He realized it was Virtue.
“. . . keep going?” she was asking him.
He pulled himself up, instinctively drawing his saber. Beyond Virtue, his boarding team was in close-quarters fighting with what seemed to be a wall of pirates, in a wide passageway that extended both left and right. Flashing back to Brown’s diagram of Bluebird’s decks, he realized where they were: inside the port airlock and straddling the main athwartships passageway near Bluebird’s stern. Sky’s team was barely three dozen paces to the right, the route to the bridge between them.
His team was hemmed in in a semicircle, with pirates pressing in on both sides. Liam drew his pistol, took careful aim through his own sailors, and emptied his rounds at the pirates to the right. Three Humans and a Theropod went down, giving his team an opening.
“Press to the right,” he ordered.
His team surged into the passageway, pushing back the two remaining pirates. Liam moved forward with Virtue, joining the rear guard and holding the flank as the team steadily advanced toward the center of the ship.
“Assault, XO,” he gasped into his radio, “we’re fighting our way from the airlock toward the midships passageway.”
“On our way,” replied Sky.
Liam took another step back, giving ground to furious blade attacks. These pirates were hardly expert swordsmen, but any fool could swing a blade enough times and eventually hit someone. He parried another swing, deflecting the sword down and flicking his own saber up to slice open the man’s throat. The gargled scream distracted the next pirate long enough for Liam to slash down and take his hand clean off. A sword clattered to the deck as the pirate grasped desperately at his severed wrist and staggered back.
“Sir,” shouted Flatrock behind him, “we’re clear to advance.”
“Roundly, then,” Liam bellowed as he stepped up his own backward shuffle, blocking the next strike.
“XO, Assault.” Sky’s determined voice sounded in his ear. “When I say ‘drop,’ hit the deck.”
“Understood.” He repeated the order to Virtue on his left and Hedge on his right.
“XO, Assault: drop.”
“Down,” he hissed, dropping to a crouch and lifting his saber in defense.
Shots rang out and the attacking pirates jerked and fell backward as bullets ripped through them. Liam stayed low, motioning Virtue and Hedge to keep backing away. He assessed the enemy for movement and saw nothing.
Rising, he moved through his sailors to meet Sky at the intersection with another passageway heading forward.
“We lost our boat,” he said, wiping at the sweat on his brow. “It’s going to be a staggered withdrawal, but we don’t need to protect that route.”
Sky took the news with a grim expression, her mind quickly adjusting to the new tactical reality.
“I had my boat decouple and go for cover,” she said. “We’ll have to call it back when we need it.”
Liam nodded his approval, then turned his attention to the next challenge. The passageway forward extended no more than twenty paces and ended in a solid, metal door. The bridge.
With the entire boarding team crowding the route, Liam found himself a long way back as the leading elements reached the bridge door. Hand signals reported back that it was locked and he motioned to bring up explosives. The sailors set their charges and backed off. Everyone hunkered down.
The door exploded, flying forward out of its frame as smoke billowed through the passageway and beyond. The first sailors charged forward and Liam rose to his feet with the rest of the boarding party. Over the clatter of armor, he could hear the ringing of swords clashing and the screams of the dying through the obscuring cloud.
Pushing through the smoke, he had to step carefully over the shattered metal and bodies. He drew his second pistol and held his saber up in a parry. Virtue stayed at his side, mimicking his defensive stance with her own weapons.
There was no need, though; the clanging of blades quickly diminished and an eerie silence descended over the bridge. Watching every corner for movement, Liam swept his gaze around the space.
This merchant bridge was large, with excellent visibility on all sides through the broad canopy. The top, port, and starboard masts were all still deployed, sails fluttering gaily. Soft, comfortable chairs and ergonomic consoles indicated a premium for crew comfort, but most of the deck was uncluttered and clear. This ship must have been quite a prize when the pirates captured her. But now the bridge was a slaughterhouse, with half a dozen pirates dead and two of Liam’s own sailors down. He glanced over at one of his own casualties and saw the unmistakable burns of Sectoid acid across his face and armor.
Sky noticed Liam’s gaze and closed in.
“Bastards were waiting. Took out our first pair with that acid.”
“I don’t see any Sectoids,” Liam replied, examining the bridge again.
“They had it contained in hand-sized pods,” Sky said, a mix of confusion and fear etched across her face. “They threw them and the damned things exploded against us.”
“But where’d they get the acid in the first place?”
Sky nodded, her gaze shifting nervously. That was the key question.
