Piracy Upon the Sea

Ooooh. I'm watching the film in just under two hours and will certainly join...

Name= Amelia Jones
Nickname= Lia
Age= 23
Hair= Chestnut brown, not far off red, and long and wavy.
Eyes= Blue. The sort of blue you get on a hot summers day when there's not a cloud in the sky.
Complexion= Rather pale and she stays that way, never a sun-tan or sun-burn.
Figure= Very shapely but this is usually hidden by baggy, masculine clothes.
Ship= Currently at the bottom of the ocean but it was called 'The Avenger'
History= Lia was born a pirate and will always be a pirate. Her mother was a first mate and her father a captain of the long forgotten 'Red Dagger.' The ship was destroyed in a storm when Lia was just nine years old and, as far as she knows, there were no other survivors. Lia was picked up by 'The Avenger' and they soon realised that she was one of them. Quickly, Lia advanced through their ranks and became first mate at just fifteen. Two years later, the captain was killed in a scirmish with another pirate ship and Lia was named captain. Recently though, the ship was destroyed by the 'good guys' and for the second time in her life, Lia has found herself floating upon a piece of her beloved home, out in the middle of the ocean, hoping for someone to pick her up.
Belongings= A rather torn and grubby, baggy, white shirt, a pair of baggy, brown trousers, a brown belt, a pair of sturdy brown boots, a captain's three point pirate hat, the usual couple of pistols and 'additional shots', short dagger, sword, gold chain, saphire necklace (often hidden under her shirt) and an assortment of rings. Basically what she was wearing when the ship went down.
Other= Lia likes to dress as a boy and sometimes she is actually mistaken for one. That is not usually her intention though.

Name: James "Jack" McMannus
Age: 27
Ship: In the market, as it were
Alliegiance: Himself. But nominally, pirates.
Description: He is a strapping 5'10, 180lbs. Lean, and muscular he would do very well on a rugby pitch as well as a ship on the sea. Or a smithy. Usually wears a hodgepodge of whatever he can find--a tricorn hat, with a bandana of sorts underneath, an old Royal Navy uniform, and whatever type of pantaloons and boots he can find. Has flaming auburn hair, and a suntanned complexion due to long hours under the carribean sun.
Carries: three flintlock pistols, two wheellock pistols, a mini peashooter (tiny pistol) and a cutlass and a rapier. Tends to steal extra/more weapons and supplies off those he kills.
Bio: Born in Ireland (under English rule, obviously), his father was a blacksmith. He turned to the seas at a young age. Formerly a Privateer, but since the Acts of Privateering have been repealed by the King (Jack, I know, history's off, just go with it), he can no longer return to England without being arrested and hanged, so has turned to a life of piracy on the high seas, as he knows how to do it and its better than bieng hanged. So much for king and country and all that, wot?

George watched his men run to and fro readying the Cannons. The Black Raven was small in comparision to some of the other pirate ships. Twenty cannon. George or captain Red, as his men had taken to calling him due to his ginger beard and hair, Had wanted it this way. The Black Raven Cut through the water and descended upon unprepared merchant vessels.

"Cap'n." George turned his head to watch his First mate, who was amusingly a woman, marching across the decks. A telescope clasped in her hands. "They seem to want to surrender!"

George grabbed his own telescope from its place deside the wheel. It was contained in a special box he himself had made. He extended it and looked at the large merchant ship. A tall balding man was waving a white sheet over his head. He moved teh scope up and found the national flag.

"They seem to be french, Miss Zeph." One of the cannons at the front shot, the ball landed twenty feet short. "You know my policy upon the French."

Turning he beckoned a small boy over to him.

"Do you know my Policy towards the French, Samuel?" Everyone upon The Black Raven was English or from Britain.

"Of course Cap'n. You hate them as all good englishmen should." George Laughed and pulled a small hipflask from his pocket.

"Good lad. Take this and refill it for me my boy. And have one of those chocolate biscuits i keep in my chest."

