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 Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 9:02 am
*Cross adjusts his step as he moves out of the brink.. returning to his normal swaggering gate.. he eyes the Island that the ship is slowly approaching.... a tallcraggy(and hopefully dead) volcano rises grey, bleak, and menacing from the green the small forest of tropical palms at its feet.. it stands, sheathed in a ring of clouds like a death shroud... fitting since, if the stories were true, this was the final restingplace of the great pirate Olhado Cervantes Montebon... Spanish born, he sailed out of Lusitania in the great rush to explore and find gold... but he had no wish, nor nack for exploring... instead he took to preying on spanish exploratory vessels.... each time he clashed with spanish soldiers his crew would fight them to a man and every battle he would would go untouched and unbloodied.. even when he would be found in the very thick of it all... His crew began to think of him as devinely protected.. and began calling him "Olhado", "the watched one" for surely he was being watched over... indeed there might have been some truth there as he lived to a ripe old age.... captaining his ship to the end.. his crew buried him at their base.... and then as if sworn to secrecy by Gofd himself, the ship sank into the sea noless than 5 miles out... leaving only the ships stuard alive to tell the tale..
Cross thinks to himself that the story is likely more legend than fact... but the map was a steal(literally) and the crew had been abit antsy for a jaunt since the imperials have been sniffing around their usual ports.
*cross starts a bit as a hand taps him on the shoulder, but relaxes and offers a grin to his first mate, as the dark skinned woman looks him up and down she smiles and says in her thick french accent:*
"A little jumpy to day arre we Capitan?" *she looks over at the island and clucks her toungue* "Its only and island, Capitan, Just like all the others..."
*Cross chuckles* Oh its not that, Maddie m'love... I was just thinkin' on why we're here...
*Maddie puts her hands on her hips and scowels* "Because you suggested it in the firrst place!"
Oh, aye and aye. And I wouldn't do anythin' differen' I'm just hopein' its worth our while.... its been a long time since we've had a good haul and a'that.. and if th'legends be true then a treasure hoard is just what we need to boost moral after our last narrow escape, savy?"
*Maddy looks at him then lets out a sigh, as figuring out the captain was a task only a saint would have the patience for* "Oui Capitan."
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Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 9:17 am
*Horratio Harrington Hunt sits at his desk inf his quarters aboard the Ardent.. he looks at the carefully drawn map detailing his preys destination and sneers.. After the scuttling of the Gallaway at the hands of Mercutio Cross, his persuit of the man was not only sanctioned by royal decree, but it had become a bit of an obsession.. the islands location is remote... and surounded by leagues of open water... but the only good place to land, according to the sot he had gotten the map from, was a narrow cove... with the aide of the Crucible and the Reeve , boxing in Cross's schooner should pose little challenge.... Whatever luck this scoundrel had... it has surely run out now.*
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Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 2:03 am
*1 day and 1/2 later.*
*Cross shudders as his boots it the sand.. he suddenly feels as if someone has walked over his grave... but thinks nothing of it... probably just a chill..... the beach is grey and speckled with shells... a few of which his crew were picking up amid jockes and impish squeals... until Maddie comes up to them and gives them an earfull... then stoops down and picks up the shells herself.... trotting over to the captain*
"What do you think?" *she says chipperly* "a necklace? a brracelet?"
*Cross smirks, amused at the fact that good clean air on a fresh beach after 3 weeks at sea can turn even Maddie's glower into a grin.. Cross looks the shells over and smiles*
The're very pretty lass... *
he then looks to the mouth of the cove and to the Ravenwolf.. before turning back to her*
Have Mr. Gullver and Mr. Cartwell examine that cave at the end of the beach in th'launch.. if its large enough by their reckonin', have mr. Chapman bring the 'wolf in... *Cross turns to his men without so much as an answer from Maddie.*
Alright lads! I want ye to go into th'perimiter o' that jungle and bring m'back as many vines as ye can find.... and b'fore ye start griping, the'res a fair share of coconut t'be had here... help ye'selves...* the crew exchanges grunts and squeals of glee at the idea of fresh coconuts then heads out to do as they were asked..... cross watches them go off then glances at the mouth of the cove as Maddie comes up next to him*
"What was that all about Capitan? I can underrstand maybe wanting to afforrd the Rravenwolf some forrm of prrotection... but why the vines..?"
*Cross pulls his spyglass from his pocket... glances through it briefly then hands it to Maddie, who upon looking through at where cross was pointing, she let a gasp of suprise then looks over to Cross*
"those arre.."
