The Crusades of Captain Rye and his Renegades - Book One: Tyranny

Chapter 7: Captain Rye and the Ghosts of Past and Future

Rye approaches the bar and signals to the barman, who grumbles under his breath at being expected to do anything other than wipe the same glass indefinitely. Upon the mention of the name of Robert the Gold, the barman simply grunts and looks down towards the far end of the bar. There a man in stately clothes stands, slowly eyeing the premises. Rye approaches allowing himself to be appraised before being directed to the table at which the bare-chested behemoth broods.

"This is Grant," Robert introduces as he sits beside him. "His friends call him the Goliath." The Goliath nods as his eyes take in young Rye. "I coordinate efforts aboard the Albatross, lad. Ever heard of her?" he says. Rye sits across from the two, and shakes his head. "You've never heard of the Albatross?! She's the ship that made the Killarney run in under 12 days!" Grant shakes his head and looks him over skeptically. He turns to Robert the Gold, "Think he can handle himself?" Robert smiles, "I think he'll do fine. But I think the guard have caught wind of your handiwork... that's my queue." Robert stands and quickly weaves his way from sight.

Near the entrance, three men in uniform are being pointed towards the table at which Grant and Rye sit. They approach, hands on the hilts of their sheathed swords. "You are to come with us, by the law of the town of Brandish!", the chief of the three barks. Rye slips the knife from his pack and stands with Grant. The guards draw their swords as the Goliath brings his heavy fists down upon the helm of the nearest. A keen blade is thrust, finding Grant's flesh. He grasps the hilt and growls, as Rye's short point returns the favour. Two guards crumple to the floor, and the third staggers back and turns on his heels to flee.

Grant grunts as he draws the metal from his body and points at a second sword on the floor. "Well done, my lad," he says, "now arm yourself with proper steel... and come ready to sail to pier 10, number 25. The Albatross awaits..."

Captain Rye opens his eyes to darkness in the comfort of his own bed in his quarters. Through a porthole he can see that the sun has not yet risen. There is a strong wind, and the flapping of sails, and the cutting of the sea, and the muffled footfalls of his newly acquired crew as they shuffle about their nightly duties. His mind dwells briefly on his dream and his life, and he slides from his bed and dresses to begin the day early. Through the porthole he can see a clear black sky, and the bright stars bobbing to the waves.

He steps out on to the deck flattening the wide collar of his jacket and approaches le Capitaine Mathieu, who is poised pensively as he gazes out into the darkness, skull in hand. "Good morning, mon Capitaine," Mathieu murmurs, "I trust you 'ave slept well? We are still on a western 'eading, wid de East wind in our sails. Wid any luck, we should reach de Wakesand Reef widout incident." He turns and rests against the rail. "It would seem de Lizard Queen achieved 'er aim, whedder she realized or not what it would do to 'er. Tyranny 'as returned, wid de Queen as 'er vessel. And now she is after someting."

Le Capitaine holds up the skull and explains that he suspects Rondini of villainy and lies. While his predictions seem to have been accurate, they may also have been manipulative, steering the crew in specific directions to achieve self-serving goals. Le Capitaine inhales calmly, stating that he believes that the skull cannot be trusted.

He looks back out to the sea. "And den, of course, dere is dat." Captain Rye follows his gaze out to the brightening horizon. In the distance, silhouetted against the dull glow of the approaching dawn, there is a ship. "It 'as been following us, but it's movement seems erratic, one moment 'ere, den gone, den later dere." The Captain thinks, then issues an order to set a heading to intercept.

Pretty Patti and Lucky Leigh emerge from below deck. Patti has taken stock of the equipment brought aboard from the Sea Goat, and supplies should last a couple of weeks, even with the extra crew. She also offers a leather vest worn by the guard, and a sword of military quality. Sharp, sturdy and meticulously polished. The Captain smiles and accepts, wondering how long it will be before he'll need a new one. Leigh approaches proudly, holding a hammered metal plaque in her hands displaying a new name for the ship. It catches the morning light, outlining two words which will lead them onto new adventures. The Kimkitty.

Before the sun has yet risen from the Sea, and only a pale blue band reveals the horizon, the two ships are within clear sight of each other. Off the port, a black ship drifts, it's sails loose and in tatters, lifeless and sinister. How it could follow anything other than the will of the Sea defies reason. The Captain calls for Patti and Leigh, an the three infiltrate the vessel in silence.

The wood of the deck is slick as the ship creaks and lurches on the brink of rot. It is as lifeless upon closer inspection as it was from afar, yet there is a familiarity. Something on the edge of memory or recognition scratches at the Captain's mind, something beneath the grimy veil of dereliction. There is a thump from below, and the Captain signals for his companions to hold. He creeps to the hatch, lifting it slowly to peer down the stairs. It is dark, and there is a damp, bitter scent, and the sound of chains swaying with the waves.

He moves slowly down, step by step, until in the dim light he can make out chains hanging from the ceiling, and four cots. He approaches quietly, and finds them as abandoned as the rest of the ship. At the rear there is a door, and within it is set a tiny barred opening. Again there is familiarity, when suddenly there comes heavy footsteps directly overhead.

The Captain races back up to the deck to find Patti and Leigh gone. The door to the cabin at the stern suddenly swings open, and a dark figure stands looking out, sword drawn. The curved blade suddenly ignites, and in the glow an arm covered in scale is revealed and a face wrapped in cloth, as the creature advances upon its prey. The Captain turns to make for the gangplank, finding that his legs cannot carry him fast enough, as though he were wading through some thick swamp. He opens his mouth to call to a crew that is not present, but nothing issues from his throat but a whisper. The heavy boots of his pursuer close the distance in seconds as Captain Rye turns to face his doom.

Now, there are those who claim that at times like these the clock slows it's tick and the heart stops it's beat, enough for an entire span of life to flash before ones eyes. Decisions made, joys and regrets, and a whole display of potentials and desires not yet attained. The only flash the Captain sees however is the flame of the blade as it passes beneath his chin.

There is a soft thud as he blinks his eyes, realizing in a brief moment that he is now looking at his own boots through the eyes of his severed head. He watches as his knees buckle, and his body topples backwards, and darkness takes him. As he opens his eyes again, he is suddenly looking down upon himself, sword in hand. He raises it's flickering blade to gaze into the masked face and dark eyes in its reflection.

Slowly the bandages loosen and fall, revealing his own face, older, twisted and creased with malice. He gasps as he finds himself in his bed, and it is morning, and his head is still attached firmly to his shoulders. He breathes deeply and feels a weight shift on his chest. Across him is the curved blade, now extinguished, a tangible manifestation of what should simply have been a dream.

The Captain walks out onto the deck, to a cold East Wind and the sun creeping above the horizon in a cloudy haze. The first crystals of winter drift swiftly by as the season shifts. Looming is the season of giving and the new year, and despite evil and fear, the hearts of the crew are full. And the Captain remembers his dream of the past, and the good things that have brought him to this day. And he remembers his dream of things that have not yet come to pass, and knows that the new year will be one of difficult choices.