Part 9 - 'Father, meet Johnny - the Devil'

At Key Rendezvous, we wait for the arrival of the Cross of St Benedict and the exorcist.

By now Spike is largely recovered from his wounds, and can climb up to the crows' nest again. However, he is not allowed a gun up there for now, as we do not want a repeat of the incident that began the whole fight with the Black Freighter.

Bert has been surveying the area in detail with soundings taken from one of the ships boats. He makes an accurate map, and uses this to plot several escape routes in case of need.

After we have been there for a day, the cutter we sent off to Key West returns. Its crew tell us that they delivered the letter to a skiff just outside Key West harbour. This is a bit closer than we had hoped, but better than their directly contacting the Santa Lucia. And based on this, the Santa Lucia may be close behind.

We leave the cutter moored by the side of the ship, as we will hopefully need it soon.

The hidden gun emplacement on Key Rendezvous is manned, and the boats hidden there made ready. Once we have the Cross they are to head for the boats and rejoin us.

And sure enough, early next morning there is a cry of "Sail Ho!" from the crows' nest as a lookout (not Spike) spots an approaching vessel.

Climbing up the rigging, Spike and Bert, who have seen her before, confirm that it is the Santa Lucia. No other ships are currently visible.

We worry that the Cross might be a fake, which would be bad. It is suggested we could test it with the head which, being very unholy, should evince some sort of negative reaction from it, but we decide against it in the end, as we do not want to damage the Cross.

Instead, we decide that if it is a fake, the Exorcist dies horribly instead.

Other than this, we will continue to play things straight.

We also decide to time thing so that the exchange takes place at the peak of the tide, so it dropping after it is done, making the sandbars more of a problem for any pursuer.

That being so, Donna Josepha and Consuela are brought up from their cabin and severely warned against any messing about as they are led down into the cutter. They both sullenly nod.

On the other side of Key Rendezvous, the Santa Lucia heaves to and drops anchor.

From the crows' nest, Spike looks for other sails, but sees none.

There is a lot of activity on the deck of the Santa Lucia. We see a large shrouded cross-shaped object being loaded into one of the Santa Lucia's jollyboats, which is joined by thirteen people. We worry about the unluckiness of this number, then dismiss these concerns for now.

Mr Vaughn is put in charge of the Red Corvette while, in addition to Donna Josepha and Consuela, Captain Raven, Finbar, Julian, Quentin and eight rowers board our cutter, for a total of fourteen people. All of us are dressed in the respectable clothes we bought in Havana for the purposes of disguise. Julian and Quentin are, as always, immaculate.

Both boats row towards Key Rendezvous and land on their respective beaches.

We are as courteous to the ladies as possible, and hand then out of the cutter.

On the Spanish side, the Cross remains in the jolly boat, while the men all climb out. One seems to be a monk; the others are all Spanish Navy types, led by a low-ranking officer.

They approach us.

The Spanish officer, who seems to speak good English, looks to Finbar as our captain; no-one disputes this misinterpretation of the facts.

Finbar, pretending that we know what the Cross of St Benedict looks like, tells the Spanish officer that he wants to examine it before the exchange is made. The officer does not disagree with this, and so Finbar goes over to the Spanish jollyboat. Three of our sailors accompany him.

Flicking aside the tarpaulin covering it, Finbar reveals the Cross of St Benedict. It is of old, plain, rough wood, some ten feet tall. There are no signs that anyone was actually crucified on it. Finbar examines the join of the two pieces and finds it simple work, using wooden pages to hold the two parts together.

He tells the Spanish that he is satisfied that it is genuine, and with the approval of the officer he, our sailors, and several Spanish sailors lift it out of their boat and carry it towards ours.

Meanwhile, the Spanish officer talks to Donna Josepha in rapid Spanish. Of course, Captain Raven speaks Spanish, and lurks nearby, so Donna Josepha does not say anything out of line.

When the Cross is level with the rest of the two groups, Donna Josepha and Consuela are allowed to go to the Spanish.

We load the Cross into our cutter.

The Spanish officer gestures to the monk, previously lurking near the back, and he approaches us. The officer introduces him as Father Alberto Ramierez of the Order of Saint Bruno. Father Alberto is a thin man, apparently in his late forties, with a wiry build, lined face, and a careworn look, as if he has seen a lot. He does not seem to speak English.

With apologies, Finbar searches Father Alberto, and finds him unarmed, and carrying an exorcism kit.

And the two groups make to separate. A small chorus of 'Farewell and Adieu to you ladies of Spain', goes up.

The Spanish party is almost at their jollyboat when Donna Josepha, through the Spanish officer, asks when Captain de Alvarez will be released.

Finbar tells her than we will let him go in due time, with a message. Of course, as Lieutenant Dominguez knows what actually happened to Captain de Alvarez the Spanish officer may also know. However, Donna Josepha definitely does not...

We re-board our respective boats and begin to row back to our respective ships.

We see Donna Josepha talking quietly and urgently to the Spanish officer, indicating us as she does so. The officer seems to be nodding in agreement with whatever she is saying.

