Black Nate

Nate heard Red Cat address him and took another swallow of rum. As it settled he drummed his fingers on the butt of his pistol. Whatever it was she wanted him to belay, either drinkin of rum, or handling a weapon, he wasn't sure. But the rum was making him feel good so he played dumb a bit and continued to drum his fingers on the butt and drink more rum. He looked about the tavern and watched the expressions on the spaniards faces as more talk around the table continued. He shifted his weight and felt the cutlass at his side bump against him reassuringly. He had left his musket in the boat, didn't see a reason for the long weapon inside here. His cup was dry so he set it on the bar top and refilled it from his bottle. Picking up the cup he tapped it against the bottle in a toast to himself and took a drink.

With Red Cat's attention off of him, Nate slowly wiped his brow and listened in on the conversation between the captains. He didn't hear all of what was said, but he saw the gesturing to the bottles on the table. Nate could go for a drink right about now. He stood near the bar so inched closer and made eye contact with the man behind it. He rummaged in one pocket of his jacket and came up with some copper and one silver coin. Nate motioned as if he had a jack in his hand tilting to his lips and held up the coin. The man behind the bar smiled and held up a bottle of dark liquid. Nate asked very quietly, "Rum?" And the man nodded. Nate put the coin on the bar top and the man handed him the bottle and an earthenware cup. Nate looked around the tavern and made sure things were well before easing the cork out of the bottle and sniffing. Ol' Nate smiled, it was definitely rum. He poured some in the cup and drank it down. He grinned and relaxed as the flavor and burn filled his mouth and throat. "Oh aye, tha be good." He held the cup in his left hand and reflexively placed his right on the butt of a pistol. He lifted his eyes heavenward. "Thank ya father for puttin them to save me."

Nate stuck close to Red Cat and was sorely tempted to put a hand on one of his pistols, but the captain had warned them not to act hostile. He tried to remember any spanish words, but any that he did remember were less than polite. "Ah, Red Cat, capin, ma'am, sah, ma'am. I ain't got th tongue ta speak with thems folks." All he could do was grin and wave a friendly wave to those around them. The captain had found the two men she was after and spoke coldly to the one. Nate watched for a reaction from anyone in the place that might be bad for them. He inched closer to Red Cat and bumped into her, nearly making her stumble. He grabbed her around the waist, helping her to recover. She shot him a look and he gave her an apologetic smile. "Sorry Miss Cat, I jus bumped ya, didn't mean ta knock yer over." He realized she was still giving him a look, then realized why, he still had his hands around her waist. Letting go slowly, he backed away a step or two and paled a shade, afraid her wrath would be unleashed on him. Luckily, her attention was redirected back to the two men, Tar and Dillard. Nate breathed a sigh of relief.

Nate stood as still as possible. He only sought to have a name to address the woman pacing in front of him with. Aye that was foolish Nate ol boy .. foolish. They rescued ya an they could just as well have ya restin with those unfortunate from the Eliza. Nate closed his eyes against such thoughts. Had ta put it behind him now. His nervousness caused him to smile and he tried with all his might to belay it. He hoped his speaking out of turn wouldn't cause him too much trouble. Red Cat as she informed him she was called, seemed satisfied with his explaining the arms he carried from the raft. He thought he saw some hint of a smile to the woman though she seemed to be calming only slightly. He wondered what had made her so cross but decided he would do his best to stay on her good side as she said. Nate was grateful when she dismissed him to have dinner with the crew. As he scurried across the deck he mumbled to himself with a look of puzzlement on his face. He tried to figure out just who was what on this ship. The smell of food had his belly talking to him as well as himself and he hurried all the more remembering what the woman had told him.

