Chapter 10 THE LOCKER OCTOBER 1685

Flying Dutchman ordered the Kraken to remain in the living world and that she'd call her once she'd returned.

"How will I find you?" The Kraken asked.

"Good question." Flying Dutchman replied. "What we need is a way of signaling each other."

"Sound travels far underwater." The Kraken suggested.

"What noise could I make though?" Flying Dutchman asked.

"That wheel on your deck. When the crew drops it, it makes noise." The Kraken said.

Flying Dutchman eyed her capstan uncertainly. "I dunno." She said. "You think it'll work."

"We may as well try it." The Kraken replied.

The giant octopus as Flying Dutchman had best figured her to be, dove down beneath the surface, sailing away several miles.

"Alright, go ahead." She ordered.

Curious to see whether this would work or not, Flying Dutchman rose her capstan as high as it would go before slamming it down on deck.

She could almost feel the resounding boom it made as shock waves riddled out from her keel.

"Oh I can hear that alright." The Kraken told her a few seconds later. "There's no mistaking that sound for anything."

"Well, look for that sound. It might be a while but keep an ear open. That's what I'll use whenever I need your help. In the meantime, you're free to wonder wherever you wish. My only order to you is to keep away from British and Brethren ships. The rest are fair game and if you find those rogue pirates, let me know." Flying Dutchman ordered.

"Understood." The Kraken said and raced off into the depths.

Flying Dutchman meanwhile waited until the sun touched the horizon before she drew strength from the Changing of Celestial Bodies as she'd come to call it.

She released her green flash just as the sun vanished below the waves, finding herself back in the Locker's waters in seconds.

Her deck was full of pirates and Flying Dutchman knew just where to take them.

Tortuga II, or the replica of it, was waiting for her with its pristine harbor and wide open beaches filled with woman and their drunken sailors.

Flying Dutchman was surprised to find that this time, there were other ships around.

One of them, she noticed with a pang of guilt, was Misty Lady.

After she dropped the sailors off, Flying Dutchman made her way over to her.

"So it's you again." Misty Lady said.

"Yeah, it's me." Flying Dutchman sighed.

"Don't worry, I'm happy here." Misty Lady smiled.

"Why aren't you with the Ancients?" Flying Dutchman asked.

"I wasn't ready they said so they gave me a hundred years here." Misty Lady replied.

"Can you tell me anything more of what happened to you?" Flying Dutchman asked.

Misty Lady sighed. "Not really, no. I just knew they were rogue pirates because they flew the red flag. The ships themselves were a flotilla of mostly sloops but I saw one or two brigs as well." She said.

"Sloops then. Okay." Flying Dutchman mused.

"They were from a collection of places. Some were British, some were Spanish or French. One I recognized as part of the Brethren." Misty Lady said.

"Who was it?" Flying Dutchman demanded.

"Carolina." Misty Lady replied. "She was the flagship. I don't know how it happened but I do know that she seemed more frightened than anything else. She wasn't a killer like the rest of them."

"Whoever's controlling her, they'll pay!" Flying Dutchman snarled.

"Just be careful, Dutchman." Misty Lady begged. "If they could kill me, they can most certainly kill you."

"I'll be careful. I know better than to just sail into the middle of their fleet." Flying Dutchman assured her.

Giving her one last nuzzle, she sailed out.

Britannia was at her usual spot when she arrived but something seemed different about the old galleon.

She was restless, tugging at her mooring lines more than usual.

"Alright, what's the problem?" Flying Dutchman sighed.

"Dutchman!" Britannia cried, flinging herself at her apprentice.

"Whoa!" Flying Dutchman laughed as the larger ships' weight bowled her over. She pressed her muzzle to Britannia's shoulder.

"If this is the kind of welcome I get, I should stay away more often." She giggled.

"I was worried when you didn't show up last night." Britannia confessed.

"Come now, it's not like I haven't been late before." Flying Dutchman said. "So what's so different this time?"

Britannia sighed, backing off her apprentice.

Though she'd relaxed considerably, Flying Dutchman could still see a hint of fear behind her eyes.

"What's happened, Britannia?" She asked.

"There's been an outbreak." Britannia replied. "Starting in Liverpool then working its way north. Its minor so far and I hope it'll stay that way but if it finds its way to the major ports, it could spread quite easily."

"I see." Flying Dutchman replied.

"I want you to stay away from England." Britannia growled. "Don't go any closer to land than you have to and if you see a derelict flying the yellow flag, don't go near it."

"Britannia, I can't just ignore my duty…" Flying Dutchman began.

"You will if it hurts you." Britannia growled, fire lighting her eyes.

Flying Dutchman took a step back. She'd never actually seen her mentor this angry before.

Britannia's anger faded as soon as she saw this.

"Come here, Dutchman." She ordered gruffly.

Unsure, Flying Dutchman did, finding herself being pulled into a gentle embrace.

"Understand I'm not trying to be hard on you. I'm just trying to keep you safe." Britannia whispered.

"I know, I know Britannia." Flying Dutchman replied.

"Please do as I ask." She begged.

"I will." Flying Dutchman promised.

Britannia relaxed considerably against her. "Thank you, Dutchman." She murmured.

Flying Dutchman nuzzled her. "Now that you've gotten that out of the way, I think dinner is in order." She said.

"You caught something?" Britannia asked.

Grinning, Flying Dutchman produced two large cod.

"Found them off the coast of Newfoundland." She said.

"Flying Dutchman, I could kiss you right now!" Britannia giggled.

"I wouldn't mind." Flying Dutchman purred causing the older ship to blush.

"So naughty!" She accused.

"I can see you don't mind either." Flying Dutchman said.

Britannia blushed harder. "Oi! You're a no good sneak, Dutchman!" She laughed.

Flying Dutchman smiled as Britannia pressed against her.

"Dinner first, then desert." She said.

"Can't we skip?" Britannia suggested.

"And waste a pair of perfectly good cod?" Flying Dutchman snorted. "Why Britannia, I'm shocked. That's as good as a sin in your book."

"Maybe I'm not hungry." Britannia said.

"That's bull and you know it. You're not fooling me." Flying Dutchman chuckled.

Britannia pouted. "Fine then." She said. "Dinner first."

As she pouted, Flying Dutchman moved up alongside and gave her rudder a nip.

Britannia jumped in surprise. "Thought you said dinner first?" She teased.

"So I did, but desert is just too tempting right now." Flying Dutchman murmured.

Britannia smiled. "I knew I could get you eventually." She said.

"Yes you did. I can't seem to resist that pretty face." Flying Dutchman replied.

Britannia brushed against her. "Save dinner for breakfast." She said.

Flying Dutchman quickly had the cod stored away and followed Britannia inside where she proceeded to give the older ship the sweetest desert she'd ever had.