by Drew Wagar
‘They’ll already know we’re in trouble,’ Fitch said, eyeing the bow of the Mobilis as the surf washed across it. ‘And those ships are heading right for us too.’
Coran looked towards the coast, seeing the pair of wooden vessels drawing closer. Oars were dipping in and out of the water as they approached.
‘Man o’ war,’ he muttered. ‘Boarding parties I reckon. Be here in under a spell.’
Above, the dachs were descending in a lazy spiral. They formed up in a formation at the stern of the ship, hovering there before approaching.
‘Looks like they want to talk,’ Coran muttered as the dachs drew closer. ‘Fitch, you ready?’
Fitch nodded.
Coran gestured for everyone else to stay back and then walked around the flying machine to the stern with Fitch alongside, looking up at the woman perched on the dach in the air before him. Her bright red hair was fanned out all around her head. He recognised her from the attack on Amar.
‘Captain Coran I believe,’ she said.
‘Yeah, that’s me,’ Coran replied. ‘What’s your business with us?’
‘I am Rihanna of Drayden, Queen of Taloon,’ she replied. ‘It looks to me as if your ship is in trouble, Captain Coran. The sailors from Taloon will soon be here, I can have them take you to safety.’
‘Really,’ Coran replied. ‘And what would you want in exchange for such generosity?’
‘You will give Kiri and her maid to me,’ Rihanna replied. ‘The rest of you will be taken to Airea.’
‘To be locked up or executed no doubt,’ Coran said to Rihanna. ‘Not much of an offer.’
‘Take it or leave it,’ Rihanna replied. ‘I’m not the one standing on a sinking ship.’
‘I’ve got a better idea,’ Coran said.
Fitch moved fast. His rifle was aimed in a blur of motion, the heavy crack of the shot echoing out across the sea. His aim was good, but Rihanna must have sensed it coming as her dach rolled aside just in time, the bullet hitting it in the neck rather than Rihanna’s chest. The dach howled in pain and crashed downwards.
Coran stumbled as the huge reptilian creature landed on the stern of the Mobilis making the deck tilt under his feet. Behind him he heard the others yell and fall. Water splashed around him. More screams filled the air, the other dachs diving downwards.
‘Shoot them!’ he yelled. ‘Everyone, fire!’
Before he could get his footing a blow caught him under the chin and threw him through the air to lie dazed on the deck. A shadow fell across him.
Rihanna stood poised above him, her right hand holding a staff to his throat.
‘Stupid man.’
‘No!’
Coran heard another scream, this time from behind him. He rolled aside to see Kiri charge forward, her kai in her hand, swinging it at Rihanna. Rihanna’s staff came up to block the move. Then they were duelling. Coran rolled out of the way of their spinning staffs, casting about for his rifle.
The two other priestesses had jumped down from above on to the decks on the other side of the flying machine. Coran heard yells and blows falling as they took on the crew of the Mobilis.
His rifle was lodged in the scuppers. He grabbed at it, twisting it around and trying to turn it on the new arrivals. Leaving Kiri to her fight with Rihanna he ran around the flying machine to see that Mel had been knocked down already, Daf was down too, but Creg seemed to be holding his own with one of them. Fitch and Meru were backing up, trying to raise their rifles when Zoella pushed between them, arm outstretched.
The nearest priestess grabbed at her head in sudden pain, screeching. Both rifles fired. Blood splattered the woman’s chest and she fell backwards into the water off the side of the ship, her kai spiralling away into the sea.
‘Yes!’ Fitch yelled. ‘Finally got one of the bitches!’
The other priestess had knocked Creg down with a vicious blow with her own staff, but not before Fitch was able to bring his rifle around again. But the priestess was moving fast, she knocked Meru down and turned on Zoella. Coran saw Zoella duck one blow, but a second caught her and sent her sprawling. Another gunshot blasted out as Fitch fired again, the priestess yelled and collapsed against the wheelhouse to lie still, her staff falling from her hands and disappearing overboard. Fitch turned his rifle on the dachs above him, despatching the flying creatures.
Fitch turned about, trying to train his rifle on Rihanna. The flying machine was in the way.
Rihanna and Kiri were still duelling on the aft deck, their staffs a blur of motion.
