Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Historical Note: Don't bother with the inaccuracy on this one, it's
actually a fictionalized version of events from a College D&D campaign, so
erors and anachronisms reflect ignorance on the part of the DM, and retcons
to make certain periods contemporary.  Not to mention an illiterate, and
barely numerate narrator learning multiple languages by immersion.  We'll
just call it an Alternate hystery, and a day.

   Trigger Codes: There's rape, mass rape, genital mayhem, homosexual rape,
child molestation, incest, and probably more.  I'll try to keep you updated
in chapter heads, but this one's pretty contiguous.  However, it's
primarily about Anger-Excitation with Bondage, and Discipline to get in the
mood.  She is not a Sadist, fresh out of Masochists, primarily motivated by
Control, and Property.  Also some Anger Retaliatory vendetta thrown in as
well.

   Oaxana (Mf Mass Rape Maim)

   My family were fishers, and so would I be if they hadn't been taken, and
murdered.  My brothers, and Papa right in front of me, Mother dragged back
to be raped in their bed.  I alone escaped, I hit the man with the pan as
soon as he took his breeches down, and ran out into the night.  So, he
couldn't chase me outside, screams, fighting, and rape all around me in the
rippling light of the fires.

   They burned the boats first, then the nets, dried in the sun to throw on
the roofs.  All but the smallest, my brothers made this boat, and took me
out in the sun.  To play with nets, and learn the trade, I took it from our
hiding spot, and launched it by the light of the pregnant moon.  High tide,
the oar was heavy, but I pushed it back and forth, turning it to pull it
back through the water.  "Uh!" Even after my arms got tired.

   I could see their ship, far out from our shallow inlet, I saw the men
returning by the light of their torches, the fires of my home burning
behind them, but came about in the shadow of their hull.  Not the first I'd
seen, ships, nor Pirates, they generally came by the light of day in fair
trade.  Our small island on the way back and forth along their routes, but
far from the mainland, and major islands with cities.  (The nearest being
roughly Crete.) We used to play, pretend to be sailors, pirates and Navy to
fight them.  Swords, shields, and the boys making thunder noises with their
mouths, throwing rocks, or boulders off the cliffs to splash into the sea
below.

   After hauling the men, and supplies aboard, they weighed anchors, so I
fixed mine to theirs, and my bow, to be pulled (like a Dinghi) into deeper
water.  Now orphaned, I had ideas on revenge, but no means nor plan to
secure it.  I knew there had to be a Captain, who decided where to go, and
ordered the attack.  Allowed the men to rape, kill, and burn.  My whole
life, such as it was, I wasn't even all that proud of it.  Nor had I much
reason to miss my family, my mother, she was a good one.  My father, and
brother got drunk, and touchy a little too much for my liking.  But they
were Mine, and taken from me.  That was reason enough.

   Eventually, the rocking stars, and setting moon closed my eyes, they
spotted me in the morning.  I unlocked, and gripped my oar, but they just
lowered a man, with a boarding axe to cut my anchor line.  Becalmed, I
locked my oar to row around alongside, and tied a loop to throw up over it.
"Uh!" it splashed back down, so I hauled it back in to coil it, wet and
heavy from the sea for another throw.

   They called down, laughing in their language.  The man, I hit with the
pan came out, then one who spoke Greek.  "Little girl," he laughed, "Even
if you catch your line, we will only cut it again."

   "Uh!" It slipped down again, so I pulled it back in to the coil.

   "This man says you maimed him."

   "Yeah?" on the shadow side of the hull, I looked up, "Well he got
touchy, so I made it so he would never touch another woman." He repeated
it, for the men to laugh.  All but one, who shouted over them.

   "Vendetta!"

   "He demands revenge."

   "Uh!" Splash.  "Well, send him down here, so I can end his suffering."
More laughs.

   "Your boat is too small."

   "Then, pull me up, and lend me a knife to gut him with." I hadn't time
to grab mine, fleeing in my nightshift.  I tied it to climb up when he
caught my anchor line.  The Greek speaker, though he did not look Greek. 
His hair was straight, and he wore a funny hat.  The men pulled me, high
enough to get my feet up on the side, then one on the rail to pull me over.

   "Can you handle a sword?" He held out his hand to another man.  "Carlo."
He reached behind him, and pulled a broad short blade, like a wedge and
flipped it to hold out, pointing back his arm, to the bend of his elbow,
the horns of the guard cradled in his fingers.  It was very heavy, so I
held it down, the horns of the guard on my wrist.  My first finger over the
smallest to grip a flare in the middle, and held up the pommel like a heavy
coin.

   He pulled a knife.  "You need a knife, coward?"

   The men laughed with the translation, but he growled, and swung at me. I
got it up, to block with the heavy blade, and stepped back.  "Uh!" It
flipped out, as his edge slipped of the side, so I missed my swing at his
knee.  Sideways the way I had to hold it, but he moved back.  He was
clumsy, swinging backhand, crouching low as if to lift a full barrel.  I
had to put my leg back to balance, like a lizard standing to run.  "Nuh!"
Swung back for his thigh, sideways the way I held it, but I could raise it
to block, like a 2 handed shield.  I pulled back, but flipped the blade up,
on my wrists, and catch his hand on the edge of the tip.  "Ah!" he pulled
it back, to drop in his other hand.  Right in front of me, I hardly had to
look down.  So, I stepped aside, then swung my back leg behind me out of
the way of his clumsy stab.

   I batted it up at the elbow, "NuUHh!" And brought it down, pushing with
my back leg so I nearly fell over, but levering it up with my wrists to
stab through the broadside of his thigh.  Between his legs, I had ment to
strike at something more vital, but he tried to close them.

   "Uhn!" he fell, twisting the grip from my hands, so I backed to the
side, looked back, and bent to pick up my loop.

   "Huh!" I slipped the bight through the loop, but he grunted again. 
"NhHUhn!" And dropped the sword to the deck.  "Rattina!" Lunged, but fell
flat, so I sideskipped around.  Giggling, he tried to push up, so I could
get the loop over his head, shoulders, and arms.  I laughed, jumping on his
back, and he fell back to the deck.

   I pulled, the bight taut."Malakia thiliko!" I looked back to kick my
heel into his thigh.  "Emito psaria!" pulld My knife out of his hand,
"Salinkari; uh?  No!" I kicked, but they pulled me off, screaming.  "Let me
go, let me gut him lie I promised, give me my knife back!" The one he
pulled on me, I couldn't reach the sword where he threw it away.

   Others picked him up by the rope, passing it back and forth to wrap
around him, and pulled a loop tight inside his thigh to stop the bleeding.
It spurted, like mansblood, the man who spoke Greek pointing, and shouting
orders.  "Carlo'," he stood up, wiping the broad tip on his thigh.  "Spolia
paraet praedama." A broad wedge of leather bound by the tip, and slotted
through the wide curve of the open side above his behind.  He unbuckled his
belt, held it up, with My sword, and nodded, giving it to me.

   "Te'a lucratus estes." Far too large, I asked for an awl.

   The man with the strangest hat said "Lesina?" He snapped at another, who
pulled it from his belt.

   Over my shoulder, "Nh!" I had to press it, against the rail, twisting,
and wiggling it through the thick stiff leather to make a hole, but I got
the buckle fixed.  Then took it off to hang it over my back, diagonal to
hang under my ribs on the other side.  The strap hung down on the side, I
had to borrow a knife later to trim it.

