Malspire (30 page)

“Give that monster a broadside and hope for a lucky shot then, eh sir?” Olvan pointed at the enemy grand battleship and smiled. There was a nasty streak to the boy that I liked. It was a terrible plan but it was also the best plan so far.

“Warn, Mister Harl. Double the shots!”

High quality cannon could be loaded with double shots. It was risky as any flaw in the metal work of the barrel would cause the cannon to explode under the pressure, I knew, but we had little to lose now and probably only one chance at hurting the monstrous enemy vessel.

The rebel grand battleship was coming up fast now on the port side. The poor Lady Ocean’s engine rattled and banged and hissed, but I kept my course and knew that as soon as the enemy could, they would open a withering bombardment and I could only hope that we managed to fire our five guns before being blown out of the water. Luckily, not many enemy marines were firing at the Lady Ocean. I presumed that they must be on the other side, firing upon the War Tempest. So much lead and iron being exchanged. So much blood being spilt. War is horror.

The monstrous grand battleship loomed above us. I kept the Lady Ocean as close to the enemy hull as possible, and as we came at one another the small frigate rocked and yawed in the enemy’s bow wave, then hit hard on the side of the mighty vessel and began dancing down the side of the rebel sea fortress. The enemy where ready and began firing cannon at point blank range into the Lady Ocean. Most of those balls of iron passed right through the ship, ripping out her innards in a violent row of concussive blasts.

“Fire! Fire now!” I screamed down to the deck. I wanted our shots fired before the enemy whipped away my pitiful handful of guns. Perhaps we would open enough holes on the battleship to let in some water and slow her down but at this close range, most of the shots would be above the waterline.

The side of the Lady Ocean came to life as her guns fired her load of iron at the enemy. All the shots went into the bows of the battleship and also knocked out a cannon. The world vanished in thunderous smoke. What now? We could turn away but then the enemy would be feeding iron shot and grapeshot down the length of the Lady Ocean’s deck. The best and only hope we had now was to keep going and take the broadside. It would not be a full broadside as most of the rebel cannons could not angle down so low, but all the lower guns would get their turn at punishing our little boat.

There was no chance to reload the guns. Men took cover as best they could as a ton of lead and iron with fire was thrown at us. The Lady Ocean was like a leaf in a storm and all I could do was try to keep the ship straight and level as she was smashed and thrown about. I expected to die any second now and hoped our little broadside might help the War Tempest. I thought of Ajator and prayed he was well, and wished Veinara happiness and forgave her. I looked back on my life and had no regrets. Life was short but I had lived it and sometimes even enjoyed it.

A bit of splintered wood cut my cheek but I held onto the wheel. Something burned my hand and still I held the ship steady. All along the deck, cannon fire ripped both men and guns away like feathers in a storm. Young Seaman Gogloy was thrown back by a blast. Both the terrified second boy and I looked at the dead seaman with his opened rib cage. Seaman? He was just a child who would now never see manhood.

Below deck would be the same scenes of a fiery cleansing and I felt cleansed. I felt alive like never before and found it odd that such lucidity should find me now at the moment of my death. But I did think clearly, and now laughed as a cannon shot nearly took off my head. The wind of the ball sent my hat flying. The Lady Ocean kept going and I wanted more and called for Olvan. Olvan stumbled and ran hunched up to the aftcastle.

“We’re doomed!” I laughed above the din. A marine flew over the side of the deck as a shot hit him in the chest.

“Yes, Captain,” Olvan said and returned an odd smile. Was I smiling like that, doomed and insane?

“We might as well sacrifice ourselves now.”

“I thought we already had, sir!”

“We might get through this, but there won’t be much of us left. Where’s Jodlin?”

We both looked down at the deck and could just make the big man out in the smoke. He was heaving cannon balls at the enemy. It was pointless, but I laughed at the big man who had to vent his frustration somehow.

“Hold the wheel,” I said. “When we pass the bastard, come round close behind her. As close as you can!”