Nate opened his mouth and the grin he was trying to hide presented itself. "Aye, th Eliza o London were er name. Cox'n's mate I were. I gots all these ere weapons from what were left o th ship. Lucky me found much floatin about." A haunted look filled his eyes, or what Red Cat could see of them in the dark. "I took this musket off a Davey. Thought he were alive, but he weren't. Th pistols were in a barrel. I hoped it were food, but it were full o' pistols full o sawdust. I had th' whole barrel, but it tipped off me raft days ago. An this cutlass, I took from th' stores when we were cuttin away th mainm'st." He stopped a short time and just breathed. He blinked several times and looked at Cat. He smiled. "Names Nate, Nate Durant. Wot's yers?"

Nate fell in beside the woman and walked briskly to keep up with her. He steadied his cutlass with one hand while low carrying his musket in the other. He had never carried so many arms at once before. Usually a pistol and cutlass, or a musket and cutlass, but never a brace of pistol, a cutlass and musket. Upon reaching the binnacle he set the butt of his doglock musket on the deck and stood straight while the lass paced infront of him. He took it that she was angry and he hoped it was not at him. He stood stock still and followed her with his eyes. He began to notice details of her face and form even in the dim light and began to relax a bit when she stopped and turned to him. It was a moment longer until he realized she was looking at him. He jumped and straightened, looking straight ahead at full attention, hoping her anger would not lash out at him. He prayed.

Nate had been so busy with the work given him he didn't realize they were heading into a port. When the topmen were ordered to reef the sails, he looked up and around. His eyes grew large as he realized where they had come to drop anchor. Habana. Deep inside Spanish territory. In fact, they were in the heart of it. Nate looked around at the other crew who didn't seem to notice or care where they were. Nate set down the pail and brush and reached to his belt. No pistol was there. Feeling rather naked, having only his belt knife at his back, he went in search of Tunny. Finding the old salt forward he posed a question. "Aye, Tunny, I needs ta know. . . Where be me weapons? I feels a bit in need ta know their whereabouts." He leaned in close to Tunny and whispered. "We's in a sticky spot here, Spanish Habana, an I likes me neck th way it be." he smiled a slightly crazy smile at Tunny and waited for an answer.

Nate had finished fixing the damaged rail and all it needed was a coat of varnish. He walked across the deck to head below into the stores where he hoped to find a pail of varnish and a brush. As he walked he noticed the two women aboard looking his direction. One was sewing on a flag while the other talked. As he felt their eyes upon him he became nervous, wondering what made him a point of interest to them. As he headed below he knocked off the hat he had been given by another crewman as he did not have his own any more nad working out in the sun without a hat was miserable. He retrieved the worn felt tricorn, shook it gently to knock off anything and pulled it onto his head tightly. It wasn't quite his size. Below he let his eyes adjust to the darkness before blustering about and running into the bulkheads or other crewmen, or worse, one of the females especially the captain. Once he could see he headed deeper into the ship and into the ships stores. He asked another for what he needed and before long the varnish and brush asked for were given to him. Off he headed to his work which would soon be complete for the time being. As he walked his mind was drawn back to the two women eyeing him up. It concerned him in some very odd ways. He could almost still feel their eyes upon him as he reached the top deck. He was right to feel that because the one was still there when he returned and locked eyes on him again. He tried to ignore her, but it was very very difficult.

Being so new aboard this ship, Nate didn't know how to take what Roberts said. He smiled then frowned. Then he looked unsure. Turning back to his work he tried to concentrate on the work he had to do. He looked at Roberts at the wrong time and hit his hand squarely with the mallet. He muffled a yelp and dropped the tools on the deck, stuck his hand into his armpit. Nate danced about in a circle for a short time. He pulled his hand out for where he stuck it and looked at it. Wiggling his fingers, he found it was not too damaged and smiled. Nate picked up the mallet and chisel and got back to work.

