Concerning Smugglers: Part Six

     Kip needed to do something; he stared longingly at the treasure spread out below him. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt if Vinny and the ship just... sailed away, and left him with all this lovely gold. He looked at the mirror, torn in his desire. With this gold... he could do anything; the world was his oyster. But the pirates had been so kind to him, so welcoming, even if they may have had ulterior motives. It was his duty, as a pirate of Smugglers Cove, to pay respect to Captain Ratner, as had many a pirate before him. He puffed out his chest and with a decisive grunt, shut the door to the great hold. The water turned blue, and some of the mysterious shimmer in the air seemed to dissipate.

     "Don't worry," he whispered to The King's Sceptre, "You've waited more than a thousand years, just another few hours. I'll be back."

     He turned his back upon the dark murky flagship of Meridell and let the current flush him away. With barely a struggle he pulled himself up to the surface, contrary to before, it seemed the island was urging him away from the depths. High above him, he could just make out the dark shape of the pirate ship blocking the shimmering light that betrayed the surface of the water. Minutes passed and then he had broken the surface, with a gasp he opened his mouth and breathed the cool air of the sky. The sun had dimmed on the horizon, lighting the low-lying clouds with a dim orange light. The water was significantly calmer from the rolling peaks of earlier. The bell of The Lost Sail solemnly tolled through the air, Kip felt that same rush from the first time he saw the Smugglers ship back in Krawk Island.

     "I wonder why the bell rings," he thought to himself. "Perhaps the mutineers have been successful."

     With silent strokes, Kip made his way to the rear anchor. Hand-over-hand he found himself deftly climbing the rope, passing stealthily over the portholes sunk low in The Lost Sail's flank. Passing one, movement caught his eye, he hung himself carefully just below the round window, sneaking one eye up over the lip of the sill. Inside, silhouetted by a lone sputtering candle, was the Kacheek, Crag. He was sat upon a wooden chair with his back to the Cabin Boy and appeared to be alone. Kip carefully pushed upon the porthole, it silently swung forward, permitting a small Neopets entry. He squeezed through with care, ensuring that he made no noise; for there was no way he knew whether Crag was a mutineer with the villainous Techo, or an innocent bystander. He moved forward carefully, timing his steps with the slow creaking of the ship.

     "I'm warning you," he said, when he was within striking distance of the ships cook, "I- I'm not afraid to use force against you."

     "Mmmmnnm," was the unmistakable response of a gagged mouth. "Mnnmm!!" it exhorted.

     "By Razul's Fire." Kip rushed over. "Crag, are you okay?"

     "Mm," was the muffled response accompanied with roving eyes. "Mm! Mm mmmm."

     "Hold on," said Kip, pulling the knife out from his fin. "I'll set you free."

     It took a little bit of effort to saw through the tightly bond rope; it was thick enough to secure an anchor. Crag the cook's previous determined efforts to escape had been of little help, only serving to tighten the knots that secured him to the chair. After a couple of minutes the first rope fell free, hitting the floor with a wet thud. The Kacheek shook the rest of his upper body free and pulled the gag out of his mouth.

     "Argh, that be better," said the Kacheek, nursing his shoulder where a rope had cut particularly deep, "Those cursed mutineers will learn to treat old Crag with a bit of respect when I get my hands on them. They managed to surprise me as I came out the kitchen to deliver the captains dinner see."

     "Though," he added proudly, "I managed to throw that treacherous Vinny overboard, and he didn' look so arrogant when he were dragged out like a wet blanket, I can tell you. Would ye mind cutting through these leg ones and all? They be giving me quite a headache, I don' min' saying."

     Kip complied. "How did this happen?"

     "I've bin hearing rumours for a while now about this sort of behaviour," muttered the cook darkly. "I didn't think anything would actually come of it, 'snot the sort of thing any. Well. Any respectable pirate wouldn't even consider the possibility of turning on his captain. But that Vinny is cunnin', he has his ways of worming into peoples heads, making them not think straight. He can make ye doubt yer own name given enough time."

     "But why now?"

     "For Treasure. Fame. A ship. What more could a pirate want?"

      "Good company?"

     "Aye, that it may be."

     "We've got to do something, Crag," said Kip with determination. "We can't let the treacherous get the better of us."

     "Aye. True. I heard them speaking behind the door afore they all ran off to gamble away their new-found riches from the Captain's cabin. Seems like they've managed to best the Captain, First Mate and Navigator. They all be locked in the Doctors room, my room. Fyora only knows why they didn't leave me there to rot with them. We'll have to mount a rescue of some sort; lucky fer me I knows a thing or two about that bedroom see? There be a spare key fer it in the squeaky board to the left of the handle, there's bin a few too menny times that I've come back from the galley and fergot me key."

