And a Bottle of Rum

4

This ended up being a sort of bridging piece. Hehe. Let's get the party started!

The tide was high in Tortuga Bay, as Kara strode down the dock to the small rowboat waiting to take her back to the Cutlass. She hadn't seen Alex since the clifftop the previous evening, and her heart ached painfully as, after one last hopeful glance back at the town, she stepped into the small craft and sat down, setting her bag of meagre belongings on the floor between her boots. She clenched her fingers into her hair as she rested her elbows on her knees and blew out a long breath. They waited a few minutes for some last stragglers, then her crew rowed out to the Cutlass and she climbed the rope ladder up to the main deck.

"Welcome back aboard, Captain Zorel," Winn said, squeezing her shoulder.

"Thanks," she replied quietly. "Take us out of the bay and then set full sail, I care not which direction. I'll be in my quarters."

"Full sail, any direction, aye," the man replied and then sighed as his friend disappeared down the steps to her cabin.

Xx

Alex had walked all night, just thinking about what she really wanted. The sun indicated very early morning when she entered the tavern and returned to her room. She undressed down to her breeches and shirt, flopped back onto her bed exhaustedly and pulled off her boots. It was only then that she let the tears she'd been holding in flow down her cheeks. But a knock at her door made her sit up and rub her shirt sleeve across her eyes. She got up and opened it to find her first officer, Commander Jones, there, with his tricorn tucked under his arm.

"Sir," he said. "I need to speak with you."

Alex nodded and stepped back, opening the door wider. "Come in, John."

The tall man thanked her and then took a seat on the chair, sitting stiffly as she sat on the edge of the bed. "Alex," he said, his posture easing as he set his hat in his lap. "Captain Lord is..." He paused as he tried to come up with words appropriate for a lady's ears.

"Just say it," Alex coaxed, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"Captain Lord has been drinking all night, all around Tortuga, and is now downstairs, telling anyone who will listen, about how his former fiancée is a whore and how he broke the engagement off just in time to save his reputation."

Jones' eyebrows lifted in surprise as his captain began to laugh with a slightly hysterical edge. "Perfect!" she exclaimed, shaking her head. "Just perfect!" She ran a hand through her hair and let out a long breath. "John, we need to leave Tortuga without Captain Lord realizing it. He's not the man everyone thinks he is. He is cruel and has performed atrocities on someone I c-care about that I cannot bare to think about." She had to pause, not trusting her voice for a moment. "THAT is why I ended our engagement. Will you help me?"

"Of course, Captain," Jones replied, as he got to his feet and stood proudly before her. "If you pack your belongings and come with me, I will distract him for long enough for you to get outside. There's a boat waiting at the dock. I will meet you there and we will return to the Valiant to immediately set sail."

"Thank you, My Friend," Alex replied, patting his shoulder. She moved around the room, packing her small number of belongings into her bag, and redressing. "Ready," she said then and Jones nodded, giving the space one final look over.

They moved down the hallway to the stairs and Alex could already hear Lord's raised, slurred voice. She shook her head and waited for John to precede her down the stairs. He cast a look back at her over his shoulder and then winked as he drew himself up. "That's no way to speak about a lady," he said loudly as he moved across the room to the whiskey-soaked captain of the Endeavor. "I ask you to kindly shut your mouth, Sir."

"Oh... Be damned, Jones! You're rutting her too, I wager," Lord spat. "She'll open her legs for anyone!"

Jones growled, pulled back his big fist and punched the captain hard in the jaw, spinning him around and sending him over a table to crash onto the stone floor. As a group of laughing bystanders gathered around the two Navy officers, Alex quietly descended the stairs and made her way out into the bright morning sunshine. She ran to the boat waiting at the dock, and the crewman immediately stood to attention. "Back to the ship now, Captain?" he asked.

"Commander Jones will be along momentarily," she replied, looking back toward the tavern. "We will wait for him."

