Chapter Text
Lightning flashed in a burning streak as it shot across the sky and rocked the body of the Revenge. The wooden ship groaned as it turned, being jostled in the clouds as its crew chased the blistering light. Rain pounded down and Stede could scarcely see through the din.
“That’s it men!” He shouted in panic, trying to bolster morale from where he clutched the mast. “A couple more turns and this beauty’ll be ours!” His crew rushed forward, all falling on their legs as he did his best to brace the beam in front of him. He squaked and remained in his hiding spot with his eyes closed, gripping the wood as hard as he could, shivering down to his skivvies. Jim lunged forward with Oluwande close behind as the ship jolted forward and attempted to throw the metal net towards a cluster of lightning closest to the hull. Black Pete, attempting to help and perhaps show off, clambered into a foul tempered Jim and they missed, leaving them all sprawled out on the deck. There was another crack and they looked up as another ship parted through the black clouds. Its size was nothing to laugh at and as they stared up at the flags there was a groan across the crew's sullen faces. The skull and crossbones waved in their faces as the bigger ship sped by, drawing the sparks to its own net, once again stealing their prize. Stede’s eyes boggled, as the other ship sped around, artfully dodging and collecting more around them.
“Fuuuck” moaned the revenge, throwing down their supplies.
“Wow! The competish is hot lads! L-lets keep going somewhere else?” Stede offered.
“Just steal it back!” Olu shouted but Stede had already retreated off the deck leaving them all to stand in the storm. He closed the door behind him and slammed his back against the door. He was wet, and cold and tired. This was not how he imagined this line of work. It had been months since their last storm, being held off by Stede’s nerves and how sick the storms made his stomach when the boat rocked. He sniffled and put his hands to his face. Defeated, he started to strip and turned on the gramophone on auto play. Its light classical tune calmed his nerves as the rain started to let off. He called for some tea and a bath, sitting idly by in a robe as Buttons and Lucius filled up his tub with water.
“Feel better captain,” Lucius' hands sat on his hips, his eyebrow flung up in a judgemental huff. They left with weary looks and he sank in the boiling water, sighing heavily as he leaned back into the rosy scented bubbles.
“This is how all water ought to be.” He said to himself, rubbing his legs together. A lightning pirate. The idea had seemed so grand from a distance. He had watched for ages in silent envy, as the men and women of the sky fought and claimed their treasure. The gunshots, the booms of thunder, it was a glorious battle to rival the light of the stars. He hadn’t a single jug of sparks to show for it. His ears weren’t fans of the noise up close either. A bit of a bust this one turned out to be too, but they had been closer than before. Until the other ship. “Who am I kidding? I’m a failure of a captain” He leaned his head back, with a small sniffle. He washed hot water on his clammy face and after a long soak, reluctantly climbed out. He restarted the music and pampered himself at his vanity before slipping into a simple linen shirt and some blue and gold embroidered pants. He settled into a chair with a book, his chin resting on his knuckle and tried to forget the afternoon's events.
Stede tried his best to act naturally through the following weeks. The crew was obviously not pleased with him but as they were being paid, there was not too much of a stink, and Button’s sailing patterns were “luckily” ghosting any storms in their path. For a while it seemed as if they were barely moving at all.
Stede paced the deck on a bright afternoon, the sun warming his face, and the wind whipping through his hair and coattails. He looked off into the clouds, the glow seeming to sink into his skin. His ears perked as he heard shuffling behind him. He turned and Lucius was there with the journal, and Buttons beside him with his hands behind his back.
“Ah! Enjoying the weather, fellow rapscallions?” Stede asked in a spirited manner. The two looked at each other. Stede’s brow creased. “Alls well I assume? He asked with a smile.
“All is not good, Cap’n.” Buttons leaned in. “Mutiny is a brewin.”
“Mutiny?” Stede said rather loud, he realized and looked around nervously.
“I know we haven’t caught much but I’d like to think their needs are cared for? Surely they’d have no complaints! Lucius stopped writing!” Lucius set down the pen in a huff.
“We ‘aven’t caught anythang captain, The crew is a bit restless, 'specially after our last bounty getting nabbed again. They’re thanking of leaving next time we land. Sure there’s pay but it don't mean nothin' if other ships burn us out of the skey ferst. The crew thenk yer a bit soft. They're convinced we are gonna get targeted harder if we can't rise through the ranks. Make a name for ourselves."
Stede sighed and looked at his shoes. This was inevitable wasn’t it? He looked at Lucius who provided no response.
“Well then, we’ll just have to really put ourselves into it next time!” Stede pumped his fist. “Know of any good ones coming up?” He asked, trying not to shake in his polished shoes.
“There’s a big one on the wind,” Buttons responded, looking off into nowhere,”I can smell quite a batch Captain.”