   "Are you the Kapetanios?" I wiggled the grip over my shoulder to set it
in place, and hide how I was shaking.  "Then take me to him.  NOW!" Anger,
kept me awake, instead of passing out like I wanted.  The men laughed.

   "Lakapitanita!" They laughed some more.  He took me back, to a door by
the stairs.

   "You speak Greek?" He sat up, in bed.  Looked at me, then at his man. 
"He," I pointed, "Let them raid Pori.  TELL HIM!"

   "Gli oumini, ehh.  La fanciulla, de Marina.  Illa quaestio vendetta..."

   "I lost everything, killed my family," on my littlest finger, "my home,
my life, my;" I blinked, "NH!" I couldn't say it.

   "Leia orphana, Glioumini, sphugitta di mano;"

   "I am staying Here." point to the deck, "With Him until he repays me,
for my life."

   "Mi proderra, eh." he scratched his head, "Ips rattuli Napolitti, et
vitcit." {Also, don't correct my bastard Latin, neither.  The DM's ain't
much gooder.}

   The captain looked surprised.  Coughed.  I marched out, before I burst
into tears, and slammed the door.

   The men stopped.  Waited, turned to watch me.  I looked down, untied the
knot in my nightshift between my legs so it hung back down over them in the
morning air.  "What're you looking at?" I reached up to set my sword on my
shoulder, "Don't you have anything else better to do?" Waved my other hand.
"Anyone else speak Greek on here?" What the fuck are they doing this far
East if they don't?  They looked at eachother, talked, and laughed some
more.

   "Lakapitanita," they called me again.

   "Oachana." I shook my head.  {In Greek, the X is pronounced "Ch."
Precursor to the name Aksana, or Oaxana.}

   He showed me to his cabin, his bunk.  "You have any cloth?" He shook his
head, "Onboard?"

   "I can ask the men," but I was already yawning.  The excitement wore off
all at once, and I could hardly get the strap off my shoulder before I
curled up and started crying.  I worried, about my mother.  She was a
strong Greek woman, but she kicked off the night being gangraped by
privateers, then probably came out to find everyone dead, everything
burning, and her only (Surviving) daughter kidnapped.  He got on the bunk,
and held me until I cried myself to sleep.

   (Now, let me explain a little maritime law.  Italy was not at war, with
Greece.  Just looking to expand trade farther east in the Ionian to the
Adriatic sea.  Privateers are basically mercenary merchants, not above a
little piracy once in a while, and armed because they hear there be Pirates
about.  Not officially Italian, or Tuscan Navy, but even if they were,
Greece didn't give a cintillafuck about Marina.  Not enough to go to war
over it being flicked off the map for a pit-stop.) {That was a DM's Asside.
Author note, the Island of "Marina" is later retconned to be the rock of
Pori.}

   ;

   "Muh?" Later that afternoon, we woke up.

   "Marina," he called me.

   I asked his name, and he say "Twah." I found out later this was short
for Edmond De La Troi, the third.  In Latin, they called him Tertio, and in
Greek it might have been pronouced Troy.  Also, being a Privatized Merchant
ship, the crew was Mostly Tuscan, out of the port of Erkoli, Grosetto. 
"Where did you learn to fight like that?"

   "3 brothers, and playing with the other boys from the Eisodo." They
mostly let me play with the aspis, and threw rocks at me.

   "How many sisters?"

   "2, but they died, and another brother." I survived.

   "And, how old are you?" I shrugged.  Not really a Birthday kind of
family.  I wasn't bleeding yet?  Also illiterate, I could count lines. 
Probably up to about 12, which was as many as I ever had to handle before.
I couldn't be sure how many lived in the inlet, how many were killed in
that night, I never bothered to count.  During the day, the men talked, and
on order provided the scapegotes for the Genocide.  {Greek prefix, and
root. Basically salting the soil so nothing will grow, or building over the
ruin.  So nothing will grow.}

   From Tertio's translation, apparently they were blown off course from
Antikithra when the favorable winds changed overnight, and were supposed to
determine by how far, and which direction so they didn't have to wait until
dawn to take sitings.  Someone argued, presumably something to do with
armed men showing up after dinner, and it escalated from there. 
Unfortunately, the only man who could speak the language had to stay with
the ship.  In addition to the night watch commander, the Helmsman, and the
men they blamed for starting the fight/fires, there was the one who tried
to touch me.

   "Give me that," I took the rope, split from 3 twists, knotted, and each
twist split 3 more times.  Thick, heavy, the men talked.  "He is My
prisoner." I pointed, "Tell them!" Troy translated.  "I captured him, fair
and square, and I owe him for what he did to my family."

   Tertio stayed my hand.  But permitted me 1 lash with the Cat o' 9 tails
so I'd give it back.  It was heavy, I could barely get my hands around it,
and I never swung one before, can't even be certain how long it was, but it
tore his shirt anyway, and he hung by the arms from the limb held over the
deck.  "NH!" He had to take it away before I tried that again, so I went
around, the front, and started on the laces to his breeches.

   "Marina?"

   "I wanna see what I did!" Ooh, bad night to invite yourself to fish
fryday.  Not every night, but common enough to make it likely.  The grease
hadn't cooled, and I splattered him pretty good, with a nice burn from the
edge of the pan as well.  "Hm!" I turned, "Now, if anyone gets Touchy,"
Troi translated, "They get it even worse!" A rigger cut him down, while two
more took him back to see the doceo.  They pulled down his pants, and the
tatter of his shirt.

   "Don't worry, nothing I haven't seen," he showed it to me first, but he
was unconscious.  Too bad, I saw the cut on his hand, but they also pulled
the bandage and poultice off of his leg.  "Hm, Good Stitch," I leaned over
nodded.  Stood up, shifted the strap back on my shoulder and made a sewing
motion at the doctor.

   (Sawbones, you don't see any eyepatches, hooks, or peglegs, but there's
some stumps, a lot of scars, missing fingers, and thumbs.) He points, hand
shaking with tremmors to the boy.  "Mateo," His assistant, who got out a
needle, and what looked like twisted Gut.  Like the suture, I pulled out
his pants.  Shook them.  Not leather, as most aboard, cloth, didn't feel
woolen, and very fine.

   He took me down, below.  Troi was manning the wheel.  Turns out the
captain was bedridden with gout, fat, old, bald, grey, and not in great
health.  So, Troi pretty much ran the ship, and when we got back to porto
Erkoli formally signed over the privateer contract to him.  Made him
captain, his ship, and crew, once we got back to port where they had
notaries or whatever to make it official.  It was practically "Afey
accompli" already.

   Until then, I needed something more than my night shift, so the
physician's apprentice took me down to the hold, and showed my his bunk. 
With the other bunks, men sleeping in them, it's a 24 hour ship, they sleep
in shifts.  He showed me a spare pair, I took them, layed them back on his
bunk, and started undoing the laces on the ones he was wearing.  Slapped
his hands, "It's all right," got it out.  Okay, not a boy, he had some hair
on it.  I can sew, hand twist rope, probably tye a net in my sleep, but
britches is a lot of sewing, and this was the nicest cloth I had ever seen.


   "Nh!" I pulled his rope, he put his elbows back, up on the bunk, and
just leaned back.  I bent down, lifted to suckle it hard, and pulled back
the skin to wet it.  Clean, very clean for a boy on a ship.  (With the
caveat that this coming from a fishergirl.) It only took a few more pulls
for him to grunt, and shake his hips.  I caught it, and picked up his bunk
pad to wipe my hand underneath.  Pulled the laces tight, but he tied them
off himself.  I took My britches up to work on them in better light.  Cut
off my sleepshift, it was too long, and I can't stop to tye it between my
legs whenever I have to climb something.  That gave me some fairly fine
wool to work with too, for an underclothe.  And my prisoner ended up dying
in a few days anyway, I got some leather from his britches, and boots too.

