Malspire (29 page)

Suddenly from behind our thin line, a charge was called. I turned just in time to see the enemy captain charging from a door set into the aftcastle next to the steps. He was flanked by a group of rebels covered in soot and sweat who I presumed had just been fetched from the engine room. The captain had a crazed look of terror mixed with anger on his face and was aiming his sword straight for my neck. I froze with fear for a split second, and then tried to raise my cutlass to parry the thrust, but it was too late. A strange moment of lucidity brought everything into slow motion as I realised I was going to die. The rebel captain's blade was going to rip through my throat. My cutlass would never parry in time. I could not move away fast enough, and grunted and gritted my teeth in anticipation of the end.

Then suddenly the side of the man's head exploded and slowly, so slowly he fell sideways, his eyes never leaving mine, even when he hit the deck and lay there motionless.

From above, I saw the Lady looking down at me from her perch. She did not smile, as though she regretted having to save my life. Then the screams of the enemy from below came back to me as they were now upon us. I was still half frozen - shocked to have been so close to death, yet still alive - confused. I managed to parry the first blow, but a pistol was raised. Then from nowhere Sudlas stepped in front of me as the gun was fired. My face and open mouth were splattered with blood from his shoulder, but the man somehow fought on with a cry of pain and anger. He cut into the rebels even as the others discharged their guns into Sudlas who was now the more imminent threat to their lives. The brave Mister Sudlas cut three of them down with his sword before he fell to the deck, motionless, dead.

Jodlin barged me aside as the big fellow hammered into the blackened enemy with a mighty roar of anger, stepping over the body of Sudlas, continuing the gruesome work of subduing these men and avenging the death of his fellow crewman and friend. Sudlas had ever teased and taunted the big man, yet Jodlin was obviously enraged at seeing him fall.

The fight ended shortly thereafter. We won. We should have lost but we captured the frigate. A senior officer surrendered his sword to Mister Olvan and the rest of the rebel crew began to drop their weapons. The crew of the Lady Ocean cheered and some patted their captain on his back. I hated anyone touching it, but was willing to overlook this now. I was however far from happy. We had lost many good men. Most hard to swallow was the loss of Mister Sudlas who had now saved my life twice. There was still some gun fire from below deck, but it soon dissipated. There had probably been a pocket of resistance below, but it did not last long.

In the short time it had taken to overcome the vessel, the seas had become an inferno of blazing ships and furious cannon fire. The enemy were in total disarray. I could see that the leading Imperial ships were still in a line and following the War Tempest in a wide arc, making ready for a second run at the rebel fleet. All the frigates and one of the rear battleships had been forced to leave the line and enter the melee.

“What now, sir?” This was Olvan. I saw a look of sheer joy on the young officer’s face, and why not? He had fought and survived his first hostile boarding.

“What now indeed, Mister Olvan," I said. "We won a small victory but the battle is just begun.”

“And the prize?” asked the young officer indicating the ship we had taken.

I considered this. We were desperately short of crew. I could send the ship back with a skeleton crew but wanted the men for the battle which we now had to re-join. Or did we? We were not expected to join the fleet in the first place.

Olvan seemed to sense my thoughts. “We are to re-join the fight?” he asked, eager for more.

I nodded. Of course we were. It was not an option. I was sworn to the Navy and my duty was to hit the enemies of the Empire when and wherever we found them. My breath was still heaving from the fight, my arms tired. What about the Dragonfly though? We could burn her, but she was valuable. Not only to me and my crew but to the Empire. She also had cannon that the Lady Ocean needed. There was something else too. Something told me that the Dragonfly was not ready to die yet, and she still had a role to play.

“Eight seamen and two marines are to take the prize back to Umuron. Pick a good man to command her, but I want Mister Harl with us.”

“Aye aye, Captain.”

“Lock the prisoners up in the Dragonfly. Put Mister Banton in the engine room.”

