Ashling sighed as she eyed the coarse waves smacking against the sturdy black sides of her ship, Crucifix. They were very dark today...quite at contrast with the practically flawless blue sky. Her father had taught her this was a bad omen, but the day just felt so vibrant. It was hard to believe anything negative could happen, especially after her most recent conquests. She had just returned from the upper Pacific coast--where she had been having no problem at all taking naval vessels carrying tons of money and gold and jewels...you'd think they'd smarten up a bit and try and protect their wares more efficiently. Maybe put some competent soldiers aboard their ships. Not that Ashling was complaining, of course. Their mistakes were how she made her living. The bottom of her ship was absolutely packed with their winnings. Even split up evenly between herself and the crew, they were able to take a break from the rough seas of the north and return south, where balmy weather like this frequented.

She leaned her head back, her bare face and stomach almost thankfully absorbing the heat of the sun. God, she could easily spend the rest of her life here, drifting on the warm ocean, attacking ships when they got in her way, just letting the wind take her where it pleased...

A sharp voice interrupted her daydreams. "Captain, we have a ship on radar. It seems to be rather large, but it's not approaching very fast. We're guessing it's either a Cruiser or a heavy barge." A tall, weedy man named Phillip advised her.

Frowning, Ashling stood to lead Philip below decks to the control room where the radar and high powered cameras were located. She eyed the bleeping green screen, contemplating. If it was a barge, then it was practically useless...Sure, it'd be fun to take it, but then they would just have to burn it. They would receive absolutely nothing from it. If it were a Cruise ship, then there would be a crap load of unprepared civilians they would have to kill, which was just boring. Most of them didn't even know how to properly defend themselves. So...what to do? Let it go by, or attack?

After about ten seconds of contemplation, Ashling turned to the skinny man--head of the ship's technology. "We'll wait until night, then investigate. If it seems like it's a worthy challenge, then we'll take her right then. Make sure all men are prepared."  

He nodded quickly, then walked over to an intercom system where he announced the plan to everyone on board. A smile crept onto Ashling's lips...tonight might be fun.

***
THAT NIGHT

There was a reason Crucifix was black--it made it extremely easy to hide from her prey, especially with the cloaking technology the ship had installed. Ashling stood on the bow of the ship with her arms behind her back, a very formal stance, watching the night intensely as Philip watched the radar. The large vessel was getting closer, according to his readings. Hardly a mile away. Barely, Ashling thought she could hear the engine powering the large ship. Adrenaline started creeping through her system, but she forcefully shut it down. Now was not the time to get excited.

Footsteps resounded off the worn wooden deck. Ashling turned, already guessing what the report was going to be. The ship was within range, and pictures were in. "Captain, the shi--" She cut him off. "The ship is in range. Let's go see what it is, shall we?" Again leading to the tech room, Ashling paused as she studied the new, grainy pictures. It was definitely a Cruiser, and a huge one at that. There was writing on the side, but she couldn't make it out...let alone figure out if it was worth attacking. Maybe some firsthand knowledge of the ship would make the answer clearer?

She stepped back, then turned to face Philip and the rest of the men standing around her, waiting on her decision. "Boys, this is a big ship. I need to figure out if it's really worth it to attack. For all we know, all they're carrying is passengers. What those passengers have on them is a mystery to us. I'm gonna get on board and see what I can find. I need someone to mess with the ship's radar and satellite signals so they stop for maintenance.  Can you do that, Phil?" He nodded quickly, a serious look on his face. She too nodded, then looked up. "If I decide that this ship is worth the firepower, then I'll return here to fetch you. Until then, do nothing. Is that clear?" Again, nodding spread throughout the room, followed by quiet "Aye"s.

Ashling walked out of the room without another word to fetch the grappling hook in her room. Crucifix wasn't as tall as this Cruise ship, but it was close enough to allow her to shimmy on board. After securing it to her belt, Ashling walked back into the control room where Philip had just finished sending some kind of virus to the Cruiser...something Ashling didn't necessarily understand, but at least it worked. "I believe the ship has stopped. It's safe for you to get on board." He announced. After patting his shoulder affectionately she ordered, "Now bring us close enough for me to throw this." She gestured to the grappling hook. Philip nodded and took control of the autopilot, bringing them next to the ship that was just meters away now.