The two boats reach their ships, and people climb aboard. The Cross of St Benedict is very carefully hauled up onto the Red Corvette.

Father Alberto is escorted to Donna Josepha's cabin.

And we begin to sail eastward along the coast of Key Rendezvous.

When we lose sight of the Santa Lucia, the crew for the gun emplacement board us, and we sail off, Florida-wards, heading out of the Gulf of Mexico and into the ocean, looking for a storm...

Two lookouts are sent up the masts to keep watch for problems.

Finbar worries that, if we lift the curse, and Vandervecken dies, then the protection from the storm that he exerted will fade, and we will be at the storms' mercy.

We consider this. Captain Raven and Spike think that the storm will just dissipate instead, and we decide to go with this conclusion. Fingers crossed.

Captain Raven goes to explain the situation to Father Alberto.

She tells him that we were fleeing 'English pirates' when we were caught in a powerful storm, where we encountered the Flying Dutchman and were cursed. In seeking the cure for the curse, we were led to these dire straits, but despite what we have done, we are really just misunderstood honest traders.

Father Alberto seems reasonably convinced by this.

At this point, a KABOOM! is heard from far astern. Bert automatically manoeuvres the ship, just in case.

From the crows nest, Spike sees a little smoke rising from beyond Key Rendezvous, along with a wave spreading out.

Mr Vaughn can't see this, but wonders what has happened.

Continuing to watch, Spike sees the waves dissipate, then a jollyboat come out from behind Key Rendezvous, followed shortly afterwards by the Santa Lucia. Bad!

The Santa Lucia sees us, turns, and begins to give chase.

We pile on as much sail as we can, and run. So do they.

We are of the opinion that we most definitely do not want a fight now. Anyone who dies now is damned, and if there is a battle we might lose the Cross of St Benedict, or Father Alberto. So, under Captain Raven's orders, we run...

Despite the best efforts of the Santa Lucia, we pull ahead and ahead.

Various mad plans are considered, but in the end we just go.

We are still plainly visible to each other, with the ships perhaps five or ten miles apart.

The Santa Lucia slowly begins to catch up; they seem to have raised every sail they have.

And there is no sign of a storm.

We put on more sail, until we begin to risk the masts and rigging.

Eventually night falls, and we start trying to lose the Santa Lucia in the dark.

We manoeuvre, and let go a boat with a light on it while manoeuvring with all of our lights doused.

By the morning, the Santa Lucia is just visible some twenty or twenty-five miles away, and we are in the Atlantic.

We sail on. The Santa Lucia remains visible far behind us, but does not seem to be catching up.

Father Alberto remains in his cabin, reading his bible.

As we sail on, Captain Raven goes to seem him with the intention of broaching the subject of the head. Which is still alive.

She talks to him about the Devil. What is he behind?

Father Alberto tells her that the Devil is behind all evil.

Captain Raven has a personal interest here. She explains about the head. How it is frightening, bad for morale, and, in fact, worse than the curse. The Devil is tempting us.

Father Alberto clearly does not believe her, and thinks we're all mad.

So Captain Raven has the head lowered from the yardarm and brought in on a spike, but still gagged, clearly still alive.

She shows it to him. "Father, meet Johnny - the Devil."

He stumbles back, going pale and pulling out his cross and brandishing it at the head, and at us.

We tell him that we've tried to get rid of it, but with no success.

Father Alberto appears to be deeply shocked. "My children, you all need much spiritual guidance!" he says.

We explain about the head again, and about its being gagged to avoid the temptations it spouted. Also why it is just a head - the lack of limbs is for our safety.

Father Alberto stumbles out on deck, where he falls onto his knees and begins to pray. He prays for a long time. At the suggestion of Captain Raven, everyone who is not needed for the immediate running of the ship joins him, most of them entirely voluntarily.

After another few hours of sailing, the lookouts notice a darkening of the sky, as of a storm. This is hopefully what we are looking for. Unfortunately, it is behind us, some forty-five degrees of where the Santa Lucia is still following us, and the wind here is blowing away from it. Damn.

We worry about the problems that might well ensue if we sail closer to the Santa Lucia against the wind.

Spike suggests we wait for nightfall, and everyone else agrees with this.

While we wait, Father Alberto tells Captain Raven that he wishes to exorcise the head. We are all in favour of this idea, and agree to join in.

Father Alberto opens his exorcism kit and brings out all of his required paraphernalia, setting them up as required. Then he begins the exorcism, abjuring the Devil to leave this place and this head. The head watches him. For hours Father Alberto exorcises and exorcises. At one point the light fades briefly, as if a cloud passed between us and sun, though the sky is clear. Later there is a buzzing, as of a swarm of insects, then a blot of lightning out of a clear sky. Father Alberto is sweating and shaking from his efforts, but still he carries on.

Then there is a sound as of a great gust of wind, though we feel nothing, and darkness boils out of the head accompanied by a pandemonium of wailing. The darkness fades, and the head slumps, clearly dead.

