text: "I have given you an order Commander. It will be obeyed. Commander Trapa... the absence of myself and Commander Cuthrew you will command the Fleet until either myself ot Commander Cuthrew return. Commander Freer will assist you. You can either remain here and co-ordinate the assault on this island with Finch and Quarrel or you can accompany Swift and Mason on their voyage to ensure our Colonies are safe. I am giving you that discretion and I trust you will not let me down."
  
  Feeling pride at your promotion you promise Anne-Marie she can rely on you.
  
  > stay here and co-ordinate Finch and Quarrel's attack on the island
  After the Council the other five ships of the War Fleet sail off in different directions leaving the Adventurer, Royal Escort and Indefatigable alone off a hostile shore. Between your three crews you have less than eighty men while there are many times that number of Lapau on the island. After a few days of repairing the Indefatigable and ponder the problem you invite the other Commanders aboard to discuss a plan to conquer the island. Finch, Quarrel and Freer all join you in your cabin.
  
  "Our main advantage we have here is our muskets and cannon fire," you tell them. "If we land and keep in disciplined ranks then we can advance on the village using musket and cannon fire to keep the enemy at a distance. After taking the village we can clear the whole island
  
  "That won't help us if they take to their canoes" Finch points out. "They could easily escape or even make an attempt to capture our ships."
  
  "We can use the ships to surround the island at three points and cut off any escape. If one ship is attacked the other two can sail to help them."
  
  "Will you be commanding the land or the sea force?" Quarrel asks.
  
  > The land force
  It takes a few days for your Crew to complete all the preparations necessary to make the landing on Village Island. On the day of the assault you, Finch and Quarrel lead your sailors ashore in three longboats. The moment you hit the sand your men quickly form into three ranks, loaded muskets held ready as you advance cautiously on the village. It is eerily quiet. You find the village deserted and move past it into the jungle. You search the whole island for hours but don't find a single Lapau. At some earlier date they must have completely evacuated the island, taking with them all the food they could carry. You do find a small amount which is taken back to your ships.
  
  When you all lead your Crews back to your ships Captain Freer can't stop laughing when she learns you have painstakingly surrounded and captured a totally uninhabited island. You ignore her because you have still fulfilled your orders and for the next few days your men keep busy knocking down the villager's huts and building a small wooden fort and jetty while you wait for the other ships of the War Fleet to return.
  
  > Cuthrew's Return
  After a few days of waiting and working on the Fort the War Fleet begins to reassemble, starting with Commander Cuthrew's Sea Ghost which sails up from the Southeast. When she anchors alongside you Cuthrew comes aboard the Adventurer and resumes command of the Fleet.
  
  "Did you find any land?" you ask the old sailor who nods.
  
  "Some. There's an island to the south which I've seen before full of giant lizards. Southeast of here there's a barren rocky island which contains a village of Lapau. I did not want to sail too far into hostile waters so I guess that rocky island will be our next target."
  
  You agree and settle down to wait for the rest of the Fleet.
  
  > Swift and Mason return
  You are beginning to get concerned about the Supply situation by the time Commanders Swift and Mason return. Having visited all four of your country's Colonies in these waters they report the situation is safe: the Lapau have not attacked any of them which supports your belief that they have withdrawn away to the south. You are keen to continue the attack against the Lapay and all you need now is for Anne-Marie and Hale to arrive and after a few more days they do.
  
  > Anne-Marie and Hale's Return
  Having made excellent time Queen Anne-Marie and Commander Hale rejoin the War Fleet, restoring it to it's full strength of eight ships. As it turns out they didn't sail all the way back to Golden Sands, only as far as The Southern Passage where ample supplies were waiting for them, Anne-Marie quickly distributes them among the Fleet. With repairs finished to all ships, Hale and Freer's wounds healing nicely and two-hundred strong remaining members of the expedition feeling confident Anne-Marie orders you all aboard the Monarch of the Sea for another Council of War.
  
  "We are ready to take the fight to the enemy now," Anne-Marie declares with satisfaction. "Commander Cuthrew has discovered a Lapau-occupied island to the Southeast so there we shall sail and destroy all the settlements we find there. We will kill all the male warriors and take the women and children prisoner. We must learn from them the locations of their islands and settlements so we can destroy them until they submit to our authority."
  
