After they settled in to the crew's quarters, Jussac gave a quick tour of the ship. A trip to the lower deck was an eye-opener.
There was a cadre of gunpowder barrels. D'Artagnan could hardly control the shiver that went down his spine, as they looked exactly like the ones that Vadim and his men had tied him to so long ago now.
This was also the place where the extra cannonballs were stored. Looking at the volume, it seemed as if the Revenge would not lack in cannonball power for a very long time.
Then, trapped inside of a cage, were five men, looking haggard, tired, and clearly beaten.
Five fishermen. Currently hostages.
Before the Musketeers could even enquire about them, one of the prisoners shouted "Please. Please. We haven't even been given water today."
Juassac looked over to a fellow pirate and said, "Jules. This true?"
"I was getting to it."
"Get them their supper and water now. Five dead men will get us no ransom at all, you dolt."
Jules scrambled away to do just that.
One of the feistier of the fishermen said, "And who are these four? New recruits to your despicable band of miscreants?"
"You watch your tone, unless you wish to skip your food and water, shakeragg," Jussac spat out.
The looks of derision pointed their way unnerved the four Musketeers, who did their best to continue to betray no sympathy towards these poor men.
"You have no honor! You will all pay for this!" the fisherman said as Jussac and the Musketeers made their way back up to the upper deck.
"This is now also a rescue mission," Athos managed to whisper to Aramis, clearly unpleased at the new complication facing the execution of their already tenuous plan.
Back at the crew quarters, Jules said to D'Artagnan, 'What is your name?"
"Richard," D'Artagnan said.
"Well, Richard, make yourself useful and help me shlep the fishermen their dinners."
D'Artagnan paid close attention to Jules' unlocking of the cage housing the fishermen. Jules then waved D'Artagnan inside the cage to follow him, as both held the rations to feed them.
D'Artagnan could not help but notice the daggers the collective eyes of the fishermen were throwing at him, as he provided them their food and drink. He looked at the slop masquerading as food that was being provided the men, and could not help but gag.
But the reluctant but eager manner in which the men ate the food told D'Artagnan that they had been deprived food for so long now, that anything of sustenance was to be eaten.
When Jules re-locked the cage, D'Artagnan made a mental note of where he stored it- around his neck- as he knew it would be instrumental in freeing these five poor souls.
When the four of them reunited at night in the crew quarters, Athos kept his voice low when he spoke.
"It is doubtful that they will allow us to congregate alone together for any given length of time, so know this: without this ship, Collaart and his men become completely powerless to anyone they wish to rob, or harm. They literally have all of their eggs in one basket, so to speak.
"Therefore, it is simply a matter of freeing those five men, then blowing this ship up, using the gunpowder barrels below deck. I am no sailor, but it seems obvious even to me that where they are placed, them igniting will send this ship to the bottom of the harbor in less than an hour."
"Jules keeps the key to their cage around his neck. If I can just get to it, I can free them."
"I suggest we-"
Aramis' comment was cut short by Jussac, who said "Time for bed. You will take separate cots." At this, he, Petr, and another pirate, Jean, escorted all four Musketeers to separate areas within the crewman's deck.
Continued plan coordination would have to wait.