A fog was rolling in over the water shrouding the vest watery landscape. Even the rising sun couldn't break through it. Leaving the sea to look haunted in shades of greys. The bow of a black frigate ship cut through the waves and the strong wind rustled the crimson leather sails. The wind had a cold to it that suggested a storm was not far away. Silently the ship listed over the waves. Not a single soul on deck moved or dared to speak. All eyes were on the foggy horizon in waiting. Captain Mark finally moved up to the helm, lifting his spyglass to check the silhouette of a shape ahead. In his spyglass, he watched a white frigate ship slowly disappear into the mass of fog ahead. Lowering his spyglass, he told his helmsmen confidently. "Steady as she goes." Bob nodded to him, answering swiftly. "Aye Aye, Captain." Mark moved to the stairs as his quartermaster approached the end of the steps, asking curiously. "Your orders, Captain?" 

Mark shifted his eyes off the horizon down to meet Tyler's, answering firmly. "Coax a bit more wind from the sails, but stay are her stern. We need to see what colors she's flying". Tyler gave a swift nod, turning to the rest of the crew as he barked out. "You heard the captain! Unfurl the foremast and mizzenmast sails! Snap to!" The crew all shouted "Aye!" The leather sails were quickly unfurled and the ship surged forward with the added wind. From above them the bell began to ring out in the crows nest, before Wade leaned over the side to shout down. "Captain! She's flying navel colors! What should we do?!" All the crew shifted anxiously and glanced up at Mark. Mark smirked, then shouted out loudly. "Hoist the colors! Tyler, load the swivel and deck cannons! Bob, bring us up on her stern!" All he heard was simple shouts of 'Aye' and watched the crew scramble to his orders.

Mark glanced up at the crows nest to see Wade hoisting their black flag. Their ship crashed through the waves at a higher speed as Bob shouted out to the crew. "Release all sails! Swivel gunners get ready! We are coming up on her stern!" Mark moved to the railing by the helm, gripping it firmly as he watched the white frigate come into clear view. Mark then raised his hand and called out to the bow. "Swivel gunners on my word!" Mark watched the horizon like a hawk, waiting for the bow to line up with the stern of the frigate. The moment it did, he lowered his hand and yelled out. "Fire!" The two small mounted swivel guns let out a soft 'POW' as the ball and chains were fired. They whipped through the air with a soft jingling sound, before striking the mizzenmast and mainmast of the white frigate. The heavy masts crumbled from the impact and fell across their main deck.

A loud bell rang out on the white frigate as their ship slowed to a crawl in the water. A wicked smile broke out on Mark's face as he told Tyler coldly. "Bring out the triple guns." Tyler nodded, running to the stairs leading down to the lower deck, shouting down. "Push the triple guns out!" Two front panels on the bow opened to reveal a three barreled cannon on each side. Mark raised his hand again, then lowered it yelling out. "Fire!" Tyler relayed the order and the triple cannons roared to life. Smoke puffed up over the bow of the ship as cannon balls blasted forth, splintering the back of the white frigate. Four cannon balls disappeared into the officer's courters of the ship, while the other two busted up the ships rudder. Leaving the white frigate without a means to steer. The crew cheered, when Wade suddenly shouted down in a flurry. "Captain! Fire barrels!" The news came a bit late. From the stern on the white frigate, two barrels were pushed off the back into the water. The barrels then struck the front of their ship as the soldiers shot them, igniting the contents.

The barrels exploded off the bow, jerking the ship violently and sending a concussion blast over the front that knocked back some of the crew. Mark gripped the railing tighter, yelling out to Bob furiously. "Now it is personal! Take us around! Men! Let's give these fuckers a taste of the long nines!" The crew shouted in agreement and rushed to the deck cannons on the port side as Bob steered the ship to come alongside them. As their ship came into full view, Mark locked eyes with the Admiral of the White Frigate. The Admiral's eyes widened in horror as someone on his ship screamed out. "Gods save us! It's the Salty Savage!" Mark raised his hand and then pointed toward the white frigate, yelling out heartlessly. "FIRE ALL!" The cannons thundered to life, blasting into the ship without mercy. Their main deck was set a scrambling by the top deck cannons, while also beseeched upon by the lower deck cannons.

The Admiral tried to bark out orders, but his crew was lost amid the chaos of splintering wood and deafening screams of agony. A few shots managed to strike his own haul, but Mark wasn't worried about them. Strolling to a crate on the poop deck, Mark pulled out two rifles, tossing one to Tyler as he ran up the steps. Tyler caught it and immediately turned to aim at the white frigate. Mark rose the rifle to his shoulder and took aim for the Admiral. Tyler shot down the ships quartermaster and was working on the helmsmen. When Mark pulled the trigger to pick off the Admiral as he tried to flee below deck. The second the Admiral fell dead across the main deck, the rest of the crew stopped what they were doing. With no one giving orders, they raised their hands hoping to surrender. Mark raised his hand to stop the crew as he yelling out. "HOLD!"

The smoke from the cannons cleared and Mark turned to Tyler to say honestly. "Their ship is sinking. Don't waste the ammo. Take a group and board them. Clear the decks and steal anything not tied down. Hurry." Tyler pointed to a few men and they pulled out the grapple hooks to pull the ship in closer to board. Within minutes, Tyler had the remaining crew clustered on the main deck, while the men stole everything. They took ammo, food, supplies, guns, and any treasures they saw fit to have. They even managed to take a few cannons. Mark watched from the deck of his ship, making sure that everything was put below properly and tied down. Then when the last of the supplies they could nab was taken, Tyler asked him from the white frigate. "Captain? What do we do with the remaining crew?" Mark didn't even think about. He simply turned cold eyes on Tyler, telling him heartlessly. "Give them a pirates death."

