The Pirate Hunter's Smarter Brother!

[Ransom]

Leaving most of my bewildered crew behind, I ordered the jolly boat lowered, and had Colard and Jimmy row me over to the Relentless. We made the boat secure to her sides, and climbed up the Jacob's ladder, to be greeted by scowls and mutterings from Jacky's crew.

I was in no mood for grumpy sailors. "Back off, you lot, and go and fetch your captain." Then I paused as the smell hit me. "Bloody hell, you got a hold full of rotten eggs? Or are you running a gunpowder factory below?"

Colard and Jimmy had covered their noses, and my eyes were beginning to water.

[Black Nate]

Nate wasted no time hauling in the sheet and rigging the spritsails. The sloop reacted well to the change and speedily ran before the wind. "Now wot yer thinkin we should do? I could ask Father fer the way, but I ain't too sure my askin will lead us ta find capin Ransom. Ain't sure she's in His favour presently, if ye get ma drift, aye?" Red Cat werre deep in thought and seein as much, Nate gave her room, silently manning the tiller, givin the little ship a long reach and keepin her out o the shallows.

[Tomas Guerrero]

Tomas swung the doors of the tiny beachfront bodega open. A slender young woman had just deposited a small bottle onto the nearest table when she spun about.

"Tomas?" she gasped.

"Si Catalina, mi amor," Tomas smiled. "¿Cómo estás?"

Catalina smiled and gave Tomas hug and kissed him. She drug him to a table and grabbed the bottle from the previous table and offered it to Tomas. They caught up quickly.

Roberto remained outside and Phonse at the door. She waved to Phonse; he blushed and waved back quickly. Tomas explained to her his situation and she placed her chin in her palms and listened intently. He showed her the map of the wreck and promised her a piece of the treasure should she be able to help out the trio.

"Si, but of course El Guerrero. Come with me." She walked to the back of the small building and Tomas followed. He motioned for Phonse to stay as he would return.

[Red Cat Jenny]

Red Cat propped a foot on th grate an absently rested a hand on th pistol at her belt. Considerin th' odds..

She walked back t' Nate after a time.

"Mr. Durant..aye ye have some skills wi that tiller sah.. " Nate grinned widely "lets have a look at tha map agin aye?" He withdrew the parchment and they stood side by side comparin possibilities. "Now them we left behind has only a small boat, " she looked at him cockin her head t' one side "n'less they got friends ashore.." they both glanced back ta where they sped away swiftly from wit the sails filled finely in the wind. "Now wot say ye ..shall we put to? or stay along tween these atolls? I do b'lieve th Tortugas ain't far..mebbe a few turns o' th glass o'er here.."

[Smithe]

"Hmmph! More unwelcome guests." I grunted, "I'll fetch the captain!" Mister Tar had retreated t' his cabin, t' deal wit' ol' cap'n stinky.

The smell was very strong below decks, an me eyes were burnin' a bit as well.

"Mister Tar, we've more visitors topside." I says, as I knocked on his cabin door.

[Jacky Tar]

The apparition, said, "Usted tiene huéspedes." I shook me head, "Guests?"

He replied, "Adiós para ahora, capitán!" Wit' that, he disappeared an the stench wit' him.

I opened the door, an stared at Smithe, "Wipe yer eyes, Smithe." I gestured fer the round man t' back away from the door, as he tried t' glimpse inside.

"Has Silkie, turned up yet?" I said abruptly.

Smithe offered, that mayhaps she'd gone fer a swim, as she had not been found.

"I hope not here." I retorted. She's smarter than that, I thought, as I headed topside.

[Tomas Guerrero]

With names in hand, Tomas kissed Catalina goodbye. He went back through the bodega to collect Phonse and Roberto.

They made their way Northwest towards the docks to find the men and ship Catalina spoke of. As they made way, Roberto told Tomas of his ship abruptly turning sail and heading back to sea. Tomas berated the man loudly for not finding him. But, he thought to himself, what good would it have done. He was without a ship and unable to pursue the pirates. Hopefully, with Catalina's help, he would find the men and a ship to bring his ship back.

