Jada Moui sat on the edge of her crate and swung her feet back and forth below her. Her heels thudding quietly against the wood every so often when her foot would swing back too far. Normally, she would eavesdrop on quiet conversations, but she had come to afford Eighty-five some measure of trust in the week past. Eighty-five was unlike so many Miqo'te her age, from Jada's experience, were either too withdrawn or too rambunctious for their own good. It was rare to see a woman who was equal measures of both. Given the line of work Eighty-five had chosen, she admired the woman for maintaining some semblance of youthful innocence. She halfway wished she'd have lived to see P'welro or even Sounsyy when they still had that same vibrancy. But those days were long past.
What she really desired now was to get her hands on that equipment. To touch it, learn it, dismantle it, and put it back together. Her combative prowess had stemmed from necessity only. In truth, she took little pleasure in combat. At heart she was a smith, a tinkerer, a disciple of Byregot. Her forge deep in the Southern Isles had been a prosperous one, given the circumstances of its creation. She had been marooned, a captain mutinied against and left with nothing but a pistol and knife. But she had adapted, scraped together the carcasses of broken ships and other such flotsam and built herself an empire or metalworks. Over a decade she built a colony, a forge, a home. Though how she came to leave was another story entirely. One that deviated from the point of her reverie - she wanted a closer look at those guns.
So she hopped off her crate and slinked her way over to Forty-three. He was the one most likely to go into some verbose explanation and distract himself from whatever he was doing, allowing her time to steal a peak. But a sound from above distracted her approach. Her ears twitched and swiveled topside. High-pitched shouting could be heard from above. Then the bosun's whistle shrieked out across the morning.
"Make a path!" Jada shouted suddenly at the four Sharlayans. She turned and went into full gallop, hopping down the stairs two or three at a time, one hand on the banister as she descended from the half deck into the armory. She grabbed her ring of keys and with a flurry began unlocking the crates stacked against the bow. From above, Sounsyy's voice could be heard barking orders at the top of her lungs.
"Beat to Quarters! Beat to Quarters! All hands, beat! To! Quarters! Now!"
The Bosun's whistle still shrieking in long bursts. Then came the thunderous rush of feet as the crew filed quickly one by one down the stairs, past the Sharlayan crew, down into the armory where Jada was waiting. She directed with a finger and a shouted name to each one as they passed, indicating where their specific gear was housed.
"Swozkhan! T'laom! Simin! Berasaem! Sloane..." Jada's list continued as they each passed and ran to their crate. They stripped from their working attire into armor right there. There was no time or place for privacy or decency. The whistle cry was an urgent call to arms. Roehmerl's eight cannoneers donned suits of heavy armor, chainmails and plate, all of a similar motif to the 3rd Squadron's fish scale armor that Marjanie always seemed to be wearing. Dark cobalt plates or chainmail with golden fish scales adorning the shoulders and gorget or chest. Maelstrom red cloth sashes or embroidery to accent the armor. As each one finished prepping, they aided another in the gear that could not be attached by oneself, then ran back up the stairs where Jada was waiting. She handed them off their weapon as each one passed. Various battleaxes or billhooks each, barring Pamido Wolmido's gigas mammon, which he hefted with great pride before storming up the steps with a rousing battle cry.
The others just descending answered his cry with a cheer. Roehmerl's pikemen and musketeers followed after the cannoneers. Each dressing in their black leather and fish scalemail, like Marjanie. Jada handed them off their pikes as they ran back up. Once the crew, barring the Captain, had been armed Jada began stripping herself down. She too changed into the Roehmerl's scalemail and when she was done, moved over to the wall and hefted her own halberd. It was a vicious and beautiful tool. Short, easier to maneuver in close quarters, with a cobalt spearhead, blade, and hook. This was Jada's preferred armament, and she held it with pride.
She looked up at the group of Sharlayans and shouted, "Get topside when yer ready! Seventy-seven, get down below into the Mess now! Captain's orders! Yer safest below decks! No arguing, move yer arse!"
Jada grabbed the boy as he came near and all but shoved him down into the Mess. She grabbed the heavy iron hatch and tossed Ryanti the key when he was below. "Seal 'er up! Yeh don't come back up fer any reason, got it!? Below decks stay sealed during the fighting!" With that, she dropped the hatch down with a crash and rounded on the remaining Sharlayans. "Prep fer battle and get topside now! I'll seal up the rest of below decks!"
With that she ran off down the gun deck and began slamming doors as she went. Compartmentalization was everything in a naval battle. Damage to the hull was inevitable. But taking on excess water was avoidable if the necessary precautions were taken. So long as every hatch and door was sealed below decks, water could only fill one room. If there was a leak, one simple breach could spell doom for the entire ship.