“Wh- Any ones that might come later? Y’know maybe for next week?” The boy rolled his eyes and Stede faltered. “Actually I think we can do this one! Yes, I think we can.” He smiled wide, hands on his hips, more to convince himself.
The crew sat on the deck with their cards and Stede called their attention.
“Well gents! We found a big one, a whopper! It’s going to be happening this evening so be ready!” Roach raised his hand,
“Is it really a big one?”
Stede scoffed, “Yes its-”
Roach pointed at Buttons,
“I was asking him, is it a big storm?”
“Aye, she’s a beauty.”
Stede clapped his hands, “So, I want us all ready for this afternoon, we are going to have a mighty haul if I have anything to say about it, and I do!”
“What about if another ship comes by?” Asked Frenchie doubtfully. Stede puffed his chest, “We’ll kick It’s ass! No matter what!” The crew of the revenge seemed pleased, with lots of agreeing nods and knuckle bumps and hand claps. Stede smiled, he wanted this too. He closed his eyes, trying to imagine himself at the helm, coat billowing behind him and lightning flashing around his form as he tamed it. He promptly sauntered into his room to hyperventilate.
That night, the wind picked up heavily just as his fist mate had promised. Stede stood on the deck in a finely decorated long coat and a large ostentatious pirate hat with feathers, watching as his crew set about with their nets and contraptions, yelling around him. He wasn’t much use but he watched the sky in the distance, maybe even if he wasn’t the most accomplished, at least he wasn’t a bundle of energy way up high, with nothing to do. He became less positive as the rain started. The rumbling shook the boat and once again The Revenge was engulfed in the dark, shadowed heavily by flashes of lights. He mustered up courage and made his way to Olu and Jim to assist with the rigging, his hands shaking and his nice coat starting to seep with water. They opened a few canisters and a boom rattled through his skull, sending his hands to his ears as the ship started to twist harder through the air. He barely kept his footing but he kept his feet apart and his knees buckled, keeping him from getting shot backwards. The first bolt shot forward and they tossed their largest net forward, catching a tail end of the strike. They zapped his hands and he realized with dismay that despite his meticulous fit he’d forgotten gloves. He shook his hands and his hat was knocked off by a gust. He breathed in shakily, he could do this. He had to.
“Here!” yelled Olu who tossed him a rag, and he grabbed it thankfully, and started to pull on the metal rope as the ship took a beating and dove. He yanked hard, almost popping a shoulder with his first real effort in a storm, as he was blinded by a long strand in front of him. He jumped and yelled in triumph as it followed down the line and into the container. The crew around him cheered as he closed the lid tight and then set back to work, as they went for another bolt. His first real catch, he couldn’t believe it, the joy of a lightening pirate was his, if only for a moment as his face drained. Through the clouds he could see another ship. And this one, made his heart stop. At first he could only see the shadow, as it lumbered forward, its weight so heavy that the clouds seemed to scatter and swirl around its power. The crew stood in silence as it sailed towards them, its size twice theirs, the large, frightening sailors rallying and jeering from across the way. Their net sailed through the air, with control and precision, lapping up a streak of lightning as the revenge crew continued to watch. Stede huffed, he promised himself he would fight for his crew, he had to do something.
“Buttons!” He yelled up towards the man at the wheel. “Do something! G-get them!” He wasn’t sure what getting them entailed but it was as detailed as his mind could go.
“I, I don’t think you want to do that Captain, t-that’s-!” Olu piped up, fear cracking his voice. Black Pete had just enough time to spot the flag and beam with simultaneous admiration and dread.
“For god sakes don’t argue man!” Stede yelled, righting his waistcoat. “We are doing this! I can do it!” He shouted as the crew fell to their knees as Buttons tilted the ship up, knocked off course by thunder and drove it into the top of other ship. The next crack wasn’t a product of the sky but of both boats splintering as it was sent across the deck of the other ship, breaking off the mast and splitting the beam of the crows nest in half. He could hear the sailors on the other boat roaring in surprise. Perhaps breaking their ships miles above an ocean was not the wisest of plans but that was apparently what Mr. Buttons had in store as the wind whistled and everyone lay sprawled out. Lucius sitting in his bunk somewhere underneath, looked up from his book in confusion.
“Is this really a good idea?” Stede yelled in panic up at Buttons who began to back up.
“Against The Queen Anne, Captain, only way is to damage it badly enough and capture the goods around us before we get boarded!” Stede paled. He swallowed and yelped again and Buttons plunged forward and rammed into the ship once more, sending everyone in the opposite direction. More screams rose from both decks and Stede’s eyesight started to spin as he breathed in smoke. He could see the crew around him throwing nets and scrambling, unable to move he whimpered, before he collapsed.