As they rounded the point toward the lagoon, Phonse poked Tomas in the back and pointed out to sea.

"Aqui."

"Si," said Tomas. "We will get her back."

[Black Nate]

Nate hummed a gentle tune under his breath as they studied th chart. Looking skyward wit his head cocked ta th side an one eye squinted, Nate mumbled "Wot yer tink?" Nate held that pose for a spell. He slowly nodded his head and shrugged. "If thas yer answer, aye." Nate looked at th chart an let his finger trace an invisible line through th atolls and around another larger key to a spot. "Father says we should go here, round like that." Red Cat raised an eyebrow at Nate. Nate shrugged his shoulders and held his palms up. "I's ony tellin yer wot He tol me. . . . Miss Red Cat. You gots a better plan, a better course ta foller, be m guest. You cn ask Him if ye'd like."

Edited November 10, 2008 by Black Nate

[Red Cat Jenny]

Red Cat cocked an eye skyword..then considered ...well it had been a profitable year...

"Nay Mr. Durant...I'blieve I'll be leavin th'...Celestial navigatin t'ye..y'aint been wrong yet, so I'll trust yer...um yer....well set us a course Nate if'n y please."

Cat rifled through pokets an pulled out a spyglass takin one more scan o th waters behind them.

"Strangely calm Nate...." she said as she turned t' look ahead "Strangely calm...

[Black Nate]

Nate gave a shiver as Red Cat spoke of the strange calm. "Aye, Miss Red Cat, one course yonder." Nate went about rightin th chart an' takin a compass readin. Nate gave another slight shiver and cocked an eye to heaven. Off they sailed on the new course, bound fer deeper waters in the Tortugas.

[Tomas Guerrero]

As they arrived at the wharf, something strange caught Tomas' eye. He squinted in the bright sunlight to make out what he thought he saw on the opposite shore. At the water's edge he knew, no, he swore he saw the undead. Several men in tattered clothes and drawing weapons, looking square at the Spaniard.

"Ph-phonse," Tomas stammered, "¿qué es eso?" He pointed to the reef opposite them.

Phonse put his eyes above his eyes to shield the sunlight. He looked across the narrow harbor. Phonse saw a dinghy wrecked upon the rocks with it's wood bleached from baking in the sun's rays.

"Es a longboat, El Guerrero. Quizá armas, but not likely. She has been picked clean." Phonse looked back to Roberto who shrugged his shoulders and continued to the dock.

Tomas continued staring at the natural jetty waiting for some movement. It never came.

"¿Su balandro, El Guerrero?" Phonse inquired about the sloop from Catalina.

"Si, Si," said Tomas, "Come."

Edited November 11, 2008 by Tomas Guerrero

[Jacky Tar]

Climbin' out o' the hold, I saw Ransom tappin' her foot, an I piped up, "T' what do we owe the honor o' this little unannounced visit, from the captain o' the Rakehell?" The men behind me chuckled softly, and scattered.

Ransom's moods could change like the weather; so, 'fore she could answer, I stopped wit' the greetings, an asked, "Silkie didn't swim over t' yer ship, did she?"

Givin' Ransom a more serious look, I added, "Seems the lass has gone missin'. Is that the reason fer ye visit? Are ye harbourin' her board yer vessel?"

[Ransom]

I cocked an eye at Jacky, allowing him and his men their brief pleasure at his over-embellished welcome. And I rather enjoyed the fact that they felt it necessary to clear the deck after said welcome.

"No, Silkie is not on board. The only thing I'm harboring on the Rakehell, is a bunch of men seeing and smelling visions, and hearing voices, and a quartermaster who is so terrified he tried to sail the ship by himself to get away, 'cause he thinks we're all going to die. Then I arrive on your ship, and it smells like your whole crew has been eating nothing but salmugundi for the last month. Either that, or you took on a load of sulfur while in Havana. So I have to ask myself if maybe the Commodore might know what the BLOODY hell is going on!"

