Chapter Text
Captain Alexander Hamilton smiled as he took in his surroundings: a beautiful blue ocean, the smell of briny sea, the taste and feel of the salty air, and the sounds of angry curses spewing from the mouth of a very angry, very tied-up General Howe, one of the many British officers that traverse the Caribbean seas. Hamilton’s ship, the Hurricane, had just taken over a British trade ship, captained by the bound general. Howe’s crewmembers were either dead or treading open water as Hamilton’s crew looted every last valuable from Howe’s ship before peppering it with cannon holes until it could float no longer.
“Let me go, you filthy pirates,” Howe spat, struggling against the ropes that held him tied like a Christmas pig. “You’ll all hang for your crimes!”
Hamilton smirked at him. “Maybe we will. But you won’t be there to see it.” He nodded to one of his men, who threw Howe over the side of the ship. The general let out a shrill (and rather feminine) shriek, then fell into the water with a loud splash. Hamilton relished the sound of awkward attempts to stay afloat for just a moment before turning to the spoils of their conquest. “Gentlemen, I think we will have a very luxurious affair in Tortuga.” His men cheered and each took a handful of what gold was retrieved from the ship. It had been a few months since his crew had really enjoyed a reward. He let them have a few hours of celebration before going to his first mate, Lafayette. “Laf, I’ll be in my quarters until we reach Tortuga. Do not disturb me.”
The Frenchman nodded and took the helm. “Oui, Captain.”
Hamilton went to his quarters and stood at the window, looking at the remnants of Howe’s ship. He watched passively as the crew tried to stay afloat, tried to find a plank of wood to keep from drowning. Most of them failed at that endeavor and quickly sank below the surface. He continued to watch until they were out of sight, then took a seat in his chair. He loved this life he had; he loved sailing the open waters, taking down British ships, and having to answer to no one but himself.
As a child he never expected to be a pirate. He wanted to be a writer, but life doesn’t always turn out how you would expect it to. When his mother died and he was left to fend for himself, Alexander begged for a while to keep himself afloat, and then found that he had a knack for stealing and pick-pocketing. He also seemed to have a bit of a silver tongue, which made it easy for him to get what he wanted. He joined Captain Washington’s crew of pirates one day after meeting the man in a tavern. The captain had watched Alexander expertly steal a pouch of coins from the bartender and approached him about joining his crew. He soon became Washington’s first mate, and then captain himself after Washington died. He easily gained the respect of his crew because of his quick wit and ingenious ideas. With Hamilton at the helm, the Hurricane experienced a prosperity unlike any other known by most pirates. It wasn’t long before Hamilton had made a name for himself in the Caribbean, and he liked it that way. He wanted a legacy that would have people remembering him long after he was gone, a legacy that would have people fear the name “Hamilton” for years to come.
A knock at his door startled him out of his memories. “Captain, we are arriving at Tortuga.” Hamilton blinked in surprise. Had he really been sitting here daydreaming for that long? He checked his clock. He had been sitting there for almost five hours. He shook his head but went on deck and joined his crew to visit the small island off the coast of Haiti.
Most of Hamilton’s crew went to the whore houses, but Lafayette and Hamilton went to the tavern. Lafayette stopped right as they were about to walk inside, staring up at the sky in though.
Alexander frowned. “What’s wrong?” He asked.
The Frenchman pointed up. “It’s a new moon, mon ami,” he said smiling. “It’s a sign of a new beginning, of something changing. Big things are coming our way.”
Alexander scoffed. He didn’t like the idea that anyone or anything controlled his destiny but him. “Come on, you don’t actually believe that shit, do you? The moon has nothing to do with the future or destiny or any of that crap.” Lafayette simply shrugged as they walked into the tavern and sat at a small table in the back corner. “I suppose we will find out, non?”
“Whatever you say, Laf.”
As Alexander ordered two pints of beer, a face Alexander Hamilton did not want to see walked through the door. A man with curly brown hair in a low ponytail sauntered in and bought an entire bottle of rum. Hamilton cursed to himself. “Oh fuck, not this asshole.”
