The cabin boy had fallen overboard again .

  A shouted curse, followed by a resounding splash, jolted the captain from contemplative stillness to sudden action . silhouetted against a vibrant blue sky , balancing at ease on the steeply canted deck of the port now, the ship commander had been idly tracking the path of a dapple -gray gull as it circled the top gallants high above . Gold -burnished red hair framed the hollow -cheeked face ,and a billowing silk shirt fluttered in the sultry breeze , molding itself to a slender yet strongly muscled torso . Tight black breeches encased lean, perfectly formed legs and a heavy sword belt was buckled low across slim hips .Power and grace fairly emanated from the captain's lithe figure .

   A figure that had never , ever been mistaken for a man's reacting instantly to the disturbance , the captain turned her attention down gently lapping waves below, where a quick scan of the situation told her all she needed to know . 

The ships youngest crew member slipped his tether , tumbling headlong into the aqua waters of the bay for an unexpected bath .

    Lynnette swore she'd never met another human being quite so clumsy as young Davie, nor one so prone to making the same mistake twice . she 'd told the boy a hundred times to have someone else tie the knots on his makeshift sling when scraping the hull, or she would make him do it the hard way by keelhauling . Davies own knots weren't worth the rope they were made from , this was the third time she had fallen and the last time she was going to save him. 

  She sighed , stripping off her high boots quickly , when the got back onboard , she was going to have someone teach him the correct way to tie a knot . she have  no time to mollycoddle her men. Damn" Lynnette swore, from all the splashing , it sounded like she better hurry ,or he would tire himself out before she could get to him . She could have had one of the men go after him but in truth , she was the strongest swimmer on the Maiden's Revenge (ship) , and besides , she was their leader , it was her duty to protect her crew, and that , unfortunately , included fishing them out of the drink (water) when necessary.  Unbuckling her sword belt letting it clatter on the deck , she leapt to the railing, balanced for a second , then drove cleanly into the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean far below 

      She was quite the captain always to the rescue, and her crew love and respect her for that . They are always loyal to the core . She can't help but chuckle after she recalled how many times the young lad had fallen over board, she always cautioned him to stay clear of the railings , but the young lad seemed to have sold his ears. She wanted so much to punish him for disobeying her again and again , But the punishment will have to wait , she have to save him first

They weren't that far from the shore , reefed for a moment in the safe harbour on the north coast of Tortuga for repairs and proper careening of the hull . The ship was pulled close to a shore, and a system of weights , ropes , and pulleys held it slanted so that most of the port side was above water ,  that way, sailors could get to work with their scrapers on the barnacle encrusting the hull, as well as check for possible weak spot in the seasoned wood .

    Just above  the waterline were several gaping holes that could only have been made by cannon fire. A couple of the men were repairing them with obvious skill and experience .

  As she dove , Lynnette thought she heard someone snickering behind her on deck , but then she hit the water with a shock and , for a moment could hear nothing as the water rushed past her. Surfacing With a gasp , she flung her long hair back impatiently out of her eyes . One of this days she swore she was going to cut it all off. but the thought of shears and curls faded as she spotted Davie by the great splashes of water he was sending up . She made her way to the boy on short seconds , and had her arm beneath his shoulders before he could do more than blink. 

  "Easy ,kid "Lynnette said calmly in his ear, "I've got you . No need to clutch me so tight ;  We've been through this before " She looked up the rail of the ship , where her first mate ( crew member) stood with a rope and a grin , "Harry! she called and he tossed the line down before she could complete the order . " All right , Davie boy , up you go " The boy a cheeky lad (kid) of thirteen , gave a grateful , almost worshipful look and caught the end of the rope . with her support , he got a good grip and began ascending , hir wiry arms more than equal to the task . When he was halfway up, Lynnette started up herself . and was soon aboard the sloping deck , dripping wet and ready to  deliver a tongue lashing to the youthful cabin boy he was unlikely to forget .

  Before she even began , she noticed that the boy was directing his gaze somewhere below somewhere her own , and not toward the floor , either . Specifically , to her soaked withe silk shirt . and what lay beneath was not at all hidden by the wet fabric . 

  Lynnette's eyes narrowed . The coincidence was too much to be ignored , One could simply do not fall over board three times in a month, even in the worst weather , and the weather today was fine , sunny and hot . A perfect day , in fact , for a short dunk and a long look at the attributes of one's rescuer especially if one was a young man just beginning to notice the opposite sex . 

She understood the meaning of that Snickers now. Some members of her crew had figured Davie's little scheme she caught on to it herself . Lynnette did not find the situation amusing .

  Don't you think you were too hard on the boy , captain? asked Harry a little while later as the oversaw the repairs . 

Lynnette " -"

Harry scratches head I mean,  he was just having a little fun ,nothing any boy his age wouldn't do . He mean no harm ,

     Lynnette looked at her second in command he was older man , seamed and scarred by the weather , and other elements. He had been her first mate (crew member) as long as she captained the Maiden's Revenge , and her friend for twice this time .

  "No , I do not think I was hard on the boy , she said sharply . " You no I don't tolerate that sort of insubordination from any member of  my crew, an not even from an imp like Davie ".

What do you think will happen to my authority if let the men think of me as a woman rather than a Captain ?.

  Nay (no) "She shook her head , as much as I like the scoundrel he had to be punished , That will serve as an example to others .

She spoke frankly with her first mate as she would not with any one else  

As far as Harry knew , he was the only person the only man , at any rate , she trusted enough to do so "Aye captain " he replied knowing she was right ,   Still scrubbing the deck twice a day for a month will be a harsh punishment for a good hearted devil. 

With any other captain "she reminded him "would be a flogging "

 "with any other captain ? he said grinning , there wouldn't be any need for that when we have Captain throne . 

   Now we will have to race to make our destination in time , she continued she continued with voice filled with dark intent , I wouldn't want to keep Lord Roger waiting. 

If the information the captain of the last vessel gave us is correct , I will face that son of a ***** soon enough and when am done with him " I will feed what's left of him to the sharks "

But captain , Harry began, but she cut him off . If you are going be another of your famous lectures on the perils of revenge ,save it cos I've heard them often enough , and one more repetition won't change my mind. You know what he did to me to , to Sarah . Lord Roger will pay !! she growled .

     She can't help but remember that night , the night she lost everything , her father, her sister , her family, her name , everything that she own the especially her integrity .

  That night was deeply engraved in her memory, everything kept replaying like scenes before her eyes , she didn't notice a year had rolled down her cheeks . No she shook her head she had swore never to cry again , she swore before Sarah to discard her dreams untill she had avenged her . And that's exactly what she's going to do . Yes "Revenge is the answer " she said within her , That's all that all that matters to her now .