5

What is it?

I am the Pacific, and I am the largest of all oceans. For a long time, they've called me calm, but where's the truth in it? I'm not always so calm. Sometimes, when I'm annoyed, I take a great slap at everything and everybody. Today's a good example+I'd barely calmed myself after my last

outburst when I was forced to pulverize three or four islands and as many of those nutshells humans call ships... and now this one here... Yes, the one you are looking at... Who knows how they managed to

slip through? Maybe because Captain Rasputin knows his stuff and his crew is from Fiji Island.

Or maybe they've got a pact with the devil. But none of that matters now. Today is Tarowean,

the Day of Surprises, and All Saints Day, November 1, 1913.

Himay! There's a boat!

Petay Ateatea!

White men!

Evarua-T-Eatua +two

shipwreck survivors!

Aine' ... a young woman ... the other's a young man.

Dead?

6 7

Not dead ... sleep-ing!

Get the captain!

Nyug.

They two white kids, Captain. They sick. The

lifeboat carried the name "Maiden of Amsterdam" on the stern. Must be the

ship they were on.

Hmm! "Maiden of Amsterdam." I know

that ship+a schooner worth millions ...

Captain, we've picked up two castaways.

Heh? Who told you to

stop? Get out, idiot!

So what am I doing with these two? Could be

smart to hold on to

them ...

if their family's rich, they'll pay a fortune to

see them again, don't you think,

Captain?

What's going on up here? What's this?

6 7

Not dead ... sleep-ing!

Get the captain!

Nyug.

They two white kids, Captain. They sick. The

lifeboat carried the name "Maiden of Amsterdam" on the stern. Must be the

ship they were on.

Hmm! "Maiden of Amsterdam." I know

that ship+a schooner worth millions ...

Captain, we've picked up two castaways.

Heh? Who told you to

stop? Get out, idiot!

So what am I doing with these two? Could be

smart to hold on to

them ...

if their family's rich, they'll pay a fortune to

see them again, don't you think,

Captain?

What's going on up here? What's this?

8 9

Hmm, might be right. Take

them down and fix them up.

And make sure they aren't seen

by Von Speeke when we make

contact.

He might just take them under his pro-tection and then

adios to our ransom.

THE CATAMARAN CONTINUES ITS LONG VOYAGE TOWARD

ITS GERMAN-NAMED DESTINATION KAISERIN.

Let's go! Keep the

same course to Kaiserin.

I remember now ... the fire ... the ship sank

... But Cain was there with me, too ...

what's hap-pened to

him?

INSIDE THE CATAMARAN ...

Oh ... Where ... Cain ... Cain ...

Cain, where am I?

It's a catamaran ... these natives

look like soldiers ...

8 9

Hmm, might be right. Take

them down and fix them up.

And make sure they aren't seen

by Von Speeke when we make

contact.

He might just take them under his pro-tection and then

adios to our ransom.

THE CATAMARAN CONTINUES ITS LONG VOYAGE TOWARD

ITS GERMAN-NAMED DESTINATION KAISERIN.

Let's go! Keep the

same course to Kaiserin.

I remember now ... the fire ... the ship sank

... But Cain was there with me, too ...

what's hap-pened to

him?

INSIDE THE CATAMARAN ...

Oh ... Where ... Cain ... Cain ...

Cain, where am I?

It's a catamaran ... these natives

look like soldiers ...

10 11

HEY!!!

You pig, who do you think you are ... I'll

... I'll ...

so this is the thanks

I get ...

for saving your life?

Just tell me ... is Cain all

right?

Pam Daremba ...

Pamparembma sventrosa.

Cain? ... So that's what you call him? Yes, Cain is

fine.

Captain Rasputin ... get up here fast! Pamparemba.

I've gotta go ... but hold on to

this ...... and learn who the boss

is here.

Tatape ... Have look through big one eye. There's

a man out there.

Let's see. Hmm, that's no

castaway. I bet I know who

this is.A man?

Stay away

from me.

Wild cat ... you cut my head open.

10 11

HEY!!!

You pig, who do you think you are ... I'll

... I'll ...

so this is the thanks

I get ...

for saving your life?

Just tell me ... is Cain all

right?

Pam Daremba ...

Pamparembma sventrosa.

Cain? ... So that's what you call him? Yes, Cain is

fine.

