Ahoy! (Part 2 of 3)

Posted on 05 Jan 2017 @ 9:55pm by Commander Luke Wyatt & Ensign Miraj Derani
Edited on on 12 Jan 2017 @ 3:26am

1,577 words; about a 8 minute read

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

Previously, on Ahoy! (Part 1)...

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.

And Now, the Continuation...

[ON]

"no!" shouted Miraj as Bloodbeard staggered towards the rail, working arm flailed, and pitched over. She dashed for the rail as Bloodbeard fell. "Man-over-board!" shouted Barnabas Bates, the Master Gunner.
Miraj whirled back on Luke, "You...idiot!" She grabbed one end of the rope that Bates was holding out and jumped into water.

The crew rushed to the side the captain and Miraj had gone over some shouting and pointing ether at Miraj or Bloodbeard. Nobody paid him any attention. Grabbing into the barrier he looked frantically for Miraj in the water. Why did she seem angry at him he thought.

Miraj floundered in the water a bit, letting the computer compensate for her inability to do anything graceful in water, and grabbed the wounded pirate by the collar, letting the crew haul them to the side of the ship, where she glared at Luke until they managed to haul their captain back on deck, and then scrambled up the ladder to give Luke another angry look, somewhat ruined by the drowned rat look she was currently sporting. She gave an exasperated huff. "I said don't kill him."

He shrugged, "He didn't die did he? And neither did I for that matter so were all good." He chuckled, "You look cute when you're all soaking wet and angry, I don't get to see you angry very much" Luke teased sitting on the edge of the ships barrier the rest of the crew had actually left him alone now that the Captain was back on board and being looked to. The defeat must have been too embarrassing to address so they just ignored him.

Miraj narrowed her eyes at him, "I..you......you," she sputtered,

Before Luke could reply, there was a choking hacking sound, and Bloodbeard let out a bellow, or at least it would have been a bellow if he hadn't been half drowned "Where's that cock-sucking gobshite?"

Luke whirled around to face the pirate captain "Are you kidding me? Didn't I beat your arse already" He readied himself for another fight "Or do I have to beat you again to show you up in front of your crew. I'm not a spy, I'm just one of her friends" he pointed to Miraj "and all this is a misunderstanding, I thought there was gold to be made"

Bloodbeard threw of the restraining arm of the ships surgeon, and staggered towards Luke, stabbed arm still hanging useless. "You fight like a no good cheating bastard with no compunctions, and fewer morals than a sociopathic bilge rat." Bloodbeard paused, spat out a mouthful of seawater and bloodied phlegm.

Luke frowned at the man "Well I've been called worse I guess but thanks... I think?" He glances over to Miraj with confusion.

Blood beard thrust out a hand. "No British officer would stoop so low. welcome aboard. And now I'd like to know why I shouldn't throw you overboard for being a stowaway?"

He shrugged "I could work, obviously you could do with someone who's handy with a blade and I'm good looking that'll surely bring the lasses aboard. Oh and I can drink, so what do you say, Captain?"

But before Bloodbeard could reply, someone shouted, "Sail Ho!".

Everyone looked. And the sail wasn't just cresting the horizon. In all of the fuss, none of the pirates had spotted the three masted ship bearing down on them, all sails unfurled, all the way to the top royal, and making rapid visible progress. the first mate had a telescope out., and then spat. "Its the Indefatigable!"

Bloodbeard scowled. "Run out the stern chasers! Hoist jib and spanker! Mr Sabatini, bring us about. Staines get ready to-" and as he stepped forward to organise the evasion, and just folded up, his injuries finally taking his toll. The ships surgeon dashed to his side, but the man was out cold. "Get him below!"

Miraj hesitated, expecting the game over, and when it didn't happen she stared confused at the oncoming Ship of the line. Indefatigable was a second rate ship, many many guns. Going up against it never ended well. And the save point gong hadn't gone. "Blow me down," she muttered, "We have to fight."