     "Okay," said Kip decisively, "you cause a distraction, get the guards away from that door. I'll grab the key, unlock it and we'll make a move from there."

     Crag assented with a nod of his head, and they carefully padded to the door, Kip leading the way as he pulled his jacket back on. He put one hand to the wood and closed his eyes, concentrating hard. He couldn't feel any vibrations of pirates talking over the natural rocking of the ship. Perhaps that meant the door remained unguarded. Kip opened the door cautiously, slowly sticking his head out to inspect the corridor beyond. There wasn't a soul in sight, friendly or mutineers. Beckoning to the cook, the Flotsam made his way toward the Doctors room where the pirate officers were held captive. The two neopets paused at the end of each winding passage to ensure the route was free from guards or roaming pirates making their merry way to the next bottle of grog. Silence greeted them with each twisting turn they made within the bowels of The Lost Sail.

     Shortly, Crag tapped Kip on the shoulder, indicating with his finger that greater care should now be had, and pointed around the corner, where a junction in the corridor led.

     "That be my room," he whispered urgently. "Just round the nex' corner."

     "Aye," responded Kip, nodding in agreement.

     "I'll distrac' the traitors now," Crag continued. "Keep 'em as occupied as I can. You get the key; it be in the squeaky board to the left. Remember tha'." Crag stood up straight and continued around the corner. "'Allo, lads," he boomed. "Fancy a bite to eat?"

     Kip listened to the hurried scuttling as the pirate guards scrambled to their feet, followed by the heavy thudding of Crag rounding the corner. With a quick wink in Kip's direction, the cook thundered down the corridor pursued by two frantic looking pirates. They didn't seem to notice Kip in their hurry to attempt a recapture of the Kacheek. Kip took the opportunity, and crept round the bend, peering carefully to make sure he was really alone. He made his way to the door, observing the sign in peeling gold letters. He pressed his hand against the woodwork to the left of the door, testing each board in turn. They felt slightly sticky beneath his fingers; years of exposure to the salty environment had caused a wet crust to develop of each of the wooden planks.

     Squeak.

     The secret board moved softly beneath the pressure. Pushing it firmly, the board tilted fully backwards to expose the key. It was rusty, made of iron and not at all magical. Kip plucked it from the hidden spot and placed it in the lock in the Doctor's door. It turned gracefully. The door opened.

     The three ship's officers were bound together, with even thicker rope than had tied Crag the Cook. Bert faced the door, with Bellamy and Captain Ratner tied together across his broad back. He raised his eyebrows and his voice through the sock that served as a gag. Kip dashed over to pull the sock out his mouth and begin working through the rope with his increasingly blunt knife.

     "Argh," growled the First Mate, "I be righ' glad te see ye, young Kip. Tha' wretche' Vinny go' the better of me las' time. It won' be happenin again, I can tell ye tha'."

     "Is that so," came the ironic, smooth voice of Vinny. Kip turned sharply to see the Techo in the doorway. Alone. He was wearing a hat. It was a very fancy hat. Vinny laughed derisively as Kip brandished the kitchen knife against him.

     "Deary deary me," he chortled. "The plucky young cabin boy tries to defeat the marauding, nasty mean villain. I think you've been reading one too many stories, Kip. That's not how it works. What happens is I defeat you."

     "Not today," Kip said bravely, trying to stop his bottom lip from trembling with fear. "Traitors never win."

     "But Captains always do," said Vinny. With a single sudden swipe with his scimitar he slashed the knife held in Kip's hand. It wrenched from the Flotsam's hand, and fell to the floor with a clatter. Kip followed its arc as it sailed through the air, mouth opening slightly.

     "Now surrender."

     "Never."

     "No, Kip," said Bert with a glower, still struggling against the partially cut rope. "It be no good."

     Kip turned to the Techo, a hot mist came rolling up from somewhere deep inside. His skin prickled with fire. The injustice rankled him from his very toes. How dare this Techo ruin everything he had ever wanted. He had worked his way into the smugglers of Smuggler's Cove through sheer tenacity, and he was not going to let a single neopet get in the way of his dreams. He charged Vinny.

     Vinny seemed surprised at the young Flotsam hurtling towards him.

     "Don't say I didn't warn you," he managed to say, before raising his scimitar above his right shoulder, and brought it slicing down as fast as lightning towards the defenceless Kip.

To be continued...