On the Iron Seas

CHAPTER 1: No Grave But The Sea

>Honor, Service, Courage
>All qualities you had once long ago
>Before a single choice stripped you them all
>An order so vile and cruel that you refused to follow
>To the civilized world, you sold your very soul to save the ones they wanted to die
>You voiced your concern and tried to warn them from your years at sea and the unforgettable lessons you were taught
>Branded a coward you were locked away
>And the very ones who decided your fate now lie at the bottom of the seas with their 'service' forgotten
>Your crew was spared from the royal navy's deadly blunder, and in thanks they freed you when no one could stop them
>What does one do with the pieces of a broken life?
>As a coward to the people and now a dangerous escapee
>They do what they are best at
>For you, it was sailing
>Your first action as a free man was stealing your ship, the 'Dead Money' and setting sail with most of your old crew
>They were loyal to a fault and even moreso now when they learned soon after what fate you spared them from
>When the lot of you earned the same marks and accusations you decided to embrace it
>If they were going to treat you like one then you may as well become one
>They wanted pirates?
>They got pirates
>Now you could take whatever your heart desired, and it desired so much
>Everything that was denied you when you served the queen the crown now provides in a much more satisfying way
>You gave everything for the crown; never marrying due to service, clawing your way up, and rotting away for all of two weeks before the world's best went and killed themselves
>You took everything they had
>Your crew is experienced, your ship, fast, your pockets heavy with more gold than every before
>"Ship to the starboard side!" you hear someone call out
>You step out of your cabin and breathe deep
>A light wind carrying the fresh salt air billows past you
>You lived and breathed the sea
>You were sure you would die on it
>You are Captain Anon, pirate and scourge of the sea
>And it seems that someone's come to collect
>Pulling out your spyglass you look to the horizon for the offending ship
>A cargo ship flying colors of a peaceful nation sail westward to the new world
>Whatever they had, it had to be yours
>Cargo, gold, foodstuffs, all of it useful to you and your crew
>"MAKE READY! ALL HANDS, LOAD UP AND LETS GET TO IT!" you yell down at the deck below
>"Fly their flag! Make them think we're a friendly lot until it's too late!"
>Lying cheating and stealing were the rules of this world
>There is no room for compassion and treachery will get you everywhere
>Your ship quickly closed the distance, and soon you were side to side
>The men stationed on the cargo ship appear nervous as they looked over your own, occasionally speaking in some language you don't understand
>It was time to confirm their fears
>"BOARD THEM!" you call out
>The sound of a thousand shots fire into them and the men above deck were quickly cut down
>You never were one to stand by
>More men came from below the decks and armed with their own guns
>You stopped one dead in his tracks with 1 of your 6 stored flintlocks and quickly tore through the rest
>One shot for one gun, there wasn't any time to reload in the chaos
>When you ran out your next move was to swing to the other deck
>With a boarding axe in your left hand and a cutlass in your right you set to work slicing and chopping
>They never stood a chance
>The deck of your new ship is covered in blood and gore with the occasional burnt or broken barrel rolling along
>You kicked an arm off the side and turned to face your winded but lively crew
>"What of the survivors?" a crewmember asks
>The ones who didn't fight back were all rounded up in the center, and one of your own stood behind the now kneeling men
>He gripped his rifle tightly with a look of apprehension
>"We leave no survivors"
>You turn and head below deck to the sound of rendered flesh and splashes on wood
>"The sharks will eat well tonight," you mumble to yourself
>You are quickly joined by your first mate and second in command
>He's a scrawny, ratty looking man named Nickson
>The two of you are walking below deck through the cargo hold, and passing many marked boxes of various goods
>"This will all sell nicely at the port," he cackles happily
>The port being Rapture, one of the few openly pirate friendly ports in these waters
>Hushed whispers in the back got your attention and the two of you moved with swords drawn
>When you reached the back you found them
>Cages
>They were all filled with beast people of some sort
>The ones you dealt with were usually covered in fur, like a dog
>These creatures before you were covered in, well, you don't really know
>You have never seen ones like this, but you never were a man above learning something new
>Their skin looked smooth, slimy yet covered in plates of some kind
>Or something
>"Alright any of you fuckers know English?" you broke the silence
>You stare at them, and they stare at you
>No answer
>"Alright, you're all useless to me then. Nickson, kill em and feed them to the sharks"
>You were already walking away before a panicked squeak called to you
>"I s-speak e-english," something stammered out
>"Mmm?" You halt your steps and take a slightly amused look back
>You see a small blue beast person thing step forward to the bars of the cage
>It's trembling and expecting you to say something
>You only reply with looking her up and down
>Her, female - a highly feminine voice and surprisingly well fed from the looks of her breasts and wide child bearing hips
>You assume as much with this thing, anyways
>"I see," she flinches when you start, "and why didn't you answer when I asked"
>She twiddles her... whatever those are
>"Uh, I was scared, we were to be sold as slaves. . ." she trails off and withers under your stare
>"And hiding would help you somehow?"
>She shrunk even more at that
>Something about her caught your eye now that you've gotten a closer look at her
>she stands at about 5'foot, had large sized breasts and was covered in those... somethings
>She's dark blue with a small fleshy hood similar to a snake you once saw being handled
>Further down her chest and stomach was a light blue than the color of her back, which itself was speckled with even darker blue splotches
>Subtlety was not this species specialty
>"Nickson, what are those things snakes are covered in?"
>"Scales, sir!"
>Right, scales - that must be what these beast people are covered in
>With the confusion cleared up you frown
>What do you do with them?
>You can't sell them
>The one nearby friendly pirate port doesn't accept slaves
>You could kill them outright, but that would be a waste
>They did look strong and capable though
>You look down at the quivering snake creature
>Or was it
>What where the other scaled things called?
>..Serpent?
>No, you've already said that
>Lizard?
>Sure
>You still didn't choose what to do with them
>Leave them be, scuttle the ship and be on your way
>Or...
>You reached a decision

>"alright missy, im giving you a choice, join my crew as pirates or die here"
>Her yellow eyes go wide in shock and confusion
>you motion to the rest of the Lizard people
>"Tell em"
>She turns from you and you notice her tail almost reaches the floor
>there is a lot of hissing and other strange noises from the cage in front of you
>you hope she is explaining their choice but you grow impatient as time goes on
>After a few minutes she turn back to you
>"we uh... we have chosen to join you"
>you smile and nod wareily
>but they are still in the cage, where could the keys be
>"One of you find the keys!" you call to your crew
>"Erm.. we have them..." the Lizard girl says in a hushed tone
> you turn back to face her and she has a key ring in her...hands? claws? paws? whatever you were gonna call them hands
>"now how did you get those?" you say as you reach forwards and take them
>she fiddles a bit with her clawed feet
>"when your ship attacked i grabbed them from the jailer as he ran by"
>sneaky
>"alright Nickson, you take half these lizards on this ship and half the crew, we sail for rapture, teach them english and how to sail"
>he noded "and if they disobey?"
>"Keelhaul them, leave them on a deserted island, whatever"
>he smiles that wicked grin you know all to well
>"keelhaul it is"
>you look back at the lizards
>"I am Captain Anon, you listen to me, you answer to me, you follow me"
>"and if you do, you will be rewarded"
>they seem to understand
>they cell is opened and the lizards spill out
>they stretch and move and space themselves out
>you nod knowingly
>that time in a cell was not fun
>"right half of you with me, half stay here, you girl!"
>you point to the girl with your boarding axe
>"what is your name?"
>she eyes the axe and then your face
>"my name is Sizani"



Chapter 2: Drink
>You're sitting at your captains desk in your cabin aboard the 'Dead Money,' and calmly sharpening your cutlass
>Sizani sits across from you with her golden eyes following your hand as it wipes down the blade
>"So how is it you know English despite all your comrades barely knowing it at all?" one of your shoes now rests on top of your desk
>She fiddles nervously with her hands, clenching at the rags covering her body
>"Men came, called themselves missionaries or something"
>You sniff at that
>Not unusual for a couple of fools to waste their time preaching about their murder cult
>"They came and taught us, but I was the only one who was captured though," she's almost tearing out holes at this point
>"What do you mean 'the only one who was captured?' There were lots of your kind in there"
>She shakes her hooded head
>"They w ere all different tribes, prisoners of their enemies or simply tricked by the men your crew killed"
>She stopped, as if waiting for permission to speak
>"Go on," you gave her a nod
>"When they came to my village, those men told us of a new world full of wonder and all we had to do was follow them onto the boats. We would have all we desired if we did"
>She looks out the porthole with a small frown
>"We refused, and they attacked in the night. All of my people fled but..."
>She lifts her leg pointing at a wound you are all too familiar with
>There was a circular scar along the back of her right thigh that didn't look like it healed properly
>"I was hit by those things you have," she now points to one of your flintlock pistols
>"Guns," you say
>"Yes, guns"
>You have never been a fan of slavers nor their methods
>Her curiosity reminded you to stop playing with your sword and reload your guns
>She leans farther back into her chair with each one you pull out and lay on your desk
>"And what of you Captain Anon? You of the, what is the word... water military?"
>You would be annoyed if her asking wasn't adorable, and start reloading your pistols as you answer
>"The word is Navy, and we were until we were branded cowards. I was imprisoned, soon free'd, and now we are pirates"
>She cocks her head slightly
>"What is this word 'Pirate?'"
>"People who steal things from others on ships, like we did to the one you were on"
>"So what am I to do? Am I your slave?" she eyes the black powder you pour down a barrel
>"No, you and the other lizards are now part of the crew. You will be pirates like us"
>"What if we do not want to be pirates?" she cocked her head to the side
>It was cute, but not enough
>"Then you're useless to me and we'll throw you overboard"
>Her eyes go wide with fear as you stand and re-holster your pistols
>"But we wont have that problem, will we?" you beckon for her to follow you
>"No Captain Anon," she mumbles as she follows you out of your cabin
>"Just captain or Anon, you don't need to say both each time"
>You lead her below deck and look around
>Some of the Lizard people have started taking empty hammocks
>Spotting one close to the entrance, you call out to one of your nearby crewmembers
>"Neil, where is Porter," you point out one of the comfier solid bunks, "he still use this bunk?"
>"Dead sir. Ate it when we took the other ship," Neil said nonchalantly
>"Shame. Well, his bunk is now yours Sizani"
>She looks at the bed, and you see her tail flicking side to side
>"Why do I get a nice bed and the others do not?"
>Neil looks up
>"Did you just question the Captain?"
>You raise a hand to silence him
>"She's still learning Neil. Sizani you have a nice bed for now because you are the only one who can talk to the others. While they learn English you are acting as my translator"
>You usher her to the bed and she sits on it
>"That is why you have a nice bed"
>She must of sat on something with how she fumbles around beneath her
>She pulls out a bronze bottle and retches when she smells it
>"Oh hey! It's Porter's flask," Neil says eyeing it in her hands
>"You can have it," she gagged once more and tosses it to Neil
>He catches it and takes a long swig
>"Bastard always did hoard the rum," a bit of it ran down his shirt
>With a nod of approval you head back to your cabin