Topside, the main deck was abuzz with activity. The eight cannoneers were prepping their cannons, loading the first shot and firesand. Until such a time as close range combat was necessary, the pikemen were tasked as powder monkeys for the cannoneers, running ordinance to the guns as needed. P'welro barked orders on deck at the three Sharlayans as they ascended the steps.
"Eighty-five! Show these two their duties wit' the firesand! Ye've got the for'ard cannons! Susuroon, status!"
The little Qiqirn was in his nest, spyglass extended to the north and west. His hairs were bristled beneath his armor. He too was wearing the Roehmerl's scalemail, but with full quiver and shortbow slung over his shoulder. His coined earrings jingled madly as he squeaked, "Susuroon spies three vessels on the horizon! Sees Garlean and Easterner-make! Susuroon does not think enemies have spied Roehmerl yet!"
"Distance to target?!"
"Susuroon estimates quarter bell! Though less if Imperial vessel engages."
It was then that a puff of smoke burst from the side of one of the Easterner battleships. A few seconds followed, then the distant sound of a cannon could be heard cracking from malms away. There was a splash still some distance away, but its intent was clear.
"Susuroon... Susuroon thinks Imperial vessel have spotted Susuroon."
P'welro swallowed hard. "P-prepare for engagement. All hands..." She was visibly dreading this encounter. Pamido Wolmido jumped up atop his chase cannon and raised his mammon over his head and let out a gruff cry, "We're gonna drag 'em into the briny depths afore they get a chance at the paradise o' a Seventh Hell! Let 'em 'ave our answer, lass!"
Pamido Wolmido jumped off the cannon onto the deck and raised his mammon again over his head, beckoning for the others to join in. He began stamping his tiny boots against the deck one after the other and started a low howl. One by one the others joined in, stomping and letting out a low, deep howl that seemed to emanate from the very depths below them. The howl steadily rose in volume as more joined in and grew louder the faster they stamped their feet until it rose into a crescendo of clanging weapons, stamping feet, and a deafening howl as the crew screamed at the top of their lungs. This was to be their answer to the Garleans. They would fight until sea swallowed them all!
It was then that the cabin doors opened and Sounsyy emerged. She was in full armor, wearing the Roehmerl leathers beneath her breastplate, gauntlets, and sabatons. Her large scutum shield was slung over her shoulder by its strap and her shortsword rested horizontal above her tail in its scabbard. Her captain's pistol, a plainly decorated revolver, was strapped to one thigh. Her hair was still done up in Eighty-five's braid, and she had applied war paint - gold paint smeared across her eyelids, which accented her green eyes.
Jada emerged finally from below, sealing off the last hatch behind her. "Below decks completely sealed off, Captain! Seventy-seven is below."
Sounsyy gave her a quick Storm salute and the Quartermaster took her place in the center of the main deck with the rest of the pikemen. Sounsyy turned and climbed the stairs to the helm where Marjanie and Fhruhsunn stood. Marjanie, looking regal and poised in her armor and long-barreled rifle. She held it loosely in both hands, her eyes flicking back and forth across the horizon. Fhruhsunn was as usual, cloth and pistol. His lips were pursed and his eyes unblinking. Sounsyy took her place beside them.
"Full sail," she said, "Fhruhsunn, engage them. Cannoneers at the ready!"
P'welro's whistle echoed out the command across ship.
Fhruhsunn nodded and spun the massive wheel, his expression unchanging. The Roehmerl's blood red sails billowed as the wind picked up and they cut through the Indigo's waves in course dead on towards the Garleans.
"Susuroon sees Garleans holding steady! The Easterner vessels move to intercept Roehmerl!" Susuroon squeaked out from his vantage point. Sounsyy had a disgusted look on her face, "Send the subjugated to their doom. Vile Garlean shite. Their deaths will be an undeservin' mercy," Sounsyy muttered, nearly spitting the bile that had risen in her throat. Her eyes were empty and cold.
"Seven-hundred yalms off bow!"
"Far Easterners comin' into range!"
Sounsyy looked to P'welro and growled coldly, "In three-hundred yalms, send a warning shot across the lead vessel's bow."
"Aye, Cap'n!"
"...And P'welro, by across it, I do mean through it."
A wide, toothy grin spread across P'welro's face before turning and relaying the orders with a few short bursts of her whistle, followed by verbal relay, "1st Cannon! Give 'em a Maelstrom warnin' shot!"
Pamido Wolmido howled with delight. "Five hundred yalms! Bearin' fifteen nautical malms East! Wind, East, five malms! Adjustin' nineteen degrees starboard!" He wheeled the chase-cannon wheel around madly so that the cannon moved starboard along its semi-circular track. When he had lined up the shot, he hopped back to his cannon and kept an eye on the shot.
Susuroon shouted, "Four hundred yalms!!"
P'welro screamed, "Fire!"
