The Adventures of the HMS Harlot

Part 2: Captain Victoria Neckett

I made my way through the labyrinth of old dilapidated buildings toward Salty Gibbs' Pawn Shop. As I walked along the dirty streets of the old Monarchy colony, I occasionally glanced to the east where a large, extravagant mansion stood. In the mansion lives a baron who allows the people he is meant to protect to be impoverished and sickly while he reaps the benefits of their pain. The more depraved the colony is the more money is given to them; the more money goes into the Baron's pockets. But despite his cruelty, it is me they hate. It is me they glare at, as I walk through the streets. It is me they blame for their hardships. Most people fear me, but these people despise me. It is better to be feared than to be loved; but to be despised...that's something different entirely. They do not hate me for my murderous ways or my thievery; to them I committed a much bigger sin.

They whispered "traitor" and other insulting names, as I walked by. Though I'd never show it, it pains me to be treated in such a way by the very people that only seven years ago I had sworn to protect. They stared at me, as if to say why should you live, when so many of our sons, daughters, fathers, and mothers have died? The entire royal navy, or what was left of it, put their lives in my hands and I failed them. The Monarchy fell and so many died; along with them a part of myself that has long been forgotten. Sometimes, I wish she would return.

Salty Gibbs' shop was always hard to find, but in only a few short months since I had last been there it seemed almost non existent. The sign no longer showed any words; merely the outline of an "S." The door had nearly rusted shut and once inside the only light came from the spaces between the wooden planks boarding up the windows.

"Salty Gibbs?" I shouted into the dimly lit room. "It's Vic -" A dirty hand shot out from the darkness and covered my mouth.

"Shhhh....are ye crazy? About to say yar real name. Ya know they always listenin'."

I slapped Gibbs' hand off my face "Please, you give the Armada too much credit, old man. They're not listening. They don't care enough."

Salty Gibbs stepped out of the shadows revealing his dirty, old wrinkled face and his short and rotund stature. "They always care, when yar Harlot come to town."

"And how much is the bounty for this time? 10,000? 20,000?"

"Ya don't care about gettin' caught?"

"Well, the thought of hanging is quite displeasing, but not terrifying. Death doesn't scare me anymore."

"Fear keeps us alive..."

"So you've told me, before." I dropped the satchel of loot from the merchant vessel pillage on his table. "Can we please get to buisness now?"

"What did ya got?"

"It's mostly clothes, but they are embroidered with gold thread. There are some silver dishes in there and a few brass orthography tools."

Salty Gibbs inspected the loot closely. "I'll give ye 350 pieces for it."

"You think I am going to take 350 for clothes embroidered with gold and silver, plus brass orthography tools that are almost brand new? 650."

"450"

"650..."

"500!"

"550."

Salty Gibbs gave me a hard look in the eyes. Then let out a loud chuckle, revealing his lack of teeth. "Ye drive a hard bargain!"

"I was afraid I'd have to bring out my gun again."

Salty Gibbs waved his hand at me, as he went to the back to get my money. When he returned, he handed me the money and said, "I have somethin' else for ya."

"Gibbs, I'm not going to buy anything."

"Consider it a gift." He handed me a me a circular object that glistened in the small bits of sunlight.

"It's a governor's coin." I said amazed.

During a governor's inauguration, prior to the Armada take over, the Queen gave them to the governors of each Monarchy territory. Each coin had a symbol of the territory and the initials of the governor. I examined the coin in my hand. There was a picture of a partially built boat with leaves falling around it; above it was the word Insula and below it were the initials A.R.N. I looked up at Salty Gibbs in disbelief.

"He'd want ya to have it." He said

For the first time in a long time, I felt the warm sensation of tears, as they fell down my face. I looked down at the coin and remembered.

My trance was broken and the tears dried, as I heard an alarm sound in the distance. A familiar alarm, one that alerted the military personnel in the colony of a potential pirate presence. I put my hand on my revolver, but hesitated for a moment, as I held the coin in the other hand. It felt wrong to senselessly kill young soldiers, while in the presence of his proudest possession. But I had no choice. The Harlot would not survive without me. I had already failed to protect the people of the Monarchy, I would not make the same mistake with my crew.

With my revolver drawn, I paused in the doorway for a moment. I looked down at the gold coin glistening in my hand. I dropped the coin in my pocket and stormed out of the store, shooting.

As I ran through the streets, I caught glimpses of myself in the store windows; I moved so quickly my hair looked like a raging fire. Though the glances were quick, the girl I saw I no longer recognized. Gunshots echoed through the streets and bullet after bullet from my revolver hit young men in uniforms. As I fought, I could not forget the coin in my pocket

A familiar male voice echoed through my mind, as I watched innocent young men fighting a battle they do not understand, firing weapons they do not know how to use, lying on the ground in pools of their own blood. Who are you? The voice said. I don't know this girl. This girl is a monster; this girl is not my Victoria.

"I'm sorry, Papa." I whispered, as I sprinted onto the Harlot.

Victoria Neckett