Chapter 10
The Sea Dancer
Monday
00.05 a.m.
AD 1699
The men on the Sea Dancer worked through into the night, taking advantage of the relative calm waters, warm air and lull in the storm winds. They worked hard on getting the Sea Dancer shipshape and able to sail under canvas from the one remaining main mast. They repaired the ripped sail, replaced broken rigging, and made ready for any wind when it returned.
When all was complete, Captain Rob ordered a hearty meal to be served, and issued another measure of grog to the men. They deserved it. For now he was quite happy for the Sea Dancer to remain in the becalmed waters of the miracle that the Lord had created to save his men and his ship, protected from the fierce storm that continued to rage all around them.
The Watch sounded midnight, and Captain Rob gathered the men before him on the deck, and prepared to address them.
It was a much changed band of men who stood before him now. Dry, cheerful and smiling, the comparison to earlier that same evening could not have been more stark.
"Men of the Sea Dancer, I stand before you now humbled by the grace of the Good Lord, who has seen Himself fit to save the sorry lives of a motley band of pirates such as yourselves. I ain't a man of the cloth, and it's been years since I said any public prayers, but afore I send you off to your hammocks and bunks to catch whatever sleep you can, I wanted to do something that no other pirate ship in the history of the Caribbean has ever done before..."
The men looked at each other, wondering what was coming next.
"...I wanted to gather you all together, and give thanks to the Lord for our deliverance this night. So, come now lads, bow your heads with your Captain, take of your caps, and say 'Thank you!' "
Some of the men laughed, but still bowed their heads after looking over at the Captain and catching his stern gaze. Others, however, quite willingly took to their knees, removing their caps and placing them on their chests, with their heads bowed.
A murmur of voices saying 'Thanks' and 'Amen' rose amidst the men, and then they stood up, and the Captain dismissed them. Most of the men disappeared below decks, leaving only the Night Watch behind.
"That...," said James Silver, "...is something I ain't ever seen afore. To see my fellow pirates gathered together like that to give thanks to the big Almighty, was something I never, ever thought I would see on board any pirate ship that I sailed on!"
Captain Rob turned and looked at Mr Silver.
"Me neither. Today has been a day of peculiar sorts, one which I ain't never seen the like of before. The winds have gone for now, but we're a long way from port, and we've no reckoning on how long the good Lord will keep us cocooned here in the safe waters of the parted storm. Best keep on His good side, say I!"
Only an hour ago the decks had been wet and white with snow, but now the air temperature had risen significantly the wooden planks were dry, and warm air forced the crew to remove their jackets and strip down to their tunics.
Captain Rob remained on deck while he sent Silver and the others to get much needed rest. It had been a long day, like none other he could remember in recent years.
The attack on Puerto Bello del la Cruz earlier that morning had reminded him of days gone by, and he realised just how much he missed the excitement and adrenaline he felt when leading troops in combat.
But that was another lifetime, and there was no going back.
Ever.
Captain Rob stood at the stern of his ship, thinking to the future, and for the first time since the raid, planning the weeks ahead.
When they made it back to their port, they would first divide the treasure. Fairly and evenly, according to the lore adopted by the pirate community, with he as Captain and James Silver as quartermaster receiving the largest share of all his men.
The only 'good' news was, that along with the loss of the treasure on the other ships, they had also lost their crews, so the proportion that each surviving man would receive had not been altered.
It was to be a fortune. Even with the major share deducted and given over to their original benefactors, as needs would dictate, that which was left over in the pirates' pot for distribution amongst his own men, was a sizeable fortune larger than any man could ever imagine.
His men would be rich beyond their wildest dreams.
Captain Rob expected that most of the pirates would then vote to leave, determined to start new lives somewhere in the prospering Americas, or perhaps to buy an island and lure some women to be their wives, with the promise of luxury and gold coin aplenty!
He for one, would not blame any man for that!
Captain Rob would also one day find a piece of land and a stretch of beach that he could call his own, and then settle down to grow tobacco for sale to England, smoke a pipe, and swim in the sea.
However, before that dream could become true, he had to fulfill another.
He would return to England, and complete the mission he had begun so many years before.
Nothing would give him more pleasure!