Pamido Wolmido's cannon barked in reply, echoing out across the sea. The force of the blast was felt throughout the ship as the cannon recoiled from the force. The cannon sailed in a deadly arch across the sea and with only a moment's baited breath, struck the first eastern ship full force across the bow. The enemy ship shuddered but pressed on.
"A hit! Reload!"
The damaged Eastern vessel came about and turned starboard into the Roehmerl's path, placing its side cannons in position to strike the Lominsan crew. While the second Eastern ship broke to port and moved about ship to flank the Roehmerl from the side. Sounsyy looked from ship to ship, but her attention was drawn away by the damaged ship's return fire.
"Brace!!"
Three cannons sounded from the Easterners, followed by another set of three. One cannon ripped through the Roehmerl's port-side gunwale, glancing off the side, but splintering the wooden framework. Another came up short, sending up a plume of water into the air just a few yalms off the Roehmerl's side. The third and fourth overshot. The fifth, a direct hit, striking the Roehmerl's steel frame. The ship lurched violently from the hit, but held. The sixth, another miss.
Sounsyy barked out her next orders, "2nd Cannon! Ball n' chain center mast! 1st Cannon! Gun deck! Fire!"
"Dead ahead! Wind speed five malms East! Adjust angle downwards, 300 yalms to target!"
"Fire!"
M'sizh and Pamido Wolmido's cannons crackled in sync, sending two shots into the already damaged Eastern vessel. M'sizh's cannon chain arched in a deadly wheel through the sky, crashing into the Far Eastern vessel's main mast with a loud crash and crackling of splintered wood. The mast quivered and fell over board, laying down hard across the starboard side of the deck. The sudden and additional weight caused the vessel to lean heavily to starboard, exposing more of the port hull, which Pamido Wolmido's cannon sunk readily into! The frame splintered and cracked, rending a massive tear mid-ship, disabling the vessel's center cannons.
Sounsyy voiced barked out again with ever increasing vehemence, "HIT IT AGAIN! MAKE US A HOLE! Fhruhsunn! RAM IT!"
Eighty-five and Sixteen raced to repowder the forward chase cannons as M'sizh and Pamido Wolmido aimed their next volley.
"Aiming center mass! Adjust angle downwards, 200 yalms to target! Firin'!"
The Far Eastern vessel attempted to retaliate, one of its cannons sending a cannon in return, but the vessel was so broached from the mast's weight, the cannon far overshot the Roehmerl, landing harmlessly in the waters to port. The Roehmerl answered again in kind, sending two cannons into the exposed hole. M'sizh cannon struck high and ricocheted up, over, and off the gunwale, while Pamido Wolmido's was true, sending another cannonball into the already gaping hull. With a deep groan, the ship nearly split in two, each side lifting up from the sea inwards as the bow and aft took on more water.
The Easterner vessel was crippled, but that was not enough for Sounsyy. She grabbed ahold of the poop deck's railing and the Roehmerl charged the wounded hull full speed.
"One hundred yalms! Eighty! Fifty!"
"BRACE!!"
Fhruhsunn drove the heavy steel keel of the Roehmerl right into the bleeding wound of the Eastern vessel. The force of the blow diverted outwards by the Roehmerl's angled woodwork, designed to take that sort of force. The Far Eastern ship did not fair so well. The wooden vessel was clean torn in two by the massive wedge. The ship groaned, crackled loudly, and broke apart. A painful scraping could be heard as the Roehmerl's steel keel sawed its way into the vessel's exposed belly.
"Pikemen! Eyes up!"
Roehmerl's five lancers knelt down and held their pikes skyward, ready to pluck any surviving Easterners should they try to jump down onto the Roehmerl. Though the damage inflicted to the ship was so severe, only a few tried to crawl towards the edge. These were quickly dispatched. No sooner did a foreign head expose itself over the broken rim of the Eastern vessel did one of the pikes jab up and drive a spike into their mouth or throat, spilling their lifeblood onto the Roehmerl's deck below.
"Eyes on the other Eastern vessel?!"
"No sight from bow!"
"No sighting from Nest!"
"Starboard! Starboard! Starboard! Incoming!"
A cannonball crashed through the remains of the Eastern vessel's aft, sending shrapnel and splintered wood across the main deck. The crew dived down for cover as the cannonball sailed overhead, crashing into the Easterner's bow-half. The shot had missed the Roehmerl completely.
Sounsyy had seen this tactic employed before by her first 'Cuda Captain, a woman who she truly hated. Use a broken vessel as cover. Additional enemies would be forced to fire on their own ship, and could not tell tangled vessels apart, obstructing a clean shot. It was a ruthless tactic.
"Heads down, pikes up! Heads down, pikes up!" Sounsyy shouted, but the memory those words jogged flashed before her eyes. She was taken back nearly twenty years to the Resistance. Explosions and artillery cracked all around. She was running. Running to keep up with... Then the cannon struck. Heads down, pikes up! Heads down, pikes...
