Captain’s report: Sailing through contested waters, we are headed to the free port of Koto for repairs to the keel damage sustained meeting the El-Fax. Our lookout has sighted a Gegmun sloop, which has moved to intercept us. Although the small vessel is no threat to an Inquisition class ship like the Phoenix, standing orders are to report all encounters with Gegmun immediately, since they have a reputation for winning what seem to be impossible situations.
Breaking off his meditation, Radiance completed the 45 minutes of focused mental rest he needed each evening. The tall, orange elementalist bent his head as he stood. Surveying his cabin and seeing nothing amiss, he began his toiletries and thought about exercises for his slight apprentice, Adam Hudson.
* * *
Joining Captain Baxtor on deck, Third Captain Reeves looked through a farscope at the approaching ship. Passing the scope to his Captain, the neatly groomed Albert Reeves said, “I’d swear they’re on an attack course, but I can’t imagine a sloop committing suicide by attacking us.”
After looking through the scope, Joseph Baxtor handed it back to his third captain. His long curly hair swayed in the breeze and his bushy beard provided small protection against the early morning chill. He replied, “Whether they’re coming to talk or fight, let’s get the marines up on deck and have deckhands man the cannons, just in case.”
Minutes later, after it had continued its approach, the sloop turned its side to the Phoenix and began firing its five cannons at the larger ship. Booms echoed across the water as cannonballs ripped into her side.
“Let’s start our response with the carronades,” ordered Captain Baxtor. “Have the men fire when ready with the light and medium cannons. After the volley is complete, I want us brought to ramming speed.”
“Aye, Captain,” answered Reeves as he rushed to make preparations. Second Captain Ward and Radiance ran out on the deck and joined the Captain.
“Minimal damage down below, Captain,” reported the muscular Frank Ward, his blond hair disheveled. “A few minor injuries.”
“I’ll want to be getting up to ramming speed Radiance, if you can get your air sprites blowing as hard as possible.” ordered the Captain. A loud boom sounded, as the carronade fired. Smoke drifted across the deck. Across the water, the sloop began to list.
Looking at his officers, Joseph Baxtor said, “That was easier than I expected. What could they have possibly been thinking?”
“It doesn’t make sense that they thought they could best us,” observed Frank Ward. “Their attack was such a long shot that I can’t understand why any captain would order it.”
Albert Reeves and Radiance both shrugged. “I can’t explain it, sir,” said Radiance.
* * *
Captain’s report: Sailing through contested waters, we are headed to the free port of Koto for repairs to the keel damage sustained meeting the El-Fax. Our lookout has sighted a Gegmun sloop, which has moved to intercept us. Although the small vessel is no threat to an Inquisition class ship like the Phoenix, standing orders are to report all encounters with the Gegmun immediately, since they have a reputation for winning what seem to be impossible situations. The ship is signaling a request to parlay; however, we are approaching them with caution.
Breaking off his meditation, Radiance completed the 45 minutes of focused mental rest he needed each evening. The seven-foot-tall, bright orange elementalist bent his head as he stood. Surveying his cabin and seeing nothing amiss, he was about to begin his toiletries then, changing his mind, he quickly dressed and headed towards the main deck.
* * *
Joining Captain Baxtor on deck, second captain Reeves looked through a farscope at the approaching ship. Passing the scope to his Captain, the neatly groomed Albert Reeves said, “Everything looks like they’re coming to talk to us, but they have a reputation for getting the better of their opponents. As you ordered, I’ve given them permission to approach us.”
After looking through the scope, Joseph Baxtor handed it back to his third captain. His long curly brown hair, swaying in the breeze, and his bushy brown beard provided small protection against the early morning chill. He replied, “Whether they’re coming to talk or fight, let’s get the marines up on deck and have deckhands man the cannons, just in case. It’s hard to imagine them attacking us.”
Albert Reeves chuckled at the thought.
Radiance joined the two men on deck. Waving away the offered farscope, he conjured a farcaster that showed a closer image of the approaching ship. “Captain, I have the strongest feeling of menace from this ship, despite its small size,” he said. “I felt it in my cabin and came right up. This ship and her captain are not to be trusted.”
