Chapter 8: A Pirate Republic

I sat by the helm, reading the map closely. There were many plantations marked on here - including four in Havana and Kingston. I grinned to myself - it seemed that we'd be making quite a bit of money in the coming months...

"Fine haul today Captain." Kengnok said, walking up and leaning against the rail as he spoke.

"Aye." I nodded. "No bells rang, no guards noticing... it's been a productive day." I folded up the map, sticking it in one of my pouches as I stood up, admiring the horizon as we sailed. The sun was beginning to rise. "What's the crew's mood?"

"All smiles Captain." Kengnok said, deep in thought.

"And you? How do you like serving aboard the Arrow?"

"Liberating." He said, closing his eyes and smiling at the breeze. "Although, some of the crew were asking about how you knew that British officer."

"Smythe?" I asked. He nodded. "I've known him for a long time..." I reminisced silently about my days as a Midshipmen. "I never cared too much for the man."

"But how do you know him?" He asked me again. I shrugged.

"It's not important Kengnok." I said finally, leaning back from the rail. "Besides, we've all got a life behind us back home haven't we?" I slapped him on the arm as I walked down the stairs and onto the deck. "Smithy!" I called at the crewmember beside a cannon. "Tighten the lines!" He nodded, and dashed down the deck, doing as I instructed.

"Have you any family back home?" Kengnok asked me finally.

"Aye." I nodded. "A brother. Barely a man." I said. "Actually... I imagine he'd be older now." I smiled sadly at the idea... I hadn't seen him in over three years. "You?"

"Aye. A sister." He smiled. "She's here too in the Caribbean... somewhere." He walked down the stairs to join me on the deck.

"So, why aren't you with her?" I asked, curious. "None too fond of her?"

"Aye, I'm fond of her Captain." He laughed. "We were separated a few months back. I was left in Nassau, she... well, she was on a ship." I pushed my hair back, re-tying it in the red band.

"A woman on a ship?" I asked, eyebrow raised.

"There be women on this ship Captain." He laughed, gesturing to Esmerelda at the helm.

"Aye, I have eyes Kengnok." I gestured to my eyes. "I just... well... a ship full of men and one woman. It wouldn't be unexpected for something to happen to her." I paused, seeing a slightly enraged expression cast across Kengnok's face. "No offence." I added as an afterthought. I then walked down the deck, back to my cabin, where I sat, leaning back into my chair, drinking from our recently acquired cargo of rum. I looked at the map again, seeing Nassau once very close by. It had been a while since we were last there... and the men, without a doubt, becoming restless with the lack of... suitable women aboard. I bit my lip, thinking. We'd have to risk it - we needed food anyway, not to mention the coin we would get from selling the cargo. Standing up from my desk and taking the bottle with me, I went on deck, telling Kengnok to navigate for Esmerelda on the way back to Nassau.

In Nassau, I walked along the beach with Kengnok, Esmerelda and Rosa until I came to a small bonfire, at which sat a certain triad of ex-privateers.

"Is this the notorious Captain I've heard so much about?" I wondered aloud with a smirk as I walked around the three men. "The scourge of the sea, the walking devil?" The pirate captain smiled at me.

"Ahoy Tallon." He grinned, offering me a bottle. "Been an age since I saw you last."

"Aye, it has." I took the bottle from him. "Lads... ladies... this is the infamous Thatch - we sailed as privateers for a time."

"Aye, before he decided to take a taste of the finer things in life." Thatch mocked me. I rolled my eyes.

"I'd have died a hundred times over if it weren't for him." I nodded as my crew sat down. I turned to the younger man in a disheveled naval jacket like my own "And of course, this must be the equally famous Benjamin Hornigold."

"And you must be Patrick Tallon." He smiled at me. "Thatch was just regaling me of your exploits."

"I hope he included the latest ones." I took a seat against the abandoned crates with Thatch.

"Aye - when'd you arrive in Nassau?"

"A few months ago. Only for a night, to pick up a crew."

"A crew eh?" He looked at my men (and women). "Was that Frigate I saw arriving yours?"

"Aye. She's called the Arrow."

"The Arrow?" Thatch scoffed. "What is it with you young men and your poxy names?"

"A tale I'm fond of." I smiled to myself in reminiscence. "What are you sailing anyway Thatch? Still on board a sloop?" Thatch laughed.

"Not for long Tallon, not for long..." I handed him the bottle, which he swallowed in one go, then stood up, swaying slightly. "We're to continue to the tavern." He declared. I nodded, standing up, then pulling up Kengnok and walking beside Thatch. "What do you think our pirate republic then lad?"

"A painting of a libertarian republic." I grinned.

"Aye. Painted in blood, sweat, and a swab of cloth." He grinned, tossing the bottle aside.