Nate stood at attention as he waited for work orders. The captain had come on deck and pulled the big moor away and talked with him for a time. The moor, Africa was his name, came back and gave Nate his orders. Much of it was heavy labor doing repairs. Nate felt his legs go wobbly as the list he was given came to an end but he stood fast and took it all in. "Aye-Aye sir!" He saluted and turned away to find where the carpenters stores were in order to get some tools. He was to help repair a section of railing and after that a gun carriage and seam part of the deck. Nate found the tools he was looking for in a carry box and brought them to his place of work. He striped off his jacket and even he was surprised how much he stunk. "Lord in heaven, forgive me for I do smell powerfully bad." He stood in the wind for a short time hoping to air out some. He lay his jacket inside out on the end of the fore mast pinrail. Nate pulled the tools out of the box and picked up a chisel and mallet and began to chisel away the torn and twisted wood. He did this for a time and stopped to wipe his brow with his neckerchief. Looking aft his eyes fell upon the one ships boat turned upside down on deck. Walking over to the water barrel Nate grabbed up the ladle and drank while he surveyed the boat bottom. "Well, this boat be needin some attention. fresh paint and got some dry rot startin here. Can't be too careful. Nay, can't be too careful." He had not been assigned the duty of fixing the boat, but if he got his list done he thought to turn his attention there if allowed. Back to his chore, he went off and found a hunk of wood to replace the damaged rail.

Nate was about to tell the captain about the scrape the Eliza had with pirates when one of the women, the redhead, bumped him. She told him to follow her to report to Africa. He knuckled his brow to the captain and followed the woman out of the wardroom and passed the other woman he met on the beach. He smiled at her and bobbed his head. She slightly nodded back while holding an apple as if she were about to have a bite. He watched her for a moment too long and bumped into the bulkhead. He turned away and continued to follow the redhead out. She took him up to a large moor. and introduced him to Africa. The big man looked down at Nate who stood straight and knuckled his brow. "Nate Durant, Bos'n's m- ahhh... I guess able seaman reportin fer duty, Sir!" He stood there waiting for what orders might be given him.

Nate stood a moment before answering the captain. He looked around the room and then back at the woman in front of him. "Eliza was captained by Capin Joseph Clarkson, fine man, good man, good capin. We was bound fer Jamaica wi trade goods, bales o cotton, linen, wool, among other things. Just a humble merchant she were. Eliza were a two hundred ton pink. Fine lines. weatherly. But not so weatherly for th storm. Storm sank her far as I can tell. Only thing I can think otherwise is that Mr. Wilks, the first mate, he likes his drink an was on duty that night. If he were passed out drunk an didn't set the storm sails. I can't say. I were asleep when all hell, ah beg pardon, broke loose. I came on deck after being tossed about below. Came out into th storm blowin full. Capin was on deck, but not in his slicks. He was hollerin orders fer th sails ta be reefed in. Then, oh Lord. Then th main mast went over th side. We cut it away an dropped all canvas hopin ta ride it out with bare poles. It were no good. we got tossed sideways in th swells. A wave, a big wave hit us broadsides an rolled us. Rolled us clear over. Lost some a th men then. Capin Clarkson order us ta bandon ship then. Not sure what happens after. Not sure." He stood with a look of pain on his face like he had just relived the sinking of his ship all over again. Which in some ways he had. His eyes were glazed over, staring into nothingness. His hands clenched the edges of his jacket. Someone cleared their throat and he snapped back to the present. "Oh, beg pardon Sir, ah Ma'am. Ahhhh, about me ya wants ta know? Nate Durant, Bos'ns mate, well, former bos'ns mate o th Eliza o London. Been a hand bfore th mate many a year. Just a sailor I be, but I knows my way around weapons too. Ships guns not so much, but learnin more is no problem." He grinned now, and a look came into his eyes. "We was attacked by pirates once, it were a dreadful-" he stopped short and looked around at those in the room with him. Wiping some sweat off his cheek he spoke again. "Anything more, Sir, ah Ma'am, Capin?"

