Legacy of the Sea: Rising Tide

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October 24th, 2014, The Bahamas

1

That went better than I expected.

Are you saying you didn’t think I could do it? turning, I glanced at Martin.

I’m not saying that, the man said. His weathered face wrinkled as he smirked at me, and his white hair was tugged playfully by the light breeze.

Then what are you saying? I asked. He and I walked to a small speedboat that was pulled onto the beach nearby. Sitting in the small boat were four other men, all carrying pistols and wearing light clothing.

Martin and I walked to the speedboat, and a man with light brown hair pulled the boat into the water, then sent us all off into the bright blue sea. Far off in the water were two large ships, one more dignified than the other.

What’s your current plan? I asked Martin over the hum of the boats small but noisy motor.

I’m going back to Cuba for now, was the older man’s reply, I’ve business to attend to there that shouldn’t be missed.

Right, I nodded.

I hope that you’re going to report back to Carter, Martin said.

It would be smart if I went back to Carter wouldn’t it? I smiled. I’ll meet up with him once I’ve got a chance. There’s business of my own I need to handle.

Where is this business at? Martin questioned.

Nearby in Nassau, was my reply. I’m docking in the harbor, then my men and I are going to Palmdale to talk with the Stevens son.

The son of Jonathan Steven? Martin asked.

The Stevens son, I repeated with a nod. He’s visiting his father in Nassau for a few weeks, and I was asked to come sit in on a debate that the father and son are having.

Is isn’t another argument about the town is it? I picked up on the hint of annoyance in Martins voice and grinned.

Sadly it is, I replied. John and his son are still unsettled about who’s going to run the town although I’m favoring Jackson. Jonathan is seventy-four, and only getting older. Jackson, on the other hand, is only thirty eight, and he’s got years ahead of him to run that island they call a country. Leaving the town, its resources, and its delegates to Jackson would be easier than giving the town to the to delegates themselves.

Yes, and at the same time the delegates only know how to run the town under leadership. If you handed them a key to the city, they wouldn’t know what to do, Martin said.

I nodded. The boat sped across the clear blue water back to the ships that were docked across the sea, and now I felt myself smile.

The Queen’s Hand had been my ship for the past twenty or so years and was something I held as more valuable than any amount of money. Sixty-three meters long and thirteen meters from left to right, the ship was built like a traditional pirate ship although in this modern age my ship was built of metal instead of wood, despite being fairly small.

It had cost a fortune to refit though. The bridge was built near the back of the Queen, two levels high with the Captain’s cabin on the bottom and the command cabin serving as the top level. Behind the cabins was a small open deck that was home to four 50. caliber firing machine guns mounted on swivels. On the left and right side were eight anti-ship cannons that were fired by a two man crew, one man to load the round and another man to position the gun. The cannons were loaded by a back hatch that locked shut when a new shell was loaded, and when a round was fired, the back of the shell would drop out of the cannon when the hatch was opened. I had the guns specifically built and modified this way to give the crew fast firing and reloading times on the cannons, and I personally felt that cannons maned by hand were more effective than a machine or computer. On the bow of the Queen were two more 50. caliber guns.

On the second level of my ship were the crew quarters, kitchen, dinning area, ammunition storage, and the radar room. The third level was used for maintenance on the ship and was were most of the technical work was done. A maximum crew of around 180 men could crew the Queen’s Hand, although it only took 160 men to do it properly.

Captain, a man nearby pulled his hat down, and I looked at him.

Yes Giles?

Drake mentioned a small group of boats he’d seen of the coast of Nassau, Giles explained. When he went to found out what they were doing so close to home, he learned they had been sent from Port Au-Prince to load up on supplies. He spoke with an Irish accent that matched his red hair and goatee and shifted in his seat.

How many boats were there? I asked.

Just three small ones, not bigger than lobster boats, Giles said, "and the head boat was maybe half the size of the Queen. Their CO was some fellow named Davis."

Keep watch on them, I said, and if they do anything suspicious we’ll send some men to investigate.

Aye, Giles nodded.

Maybe they were fisherman coming to drop of a load of seafood in the Port, one man suggested.

All the fisherman in Au-Prince don’t ever have to leave the shore, other man joked.

I let my few crewmen to talk among themselves while the speedboat came to the hull of the Queen’s Hand. The other ship was taller than mine and longer, and I thought it was rightfully named the Mighty Storm. Martin’s destroyer-class warship that had been with him for the better part of twenty-eight years now was covered in metal plating on all sides, fronts and backs, and armed with enough firepower to tear down two given ships at a time. I had been involved with Martin during a few assignments before and knew that even my ship couldn’t out-gun the Mighty Storm.

The speedboat hit the side of the Queen, and my crew waited for the pulleys which were thrown over. Giles and another sailor snapped the hooks onto the front and back ends of the speedboat, and the small craft was pulled up.