>The sea gently rocks your ship, embracing it like the mistress she is
>Rapture was two days of sailing if the winds were fair
>Though it will take Nickson longer on the larger, slower cargo ship
>You are once again sitting in your cabin and looking down at a currently empty ledger
>A list will have to be drawn up of things that you would now need
>The new crew members need clothes, their rags wouldn't survive the weather
>They also needed weapons and to be taught how to use them
>Overall it seems you would be in port longer than you usually like
>"Still, these lizard men and woman seem strong," you mused while you scratched away at the book
>Sizani appears to be quite a bit smaller than the others
>...Not that it matters, if she can pull her weight then who cares about her size
>You busy yourself charting the course for rapture
>After your number are stored away you head out and up to your helmsman, Isaac, who is apparently standing around teaching a tall Lizard man both English and how to steer
>"'allo Sah! I was teaching Draxis heah 'ow to stee-ah the ship, s'well as ah spot of English"
>Isaac is the perfect candidate to NOT be teaching English
>Especially with how thoroughly confused Draxis looked
>You however had other things on your mind
>"Very good. Plot a course bearing 145 degrees Isaac"
>You scan the horizon for any other ships and look to your crows nest
>Another one of your original crew members is sitting up there with a Lizard woman, who no doubt is also being given a lesson on piracy
>There is an old wives tale that having a woman aboard a ship was bad luck
>Another one saying that they brought good luck as well
>You hope it was the latter because your human crew could use some relief besides port wenches
>And honestly, you don't care what they do as long as they are able to work together

>The sun is starting to sink into the ocean when Sizani approaches you
>She has a chunk of bread and some salted goat meat in both hands
>"Yuu nefffr shad vee worrld grrt fard" she tries to speak with a full mouth
>You have now added manners to the list of things to teach them
>Pirates you may all be, disreputable ones even, but manners will get you further in life than not
>After all you catch more flies with honey
>"What Sizani? Don't speak with your mouth full"
>She swallows her inhuman amount of food, and you notice her throat bulges out more than you thought possible
>Huh, that's a new one
>"You didn't say we would get food!" she holds up her goat meat
>"This is more than those slavers would give me in a week! Is this what it's like to be a pirate?"
>You nod
>Trade routes had sprung up since the discovery of the new world, and it was ripe for the taking when you luckily turned pirate just in time for the goods
>So many ships were easy pickings for you and your crew
>"We can eat well and drink well. That cargo ship you were on will fetch us a small fortune"
>You take a drought of your rum with her eyes following your mug
>It wasn't borderline poison the late Porter would make but it was enough to tempt the water into being drinkable
>"What's that you're drinking?"
>"Rum," you say with the mug to your mouth
>Putting it down with her eyes still on it, you slowly push it her way
>She picks it up, and gave a similar cringe as before
>You have a muted expression on your face, but secretly your laughing on the inside
>You catch the sight of a split tongue when she goes and takes a sip
>It ended with another retch
>You aren't familiar with a tongue like that
>It must of been some kind of painful accident to get that, well, not exactly split, but...
>...Where's Nickson when you need him
>The word 'Forked' comes to mind
>And a dictionary get's added to the priority list as well
>"That tastes so weird," she finally manages to say
>You take the mug back and drink some down
>She still hasn't taken your eyes off your gilded, mahogany carved brown mug
>You take a shot in the dark
>"You want a mug of your own?"
>She looks up at you
>"Yes, I want some!"
>Well, that's a surprise
>On steady legs you stand and head to the cargo hold with Sizani following behind you
>After a little searching you find one just as boring as yours
>And better than any dog treat, you use it to lead her back to your cabin
>"Alright," you say handing it to her, "but you only get one mug a night"
>She frowns
>"But you're on your third"
>"Perks of being Captain"
>She sips at her (incredibly watered down) rum and looks at you
>"Is being a pirate always this easy?"
>You take a sip of your own and look back
>"Do you want the honest answer or the sugar coated one"
>She looks at you in confusion
>That, or she's already drunk
>"What is sugar coated?"
>You crack a smile at that and look down at her mug
>She must not know common phrases like that
>"It's when I would say something nice about something, rather than the truth"
>You take another sip of your rum and she follows
>She blurted a "Hey!" when you grab her mug
>Your other hand pulled out a bottle from under your desk, and you filled hers up with the strange liquid inside of it
>"And this is the difference," you say handing it back
>She's hesitant with picking it up, and only does so with your small nods towards it
>Soon she takes a sip
>...And promptly spits it out and slams her cup down
>You're laughing now despite the hard rum droplets sticking to your desk
>"That bad..?" she says between pants
>"Yes. That bad"
>She's silent for a moment before she glances your way
>"Then no 'sugar coat' then"
>Strong girl
>You begin with a nod and a quick sip of rum
>"Sometimes, the gold flows like a river. Sometimes, we have almost nothing. It always depends on how willing we are to risk it all"
>You open your thankfully dry ledger and start going over the numbers, and a curious Sizani looks over it
>"Lately things have been good though," you quickly close it back
>"Your 'keepers' made the same choice we did, to risk it all in the name of gold"
>You walk past her as you make your way to the door and stop right before it
>"I'm sure you've come to know what happens when you lose it all"
>You open the door and walk out, unsure of how she takes your words

>You head back to the deck to the sight of two crew members with cutlasses drawn and circling eachother
>Making your way up to the helm, the Lizard man Draxis is steering with Isaac looking over him
>You lean against the railing and watch
>A slight tug on your sleeve gets your attention
>"Aren't you going to stop them?" Sizani lets go when you look down at her
>"Nah, as long as they clean up afterwards I don't care"
>Metal clashes on metal behind you
>A loud swear later and you both turn to see that one of them disarmed the other
>"Hah! I get your rum ration tonight!" the winner declares
>You clap along with the rest of the crew, and some of the Lizards join in as well
>"Where was that when we took the ship?" you call to them
>They sheath their cutlasses sheepishly
>"Rum wasn't on the line then"
>You stand and cross your arms
>"It will be next time"
>Best to leave your empty threat vague
>It worked with your crew looking angrily at the two duelists
>"Isaac, whose next on rotation for steering?" you don't look back
>"Neil, sah!"
>"Make sure he knows our heading"
>Satisfied with stirring your crew up you make your way back to your cabin one last time
>Sizani follows you in while you open the door
>"Sizani," she jumps behind you
>You make your way to your desk and snatch her half full mug, and bring it back to the still waiting Lizard by the door
>"You sleep in your bunk tonight. This is my cabin, where my own is. I'l see you tomorrow at sunrise"
>She squeaks when you pass her the mug, and she downs it
>"Uh yes Anon, I- yes Captain!"
>You didn't know scales could change colors like that
>You also crack a smile at the fidgety show before you
>"Goodnight Sizani," you say, and she calms down
>"Goodnight Anon"
>She's slow going down the steps
>You think you catch her looking back when you close the door
>You get ready for bed and soon you lay down
>The sea rocks your ship and you to sleep


CHapter 3 :Under the gun
>Landfall, a dangerous game for a pirate such as yourself
>Thankfully it was in the good company of many such as yourself
>You made port in Rapture a day ago, with Nickson having yet to arrive with his ship
>Yes, his ship
>You had decided that he is trustworthy enough to be your second in command, not your first mate
>He is to be captain of ship and report only to you
>It's good payment to the man who helped break you out and steal the thing in the first place
>Him and his crew will be able to keep their hauls
>No taxes either, no questions asked
>And all he has  to do in return is to not stab you in the back
>All of this is sober talk for later, you have better things to do
>Such as being nose deep in a mug of some sort of fruit beverage that only manages a slight buzz
>The tropics were weird
>But Rapture makes it all worth while
>A true free haven built by the sweat of everyone's dirty, unwashed brows
>But while impressive, the sea is your true lover
>The sea can't provide for everything though, so land is still a requirement
>Your ship's hull is pretty empty of just about everything
>Food, new clothes, swords, and other wonderful things that gold can buy
>Least of all water and 'water'
>Especially the 'water'
>While you walked about the docks getting what you needed, a very confused(but excited) Sizani followed you asking questions
>"What is a tavern?" "What does Inn mean?" "What is a blacksmith?"
>A place you forget about later, the same thing as that but with beds, and the third is a person you don't ever piss off
>You took great care in finding canvas shirts and breeches for the lizard part of the crew
>The sun on the waves will boil any man alive, and caps were definitely on the list...
>But, whatever those fleshy sides are on the sides of their heads...
>'Hoods'
>Thanks Sizani, that - they made it difficult to leave on
>With the amount of swords you also bought, you briefly wondered if your mouth could be used for a third
>The hilt tasted terrible and you remember lightly gnawing on a hardtack biscuit, so you quickly dropped that idea
>You didn't have to buy much though, the newest additions to your crew were quickly learning the trade looting whatever they found to arm themselves
>Dead crew members, the occasional passed out drunk, or outright thievery
>They were blending in pretty well
>It was night out right now, and your crew is back on the ship
>At least they would be if they decided to save a few coppers by not bedding down at the inns
>Can't blame them though
>Your haul sold pretty well from your knowledge of illegal good fencing
>When you had too, a quick sword draw got them to see your way
>Terrible swordplay when it comes to them
>They only got the basic goods, you had a contact who only looked for a particular item
>The crew who's boat you stolen was moving a lot of tea
>You never really got the appeal of it, but it was pretty satisfying that some nobleman was going to miss out on his afternoon vomit
>Not that you'd say that out loud of course
>Especially after Sizani asked what the big deal was with 'hot leaf juice'

