Red Beard, Ep 2

EPISODE 2: A Meeting of the Minds
    The next morning, a hot tropical sun shines over the buccaneer port of Port Royale, Jamaica.  Port Royale is full of drinking establishments and flesh pots catering to the foulest, meanest pirates on the Spanish Main.  The most infamous of these houses of sin is The Mayhem Inn, owned by the infamous Mistress Shannon.  Mayhem is relatively quiet this morning, only a few of the usual assortment of seagoing scum remain after another night of debauchery.  Shannon, a tall, long haired buxom brunette, counts out the nights receipts at a table as her chief enforcer, Wild Bill O'Shaunesy, directs the assorted minions and nerdowells in cleaning up the place.  Mayhem's morning calm is broken by girlish laughter and the clatter of feet on the stairs.  Two of Shannon's serving wenches, Natalie and her cousin Marti, lead their latest drunken paramours down the stairs.  Shannon watches the disheveled, partially clothed quartet with bemusement as the two fetching blondes lead the drunken pirates toward Mayhem's side door.  Natalie's companion steals a kiss and makes a grab for her posterior.  Natalie kisses the miscreant while simultaneously trapping the offending hand into a half nelson.
     "Ouch!  You've a strong grip for such a slight girl," the pirate protests.
    "Now you've had your fun for the night darling," Natalie purrs, raising her foot into the pirates back.
    "Now let's not do anything rash love," the pirate pleads.
    "Rash?  Me? Never my love."
    "What a relief."
    "But no more fun without more gold."  With that Natalie kicks the staggering buccaneer through the door into the street where he collapses in a heap.
    Marti's companion guffaws at his colleagues fate and takes a drink from his rum bottle.  As he drinks, Marti kicks him through the door where he crashes into the other pirate.  Marti and Natalie laugh as the two buccaneers stagger to their feet.  "Come back when you have more booty fellows," calls out Marti.
    "Marti!  Natalie!"  The two girls startle at their mistress' voice.  "Hand over your complementaries."  The two recover their wanton wages from their bodices, handing the gold and silver to Shannon who counts it into her receipts before giving the two their share.  "Marti, where's your sister," Shannon asks?
    "Emily's still upstairs entertaining," Marti replies, counting her money.
    "Bill, see Emiliy's friend out."  Wild Bill goes upstairs to fetch the third Spice Chick as the trio is known while Shannon dresses down the other two.  "You know my rules.  No men allowed in your rooms after day break.  I need you to help clean in the morning."
    "We already sing, wait tables and entertain the men!  Why do we have to clean up," Natalie protests?
    "Because you're serving wenches, and serving wenches help clean."
    "All these silly rules!  Tis a tavern you have here Shannon, not a court.  Why such interest in when we put our clients out the door?"
    "I have some rules Marti," Shannon replies. "Not many, but a few.  I try and enforce at least one a day."
    Just then Jack Slate, the famed pirate captain, his trusted 1st Mate Charles "Frenchy" Le Clerc, and Sampson, the Captain's black manservant, stroll in.  The trio approaches Shannon's table.
    "Drinks," Jack says putting down a hefty bag of gold on the table.  "Shannon, I'm here to pay."
    "It's about time, Slate.  You're a week late," Shannon replies, taking the gold.
    "Tis a little hard to keep up payments when you've got my ship as collateral and won't let me use it."
    "You should have thought of that before you took a loan from me and didn't pay me back.  Besides, you seem to be doing well fitting out ships."
    "Yes, but it's not the same as a pirates life.  Think of it.  Me, an honest man.  My God!  What I've fallen to!"
    "For God's sake, mom Cheri," Frenchy chimes in, "give him the ship back before he works us to death or drives us mad."
    "Shannon, I need my ship.  You have half your money back now.  Let me use the ship and you get half of whatever I make on the voyage."
    "And how do I know you would pay?  You squandered your loan on a woman."
    Jack takes Shannon's hand, applying all his considerable charm.  "She was a mere passing fancy, a lapse in judgement brought on by intoxicating moonlight and your absence."
    "The intoxicant was rum," replies Shannon slowly pulling a dagger from her dress and pressing it against Jacks' neck.  "Judgment and discretion have never been your strengths, Jack.  I don't care if a man goes a whoring, but I loaned you money, I expect to get paid.  Else, I keep the ship."