  That evening the War Fleet weighs anchor and sails Southeast to war.
  
  > To Battle
  The War Fleet sails Southeast for three days and the island sighted by Cuthrew soon comes into sight: it is nothing more than a barren Hill with a few huts nestling on the top; like the Lapau settlement on Village Island it has been abandoned. Queen Anne-Marie summons all her officers to another Council of War, which irritates your companion Eva Freer.
  
  "We might as well sleep in a corner of her cabin she gives us so many orders," she grumbles.
  
  "I think it is likely that a Lapau fleet is waiting to fight us," Anne-Marie announces when you and the other officers have assembled. "I intend to lure them into a trap of my own. I will send one or two ships ahead to locate the Lapau islands. If they are attacked they will withdraw back to here, meanwhile our Fleet will wait hidden from sight behind this island. If our decoy ship is pursued we will attack them and use musket and cannon fire to kill the Lapau before they can board us or use their spears... who is willing to be the decoy?"
  
  There is a moment of silence then Naomi Swift speaks up.
  
  "Bermuda and myself can do it," she says and for some reason glances in your direction. "Our crews are at full strength and our ships are undamaged and ready for action.
  
  "Good. Excellent, the two of you shall sail directly South from here and try to lead any Lapau after you," Anne-Marie announces. "Do any other Officers wish to join you?"
  
  Eva nudges your side. "We should volunteer," she whispers.
  
  > offer to serve as a decoy alongside Swift and Mason
  Your offer to be a decoy is gladly accepted and the next day the Adventurer, Explorer and Maverick all sail south. By the second day the Hill has faded from sight and a great mass of brown with patches of blue fill the horizon: hundreds and hundreds of canoes are sailing towards you, so many canoes in fact that they almost hide the sea from sight and each one contains a spear or bow-armed Lapau Native. Immediately you change direction and begin sailing back north towards the rest of the Fleet.
  
  Unfortunately the wind is against you and the canoes are faster.
  
  By the third day the canoes have come within bow shot range and sailors in the stern fire muskets at them as the faster Lapau rain arrows down on you. The Barren Hill is back in sight and as you and your companions approach the other five ships of the War Fleet sail into sight. This doesn't seem to make the slightest impression on the Lapau, who if anything increase their efforts to catch up with your ships. For every Lapau your men shoot another ten overtake their fallen countryman to gain on you. Inevitably your enemies catch up to the Adventurer.
  
  As well as bombarding your Crew with arrows Lapau warriors now stab their spears into your ship's hull below the waterline to try and sink it or threw their spears up at your crew. Three of your men have been killed and seawater is soon pouring into your ship from dozens of tiny holes stabbed below the waterline. The Explorer and Maverick are under similar attack and a chill goes through you as you see the Maverick list to starboard and start to sink.
  
  Trying to help her cousin Naomi Swift steers the Explorer towards the Maverick, driving straight through a vast crowd of canoes but the Maverick is sinking fast now. Though they are making good speed the rest of the War Fleet is still out of musket range though the Monarch of the Sea is firing her bow cannons.
  
  "We should help them," Freer tells you, pointing at the sinking ship.
  
  > join Commander Swift in trying to rescue the Crew of the Maverick
  Turning towards the Maverick in a sudden burst of speed you push the Adventurer as fast as she will go to try to reach her in time. Before you can get their the ship's deck suddenly slips below the waves leaving a crazy wreckage of wooden debris, swimming men and dozens of canoes. The crew never have a chance: the Lapau stab and hack mercilessly at them in the water and though your men fire a volley of musket shots it only serves to make you a target. The ocean is soon red with blood and floating bodies.
  
  The destruction of the Maverick does at least draw attention away from the Explorer and though taking on water she is able to win her way clear of most of the canoes. Under heavy arrow fire which kills three of your Crew and wound more you turn the Adventurer around and use her to try and protect the damaged ship.with your own vessel. Finally the rest of the War Fleet join the battle and sailing between the Royal Escort and Merry Company you finally reach safety. Joining the rest of the Fleet both you and Naomi Swift turn your ships around to join the advance: like every other Sailor on the Fleet you want revenge for the loss of the Maverick.
  
