(The Final bit of this story. Enjoy!)
Pervy's fist connects with a loud and very satisfying snap, sending a wave of blood gushing from the mercenary's ruined nose. Next , the nekojin slams his knee into the stunned man's groin, doubling him over in shock and agony. Then, without a shred of mercy, Pervy jabs his cutlass between the man's ribs, slicing through the armor and sliding it through the flesh beneath easily.
The mercenary falls with a long, strained groan; lacking the wind in his lungs to properly scream out his agony. Ignoring the sounds, Pervy steps over the remains, and assesses the battle on the deck. It seems that Gerrard's forces are well-matched by the Rivan Sailor and their hired Mercenaries. While the nekojin is certain the Pirates will win out in the end, it will be a costly victory.
However, the ex-white mage has one trick up his sleeve that might turn the tides of the battle in Gerrard's favor. He narrows his eyes and holds out a hand level to the ground. Slowly, he draws magical energy to himself, as his lips begin to shape the words of a spell. Blue-white radiance shines from the nekojin's hand, as the spell begins to take hold.
"Damned mage!" Shouts one of the mercenaries. Pervy looks over to see a very solidly-built man carrying a claymore charing his direction! For a moment, Pervy stammers the next words of his spell, causing the nimbus around his to flicker. He fights to maintain his concentration, and backpedals away from the charging man.
Before the mercenary can close in, Catalia's voices cries out, "Hydraga!" A blast of water flies past Pervy, and slams into the man's face! The mercenary is literally knocked from his feet by the force of the attack, and sent flying back into the fray.
The blue-haired fight mate appears beside Pervy, and smiles over at him. "Not too bad, Fuzzy," she tells him, "But y' gotta be a little more observant. and don't be so damned obvious about those spells. Even my old man can see you casting it!"
The ex-white-mage just nods, as he focuses back upon his spell. As he gathers more and more energy to himself, the first mate stands before him protectively. Another mercenary engages her, but she seems more than able to deal with him. The energy wells within the nekojin's soul, crying out for release.
With his words and his thoughts, Pervy directs that energy. Then, finally, he steps forward and releases it, crying "FADE!" at the top of his lungs. Blue-white energy erupts from the mage's hands, arcing and fanning out through the deck. It washes over the merchant crew and their mercenaries, drawing cries of agony from their throats!
In the hands of an experienced mage, Fade would have reduced the merchant crew to ash. However much natural talent the nekojin might have, he lacks that experience. Still, the spell stikes at and burns it's victims terribly. However, the spell's true value comes not from the damage it inflicts. It's true effects become known moments later as the pirates take advantage of the distraction cause by the sudden attack, and cut into off guard mercenaries and sailors.
Within moments, two-thirds of the Rivan forces lie bleeding upon the deck, dead or dying. Among them are the the captain and virtaully all of the mercenaries. Steel clatters against wood, as many of survivors toss their swords to the deck and cry out, "I surrender!" The rest of the Rivans follow suit, seeing how terribly outnumbered they are.
****
The next few hours are spent putting the surviving Merchant crew to work. Gerrard declared that he had no use for a damaged ship, then noted that the Cargo Fluyte seemed to be in excellent condition. The merchant crew seemed to be more than happy to trade ships in exchange for their lives.
The defeated are set to work tranferring over all of the cargo, cannons, and personal possessions aboard
The Midnight Rose. While they do this, Pervy puts his white magic to work, healing the wounds that his fellow crewmates accrued during the battle. Fortune was with them this day, for the nekojin is able to heal everyone who is not beyond saving.
Then, Captain Gerrard calls Pervy and Catalia belowdecks. The young pirate knows that they intend to survey the plunder, but he isn't sure why Gerrard invited him along. A witness, perhaps? Pervy discards that idea, Catalia would be more than enough of a witness.
Could Gerrrd want him dead? That idea Pervy tosses away even more quickly. The ex-white mage has proved his usefulness several times over recently. The crew wouldn't stand for him to be disposed of so thoughtlessly. Not only that, Pervy knows that Gerrard isn't that sort of scum. Edison or Crowe might have done that, but not Gerrard.
Thus, the nekojin really has no why he's with the Captain and the First Mate as the the former opens the lock to the cargo hold. The key he took from the merchant Captain's cooling body fits perfectly, and pops the door open with a slight creaking noise. He takes the lamp that the First Mate was holding from her hands and walks inside.