    Jack gingerly pushes the dagger from his throat, carefully feeling it's sharp point as he does.  "No need for violence, my lady.  You've made your point.  You have my word."  Jack kisses Shannon's hand.
    "The word of a buccaneer," she replies pulling her hand away.  "What's that worth," she says coyly?
    Just then yells and curses break out from the second floor as Wild Bill drags Emily's partner down the stairs.  Bill is about to toss the sailor out when Emily, a stunning brunette, comes down the stairs wrapped only in a bed sheet.
    "Wait," she yells, "he's not paid!"
    "Pay up," Bill snarls.  The sailor fumbles in his belt finds a coin and tosses it to Emily.  "A pence!  You lout my charms are worth more than that!"
    Bill grabs the seaman by the throat which prompts a reconsideration by the sailor.  The pirate tosses his entire purse to Emily, whereupon, Bill tosses him out the door.
    "That's better," shouts Emily as the drunk picks himself up in the alley!
    "Alright the three of you" Shannon shouts to the Spice Chicks!  "Get dressed and help the others clean up.  I've a business to run."
    Emily, Marti and Natalie return upstairs as another of Shannon's minions bring the drinks.  The rest of her raunchy crew resumes cleaning the tavern.  As Jack, Frenchy and Sampson begin to drink, the huge West Indian Socatoa, one of Shannon's many informers and enforcers, enters the bar. 
    "Mistress," the Indian says in his heavily accented voice, "Spanish ship that put into port today robbed by Teech.  Him take little white boy prince and woman servant for ransom."
    "My God," Shannon exclaims!  "Is Black beard here again?  He was up at Charleston!"
    "No worry, Mistress," the Indian continues.  Not Edward Teech.  It little brother John Teech."
    "Just who is this prince," asks Frenchy?
    "Him called, Juan del la Cruz.  Woman named Michelle Labelle," the Indian replies.
    "Quite a prize, Red Beard has caught," remarks Frenchy taking a drink.
    "Indeed," Shannon replies.  "The scum will make a handsome profit on the ransom."
    Jack reflects a moment.  "The Prince's father might also pay a handsome reward for the rescue of his son from Red Beard."  The others at the table perk up at Jack's comment.
    "You've an idea of rescuing the boy from Teech mon Capitan," Frenchy asks?
    "Or stealing him from Red Beard to ransom him yourself," adds Shannon, intrigued by the idea.
    Jack leans back in his chair taking a slow drink.  "Rescue, ransom the difference is slight.  But the payment would be the same."
    "But a ship, Captain," Sampson asks?
    Shannon recoils. "Oh no!  Not til you pay off your debt, Jack!"
    "Think of it Shannon.  The ransom of a prince would be more than enough to pay off my debt to you and leave a tidy profit for all.  That's of course if you want your money quickly.  Fitting ships is such a slow business."
    Shannon thinks a moment.  "You scoundrel, Jack Slate!  A deal.  You can use your ship to rescue the boy.  But, to make sure you don't run off before paying your debt, Socatoa and Li Key Ching Kai Sung will go with you."
    Puzzled, Sampson asks, "Pardon me, Mistress Shannon.  Who pray tell is Li Key . . . whatever it was you said?"
    "The best Chinese cook in Jamaica," she replies motioning to a short oriental man who is sweeping the floor.
    Li Key approaches the table.  "You need something Mistress?"
    "Li Key, you and Socatoa are going with Captain Jack to resue some people from Red Beard."
    "Red Beard!  Him cut throat!  Feed people to sharks!  Li Key no go!"
    "Li Key," Shannon purrs, "do you ever want to pay off that gambling debt you owe me?"
    "Li Key no care about gambling debt!  Have to be alive to pay it off!"
    "Li Key, do you want Limey Mic to know where he can find you so he can collect his debt?"
    Li Kay pauses.  "Mistress Shannon tell Limey Mic where find Li Key?"
    "In a moment," Shannon purrs.
    "What we wait for," Li Key exclaims in a sudden burst of enthusiasm?  "Where ship?  Where crew?  I get sea bag!  When we sail?  Chop chop!"  Li Key goes to kitchen to gather his gear as Shannon turns to Jack.  "Collect your crew at the dock."

Meanwhile . . .  Elsewhere . . .