>'How could anyone say something so horrible?' he sputtered
>'I agree' you said back
>Tea just can't beat the mug of rum you were currently downing at a local tavern
>The sea air billowing past the open air space just made it all better
>Looking out there, that's where true freedom lies
>Where man answers to no one but the sea and the winds that guide her
>You're mulling over supply costs for whatever was left, when an angry hissing from behind you breaks your thoughts
>You turn around in your seat, half amused at a tall lizard man who you think is called Skolas
>Maybe-Skolas had a grip on his cutlass, and it's pointed directly at you
>It's cute when he combined his hissing and barking, you think, into whatever language that was
>Sizani is immediately at your side as she translates
>"Anon," she pokes you, "He is saying that he was the fiercest warrior of his tribe, and that he answers to no man. He challenges you to a duel to rule"
>You take a slow sip and grin wider for every angered hiss he gives
>"He's challenging me?" You slam the mug down and turn to your side, "Isaac! What does that sound like to you?"
>He turns around on his own stool with a groggy finger in the air, "Mutiny, Sah!' he belches out
>"Right then," you look back at Skolas taking steps towards you
>"In other words"
>You pull out a flintlock and shoot Skolas in the knee
>His height and weight betray him as he falls with a scream
>You stop the skidding blade with a boot, and you toss the pistol to the nearest crew member
>"Reload this please," you say grabbing another
>"You two, lift him up and bring him to the side," you point at two other men in your crew
>They lift up the weakly struggling lizard and bring him to the side of the dock, with the rest of you and yours forming around him
>Sizani is once again at your side, looking horrified at what you did
>"It means he doubts me, and refuses to follow my orders," you say to her
>Her yellow eyes are trying to read your expression
>It's as disinterested as Skolas's grimace from pain
>Still, you had a show to finish, so you raise your gun into the air
>"AND WHAT'S THE PUNISHMENT FOR MUTINY, CREW?"
>"DEATH!" half of them cheers
>You look down on Skolas, and smile
>"Death," you finally say
>He is lucky for your mercy with how painless it was
>The gun in your hand put a bullet in him, and the new one you pulled has another through his head
>Your two thugs holding the body simply let go, and with no effort at all Skolas is gone over the dock
>You toss your second gun to another crew member, satisfied in what you have done
>Piracy is a culture of Honor
>If you give or show any weakness, people will take advantage of it
>Your life has taught you the only option for murderous folk is to show outright brutality and violence than let them walk over you
>You had just reached your seat when one of them returns with your now loaded flintlocks
>With a short "here you go sir," and he's back to his own mug
>You groan, suddenly remembering the clothes he was wearing
>"An extra two rations of rum to whoever grabs up his stuff!" you yell over your mug
>Since a ration meant ten, twenty men ran to the sides where he fell
>It just left you and Sizani sitting there alone at that small tavern table
>Her shock has downgraded to almost outright, but not really disbelief
>Confusion, you decide
>"Why did you not accept his challenge?" She cocked her head to the side
>You take another sip from the suspiciously full mug while your mind stumbles for an answer
>"My position is not up for challenge," you take another sip, "it is not up for debate. It is earned"
>Her bright yellow eyes look even larger to you
>"What is earned?" she asks
>You delay your answer with another sip
>"To earn is to... to work towards something and have it be given by choice"
>You laugh at the thought
>"It's not something we pirates do usually, but I had to earn these men's respect in a variety of ways to be captain"
>Cheering, dancing and singing come from the mob of corpse divers at whoever dredged up the goods
>One is even playing a Concertina skillfully
>All of this drinking is starting to get to you from how suddenly interesting Sizani's gently glimmering scales become
>No doubt from the torchlight
>After staring for a bit, you speak up
>"Is it different from where you're from? Is the strongest the leader?"
>She nods earnestly, the concept apparently being new since you recently taught her that nodding meant yes
>You think she's been waiting for a chance to use it ever since
>"The Alpha is leader; he is the strongest, and picks the strongest female to match and have the best offspring"
>She pauses
>"Then, each male in... what is the word... Rank, they go down the ranks and pick ones that are similar to also have the best offspring"
>Her usual happily curious demeanor dampens somewhat
>"I was never chosen, I am too small"
>You agree, she's five feet at the most and maybe 120lbs when soaking wet
>...But to let those hips and bust go to waste was almost criminal in your book
>No reason to let her wallow though
>You hit your mug against hers (which she had carved something into the wood of)
>"Well we aren't your people. If you can pull your weight and follow orders then you'll fit right in with us"
>Her face had a slight color change on the scales in her face, barely noticeable by the torchlight
>Can lizards even blush?
>A question for later, but a more topical one now
>"Tell me Sizani, can you fight? What skills do you have?"
>She stares into her mug
>"I can use a bow and arrow, and a..what is the word for this?" she points to the boarding axe tacked to your waste
>"An axe," you say patiently
>She asked so many things about words and items, learning everything she could
>Your crew told you she passed the knowledge onto her fellow lizard-kin
>She's trying, that's for sure
>And you're more than happy to accommodate her learning
>"Good with a bow and an axe? I can get you both if you want"
>Her fangs stick out from her lips as she smiles hopefully at you
>"You can do that?"
>You gave a slightly sloshed nod
>"GABRIEL WHERE ARE YOU" you call out into the crowd
>"Here Sir!"
>Both of you were looking the wrong way, he appeared to the side and behind you
>You would be startled but by this point you're used to whatever black magic he used
>Sizani however, isn't
>She's staring at the man next to you with wide eyes
>"Wha? where did-" you raise a hand to silence her
>"Just.. don't ask"
>You turn to Gabriel and-
>You blink at the mug of rum in his hands
>"Sizani needs a boarding axe," you say to him
>"One sec!" He scampers off to the ship down the dock with a speed you can't honestly track
>Sizani, possibly out of fear, has her stool and herself close by you with a tug on your sleeve
>"Is he, uhm...what's that word... magic man?"
>You shake your head
>"The word is Wizard and maybe, that man can be from the moon for all I know"
>He was being literal when he said one sec
>"Here sir!"
>He hands Sizani a boarding axe and disappears back into the crowd
>Suspicion, confusion, and a sense of awe fight for dominance on her face
>That girl learns quick when it settles on 'acceptance'
>She's turning the axe around in her hands, inspecting every side
>You put a hand on her head and rub it gently
>Her scales felt smooth and warm, with a soft give under your fingers
>You, uh, don't know why you did that
>"We'll go to the blacksmith tomorrow and see if he can make a bow for you," you smooth over
>She's jumping in excitement still ignoring your hand
>"I can make one! All I need is good wood!"
>You take it off before she notices
>Definately a smart one, when it comes to certain things anyways
>You give a nod, a stretch, and you stand; all for the sake of time
>It's pretty late afterall
>"We'll look for the right kind of wood tomorrow then," you yawn, "'n hopefully Nickson will arrive by then"
>Her scales change color around her face again while she looks up at you
>It's pretty cute, in a way
>You're pretty drunk or getting there, in a most certain way
>The night being filled with both Human and Lizard alike partying and having a good time swiftly has you forget about that

>Nickson and his crew arrivde sometime during the night while you were asleep
>He had a similar degree of success when it came to the Lizard-kin
>Many had simply fallen into roles that needed filling just like on your ship
>The cargo from both sides netted you a small fortune for yourself and the crew
>And, like any good semi rich man, you hid it away for your plan of a house by the sea
>One where a king or queen wouldn't bother you, and somewhere quiet on the new world
>Maybe one day
>But that time was far away
>Nickson is currently beside you with both the ships in view
>You look to the cargo ship, and them to him
>"How did you like this ship Nickson? She looks like she has a bit of firepower behind her"
>More than a dozen cannon ports lining the sides of the ship kind of firepower
>If you hadn't tricked the old crew by flying their flag, you're sure that you wouldn't be here right now
>She handles alright. Bit slow, but she's a fine one," he answers
>"Well then mate, she's yours Captain Nickson"
>You look at him with a smirk
>"Mine? A ship? wha-"
>You clap a hand on his shoulder and give him a friendly shake
>"Aye, a ship, and a powerful one at that. You remember the flag codes, yes?"
>He nods enthusiastically at you
>"Good, we'll meet up here every 2 months or so. Sound good Captain Nickson?"
>"Awe sir"
>You soon take your leave and head to your ship, where a very eager lizard woman is waiting for you
>Sizani has bounced with every step of the way to the lumberyard
>It's almost worrying at this point
>A few other lizards joined you as you made your way through the port, drawing stares from locals and other sailors
>You had to be quite the spectacle, being the one boring splotch in a moving blob of color
>When you arrived the worker there was just as bad
>An explanation or two only downgraded his frown
>Money turned it around
>He went into the yard only to return minutes later with a sizable plank of wood
>Some of the lizards hissed at it
>"No good bow wood," one of them managed to say
>You gesture to the piles of wood in response
>"Go find a good one then"
>And with that they're all rummaging around testing bits of wood
>You have no idea how the can determine what good wood is, especially with how biting is involved
>It was an interesting thirty minutes sitting on that log, watching the lizards hiss at each other
>Eventually they decide on some
>It's called Buttonwood, according to the seller
>The lizards grab as much as they needed, and you pay for it
>Surprisingly cheap for such a weird sounding plank
>Sizani is happily skipping ahead carrying her bundle of wood
>"I can make arrows out of any wood we find!" she yelled over her shoulder
>A lizard being happy about wood rubbed off a bit on you, with your own grin joining in with hers
>She can really move when she wants to though
>You catch up after awhile, and you soon have the docking fees all squared away
>Gold lost and papers signed, you give the order to cast off
>Giving one final farewell to Nickson through the power of flags and you're back on your way out to sea
>Looking out over the deck, you find Sizani pulling ropes and lines with the crew
>Her size isn't an issue at all
>You aren't really paying attention to any of the other preparations
>You're not drunk, buzzed, or hit in on the head recently
>It's hard trying to figure out this odd feeling you have
>You always felt camaraderie towards your crew but something was different
>There was a thought, but...
>You're distracted by the small lizard woman and her body
>You remember the feel of her scales on your hands
>Those odd ticks she would have when confused( which is often )
>You shake your head and walk to your cabin
>Your mind wanders around while you set a course for the nearest shipping lane
>What you think you're feeling isn't hard to understand
>Not really
>She's cute, and good company
>The only hard part she, herself
>Only time will tell if she felt the same for you


Chapter 4 : Iron
>It's been close to a week since you left Rapture, and you were sailing nowhere in particular
>Your crew is settling in nicely with their new roles, though the men and lizards understandably still kept to themselves
>Even so, their craftsmanship when it comes to bows is next to none
>They were beyond impressive, with Sizani's taking the lead
>Draxis's bow was impossible to draw for most of the crew, and you can barely manage it yourself
>When they finished their weapons they took to training with it every day
>While your crew drank, they held tournaments, betting food instead of rum to any who dared to try
>Sizani dared
>Her accuracy was nothing to laugh at
>Her handmade arrows were a monster from her(naturally) smaller bow
>If Draxis could kill a man with a log, Sizani would definitely bleed him where he stands
>Small, fast, and sometimes upside down; you made the time to watch her whenever she competed
>You don't think she's ever lost a single match
>Replaying her tournaments in your head only served as a brief distraction from the dull task of reading shipping lanes
>Devising combat strategies had become a lot more entertaining however, and you were constantly thinking at how their bow skills would help
>You know that the Lizard-kin should wait below deck before any attack, not for their safety but as a surprise for the enemy
>No more than one or two would walk around to serve as a hint to what was to come, should anyone ever cross your path
>All this time at sea, and you still haven't had the chance to try it yet
>Oh well
>Eventually Sizani joined you on your studies of maps and charts, with her wide eyes absorbing every little thing you'd mention
>From locations to alliances to strategies of peaceful, hostile takeovers her eyes never left your constantly pointing finger
>She would frequently say "It's so big!" or "there's so much" to every landmass you'd go over
>When you've gone over the basics, you also agree
>"There's more being discovered everyday," you said with a nod
>Rifling under your desk you pull out another map and point to a country
>"That's where I'm from," you poked it for good measure, before sliding it across the sea to another
>"I assume you're from somewhere around here"
>Her large yellow eyes look at it closely
>"I've never seen anywhere other than my homeland and Rapture"
>"We'll go to other places, don't worry," you smile to her
>She returns it, eyes closed with a happy thought
>"I can hardly wait Anon"

