gagonthis
I'm old school like that.
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2006
- Posts
- 4,034
AVAST YE!! THE REVENGE OF THE DREAD PIRATE!
OOC HERE:Avast Ye!
It had been a trap. A bloody trap. The Blood Money had moved in on the Spanish sloop, expecting an easy victory and the beautiful mound of treasure that would come from a military payroll. The first volley from the pirate galleon knocked half the guns on the sloop off, the second broadside crippled her sails, leaving her dead in the water. Her colors struck and the Blood Money approached, greed flickering in every man’s eyes as they prepared to board and take the booty. That’s when everything went to hell.
The man in the crow’s nest began screaming. “SAILS ON THE HORIZON!! SPANISH FLAGS!!” Jack’s head snapped up as he grabbed his looking glass his face paling at what he saw. “HARD TO STARBOARD! MAKE THE SAILS READY TO RUN!!!” He yelled to the helmsmen. “We’ve got two ships of the line coming at us with the wind at their backs!” He saw the look on every experienced crewman’s face as he uttered those words. There wasn’t a hope they could outrun the large warships, especially if they were running with the wind. Blood Money couldn’t get turned in time, and one of those ships would rip them apart in no time flat. Two of them… well they’d be lucky if there was debris left to cling to. Jack saw the fear on every man’s eyes, the same fear he felt in his own heart. Their luck had run out. He growled, he was a pirate captain… impossible victories were his forte. “DON’T JUST STAND THERE LIKE SPINELESS JELLYFISH! RUN OUT THE SAILS!!” He yelled, the men instantly snapping to work at his voice sounding out like a pistol. “They’ll not take us without a fight…” He said, nodding to Sabre, his second on this vessel. She was a fearsome fighter, but spoke not a word. Jack merely smiled. “We’ve got some luck left in us yet.” He said, squeezing her hand. “But just in case, and I know this sounds a bit sappy and sentimental of me, I want you off on the first longboat with the injured when those ships come in range.” He knew she wouldn’t listen to him, but a man could wish.
“Sir! Off to port! It’s Rocco and the Merry Robin!” The helmsman yelled and Jack turned cursing as he did. There was Rocco at the helm, driving recklessly towards the two Spanish vessels. “Damnit what’s he thinking?!” Jack yelled, but he already could tell. Rocco was had his course set and was at ramming speed. He’d slow the ships down enough for Jack and his crew to escape. Jack watched his eyes wide with amazement as Rocco captained his ship down on the two, one breaking off to deal while the other continued the chase, but losing precious speed as it turned out of the other ships maneuvers. Still… those guns could sound from far away, and Jack had a feeling they wouldn’t get out of this one unharmed…
KABOOOOOOOM! As if on cue the Spanish ships forward guns belched fire, the shot racing towards the fleeing Galleon. “EVERYONE HIT THE DECK!” Jack screamed, dragging Sabre down with him, covering her as the round shot hit home. He heard the smash of deck planks, the screams of men dying. He looked up to see the helmsmen had gone overboard when the ship lurched hard. Swearing he grabbed the wheel, spinning it back. He glanced back in time to see the Merry Robin’s mast split in half, but not before punching a huge hole in the second Spanish vessel’s hull. “That away Rocco, no surrender!” He whooped as he saw pirates repelling a hopelessly large Spanish boarding party.
OOC: Wolk, Dragonlady, if you guys are interested in still playing these characters then just have yourselves be captured, or escape in the confusion, etc.
Shot continued to rain down on the Blood Money, gutting her crew, but through some small miracle not hampering their speed. “Coral reef ahead sir!” One of the crew shouted and Jack tossed a smile to Sabre. “Let’s see that big son of a bitch follow us in here!” He whooped, spinning the wheel hard to port, driving directly for the coral reef. “DUMP ALL THE GUNS AND AS MUCH FOOD AS WE CAN AFFORD TO!” Jack shouted down to his crew. “WE NEED TO RUN AS LIGHT AS POSSIBLE TO GET THROUGH HERE!” His crew, despite their obvious fear, snapped to work and Jack smiled at their discipline as he focused his eyes on the reef ahead…. They would escape.. this had to work!
And work it had. Two weeks later, on the last of their food, the crew suffering from a bout of scurvy brought on by the lack of fresh fruit, the Blood Money limped into Nassau, much celebration taking place as the small pirate port came into view. Jack nearly collapsed from exhaustion, having gotten nearly no sleep in the two weeks, between his own sickness, his wound having flared up and piloting the ship through rough weather, the port looked like a utopia, rather than the dangerous nest of pirates, cutthroats and those they preyed upon. Jack smiled over at Sabre and looked over the remnants of his crew, raising his cutlass high. “We’re approaching Port Nassau…” He announced, waiting for the cheering to die down. “I’m giving everyone a week of shore leave, but I’ll skin alive anyone who makes trouble while we’re put in.” He said, staring down the crew. Jack turned to Sabre, “We’ve still got to be vigilante, there’s Trenchad to watch out for, and whoever was responsible for that attack upon you…. I’d prefer to stay on the ship and heal some more, but I need to go ashore, we’re going to need supplies, a shipwright, and to replenish crew…” He sighed and looked ahead to the port as he brought the ship into berth, staring at the darkened city with a mixture of fear and hope..