Ahoy there mates! Got another chapter right here for ya! But before we start, a few things to certain readers....Yes, Nate, I hugged you, get over it.
And Keeper, if you want a cameo, just PM me mate, aye? Haha.
So, with that over and done, with, I present to you...
EITC
Kat Crestshot knelt as she peeked over the edge of her ship. She could see the black and white sails of an EITC Sloop in her telescope. Her fake British flag was raised and her sails were closed so as not to attract attention. She was trying to get a feel for the difficulty of the situation before she made her move. There were two ways she could go about this. The first and more subtle approach, involved her playing the part of a feigning a woman stuck at sea. The second and more direct option was a full blown assault. She contemplated her options as she watched the crew move about the deck.
“So what we gonna do, Kat?” her companion asked loudly as he popped above the edge of the ship. Kat scrambled in shock with her telescope. She dropped down closer to the deck and pulled the boy down with her by his collar. He rubbed his neck where the cloth had cut into him, but Kat didn’t care.
“You stupid boy!” she hissed quietly. “Didn’t I tell you to stay quiet and
stay down?! I’m trying to figure out what to do!” She shook her head and went back to observing the EITC ship.
Why did she have the boy again? Oh yes, Josie had asked her to take him to Tortuga. If she didn’t have more than a few favors to square up with that woman, the boy would still be sitting and hiding somewhere in Port Royal.
His name was Hector Bluepaine, though Kat usually just called him ‘stupid boy’. He had gotten in a spot of trouble with the skeletons back in Port Royal. From what Josie had told her, the boy had been wandering in the wrong part of the woods when he came across some undead skeletons. However instead of steering clear of the creatures, he taunted them and waved his little wooden sword in their faces. Apparently, he went as far as threatening them to’ watch their backs’ because he was ‘going to get them’. Of course that was when the skeletons drew their very real, non-wooden swords.
The stupid boy barely escaped with his life.
Josie had begged Kat to take Hector when she had been in Port Royal the month before. She figured the boy would be safer on Tortuga than on the skelly infested island. So Kat reluctantly agreed to take Josie’s teenage nephew along with her. She couldn’t deny that he had been useful, but at times like this, he was more of a nuisance than anything else.
Kat sat her telescope down. “We’re going with the ‘lost at sea’ route this time,” she told Hector quietly. “The size of that crew is a bit larger than we are, and while we could just sink them, the EITC is known for possessing items that are far too valuable to be sending to Jones’ Locker. I want to salvage as much as we can.” She picked up her telescope and walked into her cabin. “I’m going to go change. Get the ship ready and grab your things.”
Kat walked into her cabin and slammed the door closed. She had a whole outfit and alias for this type of situation. She and Hector were supposed to be siblings that had set out for Port Royal from Padres del Fuego, trying to get away from the rough lifestyle and the dangers of the volcano. They had gotten lost in a storm on the way and needed help.
Kat slipped on her plain brown skirt and a long, puffy shirt, but she kept her heavy boots. A small pistol was hidden inside the right one, not for use, but as a bluff. The Navy and the EITC were, thankfully, ignorant of the Code. She picked up her dagger and tucked it into the waistband of her skirt, and grabbed a smoke grenade to hide. Ready for action, she went back on deck.
Hector stood there, ready for the EITC ship. Kat nodded to him and he released the sails. She took the wheel and pointed them in the general direction of the sloop. They would get in yelling range to get the attention of the EITC soldiers. Everything should go according to plan from there.
Kat and Hector yelled and cried frantically, as if they were suffering from starvation and dehydration. The black uniforms yelled back, telling them to drop anchor so they could help. The two did so, appearing grateful. The sloop pulled up next to them and put a plank between the ships. Kat motioned for Hector to stay on the
Cutthroat Wolf and made her way to the EITC ship. He knew what to do. She walked over the plank to the EITC ship with a mask of fear in place as she bobbed over the water.
Her boots thumped on the deck of the Trading Company’s sloop. Black coats surrounded her, and her fingers itched for her dagger. It would not be used, but it would comfort her to know that these men would not mess with her if they knew she had it.
A man, who she assumed to be the captain, parted the men and approached her. “Hello miss. I see that you seem to be in a spot of trouble. If you would follow me, I would be glad to help you.” He began walking to the Captain’s Quarters, and Kat followed closely.
The captain invited her into his domain and closed the door behind him with a click. He folded his hands behind his back and smiled politely at her. There was something behind that smile though, something Kat had learned to perceive after working with pirates for months. He spoke pleasantly enough.
“So how may I be of assistance, Ms…?”
“Johnson,” Kat replied. “My name is Emily Johnson, and I’m afraid my brother and I are horribly lost,” she said meekly. “We were trying to get to Port Royal, but we were caught in a storm and horribly turned around. Many of our supplies were lost at sea as well. Would you be able to help us at all?”