It was not enough men, I knew, but we would have to risk it. They would get no sleep until they reached Umuron if they made it at all, but it was a risk we had to take. Again both ships were blacked out. I feared a rebel ship coming for us whilst so vulnerable and wanted to be as invisible as possible. The battle raged on as Olvan organised the prize party and put the prisoners below under lock and key.

The Imperial line came round again and this time got caught up in the melee. The rebels had more ships but they had taken a terrible beating so far. We could see a rebel battleship ablaze and retreating from the fight, heading back west. Fires where a ship’s worst enemy but if the battleship was given some respite, they would probably be able to get it under control. Those old ships may be made of wood, but it was centuries old, hardened to rock wood and so made poor tinder and it took a long time for fire to work its way to the heartwood.

Finally we were ready to move again. Before us was a chaos that stank of the rotten black powder. There was so much smoke that the flames and blasts were hazed as though seen through a mist.

“Full speed ahead, Mister Owman.”

“Full speed, Captain!”

“Ready the guns, Mister Harl. Round shot this time!” We would board no more ships. I wanted to harass the bigger ships and avoid any boarding actions. With round shot, we would be able to sting them and perhaps distract them while the Imperial battleships did their work. The Lady Ocean moved on, leaving the Dragonfly and its minimal crew to their fate. We set a course for the centre of the battle where the big ships danced a cumbersome waltz, lashing each other with fire and iron. The fury was greatest around the Imperial flagship, the War Tempest. She was no longer firing volleys but each gun would fire, clean out the barrel, ram down a new charge and shot, run out the gun and then fire again. The War Tempest was burning in a few places, but she seemed to be under control and was fighting grimly. The grand battleship she was facing off with was in worse shape, and listing to one side. The noise was like a constant rolling thunder, the flashes and fire lighting up the night. There was an almighty blast off to the west where a frigate’s magazine went up in smoke. We could not tell if it was a rebel or Imperial.

As the Lady Ocean entered the maelstrom of cannon fire, I steered her towards two rebel battleships that were taking on an Imperial battleship. I kept her at full speed knowing that we did not stand a chance against such vessels, but if we could get a few shots in, it would help the Imperial ship in a small way.

“Give me the helm,” I barked, taking the wheel from Owman. The two boys still stood ready to help. I had to manoeuvre quickly now and did not want the delay in passing on orders. We came at the enemy from the front, and then turned hard to starboard, aiming to put a broadside down the rebels bow. A lucky shot would run a good distance through the ship, hopefully doing some damage.

“Fire as we pass her, Mister Olvan. Inform Harl.”

“Yes, Captain.”

Olvan ran down the steps to Harl who nodded when told what to do. I wanted to get close, but I got too close for comfort as the bow of the enemy ship suddenly loomed over us. The rebel battleship was moving deceptively quickly and if she rammed the Lady Ocean, they would hardly notice the obstacle as the great ship ploughed through us, crushing our small ship to a woody pulp.

Some musket fire started up as men on both ships fired at one another. The marines of the Lady Ocean had to fire upwards and the rebels fired down. A forward chaser cannon on the rebel ship blasted a shot at us but it went high. The Lady Ocean was too close for the enemy cannon which were placed on higher decks. The angle was too steep and frustrated the rebel gunners.

Another musket shot hit the deck between my feet just as Harl shouted, “Fire!”

Five guns belched long jets of flame, smoke and iron in quick succession into the bow of the rebel ship. We saw the shots throw up chunks of wood and heard the iron rammed down the enemies throat. I turned hard and continued past this fight and sought a new target. The rebel fired a few shots after us, but none found their mark.

There were so many ships. We could not afford to get tangled up in a close fight, so instead, simply weaved and cut our way around the various vessels, both Imperial and rebel. I considered going after the support vessels which would not be as heavily armed, but could not see the glory in that. Glory? I had to admit that pride was playing a role now. I had never considered myself particularly proud but now that I had a ship and crew, I felt pride in them both. No, we would find worthier targets.