   Which left me nothing to wear to bed, but I had my Troy to keep me warm,
and he had a sailcloth sheet.  A lot of sailcloth, men wore it as shirts,
tyed it on over their hair, wiped the bowls out after we ate, and drank. 
From barrels, plenty of salt in their diet, I'll tell you that.

   I went up to the Wheel, and told Tertio I want to pull my weight, so I
tied a net, and borrowed a couple riggers to help me haul up some fish. 
Not a whole lot, but one of them got pretty good at throwing too.  It
wasn't like doing it on the beach, or from a small boat, this was a big
ship, underweigh, and I needed some help.  They appreciated some fresh
fish, to go with the salted barrels they had on board.

   I knew where those came from, but what the fuck?  What was I going to
do, steal one back, dump it over the side, and fend for myself in the
middle of the Ionian sea?  Tertio promised to pay me back, and I held him
to it.  The crew made jokes to cover the fact that they were obviously
scared of me, and I earned some grudging respect from the riggers, or a
couple of them, first.

   It was a long trip back to Port Hercules, anyway.  They started showing
me the ropes, but there's a lot of them.  I tied my hair back, and they
gave me a leader to run up the mainmast.  Drop the heavy weighted knot over
to pull the rest up, bent to a larger line while another rigger was hauled
up with a fid to show me what to fasten it to.  The riggers started calling
me "Simia" after that, turned out I was their best climber, I heard later
it means "Monkey." Took a while to learn Tuskani, too.

   ; (GM/ms Hand/Bukk)

   At night, I felt Tertio behind me.  Holding me, keeping me warm, but it
made me uncomfortable.  So, I turned over and untied his undercloth.  I
licked my thumb, and held back the skin to rub it around the end.  "Ehm?"
He woke up.

   "It's all right," I didn't stop, "I'll take care of it." I felt the
bottom, and the olives in his purse until it tightened.  "Nh!" It splashed
back into his beard, and I wiped my thumb off in his undercloth before I
tied it back up.  So, I could roll over, and go back to sleep.

   The boys took me out, my eldest brother, and his friends.  On the boat
they made, to throw nets, and play fish.  It got old waiting in the inlet
for them to come back, he said "Sure, you can come along." They called me
"Ballast," then I started pulling my weight.

   In summer, it gets hot, so we rowed out, the boys taking turns on the
oar, and took off their shirts.  First, then their breeches, and I took off
my clothes as well.  When we're out of sight of our father's boats, around
the rocky shore of the island.

   Pori is a rock.  There's really only one place you can land, and put
something resembling a small villiage.  Why the Tuskani called it "Islet de
Marina." Just about all that's there.

   So, the boys started pulling rope, and I layed down to give them
something to look at.  I learned to pull rope too, by the light of day,
when everyone was sober, I didn't mind it as much.  Then, we'd all swim to
cool off, and get dressed, rowing our way back around to Pori inlet.

   It's not like, when papa got drunk, and didn't finish the bottle before
he passed out.  Then the boys would finish it for him, then get all touchy
in the dark, and mess up the blankets.  "Hh!" He held me, "Nhmhnhihn!" Or,
you know, hearing mamas screams, the last time I saw her.  The other women,
the children, the men and boys.  I didn't love any of those boys, I didn't
have a chance.

   Night touches, most of the girls I knew, talked about it.  Their
brothers, fathers, uncles, sometimes aunts, or mothers too.  Usually drunk,
and many got it far worse than I.  "Hh!' I wiped my eyes in the dark.  I
much preferred the boys, in their little boat.  I lost it, the morning I
came aboard.  The wind picked up, and it was left behind to drift.  I don't
miss it, often, but sometimes I remember, and it reminds me of where I came
from.

   The life I could have had.  The night touches, usually stopped when you
found a boy, you liked.  Started going off together, climbing over the
cliffs, or just wandering out to the shade of the junipers, and olive trees
that clung to the rock.  To become pregnant, start a family of their own.

   "I'm sorry." He said to me, ever time.  Holding my face.

   "No," I shook it in his hands, his rough thumb wiping my cheeks, I
closed my eyes to brush them with my lashes.  "Thank you, for this new life
you give me." We're even.  He wiped my eyes too, and kissed my head.

   He loves my hair, "Bouchelettes," he calls it, and holds me to his
chest. He has some, there.  And more, under his undercloth.  "Hh!" He is
very clean, cleaner even than that assistant boy, who got all mooneyed, and
followed me around with them when he saw me.

   "Hh," I was just grateful, they're damned fine pants, but why would I
want him when I have my Tertio, my Twah, my Troy?

   He told them, even before we got back, and the captain signed off, new
rules: No more Marinas.  Nobody gets touchy with children.
I stood there, My scourge across my palms, and nodded when they looked
to me.  "Audire eum, audire!" You heard him, pay attention!  I had started
bleeding, I was no child, and they didn't need to know that.  They needed

to know the penalty for disobeying it.

   The nodded, "Valde, mi Kapitina."

   I nodded back.

   "Now, to the ropes, men.  I want to make it to port by dusk."

   "Wind permitting."

   I beat the deck, "Tell them fuck the wind, we will make it to port,
tonight, if they have to swim with leaders in their teeth!"

   "Valde, mi Kapitina."

   They set to the belaying pins, and windlasses, Tertio returned to the
wheel to take the rudder.

   I sat down, with a shot for the rail guns, and a fid.  Put my boots up
on the rail, and watched them.  With favorable winds, we could retire
tonite at harbor, and he could make me his wife.  Easily the most beautiful
man on board, and he would be captain.  My captain, the apprentice boy
moped back to his master, head low.

   He's pretty too, but not enough of a man.  Yet, and why would I want him
when I could have a captain?  Sorry, son, he doesn't even speak my
language. "Hh!"

   The body of my scourge was too long anyway, so I pried open the knot,
twisted apart the bights, and basketwove them around to splice back into a
handle.  Over/under, twisting them between my thumbs, and fingertips to
keep them tight, then twisting them back, gripping the heavy pommel between
my crossed legs to force the ends deeper into the body until I had a decent
handle.  3 tails, knotted into half fists on the end.

   I must have been roughly 12, or 13, and not a man on the crew had any
misgivings taking My orders.  Because I don't ask, "Kapitina" started off a
joke.  "Look the little girl thinks she's an officer.  See how she barks
orders for the second to repeat, in latin.  Hahaha!"

   It was no joke any more, because I don't ask them anything.  I tell
them, and by now they know the penalty for disobedience.  "Hh!" I got up,
tested the balance.  WHhwhwH!  Much better, the iron shot and more
appropriate length keeps it from hitting the deck, and I have much better
control.

   I practiced, beating the stopper knots (Figure 8s, capsized into rough
balls) tighter against the rear mast.  Then, I called up my fishing riggers
to test the water off the back of the aft castle.  Not bad, haven't seen
all of these, I had to ask them about them, being Italian fishes, but they
showed me what was good.  I got out my table, and my gutting knife.

   Discipline.

   The myth is that a little girl doesn't know what she's talking about, or
cannot back up My orders without Tertio, so I have to prove them wrong. 
With Discipline.  I am seen as weak, or I was until they got to know me. 
Nobody aboard believes that now.  I killed a man, 1.  Made him suffer for
days, and showed them the penalty for not getting my way.