‘No!’ Coran yelled. ‘Not from here. You’ll hit Kiri …’
Then both of them yelled as Rihanna’s mental power surged through them, a crushing pain flashing across their skulls. Their rifles clattered to the decking.
* * *
Kiri and Rihanna fought, strike for strike, counter against counter, neither of them making any headway against the other. They stepped back after a moment, glaring at each other.
‘So guttersnipe,’ Rihanna said. ‘Just you and me, like old times.’
Kiri adjusted her footing, sparing a brief glance over her shoulder. Both the other priestesses were dead. She could see the crew of the Mobilis were also down, dead or injured. Kiri could feel Rihanna’s use of the gift, it was strong, buzzing around her. She could taste hot metal in the air.
‘You can’t fight all of us,’ Kiri answered, catching her breath, panting hard.
‘Oh I can,’ Rihanna said. ‘I’m stronger than you now, they’re all mine to do with as I want.’
‘I’ll kill you first!’
‘You’re the one that’s supposed to be dead,’ Rihanna continued. ‘Nerina will be pleased to see you again, slum girl.’
Kiri’s lip curled, but she didn’t answer.
‘Thrown yourself in with these Amarans have you?’ Rihanna said. ‘Betrayed your people?’
‘You betrayed me,’ Kiri answered. ‘Or don’t you remember your lies?’
‘All I remember is you trying to worm your way into Nerina’s affections,’ Rihanna said. ‘I saw through you, so did Nerina. You were never one of us.’
‘And I’m glad of it!’ Kiri snapped, spinning her kai and striking again. The two women wrestled back and forth again, trading blows.
But Kiri was tired; tired from lack of sleep, exhaustion and sickness. Rihanna was not. A blow caught Kiri on the temple and sent her spinning.
Rihanna kicked Kiri’s kai aside, her own poised at Kiri’s throat. Rihanna’s other hand was outstretched towards her. Kiri felt the mental grip around her mind tighten.
‘I’m going to take your gift,’ Rihanna hissed at her. ‘And the maid’s. Who cares about Nerina now? This is my chance!’
Kiri struggled, trying to get to her feet, but the mental grip was tight and binding.
‘The rest of them will die, oh, apart from that boy of yours …’ Rihanna licked her lips. ‘He’ll be mine. I’ll have some fun with him before I throw him away. Think about that …’
‘No!’
Kiri howled in rage, slamming out with the last vestiges of her own power. Rihanna reeled back, overwhelmed by the sudden furious attack. Kiri grabbed Rihanna’s staff and vaulted up, wrenching it from Rihanna’s hands. She whirled it around with deadly force. The blow caught Rihanna in the side of the neck before the kai was wrenched from Kiri’s hands and lost overboard. Rihanna crumpled to the deck.
Kiri found herself on top of her enemy, her hands at her neck, tightening … crushing. Rihanna tried to wrestle her grasp away.
‘You’ll never take him! Never, never, never!’
Kiri pulled back, pounding Rihanna’s head into the decking over and over again. Rihanna struggled to get free, but Kiri’s attack was frenzied.
Rihanna choked and then her grip went slack, her eyes staring sightlessly upwards.
Kiri fell to one side, weariness surging up her body. Then everything went black.
* * *
Coran and Fitch were released as Kiri
’s blow felled Rihanna. Coran was first up, grabbing his rifle and sprinting forward, leaping past the flying machine and on to the rear deck. Rihanna had fallen awkwardly, her head at an odd angle. Kiri was slumped alongside. He grabbed her and pulled her from the edge, cradling her in his arms.
Fitch bent down to look at Rihanna.
‘Dead,’ he said. ‘Kiri killed her.’
Coran saw Kiri’s eyes open for a moment, but then they rolled up in her head and her body went slack in his arms.
Coran grabbed Kiri’s kai and then carried Kiri back and laid her out in the middle of the deck. Behind him Fitch was checking the others. He’d got Meru and Zoella to sit up, both looked bruised but otherwise unhurt.
‘Grab this and help Kiri,’ Coran called at them, chucking the kai at Meru before staggering down the decks towards the wheelhouse.
