Crew of the Marblehead

by M48 Patton

Chapter 1

Run. That had been the only thing the captain of the small freighter could do. For an hour, she had stayed by her helm steering her ship away from the nightmare that pursued them. She had heard stories of the famed ship, but to see it with her own eyes had nearly stopped her heart. The wind that drove her ship on with fury did nothing to open the gap between the two ships as her pursuer closed the distance with frightening speed.

She called out to her crew to make more sail, but it was useless. The Germanenian ship had every last stitch of canvas aloft, pulling the ship forward at an impressive fifteen knots. Off the bow of the merchant vessel lay a squall line not far ahead, offering darkness from the bright day. The captain had hoped to sail into the rainstorm in an effort to hide from the fearsome vessel.

It was too late. With a speed that should have been impossible for such a large vessel, the giant ship swept by the Germanenian merchant and veered in front of the slow and ungainly freighter. The unfortunate sailponies aboard the merchant vessel held on to whatever they could grab for dear life as the wake from the giant ship caused the deck of the merchant to heel over sharply. Wood groaned and sails creaked as the ship righted itself only to tip suddenly to the other side as the merchant ship's captain maneuvered to prevent a collision between the two vessels.

The move sent the bow of the ship directly into the wind, stopping the freighter dead in the ocean. Before the crew was able to adjust the sails for the change in the wind, the giant ship had turned around and come up alongside the merchant, stopping perfectly abeam of the wooden ship. Almost instantly, a mare's voice called out in crisp, clear Germanenic.

“Please stop!” She called. “Or they will not only kill you, but my daughter as well!”

The sailponies on board the merchant looked up at the deck, searching for the source of the voice. Staring back down out them were about a dozen pirates, the majority of them ponies with a few other species mixed in. One of the pirates, a red unicorn pony stallion was holding a knife to the throat of a mint colored earth pony mare.

“Please, just do as they say or my daughter will be thrown overboard!” The mare wailed pitifully.

As she said this, a small brown earth pony filly was carried out over the side of the ship by a pegasus. The little filly screamed and cried helplessly in the hooves of her captor, yelling out something in Equestrian.

Instantly, the Germanenian sailponies were yelling in outrage, but a flame of red hot fire erupted from the deck of the giant ship. The threat of fire silenced the crew, and they watched in horror as a red pony-sized dragon climbed onto the railing and stared hungrily down at them

“These are the pirates' demands.” She called out in her melodic voice. “You are to allow them to offload your cargo without quarrel. If there is any resistance, my daughter will join your crew at the bottom of the sea.”

The sailponies aboard the merchant ship grouped up with their captain for a moment to discuss the situation. She knew what the stakes were, and she knew just how powerless they were. She gave the order and sullenly, the crew pulled the hatch off of their cargo hold and then lined the railing at the far side of the ship, watching the pirates begin their work.

---

Standing on a platform raised over the already towering deck of the massive ship was a pegasus. His rough, yellow coat showed slight wear from years on the sea and his powerful frame was built more like that of an earth pony rather than a pegasus. Underneath an aging but well maintained blue tricorn hat was a mess of dirty yellow hair that matched the ragged and unkempt look of his tail. Though partially hidden by his hat, the pegasus watched everything with keen eyes that took in the most minute details.

This pegasus was none other than the captain of the fearsome pirate ship, Trade Breaker, a once honest merchant captain that had lost his first ship the Sea Treader in a terrible storm. However, the storm had ultimately led him to the wondrous vessel known as the Marblehead, the ship he now commanded.

It was a massive construction made of steel, an impossible feat itself, but that was just the first surprise his ship had to offer. Two structures rose above the deck with movable cannons mounted in the sides of them. The wheelhouse was also mounted on the top of the forward structure, giving him an unobstructed view of the sea. Two boxes, one on the very bow and one on the very stern of the ship held powerful twin cannons that could turn to either side of the ship.

Four large smokestacks rose into the air in the center of the ship in between the two structures. Below these smokestacks were the massive boilers that powered his ship, allowing it to move in excess of thirty knots, faster than anything on the sea.

The ship's paint was a dull gray exterior and red bottom, and it made the ship a strange sight on the ocean allowing any creature that saw her to recognize the pirate ship from a great distance. Despite her odd appearance, her speed, armor and weapons were unmatched, making her the queen of the seas wherever she sailed. However, no matter how powerful a ship may be, it is nothing more that an object, powerless without a good crew to handle her.

