Tiny Tales Tuesday: Space Pirates!

So, today's Tiny Tales Tuesday is brought to you by my friend Tom. He invited me to play around with him and another friend in a shared universe, one that is heavly influenced by the movie Treasure Planet. If you haven't seen it, it's Treasure Island is pace. Litterly. The ships are 18th century wooden ships with rockets on the back, the sails are solar sails, and the guns are replaced with plasma cannons. It's lots of fun. So, reading over his setting document, I was inspired to write this little short.

It's not bad, but it needs some work. Outside of knowing the setting, this story does little to inform people they are flying through space on an opened deck wooden space ship. I'll need to work on that more, I think. Anyway, let me know if you all enjoyed this one.

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“Another hit, sir,” Richards said, lowering his spyglass. “I have to ask, sir. How is it that you know where they’re always going to be? Running these asteroids is risky business at the best of time, never mind in a ship as large as theirs, loaded with gold and jewels.”

“Did you know I once served under Edward Blackstar, Richards?” Captain Mathews said.

“The pirate?” Richards, his first officer, said, turning to look at his captain.

“Indeed, though back then he was a fine Imperial Captain,” Mathews said, “and I was but a stripling Lieutenant.”

“I did not know that, sir,” Richard said.

“He taught these pirates everything he knows, you see,” Mathews continued. “And since he taught me much the same things, I know how they think.”

“I see,” Richards said. He turned his spyglass back across the void of stars to look at the deck of the other ship, it’s solar sails in pieces after having been blasted by plasma cannons. A white flag was being waved from the fo’castle.

“White flag, sir,” he said. “It looks like they’re surrendering.”

“Excelent,” Mathews said. He turned away from the other ship to stare out at the asteroids. “Excellent. Send some men over to recover the stolen treasure.”

“Aye, sir,” Richards said. “What about prisoners?”

“No, just the treasure,” Mathews said. “Once it’s back over here, separate us from them and destroy their ship.”

“Sir?” Richards said, one eyebrow raised.

“It’s a shame, really,” Mathews said, turning back to the enemy ship. “These pirates are cowards, but stubborn. They were willing to destroy their own ship against an asteroid rather then turn the treasure back over to us.”

“Yes, sir,” Richards said, still confused.

“Once the report is written up, I’ll announce to the crew that I will be retiring once we return,” Mathews said, continuing. “Everyone who served with me this day will get a substantial bonus, from my… personal coffers.”

“Oh,” Richards said, understanding dawning on him. “I see, sir. Aye, sir.”

“I told you,” Mathews said, “Blackstar taught me everything he knew.”

“Aye, captain,” Richards said. “I’m learning much myself.”

“I very much think I would like to retire to a private asteroid of my own,” Mathews said, leaving the deck and returning to his cabin to file the report.