Ashling strode from the tech room onto the deck, where she admired the sheer size of the ship. Whoever captained this was certainly a lucky man...not that she didn't adore Crucifix. After giving a thumbs up to the crew member watching to make sure everything went down as planned, she tossed the hook up the side of the boat where it latched onto the railing. She tugged a few times, making sure it was secure, then tied her end to Crucifix. Taking hold of the rope, she hoisted herself until she was upside down, her hands gripping the strong rope tightly and her legs curling around each other, then she proceeded to shimmy. It took hardly any time at all for Ashling to clear the twenty feet between Crucifix and the cruiser. Her feet landed smoothly and quietly on the floor of the ship as her eyes scanned her immediate surrounds. Nothing and no one. Good. Hopefully all the passengers were too busy with their dinner or excessive drinking to notice one girl rifling around their possessions. After thinking for a split second, she took a left, which led her past the main dining area. It was positively crowded with people, lifting Ashling's already high hopes.

She eventually reached a door labeled "Employees Only", which she entered. Maybe there was a shortcut to the rooms here. When she opened the door, a blast of heat hit her face. Definitely a furnace room of some sort. She peered down from the balcony the door opened to and saw crates upon crate stacked up on each other, forming a fantastic maze of rows and columns. She turned and quickly followed the stairs down, examining the boxes as she went. They were obviously supplies...and a lot of them. Wow.

After reaching the bottom and taking a few steps forward, she stopped. There were definite voices coming from somewhere. And loud, heavy footsteps following said voices. One sounded pissed.

A choked gasp rasped from her throat as she was thrown into an unyielding wall. Who the--. Her thought was cut off when she met a pair of brown eyes she had seen only once, and yet the stare (or glare, rather) cut through her like a knife. In a wheeze, his name came out in the form of a question. "...Rage...?" Holy shit. Fate was such a bitch.

Who would have ever thought...unable to help it, she barked out a laugh (as best as she could). The irony was just PERFECT. Of course Rage would be on the ship she decided to scout out--and of course she would run into him, effectively ruining any plan she was conjuring up. God...If it had been anyone else, she would have reached for her gun and shot him in pit of his gut. But honestly, how could she shoot him? A smirk took the place of her laugh as she thought about what would happen if she pulled out her gun. She would probably end up dying, anyway. The crew she saw now looked faithful...not to mention the fact that she really didn't want to shot him, anyway.

 Slowly, Ashling reached up to place her hands on his wrist and pull away, allowing her to breathe slightly easier. She said, after clearing her now sore throat, "Rage, do you honestly think I'm a passenger? Put me down, for God's sake." After a slight pause, she added, "Although, this does remind me of the night we met...You remember?"

Ashling's eyes shifted over to the corridor and stairwell--the only way out of this room, that she knew of. If she went running into the crates, she was sure to get lost, regardless of her internal compass. So...she couldn't get back to her ship. Wonderful. Hopefully Rage didn't decide to attack it--she liked to be with her crew when they were fighting. It made her feel...more secure? Maybe she just liked killing people, who knows.

Sighing as she eyed his large form looming against her, she scoffed. As she lifted her gaze up to his, she retorted with a smirk, "Oh, Rage. Your humility just takes my breath away. Of COURSE I had your ship stopped and crawled up a flimsy rope--risking my life, mind you--only to end up in this godforsaken hell room, KNOWING I would run into you. The pirate network would have been too blatant, you see.  And oh, by the way, this closeness to you is just making my heart positively fly." She said it with sarcasm, never mind that it was true. 

Even before Rage could answer, a quiet, familiar voice filled the large room, reverberating off the walls. Ashling's eyes instantly snapped towards the stairwell, her only thought being to stop whatever the hell Amily was doing. She KNEW it had been a bad idea to leave the girl on the ship...but who gave her the freaking mega-phone?!

After flashing a quick smile to Rage, she shoved him away and dipped down under his arm, sprinting up the steps as fast as she could, then threw open the door. The cool wind hit her face as the voice rose exponentially in volume. Amily...you're gonna get it this time. The girl had never been trouble: Oh, yeah, she was new to the crew, but she had been generally quiet. The crew was scared shitless of her, but at least she had never tried to kill any of them. Yet.

Oh, wonderful. Now the girl was telling ASHLING'S crew to get their guns ready. Running through the hallway, she eventually reached the open deck. It only took a second for her to find the grapple hook attached to the ship's rail...Thank God no one had seen it and cut the rope. Ashling proceeded to remove the orange sash tied around her waist and looped it around the strong rope, then leaped off the deck, using her momentum to swing her legs over the railing of her ship when she reached it.