"You may fire at will, Mister Harl," I shouted over the din. "As soon as a target presents itself!"

"Aye aye, Captain. Fire at will!"

The Lady Ocean hovered like a stinging wasp round the enemy battleships and danced away from the nimble frigates. It was tiring work and also dangerous. I had the two young seamen help me turn the great wheel. Seaman Gogloy! That was his name, remembering one of the boys.

We had taken many cannon and musket shots and a fire was even started below which Olvan managed to put out with the help of some crewmen. A lucky shot from a rebel frigate at long range had killed two men. Others lay dead or wounded. The screaming from the surgeon’s room was painful to listen to, but the battle raged on and I knew we could keep going for a while longer before pulling out. As long as the engine was running and the guns where firing, we could fight.

A particularly persistent rebel frigate was chasing the Lady Ocean when one of her forward chasers hit the rear of my ship, blasting away one of the paddle boards, then continuing into the engine room where I heard it send metal and men flying. There was a nasty clang followed by loud rattling and hissing. The paddle wheel slowed and I knew then that we were in desperate trouble. The enemy frigate was closing fast. To starboard a rebel battleship was turning towards us. To port three or even four battleships where heading in our direction including a grand battleship. It was total confusion. There was so much smoke on the water that it was hard to make things out anymore. Before us was open water but the engine was stuttering and dying. I cursed and clenched the wheel. What could we do?

“Lady Lamient!” I called up to the crow's-nest. She looked down at me. Her face was blackened by the gun powder, her hair a mess. I pointed to the frigate. “Slow them down!”

She looked at the frigate then shrugged her shoulders. It was a long shot. A musket would never manage it but I had seen how accurate her weapon was and at that distance, she stood a chance. I saw the long barrel of her gun rise to take aim. Then I turned to the enemy and put my glass to my eye. I found the helmsman and also saw a couple of rebel officers standing close by him. She did not fire. I watched them getting closer through the glass. Still she did not fire. The enemy vanished in a cloud of smoke as their forecastle chasers fired again. This was quickly followed by the loud rush of a cannon ball hurtling past my head.

Again I could make out the enemy. “Fire damn it!” I hissed. She did. As soon as I heard the crack of the riffle I saw the helmsman spin back with blood flying from his shoulder. The man, whipping round fast, fell back onto the wheel, sending the wheel spinning and the rebel frigate’s bow lurched sideways, heading for the enemy battleship to the Lady Ocean’s starboard.

“Now the next one!” I called up to the lady. “Keep that wheel free. Keep their heads down!”

She raised her eyebrows as though to say that she was lucky the first time, but she nodded, then proceeded to reload. Within ten seconds she had reloaded and shot an officer just as he took the wheel. Then Marine Ekstam fired his bow and hit another rebel crewman. Now I looked to port. The great ships where emerging from the smoke in heated battle. It was the War Tempest again and she was surrounded by three rebel battleships including a grand battleship. Both sides of the Tempest blasted away at the enemy but they fired back and it seemed as though the rebel ships were wearing her down. Added to this was the enemy battleship coming at her head on. The War Tempest was in trouble and about to be boxed in and fired upon from all four sides. Looking round, there was no friendly battleship able to come to her aid. The Lady Ocean was the only help to hand. Feeble as it was we had to do something and so I turned her into the oncoming ships.

Kristan Olvan ran up to the aftcastle. He was dirty from musket and cannon smoke. His fine coat was torn and there was blood at his temple. He carried a musket which he had been using between giving orders to the men. “She won’t last long in that firestorm, sir,” shouted the young officer.

“I know. We must help her.”

“Of course. Perhaps board the enemy?”

I thought about this. It would be suicide, but if we could distract the enemy just a little, the War Tempest might be able to break free. “No,” I finally said. It would be futile and pointless. How many able men could I muster for such a fight? Thirty at the most. We would have to climb a wall of solid timber, all the while being shot at and then met by a hundred enemy at least. We would hardly bother a battleship, let alone a grand battleship.