Cutlass Mission 12A (12/30/20) pt 2 of 4, "The Final Logs of Captain Enzo Eymard"
Message:***dd/mm/yy*** Paris
Blast it all! The monies incurred to ransom off Milord Captain Nathaniel Mayweather, Taft, Peter Wildemoon, Robert Laurent and Toppo have been charged back to me! The ransoms for all were kept by the dastard Raleigh, despite his having murdered or sold all but Milord Mayweather. I have been “offered” the chance to pay the debts by work in kind - to take over the Captaincy of a merchant vessel running between Paris and Madrid.
***dd/mm/yy*** Paris
I am not alone in what I must now term blackmail from the associates of Milady Eloise. I have seen the “Ocean’s Loom,” the trading vessel I am to Captain, met her crew, and officers. Yonten, former manservant to Milord Mayweather, serves as Master of Arms. Gilbert Durand, another compatriot of Milord Mayweather, will be my navigator/pilot. Ricardo Wildemoon, cousin of the murdered Peter Wildemoon, is Quartermaster, while his cousin, Paxton, is Quartermaster. Denis l’Menace is Master of Sails. Alastor du Sang held the post of Master of Soldier, and brought along his company of musketeers, the “Tormentor’s Rain.” Finally, the quiet Indian, Gautem Mehta. Mehta holds no officer’s post. His presence is unusual in that he is some sort of delegate - more than emissary, less than ambassador - of the Indus Emperor Khan Bahadur, and, alone of all those listed, has accepted this mission without coercion. All these men took part in the varied schemes to foil the scoundrel Raleigh’s plans to sabotage trade agreements between the Ottoman Turks, France and the Indus Empire. All but Gautem Mehta have somehow “incurred debts” in their service to Milady Eloise.
***dd/mm/yy*** Paris
Our “employer,” Monsieur Lorenzo, would normally operate his own vessel, but, on this, the eve our our departure, we were informed he would not be aboard for this voyage. The officers and I have gathered in a tavern to drink our fill before setting sail, and trade tails and rumors. Much was said of M. Lorenzo, who has suffered years of poor luck. Denis believes M. Lorenzo cowers in his bed. Denis brings rumors that a contract has been placed upon Lorenzo’s head and that a feared knife-man seeks to end his life.
My officers agree we are in a most unpleasant situation. “One of us must die before this mission is complete,” Denis gloomily predicted. I wish to believe him in error, yet confess, I find myself unable to sleep from worry. WE leave with the turning of the tide.
Yours,
IronMike
01-Jan-2021