It took all of a half a second for Ashling to find Amily and whip her sword out, the tip landing on Amily's throat.

Ashling's eyes narrowed dangerously as she faced the girl. "Amily, I swear to God. Put the microphone down right this instant." While waiting for her to comply, she added, "I should make you walk the fucking plank right now." Here, the tip of her family's sword started to gently pierce Amily's flesh, bringing a mere drop of blood to the surface. "But seeing as I know you only did it because I got held up, I will let you off with one warning. The next time something like this happens, you'd better be praying for mercy from God, because you will find none from me. I am the Captain. Don't ever  forget that." Damn girl. Almost got the entire guard of Rage's ship firing at her beloved Crucifix.

The crew was assembled as instructed, but they had already done so due to Philip’s announcement earlier. Her speech was meant only to get them ready in case they needed to board. Granted, she shouldn’t have taken so much liberty, but no one else was doing anything. Surely, Ashling would understand that Amily was only acting to get her back on the ship safe, right?  Yeah, she went a little overboard, but that tended to happen occasionally and unfortunately, this was one of those times.  Shrugging a little as the captain finally made it back to the ship, and put the tip of her sword to young Jayse’s neck, the brunette couldn’t help the grin that appeared on her face.   Dropping the microphone down into the water, she felt the smirk slipping away, quickly becoming replaced with rage.  As the captain berated her, her normally light blue eyes suddenly turned dark, matching her furious appearance. 

“Next time? There isn’t going to be a next time because if you threaten me again, I will kill you.”

Ignoring the drop of blood, Amily pushed the sword forward and then aside before front-flipping off the ledge she was still perched upon.  Walking away from the furious Ashling, the assassin snorted before spotting two crew members that were on her bounty list.  Well, it wasn’t really a bounty list; more like a ‘kill them if you see them’ list.  After checking to see where the dear captain was, Jayse made her way towards a obese bald man and a dingy looking silver haired man.  The two weren’t doing anything important at the moment, and knowing better than to kill them in front of so many eyes, she convinced them to head down into the belly of the ship.  Once they were alone, she slammed both of them down into their own chair, using rope to tie their legs and arms before gagging them with some dirty looking cloth that was lying around.  Normally she didn’t torture her targets, but today she was extremely pissed off, and they would suffer.  Pulling out her dagger, she moved over to the fat one.  Moving the blade beneath the nail, she ripped it off.  Ignoring the muffled screaming as she ripped off each of the nails on both hands, the warrior let out a slight huff.

“You’re absolutely right. This isn’t professional. I’m sorry.”

Without another word, Amily slammed the dagger through fatty’s temple, killing him instantly.  The other man, tried to beg for his life through the fabric, despite knowing it wouldn’t do him any good.  Just as she was turning her attention towards him, she heard a ruckus from the deck, and knew that because of her, the ship was being attacked by the other vessel.  Swearing under her breath, the Ashanktae quickly wiped the blade of her dagger on his shirt, turning away from him.  He obviously thought he was going to be let free, and even as he was mumbling his thanks, Jayse was plotting out her next move.  Replacing the dagger back into its special spot, she moved her right hand up to the hilt of her blade, which was up until this time hidden by her hair.  Pulling it from its sheathe, she rammed it through the silver-haired man’s throat. 

“Done now.”

After yanking the sword out of the dead man’s gullet, the assassin jogged up the stairs with visions of dead people dancing in her head.  Throwing open the door, Amily quickly assessed the situation, and felt extremely guilty for what was currently happening.  Still, it wasn’t like she knew the proper etiquette of captains and shit, so technically, it wasn’t her fault.  Without allowing another remorseful thought sift through her thoughts, the lithe female jumped into the fray.  It was times like this that made her glad for her profession.  As she fought, dodged, and parried the enemy, Jayse couldn’t help but wonder where Ashling was and if the captain was alright. Then again, after this was all over with, something told her that there might be some plank walking.  If she made it out alive, that is.

Vice Admiral Benson Rage IV was a calculating and deadly force in battle, but his strategists were the true masterminds of the fray, the procession of the battle determined by low murmurs to their leader. The Trinity of Death. Fiero, Faustus, and Figaro were blind, deaf, and mute, respectively. They were part of Rage's special entourage and task force, which had yet to board the Crucifix, and to be completely earnest never would. Benson saved their skills for the most deadliest of threats, and for now the lambs provided enough for the slaughter.

