Piracy
Chapter 21
Fateful Encounters
Gasping, clawing, and biting, against the hand that held her Lacus went wide eyed as a torch was lit and her surroundings became clearer.
"Hello, Pirate."
Lacus tried to scream but it was muffled, she tried to scratch but someone held her back. She was utterly helpless, some pirate she turned out to be.
Allowing some courage to take over Lacus met the eyes of who ever was holding a hand over her mouth, she was shocked to see that upon closer inspection it was a woman, a little taller than herself, but attractive even with her cut short hair.
She found that the woman was merely keeping her quite; she was neither the one holding nor bounding her with rope at this very moment.
"I'll remove my hand if you will keep quite and answer everything I ask, scream and I will slit your throat, understand?"
Unable to agree to anything else Lacus agreed, she felt tears of fright pricking at her eyes as the woman removed her hand.
Smiling the other woman cleared her throat. "Thought having a woman onboard a ship was bad luck, and we all know how superstitious Pirates can be." The remark brought a quite snicker from the rest of the men. Lacus hung her head.
"What is your role on the Archangel?"
Lacus didn't say anything, what could she say?
"I asked you a question, and you better answer before I change my mind about letting you live."
Lacus took a breath. "I have no role to speak of, I help out with treating the sick and wounded sometimes, but other than that I have no real purpose."
The taller woman snorted. "A whore to the captain, or perhaps the crew then?"
Lacus looked up angrily. "I am nothing of the sorts."
Smiling in the dim light the woman Lacus did not know asked "What is your name?"
Determination swelled inside Lacus. "Tell me yours first. I have a right to know how my attacker is."
"Attacker? You are the retch here my good pirate, however I will indulge, I am Luna, and you are?" Luna asked her voice hushed for good reason as the archangel was still close by.
"Lacus Clyne."
Luna looked perplexed for a moment before her eyes went wide. "You better not be lying."
Confused Lacus shook her head no. "I'm not lying, what reason would I have?"
Luna glared. "I was ordered by Lord Yuna and my commander to retrieve a young woman by the name of Lacus Clyne who was kidnapped by the Archangel. Is that you?"
Lacus panicked, Yuna was looking for her, it was expected but it had been months, she figured he would have given up by now, and to send the Kings navy.
A soldier spoke up from behind Luna. "She's the proper age, and fits the description perfectly if you don't include the cloths and dirt."
Lacus couldn't help but look down at herself, true she was not as clean as she usually was but she did bath often, more than most people anyways, that was one of Kiras rules, in order to stop disease from spreading. Her hair needed perhaps a good scrub and comb and she had been thrown to the dirt a couple times today, but she was no where near filthy.
Luna glared at the pink haired woman. "I expected you to be dead."
Lacus was about to speak but couldn't as Luna's commanding voice beat and over powered her own.
"Walter! Take her further into the forest and do not come out until I or another official calls. We can not waste anymore time." Luna shouted to a young man about 18 or so.
"Yes ma'am."
The man known as Walter took Lacus by her bound arms and lead her gently but quickly deeper into the forest his own torch lighting the way for them.
Luna smiled when she saw them disappear from sight and looked back towards the beach, she could see Torches from the Archangel, no doubt they could see theirs as well, and she also heard the shouts of Pirates wanting to investigate.
Unsheathing her cutlass Luna turned to the men behind her.
"On my mark."
With Yzak
"Silent and no one move a missile until we see Luna and Rey charge the beach, that's out signal to head out as well." Yzak ordered in a hushed voice, he and he group was located on the left side of the Archangel in the forest, they couldn't see much activity from their angle so they had to depend on Luna and Rey to start the attack.
Yzak grumbled and tried to subdue is anxiety, as he was eager to get this attack all over and done with. He was also looking forward to meeting this legendary Captain Kira for himself.
With Auel
"Lower the anchor!" The blue haired man shouted as the ship rounded a corner of the island. "Luna's orders where to wait here until we see the Archangel set sail or until we see smoke raise from above the trees."
A crewmember that was helping with a sail looked at Auel curiously.
"Smoke…sir?"
Auel grinned. "Why we are going to burn the Archangel of course."
A quiet murmur spread through out the crowd.
"Why sir? Wouldn't it be better to capture it?" Another called out.
Auel shook his head and began to make his way towards the cabins. "There is no need to take that ship, it's fast but we can build faster, besides don't you all know…"
Auel paused to lick his lips and turn to face the medium size group of men before him.
"….a good captain always goes down with his ship."
Beach- The Archangel
"All set captain!" Mwu called out as he jogged lightly towards Kira who was speaking with Cagalli.
"Already?" Kira asked in pleasant surprise.
Mwu smiled and nodded. "Yes sir wasn't much to get ready actually, a few cannons had to be retied and all sorts of clutter were thrown about but a few minutes of tiding up were all she needed."
Sighing in relief Kira gave a warm smile. "Excellent we should be ready to cast of as soon as the sunrises then."
"No doubt about it." Mwu agreed.
Cagalli simply looked bored and was scanning the ships area when she asked. "Where is Lacus?"
Kira turned to his sister. "I assumed she went to bed, have you not seen her down there?"
Cagalli frowned. "I was just down there before I spoke to you, which was less than 5 minutes ago."
A flash of concern swept over Kira. "Perhaps Murrue has seen her."
Mwu spoke up. "That would be a no captain. I was just speaking with Murrue she was actually looking for the girl."
No sooner than that was said, the older brunette woman was seen coming up from the lower level of the ship.
"Murrue!" Mwu called out. "Have you found the girl?"
Murrue spotted them and came over. "Is she not up here? I have searched the lower level even the brig high and low. I thought she might be with you Captain."
