Re: Chapter 2: Rising Tide

[AClockworkMelon]

Narcisse hands off his sword to Itz before he is led away.

[Lunaticlucas]

Itz surprised by the trust his Captain puts in him doesn't want to fail.

Itz taking his Captain's sword knows what he must do. He has to meet with Adriaan's family representative to make sure we can still get paid and get our ship back. Itz knows he must be quick in case anything happens to Zander while he is gone.

Turning to Adriaan "If Zander Dies, you die." Itz explains and readys himself to go to the meeting.

[spckaufman]

Fine, I'll watch over your little rat friend, but if you don't come back with my half he dies anyways...

Adriaan vows to take care of Zander.

[Mosier]

Itz is more than a little apprehensive about leaving Zander alone with Adriaan, but he knows getting the ransom money is more important than any one man. Even the first mate. Reluctantly, Itz departs the house around 10:00 pm to make his way to the docks.

What will he even say to the person who comes to meet him? Yorick Brauwer's man will surely be expecting Adriaan to be at the meeting. How can he possibly expect to retrieve the money, without handing over Adriaan? Itz has been left with a nearly impossible mission.

As Itz exits the home of Jacques Bastien, he is overcome with the sense of someone watching him. He turns sharply and finds a man uncomfortably near to him. Itz has the distinct impression that he would not have seen the man unless he allowed himself to be seen.

"Heard your crew is going after the bastards who killed Pip," the man says with an English accent. "If so, I'm with you. Name's Travis."

Travis Johnson, a member of Pipsqueak's crew, has joined the party. He will be played by Rhubarb77.

Itz now has more options for dealing with this situation. Travis, Itz, and Adriaan must decide who is going to the midnight meeting on the docks, and who (if anyone) is staying behind to watch after Zander.

[spckaufman]

"Good, now I can go and make sure you don't fuck it up!" Adriann said to Itz.

Johnson huh? Well if you take care of 'ol frenchy here and don't go letting him get killed I'll flip you a few silver pieces on account of what happened to Pipsqueak. I don't like seein' a man killed for nothin', less I'm the one doin' it.

"What a good day," Adriaan leans in and whispers in Dutch to Johnson, "Ik zal zelfs gooien in Frenchy's hoer zus. U kunt haar alles wat je wilt neuken." He smiled as he walked back toward Itz. "You ready to go?

[Lunaticlucas]

Glad to be able to keep his eyes on Adriaan, Itz agrees with the plan for Johnson to watch over Zander.

Itz turns to Johnson "Well then, I'll give you the same deal I was going to give to the Dutch one. He dies *pointing towards Zander* You die."

After a slight pause "Nothing personal." Itz offers

[Mosier]

Adriaan and Itz arrive at the dock in St. Kitts. It's nearly midnight, and the area is almost deserted. Some of the ships at port have guards near their dock space - a sure sign of a wealthy merchant (or pirate!) protecting his cargo.

There are customs checkpoints, guard shacks, warehouses, store fronts, and all sorts of other types of buildings crammed into the small area around the dock. This small area is what fuels the economic engine for the rest of the island. Countless slaves have been purchased, sold, or transported through here, along with the other all important export, sugar.

The docks are not an ideal place for this meeting. There are too many hiding places. It's cramped and enclosed, and it's too easy to fall for a trap.

Itz sees a small, moving flash of moonlight reflecting metal, coming from an alleyway. Adriaan and Itz turn to see the silhouette of a man, flipping a gold Spanish coin.

"I was hoping for Goldilocks, himself," the figure says in perfect Nahuatl. There is a pleasant-sounding European accent to the words. Hearing a foreigner speak to him in his own tongue puts Itz on guard. He doesn't trust the man, and is certain the man is plotting some sort of betrayal.

Adriaan hears unintelligible words in a heathen language. He doesn't recognize the man flipping the coin, but he can tell the man is certainly not a Native. The man senses Adriaan's unease at not understanding the language, and continues in French for Adriaan's benefit. "I suppose you'll do, though," he says. "Are you here in good faith, or has your captain broken his word, intending to betray my lord?"