Nodding at his elementalist, Captain Baxtor said, “We’ll stay alert and careful. I don’t like this either.”
* * *
Pulling up next to one another and matching speeds, the captains faced off across a 15-foot gap between the ships. An interpreter stood next to the sloop’s captain and translated between the two. A number of smiling deckhands looked across from the sloop to the Phoenix, and on the far side of the deck, a man in deep, purple robes, covered in symbols, watched the proceedings intently. Cargo, covered by tarps, dotted the sloop’s main deck.
“Captain Wilas greets you warmly and regrets that the relationship between our cultures has been so distant. He hopes that by approaching you, with you in such an obviously stronger position, we can overcome our mutual distrust and forge a new friendship,” said the translator, after the Gegmun captain had finished his greeting.
“Please tell your captain that I am Joseph Baxtor, of the Pantheon ship the Phoenix and we share his desire for closer relations. The Pantheon’s experiences with the Gegmun have often been… surprising. We hope he doesn’t mistake our caution as hostility or unfriendliness.”
After repeated translations, the translator said, “We understand completely. As a show of good faith, we’re happy to join you onboard your impressive vessel, just the two of us, and we can talk, captain-to-captain.”
“We’d be delighted to receive you on board,” said Captain Baxtor. The Phoenix’s officers exchanged puzzled looks. A wide plank was extended between the ships, and the sloop’s captain and the translator carefully made their way across. Captain Baxtor offered his hand to the other ship’s captain, while Third Captain Reeves helped the translator on board.
A loud gong sounded on the sloop, and her captain and translator’s smiling faces immediately turned hard. Pulling a pair of stilettos from their uniforms, each lunged at the man who had helped them aboard. On the deck of the sloop, the tarps were thrown back, revealing a far larger boarding party than a ship that size would normally field.
Booms sounded as the sloop’s cannons fired at the Phoenix at close range.
Springing into action, Radiance summoned a fire sprite in front of the enemy captain’s face and a spiked earth sprite behind his back. As he flinched away from the fire sprite, he impaled himself on the earth sprite.
Second Captain Ward drew his rapier and, having a far greater reach than the translator, impaled the man.
The Phoenix’s marines rushed to the side of the ship, brandishing hand-cannons and looking for targets on the sloop’s deck. On the far side, the man in the heavy, purple robes continued to watch the proceedings. The sloop’s fighting men had drawn glass spheres and they began hurling them across at the other ship.
As each sphere impacted the Phoenix, it burst into flames, splashing flaming oil over the ship and her marines. Screams echoed across the deck as burning marines ran senselessly, trying to escape the burning oil. Some of the men jumped overboard, desperate to escape the flames.
“Rally any men you can,” Frank Ward ordered a nearby marine who was trying to help extinguish the flames on his companions. “I want you attacking that other ship and cleaning out their fighting men.”
Turning to Radiance he said, “Get Healer Foran for the Captain and Reeves.”
“They’re both dead, Captain Ward,” Radiance answered.
“In that case, join the marines in boarding that sloop,” Ward said. Grabbing a deckhand, he continued,”‘Find Mr. Cook and have him begin returning fire.”
* * *
Below deck, Henry Cook’s cheek was bloodied from flying splinters, thrown by cannonballs crashing through their hull. Grabbing a nearby deckhand, he said, “Get above deck and find out what the hell is happening.” Turning to another deckhand, he ordered, “Start moving injured men to the infirmary.” Calling out, he ordered the men to be ready to receive the order to fire the cannons.
* * *
Running across the plank connecting the ships, the marines poured onto the sloop and began attacking their men. The opposition was similarly armed with hand cannons and rapiers, and the loud explosions of guns firing made the boarding chaotic. Fire sprites flew around Radiance and, each time he noticed an enemy combatant looking at him, the sprites flew and burned their faces.
Noticing the purple-robed figure still watching what was happening on the other side of the ship, Radiance strode towards him. Seeing the elementalist approaching, the robbed man drew a dagger.
