Sage watched the approaching ship closely, holding up a warning hand when his men started to get antsy. He didn't have to say anything...they kept themselves under control, though he did allow them to whisper to each other quietly. Keeping them completely silent was of no use to anyone here.

He cocked his head slightly at the other captains words, watching his ship move towards sages own ship. He wasn't going to allow them to get in a good range for cannons. That wasn't going to happen. "I suppose it's a good day for a sail," he called back, eventually moving slightly, brushing against the wheel as he went and turning it slightly, so his own ship would turn slowly, not enough to see really. But it would put the other ship at an awkward angle for their cannons to hit the Fury. This would ensure his vessel would be safe.

He moved down to the railing then, which meant he was both closer to this other captain, but also closer to his crew. Which meant he could yell orders better. "I'm going to assume you didn't come all this way just to talk about weather, eh mate," he added after a moment, in a carefully neutral tone. The captain would make up whatever tone for his voice....which would show what he wanted. Peace or a fight. Both of which sage was happy to give him.

Taylor watched the other ship and smirked to himself, eying the other captain's crew members. He waved a hand to his own crew, moving forward to where he could easily step onto the lip of his ship, hands clasped behind his back.

"You assume correct, Captain." He said easily back, listening to his own crew shuffle around behind him. He inhaled deeply, feeling the wind whip against the bandana tied under his hat. He blatantly watched the other man, keeping his gaze on the captain, and refusing to avert his gaze. He trusted his best mate to keep an eye on the men on the other ship.

"I'm going to assume you already know how to deal with situations like these, sir." Taylor moved one hand around to rest gently on his sword. "You have two options, fight, or hand everything of value over." He grinned. "But you already knew that, eh, mate?"

Sage watched the other captain speak, a rather bored expression crossing his face. "that I do," he noted with a shrug, not seeming to care much that he was being threatened by another captain. He knew the risks of a battle....but he also knew he had a good crew, and they had a way to get them out of here in smaller canoe like boats if things turned ugly and they had to leave.

He didn't expect that to happen...this was a cocky young man captaining that ship, and while they seemed to be about the same age, sage knew how to think through things well enough. This guy didn't look like he could think well on his feet. Then again, he was a captain for a reason. Sage knew better than anyone that looks weren't always right.

So, after his brief comment, he sort of just moved to push himself off the railing, now that his ship had tilted enough that this other man's cannons couldn't do much harm. "Kill them," he spoke quietly to his own crew, and immediately their guns went off, falling a decent amount of men before the other crew had a chance to respond.

They were in full battle node now, and sage moved to slide his dagger and gun out from his belt, leaping into the fray with a laugh.

Taylor watched the guns with an almost melancholy look before he moved to slide his own gun from the loops in his belt, motioning for his crew to do the same.

He paced on the railing of his own ship, shooting toward the unfamiliar faces in the fray before his gaze landed on that other captian. He grinning and practically skipped forward, dropping down in front of the young man and raising his sword.

"How are about we go about this the old fashioned way, hm?" Keeping one hand on his gun, just to make sure if the other Captain wasn't a fan of games he had a back up plan, Taylor smirked at the man, reaching out to lightly poke the tip of his sword to the other's chest. "Come on, you scared?"

Distantly, as if in a haze, he could hear the fighting behind him–the clashing of metal, the popping of guns–he liked this part too. The all consuming loudness. It was...peaceful in a way.

Sage stayed at the helm, picking off some of the strongest fighters on the other ship before tracing down the captain. It seemed like the other young man had the same idea as him, since he'd moved to drop down in front of him by then. He let him, more than happy to go bout with a good old sword fight...that was what he really enjoyed. Getting up close and personal in a fight. hand to hand combat. It was all so...exciting.

His lips formed a sort of cruel smile, the first real emotion he'd allowed this other captain to see. "I thought you'd never ask," he cooed, before drawing his own weapon and lunging towards him in a flash, grin still stretched across his face.