"Cap'n get down!"
Another cannon crashed through the Eastern vessel, sending another explosion of debris across the Roehmerl's deck. Sounsyy dove down behind the gunwale as splintered wood rained overhead. She was breathing quickly and deeply, as if she could not catch her breath.
"Bow's clearin' the wreckage!" Pamido Wolmido shouted, "Anglin' starboard!"
"Do you have a shot?!"
"Not y- I see the ship! Firin'!"
"Fire!"
Pamido Wolmido let out a desperately early shot with the ball and chain. It whipped across the sea towards the second Eastern vessel and barely clipped its tail, sending out a plume of shattered glass and wood from its stern. The Lalafell cheered loudly!
"Clipped its rudder! Get a better angle and starboard cannons can get a shot as they clear!"
"Fhruhsunn! Angle starboard! Five degrees!"
Fhruhsunn leaned on the helm, causing the starboard gunwale to scrape against the stern of the first Eastern hull. It was a deafening sound.
"Starboard ready!" Sounsyy shouted above the screeching. The starboard cannoneers, Sloane, Berasaem, and Syhrelak prepped themselves, angling at Pamido Wolmido's orders. Distance three hundred, fifty yalms, wind ten yalms East. Sounsyy waited for the 3rd Cannon to clear the wreckage, "3rd Cannon! Fire!"
A boom! The ship shuddered. But the cannon only skimmed the second Easterner's ship, glancing off the main deck and ricocheting off into the sea. 5th Cannon! A loud crack! A hit! The distant sound of a crash and screams. 7th Cannon! A final bark as the last starboard cannon sounded and the Roehmerl cleared the wastes of the destroyed Eastern vessel. This cannon also struck the bow, crippling the eastern vessel as it lurched forward in the waves and began taking on water. Its foremast splintered and broke.
The crew of the Roehmerl gave a mighty cheer as their ship fully emerged from its protective covering in the Easterner's carcass. The Roehmerl's blood red sails seemed even more poignant a testament to the Garleans. This was a blooded ship. This was a crew not to be underestimated.
"Fhuhsunn! Bring us in line fer the firing squad. Let's send these bastards to the depths."
The Roehmerl leaned heavily to starboard as Fhruhsunn swung the ship around to realign the starboard cannons in striking range of the second Eastern vessel. Pamido Wolmido shouted out the trajectories and the cannoneers adjusted. Sounsyy barked her orders, P'welro echoed with her whistle, and the Lalafell growled the order. Three cannons delivered their payload across the sea and were rewarded with three hits. The Eastern vessel crackled and with a whimpering cry, splintered and sank into nothingness, scattering what few may have survived the beatings into the ice-cold drink.
The crew erupted into cheers. But their excitement was short lived. Sounsyy turned just in time to see a flash from the Garlean flagship. The morning sky brightened as if a bolt of lightning had struck the sea. Then came that harrowing sound of heavy Garlean artillery. The magitek cannon rippled into the sea mere yalms from the Roehmerl, sending up a surge of scalding water across the bow. The force of the blast was felt throughout the Lominsan warship nearly broaching the vessel port-side and knocking everyone off their feet, scattering them across deck. The hull seemed to groan and buckle some from the proximity, but held.
Sounsyy cried out as images of Carteneau now danced before her eyes. She gritted her teeth, shaking off the thoughts of fire and smoke and ash and pulled herself to her feet. Her left arm burned from the memory. The crew picked itself back up and held fast to whatever they could.
"Status?!" P'welro screamed. Simin yelled back in answer, "Magitek armaments! A miss, next shot might not be so fortunate!"
"What in the Seven Hells were the range on that?!"
"Eight hundred fifty yalms! No way we can return fire from that!"
Sounsyy bit her lip and weighed her options quickly. She rounded on Fhruhsunn, who looked back at her wide-eyed. He knew that crazed expression. He didn't even need to hear her order. He nodded in compliance and swung the wheel about so that the Roehmerl faced the Garlean warship.
"All hands! Prepare fer boarding! We can't outgun that! If we get in close they can't use their artillery, a direct hit so close would destroy their ship as well. Bring us aside ship and we can fight them there. Sharlayans! It's time to see what yer armaments can do! Starboard cannoneers stay at post! Port cannoneers form a wall. Pikemen behind! Ranged to elevation! We hold their waves and push them back! Understood?!"
"TIL SEA SWALLOWS ALL!"
The Roehmerl sped ahead full sail towards the Garlean warship. Those on the starboard cannons braced themselves, armaments at the ready. The spare cannoneers beside them on one knee. The five lancers held their pikes and halberds aloft over the cannoneer's shoulders. The musketeers spread out along the fore and aftcastles, crouching down behind the gunwale, training their firearms at the approaching Garlean vessel. Sounsyy stood defiantly on the starboard edge of the poop deck where she could be seen. She pulled her pistol from its holster and held it aloft in the air in a show of force to the Garleans. Her eyes bore holes at the enemy ship, silently challenging them to accept her duel. Nothing brought her greater pleasure than slaughtering Garlean whoresons.
