Snippet #1259619

Calder might have smiled, if he had looked away from the sea, to watch his crew ready his for battle. There was a good level of discipline to the near frantic preparations, as each of the ‘gun captains’ bellowed at their crews to loaded the guns. It was almost if the sailors armed with muskets for into squads, as old hands that had fought together gathered the newer sailors to them. Discipline for a merchantman, although almost any naval officer would have compared them with a mob of headless chickens.

Which was the very thought of Major Griffith, as he pushed his way through the crowded deck. His saber slapped against his thigh, when it wasn’t getting tangled in the legs, sashes and belts of the sailors around him. He had the carbine in his hands and was using the butt to force men from his path. The brace of pistols had been left behind, as they did not have the steel strip, which would allow them to be attached to a belt (which of course didn’t stop the sailors from tucked pistols into their belts) but rather had holsters build into the gryphon saddles.

“Captain” demanded Nicholas, “I must insist that you allow me to take my gryphon into the sky, as it is plain that they mean to give battle.”

“As I told ye afor” said Calder, soundly only slightly annoyed, “Ye’re beastie won’t clear the rigging and there be no way to get it up on deck. If ye hadn’t noticed, my lads had to hoist it aboard.”

“Captain” countered Nicholas, his tone icy, “I am an aviator, trained to fight in the skies. I need…”

“Ye need nothing” started the captain, firmly. “But ta help protect the ship.”

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“Capitán” called a voiced filled with disappointment, from the rigging of the Revenge, “She’s turning out to sea!”

Captain Hawkins stared up at the pirate in the mast and then turned to stare at his crew as a sigh of disappointment rippled through them. He didn’t understand, as he had only joined them about a year ago, with the handful of his crew (and his Lola), whom had survived the wreck of the Rover and were now scattered around his fleet as officer’s he could trust. The Crebalian pirate he had had never been aboard a large, sea going vessel but had spent their time sailing costal vessels. Their maps (and everyone else’s) had nothing about the ocean to the west, save for a warning; Here Be Monsters

“Well follow them” bellowed the pirate captain. His face was filled with fury, as the crew balked at his command. A snarl crossed his lips, as Hawkins pointed his dragon (which was a blunderbuss in pistol form) at the helmsman. With a great deal of reluctance, the Revenge broke away from the fleet of small pirate vessels, sailing out into the unexplored ocean, after the merchantman.

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“Well” said Calder, looking back over his shoulder and staring at the ship, which had dogged his out into the open ocean, “He’s a brave or stupid, that’s for sure. Lets see how far he’ll follow.”

The wind tugged at his hair and clothing, nearly tearing the black tricorn from the captain’s crown. The first raindrops began to fall, from the dark clouds, which had blown in suddenly from the west. Ahead was only darkness and churning waves of a mighty storm. The canvas in the rigging of the Sea Breeze creaked and strained against the spars. Kerr had already suggested lowering the sails, to prevent damage to both the canvas and the masts but Morr had ordered him not to. If they lost any speed, the pirate would be upon them.