Dark Times

The Return

"What do you mean they put another Captain on my ship?" I growled at Sam.

"They took over the ship just after you killed Oakley and disappeared." Sam frowned. "I've been working on getting it back for you, but they say that it was abandoned by its owner so they own it now. I've told them that that's not what the law says, but many of them keep saying that they are the law."

I felt more fury than I had since Oakley had killed Laela, and that was bad for the people keeping me from my ship. "Then I guess it's time for me to go back and claim what is mine."

Sam looked at me,knowing my tone. "You can't, Mike. This isn't the time for violence, and you're not ready to get back out there."

"I do believe yoo be wrong, boy-yo." I stood looking down on him. "I'm not only ready to go back, but if anyone tries to keep me from it, they'll be finding out what is like first hand and then I'll send them to it."

Sam knew I wouldn't give up here. I had nothing left to care about besides that ship and crew, and he knew I needed it and was going to get it. He wanted to make sure I was okay, but he knew I needed to get back out there and fight.

"Fine, Mike." He relented. "We'll leave for Boston tomorrow, and you can state your case to them. Maybe you can scare them where reason won't work."

"It will, or they won't like what they find," I said. "That's my ship and will be under my command, or it's not going to sail."

* * *

The next day we headed to the port of Boston, and it didn't take us long to get there. I knew that they were planning to move the base of operations,but I was surprised by how nice the city actually was. Boston has always been a nice-looking town but not always a nice place to live.I would have lived there longer if it hadn't been for what happened that day.

First, we stopped at the records office so that I could get my identity switch since William Hawkins needed to die. We also got the papers that proved that I outright owned the Deliverance and start the inheritance process to pass it to my new name. This is a process I've done many times since then, but I haven't had to do for quite some time. With the advent of the reservation system I don't need to hide how long I have and will continue to live.

We went to the ETC office to get my ship back. I knew it wasn't going to be easy to get them to back down, and they would fight me on this but I was ready to face such a problem. That's why I had all the legal papers I needed to prove who it belonged to, but I was surprised by what I found.

"Of thank god, you're back." The administrator said when he saw me. "You might find a way to take care of this."

"Is there a problem?" Sam asked as I sat down.

"You might say that," he said. "We have been trying to get you your ship back for months, but the man we put in charge refuses to leave the ship.He seems to think that if he keeps the ship, he can do what he wants."

I smirked. "If he thinks that's how this works then he has another thing commin'."

"I'd hoped you'd say that." The Administrator said "We've had nothing but problems with him since he took over the ship. He's not only hit ships that he wasn't supposed to, but he's been hitting civilian ships as well as one of our own."

I looked on slightly amused. "Sounds like you have a real problem here, it also sounds like you want it to be like old times when I would bail your arses out of whatever you've gotten yourselves into."

"It's a hope,"he said to me, "but not an expectation." There was a short pause before he continued, "Please, help us take care of this problem."

A smile crossed my face. "For once our goals seem to be the matching, but not for the same reasons. I'll help you, but when my name changes, our previous contract is over and done with. You will no longer have any control over me or my ship. Understood."

"Yes." He agreed. "Just help us stop this."

I looked at Sam and he nodded. "Sam, the papers, please."

The administrator looked at the documents and frowned. "A new contract."

"Yes." I said."In exchange for a privateers license, yoo get ten percent of my take and yoo stay out of me business. I will not except orders, and I will never do yer bidding. Understand?"

He wet his pen and signed the paper. "Yes, I understand."

"Good." I said, standing. "Now, where is me bloody ship?"

* * *

It didn't take long to get to the dock from the administration building. Of course,what do you expect with it being the focal point of every ship that came through there. We worked our way around the docks, and I saw that sea traffic had at least doubled since I'd last set sail. There were hundreds of ships docked and setting sail. Ship after ship was docked in this line, and then I saw her.

The Deliverance was worse for wear like the new captain hadn't been paying for the upkeep and none of the crew were taking the initiative to do it themselves, but she was still just as beautiful as ever. Her large powerful hull stood above many of the other ships, and she was sitting high in the water like she wasn't ready to set sail. The lower hull was covered in barnacles and the paint of the ship was worn and pealing.

I turned to the administrator. "Does this bastard have any family?"

"No." He shook his head. "Not in his records."

"Good." I grinned.  'With what he's done with my ship he might not be walking  off it."

We made our way up the gangplank and found much of the same, but at least there was some crew on the deck. It looked like they were doing their best to fix what they could with what tools they had. I looked around and only saw a couple of people I recognized, which was even worse. If most of my crew was gone that meant that I had a lot of fixing to do.

Someone happened to look up and notice me. "Torao? Is that you?"

With those words many of the crew stood up and looked, and many came over to me looking at me like I was a ghost. Many smiled that I was there, and others were just curious to see what so many were so happy to see. It stuck me how few of them there were.

"It's good to see you all." I smiled at them. "What has happened to my ship?"

"What do you mean your ship?" A voice called from the direction of the captain's quarter. "This ship is mine now."

"Not according to the papers, I am." I said calmly. "From the state me bloody ship is in, I'm lucky I came back when I did."

"So, you're Hawkins," he said with a sneer.

"Yes, I am and yoo lost yer commission," I growled at him. "Now, get off me bloody ship before I keelhaul yoo."

"You can't do this to me," He screamed as I pushed past him and started to give orders. "I'll not let you do this to me."

He pulled his musket and shot me in the back. I stopped and that dark rage that I've felt many times and knew was creeping in since Laela's death.Before anyone could do anything to stop me, I was on him.

He screamed as I punched him without mercy. I had lost all control and don't remember anything of the attack save my fists feeling wet as I beat him. I know I heard several voices calling for me to stop, but I ignored them. I has too busy enjoying the sounds of his screams, which stopped quickly after I started beating him.

When I came to, my hands were covered with gore and there was only a bloody smear where his head had been. I was satisfied that it was done, and I was happy that I had killed the insignificant little man. I shook off my hands and smiled as a grabbed a rap off a nearby sailor's waste-belt and wiped my hands clean of him.

I turned to the Sailor who I had taken the rag from. "Yer name, sailor?"

He looked confused for a moment then answered. "Gabriel."

"I will replace yer rag, Gabriel." I said softly. "Get some help and get that mess off my deck." I started to head for the captain's quarters."Sam, where's the rest of me crew. We need to get this ship fixed up and get back on the open ocean as soon as we can."

The crew stood around looking at the bloody body seeing at what was left. This is where a more brutal time in my life started. My senseless thirst for violence and my need to take lives became apparent. I often regret much of what I did during that time, but it happened and I enjoy edit. I still fight that joy to this day.