>The hours pass by from tutoring her, until rapid knocking banged on your cabin door
>"Come in!"
>A winded Isaac stumbles inside
>"Sah! There's ah ship on tha horizon, we think it's anothah pirate ship as they've altered their course for us!"
>He gives another 'Sah!' when you rush out your cabin and look through your spyglass at the offending ship
>They weren't flying any colors, a troubling sign
>Especially with how they're now coming for you
>Well then, you're more than ready to give them a rude welcome
>It looks like they are going to strike from the portside
>"ALL HANDS PREPARE," you call out
>"GET YOUR PISTOLS LOADED, BOWS DRAWN AND CUTLASSES READY!"
>The sounds of boots and claws running across the deck drown out the sea, as man and lizard alike scramble for their weapons
>Now the question is if they'll shoot first, or start with a boarding party
>What ever they choose to do, six of your bullets will scold them either way
>As well as a shit ton of arrows, bullets and cannon fire
>"GABRIEL! MAKE SURE THOSE CANNONS ARE LOADED AND OPEN FIRE WHEN THEY ARE IN RANGE!"
>You hear a quick 'Aye sir!' from below deck
>You decide to ditch your pocket glasses in favor of a much larger pair
>Running back to your cabin you find what you were looking for
>They could call it a spyglass, but it serves as a great club when need be
>For now you use it to spy on the enemy ship
>Oh? It looks like they're doing the same
>They have a mostly human crew running around, but soon you spot their more wolfish members
>Big fuckers, too, by size of the axes they're holding
>Looking up at their cabin you find the captain spying back
>He's a large anthro canine of some sort, and his own spyglass is trained squarely on you
>You have an idea though
>"DRAXIS! FRONT AND CENTER WITH THAT BOW OF YOURS"
>Through all the rushing around Draxis appears with his huge longbow
>You hand him your spyglass and direct him where to look
>"Shoot their captain as soon as you think he's in range. Understand?"
>Yass sah"
>Oh god he's talking like Isaac
>You hope his large bow isn't compensating for anything
>Especially with how he says he could hit a target 200 meters away
>Impressive, considering the average effective range for your cannons where around 150 meters
>Now to see if it's true
>You've no doubt Sizani can do it, but that little bow of hers just can't reach that far
>For lack of a better term, if you can cut the head off this snake, you will have the advantage
>They're bearing down on you at 500 meters away
>Draxis goes and checks by letting loose an arrow
>It sails marvelously over the ocean before falling beneath the waves at 250 meters away
>Sizani snatched your spyglass and began hissing little things to him
>300 meters out
>"LIZARDS, AIM FOR THEIR CANNONEERS. DO NOT LET THEM PUT HOLES IN OUR SHIP!"
>So much for the stealth plan
>250 meters
>The calm before the storm, ever present and always unsettling
>200 meters
>Then Draxis graced them with another arrow
>It too sailed over the water in a graceful arc
>It soon found itself burred deep into the canine's fur
>He's skewered in the chest, with his last signs of life being stumbling down to the deck
>You have to admit, bows are pretty effective
>Their ship, unfazed or unaware, begins to align it's side to yours
>Your crew never gave them the chance from the roar of fire and smell of smoke firing out
>The other crew is in complete disaray from the sudden storm of iron blasting into their ship, and one of their crew members is now hauling off the captain's body in terror
>It's perfect
>"LIGHT THEIR SAILS! PUT THEM DEAD IN THE WATER!"
>A few fire arrows fly over your head and into their sails, setting them ablaze and adding to the chaos
>Some of them still have the guts to fight, with their ship still turning to match
>They're slowly getting closer
>Close enough to board
>"ALRIGHT LADS, YOU KNOW THE DRILL!"
>You sound off the charge with a bullet shooting through a canine's chest, with five others quickly following after
>Only a few of your men are stopped from their charge by returning fire across the deck
>Many more are swinging over the side and getting to work chopping and shooting them back
>One of the lizards is doing a pretty good job with his two cutlaces
>He's left a corpse trail from his wild swinging
>Virixas, you think he's called
>Sizani is who takes the spotlight however with her small size a great help while she darts through the crowds with her boarding axe cutting through
>...It's just your luck that by the time you swing over the fighting is already done
>Well, there's always the loot
>Gold, flasks, swords and food; it's all theirs to take
>You however, need information
>Why would a ship that flew no flag attack you suddenly?
>You look for the answer in the captains cabin, and Sizani, ignoring the goods joins you at the door
>Pushing it open, the two of you step inside
>"What are we looking for Anon?" she asked
>You shrug at that, "anything that would tell us why these guys would randomly attack"
>Their captain's desk is a cluttered mess of papers and maps
>Sifting through it all you find something that catches your eye
>You gawk at the signed papers before you
>One is a letter of Marque, and the other is a map of several new shipping lanes
>They are- were, privateers
>No doubt hired to clear out these routes
>The course you took was towards the new world, and it was theirs for awhile as well it seems
>The nation that hired them payed a pretty penny to weaken one of their allies holds on a colony
>That explains why they attacked you
>What a piss poor investment
>"Anon, what does this paper say?"
>Right. She can't read
>Nor can most of your human crew, now that you thought about it
>You point to the country that hired them on a map
>"They work for these idiots here, but the now dead ones among us don't fly their colors and attack every ship, friend or foe"
>Sizani blinks, confused and looking at you
>"They're uh, legal pirates, in a sense"
>She's even more so now
>"How does that work?"
>"You'd be surprised at what people will do for money. The only difference here is that they got twice the pay to do what they already did"
>Speaking of...
>You could start a war with these papers
>One that the other will pay through the nose to keep quiet
>They were literally attacking their allies, and while you may be a pirate, even to you that's a new low
>"That's why they attacked us," you finish
>She's got her head to the side in a way that you can't help but love
>"They attack allies? Why?"
>"Money, politics, power struggles, a grip on the new world or petty differences. Who knows? Though I'm betting my gold on the money"
>You definitely need to keep these papers
>You tuck them away for later
>"Let's see what they have in their hold"
>You are going to pick this almost on fire ship clean
>You still wanted to see what they had though, before you take everything that isn't nailed down
>Not the most impressive haul like you were hoping for, but they had food, alcohol, and a large assortment of spices
>The booze part though, that was stored in large barrels as rum or ale
>Your crew quickly starts transporting the loot bit by bit, and after some crates are pushed away you are surprised to find that they also stored an assortment of medicines and tool
>Those would sell very, very well
>So you change your mind; this haul is a big success
>With the goods taken care of you begin your own personal hunt back in the captain's quarters
>To your even greater surprise the canine had a normal bed with a full downy pillow
>That pillow is definitely yours
>You have blankets though
>Maybe you can gift them to Sizani..
>He tried to hide a few bottles of rum hidden away, a nice new compass, and a few updated maps to replace your old ones
>Nothing escaped your eye for treasure
>Not even his solid Acacia wood desk, inlaid with gorgeous carvings and speckled gold edges
>To put it simply, it's bigger and fancier than yours
>Fuck it, the desk is yours
>You'll rope in some crew members to grab it when they're done hauling everything over

>It's night before your crew finally finishes loading everything onto the Dead Money
>Many were happy with the haul
>They got blankets, new weapons, and shiny flasks of rum
>Your police was: if it wasn't cargo, they can keep it for themselves
>You're super popular with that one
>While your human crewmen simply passed over basic things, your lizard crew members took everything
>"We can remake them!" Sizani said cheerfully while she fiddled with an old boot
>You hope they would at least clean the stuff
>When your crew was done and everything settled, the rum flowed freely
>The privateer crew had some straight from the old world
>And with a cheer the anchor was dropped and the festivities began
>The casualties for your crew was zero, with only a few wounds that a bit of alcohol liberally applied on site and orally took care
>It was more than likely the result of your army of bowmen
>Lizards
>Draxis got an extra ration of rum and salted beef for that shot of his
>Sizani did too at the admittance of her directing him with the winds and distances
>You already knew that though
>Hell, your whole crew got an extra ration of rum
>None of that watered down stuff either
>And why wouldn't they?
>Together they had taken down an entire ship
>A ship that is currently burning in front of you and sinking into the sea
>The waves lapped around it's slowly sinking form
>It'll be quite a while before your bonfire goes out
>You watch your singing and dancing crew, spirits high from their first successful battle
>One of many you plan on having
>You drank deeply from your mug with Sizani in her usual spot next to you
>It was cute how her fangs poked out from her lips, a sight you only saw when she's as close as she is
>A lightweight in both form and booze, she has a goofy grin while she looks at you
>"What does this mean for us?" she asks
>You assume she meant the grand 'us'
>As in, the whole crew
>"We gained a lot from this, so much so that we already need to go back!"
>Of course, you didn't want to make landfall again, but if you met another ship you wouldn't be able to take everything
>Wasting resources was not on your agenda either
>You sip your rum and think
>You had both the old shipping lanes, plus a map of the new ones
>Things were starting to look up
>You're pulled from your mug from Sizani's weight leaning against you
>You put an arm around her
>To keep her steady, of course
>Your drunken mind will have none of that though, and your heart sluggishly agrees while you hold her a little tighter
>They both flutter around the thought of her
>Some of it isn't too decentt
>The crew themselves are settling down as the scortched ship finally finishes sinking beneath the waves
>Your few lizard ladies were pairing up with humans and lizards alike
>Whatever works at keeping moral up
>Hmmm...
>You down the rest of your rum and look at Sizani still pressed to your side
>Standing up, Sizani joins you
>She's a bit unsteady from the stronger than usual alcohol she's had
>The stairs are going to be hard
>The multiple doors will be too
>...
>Fuck it, you're the captain
>"Come on Sizani, you're with me tonight"
>You scoop her off her feet, earning a startled mix of a hiss and a squeak
>Her arms latch around your neck as she snuggles into your chest
>With a bit of difficulty you walk to your cabin and push the door open
>Ignoring your previous complains, and with your hands full of a happy lizard woman, you carefully make your way across the cabin
>She pulls away and opens her golden eyes
>Those same ones enthrall you as much as yours might for her
>The scales you feel from her body are smooth and warm, but still as soft as you remember
>You're a bit sad when she slides out of your arms
>She makes up for it though
>"Anon, I've never been chosen for mating before! This is exciting!"
>She stumbles around a bit and slides out of her clothing before plopping face down on your bed
>Your drunken self smiles at her happiness
>Hopefully not from the drink
>You shoot that part of your mind like the bastard it was for getting in your way as you get ready for the night
>Shirt off, pants off, and nothing in between you neatly fold them, and set them on your new desk
>You blow out the fire in your lamps and your cabin is cloaked in darkness
>You climb in and expect Sizani to immediately be all over you
>Except, that fall wasn't an act and she's already asleep
>Fuck
>Blueballed by alcohol
>Oh well, you guess you'l just have to settle for the next best thing
>Tucking her under the covers, you then wrap your arms around the sleeping lizard girl, and pull her back to your chest
>God, you've always wanted to try this
>You stealthily rub your cheeks on her smooth scales, getting a quiet sigh from her
>The smooth feeling of her scales all over you is intoxicating, and the warmth you radiate to her is doubled back to you
>You find that her stomach is the softest thing on her, and you can't help but hold on tighter
>It didn't take long for your eyes to get heavy
>You can live with having this every night
>Wearing a full blown smile, you drift off to sleep with your favorite woman in your arms


