Thoughts : The Red Captian

He cried out in shock and agony as the blade pierced his chest and tunneled through his abdomen, as his tattooed chest dripped with red clotted blood, his eyes remained fixed on his killer.

The curtain is pulled back.....

He cried out in surprised agony as the blade plunged deep into his chest and tunneled through his abdomen. His tattooed chest dripped with  blood, his eyes remained fixed on his killer. slowly his final scream became a blood filled gurgle, his mouth slowed open, a steady stream of blood spilling out, his arms convulsed at his side, reaching up in vain to remove the blade. His eyes fixed upon the victor that plunged the blade deeper, turning it slightly, watching him with dispassion and mechanical precision. As his surprised expression faded and was replaced with dull emptiness she pulled her blade out of his chest, letting him stumble backwards before falling over the edge of the Air Ship, his body would be lifeless far before he reached the ground.

As the wind blew against her it delicately pushed her dark brown hair past her shoulders, blanketing the side of her face as to masking her men from the frightfully calm expression across her face." That is the fate of a pirate that forgets his place." Her words haunted every ear that stood in attention upon the bridge. “You were told to plunder the northern trading convoy. That consists of tradable goods and gold." She explained as she took out a bandanna from her sleeveless leather jacket and began to clean the blood from her sword. The crew of fifteen men stood motionless as they watched her turn towards them, her attention still fixed on the stainless steel blade she expertly cleaned. “You were not instructed however, to sink the trade ship and abduct the survivors!" She shouted, her voice echoing thorough out the bridge and tensing the remaining crew.  As the remaining terrified company stood perfectly still she could feel every eye upon her, a vicious uncivilized eye lacking in empathy and remorse, but well versed in the distribution, there were the eyes that fed off of fear. Though seemingly surprised it would only take a second for her complacency to become vulnerability. She could never forget that, ever.

Perhaps too young in age, to her distaste she had grown to become far more beautiful then she could possibly stand. Her beauty; it would bring danger, it would cause hardship, it would hinder her form not being seen, and it would silence her words so no one would ever hear. It was this curse that she had lived with ever since her breast had fully formed. Seemingly thin and fair her eyes betrayed all thoughts of helplessness. Her eyes told of her true nature, a lifetime of cut throats and dirty kills, a life without mercy, without luck. A world of hate igniting an inferno that burned within her. she was the Red captain, the right hand of their captain Long john Silver seen, said to have eyes of scarlet, only by those in the last moments of life, those that found themselves at the end of her blade

                She sheathed her sword as she began to walk the length of the airships front deck, her eyes no longer fixed upon her subordinates but upon the thousand mile view around her. Helix had always been her favorite of the thirteen colonies, its size and metropolitan structure was a beauty of its own. The wind blew, whisking and stirring the clouds in the distance, splitting the night sky in half by the waist. To the east her eyes fell upon the twinkling lights near the imperial coast, the infamous capital city, the strong hold of the Federation, as she turned her head slightly to the west she could make out the wide and dark black and green tree tops of the Wood, the long out stretching plains beyond it leading towards the darkened silhouette of the mountains of solitude, The mysterious mountain range where neither air not ground ships dare venture ground ships scarcely returned. As the crisp spring air blew more violently, splashing her hair over her shoulders and onto her back she took in the dark greens, the purples and dark blue clouds that danced on the wind, she watched and let the rest of the company wonder, wonder who was going to be killed next, wonder if the death of their Captain was enough to repent for their ambition.

"Lady Jenifer, what is to become of the slaves?" Her moment of Zen interrupted by the first officer, his words were brave, but she had trained her ear to find even the faintest hint of fear.

"The captives will be set free." She emphasized, looking half over her shoulder. “We are silver pirates, the most dangerous and sought after pirates in the thirteen colonies! We are not slave traders." She exhaled in disgust as she turned to face a hand still resting on the hilt of her sword. No one’s eyes mattered save the quartermaster, his muscular abdomen covered in tattoos, badges that praised his cunning and his use of a blade. She had half wondered why he had not been made captain. "I will expect my cut of the loot in an away boat within the hour,” she ordered as he began to walk towards the captain’s quarters. “You will release the slaves in at the next town.” As she reached the door a soft murmur of protest swept the deck. “And if anyone has any objections, I am just a door knock away." She smiled devilishly as she opened the door. “And do something about that body before the smell sets in." She exhaled in annoyance seconds before slamming the door.

 The door slammed behind her, isolating her at long last. She now found herself in the captain’s bed chamber. Candle lanterns placed around the room filling its interior in a warms orange hue. With her back to the wall she was allowed to let the calming silence penetrate her heavily guarded exterior.  For a fraction of a moment she allowed her defenses to lower, the sliver of doubt creeping past her defenses, twisting and turning until it formulated a thought, small buts its existence undeniable. It in that fraction of that moment, within the cold empty captains quarters she allowed that though to be given room to be.

‘Silver Pirates are not slave traders.’ She reassured herself, ashamed she had even allowed the thought to be born at all. Her fist clenched in agitation, this had not been the first crew she had caught transporting slaves across the wood. She made her way towards the captain’s unkempt desk, littered with ledgers and purses of coin. She reached for her share without hesitation, noticing it to be heavier than usual. Curiosity overcame her as she fondled the pouch, counting the contents as she began to look over of the desk.as she had suspected before lay trading routes with known slave traffickers in the plains and mining colonies in the mountains. She had just killed a friend, a fellow captain four years her senior. Gallous knew the rules; any side deals would be met with a sword through the chest or a bullet to the skull. Had he finally let his greed for plush surrounding or his addiction to drink or powder overpower his loyalty to Captain Silver? She was an enforcer for Silver himself, her feelings had nothing to do with what she did; he betrayed the captain, which meant he betrayed her. It was that simple; compassion was weakness, a luxury on the losers of the world could afford. The world was built by men powerful enough to have no compassion at all. John silver was such a man.

                Lady Jenifer exited the captain’s quarters a half hour later, extending her visit only as to burn the necessary documents and pack the rest of the gold, as the doors quickly swung upon quarters opened she could feel her armor gearing up, walking confidently towards her boat, her eyes fixed on her destination with a calm confidence unfazed by the scowls she received from all that she passed.

                “What is to become of us My Lady?” the quartermaster asked as she dropped her bag of gold into her landing boat.  She found his face in the crowd of confused and angry faces with cold indifference.

                “You are the captain now, lead your men well.” Her words calm, the wind carrying her words across the bridge.

                “We are not the only crew transporting slaves across the wood.  Will you hunt us all down? Kill us on the deck of our own ships!” his voice enforced by the rage of his crew. Jenifer unwrapped the sail and placed the light crystal into the engine gate.

                “Yes.” She exhaled as the landing boat roared into life, breaking away from the side of the air ship and speeding into the night.