Two Spooks Meet In A Bar... Part IV
Posted on Mon May 15th, 2023 @ 7:16pm by Captain Edmund Merrick & Petty Officer 1st Class Kaylara Loran
Edited on on Wed May 17th, 2023 @ 9:54pm
0 words; about a 1 minute read
Mission:
Episode 14 - The Poseidon Adventure
Location: The Repulsive Sailboat Bar and Holodeck - Poseidon Station Promenade
Timeline: MD005 0130 hrs
"There, there is our prize, and we will be having it!" shouted Stefan. "Mister Talbot ready the men, we are going to be capturing that ship! "
Talbot began to bark out orders and the men scrambled, Stefan taking the wheel of the ship to pilot it towards their quarry. "Hoist up the colors!" Stefan roared out. and the Jolly Roger, was ran up the line. The flag snapping and billowing in the wind.
It looked like they were going to be getting into a fight, as the EITC ship was moving towards the Black Fury. The wind was in the favor of the Black Fury as it leaped forward across the water, under Stefan's hand the ships drew near. Cannons roared as the ships began their fight. The Black Fury moved out of the way then, brought about to the other side of the ship, " Break out the grapple hooks!" Stefan called out. "And prepare to board!"
The grapple hooks attached and lashing the ships together. And thus started the attack, between the pirates and the EITC.
Kaylara watched the ship as the pirate flag was raised and the men all got into position. They all knew their places and she was the newcomer. Still, she wasn't going to be left behind. She decided the best place to be was beside the captain where she could protect him, as a good pirate would do, and not get in someone's way. If she ever had the opportunity to return, she'd make sure she knew her position and responsibilities before jumping in, but right now she'd play it by ear.
She slid down one of the anchoring ropes, made her way to Stefan's side, and drew her sword.
Stefan looked at Kaylara, and her sword drawn. "You and I will not be staying here, see that man there, looking all important upon the upper deck, with his tri corner hat, his ruffled shirt and gold chain attached to his lovely waist coat? That is the captain of that vessel, he is our target. We take the captain, we take the ship. We'll have to fight our way there, but we can get to him. It’s not going to be easy as he's got his own guards. And watch to make certain he doesn't shoot you with the gun he has at his waist. It will knock you out giving you a headache." he remarked with a flash of a smile. He then headed to the stairs leading down to the main deck.
But who was going to help them clear the way? she thought. If just the two of them ran at the captain, a dozen people would shoot them before they got close. She began to look for a less-direct route as she followed Stefan.
Stefan paused for a moment when he reached the main deck. He turned towards Kaylara, "Have you ever done swinging on a rope to get from one area to the next?" He motioned to the ropes that were available to be used. "The deck we had just come from doesn't have the clearance to do so. We will have to swing from there" pointing to an area on the mast, "to there." pointing to where the Captain was standing.
She nodded. She had, but never when someone was likely to shoot at her. But there was always a first time. "Yes. Do you want me to go first?" She wasn't sure if it would be better to go first and draw the attention, or go second when the other pirates had a chance to ready their muskets.
Stefan took a look at the fighting, "The captain currently has the better view to shoot anyone who would come close to him, I will take him on whilst you take on his second in command. Are you up for a bit of swordplay? Right now, he is working his way with the sword against the crew coming near. His first mate looks to be rather good." his gaze turning to Kaylara, "Think you can take him on?"
She watched the man with a critical eye, noting his technique and if he had any tells before attacking. Most people telegraphed their next move unless they were practiced enough to hide it, and he wasn't, even though he was very good. "I'll certainly try." She wondered if he was the type who got sloppy when angry. She'd have to look for that.
The man seemed to utilize his left hand more than his right, even though it seemed that he could fight with both hands, still though. Left handed seemed to be his stronger suit.
Stefan quietly watched as Kaylara took her time to observe the first mate. The he spoke quietly "shall we head over there?" taking a step towards the rigging to climb upwards.
She nodded once as she sheathed her blades to climb the rigging again. Even though it was a holodeck, she felt a thrill of excitement at the chance to actually swing across to the other ship and fight. She wondered if it was the Romulan in her looking forward to the fight, or the chance to use a blade. When they got to the right spot she paused for Stefan.
Stefan was up the rigging not too far from her, handing Kaylara a rope of her own. His weapons were tucked to where they won't fall, then Stefan grinned, his eyes were bright with excitement, he loved this part of the program. He now had the bird's eye view of the fight below upon the deck of the EITC ship. It looked like his men were prevailing only to be pushed back. They recovered and made headway once more.
He looked at Kaylara, then said, "Now, they are occupied." and he swung from his perch holding onto his rope, then once he was close to the spot over the deck of the other bridge he let go. Landing in the midst of a small group of his men.
"Glad you joined us Cap'n" Talbot greeted Stefan, as the first mate fended off a sword to give a chance to Stefan draw his own.
"I wouldn't miss this for the world." Stefan answered Talbot with a grin, then he set to work, to make his way up towards the Captain on the upper deck. He paused momentarily to see where Kaylara ended up.
She watched the battle for several seconds before Stefan gave her the signal, then she jumped, aiming for the closest spot she could get to her target. He was fighting off four pirates, and doing well, when she pulled out her weapons and joined in.