   On my first order.  "Don't get touchy with me.  See him?  He did.  Tell
Them!"

   Discipline, men really are basically just grown boys.  It's the only
language they understand.  "Hic vos," I handed a rigger one of the
butterflied fillets to take down to the cookfire, and pulled another fish
across the board.

   "Hh!" Wiped the curls from my brow with a sleeve, and used it to push
the sailcloth back down to catch the sweat, picked up my fish knife, and
started at the gills.  Do something, if you wait it lasts forever, and I
didn't want to wait forever, for my Troy to pay me back.

   It was twilight before we came in to harbor at Catania.  We anchored,
and lowed the boats, not having a berth arranged, and it was mostly a stop
for provisions.  Troi disembarked for a Warship, to report to the Italian
Navy, and dispatch a fast ship ahead to Roma for orders.  Then, he came
back for me.

   Took me ashore, I had never seen such a place, heard of cities like
Xania, but Pori, our entire island could fit in the harbor here, and they
had buildings taller than it's cliffs.  He took me to the Market, Bazaar,
and showed me foods unlike any I had seen, or tasted.  Fish too, but we had
fish.  A butcher, with wonderful smoked and cured meats.  Pork, Beef, I had
had had chicken, rabbit, lamb, and mutton, but not Guanchale, Salame... 
And cloth, wonderful cloth, satin was like a breese blowing over the hairs
on my arm.

   "It is expensive." my Troy noted.

   "It is for My wedding night."

   Yes, Capitina.  He had enough to buy a square for my undercloth.

   Fiancee' {fM Fing Frot Cons.  MM Rape.}

   Underweigh the next morning, he said couldn't take me, but my bleeding
has stopped.  So, in My bed I untyed the sides of my undercloth, and took
his hand.  To show him, how to touch me.  The way I do, waiting for him to
get done, ordering the men for the watch, and coming to me in my cabin.

   "Hh!" I sat up in bed, pulling back the covers, letting my hair curl
down over my shoulders and the swelling in my chest.  My heart, beat like a
startled hare between them, but he got his clothes off, and crawled in with
me.  I turned away, felt him hard behind me, through the satin smooth
against my bottom and back.

   I pulled his hand over my hip, held the knot for him, and guiding his
hand around front.  Down between my legs, his fingertips larger, stronger,
and now smoother than mine.  Through the few scattered short hair of my
beard, like the cedar, and olive bushes of Pori, he felt my lips.

   "Hn!" I nodded, my hair brushing his chest.  He felt them up, and down,
then split them to feel in between.  "Hh!" Deep, touching my well.  Not
within, but my woman's water, wetting his fingertip to slip back, up,
slick, and hot.  "HmhH!" My hips rutted, all on their own, and he spat
weltly on my back, but long before I was satisfied.  For tonight, I fell
asleep in his arms.

   "Mh?" I woke, to him snoring behind me.  I don't mind, my family snored,
to tell me they were there in the dark.  It reassured me, as much as his
arms, his smell, his breath on my hair.  Fully satisfied, he was soft
behind me, so I tied the side of my satin, got up, stretched and went out
to pull on my breeches and top.

   "Kapitina?" I yawned, finished tying my laces.

   "We took on crew." And left some in port, but I didn't recognize all of
them.  "Have maestro di arma bring me my sword." I watched, at first
confused.  The strangers looked uncomfortable.  One looked away from my
eyes, and I though 'good, he heard.' Not to get touchy, I supposed, but
another came up from the hold.  Fixing his breeches, and walking funny. 
"Grazze'," I nodded, slinging it over my shoulder, "And my whip."

   "Valde, mi Kapitina." He went back for the armory.

   I went down, heard the slapping, and grunts, I recognized from way back.
My parents, when they thought us asleep, took a deep breath of the deep
rich manly smells of My ship, ran my knuckles along the polished planks of
the hall, and felt the seam between them.

   "Uhn, ngh!"

   "Kapitina?" The man stopped, turned to show the new recruit.  Bent over
a barrel on it's side, and his breeches down.  "Gugh!" He fell to his
knees, doubled over, and clutching his chest where I punched him with my
pommel.

   "Non raptus!" I kneed him in the hair.  "Est ne in MIA navi!"

   "It is not your ship." One of the men.  spoke up.

   I turned.  "Not yet," held up my blade warningly.  "It's my watch, and
it's My order.  I serve discipline here, and I say No Rape.  We do not do
that, for Tuskani.  We are not Pirates, we are privateers, trusted by the
Navi di Italia.  This is Not how we do things.  If you disobey, Me on this,
I will see to it that you will never." I tapped between his legs with the
flat of my tip, "Enjoy another woman, nor man again.  You want to fuck
eachother, fuck eachother.  I know, it gets lonely at sea, but you do not
Rape.  Now, get everyone together, and present the rapists to me.  On deck.
My MdA (Master of Arms) is on his way with my whip.  Now.  If you will not
listen to Me, you will listen to them!"

   I turned, and walked out.

   "RIGGERS!  Bring in the boom, and throw over some lines.  I want every
new recruit brought forward, and prepare to receive men from below. 
MAESTRO, Where Is MY Whip!?" I insisted on one who understood Greek.  Not
fluently, a sight better than my latin, but I need a second, and he is
loyal.  "Grazze', Morti'."

   I tested it, twisting the tongues opposite the bights of the body, and
pulling the knots, beating them tight on My deck.  "String them up. 
Everyone, listen, and listen well.  I discipline you.  Me.  Nobody else, so
I will not have any punishment served, but by me.  If you are hazed, broken
in, so much as slapped to bring you in line, tell me and it will be repaid
three fold.  Now, who was raped tonight?"

   WHKKK!

   "Speak up!  I know you're new here, but I am Not patient."

   "I," his hand shook.

   "Who raped you?  Do you see him?" My heads swung, waving along the line
hanging from the boom.

   "Yes Kapitina, it was him."

   "Drop his breeches."

   "Yes, Kapitina."

   "Not you, one of you, go ahead.  Come here, boy." I held up the twist,
and let it slide down by the weight of the pommel.  "Here," I held it up,
"Take it."

   "Yes, Kapitan."

   "Give it a few swings, tighten it up on the mainmast a few times first.
The rest of you line up.  You have 1 swing.  I suggest across his thighs,
but don't damage his privates."

   "YAugh!" He swung, screaming from his wrists.

   I held out my hand, felt the twist, and weight back in my hand. 
Tightened it up.  "All right," it creeked in my hands, like the tight
rigging overhead.  "Who's next?"

   "Mi Kapitan?"

   "You were raped tonight?"

   "Yes, Mi Kapitan."

   "All right, have them take down his breeches, you know what to do..."

   ;

   Hold (fMs Bukk)

   "Huh!" Well, that was, exciting.  While, I prefer to do it myself, I
understand Vendetta, and it is better to receive it from those you wronged.
Which means I got to watch, a dozen and 3 lashes, for ever new man before I
intervined.

   A little grateful my arms weren't tired, "Now," I followed them down to
their bunkhold.  Relieved, I pulled the mat from one of their bunks. 
Unlacing my jerkin first to pull it over my head, the square of sailcoth
from my hair, and threw my head back to shake it off of my shoulders. 
"Hh," I pulled an imaginary rope in front of me, "You know what to do."

   I got down, on the mat, pulled out a couple ropes to wet with my lips,
and suckle stiff.  "Smq!  hH!" And more, a dozen and three.  "Morti',"

   "Yes, my captain." Not my rank, yet, but they respect me.  Now.  "Tell
them, that the order has not changed." he switched to latin, "They are
still new, and take orders from the seniors, who take orders for me."

