, it ain't ev'ryday that ye see a man cut to pieces on t' deck."

"We all be on th' edge 'cause of the sawbones, and what happened t' Turk," the elderly sailor said, "An' not all take too kindly t' things. Ye sure ye won't need sumthin, boy? I says you look a wee bit green."

"I am fine," Reeves said, "But thanks for offering,:"

"Ye sure? There be fresh apples in the galley, I knnows, and ye need color on yer cheeks. Com' wit me and have an apple, an' I tell ye more of the things th' sawbones has been doin' to make evry'un a wee bit wary of 'er."

The refusal was on the tip of his tongue, but Reeves hesitated. He had to admit that the pretty sawbones intrigued him; Perhaps it would be worth his time to listen the old man blabber.

"Sure," he said, smiling timidly.

Besides, he liked apples anyway.

[ October 29, 2004, 08:38: Message edited by: Arabwel ]