[center][h2]A Slow Boat To Larceny, Part 4 - (Day 3, Evening)[/h2][/center]


[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/kpCWBw3.png[/img]
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Joint post by [@Xandrya], [@Bugman], and [@sail3695]


After seein’ tha stuffed shirt got hisself back aboard, Abby took ‘im below decks fer a towel an’ such, then locked 'im in while he's droppin' 'is drawers.  When she come back up, she seen tha party was full throttle, rum an’ music was flowin’ while Lorraine an' her crew led tha way.  From ‘er vantage by tha wheelhouse, she could see Imani jest breakin’ hearts ever'where she went.  Tha whole crew was beginnin’ tah work their way starboard, kinda followin’ Lorraine’s lead.  Wouldn’t be long now til they jumped tha rail an’ hightailed it.  Time fer her last job.  “Hi, Cap’n!” she said all cheerful like as she stepped inside.  “What’s yer name?”

“Jim.  Jim Gilliam,” the Antonia’s captain for the night answered.

“Call me Lily.  Tiger Lily,” Abby grinned as ‘er sword come up.  “Time fer me tah take yah prisoner,” she said.  “Tell me somethin, Cap’n Jim.  If I hit that flashin’ green button what says ‘AutoHelm Engage,’, will that git yer boat runnin’ back on ‘er course?”

“Yup,” he agreed.  “But my notes said we were supposed to sword fight you guys off the ship.”

Abby nodded ‘er head.  “Yeah, that’s what we’s told, too, but Mr. Howard changed it up tah walk tha plank.  He’s down below gettin’ dried up.  He’ll come git y’all an’ make a big show ‘bout rescuin’ tha crew afore we do that fight.  Got it?” she grinned.

“Yeah, sounds good,” the college aged captain gave her an amiable nod as he turned for the stairway.  “But can you do me a favor?” he asked.  “Can I wait in the same cabin as one of our deckhands…Cassie?” he added  sheepishly.

“Uh huh,” she laughed an’ followed him below.  

Lorraine now stood on the starboard rail, one hand gripping a mast stay as the other merrily waved her plastic cutlass to the tune.  The well heeled crowd had taken nicely to the pirate raid, laughing as they passed flagons of rum about the crowded deck.  As she danced provocatively in her “Crimson Flo” persona, she took stock of her crew’s departures.  One by one, they scampered over the rail onto their waiting escape.  The pretty little seductress Abby had brought along was last to leave, and, she had to admit, the star of this party, though her own eyes had been fixed upon the rugged contours of the scarred giant.  “Abby’s got quite a crew,” she muttered to herself.  “Speaking of…”

She cast an eye toward the Antonia’s wheelhouse in time to see a head of wild red hair emerge.  A sharp whistle and a wave of her sword later, Lorraine turned her gaze back toward the liquor fueled mirth down on deck.  “LOVELY SOIRET YE’ HAVE HERE,” her voice boomed over the crowd, “BUT ALAS, IT’S TIME WE BID THEE FAREWELL.  THANKEE FOR ALL YOUR HOSPITALITY!”  With a flourish, she leapt over the rail and onto the old trawler’s deck.  “Cast off,” she ordered, before two axes cleaved their mooring lines.  “Iggy!” she tapped the wheelhouse window, “Full speed ahead!”  

“What about Abby?”  Reginald asked.

Lorraine answered with a sweep of her toy weapon.  “Here she comes.”

After settin’ tha yacht’s autohelm back tah work, Abby hustled down on tha main deck.  She felt tha Antonia startin’ tah move, an’ heard that old trawler’s motor rattlin’.  Seein’s how she’s tha last pirate aboard, folk was all kindsa eager tah whirl ‘er in a dance, or jam more of their pretties an’ coin inta her hands.  [i]Must be carryin’ twenty extra pounds,[/i] she mused as she weaved an’ bobbed ‘er way tah tha starboard rail.

‘Cept, when she got there, spread ‘o’ water twixt both boats had ta be a good ten foot.  An’ there’s Lorraine, all Cheshire Cat grin as she watched from t’other deck.  Abby gestured, open hands askin’ jest what she’s playin’ at.  “THINK YA MIGHTA WAITED JEST A SKOSH, CAP'N ASSHOLE?”  she demanded.

“WHAT?” the pirate captain laughed, “AND DENY YOU THE COOLEST EXIT EVER?”  Lorraine threw the knotted end of a rope that dangled from the old trawler’s mast.  “DO IT LIKE A PIRATE!,” she grinned.

Abby clapped on with both hands.  “ARRGH!” she shouted as nothin’ but black ocean swung underneath of ‘er, “YEW BITCH!”  She’s laughin’ as Lorraine reached out an’ pulled her aboard, right inta her arms.

“That’s ‘Captain’ bitch to you,” the ringleader answered Abby with a peck to the tip of her nose.  "Now go ready the skiff."  Those aboard the Antonia who bothered to pay attention watched as the pirate trawler faded into the black or a moonless night, her crew serenading their victims with a funny little tune from Earth-That-Was:  

“Always look on the bright side of life,
Always look on the right side of life…”

Forty-five minutes later, when the actual 'Captain Kidd' came alongside, her crew were astonished to find the party on Antonia’s main deck descended into rum soaked debauchery.  After tales of “hot women pirates” and a man walking the plank, they made their way below decks.  There, they found Candidate Nathan ‘Nate’ Howard, fuming inside a locked cabin, as well as one of the deckhands.  The other was soon located in her bunk, wrapped in throes of passion with the vessel's captain.  

“WHO WERE THEY?”  Howard roared as young Jim Gilliam struggled into his pants.

“Said they were the Captain Kidd,” the Antonia's captain stammered as he bolted for the bridge.

“WE are the crew of the Captain Kidd!” an overtly costumed pirate groused as he followed the boy.

“The money!” Howard raged as he burst onto the main deck.  “They took ALL THE MONEY!  ALL THE DONATIONS!”  His eyes flashed, searching the drunken horde on deck for a lackey to strangle.  

Miles away, Lorraine’s crew huddled in their Zodiac as the old fishing trawler slipped beneath the waves.  “Iggy,” she said to the legless man at the center console, “take us in.”

“Aye, Cap’n,” he grinned as the throttles pushed forward.

Abby watched tha old boat sink til it’s gone.  She done scrubbed off tha wild makeup an donned 'er street clothes again, she an' all tha crew leavin' ever' bit 'o' pirate gear tah lie on tha bottom two hunnerd feet below.  “Wish I coulda kep that coat,” she mourned tha loss.  “An’ that boost-ee-yay.”


Lorraine chuckled.  “For the haul each of you made tonight, I conjure you can go buy one that won’t be used as evidence.”  She glanced toward Brinker.  The little man was fidgeting with excitement, sure sign he’d successfully taken the real treasure from tonight’s adventure.  As the small boat powered toward the lights of the New Iberia coastline, the former pirate captain nestled up against the silent giant, Elias.  “Hi, sailor,” she smiled up into those piercing eyes. “Wanna have some fun?”


[b]Fin.[/b]