Pirates a League of Brothers by H, J, Macey (phonics books TXT) 📖

as he woke in a frenzy. Not knowing where he was, had him thrashing about wide-eyed and confused. Then focusing on Sera he asked. "What happened where did everybody go, oh my head who hit me?" Peter asked trying to hold his head still as it was still spinning.

 

"You did, you idiot, went to heavy on the grog last night. You're not used to it Peter, you drank far too much." Sera said looking down on him, wallowing in self-pity but did not confess. She too had woke confused and bewildered, and somewhat fuzzy headed.

 

"Come on is almost half nine, we're meeting Tanya at ten-thirty. You shower and change, I'll meet you in the cafeteria. I want to see what they put up for breakfast, I've been on a diet for far too long. It will be a change from toasted burger buns," Sera said tapping her tummy. Peter suddenly realised she was wearing a short light summer dress, and she wasn't quite Sera today.

 

"God you look nice Sera, haven't seen you in that before. You look radiant," Peter said honestly, dragging himself off the floor. Where he had fallen when Sera woke him up, his aching head thumping as the blood pounded through his veins. Sera blushed slightly at the compliment, it had taken her by surprise they hadn't been seeing eye to eye lately.

 

It was true, being out of work had brought them both down. The inactivity, the no purpose of their lives. Plus being under each other's feet, all the time had made them almost invisible to one another. Sera mostly wandered around the house in her dressing gown, hair tied back out of the way. No makeup to speak of, she wouldn't waste it, it cost too much. Anyway only Peter was there to see her, so why bother. She had made her business face-up yesterday, she had her pretty face on today.

 

"Shall I wait for you, or go on down Peter?" Sera asked slightly overwhelmed, by Peter's remark and the way he was looking at her now. She had planned to go without him, but his kind words had made her feel nice. The last time she felt like this was when she was having a pleasant cup of coffee with Robin Jenkins in Kelmscott. That was a week ago, his friendly smile and presence had made her feel nice then, and so had his charming compliments.

 

'Now if I had shared a house with Robin,' 'No,' put that out of your mind he is married!' Sera said to herself, getting slightly flushed at her thoughts. Looking at Peter swaying to his bedroom, as she watched him take off his shirt.

 

"You go on Sera I'll catch you up, oh have you any aspirin. I've got a brass band playing in my head." Peter said, turning and looking like a lost puppy dog. Sera suddenly had a surge of puppy love; or was it the mother instinct in her coming out.

 

"Oh here I have some in my room, I'll get them for you." She said turning back to her door, then handing them to him as she returned. "Thank you," he said entering the bathroom to take them and have his shower.

 

Felu stood as Sera entered the dining hall, his big frame far too obvious to miss. Then again he stood as Sera walked towards him, with her tray of food he held out her seat. So he would be guarding her again today, Sera thought and also saw Peter's Samoan lady guard. Sitting by Tanya and Maer, and the woman Peter had been so friendly with last night.

 

"Good morning Sera, I've been told you and Peter enjoyed yourselves last night. How is Peter this morning, I do hope he is able to join us." Tanya said with a big smile, that was also etched on the face of Peters friend of the night before.

 

A few minutes later Felu stood again, to wave as Peter entered in casual slacks and shirt. Peter waved back and went to the serviery for his breakfast. He was greeted at the table with a firm handshake, from his friend the night before and smiles from the others.

 

"Sorry have I kept you waiting, but I woke up late," Peter said as he sat. All at the table had empty plates in front of them by now, though Sera was still drinking her coffee. She had just finished her rockmelon breakfast and looked tiny as she sat next to the big Felu. Who's ever-smiling face betrayed the friendliness of his race, now they were no longer headhunters.

 

"There is no hurry Peter, today is just an informal day. It's for you to get to know your new surroundings, and meet some of the people you will be working with. Rachal here will be taking you to see the Celesta, and the tramp steamer Tiki Maro." Tanya said looking at the smiling Rachal, the friend Peter had had last night.

 

"You're going to like Captain Jake Peter, he has some wild tales of the sea. I can't wait to introduce you to him," said Rachal her beaming smile showing her pearly white teeth. That was framed in her dark-skinned face, and Sera seemed to detect an underlying meaning to Rachal's words.

 

"We're going aboard the Celesta?" Peter said enthusiastically. Popping the last of his steak and egg breakfast into his mouth, and emptying his coffee cup. As he gave Rachal a big thank you smile, and Sera thought he had taken to her as if he had known her for years. He had definitely come alive, in the last twenty-four hours it seemed.  