The man seems to ignore Adriaan, looking directly at Itz. As he steps out of the shadows, Itz sees into the man's eyes and immediately detects power within him. The man is a sorcerer, a heretic to the Christian God, and as such is undoubtedly incredibly gifted at manipulating the thoughts and feelings of people near him.

Still looking directly at Itz, the man says in Nahuatl, "Quenqui hohuaho te homhlatlaxi itzontican."

[Lunaticlucas]

"My Captain would be here if he could but he had urgent matters to attend to, so he sent me in his stead. By no means do we intend to betray you or your Lord." Itz explains

"yeh chihua ahmo." Itz says in his native tongue.

"Now do we have a deal?"

[Mosier]

"So it is as his father expected," the Heretic says. "Now you have seen a small portion of the trouble Brauwer endures on behalf of his son. Your gold is under an overturned bucket in the alley next to the Hanged Hero. Whether it will still there twenty minutes from now, I cannot say." He sighs heavily before turning to Adriaan.

"Are you prepared to come home, child?"

[spckaufman]

Smiling, Adriaan stepped toward the man. "Let us leave these savages."

[Mosier]

Itz watches Adriaan walk away, hopefully for the last time. He waits for the Heretic's inevitable betrayal, his hand ready to draw his blade at the smallest hint of aggression, but it never comes.

Instead, the Heretic simply says to Itz, "Brauwer extends his thanks for returning his son unharmed....or mostly unharmed. Inform you captain that Brauwer holds no grudge against him."

As the Heretic and Adriaan walk away, Itz senses other men moving, just out of sight, shadowing the Heretic. The man did not come to this meeting alone.

Itz waits long enough to be sure the Heretic is gone. Then, like a flash he darts away, rushing toward the Hanged Hero. Could the Heretic actually have kept his word, and hidden a small fortune in plain sight?

As the English tavern appears before him, Itz spots the alley the Heretic must have been referring to. Itz sprints as fast as his legs can carry him.

Incredibly, Itz finds a bucket turned face-down in the dirt. He glances around to be sure nobody is watching, and then turns the bucket over. Inside is a pile of golden Spanish doubloons, dozens of them neatly stacked. Itz scoops the money up without counting it in case he's being watched, and hurries away toward Bastien's home...

-

Narcisse has been led to a cell in the English barracks, near the St. Kitts shore battery. The captain has never seen a more pitiful organization than an English colonial government. The guards are unwashed and wearing tattered rags as uniforms, they drink rum freely while on duty, and one of the guards has even overtly offered to accept a bribe from him. Thirty doubloons, and the barbarian will provide Narcisse with the key to his own cell.

It's a tempting thought. If Itz' meeting with Brauwer's men went well, Narcisse would have that sum and more. However, if he accepts, he won't be able to pay Henry Albright the full price for his ship's release, and he'll be wanted by the English government as an escaped prisoner. If he declines the guard's bribe offer, he will have to defend himself in court. Neither option is particularly appealing.

Jean-Pierre Bastien enters the barracks, and approaches Lebeau's cell. Two English guards nod to him. It's not a salute, but they clearly respect the man, who has just inherited one of the largest plots of land in the colony.

"Leave us," Jean-Pierre says to the guards.

"Apologies sir, but we can't," one of the men replies. "It's up to us to make sure he's safe, 'til he hangs. Nobody gets to be alone with him, especially the victim's family."

Bastien is quite unhappy with the response, but he realizes he can't reason with men who are afraid for their jobs. Since he can't be alone with Narcisse, he does the next best thing; he speaks French.

"The savage succeeded," Bastien says, choosing his words carefully. Bastien cannot risk speaking too openly, in case one of the guards knows French. "I know of the offer made to you. I will tell the savage to come, if in return you agree to perform a service for me, should you survive this. Do not ask questions, simply say oui or non."

[AClockworkMelon]

"Non." Narcisse has no intention of paying some guard sixty escudos for his release. But then, he has no intention of paying Albright, neither.

[Mosier]

"Non." Narcisse has no intention of paying some Englishman fifteen escudos for his release. But then, he has no intention of paying Albright, neither.

