by B A Simmons
Rob turned back to Edward. “I wish we had better accommodations for your men. We can billet you and any officers you have at my family’s home, but your men will have to encamp in a goat pasture just beyond the town of Harrisville.”
“You’ve got more than one town on this island?!”
Rob wasn’t sure if Edward meant that as a joke, so he continued. “It’s about three miles from here. It’ll be a good opportunity to stretch your legs. Also, while the people here have become accustomed to mercenaries, welcoming even, from what Mark told me, you and your men are of a different class. There are some local customs you all need to know and respect.”
“Don’t worry, Rob. My men are well disciplined, not just in fighting but also in protecting those we fight for. Pete’s also given me the rundown on your island customs. We won’t be trying to woo your women, eat your food without permission, or enter your sacred places.”
“Oh,” Rob said with genuine surprise. “I apologize for assuming—”
“Don’t apologize. You’re doing your job. My job is to protect this island. To do that, I need to know everything I can about it and its people. I gather intelligence on every island I end up on, and I’ve been on many an island in my time.”
“Very good then. Well, if your men are ready to march, I’ll show you to your camp.”
“Punishers! Fall in!” Edward yelled, not taking his eyes off Rob.
In a matter of seconds, forty-two soldiers grabbed their gear and formed a column three wide and twelve long. Five men, who had repeated the command after Edward, stood by the column like knobs on the trunk of a tree. They inspected their sections, making sure each man was in place and standing at attention, before they joined the forward-facing mass.
One man stood out in front. He was the only one looking at Edward, who gestured for Rob to lead them.
“Right then. This way,” Rob began walking briskly up the road toward Harrisville. The Punishers followed behind him, matching his pace with exactness. After a mile or so, Rob began to feel that his pace was too fast. He was sweating in the afternoon sun, and he wasn’t wearing armor and carrying weapons and packs full of equipment. Yet, as he looked over his shoulder, the men seemed none the worse for wear. There were no smiles, but neither were there grimaces of pain or gasps for breath.
Perhaps because he noticed Rob’s incredulous looks, or perhaps just because he fancied it, Edward turned to the man in front of the column.
“Joshua! Let’s have a cadence!”
“Yessir!” Joshua’s voice deepened as he projected out, “Punishers! What do we do?!”
The entire column burst out with one rhythmic voice:
“We never stumble, we never fall, we fight the foe and kill them all!
When asked to die for wrong or right, we march all day and fight all night!
When down a man, or lacking friends, we never quit until the end!
Up the axe and back we go, won’t turn our back to the foe!
We never stumble, we never fall, we fight the foe and kill them all!”
While not quite a song and not quite musical, the men carried the cadence well. They chanted as they marched past the Engleman farm where Rob’s family stood watching. He couldn’t help but smile as their jaws dropped at the sight. They continued chanting different cadences while passing groups of farmers planting their fields. These included Rob’s father and new brother-in-law, John. The chants did not end as they passed through the newly constructed gate through the wall soon to be encircling Harrisville. In fact, they seemed to chant louder the more people watched.
Rob led them through the town to a pasture on the east side belonging to Raymond Jones. The wall hadn’t reached that far around yet, though hacklebush hedges provided a deterring barrier around it. The goats, which called this place their spring home, had been moved to another abode. Rob found Mister Jones awaiting them with a smile. He seemed quite impressed with the Punishers’ professional demeanor.
Once the entire column was inside the pasture, Joshua called out, “Halt!” A moment later he ordered the men to fall out and make camp. The men scattered, but not without organization. Each squad found the man carrying their tent and set to work in erecting them. Within a few minutes, the Punishers were sitting, talking, and enjoying themselves inside the goat pasture.
A couple of the sergeants petitioned Edward for permission to explore the island. He looked to Rob before denying the request.
“Don’t worry, there will be plenty of time for that. We want your men to know every foot of this island before you have to defend it.”
“You want us to work with the mercenaries you’ve already got here, correct?” Edward asked.
“Yes, and our island militia as well. There may even be some you’ll want to recruit into your company when this is all over. Tonight, after you’ve had supper, come to my family’s house, and I’ll introduce you to Charlie. He’s our top mercenary and has been training our locals.”
“This wouldn’t happen to be Charlie Burke of Aruth, would it?”
Rob’s eyebrows shot up, “You know him?”
“We met in passing. He tried to kill me once.”
“I can’t wait to hear that story.”
“After supper,” Edward smiled.
Rob left Edward to attend his men. Along with the pasture, Mister Jones provided them with a supply of charcoal to cook with and a few slaughtered goats for their first meal on Engle Isle. As he exited the pasture, Rob heard the men laugh and joke about the goats. It seemed that some of them had never eaten any meat that hadn’t come from the sea.
He stopped at Doctor Morris’s house on his way out of Harrisville. The teacher was always accommodating of Rob’s musings and quandaries. The arrival of the Punishers with Pete created a dilemma in his mind, the type that would infect his waking brain every chance it got until acted upon.
“Now that there are legitimate, professional fighters here to protect us, what use am I in all of this?”
Morris hesitated before answering. “Do you feel that Mark’s leadership was entirely based on his fighting skill?”
