Chapter Five - Heave Ho
Lucius had a problem, and that problem was Whistledown. When they were forced to abandon the Revenge, he'd been unable to grab anything more than the ledger Captain Bonnet had entrusted to him. The printing press, though designed to be dismantled easily, couldn't possibly be removed without arousing suspicion from the rest of the crew. He was glad to have his manuscript, but without the press, he'd never be able to publish the next edition of Lady Whistledown on schedule.
Fortunately, they soon made port in Nassau. Home of the Republic of Pirates, it was a safe harbor for their ill-gotten ship. Captain Bonnet was anxious to make changes to their new vessel. Not only was Blackbeard's gothic aesthetic in opposition to his Baroque taste, but the ship itself was too high-profile. The flag and the ship's name needed to be replaced as quickly as possible, lest some poor soul mistake Bonnet for Blackbeard.
While the captain was busy re-branding his vessel, the rest of the crew went ashore in search of supplies, drink, or mischief. It was the perfect opportunity for Lucius to slip away on his own mission. He was in search of a printer's shop.
It was no easy task. Most pirates couldn't read, and those that could certainly didn't set up printing shops in the Republic of Pirates. Lucius combed his way past pubs, brothels, and blacksmiths, but there wasn't so much as a bookshop in sight.
Just when he was about to give up, Lucius noticed a ramshackle building, little more than a shack. The outer walls were almost completely papered with posters advertising the latest bounties. Unlike those often spotted in port towns, these were not notices issued by the local governor. Instead, the pirates themselves placed commissions against their rivals for petty slights, real or imagined.
A familiar face stared back at him from one of the posters. The text underneath offered a mere pittance in exchange for Bonifacia Jimenez, to be paid by Spanish Jackie. Lucius clutched his manuscript tighter. This next Whistledown was going to make quite a splash.
The shopkeeper was a grizzled old man. His long white beard was stained blue in irregular splotches from the ink by which he made his trade. One eye was completely eclipsed by cataracts. He used the other to stare at Lucius as he sidled awkwardly through the door.
"Who're yeh ahfter?" he slurred by way of greeting.
"Sorry, who am I aft…? Oh, no. I'm not here to place a bounty," Lucius explained with a nervous laugh, taking half a moment to decipher the man's thick accent.
"Not 'ere fer a bounty?" the printer repeated, "Then whatdya want?"
"I was wondering… Is it possible to print something a little more… elaborate? Do you take commissions for say, notices or periodicals or…"
"Ah, yer one o' those," said the man with a knowing sigh.
Lucius watched in bewilderment as the shopkeep limped around his small desk. It was only then that he realized the man had only one leg. His left ended in a roughly hewn peg fixed beneath his knee. Marveling at this caricature of pirate life, he nearly missed the fact that the man was beckoning him to the back of his shop, where a large printing press sat heavily in a corner.
"Take it yeh know 'ow ter use one o' these?" he said gruffly.
Lucius couldn't hold back a condescending laugh. Catching himself, he coughed lightly in apology, and replied, "Yes, I think I can manage."
The shopkeep nodded. "If yeh set the pages yerself, aye'll on'y charge yeh by the page."
Delighted with this discovery, Lucius set to work. He didn't bother haggling with the man, as cost had never been a concern of his. As for the work, he always preferred to produce the pamphlets himself, so the arrangement was ideal. While he set about constructing his next edition, it occurred to him to ask, "Do you often get writers in here? I mean people like me."
"Aye," replied the shopkeep. He had hobbled the few paces between the rear of his shop and his front desk. In truth, there wasn't much difference between the two. While leaning against his chair for support, he could keep his good eye on Lucius while minding the storefront for other potential customers.
"Really?" Lucius asked, curious to know which aspiring writers made their way through such a dangerous port, "I don't suppose you know any of their names?"
"We don' exchange pleasantries," grumbled the old man, "Bet aye've a few reg'lars. Had another jus' like yerself in jus' this mornin'. He left one o' his books o'er yonder."
