The Pirate Hunter's Smarter Brother!

[Roberts]

Roberts answered Captain Ransom but never took his eyes from Silkie..he stood smoking and regarded her, trying to think of wot he should say..A wave rocked the Rakehell tossing Silkie who was still standing too close..right into his arms with an exclamation in her native tongue! Roberts caught her with one sturdy forearm grabbing the nearby great gun at his left with the other. Just then Red CAt came swaggering back...almost tripping herself in the lurch that occured. She spied Roberts and Silkie in a clench and rolled her eyes, to which Roberts gave a confused look. She began peppering him with questions about how many crew he had seen, what arms the mutineers had..if he overheard any conversation..having had several rums courtesy of the good Captain, he tried to answer her rapid questions forgetting completely that he still held the poor wee lass in his arm.

[Red Cat Jenny]

As Red CAt was grilling Roberts mostly out of annoyance that he'd choose to be a right rogue when they had bigger things at stake..at least she figgered that was why she was so vexed..she noticed Silkie's face getting redder as ol Jon had forgotten completely about her. The CAt found this quite amusing..but kept it t' herself

[Silkie McDonough]

Having had quite enough Silkie took a finger and poked the rogue in the chest with no reaction.

Taking two fingers and poking quite hard she managed to get his attention.

"Ye'know, I'ave betta tings t'do den jus stan ere"

Roberts blinked down at the lass and when realization hit he nearly jumped as he released her apologizing for any unintended embarrassment he may have caused.

Silkie pulled her garments straight and walked off in a huff, Jon had no idea what the problem was.

[TRIBE]

The brush behind Jacky parts. He is seen pacing along the surf looking to the sea for his rescuers. Stopping from time to time to shake his head. Then sitting beside the fire. As he looks to the brush, feeling eyes upon him, the onlooker is unseen, he decides for the second time he is mistaken and adds another log to the fire.

[Red Cat Jenny]

Watching this exchange, Red CAt threw her hands up and turned on th heel o her boot stormin off once agin mutterin and leavin Roberts alone with Ransom..

[Ransom]

As Silkie and Red Cat both stomped off, I turned to Roberts. "I see you have a knack with woman. I'm not sure what that knack is, but at the moment, it doesn't seem to be working too well. So, if you could make yourself useful, we might get to Jacky a bit quicker."

Roberts muttered something under his breath, knocked out over the side the burnt tobacco of his pipe, stuck it in his coat pocket, and went to help Tunny Burk and Ludovico Baglione. Ludo, rigging the squares'l, to be hauled up as soon as the broken top mast was replaced, rolled his eyes and made some kind of Italian hand gesture, which I assumed was his opinion on Roberts' effect on women, but could just as easily have been some kind of hex sign.

Even with the repairs still ongoing, the Rakehell cut through the waves like a dolphin. It wouldn't be long before we sited the island. Jimmy Cox was still aloft, keeping an eye out for reefs or low cays, and he'd spot Jacky's small kingdom as soon as its profile showed on the horizon.

[Jacky Tar]

There was that feelin' again. Steady Jacky, could be just the wind, I thought.

I had plenty o' firewood, an a good fire usually keeps away most animals. I pulled a knife from me boot, an grabbed a long stick t' carve a makeshift spear.

[TRIBE]

The day grew rapidly darker as Helios' chariot disappeared below the horizon. Jack's fire seemed small in the growing darkness. He did not know that he had been spotted and rescue was so near. The sound of a splash, other than the tides rush, drew Jacky's attention and a female form could be seen emerging from the water. Silky had returned. Jacky stood to greet the lass but as the figure drew he saw clearly that it was not Silky. This figure was clad in animal hide but not the way Silky would have draped the seal hide to cover her form. This proud woman was dressed in, what can most easily be described as a halter top and mini shirt of various hides. Dark hair glistened in the fire light as the water continued to drip from her hair leaving a trail that meandered from her neck, to her cleavage, down her bare midriff and again beneath the hide to places unknown. As she approached she appeared to have everything in the right place but ...DHAMN, this woman was tall! At least 6 feet, perhaps more. She smiled down upon Jacky. Jacky held tight his knife, facing this lethal beauty who remained just outside the fire light.

"Maoon iubeuonw oiala ai." she said something, then went down on one knee before him.

The Rakehell saw the fire go out and nothing more.

[Ransom]

"Ma'am, the fire's gone out!" Jimmy called from the top.