“Perhaps not entirely. He was charismatic and had a strategic mind, but looking at Edward today . . . I can see why they got along so well in the short time they knew each other.” He paused then added, “I am not charismatic.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. You have your moments,” Morris grinned. “But take it from me, even with Roger on the Council of Elders, your people will never accept a foreign military leader. It brings with it the very fear that drove you to hate the Falcon Empire.”
“There’s Pete.”
The silence that followed revealed the contemplation both men gave this idea.
At last, Morris broke it. “Pete won’t do.”
“He won’t,” Rob said. He meant it as a question but realized his tone displayed agreement.
“No, he’s too much a man of the sea. He can’t lead men on this island from the deck of his ship. He’s a wanderer. He’s committed to your cause because it affects those he loves, but once this is over . . .”
“So it is up to me after all.”
Morris nodded. “This isn’t about you feeling defeated after your last action, is it? This round of self-doubt isn’t really about your effectiveness as a leader; it’s about your desires.”
Rob admitted to himself that Morris was right before he gave any outward sign. “I suppose so. As much as I feel that I botched that last fight, got a man killed needlessly, I just don’t feel the same about this war as I did a year ago.”
Morris said nothing, though he looked as if words were begging to come out.
Rob stood and excused himself. Morris let him leave to make the final decision on his own. By the time Rob arrived home, his decision was made, though his heart felt no peace with it.
The number of guests at this supper required the meal be eaten outdoors. The party included Charlie, John and Lisette, Tom and Pete and their family, along wit
h Mister and Missus Johnson and the McClains. Alistair had recovered as much as possible from the amputation of his arm. He smiled less than he used to, but he did smile.
The Engleman harvest had been plentiful. It assured them bread enough for the next year and then some, along with a small donation to the militia and mercenaries. Some of the other farmers hadn’t fared as well. The bounty was had in this meal, and though they knew the dangers of the war were close, they could not have known the significance it would have in their lives.
The men remained outside, even as the sun set and the air cooled. They lit lamps to give them light enough to see each other’s faces. Edward arrived in time to enjoy a dessert of baked apples in Ka bean sauce. He reacquainted himself with Charlie, and the two laughed and sighed out their memories of the battle they fought off the coast of the Disappointment Isles. Once the teasing about friendly foes subsided, everyone found Rob’s face at the front and waited for him.
“I want to thank you all for the support you’ve given me in stepping into Mark’s place. I certainly could not have done any good here without you.”
“You’ve done well, son. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise,” his father said.
“You’ve got the skills to be a leader. In time, you’ll have the experience to rely on as well,” Charlie added.
“Thank you. Please feel free to advise me on this plan. I’ve put much thought into it, but that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. The first order is for Pete to carry out the mission Mark left for him. For those unaware of it, it’s simple. Pete, with the Alphina, is to sail to the island known as Kymberlite, in the Falcon Archipelago. We’ve come to understand that this is the island where the Falcons make their black powder. Using the old sails and uniforms we kept after taking her, the Alphina and Pete’s crew will be disguised as the Falcon Navy. We have obtained a signed, but otherwise blank note of credit. A gift to us from Edwin. Using this as payment, Pete is to purchase as much powder as he can get and sail right back here. No trying to take any other Falcon ships, right Pete?”
Pete’s smile shone in the lantern light. “You spoil my fun, but yes, Rob. I’ll go straight there and back again. They won’t even know I’m not Iyty.”
“How’s that?” Pete’s father asked. “I mean, you don’t speak Iyty, do you?”
“Che domanda, papa!” Pete said.
The group sat silent with surprise.
Pete explained, “I’ve been taking lessons from Joshua, Edward’s lieutenant, during the past months.”
“I want to send Bernardo with you also. He grew up a servant in the empire before escaping. He knows the area, the language, and the customs.”
“Joshua can also go along,” Edward said. “I think I can spare him for a while. Just take good care of him.”
“Excellent. We’ll need to give the Alphina a new name, just for this mission. Something in Iyty.”
“I’m already ahead of you, Rob. How about Artiglio d’Aquila. It means, the Eagle’s Talon.”
“I like it. Start painting it on tomorrow. Now, the next bit is about Alimia. We can’t push the Falcons off that island without powder. Pete’s going to get that for us, so until he gets back, we won’t make any more raids against them.”
“What!?” several of them asked at once. Charlie and Edward both looked angry.
“We finally make it down here to fight the Falcons and now you want us to wait?” Edward said.
Charlie shifted in his chair. “Rob, I know you’re upset about Steven, but—”
“It’s not just Steven . . . or Jordan or Greg, or George or even Mark. It’s not any of the men we lost or who have been wounded,” Rob looked hard at Alistair. “It’s the waste. War is wasteful, I get that. We’ve killed more of them than I care to count; sunk I don’t know how many ships. They just send more. They’ve got more to send. We don’t.”
“What do you want us to do then?” Lewis Johnson asked.
“We fortify our island in case they come. Edward, any Falcon who sets foot on this island is yours to kill. Kill them all. You and Charlie continue to train our men and build our defenses. I’ll not waste another life trying to sap their strength. It’s futile. However, when we have our powder, we’ll coordinate with our allies at Isle de James and attack.”
