A proper soldier faces his enemy. Shield up, eyes forward.
"We'd have seen signal fires, sir."
"Not if they are smart. Tricky bastards, pirates. I'd rather we assume a hostile landing."
"Yes, sir."
Another man approached, nodding to both officers. "Captain said we've come as close as we can."
"Good." He said to the messenger. Then turning to Ruger, "let's get going."
Boats laboured back and forth taking the marines and infantry to shore. The first wave formed a defensive arc around the landing zone, digging in shields, crossbow men kneeling behind the steel wall, readying their ranged weapons. As more soldiers landed the men pushed forward up the beach. The night remained still, quiet save for the warble of frogs and constant chatter of crickets hiding in the distance.
With level ground beneath him, Dokra was finally able to shake off the sea sickness that had dogged him for the entire journey. The senior officers who had arrived before him stood together coordinating the soldiers.
"Ruger. Send the scouts out."
"Yes, sir."
A score of caped men fanned out widely in pairs beyond the high dunes into the fields and nearly eight thousand men waited with baited breath. A mix of fear and excitement. They wanted a fight, but they didn't want it here, standing on sand, backs against the sea. Unable to see ten feet ahead. If a trap was set, they would suffer deeply.
The crickets chirped and Dokra waited until a figure appeared, sliding back down the sand cliffs towards them.
We're not expected. Good.
"Okay, let's go."
The officers relayed the orders and the marines set out, followed closely by the columns of legionaries.
"Letimus should have reached the port by now." Ruger said to the field marshal as they walked up the bank, flanked by the Imperial Guard.
"Yes." Dokra replied looking up to the sky.
The admiral stood with Rawlin, both staring at the dimly lit town, now well within range of the warships. The fleet had emerged from the horizon and approached the settlement fast, but no sound had stirred from the island.
Well done Kirim.
"Shall we wake them up?" The admiral said smiling to Rawlin. The spy nodded with a mischievous grin.
"Give the orders." Letimus said, turning to the officers behind them. Flags were raised on the mast and the message relayed across the line. Rawlin could hear the clunk of iron balls being dropped into catapult buckets, muffled slightly by oiled rags bound tightly around each payload.
More ballistae and catapults were loaded on every warship facing the town. The admiral nodded, and his officer opened the valve on the mast. It connected to a set of brass steam horns arranged just below the rigging. The noise bludgeoned the night, low pitched and deafeningly loud. Fires appeared on the decks of the ragged lines of ships encircling the harbour, making their sails glow with flickering amber. Then with a loud crack, the first missile loosed. Bolts as thick as small trees and hundreds of flaming iron balls flew into the air arcing down into the town like meteors. The second wave followed and even before they had landed Letimus and Rawlin could see the first of the buildings roofs start to catch fire.
Two more volleys fired before the Admiral ordered, "That's enough."
Galtus had given them strict orders, neither the town nor the fleet was to be destroyed. He wanted them both.
Just enough for a little panic though. Draw them in.
Before the first horns had been sounded, Kirim had been able to disable two more watch towers and was at this moment running to the fortress on the islands heights. The road was empty, and no one challenged him until he reached the gates.
Seeing the red-faced man approach, the guards levelled their spears at him. One shouted. "halt there!"
"We're under attack! I've seen ships. They're coming into harbour!" He shouted, slowing to a jog in front of them.
The guards hadn't expected that, though they seemed more at ease with the crazed man approaching.
"What you say?"
"A fleet, I’ve seen a fleet. Hundreds of ships coming into harbour.”
“Which one?”
“The main one. Echovia harbour!” He shouted, pointing back to town with his arm.
"Carrid?"
"I don't know do I, just saw them didn't I, and now I’m doing my duty to let Komet know."
The guards looked at each other, rising panic and insecurity. Unsure what to do they looked to the most senior of the group."
"Let him in, I’ll take him up to the Palace. If you're lying to us, they'll kill you. You know that right?"
"I ain't lying." Just as he finished the sentence a horn could be heard travelling the winds. Low and ominous.
"Shit" The man said. "Keep your mouth shut in here okay until you see Komet. No point starting a panic."
They passed through the old fortress towards the ancient Palace.
At least it used to be ancient. The man’s been busy.
"Who's this?" Another guard said to Kirim’s escort.
"We got trouble sir, he says he's seen a fleet and there's horns sounding. Think we might be under attack."
"Get him inside now. Raise the alarm." The man said after the briefest of hesitation.
Bells rang out from the fortress and answering notes followed from the town below a short time after. Had anyone managed to sleep through the Naru horns and bombardment they would be awake now.
Komet came running down the stairs, dressed in a nightgown, two half naked young boys slightly behind him peering down to the lower level in an effort to see what the disturbance was. He was a short man with a barrel chest and red nose. Dark hair covered his head, arms and face and to Kirim’s mind at least, nothing like what a pirate king should look like.
"What the hell is going on?" The pirate king shouted before reaching the bottom step.
"Think it's Carrid sir, we're under attack."