[Jacky Tar]

I sniffed at the air, an smelled but salt air. So, I replied, "I'll admit many a man here could use a bath; but, we serve no salmugundi in this galley."

The smell was gone, an I knew Ransom had noticed the change. I spun about, an said aloud, "Any o' you lads smellin' visions?" More stifled chuckles, this time from Ransom's crew members.

I turned me attention back t' Ransom, "Aye, these waters are remote, an things here can work against a less seasoned crew." I smiled, an nodded, "As fer men dying, men only die here from two causes, poor judgement, and bad weather."

I said a little louder, "I won't deny, there are things here, which I can't explain away. Call 'em ghosts, or spirits o' the dead. They can't really hurt ye, unless ye let them."

I moved in a bit closer, so only Ransom could hear me say, "The weather looks fine. But, mayhaps ye might wish t' take that course change yer quartermaster was offerin', if ye hav any doubts."

[Ransom]

I'd heard Jacky say a lot of stupid things before, but this last little speech was over the top. I could feel a vein start to throb in my forehead, as my anger at his evasiveness threatened an eruption of volcanic proportions.

"Poor judgment! Less seasoned crew! Take a bug-eyed quartermaster's advice and turn with our tails between our legs? Are you out of your bloody mind? And don't try and fob me off by telling me all this is just caused by ghosts under the water. There are ghosts all over the bleeding ocean, and it's never affected any of my crew before! And your lads are acting a bit too smug for my taste."

Leaning in even closer, I growled, "What in bloody hell are you up to? And why are you trying so damned hard to make fun of my crew, or get rid of me? It's not like you, Jacky. I think this whole treasure thing has gone to your head. So let's get all our cards on the table, shall we?"

[Jacky Tar]

She growled, and I growled right back, "Treasure! Is that all ye think we're after?"

I grabbed her arm, an she started t' resist, an I said in a menacing tone, "Come wit' me, please!"

She started t' follow me; so, I released her arm, an said t' her crew, "Easy lads!" As they were reachin' fer their weapons. "I'm just going t' show yer captain the card table."

[Ransom]

I gave a nod to my men, and they stowed their weapons.

Finally, Jacky was going to talk seriously, which was what I'd wanted in the first place. I followed him below, rubbing the place where he'd gripped my arm. "Going to have a damn bruise," I muttered.

[Colard Dysart]

Colard shoved his pistol back into his belt, but eyed the crew of the Relentless with caution. Things were getting a bit too hot for his liking. He'd seen the hunt for treasure turn crews on each other like rabid dogs. He truly hoped these two captains could come to terms and settle things down. Colard had no wish to join the spirits that seemed so active below them.

"What de think he meant by that? They aint goin' below to play cards are they?" Jimmy looked confused, and still had his hand resting on his sword hilt.

"Nae, lad. I think it's tae be a confab o' sorts. Let's hope sae, anywise."

Colard scratched his grizzled chin, kept an eye on the door to the great cabin, and a hand close to his pistol.

[Black Nate]

Nate piloted the fast little sloop around the atolls getting farther from the false meeting spot. But, the closer they got to the place they hoped to find the two ships, the more uneasy Nate felt. Nate felt like the hair on the back of his neck was akin to boar bristles. "Oi Cat, I gots a bad feelin bout wot we be headin inta. Tween it bein so calm, too calm as ye says and I jus gots a strange feelin. Father says we be headed rightly, but ol' Nate ain't happy wit where tis leadin us." Nate absentmindedly had pulled his Saint Brendan charm out o his shirt and was fingering it slowly. Nate had a feeling that whatever trouble was in store, no sword or gun would be much use against it. Only the Father, or maybe King Neptune, could stave it off.

[Red Cat Jenny]

Red Cat bristled at Nate's statement. It were th' first time she'd heard uncertainty in his voice. His wards confirmed th' feelin that'd been creepin up her own nape..She passed him th' spyglass and replied slowly as if navigatin her thoughts as she spoke. "See wot ye cn from atops ..anythin..anythin wot looks amiss." He took the glass wi out lookin at her, already his keen sailor's eyes were narrowed..scannin th' water where it met th' sky "Aye" an headed off.

