Ahoy! (Part 1 of 3)

Posted on 05 Jan 2017 @ 9:49pm by Commander Luke Wyatt & Ensign Miraj Derani
Edited on on 12 Jan 2017 @ 3:25am

1,973 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 13 - Rogue
Location: USS Galileo - Holodeck
Timeline: MD -09 1020

[ON]

Luke stood in the improvised gym space it was 1020hrs and Miraj still hadn't turned up. Huffing he moved to the panel in the wall "Computer, what is the location for Ensign Derani." Within in a second the computer disclosed her location as being in the holodeck. Maybe she forgot. He told himself. Picking up his duffel-bag he walked briskly towards the holodeck. She was in so much trouble.

It didn't take long for Luke to navigate the small ship and he found himself outside the holodeck doors. The panel next to it indicated a program was running with one occupant. Miraj. Dropping his bag he opened the doors and walked straight in. Before he could take in his surroundings the door behind him closed and locked, not the usually kind but the kind where someone wanted you not to get out unless they wanted you to kind. It asked for a code. Luke quickly tried his command code but the door just beeped telling him it wasn't working and then it just disappeared.

He could hear scuffling behind him and so he turned around. Luke was met with what seemed to be the end of an ancient weapon barrel, possibly a musket he mussed in the short second he had. "Urm..." Before he could say anymore he was hit in the back of the head as a loud cheer went up and then darkness.

When he came to he found himself draped over a smooth hard rounded surface that was cold under his belly. Coarse rope round his wrists and ankles held him in place. He could sense people crowded round but all he could see was Miraj crouched in front of him, brow arches drawn together looking furious. "What are you doing in here?" She hissed, her voice low. "And make it good or you'll be kissing the gunners daughter as soon as Staines finds the cat!"

It was an empty threat, she always had the safeties too far up for that. Luke would no more take a thrashing than she would. But he didn't know that.

Luke still dazed as he looked up towards the voice, his eyes hadn't focused yet perhaps due to the blow to the head. "Staines has lost his cat? I didn't know we had cats aboard the ship" Was all he could manage, the voice he had heard sounded feminine and familiar though her accent was off and the sentence confused him.

Miraj mistook his mild concussion for being deliberately obtuse and rolled her eyes. "Cat o'nine tails. You walked into my Bloodbeard game.  They think you're a British spy and are getting ready to give you twelve of the best to loosen your tongue." She glared at him. "And I'm the furthest I ever got on this game and you're going to blow it so I'm very tempted to let them do it."

Having come round a lot more he croaked a laugh "I don't even have a British accent" he took in his surroundings. They were dark and damp and Luke guessed he was on a wooden sail ship from the rocking of the boat. "I am most Definitely not a British spy, I'm from Australia." Knowing that Australia used to be a British isle where they sent their most troublesome problems he hoped this would give him some respect. "And I'm here for you" he added looking at Miraj.

"Australia?" guffawed a loud voice behind him. "Where's that? Staines! Get a move on! His Majesty's sneak here has designs on Roger's arse."

"How does that divide him from the rest of the crew?" said someone else, and the whole crowd laughed

Miraj winced. "Its a running joke," she said, not wanting to explain any further. And the British colony isn't established for another thirty years and it isn't actually called Australia for another hundred years. She frowned at him. "And why are you here for me? The ship better be in dire trouble. I lose my progress if I pause before the next plot point, and if you make me lose the game for anything less than a yellow alert I will make you regret it."

He heaved a sigh "You missed our gym session, What even is this and whats it got to do with a lost cat and someones arse?" He asked less concerned about the gym session now and more concerned about being tied to some kind of barbaric torpedo launcher. "Ensign" He tried "Release me immediately." Luke didn't like trying the rank game and it was only half-hearted, more of his way of showing authority over her to the cut throat crew she had standing behind her and he hated doing it to Miraj ever since he started seeing her more than just a crewman.

Gym session? "That's tomorrow. You said today was a rest day." and did she need one, that's why she was here, chilling out by scrubbing decks and pretending to haul on ropes. Actual hauling was beyond what her poor muscles could manage.

"He thinks the lad's an officer!" scoffed one of the watcher. "I think he's spent too much time in the hold drinking his own piss."
More laughter.

Miraj pursed her lips, trying to think of a way out. The game would stop itself when the safeties kicked in. and she'd have to start again from a point at least a day previously. "Admit it. " she urged. "Admit you're spying for the British. Then they won't try ad flog you. All they'll do is tar and feather you and throw you overboard."

Not liking the idea of being Tarred and feathered he tried s different approach "I am not British Spy! If you don't believe then let me have trial by combat to prove my worth, and then after that we can... drink!" Luke was good at many things but he excelled at fighting and drinking!

