Episode 12 - An Unfortunate Encounter
Captain Cognito stood outside the shipwrights in Margarita listening to a female officer bargaining with the shipwright over the acquisition of several cannons.
"Lookee 'ere, yew theiv'n Spanish landlubber. Fer yur information, deese 'ere cannons are selling fer less than 200 peso's each over in Cumana. What justification as ya fer trying ta off load 'em to me at nigh on 350 each?" she grumbled.
The shipwright looked at the woman with disdain, "My dear Captain Maggie, these cannons are in far better condition than any you are likely to find elsewhere in these parts. Just look at the workmanship and elegant design before your very eyes" he said.
Maggie abruptly interrupted, "I don't want some bleedin' fancy ornaments - I just want something that'll fire a friggin' cannon ball - ya theiv'n swab!"
Coggy grinned to himself on witnessing the woman's gall.
"Ok, ok, I'll let you have them for 325 each - no less" replied the Shipwright.
Maggie shook her head and walked around the cannon, scrutinizing it in detail. "I'll give ya a thousand pesos fer four of 'em" she countered.
Just then, as quick as a flash, she withdrew her cutlass and held it against Coggy's cheek!
"What ya standing thar fer 'n looking at me like dat?" she snapped, much to Cog's surprise.
"Arrr, M'Lady. I's just admiring yer bargaining skills" replied Cog, before gently pushing the woman's blade away.
"Do I know ya?" she asked.
"Me names Cognito, but yew can call me Coggy" replied Cog.
"Cognito eh? Reckon I's heard 'o yew. Yer tha one that took Cartagena a few yars back" replied Maggie.
"SSSHHHH fer Chroist's sake!" replied Coggy as he glanced towards the nervous shipwright.
"Lest ye ferget, this 'ere be a Spanish town we's in 'n I don't tink tha locals 'ill take kindly ta ye mentioning such things." he said.
Meanwhile, near Tortuga...
Admiral Tew's lookout had spotted several ships heading along the coast towards the Frigate.
"Sir! thars three of 'em. They aint flying any colours" he called.
Tew stood on deck peering through his spyglass, "I can't quite make 'em out. I tinks thar pirates or trade ships just out of Tortuga. Get us closer" he ordered, as he headed towards the bow for a better look.
Within twenty minutes, the Frigate had closed within a few hundred yards of the approaching three ships.
One of the officers approached the Admiral, "Sir, Cap'n Red is wantin' a word wit thee. 'E reckon's he knows who dem ships be" he said.
Within a moment, Tew had made his way down to the deck and stood alongside Captain Red who was still tied to the main mast.
"Ok, yew has something ta tell me?" he asked.
Red was still weak from his wounds. Several days tied to the mast with only a few drops of water to sustain him had taken its toll on the poor swab. "I told ye" he whispered in a hoarse tone.
"What? Ye told me what?" asked the impatient Tew.
"I told ye they wus in these waters, Admiral" continued Red, "I recognizes thar ships" he added, still hoarse.
Tew lifted his spyglass once more and again scrutinized the approaching vessels. "Arrgghh! So that's Greenbeard's motley bunch, is it?" he replied, with a growing smile.
Aboard the lead vessel, Greenbeard was still signalling Captain Green Eye and Lieutenant Excaliber to stay on course and try to bluff their way passed the closing Frigate.
Turning to an officer, Greenbeard tried to reassure himself of their current plight, "Appen that thar warship don't know about Tortuga yet, so if'n we stays calm, maybe tha blaggards 'ill give us no trouble"
No sooner had he said it than Tew's ship had turned hard to starboard and opened up with a close range volley of grapeshot that blasted the upper deck of Excaliber's Pinnace.
The little ship shuddered in the water and quickly made for the gap between Greenbeard's and Green Eye's Brigs. "GET US OUTTA 'ERE!!" ordered the Lieutenant to his startled crew.
Aboard his Brig, Green Eye gave the order to break formation, "Jeeezzuzz!!! We's 'ad it! - Turn us about 'n run downwind 'afore we's shark bait!" he ordered, as panic spread through his crew.
The Admiral had ordered his crew to prepare for action.
"Someone cut ol' Red down 'n take him below" he called, before turning to his officers and barking out more orders, "Steady as she goes, lads. Get those cannons ready..."
The Insurrection had turned hard to starboard and within a minute had let loose with a bellowing broadside onto Greenbeard's Brig.
The pirate ship was cut to pieces as a 100-gun blast of deadly grapeshot slammed the deck and rigging. Greenbeard fell to the deck badly wounded, as timber and rigging fell all around him. The deafening cries of injured crewmen spread through the ship.
Meanwhile, Excaliber's Pinnace had become fouled with Green Eye's Brig. The two ships had crashed together in the confusion and were now hopelessly drifting towards the Insurrection.
"SIR, THE SHIPS FOULED!" hollered a concerned crewman as Green Eye looked on in disbelief.
The Captain headed for the deck and drew his longsword, "CUT US FREE! CUT US FREE!" he ordered as he began frantically hacking at the rigging.
Tew watched with glee and quickly informed his gunners to load double-shot, "Right lads, time ta send these snivelling sods to tha locker. This ones fer Iggy!"