Radiance summoned a group of air sprites, who began dragging the figure towards him. Looking at the figure, he realized rather than preparing the dagger to attack, the figure had impaled himself on it, stabbing himself directly in the heart.
The air sprites pulled the man in front of Radiance, who saw the robed figure’s eyes roll back as he expired.
* * *
Captain’s report: Sailing through contested waters, we are headed to the free port of Koto for repairs to the keel damage sustained meeting the El-Fax. Our lookout has sighted a Gegmun sloop, which has moved to intercept us. Although the small vessel is no threat to an Inquisition class ship like the Phoenix, standing orders are to report all encounters with Gegmun immediately, since they have a reputation for winning what seem to be impossible situations. The ship is signaling a request to parlay; however, we are approaching them with caution.
Looking at Captain Baxtor and the Third Captain Reeves in confusion, Radiance said, “Captain, I believe we’re in great danger from this ship, despite its small size. I felt it in my cabin and came right up. The captain of this ship is not to be trusted.”
“You just said that Radiance,” said Reeves with a grin, trying to understand the joke.
Lifting the farscope, Captain Baxtor said, “How strange, they’ve broken off and are moving away from us. I suppose that’s more odd behavior to report on the Gegmun.”
“Captain, something unnatural is occurring. I had the strongest feeling that sloop was going to meet us in a parlay, then betray us, and kill both of you. I strongly suggest we don’t let them get away. I believe my divine heritage is giving me more insight into what’s been happening with the Gegmun. This may be our first chance to understand how they’ve been so successful in their operations. Any ships without me on board would be defenseless against them.”
Weighing the issues briefly, Captain Baxtor shouted the order to begin pursuit of the sloop. Turning to Third Captain Reeves he said, “Prepare a boarding party and watch yourself in the melee.” Looking at Frank Ward, the Captain ordered, “Get below deck and prepare the cannons.”
“It looks like their elementalist has started to create an air bubble and is preparing for submersion, Captain,” observed Radiance. He summoned a farcaster with the other end thirty feet behind the sloop. Radiance’s end of the farcaster floated, relative to his position, three feet above his head. The other end moved relative to the fleeing ship. “Perhaps we should head back to the Quarterdeck if we’re going to match their course,” Radiance suggested.
“You’re with me, Radiance, please prepare for submersion,” ordered Captain Baxtor as he moved back to the Quarterdeck and stood behind the helmsman at the ship’s wheel. “Will you be able to follow the other end of your farcaster?” he asked his elementalist.
“Unfortunately no, Captain. All I can detect is what I see through the farcaster,” Radiance answered. “I’ll watch their movements and call adjustments to our headings. I don’t want to lose this ship.”
* * *
Radiance’s apprentice had joined them on deck. “Mr. Hudson, please take a report from me to send to the Pantheon. If anything happens to us I want as complete a record as possible,” said Joseph Baxtor. After sending the Captain’s report, Adam Hudson assisted his master in maintaining the farcaster and the air bubble around them. The Phoenix slid through the ocean, water surrounding them in every direction outside the bubble. Every few minutes, Radiance would call out a heading change and the helmsman would adjust the wheel.
“How are we going to match their depth? Are you tracking their pitch as well?” the Captain asked the elementalist.
“He’s matching it visually and adjusting the air bubble to control our pitch,” answered Adam Hudson. “Most elementalists wouldn’t be able to mentally model two positions in a three-dimensional space like this. My master manages it with ease!”
“There’s nothing easy about this, apprentice,” corrected Radiance, deep in concentration. “If my model is correct, we should overtake them in about five minutes. Port ten degrees, helmsman.”
* * *
Below deck, Henry Cook moved through the gunnery deck checking on preparations. Calling out, he ordered the men to be ready to receive the order to fire the cannons.
* * *
Lounging on the side of one of the cots, quartermaster Nickerson looked across at Healer Foran and said, “All I’m saying is that maybe there won’t be any injuries this time. You and I have a pretty cushy job here if there aren’t.” The quartermaster’s rough appearance and demeanor stood in stark contrast to the healer’s sophistication.
