Pirates of the Sorcerean: Fair Winds, Foul Weather

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"Because there is no escape for the Pride, Fabian. Face the facts, it's too slow."

 

"You're right, we've no chance to get away lugging the Pride. That's not in question, Ma'am. But even if you take that frigate, what makes you think you'll be able to get out of range of the Isabelle's guns in time to join Ariel in clear water?"

 

"We'll be a royal frigate, no?"
Tanya winks at Fabian.
"In a storm without communication, the Isabelle will believe the frigate has succeeded when they see the Pride blown to smithereens. We'll sail up alongside them, pass them with the royal sail and use their clothes. While passing them we'll give them a broadside or two, to cause a lot of damage that will slow them down. As for the last frigate.."
She sighs and looks thoughtful.
"Either a right out war at sea between the frigates, but I was hoping of flanking it.. with the Ariel."

 

"An attack on the Prince's flagship, in the midst of the armada? Are you mad?" He breaks off suddenly as all the pieces fall into place: the taking of the Pride,, the storm-attack on the Waitoa, the theft of Ruthbarb's treasure right from under the royal nose... No matter what happened here, his comfortable life in Drentan was a thing of the past. Seems it's time to find another port. Good thing the Order serves the sea, and the sea alone.

He looks at Tanya and grins. "Cowards die many times before their deaths..."

[ November 17, 2003, 22:14: Message edited by: Rallymama ]

 

She chuckled at being called mad, and merely whispered gently in reply.
"Madness.. ambitious.." she shrugs, "this is what distinguishes us, Fabian. I dare everything for the sake of my people. I know in my heart it's the right thing for me to do."

She makes a wolfish grin as she sees Fabian's decision, and beams at him.
"Yet the valiant never taste of Death but once!"

She stands up, and studies Fabian. He was about to change, take responsibility.
Good..

"After supper I have ordered the new girl to assemble the people. I will see who has the will to follow me into the tide of doom, for I have no doubt that's exactly where we're going."

 

Mister Fabian bows gallantly, then offers his hand as Tanya rises to her feet. "May I escort you to dinner, milady?"

 

Tanya graciously accepts the invitation with a smile, "Always."
Heading down there, they see that much of the crew has already assembled around the mastery cooking of Meatloaf and sits down at the end of the table.

 

The atmosphere in the galley was charged with an excitement that went beyond the feast on the tables and the treasure in the hold. Spirits were high and, after a toast of remembrance for lost compatriots, the camaraderie of adventure wiped away all the terror of Sorrow's Rock. When Tanya stood at the head of the table and prepared to speak, Desmond knew that the adventure had only just begun.

 

"Atteeeention!" Tanya called down the galley. As the people quieted down and looked at her, she coughed a little and her clear voice rolled down the room.
"I have a message that concerns everyone aboard, here and on the pride. You all have fifteen minutes before the briefing where I want to see everyone on deck. Clear?"

She heard the mixtures of confirming statements, and saw people nodding. She sat down again, and took a deep breath looking at Fabian.
"No turning back now."

Later on the deck as all had been assembled, she looked over the crowd, the remaining crew. Thankfully many of the Pride's crewmembers had joined them after the takeover.
They'll be the stone needed to tip the scale to a possible success..
She could see the faces of anticipation, some more scared than curious. Some bold and hardy. A few chattering among themselves in hushed voices. There was the new girl, Tanya felt her keen observing eye on herself. Pre-navy, yet she seemed nothing like the navy. She saw William too, awaiting curiously what she had to say. This would be the hardest part to go through, hopefully he could come to understand. He had to!
Tanya took in a deep breath, and her steel eyes made a quick glance over the sea and the ships, before returning to the crew.

"I know some of you have lost faith in my judgement, more or less, but I also know that are those that remain true to what they're certain of."
She looked at a few of her most loyal companions, before proceeding.
"However, we're standing at a point of no return. As you all see, the Pride is losing in this race. We here on the Ariel can praise ourself lucky we're here. We're putting a distance, we got the gold, and we got our health."
They cheered and look generally happy, this would be considered a successful mission.. at the moment.
"But what we don't have is our comrades on the Pride! I have always been there for my people, and I always will be! The fate of the pride as it looks now is death by the crown in prisons or at sea by cannon fire. The situation is for me.. totally unacceptable."
She could see the cheers die down, and some of the faces gained a look of sadness, some anger and others regret. Feelings were mixed now.