What she really desired now was to get her hands on that equipment. To touch it, learn it, dismantle it, and put it back together. Her combative prowess had stemmed from necessity only. In truth, she took little pleasure in combat. At heart she was a smith, a tinkerer, a disciple of Byregot. Her forge deep in the Southern Isles had been a prosperous one, given the circumstances of its creation. She had been marooned, a captain mutinied against and left with nothing but a pistol and knife. But she had adapted, scraped together the carcasses of broken ships and other such flotsam and built herself an empire or metalworks. Over a decade she built a colony, a forge, a home. Though how she came to leave was another story entirely. One that deviated from the point of her reverie - she wanted a closer look at those guns.
So she hopped off her crate and slinked her way over to Forty-three. He was the one most likely to go into some verbose explanation and distract himself from whatever he was doing, allowing her time to steal a peak. But a sound from above distracted her approach. Her ears twitched and swiveled topside. High-pitched shouting could be heard from above. Then the bosun's whistle shrieked out across the morning.
"Make a path!" Jada shouted suddenly at the four Sharlayans. She turned and went into full gallop, hopping down the stairs two or three at a time, one hand on the banister as she descended from the half deck into the armory. She grabbed her ring of keys and with a flurry began unlocking the crates stacked against the bow. From above, Sounsyy's voice could be heard barking orders at the top of her lungs.
"Beat to Quarters! Beat to Quarters! All hands, beat! To! Quarters! Now!"
The Bosun's whistle still shrieking in long bursts. Then came the thunderous rush of feet as the crew filed quickly one by one down the stairs, past the Sharlayan crew, down into the armory where Jada was waiting. She directed with a finger and a shouted name to each one as they passed, indicating where their specific gear was housed.
"Swozkhan! T'laom! Simin! Berasaem! Sloane..." Jada's list continued as they each passed and ran to their crate. They stripped from their working attire into armor right there. There was no time or place for privacy or decency. The whistle cry was an urgent call to arms. Roehmerl's eight cannoneers donned suits of heavy armor, chainmails and plate, all of a similar motif to the 3rd Squadron's fish scale armor that Marjanie always seemed to be wearing. Dark cobalt plates or chainmail with golden fish scales adorning the shoulders and gorget or chest. Maelstrom red cloth sashes or embroidery to accent the armor. As each one finished prepping, they aided another in the gear that could not be attached by oneself, then ran back up the stairs where Jada was waiting. She handed them off their weapon as each one passed. Various battleaxes or billhooks each, barring Pamido Wolmido's gigas mammon, which he hefted with great pride before storming up the steps with a rousing battle cry.
The others just descending answered his cry with a cheer. Roehmerl's pikemen and musketeers followed after the cannoneers. Each dressing in their black leather and fish scalemail, like Marjanie. Jada handed them off their pikes as they ran back up. Once the crew, barring the Captain, had been armed Jada began stripping herself down. She too changed into the Roehmerl's scalemail and when she was done, moved over to the wall and hefted her own halberd. It was a vicious and beautiful tool. Short, easier to maneuver in close quarters, with a cobalt spearhead, blade, and hook. This was Jada's preferred armament, and she held it with pride.
She looked up at the group of Sharlayans and shouted, "Get topside when yer ready! Seventy-seven, get down below into the Mess now! Captain's orders! Yer safest below decks! No arguing, move yer arse!"
Jada grabbed the boy as he came near and all but shoved him down into the Mess. She grabbed the heavy iron hatch and tossed Ryanti the key when he was below. "Seal 'er up! Yeh don't come back up fer any reason, got it!? Below decks stay sealed during the fighting!" With that, she dropped the hatch down with a crash and rounded on the remaining Sharlayans. "Prep fer battle and get topside now! I'll seal up the rest of below decks!"
With that she ran off down the gun deck and began slamming doors as she went. Compartmentalization was everything in a naval battle. Damage to the hull was inevitable. But taking on excess water was avoidable if the necessary precautions were taken. So long as every hatch and door was sealed below decks, water could only fill one room. If there was a leak, one simple breach could spell doom for the entire ship.
Topside, the main deck was abuzz with activity. The eight cannoneers were prepping their cannons, loading the first shot and firesand. Until such a time as close range combat was necessary, the pikemen were tasked as powder monkeys for the cannoneers, running ordinance to the guns as needed. P'welro barked orders on deck at the three Sharlayans as they ascended the steps.
"Eighty-five! Show these two their duties wit' the firesand! Ye've got the for'ard cannons! Susuroon, status!"