Mel was being looked after by Daf and Creg, who seemed to have shrugged off the attack. Mel’s face was a mess, with a nasty cut and a black eye already starting to swell.
‘Did we get them?’ she managed.
‘Aye,’ Coran said. ‘Dealt with.’
‘More trouble inbound,’ Fitch yelled, gesturing to starboard.
Half a mark away the two Taloon vessels were bearing down on them, their oars dipping into the water in a precise and rhythmic way. Both would be on them in moments. They were close together, a ship’s width apart.
Coran looked at them and then glanced up and down the Mobilis. Meru and Zoella were tending to Kiri who was still unconscious.
‘Meru!’ he yelled.
Meru was still holding Kiri’s kai in his hands, he looked dazed.
‘Get that flying machine ready to take off,’ Coran instructed.
Meru nodded and turned around, staggering towards the flying machine.
‘We can’t fight off those ships,’ Mel said. ‘And we can’t all get aboard …’
Coran scanned the sea towards the shore, watching the approaching vessels. He turned to look at Mel.
‘What’s left in those batteries?’ he asked.
‘Not much,’ Mel said. ‘The pumps will run for a couple more spells, that’s about it.’
‘What about the engines?’
Mel stared at him.
‘The engines?’ She answered, with a frown. ‘Hardly anything. I don’t know, a few turns …’ Then her expression changed. ‘Not that again …’
‘Yes, that again,’ he said.
‘But …’
‘Fitch,’ Coran yelled. ‘Get the rifles and all the cartridges to you can find and give them to Meru. Then get the front hatches up and open every crate of rockets you’ve got left.’
‘All of them?’ Fitch asked.
‘Every last one,’ Coran said. ‘Daf, Creg, help Mel get the engines running.’
The two big men obeyed their orders without question, helping Mel up and carrying her across the deck towards the rear of the ship. They pulled the engine covers open. Mel lowered herself down.
Fitch bundled up the rifles and hauled up two boxes of cartridges.
Coran heard a rising hum from the flying machine and looked around to see Meru stepping back towards him. Coran saw him frown as he passed the open engine covers.
‘What are we doing?’ Meru asked.
‘We are not doing anything,’ Coran said. ‘You are taking that machine up and getting Kiri and Zoella safely out of here along with all the weapons you can carry.’
Meru stared at him.
‘What?’ he answered back. ‘No! What about you?’
‘We’re going to deal with those ships so you have a chance to escape.’
‘Coran …’
‘Not arguing you with, Meru!’ Coran snapped, pointing a finger at him. ‘Esurio depends upon them. Get those girls to safety. That’s your job, understand me?’
Meru looked at him, bewildered, then he looked at the approaching ships. He could see archers crowding the bows. They’d be in range in moments.
‘Now Meru!’ Coran yelled.
‘Come on boy,’ Fitch said, pushing him along.
‘Mel?’ Meru asked as he was shoved past.
Mel looked up and gave him a smile.
‘Captain’s orders,’ she said. ‘You know what’s what. Fly safe, yeah?’
Meru swallowed. Fitch shoved him hard in the back and he staggered to the flying machine. Together he and Fitch stowed the kai, rifles and cartridges in the rear compartment.
‘That’ll about do it,’ Fitch said, staring at him, his voice rough. ‘Now get those girls and get yourself out of here.’
Meru looked at him, unable to form any words.
‘We’ll be alright, you’ll see,’ Fitch said, with a grin. ‘Here, take this.’ He pulled off his battered wide-brimmed hat and thrust it at Meru. Fitch’s head was bald, with thin wisps of grey hair, waving in the breeze.
‘Fitch …’ Meru stuttered.
‘For luck, right?’ Fitch chuckled, grabbing the hat and pushing it hard on to Meru’s head.
Then with a wink, he was striding away.
Meru limped across the rear deck, tripping and sprawling near Zoella and Kiri.
‘We’ve got to go!’ he yelled. ‘The flying machine, now!’
‘What about–?’ Zoella began.
‘No time. Help me with Kiri.’
Kiri’s body was a dead weight. Between them they managed to hoist her up, carry her to the flying machine and push her into the rear compartment.
‘Get in!’
