Elizabeth Masters awakes with a start to the deafening roar of cannon fire. Looking around from the hammock in the bunkroom in which she has slept, Elizabeth struggles to determine whether the cannon are those of the ship she is on, or some unknown assailant. Quickly donning the uniform of a cadet in the Royal Navy Elizabeth takes only the briefest moment to ensure that she is presentable before ascending above deck to receive orders. Elizabeth is a woman of average height and build. Though slender of waist and hips, her bosom is not wanting, adequately filling a bodice back before she was in the Navy. Elizabeth’s most distinguishing feature was her skin, which was purest alabaster, covered in a pleasant trim of freckles over her shoulder, arms, cheeks and legs. Her hair was the shade of weathered brick, just slightly reddish in hue, and her eyes were a dark hazel. She wore the uniform of the Royal Navy, though modified to fit her form, as were all those of her crewmates.
Unable to see much in the dark, fog, and smoke, Elizabeth maintains her poise enough to carefully listen for one of the ship’s officers to see where she might best be put to use. Unfortunately, the deck was chaos as the rest many of the women on the ship’s crew were busily rushing around the deck screaming at each other to be heard over the din. However, as Elizabeth was listening, a hand grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her around. It was First Mate Carver, one of Ms. Masters’ immediate superiors, a young woman only two years Elizabeth’s elder at 20 years of age.
“Get your wits about you, girl. We lost our lookout and we have no way of seeing where our attackers are located. Climb up to the crow’s nest and see what you can see.”
With that, First Mate Carver gave her a shove towards the netting leading up to the crow’s nest. As soon as Elizabeth grabs the netting, the ship shakes violently, sending two of her shipmates flying overboard. Elizabeth herself is only spared that fate herself because she is thrown against the ropes, which keep her on deck. As she climbs, Elizabeth can clearly see the increasing chaos down below. It’s now clear that shots are being fired at the Navy ship from an unknown source somewhere of the ship's stern.
Finally, once the top of the mast is reached, Elizabeth can clearly see the attacking ship. Recognizing a ship with superior firepower, maneuverability, and an enormous tactical advantage, she is faced with the her mortality, the inevitability of her own destruction. In the distance, away from the attacking ship, she can see the outline of a large island.
She has two choices, she climb back down to tell First Mate Carver of the ship’s location, or she can jump for water, and attempt to swim to the island and safety.
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