Episode 2 - Dog Day Afternoon
The afternoon of the 13th day of December, 1639.
"SLAUGHTER 'EM TO THE LAST!" came the cry from Leiutenant Cutter as he stormed the beach close to the dockside with fifty bloodthirsty bastards close behind him...
The pirates quickly charged up the beach and reached the outskirts of town. Receiving little resistance from the startled Spanish defenders, who eagerly ran around looking for someone to surrender to, Coggy's men soon found themselves in the town square surrounded by gentry folk, wenches, and peasants, all with arms aloft.
The first shots rang out as eager Cutthroats opened up with muskets and pistols. The glint of cutlass metal shone brightly as more pirates began their murderous rampage and the Spaniards began to fall like lambs to the slaughter. Blood splattered corpses littered the town center and smoke billowed overhead as townhouse after townhouse was ransacked and burned. Screaming peasants ran for their wretched lives - but to no avail as Coggy's motley crew made short work of them.
"Round up them thar wenches," came the order from Leiutenant Cutter.
"Aye friggin' aye, Sir!" came the eager response from several hyped pirates as they chased the fair maidens through the town.
Coggy and a group of officers clambered into the Reaper's open launch and rowed their way towards the smouldering remains of the town.
"Arrr thars nottin' like the smell o' gunpowder in tha afternoon," said Coggy, as the boat approached the dock.
There were bodies floating in the bay, with a couple of wounded peasants trying to tread water nearby.
"Give those poor buggers a 'elpin' hand," remarked Coggy.
Without hesitation, there was a whooosh of metal has Coggy's first mate, Leiutenant Quintal, drew his longsword, and with two elegant swipes, lopped off the arms of one of the floating townsfolk.
"Good shot Sir," called an oarsman, sarcastically.
"Yer a fine butcher o' a man, ye 'r Quintal. My kinda scum" said Coggy, as he disembarked the open launch and clambered onto the dock.
Quintal watched as the now armless peasant slipped beneath the water leaving a red bubbling stain on the surface.
Coggy made his way through the gruesome bloodstained streets of Trinidad, carefully sidestepping the mutilated carcasses strewn throughout the place.
"Looks like me lads 'r in fine form," he said, as he approached the Governors mansion.
The battle was all but over, with just the odd musket-shot and scream disturbing the deafly silence. Bodies littered the streets, and eager pirates began putting the finishing touches to the wounded and dying.
Within thirty minutes the whole place was up in flames, except the Governors house.
"Git those bloody cannons up 'ere..." screamed an officer.
It wasn't long before the Spanish mansion was surrounded by four of the Reapers cannons with gunners at the ready.
"Yee've got one minute ta get yer greasy Spanish hide out 'ere," called Cutter toward the Governors place.
"A poncey servant told me the Gov'nor sailed ta Yellerville a couple o' days ago, Sir," said irate pirate Jim.
"Arrrrggghhh, Coggy's gonna be pissed. Guess we'd better get 'im a consolation," replied Cutter, as he scratched his head, "Hows 'bout 'angin' that thar servant from tha Gov'nors very own apple tree? I reckon' that'll cheer ol' Cog up," he added...
A few minutes later...
Captain Cognito made his way up the hill towards his men.
"Who's that bugger swingin' up thar?" he asked, pointing to the orchard.
"Tis just a manservant, Sir. 'Appen the Gov'nor be outta town fer tha day, so we took it upon ourselves ta 'ang 'is friggin' servants" replied Cutter.
"Oh well, guess we'll just 'ave ta blow this 'ere place ta bits. But first I wants ye ta give the lads summit ta cheer 'em up a bit," said Coggy, "So round up them thar kids 'n get a couple o' yer most sadistic motley gits ta lob a few grenades amongst 'em. Thars nottin' like a good ol' jig ta finish off the show!" explained Coggy, as he headed toward the only building left untouched - the local tavern.
Within a few moments, the pirates had gathered the brats together.
Pirate Jim quickly returned with a hand full of grenades, "Dance yew little bastids, dance!" he barked, before showering them with a couple of the bombs...
BOOM!
"Jeeeeesus! I's never seen one jump so high! - that thar poor bugger 'as landed on tha bleedin' barn!… well most of 'im has!" called Jim with glee, as he wiped some gizzards from his cheek.
Over at the tavern, Coggy stood with one of his officers, "Wait 'ere, Quintal," he said, as he made his way into the building.
The tavern was full of drunken sailors and local scum.
"Arrr, if'n it aint that murderous sea-dog, Cap'n Cognito," called a group of men.
"We wus wonder'n what all tha commotion wus out thar… I's heard rumours yew was headin' back to tha Caribbean, Coggy," said a young drunken pirate by the name of John La Foot.
"Aye, lad. I's arrived 'awrite," replied the Captain.
La Foot was an old acquaintance of Coggy. Back in Bristol they used to raid the naval academy together as kids - before La Foot was carted off to the asylum.