The light falls upon a a number of small wooden crates, stacked and restrained by ropes against the walls of the hold. They are stacked immaculately, and uniformly. Gerrard smiles as he produces a crowbar from under his coat, and tears into the nearest crate. As the nails fall away, he tears aside the wooden slats, and peers inside curiously. Pervy and Catalia close in, desiring a peak for themselves.
"No wonder they fought so hard for this..." Gerrard whispers. "Look at it..." Inside the crate rests a half-dozen singots of silver, packed tightly in sawdust! Pervy's eyes widen, as he tries to guess at how many gil it must all be worth! Catalia looks over at him, a smile dancing on her lips.
"Open another, Pervy," Gerrard says, handing Pervy the Crowbar, while he reaches into the crate and pulls out one of the heavy bars of refined silver. The white mage just nods, and walks over to a nearby crate at chest height. It is not hard to pry the crate open at all, revealing a set of gem-studded chalices.
"What'd you find, Kitty?" Catalia ugres, walking over to peer inside the crate.
"Some Goblets," Pervy says, picking one up gingerly. "They look bloody valuable, though. Got some nice rocks 'em in."
"Throw one over here," Gerrard says, replacing the ingot he took out, and holding out his hand. PErvy tosses him the drinking vessel lightly, and the Captain catches it easily. He purses his lips as he looks the cup over, then asks, "How many are there, Belnades?"
"Seven sir," calls back the first mate, as she digs around in the box happily, humming a little tune to herself as mentally accounts for the plunder.
"I though so," Gerrard says, as he walks over and replaces the goblet in its box. Then he smiles at Pervy and Catalia, and declares. "Let's get a look at the rest of the plunder, before the crew gets a little restless, eh?"
***
The other crates contain a variety of treasures. Some contain more ingot of silver, others have minor art objects, like the drinking vessels. A few contain some bolts of cloth, or a bags of exported sugar. Much to the Crew's delight, there are also a few casks of fine brandy hidden in the back.
It takes perhaps two hours to unload
The Midnight Rose and tranfer the supplies onto the the Rivan ship. It is a little larger than the Barque, so the plunder and supplies fit nicely. However, there is not enough space for the cannons from both ships. So the pirates take as many as they are able to fit in the cannon decks and the storage hold, then leave the rest on the Barque. After they take all of the gunpowder.
It does not take nearly as long to carry over few possesions that the Rivans are allowed to keep. They are left with food, water, a chart, and a compass; and little else. As the transfer is complete, Gerrard orders the sloop to turn, and present it's portside cannons to the Barque as it sails off.
Then, when the Rivans arre just a distant spot upon the horizon, Gerrard calls out, "Gather around, all of you! I've got some important to say!"
Pervy's stomach sinks as the fall upon his ears. Almost tinidly, he walks forward, knowing that the Captain is going to deal with what happened earlier. He knows that normally Gerrard can't mete out any sort of punishment, but normally they are not in a life or death situation. If Gerrard chooses, the nekojin knows that the captain would be within full rights to cut him down.
Well, here goes nothing...
Gerrard surveys the pirates as they gather around him calmly. Then he announces, "You are all aware of the harsh words that Pervy and I shouted at each other a few hours ago. Such things are not to be tolerated under any captain's command in such a situation. Pervy, if you would approach."
"Aye sir," Says the former white mage, as he approaches the captain.
Ain't nowhere t' run that won't put me inna shark's belly, anyhow. Might as well take it like I gotta spine.
And if th' bastard tries t' take me down, I'm takin' 'im wit' me...
"What've ye got planned, Captain sir?" Pervy asks, as he stops a few feet from Gerrard, and looks the pirate in eyes. He tries to read what thoughts lurk behind the Captain's green eyes, but they remain fathomless, and his face stony.
"You mutinied against me, Pervy," Gerrard says evenly, "I gave a direct order in a life or death situation, and you ignored it. Then you challenged me when the lives of your fellow crew were at risk."
As the Captain speaks, Pervy hears several of the sailors grumble angrily. His hopes buoy at the sound; maybe the crew won't let Gerrard punish him. Ignoring the rumbles, the Captain continues, "You mutinied, Pervy, and you succeeded. Belnades backed you, Hawkins backed you, everyone backed you. You mutinied and won."
"What th' bloody hell ye babblin' 'bout, sir?" Pervy asks, his confusion obvious in his voice.
In response, Gerrard takes off his hat, and places it on the nekojin's head. "You mutinied and won. You're the Captain now; I'm stepping down."
"What the hell?!" Pervy exclaims.
"Laydin, you're joking!" Catalia exclaims, her voice raising above the surpirsed cries from the crew as she runs forward. "You can't just turn over the ship to a boy!"
