by K Hanson
The second row of wagons now lay on their sides. Some of the soldiers had managed to get out from the carts before the rockets had struck. Most, however, were not as lucky. Dozens lay on the ground, wounded and bleeding from flying shrapnel. Others were pinned beneath the weight of the toppled, damaged wagons.
By this point, more Imperial troops had mustered near the breach in the wall, coming from all corners of the mining complex to attempt to stop the impending invasion. The first line of the troops took cover behind the broken hulks that had formed the barrier of wagons. However, that line of cover was quite scattered.
The rest of the troops lined up in formation just on the inside of the gap. They took aim in that direction but did not fire. They seemed to be waiting for the Stalstan troops to enter the complex.
Nereyda, expecting another barrage from the rocket artillery, sprinted away from the main battle line, but the shots did not come. After seeing the technology and discipline, along with the sheer numbers, of the Stalstan troops, Nereyda was not going to risk having her crew on the front lines of a battle that was not even their fight. However, they also did not have a good way of escaping the compound, as all of the other gates were locked tight to prevent a second breach of the facility.
“What are we going to do, Captain?” asked Elvar.
“I’m still working on figuring something out. Were there any weapons left in the armory at the barracks?” she asked.
One of the Islanders stepped forward. “I saw some cannons under a tarp. Maybe we could use those.”
Nereyda thought about that for a minute. She scanned the compound for a good vantage point to station the cannons. Her eye caught one of the nearby mounds that served as an entrance to the mines below. The sides were steep, but if they could push the cannons and haul some ammunition to the top, they would be able to shoot over the Imperial troops and into the lines of Stalstan soldiers as they entered the gap in the wall.
“Sounds good, let’s go,” she commanded and led the way running back to the armory.
Just as the Islander had said, a cluster of three cannons on large wheels sat unused under a canvas in the corner of the armory. Next to them, there were three carts full of shot.
“We don’t have any horses, so we’re going to have to push these ourselves.”
On each gun and cart, five people gathered to push. Nereyda herself shoved the back of one of the cannons. Once they got the weapons and ammo moving, they crept out of the armory and turned toward the mound that Nereyda had picked out.
Anyone in her unit not pushing something surrounded the sluggish convoy to make sure nobody tried to slow them down. Nereyda heard gunshots, shouting, and the clash of steel ringing from the direction of the gap. Sparing a glance in that direction, she could see that the Stalstans had entered the hole in the wall. Imperial and Stalstan troops had begun a hand to hand melee to win control over the breach. So far, it seemed to be a stalemate, but Nereyda did not know how long the Imperial troops would last against the better-equipped enemy that they faced.
When the group of cannons and ammunition carts reached the bottom of the mound, the crew members pushing them stopped for a quick break. Nereyda looked up at the slope and sighed, “Well, we might as well get this shit up the hill.”
Extra hands joined the teams pushing the convoy, and they began to trudge up the rise of the mound. The first part was the steepest and most difficult. With each step, Nereyda’s legs and arms burned from pushing the heavy gun. However, each step also made the climb easier as the slope began to level out. When they finally reached the top, they turned the cannons to aim in the general direction of the hole in the wall, with the carts of ammo resting behind the guns.
Nereyda surveyed the battle below and was disheartened by what she saw. The Stalstan troops had pushed further into the mining complex and more kept coming in through the gap. For every soldier that the Imperial troops killed, it seemed that two or three came through the opening to replace him. The Imperial line bulged deep into the open space inside of the wall and looked dangerously thin. More troops kept arriving from around the compound, but they were not coming quickly enough to contain the onslaught of the Stalstan advance.
“Okay, we need to lay down as much fire on that gap as possible. If we can stop more of their troops from coming in, the Imperial troops may be able to beat back the ones that are already inside. Storm Raven crew, you will be in charge of aiming and firing the guns. Islanders, keep the ammo flowing from those carts. Once all of the positions are filled, anyone else will keep an eye out for anything I don’t see. If you get tired hauling ammo or operating the guns, tag someone to replace you. Don’t exhaust yourself. I have a feeling that we will all need our energy for a closer fight soon.”
Nobody in her group questioned her, and they set about to fulfill her orders. Within a minute, the guns had been aimed at the gap and locked into place. The Islanders took up positions near the carts and set up a chain from the ammo stash to the guns so that they could quickly pass the shot.
“All right, crew, load your guns.”
At each cannon, a crew member stuffed a load of gunpowder into the barrel, packed it down with a rod, then slid a cannonball down the tube and stuffed it into place.
When each gun had been prepared, she shouted, “Fire!” The guns roared in unison, and the shells struck their target in the gap. Several Stalstan troops fell in the area where the cannonballs landed. One of the shots landed just inside of the wall.
“Good. Elvar, adjust your cannon up just a touch. Otherwise, fire at will.”
Nereyda watched as her crew furiously loaded and fired their guns. The Islanders kept up with the demand for ammunition so that a fresh load of gunpowder and shot was always available after each volley.