Fiero possessed a tall lithe frame sheathed in a midnight blue overcoat, the attached hood constantly pulled overhead to hide his features save for the electric blue eyes penetrating the shadows, and a few strands of grayed hair framed the cascading darkness pulling his visage with an atmosphere of mystery.

Faustus carried with him the demeanor of an air-headed pompous French man, for that is exactly what he was, and his deafness only aided in his efforts to be as completely obnoxious and rude to whatever individual happened to engage him save for his Vice Admiral. Dressed in frills, ribbons, and a pink overcoat about two sizes too small for his slightly overweight frame, Faustus' dress resembles that of a late Victorian noble caught in a cluster fuck of pink.

Figaro was a cigar smoking, rum drinking, redneck lumberjack from the backwaters of Louisiana who lost his voice box while wrestling an alligator in the depths of the Bayou. It appeared the grizzled lumberjack was wearing a tight black t-shirt, but in actuality that was just the expanse of chest, shoulder, and back hair layering over his skin. His weapon of choice? A giant hammer.

"We have Captain Ashling, Vice Admiral Rage. Yes. Captain Ashling we have," Fiero murmured quietly to his leader, the three strategists constantly communicating with one another before relaying the message to the fearless Benson.

"Good. Blow that ship out of the water. That is the penalty for threatening another captain's ship and his crew: the death of one's own," Benson Rage stared gravely down at the Crucifix as he sealed the authority in his command to the Trinity, but a slight gasp caught in his lungs as he ascended his gaze towards the horizon. "No..cancel that order. Bring Ashling to me, take control of the Crucifix, and rope it up besides us as quickly as possible. Bound and gag any of her crew that resists. We are leaving NOW!" The last word had to be shouted as a bombardment of about ten cannon balls assaulted the area around them in a feverish hell storm of destruction.

One completely tore through the Crucifix's mast, another two struck the hull on the SS Fury's starboard hull, but it was above water. The sounds of screams echoed across the water as the remaining crew on the cruise ship began to survey and repair the damage as well as search and tend to survivors. Luckily the majority of the guests were in the dining hall, but not even the music could sway over the obvious destruction occurring outside. Security forces were dispatched to route the guests to a safe location inside the ship, and luckily the rest of the cannon balls hit open water.

"Sir?" Fiero murmured nervously, forming sign language at Faustus to inform him of the captain's orders, and even his own electric blue eyes were laced with the smallest taint of fear.

"Yeah...Berserkers. I can see the body flags from here.(Berskerer ships typically crafted flags sewn by human skin and entrails and hung the bodies of dead children to form an X across the canvas.) HURRY UP AND GET THAT SHIP HOISTED TO US. ALL ENGINES ON, 180 EAST, HIT THE STREAM AND KICK HER INTO HIGH GEAR!" The roaring commands of Vice Admiral Benson Rage IV did not go unheard by anyone on either the SS Fury or the Crucifix, and soon the entirety of his crew, even the off duty members, were setting about accomplishing their leader's tasks with haste and fever. 

What the hell are they doing this far out in the Pacific, though? The man thought to himself as he watched a crew member strap Ashling over his back and start crawling back up the rope to the ship. The man distributed the unconscious woman unto Benson's capable right arm, the left still clutching Poseidon, and the Vice Admiral swiftly turned on his heel to walk back to his quarters, turning his head to glance back at the Trinity.

"Make it so. I need to make an announcement to the Crucifix," Benson growled, his feet carrying him swiftly to the nearest com piece, and he brought the microphone swiftly to his lips.

"Attention crew of the Crucifix. This is Vice Admiral Benson Rage IV. We have your captain alive and well, but there is another problem. Berserkers, about ten ships strong, are heading directly for us, and I can tell you now they do not take prisoners if you couldn't tell already by the onslaught of artillery. I am commandeering your ship, and you are going to be strapped to our vessel because yours is simply not fast enough to outrun their Marauders. If anyone resists, you will either be bound and gagged or killed on the spot. I suggest you follow my crew's instructions and we'll all make it out of this alive. And to the guests of the SS Fury, you will be escorted to your rooms, and a personal guard will be appointed to each hallway of the guest suites. You will be provided free food and drink, but you cannot leave your quarters under any circumstance. Thank you."

