Usual disclaimers.
I've posted another chapter up quickly, as I realised that I'm 15 chapters ahead of where we are now, and it might be a good idea to clear the backlog somewhat! Hopefully, you should be getting at least two chapters a week posted from now on, if myself and Linthilde can get our collective acts together :D
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Chapter 40
'Ship ho!' Jack brought his spyglass up to his eye and peered through the dim dawn light until he caught sight of it.
'Spanish galleon, probably coming from Mexico,' Jack smiled slowly, stowing the glass back in its case. 'It's also probably loaded too.' He raised a warning eyebrow at Maddy's look, before ordering the men to prepare to give chase and board. 'Now we'll see what this crew is made of, haul out the sweeps.' Jack strode across the deck, taking Maddy by the arm and leading her to the armoury. 'C'mon luv, I need all the experience I can muster, savvy?'
'I'm hardly that experienced Jack, but I'll board,' she sighed, biting back any further comment.
'Good girl.' Jack wiped the blade of his golden cutlass and polished the black pearls on the hilt, before sheathing it then checked his pistol and shot, watching Maddy as she checked her pistol and strapped on a knife belt, loading knives into the small sheathes around it.
They went back on deck and watched and waited as The Pearl drew ever closer. Jack looked through his spyglass again, then let out a cry, hurling himself at Maddy, as a cannonball came rocketing towards The Pearl from the galleon.
'Tucker, run up the red.' Jack stood, his face a mask of fury and he glared at the galleon. 'What's the damage?'
Bob Baker leaned over the side and searched for any signs of damage. 'Caught us a glancing blow Cap'n, nothing to worry about.'
'Prepare the guns, we take no prisoners, savvy?' Jack looked around at his crew. 'If ya don't think ya can kill a man just cos he's in yer way, you've no place on me ship. Eb, fire when ready.'
Maddy braced herself, holding on to a rail as the ship rocked with the force of the broadside, then looked at the galleon as the mast and rigging exploded into splinters and gaping holes appeared in the ships side. She glanced around the crew, easily telling who were the pirates and who were new to piracy by the looks of either excitement or fascinated horror on their faces.
'Shall I open fire again Cap'n?' Eb had the cannons made ready in case.
'Nah, don't want ter damage t'goods now, do we?' Jack watched as the ships drew together, a manic grin on his face. 'Grappling hooks at t'ready, prepare to board.' Jack grabbed a hook, then glanced at Maddy, winking as she looked at him. 'Take care luv,' he mouthed, before turning his attention back to the galleon. 'Board!' Jack swung across to the galleon, lashing out with his cutlass, then drawing his knife when he landed on the deck, cutting down a couple of Spaniards as they rushed him.
Maddy found herself face to face with a small, swarthy man, brandishing a sword towards her. She grabbed a knife from her belt and plunged it in him, turning her attention to the next man, as he fell. Maddy hacked down another man, then felt herself back into someone and spun, a knife at the ready, only to be met with the back of Jack's head, bandana flapping as he moved. Back to back they fought, until all the Spaniards were either dead or had laid down their weapons in surrender.
'Move out, take what yer can. Maddy, I want you an' some o'the youngsters ter stand guard.' Jack disappeared down the hatch, eager to find what loot was below.
Maddy looked at the ragtag crew of the galleon, making sure none of them were about to try anything, then looked at her own crew, noting which of them would be throwing up as soon as they headed back for The Pearl, and which would take it all in their stride, Maddy was pleased to see Bob looking alert, but relaxed as he watched their captives carefully. The sounds of the crew below, coming upon swag, could be heard on deck and Maddy half smiled, knowing how pleased Jack would be to have his hold full again. The voices of the crew got louder as they made their way back up to the deck, laden with chests, barrels and sacks. Maddy ordered a couple of the burlier lads to help with the transfer of the booty to The Pearl, and told the rest to close ranks to fill in the gaps left by their mates, not seeing Jack watching her, his chest puffing out with pride at his wife behaving like a proper member of the crew.
'Get t'crew into boats, we're goin' ter fire the ship.' Jack strode over to Maddy and indicated for the captives to get to their feet and to the boats. The Pearl crew watched them closely as they lowered the boats and climbed down the ropes and pushed away from the ship, using the oars that Jack had allowed them, to row quickly away. 'Tom, take a coupla o'the youngsters and spread t'powder, t'rest o'ya, back to The Pearl.' Jack got a rope and handed it to Maddy, 'Ladies first luv,' he grinned, patting her behind as she swung over.