With a tight smile, Sinclair Foran said, “I’d love for there not to be any injuries. When we’re slammed with more sick people than you can treat and you have to prioritize who lives and who dies, it doesn’t feel very cushy. It’s not as easy as making a pot of soup.”
“Easy?” Nickerson answered indignantly. “I’m always making do with the barest minimum of ingredients, and no matter what I make, someone is complaining about it.”
“The bread at dinner last night was going stale,” the healer commented.
“You see!” replied William Nickerson. “Nothing but complaints! The men eating hardtack every day would be delighted with the crust of the officers’ stale bread.”
“Fine, fine,” Sinclair responded, waving away the objections. “I’m just saying that feeding your captain moldy bread might not be the best play.”
“Now it’s supposedly moldy?” responded the quartermaster.
“Don’t get angry at me for accurately describing your bread,” said healer Foran.
* * *
Ahead of the Phoenix, the sloop suddenly appeared as the two ships’ air bubbles intersected with one another. The sloop tried one last, desperate change in direction, which the Phoenix easily matched.
“We’ll overtake it on her port side,” ordered Captain Baxtor. “Pull us abreast then give her a kiss so the marines can board her. Third Captain Reeves, have your men ready on our starboard side.”
“Watch out for cargo covered by tarps on their deck,” suggested Radiance. “If you see something like that, it’s covering an ambush or a surprise of some sort.”
Reeves gave the elementalist a strange look as he acknowledged the order and unusual suggestion. Shouting to his marines, they prepared for boarding at the side of the ship.
The Gegmun Captain and crew stood armed and ready on the sloop’s deck. As Radiance had predicted, tarp-covered cargo piles dotted the smaller ship’s deck. On the far side, a figure in purple robes with mystical symbols on them watched the proceedings.
The marines on the Phoenix targeted the tarp-covered piles with their hand cannons and began firing into them. Screams could be heard, mixed with the intermittent bangs of hand cannons firing. One tarp exploded into flames after being shot. A gong sounded on the sloop as the Phoenix’s helmsman collided with the smaller ship. Both ships shook with the impact, with Reeves’ marines recovering first and launching themselves across to the other ship.
Wounded men extracted themselves from the fake cargo piles. In some cases, the bottled fire they had prepared exploded and set themselves and their tarps on fire. On board the Gegmun ship, their captain shouted orders and the defenders met the invaders from the Phoenix. The Phoenix’s marines fired their hand cannons, decimating the small number of defenders. Drawing rapiers, they advanced on the outnumbered remaining crew of the sloop.
Striding across the deck, Radiance and Reeves found all the fighting men were too busy to pay any attention to them. Radiance’s apprentice Hudson ran behind them, scanning the chaotic melee for any threats. They moved towards the captain of the opposing vessel. Seeing the scene degenerate around him and the approaching orange giant, the sloop’s captain ran towards the purple-robed figure on the far side of the deck, shouting something to him in the Gegmun’s guttural tongue.
Radiance and Hudson saw the captain reach the robed man, then the captain lifted his hand-cannon, pointed it at the robbed figure’s head, and put his match cord to its touch hole.
* * *
Captain’s report, addendum: The Gegmun ship has broken off its approach after a request for parlay and, on our elementalist Radiance’s advice, we are pursuing them. They are preparing to submerge and our plan is to follow them, guided by Radiance who believes he can track them underwater through the use of a farcaster watching their ship and regular course corrections with the helmsman.
The Phoenix slid through the ocean’s depth, water surrounding them in every direction outside their bubble. Every few minutes, Radiance would call out a heading change and the helmsman would adjust the wheel. Occasionally, Radiance would begin to call a course change, then immediately correct it and call a different one.
“How are we going to match their depth? Are you tracking their pitch as well? You seem to be having trouble tracking them,” Captain Baxtor asked the elementalist.
“He’s matching it visually and adjusting the air bubble to control our pitch,” answered Adam Hudson. “Most elementalists wouldn’t be able to mentally model two positions in a three-dimensional space like this. My master manages it with ease!”