We walked up the stairs together and arrived in the open balcony of the tavern, where other Captains looked towards us with uncertainty. No doubt they had heard of Thatch's exploits. We walked towards the barkeep, who poured us all a cup.

"So, heard of any leads Thatch?" I asked.

"A treasure fleet from Spain was supposed to have set sail about a week ago." Thatch informed me. My mental planning must have been evident as Hornigold turned to me.

"And you'd need a fleet to match, so don't you go getting any bold ideas Tallon."

"Never." I grinned at Hornigold, drinking from my cup. I looked back to Thatch. "Let me know if you catch wind of anything."

"Aye." He nodded as I finished my rum. I began walking towards the railing of the tavern, overlooking the citizens below. I spied as I heard yelling and thuds, and looked towards a fight breaking out - it seemed there was no allegiance to anyone in the fight - everyone was attacking each other. I grinned at the sight.

A young Asian man, only about my age, was incredibly driven in the fight - he'd knocked one pirate onto the floor and was busy hurling his fists into the man's face. He had no skill in fighting, that was for sure, but he was strong.

I watched as he got dragged off the man by another pirate, but lost focus as a blade came to my neck.

"Don't make a noise." The blade had a low voice, with a hint of Irish.

"I don't suppose you lost a Frigate lately?"

"Eh?"

"In that case, I have no idea what this is about." I turned around to see a man there, with the knife resting on my shoulder. He was obscuring me from the other eyesight of others, a look of anger carved into his face.

"You're an Englishman. You just happen to show up in Nassau with a Frigate?" He growled.

"Aye... that's the gist of it." I said, leaning backwards on the rail. I examined the man more - he wore robes similar to the naval jacket I had taken from Rosa, only the sleeves were cut off. He also wore a green bandana around his forehead, and on his waist he wielded a cutlass and pistol. He was, in all senses, a strange man. His knife was still held against my throat.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't slit your throat open right now!" He snarled.

"Look down." I said, letting him see how I had pulled out one of my pistols, and was now holding it directly in front of his crotch. "I think that's two reasons." The man pulled his knife away from me. "So, care to explain what that was about? I don't much care for men trying to kill me."

"I thought you had come to kill me." He said, all suspicion now vacant. "Honest mistake." I shrugged.

"No harm, no foul." I smiled. "What's your name?"

"Captain Harrison." He extended me his bottle.

"Captain Tallon." I nodded, drinking his rum.

"Did I hear you were looking for a lead?"

"You did." He stood up, examining the fight with me.

"I've heard talk about a Governor - superstitious fellow. Just North of Havana." I nodded.

"What about him?"

"He's recently come into possession of some gold. Until next week... it's just sitting there. Ripe for taking." I nodded, looking back at the fight occurring.

"And would you give up this information for free?" I narrowed my eyes at Harrison. He smiled.

"You are a sharp one." He chuckled lightly. "The man has a document in his possession - a log of some sort. Bring that to me when you're back." I nodded.

"And I take it you want a cut of the booty?"

"No, no cut." He smiled. "The booty's yours. I just want that record." I pondered the offer, rubbing my stubble. "Would you accept these terms?" I nodded.

"I would."

"There's a fort opposite Havana. Keep heading East from here - you'll see it." I shook Harrison's hand, then turned back to my crew, jerking my head and walking down the stairs.

However, I stopped, watching the Asian pirate being brutally beaten. I continued to walk over to them, kicking the back of one man's knee, then grabbing his hair and throwing a punch into his face. He crumpled up onto the floor, and as the other men came towards me to fight, I brought out a pistol, pointing it directly at their faces, as did the rest of my crew.

I watched the men leave, then gave the man a hand up.

"What's your name?" The men looked from myself to my crew.

"Gabriel." He said with a tone of uncertainty.

"Gabriel what?"

"Yin." I nodded.

"Can you tie a knot?"

"Captain-" Rosa began.

"Can you tie a knot?" He nodded. "We have need of a Bosun on the ship."

"Patrick-" I held a hand and silenced Rosa.

"Do you accept these terms?" He nodded immediately. "Grab you gear and meet us aboard in ten minutes."

Sorry I haven't updated in a while - I probably won't be for a few weeks - exams and such. Anyway, I need some Templars for this story as well. For those of you who haven't caught on from the Summary, this IS William Dawson's ancestor, and is also Nathan O'Connell's grandfather. So, submit a character, say if they're a templar or an assassin - that's purely optional though - don't have to choose one.

Also, I will be putting up a poll on my profile. I will start writing a couple more stories for those of my followers who are into different sorts of games. So, I will be writing a Mass Effect story, maybe an inFAMOUS story... maybe a GTA V story etc...

Anyway - vote on the poll!