by Saxon Andrew
• • •
The Commandant looked at his Fleet Admiral and wasn’t happy at what he was saying. “What do you mean you can’t send another ship out after the one that escaped?”
“Sir, the clouds to the west indicate another storm is quickly approaching. It appears to be as bad as the three that preceded it.”
“Do you think the first ship will make it through?”
“I sincerely doubt it, Sire. This storm appears to be the worst one yet.”
The Commandant stared at the Admiral and started to order the next ship to be sent anyway but a wind squall blew against the building and three windows blew open. The wind howled as slaves rushed to close them. The temperature dropped ten degrees in less than five minutes and the Commandant knew the Admiral was right. This storm was going to be trouble. “Hold the ships in port and prepare the fleet for the storm.”
“Yes, Commandant.” The Admiral turned to leave as four more windows blew open. The Commandant knew the ship that escaped would not make it through the storm. He heard a window crash against the wall and he stood to leave for his quarters.
Chapter Two
Harvey walked out of the Holy Cave and looked up at the sky. The sun was peaking over the cliff and he could see blue skies mixed in with the quickly moving black clouds. It had been a difficult season. It seemed that as soon as one storm passed, another was on the way. He had reports that more than fifty ships were damaged even though they were anchored in the harbor north of the community. He was thankful Zeck had warned them about the coming storm before the fleet had been launched. He questioned Zeck’s motivations but after the fact, he probably saved thousands of lives with his warning.
Harvey took in a deep breath and saw the warriors were going up in their gliders. Good weather to fly had not been available for several months. He saw Maxius working with Zeck teaching him how to buckle on a glider and release it. Zeck had petitioned the council to allow him to learn how to fly and they had begrudgingly allowed it. Harvey knew Zeck had a mission to save a particular slave in the Destroyer’s city and learning to fly a glider was going to be necessary for him to make that happen. Andy had felt that he would be more help if he remained with the fleets to help command their attack.
Harvey saw Andy and Melody walking up the slope. They stopped and spoke with Maxius and he called over another warrior to work with Zeck. He looked at the gate and saw Mark come through it and start moving up the hill. He sighed and knew Andy was calling the council together to plan something. It was probably the attack on the Destroyers. He knew they had lost the element of surprise and soon they would lose the benefit of the wind. It was due to shift back to the East soon. Melody was showing her pregnancy. That was good news. The community would have a successor if something happened to Andy.
Andy, Melody, and Maxius arrived and Andy said, “Do you have some time to discuss some issues?”
Harvey nodded toward the fire pit, “I want to sit outside if you don’t mind. I’ve missed good weather.”
Andy looked up and smiled, “I think we’re all thankful for a break in the storms.” He took Melody’s hand and turned toward the logs surrounding the fire pit. “Harvey, you don’t look like you want to discuss anything.”
“I don’t. A day like this is rare lately and I want to enjoy it before I’m presented something to cause me to worry.”
Andy tilted his head, “You think the issues will cause you to be stressed?”
“If it were just you and Melody, I wouldn’t be worried. But you’ve called in Maxius and Mark. That tells me it has to do with going to war.”
Andy blew out a breath, “Well, yes and no.”
Harvey’s eyes narrowed, “Oh? How so?”
Mark arrived at that moment and Andy said, “Why don’t we all sit down and enjoy this moment.” Harvey nodded and sat down on the sand and leaned back against a log. Melody opened a bag she was carrying and began passing out some sweetbread she had made. Harvey sent one of his Priests to the cave and he returned with drinks for everyone. The five of them ate the bread and watched the hundreds of warriors circling overhead grow to thousands as the fliers took to the sky. Andy watched them and saw how good they were at maneuvering and avoiding other fliers. None of them were wearing their camosuits so they could be easily seen against the clouds rushing across the sky toward the East.
Finally, Mark looked down and said, “Why did you want this meeting, Andy?”
Andy forced his gaze away from the sky and said, “I expect one more person to arrive. Why don’t we wait for them to get here?”
