Re: World-Valencia

[Sydney Underhill]

"I think that would be best." Nodding, the Commodore gently placed the belt and sabre back on the desk. "Teach's end won't be any cleaner."

Walking out of the cabin, the Commodore headed downstairs, a slight spring in her step and a smile playing at the corners of her mouth as she bounded into the lower dungeon.

"I'm back! Miss me, pirate?"

[Ulysses Septimus]

Almost immediately, he turned as white as a ghost and froze stiff like he had suddenly became a statue, "Wh-what do you want now?"Unlike his captain, his tone was not once arrogant, instead, it was laced thick with fear."

[Sydney Underhill]

"I'm here to deliver your demise, that's all..." She picked up the small knife that she had selected earlier, walking up so that she was standing close, directly in front of him, before cutting his coat and shirt off of his body.

"It seemed a bit too theatrical when I said it, but I do think you'll find this a unique way to 'go'."

[Ulysses Septimus]

"Damn me."Teach muttered, "I am such a fool to have stayed with Adrian Devereaux... Now I'm going to follow him into death..."

[Sydney Underhill]

"It's a pity, really..." Sydney sighed, looking over his bare torso to decide where her first incision would be.

"You have impressive intelligence compared to the rest of them...we could have used that. But you chose the wrong side."

[Ulysses Septimus]

Teach said nothing. He couldn't have anyway. Those were the sniper's thoughts as he observed the pirate, picking up his erratic heart beats and calculating them to be most likely fear.

But he said nothing, did nothing, as his commander had not yet issued an order.

[Sydney Underhill]

"Yes, I think I know where I'm going to start..."

Sydney brought the blade up to his right arm, making a horizontal incision, directly on his wrist, and a long vertical cut, perpendicular to the first one, that stretched all the way up his arm.

[Ulysses Septimus]

The Privateer didn't scream: he bit down on his lower lip to stifle the sound, though he still could not prevent a low groan of pain from escaping his throat.

(Upper Deck)
Ulysses' fist slammed into a wall in his cabin.

Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT!

Cursing up a storm in Latin, the Armada admiral held the sides of his head like he was trying hard to not think of something, or trying to shake it from his head.

"It powers me, yet, it makes me weak."He hissed to himself, "that memory brings me prowess in battle, but it makes me a weakened, human fool!"

Ulysses basically screamed out the last part, both hands now clenched into fists...

Outside, Sentus stiffened and glanced at the door of the cabin, which was locked shut: he had served beside Admiral Ulysses long enough to know that it was better to stay out of the human Armada officer's way, when he was having one of those fits of rage.

However, he couldn't help but wonder just exactly what Ulysses meant by 'that memory': what he could guess was the memory was what drove Septimus into insanity, but just exactly what?

Since he was unable to calculate the answer to his own question, Sentus decided to leave the matter, and the Admiral, alone.

[Sydney Underhill]

((Sorry for taking so long! I've been super busy for the past few days with District Band Assessment, but that's over now, yay ))

"My, you're a tough one, aren't you?" Sydney laughed, amused by Teach's efforts. She liked him. He was, by far, much less obnoxious than the swashbuckler. He was levelheaded usually, calm. She could tell.

Good.

Seeing him break would be even more fun.

Placing the dagger aside for the time being, Sydney picked up a long metal rod, about the length of her forearm, with a sharp, barbed hook on the end, and pinning his arm down with her left hand, the Armada Commodore pushed the hook down into the vertical cut she had made, hooking it underneath the pirate's flesh.

[Ulysses Septimus]

((Hey it's okay, and I am sure you did well on it  ))

Sweat rolled off the captured privateer's brows, mixing in with the drops of blood on his body. He was shivering as well, from both blood loss and fear.

"Is it too late to surrender?"Teach gasped, barely able to speak above a whisper. "I regret my decision, and I wish to be able to correct it."

[Sydney Underhill]

Sydney raised her eyebrows in surprise, staying frozen in place for a minute before yanking the hook out of his flesh.

"Smart words, pirate. Unfortunately, I'm not the one to decide your final fate now, but I've had my fun, I suppose..."

She turned around, now facing the two clockworks who were standing by the door.

"Decimus...go and relay his words to the Admiral. Let's see what he has to say about this."

[Ulysses Septimus]

Decimus saluted her, "As how you say, Commander." He turned and walked swiftly back up to the deck.

He tapped on the cabin's door, as a voice inside spoke, "Enter."

Inside, Ulysses was once again behind his desk, his mask and hat back on. 

"Servus Decimus,"the admiral's voice was back to normal, "what, may I ask, brought your presence here?"

