They're evenly matched.

The assassin's sword flashed as the polished steel caught the sunlight. Lana only just managed to escape the blade by stepping back. With lightning speed the assassin recovered and slashed the sword backhanded, again only missing slicing Lana's torso open by the smallest of margins. The pirate Captain felt the breeze on her chest as the sword tip swished past and continued backpedalling to avoid slashed. The assassin paused and studied Lana carefully. Lana felt her silk shirt fall open and risked a glance downwards. The swords tip had been closer than she had thought, the thin material had been cleanly sliced through just below her left breast. Her small perky breast was bared by the cut, her stiffened nipple with it's golden ring becoming rock hard through the mixure of exposure to the sea breeze and from the adrenaline fuelled rush of blood through her veins. The thought occurred to Lana that if she'd had bigger breasts that the last cut would have sliced her left tit wide open.

"That was my best shirt." Lana said in annoyance. "You'll pay for that."

Lana launched herself into a counterattack, her rapier moving with blinding speed. Unlike her usual opponents the Cryn assassin however seemed just as agile as the pirate Captain. Lana feinted, slashed and thrust with a whirlwind combination of strikes, but each time the assassin managed to either dodge or parry the blows. Lana pressed her attack, seeking the moment when a stumble or mistake would usually allow her to find an opening and run an opponent through. Though she was forcing the Cryn backwards, the assassin never left themselves open for a killing blow and Lana realised that even she could not keep up the pace of this duel indefinately.

The assassin stepped back again and Lana saw an opportunity as she moved forward. A length of rigging, shredded by the chainshot hung down between them with a bulky wooden pulley attached. Lana seized this and swung it at her opponent causing them to dodge to avoid being hit. As they moved aside Lana feinted and then struck forward, seizing the opponents wrist with her free hand whilst attempting to run her rapier through the groin. The manouvre caught the assassin offguard and they were a fraction slower to move than Lana, still the assassin just managed to turn their body to avoid being pierced through the abdomen. The rapier's point cut through the black pants and the duellists were suddenly nose to nose. Lana saw the brown eyes widen slightly as the assassin realised just how close the pirate's blade had been to skewering them. They wrestled silently for a moment, Lana finding that she was strong enough to keep the assassin's wrist pinned though her own blade was equally unable to be used as it was caught in the dark material of the Cryn's trousers.

"Fair's fair, ruin my shirt and I'll ruin your pants." Lana taunted.

Both duellists pushed apart, Lana ripping her blade free and slashing the assassin's pants open from hip to knee in the process. A smooth and shapely thigh showed through the gaping hole cut through the pants and a view of a pair of tiny black panties. The assassin sprang back just as Lana did, and the two women glared at one another.

Around them the battle had continued, the schooner's crew had all either been killed or had surrendered. Only the knot of the half dozen assassin's remained to face Lana's crew. Though quick and lethal they were badly outnumbered and the pirates had **** theM back against the forecastle and the fighting paused as the two groups eyed each other warily. The gap between the two groups was slightly wider than two sword lengths, and neither side seemed eager to be the first to cross that gap.

"It seems we have something of a standoff." Lana growled. "You must realise that we have the numbers to cut you down, but we're pirates not fanatics. I'd lose too many good hands killing you for it to be worth the effort."

"That sounds like the opening statement for a deal." The assassin that Lana had fenced with said, revealing that she was probably the senior amongst the Cryn party.