To Sail the Spanish Main...
By: Daferge...
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"Tenchi Muyo!" and characters were created by Hiroki Hayashi and Masaki Kajishima, and is the property of AIC/Nippon Television, Geneon Entertainment and FUNimation Entertainment.
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Chapter 11... Encounter...
( The sea East of Jamaica... )
A young boy was sitting in a small fishing boat...
He had spent most of his life around sailors, watching and learning, that was what he wanted to be...
And so he was leaning against the boat's sail, a cane pole in his hands, fishing or at least that was what he was attempting to do...
So far he'd used up a fistful of bait he had come out with and had absolutely nothing to show for it...
He had taken his bearing several times, just to be sure...
There was a fog banks to the north and south of him, with a slow current keeping clear water between the two...
Due to the low tides he could make out the coral reef on the edge of the northern fog bank, he didn't want to get too close...
Acording to his friend, this was where the fish were said to be, but except for an empty hook, he's seen nothing...
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This was also the route traveled by the larger ships and he needed to keep an eye open, he wouldn't be the first small fishing boat to be run down by some passing large merchant...
Some did it for sport, at sea there isn't much to do...
For some unknown reason he turned to look over his shoulder...
And a good thing too, for there was a very large ship approaching from the East...
The boy had made sure that his small boat was off to the side of the channel and was even ready to move out of any ship's way if needed...
However it wasn't a merchant ship approaching him at the moment...
He had learned long ago how to tell the different types of ships, even some by name, from the shape of their rigging...
This one was a ship of war and it was headed right at him...
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( Kingston, Jamaica... )
Governor Jurai was looking at the map of the local waters, south of the Americas and east of the body of water called the Gulf of Mexico, the area known to many as the so called Spanish Main...
The map, drawn upon a large leather skin, was tacked onto the top of his wooden desk, which was now in a corner of his office, for the moment...
It was a desk that had served him well over the years, it was now being put to a very important use...
There were small markers on the map, that showed the last known position of people and things that might be of interest to him and those he governed...
There were mall stone or wooden blocks to indicate the type of fort which was protecting the different sea towns and ports marked...
Recently he'd had to change a number of wood for stone as better forts began replacing the older ones...
There were even some old lead toy figures to mark where there were military garrisons or a local militia stationed...
And, of course, small straight twigs, stuck in small blocks, with pieces of colored cloth ( red for England, white for France, yellow for Spain, blue for others ) to indicate who controlled what...
Or at-least who claimed to be in control...
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There were also small carved pieces of wood with parchment sails here and there on the map to mark sailing ships, merchant or military and where they were last heard to be...
It was a little some thing 'Captain' Washu had come up with to help him plan the defenses of Kingston and Jamaica, recently...
When she'd first discussed it the whole idea sounded crazy, but after it was created, Azusa had to smile...
The information could be weeks out of date, but it still gave him a good idea of what was happening around him...
Such a simple idea and so helpful, his officers had even agreed...
When he had a chance, he would have to pass this idea on to London...
A shame that it was all because of an out-of-date war ship...
One that had been stolen by a mad man and was now crewed by the scum of the earth...
That was the piece of wood with the black sail, sitting in the middle of the map, because they didn't know where it was...
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( At sea... )
A couple of big, muscular sailors had climbed down to the small fishing boat when the boy hadn't come aboard when told to...
The crew hugged the railing watching and laughing as one chased the boy around the small craft, while the other pulled himself out of the water, having fallen overboard, much to every ones delight...
The only one not laughing was the white haired male, dressed in a fancy black uniform, watching from next to the large wheel used to steer the ship...
Soon, with two of them, the boy was cornered and taken aboard the larger ship...
The male in the black uniform looked down upon the main deck and the three figures, a small one between two large ones...
Having one of the large ones dripping water all over the deck tended to spoil the mood he had wanted...
The boy wasn't shaking in his boots, he was looking all around, as if he'd never been on a large ship before...
Banging the handle of his pistol on the railing, he got the boy's attention...
" BOY!... Seen any other large ships pass this way today?... "
The boy thought for a moment and shook his head...
" Nope... You're the first I've seen... "
Kagato smiled, some good news at last...
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( Kingston, Jamaica... )
Azusa looked at the 'sailing ship' with a black piece of cloth on it, sitting in the middle of the water, alone...
In time of war, war ships would often take 'prizes', captured enemy ships, which were then sent to their home port, to be sold and rewarded money which was then divided among their crews, with officers getting a larger piece...
