This is the sequel to The End which detailed the climactic battle between Gosse’ Gentlemen and the Black Freighter.  This explains what happened next.

Melinda Gosse strode down the shore of the island with a scowl on her face. The rocky beach stretched out ahead of her while the Toro Rojo lay beached behind her where a few crewmen made repairs on her under Andre’s direction. Sparse trees and brambles filled the interior of the isle except for a lone hill that rose up above them at the north end. She heard a voice talking from atop it as she climbed its barren slopes.

“Maria Forlani. I remember when we saw the Reef’s Wife and Melinda decided to board her, Maria asked Andre what her job was. I was getting ready to lead the boarding party. Hans and Dupre were getting us into position and getting the boarding nets ready. Gaspar was probably making appetizers for the party. She wanted to know what she was supposed to do. Andre told her to get onto the forecastle and to jump down on anyone who tried to get up there. Maria was a Vodacce second story woman until Melinda hired her, so she was used to heights even if she was only big enough to fit in a thimble. Well, a couple of sailors did try to get up there, thinking they’d be able to hold us off easier with a height advantage and as they start up the side, Maria comes flying off the forecastle sceaming like a banshee and tackled both of them. Knocked them flat on their backs and bounced off laughing. She loved her job.”

“Hans. I saw him throw his best friend Dupre from the aft mast to the main mast on a dare once. Another time during a storm, one of the masts snapped off and fell atop Charles. I saw Hans lift one end of that mast by himself so Dupre could pull out Charles. Always redy with a smile or joke, he was an astounding topman with a gift for life.”

Melinda came to the top of the hill and saw Torvo Espada sitting on the ground with his back to her. On one side of him was a pile of stones and a bucket of paint. On the other side was a growing pyramid of stones. Each rock on the pyramid bore the painted name of one of the men who had faced the Black Freighter. The names of the men who hadn’t returned.

“Sergei.” Torvo wrote the name upon the stone with quick strokes of a thin paint brush.

Melinda spoke up as Torvo painted. “He was a bufoon and a fool. If you’re not too busy painting rocks, we could use a hand with the boat.”

“He was an actor playing the part of a hero. But I saw him on the Freighter. It was the scariest place I’d ever seen. Made entirely of bones and scraps of flesh. Undead things walking about and screaming for our blood. He was supposed to just guard the Toro, make sure the skeletons didn’t board her. Everyone knew that he couldn’t really fight worth a damn. But when he saw Maria go down, he grabbed the railing of the Toro and ripped it off with his bare hands. He jumped onto the Freighter and began swinging that eight foot hunk of railing like it was a belaying pin. The skeletons went down in droves before him until he grabbed Maria and slung her over his shoulder. He’d begun to make his way back to the Toro when…” Torvo placed the rock he had just finished on top of the pile of stones.

“When the Uncharted Course exploded and killed him just like everyone else.” Melinda’s voice shook with guilt and remorse.

“Yes, the Uncharted Course exploded, but that doesn’t matter. For a minute or two, he wasn’t just playing the part, he was a hero. And he ws superb.”

Melinda’s voice caught in her throat. “But if I’d just left him alone…Never hired him, he’d still be alive!”

“He knew the risks. We all did.”

“No they didn’t. Everyone thought that Papa could somehow pull it off. Could somehow destroy Necros and that acursed ship and still save everyone. Just like always.”

“Not everyone. Highport knew the danger. He sent his student home with a message to make sure she wouldn’t be at the final battle. Lynch knew. He told Phil that it was a suicidal quest.”

“What did Papa say?”

“He asked Connor if he wanted to leave before the battle, no dishonor or shame in leaving. Connor said he hadn’t ever run from a fight and wasn’t going to start with his last one. Every man and woman who went ashore at the Spire of the West Wind or heard the tales of those who did…they knew the risks. And they decided to stay aboard anyway.”

“Why?” Her voice cracked with emotion.