Chapter 10

The first stop on the tour was the warehouses, where all the goods, the Brotherhood used, were stored after being shipped in from all over the world. With most of the food stocks coming from the home island, they were told they would be going too when the steamer next set sail.

 

There were four large warehouses in total, one was a combination of a deep freezer and cool storage. One had all manner of clothing and bedding in boxes, piled high in racks with just enough space between for a fork truck to operate. A third had tents and emergency sanitation equipment, with a vast array of tools for digging and building.

 

The fourth warehouse they bypassed completely, with no explanation whatsoever. Then they found themselves walking up the gangplank of the steamer, as the dockyard cranes were still unloading it. Rachal approached a deckhand and asked him a question, and the deckhand gestured towards the stern of the ship. They followed Rachal, as she beckoned them to follow.                                                

 

Rounding the end of the superstructure, they came onto the stern of the ship. Where several men stood, looking at some winch like machinery. Three were in grubby overalls, and one in a navy blue jacket and white officers cap. From what Sera could see of him, he was in his forties and had a white beard. Rachal indicated for them to wait, as she went to speak to her Captain.

 

Rachal approached the four men from their right, and the Captain turned towards the sound of Rachel's voice. When she got near to him, and she held the Captains gazed as she spoke. Sera could not hear what was said from where they were standing, but when Rachal finished talking. The Captain looked their way, with an open-mouthed shocked look as he started towards them.

 

"Captain Jake, this is Sera Godard and Peter Martin. They have just joined us, the grandmaster wanted you to meet them as soon as possible. He will be here himself in two day's time," Rachal said before the Captain could speak. With a bewildered look the Captain took another step towards them, with his hand outstretched to Peter. It was in his movement that Sera realised he had a wooden leg, as he threw his wooden leg out, then brought his other leg forward.

 

"Peter Martin is it now?" the Captain asked inquisitively in what sounded like a Cornish brogue. In a very questioning manner, as he looked closely at Peter. From his accent and mannerisms. Sera pictured him wearing a bandana and carrying a Pirates cutlass.  She could also see Peter looking at the Captain as if he was trying to remember if he had seen him before. Rachal broke the mood when she informed the Captain.

 

"We're going over to the Castela Captain would you like to join us, you know her better than most. Peter has shown an interest in her since he first saw her yesterday, I promised him last night I would show him over her?" When Rachal finished talking, they turned towards the gangplank to leave the ship. As they neared it a dark-skinned man in a blue jacket and white hat, stepped from it onto the deck of the ship. He stopped abruptly as he saw them and the Captain approaching.

 

"Pedro!" he said with an astonished look, and the Captain quickly introduced him to them.

 

"This is my first officer Joshua Standfast, Joshua met Peter Martin and Sera Godard. They have just joined the brotherhood, I'm going over the Castela to show them over the ship. The Tiki Maro is yours, for the duration." He said putting a hand on the man's shoulder, as Joshua still looked strangely at Peter.

 

"Dorian will be here in two days for a meeting of senior hands, we will know more of what is afoot. Until then carry on as normal, the starboard stern winch needs replacing." The captain continued patting Mr Steadfarst's shoulder, then stood aside to invite Sera to be first onto the gangplank to go ashore.

 

She smiled and nodded to Mr Standfast as she passed him to step onto the gangplank, but his eyes were still on Peter. As she turned her head back to see where she was going, a smiling Felu came into view standing at the end of the gangplank waiting for her to descend.

 

They would have to drive around the perimeter of the inlet to reach the other side of the docks. Where the Castela was in her own dried out basin, but she wasn't the only craft on that side of the crescent-shaped inlet. There were several small fast looking boats tied along the key side in front of a long two-storey building. All the boats were white, and all six long hulls all looked the same and didn't look at all like fishing boats.

   

Coming out of the working dock area, there was a marina with pleaser craft moored in neat rows. With many sailing Dinges on trailers, parked by a chandlery shop. A little further on there seemed to be a race track, where sedan cars were driving fast. Going into skidding turns, or manoeuvres to spin around to drive in the opposite direction. It looked great fun, as clouds of blue smoke rose from spinning squealing tyres.

 

They passed a large open space, that looked like an obstacle course. Where a large group of men were climbing over tall wooden fences. Swinging from ropes over water obstacles, and sliding down ropes from tall towers. All wore black clothing and