After a few moments, she saw her first officer make his escape, bounding down the cobbled street, along the dock and dropping into the boat, his nose bloody but with a glint of fire in his eyes. "Somehow," he panted. "A large brawl started. I have no idea how that happened." He blinked innocently and then grinned.

Alex laughed and shook her head pointing at the ensign. "Back to the ship, Lad. Quick as you can."

"Yes, Sir!" the young man replied and sat down to row with all his might.

"Is it broken?" Alex asked, gently grasping John's chin to tilt his head so she could look at his nose.

"No, Sir," he replied. "It'll be fine." He chuckled then. "Felt good to hit the bastard. We have... history."

"Ah," the captain replied. "Well, I thank you, John, for helping me make my escape. When we're back on board, weigh anchor immediately and set course out of the bay. Full sail when we're beyond the reef."

"Are we going after the Cutlass, Sir?"

"John... I..." Alex began, but she didn't know how to go on and just looked down.

"Alex," the big man replied. "What is it you want? If you want out of the Navy, I'll take command of the Valiant and accept your retirement notice now." He looked her right in the eye. "No questions asked."

"I do want to retire, but, If you do this," the captain said slowly, keeping her voice low as the ensign huffed and puffed at the oars. "You will be an accomplice to letting a pirate ship go. I'm going after the Cutlass but not for the reason you think and I should stay in command for now to relieve you of wrongdoing."

"Did you… spend time with Captain Zorel?" John asked gently.

Alex nodded. "I walked all night just thinking about my future, John. I never meant for, nor expected any of this to happen, but the thought of going back home to find a husband is stifling and the thought of being without her..." Alex trailed off as a heaviness in her chest robbed her of voice.

Commander Jones nodded and leaned even closer to her. "I left my lover back in North Carolina because I wanted to serve my King," he said. "I don't know if I'll ever see him again. He told me that if I left him, to never come back."

The captain sighed and patted his knee gently. "I'm sorry, John."

The big man smiled. "If you have an opportunity to be with the woman you care about, you should take it with both hands and never let it go."

"You're right," Alex replied with a matching smile. "What should we do next?"

"I think the Valiant will perform another inspection on the Cutlass and leave her with a stowaway," John replied with a smug smile. "We just have to find her."

The small boat reached the Valiant then and the two senior officers boarded her. Alex began barking orders and very soon they were underway at full sail, heading in the direction the Cutlass had taken while Alex went to her cabin to try to get some sleep.

Xx

Kara was slowly walking along the deck rail, balancing perfectly, even though the ship was rocking heavily under her boots. She was deep in thought as she reached the rigging and climbed it to slide into the crow's next, pulling out her telescope and scanning the waters around the Cutlass. They hadn't seen another ship since they'd left Tortuga and Kara knew they'd need to find something soon if they were to have spoils to both keep her crew motivated and to bring to Lamanta.

The pirate couldn't stop thinking about Alex. Every time she closed her eyes, she could see her friend's beautiful face and it made her breath hitch as she bit her bottom lip, trying to hold back the flood of tears beneath the surface of her calm passivity. Knowing how it felt to kiss and touch the older woman, and not being able to, was akin to torture but yet, she could not bring herself to regret it for one moment. It had been perfect, and she wanted more with every breath she took.

"Captain!" Winn yelled from the deck below. "Anything?"

The captain sniffed and pulled herself together, putting her telescope to her eye again as she continued her search. "Not yet!" she yelled back, so Winn wandered off toward the bridge.

Kara stayed in the crow's nest, leaning on the rail as she let her eyes close. A chill wind hit her, and she shivered a little, wishing she'd worn her coat, so she descended the rigging and assigned a lookout, giving him instructions to inform her of any vessel he saw while on watch, no matter the size.

She was standing on the bridge, arms folded, when Winn finally approached her. "Are you alright, Captain?" he asked.

"No," Kara admitted, shaking her head a little. "Saying goodbye was..." She swallowed hard.

"Were you and she… intimate?"

The captain nodded as she leaned on the deck rail, eyes fixed on the waves below. "It was pure joy. She broke her engagement and said she wants to be with me, but I told her she must discover for herself who she wants to be when she retires from the Navy. That is a decision she must make on her own without being under the influence of lust."

