Sui Generis
Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean, although I wish I did. Everything belongs to Disney. * pouts*
Chapter 1
Captain Lor Adams stood at the bow of her ship, staring out at the sinking sun, her gaze absorbing the depleting light. The wind whipped at her hair and clothing, her thin white shirt swaying slowly in the breeze. The sails above her head snapped suddenly, bringing her out of her reverie. She closed her eyes slowly, then whispered into the coming darkness, "Goodnight, father."
"'Ey Cap'n!" a voice called out behind her.
She turned around slowly, an irritated look crossing her face. "What is it?"
The elderly man below her just smiled at her irritation. "Where we be goin' lass?"
"Where ever the wind be takin' us, Mister Conroy. Where ever the wind be takin' us."
"Aye, Cap'n. The next Port be four days from 'ere. We need ta be stoppin' there fer supplies. We be needin' bullets fer our pistols, shots fer our cannons, an' more rum." He ended his list with a broad grin, hoping to make his Captain laugh, or at least smile, but she disappointed him.
Lor stared down at him, no expression evident on her face. "Then we best be makin' a course change, Mr. Conroy."
She jumped off of the railing that she had been standing on and walked past the elderly man. "Mr. Nottingham!" she yelled. "Change course for Tortuga. We'll be stoppin' there for supplies."
"Aye, aye Captain," he replied, then turned the wheel, jerking the rutter to turn the ship in the direction of Tortuga.
Lor continued walking toward the back of her ship, running her fingers over the railing of her ship. The Sui Generis had been hers for nearly seven years, ever since her father had given it to her for her sixteenth birthday, along with her own crew of loyal pirates.
She had proven her ability to be a capable Captain, even at her young age, by being able to hold her own in any fight and proving her ability to command her crew to victory through any tough situation. Not to mention being able to hold more rum than any of her crew. She had earned their respect and had begun to think of them as part of her family.
Lor stopped walking as a voice behind her interrupted her thoughts. "Where ya be headin', Cap'n?"
A shiver rolled down her spine at the man's voice. Something about him had always seemed . . . off about him. "I'm headin' to me room, Mr. Skinner. I need rest. Have Mr. Nottingham wake me before dawn."
Skinner ran a callused finger down her arm to her hand. "Will ye be needin' any company, lass?" He asked, a sneer on his face.
Lor turned around sharply to look up at him. While she was tall for woman, standing at five foot eight, he still stood about a head taller than her. "Since you've been 'ere for several weeks, Mr. Skinner, ya should know that I sleep alone. I'll not be needin' any company durin' the night, thank ye anyway."
With that, she turned on her heel and walked slowly into her chambers.
Lor was jolted awake by a pair of rough hands shaking her shoulders. She mumbled something incoherent, and then rolled over onto her side, turning her back to her visitor.
"Captain," the man whispered, shaking her harder. "Captain! Wake up! We must talk."
Lor sighed, and then rolled onto her back. She opened her eyes slowly, allowing them to adjust to the dim light of the candle that hung above her bed. "Wha' 'ist?" she slurred.
"Captain, we must talk about Skinner and his crew."
"Ya mean me da's crew, do ye not, Mr. Nottingham?"
"Of course, Captain. But . . . I do not trust them, especially that Skinner. He seems untrustworthy, Captain."
Lor gave a bark of laughter. "We be pirates, Nottingham, of course they seem untrustworthy."
"Aye, ma'am, they are pirates, but they do not seem to be the usual men that your father would have follow him on his ship."
"What are ya sayin', Mr. Nottingham?"
Nottingham was silent for a moment. "I have heard talk about a mutiny, Captain."
Lor stared up at him in the darkness, "A mutiny, Mr. Nottingham? My men would not mutiny against me."
"Not your men, Captain, Skinner and his men."
Lor opened her mouth to reply when a shot rang out in the darkness. Her eyes widened as a dark puddle started to widen on Nottingham's chest. He collapsed on top of her, pinning her legs to the bed. She sat up quickly, her hands going to Nottingham's back, searching for a heartbeat or the rising and falling of his chest. She was disappointed on both accounts.
Lor's gaze snapped to the entrance of her cabin when a voice called out to her. "Ya shoulda listened ta 'im, lass. An' per'aps ya shoulda takin' me up on me offer."
Her eyes narrowed slowly, her golden eyes flashing in the dim light, as she took in the eight forms silhouetted in her doorway. She leaned over to her right quickly, her left hand reaching for the pistol that she kept hidden next to her bed. She was brought up short, however, as a second shot sounded in the darkness and a piercing pain ripped through her side.
Her hands flew to her side as red liquid started to seep through her shirt. She squeezed her eyes shut as she held back the scream of pain that tried to rip free from her throat. She forced her eyes open when a rough hand gripped her cheeks. "Now, now, lass, we'll 'ave none o' that. Ya may as well give up lass ye cannot win. I 'ave yer crew already an' in the brig. If ya surrender now, I'll let them live."
"You bastard," she whispered through clenched teeth.
"Thank ye, my dear," he said, grinning. "What a fine compliment." With that, he raised his fist and brought it down quickly on her temple, causing darkness to consume her.
AN: so? How was it? Good? Bad? Should I write more? Please let me know. I would love to hear it! Plz R/R!