Strange Vistas


   Pausing in his endlesss pacing, the General looked up and scanned the horizon once again, muttering angrily under his breath. "If that beggar has lied to me, I'll feed him a sack of gunpowder, stuff him in cannon face-first, and light his head on fire."

   Just then, the lookout shouted from above, "Ship ahead!" She flies the tattooed skull, mon Capitain! It is the corsairs!"

   The big mercenary rubbed his hands together in excitement. "So, he was telling the truth after all." He looked over at Gerard, his First Mate, and smiled fiercely, the way he always did before a fight. "Prepare for boarding!"

   Minutes later, they found themselves on the deck of the Corsair ship, the battle swirling around them as they fought back to back. A dark-skinned man with a tattooed head stood frowning on the bow. Occasionally he would swing his immense scimitar, leaving behind a limp, bleeding wreckage.

   The General nudged Gerard. "That must be Kheired-Din himself. Come on." With that, he began to clear a path with his sword.

   Kheired-Din saw the two approach, and as they grew close, he gave a load whistle. Out of the pirate's cabin erupted a creature more beast than man. It stood seven feet tall and bulged with muscle. Its eyes were unnatural - completely black, without a speck of white, and when it roared, there was no humanity in the sound. Despite its great size, it sprang directly at them like a great cat, smashing a Corsair in the way.

The General drove his blade at the beast. Casually, it caught the sword, then bent it in two and dropped it. He stared in amazement for a moment, then hastily ducked away from his opponent's ape-like arms. Knowing when he was beaten, the General sounded the retreat.

   As the ships began to pull apart, he saw one of the Corsairs bringing some sort of Syrneth device to bear on his mainsail. A twisting gout of fire leapt from the object's tip, igniting the sail. The lone rigger working the mainsail began to cut away the lines tied to it even as the Corsairs rowed off. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew scrambled about with buckets to put out all the smaller fires that had started on the deck below. The rigger was able to cut three of the sail's lines, but the fire was giving off so much heat that the fourth seemed impossible to reach. Then a shout came from nearby, and the General spun to see its source.

   A smaller ship had come up alongside them, apparently having seen the smoke, and two men stood atop its rigging, edging out towards the Montaigne ship. The larger of the two men faced his companion and clasped hands with the other man, then threw himself backwards. This action snapped the smaller man into the air, with a somersault, he just managed to grasp a rope near the final uncut sail line. His larger partner was left dangling from the yardarm by one hand, laughing in delight as the little man cut the final rope. The sail fell into the water to the cheers of both crews.

   The General shook the hand of the other ship's Captain, and elderly man. "To whom do I owe my debt of gratitude, good sir?"

   The old man pushed his eyeglasses up on his nose. "I am Philip Gosse. We are happy to assist. Would you care to join us for dinner, Captain?"

   At the mention of the man's name, the General's eyes narrowed. "Unfortunately, Captain Gosse, circumstances do not permit. I am under orders to arrest you on sight and take you back to Montaigne, where you will be hanged for piracy."

   Captain Gosse frowned slightly. "Oh dear. That will put a crimp on dinner. A pity, too. We were having pheasant. Well, you may arrest me at your leisure, sir." The old man held forth his hands to be tied up, the General waved him away.

   "If I had seen you, I would certainly have to arrest you. But the smoke from the fire seems to have got into my eyes. I suggest you and your crew sail on before my eyesight clears up."

   Gosse bowed low. "A man of honour indeed, sir. We will be on our way."

   As the other ship sailed off, the General looked over to see Gerard smiling at him. His First Mate took a step back and, drawing his blade, saluted him. The General scowled at him. "Oh, shut up."