So, Lex is Governor of Port Metropolis, Kal is Quartermaster of the pirate ship Kandor and Lois has got herself onto The Kandor by disguising herself as a boy. There's also a prisoner, who has been kept in the dungeon for 9 months. More characters to be introduced in this chapter ...
Note: Time passes fast in this chapter. We go from the day after Chapter 1 and cover a couple of weeks.
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From
Chapter 1:Deception“Ok, then, what’s your name?”
“Lois ... um ... Lewis Samson. Louis. Or just Lou.” The pen scratched as he added the young lad’s name.
“We leave at dawn tomorrow.” He did not raise his gaze again but he heard a shuffle as the lad moved his feet.
“What do I call you, sir?”
“I am Quartermaster of the Pirate Ship Kandor.” After pausing he looked up and directly into the new recruit’s eyes. He felt strangely uneasy. Burying his emotions deep he continued. “You can call me Kal.”
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Chapter 2: Monikers Lois stood on the docks at Tortuga. Early morning mist was rising from the sea. She felt anticipation in the air. As she peered around the line to her left she could see the ship.
Having been brought up on board HMS Four Star she loved life at sea. She was well versed in the running of a ship. There would be no problem acclimating. Unfortunately, masquerading as a boy and possessing a feminine, but thankfully, low voice she came across as a
young boy. And how would a young boy be privy to all the inner working of a ship? Lois knew she would have to lay low until she proved herself.
Stood in line her heart began to pound as she noticed a shadowy figure begin to descend the gang plank.
What fortune to find herself in the recruit line for The Kandor. Lois had desired to join a pirate crew … any pirate crew. She’d been willing to do anything and go anywhere to uncover the trail of the Pirate King. But to be on the Kandor … That was the most feared Pirate Ship in the Caribbean and was sure to lead her swiftly to the elusive ‘Z’.
The figure hidden in shadow, sun behind him, reached the bottom of the ramp. Lois nibbled her lip. In this light would Kal notice that Louis was a little … feminine?
Last night she’d managed to convince him she was a boy, but the light had been dim, and he’d been tired ... and possibly, partly drunk.
Her heart fluttered when the figure stepped on to deck and Lois frowned when it began to limp along the planks. Oh, it wasn’t serious and he still walked at a fast speed but she could see the rambling gait in his stride.
At the beginning of the line of recruits he stopped and turned. The sun hit his face and Lois inhaled sharply.
It wasn’t Kal.
“My name is Corbin!” he bellowed. “I am Second Mate and Boatswain ... or Deckmaster.” He started striding down the line again. Lois heard some muttering from further down the line but she couldn’t make out the words. Was this pirate well known?
“I enforce a spotless ship. Be aware I WILL work you to the bone.” Lois shuffled her feet, uncomfortable at the violence in his tone. She felt the young lad beside her tremble slightly. “But if you can make a full tour then you will leave as rich men.”
A cheer went up from the line of men at that final comment.
Corbin turned and began to climb the plank and the line followed him. As Lois walked on she felt eyes watching her and turned to look to her right. A tall figure was stood at the wheel. Somehow Lois knew it was Kal… and she knew he was watching her.
A shiver went down her spine and she consciously adjusted her walk so as not to glide gracefully. Not that Lois considered herself graceful – especially with her life-long sea legs, but women naturally had a smoother movement in their walk.
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It didn’t take long for Lois to realise that her first impression of the Deckmaster had been correct. He was mean and violent.
Jimmy, the lad in line with her, had received a strapping for knocking over a barrel of gunpowder on the second day. That was followed by a lamp to the jaw for an elderly man who had left a gun untied. Some of the sailors looked fit to burst at that but Kal had interrupted, not allowing John Corbin to initiate a brawl. Apparently he was well known for loving his fights. During raids he was always the first to board a captured ship. His violence was legendary among pirates.
But it was a completely unrelated incident which had given rise to the name whispered by the crew behind his back. As a young powder monkey he’d been involved in an explosion where minute fragments of metal had superheated and burned through his clothes. All the right side of his body received the full force of the explosion and some molten metal pieces had burrowed under his skin. By the time the burns had healed there was no way to get at the metal fragments embedded in his skin. It was one of the contributing factors to his limp … and the main reason he was referred to as Metallo.
Lois glared at him. He was facing away. If he’d caught her staring she’d have been for the same punishment as Jimmy … or the old man.
That didn’t seem such a bad fate when she remembered the way Kal had helped up the old sailor and walked him to Fine, the ship’s surgeon … affectionately known as Prof, and sometimes referred to in jest as Brainiac, when he began to chatter on about body parts in great detail while imbibing the pilfered rum.
Everyone seemed to have a moniker on board … but she had yet to hear Kal’s. In a way she dreaded knowing it. It was bound to reflect badly on him, and for some reason, she didn’t like that idea.
Having only had that initial conversation with him she couldn’t explain her fascination with him. She’d even dreamt of him a few times since that day, one week ago, when she signed up.
It must only be a passing fancy, she convinced herself. There was no basis for any more … just his piercing blue eyes, jet black hair, well worked body and deep sexy voice.
That was it. A passing fancy due to his good looks and exciting lifestyle.
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Kal wandered the deck. All the newest recruits were working out fine. Some of the older men, with experience, had been put to work on the cannons, or the stores, or even in the galley, but the younger ones had been given muscle and stamina building activities.
