with wind. The
captain immediately recognized the schooner for what they were: pirates! He
quickly informed the crew of the new danger; which they had no hope of
outrunning. Unfortunately, the Teresa carried very little arms; it was not well
stocked. There weren’t any cannons, and although they carried enough muskets to
arm the crew, most hadn’t been used in years. There were, however, several
swords and a number of axes as well. The captain and the crew armed themselves
as best they could, but they knew the weapons they had wouldn’t be enough. The
Portuguese flag fluttered majestically on the stern. They would have to fight
to the death. Vijendra’s schooner continued to advance rapidly, because it was much faster in the light breeze.
The
schooner wasn’t any more than a mile away now, so everyone but the two women,
prepared to attack their foe with all their might. The sun was high in the sky
and it was clear there were a great number of them to contend with. As they
came closer, about six hundred feet, the legion of well-built men, naked to the
waist and drawn from the various Asian and Chinese-Asian tribes waved their
weapons menacingly. Their shiny muskets, sabres and swords, along with their
ferocious war cries, sent chilling reminders to one and all. A cannon blast
thundered from Mabuhay and its ball smashed into the side of The Teresa ,
splinters flying everywhere.
“Just
wait for them to come aboard, men,” thundered Captain Thomas. “Just wait, so we
can save our lead!”
Ferocious
cries of excitement emanated from those aboard the Mabuhay ; the pirates
had begun their attack. Another cannon blast thundered, smashing into a mast
and felling it. When the Mabuhay came within one hundred feet, Captain
Thomas shouted “Fire!”
Several
pirates collapsed lifelessly on the deck as the Teresa unleashed all the
firepower they had. The pirates retaliated and, in less than an instant, four
of the Teresa’s crew lay lifelessly on deck. The severed foremast had
already killed two of the crew. Out of the original fourteen crew only nine
were left, if Michael counted the death of Mad Wayne. Retaliation was nearly
impossible, but some of the remaining sailors emptied their muskets and fled
towards starboard, attempting to jump into the sea. Many had been hit and cries
of agony filled the air as blood poured from their wounds. Captain Thomas and
two other men immediately rushed to stop the intruders from boarding, but a
volley of musket fire stopped all three in their tracks and they fell
lifelessly to the deck. Martha rushed to her husband’s body, crying. Quickly
she scooped up two muskets, reloaded them and fired at the intruders, killing
one. She too fell under a hail of lead as the pirates retaliated.
A terrible
cry filled the air as Michael stood there with his dagger, “Hurrah for Vijendra! ”
The
pirates began to board, grabbing onto the bulwarks, side stays and ratlines.
Michael was the only person remained alive, standing on the deck and he was only
armed with a small dagger. Michael stood there defending himself with the
courage of a tiger, striking out in all directions at the volley of men
surrounding him.
He heard
one man cry with agony as his dagger sliced through the pirate’s jugular vein.
The remaining four men raised their sabers, ready to cut Michael to ribbons.
“Stop!”
thundered a voice. “That boy acts like a warrior.”
The man
that had shouted those life-saving words appeared to be about forty years of
age. He was tall, with skin lightly tanned by the sun, long blond hair, and
light blue eyes. A light brown beard covered his face. He gestured to his men
to make way for him and then he advanced towards Michael. He looked him over
for several minutes, carefully taking in every detail.
“So,
what are you going to say?” he asked.
“W…W…What?”
Michael stuttered, surprised by his soft voice.
“Surprised
to be alive?” he asked.
“I
don’t know how or why
captain immediately recognized the schooner for what they were: pirates! He
quickly informed the crew of the new danger; which they had no hope of
outrunning. Unfortunately, the Teresa carried very little arms; it was not well
stocked. There weren’t any cannons, and although they carried enough muskets to
arm the crew, most hadn’t been used in years. There were, however, several
swords and a number of axes as well. The captain and the crew armed themselves
as best they could, but they knew the weapons they had wouldn’t be enough. The
Portuguese flag fluttered majestically on the stern. They would have to fight
to the death. Vijendra’s schooner continued to advance rapidly, because it was much faster in the light breeze.
The
schooner wasn’t any more than a mile away now, so everyone but the two women,
prepared to attack their foe with all their might. The sun was high in the sky
and it was clear there were a great number of them to contend with. As they
came closer, about six hundred feet, the legion of well-built men, naked to the
waist and drawn from the various Asian and Chinese-Asian tribes waved their
weapons menacingly. Their shiny muskets, sabres and swords, along with their
ferocious war cries, sent chilling reminders to one and all. A cannon blast
thundered from Mabuhay and its ball smashed into the side of The Teresa ,
splinters flying everywhere.
“Just
wait for them to come aboard, men,” thundered Captain Thomas. “Just wait, so we
can save our lead!”
Ferocious
cries of excitement emanated from those aboard the Mabuhay ; the pirates
had begun their attack. Another cannon blast thundered, smashing into a mast
and felling it. When the Mabuhay came within one hundred feet, Captain
Thomas shouted “Fire!”
Several
pirates collapsed lifelessly on the deck as the Teresa unleashed all the
firepower they had. The pirates retaliated and, in less than an instant, four
of the Teresa’s crew lay lifelessly on deck. The severed foremast had
already killed two of the crew. Out of the original fourteen crew only nine
were left, if Michael counted the death of Mad Wayne. Retaliation was nearly
impossible, but some of the remaining sailors emptied their muskets and fled
towards starboard, attempting to jump into the sea. Many had been hit and cries
of agony filled the air as blood poured from their wounds. Captain Thomas and
two other men immediately rushed to stop the intruders from boarding, but a
volley of musket fire stopped all three in their tracks and they fell
lifelessly to the deck. Martha rushed to her husband’s body, crying. Quickly
she scooped up two muskets, reloaded them and fired at the intruders, killing
one. She too fell under a hail of lead as the pirates retaliated.
A terrible
cry filled the air as Michael stood there with his dagger, “Hurrah for Vijendra! ”
The
pirates began to board, grabbing onto the bulwarks, side stays and ratlines.
Michael was the only person remained alive, standing on the deck and he was only
armed with a small dagger. Michael stood there defending himself with the
courage of a tiger, striking out in all directions at the volley of men
surrounding him.
He heard
one man cry with agony as his dagger sliced through the pirate’s jugular vein.
The remaining four men raised their sabers, ready to cut Michael to ribbons.
“Stop!”
thundered a voice. “That boy acts like a warrior.”
The man
that had shouted those life-saving words appeared to be about forty years of
age. He was tall, with skin lightly tanned by the sun, long blond hair, and
light blue eyes. A light brown beard covered his face. He gestured to his men
to make way for him and then he advanced towards Michael. He looked him over
for several minutes, carefully taking in every detail.
“So,
what are you going to say?” he asked.
“W…W…What?”
Michael stuttered, surprised by his soft voice.
“Surprised
to be alive?” he asked.
“I
don’t know how or why
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