The bearded face was struck with shock as his eyes flashed open. The bells kept ringing, clouding his mind and stifling his decisiveness. Finally, he managed to gain some composure and focused his gaze on Kirim.
They are not prepared. Complacent. Galtus was right, too many victories over unarmed prey.
"You saw them? Where?"
"Hundreds of them, sir. Out near the harbour. Looks like they are coming straight in."
Another soldier shot through the door. "Sir, they're firing on the town. It's burning."
Komet inhaled deeply, running to the window to witness countless fireballs launching into the sky and arcing down. Shock and fury overcoming him he shouted, "get everyone down there! We can't let them land."
"What about the fortress?"
"We'll retreat back if we have to. Protect the damned ships. Assemble bucket teams." Seeing his men still standing he boomed, "get moving!" The soldiers left quickly, gathering comrades, running down the long road to defend their harbour town.
Kirim was left in the opulent reception room with Komet and a pair of guards who looked nervously at one another.
"What's your name sailor?"
"Kirim, sir."
"You've done well tonight."
"Just my duty, sir."
"We need more like you. When I find out who was on watch tonight..." He let the sentence hang menacingly.
"What are my orders, sir?"
"Go with the rest of the soldiers, find anyone you can and don't let those bastards land."
And who will coordinate the defence of the rest of the island? You're not thinking Komet. Reactive. Disappointing.
"Yes, sir" Kirim said proudly, pushing his chest out.
"You there. Get Mikon here now." Komet said to the other guard.
Kirim left the room making his way back through the narrow passage. Looking around to see if anyone was watching, he peered out the window looking down and then across to either side looking for a ledge. Anything to offer stable footing.
It'll do. He thought, jumping up to sit on the sill
and swinging both legs around to hang out over sheer cliff. Checking his scabbard wouldn't snag, he twisted again onto his chest and slid back slightly until most of his body was hanging. The assassin dropped, fingers catching the edge at the last moment stretching neglected arm muscles taut.
He had counted the number of windows between Komet's residences and the door to the lower Palace. Swinging his legs to the side, Kirim's left foot managed to grip onto some slightly protruding stonework. He reached out with his hand to find the next support and brick by brick the assassin inched higher up the Palace. Below him was certain death. Steeling a glance inside he saw the lone guard standing by the door. Komet had left the room and Kirim had no choice but to wait, the next window over was too far for him to reach without jumping.
And I'm not jumping.
So Kirim waited, one leg anchored on a window's stone frame and the other on the ear of a presumably outraged gargoyle. Fingers took the rest of the weight lodged into a mortar-less, weathered crack in the fortress masonry.
Hurry up Mikon.
"Where in God's name have you been, we're under attack man."
"I went to see the ships for myself."
"You should have come here first."
"The harbour was closer, I wanted to size up the situation before we made a plan, sir." Drawing out the final word almost to the point of disrespect.
"And!?"
"We’re in trouble."
"Are they landing?"
"Not yet, but we're trapped. They will have probably blocked Sickle quay and the fishing harbours too."
"Send runners out. See if they have ships in the west" Komet said turning to the last guard in the room, who nodded and left. "They were meant to attack us in the new year Mikon. Your damned informants got it wrong." He continued his rebuke.
"Oh, I thought you knew."
"Knew what?!" The pirate king shouted in a rage.
"It's Galtus sir. Those horns were Naru."
Upon hearing that, Komet’s face drained completely white. "That's not... He..."
"I told you we shouldn't have dismissed his offer."
"That offer!" He screamed. "Was damned surrender. An insult."
"And now we're lost."
"He would have made us a client Mikon. Everything we've worked for. Everything I’ve achieved."
Mikon said nothing.
Kirim watched the two with amusement, lifting himself up to the tiny portal and clumsily climbing through, without the slightest attempt at stealth. Getting stuck half way through he grunted loud enough for the arguing pirates to turn and see him
"I have an improved offer." He shouted, legs still wagging in the wind behind him. Breathlessly he continued, "of sorts". Then with a quick gasp. "Give me a minute." Finally managed to pull his body through and twist to land awkwardly on the floor. Both Komet and Mikon drew blades looking with disbelief at the dishevelled man who had so strangely announced himself.
"Who the fuck are you?" Komet said studying his face more closely, "Wait, it's you... K... Kirim."
"Yes."
"You work for Galtus?"
"I do."
"What does he want."
"I would imagine the same as he asked before.”
"I said no."
"And here we are."
"You... Mikon, kill him. We can still hold the island."
Mikon hesitated.
"Before you do Mikon, I am here with a message. An offer really."
"We don't give a shit what your master says."
"Ah, well Komet the offer isn't for you. It's for him."
Mikon looked back at Kirim, before asking uncertainly, "what message?"
"Land for your men. Farms, homes and gold. Citizenship. Stable, honest lives."
"In exchange for?"
"This is for me to discuss! And I say no! Kill him! Kill him now, Mikon!" Komet screamed.
"No Komet. Our deal stands with Mikon alone." Turning to the taller man Kirim continued. "You have a choice Mikon. Work for us as an Admiral. Lead your men for five cycles in the Imperial navy and once your commission is over you can all retire on your plots as rich men. Keep everything you have taken to date, with the exception of the ships.