  > No Mercy
  The disciplined line of the seven ships of the War Fleet bear down on the hundreds of canoes and the Lapau simply aren't strong enough to overwhelm the prepared and disciplined fire of the Fleet, it's sailors fired up by anger at witnessing the slaughter of Commander Bermuda Mason and her Crew. Over one hundred musket shots cuts down the canoes and as the Lapau flotilla breaks in two to try to outflank and surround the Fleet Anne-Marie orders the ships to drop anchor. More musket volleys decimate the Lapau trying to sail around the Fleet and with a trumpet blast the signal to retreat is given. With at least half their number slaughtered and hundreds of Lapau lying dead or dying in their boats or in the sea the survivors retreat amidst the mocking cheers of your countrymen.
  
  Canoes and corpses lie in every direction, the greater part of the Lapau flotilla has been destroyed and there is a real feeling that this victory has given your Fleet the advantage in this War but the casualties have been heavy. Fifty sailors have been killed: all the crew of the Maverick as well as a dozen sailors aboard the Explorer and other casualties throughout the Fleet. Bermuda Mason's mutilated body is fished from the water and her cousin Naomi Swift, who was herself hit in the left arm by an arrow is almost inconsolable with grief. At the Council of War aboard the Monarch of the Sea following the battle she sits shaking like a leaf with tears flooding silently down her face.
  
  "We have lost half our strength so far in this expedition but we have no intention of giving up," Anne-Marie declares. "The power of the Lapau has been broken. From wounded prisoners recovered from the water by Commander Cuthrew we have learnt where the Lapau settlements are: they control a string of nine islands in these waters, two of which we have already secured. It seems this Fleet was a gathering of all the Lapau's strength, we will never again face such odds as we did here today."
  
  Anne-Marie produces a hastily-drawn map. "Our prisoners inform us that the closest two islands lie south of here. We will proceed in that direction at once. I believe destroying their settlements and capturing their women and children is the best way to force the Lapau to submit and recognize our authority. We will not give up this War until we have forced them to submit or the deaths of our sailors and Commanders Trevers and Mason will count for nothing."
  
  Grimly the battered Fleet continues south.
  
  > Onwards
  Continuing south you soon sight a small island covered in thick forest. At least one hundred canoes leave the island traveling south carrying what is clearly the island's population: they easily outrace your much slower ships. With a telescope you can see a few Lapau still moving about onshore so clearly the island has not been completely abandoned. Anchoring offshore Anne-Marie holds another Council of War to discuss the situation.
  
  "There is no question: we must take this island," Anne-Marie declares. "Our prisoners tell us the next island lies to the Southeast. To save time I will take Commanders Hale and Quarrel to capture that place while Commander Cuthrew will co-ordinate Commanders Finch and Swift to secure this island. We will then rendezvous off this island to continue our voyage south. Commander Trapa, you may join whichever half of the Fleet you think would most benefit from your assistance.
  
  > join Anne-Marie, Hale and Quarrel in sailing east to take the further island
  Parting ways with the Sea Ghost, Royal Escort and Explorer you glide across the sparkling waves with your three companions until you come upon a tropical island, very similar to the previous with a village of huts by the shore. There are no canoes in sight but with a telescope you can see a few Lapau warriors moving near the shoreline. You, Freer, Hale and Quarrel join Anne-Marie in her cabin as she lays out her battle plan.
  
  "We will waste no time with reconnaissance but will land immediately and kill every Lapau warrior we see," she declares. "This Fleet cannot spare the food needed to feed prisoners. Me and Commander Quarrel will land with our crews while Commanders Hale and Freer will remain about the ships to ensure no Lapau escape by sea. I intend to conquer this island swiftly and then rejoin the rest of our fleet. Commander Trapa, you may accompany the land or sea force as you prefer."
  
  > join the land assault with Anne-Marie and Quarrel
  Immediately after the Council you, Anne-Marie and Quarrel land your Crews on the southern edge of the island, quickly forming a line of soldiers on the beach with muskets held ready. Together you advance cautiously towards the village, it is eerily quiet. The Warriors you saw earlier have vanished into the jungle. Taking possession of the unoccupied village you reluctantly advance together into the jungle to secure the island.
  
