Haytham left the Navy port irritated. He'd hoped they'd be willing to help him, but they had simply laughed at his proposal. "Fund such a folly mission," The ship Captain had snorted, "unlikely." And they had shooed him away.
Back in his lab, the scientist sat, frustrated. He'd tried everything that he could think of short of sailing a ship of his own to the cave himself. Except he didn't know anything about sailing. Thinking about it, Haytham realized he'd never actually set foot on a ship before.
The idea didn't occur to him until the middle of the night. He woke up, sweating, and he just knew. "Pirates!"
---
Finding a ship to sail him to Nassau was easy enough, finding a cheap passage to Nassau, not so much. But there was a cargo ship that was making a stop there to make some trade and they allowed Haytham aboard the ship for just a few coins. It was a two day trip and Haytham was hung over the railing puking the entire time.
Once in Nassau he spent a day recovering and the following afternoon posting parchment around town, begging for a pirate crew. The problem, though, was he wasn't offering enough... and he didn't have much more he could offer the crew.
He'd also need to find a ship.
When he went into the tavern, he wasn't really hopeful, but he had to try. Map in hand, the dark haired scientist pushed his spectacles further up his nose and entered into the tavern. Immediately he felt out of place. There were drunks, whores, maidens, and so much muscle.
Haytham was fairly certain he'd never had a muscle in his life.
He cleared his throat and no one looked in his direction. In the corner and old man, whom Haytham thought was either dead or asleep, raised his head and shouted at the woman behind the bar. "Aye, Niemh, give meh another pint, will ya?" His grin was large and then his head dropped down. Haytham tried again, a little louder this time. Still no one payed attention, but he continued anyway.
"Uh, if I may... I'm looking for a pirate crew," A woman with less clothes than a child smiled at Haytham and waggled her fingers in his direction. He shook his head, "Uh, no thank you. Uh, anyway. I need someone to sail to a cave on Petite Caverne." The small island cupped around a larger, rocky island, was far south of Nassau and known as a home to smugglers, and not many went their willingly. "There will be pay, of course," the scientist continued, nervously, as he moved further into the tavern, bumping into a large man as he did so.
The pirate turned, glaring at the scientist who gulped. The pirate swung and Haytham dropped to the floor causing the pirate to punch another pirate in the back of the head.
Within seconds fighting had broken out, the drunk in the corner was wielding his sword rather expertly for someone who had looked half dead just a second ago. He knocked someone flat on the floor and then idly wandered over to where Haytham was cowering. "I'll go on yer little hunt."
"Great," Haytham muttered weakly, "I'll interview when things have, uh, settled.
Back in his lab, the scientist sat, frustrated. He'd tried everything that he could think of short of sailing a ship of his own to the cave himself. Except he didn't know anything about sailing. Thinking about it, Haytham realized he'd never actually set foot on a ship before.
The idea didn't occur to him until the middle of the night. He woke up, sweating, and he just knew. "Pirates!"
---
Finding a ship to sail him to Nassau was easy enough, finding a cheap passage to Nassau, not so much. But there was a cargo ship that was making a stop there to make some trade and they allowed Haytham aboard the ship for just a few coins. It was a two day trip and Haytham was hung over the railing puking the entire time.
Once in Nassau he spent a day recovering and the following afternoon posting parchment around town, begging for a pirate crew. The problem, though, was he wasn't offering enough... and he didn't have much more he could offer the crew.
He'd also need to find a ship.
When he went into the tavern, he wasn't really hopeful, but he had to try. Map in hand, the dark haired scientist pushed his spectacles further up his nose and entered into the tavern. Immediately he felt out of place. There were drunks, whores, maidens, and so much muscle.
Haytham was fairly certain he'd never had a muscle in his life.
He cleared his throat and no one looked in his direction. In the corner and old man, whom Haytham thought was either dead or asleep, raised his head and shouted at the woman behind the bar. "Aye, Niemh, give meh another pint, will ya?" His grin was large and then his head dropped down. Haytham tried again, a little louder this time. Still no one payed attention, but he continued anyway.
"Uh, if I may... I'm looking for a pirate crew," A woman with less clothes than a child smiled at Haytham and waggled her fingers in his direction. He shook his head, "Uh, no thank you. Uh, anyway. I need someone to sail to a cave on Petite Caverne." The small island cupped around a larger, rocky island, was far south of Nassau and known as a home to smugglers, and not many went their willingly. "There will be pay, of course," the scientist continued, nervously, as he moved further into the tavern, bumping into a large man as he did so.
The pirate turned, glaring at the scientist who gulped. The pirate swung and Haytham dropped to the floor causing the pirate to punch another pirate in the back of the head.
Within seconds fighting had broken out, the drunk in the corner was wielding his sword rather expertly for someone who had looked half dead just a second ago. He knocked someone flat on the floor and then idly wandered over to where Haytham was cowering. "I'll go on yer little hunt."
"Great," Haytham muttered weakly, "I'll interview when things have, uh, settled.