"May I join you?" a voice said behind him, bringing his thoughts back to the present.
Captain Rob turned to find Richard Tyler standing beside him.
"Certainly, Mr Tyler. I apologize, I did not see you come. I was lost in my own considerations."
"Here, I have brought you some claret. I noticed that you did not drink grog with the men earlier, and I wanted to raise a toast to you, in thanks for today."
"Thanks? Why?" Captain Rob said, taking the glass from Tyler's outstretched hand.
"For trusting me, and believing in me. I think there are few Captains indeed, who would have. You did not know me, and yet you realised that you could trust me. You risked the lives of yourself and your crew, on my word."
"And I would do it again, Mr Tyler. I judge you to be a fair man, Mr Tyler. One who was aggrieved and seeking just revenge. And besides, it made for good business."
"Was there no more to it?" Richard Tyler asked inquisitively, raising his eyebrows as he spoke.
Captain Rob hesitated before replying. "No."
"Nothing to do with Captain Kidd? There are others in your crew who leapt at the opportunity to even with the bastard. Are you not also so aggrieved by the man?"
"No longer. Today made good recompense."
They each sipped from their goblets.
"I have been watching you, Captain McGregor, and you are a fair and just man. Perhaps the best Captain I have been fortunate enough to meet!"
Captain McGregor coughed, and feigned embarrassment. "Why, sir, you flatter me. But alas, your share of the booty shall not increase, no matter what other compliments you give!"
They both laughed.
Captain McGregor raised his metal goblet to take another sip of the claret, when a spark jumped off the handle and landed on his nose. It so startled him that he dropped the goblet to the ground, spilling the claret onto the wooden planks.
They both stepped back from the copper goblet, and stared at it on the ground. Little sparks and tiny forks of lightning were jumping across the surface of the drinking vessel.
"Ye gods," Richard Tyler exclaimed. "What on earth is the cause of that?"
As they knelt down to take another look and prod the goblet with an outstretched pointed finger, the vessel in Richard Tyler's hand also started to sparkle, and he too dropped in to the ground. A small flash of light then jumped from his gold earring.
"What manner of trick is this?" the accountant asked.
"Look to your jerkin, Mr Tyler!" Captain McGregor said. "The metal buttons are sparking too!"
"And yours!" Richard Tyler replied, pointing to the flashing sparks of light that were now jumping from the metal buttons on Captain Rob's breeches and the buckles on his belt and shoes.
They both stood, examining each other.
The hair on Richard Tyler's head slowly rose proud of his skull, reaching up to the sky, and as Captain Rob removed hi
s own hat, he immediately felt his own hair rise up in sympathy with Tyler's.
For a moment they both stared at each other, and then almost simultaneously they burst into laughter.
"I know not what is the cause of this, but I am bound to say that you do look rather ridiculous Mr Tyler!" the Captain announced.
"And you, likewise, Captain McGregor!" the accountant replied.
At that moment a cry went up from the watch in the crow's nest.
"Cap'n Rob! LOOK!" he heard the man shout loudly, and when he looked up he saw the man gesticulating wildly up into the sky, towards the middle of the miraculous hole in the storm.
Richard Tyler and the Captain both looked up, not believing what they saw.
A bright light was moving high up across the sky at great speed, coming directly towards them. Captain McGregor, Richard Tyler and the seaman at the tiller of the boat, stood transfixed as they watched the light come closer.
Slowly they saw the light spread wings, and it changed shape into a enormous bird, -larger than a ship- which hung in the air and moved without flapping it wings.
Suddenly the bird began to roar!
The sound that the bird emitted was so loud that both Richard Tyler and Captain Rob immediately covered their ears in shock, and the man at the tiller prostrated himself on the ground in fear.
A giant eagle, larger than a Cathedral, soared over their heads at great speed, colored lights flashing from underneath its belly and from its beak and wings.
As it swooped overhead, the tiller man started to cry, his breeches now wet and sodden from fear. Captain Rob and Richard Tyler abruptly turned and followed the sight of the giant Albatross as it flew over and past them.
They watched in fear and awe as it swept through the sky towards the wall that held the wrath of the storm at bay, but as it neared, its massive beak penetrated the wall of cloud, slicing it open, and the bird flew straight into the cloud, disappearing from sight.