"I saw it," I snapped. We were as close to shore as I dared go, so ordered the anchor dropped. As soon as I was sure it would hold, I ordered Tunny and Ludo to lower the jolly boat that Roberts had arrived on.

When all was ready, I turned to Africa. "Stay on the ship and keep watch. If we haven't returned by morning, then stand the Rakehell out to sea until you see a signal fire. You don't hear or see anything in three days, you can decide whether to stay or go."

The big man replied, "I wait till you come. You don come, I go look for you."

"The Rakehell's in your care now, my friend."

Then Roberts, Red Cat, Silkie and I jumped into the jolly boat and rowed toward where we had last seen Jacky's fire. All of us wore weapons, and were ready to deal with whatever — or whomever — we might find.

[Silkie McDonough]

Blast! What now? I had told Jacky we wuz on our way!

Silkie let the others do the rowing. She dipped her hand into the water and started to hum, an ethereal sort of humming that seemed to come from her but not from her. in the darkness the others could not see her eyes grow dark and glisten as they do in this state.

The humming stopped and she was silent. Before they reached shore she said simply. "A woman, he is with a woman who emerged from the water." Murin was puzzled by this because she could get no impression of another sealkie, mermaid or siren.

[TRIBE]

Sisters of TRIBE paddled quietly over the water towards the intruders. 6 statuesque women whispered in their language as they approached the other boat from a distance.

[Jacky Tar]

I must hav stared at the woman, fer at least a minute, "Aye, yer not Silkie. I'll wager yer not even a sealkie."

I bent over t' place me knife back in me boot, wit' out taken me eyes off the woman. I straightened up an leaned back on me spear. I gestured fer her stand.

"'Ello, I'm... " I paused, "Jacky Tar, an ye would be?" I pointed at me self then at her.

[TRIBE]

That was all he recalled.

Jacky Tar woke in a different place. With no memory of how he got there. He looked around and realized he was surrounded by exotic flowers and candles. When he looked up TRIBE was staring at him. She had the same flowers in her hair and a look of love upon her face.

She thought she was so lucky that the man who said his name was Tar was sent to her. He saw the tattoo on her arm which looked like a T.

She pointed to herself "Tara"

[Jacky Tar]

Me eyes opened slowly, an I felt the back o' me head; no fresh lumps. Wot knocked me out, an how did I get here, I wondered. Where is here?

Surveyin' me surroundin's I spy the woman from the beach. Oi, I've seen that look 'fore, an no good can from it Jacky (The face of a woman in love is unmistakable).

The woman notices I'm awake; so, I slowly sit up. She says somethin' I do understand, "Aye, so yer name be Tara!" She nods, an smiles. "I see ye've placed flowers in yer hair, very nice."

"So much fer small talk Jacky, where's the way out," I mumbled.

[Red Cat Jenny]

As they rowed in th darkness..Red CAt put a hand up suddenly, straining to see across the inky moonlit water..she whispered.

"Oi! hold yer sweeps..I hear summin" All motion ceased and the boat glided to a near stop. The small group held their breath and listened "Thar! agin did ye hear it?" CAt's eyes grew large and she slowly drew her cutlass. Roberts already had his pistol across his lap and had inched closer t' the CAt protectively. He'd seen enough fer one day.. an he suspected he shared th same fear wit her..Again the soft splash of an oar filtered across the water sending chills through the CAt.

[Ransom]

...The humming stopped and she was silent.  Before they reached shore she said simply.  "A woman, he is with a woman who emerged from the water."....

I nearly dropped my oars. "He's with a what!"

Silkie merely reaffirmed her statement.

Gritting my teeth, I picked up the rythm of the oars again, all the while muttering under my breath, "A woman, by God. Damn and blast the man, where the hell did he pick up a woman?"

Behind me, Roberts whistled a chanty tune, while Silkie continued to trail her hand in the water and hum. Red Cat had her back to me, so I couldn't tell what she was thinking. I thought I heard her snicker, but couldn't be sure.

As we continued to row toward the island, I thought to myself, "You better have a bloody good explination for this, Jacky, or I swear, I'll take this oar to your thick head."

Then Red Cat called out, "Hold your sweeps, I hear summin!"

[Silkie McDonough]

Silkie paused for a moment.

"Anutter small craft ridin low in d'woder." Silkie whispered the obvious in a matter of fact tone and just a bit too late.

"Hush!" came a whispered command.

Thinking to herself "Well it's not my fault the sea canay tell a boat from a log!" she brought her hand into the jolly boat drying it on her shirt then, following the others, silently drew her cutlass.

