Two men drew their bows backwards and forwards across the strings of their violins. Lucan sat watching as their heads bobbed and their feet tapped to the sound their instruments made. He had watched the smiling faces of the women, men and children, clapping and swirling, skirts lifted and boots pounding on the floor since the ship's journey had begun. They gathered every night, to dance with high spirits.

Lucan looked around him at those not dancing. Most were stretched out on the floor playing cards, others gambled on knuckles, mice races, the roll of a dice, anything they could turn into a competition. Often voices rose and accusations of cheating turned into fights that could be sorted out in the ring Johann and two other men had organized. These secret bouts were kept from the captain.

Many sailors came and placed bets or took part. They acted as lookouts and diversions in case the commander should come.

Johann, as he had predicted, won lots of money by placing stakes on himself. He had tried to persuade Lucan to compete, but Lucan shook his head and gazed at Covey and Riley. Johann understood and left Lucan to himself, to sit, just as he was, watching the people, the dancing and the games.

*

"Hey you! Irish. What ya lookin' at?"

Lucan turned to the man who had called out to him. He shrugged. "Everything and nothing."

The man left the game of cards he was playing, and strode across the timber planked floor to stand in front of Lucan. With narrowed eyes his nose quivered like a bloodhound sniffing the unknown. He swiped the back of his finger across his top lip and said, "What kinder answer is that?"

Studying the man, Lucan thought he looked like a jumpy Jack Russell. He shrugged again, turned his face to the people dancing and said, "Take it any way ya want."

The man's hazel eyes pinched tighter. He shuffled from foot to foot, brushed his finger against his nose once more before jabbing Lucan in the side, saying, "I reckon ya havin' a go at me. Reckon you think you're smarter."

Lucan looked back at him with raised eyebrows. "And how would ya be reckonin' that now?" He saw confusion spread across the man's gaunt face and noticed his fists clench.

"I reckon you need to be taught a lesson. Reckon ya think your better. Every night you sit 'ere like you're God, just starin' so I reckon ya need to be told ya not." He sniffed twice, making his head jerk and grinned over at the small group of men he'd been playing cards with.

They jeered and nodded in agreement. "You tell 'im, Jimmy."

Lucan couldn't help but smile and said, "Well now you've told me, I reckon you can go back to ya game."

"You're a cocky prick ain't you?" Jimmy's face turned stony grey like a storm cloud rolling in.
"I'll be doin' more an just tellin' ya. Get on your feet cause I'm gonna kick your arse." He spat on his hands, rubbed them down the sides of his trousers, jittered on his toes and once more smirked over at his companions.

Looking from him and at these other men, Lucan was glad his sons were asleep on the other side of the ship. He sighed and slowly stood. Sizing up the man he now knew as Jimmy, Lucan figured the wee man was shorter by at least four inches. Narrow and erring on lightweight more than his own middleweight but, he could see the licking flames of fire in his opponent's eyes, the wiry muscles and the energy that coursed through him.

They stood like this for a moment, sizing each other up.

"Where's the mother of your brats? Leave ya did she?" Jimmy mocked, and then laughed. He raised his voice for all to hear, "I reckon his cock wasn't big enough for 'er! Whatcha reckon, lads?"

Lucan hadn't intended to fight from anger but these words flicked a switch, turning his casual heart rate from, come-as-you-may, to keep-it-up.

"Reckon she fucked off with someone else. Is that it, Irish? Was she lookin' for somethin' bigger to fill her good?"

Lucan's heart rate upped a notch and ripened the blood in his veins. Surging hot, it travelled the length of his arms until he was clenching his teeth and tightening his fists.

"Look at that fellas, he ain't got no answer. I think she musta been real easy. What do ya reckon, Irish, easy enough for all of us ta slip into?"

His on button was pressed. No one spoke about his Kat like this. Lucan lunged forward, striking fast. Blind with fury he lashed out again and again until he realised, he was in the middle of a circle of men. His focus slipped and when a blow sent him backward against the crowd, they roared with excitement and pushed him forward, toward his opponent.

The wiry Chihuahua stood before him with his fists held in front of his face. "Come on, Irish, ya got no go. None of you Paddy's 'ave got any go?"

Lucan went at him again but no matter how hard he tried to avoid the blows they always struck him. Jimmy jumped and danced all around him, zipping this way and that. Lucan swung violently, his anger and frustration rose to boiling. The more he missed the more punishment he received. Stingy snaps of bony fists, bit at him over and over. Lucan spun and lunged, chasing what he couldn't catch. His fists meeting empty air.

As he turned once more to snare the ghost, he didn't see the left hook sailing toward him but, he felt the power of its force. It knocked him backwards; he staggered, fell to his knees and crumpled to the floor. Through his blurred vision he saw boots striding towards him, and then Johann's egg shaped face grinning at him. The last thing he remembered was being lifted and dragged away.

*****

He woke sore and aching to find Johann standing above him.

"You strong, Lucan... yes... but you fight like... how you say... a man with no eyes."

With a cynical laugh, Lucan closed his eyes, groaned and said, "Blind, Johann, I think you mean a man who is blind."

"Yes..." Johann grinned, nodded his agreement and squatted beside Lucan. "This is why this man beats you. He sees every move you make... where..." Johann lifted his palms in an offering of advice. "You fight too much from anger... like you want to kill... so you mind does not see his moves... and well..." He tilted his head and shrugged. "He pounds you into the ground... eh!"

Lucan forced his lids opened to see Johann bouncing on his haunches, his hands now hung between his knees, smiling down at him.

"I will teach you." Johann pointed to his own chest, and then at Lucan's. "I will teach you to pound him back... yes... then you make much money."

Well, it looks like Johann might convince Lucan to join his boxing ring.  I hope Lucan improves or he's going to get the livin' daylights beaten out of him ;)

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