The first mate gave Kaylara a quick glance, then his eyes widened briefly before concentrating on the four pirates. A man stepped in her way and the fight began.
When she'd taken down her opponent, there were only two pirates still fighting the first mate. Well, if he was stronger left-handed, she'd force him to fight with his right. Giving him a fierce grin, Kaylara attacked.
Stefan moved up one step to the next, knocking the men off their feet who thought they had the high ground and instead, found themselves no longer upon the steps and in the middle of a set of swords, held by Stefan's crew. Finally, he reached the deck where the captain was getting ready to cut down one of his men, Stefan's blade snaking in and deflecting the blade away from its intended victim. "We meet again Horatiu, did you think that you'd avoid me yet again?" Stefan growled out.
The Captain's eyes widened slightly then narrowed as an expression of hatred was evident in his eyes. "Ah there you are nephew, I wondered when I would catch up to you." twisting his blade from being stopped by Stefan's and swung at him.
Then ensued a brutal sword fight between the two captains, even if the safety protocols were on, damage was being done. Stefan hissed as Horatiu's sword nicked him on the arm, cutting through the cloth of his poet's shirt. "Kaylara be warned, the safety protocols are lower. I forgot to change them!" then he put his concentration onto the fight at hand.
She heard him, but it didn't matter. She was a Romulan on the hunt, choosing speed over flair. She attacked over and over, first with the sword, then the dagger. He'd won several fights, and she was fresh. She used that to her advantage. "You fight like my grandmother," she taunted.
The first mate growled at her and swung. Kaylara countered, turning his sword aside as she slashed with her dagger. She caught his arm, but he turned, slashing out with his own blade to cut her ribs. She gasped, but the pain only made her angry. She drove him back until he almost tripped over one of his own men, then threw her dagger, left-handed at his chest. As he moved to deflect it, she pierced his stomach with her blade.
A couple of times it seemed that Horatiu would be the victor of the fight between he and Stefan, the older man seeming to toy with Stefan, almost pinning him against the railing. Stefan managed to get away from there in order to have more freedom of movement, taking a slice across the chest, leaving a bloody trail and a cut in the shirt. Horatiu laughed then the laugh turned into an oof as Stefan landed a hard kick to his belly, knocking the man backwards to where he stumbled, falling over the railing to the deck below. Stefan was over the railing after him, landing next to the man and placed his sword to the man's throat, breathing heavily. "Do you yield?" he growled out.
"I yield!" the man faintly said having had the wind knocked out of him.
"I can't hear you." Stefan asked again.
"I yield!" the man's voice louder.
"Strike their colors and raise the Jolly Roger!" Stefan called out, and the flag of the EITC was lowered, and the skull and crossbones of the Jolly Roger was raised. There was a resounding cheer from the Black Fury's crew.
Stefan looked at the now restrained Captain Horatiu, then gave the order. "Set him adrift in a dinghy with a few days rations, we'll let Davy Jones be his judge!"
And on that note, they bundled Horatiu into the dinghy and cast him adrift with the bare minimal of food. Stefan searched upwards to where Kaylara was, to see if she was alright.
Kaylara was on her feet, watching Stefan. Her shirt and vest were slashed and she was bleeding, but she still held her sword. All fighting around her stopped when the captain yielded.
Her eyes met Stefan's and she grinned.
Stefan grinned in return placing his lips on his fingertips kissing them then gesturing towards Kaylara as if to send a kiss to her, and gave her a bow. He turned walking towards the men who were being watched over by his men, then said.
"I will give you a choice you can join my crew or suffer the same fate as you captain." he having a rather serious expression in his eyes.
After looking at each other the men responded, "We'll join your crew, we've not had good treatment from that bastard." one of them spitting this out.
"Good." he looked at his men, "Set them free, Mister Talbot I will leave to you to sort this ship out, Mister Kaylara, please join me upon the Black Fury." turning to head across to the Black Fury, waiting for a moment for Kaylara to catch up to him.
She retrieved her dagger from the deck, sheathed both her blades, then quickly made her way back to the other ship and Stefan. "What is your wish now, my captain?" They both needed to get cleaned up, but she wasn't ready to go back to her ship yet.
Stefan took Kaylara's hand and drew her in for a kiss, tasting the sweetness of her lips, his arms gently encircling her waist and pulling her close, the adrenaline of that fight masking the pain that will soon make itself known. All he wanted right now was to feel her in his arms and his lips upon hers.
It was exactly what Kaylara hoped he'd do. The combination of her growing attraction to Stefan and the exhilaration of the fight were intoxicating. She slipped her hands into his hair and deepened the kiss.
Stefan responded in kind, pulling her against him even more, just enjoying the moment. There was a small soft tone which interrupted the moment, Stefan reluctantly moving his lips from hers. "The time is up for this ship, would you like to come to my room, and we can continue this?" leaning in for another kiss.
"Yes," she replied when the kiss ended. "We should clean up and change first so we don't scare people." She indicated her bloody shirt and vest. She usually had no time for philanderers, but this time, she definitely wanted to seduce the seducer.
With a quiet nod, Stefan indicated his agreement.
A Joint Post By
Petty Officer First Class Kaylara Loran
Data Systems Analyst, USS Pioneer
LTJG Stefan Zamfir
Field Agent Intelligence
SB50
Written by:
Captain Edmund Merrick
The Cure Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
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