Kira frowned and went to the ships ledge and looked over the beach, it was dark so he couldn't see much.
"You don't think she would have wandered into the woods do you?" Murrue asked concerned.
"She's not a child you know!" Cagalli spat, "She knows better than to go in there alone, and at night no less."
Both Kira and Murrue ignored the comment as they both looked out to where the outline of trees and the forest edge could be seen.
"Is that…light?" Murrue asked as she squinted.
It was true a small flicker of light could be seen faintly in the trees.
Kira looked alarmed for a moment but covered it with a scowl. "Loud the cannons now and get everyone ready for a fight. Cagalli get Athrun after you tell Dearka to prepare to set sail on my word."
Mwu gave a startled 'right away' before running off and began shouting orders while Murrue and Cagalli looked at Kira curiously.
"What is this all about?" Murrue asked concerned.
Kira pulled his fathers sword from his belt and inspected the blade, he had it sharpened almost immediately after the attack and now the blade shined and held a sharp edge.
"I don't think Lacus is on the Archangel." Kira said slowly. "Cagalli didn't I give you something to do?!"
Cagalli looked like she wanted to protest but left with a nod to find Dearka and Athrun.
"Kira?" Murrue asked worried.
Kira smiled at his caregiver. "I'll be alright, but I want you down in the lower level like always."
Murrue nodded. "I do hope she's alright." With that Murrue headed back down into the lower level.
With Luna
Luna waited until there were only a handful of pirates left on the beach before she raised her cutlass and shouted in a booming voice.
"CHARGE!"
On her call she and her men ran out from amongst the trees and stormed the beach much to the surprise of the few who were on the beach, from the left Yzak and his men ran out weapons raised as did Rey from the right.
The pirates were quick to react however, a few rushed to the ship to warn the others, while most spread out and fought who they could, their numbers were to little however and they were soon cut down by the attacking soldiers.
Luna was pleased as she slowed her pace to let her men pass her, she was not going to waste her time on meaningless outlaws, she would save her strength for the captain, he was her true target.
Looking out into the darkness she watched as pirates poured out from the ship to help keep them away from the ship. Yzak and Rey were as usual at the front cutting down who ever go in their way, making it easy for Luna to scout the area for the captain.
Luna was surprised when she did not see him right away, she was expecting the ruthless buccaneer to rush out weapon raised to fight blindly to anyone that crossed his path, but she then remembered that this particular pirate, as much as she hated to admit it, was clever and smart. He fought deadly, but intelligently.
Suddenly her eyes got caught at an unusual sight, she had never seen the Archangels captain but she was sure that was him, he was after all taking on several of her well trained men at once. He had dark hair that was slightly long, and he was fighting near a blonde woman.
Smiling she pushed and cut her way through the crowd of fighting men, the smell of blood was everywhere and the sounds of metal clashing and flesh tearing, along with the dying screams men, she made her way through and prepared herself to charge when someone shouted out…
"Athrun! Behind you!"
Luna looked and saw the blonde woman coming straight for her…Athrun? That was his name, which meant that he wasn't…
Growling Luna dodged and attack from the blonde woman, she had wasted her time, and he was not the captain.
Clashing swords with the other woman Luna pushed causing the other to stumble for a moment. "Where is the captain?"
She had no time for this little game of hide and seek, she would finish this soon.
The blonde gasped before getting out of the little strength challenge before charging again.
"What do you want with my brother!?"
Luna was shocked at that and suffered a small graze to the ribs from a cutlass.
"I wasn't aware that the captain had family other than that dreaded sea dog Ulen!" Luna shouted and in her rage she pushed the girl into the sand and was about to finish her when a shot rang out.
A man with blue hair and emerald eyes had fired and had missed her by inches. He was the one that she had mistaken for the captain.
Seething in anger at the time she was wasting Luna spat at her attacker. "Where is your captain Pirate!?"
He did not answer her nor did the woman on the ground.
Taking out her own pistol she pointed it at the wounded blonde at the ground and she glared as both suddenly stiffened as if they were generally worried of what would happen to the other.
"I'll ask you again, tell me where your captain is, or I'll but a hole in that pretty head of hers!"
Again no answer they both seemed torn on what to do.
Luna cocked the gun and shouted. "I will not ask again! Where is that sniveling coward!? Where is your captain!?"
"I'm right here…."
Luna gasped and turned around but careful not to move her gun or to leave herself exposed.
She locked eyes with a park of dark violet and she felt all her hatred boil up into one raging storm, her fingers itched to pull the trigger of her pistol to kill the captains' sister in front of his eyes. This man was the son of a tyrant that had taken everything from her.
"Captain Kira, we meet at last."
Kira had his cutlass drawn and ready for a fight, he was covered in blood that was not his, a sign that he had been busy fighting.
"Let her go."
Luna smirked, "You seem to care for your sisters' safety, is that reserved only for her or for all your crew members?"
Kira glared. "I care if a soldier attacks any of those under my command."
Luna grinned not removing her gun from its location. "I see, well I was just curious cause you certainly didn't seem all to concerned when one of your crew members went missing, although I suppose she wasn't really a crew member, a prisoner perhaps."
Frowning Kira took a step forward ignoring the brutal battle that was going on around him. "What are you taking about?"
Luna laughed. "Why, didn't you know, that girl, Lacus Clyne, we saved her from your ship, she was on the beach and she spotted us and ran to safety."
Kira froze, Lacus was with them? She ran to them for safety, that couldn't be true, she wouldn't do that, she was no prisoner, anymore.
"You lie."
Before any one could predict what would happen next Luna charged and her blade came crashing down against Kiras and stared at one another as two blades met inches from their faces…
"Why would that be a lie? After all you are nothing but a pirate…"
A/N: What can I say? Another chapter done and only a few more to go...