Governor Francorte paced angrily behind his desk, dark looks shot at his Lieutenant as he raged about the failure of the mission. Twenty-nine marines, several of their officers and almost forty seamen lost. Barlow had returned with seven of his officers and had nervously spent the last hour trying to justify that fact. In the end, Francorte leaned on his knuckles and glared across the desk, issuing a new set of orders that outlined the price of failure in no uncertain terms.

The Hispaniola port was a hive of busy workers. Two of the King's ships were having heavier canons mounted on the decks and a small army of marines loaded enough cargo for a month at sea. Barlow watched from the bridge of the Dark Pride, the ship that he planned on steering back to the pirate haven and with the newly mounted canon, blasting them out of the mountain. Alongside was the sister ship Bold Sea, receiving the same upgrading. Captain Seth Woodcuffe, her master, marked the lading with a stern eye.

His orders were to sail in support of the Dark Pride and ultimately assist in capturing the notorious pirate, Terry Hollick. Woodcuffe didn't have much regard for Barlow, a military officer, commanding a ship in the King's navy and was even less pleased to learn he would be subordinate to Barlow's command. Captain Woodcuffe had plenty of experience dealing with the brigands that plied the Caribbean waters and did not require instruction from a soldier.

His reverie was interrupted by a hail from Barlow, requesting his presence. Woodcuffe turned the supervision of the work over to his first officer and debarked.

"I see you're nearly finished outfitting your ship, Captain."

"We are finished outfitting, sir. We just a few more items of cargo and we'll be ready to sail." It was a petty correction but Woodcuffe couldn't resist and he saw the effect in Barlow's eyes.

"Very good then. One hour. be ready to hoist sail." Barlow tossed a puny salute and turned away.

"One hour, sir." Woodcuffe left the bridge and returned to shore.

******

Hollick nodded and offered a good word to his crew as they disposed of the last of the brig's wreckage. The entrance was clear once more and the huge sail of rock-coloured camouflage was back in place. He went back to the cavern and the area in which the survivors were being held.

"Report, Mister Braggs."

"Fourteen men in all, Skipper. Three with injuries that aren't too bad. Two that seem to think being loyal to their Captain, who by the way was our military friend, Barlow, will somehow get them rescued, and the one that was in irons. His name is Ryan Cafferty."

"Take care of the wounded and feed the lot. The two hold outs keep separate and in irons. let them have a taste of Barlow's medicine. Give me a few minutes then send Cafferty in to see me."

"Aye, Skipper."

Mel came out of his tent just as he arrived and she gave him a grin and giggled, running off without a word. he stepped inside and stopped. Alicia was standing by a cupboard looking at a painting that hung beside it. It was a woman with a small child, posed on an uncomfortable looking chair. He walked over and stood beside her.

"This is a lovely painting, but why would you choose to hang something like that in here?"

"Because it is mine, not liberated from one of your merchants. That is my mother and I."

Alicia gave a small gasp and turned to him. "Your mother?"

"Yes, pirates have mothers too."

"I didn't mean- I-"

"I came from a wealthy family background. I was educated in fine schools and eat my food with a knife and fork."

She closed her eyes, embarrassed at how her comment created an atmosphere of resentment. When she opened them he was seated on a cushion, placing his pistol handily within reach and a man was shown into the tent by his first mate.

"Ryan Cafferty, Skipper."

"Thank you , Hill. Sit down, Mister Cafferty." It seemed she was forgotten and so she found a comfortable corner and sat, watching the two men.

"My mate tells me Barlow threw you in irons for assaulting an officer in the King's navy."

"Bollocks!" Cafferty glanced toward Alicia and wet his lips. "Sorry."He looked again and a light went on in his head. "That's Miss Francorte."

"You know her?"

"Well, to see. She goes to the market in port... lovely lady."

"She was on your ship."

"Ah, well I wouldn't have had a chance to see her then would I." He related his story and Hollick just nodded, he knew very well what Barlow was like. He studied the man a moment then offered him sanctuary with the pirates if he wished. There was no place in the King's navy for a seaman who was accused of striking an officer. Cafferty accepted, asking only that he have an opportunity to see his wife in Hispaniola.

"Now that could be troublesome."

"She's about to bear us a child, sir. I can't leave her alone through that and she'll need the money I have."