Bastien takes a step back, his brow furrowed in thought. The captain clearly frustrates and impresses him, at the same time.

"Au revoir, Goldilocks," Jean-Pierre says. "I hope you do not intend to die for pride." He leaves without another word. Jean-Pierre has underestimated Lebeau, and may now be regretting his previous act of mercy...

Narcisse has recovered 1 point of Willpower, for satisfying his vice at personal cost to himself.

-

The next day, Zander groans as he opens his eyes. Itz is near him, and sees him wake. Zander is still very hurt, but he will heal with time and care. With determination very few other men could have matched, Zander brings himself to a sitting position.

The trial is tomorrow. Itz, Zander, and Travis may discuss whether to attend Narcisse's trial, and if so, whether to attempt to intervene should things go badly...

[Rubberneck]

Zander looks around and runs his hands over the bandaging where his wounds are. He can't help but notice the absence of Narcisse. Multiple questions flash through his head. What exactly happened while he was out? How bad were his injuries? How long until his wounds heal? However the most daunting and most important question of all:

"Where is Narcisse?"

[Lunaticlucas]

"The Captain is in jail because of your inability to think." Itz snaps

"And the only reason that you are still alive is because I saved your pathetic life."

[Rubberneck]

"Damn, you guys sound very similar. Even the savage tutored by a Frenchman is an asshole. I know I fucked up but you remember who second in charge is."

Zander sighs, he knows he screwed up, he let his temper get the best of him and damn near died for it, and worst off his captain is in jail for it.

"When is his trial? We were simply defending ourselves I'm sure that Narcisse can talk his way out of it, but we need to be ready to bust him out if he can't. By the way did we get rid of that foolish Dutchman? Did we get the money?"

At this point Zander sees that he and Itz aren't the only ones in the room. "Who the hell are you?" he asks the stranger.

[Lunaticlucas]

"I only answer to the Captain, and I'd best be watching the way you're talking to me. I can just as easily take your life as I did save it."

[Rubberneck]

"Yah yah yah. I just woke up from getting my ass kicked. Anyone could kick a man when hes down. Kill me, go ahead, and then what? You'd be another man down, and I'm sure the captain is pissed at my impatience but he'd be even more pissed if you killed me. Enough with the arguing, I'm going to rest up until it's time. I'm not going to get into a dick measuring contest with you Doc."

Zander will wait to speak with the stranger before rolling over and passing back out.

[Rhubarb77]

"My name is Travis Johnson; I was a part of Pip's crew when we met, and if we can save him, I plan to keep it that way..." Travis said, with a mix of concern and determination in his voice. While he would like to go save Pip sooner than later, there was not even evidence that Pip was still alive, let alone safe. All he could do at this point was wait patiently while he and his new comrades collaborated on a plan.

[Rubberneck]

Zander listens intently. "They kept their word thus far so I'm sure if Pip is still alive he'd been released by now. My guess is that he's dead. Its good to know you are loyal. However if you're the only one that showed up here then the rest of the crew doesn't care... Looks like you're their new boss Travis. Get them ready, we might need them to help bust the captain out." With this Zander will rest up to heal his wounds as much as possible.

[Mosier]

Itz, Travis, and Zander are among the group of people gathered to watch the trial of Narcisse Lebeau. The crowd is quite large, as everyone is curious to see someone of such notoriety hang.

The crowd is divided neatly into two roughly equal groups. The English are gathered on the east side, and seem quite eager to celebrate Lebeau's death. The French are gathered on the west side, and are much more subdued. Narcisse is a celebrity to the French, a symbol that represents French culture so well; superiority, boldness, beauty, and ambition. They're hoping that somehow, unlikely as it seems, Narcisse will survive the day, leaving the English with egg on their face.

Jean-Pierre comes to stand next to Itz, both of them looking toward the hanging post. The noose has already been prepared, and sways gently in the breeze. Narcisse will be defending himself on the same stage in which he will be hanged if he fails. The captain himself sits in a chair, across from an empty podium, which will soon be occupied by an English magistrate. Two guards stand at either side of Narcisse, who is shackled in his front.