Taylor grinned, parrying the strike and leaning back to avoid the pointed tip of the sword. "I'm impressed." He started forward, slashing his sword toward the other captain. He blinked, glancing over his shoulder quickly to keep an eye on his crew, before moving forward toward the other man again.

This was fun- he was willing to admit it. None of his crew members were ever willing to spar with him any more- something about the hierarchy blah blah blah. Whatever, he wouldn't force them.

But this? This was exhilarating. This captain, whoever he was, knew what he was doing and it was amazing.

Sage felt his grin growing when the other captain seemed to be pretty good at his sword play. It wasn't often he met someone who matched him this well....and while he was aware of the danger, he was also keenly aware that this was really quite enjoyable. He didn't get this kind of match often....and he was certainly enjoying it all.

They continued fighting for a while longer, speeding up until you could barely see the blur of their weapons as they moved around the deck. He kept an eye on his crew though, and when a cry came up from the deck below them, he huffed out a breath and kneed the other captain in the groin, giving him the time to leap past him and slide to where he was needed. His men weren't faring well, and after a few bits of seeing this, he instructed them quietly to get to the lifeboats one by one.

It was a tactic they'd never used before ....but it should work. It would ensure his crews safety, as well as the safety of most of his treasure onboard. It took only a few minutes for them to act like they'd been forced below deck, and when the last man was through the door, he shut it tightly. It was soon after that that his men and most of the treasures and important maps and items were into the lifeboat, taking their way out of harms way as he stayed, setting cannons off and basically just fooling the army into thinking all his men were still there. By the time they got in, his men and treasure would be safely away. They wouldn't find them.

When the first few men burst their way through the door, he met them in combat, but as more men crowded into the area, he knew he was loosing the fight. He'd known it would come to this, and he didn't regret any of it. He just hated to be forced into submission by anyone lesser than him skills wise.

Taylor doubled over, his knees practically crossed as a groan echos from his lips, watching the orher captain move away with a sneer. He sheaths his blade with a growl and starts toward the edge of the fighting, ready to break up the fight and quickly invade the other man's ship before it floats away when he pauses.

He watched the others for a long moment, before taking a deep breath, his eyebrows furrowing, and his fingers beginning to tap on his thigh. There was something fishy happening, but he couldn't put his finger on what exactly it was.

"Captain!" He called hastily, watching the fighting end rather abruptly. "Do you surrender?"

Sage fought as hard as he could. He lasted quite a while, since only so many men could come through the doorway into the hold at once. And....he'd grabbed a torch after a while, so they were rather cautious about the fire as well as his blade, which had fallen quite a few of them this far. He couldn't last forever though, especially now that he'd taken some heavy hits and his body was tiring.

He heard the captains shout and chuckled, wrinkling his nose in distaste. "Why don't you get your lazy ass down here and find out," he called back, breathless but still excited about about the fight he wasn't quite done yet. If anyone was going to down him, it would be the other captain. He was the only one good enough to be worthy of it. "I know it's not easy, moving from where your hiding behind your men doing all the labour, but you really should try it, mate," he added. "Hiding isn't very captain like, if you ask me." He really was just taunting the guy, by now, getting all of the points he could in while he still could, if that made sense.

"Har, har. Anyone tell you that you have a sense of humor?" He called back, sarcasm dripping from his tone as he cast one last look over his shoulder before making his way down the stairs pulling his sword once again from its sheath at his hip.

He paused once he saw the scene, his nose wrinkling at the sight of men on the floor- his men. "Take care of them." He spoke quietly to the nearest crewmember, watching him nod. "Toss their things with them overboard, say something nice. I'll take care of the ragamuffin over there."

Taylor frowned, and tilted his head to the side. "Leave the fire, Captain. That's not a very fair fight, now is it? But I guess I shouldn't expect fair, considering the stunt up pulled up above deck."