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The Black Eagle Returns

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william23

Magistrate
The Black Eagle Returns

It had been a good five years since the mutiny on The Black Eagle slave ship had been thwarted and the prisoners ending their lives shrieking on crosses at the side of the quay. Goab, the whip master, had been honoured for his work and even though his body had long been consumed by the fish he received full military honours. Due to the amount of damage The Black Eagle had received in battle it was decided to re-build her but much stronger and larger than before.

Slaves toiled for two long years, many died of exhaustion, some were crucified, if they disobeyed, but all had tasted the whip. The task was complete and the crew selected, it was decided that Goabs younger brother would take control. His name was Vestipus and he bore an uncanny resembelance to his older brother. He stood proud on the deck and looked along the length of the deck and gasped at its size. He gazed up and saw the huge white sails flapping in the light breeze, the huge black eagle emblazoned on the center sail. At three points, along the deck, were vent holes and, below, the two hundred slaves were chained to their oars and ankles fastened to the foot blocks. From below the slaves looked up at their new owner, the one that now beheld their fate and ultimate end. Vestipus grinned, as he surveyed the new stock of rowers, and rubbed his hands together.

Just then a trumpet sounded which signaled the arrival of the captain. A stout man with a slightly crooked nose and one ear lobe missing, both disfigurements picked up from battles. He beamed at Vestipus and paced up to him.
Madiosi-2019-074-New BlackEagle.jpg
"My dear friend," and he hugged Vestipus warmly, "I am so glad that we serve together again, how long has it been?"

"All of three years," responded Vestipus, "needed some time off after my brother was murdered by those slave scum!" His voice was full of hate and anger and those chained below shivered at the tone of his voice. What would lie ahead for them was unclear but one thing was for sure they would feel the wrath of Vestipus in revenge for the death of his brother.

The captain and Vestipus returned to the captains quarters to discuss the details of their imminent voyage.

Both sat opposite each other and the captain unrolled the map on the large oak table.

"Vestipus," the captain spoke, "many Roman galley's have been attacked by a mystery ship, we have no idea where this ship comes from. There are suggestions that it may come from Carthage or the Gauls, no one knows for sure. The only thing we know is that the attacks are swift and with an element of surprise. There are no survivors and the ships disappear without trace."

Vestipus leaned over the table and surveyed the crude map in front of him. There were marks over the map which indicated where the ships had been attacked. Vestipus rubbed his chin, "it is an honour for us to seek and destroy this ship, when do we sail?"

"As soon as the sun sets," responded the captain, "we will slip out at night, the fewer people who know we are sailing the more likely we will have the element of surprise. We cannot rule out that the rebel ship is being fed information of ships sailing."

"An informer!" exclaimed Vestipus.

"Yes, an informer," replied the captain, "better get some sleep we sail in a few hours."

To be continued..............................
 
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"Boarding party, at the corvus! Ballistae, prepare to open fire! Hortator, make ramming speed!"
All set for a sword-and-sandal swashbuckler! A good naval battle and hopefully some crucified naked flesh too!;)
"Boarding party, at the corvus! Ballistae, prepare to open fire! Hortator, make ramming speed!"
All set for a sword-and-sandal swashbuckler! A good naval battle and hopefully some crucified naked flesh too!;)
You got it!
 
The Black Eagle sails.

The hot daytime sun was just starting to disappear, behind the distant hills, as the drum beat started and the slaves pulled with all their might as the ship slipped out of the harbour. Soon the land was just a small coastline in the distance and now they were guided by the stars.

The dull beat of the drum made sure that the stroke was true and that meant a constant speed was ensured. The chained slaves toiled at their oars daring not to falter for fear of the lash on their raw backs. Vestipus walked between the sweat drenchd, near naked, bodies and could smell the fear in the air. They all pulled with their backs and pushed with their quivering legs. Vestipus stopped at one oar and placed his batton under the chin of the panting slave.

"This man is not rowing with any conviction, unchain him and bring another up to replace him!" he bellowed.

The chains, securing him to his oar, fell to the floor and his ankle was unfastened from the block.

Vestpus looked into the slaves blank eye's and asked,
"why do you not row?" he enquired.

The slave who was being held up by his skinny arms stared back at Vestipus.

"What do I have to live for," he spluttered, "you crucified my wife and the rest of my family, I am condemend to row until my body gives up life and I join them in the afterlife, the sooner the better."

"It may be sooner than you think," snarled Vestipus.

"In the morning you will be my example, my brother knew just how to deal with slaves like you. When the sun rises so will you, on the mast beam, I will have you crucified naked for all to see. Take him below, we will assemble the rowers on deck, at first light, they will bear witness to his punishment."

