Pyrates of the West Coast

[Dorian Lasseter]

:: the QuarterMaster watched as the Samson's crew took to task their duty of perveying these bedraggled ships officers from their crippled vessel over the water to the waiting 'Watch Dog'... He put his glass to eye, inspecting the attitude and looks of the Dutchmen, and the barge crew around them, pulling the sweeps...::

Well Cap'n.... they look calm 'nough... don' think they feel they's bein' threatened...

::he switched to looking back at the merchant, noting the crewmen on deck...::

Hmmm.... fer a merchant, there be lots o' men on 'er.... some o' them look ta be in uniform... aye, tha's milit'ry... Cap'n, we may yet 'ave a fight....

:: the Samson was now less than a cable length away... Mr. Warren skillfully manuvered the barge over and swept it around to come up parellel with the ship... "Up sweeps!" he ordered, and the men did so in a perfect, fluid motion... As the Samson glided up to the ladderway, Mr. Warren queried...::

"Permission ta disembark me passengers, Captain!"

::the QM looked at the captain with a blank face...::

Shall we welcome 'r 'guests'... Cap'n?

[Pirate Petee]

*makes his rounds inspecting the guns and their crew.*

Ok men, les try an look as if we be proper sailors. Wes gonna have company.

[William Brand]

"Permission granted, Mister Lasseter."

William stood up then with more ease than the steward would have given him credit for. He turned to her at once with instructions.

"Please go to the cook and ask her to make up some refreshment for these officers and have it brought to my cabin."

William walked to the rail and descended the steps to the gun deck. He did this without the aid of anyone else or the newly fashioned crutch. He knew he would pay a price for this exertion later, but he felt that he had to show strength and confidence as he welcomed these officers aboard. He used the pain in his chest and shoulder to steady himself. It was like a tight anchor holding him in place.

When the first officer gained the weather deck, William removed his hat in a slow, sweep of respect, extending his hand.

"Gentlemen. Welcome aboard the Watch Dog."

The burned officer's eyes were a glaze of fatigue and disregard. The man seemed removed, almost aloof. He was nearly a full head taller than William, dark from dust and soot, but proud. He bore himself in a self possesed way that William found unpleasant almost at once. the man did not extend his hand.

"I am Captain Scully." the man said, looking around the gundeck in a way that seemed to dismiss William altogether. When William said nothing the man looked back at William quite suddenly. His face seemed strangely surprised and he repeated himself. "Captain...Scully..." he said slowly, as if to emphasize a point not received.

"Welcome aboard, Captain."

The man straightened even more, and for reasons unknown, he seemed irritated.

"I am Captain Scully." he repeated a third time.

William nodded, unsure why the man thought he should repeat himself so often. He couldn't recall having ever heard of a 'Captain Scully'. Even if he had, he wouldn't have fawned over any man that would have allowed a junior officer to give permission for his ship to be fired upon by an unknown and foreign vessel.

"Have you not heard of me?" Captain Scully asked impatiently.

William waited for a long time before speaking. The man was on his ship less than two minutes, and already he was flaunting a false power that William found tiresome.

"Indeed Captain Scully. I've heard of you three times now." William said flatly.

There was a cough then from a member of the gunnery crew. It might have been a laugh. Captain Scully didn't smile. Neither did William.

There was a long silence as the other officers came aboard. all at once, William smiled and extended his hand to the other officers. He was introduced to the ship's Bosun and her Carpenter. The junior officer that had first conversed with them was not among the officers present.

"Gentlemen, let us retire below to discuss the needs of your ship and crew."

[Tudor MercWench Smith]

After discreetly concealing her weapons, so as to look unarmed, Tudor hurried about the Captain's cabin before he arrived with the officers from the dutchman. She deftly procured a bottle of port and several glasses, and started pouring.

[Pew]

::Watching as the Captain takes the officers of the Danzig below decks, I walk slowly to Mr. Youngblood as he makes his way onto the Quarterdeck all the while keeping an eye on the mysterious crew of the Dutchman, and looking for Mr. Van Buren.::

[Pew]

:: Mr Youngblood comes topside, steps to me and crosses his arms. Somewhat whispering, i I lean in towards Mr Youngblood.::

Well sah, I gots me suspicions 'bout Mr. Van Buren.