Radiance gave a sour grunt, deep in concentration. “They’ve put out thick, black smoke from the stern of their ship. I have to keep moving my farcaster to track their course changes and compensating for the shifting position of the farcaster is… taxing. If my model is correct, we should overtake them in about seven minutes. Starboard twelve degrees, helmsman.”
* * *
Ahead of the Phoenix, the sloop suddenly appeared as the two ships’ air bubbles intersected with one another. Black, smoke filled the sloop’s air bubble, then drifted into the Phoenix’s bubble once they were connected. The sloop tried one last, desperate change in direction, which the Phoenix easily matched.
“We’ll overtake it on her port side,” ordered Captain Baxtor. “Pull us abreast then give her a kiss so the marines can board her. Third Captain Reeves, have your men ready on our starboard side.”
“Watch out for cargo covered by tarps on their deck,” suggested Radiance. “If you see something like that, it’s covering an ambush or a surprise of some sort.”
Reeves gave the elementalist a strange look as he acknowledged the order and unusual suggestion. Shouting to his marines, they prepared for boarding on the side of their ship.
The Gegmun Captain and crew stood armed and ready on the sloop’s deck. The tarp-covered cargo piles dotting the smaller ship’s deck had had their tarps removed and the previously hidden men were waiting with the sloop’s marines to repel boarders. On the far side, a figure in purple robes with mystical symbols on them watched the proceedings.
A gong sounded on the sloop before the Phoenix’s helmsman collided with the smaller ship. Both ships shook with the impact, and an enormous wall of fire rose up between the ships, surprising Reeve’s marines who had begun to launch themselves towards the other ship. Approaching the wall of fire, the men on the sloop began firing their hand-cannons onto the deck of the Phoenix. Repeated booms sounded as the sloop set off its five cannons at point-blank range.
Adam Hudson’s head exploded next to Radiance, as a ball caught him unaware. The dead man slumped to the deck. Third-captain Reeves took a ball to the leg and fell to the deck. The marines ducked down and cowered uncertainly, unsure how to respond to the situation they found themselves in.
* * *
Frank Ward leaned towards Henry Cook and spoke loudly in order to be heard over the commotion below deck. “I want the cannons ready for whatever the Captain orders. This is a strange situation, and he might ask for something unexpected. I want these cannons responsive, as fast as possible, regardless of what’s ordered.”
“Aye, sir,” acknowledged young Mr. Cook. Thinking briefly, he jogged away to pass instructions to the crew.
Hearing Reeves shouting instructions above deck, Second Captain Ward shouted, “Brace for impact, pass the message along.” Sounding off, he heard the men pass along the warning. Seconds later, a loud scraping noise filled the ship and the room lurched to the side. With cat-like reflexes, Ward remained on his feet, while most of the men stumbled or fell to the ground, before recovering and resuming their duties.
Loud booms filled the air and fragments of wood flew through the room he was in. One crewman screamed as a fragment embedded itself in his shoulder. Looking at the hull, Ward saw a small hole where a cannonball had smashed through and, following the trajectory to the other side of the ship, he saw it embedded in the opposite hull.
“Easy men, they’re not going to be able to fire again soon. Be ready for the Captain’s orders.” Approaching the injured man, Ward ensured the deckhand could make his way to the infirmary unaided, then relieved him of duty.
* * *
Lounging on the side of one of the cots, quartermaster Nickerson looked across at Healer Foran and said, “All I’m saying is that maybe there won’t be any injuries this time. You and I have a pretty cushy job here if there aren’t.”
With a tight smile, Sinclair Foran said, “I’d love for there not to be any injuries. When we’re slammed with more sick people than you can treat and you have to prioritize who lives and who dies, it doesn’t feel very cushy. It’s not as easy as making a pot of soup.”
“Easy?” Nickerson answered indignantly. “I’m always making do with the barest minimum of ingredients, and no matter what I make, someone is complaining about it.”
“The bread at dinner last night was going stale,” the healer commented.
“You see!” replied William Nickerson. “Nothing but complaints! The men eating hardtack every day would be delighted with the crust of the officers’ stale bread.”
“Fine, fine,” Sinclair responded, waving away the objections. “I’m just saying that feeding your captain moldy bread might not be the best play.”