   "Valde mi Kapitina." They agreed, I nodded.

   "Take up my whip, and see that it's oiled." He bowed, back out, I kept
my sword.  Across my thighs, but I had my hands full, and "Swq!" So many to
get wet.  "Hah!  Mh, smq!" All around me, yes, this is what I like.  I
always liked, out here where I could see them, not just feel them, and they
know to keep their hadns to themselves.  They did, pulling rope for Me,
their strangely docked Vergae scarred from birth, like I heard that the
jews did, but never truly believed.  Catholica, which means less skin to
pull through, so it helps to get hem wet, and the warm salty meaty manly
taste in my mouth.

   "Uh!" I closed my eyes, "Huh!"

   "Hm!" I lay back, pulled my sword and belt up with me.  "hhhhh!"
Breathed between the pulses, like a deeply bleeding wound.

   . . .

   -/_

   "Huh!" Then another, and another, until it was like a thunderstorm of
blood.

   "Hhhhh!"

   Finally, it petered out.  "Huh!" I got up, went out unlacing my
breeches. Sat on the steps to loosen my boots, then went up to the deck. 
Naked, set my bundle of clothes in a mate's arms.  "Lower a rope," and
sword belt, "I'm going for a swim." A sounding line, I left the sword stuck
in the rail to mark my place.  Climbed over to catch the knot, hanging from
the rail, then reached down to grip it, then the other hand.  Let the knot
slip between my feet.  Calves, thighs, down to the next knot.  And the
next.

   @

   |

   @

   |

   @

   Swinging free, and the hull curved away, the wake churning the waves to
froth, until finally I slipped in, and let it wash over me.

   'hhhHH!" I held my breath, gripped the last knot between my thighs, and
let it slip deeper.  {Where the term "Knotts" come from, count them as they
play out in the water to gauge how fast you're going.}

   ;

   Oaxana di Marina De la Troi {fM Marr Preg.  Also, Historically there is
not, nor has there ever been a grand Gothic cathedral anywhere near there,
just so you know.}

   I was christened in the Cathedral.  The building was larger than the
place I was born.  Not the islet, but the town, and probably the inlet
would have fit inside as well.  It stretched up to a ceiling like ships
hulls, crossing as everything does here.  I was asked to accept, some guy.
Saw a statue of him, on a cross, then another, and another, thorns twisted
around his head, and a wound on his side.  Sunlight streamed in colors
through the walls, a dozen pictures of him carrying the t, being whipped,
beaten, nailed to it, and dying between 2 more I was told were thieves.

   I lied.

   I accept No master.  I belong to no one, I swore I would never be and if
this guy wants to come down, he can take it up with Poseidon.  I'd kind of
like to see him get his ass kicked, again.  Looks like what he's good at.
"Yeah, you bet." This is how it is with di Catholica, just something I have
to do, to be with My husband, and eventually inheirit, hopefully years from
now when we have more ships.  I love him, and he loves this Christos. 
"Hh," fine.  They gave me a bite of bread, some very sweet wine, then we
stood up before mr Sacrifice, and were married.  I followed a little of the
ceremony in latin, My husband repeated it for me in Greek, lifted my veil,
and kissed me.  Really nice house, I really like the art, especially the
way the light shines through it.

   He got dressed up so dandy, too!  With a big round collar that
crisscrossed like a knot when he put it on around his neck, a wig that made
his hair look white, with curls like the tops of columns, a fine
embroidered doublet quilted in diamonds, and pantaloons which billowed out
in dark red with golden gussets in between.  My dress was so hot, white as
it was, and was hard to walk around with all the layers underneath.  The
shoulders were puffed out like his legs above the boots, and socks, which
had buckles, and thick heels with square toes which curled up in front past
his toes, and this bulge in front which made his manhood look enormous! 
"You look beautiful."

   He looked down, and said "Actually, I find it all so very silly," He
couldn't wait to take it all off, and give it all back, but we Still had to
wait, since there also seems to be something about consummating in the
church, or anywhere around there.  Probably why you had to wear a bazaar
load of cloth to keep him out of me, and they had to bring all the maidens
back in with the marlinspikes to undo all the buttons they did.  (Oh yeah,
and the nicest bath I have ever had in my entire life.) We left, hand in
hand, but he said the Medixi payed for all this, so it would be
disrespectful, since they were sending an envoy down from Fiorenza to do
all the writing, and signing, and waksing, and pressing with rings.

   Money.  Sucks.  I want to be free, my whole life I felt trapped on that
island, and finally someone saved me from that, to take me to live the life
of adventure I always told my brother I would have.  But first, we have to
play all these games.  But I do not serve a slave.  His santo Christos?  He
is a slave.  I serve no one, I am My own Master.  Finally, they gave me a
sheet of paper, my Troy signed it out with my new name with a feather, and
said I could just place a Xie below it.  Then the walking poof of fabric
the Medixi sent dribbled some waks to squish with his ring.  All right,
that it?  Can we go home and fuck now?  Because this is Not getting me in
the mood.

   "Huh!" finally, I had my breeches back on, my Cinquedea strapped on over
my thigh, and he had a big fat purse full of gold.  And a title,
"Govenorre'." Whatever that means.  "So, you're some sort of lord, now?"

   He got a carriage, or the Medixi got it for me, since obviously I just
can't be walking around in the middle of the town like this.  At least it
wasn't as big as Catania, I could probably just head up the hill to the
fort that looked about the size of Pori to get my bearings, or follow the
slope down to the shore.  "You are not going to like it," as soon as we're
back in the carriage, cobbling down the 1 street.

   "What?"

   "Hh, they, blame me for, what happened at Eisodou tou Pori." Only they
say Isla di Marina.  "Hhuh.  I plan to spend the rest of my life, making it
up to you," he squeezed my hand, "But this," patted his purse bigger, and
heavier even than his codpeice, "Is a bonus for liberating a port at the
mouth to the Aegean, and my orders are to return, and command it as a
territory of Tuscany."

   "Okay." I shrugged.

   "I thought you would be upset."

   "I was upset at your Genocide.  It's over, it now belongs to you, and
you now belong to me.  So, the Medixi are giving it back." I hugged him,
easier to do without that rediculus collar, "It should be the perfect place
to raise a family."

   He blinked, sputtered, so I kissed him.  "I love you, for being so
understanding."

   "You realize, that island is Mine." he nodded, "The Medixi claim it, yet
we are going not to govern it for them, but return it to Me." I laughed,
"No, it's perfect," I kissed him again, "I couldn't think of a better
wedding gift."

   The road got much rougher out of the town, winding around the hill with
the fort at the top.  So, we could go around to the other port.  Saint,
something, I can't remember, because he's not a Demigod, something in
Latin. There they had a better bazzaar, since it's on the side of the
island facing the rest of Tuskani, while Port Hercules is more a military
and trade port for people leaving for, and arriving from Rome.

   We should have sailed around, I would have preferred to have rowed it
myself, in that wedding dress than have my bones shaken to powder by wheels
on that road, but at least it was cool in there, and I could be alone, with
My husband.

   "Mh!" We couldn't kiss, without bashing teeth together, bouncing around
like that.  "Hh!" Really starting to piss me off, we should have gone back
to the ship, sailed around, dropped anchors, and rowed into the other port,
which can't support our draft, much less the Warship he's supposed to
report to for Command.  "Damn it!" He smiled, and unbuckeld my sword belt
from my hip.