Decimus saluted the Admiral and answered, "Admiral Septimus, the Commodore wishes for me to tell you that pirate seems to have realized the wrong in his actions: he wishes to surrender and correct what mistakes he had committed in the past."

"Fear is a powerful thing,"Ulysses mused, "hmm, this is interesting..."He stood, "I shall speak with him personally."

The sniper stepped out of the way as the older human officer made his way below decks, to the dungeon.

[Sydney Underhill]

The Commodore stepped back from the door to allow the Admiral to enter, standing behind him as he walked up to Teach.

"He says he surrenders, Admiral...shall we be merciful?"

[Ulysses Septimus]

Ulysses surveyed the privateer with suspicious eyes, "I don't trust pirates, but we could use this one's intelligence..."

Drawing one of his Hidden Blades, he pressed the tip of his weapon against Teach's jugular vein, his face barely inches away as he hissed, "Edward James Teach, you were an enemy to the Valencian Crown and convicted of piracy... You should have been executed, remember that..."

Ulysses glanced at Sydney, then back at Teach, "I will give you one chance to prove yourself useful to Lord Kane's glorious cause. Should you fail, I believe our newly named Commander here would be more than happy to finish you."

He backed away slowly, the Hidden Blade retracting with a low shing into his sleeve. "Keep in that pathetic mind of yours, Teach, you can never be like me and her."Ulysses' red eyes bore into the other's blue ones, "we are perfect, you are flawed." the admiral turned to his lieutenant, "Release him and put him in the brig."

Sentus Optimus stepped forward, obeying his leader's command...

[Sydney Underhill]

Edward Teach let himself be dragged away without resistance, and although Sydney was pleased that the Armada had gained a new possible asset, she was also disappointed that she did not get to finish what she had started.

The room was eerily quiet after the pirate had been dragged out, except for the soft dripping of blood from the almost unrecognizable remains of the now-deceased swashbuckler.

[Ulysses Septimus]

"Do not be disappointed, Commander."Ulysses had wrapped his voice in his public speaker's tone and like he had read her mind, "you will gain a new toy to play with soon, a much more durable and interesting toy."

He didn't say the name, but he was sure she knew: who else could he be referring to other than his enemy Atticus Mercilus?

[Sydney Underhill]

Sydney seemed confused at first, but as she figured out the meaning behind the Admiral's words, her face lit up in excitement.

"Yes...I will enjoy breaking him...every joint, every bone, every nerve...all of him."

[Ulysses Septimus]

"Crush every single bit of him like the pathetic insect he is."Ulysses growled softly, "make him feel the pain he had inflicted upon Albus."

He glanced at the exit of the dungeon, "Shall we return to the upper decks? We are nearing Valencia, and I made a promise to tell you more about Mercilus."

[Sydney Underhill]

"Of course." Sydney said, starting for the door but then stopping as she looked down at herself, her uniform and hair drenched with the blood of the two pirates.

"Well, this is problematic..."

[Ulysses Septimus]

"By the name of Kane, indeed, we should get that cleaned up."Ulysses agreed when they reached the top deck, "I shall send Sentus to get you a new uniform once we reach Cadiz, and I believe I've kept some water down in the fourth deck... Lieutenant!"

Optimus nodded in mechanical understanding, pivoted and walked down the stairs, returning with a large bucket of water and a rag.

[Sydney Underhill]

"The remains of that swashbuckler, Adrian...I'm afraid I've created quite a mess with him." She said, running her crimson-stained gloved fingers through her hair absentmindedly.

"I hope Lord Kane will be pleased..."

[Ulysses Septimus]

"That we can take care of later; I've seen messes worse than that."Ulysses replied, leaning against the railings of the "Interceptor" as it sailed through Aragon Skyway. "And I am sure he would be pleased with our results, those two, after all, had been a major thorn in his side."

[Sydney Underhill]

"Hmm...the privateer is interesting. He seems to be intelligent, yet he was oddly calm when I was about to strip the flesh from his arm, and he somehow kept together when he saw his companion torn apart. I haven't seen many humans like that before."

[Ulysses Septimus]

"Neither have I,"Ulysses agreed, "we shall see if he proves to be useful. Should he fail, I will be more than glad to hand him over to you again."

Wind ripped hard and strong for a brief moment as they entered the stormgate leading into Aragon skyway.

"Home at last."Ulysses chuckled.

[Sydney Underhill]

"The outcome will not affect the Armada negatively in any way, then...that's good."

She leaned forwards on the railing as well, feeling the blood on her exposed neck dry as the wind blasted her face. It wasn't exactly a pleasant feeling, but it certainly was a change from the hot, humid lower dungeons, and she welcomed it.

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