Pirate Island Part V

Posted on Wed Oct 23rd, 2019 @ 10:06pm by Commodore Tyler Malbrooke & Lieutenant Commander Vaebn tr'Hwersuil & Lieutenant Paul Michael & Lieutenant JG Mira Jayna & Major Cornelius Tremble & Lieutenant Commander Katherine Malbrooke & Lieutenant Junior Grade Mira Jayde & Ensign Auba Lyna & Lieutenant Junior Grade Zhara Rynn & Sergeant Azure Thompson
Edited on on Thu Oct 24th, 2019 @ 12:24am

1,446 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Marooned!
Location: Holodeck 2 - Deck 5 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD003 1930 hrs

Last Time On Pirate Island Part IV
As if that’s not strange enough, a face forms from the center of the trunk and looks about, mossy eyebrows and mustache quivering as it casts a look about and a deep rumbling voice calls out.
“Welcome treasure seekers, you spirited few!
Here’s a riddle. What will you do?
Guess it right and find your path
Guess it wrong, and I’ll get some laughs!

Seven days sailing, following the setting sun,
Seven days dodging. On the run.
Seven days digging, now it’s done.
Add it all up, and your quest's begun!

Jayna turned to the others. "That's not part of the program."
And Now The Continuation...
Paul and Lyna arrived and stared at the tree. "This is part of the pirate program?"

"No," Jayde said, joining the group. "I have no idea where it came from."

Quinn looked over to Tyler. He was about to take charge, but with Tyler being the senior officer, the responsible shifted to him. "Captain, we may have a small dilemma. We need to reboot the program, Miss Jayde, here is saying this is not part of the program." Quinn told him, in a calm and collected voice.

Tyler assessed the situation in a hurry. He saw that most of his crew was present. "Computer end program!" Tyler called out to the room. Nothing happened. "Computer arch!" Again Tyler ordered and nothing happened. "Well Number One it seems that at least for now we are going to have to play along. First let us asses what weapons if any we have. I have a saber, and I know that Vaebn has one as well. Is anyone else armed? Secondly, we should figure out the solution to the riddle. My answer would be seven days."

Quinn tried to tap on his combadge, but they were cut off. He called out to himself. "What the hell..." He started to say, as he looked to Tyler. "I only have this little revolver." He said, as he started to walk towards the bulkhead of the hooldeck. He started to feel around, hoping to find the access panel. But the program was trying to elude him. "What in the hell is going on." He called out a little louder.

Tyler addressed the crowd at large. "When situations like this have arisen in the past it has always been the best course of action to let the program play through. Look for openings as we go and be on our toes. The first task is to take stock of what supplies we have, weapons, food, etc... and solve the riddle. So as it is now and as it has always been. Options we need options."

"What about the rest of you, what weapons or tools do you have?" Quinn asked the rest of the crew.

"I have a saber a small dagger, and I also have compass." Vaebn said and showed the brass compass hanging from a coat button and indicating the sword and dagger on his hips.

"I have a long dagger." Jayna said, indicating the blade on her side. "If we complete the quest, we should be able to end the program and leave the holodeck. My suggestion for the riddle is 21."

Jayna indicated that she also had a short blade. "I agree. I assume figuring out what 21 means is part of the riddle."

"We have two hours to find the treasure, right?" Zhara asked, joining the group.

Paul, holding Lyna's hand, spoke up. "Excuse me. I think we're getting the first line of the riddle wrong. Seven days sailing, following the setting sun means their hearing west. So maybe it means go 7 feet, yards whatever, west."

"You may be right," Jayna said. "It said seven days sailing, seven days dodging, and seven days digging. That may also be what it took for the pirates to get here. The last line, however, makes me think we're looking at 21. It says, Add it all up, and your quest's begun!"

Paul looked around, seeing that no one supported his idea. "I still think that's too obvious, so what's the plan?"

"We can split up and try both," Zhara said. "Both ideas have merit, and we have enough people."

"Agreed," Jayde said. "How many teams do we need? Two?"

Jayna turned to the captain. "Sir? What do you think?"

The tree's mossy brows twitch, first the left rising then the right, and then it's voice rumbles out.

An answer I need,
Why must I wait?
I have better things to do
Then listen to you debate....

Jayna turned to the tree. "The answer is 21, but we don't know what that means."

"How did you know that one Jayna?" Quinn asked, with amazement in his voice. Was Jayna a fan of 21st century piracy? There was a lot, he did not know about her. But she was helping him, on his side project. So this was a good opportunity, to learn more about her.

She shrugged. "Mathematics. I added the numbers. The last line made me think it was more about the numbers than what they did."

Twenty One! Yes YellowBeards hand.
Precisely the number, the name of his brand.
It’s said find the rum, and you’ll find a pirate’s true love.
This isn’t the west,
She’s no soiled dove.

Rum is honest, a pirate’s true drink,
Not some doxy presenting a coy wink.
Trust the rum, it’s honest and sweet.
Like any lass you might hope to meet

What’s that got to do with this you might ask?
You could ask my brother, but he’s now a cask.
So this is a warning
Or perhaps more a plea!
Rum’s more a danger to us poor trees!

With a great sigh, the tree seems to gather itself, shaking out more of leaves as some near the top begin to fade into the colors of autumn.

“Ahh, my time nears it’s end so I really must finish,
All things fade and like they, I diminish.

A treasure of great value awaits your plot,
Others are competing, they’re a vicious lot.
Get a move on now, don’t delay!
So like a good chap, I’ll show you the way!

A map is what you need, that’s for sure!
It’s all I have, so don’t ask for more.
Now take it. Just take it and begin your spree,
Compliments
Of the Poet-Tree.
To Be Continued...

A Joint Post By

Captain Tyler Malbrooke
Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer