The sun rose on the clear ocean water into the face of the dark head young captain who was resting on the railing.

But his attention wasn't on the clear morning sky.

It was on the galleon that had anchored down next to his ship. The Harold Hoover

In his hand was a letter from the governor of Jamaica ordering all available ships to make port at Barbados as Britain was preparing for a naval war with France following the French declaration of War a fortnight previously.

He sighed, the empire might have the favor of his father but he didn't like being told what to do, especially if it was to start a war between two nations who were halfway around the globe from their homes.

That wasn't 'for the greater good', that was pure greediness, something he had come to associate with pirates.

All he wanted to do was explore the world with his ship 'Blackjack' and his faithful crew.

They were a bunch of misfits due to their parentage, children of a long lost Parthenon who, if the British knew the truth, would have been sentenced to the rope without second thought.
Instead they knew him as a trader, someone who went around from island to island, selling and buying at his heart's desire.

This irked the British due to him being born in the colonies up north, all British controlled, and should have sworn his service to the empire.

That was his path until they came and he was forced to flee…

He shook his head, he was going into memories that he was trying to forget.

"Captain", a voice said behind him.

He turned around and saw his first mate there looking at him.

"What did our visitor say?" he asked.

In response Percy passed the letter to him.

The first mate reopened it and started to read out loud.

"Greetings Perseus,captain of the brig 'Blackjack'.

Upon the orders of admiral Nakurma, you are to make a berth on the island of Barbados to aid the royal British navy in exterminating French influence in the Caribbean which has hindered the empire's attempt to defeat the revolutionists in the Colonies and led to a declaration of war.

You are therefore required to be there within four days, (The 20 August ).

If you shall receive these instructions and not make it on time, you will be found to be guilty of treason and any ship under the command of his majesty the king George III

In the year of the lord 1778

Commodore Jones

The first mate looked up, "You're not going to go," he said confidently.

"Why?" quizzed Percy.

The blond haired mate just smiled, " Because you hate being told what to do."

Percy chuckled, "it's more the fact that we suddenly become an enemy of England which does put a spanner in the works of trade routes."

"So you are going to fight with an empire that's threatening you with death?"

Percy turned to face the sea again, a frown caressing his face.

"Blackjack is one of the fastest ships in the Caribbean." The mate continued to say, "She can and will outrun most ships and it's not like they will dispatch half the navy to look for and sink one ship that refused orders, or we have to avoid all French and British territories and we are staying well away from the war."

"That's quite the speech," a new voice interrupted, coming out the hatch was the chief mechanic Charles Bechendorf, a burly African-American whom Percy had bought from the slave market, "what is the grand empire doing now?"

Percy sighed, "They want us to join them in an upcoming war against the French, if we refuse we get accused of treason due to me being born in a British colony."

Charles laughed, "They are crazy right, treason for not wanting to fight for a nation that you never had any loyalty to in the first place."

Percy nodded, "You're both right, we don't fly under the British flag,we fly under our own, they have no right to force us to fight."

The first mate laughed, "I'm not telling the messenger that."

Charles chuckled as he left to go do a daily check on the deck to make sure nothing had been damaged in the night, singing to himself 'swing low,sweet chariot.'

A new face then clambered onto the deck.

It was the messenger.

"Good morning captain,I trust you have read my letter."

It wasn't a question.

"Indeed I have," Percy replied smoothly, ignoring the fact that the man had just boarded his ship without permission

"Then you will sail to Barbados at once." said the messenger with a puffed out chest.

"I'm afraid you misunderstand me, I have no intention of joining the British Navy, I have no allegiance to them."

The messenger gaped at him, completely thrown off his high horse, "B but every British citizen has an allegiance to the crown and by default the army."

Percy raised his hand, "Yes, that is true, but I'm not a citizen of any country, I and only I decide where this ship will sail."

"Then you're a pirate!"

Percy sighed, " I am not a pirate, I do not go around attacking and pillaging ships, I am merely a free trader who goes where his heart desires."

The messenger stomped towards him, his face purple with anger, "You will regret this," he said pointing a finger at Percy's face.

The scene was almost comical, Percy was over 6 foot (1,8m), the messenger only came up to his chest.

By now most of the crew had woken up and were watching the exchange happen, a couple of coins exchanged hands as bets were made as to how the captain would handle the situation.

Percy merely smiled, "I don't think I will, you may go."

The messenger glared at him before stomping across the deck and lowered himself into the waiting dingy.

Percy turned to face his crew, knowing that they wanted an explanation over what had occurred, "The British thought they could tell us to join their navy in an upcoming war."

Travis Stoll spoke up, "What did he mean by us regretting it?"

His brother,Conner, cut in, "isn't it obvious they will raise the price on all British goods for us."

Malcolm Jones rolled his eyes, "And how would they know who is on this ship, maybe they have a register with all our names and appearances on it with our interests,hobbies and unknown illegal activities."

There was a collective chuckle at this

Conner gasped, "Us, do illegal things, you're on the wrong ship mate."

"And how do you think we got this ship," came the snarky reply.

Percy reached for his pistol and fired a shot into the air before the situation got completely out of control, the crew fell silent.

"The British threatened us with the rope if we didn't comply, Malcolm, you know the current prices, go and see what the Spanish are offering. Jake take the wheel, Stolls, you're on look out, the rest of you to your stations, our heading is Caracs, move it."

His first mate came to stand next to him, "you think the British would waste time with one disobedient ship?"

Percy pursed his lips, "I don't know Luke, I really don't know."

Well, I will see where this story goes.

As for my other ones, I tend to only write when I get inspired and I really am not feeling motivated by the other ones especially my main 2 (COTM and BTTP BT71) so yeah.

Dates edited to be in line with actual historical events