"And what if she just goes home?"

Kara looked at him, blue eyes shimmering. "Then I must move on, no matter my feelings toward her. Time will tell, Winn."

"And what if her feelings are more than just lust? What are your feelings toward her?" the man asked gently.

But Kara just slowly walked away.

Xx

A loud knock at Captain Zorel's cabin door woke her from restless sleep and she wrapped her sheet around her naked body as she went to answer it.

"Captain, forgive me," her second mate said, keeping her eyes respectfully averted as she held a lit lantern up. "Lookout has spotted lights in the distance. Should we set course for them?"

"How far, Vasquez?" Kara asked briskly.

"Hard to tell for sure in the dark," the woman replied. "But near enough to catch by morning, I wager."

"Set course for them, full sail. I'll join you on the bridge shortly."

"Yes, Captain," the woman replied and then headed back up the steps to the main deck.

Kara closed the door and went back to sit on her bed, a plan already forming in her mind. She went to her desk drawer then and took out the Jolly Roger with a little smile. "Time to go to work." She got dressed and then pulled her cutlass and flintlock pistol from the hidden compartment behind her mirror. She slid them both into her belt, and set her tricorn on her head. As she set the mirror back into place, she gazed at herself... at the sharp cut of her cheekbones, the lift of her chin and the glint of fire in her blue eyes. THIS was what she lived for and she was ready to make good on her word to the people of Lamanta. She picked up the Jolly Roger and headed for the bridge.

Winn was already up and waiting for her. "Captain, I have a bad feeling about this," he said. "The lights are moving parallel to us on our port side."

"They're not cautious?" Kara repeated in surprise. "Who the hell are they?"

"Unknown. Navy possibly."

"Aye, with our recent luck," Kara said on a huffed-out breath. "What time is it?" she murmured then, pulling her pocket watch out of her breeches. "It's after four. Sun will be rising soon. Keep them in sight, Mr. Schott until we can get a look at them but be ready to turn tail if it is the Navy."

"Aye, Captain," he replied, watching then as Kara somersaulted down onto the main deck to pull out her telescope and gaze out toward the lights. Then she paced pensively as her plans began to change.

Xx

Maxwell Lord was still drunk when he reboarded the Endeavor, his temper high after realizing he'd been duped by his former fiancée.

Crewmen scuttled out of his way as he strode along the main deck, yelling orders to get them underway. He was going to catch Valiant and Alexandra Danvers if it was the last thing he did. He'd heard the stories of the captain spending time with a pirate, and, when pressed, his informant had told him it was Kara Zorel. Lord had no idea how the pirate had survived the sentence he'd laid down for her but, after finding Alexandra, Zorel was next on his list. He'd make them both pay.

"Mr. Coville!" he yelled. "Full sail. Find me Valiant and her traitorous captain."

"Yes, Sir!" his first officer yelled back with a grim smile. "'T'will be my pleasure."

Pacing the bridge deck slowly, Lord made plans in his head for all the things he was going to do to the two women and his manhood slowly hardened in his breeches as he pictured them both, tied to his bed and spread naked before him. He'd already experienced that once before with Zorel but both of them at the same time... He licked his lips and ran his hand over his crotch. That would be a treat that he would share with his loyal first office. They would each take one and then swap. He licked his lips again and grinned cruelly. He couldn't wait to hear the bitches beg.

Xx

Alex was pacing on the main deck of her ship. They'd made good time and she suspected that, if the Cutlass had held her course, they should be spotting her fairly soon. It was still full dark, and she didn't know if Kara ran her ship dark during the night, but she just hoped that she could find them before the Endeavor caught up.

The captain had to assume that Lord had noticed the Valiant was gone by now and she had no doubt that he'd follow. She just needed to hold her lead until she could find the woman she wanted.

"Commander Jones," she called. "Put two extra men on lookout."