"I will board the Pride, I will need two cannons and all the men willing to go to come with me. We know the Pride has no guns, but yet a few will be enough. I will sail the ship away from Ariel's course, making at least one of the frigates next to the Isabelle follow. If no ships follow we can all go home alive, if they do follow.. this ship we will try to board. We'll sail up close, fire the two cannons upon it and abandon ship. Most likely they'll retaliate with fullscale broadsides smashing the Pride to a memory of the sea. What they wont know is we'll dive through the water, swim to the opposite side of frigate and sneak upon them. As they gloat in their victory, we'll have them in their backs and fight our way to control of the ship. This plan has a lot more possiblities of failure than success, but it requires that all joining me can swim.."
she smiles as she hears the chuckles, of course there was none of her known crew that couldn't swim.
"We'll be fighting the royal navy upon their ship, without guns. What I do know, is that I can't stand by and let my comrades be slaughtered by the navy!"

"I will watch your backs for you as long as I live, each and every one of you! Who's here to watch mine?"

 

There is a bustle on the deck as everyone tries to step forward at once, but eventually a group takes shape: Desmond, Jackie, Dante, quite a few from the Pride, other familiar faces... Archer nods to Tanya that he'll stay behind and manage the Ariel, the Admiral's presence notwithstanding.

Mister Fabian leans down and whispers quietly to Nimue. "I'll be going with Tanya, but neither your swimming nor sailing skills are up to the task just yet. The Ariel will need a Steward anyway... I want you to stay here and stick close to Archer - follow his lead."

[ November 18, 2003, 15:55: Message edited by: Rallymama ]

 

William smileing, shook his head. This was certainly his daughter. Thinking like a true captain. It seemed to William that she still has control of her crew, as well. So that was one less worry off his shoulders.

He could see how her plan could work but really couldn't see the point of saving that other ship. William stood up, about to disagree, but then saw the pirates' faces. They were willing to sacrafice their own lives for some of their crew. These weren't the type of pirates he was use to dealing with. Most pirates wouldn't care about a crewmate unless it meant extra gold.

And then he saw Tanya. Could he really disagree with her infront of all her crew, just when they were starting to gain respect for her again?

William shooks his head again and sat down, hoping no one would notice. He'd have to let her get her way this time. Both of their lives were at stake. If he disagreed and pointed out the faults in the plan then the crew would lose respect for her, and there went both of their lives.

 

Tanya smiled to herself as she looked over the men. If there had been doubts about her loyalties they were certainly dispelled now. She gestured the Admiral to her side and walked a little out of earshot with him.

"Father, this is my people. I'm not going to force you to assist in anything you don't want to do.. as the assault will go onto a royal ship and all, but I will ask you none the less. Not as a favor, but more like an offer. I'm planning to fire upon the Isabelle herself, trying to damage it with a surprise attack and then get out as fast as possible on the frigate. Problem is though, the other frigate will be very much aware of the situation by then. I was thinking of flanking that with the boarded frigate and.."
she patted the rail of Ariel,
"..Ariel here. Schooner she might be, but she still has cannons. It's not my intent to sink any of the other ships, or kill their people. Only damage them to ensure that all of my crew can get away. I will nullify all forms of magic in the area while this lasts, and thus need the veterans of the sea to succeed. Is it within your morale abilities to open fire on a royal frigate for the sake of damage only? Else I will have to "prison" you in some cabin till the battle's over."

She summons a little smile and hopes he wouldn't cause a big row.
"Would it be acceptable to you? Afterwards you can have it however you want it, get a longboat and go back to the royal ships or follow with us. If I fail, well.. you don't even have to worry about it then. What you say?"

 

William sighs, and sits down upon a wooden box left lying on the deck. Looking up at Tanya he mutters something unreconisable before looking back down at the floor.

After a few moments of thought he looks up again, "I have no other choice. I would have been seen steering the Aierl already. If I go back now, I'll be hung for treason." William shakes his head. "Looks like I'm with you from here on. Even if your plan is far fetched."

William pushed himself up and smiled. "What is it you want me to do?"

 

Kassandra listened intently to Tanya's plan. She was right, it was insane. Completely insane, but it just might work. The Navy would not be expecting such an attack like this, and it would be just enough to ensure that they all got home. Still, it was dangerous. A cannonball could easily wipe them all out, but they still had to chance it.

She smiled slightly, thinking back on the conversation that she and Tanya had had before dinner. Kassandra had said that she would follow her to the Gates of Hell if Tanya had accepted her as one of her own. Why not, she thought. She had no family now, no one to take care of but herself. Sure, she might die in this rescue attempt, but all of the glory that would be attached to her name. She had nothing to lose, but everything to gain. Either way, it would be a grand story to tell.

