The Octonauts and the Pirate Ship Predicament (complete)

Chapter Three

It was perfectly evident to everyone that Kwazii was very excited. He was twitching constantly, his tail flicking back and forth impatiently as Tweak brought up the Gup A and E for them to travel in in the Launch Bay. Now he was looking through the back window of the Gup A through his spyglass, oddly silent for once as the Captain drove the Gup up to the surface. Shellington and Peso were also in the back of the Gup A, talking quietly in lowered voices near Kwazii.

"Who do you think they are, Kwazii?" Peso asked with a pleasant smile in the cat's direction.

"Huh? Oh - I dunno," replied Kwazii distractedly. "Hard to tell from the logo. Every self-respecting pirate ship has the skull and cross bones logo on it."

"Do you think it might be -" Peso lowered his voice reverently. "Hector?"

Kwazii felt his heart jump a little at the mention of his name. "I sure hope so, matey. I don't think it will be, but it would be great."

"Kwazii, we're nearly at the surface," Barnacles informed him. The cat ran up to the dashboard, seeing the Gup E just ahead of them breaking the rippled surface of the water and whooping, forgetting all about being silent.

"I'm finally going to see PIRATES!!"

"It's been almost seven years since you've seen another pirate crew barring your grandfather, hasn't it, Kwazii?" Shellington asked with a smile at the cat's excitement.

Kwazii grinned back. "Yup! I used to be part of a pirate crew meself, maties. But a long time ago."

Dashi's voice came to them through the radio from the Gup E. Their Gup was already floating on top of the water, and the Gup A broke the surface of the water to see Dashi and Tweak in the other Gup. "There it is, Kwazii. The pirate ship."

Kwazii barely noticed the battered exterior of the ship, or the tattered flag hanging on the flagpole, or the various holes in the sail that the other Octonauts could see. His eyes were wide and glowed with excitement. "A real pirate ship. For the first time in seven years."

"Well, shall we go and have a look?" Captain Barnacles asked.

Kwazii was already standing by the hatch, helmet activated. "Let's go! Let's go!"

Kwazii felt the familiar sensation of the water lapping against his fur as he joined Tweak and Dashi in the sea, their heads poking out from the surface. The Captain led the way over to the towering ship, swimming hard against the currents that surrounded the ship. Kwazii was visibly shaking with excitement now, as his enthusiasm lent him energy to swim almost as fast as the strong stroke of the Captain.

However there didn't seem to be a clear way to get onto the ship.

No ladders, no clear portholes, nothing of use to them this low down. Kwazii pressed a paw to the wood of the ship's hull almost reverently while the Captain searched the ship with his eyes, scouring it for an entry.

"There doesn't seem to be a way on, Kwazii. Is there anything you know about pirate ships to help us here?"

The cat thought for a moment, his brow furrowing. "If there's one thing I know about pirate ships, it's that there won't just be a ladder. There'll be a different way on, something that requires skill and a brave heart to mount."

Peso gulped slightly. "I may not be of much use on this expedition..."

"We're all meeting the pirates," Kwazii said firmly. "You're my family, and I'm not meeting them without you guys."

"Well we'll have to get to them first," pondered Barnacles. "And right now, that's not seeming very easy."

"It could be - abandoned?" suggested Dashi tentatively. "I mean, I only thought I heard singing and talking when I listened before on the Octo Scope. I know you don't want it to be, Kwazii, but the apparent state of the ship might mean just that."

Kwazii drooped slightly. "I know, matey, but there's still a chance."

That was when they heard the voice.

"Wait! Who goes there? Show yeselves!"