Immediately the roar in the sky was gobbled up by the storm, and silence returned.
"An Albatross! A giant Albatross!" Richard Tyler exclaimed excitedly. "It is the crew of the Albatross returned in spirit form! It is an omen!"
Captain Rob removed his hands from his ears, and bent down to help the tiller man to his feet.
"Calm yourself, lad. Whatever it was, it is now gone. Swallowed up by the storm, and killed. We are safe now!"
The young pirate, stood up slowly, still shaking, and whimpering with fear.
Captain Rob took him by the shoulders, looked into his eyes, and said, "Young man. Today we have seen many strange things,...this is just one more. But we have God's protection now, - like Moses we are - and nothing will harm us. So wipe your tears, and take your place again at the helm of my ship!"
He smiled. The young man smiled back.
Captain Rob turned back to Richard Tyler, intending to comment on his exclamation about the giant Albatross.
But before the Captain could say another word, the boat became alive with light, as every metal object, large or small, began to bristle with a myriad, tiny sparks of lightning.
A strange pressure began to build up in the air around them all, and Captain Rob felt suddenly very light headed and dizzy.
He felt himself falling, and reached out to catch himself on the stern gunwale. Beside him, Richard Tyler fell to the ground, his eyes closed, and his body shaking lightly, as was true also of the tiller man, who had once more deserted his post, and was now lying flat on the deck, unconscious.
Captain Rob's legs went out from under him, and he fell down onto his knees.
He felt a tremendous pressure in his ears, as if the world was pressing down upon him.
Suddenly they could hear a loud, high pitched whistle, which grew progressively even louder and more intense.
Men began to spill out onto the deck from the ladders leading up from below decks, with both hands covering their eardrums. As they emerged onto the deck they fell to their knees and then rolled over onto their backs, screaming loudly.
Within minutes most of the crew were lying unconscious.
Only Captain Rob and another young man, the youngest pirate on board, still remained conscious.
Captain Rob tried to stand, but found he couldn't.
As he looked around him, trying to locate the source of the noise, he saw with horror that the Holy barrier which held back the storm from destroying them had begun to crumble.
All round the northern rim of the circular barrier between them and the storm, the invisible barrier holding back the storm crumbled and pushed inwards, the cloud behind pouring into the empty hole that God had created in the middle of the storm.
A wall of cloud came rushing towards the boat, the whistling growing louder and louder and the pressure in the air and his ears increasing beyond any point of endurance.
Bright forks of lightning again started to jump from anything made of metal on the ship, no matter how large or small. Lightning forks jumped from one piece of metal to another, forming vivid arches in the air. Slowly the boat became covered in a myriad of lightning bolts, some forming arches of light that traveled from one end of the ship to the other.
Captain Rob fell to the ground, screaming with pain, his hands pressing hard against his eardrums in a futile effort to block out the whistling.
Just before the world went black and his eyes rolled back into his skull, a bank of cloud swept over his head, extinguishing the beautiful twinkling stars above as the protection that God had offered them was removed and quashed in the blinking of an eye.
As the storm swept over the Sea Dancer, the cloud swept down from the heavens and blanketed the Sea Dancer in cloud, mist and fog.
Instantly the high-pitched whistling stopped, and was replaced instead by the roar of the storm.
The sea underneath the Sea Dancer started to rise and fall violently, tossing the Sea Dancer around like a tiny piece of wood.
The pressure in the air continued to build, and the lightning that blanketed the ship increased in intensity.
Suddenly the air itself started to glow, at first in patches, but then more uniformly as lightning jumped between those areas that already glowed, with each fork of lightning leaving a path of glowing air behind them that further connected the individual light patches together.
Quickly the patches of light grew in size, joining together and coalescing into larger areas which in turn morphed with the others around them.
A moment later, all the air above, around, below and inside the Sea Dancer glowed with a light so bright that had any member of the crew been conscious to witness it, they would have feared that the Sea Dancer had been swallowed by the sun.
And still the light grew brighter. And brighter. And yet brighter.
Then all of a sudden, it vanished.
The light was gone.
As was the Sea Dancer, the treasure, and every man on board.