He waited on the dock, looking around in irritation. It was now early morning, and he'd been kept waiting long enough. He swore, if the man didn't show his face in short order, he'd have him attached by the ankles to the hull of the Spirit, take the boat down to periscope depth, and run an emergency surface drill.

Truth be told, he hated being on shore for too long. The first few days it was nice, fun...different, a joy to see something other than the same passageways of the ship, the bridge and combat control center, his stateroom.

But after too long on shore, he began to miss those same things. The smooth, sterile lines of those passageways, that he knew so well he could walk them blindfolded and backwards with his hands tied behind his back. The smells of the ship, clean, but with a certain oily, salty tinge that came from so many lubricants, solvents, foods cooking, the sea itself and the men and women on the boat. The feel of the deck under his feet as the ship moved, or under his back as he lay in his comfortable bunk, a soothing lullaby of engine vibrations, and sometimes the feel of the boat rocking in the swell if they were shallow enough.

They'd been on shore here for six days, the crew coming ashore in shifts to get their fill of their pleasures and desires before being returned to the Spirit. The launches came and went unnoticed, their hulls cleverly disguised to resemble ordinary longboats. The Spirit herself sat far out in the bay now, her sleek lines sunk beneath the waves, silently prowling a slow, wide circle, awaiting the signal from her captain that he was returning with the last of the crew.

Which consisted of one man. Who was late. Very late.

He was just beginning to contemplate the man's punishment anew when he spied movement approaching the pier, a familiar lean form strolling along as though he were quite pleased with himself.

He waited until the man was within feet of him before he spoke. "Mr. Laird, if you weren't my XO, I'd have you keelhauled once we got back to the boat."

The man's answer was a chuckle as he walked on past towards the launch, looking back at the captain as he fell in behind him. "Trust me, Captain, once you see what I've got, you'll be glad I got in late."

An hour later, they were sitting in the Captain's stateroom across from each other, the desk unfolded from the wall, a folder laid open on top of it, various papers on top of that. Also on the desk was a bottle of rum and two glasses, both mostly empty as they talked.

"So, they're trying to start up a naval guard." Matthew chuckled, shaking his head as he leaned back in his chair. "And who did you say is heading it up?"

The XO picked up his glass, swirling the contents. "A Captain Starblade. Interesting choice, if you ask me. Word is she's a pirate herself."

The captain snickered. "It makes perfect sense, actually. If you want to catch a thief, your best bet is to hire another thief."

The XO frowned slightly. "You think they're after us?"

Matthew waved that away. "My ego ain't that big, Jack. No, I don't think they really even know we're out here. Of course, after that raid we pulled off a few months back, we haven't really needed to make another one. Those three freighters kept the island supplied for a good little while." He gestured to the papers as he leaned over and picked up his glass. "By the way, how did you manage to get the shipping manifests and schedules for the next month?"

The XO grinned. "Well, sir, let's just say that when you make the harbormaster's daughter scream your name four times in a night, she'll be willing to hand over just about anything."

The captain's eyes widened slightly. "You didn't give her your actual name, did you?"

That got a laugh from the exec as he shook his head. "What d'ya think I am, Captain" Some wet-behind-the-ears 'wog" Hell no...she was being pleasured by Pete Johnson, first mate of the Alabaster Maiden, departing tonight for parts unknown."

The captain chuckled along with his XO, shaking his head. "You're a dirty man, Jack." Lifting his glass in a salute to the man, he tipped it back and drained it. "So...I'm guessing you had time to look these over?"

Laird nodded in answer, returning the salute and draining his own glass before he set it down on the desk. "Aye, Captain. Slim pickings, but there are a couple nice fat targets in there. Got a good one later this week - two-freighter convoy, single escort, hauling non-perishables and various sundries. We can catch them outside the harbor as they're leaving Rhy'din, drop a couple fish into the tin can they got with them, and escort them back to Breaker Bay." He referred to the harbor on the island they had 'appropriated' for themselves, a modest bit of land jutting out of the sea some hundred and fifty miles off the coast. They had found what looked to be the remains of an old settlement there, abandoned for years, perhaps decades by the time they found it.

Matthew nodded thoughtfully, a rogue's grin breaking over his features. "Sounds like a plan, Jack. Why'nt you go and plot out our position, get things ready so we're prepared when they come along. Find us a good spot. Who knows" While we're hanging around out there we might get lucky, have someone's treasure ship come floating by or something."

The XO nodded as he chuckled and stood, set the glass on the desk and headed out of the stateroom. "Aye aye, sir."