Benson hung up the com piece, tossed Ashling over his shoulder roughly, and gazed out towards the row of ten ships fast approaching. They had to make it.

'Alright now,' a ponderous look set in, 'Any of you slimy cretin's got a six?' Six globes looked around, no one wanting to give in to the striking pirate's request. 'Come on, you daft old fools. Anyone of you 'ave a six?' An old, flimsy looking arm covered in soot and dirt fished around the few card left between his four fingers. 'No. Go fish, mate,' said the old man, his words sloppy and wet caused by the lack of his front teeth.

'Aww, hell! You're pulling my leg aren't ya, ya bastards?' spoke the young man, causing the group of four to rumble into a pitiful laughter. 'We'll, in that case, I'll be putting into bet my one true love.' A long, gold-coated rifle with unknown markings etched into its wooden stock landed hard on the cheap table upon which the cards were laid. 'I believe you lot have got to put up a bit of money for this one. Two hundred shillings. Gold.' All the men looked surprised at the bet, the old man rummaging his pockets and looking through his bag of gold. 'Are you mad, man? Two hundred shillings is alot of dosh.'

'Don't be such a whiner, Alfie. I know very well you've got more than that hidden somewhere. You've probably got more money than our beloved Captain.' Lourin said aloud, his voice reverberating through the room. Another burst of laughter filled the air, no one seemed surprised by Lourin's words. 'Alrighty then, Mr. Lourin Brimarch. You're on, son.' Glee filled Lourin's system.
'I am going to hate myself in the morning for this, Alfie. Taking your hard earned money from you is so much easier nowadays. I--' A man dashed into the room, startling the group. 'What is it? Can't ya see we're in the middle of a game here?' asked Lourin, his eyes reading the man's expression all too clearly.

Cannons fired, rupturing the silence brought on by the cool night. A breeze wafted the smell of gunpowder onto the deck, as bone shattering sounds of hooks and the screams of wild men echoed for miles. As he entered the crow's nest, Lourin brought himself down into a simple prone. The shine from his gun golden coat now dulled by the cloak draped over himself. Through his scope he saw clearly the massacre that began unfolding on the Crucifix. Men fought with diligence, trying to out-wit and out-manoeuver each other in an attempt to stay alive. On the opposite end, there was another ship. On its front bow it read “SS Fury”.

Another salvo of cannons fired through the dense fog, revealing his groups’ position to the enemy. ‘We’re in an advantageous position – 10 to 1. Those poor sods have no chance. They’re probably going to pop it and run, I say,’ Lourin discussed with his crewman.
‘We should use form a semi-circle around the perimeter. Holdin’ those bastards in place is what we need right now,’ Albie spoke.

‘That would be a great idea if we still had our ol’ lass. The SS Fury could plough through our ships as if we were made of paper. Look at the size of that bitch, mate,’ Lourin pointed out. ‘What do the other captains say about this?’

‘Striff of the Third says we should stay back and follow; Olsaa’ of the Fifth agrees.’

‘What does Piper say?’ Lourin asked.

‘The usual – blow them to kingdom come with our batteries and loot them later on. Like that makes sense,’ Albie sighed, the rest of Lourin’s crew laughing at the proposition.

‘I say we follow them,’ Lourin requested, ‘What say you, Albie, Shaun and Jac?’

The three old men nodded, prompting Lourin to raise his arm and circle it in mid-air. The four ships under his command circled around and disappeared into the fog. The other captains did likewise, as the word of the plan went around.‘

Just as they entered the battle between the two titans, the ten ships disappeared back into the fog. ‘A little information from Olsaa’ “SS Fury taking Crucifix.” Sounds like a bargain, doesn’t it?’ Ablie informed Lourin. ‘More like a fiesta, if you ask me!’ Another round of laughter before the order for silence was sent out. The hunt was on.

It was just before daylight and dressed in the half-shimmer of the water on his face Jay heard Rebecca yell "activity off starboard!" Just as himself and Maharren looked in that direction there was a small black dot in the distance. Maharren took out a small telescope from under his blue arab's vest and peered through it Jay ran up and tapped him on the shoulder to witch he replied with a sorry grunt. "I know they're not more berserkers, cap'n," Maharren said with a grumbling tone. "As of anything else i'm not so sure." Jay took the offered telescope and peered through the small lens at another old-style looking rickety ship in the distance. It held a flag that was obviously not made of human flesh but he couldn't make out what was on it. "Full speed ahead, matey. We'll deal with them when we near them. If they're going for the same fight we are then this'll get exciting."