I hope you’ll think about what I said in Freeport, Martin said.

I’ll consider it, was my reply. I heard Martin click his tongue, and I smiled.

The speedboat was up to the top deck of the Queen now, and my crew, and I stepped off the boat and onto the deck. The sun overhead was hot, and I wiped sweat away from my forehead. Martin cleared his throat, then pulled a small manilla envelope form the inside pocket of his light grey dress jacket.

What’s this? I asked, but took the envelope anyway.

Payment for Freeport, Martin said.

That fast? I asked. I pulled the top of the envelope opened and looked inside.

I had it with me while the mission was in progress, Martin said. If you had know the money was with me, something tells me you might have not complied with the missions objectives.

And have you dock my pay? I asked with a smirk. Nice try, old man.

Watch who you’re calling old, Martin said with a glare. He and I walked across the deck of my ship now, and Martin scratched his head, the sharp tips of his shoes clicking on the deck of the Queen.

Thomas, I really would like you to think about joining us at the Royal Kings Guard, Martin said.

I said I’ll think about it. My tone was sharper now, but I didn’t look at Martin. Across the deck, my men were readying a different speedboat to get Martin back to the Mighty Storm. My position in the Nassau Naval Guard holds sway and power, I continued, And besides, they pay me handsomely for all the work I do.

The R.K.G could pay you even more, Martin suggested.

From a country three times my countries size? I looked a Martin now, disbelief clear on my face. "I will consider your offer Martin, as I’ve said three times now. I’m not doubting your country would pay my men and me more than what we can make now, but sailing all the way to Britain just to get turned away from His Majesty doesn’t sound like much fun."

They won’t turn you away, Martin said. I’ve already mentioned them to you, and some of the Royal Guard has expressed a small interest in you.

So you’re telling men I don’t even know everything about me? I looked at Martin now. He looked back at me, stopping by the side of my ship.

What I told you wasn’t bad, he said. You could go far with the Guard, Thomas.

Bah, I threw my hand at Martin now and walked away from him some, my boots tapping the metal deck of the Queen’s Hand.

Martin motioned at one of my men to lower the boat, and he slowly sank from view. I walked over to stand beside Giles Derrick and my second officer Drake Anthony. Drake was a tall man with dark skin and a set of long dreadlocks that he kept in a ponytail behind his head. A shorter white man stood beside Drake. My third officer, Jared Hanes, who had short blonde hair and a fake left eye. His replacement eye was just a shade of blue lighter than his real eye, but it was hard to see from a distance.

What’s our course now, Captain? Drake asked me.

Back to Nassau for now, I said. We’ll head over to make sure we sit in with the Stevens son and father, then we’ll go from there.

I started for the command cabin, and Giles called out, All hands lively! We make for Nassau!

The day overhead was clear and cloudless, and I wore a pair of black pants with boots, and a light grey shirt that fell down to my elbows. My black hair was pushed off my head and my beard was cut short. Hanging under my arm was a silver revolver, the gun hanging tightly in the shoulder holster I wore.

Pulling open a door to the command cabin, I walked past my personal cabin, and Giles, Drake, and Jared all followed me up to the control bridge. Where’s Travis? I asked now, seeing my fourth officer was absent.

Control room, replied Jared. Said he was finishing up a scan of the area.

What’s he scanning for? I asked.

Mines and submarines, was Giles’ answer.

I chuckled now. He’s paranoid, that man.

He’s cautious if nothing else, Drake offered. We reached the command bridge now, and I pulled the door open, and walked across the room to the Captains wheel. Giles, Drake and Jared all took their respectful positions in the room, and Giles got the ship ready to move.

Submarines I can understand, I said, But mines? This isn’t the Bahamas in the 1700’s anymore. Mines are easy to see in water this clear. People aren’t stupid.

Some people are stupid, Drake pointed out. I felt myself snicker now, and my officers laughed.

Where the hell is Travis at? I asked again. My fourth officer Travis Mills was absent from his post as senior navigation officer, and the junior officer wasn’t anywhere either.

Let’s just do this, said Jared. I heard a whine as the intercom crackled over the bridge, and then Jared said, fourth officer Travis Mills! Please get your ass to the bridge so we can set sail for Nassau! Travis Mills to the bridge, thank you! his amplified voice carried over the bridge, and I heard a gust of laughter rise from the deck.

Giles and I were smiling now, and even Drake had a smirk on his face as he sat patiently at the radar panels. I kept one hand on the lever of the ships propeller engines, and the other hand on the small wheel of the ship, waiting for Giles to give us the go ahead.

Not a few seconds went by before I saw figure jogging across the deck of the Queen, and I chuckled. Giles glanced at me from his seat to my right, then we heard feet coming quickly up the stairs to the command cabin. Travis came through the doorway a second later a bit winded, but otherwise in high spirits.

