Chapter 1: Pirate Business

"Three fours."

"Two sixes."

There was a pause. "Miss Hawkins, you are a liar."

Hands were lifted and revealed the dice.

"Two sixes. There's goes my last fifty Pounds."

"Ye know, me lass… yer not too good at gamblin'."

"Don't be too sure, mate. Haven't you heard? Every man who's ever gambled with me has lost in the end. Now, let's have one last roll."

"My apologies, but you've nothin' to bet with."

"Mr. Vane. You underestimate me." The captain of the Legacy knows nothing better but waiting until the end of a good game of liar's dice. From her satchel, she took out a statuette of a monkey's head made of pure gold with rubies for eyes, and placed it on the table.

The prize caught Vane's interest.

"Last game. Winner takes all."

Vane accepted the bet. Dice were rolled and concealed. Vane peeked at his dice and found three fives, a one, and a four. He saw Captain Hawkins fixated on her dice. As soon as she looked up, he took another quick peek at his dice. Vane made his bid, "Seven fives." Captain Hawkins bid on three ones.

"Charles Vane. You are a liar and you have just lost to the notorious Captain Gen Hawkins." She lifted her hand off the dice and revealed two ones, two fours, and a two. She gathered the loot, putting it in her satchel, and walked towards the door, "Better luck next time, Mr. Vane." She called to her younger sister, Anne, who was sitting at the counter, annoying the bartender to death. Anne ran out the door and caught up.

"So, did you win, Gen? Did you win?" Anne asked her sister, reaching into the satchel.

"Of course! When was the last time I lost to a grog-snarfing land lubber?"

Anne counted with her fingers. "Never?"

"Exactly. Now let's head back to the ship. I told the crew to get the ship ready to sail at noon, which is ten minutes from now," Gen said, looking at Samana Cay's little clock tower.

. . . . . . .

Meanwhile, back at the tavern, Vane was drinking over his loss. He took a swig and looked at the bottle. He was frustrated over what happened. "Am I just goin' to let that wench make off with my money?" Vane took another drink. He remembered the town bulletin and the name "Hawkins" suddenly rang a bell.

"Wait a minute. Pirate."

. . . . . . .

Back at the docks, Anne was helping the sailors load the supplies. Gen made sure the last supply box was brought to the ship. As she walked towards the ship, a voice came from behind.

"I know ye rigged those dice. Ye switched yers just before the last roll."

Gen turned around and smiled, "Pirate."

"Yes, I hoped ye'd say that," Vane took out two pieces of parchment paper and held it out. They were wanted posters. One of Gen Hawkins and the other of Anne Hawkins.

"Ah. So you think two thousand Pounds will cover the money you lost?"

"The money you cheated from me. I also thought of becoming a privateer under the King of England and earn a living."

"Well, we're not exactly going to just turn ourselves in to you, mate."

"Dead or alive, I'll just have to take you by force!" Vane said as he unsheathed his blade and slashed at Gen. She backed up and took her sword, countering Vane's attack.

Gen yelled out to Sunny, the ship's sailing master, to take the ship near the small cliff on the western part of the bay. He worried about his captain, but he trusted she knew what she was doing, and took her order without a question.

Vane chased her down the docks. He hacked at Gen but she deflected it. They fought all the way to the cobblestone bridge. "You can't run forever, Hawkins!" Vane yelled as Gen ran behind a workshop. Vane found her and the sword fight continued. The commotion they were causing drove attention from the Royal Navy guards that happened to be walking nearby.

As they headed uphill, Gen noticed a stack of wooden logs on a flat deck, hanging from a rope on the second story of a shop. She took her pistol and shot at the rope. She made it past the collapsing lumber, which instantaneously had the soldiers running in the opposite direction and jumping behind the shops. Vane was nowhere in sight. There were footsteps coming from above her, and then an angry roar. Gen used her sword to counter Vane's aerial attack. He tumbled to the side, giving Gen time to run.

Vane took out his flintlock pistol and chased her. Gen saw white sails as she came towards the end of the cliff. She sheathed her blade as Vane appeared, clicking the pistol. Gen quickly took her knife, backed up for momentum and jumped off the cliff as Vane fired a shot. He had missed her.

"Bloody hell!" Vane cussed under his breath.

Gen fell down towards the sail on the mizzenmast. Using her knife, she hacked it into to the sail and slowed her down. She jumped off when the sail ended and dropped onto the main deck. Anne and the crewmen gathered around and helped her up. "Are you hurt, mon Capitaine?" Sunny asked, "Vous-avez besoin d'aide?"

"No, I don't need help for now. Thank you." Gen replied. She looked back at the cliff and watched as Vane's figure disappeared.

Anne had found Gen's knife lying on the main deck. She came over and handed it to her.

"All right, boys," the Captain ordered, "I want that sail fixed post-haste! I apologize I ruined it to begin with, but I couldn't figure another way to escape my pursuer. The rest of you get back to your stations! I appreciate your concern, but you all know I like everything to be ship-shape!"

After an hour or so, the Captain tended to what needed to be done on the ship. Soon, night fell and she called it a day. A few sailors remained on night shift.

. . . . . . .

The next morning followed its usual routine. "Get up! To your stations, gentlemen! I'll have no morning on this ship go wasted!" Captain Hawkins yelled, "And that includes you too, Anne!"

Anne comes forward from the captain's cabin, "But Gen, it's too early. Can't I sleep in for another hour?"

"No. Everyone else on this ship is doing their part and you have to keep watch up top. Your job isn't difficult at all, y'know."

Anne sluggishly climbs up to the crow's nest. On the bright side, I can take small naps while I'm up there she thought to herself. The noises slowly faint and Anne's eyes soon close.

It was almost noon. Anne jolts up and realizes that she had fallen asleep. She imagined her sister scolding her for not coming down. If she called for her, that is. Anne looked down and saw Gen talking to the boatswain. She could relax for now. Just beyond the horizon was a small island. As the ship drew nearer to the little piece of land, Anne had noticed something moving on the white sand beach.

"Captain! There's someone on that island! I think he's waving at us!" Anne yelled.

Gen looked through her telescope and noticed a familiar face.

"Jack Sparrow."

To be continued...