Pirates We Be (Part 3!!)

"How did the night’s goings-on fair, good Walter?” he asked a middle aged thin man that was his first mate.

“Well indeed, Gabriel. The Queen’s Hand was in port, and she had on her a great deal of antiquity the Indians will find worth their weight in gold. How faired Gabe’s night?”

“A gentleman never tells, and a friend does not ask. But I will say that I would have embraced the thievery taking place had I not been embracing other things at the time.” He finally took the time to button his ruffled shirt and pull back his hair, revealing the thin scar on his cheek.

Just then, Grayes approached them both.

“Gabe, I think you might find this to be quite interesting. “ he handed him a slip of paper. Gabe unfurled it and read the loopy lettering at the top.

“’By Order of His Majesty, Phillip of Spain.’ Ooh..” Royalty made Gabriel feel a special something on the inside. “It’s hereby ordered that Governor Verrato of Nuevo Gerona provide exclusive use of Port this 18th of March. The Spanish Galleon San Maria Alta will be docking on your island with approximately 60,000 reales in silver and gold in tow. The reales are to be unloaded onto smaller Cuban vessels and divided up throughout the country.”’ Gabe looked up at Grayes. “ I could kiss you. “ Instead Gabe planted an affectionate kiss on the paper before looking back up. “You did leave the original, message with the ship, right?”

Grayes nodded,

“A forgery..” he pointed to the paper.

“Excellent. “ He walked to the wheelhouse with the men behind him. “It goes without saying that we’re headed toward Nuevo Gernona…”

****

“Cap’n!” shouted a short haired young man from the crow’s nest.

“Aye, Jones?” Dru looked up at him from the deck.

“A ship, headed from the West..”

Dru pulled out her spy glass and glanced to the horizon, sure enough, a nicely built English clipper was moving at an impressive speed to their general direction. But there’s one thing that struck her as very odd. This ship was armored and Dru could make out the glint of three small black cannons out the side.

“Prepare to pull alongside the vessel on the starboard side!” Dru yelled at her crew.

“Gabriel, It seems we have a bit of confrontation approaching..” said Grayes as he looked into the wheelhouse.

“I can see that,” announced Gabe. “Lower the sails and slow the ship.” Gabe left the wheel and walked onto the deck, noting that the large fast approaching war ship sailed under a Spanish flag.

The large ship soon stopped alongside Gabe’s smaller one, and he stepped onto the railing and waved to the crew.

“Ah, do need something, sirs?” He asked them with a grin.

None of the crew members addressed him, and he was just about to try out his Spanish when a shapely figure stomped authoritatively into view.

“Perhaps I can help you than, Madame?” Gabriel grinned widely.

“I assure you, there is no one of that title on this vessel. Nevertheless, I’d like to know exactly what this ship was doing in Havana port, if it is your ship. “

“No ship but Mine, m’lady. I am Captain Gabriel Maher, and this is the trade ship St. Michael and we were ported in Havana doing just that. Might as ask who is interrogating me in this fashion?”

“You may ask, for now, and I’ll indeed repeat the answer that I’ve given you, and that is that there is no lady upon this vessel, let alone any that should be called yours.” Dru said bitingly before continuing with another inquiry. “And do pray tell why a humble gentlemanly merchant and his partners would need a ship so armed?”

Gabriel shook his head.

“It’s not so easy being a merchant upon the sea, twice have I seen my ships sank at the hands of filthy pirates, and so the third I’ve wizened and vow to not let such a travesty happen again.” He continued, “Still, I suppose your crew is heading for Havana then?”

Dru irritably nodded,

“Aye, that we are. What be it to you?”

“Nothing, Captain, but a sheer curiosity, I assure you. Again, I ask of you your name.”

“And you’ve answered yourself, for I am Captain, although I doubt your name is ‘Trader’.”

“And indeed a cold conversation seems to have turned icily, “ Gabe said with crossed arms. “And what would you name me besides?”

Dru began to walk back into her cabin, signaling her crew to move on.

“I would have you called ‘Pirate’, for all the gentlemanly airs you may possess cannot hope to hide the thieving black heart behind them.”

“You question my insincerity then?” Asked Gabriel sarcastically, “Well than allow me to at least bestow upon you, woman, and her crew, a token to remember this encounter by. What says you to two barrels of the finest Boston rum?” He yelled after her.

“I say, gladly, no, and add that I would more readily drink seawater.” She slammed the cabin door shut.

Gabe, sullen though not visibly, now turned to her crew.

“I see it pains you to allow such an offer to go to waste… The offer still stands, and I’ll gladly accompany the rum over to you myself for five moments to talk to your fiery Captain.” Gabe suggested.

The men looked back to each other and whispered. Finally, Jones spoke up.

“You may board, and only you, and only to speak with her.”

Two men lowered the plank and Gabe, good on his word, had two kegs of rum fetched from a lower deck and brought up to the large ship beside them.

“He’ll be killed pulling one of these stunts, you know..” mumbled Grayes to a young crewman.

“Aye, for the life of me I cannot see what is to be gained from this risk.”

“Pride, Malloy. Foolish pride..”

Gabe airily walked across the wooden plank placed for him, carrying ropes that would allow the other ship’s crew to pull their present to them whilst he conversed with their Captain.

He knocked thrice on her cabin door, and was bid enter.

She immediately stood from her desk, but he shut the door behind him.

“Get out, I will not have your likes on my ship alive.”

Gabe stayed with his back against the door.

“I should think not, Kasbah, but I should like to exchange words in less formality before any blades are drawn.”