"Without the captain?" One of the swabs asked.

"Of course, without the captain," Staines muttered. "If Hawkes gets on board, all of us will dance the hempen jig before dawn." he turned to Luke. "Do you know anything about sailing a ship?"

He looked to Miraj out the corner of his eyes "I've been sailing before, so kind off I guess?" The question threw him off guard. Moments ago they were about to kill him now they wanted him to sail the boat.

Staines looked less than impressed "What about loading a cannon?"

"Urm, I guess..." He looked to Miraj "Do I know how to load a cannon?" he asked confused, he wondered what a cannon actually was beyond the ones of a starship.

"What sort of land lubber have you lured on bored, lad?" Staines asked Miraj, who just shrugged. "He's your responsibility then. He can help you lug shot and powder. Tell the gun crews to load grape and chain, and then when we are in range, double shot the bastards until Hawke's dead in the water." he slapped Miraj on the rump, "And step lively lad."

"This way." Miraj darted off at a run across the deck to the steep ladder that led below. The powder magazine was in the hold. below the water line, but suspended away from the deck and sides to keep it dry. Pre-measured sacks of gunpowder were stacked up and Miraj grabbed a bag and started filling. "Old earth ships had projectile cannons using gunpowder, and in this case, 24 pounders on the top deck, and 18 pounders on the lower. Take the bags marked 24, as many as you can, up to the main deck cannons. I'll do the 18 pounders and I'll meet you back here in ten minutes. I hope you don't mind loud bangs?"

Luke was still in shock, "24... right" He turned and picked up two of the sacks which were pretty heavy and began shuffling back the way he had came. Luke had obviously done some history lessons and knew about the crude use of gunpowder but he didn't hear about the noise. He had done 5 trips in the ten minutes and had loaded most of the main deck guns when he ran into Miraj. "This is fun, I dont know how you havent got fitter doing this" He teased.

Miraj picked up three of the small powder bags. and juggled them briefly, with no more difficulty than if she were tossing apples. "its a game. I cheat. Inside here, I can lug bags, buckle swash and even shoot straight."

Luke raised his brow "Is that why you let them slap your arse? This doesn't turn into some kind of weird..." Luke didn't get to finish his sentence.

Miraj shoveled more powder bags into her sack. "I'm a boy. At least, I think I'm a boy, and Staines being a lecherous sot towards the boy is one of the series' running gags. You never see anything in the books, and the official games don't give you any options there. So I just put up with it. And no. I've never played a hacked version where you get to find out." She swung the sack onto her shoulder, "Lets get up to the main deck. Given the wind and how much sail the Indefatigable has they must be nearly on us."

"The who now?" He asked following up behind Miraj hastily resisting the urge to slap her rump just as Staines did. He doubt he wouldn't get away with it and decided battle with an enemy ship would be far easier. As they came to the man deck the first explosion of shots were fired and instantly the air smelt burnt and was full of smoke.

Miraj ducked behind a barrel as a shower of splinters exploded out of the ships rail. "The Indefatigable is the ship of Commodore Hawke, Bloodbeard's nemesis. Its a bigger ship, with three gun decks to our two. And more canvas, so its faster."

Down the main deck, the first mate, Sabatini shouted out. "Sternchasers Ezekial!" he shouted to Staines. "Riggers, prepare to tack larboard. People were scrambling everywhere. "Avast the yards!"

Miraj pulled Luke sharply to one side. "Duck!" an twelve inch wide pole of solid oak came whistling towards them as the sails were angled to catch the wind.

Not heading the warning soon enough Luke had to ungracefully dive out the way leaving him sprawled out across the floor groaning. "This era of war sucks" He said before adding, "And this isn't a ship... its a death trap!"

[To Be Continued]

--

Ensign Miraj Derani
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant Commander Luke Wyatt
Strategic Operations Officer
USS Galileo

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