“Now it’s supposedly moldy!” responded the quartermaster.
Staggering through the doorway to the infirmary, a deckhand with a chunk of wood embedded in his shoulder entered. Guiding him to a cot, Healer Foran ripped the shirt away and inspected the wound.
* * *
A lull fell over the fight as the sloop’s combatants had discharged their hand cannons and took cover while they reloaded. Yelling at the marines to return fire if they had a shot, Captain Baxtor told Radiance to sound the gong signal to fire all cannons. Grabbing a deckhand, he told the man to assist Third Captain Reeves to the infirmary.
Taking cover, and watching the deck of the opposing ship, they saw the captain was organizing his fighting men to reload in waves and to fire at any marines from the Phoenix if they had a shot.
An enormous boom announced the Phoenix’s firing her guns broadside. The cannons pulverized the smaller ship and, falling apart, it began to slip through the bottom of the air bubble into the sea. A cheer went up from the Phoenix’s marines, right before the sloop’s air bubble collapsed with the death of her elementalist.
* * *
Ahead of the Phoenix, the sloop suddenly appeared as the two ships’ air bubbles intersected with one another. Black smoke filled the sloop’s air bubble, then drifted into the Phoenix’s bubble once they were connected. The sloop continued straight as the Phoenix bore down on the smaller ship.
“We’ll overtake it on her port side,” ordered Captain Baxtor. “Pull us abreast then give her a kiss so the marines can board her. Third Captain Reeves, have your men ready on our starboard side.”
“Captain, might I suggest overtaking her on her starboard side instead,” suggested Radiance. Looking at his elementalist in surprise, Captain Baxtor adjusted his orders.
“They’ll be deploying bottled fire, Third Captain. You may want to warn the men that they might be dealing with that,” suggested Radiance. After a nod from Captain Baxtor, Reeves left to prepare the boarding party. “Apprentice Hudson, I need the purple focusing crystal from my quarters. Please retrieve it for me,” Radiance ordered.
“I’ve never seen your purple focusing crystal Master. Where is it?” asked Hudson.
“I don’t have time to draw you a map!” snarled Radiance. “Don’t return without it.”
His apprentice rushed from the deck, headed towards Radiance’s cabin.
Pulling abreast the sloop, the tarps had been thrown off and all the fighting men were on deck, prepared for boarding.
As the ships collided, the sloop’s marines quickly recovered and, as a group, targeted the Phoenix’s quarterdeck with their hand cannons. The acrid smell of blasting powder drifted across the deck as the quarterdeck was blanketed by lead balls.
“Board and take them out,” Reeves ordered his marines. They leapt to the sloop, firing their hand cannons as they landed and charging into the remaining men. The sloop’s fighting force was quickly decimated.
Having run to the quarterdeck, Second Captain Reeves saw that Captain Baxtor was dead. Multiple wounds from the hail of hand cannon fire had ripped the man apart. Radiance lay in a pool of his own purple blood. His eyes were beginning to become unfocused and his gaze flittered between Reeves and Baxtor’s body.
Gasping, Radiance reached toward him. “Reeves…. Kill the purple priest. You must kill him soon…”. Gasping his last breath, the Phoenix’s air bubble collapsed and water poured into the areas not protected by the sloop’s bubble. Her sails relaxed, as the air sprites departed back to their home elemental plane. The Phoenix immediately started to slump, without her own propulsion to keep her moving forward, she was dragged forward from where she had latched onto the sloop.
As the Phoenix continued to pull away, Albert Reeve sprinted and launched himself across to the enemy ship. Behind him, the Phoenix was pulled away from the sloop and began drifting backwards within the air bubble. Albert couldn’t help but watch as his ship reached the rear wall of the air bubble and collided with the onrushing wall of water. The impact knocked the ship on its side, the mainsail breaking from the impact. The Phoenix disappeared beyond the air bubble into the depths of the sea.
* * *
Lounging on the side of one of the cots, quartermaster Nickerson looked across at Healer Foran and said, “All I’m saying is that maybe there won’t be any injuries this time. You and I have a pretty cushy job here if there aren’t.”