Meru pushed Zoella into the passenger seat and slammed the door behind her. Then he took a knife from his belt and cut at the ropes that lashed the machine to the deck plates. As he did so he heard the thrum of the engines through the ship, saw Mel raise her head and give Coran a thumbs up gesture. Coran ran for the wheelhouse, spinning the wheel around.
The crippled Mobilis began to turn.
Meru continued to hack at the ropes, severing each one in turn. Arrows pinged of the fuselage next to him as the Taloon ships came in range.
The machine was free. It shifted on the deck, sliding to one side. He heard Zoella yell from inside.
He grabbed the other two rifles he could see on the deck and threw them into the rear compartment, pulling the sliding door closed. Then he jumped into the pilot’s seat, flipping switches.
The engines of the flying machine spun up in readiness.
He pulled on the controls.
He saw Mel, Daf and Creg looking up at him as the machine lifted off. Mel was shouting something, but he couldn’t hear it over the noise. Fitch was already working down near the bow. He saw Coran turn and snap a salute before retreating into the wheelhouse.
The flying machine rose and turned away.
* * *
The Mobilis swung around until it was pointing bow first towards the oncoming Taloon vessels. Coran spun the helm back to its centre point and pushed the throttles forward to their stops. The engines ground their way up to speed, their normal sound muted and sluggish as the remaining batteries were drained of their last stores of power.
The Mobilis’ bow rose above the water and the battered vessel surged ahead.
Coran looked aft to see the flying machine lifting off and banking away, arrows from the Taloon ship flickering past it to no avail. More arrows peppered the wheelhouse, he ducked instinctively. Mel, Daf and Creg ran towards him, Mel jumping up to the wheelhouse.
Coran heard Fitch yell and saw him fall from the forward deck hatch, an arrow embedded in his shoulder. His hat was missing.
‘Daf, Creg!’ Coran yelled. ‘Help Fitch!’
The big men lurched forward amidst the hail of arrows, both were struck, but shrugged off the impacts, still running forward. The flying machine roared overhead.
The Mobilis was accelerating now, the bow driving a wall of froth before it.
Too late, the Taloon helmsmen realised what Coran’s intention was. The wooden vessels turned aside, but there was no time. Coran swung the helm hard over and the
Mobilis veered into one of the ships.
More arrows. Coran felt one pierce his arm and heard a screech from Mel behind him.
The flanks of the Taloon vessel were crushed; splinters and broken planks flew from the impact. The Taloon archers were tossed into the air, down into the sea or back into their ship. The bow of the Mobilis crumped, the forward deck plates shearing off with a horrendous screech of tortured metal. Coran and Mel were thrown forward as the whole forward infrastructure of the ship buckled. The mast of the Taloon vessel snapped and crashed down into the sea, rigging flailing in all directions.
With a groan of flooding compartments, the Mobilis began to founder.
* * *
Fitch had barely managed to hang on during the impact. Had it not been for Daf and Creg he’d have been flung overboard. The two big men hauled him back. The deck was submerging under their feet, the water rising towards the Mobilis’ forward cargo hatch. Soldiers from the beleaguered Taloon vessel surged over the gunwales of their ruined ship, cutlasses in their hands, yelling at the top of their lungs. They saw Fitch, Daf and Creg and scrambled towards them. The other Taloon vessel was close, turning in from the starboard side also full of soldiers ready to board them.
‘Too late for that fellas,’ Fitch said, with a wry grin.
He pulled something from his pocket, flicking it in his hand. A flame burnt from the device, bright and fierce.
He raised his other hand. Daf and Creg grabbed it.
‘Been a pleasure boys,’ he said. Daf and Creg grunted in acknowledgement.
Fitch tossed the device into the cargo hatch before him.
* * *
Coran saw the cataclysmic explosion. Smoke, decking and spinning pieces of flaming debris showered down as a vast plume of black smoke erupted upwards. Glass smashed before him and he was thrown back by the force of the blast, the shattered remains of the instruments cast about him. The roof of the wheelhouse was blown clean away. Debris rained down amidst the flame and smoke. Fires swept through the ruin burning and fierce. He could see nothing through the smoke.
The Mobilis reared beneath him, he saw the stern disappear under the waves for a brief moment as the ship rocked with the impact.