The boy ran off below decks. "That boy will replace us one day." George pulled a pistol from his belt and fired it into the air. All movement stopped.

"Raise the Jolly Roger Midshipman. And the rest of you get killing. Next week we go to Port!"

A cheer went up from the crew as they ran off readying weapons. All wanted teh best picks of the loot to spend in port.

"Miss Zeph, you shall lead the boarding party." The firstmate bowed and moved off pushing men out of the way and picking those she thought best for the action.

Juliek

The narrow alleys surrounding the port at Antigua were teeming, filled with the smell of coffee and rum and mobs of people gone unwashed. Cryers called out in a thick creole, a mixture of English and Dutch and French..and God knew what else.

Through the crowds piled around vendors with bananas and suspiciously tinged meats, Juliek slowly made his way through- waiting patiently for people to pass instead of merely shoving them out of the way as any other would have done. The huge basket he was carrying over his shoulder wasn't helping, either.

This was his job- going to market for provisions. it wasn't a job he liked, but he really had had no choice.

His first day aboard the Conqueror, nearly three months passed, had gone something like this:

The Captain's mate had stopped him, grabbing his shoulder. "Where's your uniform?" he'd asked.

"I don't have one." For a pitiable, meek effect, Juliek had kept his eyes fixated upon the ground.

"You need a uniform."

"Where would I get one?"

At this question, the Mate's eyes had glinted menacingly in the sun.

"You'll have to buy one."

Juliek pulled his gaze back down onto the planks. "All of my money is at home."

"Stupid boy!" the man had cried, striking him upon the cheek. "Should have thought of that before you signed up."

The Mate walked away, leaving Juliek standing there, seething. It had been the Mate himself who had tied his wrists behind his back and shoved cloth between his teeth- the only man who knew the reason for Juliek's passage. (The boy himself didn't even know what that reason was.)

Such began their feud, a rather one-sided feud, at that- Juliek was powerless to strike back. The Mate was taller, stronger, higher and rank, and a natural-born Briton...not to mention, he had at least four more weapons on his person. It was more like a half-hearted game of charades for him, something to do when he wasn't wallowing in the Captain's glory.

Juliek still needed a uniform, and for that he needed money. For money, he needed a job, and for a job, he needed an employer. Even the Mate had realized this awful paradox and had grudgingly sent Juliek out with a ten pound note- when all of the items needed were bought, the boy could keep the change.

In theory.

Those clustered around a banana vendor parted, one-by-one, as Juliek stepped up to the counter. He nodded toward the basket. "How much?"

The man holding the money cup was wizened, with two gold caps on his front teeth and a piece of grubby fabric keeping his beard from blowing away. "Tree pounds fer a bunch, if you got it."

Juliek brought out the note and handed it over the counter, whilst the man looked at it puzzedly, a grin forming on his face. "An English? Ooh, my lucky, lucky day."

He pulled his biggest bunch from behind his stand- and indeed, it was wider than his torso. Juliek quickly retrieved his change from the table before taking it, and turned around to put it in the basket.

This was when he and the shopkeeper realized that the alley had suddenly become vacant, with only the sound of lazy Caribbean flies buzzing round their heads.

Instead, the throngs had been replaced by a group of three- two women, one a man, all of them filthy and covered in belts and sheaths holding pistols, presumably.

"An English?" one of them said, a mocking smile upon her face. "It's our lucky, lucky day."

All of the boys aboard ship had talked longingly of bravely fighting against these rogues, the Pirates- with their uniforms stained perhaps darker red with their vagrant blood. They would hold their dripping sabres and smoking rifles above their heads in victory, emitting a cry of resounding jubilation.

It was odd, really. Surreal.

Juliek, of all people, had been the one to find the Pirates first, and here he was- standing with his mouth open and a bunch of bananas clasped to his chest.

Perhaps if he had had a uniform, it would have been less embarassing.

