Shark-Killer (The Dark Sea War Chronicles Book 3)

by Bruno Martins Soares

*

  He took me to my office downstairs, in Hull 1. Xavier and his second, Yver, as well as Junior, the corporal, were also there. They had a device they were looking at.

  “What’s this?” I asked.

  “This, Captain, is the Libra machine.” Answered Erbay.

  “The coding device?”

  “Exactly.”

  “That we took from the enemy?”

  “Affirmative, Byl.”

  I looked at it for a moment. Looked at the screen, as everybody else.

  “What does it do?” I asked.

  “It encodes and decodes enemy messages, Captain.” Said Xavier.

  “And did you get it to function?”

  Erbay nodded.

  “One of the prisoners showed it to us.”

  “Just like that?”

  Erbay raised his shoulders.

  “All we had to tell him was that neither one of us had any chance of surviving if we couldn’t put the thing to work. He bought it immediately.”

  I smiled.

  “Well… It’s the truth. This thing can pinpoint the sharks?”

  Xavier looked at Junior.

  “It shows us the origin of enemy messages so, if they coordinate, sir, yes it can.”

  “And…? Have they?”

  “Yes, sir. Please take a look.”

  I did. I found the pings immediately. I counted them. One, two, three… there were six of them. No, seven sharks coming for us. Shit…

  “How do I read this thing? How do I get the distances?”

  They showed me and soon I was getting it. It was mapping a very large area of Space so I could see most of the enemy ships weren’t that close to us. Good. I clicked on my intercom and contacted the bridge.

  “Mr Ojoe, please leave Mr Alzira manning the bridge and come down to H1. Bring Mr Dalto and Mr Steen.”

  “We have contacts, sir.”

  “Tell Mr Alzira to avoid them and get down here ASAP.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  *

  A few minutes later, the bridge had seconds at the stations and I, Ojoe, Dalto and Steen were all looking at the Libra’s screen.

  “What do you see?” I asked.

  Steen waved his head.

  “A shit load of trouble, if you don’t mind me saying, sir.”

  “What else?”

  They were quiet for a moment. Ojoe was the first to see it, as expected.

  “Two of them are still too far, and these four are gathering on this side.”

  “What does that mean?”

  Ojoe raised his eyebrows.

  “It means we should go this way. We’re fast enough to avoid this group and be left with only these two Silent to deal with.”

  I waved my head. Erbay was looking at me attentively. As were the commandos. As was everyone else.

  “Not good enough, Mr Ojoe. If we go that way, we’ll be further and further away from the Mirox and from home. And they’ve been using the torpedoes to manipulate our trajectory, it will take us a long time to avoid them all, and we don’t know how many sharks are still out there.”

  “But if they have been contacting others, shouldn’t the machine be picking it up?” Asked Dalto.

  “Yes, sir.” Said the Junior Bob.

  “But we’ve picked up signals from Raven, Mr Dalto.” I said. “We don’t know if there are boats still there, maybe coming our way. We can’t escape, gentlemen. Not that way.”

  “So what do you suggest, sir?” Asked Ojoe.

  I smiled.

  “We attack.”

  They looked at each other, surprised. They probably thought I was crazy, at that point. After a while, Dalto had the courage to speak up.

  “Please, sir, let me tell you that even though this machine can show us where the sharks are, it can only do so if they’re communicating. Even if they’re coordinating tactics, I don’t believe there will be communications enough for us to be able to use this in a combat situation. It won’t be fast enough.”

  “Yes, Mr Dalto, you are correct.” I smiled madly. “But look at them. Our speed has made them come together behind us. They’re close to each other. At this distance, they have the advantage; they can target us with the torpedoes and hide themselves from us most of the time. But what if we get close?”

  “Close, sir?”

  “Very close, Mr Dalto. Close enough for them to hesitate with fear of hitting each other. Close enough for us to get in and out of their SAF’s and hit them with our broadsides.”

