The first thing Imaginos spotted from the crow's nest was the mast of an approaching vessel. There was an incredibly dense fog that hid the rest of the ship, but the black mast and sails stood out in hazy contrast to the stark whiteness of the fog that surrounded them.

A thrill ran through Imaginos's spine as he recognized the vessel for what it was: a pirate ship. Turning to face the deck, he called out "Hostile ship off the starboard bow!"

The rest of the crew turned to their right, not seeing the ship at first due to the fog. One of them was about to chastise Imaginos for inventing danger to impress the captain when the ship came through the dense murk and a single cannon-blast rang though the stillness, the cannonball falling just short of the ship.

'A warning shot', thought Desdinova. 'They mean to board us, not bomb us.'

"Prepare for boarding," Desdinova shouted to her crew. "Imaginos, get down here. We need every man for this battle,"

Grabbing a rope, Imaginos swung down from the crow's nest and grabbed a sword from the ship's armoury.

He was just returning to the main deck when the first pirates came aboard.

"Ah, you must be the captain," the pirate captain said to him as he drew his weapon.

Not wishing for Desdinova to be in danger, Imaginos engaged the pirate captain in combat, hoping that his ruse would keep her safe. As the two crossed the deck, locked in battle, Desdinova and the rest of the crew fought the pirate crew, blade-to-blade. Soon, Desdinova and Imaginos were back to back as they each fought their respective foe.

"You fight well," Desdinova told Imaginos. "Of course that's to be expected as you are my equivalent."

"Thank you, my fair lady," Imaginos replied.

"Did she just tell you that you fight like a girl?" the pirate captain laughed. "I wouldn't brook such an insult!"

"You haven't seen the way she fights," Imaginos told him.

"Ah, so the wench has got spirit, has she?" the pirate captain pinned Imaginos to the deck at that point. "Then, she will make me a fine wife."

"I don't think so," Imaginos said, the other man's words lighting a fire in him that brought strength to his nearly exhausted form. He threw the pirate off of him and soon had him pinned against the mast. "You will not speak of my lady thusly! She is too great a lady for you or even myself. No man will ever tame her."

"You speak well, Imaginos," Desdinova told him as she joined him. Turning to the crew she ordered, "place this man in the ship's brig."

The pirate captain looked at her with incredulity. "You're the captain?"

"I am," Desdinova told him. "Imaginos is my guest. Oh, he was a captain, but not of this ship."

"My ship capsized yesterday in a storm," Imaginos said as the pirate captain was taken to the brig.

"Keep him under close scrutiny," Desdinova ordered. "I get the feeling he'll try to escape the first chance he gets."