By now, Greenbeard had staggered to his feet. He had shrapnel embedded deep in his arms and legs, but despite loosing a lot of blood, he managed to stumble onto the main deck and rally what remained of his crew. The Brig still had its main sail aloft and was able to slowly come about.
Aboard the Pinnace, Excaliber's crew tried desperately to cut their vessel free from Green Eyes ship. But as half of them franticly worked on the rigging, the other half watched in terror as the Insurrection approached and began to turn to port - ready to release it's deadly salvo.
"SCREW DIS!!!" shouted the Lieutenant, "ABANDON SHIP!" came his order.
Excaliber and a few hardy souls wasted no time in jumping overboard as a deafening crack of cannon fire bellowed out from the side of the Frigate and blew the Pinnace clean out of the water. The little ship and its unfortunate remaining crewmembers were blasted into a thousand pieces.
Captain Green Eye stood up and dusted himself down as the debris and smoke of the explosion cleared a little, "Arrr, we's free! QUICK - get us outta 'ere while tha blaggards 'r reloading...." he screamed, as he watched the remains of Excaliber's burning ship slowly drift away.
"Sir - we've taken a lot 'o damage too!" called a concerned officer as he noticed the ship had been holed below the water line
Green Eye rushed to the side of the ship and inspected the damage.
Meanwhile, Greenbeard had managed to get his ship in position and a few seconds later the pirate Brig returned fire with it's own 50-gun blast.
The Insurrection shuddered in the water as the salvo slammed into the quarterdeck.
The anger in Tew's face grew, "Right, bring us about and prepare fer boarding - I want's ta personally introduce that thar Captain to me blade!" he said.
"Aye Aye Sir!" replied an eager officer.
Back in Margarita...
Captain Maggie had finished her purchase of the cannons and was now accompanying Coggy to one of the local taverns.
"So, yer a part 'o tha Sisterhood eh?" asked the inquisitive Cog.
"Ya heard 'o us already? Guess word spreads quickly in these parts" she replied, with a sly grin.
"Aye. And thar be a rumour about this 'ere town 'o some incident offshore yesterday. It seems as though some unfortunate French traders were sent to tha locker." replied Coggy.
The two Captains approached a tavern and made their way inside.
"So wus it yer lil' boat that hit that French ship, or what?" asked Cog, trying to coax some more information out of his elusive companion.
"Now now, that be my business, Cap'n. Yew know better than to ask a fellow pirate bout thar exploits." replied Maggie.
Coggy led the woman to a quiet corner of the tavern and ordered a couple of rums. "I's just curious, that's all. In all me years sailin' these seas I aint never met a female pirate." he said.
"Well, thar's a first time fer everything, Cap'n" replied Maggie, before adding, "Anyhow, I gets the impression ya be wantin' ta know a lot more than just me latest exploits"
Cog took a couple of bottles from the barkeeper and passed one to his companion before saying, "Nay lass, what ye do is yer business. Like I said, twas nottin' more than innocent curiosity dat got tha better 'o me!"
Maggie motioned for the barkeeper to bring more rum. "Well, Captain, enough about me. What's a scurvy bastid like yew doin' in a two-bit Spanish hovel like dis?" she asked.
"Sight-seeing" replied Coggy, trying to be equally elusive.
Maggie smiled and poured Cog another tankard of rum.
Meanwhile...
By now, Green Eye's Brig had managed to put a little distance between itself and the Admiral Tew's Insurrection.
"Sir, aren't we gonna go back 'n 'elp ol' Greenbeard and Excaliber?" asked a concerned sailor.
Green Eye stood on the Bridge closely watching the events unfold, "Nay lad.... Thar's nottin' we can do. Those blaggards out-man us three ta one and we can't return tha fire-power they's got" replied the Captain, "besides, we have our own problems ta contend wit. Get the men ta keep bailing tha hull till we reaches Tortuga"
"Me cousin be at tha mercy 'o Neptune now. We best run while we can..." he added.
Aboard the Insurrection, the Admiral had made his way to the deck and stood with 200 bloodthirsty marines. The Cutthroats waited eagerly with swords drawn as the Frigate approached Greenbeard's stricken Brig.
Meanwhile, a few hundred yards astern, Excaliber and a few surviving crewmen desperately clung on to floating debris. The Lieutenant had narrowly escaped the demise of his ship, but an even more terrifying death awaited him now as several large fins appeared in the bloodstained water and began to circle!
"SHARKS!" screamed a horrified survivor as he frantically tried to clamber on to a large piece of wreckage.
A look of dread came across Excaliber's face, and he too tried desperately to stay atop the debris.
Aboard his ship, Greenbeard watched as the towering Insurrection violently crashed into them. The anxious pirates on deck drew swords and waited for the imminent onslaught of Tew's marines. Sensing one last chance for his survival, Greenbeard quickly headed below deck and into the hold where Iguana Jack and Captain Mako were being held.
And within seconds, hoards of Dark Water Alliance Cutthroats stormed the Brig. Admiral Tew leapt aboard and instantly waded into the terrified defenders as they frantically defended themselves against the onslaught.