For the most part, the crew did as Trade Breaker ordered, mostly because they liked him. However, a cursory glance told the pegasus that two of his crew were not performing their duties at that current moment.

---

“DRIP! Stop kissin' the hostage!” The captain's harsh voice rang out as he approached the red unicorn. Fortunately, the two had moved back slightly as to not be seen by the sailponies below.

The stallion broke lip contact with the mint green mare and looked at his captain with an innocent expression.

“Just checking her pulse, Captain.” He said.

“Don't be givin' me any o' that!” The captain growled. “Ye'll have plenty o' time to show Miss Flowers how ye feel ta'night, but at this current moment, ye'll maintain yer respective characters as pirate an' hostage.”

“Aye sir!” The stallion saluted while the mare dipped her head slightly in acknowledgment.

Trade Breaker turned around and let out a small sigh. So far, the plan to try and appear more pirate like wasn't going to plan at all, starting with those two

In reality, the mare being held hostage was in fact, Miss Sun Flowers, a former singer from Canterlot before an unexpected daughter had blacklisted her from a great many of the communities across Equestria. The unfortunate mare was so desperate that she signed on with Captain Trade Breaker a few years back and had been a part of the crew ever since.

The stallion who was enjoying her company was none other than her fiance, the two of them having known each other back when Trade Breaker was still in command of his old ship, the Sea Treader. However, it wasn't until the Sea Treader was lost and Trade Breaker had acquired the Marblehead that most of the crew found out the stallion's secret.

Drip was a changeling, having signed on with Trade Breaker the day after Sun Flowers had. Although Trade Breaker had learned the changeling's true identity long before it was revealed, Trade Breaker had trusted Drip and allowed the changeling to feed off the emotions of the crew as long as it never harmed them.

Although Sun Flowers was initially fearful and cautious of Drip due to his heritage, the changeling had slowly but surely brought down the mare's barrier and eventually proposed. It had been a joyous day on the ship when Sun Flowers accepted.

However, as much as Trade Breaker enjoyed the sight of the two becoming a couple, his main concern at the moment was to ensure that the sailponies down below saw a frightening and fierce crew of cutthroats and hopefully pass the information on. He only hoped that the rest of the crew were staying in character.

---

Having been in more battles than most pirates spent days on a ship, the pegasus known as Quick Strike thought he could handle just about anything. He was wrong. Currently, he was trying to look menacing and ready to end a filly's life at a moment's notice.

It was not an easy thing to do when said filly was trying her darnedest not to start giggling and failing miserably at it. Which was infuriating and adorable at the same time.

“Will ye stop smilin' an' start bawlin' already?” Quick Strike hissed.

“I'm sowwy!” The little filly said, her smile still threatening to break free.

The hardened pirate held the filly in his forelegs in plain sight of the Germanenian crew in order to warn them not to try and start a fight, but he kept his distance not only as a precaution against the sailponies attempting a rescue but also to keep the more keen eyed ones from seeing the little filly's grin.

“I'll drop ye if'n ye don't stop smilin'!” Quick Strike threatened the bundle of joy, but it only served to fuel the filly's happiness.

“Ooh! Ooh! I know Mistah Strike!” She said eagerly. “What if ya broke my leg? That would make me cry!”

Quick Strike grimaced uncomfortably, the mere thought of hurting her made his stomach churn.

“No, I don't think that's a good idea. Yer mother wouldn't be too happy wit' me.” He said, trying to forget the idea as quickly as possible.

“Oh, that makes sense.” The filly pondered this for a moment, thankfully lacking a smile as she did.

“Ooh!” The smile had returned. “What if ya told me a really scary story?”

Quick Strike let out a snort of exasperation, but the filly had given him an idea.

“I've gotta better idea, why don't ye jus' think o' somethin' sad yerself?” He suggested.

The filly's face screwed up in concentration. “Like what?”

“Like how yer mother an' Drip ain' gettin' married tonight!” Quick Strike grinned, proud of his clever answer.

There was only silence for a moment save for the flap of his wings as the small brown earth filly thought about this. Then he heard a giggle.

“You know Mister Strike, you're not very good at lying.” She said with a smile.

Quick Strike sighed in defeat. “An' yer too smart fer a filly yer age, Miss Water Rose.”

