Chapter 2: A Call to Adventure
[Previously on whatever this story you're reading right now is, I was a Somali pirate from the year 2009 when a cargo raid went horribly (and fatally) wrong. I was supposed to be dead at this point, but then, I ended up reincarnated in the 17th century Caribbean! What's more, I was onboard a real pirate ship headed by a beautiful woman, the brave Captain Eliza Blackwood! Ya Allah, what's a pirate from the future like me to do?!]
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"Is this true, Captain? Am I really in the 17th century?" I asked the beautiful Captain Blackwood, confused about the situation I am right now.
"Yes, Mister Amir. This is the year 1684, after all. In a few more years, we'll be ushering in a new century!" Captain Blackwood replied.
She then continued, "Now tell me, Amir, where are you from, really? And why did you become a pirate?"
I then replied, "I'm from the future, and I live in a country in Northeastern Africa called 'Somalia'. I come from a poor family who makes ends meet through fishing by the coast. When I learned that there was precious cargo floating in the Gulf of Aden, I decided to join a band of pirates. I was desperate for a livelihood at that point."
Captain Blackwood remained silent as I told her my story. Her eyes, a mesmerizing shade of azure, scanned my face for any signs of deception. I could feel the weight of her stare, like an anchor sinking into the depths of my soul. The ship beneath us creaked and groaned, adding a haunting melody to the eerie silence that enveloped us.
After what felt like an eternity, Captain Blackwood finally spoke, her voice laced with both curiosity and skepticism.
"Man, what a sad life you have lived. I'm pretty sure you struggled as much as I currently am just to get to your group would call 'elite'?"
I replied, "Pretty much," followed by a chuckle. "These foreigners would usually fear us because of our armed tenacity. We struck fear in their hearts, and in a few minutes, the ship would be ours."
Captain Blackwood's eyes widened, and she let out a hearty laugh that resonated through the wooden planks of the ship. The sound was infectious, like a chorus of seagulls in harmony with the crashing waves. Her laughter was mingled with a sense of disbelief and curiosity, as if she couldn't fathom the idea of time travel.
"Then one fateful day, our captain assigned us to a raid on a major cargo ship. Having garnered enough experience raiding such big-time ships, me and some of my crewmates accepted the mission. We spent hours preparing for the operation, but when we got to the ship, we found out that it was heavily guarded by those white soldiers. We did our best in repelling these foreigners, but they had a trick up their sleeve. I was shot by multiple machine guns, and that's how I ended up here."
Captain Blackwood's laughter subsided, and she looked at me intently. The flickering sunlight cast shadows on her face, highlighting the lines that etched the hardships and struggles she had endured as a pirate captain. In that moment, I realized that behind her tough exterior was a woman burdened by responsibility and the weight of her crew's lives.
"Amir," she said softly, her voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and concern. "You have displayed valor in living as a pirate and dying as a pirate. Your pledge to sacrifice yourself trying to defend your treasure is really astounding."
"Thank you, Captain," I said.
"From now on, I welcome you as a crewmate of The Scarlet Serpent. May God favor you with the best fortunes."
I nodded in excitement, confident that I was now a member of her crew.
As I stood on the deck of The Scarlet Serpent, I couldn't help but be awestruck by the sight before me. The ship itself was a masterpiece, its sleek black hull adorned with a crimson red serpent coiling around it. The weathered sails fluttered in the wind, whispering tales of adventure and danger. The air was thick with the scent of salt and sea, mingling with the excitement and anticipation that hung in every breath.
"There will be time for introductions later. For now, follow me to your new cabin," Captain Blackwood told me.
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"Welcome, Amir, to your new cabin!"
My cabin on the ship was rather simple. It was just a small bed, a table with a lantern on top of it, and a small window overlooking the vast sea.
"Wow, my cabin sure is... nice," I said, knowing of the quality of this room.
"Sure is," Captain Blackwood replied. "A nice place to relax after raiding a French ship."
As I entered the cozy confines of my new cabin, a wave of nostalgia washed over me. The wooden walls, weathered and etched with the memories of past voyages, emitted a comforting scent reminiscent of distant shores and the adventures that awaited us. The subtle creaking of the ship beneath my feet was like a lullaby, lulling me into a sense of tranquility amidst the chaos that lay outside.
"Also, I have provided you with a nice change of clothes. I just determined your size and picked these myself," the Captain said, holding a simple shirt and a pair of pants from the cabin's cabinet.
"Gee, thanks," I said, as I changed my clothes. Man, I now look like an authentic crewman of a 17th-century ship.
"Wow, you look rather... nice, for a pirate," Captain Blackwood said, impressed with her choices.
I thanked her, feeling like I would like to join her in her pirate adventures.