"HEY!" Aleina raised her voice barely above normal volume to gain the attention of the crew. One hand planted squarely on her hip and the other taking a hold of the handle of one of the pistols in her red scarf-belt, the smirk upon her tanned face proved an ill-omen for the French.
"I want Ragged Dagger, Winter Will and YOU-" she pointed at the kid who was carrying the captain's biscuits. "-To raid these landlover's stores!"

"Only four?" called Captain Red, snatching the chocolate biscuit.

"I feel like a challenge, and the kid needs some experience. Ya with me?" Will, Dagger and the kid cheered.
Aleina grinned bloodily.

"Let's kick some Frenchie arse, then!" she whipped the scimitar out of her belt and pointed it dramatically at the vessel.

"Magdalena she AIN'T!" commented Jolly John, sauntering over to the captain.

Jacqueline sauntered along the docks, checking out the items displayed on the tables of local merchants. She paused at a pretty looking glass.

Touching it gently, she decided to move on. "Come on, Jacquie, love. Vain creature though you are, you don't need it," she said to herself, patting her money pouch. She had little enough as it was.

She looked around at the people on the docks. A few faces were familiar, but for the most part she found herself among strangers, her preferred company. Trying to imagine which characters could prove to be beneficial, her gaze lingered on a young man walking toward her. She was not as interested in his fine looks as she was in his mannerisms: when he wasn't touching the goods on the tables, he was wringing his hands, or scratching his head, or fixing his coat. He was fascinating.

Jacquie continued toward him casually, glancing up at the ships she hoped to join soon. As the distance closed, she grabbed her handkerchief, dabbed some sea-spray off her face, and ever-so-lightly bumped into the interesting man, who, at closer look, seemed barely older than herself. She dropped the handkerchief.

"Oh! Very sorry, sir. I really must watch where I'm going." She started to bend down to grab the cloth, but he beat her to it.

"Not at all, miss," he said, picking it up and handing it to her. "I believe you dropped this."

"Indeed I did. Thank you." She smiled politely up at him. When it was clear he was not going to simply walk past, she interrupted the awkward silence, her smile growing into her trademark grin. "Name's Jacqueline DeMortel. Pleased to make your acquaintance." She held out her hand.

Amelia

With the wind in my hair and the smell of the sea, I was happy to be alive, even if I was once more drifting through the unknown. Slowly, with aching limbs, I dragged myself onto the large piece of drift wood and lay down on my back to stare up at the sky. If it wasn't for the waves lashing my sides, I could almost pretend I was back on the deck of my ship.

My ship. And now I have to start all over again and that's only if I get picked up by pirates. But if not... Well my powder may be wet but I still have my sword and daggers. There again, it's always worth a try.

I twirled my pistold into my hands, aimed them up and pulled the triggers. It was a miracle. Both fired, smooth as anything with a loud bang. Oh drat. Way to attract attention Lia but then there was no ship in sight.

Yeah. I think I cursed myself with that thought. Gradually, a ship loomed into view. My eyes rose to the flag and I breathed a sigh of relief. Defineately a pirate ship. At least you can trust a pirate to be dishonest. They're my sort of people. I couldn't quite make out the name of the ship but with no land for miles, it was my best bet.

"Fire the forward Cannons. Try and kill the captain, Patrick." A tall black haired man saluted and aimed the cannon. The boom sounded and the men cheered.

"Samuel!" The young boy turned to face George. "Have you collected some weapons?"

The boy shook his head.

"Beak, give samuel some weapons." A short wide shouldered broken nosed man handed Samuel two daggers and a Pistol.

The Black Raven Was gaining quickly. They were only twenty feet away when the merchant vessel began fighting back. A few sporadic musket volleys. George grabbed a musket from the hands of Jolly John.

Taking aim at one of the men in the merchant ships rigging. H epulled teh trigger and narrowly missed. But the man had teh sense to climb back down. A connon fired and the sail of The black raven suddenly had a hole in it.

"How dare they! Jolly, did they just fire a cannon at us."

"I believe they did sir." George's face became red with anger.

"Miss Zeph, Take a few prisoner. I want revenge for the hole in my sail." Another Cannon fired and another hole in the sail.