Harvey started to ask who was coming but saw Annelise come through the gate. She started up the slope and stopped where Zeck was practicing releasing and retracting the glider. She spoke to him and he took off the glider pack and joined her walking up the hill. They arrived and Andy smiled, “Sit down and take a load off your feet.” They nodded and Melody stood and gave them some sweetbread. The Priest gave them a water pouch and they began eating. Andy looked at Harvey, “It looks like the weather has broken and the storms are ending.” He turned to Annelise and Zeck and said, “Am I right about that?”
Annelise shrugged, “Zeck would know more about that than I do. Four storms is the most I’ve ever seen during a Maelstrom.”
Andy’s eyes widened, “What is a Maelstrom?”
Zeck swallowed the bread he was chewing and said, “It’s the term used to describe a series of three or four violent storms that follow each other closely. It doesn’t happen often; usually once every ten years or so. However, they are deadly for anyone caught out on the ocean when they come.”
Andy nodded, “We’ve just had the fourth one to pass. Does that mean it’s over?”
Zeck looked at Annelise and turned back to Andy, “I’ve never seen more than four; however, the last storm was stronger than it should have been if it was the last.”
Annelise nodded, “I thought about that as well, Zeck. The last storm is usually much weaker than those that preceded it.”
Harvey groaned, “Are you saying we will have another storm?”
Zeck shook his head, “I’ve never seen more than four.”
Andy looked at him, “Would you bet your life that there won’t be another?”
Zeck looked at Andy, “I’ve also never seen the fourth storm to be as strong as the one that just passed. I wouldn’t risk that the last storm was the final one.”
Andy nodded and stared at the two former destroyers. “How long will it be before the wind shifts to the East?”
“Less than a month.”
Harvey looked at Andy, “What are you thinking?”
Andy looked at Melody and then turned to Harvey, “All of you know I was determined to get the fleet sailing immediately after we defeated the Destroyer Fleet and ground forces.” He turned to Zeck, “I want to thank you for the warning about the coming storm. I really believe we would have lost every ship along with everyone on board if we had sailed. I was determined to strike quickly because we would have the element of surprise. But we’ve lost that now. The Commandant knows something happened to his fleets and he’s had three months to prepare for an invasion. That coupled with the shift in wind makes me wary of launching an attack now.”
Maxius chuckled, “Now that’s a surprise. I’d have thought nothing would keep you from going to carry out your promise to personally kill that Commandant.”
Andy shook his head, “You have no idea how much I want to do just that. But I won’t place our warriors in that much peril. We don’t know what sort of defenses we’ll have to face, we don’t know if another storm is coming, and the wind will be blowing against us before we arrive. As much as I detest doing it, I really think we should wait until the wind shifts back in our favor.” Everyone at the fire stared at Andy in stunned silence. Andy saw them and said, “Hey, I told you when I developed a plan to save Melody that I wouldn’t put the community in danger without a good plan.”
Harvey smiled, “We all thou
ght you just said that to get us to go along with you to carry out Harmony’s dying request.”
Melody looked at Harvey, “I’m really thankful you agreed.” Harvey smiled and nodded.
Andy tilted his head, “I wouldn’t have taken the warriors if I thought they would have been in danger. I would have gone with a much smaller contingent to stampede the dinosaurs while I saved Melody. I wouldn’t have attacked their forces.” Andy looked at Melody, “If I had to do it alone, I would have made the effort.”
Maxius nodded, “And that’s why we agreed to do it. We all saw you were not going to stay away. However, now I can see that you really wouldn’t have put our fighters in danger if you didn’t have a workable plan. What about the current situation? Do you have a plan?”
“I have a plan but I’m not certain it would work without knowing what sort of defenses we would have to face. I’m concerned that there will be a massive loss of lives among the slaves being held by the Destroyers.”
Zeck said, “Why is that flier coming down so fast?”