British ships, yes.
"and they arre.."
less than half a day away..
"Than the vines arre.."
Useless unless the 'Wolf can fit lass...
*cross turns to the ships launch.... the men had drawn marked poles for measuring distances... 10 ft long each.. and were now carefully measuring the distance between the sides of the cavern entrance.... they return , then give the estimate at about 37 feet... *Cross then orders them Qboard and leaves Maddie ashore. He carefully watches his hemlsmen as he moves the ship forward into the cave.... *cross smiles as he disembarks for the beach just as the men return with their vines and coconuts.... one of thesailors asks*
"sah! whe go' these voins for ye... but what will ye do with them?"
That... my dear Mr. Thatcher, will be revealed momentarily...
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Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 7:33 pm
*Hunt emerges from his chambers., Starteling Leftenant Poorley and leaving him to trail in the captains wake with his report*
"We've nearly reached the island sir, about 10 hours unless the waves do us the favour of changing their course..."
Which they won't.
*Hunt remarks crisply as his formation tacks in heading on the islands position..... they should reach it by morning. but he wasn't even sure of the scoundrel's presence.... the tacking interfeared slightly with the view from his spyglass... and the sun blinded his vision even more so.... he clenches his fists then gives orders to continue making sail towards the cove....*
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Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 10:17 pm
*Cross quickly sets the men to tying the vines togeather then sets of at a quick pace up the cliff that looks over the cove.... he then glances at the foliage and notices some brush... alright lads.. I want ye t'take the darkest leaves and furns ye can find and lash them in between these strands of vines... untill we've got sommat ofa quilt.... then I want ye to tie these long ends t'those palms over there*he motions indicating to lengths of vine longer than the other..*
"the captains off 'is bird.." *Mutters Mr. Thatcher"
*Maddie rounds on him, but Cross catches her by the shoulder.*
no need to harp at the man too loudly.. Mr. Thatcher... you asked me what we needed these vines for... and now ye the half of it... ye can se the other half of it with yer own eyes.
"Me own ois, sah?
*cross motions out to the cove and gestures to the rockfaces, Mean while quite a crowd of the others had acrewed up behind them*
Now then, tell me what ye see on the faces of those rocks..
*thatcher looks nervously at the rocks.. then to cross.. then to his shipmates... then to the rocks again..*
"er... ah.... greens, sah..?"
Right ye are lad....... mostly......... but at any rate.... whats on th'side o' this cliff?
*a large mulatto crewmember with a destinctively spanish nose thrusts his meaty palm in the air and begins waving it wildly*
"OOOOH! OOOOOOH!"
Yes Mr. Mercado, splended impersonation of a monkey, top class.... now.. I'm assuming yer waving that tree limb o' yers around with a purpose?
"Thar be a hole on that cliff"
*the man beams and cross raises his hand and points at him*
Right ye are lad... now..... what do ye suppose this fine bir of leaves is for...
*Mercado thinks for a while and thatcher watches him a moment before becoming impatient and storming up to the front with his own answer*
"T'cover the 'ole, sah!"
right... and....?
*Mercado blinks and finlay blurts out:*
"Its Green!"
Sharp lad! now then when the impeials come in to the perimeter they won't see the ship right away... Mercado, Thompkins and Sven.... I want ye to go find Mr. Gullver ... you four and a pwder keg will go makeway to that smaller inlet we spotted when we surveyed the Isle... when ye've got yer position, I want thompkins on to p o' the cliff where he can see the imperials... when they come in close I whant you to drop a torch down the cliff towards Mercado, Sven, and Mr. Gullver then you three will touch off the powderkeg.... make it a good and loud explosion I want at least one of those ships off to check it out.. when you've done that, make haste on the jungle and head for the interior... thats where we'll be....
*he turns to his first mate*
Maddie, I'm intrusting the ravenwolf's security to you.... if there's a way through that cave, have Mr. chapman find it and....er.....aww....come on now maddie... I know ye want t'see the treasure a'much as the rest o'us but I need ye t'do this for me..... I promise I'll bring ye back lots o'pretties... there now give us a grin....ah... right there we are... half o' the rest of you.... er.... come with me.
*there is mixed snickering at the mention of pretties, and the grin coaxed from Maddie's lips... but as Maddie hears it her ears redden slightly and she turns and barks at the group remaining*
"Don't just stand therre you scabbarrous dogs! get to worrk!!"
*at that the men snap to attention and feverishly work to complete cross's "Camo net"*
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