Once Jack was satisfied all the crew were back aboard, he gave the order to make sail a short distance away from the galleon, then drop anchor. 'When yer ready Eb.' Eb Tucker gave the order to fire, and watched with a self- satisfied smirk as the galleon blew up as soon as the cannonball hit home.
'Right, let's see what we have.' Jack had ordered the chests to be taken directly to his cabin and bounded down the stairs, eager to start the inventory. 'C'mon Madalene, what're ya waiting for?'
Maddy rolled her eyes to Eb, then followed Jack down the stairs, smiling as she entered the cabin, to find Jack had already opened one of the chests and was busily emptying it of it's gold coins. 'Hold on Jack, give me chance to get in before you completely cover the floor,' Maddy laughed, kissing the top of Jack's head as she sat down besides him. She pulled a pile of coins towards her and starting counting, putting the counted piles to one side, before pulling in another mound of coins. Two back breaking hours later, all the coins from the chests had been counted and divided into the shares accorded to each crewman, with Jack, Maddy and Eb receiving three shares, to Bob's and the others that had recently joined, one share. Jack made his way to the deck, and informed everyone what their portion of the booty would be, before ordering everyone back to their stations.
'Jack?' Maddy walked over to her husband and lead him to midships, away from the men working. 'Are we going to carry the loot with us when we get to The Keys?'
Jack looked quizzically at his wife, wondering why the sudden interest in the ships affairs had come about. 'I might stash it on one o'the smaller islands before we get to where we're goin.' Maddy shifted under Jack's intense scrutiny.
'Why are you staring at me?' Maddy eventually asked, unable to bear his eyes boring into her any longer.
'Ya boarded and pirated another ship wi'out too much fuss, ya positively enjoyed countin' the loot, an' now you're thinking tactically. Why?' Jack leaned against the mizzenmast and folded his arms.
Maddy sighed, she'd been wondering the same thing herself. 'I don't know to be honest Jack. I suppose I've finally left my old life behind and am starting to think like a 17th Century pirate. I always felt guilty about robbing other ships and taking a life, but now, I don't really consider it. Does that make sense?'
Jack smiled, taking Maddy in his arms, 'Aye luv, perfect sense.' Jack was still smiling as Maddy kissed him, then went about her duties, humming a tune as she went.
I've posted another chapter up quickly, as I realised that I'm 15 chapters ahead of where we are now, and it might be a good idea to clear the backlog somewhat! Hopefully, you should be getting at least two chapters a week posted from now on, if myself and Linthilde can get our collective acts together :D
**************
Chapter 40
'Ship ho!' Jack brought his spyglass up to his eye and peered through the dim dawn light until he caught sight of it.
'Spanish galleon, probably coming from Mexico,' Jack smiled slowly, stowing the glass back in its case. 'It's also probably loaded too.' He raised a warning eyebrow at Maddy's look, before ordering the men to prepare to give chase and board. 'Now we'll see what this crew is made of, haul out the sweeps.' Jack strode across the deck, taking Maddy by the arm and leading her to the armoury. 'C'mon luv, I need all the experience I can muster, savvy?'
'I'm hardly that experienced Jack, but I'll board,' she sighed, biting back any further comment.
'Good girl.' Jack wiped the blade of his golden cutlass and polished the black pearls on the hilt, before sheathing it then checked his pistol and shot, watching Maddy as she checked her pistol and strapped on a knife belt, loading knives into the small sheathes around it.
They went back on deck and watched and waited as The Pearl drew ever closer. Jack looked through his spyglass again, then let out a cry, hurling himself at Maddy, as a cannonball came rocketing towards The Pearl from the galleon.
'Tucker, run up the red.' Jack stood, his face a mask of fury and he glared at the galleon. 'What's the damage?'
Bob Baker leaned over the side and searched for any signs of damage. 'Caught us a glancing blow Cap'n, nothing to worry about.'
'Prepare the guns, we take no prisoners, savvy?' Jack looked around at his crew. 'If ya don't think ya can kill a man just cos he's in yer way, you've no place on me ship. Eb, fire when ready.'
Maddy braced herself, holding on to a rail as the ship rocked with the force of the broadside, then looked at the galleon as the mast and rigging exploded into splinters and gaping holes appeared in the ships side. She glanced around the crew, easily telling who were the pirates and who were new to piracy by the looks of either excitement or fascinated horror on their faces.
'Shall I open fire again Cap'n?' Eb had the cannons made ready in case.
