The Adventures of Exodus Creed & Co.

In Which Lochland Attempts a Mutiny

Lochland was having a rather difficult time.

He hadn't even finished singing the sea ditty with Dr. Crediman when Captain Corbin threw a handful of silver dust at him with a look of disgust. When Lochland awoke, he found himself, once again, in the ridiculously small brig.

"Once more, you're awake! I hope my pounding didn't wake you." Dr. Crediman, wearing large goggles and holding two beakers of frantically bubbling liquid, peered at Lochland through the bars.

"What on earth is that glitter made of??" Lochland grumbled, sitting up and wincing as he attempted to stretch his cramped legs.

"What, my sleep dust? Powdered chloroform, stardust, and glitter. Why?"

"Chloroform...that explains it. But what's the glitter and stardust for??"

"Pizzaz."

Lochland rolled his eyes and leaned against the bars.

"Look, Dr. Crediman, I can't stay here. I have to get off this ship."

"We're thousands of miles south of nowhere and forty miles above earth...where, exactly, do you intend to 'get off'?"

"If we both work together, I'm sure we can subdue Captain Monroe."

"Bold of you to assume I want to subdue the captain."

"You don't?"

"Of course I do! The man's outrageous and refuses to let me make a hot cocoa machine. I'm stuck with weak tea and rainwater, it's disgraceful..."

"So you'll help me?" Lochland interrupted. Dr. Crediman set down his beakers, which were still bubbling, though the liquid was changing colors rapidly, and pressed his goggles against the bars.

"What's the plan?" He asked in a stage whisper.

"Do you have any more of the chloroform?"

"No, Captain Monroe keeps it all in his coat pocket."

"Fine, then here's what we do...."

**********

Captain Corbin rubbed his temples and sighed.

He was getting too old for this.

The red-headed pirate stood before him, brandishing a twisted metal pipe, and Dr. Crediman stood just behind him with two beakers of what appeared to be a liquified rainbow.

"A mutiny? Really? Dr. Crediman, this is the fifth time this month..."

"You're outnumbered, Monroe!" Lochland snapped, "we're taking a long boat and getting out of here."

"Yeah!" Dr. Crediman squeaked, shaking his beakers with wide eyes.

"I'll leave my taxes on the Solitary Island. I won't go to jail."

"It's the law, Captain Reign," Monroe growled, reaching into his coat pocket. Lochland jumped forward and tapped him smartly on the wrist.

"Uh uh uh! Don't even think about it. I'm sick of your knock out dust."

"Sleep dust." Dr. Crediman corrected.

"Get back to your cell, Doctor," Monroe snarled, and Crediman withered slightly beneath the man's glare. Stepping between them, Lochland pushed the metal pipe under Monroe's chin and backed up him against the mast.

"Dr. Crediman, ready the longboat, please."

"Oh, we don't have a longboat."

Lochland froze.

"....What...?"

"We don't have a longboat. This is the longboat. The Pinkeye is just one, big, longboat."

"Please tell me your joking..." Lochland whimpered, and Monroe chuckled.

"Never expect much from Dr. Crediman, Captain Reign." Shoving Lochland away, Monroe reached into his pocket and threw a handful of dust. Ready for him this time, Lochland dodged and leaped onto the rail of The Pinkeye, where he balanced precariously. Dr. Crediman threw the rainbow liquid at Captain Monroe, who sighed with irritation as it soaked into his skin and began to sparkle.

"I never understood this..." Monroe complained as he attempted to wipe the stuff off, and Lochland laughed.

"What is that, Doctor?"

"I call it Unicorn Juice. Popular with the ladies."

"Captain Reign, get down," Monroe ordered, pulling out another handful of dust. Lochland glanced around, looking for an escape route or some way to subdue Captain Monroe, but saw nothing."

"Reign, I do not want to throw this at you while you're on the railing." Monroe sighed.

"Yes, please refrain from doing so..." Lochland muttered, glancing over his shoulder at the earth below.

And he froze.

A smile brightened his features, and he stood tall, grinning cheekily at Captain Monroe.

"Sir, as I said before, my taxes will be on the Solitary Island. I'll even throw in some bail money. Dr. Crediman, you are welcome to join me if you'd like."

"My research is here! I'm not jumping over the side of the ship!" Dr. Crediman cried. Lochland laughed. The man was mad, but he'd be fine.

"Reign, what are you..."

With a smart salute, Lochland stepped backward over the railing.

"HE'S KILLED HIMSELF!!!!!" Dr. Crediman shrieked, and both he and Captain Monroe dashed to the side to peer overboard. With a sigh of relief, Captain Monroe shook his head and smiled reluctantly.

The Queen's Haven hovered just below them, The Spikenard right behind her with a nervous Julliard at the wheel. Now safely on the deck of his ship, Lochland waved cheerfully at Captain Corbin as he embraced Cassie and his crew surrounded him with Exodus clinging to his leg (the only part of him he could reach) like a monkey.

"Adieu, my good Captain!" Lochland called, and with shouts of victory, the two ships sped away into the twilight. Captain Corbin leaned on the railing and watched them go, allowing Dr. Crediman to cheer like the madman that he was. With a smile and huff, he drew his coat tighter about him against the evening chill and headed for his cabin. He would set sail for the Solitary Island in two days. That should give Lochland plenty of time to get there first and leave the money.