The groaning man was dragged down the steps to the dark damp hold to await his final punishment as the sun rose. The rowers all pulled on their oars, thru the night, until the order to drop oars was given. They were unchained but their hands were tied behind their backs to prevent any hostile attempt to escape. The bright sun almost blinded them and it took time for them to adjust. When the vision returned they could make out the frail slave being held between two bare chested soldiers, the punishment was about to begin!

To be continued.....................................
 
"What do I have to live for," he spluttered, "you crucified my wife and the rest of my family, I am condemend to row until my body gives up life and I join them in the afterlife, the sooner the better."

Can’t argue with that. He just wants to join his family. ;)
 
The Punishment Begins

Vestipus stood with his arms crossed to address the cowering slaves.

"You are all here as condemmend slaves, you will almost certainly die on this vessel, however, row well and we will feed and water you. If you do not row well or give us any kind of trouble then this is what will befall you," and he gestured to the men holding the shaking slave.

The man had his rag of a loin cloth ripped away from his woefully thin body . The man fell to his knees but was hauled back up onto his bloodied feet to face the gaze of the teriffied slaves. His penis hung low with his scrotum and a small jet of warm piss trickled, from the neatly circumcised head, down the inside of his leg. Two ropes were lowered from the mast above his head and looped quickly over his wrists.

"Pull him up!" Vestipus ordered, and the mans arms were jerked up and the soles of his feet left the deck and swung too and fro as he was slowly hoisted up the mast.

"Slowly," yelled Vestipus, "slowly, let him feel every tug as he rises to his final resting place."

The watching slaves followed the twisting groaning man as he was inched up the mast. Soon he reached the wood of the mast and was met by two men who had already scaled up to meet the squirming form and fasten him to the mast. The man was grunting as his wrists were roped tightly to the beam causing his ribs to stick out and his tongue to loll out of his mouth.

One of the men, on the mast, lowered a small basket to the deck below.

"Nails!" one man called, and two sharp spikes were dropped in along with a small stout hammer. The man hauled the basket up and took out the two spikes and held them in his gritted teeth. Next he took the short hammer and looped the twine on the handle over his wrist. The bound slave had stopped twisting, for a while, but that was soon to change as the tip of the spike was placed against the pale palm of the hand. The slave closed his eyes and clenched his mouth in readiness for the impending agony he was to experience.

"Clang, clang, clang!"

The head of the spike was struck clean and firm and it made its way thru the soft flesh of the hand and into the hard wood of the mast.

"Eeeeeaaargh! Aaaaargh!" the slave screamed his head off and kicked his heels hard against the mast, in fact his legs were everywhere.

The man moved along the mast and with expert precision drove the second spike thru the other palm with the same reaction.

There was more kicking and loud high pitched screams and then he fainted, his head filled with pain and anguish. The men clinbed down and surveyed the stretched out form on the mast.

Vestipus stepped forward and looked up at the man, his penis was jerking into life and starting to rise.

"Nail the feet," he commanded and the men seized the loose hanging legs and pulled them to the sides of the mast. Two thicker spikes were driven into the meat of the dangling heels and into the mast and there he hung. His breathing became rapid and his body was shaking in spasm as the edge of the square shank spikes rubbed against raw muscle and tendons.

"Right, you lot, learn from this, row well and live or defy me and you will share the other side of this mast. I have learnt from my brother and I intend to carry on his work to the full and probably more!"

To be continued......................
 
Into The Night

"Row you bastards, row!"

The air was filled with the groans and grunts, from the men, as they pulled with all the strength they had to avoid the kiss of the whip.
Every now and then they would hear the crack of the whip as it tore the bare skin of a flagging slave, followed by the high pitch scream. Looking up some could see the dark shape of the crucified slave outlined against the bright moon in the sky. They could see the gentle sway of his naked body held firmly against the wood with the cruel iron spikes. They could hear the sea lapping against the side of the ship as it continued on its course to do battle with the rogue ship. Only the beating of the drum, to maintain the pace, could be heard above everything else.

The new owners of The Black Eagle had learnt their lesson from the previous ships downfall. There would be no women on board, just an all man crew, unless any were taken as prisoners from a defeated foe.
Vestipus sat in his quarters drinking wine and washing off the grime from his dark brown arms. He had a fine beard, that he always kept neat and trim, as this drew attention from any female admirers, he had fair his share of women on land. He sat and pondered on the ensuring battle that could happen anytime. He had men positioned all around the deck keeping a watchful eye for any wash from the bow of an approaching ship. Vestipus was a shrewd man and was good at his job, he knew how to get the best out of the rowers. He had learn't well from his late brother but did not intend to make the same mistake, so the rule was, no woman!
Madiosi-2019-075-New BlackEagle sails.jpg
Soon, the early morning sun rose just over the horizon and sent streams of light down onto the sweating, heaving mass of slaves rowing. Those that could see, watched the dead naked slave being prissed from the wood and land with a thump on the deck. His feet were grabbed and the mangled body was hauled along the deck and heaved over the side for fish food.