"You carried money to sea, to hunt pirates?"

"When you've sailed as long as I have ,sir, you learn to make friends with the cook and the quartermaster, and money is a great friend when needed."

"All I can promise is the next time we go out I'll see you are put ashore as conveniently as possible and you can make your way on foot." Hollick shook Cafferty's hand and saw him out of the tent.

"You have the same option, Alicia, if it's something you want."

"You mean drop me ashore somewhere?"

"No. I wouldn't do that to a lady."

"I need to see my mother. She has nothing without me. My father... well, you already know my father."

"I will see that you get home. We'll sail at night and anchor outside the harbour and row you ashore."

******

Woodcuffe pounded a fist on the bridge rail as his first officer read the signal from Barlow's ship. He raged aloud at the sea and grasped the helm lock to keep from falling over as he gasped, red-faced, for breath.

"That monumental idiot! He loses a ship right in the entrance to the haven, doesn't mark it on his map and expects to just remember where it was!"

"Sir, your blood pressure."

"I know, I know." He let out a long breath and stood straighter. "We have been sailing up and down this section of the coast for nearly six hours and nothing. He thinks it was around here."

"Perhaps the pirates scuttled her ,sir."

"Perhaps? If you were them what would you do, Mister Day? Leave it right where everyone could see it?" Woodcuffe Stomped away. " I'll be in my cabin."

******

"No reply, sir."

"That pompous ass. He thinks because he is a Captain his opinion and experience carry some indisputable knowledge. Barlow fumed inside. he knew exactly what his oversight looked like to everyone. He had to save face with his men.

"Master Gunner, I want a volley into the cliff face at intervals of two hundred feet for a thousand feet. Full load, master Gunner."

"We won't do much from this distance, sir."

Barlow glared at the man and sputtered about having his orders questioned. Five minutes later there was a new Master Gunner and the other was below decks, bewildered, and in irons.

The five new guns fired simultaneously and explosions of rock and other debris flew into the air and back down into the sea leaving a cloud of dirty dust hanging in the air.

Further up the coast, Mullen primed the top gun and awaited orders from his Captain. Hollick sat with the lookout and watched the action through his spyglass.

"Let's hope they don't plan on doing that the entire length of the coastline. What fool would give a command like that?" He closed the glass and handed it back to the lookout. "Keep a sharp eye and don't let Mullen get too anxious."

******

"Captain Woodcuffe, sir. A message from the Dark Pride. You are to duplicate their firing procedure half a league up the coast."

Woodcuffe turned a dark red, his jaw set so firmly it cracked noisily. He called his signalman and had him issue a terse response. The reply left no room for doubting the consequences of disobeying the order and with steaming reluctance Woodcuffe obeyed, moving his ship further up the coast.

******

The explosions sent the pirates scurrying, preparing their well drilled defense activities. Mullen was already on the watch, top gun primed and Hollick sat in the lookout spot taking in the curious activities of the line ships. Sections of the rock cliff plunged into the sea, raising huge waves the carried all the way out to the ships. He grew uneasy as the second ship sailed closer to their section of the coast. A barrage like that could seal the entrance and they would never get the Bright Star out to sea again.

"Mister Braggs! Get aloft and make sure Mullen does not fire on that ship unless it threatens our entrance... and only then."

"Aye , sir."

Hollick clambered back down to the cavern floor and made sure all the practiced drills were being carried out. He spoke to several of the crew about setting charges aboard the Bright Star in the event the cavern was overrun and hope was lost. They were to see she was scuttled.

"What about the prisoners, sir... the survivors."

"Leave one man to watch them. If we lose a battle in here it won't matter, they'll just go back."

"And Cafferty?"

"Let him help, if a weapon is needed, give him one."

Once again Mel was organizing the escape for the women and children in the longboat if necessary. Alicia found Hollick and asked if she could help.

"You wish to work against your father's rescuers?"

"I just see families that need to be protected, I am not insulated against compassion."

"Very well, see Mel and do her bidding." A shout from Hill in the lookout hole brought his attention back .

"They are luffing just a short way down preparing to fire, Skipper."

"Let's see what their first volley does, and don't forget Mullen. If we start to see damage to the cavern have him drop a round amidships and another at her topsail."