The huge cruise liner was in good range now. The Bluebird was approaching on the starboard side and could see they had adopted a small, completely black ship on their deck and were turning around. He was in range of the berserkers' ship now. "All hands, lower deck! Ready cannons on the starboard side!" Jay yelled. When first mate Soulta ran down the steps at the front of the ship he took the wheel. `Let's have a look see, then.` he said as he prepared to pull up alongside the cruise liner on her starboard by slightly angling the wheel to port. When he was nearing the cruise liner he would pull sharp starboard and swing around to present his port. Captain Mareson licked his lips as the Bluebird slowly strolled into the artillery being fired from the berserkers. He calculated for only a moment then yelled "Fire salvo one!" off starboard to wich was the reply of three loud BOOMs. He watched the three larger than average cannonballs glide through the dawn sky. He heaved a massive starboard turn and after pressing on a foot peddle witch kept the wheel in place and a lever to make the ship stop he quickly scurried over to the boarding plank resting on the mast ready to shove and yelled "All hands on deck! Prepare for boarding action!"

There was rustling of feet up stairs as Maharren came up first, then Roy Williams, lastly followed by Rebecca Kain. Soulta held a megaphone and was yelling "Crew of the SS Fury, do not be alarmed, we are here to help!" With one push the boarding plank fell and everybody ran up it onto the tall sitting cruise liner. Except Rebecca stayed behind and fashioned strong ropes to the bow and stern of the Bluebird, shooting grappling hooks over the rails of the SS Fury to secure the two ships together. After she was finished she joined her crew on the deck of the cruise liner. They all ran in the direction of the captain's quarters at the bow together, trying not to suggest any harm to anybody. They were at the back of the ship that seemed almost a mile long though and could take some time to reach the bow.

Striff 'The Omniscient' Heart of the Third combat battalion of the Berserker raider force was one man not many saw or dared challenge. His words were quick, witty and his voice a stern, demanding tone at all times. Orange orbs donned his masculine face, a wide chin and bulky cheeks embodied the leader within him. Every stare upon him always ended with either a respectful bow or a courteous hand-shake. Always dressed immaculately, something most Berserker lords never attempt to do, in a black robe with crystal buttons and a massive blade draped over his back, he looked at his fellow comrades with his well-known stare, as if looking into their souls, trying to figure out their thoughts. 'Our assault on the SS Fury must be precise and quick. Our weapons are ample, but our mind is not in-sync. Something bothering you, Lord Piper Vanquish?'

Glaring deep into Striff's eyes, the man known as Piper 'The Vengeful' Vanquish sat stiff trying to think up a reply. Dirty, rude, brutal and effective. These were a few traits that made Piper one of the most honoured and feared Berserkers. 'We should have assaulted those crummy bastards! We had the upper hand! The SS Fury is hardly fit to take on the likes of our men. They're slow and weak at this point; they've just finished a battle with the Crucifix. Why are we here discussing this horse crap when we can be plunderin' and pillagin' those sons of bitches?!' he slammed his palm hard on the mahogany table, his massive black beard shaking with every movement he made. 'I say we go after them now!'

'You called in our secondary units without notifying us beforehand?! You oaf! They don't know we're moving east! They'll get slaughtered!' Olsaa' yelled, his every word demeaning the great Lord Piper. 'We can't afford to lose anymore ships. Our supplies and men are dwindling as it is. You have just doomed us all! Bastard!'

The seawater was clear. Life was abundant and the sea was calm. A good omen Lourin thought to himself, Albie and Shaun rowing the tiny boat towards Lord Piper's disgusting excuse for a ship. Dirt ridden and carved from naught to tip with insults, Piper's ship was the largest and most inhospitable among the three under his command. Screams of disbelief and anger flew amok as Lourin boarded the ship, the few crewmen bowing as he passed them. Dressed in his usual camouflage pants and shirt, he walked up to the table, tossing a pistol in-between the two unhappy captains.

'Lord Piper and Olsaa' 'The Caring' Reaper,' Lourin spoke, humourously emphasizing on Olsaa''s title. 'If you're men, stop smacking tables and hurling insults - pick up a gun and see who's got more balls than the other.' Lord Piper quickly pulled out a gleaming emerald dotted hand gun, the only thing on him that was actually clean. Aiming down the iron sight, he lined up Olsaa''s head. 'Ready, boy?'