He paused and looked at each of them, settling on John’s face before continuing.
“And when we attack, it will be to drive them away from Alimia for good. We’ll establish a free government and negotiate an end to the war.”
Alistair spoke, his voice sounding bitter. “And if the Falcons won’t negotiate?”
Rob looked his friend in the eyes. “I told Garibaldi that unless they come to the table, with honorable intentions this time, that we would sink every ship and kill every man they send against us. We take back Alimia, and we’ll show them that we control our destinies, not them.”
Alistair smiled through the tears that dripped down his cheeks. Rob’s father and Lewis Johnson nodded in approval.
His uncle said, “I still don’t like the idea of sending Pete out to steal powder from under their noses. But I suppose I don’t have much of a say in the matter.”
Rob smiled wryly. “I expect then that you’ll be less enthused about me taking Tom away for a while, too.”
“What?” Tom said.
“You’re leaving, too?” Mister McClain asked.
“Well, if Pete’s going to bring us powder, we’ll need weapons with which to use it. I met the baron of Aruth last year while there with Doctor Morris. He promised to support us with hand cannons and other weapons. Mark worked with the mayor of Cici on Big Nose Isle to make grenade canisters and firebombs. We need to follow up on those deals. The Entdecker can do more good running up there and back than it can staying here. Trina will be down within a fortnight with the Old Man to provide you with a warship, should we need it.”
“I certainly wouldn’t mind a few more Aruth hand cannons in our arsenal,” Charlie said. “Make sure you get them with bayonet attachments.”
A few questions were asked in clarifying the timetable, but otherwise, there were no objections or disputes of the plan. The visitors went to their respective homes, and Charlie walked with Edward to the Punisher encampment.
When the lanterns were extinguished, Rob looked up at the sky. Millions of stars glowed above him there, some brighter than others. Yet the one that caught his attention, as it always had, glided across the blackness as if on a mission from some higher power.
Despite his fervent and ever-present desire to know more about the planet he lived on, Rob had committed himself to the destruction of his fellow men. At least those who wore the black double-headed bird on their uniforms. It was a duty he felt pride in and despised at the same time.
16: Uncle Rob
Great effort went in to making the Alphina into the Artiglio d’Aquila. The old sails needed cleaning and mending, and even with the repairs at Isle de James, the ship herself needed new paint and caulking. The Falcon uniforms were altered to fit the male crewmembers; Lizzy and Adele were told they couldn’t come along.
“The Falcon military is all men. They don’t allow women aboard any ships of the line. Sorry gals,” Joshua said.
“I’m sure this is why we’ve been so successful against them,” Pete added. “Our women are worth five of their men.”
While assured they would be joining the crew of the Old Man when she arrived, they were still disappointed.
Rob and Charlie led the militia in a practice melee against the Punishers and were decimated. Even on unfamiliar soil, there was no doubt of their potency. At the same time, Edward gave the militia high marks for their efforts. He praised them, saying that most small island militias would have run, even in a mock battle.
After the medics attended to the cuts and bruises among the militia, Rob left Charlie and Edward to discuss future training exercises. He made his way to Harrisville and found Doctor Morris.
“You should pack and be rea
dy to sail tomorrow morning,” Rob told him.
“My boy, I’ve been packed for over a week. I’ll meet you at the docks tomorrow.”
Before leaving, Rob said. “Please don’t take my decision to mean that I don’t want to learn from you still. I expect to have some deep discussions and lectures on our way to Hellhound Isle.”
Morris smiled, “I never thought otherwise. And don’t you worry, I’ve some lectures ready that will boggle your mind.”
Rob returned home but did not remain there long. Instead, he steadied his nerves and walked the narrow path between his house and the old barn. He hadn’t spoken to Anna since the day he’d gone off to rescue her father. She had made no efforts to communicate with him, either. It was time to end that. Even if she ignored him, Rob intended to tell her what he’d been wanting to say for months. If all else failed, he’d written it down and figured that her father owed him a favor.
The walk seemed to take less time than ever before. Facing the door of the barn, his nerves faltered and he almost turned around. He startled when the door opened and Anna exited carrying a basket. She gasped at the sight of him, clearly not expecting anyone to be standing outside her house.
“Anna! I . . . um, we need to talk. Please . . . will you talk to me?”
She glared at him, but then said. “Say what you have to say, Rob. Then leave me in peace.”
“I know you blame me for Mark’s death.” He paused, unsure how hearing his name would affect her.
He continued. “I blame myself too. I killed him the moment we sailed away from Engle Isle. The moment I suggested we get mercenaries to help us fight the Falcons, I killed him and I alienated you.”
Tears began to fall from two sets of eyes.
“You can’t hate me more than I hate myself,” Rob said.
Anna opened her mouth to speak but did not.
“I still love you, Anna. That has never stopped. I want you to be happy, and I feel as though I am the source of your misery. So I’m going away. After tomorrow morning, you can go anywhere on this island, and you won’t have to worry about seeing me ever again. I’m sorry, Anna. I’m sorry for everything.”