Shiver me timbers...errr..TARDIS!!!

[The Eighth Doctor]

('Belay' is pirate lingo for 'Stop it! )

Blackbeard gave a low growl as he looked down at the newcomer. He'd seen such young lads before, lads who thought they could handle themselves and finding out how little they could in just one serious battle. "I'd be wipin' that grin off me face, were I ye." he scowled out from under huge eyebrows as black as his full beard. "Tis no Sunday fishin' vessel ye be on! This be the Queen Anne's Revenge and I be her cap'n, Blackbeard." He paused to see what effect the sound of his name had on his captors then he continued. "Me crew here is the finest on the Seven Seas and those what don't pull their weight gets to go visit Davy Jone's locker!"

He didn't mention he was more than a little confused at the disappearence of two of his crew but he couldn't afford any lapse of control. For all he knew the young man had a powerful pistol that shot the two overboard. The rest of the crew muttered amongst themselves and he realized they were just aching to get back at the stranger. To have their own ship boarded unknown was an affront to their own pride and dignity as well. To gain himself time to think he slowly walked around the captives like a huge hulking bear, then stopped once more in front. He suddenly thrust his face towards them with just inches to spare.

"So, tell me now. Yer names, where ye come from and any reason ye might have to keep me from keel-haulin' ye!!"

[The Eighth Doctor]

"All right, that request seems reasonable enough. I can't exactly votch for that other fellow but I am the Doctor and this is.....this is....my assistant, Tyler. As for the reason to keep us alive I'd say you were in pretty good need of a doctor aboard." Here the Doctor turned to a pirate behind him and gestured at the bandaged arm. "May I?"

The sailor, who would have happily beheaded the Doctor moments before now merely nodded his head and held out the injured limb like a trained pup. The Doctor carefully unwound the filthy cloth to expose a very infected slash across the upper left arm. He made a slight face as the odor of the affected flesh wafted up.

"Must be very painful. How did you treat this?"

The pirate shrugged. "Washed it down wit' some brine and wrapped it up, o'course."

"Brine? And with this filthy bit of sailcloth?" the Doctor held up the rag with a frown of disapproval.

The man looked abashed and shifted his feet, like a schoolboy caught in a lie. "Brine an' sailcloth be all I got to use, Doctor."

"Well, no matter. As soon as we get this little misunderstanding cleared up I'll see to your wound and hopefully make you a bit more comfortable. All right?"

"Aye sorr! Thank ye kindly, sorr! Thank ye!" The pirate gave a slight bow and tugged at his forelock before stepping back.

The Doctor put his hands behind his back and looked coolly at Blackbeard. "This is settled then? I assure you our being on your ship is purely accidental."

[The Tenth Doctor]

Tyler grimaced as his worse fears were realized. This really was Blackbeard, the pirate he had heard horror stories about. Not knowing what to say, he had let the Doctor do all the talking. He had been somewhat surprised that this doctor had been a stowaway as well. What could the man be running from? Tyler looked at him curiously, trying to figure it out.

He was so lost deep in his own thoughts that he hadn't even noticed the newcomer who had also been captured until the captain and he were having their argument. When the pirate had asked for his name, he had been afraid to give it. What if his master knew the captain? What if he'd be taken back?

He relaxed some when he heard the Doctor speak for him. Surprised at being called his assistant and being spoken up for like that, he said nothing, only nodded. No one had ever spoken up for him before for anything. Perhaps this man could be the first friend he'd ever have.

[The Eighth Doctor]

Blackbeard stood there studying them and contemplating the answer the Doctor had given him. He had observed silently the examination of one of his injured crew and was adding up the advantages within. Being a pirate meant injuries sooner or later, not to mention the wide array of diseases one could face in the tropics. It would indeed be useful to have a doctor on board. But what self-respecting medical-learned man would sneak aboard a ship?

He suddenly gave a booming laugh and almost knocked the Doctor over with a hearty slap on his back.

"Harrr! I sees the cut o'yer jib now, Doctor! Ye be treatin' one of the landlubbers in the last port and they up and died on ye, didn't they? And when th' family turned on ye, ye took the chance and scuttled when ye could! Aye, the city dwellers don't like facin' their own mortality but we here, we faces it every day. Yer be welcome here! And yer assistant!"

His face darkened just a bit as he added "As long as ye savvy yer place aboard and don't be gettin' no high ideas about becomin' a turncoat. Ye tries to send word to the British Navy to where we be and yer carcasses will be makin' the sharks happy!"