With a tight smile, Sinclair Foran said, “I’d love for there not to be any injuries. When we’re slammed with more sick people than you can treat and you have to prioritize who lives and who dies, it doesn’t feel very cushy. It’s not as easy as making a pot of soup.”
“Easy?” Nickerson answered indignantly. “I’m always making do with the barest minimum of ingredients, and no matter what I make, someone is complaining about it.”
“The bread at dinner last night was going stale,” the healer commented.
“You see!” replied William Nickerson. “Nothing but complaints! The men eating hardtack every day would be delighted with the crust of the officers’ stale bread.”
“Fine, fine,” Sinclair responded, waving away the objections. “I’m just saying that feeding your captain moldy bread might not be the best play.”
“Now it’s supposedly moldy!” responded the quartermaster.
Nickerson and Foran paused their bickering as a creaking noise began. Both looked around them in confusion.
* * *
Playing with her dolls in the bunk in Healer Foran’s cabin, a small girl cocked her head at the groaning noise she heard.
* * *
In Radiance’s chamber, Adam Hudson searched frantically for the non-existent purple focusing crystal. He stopped, shocked, as he felt the air bubble collapse. Running for the door, he heard a loud groan.
* * *
Henry Cook and Frank Ward made eye contact across the gun deck. A creaking noise briefly heralded the collapse of the walls as the deep sea pressure crushed the ship and drowned its occupants.
* * *
Having taken minor injuries, Reeve’s marines had defeated the enemy combatants and subdued the enemy captain, his translator, and the man in the purple robes. Bodies of the sloop’s defenders littered the deck.
Angrily striding to the group, Reeves grabbed a group of six men. “Go and find the ship’s elementalist. Be careful with him! If you disturb his concentration and his air bubble pops, we’re all dead.”
Moving towards the three captured men, Reeves said, “Hamilton! Keep your rapier drawn on that prick in purple there. Radiance warned me that he can cause us trouble. If he talks or moves, I want you to stab him dead.” Marine Hamilton moved to guard the priest, watching him closely.
The sloop’s captain began talking angrily. A few seconds behind what he’d said, the translator began relaying what he was saying.
“Your ship is sunk and you continue to live at our indulgence. Order your men to surrender and I can promise that you’ll be treated well as prisoners. Your captain was responsible for your unprovoked aggression against us, not any of you. The Gegmun have a proud tradition of…”
Stabbing the sloop’s captain with his rapier, Reeves began to approach the translator in a rage.
“I-hate-the-Gegmun-I’m-not-one-of-them-please-don’t-hurt-me,” said the translator in a rush.
Hearing a noise across the deck, Reeves turned to see the six marines he had sent after sloop’s elementalist driving the man across the deck. The third captain was about to shout a warning against the rough treatment, when one of the men shoved the elementalist, knocking him prone on the deck.
Glancing upwards, Albert Reeves saw the air bubble collapsing and the seawater rushing in on them.
* * *
Pulling abreast the sloop on her starboard side, the tarps had been thrown off and all the fighting men were on deck, prepared for boarding.
As the ships collided, Radiance tackled Captain Baxtor, and both men fell to the deck of the Quarterdeck. Captain Baxtor stared at the elementalist in surprise, while the sloop’s marines, as a group, targeted the Phoenix’s quarterdeck with their hand cannons. The acrid smell of blasting powder drifted across the deck as the quarterdeck was blanketed by lead balls.
Below deck, the sloop fired her five cannons, at point-blank range, causing chaos and minor injuries below deck on the Phoenix.
“Board and take them out,” ordered Reeves to his marines. They leapt to the sloop, firing their hand cannons after they landed, then charging into the remaining men. The sloop’s fighting force was quickly decimated. Drawing rapiers, they advanced on the outnumbered defenders.
Looking around at his fallen men, the sloop’s captain turned and began moving toward the purple-robed figure on the other side of the deck. Rushing up behind him, Reeves plunged his rapier into the captain’s back.
Standing on the quarterdeck, Captain Baxtor examined the damage done to their surroundings by the hail of balls that had targeted their positions. On the far side of the other ship, the robed figure drew a dagger. Radiance knocked it away from him with an air sprite, disarming the man.
