Episode 42 - The Battle: Part Two
To the north, Coggy's ship and Moose's Baron Boat had finally reached the unguarded flagship.
And as Moose's pirate Brig crashed into the portside of the Galleon, Coggy's Sloop did likewise as she came alongside the starboard side - firing numerous grappling hooks across as she came.
Within seconds, officers and marines from both ships poured onto the Galleons deck and merged into a vast sprawling mass as a fierce battle ensued.
From the Grim Reaper, Coggy and Davey Jones soon clambered up the side of the ship and stumbled over its railing and onto the bloodied deck where Moose, Morgan, and Beefy greeted them with a hearty cheer.
"Nice 'o yew two ta joins us!" laughed Morgan, as the pirates drew their swords and joined the raging battle.
The deafening sounds of pistol shot and sword against sword echoed throughout the ship as the hoard of ferocious pirates battled violently against the defending Spaniards.
And it wasn't long before Moose had gutted himself half a dozen sailors. The pirate was covered with blood and sweat as he aggressively pushed back two terrified Spanish officers with his wild flailing sword.
Morgan, too, had slain his share of Spaniards, and he watched as his cousin, Sir Loin 'o Beef, mercilessly butchered a couple more. "HAARRR, 'ENRY I NEVER KNEW HOW MUCH I MISSED THIS!" laughed the former maroon as he continued battling with a ferocity that amused Henry to no end.
Davey Jones and Coggy stood on the wooden steps leading to the Bridge. The two pirates had four Spanish crewmen below them and three more atop the steps - but the wily old sea dogs soon had the upper hand when Davey produced a couple pistols and instantly shot two of the defenders dead. Coggy made short work of the third and the pirates soon found themselves on the Galleon's Bridge. The four pursuing Spaniards rushed up the steps after them and forced the pirates backwards - towards a group of waiting officers and crew - and within seconds the Spanish Lieutenants, deckhands, and irate marines, inched their way towards the two buccaneers.
"ARRRGGHH, COGS! TWELVE DONS AGAINST WE TWO! EVEN-ODDS IN MY BOOK!" called out Davey, with a grin.
Coggy gave his mate a smirk as the first Spaniard rushed at them. Davey Jones ducked just as the marine took a vicious swipe at him with his longsword. And as the pirate stood upright again, the Spaniard groaned in agony as Davey's blade sliced open his gut. Coggy push the foolish don aside and shouted, "OK, WHO'S NEXT?"
The Spaniards grew more irate at the pirates' sheer gall and within an instant all eleven of them rushed at the two men!
However, just as it looked like the overwhelming force of the Spanish assault would be the end of them, Coggy's parrot brought his masters attention to a nearby barrel by squawking out; "Coconuts-Coggy-Coconuts!-squawk"
Without hesitation, Cog grabbed the barrel containing the two-dozen coconuts and instantly tipped it over before pushing it towards the onrushing men with his foot.
The barrel tumbled its way towards the charging Spaniards - spilling its contents across the deck and in doing so, sent the unfortunate attackers head-over-heals as they tripped and slipped on them!
Within seconds, Coggy and Davey calmly walked through the spread-eagled Spaniards; pulled out a couple more pistols each, and proceeded to shoot the poor swabs where they lay - before finishing the others off with their swords.
Finally, once the Bridge was clear of the enemy, Coggy cleaned the blood off his sword and with one elegant swipe of his blade, sliced a coconut in half and handed some to his exhausted shipmate.
The two pirates tipped their hats to one another and sat upon a barrel to eat the fruit and feed Arfur as the battle raged on throughout the ship.
But from the corner of his eye, Arfur the parrot noticed a distinguished looking figure step out from behind a pile of crates and approach the two men.
Back on the main deck, Moose and Morgan had taken a few bad cuts to their bodies as the defending Spaniards fought for their lives. The pirate's courage and strength had kept the overwhelming numbers at bay, however, the surviving Spanish officers had managed to rally their crew and the ferocity of their counter-attack soon had the buccaneers on the retreat
"DAMN IT! WE NEEDS MORE MEN!" barked Moose on witnessing the rallied Spaniards come at them.