The "book" the shopkeep mentioned was little more than a thin quarto, though Lucius seized upon it eagerly. He felt a thrill of something like delight when he read the author's name: Dizzy Heads.
"Is Dizzy Heads one of your regulars?" Lucius asked breathlessly, holding up the pamphlet for the shopkeeper's inspection.
"Told yeh I don' ask fer names," replied the old man a bit irritably.
"Well, what does he look like?" Lucius pressed, dying to know more about his literary rival. Dizzy Head's stories were nearly as popular as Lady Whistledown's, and he felt like he'd unearthed a great secret, discovering the location of his publisher.
"Yeh all look the same ter me," grumbled the old man, though he added, "Suppose he was a bit shorter. Had a beard, too. An' a tattoo on 'is face, like an X."
Lucius tried to form a clear image in his mind, then sighed, "I wish I had been here earlier. I could have seen him for myself."
"Yeh still can," replied the shopkeep casually. With a nod through the dusty windows of his store, he pointed out a bar just opposite from his door. "Saw him step inter Spanish Jackie's not ten minutes a'fore yeh arrived."
Unbeknownst to Bonnet and his crew, Blackbeard was moored on the other side of the port. His presence caused little stir in the bustling Republic of Pirates, as no one recognized the newly styled "Queen Anne's Revenge." After all, who would guess that Blackbeard was lurking on a ship sporting a wooden unicorn on its prow?
On orders from his captain, Izzy stalked into Spanish Jackie's. He was in a foul mood as he approached the proprietress. Fortunately for him, Jackie was feeling generous that day. Taking one look at his unfriendly scowl, she welcomed him with a grin and invited him to her table for a drink.
"Izzy Hands, as I live and breathe!" she cried with a jovial slap on the first-mate's back that nearly knocked him to the floor. "What brings you here? I thought you hated this place."
"I do," Izzy confirmed, "The drinks taste like piss."
"Don't they?" agreed Jackie, her smile faltering as she swirled her own cup before downing what remained of the contents with a wince. "But that must mean you're here on business. You're not applying to replace my late husband, I hope?"
"Blackbeard requests the use of your establishment for a private conversation," Izzy stated without preamble, tactfully ignoring her question.
Jackie, not as easily offended as some believed, was intrigued by the request. Despite his assertion that he hated her bar, Izzy had visited often enough to be recognized on sight. But she had yet to see his boss in person.
"What's this about?" she inquired, pausing to take a drag on the cigar poised in her false hand.
"He's got business with Stede Bonnet," Izzy replied, 'That's all you need to know."
Much to Izzy's chagrin, Jackie was thrilled.
"Bonnet and Blackbeard!" she screamed, grasping Izzy by his arm and giving him a rather violent shake. Around the bar, several heads turned with interest at this outburst. "They know each other? For real? Like what Whistledown's been writing? Are you telling me that Black Bonnet is canon?!"
"Of course not!" Izzy protested, angrily shrugging off Jackie's grasp, "This isn't a rendezvous! Blackbeard has a score to settle. That's all!"
Izzy's declaration took the wind right out of Jackie's sails. She vainly tried to mask her disappointment as she replied, "Fine… Tell Blackbeard he's welcome anytime. But only on one condition!"
Izzy, prepared for a demand for money or men, looked at her with expectation. Much to his surprise, Jackie said, "There can't be any violence in my bar."
"I thought violence was the trademark of your establishment?"
Jackie shrugged. "What can I say, business has been slow. Maybe they've been put off by my noses. Either way, I can't have a brawl breaking out between Blackbeard and Bonnet. Tell your boss he can have his little meeting, but if he wants to kill Bonnet, he'll have to take it outside."
Izzy grimaced unpleasantly. It took Jackie a moment to realize that this must be his attempt at a smile. The muscles of his face twitched, as if unused to this unusual formation.
"As for that, don't worry about your bar. We've got another plan in mind…"