Shouting to their forces on the other ship, Radiance said, “Don’t harm the purple priest or let him harm himself.”
Moving efficiently, the Phoenix’s marines subdued the priest, then searched the ship and brought its remaining crew onto deck.
* * *
Below deck, Henry Cook moved through the gunnery deck checking on preparations. Calling out, he ordered the men to be ready to receive the order to fire the cannons.
* * *
Lounging on the side of one of the cots, quartermaster Nickerson looked across at Healer Foran and said, “All I’m saying is that maybe there won’t be any injuries this time. You and I have a pretty cushy job here if there aren’t.”
With a tight smile, Sinclair Foran said, “I’d love for there not to be any injuries. When we’re slammed with more sick people than you can treat and you have to prioritize who lives and who dies, it doesn’t feel very cushy. It’s not as easy as making a pot of soup.”
“Easy?” Nickerson answered indignantly. “I’m always making do with the barest minimum of ingredients, and no matter what I make, someone is complaining about it.”
“The bread at dinner last night was going stale,” the healer commented.
“You see!” replied William Nickerson. “Nothing but complaints! The men eating hardtack every day would be delighted with the crust of the officers’ stale bread.”
“Fine, fine,” Sinclair responded, waving away the objections. “I’m just saying that feeding your captain moldy bread might not be the best play.”
“Now it’s supposedly moldy!” responded the quartermaster.
“Don’t get angry at me for accurately describing your bread,” said healer Foran.
After an uneventful wait where no one came to the infirmary, William Nickerson said, “See, quite a cushy job.”
* * *
Sailing across the water, the two ships moved together, heading back to Pantheon territory. Ward had taken command of the sloop and the former crew of the Gegmun ship were either locked in the brig or under the guard of the Phoenix’s marines.
Captain Baxtor and Radiance stood in the brig and looked at the purple priest and translator shackled in the cell.
“Tell him not to try going back in time again,” said Joseph Baxtor. “We’re on to his tricks.”
After the translator relayed the message, the priest responded.
“He says,” said the translator, “that it wouldn’t do him any good to go back to an earlier time he was shackled in your brig. Perhaps you could let us out of the shackles since he’s no longer a threat?”
“Tell him we’re not taking any chances and the two of you are staying shackled as long as you’re on board my ship,” said the captain.
After relaying the messages, the translator said, “He says that the Gegmun won’t take his capture lightly. He wants you to know that you’ve made a powerful enemy today, Captain.”
“Why doesn’t anyone ever want to be my friend after I lock them up in the Brig?” Captain Baxtor asked Radiance.
“People seem to be unreasonable that way, sir,” said Radiance.
* * *
Dining in the Captain’s mess, Captain Baxtor asked about Radiance’s experiences during the encounter. “So you were aware each time the priest went back in time?” he asked the elementalist with interest.
“Aware might be overstating it,” clarified Radiance. “I had a general sense of what was about to happen, which seemed to get stronger each time we repeated the experience. Or, I shared the priest’s precognition when he divined the future. It felt like I experienced four or five different versions of the events we went through.”
“Did we pick the right future?” asked the captain with a grin.
“Certainly, sir,” replied Radiance. “You and I died in another, my apprentice caught a ball from a hand cannon and was killed in one. They managed to ambush our marines and kill most of them in at least a couple of them. We definitely picked the right future.”
“I can only imagine how such an ability would make short work of other cultures they encounter that don’t have the benefit of your extraordinary perceptions. If the Gegmun didn’t come out on top, they could avoid the encounter entirely instead.”
“The short duration seems to be the one weakness in their ability,” agreed Radiance. “They seem to have gone to great lengths to keep their abilities and its limits a secret from the worlds at large. Control of this knowledge, and whether it is released or not, will give the Pantheon a large bargaining chip with the Gegmun. They’re a powerful enemy that has become a little easier to face after what we’ve learn today.”
Captain Baxtor said, “They could be a powerful enemy or a powerful ally. Either way, I’m glad we were able to discover new information about them. Good work, Radiance.”
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