541 - (FREE TO READ) Vunak Of Antares: A Novel By James LaFond & Jeth Randolph
Chapter Eight: "Flags of Scorpio" / Wong Fei-Hung vs Edward Teach aka Blackbeard the Pirate
Copyright 2025 LaFond & Randolph
A Casting Darts Publishing Original
Written by LaFond & Randolph
Vunak leads “The Dirty Dozen you always wanted” against an opposing team lead by non other than Bruce Lee!
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Click to read Chapter one: “Like Water”
Click to read Chapter two: “Stardust Express”
Click to read Chapter three, part one: “The Galactic Fix is In”
Click to read Chapter three, part two: “Charon’s Song”
Click to read Chapter three, part three: “Best and the Blessed”
Click to read Chapter four: “The Dawning Of A New Sun”
Click to read Chapter five, Part one: “Upon the Scales of Right”
Click to read Chapter 5 (Part 2): “Where’s Charlie?”
Click to read Chapter 6: “自由”
Click to read Chapter 7: ““Knives Of Scorpio
“Flags of Scorpio” / Vunak of Antares #8
Afternoon: Wong Fei Hung vs Edward “Blackbeard” Teach.
Behind the Red gate, Lee watched as Bowie was dragged by the feet from the sands, the trail of his blood faded as he went, the grains devouring whatever they could from the soon to be delicacy.
Bowie’s last moments had been brutal and short, Lee knew that despite the stature of fighters present, the morale of Red Team had taken a hit.
Hardrada had overturned the team bench, it was simply more than he could take to sit passively on the periphery of battle. The Hamask(1) raised in him, he felt its prickling rise on his skin as the smaller Lee approached his giant form and spoke softly;
“Harald, bbrreeeathe - this is the very nature of Gung Fu – just as in nature there are two parts to everything, give and take, defeat and victory. It is the understanding of the whole picture that is the important thing!”
The huge Norwegian had literally no idea what was being said but sensed by the out stretched palms of the smaller man in front that he was expected to wait again. He spat in disgust, then meeting the eyes of Achilles, exhaled and quieted himself.
Lee continued, turning to the others, “Men, we are like the bamboo bending in the wind, if the wind ceases for a moment, we spring back and baby, that starts right now!”
He turned and gestured to the small, older Chinese man who stood now by the gate, stone faced and inspecting his weapon; a long staff with a glinting steel trident fork at the end.
“Blue Team have been smiled upon with mere luck, Wong Fei Hung will now show them the true power of Gung Fu!”
The large gate lurched and there was a shriek of metal upon metal as it raised. Hung half-turned to Lee, briefly meeting his eyes and gave a single nod before stepping forth onto the sands.
Charon began by emulating the strings of the Erhu in a mournful slow melody and then continued:
“From a realm where the winds whisper tales of old, under the moon's silvery gaze, comes the legendary Wong Fei Hung!
Behind his quiet and stoic facade, he is not merely a man but a master of the martial arts. His heart, a well of deep, ancient knowledge, learned from the tender years of his youth. With the long staff and Southern Tiger Fork(2) he dances like the dragon, standing unmovable as the mountain. His shadow-less kick, swifter than the light itself, is but a whisper in the wind, unseen yet felt by all who dare challenge!
His wisdom and prowess led him to train the Black Flag Army, turning them into defenders of their Chinese homeland against the encroaching shadows of the Japanese hoard!
Now, as the arena gates creak open, revealing the sands where heroes are forged, Wong Fei Hung steps forth. His eyes, calm yet piercing, scan the horizon where fate awaits. Here, under the Antarian suns, the legendary master of Hung Gar Kung Fu will once again prove the might of his spirit and the depth of his skill, the very essence of the earth and sky! “
With this Charon’s feet stood wide and his claws raised as he put his hands on his hips and let out a huge belly laugh, as his voice noticeably deepened:
“Hahahahaha!! Raise ye tankards lads, lasses and ‘Brethren of the Coast’, fer a good Bristol lad!
'E's Edward Teach, a pirate bold, 'E terrorized the seas of old, better known to the likes of ye’s as Blackbeard the Pyrate!!
'E's got a beard as black as coal, ‘n braided with fuses, 'e's a fearsome soul!
Smoke and fire in battle fierce, ships surrender, they've no recourse!
Old Queen Anne's Revenge, with forty guns, made 'er a terror under the sun ‘e did!
From West Indies to 'Merica's shore, our man plundered and pillaged!
’E blockaded Charles Town, 'e did, demandin' medicine, or 'e'd make it bleed!
A clever mind with a pirate's heart, 'E knew how to play 'is part!
By 'is fearsome fame, 'E ruled 'is crew with fire and flame!
Shoot 'is own if they didn't win!
Blackbeard, the pirate with cutlass and belaying pin (3), a legend 'e was, a terror 'e be, 'e's the man ye’s be about to see!
So raise up, and give a cheer ye’s dogs!!!!”
The unbearable anticipation of the hungering throng was palpable. Charon pushed them further:
“So what’s it to be? Which flag will be raised upon the sands? Will it be that of the Black Army or the Skull ‘n Bones?”
Teach turned to wink at Vunak as he strode out into the arena, cutlass and oak belaying pin raised to the crowds, a shit eating grin stretched across his face as he laughed; “Well, well! Ready to see this bilge rat get a hidin’ are we? Hahahahaha!!!”
The crowd was deafening
Charon translated Teach’s next words to Cantonese for a mortified Hung, “Right ya little prick, let’s see how ya fare with a bit of Sheffield steel up yer ass!”. He made some short poking movements with the cutlass and continued to laugh.
