an excerpt from my book 'Pirates'

Pirates

Adowe shoulder hoisted his RPG-7 as the three skiffs approached the Maharo Naru's stern in the darkness.

He glanced at Gaanburi, still somewhat high on the khat he had injested that morning in Eyl before they boarded their skiff. Gaan still bore a bold look of euphoric excitement anticipating the battle ahead but also there was a shadow of sadness there, from comrades no longer alive.

Not their first battle, and hopefully not their last, the larger ships had become increasingly weaponized and difficult to board. This being the case, Adowe's skiff containing the 12 badaadintas (saviors of the sea), spun 3 precautionary donuts in an attempt to draw and assess the chemical tanker's weapons and offensive capabilities.

Adowe's launcher shuddered and jerked the slightly rocking skiff. Aiming high at the communication tower above, it was hard to register the impact, the acrid projectile's smoke being so thick and stinging and watering his eyes.

Pirate hunter guns suddenly opened up from above as torrents of water poured down from the russian made robotic water cannons mounted midships. He could hear the 'thump thump' sound of a helicopter approaching rapidly in the distance.

He turned to see hoisted ladders, hanging from the rails of the ship, crawling with scampering screaming pirates, from the two other skiffs at the corners of the stern.