The Maz Mitrenko Band

An impossibly bright moon was riding shreds of black cloud above as captain Harding peered into the mists ahead. The sea was restless and brooding, swirling around the ship much as a big cat would pace up and down in it’s cage. 

"Don't worry cap'n" said the annoyingly jocular bosun "There's bound to be another way through" 

Their ship - the 'John Wesley' was a privateer - of course, they had Queen Elizabeth's warrant, but they were still basically pirates. 
They had already bagged two Spanish merchantmen this trip and the gold and other loot was below in the hold. 
As they had approached a third merchant ship that afternoon, a Spanish man-o-war had swept around a nearby headland and after a brief exchange of fire, the John Wesley had escaped in the confusion into the costal archipelago they were now trying to pick their way through. 
Now, night had fallen and captain Harding, knowing the Spaniard would still be waiting in deeper water was risking the uncharted waters in search of relief. 
What his investors, probably drinking wine in some London tap house would think of it was another matter - but then again, they were not risking their lives. 
"No need for any more excitement, Mr Chandler" he told the bosun "We only need to keep our heads" 
He looked down at the deck where the crew, having been given a rum ration, were joking around and singing some bawdy ballad, although they were still going about their sailorly business. 
"We've been through worse, cap'n" said Chandler "'tis not our fate to be taken today" 
" It is surely late in the day, Mr Chandler" replied Harding " but we may not have seen the last of it yet" 

******************** 
Captain Diego Flores de Valdes stood with his officers on the quarter deck of The San Cristobal surveying the dark coast. He was of noble blood and the desire to find and destroy these British pirate curs was strong in him. 

A barefoot cabin boy climbed up to them with a fresh tray of glasses of wine passing two of the ships concubines who were on their way back below having been dismissed. 

Somewhere along the coast the tide was being pressed through some constriction in the rocks, making a suppressed growling noise that was being carried to the ship by the wind. 

"Naves a la vista!" came a cry from the crow's nest and the officers turned to see two sets of dim running lights on the horizon.