Hung snapped back his composure, readying the long pole and then whirling it in an impressive display of strength, twirling the pole above his head in his right hand before revolving it around his neck and then raising his left knee to stamp his foot, bringing the lower end of the pole into the sands as he threw a blur of kicks with his right leg towards the chuckling Teach.
“What’s that merry little dance yer doing there matey? I shan’t be singin’ ye a shanty though, us not being here to dance ‘n all!”
The claws of Charon punched the air along with a million other fists as the flashing countdown began.
“10...9...8.!!”
‘Shit’, Thought Vunak, ‘Teach is about to be humbled, this is gonna be a fucking masterclass of Kung Fu!’
“7...6...5.!!”
Hung was confused by the uncouth animal’s lack of seriousness in the face of his skills and stiffened with resolve. ‘I shall fell the giant and show him the awesome beauty of Dai Pa!
“4...3...2.!!”
Teach leered, and slowly crouched, readying the cutlass in his large right fist;
‘Cunt’.
“...1...FFFFIIIGGGHHHHTTTTT!”
As the air seemed to blacken around them, the two fighters began to circle.
Hung seemed unaware as to the betrayal of his translated thoughts issuing from the scorpion MC’s neck pipes to the amusement of the large Englishman.
‘I must draw the beast in. We shall tame and enlighten this criminal!’
“Ha!” He stepped forward, rooting as he did and positioned the head of the pole-arm low to tempt Teach to try and step on it, with the plan to snare his ankle with the blade and to circle the pole for a powerful crushing blow to the head.
‘Let us tempt the giant to rush in unthinkingly, and then he will be finished! Here comes the fool now!!!!’
Teach charged forward and stamped on the lowered fork, driving it into the ground. Hung pulled on the shaft of the pole to free the tines from the sands but they wouldn’t move from the sheer weight of the man who was almost upon him.
The scourge of the seven seas stamped his foot down further on the wicked steel fork driving it still further into the ground but then Hung’s eyes widened with horror as he continued with his next step to run up the pole towards the shocked master. The force of Teach’s bodyweight ripped the pole downwards from his grip and he looked up just to see a brief glimpse of a mane of black hair and the flash of the descending cutlass slash as it bit deeply into his neck, severing his head clean from his shoulders.
There was a moment of silence that seemed to freeze every soul present. His face pressed against the gate, Lee’s eyes closed and his lids lowered in unison with the falling of Hung’s head. It rolled across the ground, with an expression of confusion, seeming to mouth his final thoughts as they travelled along empty synapses to nowhere…
‘Why is the floor so close? I must…’
Burton leaned to a visibly shocked, Vunak, “Interesting, I believe victims of Madame Guillotine were still conscious when beheaded and this would seem to corroborate this hypothesis…”
‘To see such a legendary proponent of kung fu ended instantly by the likes of Teach?’ Vunak shook the thought from his mind and his psyche turned on a dime as he spun and yelled at the men that stood with him.
“You see who we are? You see what we got? - Blue Team killers!!! - Now they know what ‘attributes’ means!!!!”
Fists clenched, teeth gritted and the underdog team were one in savage jubilation. The roar from the team was almost chilling to Vunak, now he saw what he first sensed at the Wrecking Bar; his need to work each of these guys carefully.
He looked over to see a blood soaked Teach attempting to climb the lower stand towards a trio of waving women, their arms outstretched to him.
“Burton! Try and get our guy back in here will ya?”
“Ah yes, probably for the best” replied the Captain slipping through the gate.
Vu turned back to the men, “Just like I always say: the first-est with the most-est is the best-est!! Am I right?”
Across at Red gate these words were amplified by Charon. Cestari, his claw-like hand (4) on a subdued Lee’s shoulder, tilted his head towards to Nathan Bedford Forest, ”Isn’t that your catch phrase General?” (5)
Forest sat, and continued to stare out darkly onto the glaring sands without answering.
Continued next week!
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NOTES
1 - translates as "change form", to "enter a state of wild fury" and able to shapeshift into a bear's form. From the story of Bödvar Bjarki: "Men saw that a great bear went before King Hrolf's men, keeping always near the king. He slew more men with his fore paws than any five of the king's champions."
2 - a unique weapon used in Chinese martial arts, originally designed to hunt tigers in Southern China. It is characterized by its fierce and powerful motions, typical of Southern styles. The weapon consists of a fork head made from stainless steel or carbon steel, a shaft usually made of hardwood, and can be disassembled into two parts for easier transportation.
3 - short rods of wood or metal that were inserted into holes bored through a ship's rail. The rigging lines of a ship would be fastened to them. They were usually found in rows, bringing a series of ropes together to one location. Alternatively, sailors would use belaying pins as a place to store their unused ropes.
Beyond their primary purpose, belaying pins could be yanked free and used as an improvised club. Typically this occurred during boarding actions at sea, when no other weapons were in reach or when a weapon was lost.
4 - Cestari’s hands were likely injured by his focus on realistic and intense training, which often involved full-contact sparring and striking. The cumulative effect of these injuries led to permanent damage to his hands, including broken bones, arthritis, and other related conditions.
Despite this, Cestari continued to teach and train, adapting his techniques to accommodate his physical limitations. His experiences and injuries ultimately informed his approach to teaching self-defence, emphasizing the importance of efficient and effective techniques that minimize the risk of injury to the practitioner
5 - “Get there first with the most.” - This quote is often cited as Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest’s motto, emphasizing the importance of speed and numerical superiority in battle.
Narrative Note from James: “Jeth and I role played this and the other battles, with me rolling for and interpreting intent and action for the Red Team. I had Hung use the fork as it had been used successfully against me by men my size and larger in full contact with blunts and armor from 2000 thru 2005. I rolled a 1 and he rolled a 6, I believe.” -JL
Jeth: “Teach’s character was written as a pure old school Bristol hard man, complete with our local accent and an attitude to match!”