Tyler nodded, then gave a nod to his men. They all removed a dagger from their boots and began to cut the shrouds off the masts. The crew cried out in terror and some tried to flee, but only one managed to get overboard. The others were detained and hung from the burning foremast. Mark's crew cheered loudly at their victory, but Mark knew this was just one of many to come. From behind him on the helm, Bob asked him curiously. "Do you want me to come around so that you can shoot the survivor"? Mark turned to look off the stern of his boat to see the man swimming away as fast as he could. Mark hefted the rifle to look at the man through the scope. He could honestly get him from here, but didn't want to waste the ammo. Instead, he was looking for something else. He had sailed these waters his whole life. They didn't call this area 'Shark Cove' for nothing. The moment he saw a large dorsal fin rise out of the water to stalk the man, Mark lowered his rifle with a smirk, answering Bob bluntly. "No point. Let the sea claim him."

Tyler returned on the ship, stomping up the steps to ask him a little breathless. "Your orders now, Captain?" Mark pulled out his pocket watch to check the time and date. They had been at sea for over eight years now. Closing his pocket watch, he glanced over his shoulder to look at Bob, stating along calmly. "Bob, have Felix set us a course for home". Bob grinned brightly, replying with gusto. "Aye Aye, Captain!" Tyler rushed to the stairs, telling the crew loudly in an excited voice. "Ya hear that, lads?! We are going home!" The crew broke out into more cheers and Mark chuckled softly to himself. Mark turned to head down the steps, asking Tyler shortly. "Check on the condition of the ship and report back to me in my quarters. Understood?" Tyler thundered down the steps passed him, heading for the stairs to the lower deck as he answered assuredly. "Yes, sir, Captain. I'm on it now."

Mark overheard Felix yell up from the lower deck to Bob. "Set course! North by North West!" Bob replied with a loud. "Aye! Let's go, you salty sea dogs! Let's stretch this lady's legs out to sea! Full canvas"! Mark slipped into his Captain's quarters, closing the door off to the noise and heading to his bed. Removing his belt with his cutlass, he laid back across the soft bed. He had been on his feet all night and almost all morning. The ship had been a bitch to tail, but worth the cargo. The brethren court wasn't going to tell him that he didn't pull his weight this year. He was about to bring them fresh cannons and more trading goods. It had been a really good set of years. It pained him to go back to land... but his crew had been growing restless. They needed a moral booster. So, for now they were homeward bound. He didn't plan to stay there very long though. Maybe a month. He didn't like to sit too long. His reputation made him a lot of enemies and it was much safer to keep moving.

By dawn the next morning, they were sliding into Pirate Bay Port. Home to the Brethren Court and a sanctuary for even the lowest pirates on the sea. No pirate was ever turned away. The moment they docked and dropped anchor, Mark told the crew to unload and then they'd be free to go for the month. They crew happily unloaded everything, while Mark chatted with the docks watchmen. He had to be sure where to send the supplies and that his crew would be paid for this. When the semantics were all finally over, Mark made his way to the Tavern. He needed a stiff drink after making sure that his crew had gotten their wages. As much as his reputation bragged on him about being cold and merciless. He found that a happy crew made the difference in battle. They work hard to get paid handsomely. Sitting himself at the bar, the large tavern lady leaned closer to him, sliding a tankard to him as she coyly purred out. "Well, Well. Look what the wind blew in. Haven't see ya around, Captain Fischbach. The weather been nice?"

Mark took a swig from the tankard, commenting sweetly. "You could say that, Bethany. What's new with the court?" Bethany rolled her eyes, saying bluntly. "The usual. Treasure hunting. I hear they are going to attack and steal a large galleon from the navy fleet." Mark rolled his eyes and shook his head, grumbling out mostly to himself. "That seems risky. Why bother with that?" Bethany huffed loudly, asking a little shocked. "Oh boy. You have been gone awhile... Didn't you hear? A giant whale took out the Man O' War. It has caused quite a stir." Mark brushed it off, he was loosing interest in the Brethren Courts petty problems, when Bethany mentioned lightly. "Serves them right, I guess. You can't go after the Sea Crown without running into trouble." Mark lowered his tankard, asking curiously. "The Sea Crown? Is that some new coral?"

Bethany shook her head, telling him a little skeptically. "No. It's a mythical treasure that the Brethren Court has suddenly taken an interest in. They think it will help us pirates somehow. They will never find it though. But they don't listen to a woman like me." Mark shifted closer to her over the table, asking even more interested. "Really? So, what is it exactly?" Bethany smiled, filling up his tankard as she stated out sweetly. "No one really knows. Although, it is rumored to be a vast vault of jewels from sunken ships." Mark raised an eyebrow, suddenly suspicious as he asked her. "If that was true than pirates would have found it by now. Don't pull my leg, Bethany." Bethany set the bottle down, leaning closer to whisper to him. "No pirate can find it, darling. Only a mermaid can."

Mark thought about it in silence for a moment, letting her add in more confidently. "You go ask a mermaid about it and than tell me that I am lying. My old man spent his life looking for it. He just couldn't manage to catch a mermaid. Maybe you'll have better luck than he." She pulled out a small journal from her jacket, but when he tried to take it, she pulled it away with a smirk. Mark rolled his eyes and slipped her a few coins. Bethany then dropped the journal in front of him, saying casually. "Be careful, Captain. I'd hate to loose you as a patron." Mark downed his tankard, then slipped her a few more coins for the drink, commenting lightly. "Ya, I'd hate to be without your company too." Mark reached for the journal, when she laid a hand on his to say in a whisper. "Their mating season is coming up. If you want to find your fortune. I suggest hunting them then." Mark gave her a simple nod, then took the journal and returned to his ship. To Be Continued...