Teetering at the edge of a gangplank

Putting all of the ships out to sea at once was an immense task. Fearing being the next poor sod to lose their head to the Countess' cutlass, the various captains move with all the energy and haste possible, with no communication with one another. Logistical chains were crossed, departures were hurried. Multiple ships nearly collided with one another as they left the docks. It only became slightly better once the last of the ships was fully put to sea. With so many ships of different sizes and shapes, travelling at the same speed was impossible, and there was constant jockeying of ships moving around as the winds changed. The only communication afforded between the ships was a primitive system of running flags up the halyards, the rest was learning by inference. Collisions were basically inevitable in these situations, and although nobody was injured, it did cause damage to the vessels, slowing down an already laborious process. It wouldn't be until nightfall that a rough formation could be found, with the Countess and her ship, the immense ship of the line Vindication at the front of it. A heavy fog had rolled in, requiring all ships to be exceptionally vigilant to avoid further problems.

It wouldn't be until morning that things could be described as calm, although that was only on the surface level. The crew of the Vindication walked on eggshells, fearful of their Captain, and what was to come. This wasn't just a raid anymore, this was the makings of an invading fleet, sailing for enemy territory. Everyone was wondering if it would really get that far, and if so, where would it end. The Intransican Empire did not put a lot of energy in it's navy, but their army was the greatest **** ever constructed, and has never lost a war. Joseline would have to be one of the bravest souls to ever live to dare something like this, or be mad in the head. The ensuing war may not be the point though, you recognize. If she really is a member of a cult, she may be plunging this **** towards impossible odds just to raise the **** tole. Exactly what her motivations are is impossible to say, as she's kept herself in her quarters for most of the journey so far.

You oversee the crews movement of the guns on the weatherdeck as Trandal gets your attention. "It's her" he states morbidly. The orc points upwards to a pair of albatrosses flying overhead, circling the ship. "We're too far out from land for birds to continue following us like that. They're being controlled, possibly summoned, and she's the one to do it."

"She who, Trandal? The Captain?"

"No..." He draws a deep breath in "One of my old friends. Achita, the druid. She must be on a ship, somewhere beyond the horizon"

Your heart thumps in fear of what that might mean, and sympathy of what Trandal may be **** to do. You try to reason it away "Trandal, that's a pretty big stretch. I'm sure there's plenty of other possibilities. Any druid could summon birds if they wanted."

"Trust me Fiana, it's her. This is where they were headed, after all."

"Maybe they'll sail around us and avoid any trouble..."

"With the armada this large? Not likely. Especially not if the ship is flying Imperial colors. It'll be a fight for sure."

"What are you going to do than? I mean, they still are your friends, right?"

"No..Yes...I don't know. Had they allowed me to come with them, I would still have been happy to fight and die at their side. They left me, abandoned me, and now because of that, I sit opposite them in the battlefield."

"Can you live with yourself if you kill them? If it comes to that point?"

"We'll see. I didn't think I could live myself without her. Than I found you..."

You're left without much to say in response to such an unexpected sentiment. With no other ideas springing to mind, you gently pat the orcs back. The short peace is broken by a twang and a shout; the bolt of a crossbow fires at the birds, just barely missing them, and the watch from the crow's nest shouts down below

"Contact on the horizon captain!" The Countess barreled out of her cabin immediately to verify "Are you sure of that?"

"Aye cap'n. Dead ahead, just off the port side, along the horizon."

"Can you make the ship's heading? What flags is she flying?"

"At present course she'd come right past us. Looks to be an Imperial ship, but hard to tell from this distance Cap'n"

"Rodger." She turns to you "Make all hands ready for battle. Have the quartermaster run up the red flag, we'll be taking no quarter today."

You make the call at first "All hands, man your battle stations, be ready to intercept contact. Maintain current heading, prepare for sudden changes if the other ship changes bearing." As the hands of the crew scurry about to follow orders, you follow the Captain.

"Captain Joseline, may I have a moment?"

"Marrianna told me you had a fondness for questions, and challenging my authority. I was wondering when I would start to see it."

"Can I ask what is the point to all of this?"

"We're pirates Fiana. We have to attack ships, or we fail to be what we are."

"Yes, but why send all of them out at once? Why declare no quarter? This all just seems"

"Impulsive? Illogical? Crazed? Evil, perhaps?"

"I wasn't going to say that" You replied quietly

"Not to me, you weren't..." Joseline replies sharply as she steps closer to you "But you mentioned it your friend, didn't you?" Joseline opened the top of her shirt to reveal the necklace "You shouldn't gamble Fiana, you don't hide your thoughts very well. You think I'm part of some demon worshiping monstrosity, don't you?"

"That is one of their relics Joseline, and you have to recognize your actions would suggest that as a possibility." You argue calmly, but sternly. You mind your attitude, knowing first hand what she is capable of doing when she loses her temper.

"Shows what you know, Elf. Your kind live so long and are so wise, you think you understand everything in the whole world. This was a gift to me from my mother..." As she closed her shirt "This is the last that I have of her. As for everything else, this is all in order to make a point, one that will be impossible to ignore."

"What possible point could you need to make that requires all of this? Captain?"