Kagato had been a naval officer in the new navy of the new English monarch, George the first and as a first officer his share would have been considerable...
But there hadn't been all that many enemy ships in the new world to catch and the old Captain of His Majesty's Ship Indifference, an older 2-deck, 50 gun, Ship of the Line, had been more than satisfied with keeping his ship in port, sailing out only to 'Show the Flag'...
So, when the War of the Spanish Succession ended, Kagato decided that he didn't want to return to the old world with nothing in his pockets...
With a few chosen words to a few chosen members of the crew, he mutinied and took over the ship, renaming it The Soja...
After killing the captain and any members of the crew who had remained loyal to him, he began raiding ships and coastal ports for any thing of value...
They had only one rule, 'Dead Men Tell no Tales.'...
After stripping a ship or port, they made sure there were no survivors, to point a finger at them later...
He had even attempted to attack Kingston and Port Royal...
" The son of a seahag!... "
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" Oh my... Such language... "
A startled Azusa turned to find his wife, Misaki standing in the doorway, shaking her head...
He hadn't realized that he was no longer alone or that he had spoken out loud...
As he started to apologize, she held up her hand, stopping him...
She smiled as she replied...
" I'm pretty sure I know who you were referring to and I believe I could think of some far more colorful words... "
Azusa couldn't help smiling, Misaki's father had been an officer in the Royal Marines and she'd been some thing of a tomboy in her early years...
In fact, they had met at a pub one evening and gotten into an argument...
The usual, which was better, the Navy or the Marines...
As Misaki was dressed like a boy, she and the new ensign Azusa had taken it 'outside'...
Needless to say he might not have discover the difference, had her shirt not popped open after she had penned him to the ground and was leaning over him...
But if any one ask how they met, they tend to refer to the military ball that was given a week later...
Their courtship and his career had gone upward ever since...
Right now, both of them looked at another 'sailing ship', with a red piece of cloth on it, to the east of Jamaica...
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( The Bucket of Blood, Nassau, Bahama... )
The man behind the bar looked out on an unusual sight, a near empty room, he could count the customers on one hand...
He looked at the barmaid, but she just shook her head, she didn't know ether...
Some thing just wasn't right...
Ever since Nagi Katsumoro dropped by a couple of days before, the usual crowds had been much thinner...
She'd had a word or two with a couple of the ship's captains who were in at the time and left...
The captains had stayed a while, whispering between themselves, but had then also left, after having one last round...
He hadn't seen any of them since and no new crews had come in...
Some thing sent a chill down his spine...
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( At sea... )
Having the information he wanted, Kagato had the young boy tied to the main mast...
He would be able to watch as the 50 gun Soja confronted the 20 gun Lady Funaho...
The Lady Funaho's famed speed would do her no good and then several years of taxes, in gold and silver, being sent to London, would be his...
Governor Jurai had thought that by using the faster ship, it could outrace the Sojo, but it wouldn't help now...
" Sail ho... "
With the Sojo turned across her path, Kagato smiled as he recognize the rigging of the Lady Funaho...
She may have the winds at her back, but that only brought her to her fate faster...
Smiling, Kagato called to his master gunner...
" Put a shot on both sides of her to let her know we're here... "
In quick order, his command was carried out, a large splash appeared on both sides of the approaching ship...
Kagato's smile slowly faded as the ship continued forward almost directly at the Sojo...
" A couple more shots, closer this time, so she knows we mean business... "
This time the splashes put water on the deck...
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Still there was no reaction, but the crew must know who they faced, did they plan to ram?...
Common sailors didn't have the guts for some thing like that, besides, he still had time to sink them if he wanted...
But all that gold and silver called to him...
" Put a couple into the bow and slow her down... "
He smiled as he watch the female figurehead on the bow take a hit and disappear in a shower of splinters...
Another hit the front sails and managed to rip some...
Again there was no change in speed or course...
" Bring up some shells, we may have to teach them a lesson... "
Exploding shells were in short supply and he hadn't wanted to use any, if he didn't need to...
A movement on the bow caught his attention and he raised his spyglass to his eye...
A figure wrapped in a black cape had climbed up onto the shattered bow...
As he watched the figure tossed the cape aside to reveal a red outfit and long red hair...
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( Kingston, Jamaica... )
Azusa, with Misaki at his side studied the map...
It seem that the renegade naval officer and pirate Kagato had finally made a mistake...
Captain Tenchi Masaki had been poisoned by a man in his paid, while he was visiting the governor's mansion...