I then ran down the steps to the deck. There was an almighty crash as the ship’s funnel crumpled and fell down over the side having taken a direct hit. A few marines and the Lady Lamient where coming down the crow's-nest mast. There was blood on her bare shoulder. I ran past them. Reaching Jodlin, I took him by the shoulder and then shouted in his ear, “Take that grappling hook and line then follow me.”

I continued to the wreckage that was the forecastle. It was a mess of wounded men, splinters and burning wood. The anchor chain was lying amongst the debris. I turned to take the rope from Jodlin. Working fast, I tied it to the anchor chain as close to the anchor as I could reach, and then handed the metal hook to the big man. Finally we were reaching the end of the hellish ordeal and the stern of the grand battleship was coming up. In the bright blasts of battle, I could see the wheel churning white water in the big ship’s wake.

“Take this hook, Jod. You will throw it into the rebel’s paddle as we pass. Can you do that?”

He smiled as he felt the weight of the hook. Harl joined us, cradling a bloody arm.

“I can lob it as far you like, Captain,” said Jodlin.

“Are you doing what I think you’re doing, Captain?” asked the wounded Harl.

“Yes Harl. If we can slow that big bugger down, then the Tempest might break free of the trap.”

Harl nodded and ran down the length of the ship telling men to get to the rear of the ship, and carry those that cannot walk or crawl. There was a mighty bang followed by a belch of black smoke and steam where the funnel had been. The Lady Ocean’s engine finally gave and the paddle wheel stopped it’s churning. The cannons stopped firing. Things went deadly silent on this side of the fight. There was still the rumble of canon from the other side of the grand battleship and a constant crackling of musket fire but compared to the thunderous broadside we had been enduring, things were positively peaceful.

With the little momentum the ruined ship had left, Olvan turned the ship’s wheel and the Lady Ocean came about behind the grand battleship and was faced with a torrent of turbulent water where the massive rebel paddlewheel made the sea boil. Jodlin stood at what was left of the gunwale and swung the hook round and round, picking up speed with every rotation. I saw that it would have to be a perfect throw for the paddlewheel was protected most of the way down to the waterline by thick wooden shielding with metal bands and rivets.

“I have faith in you Mister Jodlin,” I said, and with a bellowing grunt, the big man let the hook fly.

It went in a low ark through the night sky, flying through stinking smoke and trailing a hemp rope which unwound as the hook flew. The hook just missed the armour and went into the white water under it. For a second I thought Jodlin had missed, but suddenly the rope was pulled violently and Jodlin and I had to dive out of the way as the rope was yanked taught. Then there was no rope left to give so the Lady Ocean’s main anchor was dragged up and pulled into the sea. I laughed and ran back along the ship dodging shots and jumping obstacles. Jodlin was just behind me. I must have looked like a madman dancing with joy amongst the dead and wreckage. The Undertaker indeed. I had doomed the ship and its crew with a laugh and a dance.

“Hold tight! Hold tight!” I was calling. “Grab something to hold onto!”

I saw Olvan on the aftcastle gripping the wheel. Harl put his good arm round the crow's-nest mast. I made it to the banister of the aftcastle steps just as the Lady Ocean heaved with an almighty, sickening lurch to port as the rebel grand battleship pulled her round far too violently for the small ship which creaked and cracked under the strain, bulkheads snapping and planks popping. She was yanked around leaning over in a steep turn that at first made her bow dig deeper and deeper until water started flooding over her deck. One seaman screamed as his grip failed and he fell into the cold waters. I held on for dear life hanging from the banister.

Then just as suddenly, the bow was pulled up again by the power of the rebel paddle wheel which groaned and cracked under the sudden weight of the frigate. The Lady Ocean snapped round and bobbed up as she was forced into the same heading as the enemy. Quickly the gigantic paddlewheel reeled in the Lady Ocean and with a crashing roar of splintering wood and mangled metal; the small frigate was pulled into the armour and wheel. At first the paddle wheel ate away at the frigate sending wood and metal flying. Men were thrown about the ship which was being lifted clear out of the water. The paddle wheel ground on but it was straining and slowing. Another crack and a drop, then an almighty crashing and groaning from deep within the enemy hulk was followed by the wheel grinding to a slow painful halt.