  Dalto swallowed hard. They were all feeling terribly uncomfortable. Didn’t know what to think.

  “That’s…”

  “Crazy, Mr Dalto? No crazier than the things we’ve been doing so far.”

  They kept looking at each other.

  “Listen,” I said “the enemy won’t know what hit them. They’re used to being the aggressors. They always choose the moment of battle, and they always have the initiative. Let’s take that from them. Let’s surprise them. Let’s be incredibly aggressive. Take them off guard. Then hit them hard. We’re harder, faster and more powerful than they are. Let’s give it to them. I’m telling you, it’s our best chance.”

  Now they were looking at me. It was Ojoe who spoke.

  “And how do you propose to do that, sir?”

  I looked at Steen.

  “Mr Steen. You’ll have to fly the Arrabat as a fighter pilot. Think you can do that?”

  He finally smiled.

  “You can bet on that, sir. She feels like a fighter already.”

  “Very well, let’s dog-fight those bitches, then.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  I finally looked at Erbay.

  “What do you say?”

  It took him by surprise. Maybe some other time I would have ignored him, but I felt tired of fighting him. The truth was, I respected him, he was my superior officer, and I wanted his support. This was a crazy idea. And he always seemed to try to reason with me. Maybe he was right sometimes. Maybe I needed to be put in check sometimes. Maybe I had to be more reasonable. Maybe I was going mad. Maybe he would keep me from making a big mistake.

  But he smiled. I don’t remember how many times I ever saw him smile. There weren’t many. But I remember that time. As if it was yesterday. He smiled and he said:

  “Your call, Byl. You know what you’re doing.”

  I don’t think anyone expected him to say that. Least of all me. I sighed in relief and determination grew in me.

  “Very well.” I said. “Let’s do it then.”

  *

  In a few minutes, we had a plan. We went back to the bridge. The seconds got up, and we all sat on our seats. Erbay was beside me, as he was sometimes.

  “Well, Mr Alzira. How’s the situation?”

  “I think we have three or four behind us, sir. We avoided them, as you said, and so far it’s been working. Don’t know for how long. And we’re still far from our designated route, sir. We haven’t been able to get back to it.”

  “That’s okay, Mr Alzira. You did well. Gentlemen, what we have here is a delicate situation, as you have already figured out. But I think we have a workable plan.”

  For a few minutes, I went through the plan. Even the ones who already knew it listened attentively.

  “Any comments?”

  There was a moment of silence, and then Alzira said:

  “Well, sir, sounds like a plan.”

  “Very well. What do you say, Mr Ojoe? 90 minutes?”

  “Yes, sir. Sounds right.”

  I picked up the intercom mike and connected to the entire ship.

  “Hands of the Arrabat. This is the Captain. In 90 minutes, we will start a risky and intense operation. We have been through a lot until now, but this will be the most dangerous so far. It will be the key to our survival or the end of the Arrabat. There are currently seven enemy Silent Boats hunting our ship. Five of them are relatively close. We believe that if we attack these five vessels, we will have a chance. In the process, we wi
ll be hit hard, and there will be casualties. I urge you to prepare the best you can. Hulls 3 and 5 are open and will be unable to support any damage. They will be evacuated except for battery crews. Also, as we opened these hulls to the main arterial centre of the ship, we cannot count on the spine for anything after we start. So, everything you need must be in your own Hull right now or in the next 60 minutes.”

  I breathed deeply and then continued.

  “This will be a difficult, long and dangerous battle, my friends, but we will prevail. Prevailing, we will be able to go home. So, I’m counting on you. Do what I know you can, and we will be fine. You are the finest crew I have ever known. Over and out.”

  I put down the intercom. Everyone was looking at me. I nodded.