Chapter 5: Land of all
>The Dead Money glides through the water of the port as you prepare to make landfall yet again
>It's early morning, with a light fog rolling over the usually sunny tropical Rapture
>Once again, you are standing on your elevated deck overlooking the crew going about they're various tasks
>You're proud, in a way
>The crew is now getting along
>Perfectly, in a sense
>Of course, they got along pretty well from the start, but fighting alongside someone really cements that relationship
>Your eyes drift from the deck over to the other piers
>Rapture is looking pretty packed today
>Military ships, cargo ships, pirate ships - the whole lot, and all of them flying flags from different nations
>There was even a pleasure barge and rum runner
>Brave folk, but the coin is good
>They weren't your concern at the moment, not with the previous sails you spotted
>Sails with colors of that which can be a potential problem for you
>It's a race to gain a foothold on the new world, one which you aren't particularly interested in
>These neutral ports however, make great havens for just about any and everyone, and their neutrality is fiercely defended in the rare times they are challenged
>A race to take it all
>But you have to have someplace to rest
>You've no doubt these ships would be tearing each other apart on the open seas, but for now?
>Everyone gets to be civil
>And civil friends means good gold
>You pull up next to a large Gretin ship, who's flag is blue and white with a singular wolf paw holding a scythe in the center
>Gretin is a heavily populated anthro country, and you've been there a few times during your naval service
>Mean bastards, the lot of em
>It was pretty great to see a native, a captain no less, fall to a singular lizard and his bow
>While they are Gretin's they also fly the flag of their 'ally,' who they only serve through gold
>Red flags, with a black hooded cross in a white circle joined the blue ones
>Trostlund is what they represent, but it's a country you have never been to
>You have raided a few of their ships before, and they're usually full of olive oil, wine, and good quality foods that even now make your mouth water thinking about
>This wasn't a navy ship though
>This ship is crewed by privateers, from the stares you and yours kept getting from the equally dirty, fashionably clothed wolves
>Hilarious, and also disgusting
>God you hated the politics of it all, allies fighting allies
>...At least, you don't have to deal with it anymore
>Even though pirates will attack each other, they usually steer clear of each other
>It was a lesson you made sure they would regret
>Another one you learned is that usually there wasn't a point to it; there is a good chance you could lose your ship and crew over a ship that could potentially hold nothing, just like you
>While you eyeball the wolves, you hear Isaac in the background instructing Draxis on docking procedures
>You close your eyes, taking in the sound of the water slapping the side of the ship to Isaac's constant droning over dock terminology and law
>You think Draxis is picking up on it anyways
>Most of the Lizards picked up English pretty well
>Granted, you and other crew members still had to define words but for the most part you could converse with them
>Sizani had taken it a step further and began teaching you her language as well
>A little confusing and incredibly difficult, especially without a forked tongue
>You still don't know how to hiss at her, and not insult her mother, or something
>You take in the air for a little while longer, and soon enough the ship is secured in the dock with relative ease
>Opening your eyes, you join the rest of your crew on deck and assist in lowering the gangplank
>You are happy to do it, too - a good captain is personable, and these lads definitely earned your respect and more
>When it's done, you stand in front of it and turn to address your crew
>"Alright crew, don't get into too much trouble!" you get a couple laughs, "We're only here for the night," a few more nods are given
>"Just don't flip any tables, or land in the slammer. Other than that, have fun"
>You move to the side and give an over-the-top bow, with a little hand flick and everything
>The roar of cheers and stomping feet quickly swim past you and down onto dry land as they hurriedly rush to the nearest tavern or brothel
>When the crowd dies down a few Lizard-kin and some of your human crew stay aboard to watch the ship
>A little extra gold will cheer them up

>After a quick mental tally, you go down the gangplank as well, and only manage a few steps before the harbor master walks to you
>He's a rough looking doberman Anthro but you know him well enough to see it's an act
>All because it would crack you up every time with the way he would gush about his pups for such a weathered looking guy
>"Ah, Captain Anon. Back so soon? Did the Navy scare you that much?" he puts a paw on your shoulder
>You brush it off with a smile, and turn it into a tight handshake
>He still manages to crush your hand, even now
>"Something like that Davis"
>He belts out a laugh, before looking to your side with a knowing grin on his muzzle
>"Oh? Did you make a new friend?"
>Sizani happily nods under your arm with your hand resting on her shoulder
>"Yes, yes I have. Sizani," you look down at her, "this old man here is Davis," you jab a finger at him
>He laughs again, putting a paw out to her that she shakes
>"Davis Dobson, I run the harbor here in Rapture"
>Your small Lizard is vibrating at your side from Davis's equally fierce handshake
>"Davis, I hate to interrupt but we have cargo to sell," you rescue Sizani and pull out a coin pouch, "what's the docking rate today?"
>He's back to his chummy self, with both paws open at you, "The usual for you Captain"
>You pay him 10 gold and he leaves
>Sizani clears her head and happily grips your sleeve
>"Where are we going first Anon?"
>Her enthusiasm is infectious with your own smile brightening up
>The two of you begin to walk to the mainland heading no where in particular
>"The port doctor is always looking for medical supplies," you begin listing off, "chefs, rich captains, and officials will want the spices, and the teas will sell pretty good"
>"The leaf juice?"
>"Yes...The uh, leaf juice," you grimace, and you hope she wouldn't call it that in front of the buyer again
>What would you do with it if he refused to buy it from you?
>You can't stand the stuff and your crew doesn't care for it either
>Maybe chuck it into the harbor and have a big ass tea party
>That would show him
>You shake the hypothetical situation out of your head, which thankfully wasn't seen by the constantly curious Sizani looking at all the shops
>You hold Sizani's hand while you guide her through the port, earning more than a few stares from the locals
>Human Anthro relations were't illegal, they were seen as odd
>But who cares, you're a pirate
>A bullet and steel to whoever says otherwise
>You eventually reach your first stop, a moderately sized inn that mostly takes care of the injured
>It's empty today, and the two of you head inside
>Seconds later a nervous anthro raccoon walks out
>"H-h-hello C-captain! W-what do you need t-today?"
>The resident doctor was an odd little creature, fidgety about everything and spoke with a stammer
>"Hello doctor, I have some medical supplies I'm looking to sell. Are you buying?"
>His eyes light up, "Oh yes!" and he scrambles for papers behind the bar table
>Finding what he's looking for, he's back to standing and reading through notes clipped to a board
>"I a-always need more s-supplies! W-what are you o-o-offering?"
>You read off the items you wrote down on your own list, and how many of each
>As you do so he nods and tallies them back on his as well
>When you're done, he scurries off to a room
>"Anon what is this?"
>"Mm?" it takes you a second of looking around, but you spot Sizani pointing towards a bottle
>You walk over, take a look at it, and put a hand on her head with a laugh
>"Those are cloves, they help numb your mouth if you have a toothache," you tell her
>"Alright, and what's that?"
>"Oh... you don't want to drink that. People use it to 'let it out' a little easier"
>"Eh? Ok then! What about this one!"
>"Haha, that's if you want the other end to be easy, too"
>"What? Gross! But what's this one?"
>"That's for-"
>A cough from the doctor interrupts you, and you sheepishly put down your lizard while she puts back the bottles
>Setting her down, you briskly walk back to him and he now holds a large bag
>"H-here you go! 5000 g-gold pieces! I'll c-come by your ship l-l-later and c-collect the supplies!"
>Well, no one would fault you for calling him trusting
>Which is great for you
>Having good relationships with buyers helps you offload whatever you happen to find, usually for better prices
>You take the gold, say your goodies, and leave all the richer
>The crew is going to be very, very happy with this

>Leading Sizani through the port some more, you bounce between buyers willing to take your ill-gotten goods
>You made extra sure Sizani didn't accidentally offend anyone with her questions, or her adorable, dangerously grabby hands
>Overall a great haul with most of them willing to pay you on the ship when they came to collect the cargo
>It looks like this latest sale would give you roughly 13000 gold to disperse through your crew
>A small crew, now that you think about it at 60 strong
>Nickson took half of your crew to man his new ship
>The sea itself still sits at a healthy 0
>Maybe it's time to recruit more deckhands
>After all there were always disgraced sailors looking for something to do
>You think about this and more, still hand in hand with Sizani as you walk along the docks
>"Anon! Look at that ship!"
>She's bouncing and pointing at a huge ship flying dark green flags, with a large white circle holding six green conifer trees and one of them standing taller than the rest
>The Agranic Confederacy, better known as Agra
>They're allies with your home country, and from the size of this beast it must have been a flagship
>'The Birth of History,' it's called
>Neat
>Doubly so as Agra is a close ally with your home country, though how close is up for debate at this point
>This nearly 300 foot long ship easily dwarfed the Dead Money's 100 foot length
>You make note to steer far, far away from it with your much faster vessal
>"That's from Agra, Sizani, and it's their flagship. No doubt it's a show of force"
>She hums at that and is silent the rest of the way
>Soon you're back at the Dead Money and you walk up the gangplank
>You are greeted by Neil looking concerned
>"We got company, Sir, they're waiting in your cabin"
>You don't like the sound of this at all
>Making your way to your cabin, the crew members that stayed behind were giving you equal looks of worry, confusion, and one of them stuck between both
>Who ever spooked your crew better be a badass
>Pulling open your cabin door you're greeted by the sight of three men
>Well, 2 human men, and a feline Anthro of some kind
>You do recognize one of the men immediately though
>He's shorter than most and with fierce blue eyes, and he stands with sheer confidence and a commanding presence for good reasons
>Admiral Andrew Comstalk, the Naval leader of Agra
>He is an alright fellow whom you met before during a naval training exercise
>He had complimented your own abilities, and it seems he remembers when he extends a hand and a smile
>Your crew is right to worry
>"Captain Anon, good to see you again"
>You shake it calmly
>"Likewise Admiral, what brings you to my humble ship?"
>"We heard about you being branded a coward, a deserter, and then declared dead. But I never saw that in you, and before I let these men talk I want to hear why you refused a direct order"
>You sigh, look to Sizani who unsurprisingly sneaked inside, and look back to him
>"We were ordered to follow a group of ships into a cove. I saw it was a deathtrap, they went in at high tide"
>You grimace, "by the time we would have gotten there it would have been back to low tide, and our heavier ships would have been torn apart by the rocks and corals; I voiced this and refused"
>He solemnly nods at your telling of the story
>"I knew you were no coward, and you were right, weren't you?"
>You give a curt nod back
>"Yes sir, the ships were sunk and the sharks had a feast"
>He closes his eyes and shakes his head at the stupidity of it all
>Standing to attention once again, he snaps his fingers bringing one of the other men forward
>He's a lanky fellow who's nose seems just a bit too small for his face
>"Captain Anon, I am Eugene Briar, representative of the Agranic Confederacy royal family, and I bring you an offer on their behalf"
>He pulls out a sealed envelope and hands it to you
>"Your skills on the sea are too good to waste"
>You open it, and what you read inside freezes you in place
>A letter of Marque, with an authentic seal and your name written in bold lettering
>They wanted you to be their privateers
>"Understandably, we cannot bring you into our navy due to...politics, but at the admirals recommendation, we wish to 'hire' you"
>Sizani gawks at them
>"What do we do as privateers Anon?" she pulls your sleeve and whispers
>The admiral caught that, and smiles at her
>"You do what you have always done little lady. The only difference is that you no longer attack our ships, and our ports are open in turn for you to sell your," he clears his throat, "cargo"
>"And what of my Second in command, Nickson?" You look up from the letter, "He crews a ship from Clevelandia that we acquired"
>The Admiral looks shocked
>"Already got the beginnings of a fleet, eh?" he's back to his grin, "We'll wait for him here at port then, and if he's anything like you he'll make landfall soon enough. What is the name of his ship? We'll off the same to him"
>"The Lonely Heart"
>The Admiral nods and Eugene frowns
>"We will handle getting him a letter of Marque as well. It will be easier if he hasn't attacked any of our ships in the meantime"
>He would though, will have, or possibly already did
>He was much more of a risk taker than you, and you're sure if his ship would sink in a fight he would risk it, crew, hull and all
>But not before an all hands boarding party, should he ever make it to them
>You carefully fold the letter and stow it away in a pocket
>"Well then Captain, I look forward to seeing you again," the Admiral holds out a hand again, "Remember to fly our flag when you make landfall at one of our ports," you accept it
>"Farewell for now"
>And with that, they leave with you wondering what deity you had managed to impress and why that cat man never spoke a word
>No time for that now, you're looking to lighten your pockets tonight