"John take the wheel. I am boarding that damned ship."

Jolly John smiled. "That'll be a first."

"And for that you shall be on night watch untill we arrive in port." George stamped down the stairs to the deck and stood next to the small boarding party.

"Bring her around!" Taya shouted to her first mate, who preceded to repeat the order to the rest of the crew. The slim brunette hurried up the steps to where Captain Hawk was standing next to the wheel.

"What's wrong, Captain?"

"We need to go to Port Antigua." Taya looked straight out over the still water. It was a beautiful day on board the Wolf and the crew had been in high spirits since they found the treasure of St. Michael's Island.

A good haul, indeed, and each of the crew got a fine and even portion.

Siva, Hawk's first mate, looked confused. "But we are nearly to Port Cummings. Why turn back now?"

"What in Port Cummings do you plan to buy?" Taya asked, looking to her first mate. Siva hesitated and Taya began to nod, "My point exactly. Why go to a small port like Cummings when you can go fifty more miles to Port Antigua?"

"I guess I didn't think of that." Siva said. Taya laughed and sent Siva back to her duties. They were heading back to Taya's home and she could feel the excitement growing in her crew as Siva spread the news.

As a crew of twenty-six women, Taya's shipmates knew the cost and challenge of landing in Antigua. No one could know that women were sailing a ship with no men on board, it was unthinkable, and they were familiar to the Antiguan locals and government, so sneaking off the ship would be difficult, even if they did dress like men. If they were spotted wearing men's dress and sailing a ship...Taya couldn't think of what her uncles in the government would think.

Taya looked at her compass and it showed they were heading South towards Antigua.

The ports of the caribbean still struck a jarring note in the recesses of Thomas Stelter's mind - something like old Barnes when he got down to trying out Scarlatti on the piano. One could hear little bits and pieces of music, chipped and mismatched. Rather sad, really - broken-up like that. He had played well enough himself when he'd taken the time to practise.

But it wasn't the port or the docks that were jarring recesses of better-left-out-of-the-way thought now. It was the insinuating doubt that cutting His Majesty's Navy was not quite the same thing as cutting Latin and sending Master Higgins into apoplectic fits.

It wasn't, was it? With nervous unconsciousness, he straightened his coat, ran a hand through wind-tangled hair.

It was then, that out of all the myriad distractions, he ran into another. Or, more precisely, she ran into him and he began the thing with the knee-jerk courtesy of a gentleman by returning her a rather worn looking cotton handkerchief as if it were silk. Oh no, not all, miss. Quite all right.

Wasn't it? He remained, quite idiotically, staring at her. Grinning, unabashed by the foolish stare of a strange gentleman, she threw out her and, "Name's Jacqueline DeMortel. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"I'm sure the pleasure's mine, altogether," he said, bowing over the proffered hand by habit. "Mr. Thomas S--...Aldgate," he coughed, unease the briefest flicker in his even features, releasing her hand to straighten his coat again.

The thought that his neatly tailored waist-coat, breeches and shirt might stick out somewhat had not yet crossed his mind. And the lady - he almost laughed. Had she meant to shake his hand?

Thomas Stelter had more thoughts running through his head than he could rightly follow; but that didn't tend to bother him. Not like England, was one that clung like tar, bloody hopes, not at all like England.

And the young woman, red-hair and tattered skirts, was still grinning.

Feeling abruptly off-his-feet, as if he'd stepped onto the dock for the first time a moment ago and had yet to get his landlegs back, he tugged at his coat again, tucking the hilt of his sabre back. Surely it wouldn't look too terribly Royal Navy to a casual glance? "Forgive me asking, I hope - but you haven't an idea of a respectable inn hereabouts?"