  “90 minutes, gentlemen? Let’s make them count. Go to the bathroom, eat something. Get prepared. We meet here in 80. Mr Jilton, please handle the bridge. Avoid the sharks and enjoy the opportunity: are we still too far to transmit the info?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Then I think it’s time to send that orphan we talked about.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  *

  For the first 20 minute, after I left the bridge, a whole lot of people brought me their problems, urgent problems so that I could decide on them. Can we transport the injured through the main corridor once it starts? Where will we accommodate the people from H3 and H5? How much food and water should they bring with them? How much time would they have to fix the main pipes from the spine? Could they get more missiles allocated to this or that battery? All kinds of issues were brought to me in an avalanche. Ojoe helped me sort it out. For 20 minutes, we didn’t do anything else.

  Finally, we were released to take care of ourselves. Ojoe went to the cafeteria, and I went to the infirmary. As I crossed the main corridor of the spine, Erbay and some Bobs were transferring the prisoners to H2. I saw a familiar face.

  “Hey, Kary.”

  “Hey, Byl.”

  “Transferring the prisoners?”

  “That’s right.”

  “That guy over there. With the lieutenant uniform.”

  “Yes?”

  “He’s actually a full colonel in the XX.”

  “You sure? You mean a korroner?”

  “Yes. Had dinner with him at Worrick Yeno’s table, in Fumu.”

  A few things went through Kary’s mind. He looked at me funny.

  “What?” I asked. I didn’t know at the time. I didn’t know anything. He got that. He picked it up in my face.

  “Nothing. Thanks for the info, Byl. I’ll take care of him. By the way, how is Mirany?”

  “She’ll be alright. Thanks.”

  *

  I found Mira in my cabin. The doctor, knowing about the impending operation, had released her from the infirmary, and Bertin, my orderly, had taken good care of her. She was resting in my cabin, after a good meal.

  “Hey.” I said as I came in. She had her eyes open, lying there, in my bed.

  “Hey.” She whispered.

  I sat next to her.

  “How are you?”

  She smiled a little. I took her hand. She held it, for a bit.

  “Make room.” I said, moving to lye next to her. She moved a little, still not knowing what to feel. I didn’t either. But I sat against the wall and felt her body tensing up as she leaned against me as best as she could. She was trying to relax but she couldn’t. I let her be. I just caressed her hair and stayed there, as comfortable as I could.

  “I’m sorry.” She said.

  “For what?” I said.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “That’s okay.”

  “I… I just…”

  “Don’t worry about it. It’s just good to be here with you. It’s just very good to be here with you. Don’t worry about me. Just relax.”

  And it took her a few minutes for her to relax. I almost thought she wouldn’t be able to. She wouldn’t be able to accept me. What if it was me? What if I was too ugly? But then she did. She relaxed. Her breathing became smoother. Her muscles became softer. She leaned more against me. I kept caressing her hair. She breathed deeply.

  “How long do we have?”

  “A few minutes.”

  She turned. She turned to me. She put her legs over mine. She rested her face against my chest. She let me put my arm around her. She let me caress her face. She whispered again.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t worry about it. It’s okay. It’s more than okay. It’s incredible. I’m so glad you’re here. You know… Erbay and I. We have our differences. But I’m so grateful. I’m so grateful he got you.”

  “He couldn’t get me out before.”

  “I know. I understand. I can’t imagine what you went through.”

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “I’m just grateful he found you. And I’m grateful you got him to use you. You were so strong. And I’m grateful you survived. And I’m grateful he got you back.”

  “Me too…”

  I sighed and pressed her a bit more against me.

  “You know… We’re in danger.”

  “I heard.”

  “The odds are against us.”

  “How many are they?”

  “At least seven.”

  “That’s a lot.”

  “Yes, it is.”

  “We can’t make it, can we?”

  I sighed again. I remembered how clever she was. How strong she was. Even like that, almost destroyed. Still she was clever and strong.

  “I doubt we can.”

  “That’s okay.”

  I smiled.

  “Now I’m sorry.”

  And she pulled me a bit towards her. Her warm breath against my chest.