>It was well into the night by the time the crew had come back
>There was mixed reception to your tale of what happened and your new status in the nautical world
>The Lizard-kin didn't care either way, their only concern being eating well
>The human part was overjoyed to be able to go back to Agra and it's ports
>Few of them were uncomfortable with everything you said, but you plan to use shinies to turn them around
>Booze, too
>Agra is well known for it's quality cloth, lumber for ships, and master sailcloth crafters
>And rum, of course, which you plan to use as further bribery
>Though as expected, everyone was cheering when you told them the gold you hauled in
>They would all receive a little more than 200 coins, with you having 400 for being captain
>So all of the worn out and semi drunk swabbies decided to get even more happy and sloshed
>You're all for it
>Kegs were drawn, tables placed, and surprisingly bows and gear were taken to work on
>Your human crew was fiddling with a few of their own, though most of them were betting on lizards
>You drink your rum quietly while you leaned against the railing
>Sizani is in her favorite place; up against you with your arms around her
>You didn't want to ruin their fun, no matter how dangerous bows and rum were
>In turn, they didn't ruin yours
>Not a one of them minded that Sizani is yours, and after awhile a few of them started trying to get with the lizard ladies too
>"Captain! Come show you're just as accurate with your pistols as these lizards are with their bows!"
>A drunk Neil interrupts your quiet with a flailing arm your way and himself against a mast
>Sure, why not?
>You smile and look down at Sizani
>"You've shown me how good you are with a bow, let me show you how great I am with these"
>You motion to your pistols, but never seen with her closed eyes and cute smile
>It quickly turns...predatory
>"Ok Anon, let's see what you can do"
>She pulls you to a line that the crew had set up, marking where you should stand
>A little wobbly, you plant both feet on it and point to the railing
>"Alright, same as usual; six bottles up there and the space doesn't matter!"
>A crew member sets them up and you glance back down at Sizani
>"Wanna make a bet?"
>"A bet?" she's definitely interested
>"What are you thinking Anon?"
>"I bet I can hit all 6 bottles in 10 seconds or less"
>The crew is murmuring behind you, with half of them having seen this party trick before
>Sizani however, is wide eyed in excitement
>"Ok Anon, let's see you do it," she smugly says
>Oh this little lizard is gonna get
>"Someone get a watch and time me"
>Gabriel appears beside you
>"Got ya sir, ready?"
>"Ready"
>"3...2..1...go!"
BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM
>You cycle through your pistols with lightning speed, and each bottle shatters in turn
>"Time?" you call out, holding your last pistol still smoking at the barrel
>"8 seconds sir!"
>Your smugness overpowers Sizani's
>She's standing with her mouth open and totally amazed
>"Looks like I win," you say, blowing the smoke off the tip
>Snapping out of it, she stomps her foot with a little pout on her face
>"Fine what do you want?"
>You don your secret weapon
>The biggest shit eating grin you can
>"We'll talk about that later, but in the meantime, EVERYBODY GETS ANOTHER RATION OF RUM!"
>Cheers fill the air and you pull Sizani into a hug
>"We're gonna have some fun tonight," you whisper to her
>Her little fangs poke out as she smiles back
>"Is that so Captain? Let's see what you can do~"
>You're pretty sure you've just made Gabriel jealous
>One second your outside, and the next you're being pulled into your cabin by your sleeve
>Yeah, tonight's gonna be a good night

Chapter 6: together
>You're pulled through your cabin door by a very excited Sizani
>Thrown, rather, you being a little sloshed makes it hard to stay standing after tripping a few times
>But as soon as you're in she slams the door shut behind you
>You look back over your shoulder, and see your lizard keeping a hand on the door, unmoving
>And then she turns her head to look straight at you
>You aren't sure whether to be terrified or aroused
>She has the most predatory stare you've ever seen on her before
>No amount of alcohol was going to stop her tonight and she knew it
>With out warning, she pounces on you, throwing her full weight into your arms
>Her mouth presses against yours, you feel her legs wrap around your waist with her arms nearly choking the life out of you hugging around your shoulders
>You're trying to breathe and stand at the same time, but damn is this horny woman making it hard
>Barely making it to your bed she attacks again when her long forked tongue pushes into your mouth, exploring every nook and cranny
>When you're (somewhat) steady, you don't even decide to fight back
>You push back, feeling her long fangs press on your lips as your hands run down her sides, caressing every curve and scale
>Warm, smooth and firm
>Just like you thought she'd be
>Every touch, a promise of things to come with her tail slowly winding around you
>Every sensation, a new one
>Every emotion, a fiery thrill
>You've been waiting for and wanting this for a long time coming
>She must have felt the same with how you're straining to keep her steady
>All too soon it's over with her finally breaking the kiss to stare deep into your eyes with her own beautiful yellow ones
>You're drowning in them
>Having never persued love before with your devotion to the crown, never taking a wife
>Nothing to distract you from what you thought was your calling
>You, are an idiot
>Now you know why they urged you to try
>Why your father looked so proud of you as a sailor but sad for you as a man
>Well, this one's for you old man
>You embrace Sizani, pulling her down to your chest with feelings welling up from places in your heart you never even knew you had
>She hugs you tighter, with every part of her small body wrapped around you
>"I want to feel you Anon, I want to know what it's like to be with a man"
>You bolt upright, still holding on to her
>She eeps when you stand and carry her bridal style(you think) over to your desk
>You can hold your liquor
>But you won't give it a single chance to knock you out in the comfort of your own bed
>You set her down on top of it, ignoring all the maps and books you are currently ripping
>Sea charts and ledgers weren't as important as the still clingy Sizani that's on you
>When she no longer feels your hands around her she lightly lets go to prop herself up
>Your hands are needed elsewhere
>They grip onto her canvas shirt, and you lift it upwards revealing her toned stomach and well defined bust
>You have often found yourself fantasizing about those gorgeous orange sized orbs, a little too big on her small frame but perfect for your hands
>Speaking of them, they rub up her sides from her hips to toned abs, only stopping on the treasures you've never stopped wanting to take
>But you aren't greedy
>Gentle kisses on her neck, her hood, and the sides of her face are what you pay in toll
>She moans in your ear from every gentle squeeze to her bust
>It's almost too much from these new sensations, with how her scale padded hands rub your chest under your shirt, and her tail pulling you closer
>Once again she shows her speed, and with apparently practiced skill all it took was a flick for your holsters and jacket to fall
>All six guns scattered over the floor, and your fancy well kept jacket crumpled by your feet
>And all you can think of is how wonderful she looks
>You can't help but admire her body, from every scale to every color hue vibrantly changing from one blue to another
>She giggles, and pulls you in
>"What's wrong Captain? Never seen a naked lady before?"
>...Well
>You actually hadn't, but that isn't about to stop you now
>With another laugh, she pushes you back, and in your moment of wondering just what the fuck you did wrong, she slides down and kneels before you
>"Let's see what we have here," she's eager and trying to sound seductive
>It's fucking working
>You undo your belt, and slide out of your pants and undergarments
>She stares at 'you,' perplexed yet attentive
>"It's different than what I was told"
>You smile, saying "I'm not a lizard"
>She falters, looking unsure and up at you
>Your smile and a kind nod easily brings hers back
>She hesitantly wraps one hand around your engorged member
>"I was told there would be rough scales, and 2 tips"
>She trails her fingers along it
>"They told me it would hurt IF I ever got a mate"
>'IF'
>It's their loss, and your gain
>Whatever she was thinking about, it was no doubt starting to bother her
>You have a plan to fix that
>"Boop," you poke her on her scaled snout, and the resulting crumpled nostrils and fangs swiftly put an end to those thoughts
>You can't help but laugh, palm to your face and roaring at her attempts to be pouty
>"Hey," you calm down, and with a hand you gently caress her cheek, holding her eyes to your own, "there is no 'IF.' Not anymore, and never again"
>Shock, and pure happiness explode on her face, and she hugs you and presses herself into you
>It takes the both of you a few seconds to realize she was practically brushing your dick with her face
>Instead of recoiling away like you thought, she only stares at it, frozen in what you hope was wonder at your (probably) above average member
>"Can... can I taste it Captain?"
>Her words are sweet like honey, and her hot little breaths just as much
>She doesn't see your nod of approval, but your hands on her hood is the only answer she needs
>You give her slow circular rubs, and her head tilts in time with your hand
>You feel something wet flick against you
>Sizani has her eyes closed and maw slightly open, and her long split tongue starts to coil around you
>A little confusing
>But it feels amazing
>She pulls away to shift back in front of you, and she doesn't need words to start experimenting
>Opening her mouth she experiments with your length, moving slowly around you and mindful of her fangs
>When she feels she's far enough, her soft lips slowly close over you while her tongue makes up for what's not
>Overall, everything feels hot and wet
>Light pressure coils around your shaft, with more of it felt in her mouth
>After a moment of savoring you she starts moving her head back and forth along your length
>A small cough here and there doesn't stop both her moans and your groans
>Pretty sure the both of you are really liking this so far
>Your fingers are on the back of her hood with your thumbs tracing circles on her cheeks
>She shouldn't be this soft
>You're taken out of your petting from two clawed hands on your ass
>She forces herself onto you, taking everything you have, and your memory flashes to her large bites of food and that throat bulge she has when she does
>She has your everything and then some in her mouth and her throat, and her tongue coils tighter around you
>All sense of gagging or coughing is gone
>As fast and as rough as it was, she finally stops to release you, and with a long sensual lick up your shaft her tongue slowly uncoils from around you
>"Holy fuck Sizani, where did you learn that," you gasp
>She stands and twiddles her feet nervously, barely glancing your way
>"I was trained how to please my mate... If I ever got one"
>No sadness or frowning aloud, and it's once again stopped by you
>You scoop her into a hug again, your erection digging painfully into her toned stomach
>You have a lot of things you don't give a shit about right now, just so long as you cared for her
>"You please me so very much Sizani"
>Still a bit tipsy it seems
>"Let me please you more Captain," she takes it in stride
>Wiggling out of your embrace, she's sitting back down on the desk
>With a flourish she spreads her toned legs, revealing her glistening slit
>A beckoning finger pulls you to her
>"I want you Captain, I want to feel you and be with you"
>Well, this is it
>Your old man can finally stop calling you out
>It's just you, your slurred thoughts, your memories of a very informative homeless mouse man, and the woman of your dreams calling to you
>You press against her lips, waiting on the outside
>The smallest part inside her is surrounded by a humid warmth, and with a sharp breath she places her arms on your shoulders
>"Are you ready Sizani?"
>She's a witch, no question about it, with how mesmerizing her yellow eyes are with them locked onto yours
>All yours
>"Yes captain, please - I want it," she begs
>And you are hers
>She helps guide you as you press into her warmth
>It's... indescribable in how it envelopes you
>Every push you make causes a shudder in her, so much so that she holds you tight
>Her chest pressed against you, she rubs her hands all over your back
>"Mmm yes Captain, give me it all," she begs when you stop halfway through, your latest push causing a violent shudder and a hiss in your ear
>"Please," she begs again
>You don't keep her waiting and push on even more, and you couldn't help but savor the feeling of it all
>She is better than you ever imagined
>She clamps harder and tighter like a snake coiling around prey
>You don't mind being the victim to this, not with how she keeps hugging you tighter and moaning beside you
>Her massage includes claws the farther you go with yours gentle and light while you trace down her back
>You're kissing the side of her hood while you give one final push
>There's a sharp gasp in your ear, and one of your own from the stabbing pain that you feel in your shoulder
>You've totally speared your lizard and she's biting you in kind
>"Siz-"
>"Mmm, just like that Captain," she moans into your shoulder
>You thought you were hurting her all this time, but that couldn't be farther from the truth
>Your lizard is slumped against you, her mouth wrapped around your shoulder with the largest happy grin you've ever seen her make
>So you accept the fact that your lizard is incredibly kinky
>You can live with this
>Slowly pulling out and thrusting back in, each push you make earns another hissing moan
>You are dead to everything but her, and how could you not be?
>How could you feel anything else besides her?
>Her gentle caress, her now open golden yellow eyes peering into you as you push deeper and further into her
>It was everything you never knew you wanted
>You kiss her again as you thrust into her, steadying her on you with your hands on her generous hips
>The more you kept pushing the tighter she got, and quickly soon after her claws joined the pain
>It only encourages you
>Again you kiss her and she finally relents
>Her kiss is coppery, a bit weird, but worth it entirely
>She’s frantically moaning into your mouth from every rapid thrust you make
>Definitely a biter from every sweetspot you hit
>Her bites and moans slowly shift into hissing, with her grabbing more handfuls of you from her wildly trailing hands
>One of them settles on the back of your head, pushing you further into her kiss
>Her arm, tail and legs constrict every part of you, leaving nothing untouched between you
>But through it all you can tell that she's close
>And soon not even oil will help get you through
>She breaks the kiss as her walls clamp down hard, and a long hissing moan escapes from her
>Still you power through
>Her iron walls drag you closer over the edge
>"Sizani, I'm so clo-" you don't get to finish from the deep kiss that she snares you with
>You can't even warn her as you erupt deep inside her, filling her small body with your seed
>The thought of children never crossed your mind
>Would it be possible? Or no?
>Both to your drunken mind scare you
>You hold her tightly, standing firm while you ride it out
>It has to be perfect for her
>All that loneliness and worthlessness she must have felt, if there is one thing you can give her right now, it would be a perfect happy ending
>Locked in a kiss held shut by her fangs with you deep inside her, and both of you loving it all
>...But even that must come to an end
>The need to breathe is the only thing that separates you
>She pulls back with fluttering eyes, blinking out the haze she was in
>"I, I..." she's horrified by something on your face, and when an unsteady hand pats to find it, you feel a slight warmth on your fingers
>You must look like a bloody mess with how tears are starting to form in her eyes
>"Sizani, don't," you softly pull her head in close, resting it on your uninjured shoulder
>"I don't think I've ever been happier than I have now"
>Your lizard is quiet while you walk to the bed
>A light sea breeze does little to drown out her sniffles
>As cute as it was you don't want her to feel that
>Sitting down you hold her tight, and delegate your hands to give back rubs as best as they can
>With some swaying and calm words, you hear them stop
>"I'm fine Sizani, I'm fine," you say, massaging the back of her head, "I didn't expect anything less from you"
>"...Okay, Anon," she finally says
>You both quietly sit there for who knows how long it's you who breaks the silence
>"Was my first time, you know"
>"What?" she lifts herself off you while still on your lap, all traces of sadness having transformed to confusion
>"I thought every female would have fought for you!"
>You laughed at that
>"For me? Before I met you the waves were for me. And during that time I was glad every day that she never came knocking"
>"After all, I'm pretty sure no one wants to hug salt water"
>That did it
>She cracks a smile with a hiss and a snort escaping through
>"I-you!" another hissy snort, "I thought you could hold back your rum Captain Anon"
>"I thought I did too, but I guess you just keep on surprising me"
>For once you are faster than her, and you swoop her into your own solid hug toppling the both of you down on your bed
>Fuck your white satin sheets, red is a cool color anyways
>Still, you should get that looked at
>But later though, much later
>"I never knew mating would be so amazing, Anon" she cooes into your hear
>"Who'd a thought,"
>Her face is twice as scrunched as before, for in her(now frequent) bits of confusion, you got in another
>"Boop!"
>"Ssstop that!" her clawed hands poke at your face
>Did you just hear a lisp while she's flustered?
>You're going to abuse the hell out of this later
>Even when claws make their way into your mouth, you still never stop laughing
>Not when your filled with this unknowable feeling
>Was this love? You don't know, you have no comparison
>But you hoped it was when her weight lays back down over you
>You're reminded you're still 'joined' when she starts grinding on you
>You get a soft "no" when you move your hand to remove it
>Satisfied that you won't be going anywhere anytime soon, every one of her limbs that coiled around you all fell away, relaxed
>She's so light on top of you
>Bewilderingly so, betraying all her little tricks that put Gabriel's to shame
>'What a strange woman,' you yawn, and pull her up closer
>That icy feeling of everything you had missed out on in life
>You kindly told it to fuck off, holding Sizani a little tighter while you do
>She only sees it as a challenge, and her own arms squeeze back just as much
>Warmth is what you feel
>It's a simple mixture of a warm ocean breeze, Sizani, fancy bed sheets, your previous workout, Sizani some more, and the shit ton of booze you've had just an hour ago
>You can live with this feeling in the now and the promise of the long future ahead
>She slowly falls asleep, her head nuzzled into your chest and tail loosely wrapped around your leg and hers
>Every breath rises her chest ever so slightly, each with a flick of her tongue on your chest
>Complete and total perfection
>And soon enough you too fall asleep basking in a love you have never known
>You can't wait for tomorrow night's drinking party