Father Alberto falls over unconscious, exhausted.

We are all quite impressed. He is carefully carried down to his cabin and put to bed. Finbar keeps an eye on him.

From astern, the storm is coming closer.

Night falls, with the wind rising about us.

The next morning Father Alberto wakes up, and seems to be fine, if still tired.

The storm is almost upon us now, and there is no sign of the Santa Lucia.

Finbar suggests that, rather than trying to run into the storm as we did before, this time we put out a sea anchor and just ride it out. Captain Raven agrees that this is probably the best way forward, and the crew leaps to make things ready for the storm. The Cross of St Benedict is made very secure, and we lower everything we can, sails, spars and so on, and make all secure.

We do worry rather about the motives of Vandervecken. However, we conclude that we just have to trust him. But we load the guns, too. Just in case.

As we wait for the storm, Father Alberto conducts a funeral ceremony over the head, and it is buried at sea. Everyone likes this better than Finbar's suggestion of firing it out of a cannon...

Then Father Alberto blesses the ship, and all of us.

Finbar spends a little time making a footing and cradle for the Cross, so that it can be set up on deck when we need it.

And with the Red Corvette as ready as it can be, the storm washes over us.

The ship, now properly prepared, handles it much better this time. We are still gradually taking damage, but at a much lower rate than before.

After a while, St Elmos' fire begins to play over the ship.

The storm becomes worse and worse, more and more violent, as it did before.

And then, off in the distance, the lookouts sight a glowing ship under full sail approaching us.

Father Alberto is pale again, and not just from seasickness.

As the glowing ship we all recognise it as the Flying Dutchman. As before, it draws alongside us, and the sea calms around it.

A tall, thin, bearded figure dressed in black, who we recognise as Vandervecken, hails us from the other ship. "Ahoy the Black Mamba!" he shouts.

"Ahoy!" we reply.

He asks whether we have been successful.

We tell him that we think so.

"Then bring the cross and priest across," he tells us.

Mr Vaughn issues an extra ration of rum for everyone. Dutch courage? Or Flying Dutchman courage?

As before the two ships grapple and come together.

Captain Raven escorts Father Alberto across to the Flying Dutchman while the rest of us carry the Cross of St Benedict and the footing that Finbar made. Bert is left in charge of the Red Corvette.

As we bring the Cross across, the crew of Flying Dutchman are gathering on the deck, as they were a congregation rather than the crew of a ship.

And with the Cross of St Benedict properly set up on the deck of the Flying Dutchman and the two crews assembled, Father Alberto begins the Blessing of St Bruno.

As with the exorcism of the head, this seems to be a major effort for him. As the Blessing proceeds, the sound of the storm fades, and everything goes quiet. The sea around us calms even more while thunder and lightning play in the sky overhead. The curse-fire flows and runs over both ships.

Then there is an almighty crash of thunder, and there is a sense of something lifting from us, something we were not even aware was there - a burden. There is a brief sense of peace and that the Blessing has, indeed, been done.

Around us, the storm is fading at speed.

And the Flying Dutchman and its crew are fading too.

Grabbing Father Alberto and the Cross of St Benedict we all run for the Red Corvette.

Almost everyone makes the leap back to the Red Corvette without any problems. Apart from Mr Vaughn, who trips and hits his head on our hull as he falls into the sea and begins to drown.

Spike quickly dives in and saves him, and the pair are hauled back up onto the ship with the aid of a rope.

With Mr Vaughn rescued, Spike then climbs up the crows nest and scans the now-clear sea around us. There is no sign of the Santa Lucia, or indeed of an other ship.

The sea is empty, the sky is clear, and we have a perfect wind for sailing.

Finbar suggests that we need to make a policy decision. Now that our souls have been saved, do we get ourselves new lives, or carry on as before?

An interesting question.

Captain Raven says that the first thing we should do is take Father Alberto.

Spike asks him about the Cross of St Benedict, but he says he knows nothing of it. However, he does know where he would like to go - back to Cuba.

Finbar says he wants to a more positive thing to do now - a gentler form of piracy.

Mr Vaughn suggests that normal piracy with regular confession might do the trick. Captain Raven agrees with this.

"Perhaps we could become Robin Hoods of the seas?" wonders Finbar.

Bert sets a course back to Cuba, and we sail off, arguing about what to do all the way.

Arriving off the coast of Cuba, we find a village near Havana and put Father Alberto ashore there, along with the Cross of St Benedict and a gift for Father Alberto to thank him for his work - a gold crucifix from the loot we took from the Black Freighter. We also give him the black iron bell from the Black Freighter, as we think it may go well as part of his exorcism kit.

Father Alberto thanks us for it and the crucifix.

We thank him for saving our souls, and promise to try and mend our ways.

And with that we sail away from Cuba, off to the fleshpots of Port au Prince for some shore leave, rest and recreation. We are also intending to begin our new, more charitable ways by donating some loot to the poor and needy prostitutes and publicans there. As well as selling off some of the spare equipment we now have.

And so off into the sunset we sail...

THE END (for now)...

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