Nate had asked to borrow a comb and mirror and a bowl of water ti clean up with. As he was combing back his hair and hoping to also borrow a ribbon to but it back, another man came into the cabin with more food. Jimmy was his name and he told Nate to eat up and when he was done the captain wanted to see him. Nate smiled at Jimmy, "Thank ya muchly Jimmy, I'll not keep the capin waitin." He was given a piece of cord to tie his hair back and once done he ate what was given to him so quickly that Tunny snorted in laughter. "Don't eat th plate too." Nate wiped his hands on a rag and smiled. "Thank ya. I'll be off ta see th capin now." Tunny led him out of the cabin and through the ship to the ward room. He knocked and opened the door for Nate. ""Beg Pardon Capin, ye wished ta see me, Sir? ah, Ma'am?"

Sunlight made its way into the cabin where Nate slept. Shuffling of feet and other noises above the cabin dug into his mind and pulled him to consciousness. His eyelids were glued shut with sleep and he rubbed the back of his hand across them before opening them in a squint. He talked through a yawn. "Aye Dutch, what watch is it? I fell like I slept through me shift." When no answer came he sat up and fully opened his eyes. It took him a second for the truth of things to come to his mind. A man was there next to him, weathered and worn. "Who be you, mate? Where am I?" The old salt cracked a grin and shook his head. "Don't remember, do ya? You aboard the Rakehell. We took ya off that island there. As the man spoke, it rushed back into his head like a tide coming in. Nate shut his eyes and thrust the heels of his hands into them and clenched his teeth. His mind screamed in agony. After a short time he took his hands away from his face and pulled in a deep breath and held it for a long moment before blowing it out slowly. He had to stop thinking of what was lost to him forever. He looked to the man with him and held out his hand. "Names Nate, Nate Durant. Bos'un's Mate, formerly o the Eliza o London." Tunny took his hand and shook it. "Tunny, call me Tunny."

Nate was asleep, but heard voices around him. He could not bring himself to consciousness even if he tried. His mind swam with what had happened to his ship. He was thrown into a living dream of what he remembered. He had come on deck when the ship had pitched violently, almost tossing him out of his hammock. On deck he saw men in the rigging trying to cut down the fore top sail that had split. The storm had increased in strength since he went off duty. He watched in horror as the main mast splintered under a gust, falling over the side. With most of her sails in ruins and the rigging fouled badly the ship was at the mercy of the sea. The captain called the men out of the rigging and had the shattered mast cut away. Nate breathed heavily and moved about in the hammock. He said the most understandable thing since passing out on deck. "Capin, she's in an awful way." He paused as if he was listening to someone, then spoke again. "Aye-aye, bare masts an ride it out." back in his head orders were given, sailors followed them and prayers were spoken. the next memory to surface was the wave. The wave that hit the ship broadside and rolled her. Someone had shouted next to him to hold fast, so he grabbed onto whatever he could. he saw the wave at the last second as it hit and over they went. she rolled all the way over and came up half sunk. A third of the men on deck were gone. The Captain gave his final order, 'Abandon ship!' All hands scrambled to launch the boat. In the chaos Nate had been hauling on the tackle, helping to launch the boat. Then his mind went blank. Nate sat straight up in his hammock, eyes wide in terror, breathing hard. He looked around and saw not a familiar face. Just as quickly he fell back into the canvas and was out again.

Somewhere below Nate was wrestled into a hammock and covered with a blanket. He was left to his rest, but not left alone. Someone was always there waiting for him to wake up. A tankard and pitcher of water and a hardtack biscuit with a chunk of cheese was left near by for that time. Once and a while he would shift around and make a noise or two before settling again. Sometimes it was a name or an order shouted. Sometimes it was just gibberish.

"Ma'am?" he said incredulously, but caught himself. "Aye, Ma'am!" He almost laughed at the wonder of it all, three women amongst so many men, and one was the captain! Instead he knuckled him forehead again and straightened. "Aye-aye, Ma'am! Th Eliza o London done foundered twelve or thirteen days past, dismasted we were an got rolled over more than once. I... I don't know if their be any other survivors. Last I member was Capin givin order ta abandon ship. Next I knows I were floating amongst wreckage. I put me raft together an drummed up what supplies I could. Um, Capin, Ma'am? Permission fer a rest? I's awful tired now." Ransom started to nod and was about to say something when Nate smiled and slowly collapsed onto the deck. Out cold.