   To get at my breech laces, and the nice sweaty satin of my undercloth.
"Hh!  Hang on," I got up, pulled the laces tight real quick, opened the
door, and hung out with my sword.  "Stop the carriage, or so help me god, I
will stab your damned head off." I flipped it back, handed the grip back in
by the quillions and climbed back down while he got off the road, and found
a nice pasture for the horses to eat.

   "Hahahah!" I jumped on him, and he almost fell back, out the other door.


   "Hahl!" Okay, maybe bashed teeth together through our lips again, but he
turned to breathe through his nose.  Damned Medixi, and their god damned
gifts we can't refuse.  "Huh!" God, he was stiff.  I kind of like the
codpeice.  Idaknow why?  It gets in the way, but I likeit.  Maybe I can get
one?  I got my fingers in there, between the legs of his hose to pull them
out, and slide them down.  "How do you get this damned thing off?"

   He helped me, all those strings, and ties, and buttons so I didn't have
to cut it off.  Having only brought my sword, and he had a belt dagger with
no edge, just a very sharp point.  'snnnnh!" I had to breath through my
nose, wetting it, and slipping back the skin in my mouth.  He twirled my
ringlets in his finger, as he loves to do, and I find I really like them
coiling around them too.  Finally I got my breaches off, and he pushed me
back.  Across the carriage to the other seat.

   "No," he held my hips, "this is Mine!"

   "What!" he pulled the bows from my undercloth, but he couldn't help
smiling, then tickling.

   "No, oh god!' I beat his chest, and kicked, but he had his legs between
mine so I couldn't get my knees up with any power.  "Nhihahuhahaha!" I
finally pushed him off, but he grabbed my legs by the breeches, and picked
them up.  'ahHAuh?" I toppled backward, and my legs got in the way so I
couldn't do anything, helpless on the floor between the seats.  Then.

   "Smq."

   "Hh, hhh, huh!" I stopped panting.

   But he didn't stop.  "Whlq!"

   "Uhn!" I got my legs down, on his back, but he kept kissing deeper, and
deeper.  I barely had the presence of mind to look up, see the light coming
in under the curtain on the door, and reach up to release the catch.  So it
could swing open, and I could breathe.

   "AuooouaAH!"

   He said he had a surprise for me, and I, why I never thought.  How
stupid of me, he called it my flower, my rose, I knew it had lips, but why
had I never thought that he could kiss me?  And oh, my gods, above and
below, throw in the muses, demis, and titans while you're at it.  I said
words, I had only heard my mother use in the dead of night, with father. 
All the vowels, the language of love that can only be properly shouted to
the heavens so they can hear you.  Jesus?  Fuck jesus.  Aphrodite, you hear
me?  Let me yell it louder, can out hear me now?

   "Sangui di christi, calicem de caelo.  Amen." he grinned in the the
blazing light coming in the open door, licked his lips, and kissed me. 
Then, he was in me, and I had hardly caught my breath.  I left chips of
nails in his back.  Tore open his jerkin like 2 lashes from a 5 tailed
scourge.  I'm sure of it, I drew blood, it got my fingertips wet before he
gave his to me.  "Uh!' he stopped, held it in.  "Huh!"

   I panted.  "Hh hh hh!" And just held on.  Closed my eyes, and finally
let my head fall back.  "Hh, hh, hh," I had to swallow, before it ran down
my nose.  "Oh." That's what it feels like!

   His hand came down, slipped his fingers through my curls, and I could
taste the lust on his lips.  His tongue, smell it in his whiskers.  "Uh!'
He slipped out, and I shuddered again.  He helped me, pulled my breeches up
from around my boots, so I caught my breath, and sat up to slip them back
up to my hips.  Then, he fixed his hose, and showed me how to get the
codpeice back on to hold them up.

   I waved out the door, for the coachman to bring back the horses, and
hitch them back to the carriage.  I caught my breath, "That, was such a
wonderful surprise!" I giggled.

   "What?" I had to dry myself on my undercloth, "The way you kissed me," I
drew up the laces, "In here."

   "Oh," he fixed his doublet, over the shredded back of his tunic.  Smiled
to himself.  "That is just, how we prepare our wives, for that."

   "Where you are from?" he nodded.  "I'm sorry about your back," I dried
my fingers on my tunic, and looked at the wreckage of my nails.

   "No," he laughed, smiling to himself even more, "That is the perfect way
to thank me."

   "Doesn't it hurt?"

   "Huh!  Well, of course.  You flayed me alive!" We both laughed, "But
that is the passion of love.  If it doesn't hurt, you're doing it wrong. 
That is why i love you, your passion.  These," he waved in the general
direction of the lacey tapestried curtains, "Courtly ladies, they have no
spirit.  They, lay back, and you have to do everything.  You, are no lady."

   "Hey!" I hit his arm, and he laughed harder.

   "See?"

   "I think, you mean as it was, in the church." He shook his head, ?  "I
don't know, it was beautiful and expensive, but all those clothes.  How can
you do anything in all that, much less make love?" We just made love!  I
kissed him despite the point, and the conversation.  It took a while to get
the horses hitched back up, and back on the road, so it was a good
opportunity, to save our teeth.

   "Exactly.  This, is much like my home.  I am from Troi, that's what my
name means."

   "I thought it means 3?" I don't understand his Latin, he doesn't use it,
much at all.

   "Yes, however it is also a place, in Fronz." I nodded.  he showed me on
a map once, over by Espania at the mouth of the great sea, across from
Mooria.  "My grandfather was a crusader, and he founded the Abbey when he
returned, and was granted his title.  He named the city after the trinity."
Oh, shrug.  "Then, my father, the Abbot became Monastic.  A priest, like
the one who married us at the church.  When I took a lover, I was thrown
out, stripped of my title, and given a pittance to start my life.  I also
received a ride to Avingon, hoping the holy see would cure me of my sin."

   "How is love a sin?"

   "Hh, there are, loves, which the church do not recognize, except as
Abomination.  Had I not been noble, I would have been executed."

   "What kind of love is that?" I understand why he doesn't want to talk
about it!

   "Love for another man.  As my love for you."

   "Oh," I shrugged, "That another of the Medixi rules?"

   "No, it is a rule of Jesus, and his father god."

   "Well, fuck him, then!  No seriously, if he doesn't love you, as they
say he does, because of who you love, then he doesn't love you.  I
seriously don't understand how you can follow those, Idiots who believe in
that kind of, Lunacy!"

   "Like your Gods?"

   "I have no gods.  I know you didn't get a good look, but did you see any
temples on Pori?" I shook my head, and his eyes got distracted by my curls.
"Here," since we're starting to move again, or the carriage shook from the
coachman climbing back aboard.  I got my hair fid out, and gave it back to
him.

   "I know, I just got christened and everything, and thought I saw Cypris
for a moment there," a moment that seemed forever, and I will remember for
the rest of my life, "But we are our gods.  Heresy, I know, but mortals,
make up these stories.  I don't know why, to understand, or think they
understand, but they get enslaved to invisible masters, and end up doing
stupid shit like going through all those motions to appease your slave god,
or cut off their manhood to appease Hermes, but have you ever, truly seen
any of them?  I grew up with the stories too, but my people were
fisherfolk, So, at a very early age, I realized that every time you tell
the story it gets bigger, and better, and people have been telling these
stories for a very, Very long time.  So, take Hercules, for instance.  You
know of him?"

   "Uh huh?"