THe captian only laughed in Tara's face then brought his broad hard hand down across her face. Tara winced in the pain and tried to kick her legs up and hit him but didn't sucide (sp). The two men walked away and she felt her knife. She was getting off this ship as soon as possible. She looked around the deck and spotted a small boat held up by some ropes. She smiled to herself. She'd be gone by morning.
*****
When darkness came she hadn't eaten anything. Her stomach growled but she ignored it. The pirates went below deck and the watchmen paced the deck. He was at teh bow of the boat when she made her move. She sliced the ropes and put the knife away then lossened her whip holding it tight in her hand. She quietly lowered the boat into the water and slipped in after it. There was a light splash as she landed in the boat and she froze hopeing she hadn't been heard. She found an oar and some type of cloth that she wrapped around the oar. Silently she moved across the water and away from the boat, unseen and unheard.

Jack McMannus, walked the docks of the port of Antigua with more than a little apprehension. More oft than not the people here were either pirates, or Royal Navy, or wanting to be one or the other. He on the other hand, was a privateer. No, idiot, former privateer thanks to good King Billy he corrected himself. The Privateers were a no-mans-land of the seafarers. Not quite Pirates, as they were fully liscensed with their countries of origin...in his case, Jolly Old England, and were legally allowed to raid any and all vessels flying the colors of their enemies. And he had made a pretty penny raiding Spanish Galleons, French merchant Ships, and Dutch schooners. Of course, it was all for naught now, as Good King Billy, as he had started to call King William III, had repealed the Acts of Privateering, making him, for all intents and purposes, a pirate. So now, his former allies, or at least, authority figures who would turn the other cheek, the Royal Navy were now out to get him, and his former competion most likely wasn't all to happy to see him alive and (relatively) well, either.

Well, that was just something he'd have to deal with now, as he walked the docks trying to find a crew to join. Oh, how the powerful have fallen! he thought to himself. He, a former Privateer Captain, trying to find a crew with which to join, possibly as lowly as a midshipman. He shuddered at the thought.

It was all he could do to think of how much worse off he could have been, though. He could have been hanging from a sour apple tree, as the saying goes, by this time yesterday, had it not been for some rather seedy business deal he made with some members of the Royal Navy. He had been sailing on his way to Kingston, after a foray into the Mediterranean, chasing Spanish Galleons. On his return sortie from Rhodes, his ship, the Avenger had been intercepted by HMS Furious and was boarded by a rather plump Rear Admiral. After showing his Papers of Privateering, he was informed that the Acts were repealed by the order of His Majesty, and that as far as His Majesty's Government was concerned, Jack McMannus was a pirate. Luckily, Jack had enough gold stashed on board to convice the Rear Admiral to trade 75% of his booty, as well as the Avenger, for safe passage to the carribean. The Rear Admiral agreed, and here he was, on the Antigua Docks, looking for a crew. And a ship.

Amid the calls of porters and other shipmen loading and unloading provisions and cargo, and the calls in creole of various shop keepers, he encountered a rather strange occurance: a fiery, obviously pirating lass (or, as the words would have it, a "saucy pirating wench") in conversation with someone who, would appear, to be a proper English gentleman.

Jack McMannus knew this to be out of the ordinary, even for Antigua, and began to keep a close eye on them, following them when they left.

Amelia

I looked towards the ship and thought about firing my pistols again when a rope landed beside me. With a smile, I took hold of the rope and pulled myself along to the deck.
"Welcome aboard matey. What be ya business?" A bearded pirate asked.
"That depends. Where are you bound?" I queried.

"Antigua port. We just got ourselves some good treasure," He replied.
"Just where I want to go," I smiled. Reaching into my belt pouch I pulled out one of my remaining bags of coin. A pity I don't carry all my assets around but chests can be rather heavy.

"You talk my language," The pirate grinned.
"I should think I do. Half now and half when we're there. Never trust a pirate and all that eh?"
"Very well but I'll hold ye to that bargain."

"Sail ho!" came the echoing cry up from the tops.

"Where?" shouted Collingwood. They were two days out of Antigua and they hadn't seen a soul as yet, except a few cutters most probably carrying communication to Antigua.

"Four points off the larboard bow, sir!" shouted the seaman, pointing as he replied.