Evening Travis, I greeted my fourth officer as he took his seat behind the navigation controls, and he nodded in response.

Cap’n, he breathed. A somewhat tall Canadian-American who had joined my crew a year after Giles, Travis had short crop of brown hair and a smooth face, with a small scar that ran down his bottom lip to his jaw.

We’re ready to shove off Captain, Giles said.

I put a hand to an intercom button, then said All hands ready for Nassau! taking my hand from the button, I put my hands on the engine controls, feeling the small skull that was designed into the left side of the lever. A small personal touch I had added to the Queen’s Hand to make her feel more unique.

Let’s go, I said. Pushing the engine lever forward, I felt the Queen jerk under my hands, but we moved forward with an easy and steady pace. The Queen’s Hand pulled away from Martin’s larger ship, and I sounded the horn as we left the older man’s company. I heard a return horn, and smiled. My ship picked up speed quickly, and I found myself glad I had rebuilt the Queen the way I had. But then again, being a Pardoned Man did have it’s perks. Ah but I think I’m getting a bit ahead, so let me back up first, and tell you just why I fell into this line of work.

2

My grandfather and father were both pirates. I know, saying that in such a modern age almost seems like a joke, doesn’t it? Well it’s true. My grandfather, Samuel Pritchett, and my father, Anthony Pritchett, had both been pirates, but they were a certain kind of pirate.

A Pardoned Man was someone who had a desire to captain and crew a ship of his own, but not use said ship and crew to the standards that were in place. If such need arose in a man and he had the needed manpower and resources, he could consider joining with one of the many Pardon Man factions that was spread out across the world. The Nassau Naval Guard could help men like myself, Giles, Drake, and my other officers.

This Pardon Man deal doesn’t just go to any man either. You have to meet certain qualifications, show a certain degree of skill with Captaining a ship, and above all, know how to maintain order. A powerful ship is nothing in the hands of a powerless Captain, this was something I had learned quickly within the N.N.G. Just being able to call out orders on a ship wasn’t good enough to to get you a place as a Pardon Man. Having pirates as ancestors or relatives was also something you should’t be proud of.

My father and grandfather had been Pardon Men for years and years before telling me about their positions. My grandfather was an old, shrewd man with a wrinkled face and a bad cough, thanks to years of smoking, and not to mention drinking. Of course, he never drank during traveling, but off ship he would drink to his heart’s content. He and all of his men were sober while they sailed, but when they were off ship and not under the constrains of an assignment, he and the crew of the RBN Dominique would drink as soon as they were on land, and then sleep off the drink until the next morning.

After my father was born though, my grandfather let go of some of his wilder habits. He didn’t stop sailing until he reached the age of seventy-nine, and even after that he would still sail with the new Captain of the Dominique, his original first officer named Brandon Howl. But eight years after my father was born, both Brandon and my grandfather were killed outside of Charleston, South Carolina in 1946. His crew attempted to sail the ship back into the North Atlantic Ocean, but were shot down and sunk by a group of bounty hunters.

My father was born in 1938 and came into the service of the Royal British Navy like my grandfather had. My father joined at the age of thirty-one and had his own crew and ship by the age of thirty-six, in just five years. His ship, the RBN Jacqueline, was named after my mother. She never agreed to watching my father sail across the seas at a moments notice, and after I was born she put her foot down. My father was stubborn though, and sailed to his own hearts content, very rarely coming home to visit my mother and me. This had been when I was still a baby, in 1974, only after four months of my birth.

After twenty years in the service of the British- I still don’t know who my father had been working for- my father joined with a different Naval force, but I never found out who it was. He came home to visit my mother and me in Britain more often after joining his new faction, but he never disclosed much about what he was doing or where he was going. One of the last times I saw my father was on my twenty-first birthday, but he had only shown up to tell me I was a good son, and then was gone.

I saw his ship mentioned in the newspapers for years after he had visited me on my birthday. By the time I was twenty-five, I had probably seen my father’s ship mentioned in the newspaper more than a thousand times, but the papers never mentioned my father or any of his crew by name. He was only ever called "The Captain of the pirating ship the Jacqueline."

3

On my twenty-second birthday, my mother woke me up, shaking me and telling me that men were at our door, asking to speak to me. I woke up groggy and dazed, but stumbled to our flat’s front door. At the door were three men, who introduced themselves as Travis Mills, Drake Anthony, and Jared Hanes. Drake had been taking charge of Travis and Jared, since this was before they all fell under my Captaincy.

After our initial meeting, Drake and the other officers took me to the River Mersey, where Albert Dock was located. Sitting in the river on the far left side was the ship that would one day fall into the service of the Nassau Naval Guard, my ship. Before it was called the Queen’s Hand though, the ship was named the Pillar or Justice, and was just an old military ship. Drake explained my father had sent the officers and ship both to me, and enrolled me into a Captaining class without my knowledge.