"Tanya," Kassandra said, moving and pushing all of the other pirates away until she stood in front of the first mate. "I had said that I would be loyal to you if you would have me as one of your own. I think now's the time for you to decide if you need me or not."

 

"You could always say we forced you to steer, though I suppose the crown doesn't care much for that. But.. if you insist."
She smiles at William.
"Oh don't look so lost, you'll be a hot-shot for any opposing nation of the crown. They'll fight over your skill if we pull this off. I just want you to control the Ariel, once the boarded frigate is past Isabelle there will be one royal ship remaining. I was hoping we could either flank it, or attack the same side of it as it will have more targets to try and hit. But till then I just want you to be ready to sail this ship away in case something goes wrong."

Tanya turns to Kassandra as she approaches her.
"If you can swim, and fight or fire a cannon, then yes. But it's really your decision, I don't guarantee any return, nor success. If you feel it's the right thing to do, then you're welcome to join."

 

Knowing that the storm of disruption would nullify his wards, Mister Fabian locked the Lorebooks into his remaining trunk before returning to deck to assist with getting the cannons onto the Pride. Between a few galmours from Nimue and his ability to have the sea ignore the weight, the iron was loaded without the navy being any the wiser. He hugged Nimue briefly before stepping into the longboat that would take the volunteers to the other ship.

"Remember, follow Archer's lead - or even the Admiral's - and stay low. You may be handy with a blade, but you'll be needed for far bigger things once the magic comes back."

 

Kassandra nodded as she extended her hand towards Tanya. "I've got nothing else better to do. And, either way it goes, it would be a grand story to tell. Count me in."

 

Tanya gave a wolfish grin, and accepted her hand.
"It would indeed, wouldn't it? Come along then, I'll trust we'll be off this ship soon enough. Admiral, I'll contact at first given opportunity."

And thus, she gestured for Kassandra to follow and they joined the longboat with the other volunteers. As Tanya looked around them, she glanced one last time back toward the deck of the Ariel. Last chance..
She turned to the crew.

"Anyone not wanting to be here, this is your last chance.." she waited a few moments, seeing them all await her word, she continued, "For kin and greatness.."
Thus she ordered the rowers to sail the rather long distance towards the approacing Pride.

 

Thanks to Nimue's glamours, the crossing was uneventful. The Pride was a standard merchantman and therefore had no gunports, so they had to secure the cannons to the deck. They would get only a single shot from each, but it would have to do...

Sure that the cannons were mounted well enough to fire true, Mister Fabian nodded to Tanya that it was time to change course.

 

Tanya nodded back "Steer the ship as close as you can Fabian! I will be rather unfocused for awhile," then produced the spyglass.
Sct Catherine in golden letters ran across the frigate they had to deviate. The brown-golden ship of war had all its cannons ready to fire, what a message of destruction that could bring! The more she studied it, the closer she came to a computation of the contents. Three masts, about two hundred men, lots and lots of guns aboard. How proud she crossed the sea, hunting down the Pride. Looking it over, she tried to make an overview of the number of cannons, seventy something.. With surprise, skill and nothing to lose.. the battle could be won.
She lowered the spyglass and summoned a meeting to inform the people of the Pride of the plan, although the rumor had spread rather quickly.

She whispered lowly to herself as she cast a last glance at Ariel in the distance, "Now for the hard part.."
Standing upon the deck, she dived into the memories of Perry and his raids alongside Ruthbarb. Great steward he might have been, but more legend than reality. She saw it before her inner eye, the subdual of magic making the pirates the ones to win the battle. The power tingled in her fingers, and she uttered the secret spells of Perry's design. More an anti-spell than a real spell, slowly she felt the winds strengthen and noted clouds started to form in the sky. As they approached the Catherine, the skies darkened, rumbling with energy as they started to letting go of the first few droplets of rain. A flash of lightning! ... *boom*
The roar of thunder had followed shortly, and soon after a massive down pour of dispelling drops of rain was unleashed from the sky.

She felt the cataclysmic power of the storm within her, till the first drops fell in her forehead. What an odd sensation! She was sort of cleansed of the magic, as taking a bath that dissolves all dirt on you. Returning to her conscience, Tanya looked about the deck, blinking her eyes in the rain. Testing visibility, she looked through her spy-glass to the Sct Catherine. Could hardly see any details at all in the dense rain. Excellent!