Chapter 6
Both of us watched the approaching coast in relief and awe. For me this was the first land I had really seen, not counting the island. I couldn't say for Rangitaiki, but this was for sure a new land for me and I wondered what awaited me. I also finally felt like we had made our first real step, getting off the island was just the first part.
"Do ye recognize this shore?" I asked her. I was greeted with a shake of her head.
"No, not at all." I had sort of expected this, but I had hoped she might, so we could figure out where we were.
"I guess we shuid coast, an' see whit we find" I couldn't think any other plan.
"Agreed" with that I turned starboard and followed the coastline. Sweeping the land with binoculars, and keeping tabs on my radar. The shore was covered in lots of forests, with mountains further back. I couldn't get a good look at those, but I could tell that the trees were primarily pine, or what appeared ot be pine. We continued like this for a while pointing out small natural things to one another. Sueddenly I felt something on my radar, I jerked my head in response.
"What is it?" Rangitaiki asked, noticing my reaction.
"I've got one maybe two contacst oan my radar, its th' first one since we saw th' slaver" I replied. Rangitiaiki nodded.
"How long before we come upon it?"
"Not long, shuid be oan th' port side" I replied, moving across the bridge to be in a better position to spot the contact. I also raised my guns from the resting postion, but did not rotate the turrets. I wanted to be ready with a warning shot, but did not want to antangonize anyone with aimed guns. Rangitiaiki quickly joined me, binoculars to her eyes. I figured this was likely some sort of trading ship, given the fact that the coast was also on the port side of the ship. With nothing left to do but wait, I grasped my javelin in uncertainty.
"I see it!" Rangitaiki called after an eternity.
"Whit do ye see?" I asked, cupping my eyes looking in the direction she was faceing.
"Its a packet boat of some kind, sail vessel, with several small boats around it! That's unusual, anyway the flag appears to be that of Versi's so we should be safe" she reported. I didn't understand part of it, but I got the impression it shouldn't be more slavers, and someone actually willing to help. Maybe.
"A'll bring us up slowly so as no' to startle them" I told her, relaxing the guns. Though Rangitaiki didn't relax.
"Javelin, something up, I don't think that ship is properly under control" she told me.
"Whit ye mean?" I inquired. I looked at the ship through my rangefinders, and indeed something was up. The smaller boats were empty, some kind of coastline sail craft, and there seemed to be a lot of activity on the deck.
"I can't explain, but something about the ship tells me she's not under proper control." was her response.
"I agree, summant isn't right." I retrieved my javelin from where I had left it on the deck and retuned to my positon my own binoculars raised so I could get an unobstructed view of the ship. The ship was a three master with square rig set, perhaps a barquentine. As we pulled closer it became more clear something was admiss.
"I think those are Pirates!" Rangitaiki exclaimed "Not the ship, but the small boats, I have heard they will prey on ships close to shore like this before!"
"Ur ye sure?" I asked back, but I didn't need a verbal answer. I could now see the deck clearly and tell that there was a fight going on. On the deck a massive brawl was ensuing. I could roughly tell the two general sides, but I couldn't tell who were the pirates, and who were the crew. As we grew closer I spied a group in the castle at the back of the ship. They seemed to be protecting the wheel.
"I hav an Idea" I quickly told Rangitaiki what it was. She nodded in understanding.
"I'll get inside, and see if I can do anything to make you look more crewed" I nodded at that as it would help the deception. I quickly adjusted our speed and heading, so that we would come up alongside the packet vessel. It didn't appear like many noticed out advance, which was good I wanted the element of surprise. The sounds of fighting wafted over the water to us, the fighting sounded hard. Once we were in the right position I jumped from my bridge onto the castle of the ship.
"What the-!"
"Another Enemy!?"
These were some of the reponses to my arrival I heard. The sounds of fighting seemed to lessen a bit.
"Ur ye th' captain?" I asked the person who looked in charge.
"Um Yes, I do happen to be" he replied, sounding a little shaken from my arrival.
"Good, am not an emeny, am here to help!" I told him. He looked confused at that. "These ur pirates correct?"
"Yes, but how can you help?" he was skeptical, which I could understand.
"Am a lot stronger then I look" I replied, "besides I hav a plan!" He didn't look convinced but nodded in acceptance anyway.
"We are in dire straits, we do need all the help we can get. You get us through this, and we will be eternally grateful" I nodded and ran to the stairs that descended down onto the main deck. I stood at the top, looking down I could tell this was a hard battle. The Pirates themselves had a more disorganized appearance to them, and lacked the even slightly uniform appearance that the crew did. I couldn't tell who was winning, but I shouldn't dally on my plan.
"Those loyal to the captain prepare to counter attack!" I yelled trying my best not to let my accent slip through. I got a couple of confused looks, but I gave them a moment.
Dun Dun Dun! I opened up with my QF 2 pdr Pom Pom guns. I was aming over the heads of the crew, and between the masts. The powerful rapid fire gun should cause enough of stir to demoralize the pirates. Even without a demonstation of its destructive abilities. It did appear to have this effect as most of the pirates, and unfortunately some of the crew coward, or dropped to the deck seeking some kind of cover. The crew that hadn't been affected by the demonstration saw their opportunity and acted.