And it had only been because of his grandfather's knowledge of poison that the good Captain's life had been saved...
It was while he was in one of the mansion's bedrooms that some thing very interesting had come to light...
It seem that the governor's popular naval commander had a secret...
As he lay on his "death bed", one of Kingston's leading and most respected leaders , Lady Washu Hakubi had quickly hurried to the young Captain's side...
She had spent the whole night, helping Tenchi's grandfather take care of him...
Later, when Tenchi awoke, he smiled and revealed that he had known one of her secrets for some time, by calling her "Mommie"...
Only a few had been present and all of them promised to keep it secret...
However Kagato had gotten Captain Hakubi, who'd been one of Captain, Sir Henry Morgan's major Captains, mad at him...
And, for the first time in months, Azusa had a slight smile on his face...
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( At sea... )
On the bow of the Lady Funaho, a grim faced Washu looked ahead at the Sojo, waiting for her...
She could see Kagato looking her way through his spyglass, with any luck maybe he'd have a heart attack and die right now...
But she knew better than to trust things to luck...
She had figured Kagato would use solid shot to stop them, wanting to take the gold and silver that wasn't really on board...
With the destruction of the ship's figurehead, a bad omen, she decided that she'd give the crew's morale a lift and give Kagato some thing to think about, maybe even long enough for them to get along side the Sojo...
However her appearance would only give them so much time...
A smile crossed her lips as she sighed...
Now's the time...
Taking a deep breath, she drew her sword as shouted as loud as she could...
" HOIST THE COLORS!... "
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( On the Sojo... )
Kagato stood there watching as Washu smiled in his direction...
Then she drew her sword and shouted something...
Lowering the spyglass, his eye caught a movement at the back of the ship...
As he watched, he saw that some thing was being hoisted to the mast...
His eyes widened as he recognized it...
A flag, the same kind of flag that he too had hoisted many times since taking the HMS Indifference and making her the Sojo...
It was a large Red sheet, that could be seen for miles...
And it meant only one thing...
No quarter would be asked and No quarter would be given...
His face hardened, that wasn't the Lady Funaho's regular crew approaching...
If Washu, Sir Henry Morgan's top Captain was coming for him, she would be bring along an experienced crew with her, probably even some of her old shipmates, the same people who gave his men all that trouble when they raided Kingston, a while back...
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Leaning on the rail, he shouted at his crew on the deck...
" Don't just stand there staring, you bloody bilge rats... The devil is coming to collect her dues and if you want to keep your skins then set those sails and get them guns a roarin'... "
The crew were instantly in motion, some climbing the rigging, others manning the guns facing the approaching ship...
Only the guns on the main deck had been made ready for action and those only had solid shot...
The crew had never needed to use the lower gun deck before, these would have to be manned, powder and shells brought up, the cover hatches opened and then the guns run out...
All which would take time...
And the crew could clearly see the figure in red on the bow of the approaching ship...
The way the wind blew through her red hair and caused her loose red outfit to billow, it was almost as if she were on fire...
So far, they had always had things their way before, on their terms, but now that was all going to change...
For this time it would be a fight for their very lives...
It was ALL or nothing, for judgment day had come...
They were beginning to feel what their victims had felt, fear and fear caused you to rush, not taking careful aim...
Thus the deck guns began to fire, but spouts of water indicating where most of the shots had fallen...
Even so, some shots did hit the ship, splintering the wooden hull and sending it in all directions...
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( On the Lady Funaho... )
Solid balls of cast iron, the size of a human fist were flying through the air...
Heavy enough and moving fast enough to shatter solid wood or even smash stone...
Splinters of wood were beginning to fly in all directions...
Some were small and sharp, acting just the way musket balls would...
Others were large enough and sharp enough to cut a person in half if it hit them...
That was why most of the crew were keeping their heads down, not wanting to loss them...
But that didn't seem to bother the Lady Funaho's new figurehead, the red-headed Washu...
It was almost as if her being there deflected the incoming shot...
It had been a long time, but Washu had a mission again and nether Hell nor shot and shell was going to get in her way...
Those who had fought with Washu before, smiled as this all brought back old memories, of the good old days...
Every one of them knew that there was going to be only one out come for this battle now...
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( Within the fog bank... )
The Queen Airi, a 40 gun Frigate had only half it's sails set and was moving slowly along inside the edge of the fog bank...
Only the lower sails were set to keep the masts from being seen sticking out of the fog...
The crow's nest was painted with whitewash, to help hide it and the sailor up there, who was letting those on the main deck know what was going on outside the fog bank...