Chapter 7 : All In
>Your crew is ready and so is The Dead Money
>Time to cast off again and possibly find a few more ships to raid
>You stand at the bow of the ship, looking out at the sea as your ship leaves port
>Where to go first? what to do first? Visit Agra?
>You decide to be a good leader and ask the crew
>"Alright Lads! Time to decide what to do next!"
>Looking around, you see the crew rubbing their faces lost in thought
>Its Draxis who speaks up first
>"We should find more ships sah, take what we want"
>The rest of the crew murmurs in agreement
>Which shipping lanes should we use?"
>"One of the new ones from that map we stole!" you hear Sizani's voice from below deck
>She climbs out from the depth of the ship and smiles at you
>The crew also likes that idea
>You nod and head to your cabin to chart a course to the shipping lane
>Easy enough to find a ship on a new shipping lane, especially one that they didn't know you knew about
>Sizani follows you to your cabin and you look at your maps, trying to decide which lane to go to
>There is no way to know which of these was more populated or less populated yet
>It was all going to have to be luck of the draw
>You needed a lane that was used frequently but not frequently enough that another ship could come to defend against your attack
>You look over at Sizani who is leaning on the table scanning the maps along with you
>"We should pick one of the ones further from the others to isolate the ship" you explain pointing at various lanes you had narrowed down
>Her eyes scan the map for a second
>"why not this one? Plus and island is close, we need more wood and flint to make arrows"
>You nod, plus using an island to lay low at would be useful
>"Wait, why didn't you just buy wood at the lumberyard again?"
>Her bright yellow eyes lock onto yours and she smiles
>"Because we wanted to see another island and the wood there is free!"
>Can't argue with that logic
>You plot the course and pull Sizani close
>"Hopefully we'll find something good, after we hit up a ship we can head to an Agra port"
>You rub your hand up and down her side, savoring the feeling of her scales
>So very exotic feeling
>She nuzzles into your side and looks up at you seductively
>"Mmm captain want to have a bit more fun~?"
>Fuck shes good
>But you can't right now, Draxis needs a heading
>You kiss her gently
>"I want to but being captain has its downsides too"
>She looks down and twiddles her feet
>"Are you sure you still want me as your mate Anon?"
>You pat her head gently
>"Of course I want you as a mate Sizani, tonight you're all mine"
>She looks up at you and smiles
>"Ok captain!"
>You smile and boop her nose gently
>"Sssstop that!"
>She's cute when she gets flustered
>Leaving the cabin , you breathe deep and smell the salt air
>You'll never get tired of it
>The smell, the sound of of the gulls cawing, the fair winds billowing out your sails
>This is Life!
>You head to the helm and clap Draxis on the shoulder
>"Draxis, has Issac taught you how to go to a certain heading?"
>He nods
>"Yassah!"
>You smile at him
>"Good Man! Take us on a heading bearing 090"

>It took about a week to reach the island
>The time at sea is perfect
>The island that was near the shipping lane was actually a perfect place to anchor the ship
>Actually if you didn't know better, it would be a perfect place to set aside extra cargo
>There was fresh water, plenty of wood and wildlife
>The biggest plus was you could see large cargo ships from it
>You were on the ship holding it down while the majority of your crew was on the island gathering supplies
>Water was one of the biggest limiting factors when it can to being at sea
>Being stir crazy used to be an issue but with all the practicing of bows which always turned into competitions the boredom melted away
>You could hear your crew returning with barrels of fresh water, food and wood
>It turns out many of the lizard kin of your crew were fairly good carpenters
>They had taken to repairing broken bits of the Ship, as well as carving various symbols into the wood
>Sizani told you it was for good fortunes and to appease their gods
>You didn't mind how they decorated things besides your cabin
>The crew is pulling everything up the gangplank, overall looked like a great haul
>Lots of fresh water and wood plus some of them even snagged some goats
>You assist them in bringing everything aboard like the captain should
>Sizani runs to you happily
>"Lots of good wood for arrows plus this!"
>She hands you a few black glassy stones
>"Obsidian? what do you need this stuff for?" you ask picking up a piece and holding it up
>"Makes good, uhm, what is word for point of arrow?"
>You hand the stones back
>"Arrowhead"
>She smiles happily
>"Yes! Makes good arrowhead! Very sharp!"
>You could see the other lizards had also grabbed a fair share of the glassy rock
>If there's obsidian this island must have been volcanic at some point
>Hm a thought for another time perhaps
>It was time to shove off and find more ships to prey upon
>The world's wealth could be yours! It would be yours!
>All you had to do was take it
>Assisting the crew in preparations you called out to Neil
>"Neil take us to that shipping lane, lets find a ship!"
>"Aye Sir"
>The anchor is pulled up and sail unfurled
>Time to take on the oceans

>The shipping lane had been a gold mine
>You managed to come through with minimal casualties, but you crew was tired, you could see it on how they moved
>Hitting a ship nearly every other day took it toll
>But you knew what to do with your crew and the huge amount of cargo you had procured
>Smooth Silken textiles from the arachnid people Of Barsom, Spices from around the old world and so much more!
>All would be sold for a high profit
>You had the Ship headed for an Agrian Port, Port D'azur
>But you had other things in mind as well,
>The papers from the Gretain Privateer were still in your desk and you needed to do something about them
>Could sparking a war be profitable?
>Undoubtedly it would be for you, preying on cargo ships trying to supply those in the new world
>A war would increase the amounts of supplies sent, as well
>But you would leave the politics to those who cared about it
>The Dead Money parted the waves at it sailed into the port, gaining a bit of attention
>When you dock her and lower the gang plank, the harbormaster as well as about a dozen soldiers meet you at the bottom
>"Your ship is not from Arga, yet you fly our flags"
>He looks you over
>"What is the meaning of this? I have half a mind to have you arrested for posing as a naval vessel"
>You look at the balding harbormaster and frown
>"We are privateers employed by your government"
>You pull your letters of marque out and hand them to him
>He frowns as he reads them
>"Hmpf, very well, the docking fee is 30 gold"
>You frown at that, you can see a sign that clearly reads 15 gold
>"You know I can read right? And that sign says 15 gold, so I'll pay 15 if you don't mind"
>He looks over his shoulder at the sign then back to you
>"Ah yes it does say 15, how silly of me"
>You pay him and head back up the gangplank
>"Gabriel! where are you?"
>"Here Sir!"
>Gabriel appears besides you
>"I need you to handle selling off our cargo, I have some business with the governor here"
>He nods quickly "Aye sir!"
>You head down the gangplank with Sizani at your side
>"Anon what is a governor?"
>"A governor is a leader, appointed by a higher leader to be in charge of something"
>You lead her through the port and make your way to the military officer in charge, a squat fellow who is studying a map on a table
>As you approach he looks you over before looking back to his map
>"Sorry we aren't recruiting anymore soldiers" he says dismissively
>You chuckle at him
>"I'm not here to Join your Navy, I am Captain Anon, a privateer and I have some things the governor needs to see"
>He looks up from his map once more and frowns at you
>"Very well, leave whatever you need him to see with me and I'll make sure he gets it
>You shake your head "Not happening, I need to speak to him at once"
>He sighs and goes back to his map before he speaks
>"Fine, just go through this building to the stone castle, you'll find him there"
>You leave him, comparing the admiral with his sense of pride and duty compared to the man you just left
>What a huge difference between the two
>You make your way to the castle, a remnant from earlier times
>As you enter you're greeted by a well dressed Mink anthro
>"Ah hello sir, how may I help you today?"
>You smile at his politeness
>"Hello, If you please I need to talk to the governor"
>He nods "Yes of course and who are you?"
>You cringe internally at forgetting to introduce yourself
>"I'm Captain Anon of the Dead Money, privateer, and I have some very interesting papers that may benefit The Agranic Confederacy In securing a place in the new world"
>"Very well, I'll take you to him immediately"
>He turns and leads you through the large castle, likely a remanent from older times
>after a short walk he enters a large study with a desk in the center, where a stocky human wears one of those god awful powdered wigs is sitting
>"Governor Abraham, Privateer Captain Anon says  he has some information in securing the new worlds for us" the mink says
>The governor looks up at you and gives a confused look
>"A Privateer? I was unaware we employed those"
>Hm guess the Admiral saw some great promise in you if her went out of his way to get you hired
>You salute sharply, allowing you previous Navel Officer life shine through
>"Sir, Admiral Comstalk had me hired as a privateer. I have some papers that may interest you Sir"
>Sizani gawks at you, never having seen this side of you
>The governor Smiles and nods at your formality
>"Very well Captain Anon, Lets see what you've got for me"