  “Don’t worry about it. This is a dream. To see you again. To see you again and have you in my arms. And be in your arms. And die. Die like this. With you. It’s a dream. It’s paradise. I’m serious. It’s the best thing that could have happened. If I die… If we die… Don’t worry about it. It will be okay.”

  «No…» I thought. I wanted to live. I wanted to be with her. But dying was okay as well. We would die together now. «No… I want to live!»

  “Would you come to the bridge? I want them to have my cabin. People are coming from other hulls. They’ll be here, and you’d be on the bridge. With me. Would you?”

  She shivered.

  “I can’t.”

  “You can sit beside me.”

  “I can’t.”

  I frowned.

  “Okay.”

  But it wasn’t okay. I didn’t understand. Didn’t she just say she wanted to die next to me?

  “You have a mimic display.” She said then.

  “Yes.”

  “They… When I was caught… They put me in a… The slave traders. They put me in a sack. I was in a sack for eighteen days. The mimic display… I can’t.”

  I got it, then. The mimic display felt like you were suspended in Space. Like in a sack. I could understand what she felt. Eighteen days… Poor girl. I couldn’t even imagine.

  “That’s okay. You can stay here.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “That’s okay.”

  *

  In the back of my mind, constantly, insistently, I could hear a whisper. It haunted me from then on. «I want to live. I want to live. I want to live. And I want her to live. I want us to live. Together.»

  *

  The bridge was full. Mira wasn’t there, but Erbay was, as was Xavier, his second and Junior Bob with his miracle machine, sitting next to Dalto. Hekk was there as well, with his C.O., Major Wilard. They didn’t have anywhere else to stay.

  “Are we ready?”

  Everyone nodded. I looked at Dalto, in particular.

  “Five behind us, Captain.”

  We had been positioning ourselves for the last hour or so. That was Phase 1. We positioned ourselves. We now had five sharks behind us. Following us as fast as they could. Together. And there w
ere two more ahead of us. And another one had come into play and would be on us in a few hours. And still another one in the vicinity. A day away.

  “Phase 2, then. Mr Steen.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “180, please.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The ship started to turn around.

  “Speed at 125%, Mr Steen.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  I looked at Ojoe. He looked back at me. I looked at Erbay. He looked back. We were doing it. The Arrabat had turned around and was racing towards the five sharks behind her.

  The door to the bridge opened at this point. I glanced but then turned to it. Mira was holding to the door frame, looking in, looking scared. She looked around, then she saw me, I smiled, she smiled, and then she came in with hesitant steps. Hekk got up and found a seat for her, attaching it to the floor next to me. I thanked him with a nod. She sat. I took her hand. She smiled at me, for a moment, very nervous. I smiled back. Maybe it was unprofessional of me having her there like this. Holding her hand. Smiling lovingly at her. But I didn’t give a shit.

  “Sir, they’re lighting up all over.” Said Bob Junior. The sharks were talking to each other. I knew it. They were surprised by our move. The Arrabat was running at them.

  “What are they doing, Mr Dalto?”

  “They’re still trying to decide, sir.”

  I smiled.

  “Let them sweat for a bit.”

  I looked at my screen. We still had a few minutes before it all started. I wondered how the enemy would react.

  “You all know Captain Cavo? Captain Mirany Cavo?”

  They all looked at her and greeted her.

  “Anything to Admiral Cavo?” Asked Wilard.

  “She’s his daughter.”

  There were looks between them. Alzira spoke for all of them.

  “We all respect and admire your father, miss.”

  Mira managed to whisper:

  “Thank you.”

  “Contact, sir. Level 6, 12-and-1.” Said Dalto.

  “Thank you.” I said. “Here we go. Mr Ojoe, you’re D&D.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  More dots came onto the screens.

  “Multiple contacts, sir.” Said Dalto.

  “I see them. Just put them on the MID, please, Mr Dalto.”

  But these were Silent Boats out there.

  “They’re gone now, sir.”

  “Never mind, Mr Dalto, leave the signals on the screen. And please keep tracking them with the Libra.”