"And if I don't agree?"
"Mikon!?"
"Shut up, Komet". Kirim said coldly to the pirate king, who with an open mouth flicked his gaze between Mikon and the Imperial spy. "If we don't make a deal, and I do not make my signal, every living thing on this island will be killed. Not a man, dog or rat will see the dawn."
"Your ships have given themselves away. The town is awake and ready. You will be contested all the way back to the fortress." Mikon said.
"Really? How do you suppose that?"
"There are thousands of us. Your men will be cut down trying to leave the docks."
"Mikon this is why you are going to make the right decision today. You have learned all you can from him." Kirim pointed dismissively at Komet.
"Explain."
"We're already on the island. By now..." Kirim looked back through the window. "Yes. By now they will be in the streets. Your men are trapped in the docklands between legionaries and the sea with catapult fire raining down on them."
"You lie."
"You think I would be here alone, in the belly of this particular beast if it wasn't? I am presenting the facts of the situation before you gentlemen. And outlining options."
"Mikon kill him. He lies. Kill him!"
"Actually, my next detail was going to be the insistence of your head. You can't help us Komet. Too damned. Too stupid. Just a bully really. The sailors know Mikon to be the worthier leader."
Komet ran towards Kirim in a rage, his sword swinging out. The spy dodged to the side pulling out his own blades, before slowly lowering the weapon. Seeing a flash as Mikon's bastard sword span out severing the pirate kings head. His body falling flat to the ground, blood gushing from the wound, pouring over the floor.
Always like that, decapitations. An awful lot of blood.
"Can I take that as acceptance?" The assassin said stepping away carefully from the quickly expanding of blood on the floor,
"No."
"Do I need to explain what's about to happen? You kill them, or make them, Mikon. Up to you. Time's running out, what's it to be?"
"They are not likely to accept. Mutiny on the journey back. Any opportunity they get. They aren't Imperial soldiers, Kirim. Whoever you are. Not even citizens. The only thing that holds this island together, this business, our community is fear and greed. They are essentially independent contractors. I can't command them to work for the Empire."
"Why do they live here? How does your community function? Why do they submit to your authority?"
"It's in their interests. Most are wanted criminals, they would be caught or killed the second they tried to re-join society."
"So, we can reliably assume they will choose life over death?"
"Yes."
"Good. They will also be free men, all previous crimes absolved."
Mikon nodded, walking closer with his sword. Kirim fought hard to supress an instinctive re-drawing of his own blade.
"You can keep it." Kirim said waving his hand in front of Mikon when he had reached a few hands distance.
"Thank you." He said with slight surprise.
"You haven't surrendered. You're just changing flags. Your lowest crew man has more deep-sea combat experience than any of our sailors"
"I would agree."
"And yet you have been taken so easily. Do you know why?"
"We weren't ready"
"Because you aren't war fighters. You're bandits."
Mikon didn't seem to like this last remark. He kicked Komet’s corpse gently before saying. "He had vision."
"It's all he had. And I would call it more obscene ambition. He got off lightly." Kirim said honestly. “I’ve seen men flayed and quartered for lighter crimes.
"It was more than that. He had a mind for management. They are not
easy to command, Kirim. If we do this, you will see that. You might regret it."
"I thought we had decided?"
"Then you will see."
You haven't seen the Imperial drill instructors.
"Structure and strategy Mikon. Discipline. An exit deal. A Damned fair one at that."
"Fine. I can't say no anyway."
Because you have no honour.
"No. You can't, really."
Mikon looked disheartened.
"Welcome to the Imperial navy, sailor.”
"What are we going to say?"
“To who?”
“Them out there”
"Oh, I’m not talking to them. Forget me Mikon, we won't see each other again after tonight. Tell them to surrender and the officers to march unarmed with arms up towards the nearest marine or legionary."
"I thought we weren't surrendering."
"Pick whatever words you want to."
"I see."
"Let's get this done."
Pathetic. Galtus barely casts a glance at them and they roll over.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Carrid
Aldo lived on the eighth level of the tower in a gated community built for the capital’s judges to live in both relative luxury and safety, far removed from the rabble lower down. Each apartment was multi-floored, spiralling up the wall. The living space stretched through the entire stone edifice to offer owners and guests breath-taking views of both inside and outside the structure. Balcony building had been in vogue at one point in Carrid’s architectural history it seems and the occupants of these suites had competed with one another to extend their properties out among the clouds as far and extravagantly as possible.
Aldo’s garden was one such marvel of engineering protruding into the sky, large enough to accommodate several large trees, an artificial waterfall and dining area.
Not that I ever have guests.
The weight was secured with eight arm thick steel cable connected to the tower with huge bolts that had been drilled and cemented into the rock. There were of course strict building codes observed in the capital and each and every one of these balconies was most certainly illegal. Though of course, no planning administrator would ever voluntarily take his tape measure out on these particular home-owner’s minor improvement.
The Ravens of Carrid Tower Page 10