The little Qiqirn was in his nest, spyglass extended to the north and west. His hairs were bristled beneath his armor. He too was wearing the Roehmerl's scalemail, but with full quiver and shortbow slung over his shoulder. His coined earrings jingled madly as he squeaked, "Susuroon spies three vessels on the horizon! Sees Garlean and Easterner-make! Susuroon does not think enemies have spied Roehmerl yet!"
"Distance to target?!"
"Susuroon estimates quarter bell! Though less if Imperial vessel engages."
It was then that a puff of smoke burst from the side of one of the Easterner battleships. A few seconds followed, then the distant sound of a cannon could be heard cracking from malms away. There was a splash still some distance away, but its intent was clear.
"Susuroon... Susuroon thinks Imperial vessel have spotted Susuroon."
P'welro swallowed hard. "P-prepare for engagement. All hands..." She was visibly dreading this encounter. Pamido Wolmido jumped up atop his chase cannon and raised his mammon over his head and let out a gruff cry, "We're gonna drag 'em into the briny depths afore they get a chance at the paradise o' a Seventh Hell! Let 'em 'ave our answer, lass!"
Pamido Wolmido jumped off the cannon onto the deck and raised his mammon again over his head, beckoning for the others to join in. He began stamping his tiny boots against the deck one after the other and started a low howl. One by one the others joined in, stomping and letting out a low, deep howl that seemed to emanate from the very depths below them. The howl steadily rose in volume as more joined in and grew louder the faster they stamped their feet until it rose into a crescendo of clanging weapons, stamping feet, and a deafening howl as the crew screamed at the top of their lungs. This was to be their answer to the Garleans. They would fight until sea swallowed them all!
It was then that the cabin doors opened and Sounsyy emerged. She was in full armor, wearing the Roehmerl leathers beneath her breastplate, gauntlets, and sabatons. Her large scutum shield was slung over her shoulder by its strap and her shortsword rested horizontal above her tail in its scabbard. Her captain's pistol, a plainly decorated revolver, was strapped to one thigh. Her hair was still done up in Eighty-five's braid, and she had applied war paint - gold paint smeared across her eyelids, which accented her green eyes.
Jada emerged finally from below, sealing off the last hatch behind her. "Below decks completely sealed off, Captain! Seventy-seven is below."
Sounsyy gave her a quick Storm salute and the Quartermaster took her place in the center of the main deck with the rest of the pikemen. Sounsyy turned and climbed the stairs to the helm where Marjanie and Fhruhsunn stood. Marjanie, looking regal and poised in her armor and long-barreled rifle. She held it loosely in both hands, her eyes flicking back and forth across the horizon. Fhruhsunn was as usual, cloth and pistol. His lips were pursed and his eyes unblinking. Sounsyy took her place beside them.
"Full sail," she said, "Fhruhsunn, engage them. Cannoneers at the ready!"
P'welro's whistle echoed out the command across ship.
Fhruhsunn nodded and spun the massive wheel, his expression unchanging. The Roehmerl's blood red sails billowed as the wind picked up and they cut through the Indigo's waves in course dead on towards the Garleans.
"Susuroon sees Garleans holding steady! The Easterner vessels move to intercept Roehmerl!" Susuroon squeaked out from his vantage point. Sounsyy had a disgusted look on her face, "Send the subjugated to their doom. Vile Garlean shite. Their deaths will be an undeservin' mercy," Sounsyy muttered, nearly spitting the bile that had risen in her throat. Her eyes were empty and cold.
"Seven-hundred yalms off bow!"
"Far Easterners comin' into range!"
Sounsyy looked to P'welro and growled coldly, "In three-hundred yalms, send a warning shot across the lead vessel's bow."
"Aye, Cap'n!"
"...And P'welro, by across it, I do mean through it."
A wide, toothy grin spread across P'welro's face before turning and relaying the orders with a few short bursts of her whistle, followed by verbal relay, "1st Cannon! Give 'em a Maelstrom warnin' shot!"
Pamido Wolmido howled with delight. "Five hundred yalms! Bearin' fifteen nautical malms East! Wind, East, five malms! Adjustin' nineteen degrees starboard!" He wheeled the chase-cannon wheel around madly so that the cannon moved starboard along its semi-circular track. When he had lined up the shot, he hopped back to his cannon and kept an eye on the shot.
Susuroon shouted, "Four hundred yalms!!"
P'welro screamed, "Fire!"
Pamido Wolmido's cannon barked in reply, echoing out across the sea. The force of the blast was felt throughout the ship as the cannon recoiled from the force. The cannon sailed in a deadly arch across the sea and with only a moment's baited breath, struck the first eastern ship full force across the bow. The enemy ship shuddered but pressed on.
"A hit! Reload!"