Nate spoke in a very low tone, more to himself than anyone. "I weren't gettin me hopes up ta be on a shipload of womens. Two be more than I's seen in a long while." They bumped along side the ship and words were exchanged with the deck. Then they were tied off and began to climb aboard. Nate became a gentleman and made sure the ladies went first, after the two captains had gone aboard. He even helped them if they let him. Roberts was the last up, not letting Nate be behind him. So Nate grabbed up his gear and weapons and climbed on deck. Even though he just got out of the jollyboat with them, he smartly knuckled his forehead to the captain. "Capin Sah! Bo'sun mate o the Eliza of London, Sah!"

After getting the low down from captain of the Rakehell, and the who's who of those on the boat, Nate finished the flask of water and began pulling on his sweep, as the captain had ordered. He looked at the others in the boat, putting names to faces. Odd names for those two he first encountered on the beach, Red Cat and Silkie. As he looked them over a realization came to him and he almost dropped his sweep. "Yer Women!, Why I'll be! Ol' Nate ye fool, yer women!" He laughed at his realization that he had almost shot two women. Shooting men was not an issue with Nate, but the fairer sex, that was different. He turned to the captain. "Sos Capin of the Rakehell, how may much more women yer got on yer ship there, aye?" He kept pulling his sweep and waited for an answer, even looking to the others around him if the captain didn't speak up.

It's a picture of a relative, cool huh?

Nate had no choice but to throw in with this lot, not that he would have done otherwise. He pulled on the sweep hard as he could, keeping up with the others doing the same. As this jollyboat moved out through the surf and into calmer water out of reach of the flying darts the men on the sweeps relaxed some. Nate smiled wide, breathing heavy from the exertion of rowing. He half giggled between breaths. Once his breath became easier he looked to the one who had fired his musket. "So Capn, I's Nate, who be ye an what name do yer ship go by?" All eyes turned to him, rowing ceased. Nate looked around him and lost his grin. "Wot? I say somethin wrong, aye? He told me he were captain on th' beach, was I given the lie?" Still not a word was spoken. Nate brushed back his hair from his face and licked his parched lips. "An easy question then. Gots any fresh water? Gots me a powerful thirst."

"Hold fast, mate! Yer got me already!" Nate looked to his arms in hand and decided to slide his musket butt to the ground and rest its barrel on his chest, uncocked the pistol and clipped it onto his belt. He held out his hands to show they were empty. "Ya happy now?" He looked to the fellow with the drawn cutlass. "Tell yer crew there ta relax then aye?" He wiggled his fingers in the air, emphasizing their emptiness of weapons and grinned.

The grin on ol' Nate's face changed suddenly as he noticed three men come out of the tree line. Two on one Nate could handle. Five on one, he knew he could not. He damn near choked in frustration and clenched his teeth, muttering under his breath as he lowered his pistol and put up his musket. "Sos yer weren't tellin the lie about more o yer crew bein here. Good on you, good on you. I guess ya got ol' Nate fair an square." He continued to stand there and wait to see what his fate might be now as a gurgling sound came from his gut. Seems his stomach thought his throat had been cut and decided to protest. Looking at his belly and back at the others he grinned and chuckled once.

Ol' Nate tisked as he saw the pistol revealed. "Oh deary me. I been shot with worse lad. An if ya were gonna shot me, ya would have already. Be a smart lad an put it away." He now aimed both pistol and musket on the one armed with the murdock but kept an eye on the other as well. He started humming a song to himself, even letting a word or two spill from his lips.

"What's this now?" Ol' Nate was taken aback for a moment, then grinned wider. "Come on now, I ain't seein no natives, just you two." He braced his musket on his hip and slowly reached down and drew a pistol from the sack, cocking it with his thumb. "Just ease on over here an ol' Nate'll have a look at ya. Lets see them hands empty now." He held out the weapons as he talked, keeping them trained on the two.