[The Tenth Doctor]

Tyler looked back at Blackbeard in surprise. He hadn't expected such a warm welcome. Perhaps the stories were a little untrue -- the man could talk mean, but he didn't seem to be all THAT bad. Nodding at the captain's words, he replied, "Don't worry about me. I won't be informing the British Navy about you -- not that I would have contact with them anyway."

He wondered why the Captain had even brought that up. Tyler hadn't been sure that Blackbeard was addressing him -- could have been the Doctor. He just hoped that the Doctor wasn't some secret British spy. If he were, he'd be eating the words he just spoke later.

"Thank you, sir," Tyler added with a small bow.

[The Eighth Doctor]

"I..ow..assure you, we have no contact with the British Navy in any way." The Doctor winced as he tried to recover from the back slap. It had been like getting pounded by a grizzly bear! "As for the townspeople I have to admit of having the experience of being run out a time or two. Not because of being a bad doctor!" He held up his hand to help clarify the point. "There were other...ah....complications involved. Now then, if you happen to have an empty cabin we can use, I could begin looking over your crew here as I see more than one problems health-wise." Inwardly he wondered if there was a way to get even the most basic of medical supplies. True, there was an almost unexhaustable array in the TARDIS but how to get them without drawing suspicion? Glancing over at Tyler he wondred if he could trust him with the TARDIS key. Well, time would tell, but for now he could get started with cleaning anyway.

[The Tenth Doctor]

Tyler noticed that the Doctor had glanced over in his direction. Sighing, he knew that he would owe this man a lot of money when they were alone. He had chosen to save his life, and for that, he owed the man. The only thing of real value that he had was that watch. Not wanting to give that up, he'd have to think of another way. Although, he knew that if the Doctor saw the watch, it would be his. The same was true of the pirates. Nervous at the thought of having to give it up, he sighed.

He would have to wait to thank the Doctor later, as it would look suspicious if he did so in front of the pirates. Hearing that the Doctor had been run out of town, he inwardly smiled at his good fortune. He just hoped that the Doctor didn't have connections to people back on the main land. Otherwise, he might be sending Tyler back at the first chance. Tyler had dealt with people before who acted nice at first, only to turn on him later.

Looking to Blackbeard, he waited for a reply. To think that he could finally have a room -- a real room to sleep in and call his own. Never mind that he would have to share it with the Doctor fellow. It would still be his very own room.

[Dan Swarmy]

Dan had been somewhat quiet all this time his eyes focused on the Doctor looking him up and down while listening to the conversation, he seemed odd and out of place maybe the time traveler he picked up on the scanner. Noticing the talking coming to an end and that Blackbeard may soon speak to him he quickly piped up.
"I be forgotten then or ya still ye wanting to talk," he quickly spun a story around in his head and then begun speaking as fast as he could.

"Ya no i can be oh value me yeah i know a big chest oh treasure you may be wantin and know where you be findin it," he winked and then took a piece of paper out of his pocket to time travelers it was blank but to Blackbeard it would show a treasure map. He looked over at the Doctor and nodded then stepped forward's to give it to the pirate.

[The Eighth Doctor]

"Treasure? An' if that's so then why be ye so eager to share it?" Naturally being a thief himself Blackbeard was normally suspicious. "It's all fine an' good to be wantin' to join up, ye can prove yerself later. But to jus' step up and offer? Hmmm." He took the paper and studied it with squinting eyes. "This could be anything anywheres so I tell ye what. Ye sail with us for a bit and after we take a few prizes I'll be lookin' at this map again."

Since he had a hefty price on his head along with most of his crew, Blackbeard knew better than to take the word of a stranger. It was this that kept him and his ship alive up to this point.

"Hey, Isaac, take th' Doctor and his lad to the aft cabins. Oh, and what be yer name, m'lad?" The captain turned once more to Dan. "An' jes' how did ye come aboard me ship? These two were snuck in th' hold but you came bouncin' or' the side like ye been clingin' there like a bloody squid!"

[The Eighth Doctor]

The Doctor caught a glimpse of the paper that was handed to Blackbeard and he raised an eyebrow. It didn't look like a treasure map to him, in fact it didn't seem to have any marks on it at all, but all he saw was a quick glimpse. Still, he looked over at the cocky young man and scrutinized his appearence. The right eye was certainly different but it could have been from a slash or accident. But it was the overall feel of him that caused the concern. There was a faint telltale remnants of....time travel. That he could never be mistaken about, it was far too familiar to him.

Still this could wait until he could talk to him in as much privacy as could be had on a pirate ship. "Well Tyler, let's go see our new quarters. As my assistant I do hope the sight of a bit of blood isn't going to bother you. We may be seeing a lot of it soon."

