RP- The Frigate Fleet

[Jack Teach]

The Commodore nods respectfully.

Yes sir, Commodore James Fisher.

He puts his hands behind his back and purses his lips.

My good sir, I have a certain worry. I believe that it would be a bad idea to simply sail into the smoke. I feel as if the enemy...has a trap set up. It seems odd that there is a large cloud of smoke on the open sea, my biggest fear is a fire ship. This whole attack could go sideways very quickly if that's the case. We'd still win most likely, but with a loss of hundreds more men than necessary. I suggest, that we perhaps sit it out, and wait for the smoke to clear.

[Meliva]

The admiral thinks for a bit before responding.

Could be a merchant vessel, or other civilian boat that was raided and burned, needing help. But odds are, any remaining on the ship would have been killed or captured. Wish I had a few cutters or sloops to scout out and examine it. But you are right. It is too risky to send a frigate to check this out. if it's a fire ship that would be a bad loss for us. If we receive cutters or sloops and the smoke remains we can send a pair of them in. But until then I shall give the order to avoid heading towards the smoke.

The admiral orders his fleet to regather and to wait until backup arrives. He orders 2 lookouts to keep watch in each directions for any ships and to notify him if they spot any.

[Jack Teach]

Commodore James looks to his men.

Be sure at all times men to be ready to sail and to fight, I want everyman to have a pistol in his belt and a cutlass in a baldric over his shoulder. Pass this order to Captain Evens. And make sure the lookouts are looking for pirates. If he misses any pirate, a 100 lashes for him at the gratings.

The order is passed and carried out, the commodore turns to the Admiral.

What country to do your men hail from sir? You're not flying any navy colors or flag so I'm curious to who sent you.

[Meliva]

The admiral laughs.

Well we come from all sorts of countries though most are British here, myself included, we happen to be a merc band that was hired by some wealthy politicians to serve as an extra force for the port in Aiora. Been serving there for about 30 years since my 40's. Pay is okay. I was an admiral for a while in the british navy, but due to a supposed scandal between me, and a very important politicians wife, I got discharged. Worst part is, I didn't even touch her, woman was a bloody whale, frightful looking thing she was, came on to me and naturally I tossed her off-nearly broke me damn back doing so. Woman didn't take it very well. Told every Tom, ****, Joe and Henry I forced myself on her. They took her word over mine sadly, and well, my career was cut short. But, that's politics for you-always screwing over everyone else.

[Jack Teach]

The commodore laughs.

The Royal Navy has had a lot of problems wit getting officers discharged for dumb reasons. You heard of that pirate, Jack Teach?

[Meliva]

The admiral nods.

Yeah I heard a bit about him. Been told to arrest him if I see him, but honestly, unless he starts causing trouble in Aiora, I don't think I would bother. I am far too old to go chasing after youngin's. Hell at my age I could have made it to Admiral of the Fleet by now. Technically speaking I was discharged as a vice admiral, but I had a promotion coming my way, before that scandal, so I consider myself an admiral before I was discharged. But why don't ya tell me about jack if you know about him. We got quite some time before reinforcements so might as well trade stories. After your done I can tell ya about the time I saw the flying Dutchman.

Another old sailor nearby shouts.

Aye I remember that night. Worst bloody night of our lives right admiral.

He laughs and nods.

Aye. Was not a good night for me and my 2nd over there.

[Jack Teach]

The commodore nods.

Well, I served on the frigate as 2nd lieutenant where he was midshipman, he was a fine deck officer, very hard, but not a tyrant. He was an excellent sailor, a brave man, though sometimes a bit haughty. As a midshipman of only fourteen, he commanded quite comfortably, despite being so young, most midshipmen are very squeamish at first. He became acting lieutenant in about 2 months which was a new record, and he soon became first lieutenant under captain sir John Wolfe, whom he was very loyal too. He was then given a ship as captain, not post captain but a captain nonetheless , he raided much commerce from the Spanish, quite bravely. Yet after one year he was discharged for cowardice! Can you imagine? A man who had at 14, who had watched as splinters come flying into his comrades faces as cannonballs strike the ship without so much as flinching, who had taken as a master and commander, several ships larger than his own, a man who as a midshipman, chased a pirate with 14 guns when he was sailing home with a prize taken from the Spanish, he managed to burn the pirate ship mind you. He was outraged, he demanded to know why, the admiralty refused to tell him. His former captain was outraged, I was outraged, everyone in the whole damned port was pissed. Way I heard it, too jealous lieutenants, who happened to be third cousins to the king, told the admiral and he was forced to believe him. It turned out to be a colossal mistake, because he turned pirate and soon rising through their ranks he became a horrible problem for the admiralty, they just can't seem to catch him. He's got these dastardly friends Emily and Ellen, who used some sorts of sorcery to make it harder for us to catch him. I actually met Ellen once, she was a very good person I hear.