"Yes, Captain," her first officer replied, pointing at two ensigns. "You two. You heard the Captain."

"Sir!" the two young men exclaimed as they scrambled to take posts on either side of the deck.

John strolled over to his friend, leaning back against the rail as he watched her jaw clench and release over and over. "Alex, have you slept?"

"I'll sleep when I'm dead," the brunette replied with a little smile. "There's no way I can now."

"Captain!" a voice sounded out from the crow's next above her. "Lights, starboard side forward..." The lookout paused a moment. "And behind us too."

Jones shook his head. "Cutlasss to our starboard and Endeavor to our rear?"

"Possibly. It's an hour til sunrise, we'll get a look at both ships then. Steady as she goes, Mr. Jones."

"Steady, Aye, Captain," he replied and then left her to her thoughts.

Xx

Kara sipped slowly from a mug of rum as she propped her boots up on the chair next to her and crossed her ankles. In little more than fifteen minutes the sun would rise, and she'd be able to finalize her plans. Either attack or leave. Those were her two options. She hoped for the former but was ready for the latter.

In the dim lamplight of her cabin an unease stole over her from Winn's question, which was still echoing in her mind.

iWhat are your feelings toward her?/i

Kara didn't think often about the concept of romantic affection or love. She hadn't had it after age ten, except maybe from Winn, but they never spoke of his feelings for her, and hers toward him were just sisterly. Physicality, intimacy with no attachment, Kara could do those in spades but emotional connection? It had felt a foreign concept to her... until she'd met Alex, and everything had changed.

Thinking about kissing Alex, touching her, making her cry out with pleasure was one thing... but remembering her smile, the gentle lacing of their fingers on the cliff top and Alex's quick wit and teasing tone made Kara's chest ache with loss. She gasped and clamped her fingers down on the edge of the table as tears unexpectedly sprang to her eyes and spilled over, but she quickly wiped them away and stood up, straightening her shoulders. There would be time for thinking later. For now, she had a job to do.

The sun had just risen when Kara bounded up the steps to the main deck, pointing at her second mate as she walked. "Vasquez, I want all guns prepared. Roll them out now." She climbed the short ladder to the bridge where Winn was gazing through his telescope. "Mr. Schott. I've ordered the guns rolled out. Any identification on the ship to our port side?"

Winn slowly closed his spyglass and nodded. "Valiant," he said softly. "It's definitely Valiant. They're being followed by the Endeavor but they're not in formation, nor communicating, which means…"

"They're being pursued." Kara's heart thudded in her chest. "Winn," she said, her tone frightened. The man nodded and ran his hands over his face. Then he went to the bridge deck rail and began to bark orders.

"All hands, full sail and prepare for battle stations. Helm, set course for the Valiant."

Xx

"Captain!" Commander Jones yelled. "The Cutlass is changing course. They're coming right for us, full sail."

Alex whirled around to look at him. "What the hell is she doing? Can she not see Endeavor behind us?"

But John chuckled softly. "She hasn't hoisted the Jolly Roger. I think she knows exactly what she's getting into. They're coming to help us."

The captain grinned then and nodded. "Roll out all guns!"

"All guns, aye!"

Xx

Captain Lord stood on the bridge of Endeavor, watching as they gained on Valiant and keeping an eye on the Devil's Cutlass. Under no circumstances did he want to lose the pirates. As soon as he'd disabled Valiant and taken Alexandra into his very special personal custody, he was going after Kara Zorel.

"Mr. Coville, estimated time to intercept."

"About an hour… but Captain, the Cutlass has changed course. She's heading back this way."

"What?!" Lord demanded. "What in the name of Lucifer is that pirate bitch doing?!"

"Unknown, Captain, but she's not flying the Jolly Roger."

Lord's face settled into impassivity again and he nodded slowly. "She's coming back for her whore. She's making it too easy for us, Tom."

"Aye, that she is, Sir," Coville replied, flashing yellow teeth in a cruel smile. "We will have them both by day's end."

"Roll out all guns!" Lord yelled. "All hands to battle stations!"