"That every day of my life, the world has underestimated me and tried to put me in a cage." Her nose flared in anger, containing her old grudges as best she could "The same cage that it tries to put us all into. I will live free, and will kill anyone damned fool enough to underestimate me again. and I make those Imperial bastards suffer for what they!" Joseline clamps up, her eyes quivering as she barely held on.

"Captain? Joseline?" You ask, hoping to provide some comfort "Is all of this really necessary? Are you really willing to cause all of this destruction, all of this loss of life?" The Countess contemplates the question before taking a rigid posture, her face clear of any emotion that had previously wracked her.

"Yes, Fiana, I would. Nobody makes history without sacrifice, and if these men are willing to sacrifice themselves towards this cause, than so be it. Whether we succeed or fail, we will be remembered as the Bloody Armada, the fleet that dared challenge the fucking Emperor in spite of everything, just for the right to control our own lives."

"But-"

"This conversation is finished, Fiana. You will carry out my orders as First Officer, or I will treat you as insubordinate and feed you to the sharks. Is that clear?"

You take a deep breath of distress, relenting to the subtle threat "Aye Captain"

"Good, now move..." Joseline brushes past you indignantly to return to the weather deck.

"Watch! What is the position and bearing of that contact?" The Countess bellowed out

"Looks like she's seen us and is trying to sail around the armada Captain, she's taken a hard turn to port side" a voice returned from the Crow's nest.

"Shall we have the ships fan out, Captain?" You ask

"No, that won't be necessary. They won't be able to avoid us for long. We have the wind to our backs. Open the sails to full, come along behind them. Run out the chained shot when we are in range."

The anticipation of a naval battle is painfully slow. All sides know what is to happen, and every sailor is ready for the moment, but that moment may be hours away. The Vindication was able to break ahead of the other ships, and was quickly catching up to the other ship. The rival vessel had turned around to face yours, knowing there was no real chance of escape. While brave, it did little to improve their chances. The crew of the Vindication was better armed, better trained, and hungry for a fight. The bombardment of cannon fire was over as fast as it had started, as an impact from one of the chained shots brought down the main mast, immediately handicapping the vessel. Even if they beat back the Vindication, there was no hope of repairing such a splintered wreck.

Joseline's crew roared in jubilation. The enemy ship fired their round in return, but dealt minimal damage. With their main mast destroyed, they had little ability to navigate, allowing your ship to come up behind it, unobstructed.

"Captain!" Trandal called from below "Give them mercy, please"

"Mercy?" The Countess called out as she approached, her sword already drawn out "That's a word I would not have expected to hear on my ship, least of all from you. Why should I?"

"They aren't here for you, Captain. They sail in this direction to find and defeat a great evil."

"Is that so, and how would you know?"

Trandal swallowed hard as he told the truth "I know the passengers on that ship. Some of them at least. They are, were, my friends."

"And do you believe your captain to be evil, Trandal?"

"No Captain, which is why you should leave them be. At least give them the chance."

The Countess smirked, raising the dull end of her cutlass to her shoulder "Very well than Trandal. We'll give them a chance." The flag of No Quarter came down, the ships guns retracted. The Imperial opponent replied in kind, and planks were hastily called across the two ships. Joseline, looking her best in her admiralty uniform was followed by you and Trandal, trailed by a contingent of Marines, heavily armed and intimidating the other crew

"Some of you know my companions!" Joseline shouted aboard the other ship, before the other Captain could speak. "I wish only to speak with them." They appeared immediately. Achita, the orc druid foremost among them.

"Trandal! But, how?"

"We took the direct route. We went to the Bastard Isles, and found a suitable employer"

"We? Who the hell is this?" She yelled as she pointed at you

"She's the one who read your note for me, out of the generosity of her heart. The note you all wrote when you abandoned me!" This is the most emotion you've seen him display since you found him in the Rusted Dragon, and you didn't see any way of calming him down. These were the same people who caused his outburst than, now face to face.

"You don't understand Trandal"

"No! you don't understand!" Trandal bellowed over her, coming dangerously close. Pulling a simple ring out of his trouser pocket, he showed it to Achita, but did not give it "I was wanting to give this to you, for a long time. I loved you, but it always seemed like you were too focused on your damned pets and whatever trivial wrong needed to be righted than me. Well, you showed me how right I was"

The Cutthroat Countess began to laugh "Oh my! I am so sorry to get tangled up in this, but this really is too much. What about the rest of them?"

Trandal spoke with shocking coldness "Send them all to the deep. No Grave But the Sea."

One of his other old friends spoke up. Adolphus, the sorcerer. "Trandal, you can't! If you read the letter you know what's going on here. We're trying to save the world from evil. You were always with us before. You can't let your heartache get in the way of seeing that this woman is part of the enemy. The Gods have foretold it!"

Joseline's jubilant attitude took a severe turn. "The Gods are angered because I refuse to recognize their authority over us. I will swear fealty to no noble lord, no demon king, and no God. I will create a future where the world is owned only by mortals, and ruled by none. Every soul sovereign only to themselves!"

"You are crazy, all of you!" The sheepish captain finally spoke up. "You can't defy the Gods! All who have tried have perished!"

"And what of your Emperor than? The mortal man who through his own will became a God himself? Has he not defied their wills?" Before an answer could be given, The Cutthroat Countess turned on her heels "I believe this parlay is over. What say you? What leniency shall we provide them?"