When I had asked why, Drake had only shrugged, although he smiled at me.

Your father has some larger plan for you I think, said the older man. All of the officers were my age, although Drake was just a year my senior, which didn’t make him old.

The Captaining classes were something I found massive interest in after I had gone for the first year. I had always loved the idea of sailing and being able to captain a ship, and now that the chance had arisen I took it quickly. The classes were sponsored and funded by an organization that worked as a partner for my fathers organization. My sponsor was the Nassau Naval Guard.

After five years of training, sailing, shipping and cargo handling, I was given my Captains license at twenty-seventh. The man who awarded me my license was the same man who I would eventually work for, Carter Smith. Carter was a tall man with blonde hair that he kept pushed back from his head, green eyes and an easy posture. He had a soft voice and preferred diplomacy to violence, and my crew and I got along well with the man.

For the next year after meeting Carter and gaining my title of Captain, I worked around Britain and Ireland, where I met Giles. Carter had given me the authority to arm my ship with cannons and machine guns, and then granted me permission to arm my crew. I did this over the course of six months, during which I acquired the guns for my ship, and had my crew trained in their use. They caught on quickly and I had Commanders assigned to the port side and starboard side gun crews, as well as a Commander for the front and back 50. caliber gunners. For the last six months of that year, I sailed around Ireland, tracking down ships and sinking them with directions from Carter.

I met Giles on January 8th, when I was thirty-seven. It was 2011, and my crew and I had made port outside of Dublin. We were going inland to handle some kind of disagreement with a harbormaster who didn’t want any members of the N.N.G in his port. I had been with the Nassau Naval Guard for six years now, since meeting Carter, and an allied ship named the Benjamin was docked in Dublin’s port, picking up supplies.

The harbormaster and his employer had been harassing the Captain of the Benjamin, and my crew and I had been called on to intervene before things got unpleasant. We made port outside of Dublin after gaining clearance from the local authorities, and then had gone inland via speedboats to find the Benjamin. The smaller ship was easy to find in the port, and my officers and I meet the harbormaster and the Captain of the Benjamin in Ringsend.

The captain of the Benjamin was already arguing with the harbormaster when my skeleton crew and I arrived, and punches were thrown just a minute later. My crew and I had stepped in then, pulling the Benjamin’s Captain to one side and the harbormaster to the other side. After a loud and heated argument, the harbormaster calmed down, and he and the Benjamin’s Captain came to an agreement. The harbormaster would let the N.N.G dock and resupply in Dublin, as long as they stayed out of Ringsend and didn’t send men inland. Business was conduced on the docks, and only the docks. The Benjamin’s Captain agreed to the terms, and his men set sail.

Before my men and I went back to the Queen’s Hand though, a crewman of the Benjamin caught up to us.

I want to join your crew, he told me. I slowed my pace and looked at him. A native Irishman with the accent, hair and beard to match, he then made several valid points in saying I could use a fourth officer. I listened with interest, as did Drake who was with me, and we took the man with us. I asked him his name and he told me.

Giles Derrick.

Doesn’t sound like an Irish name, I said.

Well, Thomas doesn’t sound much like an British name, he said back.

I laughed at that then gestured to my ship.

Come on then, Drake and I walked back to the Queen’s Hand, accompanied by my men and now Giles, I’ll turn you into a pirate yet, I told the Irishman.

Over the next two years, Giles caught on and learned quickly about our trade as pirates, and as Pardon Men. It wasn’t hard to sit in the seat next to me in the bridge of the Queen and call out orders, and Giles adopted the role with ease.

I promoted Giles to first officer in 2013, with the agreement that Drake would step down as first officer and take over as Gunnery Master aboard the Queen’s Hand. Drake agreed to the change. Travis stayed my fourth officer and Jared stayed my third officer, and Drake took position as my second officer.

October 24th, 2014 North Atlantic Ocean

(Four hours later)

1

Captain, Jared’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts, and I looked at the officer. Radio’s calling from Nassau wanting to talk to you.

Put em’ through, I said. I pushed the Queen to a faster speed, then picked up the radio that was hooked to the top of the cabin ceiling.

"Queen’s Hand this is Land, come in over," A scratchy voice rolled over the radio, but I could tell it was female. I pressed my thumb to a button.

"Land this is Queen, go ahead, over," I replied.

"Queen, first off, good to hear you boys are alright out there. Second off, if your heading for Nassau be careful. We saw a couple of hunter ships out there earlier this morning, off the coast of Moore’s Island. Over."

Acknowledged Land, thank you. Over, I said.

Keep safe out there, boys, said the rough female voice. If need be shut off all the lights and try hiding under the floorboards, but I’m sure you could just shoot back, over.

"We hear you Black Tar,