Captain Rasputin ... get up here fast! Pamparemba.

I've gotta go ... but hold on to

this ...... and learn who the boss

is here.

Tatape ... Have look through big one eye. There's

a man out there.

Let's see. Hmm, that's no

castaway. I bet I know who

this is.A man?

Stay away

from me.

Wild cat ... you cut my head open.

12 13

No doubt about it. it's Corto Maltese. So what

happened to his boat?

Mutiny, Captain.

You blab too much, Skull. One of these days,

I'm going to shut that big mouth of yours for

good.

Heya, Corto ... How's it going? Enjoying the

sun?

You damn buffoon. Of all the people I have

to run into.

How long have you been out

here?

cut me loose, and then we can talk.

The Monk, the monk, always the Monk! ... if it weren't for everything that's

going on, I'd send you to hell right now. But Captain Ras ...

... is no fool. Cut him loose.

Well done,

Rasputin. One

day, I'll remember

this.

You know what? ...

deep down, I really don't like

you ...

The Monk would never forgive

you.

... Maybe I'll just leave you

here.

Since last night...

This might be the perfect time to finish him off, don't

you think, Captain? Too bad the Monk

wouldn't agree.

12 13

No doubt about it. it's Corto Maltese. So what

happened to his boat?

Mutiny, Captain.

You blab too much, Skull. One of these days,

I'm going to shut that big mouth of yours for

good.

Heya, Corto ... How's it going? Enjoying the

sun?

You damn buffoon. Of all the people I have

to run into.

How long have you been out

here?

cut me loose, and then we can talk.

The Monk, the monk, always the Monk! ... if it weren't for everything that's

going on, I'd send you to hell right now. But Captain Ras ...

... is no fool. Cut him loose.

Well done,

Rasputin. One

day, I'll remember

this.

You know what? ...

deep down, I really don't like

you ...

The Monk would never forgive

you.

... Maybe I'll just leave you

here.

Since last night...

This might be the perfect time to finish him off, don't

you think, Captain? Too bad the Monk

wouldn't agree.

14 15

How'd you lose your ship?

What're you going to do

now?

So, you don't want to tell

me? I doubt the Monk will like

hearing you let your ship get swiped. Why did they mutiny?

So be it. We'll figure

something out together.

The Dutch ship is

stuffed with coal.

At the end of this war

...

... whoever wins, wins. But we'll be rich.

Why wouldn't he? Don't forget there'll be more than enough gold for us to live like kings for the rest of our lives, even if we have to divide it by ten rather than

three, and then ...

As long as the Monk agrees.

They'll rely on pri-vateering.

They'll pay us well for it! The Germans need coal. All the more if they want to

keep their bases in the Pacific from

being overrun by the

Allies.

Yeah?

Any news from Von Speeke?

No? Then, we're in time to give him a piece

of our own good news.

My boatswain was the broth-er of a girl that I'd promised to marry a few years back. So much for their pretext. Their real aim was to grab the small arsenal we were carrying. With those guns, they can dedicate them-

selves to some small-scale piracy. Why so surprised?

They learned it from us!

Get me a drink!

Listen closely, Corto. Here, aboard my ship,

I give the orders. Come below and tell me what happened.

14 15

How'd you lose your ship?

What're you going to do

now?

So, you don't want to tell

me? I doubt the Monk will like

hearing you let your ship get swiped. Why did they mutiny?

So be it. We'll figure

something out together.

The Dutch ship is

stuffed with coal.

At the end of this war

...

... whoever wins, wins. But we'll be rich.

Why wouldn't he? Don't forget there'll be more than enough gold for us to live like kings for the rest of our lives, even if we have to divide it by ten rather than

three, and then ...

As long as the Monk agrees.

They'll rely on pri-vateering.

They'll pay us well for it! The Germans need coal. All the more if they want to

keep their bases in the Pacific from

being overrun by the

Allies.

Yeah?

Any news from Von Speeke?

No? Then, we're in time to give him a piece

of our own good news.

My boatswain was the broth-er of a girl that I'd promised to marry a few years back. So much for their pretext. Their real aim was to grab the small arsenal we were carrying. With those guns, they can dedicate them-

selves to some small-scale piracy. Why so surprised?

They learned it from us!

Get me a drink!

Listen closely, Corto. Here, aboard my ship,

I give the orders. Come below and tell me what happened.