[b][i]Somewhere at Sea Antillean Archipelago Late Spring, Year 1621 A.A. (Anno Aeternus)[/i][/b] Sofia held her looking glass to her eye. The ship had been following them playing peek a boo on the horizon trying to stay out of sight. She smiled as they were moving steadily closer. The ship had no flags showing their allegiance. Sofia could feel it in her gut like a burning acid, it was a pirate ship. Sofia called out to her crew. [color=fff200]“Looks like we have a fish on the hook. You know what to do!”[/color] Sofia grinned as her crew went through the steps of appearing to be a merchant crew. They were all wearing matching uniforms of dark blue cotton pants with a long white shirt with a blue yoke around the collar. There was a wide belt of black leather that cinched and held everything in place. Black boots finished the look but many of the men didn’t bother with the boots while working on the boat. Sofia had taken one of her husband’s fast sloops and retrofitted it. She had the work done secretly for her in one of the many small uninhabited islands of the archipelago. The old Castillian ship builder was the one who had built the galleon that had been a wedding gift to her husband. The Santa Dolorosa had been transformed to look like an easy mark to lure in those who would prey on merchants. The ship was full of surprises with hidden gunports, secret compartments, and reinforced hull plating beneath the waterline, it was a merchant ship by appearance… but a hunter by design. By day, the ship was a serene merchant, offering fine silks, rare spices, and exotic goods at sea. She appeared to be alone, a laden merchant ship riding low in the water with a full cargo, a tempting prize for greedy eyes. By night, her crew was a group of loyal misfits, escaped slaves, and shipwrecked soldiers who owed her their lives. The crew sharpened their blades and rehearsed the trap. Each man and woman aboard knew their role when the false sail appeared on the horizon. Sofia watched her crew move around like a well oiled machine. Her crew mimicked panic and fumbling and fouling the lines. The suddenly foiled sail caused the ship to slow and start to flounder as it sailed off course towards the pirates hidden on the horizon. The crew rushed about as if incompetent at their job, appearing to struggle to put the sails to rights. Observers would miss it if they were not paying close attention to details, they would miss the crew slowly and quietly arming themselves one by one, swords appeared on those leather belts hanging in their sheaths. The ship sails appeared to be disentangled now but were hanging limp having lost the wind. The ship’s movement stalled as the crisis appeared to have been averted and the crew took a breath before setting the ship back on course. The perfect moment for a pirate to strike if they were going too. Sofia had padded the trap expertly, having done it time and again. Sofia gave a smug grin as she heard the lookout call, [color=00aeef]“Sails off the starboard bow!”[/color] She was not surprised to see that same ship now bearing towards them with as much speed as they could get from the wind. The unknown ship now flying the Jolly Roger. Her lookout called down to her [color=00aeef]“It’s the Black Dog!”[/color] The Black Dog was a pirate ship that prided themselves on plundering other ships and sinking them at sea. The Black Dog was an old converted freighter. They had plenty guns but the Delarosa had them beat for speed. Sofia smiled as she began to call real orders to her crew. [color=fff200]“Full sail, come about! Make haste! We need to be sailing into the wind before they can catch us.” [/color] The crew snapped to at her orders. As the pirate ship drew closer, the Delorosa leapt to life in response. The ship quickly heeling about and now running to face the pirate ship. Sofia and the crew leaned with the ship and kept their feet as the wind and sail exerted force on the ship tilting it to the side. The Delarosa was faster than the Black Dog which was a slower boat with a heavy draw. The Black Dog was a sea slug compared to the sleek and fast Delarosa. The Black Dog had been designed with carrying weight in mind. Two rows of cannons stuck out the ship’s sides. Sofia grinned as the hidden gunports on her ship snapped open. The large one on the deck at the prow of the ship popped open. Sofia yelled out across the deck [color=fff200]“Take out the mast!” [/color] The big cannon on the front of the ship fired the roar and power of the cannon causing the deck to tremble under her feet. Two heavy cannon balls fired towards the other ship connected by heavy linked chains. The weight and force of the cannon balls would pull the chains shredding wood and sail in its path. Sofia smiled as her gunner’s aim proved true as she saw one of the masts on the Black Dog topple to the side crushing part of the deck railing. As the sloop went past the heavy freighter turned pirate ship they exchanged cannon fire. Sofia’s crew expertly grappling the other ship and pulling the two ships together. Now crews were using ropes hung from the sail rigging to swing across to the other ship or jumping across. The battle was on. The sounds of steel clashing mixed with the screams of the dying and battle cries. The sound of an occasional flintlock could be heard but the bedlam centered around the clash of steel as the two crews met. Sofia was wearing her gold mask, blue breeches, a cream colored shirt, and a blue coat. She fought her way to the captain of the Black Dog. She parried his thrust and was soon engaged in a steel tit-for-tat fight. She finally managed to snare the hilt of his sword with her blade and flung it out of his hand. She pressed her advantage, holding her sword at his throat with a snarl. [color=fff200]“Yield!”[/color] The crew of the Black Dog yielded. Sofia had her crew rig their ship for towing after putting the crew in the brig. The ship and crew were handed off to the city magistrate at Free Sail. Sofia paid her crew and they left to celebrate at the Scallywags Den. [hr] [b][i]City of Free Sail The Scallywags Den[/i][/b] [hider=The Scallywags Den] [img]https://i.ibb.co/TBfynWFn/Scallywags-Den-Tavern.jpg[/img] [/hider] The tavern’s lanterns provide dim lighting as the air is heavy with salt from the sea and smoke from the fireplaces and lanterns. It smells of rum, unwashed bodies, and secrets. Lanterns flicker behind stained glass made from shattered bottles. Shanties hum low beneath the chatter of cutthroats, smugglers, and mercenaries. The bartender Maggie serves ale from a barrel and rum from dark bottles. Sofia smiled as she sat at a table in the corner of Scallywags. Her crew was happy and joyful with mugs of ale and good food in their belly. They were merry as they played games of chance with cards and dice. Sofia relaxed in the company of her crew. Her gold mask glinted and caught the light. Anyone who saw the telltale mask knew her name, La Conquistadora. The word had already gone out across the shanties that La Conquistadora was holding court at her usual table at the Scallywags Den. Now it was just a matter of time as the typical informants brought her the rumors and whispers they had overheard. Sofia sipped at her wine that Maggie kept on hand for her as she watched the revelry around her waiting.