//------------------------------// // Bottoms up // Story: Sailors of the Blue // by Orion 141 //------------------------------// Mainmast grabbed Pip by the rough of his kneck, tossed in on his back, and ran. Gunfire rang out. The Brig was going down. Looking up towards where the Maiden would be, Mainmast saw only a wall of flames, reaching to the sky. "Maple! Buckel! You lads alive?!" Screamed Mainmast as he turn to look around. The Brig's forward mast was coming down, any second it would fall and split the ship in half. "Mast! It's me! Maple! Follow my voice!" Mainmast heard his voice, but it was through smoke and flame, with nothing better being presented to him, he ran. The fire burned at his coat, setting it alite. "Down here, jump!" Mainmast looked down, Maple was in the water, holding onto a cupboard. With a single prayer, he lept from the crumbleing deck. Smoke billowed from the still burning wreak of the Brigs, the storm had smashed them together. Their combined mass kept afloat and alite. The Sun was high in the sky when Pip came to, the water still cool. The smoke did little to block the heat of the sun's light. "Maple..." Caughted Pip, his voice was horse and he need water. "Don't say it." Replied Maple as he opened the door on the cupboard. A pair of fine coats floated out from underneth. They were rich red and gold. Worthless to the men now, but they would have cost a fourtune to the right man. "You wanted... to see port Royale... Look there..." Pip pointed into the sky, the sun seemed to grow in size, getting even hotter. "Mainmast was under water, he was looking through the cupboard. Should we join him?" Asked Maple as he drifted over to Pip's side of the box. Pip's eyes were closed, by a smile was plastered across his face, his teeth were turning yellow. "Naaaaah." Repliedn Pip as he rolled over face first into the sea. Maple grabbed him and rolled him back over, he was out cold. With a sigh, Maple leaned against the cupboard. Mainmast surfaced, clad in a very fimilar coat. "Is that...?" Asked Maple as he eyed the coat. It was deep blue with golden cuffs and collar. The arms had a few stripes of gold on them, by the main concern were the six shiny stars on the shoulders. "An Admiral's jacket? Yep. I got a plan. Someone is bound so come a looking, see what they can steal or who they can save. If it's navy, yay. My plan can sink to the deep black. But." Mainmast pulled out a pair of pistols, their gems ruby red and filled with golden light. "If it's pirates, you boys will act the part, I'll make a scene." "Scene?" "Yes, if you worthless sea shits fail me. Princesses help me, I'll row the Dutchmen from the deep black all the way back up to find you. You got me boy?" Asked Mainmast as he grabbed Maple by the neck, a pistol in hand. Maple didn't say a word, he only nodded in understanding. Satisfied with the answer, Mainmast relaxed. He let go of Maple and floated next to the cupboard. With a sigh, he closed his eyes. The sun raced across the sky, it made a streak in Pip's vision, he heard Mainmast's plan. He didn't like it, but it would work. If Pip could count, he would have done so. The days that went by were quick and hot. Abotu three days in, Mainmast had shoved a bottle into his mouth. Rum. Always had to be rum with pirates. But it was enough to keep them awake. By the fifth day, Pip was going mad. He need water and he was in the middle of the ocean. "Cap'in! We got a bunchel o' live ones 'ere!" The voice was harsh. It was rough. It was knew. Knew meant he got here some how, they were in the ocean so got here meant ship. Ship meant people, people mant food and water. Food and water meant life! Pip rolled over and looked around franticly. The sky was dark and filled with stars all around him, save for a giant blind spot. A first his blood boiled, had he imagened it? "Pip... Pip... look... A ship!" Caughed Maple as he pull Pip closer. Suddenly a blinding light struck the group. Pip looked up to see, only for the light to burn his eyes. He raised a hand to block it, the figure of a ship began to come into focus. He was alive. The crew pulled the water logged men aboard. One was in a funny coat. The other two were pirates, their ratty clothes game them away. "Cap'in, look at that one over yonder! He's navy!" Long Eyes yelled from his roost high in the sky. The captain slowly walked down to the three men. The man in the coat got to his feet, he was huge. He stood three heads taller than the captain. His coat looked small on him, maybe it was made of fine silks that you weren't allowed ot get wet or they would shrink. "Look here fine sir! You are the Captain of this ship?!" The man was yelling at the captain who was not a single pace in front of him. The captain simple looked up at the man and nodded. "Yes sir, I am. I take it you're Royal Navy?" The captain's voice was smooth and calm. "Yes, yes I am! I am Imperial Admiral Ship Master! And I order you in the name of the Princesses to kill these briggans!" The man was now nearly jumping at this point. He was pointing at the two men still laying on the deck, dying from the looks of it. "May I ask why?" Replied the captain in a soothing tone. At this the man raged. "AGH! IF YOU REFUSE I SHALL HAVE TO KILL YOU AND TAKE THIS SHIP! COME MEN! FOR THE PRINCESSES!" He drew his pistols and fired. He hit Micky and Dicky square in the head, killing the both of them before reaching for his sabers, which were missing. Bones and Thach drew their blade and slashed at the giant man's legs, dropping him to his knees. Captain calmly and slowly drew her sword. "Sir, I'm a pirate." She thrusted the blade into his neck. The saber's blade easily cut through the think skin and poped the link between his head and his spin. Captain slowly pulled tha blade out, the dying light of teh moon coating the ship and revealing the blood on the blade. With a grunt, the man slumped over, dead. His blood pooling on the deck. "Bones, you and Thach was to clean this mess up, you two. I'm in need of a pair of good hands. Oh, Cross, deal with these boys." The captain barker her orders, and turned to leave. The men scrambled and did their duties. Grace closed the door to her cabin, slumping down the door once it was closed. She let out a breath, looked around her cabin there were charts, loot, and a stack of papers all filed neatly and orderly. Sighing again, she got to her feet and walked over to the file. The thumbed through them until she got to a sheet she needed. She pulled the letter out and looking it over. "Many "micky' Roads... bounty of 7,000 reales... wanted for piracy and murder of a navy officer... Wanted dead or alive... Micky you old bastard. It was a wild ride all these years." She tossed the paper to the floor and continued flipping through the stack. "Desprate "Dicky" Diction... bounty of 1,000 reales... waned for piracy and assult of nobility... worthless shit. Good riddance!" Yelled Grace as she tossed the letter to the floor. She slammed the stack onto the desk and threw her sword at the door. The blade flew true and quick, embedding it's self deep and poking through to the other side. She walked slowly across the room towards her bunk, and climbed in for the night.