The damaged Eastern vessel came about and turned starboard into the Roehmerl's path, placing its side cannons in position to strike the Lominsan crew. While the second Eastern ship broke to port and moved about ship to flank the Roehmerl from the side. Sounsyy looked from ship to ship, but her attention was drawn away by the damaged ship's return fire.
"Brace!!"
Three cannons sounded from the Easterners, followed by another set of three. One cannon ripped through the Roehmerl's port-side gunwale, glancing off the side, but splintering the wooden framework. Another came up short, sending up a plume of water into the air just a few yalms off the Roehmerl's side. The third and fourth overshot. The fifth, a direct hit, striking the Roehmerl's steel frame. The ship lurched violently from the hit, but held. The sixth, another miss.
Sounsyy barked out her next orders, "2nd Cannon! Ball n' chain center mast! 1st Cannon! Gun deck! Fire!"
"Dead ahead! Wind speed five malms East! Adjust angle downwards, 300 yalms to target!"
"Fire!"
M'sizh and Pamido Wolmido's cannons crackled in sync, sending two shots into the already damaged Eastern vessel. M'sizh's cannon chain arched in a deadly wheel through the sky, crashing into the Far Eastern vessel's main mast with a loud crash and crackling of splintered wood. The mast quivered and fell over board, laying down hard across the starboard side of the deck. The sudden and additional weight caused the vessel to lean heavily to starboard, exposing more of the port hull, which Pamido Wolmido's cannon sunk readily into! The frame splintered and cracked, rending a massive tear mid-ship, disabling the vessel's center cannons.
Sounsyy voiced barked out again with ever increasing vehemence, "HIT IT AGAIN! MAKE US A HOLE! Fhruhsunn! RAM IT!"
Eighty-five and Sixteen raced to repowder the forward chase cannons as M'sizh and Pamido Wolmido aimed their next volley.
"Aiming center mass! Adjust angle downwards, 200 yalms to target! Firin'!"
The Far Eastern vessel attempted to retaliate, one of its cannons sending a cannon in return, but the vessel was so broached from the mast's weight, the cannon far overshot the Roehmerl, landing harmlessly in the waters to port. The Roehmerl answered again in kind, sending two cannons into the exposed hole. M'sizh cannon struck high and ricocheted up, over, and off the gunwale, while Pamido Wolmido's was true, sending another cannonball into the already gaping hull. With a deep groan, the ship nearly split in two, each side lifting up from the sea inwards as the bow and aft took on more water.
The Easterner vessel was crippled, but that was not enough for Sounsyy. She grabbed ahold of the poop deck's railing and the Roehmerl charged the wounded hull full speed.
"One hundred yalms! Eighty! Fifty!"
"BRACE!!"
Fhruhsunn drove the heavy steel keel of the Roehmerl right into the bleeding wound of the Eastern vessel. The force of the blow diverted outwards by the Roehmerl's angled woodwork, designed to take that sort of force. The Far Eastern ship did not fair so well. The wooden vessel was clean torn in two by the massive wedge. The ship groaned, crackled loudly, and broke apart. A painful scraping could be heard as the Roehmerl's steel keel sawed its way into the vessel's exposed belly.
"Pikemen! Eyes up!"
Roehmerl's five lancers knelt down and held their pikes skyward, ready to pluck any surviving Easterners should they try to jump down onto the Roehmerl. Though the damage inflicted to the ship was so severe, only a few tried to crawl towards the edge. These were quickly dispatched. No sooner did a foreign head expose itself over the broken rim of the Eastern vessel did one of the pikes jab up and drive a spike into their mouth or throat, spilling their lifeblood onto the Roehmerl's deck below.
"Eyes on the other Eastern vessel?!"
"No sight from bow!"
"No sighting from Nest!"
"Starboard! Starboard! Starboard! Incoming!"
A cannonball crashed through the remains of the Eastern vessel's aft, sending shrapnel and splintered wood across the main deck. The crew dived down for cover as the cannonball sailed overhead, crashing into the Easterner's bow-half. The shot had missed the Roehmerl completely.
Sounsyy had seen this tactic employed before by her first 'Cuda Captain, a woman who she truly hated. Use a broken vessel as cover. Additional enemies would be forced to fire on their own ship, and could not tell tangled vessels apart, obstructing a clean shot. It was a ruthless tactic.
"Heads down, pikes up! Heads down, pikes up!" Sounsyy shouted, but the memory those words jogged flashed before her eyes. She was taken back nearly twenty years to the Resistance. Explosions and artillery cracked all around. She was running. Running to keep up with... Then the cannon struck. Heads down, pikes up! Heads down, pikes...
"Cap'n get down!"
Another cannon crashed through the Eastern vessel, sending another explosion of debris across the Roehmerl's deck. Sounsyy dove down behind the gunwale as splintered wood rained overhead. She was breathing quickly and deeply, as if she could not catch her breath.