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Night fell on the Caribbean Sea. The Scarlet Serpent had been lit up for the nocturnal voyage back to an undetermined island. Tonight, the atmosphere on the decks was jovial and filled with hype, as the elegant captain Eliza Blackwood declared that a new member has joined her crew.
"Gentlemen of The Scarlet Serpent, a new man has decided to join our ranks in this hallowed ship. He is a brave black man who has been a good pirate in his homeland of Somalia, and now he fights in the name of our crew. I present to you, the new crewmate of The Scarlet Serpent, Amir!"
As I stood on the main deck, the crew applauded wildly. Various lines from the crewmen can be heard.
"Whoa, a new member!"
"He could finally be the crew's saving grace!"
"Look at that dark body. He must be a special kind of human!"
"Is he really from the future? I need answers!"
The captain then declared, "Let's celebrate the arrival of our new crewmate with merriment, food and music!"
The crowd cheered in response, "HUZZAH!" I cried out "Huzzah!" as well. And with that, my welcome party began.
As the celebrations commenced on The Scarlet Serpent, the crew came alive with an energetic fervor that intoxicated the very air around us. The deck transformed into a vibrant kaleidoscope of colors and shapes as pirates indulged in merriment. Whiffs of salted meat and spices wafted through the breeze, mingling with the salty aroma of the sea. Some were already drinking glasses of rum.
I joined the festivities, dancing to various shanties and eating and drinking the night away. Some of us ended up drunk, even the captain herself! She was acting all lovey-dovey on one of the crewmates, as if hearts manifested in her eyes. Thankfully, I'm Muslim (well, at least in my previous life), so I couldn't take some alcohol. At least there's some coconut water that I drank. As the party continued through the middle of the night, I retreated to my cabin and decided to call it a day. Tomorrow will serve as my first full day as a proud crewman of The Scarlet Serpent, and I await whatever kind of pirate training my crew would give me.
[The next day...]
I woke up to the gentle sway of the ship, my body still heavy with sleep. As I yawned and stretched, sunlight filtered through the small window of my cabin, casting a warm glow upon the wooden walls. The scent of sea salt lingered in the air, reminding me that I was on an adventure beyond anything I had ever imagined.
I opened the door to my cabin, greeted by the soft morning light that washed over the room like a golden flood. The gentle sway of the ship beneath my feet reminded me that I was on an adventure of a lifetime, surrounded by pirates who had become my new family.
As I stepped onto the deck, the salty breeze kissed my face and tousled my hair.
"Ahoy, young Amir," a crewmate said. "You're already awake. Just in time for some maintenance checks on this here ship."
"Um... ahoy, young lad," I greeted back.
"The quartermaster is waiting for you on the main deck. Approach him when you feel like it," the crewman said.
"Will do," I replied.
Moments later, after a breakfast of a small bowl of beans, I approached the stern-looking quartermaster on the main deck. "Ahoy, Sir. I am ready for my first day on pirate duty!"
"Ahoy, Mister Amir," the quartermaster replied. He is a rather handsome man with a nice build and neat hair. "Today, you will undergo training as part of the program for newly recruited pirates."
"..."
"But since you are from the future, as you claim, I may want to brush you up on some period weapons training. Also, your knowledge on piracy during your period could play a vital part on making our crew famous all over the Caribbean."
"Um... sure, I'll undergo your training for the sake of your crew."
Combat training was not as tedious as I thought it would be, but it was still tough. I spent time learning to wield a cutlass, practiced targets with a flintlock pistol, taught on how to use a boarding axe both as a tool and a weapon, and learned the art of throwing a bomb, which the crew called a "grenado".
Then I got to meet the staff of the ship. There was the captain (who was obviously Captain Blackwood, the one who has absolute control in a battle ONLY; she did not have much more rights than any other crewmate otherwise), there's the first mate (the one who would succeed the captain should something happen to her), the quartermaster (the captain's right hand who is in charge when the captain is not around, had all the authority over the crew and is also in charge of the food and drink of the ship), the sailing masters (the ones in charge of navigation and piloting), the gunners (the ones in charge of the cannons), the boatswains (the ship supervisors), and the cooks (you know who they are!). The staff was pretty diverse, with people male and female attending to their own duties. I was one of the boatswains, and that meant I could have a various set of duties on a ship.
This pirate training went on for a few days, trying to learn the ropes of a 17th-century buccaneer. Sure, it was harder work than the one I had in my previous life, but it's still a form of piracy nonetheless.
One day, as I was doing my ship duties, a cry suddenly clamored within the ship: "LAND HOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
A sailing master just saw an island. This particular island had a bustling trading town filled with busy people.
The quartermaster then said to the crew, "We're about to arrive in the island of Jamaica. The destination for today is the bustling town of Port Royal."