She looked back at the breach in the wall. Now, it looked like the Stalstans and Imperials had reached a stalemate. The Stalstan troops were not pushing further into the compound, but they were not retreating or losing ground, either. However, it did look like their cannon shots were having an effect. The flow of Stalstan troops through the opening had slowed considerably under the fire of Nereyda’s crew’s cannons.
Glancing at their supply of ammunition, she saw that it dwindled too quickly. While their supporting fire was clearly having an effect, once they ran out of shot or gunpowder, the flow of Stalstan troops would return to its original deluge.
She examined the opening in the wall to see if there was anything else that they could do to obstruct the incursion of the Stalstans into the mining complex. Even if she could find some way to slow them down temporarily, it might buy the Imperial troops enough time to start regaining ground in their efforts to throw the invaders out or kill them.
Next to the gap, on the west side, a partially damaged tower rose from the ground. Parts of it had been chipped away in the explosion, it seemed. Nereyda looked at the top of the tower and saw that no guards had taken a position there, maybe since they did not trust the damaged structure.
“Cease firing,” she ordered.
“What now, Captain?” asked Elvar.
“All of you,” she said, “aim your guns at the base of that tower just west of the gap. The one that looks like it took some shrapnel from the wall explosion. Target the side next to the gap.”
“Yes, Captain.”
Nereyda watched each of them turn their cannons and adjust the angle of attack to point them in her instructed direction. When they were done, she ordered, “Load them up.”
They went through the familiar process of preparing the guns for the next barrage, then stood by for her command.
“Fire,” she ordered.
Again, the cannons boomed from their position on the mound. The shots all struck the base of the tower, blasting chunks of stone from the wall. Nereyda could see the tower shudder from the impact, though it remained standing.
“Keep firing on that tower,” she shouted to her crew.
Volley after volley, cannonballs surged thro
ugh the air to blast away the base of the tower. For several barrages, the structure shook as pieces of it were torn away, but it didn’t show any sign of collapsing. When she started to see hunks of the wooden frame flying from the impact area, she knew that it wouldn’t stand for long.
After a couple of more volleys, the tower lurched to the east and started to lean.
“Cease firing,” she commanded her gun crews.
Holding her breath, she watched the tower slowly tilt. After leaning a bit, it stopped moving. Guards along the top of the wall pointed and shouted at the crumbling tower. For a moment, Nereyda considered having her gunners send another shot as the tower hung in the balance. Then, the final bit of support gave way with a crack and the tower tilted more.
It leaned faster and faster until it became a fall. The full length of the tower collapsed across the gap, crushing dozens of Stalstan troops beneath the stones. For now, the hulking form of the stone tower blocked any other Stalstan soldiers from coming into the gap and reinforcing the invaders still inside the walls.
“Aim at the mass of Stalstan troops, and fire at will until we run out of ammo,” she shouted to her crew. They nodded and set to work sending their remaining shots into the crowd of enemies with their backs now pressed against a wall.
With the supply of new troops cut off, at least for the time being, the Imperial troops were able to reinforce their own lines and began to push against the enemies that remained. The pirates’ shots landed among the horde of black-uniformed soldiers, killing or wounding a few of them at a time.
Nereyda looked back at the carts for the ammunition and saw that they now sat empty as the Islanders passed the final shots forward to the guns. After a few more volleys into the crowd of Stalstan troops, the pirates’ guns fell silent.
A movement across the ground caught her eye. An Imperial officer ran in their direction from one of the other towers. As the officer approached, she saw that it was Commander Erhan. He charged directly up the hill, barely slowed by the incline of the mound, and only stopped when he was right in Nereyda’s face. His own face was red with rage.
“What the hell was that?” he demanded. “You deliberately fired on one of our own fortifications. You could have killed Imperial troops with a stunt like that.”
“Maybe, but as you can see, it clearly worked out. Not doing anything would have killed more Imperial soldiers. At least now your guys have a chance of cleaning up the ones that got inside. Until they figure out how to get back in, that is.”
“You got lucky that it worked out how it did. There is a reason that our soldiers don’t just act on their own without coordinating with their superiors and other units. For the rest of this battle, you will follow my orders.”
“I don’t think so. If you want our help, we will provide it in the way we know how to do it. We’re pirates. We use tricks, fight dirty, and run away from fights we know we can’t win. Now, is there any way to sneak out of this place? Preferably a tunnel that leads into the forests to the north.”
“Are you saying you’re running away? That’s not the deal. You stay for the whole battle, then you get to leave.”
“If we wanted to run away, why would we go north? That’s where their army is. For now, that collapsed tower is blocking their way into this place. How long do you think that will last? Right now, they’re looking for any way they can find to get through that. If I were in charge, I’d be setting up some artillery to blast through there.”
“So you want to sneak out and stop them before they can shoot?”
Nereyda rolled her eyes. “Obviously. We’ll try to get there unseen, but if not, we aren’t in uniform. We look like escaped slaves so they may not shoot at us right away.”
“You must think I’m mad if you think I’ll just let you walk out of these walls.”
“You know it’s a good plan. Do you have a better idea?”