"Belnades," Gerrard says, "You and I both know he's notjust some green sailor. He knows the sea, and he's just proven he got talent at raiding. And... let's face it, he rallied the crew against me."
He looks from Catalia , and addresses the crew. "I wasn't thinking, and I might have gotten us all killed. You all saw that, and you all turned on me. You know I messed up, and you aren't gonna trust me anymore. From now on, you would wonder whether or not I was thinking. And I've lost enough of your respect that you were willing to question me when it counted. You won't trust me again. So it's time for me to step down."
Pervy just listens numbly, lost in his own whilring thoughts.
Captain?! Me?! Th' bloody hell tis 'e thinkin?! I can't be th' bloody Captain o' a ship! I dunno what th' hell I'm doin'! Th' hell's goin' on in that tiny little brain o' 'is?
"Sir," Pervy says. Gerrard doesn't seem to hear him over the voices of the crew. His eye twitches in annoyance, as he whirls around and shouts, "Shut th' hell up so I can bloody talk wit' th' bloody Captain! SHUT TH' HELL UP!"
The Crew falls silent, and watch intently as Pervy meets Gerrard's eyes and says, "Sir, I ain't got a damned idea how t' run a bloody ship. If ye wanna step down, I ain't th' one ye need t' be askin' t' do it. Catalia's a damn sight more skilled than I am."
"But you're the one who lead the mutiny, Pervy," Gerrard answers, "You've also proven you know how sail, and you know how to fight. Talent, Pervy. You have it, more than you realize. That's why I'm turiong things over to you. I'm not just gonna dive overboard, don't worry about that. I'll teach you the ropes, and make sure you know what your doing. Pervy, I know you want to do this. You might not know it, but I do."
Do I? Pervy wonders.
Do I really wanna be captain?
He closes his eyes, and takes a deep breath; not realizing that was holding it. He thinks back to all the respect that Gerrad has gained, to how much he wanted to be like the pirate. Gerrard never demanded respect, not like Crowenor like his teachers at Everbright. He was never ordered to respect the man, yet he did.
T' be respected, wit'out forcin' folks t' do it. Aye, that's what I want. I wanna be like Gerrard. .
"Aye Gerrard," Pervy says, "I'll do it. I'll need yer bloody help, but I'll do it an' make ye proud, Captain."
"Call me Laydin," the former Captain corrects, "And don't worry, you won't have nearly as many problems as you think you are.
"Well," Catalia says, looking at Pervy, "He's right. Ye've a lot to learn, but ye can learn it. I served as Laydin's First Mate and Quartermaster ably, and I'll do the same for ye. Congratualations, Captain Pervy."
The nekojin liked the way that sounded. Smiling, he says,"Thankee, Kate. I guess ye'll be workin' extra hard now, 'side from then sword lessons, eh?"
"Bah, We've still got Laydin to help out for awhile, Kitty," The sushijin points out, winking at him. The newly appointted captain realizes then that he'll never escape that nickname."So, I can still drill ye properly for awhile. Don't worry, I'll have ye ready to use that cutlass soon enough."
"Aye then," Answers Pervy, smiling at the first mate. "Thankee."
The White mage then turns to face the crew, and straightens the hat. "Alright then!" He calls out, "If I'm gonna be takin' over, I gotta know if yer gonna follow me. I intends t' keep th' ships articles just like they were, and I dun intend t' change a damned thing on 'em. But lemme tell ye want I do intend t' change."
The crew listens attentively as he continues, "We're gonna be fightin' a little smarter, like we just did. So if one o' ye get a good idea, lemme know 'bout it. it dun matter when. And if yer ideas work out, ye get a two-man's share o' th' take. But I dun want ye denyin' yer duties t' run yer jaws in th' middle o' a battle. Gerrard twas right t' be angry at me 'bout that.
"Now then, There's fifteen casks o' brandy down there wit' our names on it. I wanna see at least three o' em empty by morning!"
A cheer rises from the crew. Pervy just smiles as he adjusts the tri-corner hat so that it doesn't chafe his ears. That cheer fills him with confidence. Not because the entire ship is going to be hung over come morning, nor because of the happy antcipation of the revelry to come. Instead, that cheer fills him with confidence because there was no dissent. No one objected; the crew accepted him.
If they think I can do it, he muses,
Then I'll hafta do me damnest not t' disappoint 'em.
<p><table align="center" cellpadding=2><tr><td>
</td><td align="center">Rum, White Magic, an' Cabbits.
That's th' life fer me.
Seig No-Pants!</td><td>
</tr></table></p>