"Your captain is a fool," Jean Pierre says. There is no malice in his voice, only statement of fact. "Remember, he brought this upon himself," he continued ominously. Before Itz can reply, Jean-Pierre walks away, toward the stage as a wigged and black-robed judge climbs the podium stairs, along with a rail-thin, terrified looking man with disheveled hair and pox scars.

The judge takes his position and slams a gavel. "Order," he says with a tone that sounds almost bored. "Before the court stands Narcisse Lebeau, also known as Cheveux-dor, also known as Goldilocks. He stands trial for the murder of Jacques Bastien, and five associates." The judge lists the names of the men killed in the skirmish at Bastien's slave quarters and his home. "Furthermore, he is charged with destruction of Bastien's property, namely a slave in the service of the Bastien estate. Who shall represent the English crown and victims in this matter?" The judge looks pointedly at the thin, ugly man, whose face shows an expression of terror.

"Um, excuse me," the man says, clearing his throat. "I...uh, I do, your honor. William P. Meier, the third."

Surprisingly, Bastien himself speaks from the crowd. "Meier represents the crown, your honor. However, the victims shall be represented by myself, Jean-Pierre Bastien, if it pleases the court."

The judge has been taken by surprise. Apparently this request is quite unusual. "Does the representative of the crown object?"

Meier visibly sighs with relief as he realizes his own job just became much easier. "No objection, your honor."

Bastien climbs to the stage and stands next to Meier. As he does, he glares at Narcisse. If Bastien did indeed make a mistake by not killing Narcisse before, he will correct it now. Bastien's expression tells Narcisse everything he needs to know. You did this to yourself.

"How does the defendant plea?" The judge asks, looking toward Narcisse.

[AClockworkMelon]

Narcisse feels nothing but vindication as Bastien climbs the stage: Jean-Pierre is as much a traitor as his father was. Narcisse rises from his chair, shackles jangling, and speaks. "Je ne suis pas coupable," he starts in French, before correcting himself and continuing in slow English, his accent thick. "I am not guilty, your honor."

[Mosier]

"Very well," the judge says. "The crown shall argue its case presently."

Meier gulps, then begins speaking. "Mister, uh, Lobo. To begin, you must answer three questions. First, did you and the men, uh, under your command kill Jacques Bastien and five men employed by him, and also cause injury to his slave? Second, who attacked first in the incident at the slave house, and who fired first at the incident at Bastien's home? Third, if you admit to the killings, and if you also admit to your men firing first, how do you explain your innocent plea?"

[AClockworkMelon]

Narcisse eyes the prosecutor as he asks his questions, his disgust buried deep behind those closed blue windows to his soul. When Meier has finished the Frenchman takes to his feet, proud even in bondage. "Monsieur Meier," he inclines his head to the stuttering worm across from him, "votre honneur," he does likewise to the judge. "My men killed all who..." He pauses here, turning his hand as he tries to think of the word, "Ont pris part à," he stops, shakes his head and continues, "all who attacked us. Jacques Bastien inclus." He supplements his poor English with French. "Who they worked for I leave to you."

"They made to kill us in ambush. Men with torches," the word is the same in English, "and épées. Swords." He gestures flamboyantly with his hands as he talks, shackles clinking loudly. "Nous ne savions pas ce qui se passait, we did not know what was happening. I would be with le sauveur if not for the quick thinking of my good English friend, Monsieur Eldridge." He points his bound arms towards Zander in the crowd. "Our rented shelter was enflammé so we made to Monsieur Bastien's maison, and there came under fire." He nods solemnly and continues. "For a second time Monsieur Eldridge saved my life. I am joyeux to see today that he survived his injuries and am thankful Monsieur Bastien," he nods to Jean-Pierre, "saw fit to take only myself into custody. For what reasons I cannot say."

"Pardonnez-moi," he bows his head to the prosecutor, "for my English. I can repeat if vous en avez besoin, if you need." Narcisse sits.

[Rubberneck]

At this point Zander stands (I'm assuming people are seated at this trial), but does not speak unless he is addressed, the soul reason for this is so that his wounds can be seen.

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