Tossing his arms into the air, Olsaa' pulled in his seat and sat down, watching Piper's every move. 'Lourin 'The Eye' Brimarch,' Striff spoke, his words instantly having a cooling effect on the two Berzerker lords. 'Aye, that I be. How're you doing today, brother?'

'Honestly, could be better,' Striff said, brushing his coat clean of the dirt that had been thrown around by the two 'monkeys' a minute ago. 'We have a problem. Piper has called in our secondaries expecting us to go to battle against the SS Fury. Currently, according to the Lord, they're on their way to our initial call position. They know not of our current location and will probably be massacred by the time they realise what is going on. We need to turn back now and, in a manner unknown to out dear Lord Piper here, rescue them.' Piper flinched at the obvious insult, unable to interject for he feared a retaliation from the bulky, massive Striff.

Sensing his spears had cut through Piper's ego, he continued, 'I say we turn around and haul our men to safety. What say you lot?'

'I say aye,' Olsaa' spontaneously answered, quickly getting up walking off giving Piper one last stare as he disappeared over the starboard.

Hesitantly, Lord Piper too agreed, admitting his mistakes without saying as much as a word; his conscience swirling bonkers by the presence of Lourin Brimarch. Shutting his eyes, he lay his face down into his crossed arms that were set on the table in dismay.

'The Four Sins does not only have three members, Lourin. What say you?'

'Would I ever disagree with your wise ideas, brother? I only have one question: how're we going to save their asses without getting ours blown to smithereens?' Lourin asked, the sound of a battery exploding in the distance and the howl of pain traveled for miles as the massacre began. 'Think quick, my brother. We do not have much time.'

'You know me well enough. Our comrades will be saved. Worry not,' Striff reassured Lourin as he, too, departed. 'Lord Piper, I believe it's your turn to give the orders. Piper rose, his head stiff hanging low. Raising his right arm into the air, he circled it around, his two first fingers pointing towards the shelling. A massive horn blew, giving life to Piper's fleet, and also informing the rest of the Berserkers of their plans. 'Good. Striff should send us the plan in a moment. Let's go rescue our men, boys!'

Her idea of leaping on the newest ship was thwarted when it pulled alongside the Fury, opposite of where the Crucifix was currently tethered up.  Narrowing her eyes, Amily decided it was time to go find the captain, break her free, and do whatever else Ashling commanded.  This time however, she would go about it stealthily.  The young woman definitely didn’t want a repeat of what had just happened; though that was unlikely due to the attack they were currently under.  There was also the slight chance that Rage would attempt to exact revenge upon her for threatening his precious cruiser, but that didn’t matter because he would fail.

Sliding up to her feet gracefully, she slipped away from the others, and while dodging flying cannonballs, made her way to where the gap was the smallest between the two vessels. Front-flipping off the Crucifix, she landed silently on the ropes connecting the two ships together. Quickly shimmying up the larger cruise ship until reaching the deck of the SS Fury, she paused to survey the scene.  Luckily for her, everyone was running around preparing the ship for departure, and making sure the cannons kept firing at the Berserker ships.  During the chaos, the crew of the latest arrival was yelling that they were there to help, but Jayse paid them little attention. No, at the moment her prey was Vice Admiral Rage since he was probably the cause of the captain being captured.

“Then again… I always did want a ship of my own. Hmm…”

As she was jogging between people and flying objects, her blue eyes took in the crew of what had to be the other ship.  From what she could see, there were only four of them, which made her wonder how many were left on the ship. If she managed to get past them and onto the ship, would she have to fight an entire crew? Was it really worth it? Probably not, but it definitely would be fun. However, at the moment she owed Lowe the courtesy of freeing her, and so that was what the assassin was going to do first. If the ship was still there afterwards, she was definitely going to go explore it.

“Damn, I’m wasting valuable time.”

Thanks to her keen hearing, she picked up on the voice of Rage and without another thought made her way to his location. It wouldn’t do her any good to actually search for Ashling, and she was hoping to maybe negotiate for the freedom of the crew of the Crucifix as well as its captain.  Why she cared wasn’t really clear, but for some reason she did.  Perhaps it was the ice slowly melting away, or maybe it was something else. Regardless, it was her fault they were in their current situation, and it was up to her to fix it… somehow.  Spotting her target, she inhaled sharply, letting the breath out slowly.