Miraj's eyes lit up. It wasn't a guaranteed idea, but it was better the the inevitable game over if Staines raised the lash he was still shaking out.

"Oh, but he has balls this one." the deep voice said approvingly. "Help him up lads, we'll settle this mano a mano."

The ropes were cut and Luke was hauled off the canon and shoved around to face the speaker, The pirate's captain grinned at him. He was an inch of so shorter than the lieutenant, but of similar build. his hair was tied back in a ponytail, and it, like his thick goatee was a rich red-brown that made it obvious that this was the titular Bloodbeard. The pirate had shrugged out of his black overcoat and was unbuttoning a red vest, "offer him some iron, gents. Not you Roger. He'll need a real weapon."

Before sensation had even completely returned to his extremities, Luke found a dozen different knives pushed towards him with almost unseemly haste, as if the crew were all to keen to see their leader gut the prisoner.

Luke looked at the different blades, they were a range of daggers, swords and improvised blades all of which could easily kill. Some even had blood still imprinted into the metal. He decided to go for mobility and picked the blade a greasy haired man was holding. It resembled a Kopis, an ancient Greek Kopis which was curved instead of straight and had divets at the hilt which protected the users hand. The man smiled a goofy grin as Luke took it. Greek Mythology being one of his things he only laughed at the coincidence of the blade.

The men stepped back, leaving a ring in the center of the gently shifting deck maybe eight feet across. Miraj didn't pull away. now he could see her properly, Luke could see she was dressed in men's clothes, in tight fitting knee breeches and a matching vest over a frilly white shirt. She stepped up close to him. "Don't kill Bloodbeard. If he dies its game over and I swear I won't speak to you for a week."

And then Bloodbeard drew his main gauche, roared his wordless challenge and charged, dagger raised, obviously trying to intimidate the interloper. Miraj gave a short squeal of surprise and jumped out of the way, leaving Luke alone to face the onrushing lunge.

Luke quickly side stepped the high angle attack and rolled away towards a set of barrels. He knew he had to stay alive and wear the Captain down whilst learning his weaknesses and thinking of the best way to kill or incapacitate the captain. He also knew he had to fight sloppy and without giving away training else he be deemed a spy anyway and killed.

The captain was show boating, his blade swinging from one hand to the other as the crowd cheered and placed bets. He knew that he was the under dog, luckily for him he had learnt to fight with a K-bar through the Marines.

Bloodbeard snarled and grabbed a low hanging block and tackle, swinging it at Luke's face and following close behind it, slashed at Luke's belly, aiming to disembowel him whilst he was distracted.

The blade tore his clothes as pain shot through Luke's gut, he had just managed to jump back enough that the blow wasn't lethal but enough t cause a gush of blood and pain. "Is that all you have" Luke said, this time slashing the Kopis to faint an attack before turning and putting an elbow into the mans nose.

Miraj saw the blood on his shirt, and drew breath to cancel the scenario, but then realised the holodeck would have cancelled itself if it was serious, and when Luke throw out his own challenge she couldn't help but grin.

Bloodbeard yelled and staggered back as his nose near exploded with blood and he wiped it away, leaving bright red beads of it staining his beard. "Argh you gobshite!" the pirate shouted, though it came out nasal and phlegmy through the fresh break. He lunged again, out of pain driven fury than with any real skill, trying to land a swift kick to the knee before stabbing down towards Luke's unprotected face, neither move particularly well executed as the throb from his broken nose blurring all his senses.

Luke barely flinched as he dodged the blade but was met with the elbow from the captain, he shook of the blow and parried the next onslaught before going on the offensive. The captain was fighting on pure rage and Luke used this to his advantage has he slashed left cutting the captains right arm which was holding the blade deeply. Luke didn't Stop as he pivoted on his leg throwing out a kick and jabbing straight towards the right shoulder disarming and maiming the captain in a fluid motion.

The dagger sank home in the meat of the arm joint. Bloodbeard bellowed once, and clamped his good hand over Luke's, trapping Luke 's knife where it it was lodged in his now useless right arm, and headbutted the former marine with everything he had, fueled by rage and pain. Their skulls connected with an echoing crack, and the pirate reeled back, arm limp by his side, crimson staining his white shirt.

Luke stumbled back the pain shooting from his head as his brain rattled in his skull. He tried to focus but his vision blurred. Luke could just about make out the pirate captain stumbling in the other direction, with all his own might he ran and tackled the captain. The brawling pair broke through the ring of pirates and he let go sending the captain flying towards the deep blue.

[To Be Continued]

--

Ensign Miraj Derani
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant Commander Luke Wyatt
Chief Strategic Operations Office
USS Galileo

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