"The glass if you please, Mr. Hudson," Collingwood mumured to the nearest Midshipman, a lad of only 14 who gulped at being spoken to by the Captain, and thus nimbly walked over and passed Archie the golden telescope. Archie took it and immediately strode forward onto the forecastle deck and fixed the lens to his eye, gazing out onto the horizon. The seaman had fine eyes, he thought, as he made out the white shapes.

"There's more than one, sir!" the seaman called, and, just as the man said, Collingwood discerned separate shapes, they turned from blurs into more congruent images. There was an obvious mix of ships.

"Probably just the merchant fleet, sir," Lieutenant Green, stood next to him, offered.

Archie was about to agree where there was the very audible sound of rumbling. He quickly gazed through the lens once more and caught small flashes. "Well I'll be damned, Mr. Green, seems it's not just the merchant fleet out there."

"Sir, it might just be thunder," the first Lieutenant mumbled back, a shiver of fear running down his back.

"Thunder? Thunder, my good man? Don't be ridiculous! That'll be pirates or privateers, I'll wager, if there's any difference between them. They'll not be flying Our Majesty's flag and that's all that matters. I'll not let them disrupt our shipping any more than I can prevent!" Collingwood said with excitement. "We must close fast, Mr. Green. Make sail! I want every piece of canvas groaning!"

There was a hurried rush of hands as they grabbed the halyards and ran up the rigging to let free the sails. Conqueror was a good way off the battle, but she was quick frigate, Archie knew, and with this wind behind them they could be making a fast 12 or 13 knots. He also knew it was more than likely the merchant ships were heading in their direction, to the ports at their back, and so they could be on them soon enough.

"We shall clear for action if you please to, Mr. Green," Captain Collingwood ordered.

Since she was a small man of war, the Conqueror was by its very nature easy to clear for action, less messy in its layout than the heavy battleships, and the crew had her cleared and ready for battle within ten minutes. Archie nodded in appreciation, and took his position on the quarterdeck. "Mr. Green?"

His First Lieutenant turned expectantly to Archie with a small tremor in his demeanour. "Yes, Captain?" he replied quietly.

"Beat to Quarters," Archie ordered with a smile. Green touched his tricorne in answer and relayed the command.

The marine drummer beat it out, the monotonous sound echoing out across the ship, like an introduction to the conflict to come.

----

Just to clarify, Conqueror has spotted the Black Raven attacking the merchant ships and is closing to action.

"Captain." George spun around.

"What is it John? cant you see i am slightly busy?"

"It's a battle ship!" George stamped his feet and swore.

He ran back to teh shiops wheel and grabbed his scope. He scanned the horizon. A small britich battle ship was cutting through teh waves towards them.

"Put some holes into the bottom of that damned Merchant vessel." The gunners below decks were more than happy. "Miss Zeph get the men ready to fight."

"Aye Aye captain!" George spun the wheel turning the ship about.

"Jolly John, Get some grenades up." John ran below decks.

It would be close. The Black Raven held speed over the approaching Battleship but she held firepower above him. A few of his men were climbing the rigging. Muskets slung on their shoulders. Hopefully George could fly straight past the Ship and be away safely.

"Beak covered the name of this ship. Samuel take the Jolly roger down and run up a dutch flag."

They were closing.

"Cannons ready on the starboard side!" Jolly John appeared with an armful of of the grenades George had made in port a year ago.

They were in essence miniture shrapnel cannon balls. Lighting a small fuse the men would throw them, hopefully they would set fire to the sails.

"get me a bottle of RUM!" One of teh men ran off to do there captains bidding.

"Seems like we have a fight or flight situation on our hands Captain!" Miss zeph had appeared. her usual weapons bolstered by extra pistols and daggers.

"It seems so. And might i saw Miss Zeph its been a pleasure knowing you."

"And you captain."

George beckoned her to him. "I have a plan. You must do as I say. Whatever i do do not come back!" She nodded."This is it then..." He leant in and whispered into her ear. A grin sprad across her face.

"We will be there sir."