“Admiral Rage? I’m here to negotiate the release of the Crucifix, her crew, and Captain Ashling.”

Shimmering flashes sparked from a distance, the deathly sound only reaching the secondary Berserkers team milliseconds after the massive balls impacted. Men were torn to shreds as shrapnel from their ships blasted through them like a hot knife through butter; the gruesome sight all the more demoralising for the new recruits. In retaliation, the Berserkers tried in vain to use their numbers against the massive SS Fury. Their insignificant pellets unable to penetrate its carapace.

Olsaa''s choler rose with every passing second. The sound of his reserves calling for instructions and help over the Berserkers' intercommunication device further boiling his blood. 'We ne... ther... shel...' The last of his reserves were gone. There was no sign of them on his sensor. 'The Captain damn you to hell, Piper! My men are no more and it's all your fault, you stupid, inconsiderate bastard!' Olsaa' yelled over the intercom to Piper.

Lord Piper shrugged, as the voice of The Omniscient crackled over the intercom. 'Arguing will not save lives, my friends. We need to get into formation and save as many as we can right now. Our brethren need us and I wish you will take note of this. This is not a warning. This is advise.' A new glow filled Piper's empty blue orbs, determination filling his veins. Olsaa' once again spoke over the com, saying, 'Striff is right. My apologies, Lord Piper. We must do what needs to be done. Let us prepare. I am counting on your knowledge in battle to keep us alive, The Vengeful.'

'Aww, are the two great masters of the sea forgiving each other? How adorable,' the patronizingly squeaky voice of Lourin Brimarch ended the apology session between the two captains.

'Lourin, behave yourself! Enough of this!' Striff's immense tone shook Lourin's soul, as if he were slapped across the face with a sledgehammer.

'My apologies, brother. I will not be an impediment.'

A few moments of silence spread across the sea as the shelling stopped. For the first time since it began, the only sound that could be heard was the sound of the ships breaking the waves, manoeuvring into position as ordered by Striff. 'Remember, my brothers; this is a rescue mission. There is no need for a boarding. Our positions must be kept hidden, so that our enemies do not expect it. Lord Piper, let us begin.'

Two ships under the control of Piper slowly and silently cut through the waves entering right next to the SS Fury under concealment. The ships were small, so small that it would be nearly impossible to see them approach under the massive bulk of the mighty SS Fury. Nudging the two ships against the Fury, Piper and his men lit the fuses and hightailed out of there on a tiny row boat. On board the two ships were 10 tonnes of high explosive powder, the last the Berserkers had on their ships. Striff called over the radio to Lord Piper, confirming whether the charge was set. 'Everything is running smoothly. We're heading out. Olsaa', I believe it is your turn.'

'Roger that,' an answer came, a bulky ship with a red Berserkers flag flapping to the wind powered up right on the opposite side, its engine roaring for attention. Launching a few miniature explosive rounds into the port side of the SS Fury, Olsaa' hoped Striff's plan would work. 'We are in position. Firing another volley of rounds.' The rounds were too small to harm the Fury, but there was no doubt it would scare the crew shitless, giving them the time they needed. 'Your mother eats other men, ya goat fuckers!' Olsaa' yelled at the top of his voice, his crew of ten joining in.

'Confirmed. May the might of the Captain be with you, my brothers. I am moving in. Our men will survive this, I swear it.' Striff said, changing his intercom to a private setting between captains. 'Lourin, brother, I wish to speak to you alone.'

 

Sydney grinned, even under the alarming circumstances. The attacks lead by the Berserkers causing the vessel she guested upon to sway to and fro. This was exciting for her, it made it even more challenging for her to skateboard down the hallways of where the guests cabins pried. It'd be even more fun to skate along the deck, but since she knew they were about to engage into battle, it wouldn't be wise, considering she'd just be in their way. If necessary, she wasn't unprepared to kick some Berserkers' ass. She had places to go, people to see, and they were just another brick in the wall.

Another obstacle to try and stop her. Control her...

Shaking her head lightly, she took a clip from her pocket to keep bangs held back from visage, even though from the speed she was traveling did a nice job of bringing a breeze to keep hair away. She crouched down on the board momentarily to grasp the hand gun hidden under the pant leg of blue skinny jeans before rising, making sure  it was on safety before stuffing it in waistband.

It was time to take a peek on deck.