  You have not gone far into the thicket when one of your men suddenly yells a warning and fires his musket. A dozen armed warriors spring from the undergrowth, throwing their spears. An explosion of musket fire booms out and the warriors are cut down. "Kill them," Anne-Marie shouts and your sailors run wild, stabbing the warriors to death. A few of your men have been mortally wounded by spears, as have a few of Anne-Marie and Quarrel's crew but the island has been taken.
  
  When the slaughter is over Anne-Marie leads you all back to the village. "It seems the Lapau evacuated the island and left these men as a rearguard," she muses to you and Quarrel. "They may be gathering their strength for another attack. We will rejoin the rest of the fleet - in honor of my loyal companion Commander Quarrel I will name this Quarrel Island." Quarrel drops down on one knee and with an extravagant gesture kisses Anne-Marie's hand. You turn away in disgust. By that evening you are under sail and on your way to rejoin the rest of the Fleet.
  
  > Reunion
  The two halves of the Fleet reunite off Forrest Island, both having been successful in their efforts to capture Forrest Island and Quarrel Island. On both small bands of Lapau Warriors waited to ambush the invaders, apparently having been left there solely for that purpose. All the Lapau were killed along with about a dozen of your countrymen altogether and Anne-Marie's feeling at her latest Council of War is that the Lapau are gathering their remaining strength to continue opposing you.
  
  "According to Commander Cuthrew's prisoners there still remain five Lapau islands ahead and the closest is a mountain of snow due south of here. Although we have been reduced to seven ships and less than half our manpower the Fleet is still in good condition and we will make for this snow mountain. However low supplies is starting to become an issue and we need to obtain more if we are to continue safely. Commander Hale believes she has a partial answer to our problem."
  
  Hale clears her throat and speaks. "During my voyage around the world me and my Crew landed on a snow-covered island which was populated by many penguins which we hunted and used to replenish our food stores. If we sail southwest we should encounter this snowy island where we can hunt and bring back lots of food for the rest of the fleet. After that by turning east should be able to rendezvous with the War Fleet near this snowy mountain."
  
  Anne-Marie nods. "Very well, any ships who wish to can accompany you." Commander Swift volunteers to accompany Hale but everyone else opts to remain with the War Fleet.
  
  > sail Southwest with Hale and Swift to hunt penguins
  Breaking off from the rest of the Fleet, the Adventurer, Merry Company and Explorer sail Southwest. You notice the temperature drop the further south you can go but despite the decreasing voyage this is a pleasant part of the voyage because every evening you have Esme Hale, Naomi Swift and Taylor Freer join you in your cabin for dinner. The three attractive adventurers are good company but you can't help noticing Swift seems to glance at you a lot when she thinks you aren't looking. One evening Hale takes you to one side with a smile.
  
  "You know I think Commander Swift might like you," she tells you. You laugh but Hale shakes her head. "No, it's true. Clever ladies like me can tell these things. And another thing, is it just me or do you seem just a little sweet on Eva Freer?"
  
  For some reason you don't feel like laughing anymore. "I don't know what you mean."
  
  Hale shrugs. "I'll tell you another secret too, my island is a bit further south than I might have led Anne-Marie to believe. I just wanted to get away from her, Quarrel and the others for a while. We'll change our course due South now and should arrive there in a few days."
  
  Adjusting course you glide on towards your destination.
  
  > The Land of the Penguins
  As particles of snow drift through the air a snowy island comes into sight. "This is it," Hale declares triumphantly and in a great hurry you go ashore but it quickly becomes clear something is very wrong. Hundreds of penguins lie all across the island, all slain by arrows or spears: clear evidence that the Lapau have been here and recently to destroy any possible food supplies for your Fleet. Fortunately because the low temperature has frozen the meat much of it is still edible and you are able to replenish some of the Food you have consumed so far in this voyage but the butchery of the penguins is a bitter blow when you were relying on their meat. Leaving the island behind you sail due East to report the bad news to Anne-Marie.
  
