Adventures Of Captain Penumbra

Chapter 1 - The First Advancement

His belt was tight and fit nicely and his sword was as sharp as an eagles eye and his flintlock as hardy as any other, as his gruesome adventure ahead stirs in his mind. 

“Capt’n, your ship and crew are at the ready” softly spoken by the 1st mate. 

“George, are you sure you’re ready to do this, you know what we will be going through” said Penumbra. 

“Sir, I have sailed this route many times, but never with a man like yourself. I am ready” replied George shivering in the icy snow. 

“We must set sail for the western shores, stick to the shallows, give us a head start”. Captain Penumbras first orders of advancement. 

“Aye Capt’n, anything else while you’re at it”?

“No George, just the usual orders for now”As the ship set off, many people were cheering on the sidelines, waving flowers and shouting for good luck, these were dark times for England, exploring the world was not an easy feat, and neither was fighting men from far lands, or the creatures of the deep sea. But the Captains hat fit his head, therefore a great journey with a consequence like no other would be able to match his fate.

They set sail for western shores,and found a long string of islands which did not appear on his map, so they hadn’t been discovered yet. “Men, it seems that we have found some undiscovered islands in these shores, but crew, remember what we are here for, if i’d need to remind you then I shall. We are not here to discover land, or create names for these places, we are here because there are enemy ships, sprouting everywhere around the North Atlantic Ocean, and creatures of the deep which they can control. Our goal is to rid our waters of these filth and monsters, not to make peace or allies with these enemies!” The men shouted Huzzah as Penumbra and George strolled back into the cabin. 

“That was a well done speech sir, the mens morale was obviously increased” said George, 

“The men needed it, staring into their blunt eyes was a gateway to emptiness, I could feel their thoughts about me, and if we succeed, after all George, we are only one ship” replied Penumbra.

”We will succeed sir, I know it, and I know you”.

“Aaaah you put too much confidence into me Mr Puddington, but I understand why you must”, 

Sir, ships ahoy!

The French were in sight, the allies forever more to the English.The Commodore of the fleet was the infamous Jean-Francois Bertrand, the reasons as to why he were infamous were beyond Penumbra or Mr Puddington and even the crew, his past was a mystery, akin to his name. 

“Jean-Francois...”,

“Penumbra...”,

“It indeed has been a while, too long I fear”,

“Not long enough”

“Have you encountered any of the American Resistance?”

“I have not, have you encountered any of the American Scoundrels?”

“Then keep to your post Jean, you never know when they will attack”

“SACREBLEU! Captains, American ships ahead!”

“Penumbra get back to your ship, I will send a ship back to France and follow on that the American Resistance has not be finished off”

“Do not worry my friend, we will finish them off today”

“I hope so Penumbra”

“I shall head back to my ship, set the red flag on the sail if you are in need of any assistance in defeating the Resistance, after all, you are French”

So Penumbra and Mr Puddington headed back to the Shadow, where Penumbra got its designated name, I guess it compares to his own. 

All Penumbra could do while he was piloting the Shadow, was sit and wait for the red flag to be raised and the French Captain of the Fleet, Jean-Francois would call to his aid. And he did.

“Captain Penumbra!” shrieked a man of the crew,

“What is it?” replied the Captain,

“The French have raised the red flag, they’re in need of help”

“Then we shall give it to them. Set sail for the French flagship, full sail and ready your cannons and man your battle stations”

Penumbra set off for his first battle of his leave from England, and it won’t be his last. In the wait to advance on the American ships, the only sound was the cannons being loaded and the water being parted by the bow.

Penumbra set half sail and sailed up to 40 metres side by side to an american ship, the american resistance’s men were viewable by now and even they could be spotted. However the Americans were not the first to fire, it was Penumbra, blinded by his arrogance he fired to soon and was concentrated on the ship on port side, and was not aware of the ship on starboard, The Shadow was badly damaged, but still had fight in her. The port side ship fired with chain balls and swivels while the other ship fired with piercing rounds. Each time the Resistance fired they would turn away and then come back around with another barrage of cannon balls. 

But although the Americans had backup, as well did Penumbra. He put up the red flag in sign of his need for help, while he was being barraged, so were the Frenchmen. But the Penumbra had to help itself now, and Penumbra involved tactics and cannon balls, which mix perfectly together. Penumbra sailed away from the American ships but eventually they caught up, so Penumbra fired his cannons, again and again, over and over. The Shadow was damaged even worse but she was still afloat. This was not the first time Penumbra was commanding a ship hanging on to the edge, many times has he done this and succeeded and many years of experience has he had. If anyone could work his way out of this problem, it was him.

Penumbra had his swivel guns on either side loaded and extra cannons prepared too, this was extra fire power, and with extra power, comes extra responsibility. 

“FIRE!” Penumbra screeched that word many times every minute, and  no longer could the water be heard, only the screaming of men and the cannon bang as the balls were fired into each ship. George was now manning a swivel, as he had the sharpest eye in all of the crew, and aimed for the gunpowder storage. He hit it, on his 3rd shot, I guess what they say about 3rd time lucky is true. He quickly shuffled over to the opposite side of the deck and manned the other swivel gun, but this time he hit it on his first shot.

“I’m just getting warmed up” George said with tremendous confidence.

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