   "He was probably a shepherd who chased a snake off with a stick.  But
then, his son told it, and it was a 2 headed snake.  At some point somebody
came up with the idea that cutting off a head makes it grow two more, and
the stick became a great tree that he uprooted with His bare hands, you
see?"

   "But that is not how it is, with the Christ."

   "Isn't it?" I turned, to look back.  "Look, you can read.  Read it
again, and tell me how many of those fantastical tales sound, maybe a
little more exaggerated when you think about it, hmm?  Besides, they've
only been telling that one for what, a thousand years?"

   "A thousand years is a long time."

   "No," I kissed him, "When you don't live for a handful of dozens of
years, it seems like a long time." I turned, nodded, "Now finish my hair."

   "Yes, dear." he kissed my head, and hugged my shoulders first.

   Melee!  {(DM) PC "PC" NPCs, Role Play.  NS}

   The spotter ran up, pointed.  "Navi, Espani." I went down, across the
main deck, and up to the prow where the glass was mounted.  "MAESTRO?" He
could also translate.  I tried to match the slow predictable rocking of the
deck.

   "Kapitina?"

   "Load, and mount the guns, sound orders to prepare for attack."

   "Kapitina?"

   "You heard me, tell the Helmsman to steer for intercept."

   The spotter, says that there's no way we can catch them.  "Well, they
look small." He nodded, yes, Kapitina, but they are all trained soldiers,
we are mostly merchants.  "And riggers," I've been training with them
myself, boarding maneuvers.  "They are in the Ionian.  I may not be up on
my geography, and politics," but I know where Espania is, "But they do not
belong East of Sicilia." He nodded.  I looked back through the glass. 
"What's with the," I held my hands up, in front of, and behind my head,
curling my fingers up.  (as they turn.  To tack?  Must be a change in the
wind, but an opportunity to close the gap.) "Uh!" I turned the rail scope,
and rested my chin on it sideways.  "Moon hats?" Shiny in the near meridian
sun.

   "They are Espani Navy." Stare at the horizon until the dizziness, and
sick feeling goes away.  "They all wear Morions."

   "Huh!" I stood up, steadied myself with one hand to shift my sword. 
Over my shoulder, I took it off, rebuckled it on my hips, and bent to tye
it down on my thigh.

   Heading aft to the stairs, I saw mi Maestor di Arma at My quarters, the
captain coming out, rubbing his eyes, and putting on his cap.  "Huh!" I
wanted to surprise him, didn't get him anything for our wedding, and a fast
scouty ship would be perfect.  For him to escort, while this one could be
all mine.  Too bad he decided to send our warships ahead to secure, and
start working on the Marina.  The spotter finished packing up the rail
scope.  "They are coming around, Kapitina."

   Good, (here he comes.  he looks pissed...) "Huh!" I finished moving a
coil of mooring leader, and wound up the weighted knot to throw it over a
beam.  Tye the splice end to my belt, as it belays back down, slowly to
take the swing out, and catch the ball to start hauling myself up.  In the
rigging, I pull it up after me, throwing the loops over my shoulder, and
opposite hip.  Making my way along, I time the much longer rocks, this high
on the front mast, and jump to catch the beam of the main mast below. 
"Uh!" (Took most of it on the coil,) and scrabble up with my (Bare) toes
catching in the top of the sail to move along to the mainmast.  Hanging on,
legs around it, and over the beam, I hook my arm around to lick 2 fingers,
and slip them under my tongue.  (The captain, expecting you to be on the
aft deck as usual, totally goed the wrong way, and taked over the
rudder/riggers from the wheel.)

   "SHREET!" (The captain looks up, stops looking for you.) "Rigger, fetch
my net!" I uncup my mouth, and take the coil down to lower the splice end.
Like a short 6 tail lash, knotted, and lashed to bend to a full mooring
line to windlast into dock, my fisher's mate tied it on for me to haul up.
"Nh!" I had to use the beam to pull it up, dry, but with shot spliced into
the ends to weight it in the water, I look back.  (To see us getting close,
the shiny moon caps flashing in the sun, steel breastplates, shields,) and
I had to shade my eyes.  (Long axes on poles.  With spear tips, and back
spikes.  Ranks of Shield/Boarding axe backed by a rank of Halberdiers. 
This, is going to be a fight.  Now, Joshua.  What are you doing?

   ...

   ) Okay, as we come about, prepare to throw, (Target?) over the Shields,
and onto the Halberdiers.  Oh, and I wrapped the weighted end under the
beam as soon as the sail was furled to stow.  (Okay, before that action,
the enemy ship starts to pass, oncomming, broadside, and ripple fires for
to aft on the port side.  Rolls.  Rollololols...)

   On my action, as soon as I have a viable action )Rolls( I clear the
shields.  Is that Dex, or Attack to hit as many of the Halberdiers as I
can? (Better make it both.) Okay, Dex, and...  Attack.  (Wow, okay.  I'll
say you got a lot of them, overlapping with the shield line, because it's a
roughly triangular net with the line attached, and the weights on the other
2 corners.  Okay, uh.  11.  (Is that dex, or attack?) I don't know, but I'm
throwing the leader end back, under the beam, aiming for the midships
windlass.  "RIGGERS!" Whistle if I have to.  (Okay, well determine that
action on your next turn.  Uh, I see where this is going.

   Meanwhile, on the main deck, both sides are firing.  Roll, rollyroll
mcrollalot.  Huhuhuh.  Mmm, Josh?)

   ...

   (Okay, back to Marina.  You got the winch teams' attention, and the tail
end of those rolls were for them to bring in that slack, and as planned,
start pulling a big gap in the shield line as the ships come together for
boarding and a general melee.)

   Good, however, I'm hanging on for dear life, on the assumption that the
2 oncoming ships are probably going to crash together broadside, and
continue to coast around eachother.  (Yeah, momentum's a bitch.) Yeah, but
she's predictable (Hahahah!  All right, well Strength check?) 5 enough? 
(Oh yeah, that's more than low enough, but that's pretty much your action.)
Understood, but they've got a big gaping hole in their phalanx, right? 
(Yeah, well not even counting the slow steady pull, they immediately turned
around, and inward to try to cut the net, to keep from being pulled
overboard en mass, And not hack the trapped crewmembers to pieces with
boarding axes, and halberds sticking out in all directions.  So, if the
plan was to cancel out the formation and with it their military advantage,
congratulations, it's a total clusterfuck for our boarders.  Josh?)

   "Throw her a line." What?  "I'm a master of Arms, but I started out a
rigger, right?" {Author's/pun note.  Yes, Rigger, Morti`s.  The s is
silent.}

   (All right, easy as fuck Dex check,)

   "Made it."

   (Huh, all right, Marina now has a leader line wrapped over the beam next
to her.)

   "With a boarding grapple on the other end."

   Thanks, Morti!  o7

   o7 "Right back atcha."

   (Huh!  And there goes my carefully planned climactic battle.  How long
have you two been conspiring on this?)

   Most of the particulars were made up on the fly, my action?  (Yeah.)
Okay!  Taking the leader, what's the length on the line, Mort?  "Deck to
beam." All right!  Jump off, grip my leader pommel with both feet, and
swing out over the enemy deck.

   (Okay, you get a boss fight!) Yay!  (You easily swing right over the
clusterfuck of struggling, halberdiers, and former shield line, then land
behind them basically inline with their mainmast.) What do I roll for that?
(Nothing, the grapple pulls in, catches on the lashing from the beam to the
mast, exactly like planned, the clouds open up, the stars align, and you
land right in front of a Conquistadore', Veteran, with two Musketeer
bodyguards, fixed Bayonettes.  They lower their muskets right toward you.)