Chapter 8: Playing With Fire


>The governor Looks over the papers you handed him, over and over
>Each time his eyes get a little bit wider
>"You got these from a privateer? A Privateer hired by Gretin? And they were also attacking Trostlund's ships?" he says finally
>You nod sternly
>The governor himself is rather short stocky man
>From that you can tell he looks like he got put in what the service called "Retirement through transfer"
>He seems so indecisive about what to do with these papers
>And judging from the port, it seems that it basically runs itself and he was just a figurehead
>You wished that there was a more competent person of power here but oh well
>He would have to do although you might have to push it a bit up the chain
>"I did get them from a privateer, it seemed like they were attacking anything on that shipping lane"
>The blood drains from his face making his skin the same color of that stupid ass wig he wore
>"And uh...what shall I do with these?"  He asks looking up at you
>You frown
>"Well if I were in charge" you say Emphasizing the "I"
>"I would have these sent to the Ministers of parliament, and let them decide what to do with this sensitive information"
>The Governor looks between you and Sizani, whose looking around the office at the various things
>Her eyes rest on an antique sextant and you can see she's trying to hold back the urge to ask you what it was
>You look back at the governor who looks like he's wrestling with himself, talking to himself and nodding or shaking his head
>"Of course anyone who sends these would probably receive some sort of award from someone"
>His eyes snap to you
>"Yes... YES! Of course I will do that! Uh... let me just get these in a sealed envelope and find a ship" he says digging into his desk
>"If only there was a captain here who could transport them and knows exactly what you need to do" you say
>He nods as he begins melting wax
>God dam no wonder he was just a figurehead
>He places the papers into an envelope and presses a seal of wax upon it
>"Captain Anon, I just had the idea that you should deliver these to the Ministers, would you do that for me?"
>You nod and extend a hand to take the papers once more
>Annoying that you had to do this as well but having an official seal of a governor would help this a lot
>A war between 2 countries would be great for you and your crew
>Ships leaden with support for the new world
>Damaged warships trying to limp to port
>He hands them to you, and you stand from the desk, beckoning Sizani to follow
>"Thank you governor Abraham I will be sure to deliver these to the ministers" you say
>You then turn to leave with Sizani in tow
>As you trek out of the aged castle Sizani scurries next to you
>"Why must we deliver those papers Anon?" she says, looking at the envelope in your hand
>"These papers will start a war, war means we get paid more PLUS we can still attack ships" you say with a smile
>"But we must start a war for this? How many will perish?"
>You frown
>"We are starting a war between 2 countries, which have had a very shaky alliance ever since the discovery of the new world. The fuel is already there, we are just adding the spark. This way it’s a war between only 2 countries and not several" you say grimly
>They could say you are starting a war alone, but the truth is you’re just a man with a bunch of paper
>You didn't order allies to attack allies, you didn't ask for that ship to attack you
>All you’re doing is making the best of the situation
>Honor doesn't matter anymore and hasn’t for a long time
>War was inevitable
>Sizani however seems troubled
>"But still many will die"
>You nod "War is in our blood, many will die whether we do this or not, war will start sooner or later"
>You put an arm around her and pull her close
>"Best not to dwell on it, by the way the thing you were looking at was a sextant, we use it to for celestial navigation"
>She scratches the underside of her chin in thought
>"What is word? Celestial?"
>You point upwards
>"Stars, the moon, the sun"
>Her eyes go wide and that makes you smile
>"You navigate using stars?"
>"If you're good, I'll ask Neil to teach you how to use one" you say with a bigger smile
>She lets out a small angry hiss
>"I am ALWAYS good! I wish to learn how to use it!"
>The port in is view by now as you walk
>You can see The Dead Money, from what it looks like the crew has already finished getting the cargo off the ship
>The only reason you can tell is the water line on the side of the ship is much lower than before
>Before long you're walking up the gangplank once again to your ship
>You can see the Barrels of rum being loaded, as well as some sail cloth
>As well it looks like a few members of the crew went out and got various clothes
>It also looks like a few of the lizards got just plain colored cloth
>Guess they were going to make their own clothes or blankets
>Not that you mind either way
>As long as they just did what they were supposed to do,


>The sun set a while ago, the crew had gone into town and the port for whatever they wanted
>They had just one order
>Be ready for launch in 2 days
>You had gone out and treated yourself and Sizani to a nice meal\
>A small inn, tucked away near the cove
>Not too busy, yet not empty
>You had ordered some of that fancy imported blackberry wine and mutton chops
>Sizani ordered steak (Rare)
>You sit across from her, dim candles and torches light her up brilliantly
>Her scales shimmer slightly as her amber eyes are locked on you
>Being in a refined inn, surrounded by people who knew manners and such
>This was what you were used to before you were branded a pirate
>And while you could never return to your home country, you could still try to enjoy a few of the finer things in life
>Good food, good drinks and a lovely lady
>"Is this what your home was like Anon?" Sizani asks as the food is brought in front of her
>You can see her tongue flick in and out a few times
>Nodding, you smile and smell your own food
>"This is what it was like when I was a navy captain" you say picking up you knife and fork
>Sizani looks a bit confused at the silverware
>"What is this?" she asks, holding up the fork in a scaled hand
>Right, she had never used any silverware
>Why would she have? On the ship most food was finger food honestly
>No need for manners
>Here you do though
>"Hold it like this, and use your knife to cut it like this" you say as you demonstrate
>She mimics you as you both eat
>Pouring a cup of wine for you both, you sit and enjoy Sizani's company
>You had always assumed that after you became an admiral you would attempt to marry some other military man's daughter
>That you would have a loveless marriage simply staying together to have children to carry on the family name
>Instead you're in a foreign country, with an exotic woman as a privateer
>Not what you expected to be certain but you would take this over all that
>"What are you staring at Anon?"
>You snap back to focus on Sizani and smile
>"Not staring, just thinking about how nice it is to have a nice relaxing dinner with you, it’s a nice change of pace"
>She stares at you for a moment "What do you mean Anon?"
>You take a bite of your meal and chew it thoughtfully before answering
>"When I lost my rank and was forced to be a pirate, I thought I would never have a life like this again"
>Sizani stares as you speak
>"Yet here I am, having an amazing meal with a lovely lady, if anything my life has gotten better"
>You smile as you watch her mouth open slightly then close quickly
>"Better?"
>You nod
>"While the crew is smaller, things have gotten better, we're now privateers, get paid to do what we were doing anyway"
>You take a few more bites of your food as Sizani looks at you in thought
>"Thank you anon" she says finally
>Now it’s your turn to be a bit confused
>"For what?"
>She smiles and her fangs poke out from her lips a bit
>"For taking me as a mate, and for taking my people as part of your crew"
>You chew s bit more of your meal and take a sip of wine, trying to find words on what to say
>You settle for a simple "You're welcome"
>Her eyes light up as she smiles
>"I love you captain Anon"
>You blink back a bit of surprise and feel your smile widen
>"I Love you too Sizani"

>On the deck of The Dead Money the crew lounges and sews up new clothing
>The fabrics of The Agranic Confederacy were top of the line, you had even gone out of your way to purchase a blanket
>Yea, you had blankets but these were much more comfortable to use
>Even the lizards have dropped their usual bow practice and arrow making, in favor of making clothes and better quality bedding
>You lean against the railing of the ship, drinking your rum
>The crew is happy it seems, several of the Female lizards have found mates
>The male lizards have gone out through the port, no doubt in search of a wench or some other relief
>As long as they came back before you set off
>Sizani leans against you, drinking her own drink
>She had really enjoyed the wine, so you had opted to spoil her a bit and bought her a few bottles of it
>That made her happy, although she was more than happy to drink the usual rum
>Making her smile was a gift every time
>You watch as Neil attempted to sew a new blanket for himself and failed utterly
>He was far too drunk to sew correctly and kept pricking his hands
>Before long one of the female lizards takes pity on him and helps him
>Watching the all get along was perfect
>But you knew you needed to get a bigger crew, the ship had less than half of what
>The hope was that you could recruit a few more crew members
>Maybe a few less than patriotic Gretin's could augment your crew
>A few of those big ass wolves and other canines
>But here isn't the place to look for new crew members
>No, no, people here wouldn't be willing to join a privateer crew, even if you were legal
>They would still be branded as pirates to the rest of the world
>You would have to go to pirate ports, Rapture being your best case
>Not that you mind
>A few members of the crew saunter up the gangplank, carrying food and drink
>Draxis is carrying a very passed out member of the crew
>Well now that's a responsible crew member
>A Salty south-eastern wind blows by reminding you of your journey to come
>Across the sea to the old world, close enough to your home country to visit it
>But you couldn't without being captured and hung
>Homesickness was a thing you had never really had as a naval officer
>As such you never wanted to see that country again
>Any place willing to disregard one of their captains warnings for fear of losing face was not one you wanted to be a part of
>Agra would take care of you now, and with the Backing of the admiral, you knew that you and your crew would make it better than ever
>You focus back on your crew and watch them drink and have a good time
>Neil seems to have used is drunken words to convince the female lizard he was a stud because they were now kissing
>A few of the other crew members cheer them on
>Heh nice
>But you had enough for now and stand up all the way
>Sizani stays leaned on you
>"Lets get to bed Sizani, we have a busy day tomorrow" you say as you begin walking to your cabin
>"Busy why?"
>You walk as you explain
>"We are going to meet with the commodore here, we don't want our allies trying to kill us"
>Her eyes go wide as she walks next to you
>"No we don't, that would be bad"
>You nod as you open the door to your cabin and hold it open for her
>Sizani walks in and begins stripping as soon as you close the door
>You smile as you follow suit and climb into bed
>Sizani snuggles up into your arms as you pull the new blankets over to cover you both
>"Good night Sizani" you whisper quietly
>"Goodnight captain"
>You wrap your arms around her and pull her close
>Before long you're hear Her soft breathing as she falls asleep
>Life was getting so much better from now on
>you were sure of it