Within moments the pirates had been pushed back to the portside of the deck as more and more Spanish crew was brought up from below.
On the Bridge, Admiral Mendez had confronted Coggy and Davey Jones.
The Spaniard had already drawn first blood as Coggy stood nursing a deep cut across his shoulder, and his parrot had survived a close call when Mendez's sword sliced off a few feathers.
Davey Jones now fenced the Admiral but he too found his opponents superior skill to be too much for him.
"Jeesssuss! This bugger is dangerous!" called Davey, as he stepped back and held his badly bleeding arm.
"Squawk-tell-me-about-it!" squawked Arfur as he ruffled his feathers.
Just at that moment, Moose, Morgan, and Beefy, rushed up the steps with several pursing defenders after them.
After a brief skirmish, a couple of the Spaniards had been put to the sword - forcing the others to retreat back down into the raging battle on the deck.
The three pirates now turned their attention to Davey Jones and Coggy who continued to get the worst of their encounter with Mendez.
The Admiral again forced his two opponents on the defensive but stepped back on witnessing the approach of the other three pirates.
Standing firm, and showing no outward concern, he said, "I must warn you! I am an expert swordsman - the Champion of all Madrid! I'm deadly with the rapier, and I will teach you blaggards a thing or two with them cutlasses of yours. So be warned Sirs, for I shall surely make the next few moments of your miserable existence extremely uncomfortable!"
"Ye sure do talk a good fight! But lets see how handy ye are wit that sword 'o yers!" called Moose as stepped forth and thrust at his opponent.
But within seconds Moose had received several nasty cuts to his cheek and temple.
"Watch it mate! He's a bugger with that sword 'o his!" called out Coggy as the pirates continued to watch the one-sided fight.
Finally, after suffering a few more cuts to his body, and without landing a single blow on his opponent, Moose stepped back - exhausted and bloody. "Ye aint kiddin' are ye! <SPIT>" he announced, with great surprise.
"You bunch of fools who's next?" taunted the Spaniard.
"Yer gonna look real funny wit a cutlass up ya butt!" laughed Morgan as he began menacing the Admiral with his sword - before rushing at him and trying desperately to land some sort of blow upon him.
But Morgan's attempts came to no avail as he too suffered numerous wounds to his body.
Mendez elegantly and arrogantly brushed Henry's attacks aside and, as quick as a flash, sliced at his off-balance opponent - slicing him across the back, before shoving him to the floor with his foot.
"HA!… yew scoundrels, yew thieves, yew sea rouges and flea bitten tramps, yew foolish blaggards! I'll cut you all to pieces and feed your festering innards to the fish below!" called out Mendez as he goaded the angry pirates.
By now, the buccaneers were getting more and more irate at the pasting they were receiving from the pompous Spaniard.
Coggy finished stemming the blood from his wounds and made sure Arfur was still in one piece before calling out, "Step aside lads, tis my turn again"
And with the anger welling inside of him, he made for the Spaniard once more.
Thrusting at his nimble opponent, Cog tried desperately to land any sort of blow - but Mendez continued to brush aside the pirate with ease before thrusting forward once again - and this time his sword pierced the breast of Coggy's parrot!
"SQUARRKKK!" screeched the bird in agony as Mendez withdrew his sword and instantly wiped the birds' blood off onto Coggy's tunic!
Poor Arfur fell from Cogs shoulder - and with a dull thud, hit deck - lifeless!
"HE'S RAN YER BIRD THROUGH!" barked the shocked Sir Loin 'o Beef.
Coggy looked down at his beloved companion for a moment before looking at the smirking Mendez right in the eye.
"One vile piece of flea-bitten vermin down - five more to go!" remarked Mendez as he gave a laugh, stepped back, and prepared to duel once more.
But without saying a word, Coggy calmly gathered his composure and replaced his sword in its sheath. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he withdrew his pistol and instantly fired one shot into the Spaniards gut from close range
Mendez dropped his sword to the deck and leant over - grabbing his wound in agony. Slowly stumbling backwards, he groaned; "May the gods of wind give no mercy to you and may the devil cover your voyage on the high seas with yer blood!"