   I swung in, so I'm going to hit my deck rolling for evasive action. 
Dex. (Made it) and draw my Cinquedea braced grip with my left hand.  (PWH,
PWH!  Okay, now make that 2 spearmen with Bayonettes, clean misses with the
Evasion modifier.  The Goldcap drawing his rapier, and stepping out to
thrust.) Parry asside.  Okay, can I do a combination attack?  (Depends how
complex, don't over do it again, I'm counting Commas.) All right, flap up
to catch the flat of his blade between mine, and my bracer.  (I'll call
that THAC0, Massive modifier.) Hows 17?  (Uuuuhm.  Okay, you manage to
interfere with his recovery, probably just withdrawing for a reposte'.)
Okay, (Wait, 2 Musketeers..?) Left Aramis, and D'artagnan behind? 
(Actually, fore and aft deck, but since you rolled between them, their
roughly musket shaped spears are pointed the wrong way.  So the one on the
left, both behind you, goes for a buttstock strike to your unprotected
rear. Ah ah ah!  You can't see any of this, you're still locked sword to
sword with the Admiral, and can't see any of this behind you.  Fuck! 
Misses your head, but hits your shoulder.  Uh, roll strength/con.) 12, and
(That's fine, made your con, fail your strength, so you're forced to let go
of the Admiral's sword, and the Other musketeer cross-checks you with the
middle of his stock like a staff.  And you're knocked off your feet.) Can I
react?  (Dex chek to roll out, then it's back to Josh.  For like 2, no 3
rounds.) Easily.

   "Okay, command all the railgunners who're reloaded to focus fire on the
general mainmast area." (Huh.  Care to reword that into a shouted command?)
"All fire on mainmast!" (Here's all the dice, just throw them, mass combat
rules.  All right, while I figure out what all that means, Captain Troi
leads the charge with all the riggers as a boarding party.  And since I
don't have any dice to roll, easy mop up on the routed soldiers with
boarding axes, and assorted offhand weapons.) What's with the boarding
axes? (Well, unlike in the movies, and the stories, it's basically the
swiss army knife at sea.  In addition to being a please don't hit me with
that, it's handy for cutting lines, timbers, doors, decks, firebrakes,
masts, and general marlinspike seamanship.  Why it's practially general
issue on all era combat ships pretty much from the dark ages to the
American Civil War.)

   So, back to the Bossfight?

   (Yeah.)

   Anything on deck I can pick up for the offhand?  (Roll a D2) Tails. 
(Yeah, somebody dropped a boarding axe.) "hrraaAAHH!" (You're going
Berserk?) Uh, yeah?  (Okay, just making sure.  You rolled right, so come
around, Cinquedea still left handed?) Yeah, but still braced back grip as a
shield-sword.  The near Musketeer turns, and comes around with a spear
thrust.  Hook it overhand to pull it up/out.  Diagonal, that's not a comma!
(Okay, roll.  Treat it like a parry, not a grapple, he misses, and you've
got a hooked Musket.  The Conqui' turns, and lunges.  Full extension
because of the extended reach.  No reaction?) Saving the action.  (Good,
crap roll anyway, comes up short.)

   Drop to knee, catch the pommel and swing to an overhand throw.  (Attack?
Ouch.  Target?) Boss fight?  Yeah.  (Thunk!  He doesn't look too good... 
Huh!  Porthos fall back, dropping, and drawing his rapier to cover his
boss. As a bodyguard after all.) Swing the hatchet/Musket around, stepping
back to cleat the bayonette, and swing it into the general direction of
Portho's face, and side-step behind Athos.  (You seem to have your wits
about you.) Okay, yeah, I guess that cleared my head.  (So, yeah, you don't
get the extra attacks.) But that was one attack.  (...A backtep, and a
side-step, you're done, but both of them are out of position, and that's
long enough for the cavalry to arrive.  Josh?)

   "How many rounds was that?" (Uh, 2, 3, 4...  Plenty?) Okay, advance to
the rail, reload the closest mounted gun with all the gunners abandoning
them to move in behind the boarding riggers.  Assorted hand weapons, yadda
yadda.  (Target?) Athos/ Porthos, IDFK, even the odds.  (Okay, damage? 
Yeesh!  Why did I make those so powerful?  So anyway, there's now a fist
sized hole in the back of his armor, a bowling ball sized hole in the
front, and his ribs turn into a spray of bloody toothpicks.) "Shiver me
timbers!" (Indeed, and you got enough leftover actions to draw whatever
weapons you want and advance.) "Can I see Marina?" (Uh, no.  Like all the
bodies are between you and her.) Then lob a leader line over them, and get
it in her general direction.  (Huh!  You know, I still don't have anything
resembling grappling rules for melee, right?)

   Of course!  Why I keep abusing them.  (All right, just don't even rolla
20 to conk her in the head.) "Is that Thck0r Dex?  (Doesn't matter, attack
is high, and stats or low, so either's a critical failure/success.  Huh! 
Marina, you can, if you want, step out of the way, and pick up a leader
line when it lands.) Attached to?  "Nothing, hacked off with a boarding
axe, attabout.  Uhh.  2+5=7 feet long." (So also frayed as fuck.) So,
basically a crude Cat-o-nine tails.

   (Which is great, because the Boss uses the opportunity presented by the
Dosido, allemande left, and all this juggling to retreat to safety, while
Porthos uses it to stick a toe under the guard, and flip the rapier up into
his left hand.)

   Florentine?  (No, Toledo.) Fuck.  (Yeah!) Okay, brace my shieldsword,
(Boarding axe, and leader end/whip.  You pitched it, remember?) Yeah, but
I'm not Berserk, my Boarding Axe WeaP is shit, this isn't a weapon, and I'm
not stupid.  So, drop the leader, let it play out in full retreat, and kite
him back toward the steps.  (Which deck?) I rolled right?  Right, so, Uhm,
69, that would be Aft?  (I believe so!  "Come on, Coward!") Hahaha!  I just
took all three of you on, and now you're trying to intimidate a little
GIRL!?  (What's your attack?) Depends, how many steps did that dialog buy
me?  (Uhm, I'm gonna say about halfway up.) Leader played out?  Good. 
Throw the ace, just a distraction, actually throw high to draw his eyes up,
and jump over the railing with a coil loop to sweep one or both legs. 
(Coil loop?) Yeah, like this, it's a traveling wave along the deck, just
like the table, but it's also down the stairs.  So, Idaknow, you want to
stack some books up.  (Nah, never mind.  That's Dex, then Attack.  I
guess.) Okay, fuck!  (Attack?  Huh, sorry, you totally biff the landing,
but that's more than good enough to grab a leg, and take him down with you.
Now, I have to do some serious rolling to Porthos doesn't manage to stab
himself to death trying to recover with a fucking rapier in each hand.)

   Splash!  (Huhn?) I jumped over the rail?  Threw myself overboard, with
the intended effect of dragging him over with me, tangled in 7' of leader
end, in full armor, with a rapier in each hand.  (And you fumbled, so you
lose your grip on the pommeless line, and basically let him drown.  Uh,
just tread water until we secure the deck, and the riggers haul you out.)

   "Mary Sue!"

   (Soft landing, even on a not-quite critical fumble, she gets about a
breath of seawater, she's a teenage fishergirl, and there's practically
nothing to hurt herself out there unless I cast Summon Big Fish to have her
devoured by sharks with all the blood chumming the water.)
   "Huh!  Sure wish I was the DM's girlfriend."