“How do I know you’ll actually do what you say?”
“I want the Raven back, and you’re going to give it to me as a reward for winning your war for you.”
His eyes narrowed. “I’ll consider it. Is that the only thing you care about, your ship?”
“That and aggravating Imperial officers. You know this is the best option we have.”
Erhan paused for a long moment as he considered the plan.
“What else are you going to do?” asked Nereyda. “Do you have a better plan?”
He nodded. “Fine, I’ll lead you to the postern gate that connects to a tunnel to the northwest. It ends somewhere in the forest. I know where the entrance on this side is, but I have not used it myself, so I cannot say for sure exactly where the exit is.”
The Imperial Commander jogged down the hill, and Nereyda went after him, followed by the other pirates and Islanders, leaving the cannons sitting on the mound.
Erhan’s path took them to the far northwest corner of the mining compound. They entered one of the many palisades that dotted the perimeter inside the wall. He led them into the barracks, then into the armory. “If anyone wants a different weapon or needs ammunition, this is the time to stock up.”
Some of the pirates and Islanders swapped out their swords and axes for versions that they liked better, and took additional pouches of powder and shot for their pistols and rifles. Most seemed content with what they had.
“Now that everyone is ready, you can head out.” He pressed a section of the wall, then it popped open, revealing a chain. Erhan pulled on it, and the neighboring panel of the wall clicked. When he pushed it, it was actually a door that swung wide.
Nereyda stepped up to lead her people into the tunnel, but the commander stood in the entrance. “If we’re going to leave, you should probably get out of our way,” she remarked.
He grabbed her arm and stepped close. “I still don’t trust you to do this.”
She shrugged. “You probably shouldn’t. But what other choice do you have? And if we wanted to get out of here, we would have found a way instead of setting up a battery of cannons. Besides, like we just discussed, I need you to give my ship back to me. You can’t do that if I let you die today.”
He relinquished her arm. “Don’t make me regret this,” he said.
“Me? Never.” Nereyda smiled at him as he stepped out of the way. “Come on, team,” she said. “Let’s go hunting.”
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Nereyda stepped past Erhan and into the corridor that led to the escape tunnel. After a short distance, a flight of stairs led down. Torches lined the wall of the staircase, but only the one at the top was lit. The stairs went deep enough that she could not see the bottom in the darkness. She grabbed the lit torch and began to descend the steep steps, lighting the other torches as she went.
She took care as she walked down the stairs, as there was no railing and she had no idea how far she would fall before something stopped her. The damp air clung to her with the scent of mold. The air in the tunnel felt stale, as if it had been here for years without a breeze to keep it fresh. People were not meant to live or linger here, though, just pass through to get to the outside of the compound walls.
Finally, Nereyda reached the final step and moved forward into the flat part of the tunnel. Again, in the dark, it stretched ahead out of sight. She only hoped that Erhan had been right about where it led. If it came up short of the forest, the pirates and Islanders would not have any cover from the Stalstan troops.
Her unit walked in silence as they passed through the tunnel. There was no real need to avoid speaking since nobody could hear them through the ground above their heads. However, as they snuck out of the mining complex, not talking seemed like the thing to do. Their footsteps echoed up and down the long stone hallway.
Part of Nereyda wanted to run through the tunnel so that they could get to the artillery as quickly as possible. Every second that they spent creeping through this tunnel, the Stalstan gun crews would be getting closer to firing on the wall and opening another breach for their army to e
nter the complex. Unfortunately, the tunnel was entirely dark except for torches that Nereyda had to light along the wall as she passed them, which forced them to take their time. After what felt like hundreds of steps, the dim light from the nearest torch illuminated the base of another stairway. With the end in sight, she picked up her pace and only lit every other torch to save time.
When she got to the stairs, she went up as fast as she could while not tripping herself on the uneven stone steps. Time and moisture had caused them to crack and shift, and the masons for the mine had apparently not made it a priority to keep them maintained. The stairs ascended to a small rocky cavern, with a wooden door on the other end. Nereyda walked up to it, snuffed her torch, and turned the latch. It clicked, and she pulled the door open. She peered out and saw a rocky passage that curved to the right. Daylight streamed in from what must be the entrance at the other end of the corner.
Nereyda pulled the door further open and walked out into the stone hallway. She walked on her tiptoes in case anyone outside the cave could hear them. As she crept out to the opening, she squinted her eyes at the sunlight that hit her face. Looking around, she saw that they had come out at a rock formation in the middle of a forest. She did not see any Stalstan troops in the vicinity, nor did she hear any signs of activity nearby.
“Come on, let’s see if we can find where that artillery is setting up,” she said.
She climbed up onto the pile of rocks that concealed the tunnel exit and gazed around the forest to get her bearings. Southeast from their position, she saw the corner of the mining complex where they had entered the escape tunnel. She scanned further east and saw the collapsed tower that her crew had shot down. Stalstan troops still milled around in front. Some of them tried to climb the pile of rubble, but anyone that attempted to do so was immediately picked off by the Imperial guards manning the nearby walls and towers.