"Tas been a while since I saw yer ugly mug, La Foot. Knew yee'd find yer way to the Spanish Main one day. I see yee've still got tha odor problem, mate. ," said Coggy, with a wry smile.
"Git this fine Cap'n a rum," called La Foot to the bartender.
An hour passed and the druken Coggy stumbled out of the tavern. He was met by Quintal.
"So, what's tha story, Coggy?" asked the Lieutenant as the two men headed back to the dock.
"Met one o' me old mates in tha tavern, I did. Haven't seen 'im since me days back in Bristol." replied the Captain.
"Wouldn't be John La Foot by any chance, would it?" asked Quintal.
"Aye lad, how'd ye know dat?" replied a curious Coggy.
"Arrr, his feet 'ave a distinctive stench, Sir. 'Appen I could smell tha bugger from tha ship" laughed Quintal.
Coggy smiled before adding, "Anyhow, back in tha tavern I also 'ad me a run-in wit a weird character - dis geezer be tha sorriest lookin' lice-ridden drunken' swab yee'd ever 'ave the misfortune ta meet," said Cog, "and thar be a group o' slobs 'avin' a wager ta see if'n tha sorry fool be dead 'r alive. So I 'as a wander over 'n gives the lad a kick ta see if'n he still be breathin',"
"Who it be?" asked Quintal.
"Don't know. But the blaggard groaned a bit 'n came to 'is senses when I gave the drunken fool another bottle o' grog fer 'is collection. Low and behold, 'e goes 'n offers me a crumpled torn piece o' paper fer me trouble!" replied Coggy.
"Whaddit say, Cap'n?" asked a curious Quintal as the men reached the dock.
"Well, after takin' a closer look, I realises I's 'oldin' part o' a map the likes o' which I's never seen. It be ney ordinary map Quintal, 'cos tha writin' be unfamiliar to me eye, but I soon gets ta grips wit its meanin'," replied Cog, as he took the torn map from his pocket and showed it to Quintal, "It be showin' a part o' tha Caribbean seldom visited by scum like us,"
The two men reached the Reapers open launch and Coggy clambered down the rope ladders and back into his boat.
The Captain finished scrutinizing the map and faced Quintal once more.
"Anyhow, me new map be incomplete 'as some of it be missin'. But I's deciphered enough o' it ta find a latitude readin' o' 21 degrees North. Alas, thar be no longitude mentioned and the islands shown be unfamiliar to me one good eye." he explained, before placing it back into his jacket.
Quintal stepped into the boat and sat next to the Captain.
"The ting dats got me curious be tha picture o' a golden chest filled wit enough coins ta fill a theiv'n Spanish gov'nors mansion, 50 times over!" said Coggy, enthusiastically, as he settled into the boat, "I reckon's thar be at least 10 million pesos worth o' plunder in that thar chest!"
Quintal and a few of the oarsmen looked at their Captain with greed filled eyes.
"10 million pesos!, What kinda fool would let a map like dat slip through 'is fingers?" asked Quintal, as the boat pulled away.
"A drunken' fool - dats who!" replied Cog
"Anyhow, I asks the drunken' bum where he got such a find but he was too pissed ta talk and 'e just mumbled something 'bout an old man 'avin' the other piece o' tha map showin' the longitude. He mentioned that Cap'n Davey Jones knew of the old gits whereabouts - so I left 'im ta drink 'imself ta death," finished Coggy.
"Arrr, Cap'n Jones is in Tortuga, Coggy," said the excited Quintal. "Reckon if'n yew tink this 'ere treasure map is the genuine article, it'll be worth investigatin'," he added.
"Aye, but first we's gotta pay a visit to me auld mate Davey before embarkin' on such endeavours," replied Coggy.
The boat slowly made its way back to the Grim Reaper.
Coggy looked Quintal and the group of oarsmen in their eyes, "Don't tell ney one of what I's told ye or yee'll be swingin' from me mast before this day be thru." he said, in a menacing tone.
"Aye, Sir," replied Quintal and the men in unison.
Within ten minutes, the pirates where back aboard the Grim Reaper. Coggy surveyed the smouldering remains of the town from the deck.
"How many wenches did we capture?" he asked.
"Errrr jus' three, Sir," replied Leiutenant Cutter.
"Arrrggghhh, if'n I's told ye once, I's told ye a 'undred times - when it comes to wenches, tell yer men ta take it easy. Wimmin' 'r no good to us dead.... who's gonna clean me cabin and make tha sandwiches, 'n polish me sword now, eh?" replied a frustrated Coggy.
The Captain made his way back up to the Bridge.
"Make sail," he called, "We's headin' fer tha neutral port o' Tortuga fer some R & R lads, and I's goinna a pay a visit to Davey Jones,"
And with that, the Grim Reaper turned about and sailed slowly out of the bay leaving a billowing black cloud of smoke rising over the once proud town of Trinidad.