"Yeah yeah yeah, blah blah blah tell it to them fish 'o yers" said Cog as he put his pistol away and shoved the groaning Spaniard overboard.
Moose patted Coggy on the back and said, "Right, now that we've taught him a lesson - lets get back on the deck 'n teach the rest 'o these Spanish bastids some manners!"
And with that, the pirates took one last look at poor Arfur's corpse and removed their caps in respect, before heading back to the raging battle below.
Meanwhile, to the south of the main fleet, Iguana Jack's Sloop had finished picking up Captain Mako and his surviving crewmen from the debris strewn water, and had also managed to keep its pursuing War Galleon at a fair distance.
Turning hard to starboard, the Sloop was now harassing the Frigate that was bearing down on William Fly's Schooner.
But just as the ship prepared to rake the Frigate's deck, a passing Brig fired an 80-gun broadside into the heart of the pirate ship and crippled her instantly.
"WE'VE LOST A MAST!" came the cry from several stunned sailors on her deck.
Iggy looked on in desperation as the canvass and rigging crashed down and fell over to the portside of his Sloop.
Within moments, the vessel began to list badly as the desperate sailors tried to cut the broken mast free before she capsized.
Looking across to the starboard side once more, the drenched and exhausted Mako announced, "We's had it!" as he pointed to the nearby Frigate as she broke off her pursuit of Fly's Schooner and came about.
"She's coming to finish us!" added the Captain, with growing concern.
"Arrr, don't worry mate. It looks like that thar fellow pirate ship is commin' ta give us a hand" announced a relieved officer as he brought their attention to Greenbeard's Fluyte.
But just as his ship sailed between Iggy's stricken Sloop and the approaching Spanish warship, Greenbeard gave the order to fire a double broadside
The Fluyte blasted the hapless Sloop to pieces with a well-aimed broadside of double shot - whilst simultaneously taking out the Frigates main sails with a portside blast of chainshot.
On her deck, Greenbeard and Green Eye looked on in glee.
"HARRRR! Killed two birds wit one stone, mate!" bellowed Greenbeard, as he watched Iguana Jack's ship begin to topple over and the Spanish Frigate come about and head downwind away from the thick of the action.
"Right, lets get back over to ol' Blackhawk's Galleon 'n get us out 'o here!" called the eager Captain Green Eye on witnessing the mortal blow they'd struck.
Meanwhile, The Finnegan's Wake, commanded by Undead Jack and his first mate, Excaliber, had run north, along the main line of loot hauliers. The Brig had sustained sail damage after robbing a couple of stricken Merchantmen, and she was now desperately looking for a clear run through the encircling guard ships and out to the open sea.
Within minutes, the Brig had reached the head on the fleet and swung on a bearing that would bring her alongside the three grappled ships of Coggy's Sloop, Moose's Baron Boat, and the Spanish flagship.
"Looks like those buggers could do with a hand" announced Jack, as he watched the continuing battle rage on the Galleons deck
By now, the flagships deck was littered with bodies from both sides, and through the fire and smoke, the pirates watched as a line of Spanish musketeers took up firing positions and prepared to send a volley of musketballs their way!
The buccaneers could do nothing but wait for an imminent trip to the locker as time seemed to slow down…
But just a Spanish Lieutenant barked out the order to fire, a hoard of dark and shadowy figures swung across from the starboard side of the ship and knocked the musketeers off their feet!
Undead Jack's Brig had grappled the Galleon next to the Grim Reaper, and a group of the former slaves had hastily swung into the midst of the battle!
The pirates watched in awe as the men of colour, led by the former slave, Jacob Jones, mercilessly hacked the startled Spanish musketeers from limb to limb.
It was clear to all that the Spaniards now had no place to retreat too - on one side stood the buccaneers and fifty remaining Cutthroats, whilst from the other side came the ferocity of the Negro pirates as they hacked and slashed the panicking defenders to pieces
A great cheer sounded throughout the ship as the relieved Cutthroats witnessed the gruesome scene and instantly rushed in to help the new arrivals.