Though normally under the command of Captain Tenchi Masaki, lady Ayeka Jurai, the Governor's oldest daughter was in charge at the moment...
It had been during the planning at the Governor's mansion she had made it quite clear AND quite loudly, that she wasn't going to be left behind...
Both Azusa and Tenchi had been against her going, it was too dangerous...
It had been a smiling Washu who had suggested that she command the Queen Airi, with it's captain's help...
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Washu let them know that it was ether that or they could always just chain Ayeka up in the dungeon of the fort until ALL this was all over...
With a smile, she also reminder them that when it was over, they would have to UNCHAIN Ayeka...
The problem then would then be in finding a place where they could hide once she was set free...
Chuckling, Washu made it clear that THIS WAY, every one was satisfied...
Well, sort of...
No matter how much Ayeka wanted to rush in and join the others, she knew she would be more of an hindrance than help...
At least this way she would have her own small part to play...
Which was that the Queen Airi was to make her way, carefully through the dangerous fog bank, around to the far side of the Sojo to prevent it from escaping, just in case...
One of the master chiefs was up in the crow's nest letting them know how things were going and keeping them on course...
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From him, they had just learned that the Lady Funaho had just appeared to the west and was fast approaching the Sojo...
That meant that it now had caught Kagato's attention...
But to Ayeka that meant that Washu, Ryoko and Tenchi had Kagato's full attention...
And as they could hear cannon fire, was on the receiving end of that too...
For a moment she was lost in concern, until she heard some one chuckle...
Looking up again, she discovered she had missed what the guy above had just said...
She turned to the helmsman, who had both hands on the wheel, but was smiling...
" What did he said, I didn't hear... "
He didn't turn, but watching the men on the bow, who were watching the water ahead of them...
But kept smiling...
" He said that they've hoisted their colors... A large Red flag... "
Ayeka had been at the planning meeting and that wasn't what she recalled the plan being...
" I thought that they were going to hoist a Black one?... "
She heard the helmsman chuckle...
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" The Red Flame is there... Also her daughter... Even Captain Nagi is on board... And of course Captain Masaki... And they don't intend to let Kagato get away... "
As she looked off, into the fog where the others were, he continued...
" On the high seas, the Black flag means that if you don't surrender, we'll take you by force... Your fate is up to you... "
Noting that she hadn't caught the meaning, he continued...
" A Red flag means only one thing, that no quarter will be given and no quarter will be asked or accepted... It's to be a fight to the death... "
That got a reaction, she closed her eyes and held a hand to her lips...
The helmsman wasn't through...
" Kagato lost the minute he became the Red Flame's enemy... He just doesn't know it yet... "
Ayeka smiled and put on a calmer face, but she also said a small prayer...
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( On the Sojo... )
So, Washu was showing her true colors after all...
Once a privateer always a privateer...
Once he had the Sojo moving, he'd send her and the Lady Funaho to Dave Jone's locker...
He smiled, the lower decks would be manned and the guns run out long before the Lady Funaho got too close...
With two decks of guns it wouldn't take long to sink it...
To think that he would be the one to put out Morgan's flame...
But at that exact moment, a loud cracking sound split the air and Kagato watched as his main mast snapped, falling over the side facing the approaching ship...
Not only did the sails blocked most of his guns, but dragging in the water, it make moving the ship almost impossible, atleast until it was all cut away...
In the blink of an eye visions of fame and glory disappeared...
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As he stood there, a small figure rose from the wreckage and mess on the deck...
He then watched in amazement as the young boy he'd captured earlier brushed himself off, ran over to the far railing and jumped overboard...
It took him a moment to remember that the small fishing boat was still tied up to that side...
Looking around he saw that no one else had reacted ether...
He started to say some thing, but shook his head...
Cursing them would do no good, they were all Damned men any way...
Taking a deep breath, he shouted as loud as he could...
" HURRY UP AND CUT THAT MESS FREE!... I SAID HURRY! "
There was still a chance, but it seem that it was going to come down to hand-to-hand...
" PREPARE TO REPELL BOARDERS!... "
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Members of the crew were already bringing up barrels stuffed with cutlasses and pistols, to defend themselves...
As the cutlasses were being handed out, another small group was making sure that the pistols were primed and loaded...
Loaded pistols had been the last thing Kagato had wanted, laying around...
You never knew when a member of the crew might decide he might make a better captain...
But it looked like there was going to be more cutting and slashing than shooting...
