23 Chapter 22

You'd dreamed the crew of the Scurvy Raider threw the Captain overboard.

So you were definitely having a hard time falling back asleep.

So, in this situation, as you might, you walked outside for a breath of fresh air.

But...why was the whole crew awake...on on the deck...I didn't know the crew was that large...

They all turned towards you. There were three unfamiliar faces out of two dozen familiar ones. And those unfamiliar faces didn't look like some very nice faces.

"Anika, you be goin' back to the Captain's cabin," Knoll hissed.

"Umm, no, after you explain...uh, what is this?"

"Well, then over here you be comin'."

"I'm not stupid. Explain from there."

"Can't let the Captain overhear you. You know I wouldn't be hurtin' you."

That was true. You slowly walked up to them, arms crossed as you shivered, maybe not from the cold, giving a slightly shameful glance towards the cabin behind you.

"Okay, Anika. I know this be big," Knoll whispered. "But there be stuff about the Captain these three know."

"Do you know his name?" you gossiped.

"No," Knoll hissed. "But we know where he be comin' from. He wasn't Scarpa's kid-- he be from Tristram, as we bin thinkin', but he bin caught on one a' Scarpa's raids by accident, 'cause he bin taggin' along wih' 'is twin sister. So to Scarpa, he be adopted, but as a slave. Only five, and Scarpa be killin' his sister in the thought they knew be knowin' something. But when all that be happenin', the Captain lost his mind and forgot who he be, and couldn't tell Scarpa anything no more, so Scarpa be molding him into a pirate-battling killing machine."

"And how would you know this unless Scarpa told you?" you questioned.

"Because Scarpa bin tellin' these three men," Jagger said simply.

"And why would he? Scarpa, nor the Captain enjoy revealing secrets."

They looked stumped. They turned to the men.

"So how'd they get here?"

"They be comin' from that ship."

You glanced around and spotted a ship, a few ship-lengths away, slightly smaller than the Scurvy Raider, all black, and short-masted, which is why you hadn't noticed it. It had been hiding from your view behind the Captain's Quarters/Mapping Room, and it was camouflaged in the dark of the night to be nearly invisible.

You looked to the top of that short mast.

"That's the flag of Tristram..." you muttered aloud.

"Yeah, so?" Wyck asked.

"So why are you here?" you challenged the three men.

"To make sure the Scurvy Raider's Captain's lies no longer be runnin' like a wild dog." The first of the three had a deep voice.

"Yeah right. You look familiar. Why?"

"I be sorry, you be mistakin' me fer someone else."

You looked carefully at each man in turn. "Perhaps," you said.

There was a pause.

You let out a big fake yawn. "Well, that was certainly enlightening, but I'm going to go back to bed." You turned your footsteps towards the Captain and walked at a relatively fast pace.

"Murderer's Prize!" the man screamed over in the direction of the black ship.

You stiffened, and then broke into a run.

The ship's dark-cloaked Captain spun the steering wheel and the ship lurched towards the Scurvy Raider.

"Captain!" you yelled, throwing open the doors. "They're here, Captain! The Murderer's Prize!"

He sprang from the floor, grabbing you and his cutlass in a flash. He shoved you defensively behind his back and dove straight into a battle against the three strangers.

And they were pretty good.

But the Captain was better.

But then again, there were three of them, and one of him.

After a few moments of useless slashing, both sides stopped to catch their breath and stare each other down.

"A little help here?!" The Captain yelled to his crew.

"That depends!" Knoll called. "How old you be?!"

"Twenty seven!"

"Liar! You be eighteen! You be a young Jim lad!"

"Well if you won't help me, come help me for Anika! That's who they're here for!"

"That not be what they said!"

"And you'll believe them over me?!"

"Yarrr!"

One of the three dove back in towards the Captain with his blade, and battle erupted again.

The Captain, in a few risky swipes, made their swords drop, along with the hands that had been holding them. His special move.

The men grunted, and turned to run, but he cut them down like grass.

"Anika, go get a sword," he instructed. "And a second one for me. I need to have a talk with my crew."

"Okay, just don't do anything stupid..." you said.

"Now who would do something like that?" he said, with a false chuckle. And he walked over towards his crew, towards dirty looks and sneers, trying to sternly work out peace.

You ran into the Mapping room, grabbed the Captain's backup sword and another sword that felt a whole lot like it, and ran back out. You completely ignored the arguing crew around him as you shoved in, thrust the Captain's backup sword into his hands, and begged; "Captain, can we outrun them? They never have to get on board, please!"

"Anika, that ship is smaller, and built for speed. The best thing I can do right now is try to fix things with my crew so I don't lose you too."

"And bones is what you'll be, pretty boy," a crewmember snapped. "See if we be defendin' you now."

"Then defend Anika."

"For Anika they not be 'ere, Jim lad, they be 'ere for you!"

"No they're not! You need to help us!"

"Actually," a man in a silver-and-black Captain's cloak with the same design as the Captain's yelled to them pulled out his sword, while his crew put a plank down between the two ships so they could attack, and took a big step forward, "I'm here for both of you."