Within seconds, the last few Spanish officers realised the tide of battle was now against them and each one was eager to strike the colours. However, any Spaniard that attempted to surrender was instantly hacked to death by Undead Jack's crew, and even the Cutthroats were taken aback by the ferocity and brutality of the Negro's attack.
"SHIVER ME TIMBERS! LOOK AT THOSE BUGGERS!" called out Coggy, with admiration ringing in his voice.
To the south, Blackhawk's Galleon had won her boarding action against the Frigate and had hastily got underway after looting her dry.
Greenbeard's Fluyte now flanked her, and the two ships wasted little time in breaking through the disoriented line of guard ships and heading west - along the coast.
Captain Red watched as the distant explosions and fires illuminated the fast approaching twilight.
"Arrr, Blacky me auld mate! Like I said earlier, this ship of yers is blessed!"
"How much do ye reckon we's taken?" he asked, with a broad grin.
But Blackhawk wasn't on the Bridge.
Looking around him with a touch of concern, Red finally glanced down to the deck and watched for a moment as the shipmate he sought eagerly scattered numerous caskets of gold and silver coins across the deck and joined the victorious crew in a gleeful jig.
Red removed a flask of whisky from his tunic pocket, bit into the cork and spat it out. Looking across to his two companions aboard the nearby Fluyte, the pirates all gave each other a salute and toasted their good fortune as the two hardy ships made good their escape.
Meanwhile, William Fly and Pike Masters had hurriedly cut-short their looting of the Spanish Merchantman on witnessing the demise of Iguana Jack's Sloop.
Several of the Schooners' rowboats had been dispatched and hastily waded through the debris to fish out the survivors.
Iguana Jack clambered atop a large piece of wood and held out his hand as Mako swam up.
"Twice in one day mate! How unlucky can ye get?" called out the smiling Iggy in reference to Mako's recent swim.
Mako grabbed his mates' hand and was hauled out of the water once more just as a rowboat reached them.
"Keep yer heads down mateys" warned an oarsman as the two officers were dragged aboard. "Thar's a few Spanish snipers aboard them boats that'r giving us 'ell" he said, as he motioned towards two nearby burning Brigs.
No sooner had he said it, than a few shots whizzed overhead, forcing the oarsmen to swiftly come about and head back to the Schooner.
"We'll be out on da ocean wave in no time lads! Cap'n Fly 'n Mr Masters are preparing our departure as we speak" added the oarsman with a reassuring grin.
Mako and Iggy looked on with pride at the scattered Spanish ships. Grabbing a bottle of rum from the boats deck, they eagerly toasted their lucky escape, before Iggy announced, "As soon as we've got out 'o here 'n divided tha swag, I'll be puttin' me a bounty on tha head of that Cap'n"
The two Dark Water Alliance officers watched the distant pirate Flutye pull further away and follow Blackhawk's Galleon out of the area.
"Arrr, I heard the swabs name was Greensomethin' or other.." remarked an oarsman.
"Greenbeard?" asked Iggy, with a touch of puzzlement.
"Aye, dats the one!" replied the sailor.
Iguana Jack gulped down more of his rum. Under his breath, he mumbled, "So ye escaped the gallows did ye? Well me old mate - ye can run, but I'll get ye!….. One day, I'll get ye!" as he finished his drink and tossed the bottle into the sea towards his departing foes.
Back aboard the flagship, only thirty or so Spanish crew remained alive on the blood-soaked deck, and seeing that surrender was no longer an option, many threw themselves overboard whilst others hastily retreated below deck with the fleeing officers.
"GIT AFTER THOSE BASTIDS!" shouted Morgan, as the pirates waded through the dead bodies and made their way down the steps leading to the gun deck.
However, Moose had noticed a Spanish Pinnace approach the grappled Galleon from the portside and within seconds the ships rigging had become entangled with his Baron Boat.
Realising that the battle would be lost should the new wave of Spaniards get aboard the Galleon, Moose grabbed a few battling sailors and dragged them to the side of the deck before ordering them to cut free his Brig.
