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[MCRA] Battle of the Five Fleets and the fate of Captain Merker
Capt Wolf posted a topic in Brethren of the Brick Seas
It had been four of the most harrowing days of Jack Merker’s life. When it began, he was the captain of the Wolf II, a class 3 armed brig that was part of a flotilla of smaller ships in the Eslandola fleet sent to end Mardier’s blockade of Fuerte Unido. The fight had started so well the first night with the resounding defeat of the Mardier fleet. They had been caught at anchor, totally surprised. The Mardierians had no choice but to try to burn their own ships to deny them to Eslandola. And Eslandola still took two of their ships and captured the Mardier commander, Commodore Vrinsky. But then, through the fog the next morning, the victorious Eslandolans saw what they thought were their comrades from Trador. Instead, it was a Sea Rats fleet in the pay of Mardier, flying false colors. The Eslandolans realized the ruse too late, and soon were in a battle for their lives. After the Sea Rats victory, they made camp for two days on the shores of the bay outside the range of Fuerte Unido’s guns and repaired their ships. Finally, the Trador fleet arrived and ran them off after a fight for the ages. [Edit: That's not exactly how the battle ended, but that's my Eslandian-slanted story and I'm sticking to it. ] And now, with the battle finally over and his administrative duties in the battle’s aftermath concluded, Jack Merker needed a drink. Captain Merker found his way to a new tavern in the growing settlement of Fuerte Unido. Upon entering, he made his way past a fellow sailor who had a big head start on Merker in the drinking category and headed for an empty table. The barmaid soon returned from the kitchen. “A mug of your strongest, if you would be so kind, “ said Merker as he removed his hat. “Our strongest?” she replied. “It packs quite a wallop. You sure you can handle it?” she teased. “My dear woman,” replied Merker, “I have survived quite a wallop, as you put it, for the last three days, so I assure you I can handle whatever you bring me.” “Were you in the big battle in the bay?” she asked excitedly. “We’ve heard all sorts of things. Which ship was yours?” “I was indeed, in the battle. I am, er, was the captain of the Wolf II.” “Was?” she queried. “You lost the Wolf to those Sea Rats, eh?” “The Wolf II, yes, I did,” Merker replied with a sigh. “Wolf II? What happened to the Wolf?” “I lost the Wolf to a Mardier war fleet last month. The Wolf II was her sistership.” “You don’t seem very good at keeping ships. How did you get to be the captain of a navy ship?” “I was recruited from the merchant ranks, where I lost the armed sloop Lady’s Revenge to pirates. May we change the subject now?” “Of course, hun. But do tell me about the battle. How do you come to be sitting in our tavern today if you lost your ship in the battle? I’d think you’d have been drowned, or taken prisoner back to Mardier, or made to walk the plank.” “Naval officers do not make men ‘walk the plank’,” said Jack. “That’s pirates.” “Aren’t the Sea Rats pirates?” the barmaid asked. “They were in the employ of Mardier, so technically they were privateers,” replied Merker. Silently, Jack stewed on the fact they were, for all practical purposes, indeed pirates. “Excuse me, where was I?” “You lost your ship and were captured by privateers, and they did not make you walk the plank.” “Yes, thank you. One of the other ships in my squadron exploded when their magazine was hit, and the other surrendered. We were boarded and fought as best we could, but the Puck’s Jest was a much bigger ship and they had us outnumbered. After that, we spent two miserable days in the hold of the Puck’s Jest as their captives while they affected repairs. We were quite relieved to see the Trador fleet finally enter the bay.” “I read that several sailors from town joined the Sea Rats and fought against Eslandola’s Trador fleet.” Merker looked at the barmaid incredulously. “Sailed against the Trador fleet? Where did you hear that?” “I read it in the Kings Port Advertiser.” “Don’t believe everything you read in the newspaper.” The barmaid looked at him with a confused expression. Merker continued. “The resulting battle between the Sea Rats and the Trador fleet was a confusing affair, and we could not follow it well from the hold of the ship. But when the Puck’s Jest captured the Sleeping Siren II, we saw our chance. While the Sea Rats were busy above deck putting together a prize crew to run the Sleeping Siren, we made our way out a port hole and across to the Siren through a gun port. We were able to see that the Purple Reign was in trouble, with her men getting into the boats, so we signaled them. They could see that the Siren was now flying Mardier colors, but that we had more men aboard her than the prize crew realized. The men from the Purple Reign dodged hellfire to make their way to the Siren. As the prize crew fired on the longboats, we set about freeing the Siren’s original crew from their chains. As Commodore Lenoir and the Purple Reign’s crew finally made it up the sides, we surprised the prize crew from below, and together we retook the Sleeping Siren II.” “Did you make the prize crew walk the plank?” asked the barmaid. Merker sighed. “We are not pirates, nor convicts as the KPA would like everyone to believe. The prisoners have been locked up in town.” “Still, quite a drubbing we took,” said the barmaid. “I’m afraid it’s only a matter of days before Mardier comes over the mountains from La Puebloto and attacks the town.” “My good woman,” replied Merker, “if Mardier were capable of such a feat, they would have done it long before now. La Puebloto is ours after the great victory led by the Prince of Brickwall – may he rest in peace. General Alonso and the troops stationed here have fought a masterful campaign, as have General Samu’s troops on the eastern part of the island. We have taken several Mardier settlements, yet they have not set foot in Fuerte Unido. The KPA may crow about their great victory, but it is their fleet that is no more. The Sea Rats may be celebrating their showing, but they are hired guns, and they also have losses to mourn. No, victory will be ours.” Merker paused, then added: “Now then, would you please go and fetch me that rum?”