I also stepped in to help, launching myself down the stairs toward one of the pirates that seemd to be in a leadership positon. Despite cowering from my QF 2 pdrs, he recovered quickly and was barely able to put his sword up in time. It managed to catch my javelin, but he was forced back a couple paces. Before he could fully recover I jabed at him. he could react in time, and I got hin in his shoulder. I figured I could now use my weapon's better reach to wear him out. However that seemed unnecessary, as suddenly several crew member appeared around me completely out numbering him.
I quickly looked around and saw that most of the pirates were delt with already. Leaving this man as one of the last few standing. He seemed to realize the hopeless of his situation, and dropped his weapon. With that the last few priates also surrendered. With that a cheer was raised by the crew. I quickly made my way back to the castle to talk with the captain. I was pleased that my plan had worked. I walked up the stairs and saw he was in discussion with what seemed like his officers, some of who looked the worse for wear.
"Ah here she is!" the captain said noticing my approach. "we couldn't have done this with out your help. For that we thank you."
"Its ma pleasure, we just happened to notice ye were in trouble an' helped, lek any reasonable person shuid." I replied.
"Still, we would have been hard pressed to keep the ship with out your help!' he started "We for one are willing to give you and your ship's crew the reward money for this, our desitnatnon happens to contain the regional headquarters for the government, and this pirate crew has been wreaking havoc for months."
"Ur ye sure?" I asked, we hadn't done much. It hadn't even been much of a plan. the captain nodded.
"This is one of our regular runs, so we are set to get in the purple this run. besides we have some rare spices this time, so we are likely going to be getting more pay this time anyway." I nodded at that.
"if thats how you and the crew feel we will accept." All thing considered Rangitaiki did need the money, as we were low on supplies, and lacked charts and other critical navigation equipment.
"That said, could i trouble you with one more thing?" the captain asked.
"Aye, if its in oor power to do, we'll see whit we can do."
"Could you give us an escort in to harbor? It's only a couple of hours to port, and despite having won here, we don't know if there are more laying in wait for us. There has been an uncomfortable uptick in pirates and slavers in these parts recently, so having had this occur I want a little extra support". I could see his concern, despite being victorious the crew had been injured and it was questionable if they could repulse another attack.
"Aye, we can, though we may no' follow ye all th' way into harbor, we do hav oor own mission, er time table, we can delay long enough to receive th' reward, but not too long, so its better for us to stand off the coast rather then to enter and birth" It was a lie, but given how unusual I was, and the fact we still wern't sure what we wanted to do, I decided it was for the best not to enter the harbor directly.
"I understand, well I appreciate you assisting us, and being able to journey with us to Toricva" came his reply. I nodded.
"If that's all I will return to my vessel" her nodded, and I turned and ran to the side jumping back onto my deck. I quickly headed up to the bridge, running into Rangitaiki on the way. she joined me on the bridge and we watched as the crew got the packet back underway.
"It was a success, and the captain wants us to accompany them to harbor, Toricva I think?, he is also going to give us the money.
"Toricva huh? I think that's in Versi's colonial territory in the Vercian continent. That aside we do need supplies so hopefully the reward will be decent". I nodded in agreement, starting a head now that the packet was under sail.
"Am glad wan of us kens sommant aboot it." I replied "I was thinking that we could stand off th' shore beyond visual range, an' go in oan a moter launch to receive th' money." Rangitaiki nodded.
"Yea that makes the most amount of sense, I've never seen anything like you before, and I personally want to remain as low key as possible for now."
"Agreed. For 'is section, I was thinking wan of us shuid be on th' bridge at all times, just in case something happens. Th' other can do whit they want, and we keep rotating who it is." I explained to her. We hadn't gotten much sleep or rest, after the weird mirror like sea, seeing land and now this. So I wanted to make it possible for one of us to rest. Rangitaiki also nodded at this.
"Let me take the first rotation then, you were just fighting and need a bit of time" I wanted to argue, but she was making sense.
"Okay, a'll head below an' let ye take first watch. A'll be in th' captians sea cabin resting." She nodded in response and I headed below. Once I made it the sea cabin, I collapse into the bed and fell asleep. Before I knew it, I was being shaken.
"Javilen, time to switch" she was saying as I came to.
"All right" I nodded, getting off the bed. She took my place and I headed up. a quick look at the clock told me it had been about two hours. I continued up and settled in on my bridge, to the port packet was still there. Some of the crew waved at me, which I retuned. I looked ahead, scanning with my eyes and radar for anything. There wasn't. I quickly settled into a routine of watching ahead and looking at the packet. the trip was uneventful. after a similar amount of time I woke Rangitaiki. she took over, though now i felt more rested and decided to stay with her on the bridge. not long after she came up the shore started to change.
Now there were houses and signs of development now. from the occasional house or building to a large number, possible villages or towns. Looking ahead revealed that there was more development.
"I think we might be getting close" I told Rangitaiki. She just nodded. Soon in the distance a proper city started to appear. large buildings, and many different kinds of ships.
"Well, welcome to Toricva I guess" Rangitaiki said. I only nodded in agreement.
Two things of note. First pirates did actually act like that in some areas. using small boats to creep up upon unsuspecting ships in the golden age of piracy. Secnd the in the purple is a deliberate wording. That's the phrase in this world. Not in the red or black, it's in the purple to reflect a different situation in that world.