Oceanus, The First Frontier

Summary: You could feel the wind at your back in those days. The sounds of the sea... beneath you, and even if you take away the wind and the water... it's still the same. The ship is yours. You can feel her. And the stars are still there, Bones (AU, Earth, circa 1740, liberally infused with what I call "nautical mythology".)

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek or any of the mythic animals, locations, or themes included in this story. Star Trek is the property of Paramount and I think nautical mythology is public domain or something. What do I own? Words. Only words on a page. Give credit where it's due.

Pairings: S/Mc, K/R (implied), Sc/U (implied), Ch/S (implied), and other m/f, including later Spock/f and McCoy/f.

Rating: T (May go to M later.)

Archiving Information: Please, don't post my stuff anywhere without my permission. Overarching permission goes to the S/Mc Haven and BLTS. All others must ask.

((Author's Note: Quit looking at me like that! This isn't connected to Pirates of the Caribbean. So what if they're pirates and the waters they sail are enchanted? It's not the same universe, there are none of the same characters, and I'll not have my words questioned, not from the likes of you! Arr!

Ahem, as some historical background, this story takes place shortly after Georgia was founded as a colony, in about 1740 CE. Now, any student of Wikipedia knows that's well after the Golden Age of Piracy, but I've found a well cited website titled "Pirates of the Caribbean, In Fact and Fiction" which proposes that the Golden Age lasted until 1790, or even 1800. The site has also given me information on piratical mythology, medicine (which interestingly, involves the invention of the "Sickbay" about when this story takes place), and culture. Anyone who wants the link, shoot me a private message or ask in your review. I am an English major, not a history major, so if someone has better information on the nautical terminology or historical events (like wars, obviously not like Romulans sinking made up ships,) please tell me.))

Chapter 1: The Man Trap

Retrospect would note the irony in how the worst day of Leonard McCoy's life seemed so perfect at first. The breeze was blowing from the sea, carrying the sweet salt scent across the island, rustling the reeds and leaves in the trees. He stood on his porch looking out over the expanse of blue, surveying the tiny outlines of the ships heading to or from the new port city, Savannah. He felt a light hand rest upon his shoulder. Leonard turned and smiled.

His daughter stood behind him, smiling back. "Such a lovely day, isn't it, Father?"

"It certainly is. It's just a shame that you won't be able to enjoy as many of them here."

"Oh, you! You make it sound as though I'm never coming back!"

"All those young lads in Savannah will be fallin' all over themselves to ask you to dance. I may very well not see you again! I hope you appreciate all I've done for you." He kidded. Joanna laughed.

"Oh, yes, I do. Perhaps not as much as the headmaster, as it was his gas you remedied to get me into the school."

"Well, if you'd smelled his gas, you really would appreciate it more."

Joanna laughed and tossed her red curls over her shoulder. "Father! Don't be so provincial!"

Leonard smiled and looked back out to sea. "I'll send you letters all the time, my dear."

"And I will you, father."

For a long moment the two of them just stood in silence, listening to the wind whisper promises for the future across the expansive sea.

"You know, father, I always thought you'd enjoy sailing for a little while. You love watching the ships go into port, and since I'll be in Savannah you might need a distraction of some sort. Missy can keep the house in order for a few weeks."

"Oh, I have no doubt that Missy can keep the house in order for the rest of her days! I probably have a permanent welt on my skull where she thumps me for tracking sand or dirt onto the floor," Leonard muttered with a wry chuckle as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, it's your own fault. If you'd wipe your feet before you came inside, you wouldn't make Missy so mad."

"It's my own house! I should be able to track dirt where I please. I'm no child."

Joanna just smiled and rest her head on her father's shoulder. "I'm going to miss you and Missy arguing in the den."

"No you won't. You'll get to Savannah and stand in the bustling streets wondering if that's what silence sounds like."

Joanna rolled her eyes. "Silence is what it sounds like when you go visit patients. You know it's you who makes more noise than me and Missy put together."

Leonard laughed. "You really think I should go sailing? Is that nice young man Simon's ship coming into port soon? The Blue Moon?"

