The next morning brought a piercingly bright glare down upon Havana. Helene made her way to the docks and the Jackdaw. That night she had spent preparing and gathering intelligence - it was as she had suspected. The Jackdaw was in port and in a sad state - barely any of the original crew remained and surely would not stick around for much longer with their Captain on a permanent bender.
The Jackdaw lay peacefully before her, light glistening off the water and onto her hull. Helene felt something almost painful catch in her chest. She really was a gorgeous thing - sleek and mean. Grudgingly she had to respect Kenway for how he treated his ship- she was no humble brig, every inch, every cannon, every bit of rigging or mast had been upgraded, likely at great expense. She was a beauty to gaze and all the better - likely deadly in a fight . Helene's eyes jealously roved over every swell and curve.
Then she took a deep breath and headed for gangplank. This was the part of her plan that would be the most difficult.
" Get up you worthless lay-abouts!" She shouted as she stepped onto the deck of the ship. Reflexively, at her tone of voice, the sparse crew on the Jackdaw's deck leapt to the ready. Suspicion, then hostility quickly clouded their expressions.
" And who in the nine hells d'you think you are wench? You can't ju-"
" Mind your tongue tar, or you'll find yourself at ropes end. I'm here on the authority of Captain Kenway - who is otherwise occupied". At these words she heard groans of frustration and muttered curses.
" Occupied? you mean passed out in his own piss in some dego drinking hole" shouted an angry voice from the back of the group.
" We ain't gotten no pay in near month! Kenway's been too bloody legless to Captain his own bleeding boat!". Their were shouts of agreement amongst the men,
" Quiet! - I said quiet! Or I'll keelhaul the whole sodding lot of you" Helene shouted, when the men settled she spoke quietly, " I know some of you are looking to head for greener pastures?I see most of our compatriots already have. I'm here to tell you that rest of you needn't fret. We'll be heading to intercept some ripe prizes sharply - per the Captain's request."
The crew began muttering amongst themselves. Helene took no notice, glare remaining fixed.
" Oi, just who are you, then. We ain't never seen your mug round the Captain"
" I'm an associate - that's all you sea rats need to know"
" An' we're s'pose to believe that then? I ain't never heard of you and I'll not take orders from some frog bitch", spat a man, stepping forwards. Helene beamed and crooked her finger at him, indicating that he come closer.
Suddenly the man looked less certain...but continued forward nonetheless.
" And what might your name be, sailor?" she asked him.
" Simon...Walters" He said suspiciously.
" Well Master Walters," She said cheerfully before sending her knee into his groin and fist into his chest. He stumbled backward coming to rest with his spine against the ship's rails. Helene leapt to him, her wrist blades drawn and pressed one purposefully against his throat - enough to draw blood but not enough to do mortal damage.
" Perhaps you recognize these then?", the man nodded painstakingly carefully. " Like I said," continued Helene, "I am an associate of the Captain's". She withdrew the blade from the man's neck, crooked her leg under his knee and lifted him over the rails. The result was a short cry and a sudden splash.
Helene swiveled to face the remaining crew.
" My patience is at an end, men" She said, " So i leave the decision up to you- those who would like to get paid and continue on in the employ of Captian Edward Kenway, please do remain aboard. Everyone else can take Walters' example".
There was a moment of silence where the sailors murmured and passed looks between one another. Helene felt her stomach drop-
" Miss Moreaux! Miss Moreaux!" called a sharp voice from the deck, " Permission to come aboard?". It was Lizzie with a bevy of men behind her.
" Ah, Miss Higgins," said Helene, composure regained, " You're right on time - come aboard with those men".
As they stepped upon the Jackdaw Helene made a motion for them to line up. Turning to the Jackdaw's crew she spoke,
" Now we've a full crew with which to conduct our affairs. So, who wants to get paid?" Helene paused, the men looked thoughtful, " I said, who wants to get paid? - Shout aye!" Helene yelled.
" Aye" said the men loudly.
" Music to my ears, boys!" She cried back to them, grinning. " Let's make ready to depart then. Weigh anchor! Get to it"
The sailors scattered on the deck, each to his respective duty. The men Lizzie had brought aboard quickly found something to look busy with- except one it seems. Helene felt a growl rise in her throat when he realised the sea dog was familiar.
" You!" she hissed and grabbed his grubby collar. It was the man from the tavern, the one who'd gotten her thrown in jail. " I should break your legs for the other day"
" Wait, do I know you?" he slurred.
" You know Sam Wolcott?" asked Lizzie.
" No -I mean we met briefly- he's the damned reason I ended up in that cell with you, and my purse stolen"
" Oh, I see", Lizze said thoughtfully before cuffing the man over the head, " You drunken, fool lout" she said to him sharply and Sam Wolcott shrunk bit.
"There is no way he's coming with me" Helene said crossing her arms.
"Hold there," Lizzie said, " You need a quartermaster- and a trustworthy one too. Sam here is right for the job. We go way back him and I"
" He's drunk, its barely past dawn-"
" You got any rum on this ship?" asked Lizzie,
" Doubt it- Kenway had it all from the looks of things"
" Well there you go, he'll dry out real quick when you get out to sea"
" But I don't want to go to sea" Sam chimed in suddenly, and Lizzie cuffed him again.
" You'll go to sea and you'll watch out for this friend of mine. Because I'm asking you to, and because if you don't I swear I'll cut you off. I'll let it be known from here to Nassau that Samuel Wolcott has trouser rot. I will make it certain no lady, lass, bar wench or whore takes up with you. You got that?"
" Jaysus" Sam said, covering his ears " not so loud woman- Why've you got to be so hateful this early in the day"
" You mind yourself," she admonished him with a pointed finger. He groaned dramatically and he headed to help the men with the anchor.
Helene looked on suspiciously, her raised eyebrow said that she had her doubts about the man.
" He doesn't exactly inspire a huge amount of faith. You sure about on this?"
" I didn't tell you last night" said Lizzie, and she huffed impatiently" I weren't just locked up temporary-like. They was going to send to the gallows" She wrinkled her nose in displeasure and sighed petulantly, " So I owe you. Trust me on Sam Wolcott, he's a soft-hearted fool that won't stand for no mutiny,"
" What did you do?" asked Helene and Lizzie scowled,
" Here you go then. I'll tell you when you get back" she said impatiently , " So you better get back, hear?" and she scurried away without a goodbye, crookedly making her way across the gangplank and onto the pier.
" You need a need a helmsman?" hiccuped Samuel, grabbing Helene's attention.
" Not a chance Wolcott" she said, pushing past him and to the ship's wheel.
The Jackdaw glided out of port gracefully, Lizzie waving animatedly from the pier and smudging her the red on her lips to blow kisses.
Following Bonny's instructions, they found the British quickly- barely a few weeks out at sea. Spotted by a boy in the crow's nest, Helene quickly found them through a spy-glass, north east of their position.
" Douse mains and keep her steady men" She shouted, " I don't want any of those even