I looked up and through the smoke I could see how the wheel had eaten a good portion of my ship before finally the Lady Ocean had wedged itself between the wheel and hull taking a large chunk of the wheel armour with it. There was however only a moment’s respite as the air then filled with the sound of crackling muskets, and lead balls thudding like deadly rain across the deck.

“Take cover!” I called and dived into the aftcastle's interior. “Sergeant Lamtak. Are you alive?”

“Sir!” said the sergeant appearing from the darkness.

“I expect those rebels will try to board us very soon. They need to cut us free, and I want to make it hard for them to do so. How many men have you got left?”

“Haven’t got a clue. sir.”

I gave what must have been a rueful smile. The terrible punishment of the last few minutes would have shaken any man. “Take whatever men are standing, marines and seamen and shoot anyone that tries to board this vessel.”

“Aye aye, Captain.”

We were drifting now. The giant battleship and the little frigate were one on the waters and helpless as the battle raged on about us. I tried to get an idea of how the fight was going but it was hard with the enemy laying down a constant barrage of musket fire, and the smoke so thick you could chew it. I went to the rear of my cabin and looked out of the broken windows and was surprised to see how close I was to the water. The stern of the Lady Ocean was slowly sinking although the bow was being held in place by the grand battleship.

The cannon fire from the rebel ceased and I knew that the War Tempest was now beyond the rebel's broadsides. I made my way back to the deck, and then half ran, half climbed and dodged my way to the port side and took cover in the shadow of a broken beam of wood. Gritting my teeth, I snarled at the enemy. Men then cheered as they saw the War Tempest come about, free of her trap, opening fire on the enemy grand battleship, sending iron, fire and death down the length of her hull. Each shot would now do twice the damage and each shot felt like a victory to me and my jubilant crew. We may have been hammered, crushed, burnt and thrashed about, but we had taken it like Ardalrion seamen should. We had taken it and struck back, beating this charging bull with a single shot. Now it was up to the War Tempest to finish the job so she came round, still firing a continuous and thunderous hail of shot at the rebel ship. The manoeuvre meant that she had lost the other, smaller rebel battleships that must now come round the grand battleship before they can attack her again. I looked to starboard and saw two Imperial battleships and three or four frigates racing to the aid of our flagship.

“Well done men,” I called. “We did it. We stopped the rebel and now the Tempest is free to land the killing blow!”

There was another cheer from the men still standing. There were cries of pain and groans of misery from the wounded, but right then I could only feel the elation of winning a battle. The War Tempest came in close to the rebel ship and I saw that she meant to board her and I knew then that we had defeated the rebel fleet.

***

It was sad to watch, from the deck of the War Tempest, the Lady Ocean being cut away from the rebel grand battleship. How anyone had survived being on that frigate was a wonder as she was so battered and beaten and full of holes; yet survived we had. Harl had taken a shot in the arm, but it would heal. Jodlin was covered in splinter cuts, burns and bruises, yet seemed content with his cat, who had miraculously survived, in his arms. Olvan was the same, as well as being black and red on the side of his face from a blast, his fine clothing now in tatters. The doctor was unhurt but for some bruising. Mister Perti, the engineer was well although irritable and kept complaining at the way his ship had been treated and he was right - I had abused that ship from the very day I had taken command of her, but in her short service she had never let us down. She held on to the very end and I thanked her for it. She had served the Imperial and Ardalrion Navy well, and so what was left of the crew and I watched from the high deck of the War Tempest as she slowly sank and was consumed by the mighty ocean, golden under a morning sun.

I said a silent prayer for her and the dead. I said another for Mister Sudlas and thanked him again for having given his own life to save mine. The Lady Lamient had survived too but was nowhere to be seen now. Willan was in a cot recovering from concussion. I was alive. I breathed in the morning air, now clear of the stinking fog of gunpowder that had made the night's battle so treacherous.