::Mr Youngblood's brow furrows, but still intently listens.::

As we bore down on the Dutch ship, Mr Van Buren became catatonic during the wee morning hours. He moved nary an inch and didn't respond to any o' me prodding. Mr Firethorne nearly threw a belaying pin at 'im but he didn't move, lookin' like 'e tarred 'imself to the gunwale. Knuckles white, and still not a word. And 'ere when the Captain came topside, he shot Cap'n a glance and then returned his gaze to the Danzig Trader. Far be it from me sah, but in my years in the Royal navy I ne'er saw a sailor worth 'is weight in rum acts this way.

I can't trusts 'im sah.

[Pirate Petee]

Aye Mr Pew, I noticed em acting a bit dodgey me self. I lets the Cap'n know, first chance I get.

[Dorian Lasseter]

:: the captain offers the Dutch officers some refreshment in his quarters ::

Aye, gentlemen... If ye would follow me, I'm Mr. Lasseter, the QuarterMaster of this ship....

::The QM takes the lead below... he pushes the door to the ward room open and sees Ms. Tudor just finishing pouring glasses of port set about the table...::

Ah, here we go... please make yerselves comfortable... here have this chair, Cap'n Sulky. is it?

:: the Dutchman shot a burning look at the Quartermaster...::

"Captain Skully! I Am Captain Skully!"

::The look on Mr. Lasseter's face hardened...::

Aye, My apologies.... Skully, cap'n... Skully... Gentlemen, My Captain will be with ye momentar'ly...

::a small, tight grin crossed Mr. Lasseter's face as he turned towards the door... He waited just outside for Captain William...::

[Tudor MercWench Smith]

Tudor smiles across to the QM as he escorts the visiting officers into the cabin. "Good day gentlemen." Starts handing glasses to all the men, not at all unnerved at being left alone with the strangers. "I am the Captain's Steward, and if I can get you anything else while you are waiting for Captain Wake, please feel free to ask." She said after distributing the beverages and leaving the decanter in the centre of the table. She gave them one last impeccably polite smile, then turned for the door, enjoying their mixed expressions upon finding a woman on board a ship.

She left the room and stood with Quartermaster to wait for the Captain.

[Pew]

::Mr Youngblood continues to survey the clean-up of the quarterdeck after the cannon created a rather sooty mess. Van Buren has yet to return from below decks.::

Blast that bugger. Wot in 'e bloody 'ell is takin so long . . .

[Pew]

:Mr Firethorne and I had been cleaning off our respective cannon when the Master Gunner comes and asks for Van Buren. I tell him he went below deck to fetch another couple pails of water. He instructs me to come along as we head below to find him.::

Sah.

Respectfully sah, I seen 'im many a time in the bow, in the dark, at some late hours. Odd one this Dutchman. Makes me wanna keep me cutlass near . . .

[Pirate Petee]

Odd one says you aeh. Well lets hope we soon be findin out why.

[Diego Santana de la Vega]

I wasted about as much time putting the prayer vigil together so it would be the chance I waited for. I wished to see the formality of the two captains meeting and I was without much humor as I watched that poker hand get played. Across the water. I almost wished I had gone with them. The first mate had passed the word and so that any sailor or navy personnel wishing to have a small gathering ( a service ) of the lords on main deck should be makin their ways up for it promptly. I turned around to face the betters of a eighty men. Half in uniform and the others the crew. I opened with a prayer and went into one of my favorite passages about being spared (saved for another time) as it were seemingly fairly important to these men: I said From Romans, looking down

Romans 9:25-29

Concerning the Gentiles, God says in the prophecy of Hosea, "Those who were not my people, I will now call my people. And I will love those whom I did not love before." And, "Once they were told, 'You are not my people.' But now he will say, 'You are children of the living God.' Concerning Israel, Isaiah the prophet cried out, "Though the people of Israel are as numerous as the sand on the seashore, only a small number will be saved. For the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth quickly and with finality." And Isaiah said in another place, "If the Lord Almighty had not spared a few of us, we would have been wiped out as completely as Sodom and Gomorrah."

We never know what the almighty has in store for us or how we will be challenged each and every day. We believe he will make the best decisions for us always as our trust in him is unending. Shall we pray then? Heavenly father you test our being and we answer your call. Give us this day.....I closed in the lords prayer and the echo was most impressive

[William Brand]

As William entered the ward room two of the three officers stood from their chairs. Captain Scully remained conspicuously seated. William strode to his place behind the table and remained standing, as his chair was still on the quarterdeck.

William didn't mind, he wanted the added height as he spoke. He poured the officers a second round, taking none for himself. He sent for the Quartermaster and waited for him to arrive before speaking.