"Rest oars!" came the order, and the panting slaves lowered their oars and slumped forward on their wooden benches. Water was brought round and they all greedily drank as much as they could force down their parched throats. There was no telling when their next drink would come. For some it could be the taste of the salt water as they drown, chained to an oar.

There was a fair breeze blowing and so it was decided to raise sail and relieve the rowers for a brief time. If the enemy ship was sighted then the rowers would start their toil all over again but at battle speed.
The Captain and Vestipus sat together looking at a map of where attacks had happened in the past.

"Well Vestipus,"spoke the captain, "we will soon be on the outskirts of the first attacks, we will need to double up on the watch, especially at night. I don't want these bastards catching us unaware, we must be prepared and if possible have the act of surprise if we are to be victorius."

Vestipus nodded in agreement and looked at more of the map.
"Perhaps sir," he responded, "perhaps we can keep closer to the coast, almost on the rocks and stay out of the open water. We should also make more use of the sails as this will cut down on noise."

The captain patted Vestipus on the shoulder, "you have a fine brain," he replied, "your brother would be proud of you, don't worry, you will avenge the death of your brother. When we take the rebel ship you will be able to torture and crucify the prisoners, male, female, old and young, all will suffer in respect of your brother!"

To be continued..............................................
 
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The Following Day

The night passed without incident and the slaves had a well deserved rest from the oars, although they were kept chained to them. The following day the sun rose early and there was an eerie mist on the water but no wind.
The captain pondered long and hard, "strike oars!" came the order and the whip flew into action. Soon the slaves toiled once again and strained on their oars as they drew them thru the crystal clear waters, only the beat of the drum broke the silence.

Vestipus and the captain sat in the quarters below pondering their next course of action.

"We are right in the middle of the area where a lot of the attacks have occurred," spoke the captain.

"We best double the watch," Vestipus joined in, "I will attend to it right away."

Vestipus went up on deck and the brilliant sunlight struck his eyes. He blinked and shielded them and tried to re-adjust them. When his vision cleared he looked over the vast expanse of water but all he could see was miles and miles of open water. However, in the distance he could see birds diving into the sea, there was quite a commotion. He steered the huge vessel in the direction of the group of birds and he strained his eyes in their direction.

Vestipus was joined on deck by the captain.

"We have changed course," he said "why?"

"Over there," spoke Vestipus, "something strange in the water."

Both men went to the side of the vessel.

"Raise oars!" the command was given and the oars were lifted out of the water and pulled into the galley. They glided closer to the disturbance and the wild life dispersed quickly as they approached. They edge closer to the object in the water and gasped, it was a naked man crucified on a crude raft. His body was red raw from the heat of the sun, he had been in the water for probably a day. The birds had begun to peck at his eyes and there was little left of his penis, just a small piece of loose skin. He was spread in a star position and iron spikes secured his wrists and feet to the timber. Life had left him some time ago but he must have endured so much agony because the holes, made by the nails, in his body, had lengthened in his struggle to live.

"No point in bringing him aboard," spoke the captain, "don't want him stinking the place out, leave him for the sharks!"

The body floated passed and out into the distance, we are close thought Vestipus, very close.

To be continued....................................
 
The Black Eagle Returns

The crew of The Black Eagle watched the body float by and off towards the horizon.

"Wait!" a voice shouted, "there is a rope attached."
Sure enough there was a rope tied to the raft and just below the surface of the rippling water. All eyes followed the rope as it snaked through the water.

"Look, another raft," a voice bellowed, and sure enough another wooden raft was along side their galley. This one held the lifeless body of an old woman, just like the first,nailed spreadeagled to the water soaked wood. She was in better condition than the first but her nipples had been pecked off her large round breasts and the blood dried on the bulbuous orbs. Yet more rope trailed behind and soon more rafts were to follow each bearing the body of a naked man or woman.

The crew was getting restless at the grissly site that floated passed them, Vestipus looked at the captains face.

This is not good, he thought, this is not good at all. He had seen something similar to this whilst serving in the Roman army as a lad. A fortress they were attacking nailed prisoners to makeshift crosses and catapulted them over the walls and at them as they approached. He never forgot the terrified screams as the prisoners flew thro the air and the squishy thud as the hit the ground. The retreat was swift and sudden, the crucified men had the desired effect on the approaching Roman army. Hundreds were put to decimation for their cowardice but it was all to late, the battle had been lost.