Everyone looked up and saw a flier was coming down toward the fire pit at an incredible speed. Melody said, “That looks like Johnathan.” Andy nodded as the flier pushed the front edge of his glider up and furled it to a stop twenty yards from the fire pit.
Johnathan dropped the glider pack off his back and came running toward the group, “There’s a single Destroyer ship moving north along the coast seventy miles south of here.”
Andy looked at Zeck, who said, “The Commandant doesn’t know what happened to his fleet. He has no idea if it was successful in conquering you, losing to you, or being sunk by the storms. That ship must be a scout sent to find out. I’m genuinely surprised he sent it out during a Maelstrom.”
Johnathan nodded, “I think the ship has lost one of its masts. It evidently was caught out on the ocean during the last storm.”
Zeck looked at Johnathan, “Did you notice if the cannons were deployed on deck?”
“They were not.”
Andy looked at Zeck, “Why do you ask that?”
“If I were taking my ship into dangerous waters, I would keep the cannons ready for any eventuality. If they don’t have them deployed on deck, something is going on out of the ordinary.”
Andy nodded, “Thanks for telling me that. I was going to have the Fliers use their red beams to kill everyone on board.”
Harvey looked at Andy, “And what are you going to do now?”
Andy looked at Annelise, “How long will it take you to get a ship moving to meet it?”
Annelise looked at Johnathan, “Did you notice the skies to the West?”
“I did. There are some black clouds but they appear to be scattered. I didn’t see a long line of them like you see in an approaching storm.”
Annelise looked at Johnathan and nodded, “That gives us some time. Will you fly to the harbor and tell Paul and Ana to sail their ship here to pick up Admiral Zeck and me?”
Zeck looked at Annelise, “Hey, I’m no longer an Admiral.”
Annelise shook her head, “You are the most experienced ship commander we have. You’ve forgotten more than I know. I’d feel better if you’re with me when we meet this ship.”
Andy nodded, “I’ll have fliers in camosuits circling overhead if they do anything aggressive.”
Zeck nodded and said, “I’ll go with you.”
Andy looked at Johnathan, “Go and deliver the message.” Johnathan ran to his glider pack and buckled it on as he ran up to the top of the northern wall. He took a running start and leapt off the wall and released his glider. The wings caught the breeze and he rose quickly above the wall and headed north.
Andy looked at the group, “I think we should delay this meeting until we see what’s going on with this ship.”
Harvey nodded, “I agree. Are you going with them to meet it?”
Andy looked at Melody and she shook her head, “I know, I know. You won’t rest a minute if you stay here. Go and do your duty.” Andy hugged her and nodded to Harvey.
• • •
The Admiral looked up at the sky and wondered if another storm was coming. The last storm was not like any of the final storms he had seen in other Maelstroms. If there was a fifth storm…he shook his head. That would be a record breaker. His crew had kept their eyes out and had not seen any wreckage on their voyage. Sailing against the Westerly wind was slow going but his crew was good and kept the ship tacking smoothly. When they finally saw land, the tall cliff in front of the vessel told him they were north of the lands that had been attacked. He made a decision to sail north. They had never encountered this new enemy in the southern lands he had invaded. That meant they were probably north of the last attack.
He looked at the decks and was surprised they had survived the last storm. It had been violent and there were a number of times he thought the ship was going to flounder, but it didn’t. He lost one of the masts and everything below decks was in shambles, but order was slowly being restored. He knew this was a one-way trip but the loss of more than half of his food stores to the storm only added more confirmation. If he couldn’t locate this new enemy, they would be forced to go ashore and hunt for food. The ship felt good under his feet.
The fresh smell of the sea and the giant sea carnivores that would breach the surface of the rolling ocean made him feel at home. Most of the families that had been brought on board prior to their escape suffered a lot from seasickness, which was understandable. Even seasoned sailors suffered in the violent seas they had been trapped on. He closed his eyes and felt the breeze on his face. For the first time in his life, he felt free. He suddenly heard from the lookout on top of the remaining mast, “Sails approaching from the North!”
