Three days after the test run of The Black Crow, the entire crew and officers met at the ranch. In two days they would ship out. The training and outfitting of the ship and crew had taken several weeks. But now they were ready. It was time to say their goodbyes. They wouldn"t see friends or family for a long time and for some, this might be their last good-bye. They all knew the chances they were taking, but every man was excited about going. The money at first was the motivator, but they had come together as only men do who train as warriors. They were going to right a wrong, Crow had told them. They were going to avenge the loss of life caused by pirates who had killed defenseless men and women for the sake of gold.
In the beginning, over a hundred men were tested. Some couldn"t take th