Lafayette looked confused. “Do you know him?”
“Not personally, but I’ve heard enough about him to know who he is. John Laurens.” He practically spat out the name and quickly took a sip of his beer as if to wash it out.
Lafayette immediately grinned. “Ah, I see. He’s the captain that’s, ah, how you say, stolen your lightning?”
“It’s thunder, and no, he just acts like he has. And he’s not a captain; a captain has a crew! He just sails with one other man and takes loot by sneaking on them in the night and killing the crew in their sleep. He’s not a pirate, he’s a murderous vagabond. I am still the most feared captain in these waters, I can tell you that much!”
His first mate snickered and took a drink himself. “Whatever you say, Hamilton,” he said, echoing Hamilton’s earlier words. This earned the Frenchman a glare that made him snicker even more.
“Well, well, well, you must be Captain Hamilton. I must say, you’re a lot shorter than I was expecting. Captain John Laurens, pleased to make your acquaintance.” Laurens had somehow come over to the two pirates without either of them noticing. They both started slightly at his sudden appearance.
Alexander glared. “Yes, I know who you are. What do you want?”
Hamilton’s immediate animosity seemed to amuse Laurens. “Oh my, what have I done to earn such ill will from such a revered captain?”
Before Hamilton could retort, Lafayette spoke. “Le petit lion does not like to have competition for his place on the sea.” This earned him a kick in the shin from his captain and a laugh from Laurens.
“Of course, of course.”
Hamilton was completely fed up at this point. “I’ll ask you one more time before I put a bullet hole between your eyes, Laurens. What do you want?”
Laurens took a seat in front of the two men and leaned forward so as to not be overheard. “I came here to warn you, actually.” He smirked. “Some poor bastard off of Howe’s ship managed to be rescued by another ship passing by. They arrived here only an hour before you did, but word spreads fast. The British aren’t happy about you killing off their favorite general. There’s a bounty on your head big enough to buy the whole of Tortuga. My first mate and I spotted your ship and thought we would be kind and warn you before you are hung.”
Hamilton scoffed. “First mate? You mean the only other man who’s idiotic enough to follow your on your ridiculous escapades?” He decided to ignore the rest of what Laurens said; he didn’t want to grant Laurens the satisfaction of seeing him worried about a silly bounty.
“Nonsense. Mulligan is a loyal friend who has helped me earn my name on these waters. In fact, he’s at the brothel warning the rest of your crew while I’m here warning you.” Laurens sat back. “See? We don’t have to be rivals. We can be amicable, if you so choose.”
Hamilton stiffened at his patronizing tone. “Yeah, right. As if you don’t want some form of retribution for your ‘service.’ You didn’t go out of your way to make a new friendship.”
Laurens smirked. “My dear Captain Hamilton, you treat me as if I am merely a whore when in fact I am a lady of immense class. I always attempt to befriend those to whom I provide my service.” Lafayette snorted into his drink as Hamilton’s face turned red, both with anger and with the implications of what Laurens said.
“Shut up Laurens! Tell me what you want so you can get out of my sight and my friend and I can have a drink in peace, goddammit!”
Laurens smirked. “I want the map.”
Hamilton glared. “Hell no! I’m not giving you that map!” He had acquired (read: stole) a map that was supposed to lead to a huge hoard of gold from a long-dead native civilization. The map was half-finished and no one was able to figure out where it led. After their fun in Tortuga, that was going to be his next destination.
Laurens didn’t seem deterred in the least. “I understand. But I hope that you understand that you can either give me the map, or I let the nearest British officer know that Alexander Hamilton is here, his neck just itching for a noose around it.” Hamilton fell quiet at that.
Laurens stood. “I’ll be at the port at dawn. You have until then to give me the map, or I tell the British exactly where you are and where you are heading. I would think it over if I were you.” He smiled and dropped two coins on the table. “Have another round on me, boys. You’ll need it.”
He left the tavern, an angry Hamilton and an annoyed Lafayette staring at the door as it swung shut.