  > The Snow Mountain
  When the two halves of the War Fleet rejoin beneath the icy pinnacle of a great Snow Mountain there is bad news on both sides. Anne-Marie's half of the Fleet were attacked by Lapau warriors who braved the icy waters to swim out and ambush the ships, killing a dozen sailors throughout the Fleet before being repulsed. Hale's expedition successfully rediscovered the island she had visited previously only to find Lapau had already slaughtered the penguin population. Some of the frozen meat is still edible and is distributed throughout the Fleet but the War Fleet as a whole is now facing serious supply and manpower shortages.
  
  "The Lapau appear to be conducting a scorched earth policy," Anne-Marie declares, "whittling down our numbers with ambushes while stripping the islands ahead of all edible foods and supplies. Only four hostile islands remain ahead so if we move as fast as we can we can still conquer and subdue these remaining islands and reach our nearest supply cache on the Corral Cabin Island before this Fleet is destroyed. But we will prevail!"
  
  Anne-Marie pauses. "According to Commander Cuthrew's prisoners a triangle of three islands lie before us. To the Southwest is a small tropical island and to the Southeast is a low rocky island, both are just a few days sail away. About a week's voyage directly south is a Corral Mountain, this will be our rendezvous point. I am dividing the Fleet again: Commander Cuthrew will take Commanders Hale and Swift Southwest to attack the tropical island while I shall take Commanders Finch and Quarrel Southeast to attack the rocky island. We will rendezvous at the Corral Mountain directly south of here. Officers: be wary of ambushes. The Lapau are withdrawing south, gathering their strength as they go and they surely intend to weaken us further before destroying us in one final attack so be careful! Commander Trapa, you can accompany whichever force you prefer.
  
  > join Cuthrew, Hale and Swift in attacking the tropical island
  Once again the fleet divides and you sail Southwest towards the tropical island. It soon comes into sight and as expected it appears deserted. One unusual thing is noticeable though: a burnt wreck of a ship lies sunk just offshore.Startled you recognize her as the Hope, a vessel commanded by a trader called Ann Lovett, one of your rival competitors during The Great Race to circumnavigate Magellan. She vanished during the voyage and from the looks of it she stumbled upon the Lapau who killed her and burnt her ship.
  
  Cuthrew looks as weary as ever as you Hale, Swift and Freer join him in his cabin aboard the Sea Ghost. "Commanders Hale and Swift, you will take your crews ashore to ensure this island is unoccupied. Be wary of ambushes and if you can see if you can discover some trace of what befell Captain Lovett and her crew. Commander Freer and myself will remain offshore. Commander Trapa, you may accompany who you choose."
  
  > join the landing party
  Going ashore you and your Crew together with Hale and Swift advance cautiously across the beach towards the village. You expect an ambush to come from the jungle but when it does it comes in an astonishing form: musket shots ring out knocking down several men including three of yours. Naomi Swift is hit in the right leg and falls to the ground near you. "Return fire," you shout as a musket ball whizzes past your head and your men fire a return volley. "Reload, reload," you shout but as you do you see a dozen figures fleeing from the trees. You and Hale lead your crews in pursuit but they dive into the sea. Using bamboo tubes lashed together with grass as breathing tubes they vanish under the waves and escape.
  
  You are startled by the evolving tactics of your adversary and have suffered more casualties in securing another island. Naomi Swift's wound is serious and she is unable to walk. Taken back aboard the Explorer she has the musket ball removed. In agony with pain and confined to her bunk she is unable to command her ship so Eva Freer assumes temporary command, you feel a strange and painful twinge in your chest as she leaves your ship. Convincing yourself it is only because you have become to used to seeing her every day you obey Cuthrew's orders to weigh anchor and steer the Adventurer Southeast towards the rendezvous. By now the hold is almost bare of provisions.
  
  > The expedition continues
  When the War Fleet reunites in the shadow of The Corral Mountain there is much news to share, most of it's bad. Cuthrew's expedition captured the island but were attacked by musket-wielding Lapau which suggests that somehow the Lapau have gotten ahold of some of your countrymen's weapons and learnt how to use them. Anne-Marie's expedition also succeeded in capturing the island after some fierce cave-based fighting. Casualties are high now: Naomi Swift has been shot through the leg and can't walk forcing Eva Freer to take command of the Explorer while Thomas Finch has been speared through the arm and is also in great pain. The Fleet is down to just over one hundred men, a third of it's sta