Joanna blushed and put a hand to her mouth. "I wouldn't know, father."

Leonard gently pat his daughter's hand. "Oh, you would know. You make a point of knowing when that ship comes by. And don't think I didn't notice that sailor stopping by more and more often to bring me books and fruit. I doubt that it's my old face he's coming here to see."

Joanna buried her face into Leonard's shoulder with embarrassment. "Stop it, father! Simon's a nice boy; you shouldn't tease him like that."

Leonard shook his head. "Silly girl, I'm not teasing him; I'm teasing you. Look there, I bet that's his ship approaching now!" He pointed at a ship that was sailing close to the island.

Joanna looked up at the ship. "That's not the Blue Moon. That looks like an old Naval vessel."

Leonard squinted at the outline. "Is it? I suppose you're right. Well, I'll be. Why do you think it's detouring here? Savannah's only another few hours along the coast."

"I don't know. Can you make out her colors?"

"No. I don't think she's flying any…" Leonard put his hand to his forehead to shield his eyes and squinted. Joanna narrowed her eyes also against the glare of the sun.

"Can you make out her markings? She's getting closer."

"Enterprise? That's a new ship."

Joanna's eyes widened. "The Enterprise?" Her voice dropped to a whisper, "Simon once told me a story about that ship."

"I've never heard of her." Leonard replied, believing Joanna was getting worked up over nothing.

"She's crewed by the notorious James Kirk, a traitor to the Crown, a murderer, and a thief. Simon says the man killed his first mate in order to make a deal with sea-demons. Since then the Enterprise has been raiding merchant ships and terrorizing navies of all the major players on the water."

Leonard was skeptical, but the ship was entirely too close to dismiss the story entirely. He squeezed his daughter's shoulder and turned her toward the door. "Go inside, get Missy, and lock yourselves in one of the inner rooms and don't come out until I say so."

He pushed her toward the house. She nodded. "Missy! Missy!" She called and hurried inside.

Leonard looked over his shoulder at the ship. At this point, the ship was dark and ominous against the clear, blue sky. It was bigger than the merchant ships he usually saw sail by, more akin to one of the British Navy's ships. He was pretty sure they called them frigates. The wood was rich and dark where it wasn't covered by bright paint and the sails were creamy white, but it was the first ship he'd seen this close since he'd sailed over from England with Joanna and Missy, and that was more than five years ago. He hadn't minded living aboard the ship, but he much preferred solid ground beneath his feet.

He rushed into the house. Inside he had a sword which his uncle had given him but never really taught him how to use. How hard can it be? He thought, the pointy end goes into the other guy. The flat end keeps the other guy from killing me. He found the sword sitting on his mantle, covered in a fine layer of dust. He hadn't used the thing since his uncle gave it to him, but Missy kept dusting it off from time to time, suggesting he might want to take it with him when he went to the mainland. Leonard refused, believing that his Oath as a physician was more important than his purse. He was bucking the sword when he heard a rustle in the hall. He pulled the blade out and ran into the hall, his heart pounding so loud he thought it would deafen him.

"Who's there?" He hissed. He was met only with silence. He took a tentative step forward, and looked into the main room. The door to the porch was shut and didn't appear to have been forced. He sighed and turned around.

Before him stood a large group of men, all sinister in appearance. The leader was a handsome blonde man with an overlarge hat with and even more grandiose feather flopping out of it. It would look ridiculous if the man didn't have a cutlass pressed up against Leonard's throat. Immediately behind him stood a half-naked Orient with a mad glint in his eyes and a more modestly garbed statuesque man who appeared either to be of Spanish or Jewish origin. Still more men stood behind them, each grinning with malice.

"Tell me, good sir," the leader drawled, "are you the master of this house?"

--

((Author's Note: SO, apparently I left my rough draft for A'Nirih at my parents' house. I figured if my muse was going to bug me, I might as well start working on this. Unlike A'Nirih, this is a work in progress, so DON'T expect it to get updated at the same time or with the same frequency as A'Nirih. The S'Brin universe and the Pirate AU have no bearing on one another.))