---

Every ship needs a good cook to keep the crew well fed, and the Marblehead was no exception. Several rather odd dishes tended to emerge from the galley every time a new ship was raided and the cook managed to get his claws on a new set of ingredients. Although often times these new foods could be edible and maybe even appealing to the crew, sometimes it was better to avoid letting some of the more exotic foods near the chef.

So it was no surprise when a large and imposing white unicorn found a barrel of rather questionable objects that smelled horrible brought onto the steel deck of the Marblehead, he was rather curious as to what they were.

“Four Eyes, come here for a moment.” Big Sail beckoned.

A blue pony with a messy green mane dragged himself over to the barrel that Big Sail pointed to. He-Who-Swims-Blindly, or Four Eyes as he liked to be called, was a seapony. Although the front half of him resembled a slim earth pony, his rear half was unmistakably like that of a fish with a powerful fin that could propel him through the water at high speeds. However, his eyesight was terrible and because of this he had been abandoned by his pod. Having accidentally come upon the Marblehead, he had been accepted by the crew instantly and given a pair of spectacles to help him see.

Despite having no education to speak of, his grasp of languages and numbers was quite expansive and he had been assigned to keep inventory over the ship. Looking at the writing on the barrel and thinking hard, Four Eyes tried to figure out what the contents of the container might be.

“Frosch Eier. . . Eier.” The seapony pondered the words for a moment before he announced his conclusion. “Frog eggs!”

“Thanks!” Big Sail said before picking the barrel up in his magic and throwing it overboard.

“Happy to help!” Four Eyes beamed.

---

Trade Breaker was standing near the wheelhouse when he heard a loud splash.

“What made that noise?” He demanded of the creatures on the deck below.

Big Sail looked up at him with the innocence of a newborn. “No idea, Captain.”

The yellow pegasus eyed his crew with a frown.

“Get back to work then!” Trade Breaker ordered before turning to look back at the Germanenian merchant.

“Captain!” A voice called from above.

He looked up to see Night Watch diving down to the deck. The thestral landed on the deck with a worried look on his face.

“Captain, Griffonian air fleet sighted southwest of us.” He explained.

“Did they see us?” Trade Breaker asked.

“They're coming right at us, so if they haven't already, they will in a minute.” Night Watch said hurriedly.

Trade Breaker turned away and dashed into the wheelhouse where his first mate was waiting.

“Or'ers sir?” She asked, her keen hearing already having heard the conversation outside.

“Get the crew back on board and make your course east by southeast!” The captain replied.

“Aye Cap'n.” She nodded.

She sounded the horn twice, signaling that ship was about to start and then pushed the speed telegraph levers to 'AHEAD FULL'. Down below in the engine spaces, a dark unicorn mare with a dull gray mane saw the signal and began opening steam lines to the massive turbines. With a steady rumble, the ship began to edge forward as the last of the boarding party was lifted onto the deck by a steel cable suspended by a metal boom.

The first mate turned to look back at the captain after the ship had reached half of its speed and still accelerating.

“We be 'eadin' diri'ctly fer that Zebrican war barge if'n we stay this course fer too long.” She said.

“Aye Storm, but after we clear the griffons, we be turnin' due south agin' the wind.” Trade Breaker explained. “By nightfall, they be nought but memories an' we'll change course fer Ghost Island.”

“Aye Cap'n.” The first mate nodded, a small smile starting to form.

Storm Stalker was a powerful pegasus mare whose sleek and toned form was covered in scars from previous battles. Her fur was a dark blue and she had a black mane and tail. Being the daughter of a pirate lord, Storm's childhood wasn't easy as she was constantly either training or fighting for her life.

“Will yew be wantin' tae pick up supplies in Bugganville?” Storm asked.

“Aye, an' maybe offload some of our more useless cargo.” Trade Breaker answered.

Although not betraying any emotion, Storm silently celebrated. It had been three weeks since she mailed her father a letter saying that she couldn't visit him, and she was sure his reply was less than ecstatic. Nevertheless, she was confident that she could hold him at bay until she was good and ready for the legendary pirate lord to meet the captain of the legendary Marblehead.

She shuddered at the thought of her father meeting Trade Breaker any time soon. Storm Killer had high expectations of the captain, and both she and Trade Breaker would be in a load of trouble if he was disappointed.

Author's Note:

Don't worry, things rarely go according to plan on this ship.

I'm going to try posting about a chapter a week, but if I feel that what I've written isn't my best, I'm going to delay posting. These next few months are going to be rather hectic for me, but I'll try to deliver a quality story in a timely manner. Feedback is always appreciated.