Vestipus looked up and down at the crew, he could see the horror in their faces.

"Captain!" a voice bellowed, "there is one alive."

Another raft knocked against the side of the galley, it bore the struggling form of a young female of about twenty years. Her firm taut breasts heaved up and down as the sea spray threatened to cover her body. The rope was grabbed and pulled up the galley along with the twisting body. As the frame made its way up the side the naked body hung from the spikes embedded in her slim wrists. Her toes twitched in spasm from the spikes protruding out of her boney heels. Soon the frame and body was hauled onto the deck and Vestipus knelt by her side.

The young woman's eyes opened and she blinked in the bright sun and then choked up some sea water. Vestipus poured some water over her face and wiped the brine out of her beautiful blue eyes. He then moistened her lips and stroked her forehead, her body jerked and strained against the iron fixings holding her limbs to the wood.

"Help me," she croaked, "heeeelp m...m...me," she lost conciousness.
Vestipus very carefully extracted the nails and tossed them on the deck. The limp body was carried below deck, it would be some time before she would be able to speak but Vestipus was prepared to wait. He had many questions to ask and many answers to hear.

To be continued............................
 
Vestipus sat in his large oak chair and tapped his fingers on the large desk. He pondered long and hard and rose to his feet and strode to the door. He made his way below deck to where the wounded young women lay stretched out on the crude wooden bed. She was being tended by two slaves who constantly washed the wounds in her hands and feet as the crimson blood seeped out of the nail holes.

"Has she spoken?" enquired Vestipus.

"Not much," was the response, "she keeps mumbling the name Coreuss over and over, who is Coreuss?"

Vestipus stood up and bashed his clenched fist against the side. "Coreuss!" he snarled, "I should have known, I thought that bastard was dead."
Just then the young frame of the tortured body shook, in a huge spasm. The slaves struggled to hold her down as she thrashed from side to side and then, with one loud groan, she was no more. Vestipus gazed at the lifeless body, better this way, he thought, rather than to endure a slow death as her limbs gave way to going sceptic. Vestipus gave the order and the supple body was hauled over the side and down to her watery grave.

The Black Eagle sailed on quietly through the night with only the gentle flapping of the sails to break the stillness of the night. Vestipus and the captain were resting in their quarters when the announcement came. A ship had been sighted in the distance, the ship was being propelled by slaves at the oars as the audible splash, of the blades stroking the water, could be heard on quite a still night. The ship was cutting across their path and so it would not take long, with hard rowing, for the ship to be engaged. Below decks the slaves were being chained to the oars and their raw ankles secured to the blocks. A few of the slaves struggled and screamed but the carress of the whip soon got them under control.

"Raise oars!" the command was given, followed by "strike oars!" and soon the pounding beat on the drum lurched the galley forward.

"Battle speed!" came the order that the slaves had been dreading, they were pulling with all their strength punctuated by the crack of the whip on their sweat drenched backs.

The attack came sudden and unexpected.

"Ramming speed!" and the beat quickened as the toiling bodies pulled and pulled on their oars. They never saw the galley until the side of their vessel was ripped open from the collision and the ocean flooded in. The screams from the trapped slaves echoed around both ships. By now the boarding party was making swift work of the surviving enemy. The surprise of the attack had caught them unaware, as The Black Eagle was, as the name suggested, painted black and even the sails were black. The battle was fierce and swift with the crew being overcome and secured in ropes and chains. The slaves had rowed well and were being rewarded with food and water. With the prisoners secure Vestipus and the captain watched from the deck as the defeated ship was set alight and sunk with the screams from the dying slaves, chained to their oars, ringing in their ears.

"Busy day in the morning," reminded the captain, "we have to decide on what to do with the prisoners."

"I suggest we set an example with them as a mark of respect to my dead brother," responded Vestipus.

"Agreed," replied the captain, with a quick smirk and wink from his eye.

To be continued.......................
 
And I am wondering who might be among the prisoners ... someone interesting I should think.
DON'T LOOK AT ME. I'M "INTERESTING", BUT I DON'T DO THE PRISONER GIG. I OCCASIONALLY END UP IN PRISONS, BUT ONLY "ON BUSINESS", SO TO SPEAK.
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HEY!! NOT FAIR! LET ME OUT! :mad::eek::doh:
 
I suggest we set an example with them as a mark of respect to my dead brother," responded Vestipus.
I wonder what 'example' Vestipus has in mind? I can already guess one!

HEY!! NOT FAIR! LET ME OUT! :mad::eek::doh:
Disassemble your bones, stick them through the bars and reassemble at the other side!:idea::idea:
What do you mean "My skull is too large!"?:facepalm:
 
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