The day before, Captain Ellya captured a prisoner who led her to where Pirate Captain Goldstriker's treasure lay. The island brought its own trials and after misfortunate events with both women, the Velvet Beauty's crew absconded with two Sod Guard vessels saturated with precious metals in their hulls. She wasn't sure why the Sod Guard were working on the island or what Goldstriker supposed treasure was doing there, but her curiosity would be satiated.
Currently, the Sod Guard has five war vessels enveloping the Velvet Beauty and its floating treasure ship. Ellya changed out of her night attire and had her men on deck. She was barking at them in boiling frustration "Get to ya stations! Be ready on the cannons! I want every man to hold a sword!"
The military boats parallel to the Red Tease showed Sod Guard men running around. At the edge of each deck, men were armed with rifles and cannons for a standoff. Their white uniform and blood-red shoulder pads blinked around the surface as they prepared to board.
Gabbit tugged Ellya's shirt, unbuttoning it slightly. "Captain..." his voice faded.
"Aye! Can't ya see I'm--"
Ellya's face turned gray. She looked up at the fifth vessel, easily the largest Sod Guard ship she had ever seen. Its unbelievable size casted a shadow over the entire deck. Drawing her neck high, she saw there were at least 70 bone-white orcs with red-tattooed shoulders looking down on them. Their icy gaze captured everybody's attention as the Pirate Maiden's crew froze in place.
Almost reflective in prayer, she breathed "Oh, what in the fuckin' 'ell...."
"We should get the team together... and uuuh..." Gabbit paused. "Uuh... we should."
"Yea, I heard ya..." Ellya watched to similar effect.
The Sod Guard vessel on the left dropped a boarding ramp. The plank's wooden teeth bit onto the deck, announcing their presence. A couple dozen armed Sod Guard stood at the middle of the bridge.
One of the men in the vanguard announced "Captain Ellya! You and your crew are officially under custody of the Sod Guard. The Admiral demands your presence at once."
Ellya tiptoed to peer over the scattered men on her ship. "Oy! Why don' ya just take long walk off a short bridge, yea!? OR, ya would make things easier if ya all just took a big step to your right! The water's a bit cold, but is more welcomin' than me!"
"Captain Ellya!" The Sod Guard presented further. "This is not a request! Your crew of miscreants are to surrender at once!"
"How 'bout we just yell all day, ya twats!?"
"Captain! Ellya!"
"Oy! Tell ya daddy admiral that I ain't goin' on ya ship unless I get some assurances!"
"We assure we will not harm you or your crew if you comply!"
"Ya see? I ain't too comfortable with 'at. So, tell ya daddy admiral I ain't comin' unless I got me guards watchin' me back."
There was a short pause. The Sod Guard soldiers began talking amongst each other, passing the message. Eventually the murmuring stopped when an individual started running across the deck.
"Captain Ellya!" The soldier readied.
"What!?" She screamed back aggressively.
"We are sending your demands to the admiral."
"Well, take ya bloody time!"
The redhead took a knee and turned to her goblin. She spoke under her breath "Listen, Gabbit."
"I'm listening." His voice rustled.
"I need ya, Chad, Ooguh, and one other to get on the 2nd ship."
Conflicted, Gabbit asked "Why? And what about you and Arabella?"
"Me and Ara will board the ship and have a li'l chat with dis admiral--but I'mma need ya and the others to be on the 2nd ship, b'cause if shit hits the rutter then I know yous three be safe. They ain't never gonna sink their own gold, yea?"
"That's--that's smart, Ellya." Gabbit was letting the anxiety get to him. He was surprised to see Ellya function under such pressure, but she was right. There's no way the Sod Guard would sink the ship they stole; it was filled to the brim with gold and precious jewels.
"I know we gon' get past this together." She clapped her palm on Gabbit's wrinkly green head.
Gabbit gestured his affirmation with a determined look, then started running to collect the others.
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Gabbit, Ooguh, Chad, and Feet snuck a small rowboat to get to their 2nd vessel. They rowed silently across the morning fog, which swept the waters.
Feet spouted "We sex the cap'n if we win? Yes yes yea?"
"Shhh!!!" Gabbit blew at him. "Keep quiet, Feet."
"Sorry, Grasbit... I just excited! I never get 'em chance to impress da Pirate Mitten, huhu! So what do happens?"
Gabbit recapped for the lad. "When we were on that orc and goblin island, we stole this ship. Ellya wants us to stay in this vessel because she knows we'll be safe in it. Alright?"
Chad continued to row as his eyes rolled into the back of his head. Gabbit saw the frustration on his face. Chad may have well been stuck with two orcs if he had to tolerate a second more of Feet's petulant outbursts. A green hand reached out to pat Chad's shoulder, soothing his mental anguish.
*THUNK* The little row boat interacted with a dense wood. Chad released his hands from the oars and stood up. He began feeling the hull of the treasure ship they stole. He rubbed his hands against it. "There you are..." He felt a thick twine. A thread-like creak echoed down to his fist, then he tugged onto a rope ladder.
"Let's proceed, lads." Chad shucked himself higher towards the ship.
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As Ellya's crew ensured their safety, she and Arabella were herded up a series of zigzagging boarding ramps to the towering Sod Guard flagship. The journey felt marginally safer with seven of her riflemen at her back and her own curved sword in hand. The ship they, now boarded, was colossal. Its mast reached skyward as if to pierce the clouds, its sails expansive enough to cover acres of land. The deck was a polished expanse of oak, initially appearing to be manned by hundreds of men.
However, the Sod Guard mothership was a melting pot of humans, orcs, and goblins. The humans sported their signature white uniforms with red accents, a style mimicked by the diminutive goblins who were busy giving commands to the orcs. These orcs, with their muscular frames and simpler minds, were covered in a chalky white substance, with red paint sloppily applied to their shoulders in an attempt to replicate the uniform's design.
Arabella's stomach churned at the sight of the orcs eyeing her and Ellya. The blonde's body vibrated with fear, yet there was a peculiar stirring between her legs. Unbeknownst to her, the blue liquid she had been forced to drink the day before was now heightening her sexual desires and loosening her moral constraints.
Ellya was led further into the ship. They stood on a platform lifted by the brute strength of two orcs manning a wheel, a task that would have otherwise required ten men. As they rose, both the redhead and the blonde gripped each other's hands, their eyes squeezed shut in silent prayer, hoping fervently that this would not mark their end.
The wooden floor finished ascending. The rope pulsated.
"Welcome to the Sod Guard command center, Captain Ellya." The Sod Guard spoke sternly.