[TRIBE]

In the canoe:

The TRIBE sisters slowed to a near halt as they sat silently in the water waiting to see what move the interlopers would make next. They saw the glint of steel in the moon light. They would not attack, simply watch. The night would keep the others on the shore from any attempt to track TAR this night. Besides, if this boat was like others before it, there would be good additional breeding stock amongst the interlopers.

Meanwhile back at the tiki hut:

Jacky had been striped of weapons and ...most of his clothing. They lay in a heap on the other side of the hut. Tara held in her hands a half coconut shell of liquid which she offered to Jacky. Seeing he would not drink of it she first took it to her lips and drank deeply. Pulling it away from her glistening lips leaning ever closer to Jacky she again offers the juice to Jacky once again.

[Jacky Tar]

"Nay, Tara I'm not thirsty lass. Thank ye." I said, as I pushed the coconut shell away. She sat there contently sippin' the proffered beverage, as I gathered up me clothin'.

She smiled wit' childlike amusement as I hastily dressed. It must of seemed odd t' her that I wore so much, when she wore so little.

Collectin' the last o' me things, I started t' leave and turned back t' where she sat, bendin' over I kissed her on the cheek. I believe she blushed an touched her cheek. I walked t' the door o' the hut, an found it led t' a precipitous drop.

[TRIBE]

To Jacky's surprise the trip to the beach was not so easy. There was the first step out of the hut. Quite a fall from atop this tree. Then there were the two sentinels stationed at the bottom of the drop.

[Jacky Tar]

At the bottom, of wot I now realized was a tree house, were two sentries. I turned t' me smilin' hostess an said, "Friends o' yers?" She just sat there smilin' an sippin' from that coconut... "Hav anymore o' those?" I said, as I pointed at her cup. She held out the coconut, an I shook me head. "Nay, luv I'm goin' t' need whole ones."

I found two coconuts in a corner o' the hut, an returned t' the door t' take aim at the sentries. I was sorry t' knock them out like that, but didn't think they'd let me pass otherwise.

I climbed down, t' the ground below, and headed fer the beach.

[TRIBE]

Tar escaped in the darkness. As he cut through the jungle brush with his cutlass, TRIBE carved his likeness in a tree and added magical candles and dust as she sang his name :: Tar Tar Tar :: She hoped he wouldn't find the boat until morning. There was only one. One who knew where it was.

A lone figure trapped in a cage heard someone crashing through the brush. He called out "Oi there! help me! " looking up he saw a man in a tricorner peering down at him. "Lad! Help me out! I am captive here for months! I know where there is a boat ! We can both escape this daft place, but hurry man!"

[Jacky Tar]

I stopped in me tracks, an turned me attention t' a solitary figure in a cage, hangin' from a tree. "Blast!" I mumbled, "Do these women hav t' put everythin' up in trees?"

Would this hav been me fate after Tara was finished wit' me, put me in some bloody cage hangin' in a tree?

I walked around the tree lookin' fer a way t' lower the cage. I positioned me self so I could see the figure in the cage. "Oi, me name is Jacky Tar! Wot do they call ye?" I paused, "How long hav ye been up there and who put ye in that cage? More importantly, wot did ye say 'bout a boat?"

[Silkie McDonough]

"Now wot?" Silkie whispered. "Tis easier to wield a cutlass on land." she continued in hushed tones, "One boat out der. Say it's loaded full. Maybe eight o'dem t'd'four o'us?" She paused and no one responded. "We ken go ashore n'face em, den wait for mornin to find Jacky or we ken go back to the ship, chance det dey wont follow r'attack n' come back in d'mornin wit more o'd'crew." She hoped that her whispers were heard by the others. Silkie hated sitting here waiting for nothing. No one responded or even hushed her.

She looked at the others in the boat. Cat was listening intently and looking in the direction she heard the sound from. Roberts squinted in the same direction. No one could see by the sliver of a moon that was overhead. Ransom looked to the shore in deep contemplation.

Peering over the water Silkie spied the other craft in the direction that Cat and Roberts were focused.

[Ransom]

After some quick, serious thought, I made my decision. "Let's keep heading toward shore. So far the other boat hasn't attacked us, they appear to be just watching. We can make shore before they take us, if they decide to. Once on land, if they still appear hostile, we fire a shot to warn the Rakehell. Africa will come with some of the crew. There's also the chance that Jacky will hear the shot and know we've arrived. What say you all?"