For this one, the words were Piracy, Swagger and Daring. I was clearly being led down a certain path by those, but I decided to set it in the world of Theah, as featured in the 7th Sea roleplaying game. “Sails ahoy, captain! Black ones!” The voice came from aloft. Young Francois couldn’t sail for all the guilders in Théah, but he had the best eyes that Emilia Caligari, captain of the Lady’s Favour, had ever come across, and so she’d found a place for him in the crow’s nest. She took up her glass and raised it to her eye as she returned the call. “Where about?” “Coming in from the port side, captain!” She turned to port and searched the horizon. Yes – there she was. Black sails, just as Francois had said. She passed the glass to her brother, Timeo, who took it and looked out in the same direction. She turned to both him and the other man at her shoulder – Heinrich Sauer, the Ship’s Master. “Well, gentlemen?” Sauer was already looking at the approaching ship with his own glass. “She’s a three master,” said Sauer after a moment. “Barque. Looking at the size of her, I’d guess 16 guns. She’ll approach fast and try to board us. It would be quite daring of her to try – if we can keep our distance, we can fairly easily destroy her. She’ll have a big crew though – can we see her off if she closes, Mr Caligari?” Timeo nodded as he looked. “I doubt it will come to it – especially with Albert’s new toy – but if it does, we can keep the Favour safe. Do you think she’ll try?” Sauer nodded. “Aye. They’re pirates – if they were going to turn away, they’d have done so by now.” The pilot, Dalia, spoke up. “Pirates? So close to Fort Freedom?” She then quietened, looking embarrassed at her question. Emilia smiled at her. “Indeed – piracy in these waters. This is my shocked face. You don’t know the Company well yet, Miss Synal, but you’ll get to. They hire pirates to do most of their dirtiest work, but some of the pirates want that bit more, not content with what they’re already getting.” Dalia nodded. “Aye, Captain. Your orders?” “Maintain course, Miss Synal. When they get close, I want our broadside ready for them. Beat to quarters, Mr Sauer, but quietly – let’s see if we can surprise them when they reach range. Ready the marines, Mr Caligari – just in case Albert’s new toy isn’t as effective as he thinks it will be. It seems these pirates need a lesson in picking their targets, and we can be the ones to teach them.” The wind was, as always for the Favour, perfect and the captain surreptitiously watched as the pirate ship approached. All was in readiness – the gun teams all prepared with Albert Rostum, the master gunner, ready for the order to fire. The marines had their weapons but stood seemingly idly on deck. It was almost time.
Francois was keeping a careful watch of the distance when his eagle eyes picked out something unusual. “Captain!” he called down more urgency in his voice than earlier. “You’d best take a look.” Emilia did as suggested, raising her glass to her eye and looking at the pirate ship. The enemy ship looked deserted, other than a pilot, stood carefully at the wheel. Where was the rest of the crew? There was no way that one person could have gotten this ship out to sea. She scanned the horizon, finally seeing the jolly boats being rowed away. “Mr Sauer,” she said, her usual swagger gone. “Hypothetically, why might a pirate crew abandon their ship prior to engaging?” The Eisen man looked out to sea, seeing the same thing she had. “Fire ship, but they’re too far out. The pilot could still light it, but that would be suicide for him. Pirates aren’t generally given to such actions.” “My thoughts exactly, Mr Sauer. And that would be an expensive ship to give up voluntarily, I think.” “Aye, captain. It would.” “Captain!” came the call from aloft. “They’re closing fast.” She looked out – Francois was right. “Something isn’t right here,” said Sauer, completely unnecessarily. “I concur,” replied Emilia. “Miss Synal – turn to starboard. Mr Sauer – lay on every ounce of sail. I don’t like this.” “Aye captain,” they both said at the same time. Unfortunately, the wind was in the pirate ship’s favour as much as their own, and the other ship proved to be the faster. No matter how much the Favour’s crew tried, they couldn’t make distance and the pirate continued to get closer and closer. “We can’t keep running,” said Timeo, climbing up to where Emilia was watching the other ship’s approach. “They’ll catch us eventually, and we’re better off getting as many shots off as we can whilst they approach.” She nodded. “You’re right, but I still don’t like this. They’re planning something, and I don’t know what it is.” She made the orders and the Favour turned about, placing their port side back towards the approaching ship. It continued to approach rapidly, and she continued to watch at the rail. There was no point trying for subterfuge now – they were clearly aware of the predator and prepared to defend themselves. “She’s riding low in the prow,” said Sauer, eyes narrow in confusion. “Like she’s front heavy.” “He’s wearing gloves!” called down Francois. “Sorcier!” Emilia turned swiftly to look down her ship. So that was their plan – the pilot would escape at the last second, probably after setting the ship on fire, via porté! “Port broadside – fire!” she screamed and heard her call echoing down the ship as officers ordered their divisions to fire. Their only chance now was to force him to make his escape before he could fire the ship. The cannons roared and the other ship was hit by almost all of them. The pilot did as expected and ripped open a hole in the world before making his escape by stepping through. She knew from experience that the world would be screaming in pain, but the sound of her own guns hid it from her ears. The pirate ship continued to move towards them, clearly tied into a straight course. It was too late to move out of the way, but they could brace for the collision. With the ship not on fire, that should be enough to see them safe and they could repair any damage with materials from the pirate ship. The ship would, no doubt, be empty of any plunder, but just the timber would be valuable. “Brace!” shouted Sauer, and the whole crew grabbed hold of something, or ducked down to better take the incoming impact. The ships struck and everything and everybody shook. Then came the explosion. The pirate ship’s prow simply vanished in a mass of fire, sending broken wood and shattered metal into the Lady’s Favour and her crew. Many of those were aflame and it was purest good fortune that saved them. The wave that had been created by the collision rose up and fell upon the Favour, smothering the fires instantly. Timeo moved with the marines to push what was left of the pirate ship away, fearing further explosions and Emilia breathed a sigh of relief. Sauer stood up next to her. “They rigged it to explode. Must have filled the prow with all of their powder.” Emilia nodded. “Make sure anybody that is hurt is taken below and have people check the ship for more damage.” Sauer nodded. “Once again, captain – luck has saved us. Fate loves you.” Emilia nodded back. “Indeed it does, Mr Sauer. Which is fortunate, because we’ve clearly done something to very seriously upset somebody else.”
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October 2021
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