When Mister Lasseter arrived, he bid him come over by the table. Now there were two of them standing over the seated officers. It gave William an added strength as he launched into his proposals.

"Before we launch into the matters at hand, I think that you should know that my grasp of Dutch is very small."

The Captain smiled a condescending smile. "I speak English very well."

"I'm sure that you do, but far be it from me to exclude anyone in this room." William returned. He tried to keep ice from forming in his tone, but the man was goading him.

"I can translate for the Bosun." the Carpenter offered.

"Thank you...Mister...?"

"Visser." the Carpenter finished. "And this is Mister Eynbrecht."

William smiled at them both. Visser was young, and despite his appearance, very polite. Eynbrecht was a stoat man with a very ruddy complexion, but he had a shy smile and he did William the courtesy of facing him while he spoke, even though Mister Visser was translating for him.

"I have several proposals for transporting and assisting your crew, but first, I should like to know the compliment and disposition of your crew. How many are there? How many are wounded or in need of rest or sust...?"

"What about our cargo?" Captain Scully said, cutting in and diverting the conversation into material matters.

[Pirate Petee]

Mr. Pew we need to return above deck, we cant be wastin no more time searchin fer dis sailor, there are other matters on hand that need to be delt wit before we go tryin ta figure out wot be wrong wit dis sailor. Wes need ta be up there wit da guns jusin case.

*makes his way back to the main deck and over to the rail were he watches the the gun ports of the other ship like a hawk.*

[Pew]

Right sah.

::Scurring back topside I find the sun beginning to get warmer and higher in the day.::

[CaptainCiaran]

(Ciaran and Swan keep their positions high above. Once all the visiting officers vanished down below, Ciaran whispers to Swan:)

I don't trust them one bit, especially that Captain Skullhead. Keep yer bow close by, Swan, and I'll do the same with me muskets.

[Dorian Lasseter]

::Mr. Lasseter stood by his Captain quietly, hands clasped behind his back, a look of mild interest on his face... As Captain William was cut off in his offer of assistance for the men aboard the crippled ship by the Dutch captain, seeming to only be interested in the wellfare of his cargo, the QM released his hands from each other and slowly let them come to rest at his sides, inches from his pistols...::

*very low growl comes from his throat*

::Captain William, slightly taken aback by the rudeness of the Dutch captain pauses before speaking again, just as he is about to do so there is a light knock on the door, followed by the Steward with a tray. ::

"Gentleman, some refreshments from our galley...."

::She says as she sets the tray on the table, looks at captain William...::

"Will you need anything else at this time Captain?"

[William Brand]

"Gentlemen. My Steward, Miss Smith."

Visser and Eynbrecht were already standing, having done so when Tudor entered the room. They each offered a small returning gesture, Eynbrecht bowing slightly, Visser nodding. "Miss Smith."

"You have a woman as steward." Captain Scully stated. It wasn't a question. It was a critique. An open disdain.

"Not just a woman, but the only woman whom I would have as my steward." William returned. He was angry now, but it was still just below the surface. William poured a glass for his Steward and passed it to her. "Please, Miss Smith. Do join us."

William gestured to the bench along the wall and waited for her to be seated before returning to the matter at hand. He began again, even as he passed small plates of food to his guests, beginning with Miss Smith, then Visser, Eynbrecht, Mister Lasseter and finally Captain Scully.

"How many men do you have aboard that ship? Do you have injured? Do you need a doctor?"

[Dorian Lasseter]

::as the conversation continues, the Qm's dislike for the Dutch captain continues to grow... he looks at the two other dutchmen there, pitying them for having to live under this man...

Mr. Lasseter took the plate from his captain, noting that the last to be served was Skully, a play that captain William made with utter contempt, a brief smile passed across his face at the insult to the dutchman, well deserved...

He slowly ate the fare, showing far more interest in it than the officers at the table, even going so far as to take a second helping...::

Quite goode this is... My compliments ta th' Cook...

Wot think ye Gentlemen, Cap'n Sul... ah Skully?

[William Brand]

Captain Scully was quiet for a time. Mister Lasseter was hovering near him with a plate, focusing on it with an attention to his food William had never noted before. William started to smile and stopped, though he was at great odds to keep from smiling when Mister Lasseter stepped between Captain Skully and the table to help himself to a second portion. Still, he pressed forward with questions.

"How many wounded do you have?"

When the Captain didn't answer, Visser spoke up."We have 27 injured."

