A Seafaring Saga

Chapter 28: Confrontations

       It was Constable Craddek’s fault, actually. He started the chain reaction that would turn the world of Little Chipping upside down and inside out.
       “For the last time.” growled Viktor over a glass of ale, “We’re not pirates, crooks, terrorists or and such mega blocks!”
       Constable Craddek was not convinced.
       “You say you two were kidnapped by pirates along with the Crusader princess, sailed halfway around Dametreos leading the whole Crusader fleet after you, then you jumped ship and ended up here?”
       “No!” snapped Rosa, “Are you deaf as well as obese?”
       Constable Craddek straightened, glaring.
       “I don’t like your tone, ma’am.”
       “Then leave us alone! We’re doing nothing wrong!”
       Constable Craddek straightened, reaching for some crude handcuffs.
       “I’m afraid…”
       Viktor and Rosa knew what was coming next.
       “Can I go anywhere without getting arrested!?” snarled Viktor and dashed his half-full glass into the constable’s face.
       Craddek yelled and Rosa and Viktor were up like a flash, out the door and running smack into -- Targon.
       “Holy tyco!” screamed Rosa.
       “Bloody megablocks!” grunted Viktor.
       “Shifty-brick!” cried Targon, “It’s you!”
       And thus began the chain reaction. O’Brien, hearing Targon’s voice, rushed out of the Pickle Barrel with his marines.
       “Targon!”
       Hearing his second mate, Captain Johnson dashed out of the Waterhole, the seamen and pirates stumbling after.
       “O’Brien!”
       “Captain!”
       Burtrand Storm-Rider, unaware of the situation, exited with Anastasia in his arms right into the middle of the fiasco.
       “Burtrand!”
       “Princess!”
       “Bloody Megablocks…”
       It was almost comical. There was Burtrand Storm-Rider, the Crusader princess Anastasia in his arms, O’Brien and his marines to the left, Captain Johnson, the crews of the Aterops and Mantis to the right, and Rosa and Viktor and Targon in front. All stared dumbly. Then the pirate Smythe acted.
       “Pirates!” he shouted, “The Cap’n's here! Up and at ‘em!”
       Suddenly spurred, the pirates attacked their neighbors, the crew of the Aterops, beating them down with anything and everything. With a roar, O’Brien and his marines charged both Burtrand and the pirates. Burtrand darted forward and head-butted Viktor, who happened to be in the way.
       “Come, Targon!” snapped Burtrand, gesturing over his should where the distant outlines of the Aterops could be seen floating offshore.
       But Burtrand got a surprise. Instead of doing something useful, like taking out Rosa, Targon growled and punched Burtrand hard in the face. Shocked and hurt, Burtrand dropped Anastasia, who shrieked and crawled toward the only familiar face, Rosa.
       “Where’s my rock!” growled Targon, his thick, beef-like hands squeezing tight around Burtrand’s neck. Burtrand was bleeding from the nose, and he couldn’t breath, but almost calmly he fumbled about in his pocket and grasped the green stone. He said nothing, just glaring at Targon.
       Meanwhile, the pirates had the upper hand, at least for now. Most of the Aterops crew now either dead, dying or wounded, the remaining pirates were battling O’Brien’s battle-trained marines. Fighting his way through the melee, Captain Johnson confronted O’Brien.
       “Good to see you among the living, Mr. O’Brien!” called Johnson.
       “Thank you, sir!” shouted O’Brien.

       “You’re alive!” cried Rosa, staring at Anastasia.
       “So are you!” cried Anastasia, just as shocked.
       “Ugg…” groaned Viktor, rolling over and cursing Targon.
       “Who’s your friend?” demanded Anastasia.
       “Never mind!” snapped Rosa, drawing her knife, “Let’s get out of here!”
       The three pulled each other to their feet. Viktor, grumbling, pulled out his sword and waved it about, but is seemed no one was particularly interested in them at the moment. The pirates, led by Sydney Smythe, and the marines, led by O’Brien continued to cut each other to ribbons, and Burtrand and Targon were understandably preoccupied with one another.
       “Come on!” snapped Rosa, and they started to move away.
       At that moment Johnson caught sight of Anastasia.
       “Princess!”
       As one, the marines, led by Captain Johnson and O’Brien, broke away from the pirates and ran toward the princess. Viktor and Rosa, thinking themselves under attack, grabbed Anastasia and ran. This obviously gave the Crusaders the wrong impression.
       “That bloody woman’s with the pirates!” snarled Captain Johnson.
       The marines dashed off in pursuit. The pirates, abandoned, stared almost stupidly as the marines ran off. But Smythe rallied them. Targon was getting impatient. He had been choking Burtrand for five minutes and the tyco pirate hadn’t flinched.
       “GIVE ME MY ROCK!” he bellowed, and punched Burtrand hard in the stomach.
       Burtrand wheezed. He was uncomfortable, but not too worried. Nothing could happen while he had the rock. Targon was just about to pound Burtrand again when suddenly his eyes rolled back and he collapsed.
       “My thanks, Smythe.” coughed Burtrand Storm-Rider.
       The mate bobbed a quick nod.
       “Orders, Cap’n?”
       Burtrand glanced about quickly, his eyes soon falling upon the distant Crusader ship Aterops.
       “Boys,” he cried, “We need to get ourselves a ship!”
       With a roar, the pirates left the stunned town of Little Chipping.

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