[The Tenth Doctor]

Tyler nodded at the Doctor. "Blood...I can get used to that -- seen it before. Not my favorite thing, but I would be honored to be your assistant. And...and maybe one day I can become a doctor myself -- then I could make a real living for myself."

His face lit up in anticipation of seeing his new quarters. The other man -- the man who had had the treasure map seemed somewhat suspicious to him. He, too, had seen a glimpse of the paper. Not seeing anything written on it, he looked completely puzzled. Why didn't Blackbird laugh at that? Or was it some joke that he didn't get and that Blackbeard had chosen not to laugh at. Tyler didn't know. This would be something that he could ask the Doctor about later. He silently wondered whether the Doctor had seen the paper.

[The Eighth Doctor]

The cabin Isaac had led them to seemed to double as a storeroom. It had crates and casks tucked in the corners and stacked against the bulkhead. The Doctor took a few steps in then spun about. "Well! This seems rather...cosy! Let's see, if we put those boards on top of a few crates we could have a table and.....oh yes, those candle stubs, we'll need as many of those as we can round up. Ah....instruments..instruments.....and hot clean water. I hope that isn't going to be too much to ask for. Isaac!"

The man who had been just about to turn away looked back. He frowned at the Doctor. "Aye?" he said without much enthusiasm.

"Could we kindly have a small pot of good hot water, along with any sort of what passes for medications you may have aboard?"

"Meddications?" Isaac scratched his head and chewed his lip. "I believes only th' cap'n has that sort of thing. He did take a small chest off the last ship we took. He had it opened and I seen it had nothin' but small bottles. Would that be meddications?"

"That could very well be." The Doctor was examining the far wall from where hammocks had been hung. "Oh dear, I haven't slept in one of these since I sailed with Magellan! Hopefully I can remember the knack of them. Rather tricky, I recall. Oh Tyler, would you see if you can find anything we could use as bandages? Any cloth could do, as long as it's clean."

[The Tenth Doctor]

Tyler looked around the room that they were led to as well. Although it didn't seem to offer much, to him it was a dream come true. "Our very own room...." he said, smiling.

He glanced where the Doctor was looking when he had mentioned making a table and some other items. A table and some other items. He'd never seen real medicines before. He was lost in his own thoughts and then turned to the Doctor when he realized he'd been asked a question.

"Cloth? Oh....where would I look to find that? I mean, they had some in the creates we were in before....but...." he glanced at the crates in their room. "There could be some in those...."

Walking over to them, he reached for one of the crates, trying to get the lid off of it. Peering inside, he smiled. "There's some cloth in this one....but do you think we'll have to ask before using it?"

Tyler hadn't really seen a doctor before himself...at least to his knowledge. He hadn't really minded that, although he often had trouble breathing. He wouldn't mention it to this Doctor, as he didn't really want to be examined by anyone. What if this Doctor fellow found something wrong with him and decided that he was of no use to him? No, Tyler would have to hide that as well, as best he could.

[Dan Swarmy]

Dan just smiled about the typical pirate question that Blackbeard had asked, then again it was typical of every pirate around the whole galaxy really, you don't go around trusting people in a pirates line of business sometimes not even your crew. Watching as the Doctor and his friend walked of he looked back up at the question he had been asked.
"Been sailing on me ol boat for a couple a days to actually try find ya the most famous pirate oh the seas, got ye boat sank from somein unseen so I be swimmin the rest oh the way."

He wondered if the Blackbeard would even take that as he was not sure he believed it himself. Then he decided something maybe to make him suspicious of that doctor and take suspicion of him, this way he was less likely to be watched when he went about his business.
"Oh I be hearin from land about some rather out ta get ya people on ya ship something about stoaways and a plot to be sinking ya ship capin."

[The Eighth Doctor]

Blackbeard strode back and forth in front of the young man, trying to figure out this story. "Swimmin' eh? Here we be makin' 5 knots and ye said ye swam to catch us? If ye had a good sailin' boat it would have been seen before." He paused and squinted down at him. "An' now ye be spinnin' yarns about a plot? There be no single day gone by without the British Navy plottin' to catch ol Blackbeard!"

The crew around him chuckled and nudged each other. They were all aware of what would happen if they ever got caught by a British ship and did what they could to avoid it.

"But since ye be here, I s'pose I could give ye a chance. But we'll all be keepin' a weather eye on ye. An' th' Doctor also. Any funny moves an' all of ye be goin' over the sides!"