He ordered some of the crew to go below, that would allow more room to fight on the deck and they could also be call on as reinforcement to replace any that fell...
He still had a far larger crew than was normal for a ship of the Sojo's size...
Looking in all directions, it would appear that it was just the Lady Funaho and the Sojo...
Kagato managed a smile, with luck, he had more crew than the others and would be able to wear them down...
As long as no more ships showed up...
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( Lady Funaho )
Washu glanced at the main deck behind her and the men who had volunteered to confront Kagato...
Her daughter Ryoko and most of her crew, Captain Nagi and her crew, as well as some others that Nagi had talked into coming along, all who had a score to settle...
There was even a good number of townsfolk, old retired sailors and such who had sailed with her under Olde Morgan...
Between Ryoko and Nagi was Captain Tenchi Masaki, the governor's representative...
But at the moment he was wearing less formal garb than normal, at Washu, and Ryoko's insistance...
He had objected, but Washu had stood firm and even Azusa had agreed...
This was going to be close in fighting and his regular uniform would have not only drawn attention to him, but made him a target as well...
If he wanted to come along, he would have to dress to fit in, both Ayeka and Ryoko had offered to help him change...
Dropping his head, only Washu heard him mumble, " Yes, Mom... "...
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He was aboard the Lady Funaho with a detachment of armed Royal marines, now up in the rigging with several extra loaded muskets, each...
It had been Washu's way of giving Azusa a reason to assign Tenchi to the Lady Funaho...
With Tenchi's help, she chosen the best men for the job, experenced men who could not only shoot and fight, but climb as well...
She had even produced a number of old Blunder-busses, a short barreled musket with a wider barrel that could be loaded with handfuls of smaller shot, instead of just one large ball...
Up in the rigging, they could be used to rain down a hail of shot on to the Sojo's deck...
Although they were only one blast each, hopefully the multible small musket balls would taking out or injuring a good number of Kagato's crew...
Then it would be musket fire and the few hand bombs that some one had found stored in the fort...
The hand bombs to help clear the deck and the muskets to take out any targets that might present themselves, like the helmsman or other sailors with muskets and such...
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The marines were not the only ones to be involved...
Almost ever regular sailors and soldiers in Kingston had volunteered to fight, even those wounded...
The problem was that she would have needed three more ships just to carry them all...
Besides, they would be manning the navy frigates that were following behind her...
They, like the Queen Airi, would be there to prevent the Sojo from escaping...
Each ship with a small detachment of solders standing in for the marines that were now on the Lady Funaho...
The Lady Funaho had been out in front, to get a good wind behind her so she could rush in and grapple with the Sojo...
Then the real battle would begin...
Suddenly a movement on the Sojo caught her attention...
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Washu couldn't help chuckling as she watched the Sojo's main mast fall over board...
It had been a long shot, but it seem that sending Seina Yamada ahead in a fishing boat had worked out...
And for the moment the only thing flying through the air was the wind as the cannon fire ceased...
Not only could Kagato not get away now, but most of the gun-ports were now blocked by the fallen rigging, useless for the most part...
Her smile got even bigger as she noticed something else...
All the rigging in the water was being caught by the current and causing the Sojo to turn...
Soon, even the few remaining guns that could fire would be pointed in the wrong direction...
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That is, until the Lady Funaho came along side, then it would be an exchange at point blank range...
As most of the rigging was sail, any cannon that was loaded would be fired...
At that range, the cannon balls would be going clear through the hulls, destroying every thing in the way, wood, metal or flesh...
But only an experienced captain would consider firing any way, to clear away the rigging that way...
That was the major difference between her and Kagato, real experience...
It would also prove to be his down fall...
She took a deep breath and sighed as the Sojo got closer and closer...
As she had done long ago, she didn't allow herself to think about the future...
All that she was concerned about now were the next few minutes...
And if she survived those, then the next few minutes...
As the past had taught her, there was no 'future', just 'NOW'...
When this was all over, THEN they would be able to think about the 'future'...
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Taking a moment, she glanced at the deck and noticed a figure sitting on the deck, leaning on a cannon, his arms crossed, Tenchi's grandfather Katsuhito, smiling back at her...
Nearby were Tenchi, Nagi and Ryoko, with Tenchi in the middle, a protective arm on both of the two most feared captains sailing these seas...
However, she couldn't help noticing that nether female seem to be protesting his attention at the moment...
Good thing Ayeka was over there in that fog, some where...
She couldn't help smiling too...
They WERE the future, her future...
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To be continued...
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Please feel free to comment and review for any errors...
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