The Admiral opened his eyes and his second-in-command ran up to the rear quarterdeck, “Should we break out the cannon?”
“No, leave them undercover.”
“Are you sure about that, Sire? This could be one of the Commandant’s vessels.”
“And how would they know we are traitors? If it’s not one of the Empire’s ships, it belongs to that group that defeated us. Either way, cannons aren’t called for.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“Jeff, how can anyone know what’s right in this new world? I do know that none of our ships were able to use their cannons when they were taken by this new civilization. If I make a mistake, it will be on the side of caution.”
Jeff stared at the Admiral and saluted, “Yes, Sire.” The Admiral looked to the north and waited for the sails to appear. The lookout could see them over the horizon. Fifteen minutes later, he saw the tops of them appear above the sea. He waited as the ship moved closer. After another twenty minutes he yelled, “Strike the sails and drop the anchor.”
Everyone on board looked at the Admiral and knew they were giving up their ability to maneuver. Their hesitation was brief and they moved up in the rigging and lowered the sails.
• • •
Zeck watched the ship and saw it lower its sails. Andy saw it as well and looked at him, “What’s going on?”
“Lowering their sails makes them an easy target. Most ship commanders would never lower their sails in a dangerous situation. They give up their ability to maneuver and use their cannons.”
“Why would they do it then?”
“My only guess is they want to talk.”
Andy nodded, “I hope you’re right.”
Zeck sailed the ship directly at the Destroyer’s bow, dropped anchor a hundred yards away and lowered his sails. He allowed the ship to swing around and he dropped the rear anchor. He now had the Destroyer ship confronted with a full broadside of cannons and the gunnery crew had them loaded and ready to fire. Andy yelled, “You will not fire your cannons until I order it!”
Each of the gunnery teams yelled, “Order understood!”
Zeck stared at the Ship and saw Johnathan was right; one of the main masts was gone. He looked closer and said, “They’re lowering a boat
.” Andy nodded and watched them start rowing it toward his ship. The boat arrived and Zeck looked overboard at who was on it and said, “Well I’ll be damned.”
Andy looked at him, “What?”
“That’s Senior Admiral Slayer. He commanded the fleet that you attacked when you rescued Melody. He’s the highest ranking officer in the Destroyer Navy.” Andy looked at the boat and recognized the Admiral he had sent with a message to deliver to the Commandant. Why was he here?
The Admiral arrived on deck and looked around. Andy walked forward and he could see the Admiral’s expression show relief. As Andy arrived in front of the sailors from the Destroyer ship, the Admiral said, “Salute!” The eight sailors all saluted, including the Admiral.
“Why are you saluting?”
The Admiral lowered his arm and his men also lowered theirs. All of them remained at attention. “When you sent me back with your message, you also asked me a question that troubled me greatly.”
“What was that?”
“You asked why we didn’t just capture the ones we attacked and take them back to our Empire. There was no good reason to kill them. After much thought, I found that I agree with your assessment. Quite frankly, I originally wanted to request you allow me to stay with you then but I knew the Commandant would have executed my family if I did. The Commandant sent me here to determine what happened to his fleets but I used his order to escape with the ones that went back to protect their families.. I humbly ask that you accept us into your community.” Zeck walked down from the stern deck and the Admiral saw him, “ZECK! YOU’RE ALIVE!” The Admiral rushed forward and hugged Zeck and Andy was confused about what was going on. Zeck looked at Andy and said, “I was promoted to being a ship commander by the Admiral. He has always taken care of me.”
“Do you honestly think we should accept him?”
Zeck looked at the Admiral and slowly shook his head, “I don’t know. Slayer has killed so many humans in the past.”
The Admiral looked at Zeck with surprise on his face. Then he lowered his eyes and said, “I no longer use the name Slayer. My name is Steve Striker. And you’re right, far too many have died because of my actions. If you can’t accept me, I understand why. However, I ask that you accept my crew and their families.”