Standing on the Galleon's railing, the buccaneer held his sword in his mouth, grabbed hold of a loose piece of rigging and swung back across to the Brig to help his remaining crewmembers hold back a group of Spanish invaders coming across from the Pinnace.
Back on the Galleon, twenty Cutthroats and former slaves had rushed down to the gun deck in pursuit of the fleeing Spaniards, and soon began pushing the terrified defenders deeper into the ship.
However, as the pirates chased the routed enemy, a large group of Spanish Corsairs appeared from behind them at the far end of the gundeck and instantly opened up with a hail musket and pistol shot.
Splinters of timber and thick gunpowder smoke filled the deck as the invading pirates were cut down in their tracks.
Coggy, Henry Morgan, Beefy, and Davey Jones ducked behind several cannons and quickly loaded their pistols as a fierce firefight ensued.
The Cutthroats were pinned down as more and more Corsairs took up firing positions from behind the cannons at their end of the deck.
"DAMNIT! WHERE'D THESE FRIGGERS COME FROM?" barked Davey Jones atop his voice.
But before anyone could answer, the four officers watched in anger as a familiar figure nudged his way through the Corsairs and began firing his own pistol into the retreating Cutthroats.
"IS IT HIM?" called out Morgan as he peered through the swirling powder smoke.
"AYE, IT'S HIM, ALL RIGHT!" replied Coggy atop his voice, as another volley of pistol shot pinged off the iron cannons and ricocheted throughout the deck.
Sir Loin o' Beef lifted his head slightly to get a better look at the man, "ARRRR! SO THAT'S THE OL'MAN, IS IT?" he called just as a shot whizzed through the air and blew the pirates hat clean off the top of his head!
"ME FRIGGIN HAT! YA BASTIDS!" bellowed out Beefy as he ducked back down again and fired his pistols blindly over the top of the cannon.
"DAMN IT, COG'S! THA OL'MAN HAS DONE US AGAIN!" shouted the angry Davey Jones.
"NOT YET MATE!" replied Cog, as he kept his head down and anxiously looked around him.
After a few seconds, Cog fixed his eyes on what he was looking for. Keeping as low as he could, he called out, "LADS, KEEP ME COVERED!"
And with that, the pirate scrambled across the open gundeck to the other side as the remaining Cutthroats duly obliged with a barrage of pistol and musket shot.
For a few seconds, the attacking Corsairs and their leader, Ol'Man, ducked for cover but within moments, had returned fire.
On the far side of the deck, Coggy re-loaded his two pistols from behind another cannon and looked across to his mates, "IF'N I WAS THEE… I'D FIND A BETTER PLACE TA HIDE!" he warned.
The pirates looked at Coggy with puzzlement and continued to return fire upon the Spaniards.
"WHAT YE UP TO COG?" asked Morgan.
But Coggy didn't answer; he simply finished loading his pistols and carefully placed them atop the cannon as he remained hidden. Within a second, the pirate had grabbed what he was looking for - another barrel - and instantly stood up in full view of the Corsairs!
The pirates looked on in stunned silence at their mates' suicidal antics and each one called for him to get back down again. But Cog proceeded to lift the heavy barrel atop his head as shot after shot whizzed by his exposed body, and with all the strength he could muster, he flung the barrel down the deck an watched for a second or two as it rumbled towards Ol'Man and the Corsairs.
"WHAT DA FRIG?" called out Henry in confusion.
"GIT DOWN!" replied Coggy, as he grabbed his pistols off the cannon and took aim.
"COGGY! COGGY!" shouted Davey Jones, with great concern as he realised what was about to transpire! "THAT ONE DON'T CONTAIN COCONUTS!!!!"
"YER DARN RIGHT IT DON'T, MATE!" replied Cog as he gave his mate a grin and fired two pistol shots into the rolling barrel.
At that instant, a massive explosion erupted throughout the deck as the barrel of gunpowder exploded. Thousands of burning splinters and chunks of wood, followed by a giant fire-ball, engulfed the entire deck as the ship shuddered with the violence of the explosion...