The two he was focussed on now worried him the most though. They both put their heart and soul into it but he still hated them being here; hated that their path was now set, their fate decided at such a young age.
Before sadness could overtake him he pushed it away and remembered why he was here; remembered his job and steeled his heart.
Steel.
Some of the men called him the Man of Steel. He’d heard it whispered behind his back: whispered because of the stories. They followed him around, increasing his ‘reputation’. As First Mate and Quartermaster on The Kandor he varied his clemency when dealing with the crew. They could never be sure what his reaction would be to an incident. The fact that he doled out harsh and lenient punishment with the same complete lack of emotion seemed to worry them. Little did they know that the emotions actually raged inside him. It tore at Kal’s heart to meet out the punishments but it was necessary.
Over the week since The Kandor had set sail Kal had spent an inordinate amount of time planning and scheming. Things on-board needed to change soon. Major events were about to occur and he’d decided that he didn’t want Louis and Jimmy involved.
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Lois stared at the Quartermaster: Kal. She was supposed to be scrubbing the deck but every time he strolled onto the bridge she couldn’t help but follow him with her eyes.
He was a mystery to her. How could such a tall handsome man be a bloodthirsty pirate? How could such a young person have made it to First Mate? And how could someone with such compassion in his eyes be a heartless murderer?
She’d seen the way he’d warred with emotions when adding Jimmy and herself to the list. She’d seen the way he tipped away one mouthful of rum, for every swig he genuinely took. But then, once on board she’d been regaled with stories by the veteran pirates of The Kandor. Kal was a disgraced Naval Officer. He’d been discharged about three months ago after murdering his commanding officer, but there was no proof to convict him. Plus, apparently, he’d been in constant trouble before that. Yet he had broken up many a fight on board – intervening when it became necessary.
Kal was an enigma and she was fascinated.
“Lewis,” nudged Jimmy, “you’re dreaming again.”
“Oh, thank you,” she replied in as low a register as she could manage. She and Jimmy had become fast friends since signing on the same day and working side by side for a week. He’d often caught her mid-stare and she’d managed to convince him that she was lost in a dream. Jimmy had fully accepted that Lewis had the personality of a ‘dreamer’, admitting to being a little the same himself.
Lois set her arm back to the deck and slopped the water out in front, then began to scrub.
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“It’s time.” Kal spoke quietly to himself then began to descend the steps to the deck. 'Time to befriend them. Time to build a silent trust.' Not only for their own benefit but because something drew him to them. Especially Louis. He found his gaze locking onto the strange lad constantly. Something felt odd; wrong. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but every now and then he would flash back to their meeting. When Louis had signed up and Kal had initially thought he was a lady.
Kal narrowed his eyes as he approached the two of them. There was something fishy about Louis. But that didn’t stop him wanting to befriend and save him from a horrible life.
“Sailors,” he said in greeting as he approached. They both stopped suddenly but Louis dropped his scrubbing brush in a clatter. Jimmy stood to his feet and saluted.
“Jimmy, you’re not on a Navy ship here ... at ease.”
“Sir,” he replied and relaxed a little.
Louis, obviously pulling himself together, stood slowly and gradually raised his gaze to meet Kal’s
“Is there anything wrong sir?” he asked. Kal tipped his head and wrinkled his brow. Something about the way this boy moved bothered him.
“Nothing wrong, lad. Just wanting to see that you’ve settled in. I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised by how well a lad of your age has taken to sea. It’s almost as if you were born on a ship.”
When Louis’s eyes widened in obvious terror at that comment Kal thought he had stumbled onto the source of his confusion about the lad. Louis had claimed not to know about ships even though he’d been desperate to sign up. But it was obvious, from the boy’s instant sea legs, that he was well versed in ship-board life and customs. Why was he hiding this knowledge?
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Chloe entered her mistress’s chamber soon after first light. The lady was already awake, stood at the window.
“Miss Luthor,” she spoke quietly announcing her presence. “How are you feeling this morning?” A recent illness was still lingering.
“Chloe,” she turned and gave a wan smile. “I feel a little chilly.”
Chloe strolled over and put her arm on the pale lady’s shoulder. “Let me dress you then. I can find something warm.”
“No,” she relied, “the same as usual.”
“But, mistress, you have worn the black of mourning for nine months. Surely it is time to move on.”
“I shall never move on from this grief, Chloe. He was grooming me to take over, but because I am a lady he kept it quiet, not willing to deal with any problems until the deed was done. But when he died, that meant that no-one knew of his wishes.” She turned and her voice became harsh. “And Lex became Governor instead. It should have been me. I was his daughter. I was his chosen successor.” She broke down. “And now I’ve lost him,” she sobbed.
“Miss Luthor … Tess …” Chloe spoke soothingly. “I understand. I do. I lost my mother a long time ago. And …” she let out a shuddering breath. “ … and my Uncle went missing two weeks ago.”
“What?” Tess whirled. “You mean …”
“Yes, Commodore Lane.”
“But … how can the Commodore be missing without me hearing of it? Surely Lex knows.”
“My cousin, his daughter, visited the day after he disappeared and begged him for help in searching. He has promised to send his best ships out.”
“Ah. Then please help me dress. I must go and speak to Lex in all haste.”
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