'Nah, don't want ter damage t'goods now, do we?' Jack watched as the ships drew together, a manic grin on his face. 'Grappling hooks at t'ready, prepare to board.' Jack grabbed a hook, then glanced at Maddy, winking as she looked at him. 'Take care luv,' he mouthed, before turning his attention back to the galleon. 'Board!' Jack swung across to the galleon, lashing out with his cutlass, then drawing his knife when he landed on the deck, cutting down a couple of Spaniards as they rushed him.
Maddy found herself face to face with a small, swarthy man, brandishing a sword towards her. She grabbed a knife from her belt and plunged it in him, turning her attention to the next man, as he fell. Maddy hacked down another man, then felt herself back into someone and spun, a knife at the ready, only to be met with the back of Jack's head, bandana flapping as he moved. Back to back they fought, until all the Spaniards were either dead or had laid down their weapons in surrender.
'Move out, take what yer can. Maddy, I want you an' some o'the youngsters ter stand guard.' Jack disappeared down the hatch, eager to find what loot was below.
Maddy looked at the ragtag crew of the galleon, making sure none of them were about to try anything, then looked at her own crew, noting which of them would be throwing up as soon as they headed back for The Pearl, and which would take it all in their stride, Maddy was pleased to see Bob looking alert, but relaxed as he watched their captives carefully. The sounds of the crew below, coming upon swag, could be heard on deck and Maddy half smiled, knowing how pleased Jack would be to have his hold full again. The voices of the crew got louder as they made their way back up to the deck, laden with chests, barrels and sacks. Maddy ordered a couple of the burlier lads to help with the transfer of the booty to The Pearl, and told the rest to close ranks to fill in the gaps left by their mates, not seeing Jack watching her, his chest puffing out with pride at his wife behaving like a proper member of the crew.
'Get t'crew into boats, we're goin' ter fire the ship.' Jack strode over to Maddy and indicated for the captives to get to their feet and to the boats. The Pearl crew watched them closely as they lowered the boats and climbed down the ropes and pushed away from the ship, using the oars that Jack had allowed them, to row quickly away. 'Tom, take a coupla o'the youngsters and spread t'powder, t'rest o'ya, back to The Pearl.' Jack got a rope and handed it to Maddy, 'Ladies first luv,' he grinned, patting her behind as she swung over.
Once Jack was satisfied all the crew were back aboard, he gave the order to make sail a short distance away from the galleon, then drop anchor. 'When yer ready Eb.' Eb Tucker gave the order to fire, and watched with a self- satisfied smirk as the galleon blew up as soon as the cannonball hit home.
'Right, let's see what we have.' Jack had ordered the chests to be taken directly to his cabin and bounded down the stairs, eager to start the inventory. 'C'mon Madalene, what're ya waiting for?'
Maddy rolled her eyes to Eb, then followed Jack down the stairs, smiling as she entered the cabin, to find Jack had already opened one of the chests and was busily emptying it of it's gold coins. 'Hold on Jack, give me chance to get in before you completely cover the floor,' Maddy laughed, kissing the top of Jack's head as she sat down besides him. She pulled a pile of coins towards her and starting counting, putting the counted piles to one side, before pulling in another mound of coins. Two back breaking hours later, all the coins from the chests had been counted and divided into the shares accorded to each crewman, with Jack, Maddy and Eb receiving three shares, to Bob's and the others that had recently joined, one share. Jack made his way to the deck, and informed everyone what their portion of the booty would be, before ordering everyone back to their stations.
'Jack?' Maddy walked over to her husband and lead him to midships, away from the men working. 'Are we going to carry the loot with us when we get to The Keys?'
Jack looked quizzically at his wife, wondering why the sudden interest in the ships affairs had come about. 'I might stash it on one o'the smaller islands before we get to where we're goin.' Maddy shifted under Jack's intense scrutiny.
'Why are you staring at me?' Maddy eventually asked, unable to bear his eyes boring into her any longer.
'Ya boarded and pirated another ship wi'out too much fuss, ya positively enjoyed countin' the loot, an' now you're thinking tactically. Why?' Jack leaned against the mizzenmast and folded his arms.
Maddy sighed, she'd been wondering the same thing herself. 'I don't know to be honest Jack. I suppose I've finally left my old life behind and am starting to think like a 17th Century pirate. I always felt guilty about robbing other ships and taking a life, but now, I don't really consider it. Does that make sense?'
Jack smiled, taking Maddy in his arms, 'Aye luv, perfect sense.' Jack was still smiling as Maddy kissed him, then went about her duties, humming a tune as she went.