"Bow's clearin' the wreckage!" Pamido Wolmido shouted, "Anglin' starboard!"
"Do you have a shot?!"
"Not y- I see the ship! Firin'!"
"Fire!"
Pamido Wolmido let out a desperately early shot with the ball and chain. It whipped across the sea towards the second Eastern vessel and barely clipped its tail, sending out a plume of shattered glass and wood from its stern. The Lalafell cheered loudly!
"Clipped its rudder! Get a better angle and starboard cannons can get a shot as they clear!"
"Fhruhsunn! Angle starboard! Five degrees!"
Fhruhsunn leaned on the helm, causing the starboard gunwale to scrape against the stern of the first Eastern hull. It was a deafening sound.
"Starboard ready!" Sounsyy shouted above the screeching. The starboard cannoneers, Sloane, Berasaem, and Syhrelak prepped themselves, angling at Pamido Wolmido's orders. Distance three hundred, fifty yalms, wind ten yalms East. Sounsyy waited for the 3rd Cannon to clear the wreckage, "3rd Cannon! Fire!"
A boom! The ship shuddered. But the cannon only skimmed the second Easterner's ship, glancing off the main deck and ricocheting off into the sea. 5th Cannon! A loud crack! A hit! The distant sound of a crash and screams. 7th Cannon! A final bark as the last starboard cannon sounded and the Roehmerl cleared the wastes of the destroyed Eastern vessel. This cannon also struck the bow, crippling the eastern vessel as it lurched forward in the waves and began taking on water. Its foremast splintered and broke.
The crew of the Roehmerl gave a mighty cheer as their ship fully emerged from its protective covering in the Easterner's carcass. The Roehmerl's blood red sails seemed even more poignant a testament to the Garleans. This was a blooded ship. This was a crew not to be underestimated.
"Fhuhsunn! Bring us in line fer the firing squad. Let's send these bastards to the depths."
The Roehmerl leaned heavily to starboard as Fhruhsunn swung the ship around to realign the starboard cannons in striking range of the second Eastern vessel. Pamido Wolmido shouted out the trajectories and the cannoneers adjusted. Sounsyy barked her orders, P'welro echoed with her whistle, and the Lalafell growled the order. Three cannons delivered their payload across the sea and were rewarded with three hits. The Eastern vessel crackled and with a whimpering cry, splintered and sank into nothingness, scattering what few may have survived the beatings into the ice-cold drink.
The crew erupted into cheers. But their excitement was short lived. Sounsyy turned just in time to see a flash from the Garlean flagship. The morning sky brightened as if a bolt of lightning had struck the sea. Then came that harrowing sound of heavy Garlean artillery. The magitek cannon rippled into the sea mere yalms from the Roehmerl, sending up a surge of scalding water across the bow. The force of the blast was felt throughout the Lominsan warship nearly broaching the vessel port-side and knocking everyone off their feet, scattering them across deck. The hull seemed to groan and buckle some from the proximity, but held.
Sounsyy cried out as images of Carteneau now danced before her eyes. She gritted her teeth, shaking off the thoughts of fire and smoke and ash and pulled herself to her feet. Her left arm burned from the memory. The crew picked itself back up and held fast to whatever they could.
"Status?!" P'welro screamed. Simin yelled back in answer, "Magitek armaments! A miss, next shot might not be so fortunate!"
"What in the Seven Hells were the range on that?!"
"Eight hundred fifty yalms! No way we can return fire from that!"
Sounsyy bit her lip and weighed her options quickly. She rounded on Fhruhsunn, who looked back at her wide-eyed. He knew that crazed expression. He didn't even need to hear her order. He nodded in compliance and swung the wheel about so that the Roehmerl faced the Garlean warship.
"All hands! Prepare fer boarding! We can't outgun that! If we get in close they can't use their artillery, a direct hit so close would destroy their ship as well. Bring us aside ship and we can fight them there. Sharlayans! It's time to see what yer armaments can do! Starboard cannoneers stay at post! Port cannoneers form a wall. Pikemen behind! Ranged to elevation! We hold their waves and push them back! Understood?!"
"TIL SEA SWALLOWS ALL!"
The Roehmerl sped ahead full sail towards the Garlean warship. Those on the starboard cannons braced themselves, armaments at the ready. The spare cannoneers beside them on one knee. The five lancers held their pikes and halberds aloft over the cannoneer's shoulders. The musketeers spread out along the fore and aftcastles, crouching down behind the gunwale, training their firearms at the approaching Garlean vessel. Sounsyy stood defiantly on the starboard edge of the poop deck where she could be seen. She pulled her pistol from its holster and held it aloft in the air in a show of force to the Garleans. Her eyes bore holes at the enemy ship, silently challenging them to accept her duel. Nothing brought her greater pleasure than slaughtering Garlean whoresons.