Cat stepped silently forword as if any small noise but fer th snap o' th canvas, an occasional slap of a swell alongst th' hull would alert some unseen being or beings.. which would be upon them in an instant.

[Jacky Tar]

"It's a bit dark, so watch yer head!" I said, as we descended in t' the hold.

A lantern was lit, an would be required fer where we were headed.

I stopped in front of a series o' locked chests. "Hold this!" I said, as I thrust the lantern in Ransom's direction.

Free t' use both hands, I inspected the chests, "Aye, this be the one!" Liftin' the small chest t' a nearby table, I pried back the latch, an lifted the lid.

Ransom brought the lantern in fer a closer look at the chest's contents. Lookin' disappointed, she quipped, "You brought me down here to inspect your bottle collection?" Wit' a free hand she picked up a small bottle, wit a bit o' parchment tied 'bout it's neck. "You know the message is suppose to go inside the bottle, if you intend to set it a drift!" She remarked.

I scowled, "Give me that!" I held the small object wit' the all the reverence one might bestow on a religious relic, and carefully placed it back in the chest.

Edited November 17, 2008 by Jacky Tar

[Ransom]

Puzzled at Jacky's treatment of the bottle, laying it back in its chest as if returning a baby to its crib, I looked up at him. "Please don't tell me that I risked storms, weird female tribe-etts, Havana, Spoons, you firing cannons at me, my ship getting holed, Red Cat disappearing, and a spooked crew, just for a chest full of bottled water?"

He rolled his eyes, looking at me as if I were a simpleton.

"Well then, what is it? And it better be good."

[Jacky Tar]

"Nay, this chest is filled wit' empty bottles," I said, an picked one up, an turned it over. "The attached parchments trace the date, an reason each was emptied, less I or any crew mates forget why we risked so much t' secure them."

I moved over t' another chest, fished a key out o' me pocket, unlocked it, and ran me hand over the golden coins inside. "I believe this chest holds wot ye risked ship, an crew t' secure."

Ransom stepped closer t' this chest, raised the lantern, peered inside, an smiled.

[Ransom]

Then the smiled died. I looked at Jacky. "If you've had this gold on your ship all this time, why did you wait until now to share it? Why did we have to go through so much...misunderstanding?"

I eyed the gold that would ease the minds of my crew, and pay for any and all damages to my ship. I felt relief, and also that warm glow of greed everyone feels when looking at a large amount of gold. But I also felt great tiredness. If I was going to say anything to Jacky, now, in the darkness of this hold, away from all other ears and eyes, was the time.

With my voice low and steady, I said, "Locked in a secret cupboard in my cabin is a rather large emerald. An emerald placed into my hands by you. By giving it to me, you also placed your life in my hands. How did we come from that show of complete trust, to you firing on my ship? How did we drift so far apart from that night of affection in Havana, to this? I need to be able to trust someone, Jacky. I need to have at least one person on this bloody planet I can turn to when all hope is gone and my back's against the wall."

Pushing a stray lock of damp hair out of my face, I held the lantern up, casting wild shadows around the room, and met Jacky's serious gaze with my own. "And so do you."

[Black Nate]

Nate climbed the shrouds as high as he dared and put the glass to his eye. He swept the horizon and all the bits of land that were around. Nate still had that feeling of wariness and could not shake it. Glancing down at the deck, Nate watched Red Cat and knew she were spooked. Turning his face up to the heavens, Nate gave a silent prayer and it seemed as if the sun shined brighter upon them. A smile came across ol' Nate's face and with that reassurance he swept the horizon again. This time he spotted a fleck of white and brown East-Southeast of them. "Oi, Cat! I spotted a ship r summin yonder there, fine off th starboard bow! Hull down, too far off ta make out, but I gots a feelin fer th good!"