The captain nodded at her. “I’m sure my ship can spare a few supplies Ms. Johnson,” he said. His eyes got darker and he moved a little closer. “Such help would require some form of…payment, however.”
Kat swiftly dodged his move. She noticed a pack of matches lying on the table next to a half opened window leading to the deck and slid towards them. “I’m afraid I don’t know what type of payment you speak of Captain,” she said innocently with her back turned to him. She took a hidden smoke grenade out of her shirt. The hiss of the lighting match was disguised by the waves slapping against the boat. She lit the grenade and rolled it inconspicuously out the window.
That finished, Kat turned around to find the captain practically on top of her. In reaction, she jumped backwards. The table thumped loudly into the wall.
The captain smiled sinisterly at her. “I think you know exactly what type of payment I mean, Ms. Johnson,” he growled, and he lurched at her. Kat ducked to the side at the same time the smoke bomb went off.
That was Hector’s cue. He charged across the plank connecting the ships with a cloth wrapped around his nose and mouth to lessen the effect of the smoke. Quickly, while the soldiers were disoriented, he dispatched them of their weapons. A few of them tried reaching for him, but he used the smoke to his advantage and slipped away from them. He was able to knock a few of them out, making them much easier to manage. At a loss for weapons, Hector quickly tied the small crew to the mast.
Meanwhile, in the cabin, the captain saw the smoke bomb go off through the window. Kat whipped out her dagger and slashed at his back. It was a shallow cut, but the captain fell over in pain and clutched his back. Kat stood over him. With her dagger in hand, she was quite the menacing figure.
“Now, this is what’s going to happen,” she murmured coldly at him, all traces of the frightened and innocent girl gone. “You are going to let me go through all of your cargo, let me take what I want, and I won’t send you and your ship to Davy Jones’ Locker, savvy?” He nodded weakly in agreement, but was already planning a way to sabotage her.
Kat saw the shiftiness in his eyes. She knelt in front of him and placed her dagger directly under his chin, the point denting his Adam ’s apple. “Don’t you think of trying anything either. If you recall, I just incapacitated you and your crew with very little effort. If you cherish your life, you shall make no move on me, nor my companion. Aye?” The captain stuttered out a yes, afraid to move his head. Kat smirked. “Good man,” she said, nicking his chin with the dagger. Blood gathered around the small cut. “That’s what you get for trying to take advantage of a weak and meager girl, eh Captain? Now, shall we see your valuables?”
Kat and Hector escaped with quite a loot from that ship. She ended up having to pull out her pistol when she and the captain exited the cabin, so she could intimidate the crew. The captain was surprisingly cooperative for the rest of the time. Of course, that could be because Kat had threatened to cut off something much more valuable than a finger when he tried to communicate with the crew.
Finally, Kat had gathered all she wanted from the hold. As they left, the pair had some fun tearing up the EITC sails a little. They also made sure to disable the rudder chain before returning to their vessel.
“By the way Captain, you weren’t just bested by Emily Johnson!” Kat called out as they began leaving. “Kat Crestshot, at your service!” She laughed as her tiny sloop headed into deeper waters.
After a while, Kat ordered Hector to take the wheel. She climbed up to the crow’s nest to be alone with her thoughts.
It had been about three months she had been out at sea. During that time, she’d been enjoying herself immensely just being free, but perhaps it was time to dock. With everything that had been plundered in this time, her hold was getting full. There were many things that needed to be sold. And, if she were honest, she missed the sturdy feel of solid land beneath her feet.
There was Hector to think of as well. She had promised to take him to Tortuga months ago. Besides…he reminded her so much of Lawrence. He was so bright and full of energy, and very attentive to her. They were even built the same. It made her long for her friend. Her best chance of seeing him again was Tortuga.
She took her compass from her pocket. It had been a long time since she had referred to it, mostly because it had been spinning wildly each time she looked at it. This time however, the arrow spun for only a moment before settling. Kat knew that heading.
“Hector!” she called down to him.
Hector stretched his neck up to look at her. “Aye, Kat?” he yelled back.
“Point us Northwest, boyo! We’re headed for Tortuga!”
Hector’s face lit up. “Tortuga,” he whispered with glee, and immediately straightened the course.
There's actually a story behind Hector Bluepaine. He's sort of a cameo, because he's my brother's character! Haha, he loves this story as well, even though he hasn't even gotten past
Her Beginning yet. To say he was excited when I told him he was going to be in this story is an understatement. Honestly, I think I really got his character in REAL life, minus the appearance, hahaha.
Thanks again to Juliana Maria for editing this chapter. Without her, it would be a lot less.....something. Um...flowy? Jules, what say you? Hahaha, thanks mate!
So, questions, comments, concerns, things that make you nervous? Leave me a review, and I'll be one happy pirate, haha. Next chapter is next Thursday. Thanks for reading!