William was surprised by this. He had seen at least that many moving about the decks of the Danzig. "That must be the greater number of your crew."

Visser didn't say anything for a moment, but before William could continue he added. "We have over eighty men aboard."

William was uncertain he had heard the number correctly at first. The idea that over 80 men could travel on such a ship was beyond reason. He thought it might be a matter of language, so he pressed the Carpenter.

"A slave ship?"

Visser shook his head.

"Eighty men and more? Over four score?"

Visser nodded. William came back with questions in a flood.

"Do you have sufficient supplies for that number? Can you comfortably maintain so great a host on a ship of that size? Eighty men! Do you even have enough water?

Visser looked embarrassed. "Not anymore. The...fire..."

William couldn't say anything for a time. He exchanged looks with Dorian. They both stared at one another. The idea of 80 men with no water on the open sea was horrific. William looked directly at Captain Scully.

"You used the fresh water stores to put out fires aboard the Danzig? Are you mad?"

"How dare yo..." Captain Scully began.

"How dare I...?

Visser looked uncomfortable. Eynbrecht confused.

"The cargo was at risk and everything we sailed for could have been lost." Captain Scully stated in a matter-of-fact tone that showed just how little he understood about his own foolishness.

William explained as carefully as he could, what Captain Scully should have understood on his own. "You have no sails. You have but the one mast and no rigging. You used your fresh water stores on a fire as easily dealt with by sea water!"

William's voice was rising. He couldn't help it. The man was as incompetent as any Captain he had ever met.

"You filled your boats with so much cargo that you left little room for rowers! Rowers who could never row such a load, let alone without water! You cannot pull your ship with rowers, having filled the boats!"

William couldn't finish. He had altogether forgotten the injury in his chest.

[Dorian Lasseter]

:: Mr. Lasseter stood with a look of contempt on his face, slowly shaking his head at the Dutch Captain...::

I's always told you Dutchies were a shrewd lot... ye shoulda stayed an land, easier ta count yer gold there....

Yer a better stock handler than sea cap'n...

::The Captain bolted to his feet::

"I vill not be insulted by the likes of you!!!"

::He yelled::

Oh, I do believe ye a'ready has been... Cap'n Sulky...

[William Brand]

"Sit down, Captain."

William waited for the quiet dueling of contempt between Mister Lasseter and Captain Scully to play out. Captain Scully returned to his seat only when Mister Lasseter began to smile. Few men knew what to do with that smile. It could be unnerving.

"My crew has traveled all night to be here. My people are tired. I am tired. Mister Lasseter, here, is tired. But more importantly, I can imagine that your men are tired. I should like to see to their needs, sir." William paused. "I am relieving you of duty."

Captain Scully blanched as though he had been struck across the face in the presence of his men.

"I beg your pardon." was all he managed.

"You are relieved of duty. You will surrender yourself to a place of my choosing until this matter is resolved." William's voice was quiet, but direct, he only raised it when Captain Scully began to rise from his seat. "SIT DOWN!"

Surprisingly enough, he did, but he also began to protest. "The ship belongs to me and cannot be..."

"SHIP!?" William shouted. "That...thing...off of my larboard bow? That floating wreckage soon to become a graveyard by your incompetence? You, sir, are relieved."

"You do not have the right! You have no flag. What nation do you serve that you would dare to relieve me?"

William quieted a little at this and smiled a little as he did so. He gestured around the room. "This, sir, is my nation. When I am Captain of a ship, that ship is my nation. Your burned and bruised ship is resting in the waters of my nation. You are now under our flag, our law and the shadow of our mercy. More mercy I think than you would get from your own if they should learn of your mistakes."

[Dorian Lasseter]

::as the words that Captain William said were sinking into the mind of Captain Skully, he drew his pistol from his waist....::

"Pirates!!! I'll not be treated this way by you..... you..."

::The QM drew his Mortuary Sword with a fluid motion, leveling it at the adams apple of the Dutch Captain...::

I think yer lost, goode man...drop yer pistol, hands flat on th' table iffn ye value yer gizzard... An' I'd hate ta soil my Captain's quarters wi' yer blood...

::the blade tip hovered a hairs breadth from the man's skin... never waivering....::

So, where would ye have me take this... man... Cap'n?

[Pirate Petee]

Mr. Pew, I think we will be alright if you would like ta proceed ta go look fer our long lost gunner, ya got my permission.

*Looks towards the Captains quarters, hearing raised voices.*