“Because the mission was just. It had to be done. They thought they could beat the odds. Or they were willing to die. Each person had his own reasons.” Torvo picked up another rock and began painting. “Pete Silver thought he could defeat anything with powder and steel. He was almost right. His suggestion of rigging the ship to explode would have worked if that firebird hadn’t set it off prematurely. Your problem, Melinda, is that you’re using the wrong set of rules.”

“Rules? Papa died. My family, my friends all died. And you’re talking about rules?”

“Rules. Rules define how we play the game. Who’s winning and who’s losing. What matters. Do you remember the time we fought in Gaspar’s kitchen?” Melinda just looked at him uncomprehendingly.

“I’d challenged the entire island. Challenged anyone and everyone to come and fight me. I thought I could beat everyone on Utopia. And I was doing it. I beat every person who came in the salon that day. Until you and your father arrived. You just smirked at me and said I couldn’t defeat you. So we sparred for a minute or two with you retreating the entire time. You retreated right out the door of the salon. I objected, saying that was against the rules. And you said…”

“Pirates don’t follow your rules.”

“That’s right. I chased you through most of the town, launching attack after attack. But you just kept parrying my blows and backing away. I finally beat your sword far to one side but before I could do anything about it, Andre tossed you his dagger and you started fighting with two weapons. I thought I had you when you backed right into the kitchen. I used my best move and disarmed you. But then you threw a bowl of flour at my head!” Melinda smiled slightly at the memory. “And by the time I could see again, you had snuck up close enough to kiss me. I was in the middle of puberty and you were the first girl to ever kiss me. I remembered standing there blushing beet red in the middle of the kitchen, covered in flour, facing a beautiful girl wielding a dagger and a rolling pin. That was when I realized that I couldn’t beat you without hurting you.”

Melinda’s smile had grown at the memory and she peered into Torvo’s eyes. “What does that have to do with this?”

“Pirates don’t play by anyone’s rules except their own. You can’t judge them or their fate by what you want. Judge them by what they thought. By what they wanted. To you right now, Sergei is a fool who died because he followed you. But he was an actor playing the scene of a lifetime, and playing it perfectly. Don’t reduce their heroism, their achievements because you’re saddened at losing them.” Torvo’s eyes pierced her own and his voice held her. “I’m a swordsman, Melinda. I can barely rig a sail or shoot a cannon. I’m worthless at fixing the boat. But I can remember them.”

Melinda objected, “Then do it on Utopia, not here. Not on this spit of land in the middle of nowhere.”

“You’re returning to Utopia?”

“Yes. My grand adventure is over.” Her voice sounded bitter and tired. “I’m taking my men home.”

Torvo shook his head. “I’m not going home yet. I can’t. I have my own quest.”

Melinda nodded. Then she pointed inquisitively to one of the rocks on top. The thin script easily read “Torvo Espada.”

He nodded. “It was a silly name. Now that I’m ready to pursue my own mission, I’ve decided to use my own name.”

“I thought my father suggested that using your name could be dangerous.”

“He did. But I’m doing this for my father and his honor. I cannot honor him if I don’t even use the name he gave me. From now on, I’m through hiding. If it leads to trouble, so be it.”

Melinda nodded at the iron in his voice. “Alright. Make your marker. We’ll leave you a longboat and some supplies. When the boat is fixed, I’m going to have the men come by here. They deserve the chance to say goodbye to their friends too. Then we’re going home.”

She left him atop the barren hill with the pyramid of stones marking the final fates of Gosse’s Gentlemen. Torvo Espada. Thomas Gosse. Graham Hapworth. Hernando Ochoa. Connor Lynch. Martin Tytus. Henderson. Daniel. William Highport. Hans. Gaspar. Pete Silver. Gearalt Gilbertine. Jason. L’il Jim. Kitka Maritova. Maria Forlani. Sergei Nyasvy. James Stiller. Max Discher. Two Dagger Dirk. Wenching Jim. Phillip Gosse.