[Meliva]

The admiral nods.

Aye, she would be, I knew the old nun who helped raise her. Good women those nuns. Was a shame that Veera wretch went and murdered them. I don't know how Ellen was related to those sisters of hers, though I hear she reigned Emily in a bit. Heard poor Ellen died not to long ago. Some monster named Gale went and killed her. If I was 20 years younger I might be tempted to hunt him down. Same with Veera. I liked those old nuns. I fought with them a few times too. Brave old women they were. Now how about I tell you about how me and my best mate over there saw the Dutchman. It ain't a proud story, but I find it funny in hindsight.

He and his friend both sit down as they think for a bit. The admiral begins speaking.

It was about 55 years ago, when me and my friend here were fresh sailors on a frigate, and our first mission was to go with a large fleet led by an old crazy admiral in his big old ship of the line. We were sailing along when a strange mist appeared. Then we saw it, the Dutchman, it was a horrifying sight. Old james here pissed himself at it.

James nods and laughs as he mentions.

Yeah, we both did, don't act like I was the only one

Reggie laughs and admits it. He goes on with the story.

Now the admiral was old, crazy, and I think senile. He figured at that moment if he sunk the Dutchman he'd go down as a legend. So he ordered all ships to fire-well they did, and well the Dutchman fired back. Specters flew out and began slaughtering the crew of the other ships, going ship to ship, and once all the crew died they would blast the ship to splinters. Those who tried to fight died, those who ran died, and me and James knew they would come for our ship soon. So, I told everyone of a crazy plan-maybe if we covered ourselves in the most disgusting things possible, we might live-the ghosts wouldn't want to touch us I figured. Well, no one but me and James were willing to do it, the rest decided to fight. So we both go and cover ourselves with various things. I won't mention them but I'm sure you can guess what they were, and well the crew died. But when the specters came for us, they began to attack but halted, looked at us for a moment, and I swear I saw some of them smile, they left and didn't blast the ship. We got in a rowboat, as 2 men couldn't sail a frigate, and went back to port. Moral of the story is, if fighting don't work, and running don't work, think outside the box.

James speaks up laughing.

I thought it was, cover yourself in enough feces and urine, and no man, woman or even ghost will touch ya.

Reggie laughs and nods.

Aye, that be the second moral. I think our reinforcements should be here soon. Which is good as I'm getting tired of waiting.

[Jack Teach]

The commodore smiles. One of the lookouts cries:

Deck!

The commodore looks up.

Where away?

The lookout calls back.

3 points astern!

The commodore looks at the approaching ships coming to join the rest of the fleet through a spyglass. The commodore closes the glass.

It appears the reinforcements arrived.

[DezNutz]

At the Merchantman and Sloop of War...

The captain of the SoW addresses his men

I think they suspect something. They are taking way too long. Move the captured back on deck and set a charge below deck that will send her to the bottom. We'll regroup with the fleet, hoist colors to pass by and find another target.

The men quickly move the captured sailors to the deck of the Merchantman, set a charge below deck, and return to the SoW to disembark.

The pirates cut the ropes keeping them attached and start moving away from the merchantman. With only a few yards of separation from the Merchnantman the charge explodes, ripping a hole through the deck and hull at the waterline and sending shrapnel and debris everywhere. The merchantman starts listing as it takes on water. The SoW is hit with debris and damaged including its main mast and rudder. The captain, bloody and bruised, pulls himself up from the deck at the helm surveying the damage. After a quick analysis he looks at his first mate who set the charge.

You f*ck, we are dead in the water, you set the charge to go off too quickly. The only way we survive is if we fix our sh*t before the royal navy arrives. Raise Spanish Colors just in case, our fleet will know what happened when they see it.

The crew quickly hoist Spain's flag and gets to work repairing the damage. The merchantman lists further with its masts leaning toward the SoW which still floating next to it.