Liam gave quick orders to secure the route back to Sky’s boat and to tend to the casualties. Then he sat down in the broad chair at the command console, which was still active. A quick glance revealed standard civilian displays. A navigation display showed the ship’s intended route—to what looked like an empty part of space—and a damage-control display gave a quick summary of the internal condition of the ship. There were several red markers just aft of the bridge, but otherwise the interior was intact and open.
“Virtue,” he said, “see if you and one of the propulsors can lock down all the internal airlocks. I’d like to contain the rest of the pirates where they are.”
“Yes, sir.” Virtue motioned for one of the sailors to join her at the main damage-control panel on the starboard side of the bridge. They began manipulating controls, and doors and hatches began to shut throughout Bluebird.
Liam removed a data drive from one of his waist bags and inserted it into the command console. He started copying the entire navigation library while he scanned through the ship’s log. It didn’t take long to realize just how much information he wanted to take back. As soon as his first data drive indicated it was full, he swapped it out for a second.
“Sir,” Virtue called, “a couple of internal doors have been opened locally.”
Liam looked over to where she was pointing at airtight doors two decks down. Even as he watched, another two doors, farther aft, opened.
“Can you lock them down?”
“We’re trying,” she said, “but there are local overrides at each door.”
“Chief Sky, prepare for an attack. Keep that route to the boat open.”
“Yes, sir.” Sky disappeared through the blasted bridge door and aft down the passageway.
Half a dozen sailors still held the bridge, but the rest of the team were strung out along their escape route. Liam knew that it was a poor defensive position.
He climbed out of the command chair and pulled off an access panel for the command console. The main memory core was a brick-sized device, secured firmly in an antiradiation cage with three robust data leads extending from it. Liam turned to size up the sailors at his disposal. Hedge was a junior electronics tech—not ideal, but the most qualified here to do this job.
“Hedge,” he snapped, “get this memory core out without damaging it. We’re taking it with us.”
She moved in immediately, not meeting his eyes but pulling out her tools and starting the delicate process of freeing the precious memory core.
“Doors opening on One Deck,” Virtue warned.
Only a single deck away. Liam retrieved the second data disk, hoping that he’d captured the most important data. He handed both disks to Virtue.
“Guard these with your life. You’re going back with the first boat r
ide. When you get on board, give them straight to the captain.”
She took them and slipped them into an inside pocket of her armor. Then she lifted questioning eyes to him.
“What about you?”
“I’m bringing the memory core,” he said, jerking a thumb back to where Hedge was reaching deep into the console. “You and I can’t be in the same boat, in case something . . . goes wrong.”
She nodded in sober understanding.
“I guess I should get going.”
“Good luck, Amelia.”
“And to you, sir.”
She strode from the bridge. Liam watched her go, losing her in the hazy air just as she drew her sword once again.
“Assault, XO,” he said into his radio. “Have the boat hook up—the first team is going. Virtue has the data which needs to get back to the ship.”
“Yes, sir.”
Liam examined the damage-control board again. There were airtight doors open at three places on the deck below. The pirates were encircling the bridge.
“Assault, XO, attack imminent on all sides.”
“Understood. How long until you abandon the bridge?”
“Hedge, how’s that core coming?”
“Almost got it, sir,” she mumbled, reaching in up to her elbows.
Another set of airtight doors indicated open below. He heard the distant sound of feet on deck. He dashed over to Hedge and surveyed her frantic work.
“Sixty seconds,” he replied to Sky.
Liam reloaded his first pistol, then hefted both weapons in his hands just as Hedge triumphantly pulled the memory core free.
“You carry it,” he ordered her, moving to her side. “The rest of you, form up fore and aft around us. This core has to get back to our ship.”
Liam moved with Hedge over the bodies and shrapnel and into the smoky passageway. Two sailors moved forward ahead of them, and two covered their rear. Up ahead, he could hear the clangs and shouts of combat. As they emerged from the last wisps of smoke he saw two of his own sailors dash through the T-junction ahead, swords out.
“Step it up,” he ordered.
His group quickened to a jog, round the T-junction to the left. Ahead, a melee of blades filled the passageway.
“Sir, behind us!”
He swung around, spotting the first pirate emerging up through a deck hatch. He fired, and the pirate collapsed backward. But another pirate was right behind. Liam’s next shot pinged off armor. Two more bullets finished him off, but the pistol clicked empty. Liam slammed it back into its holster and drew his saber, ordering his group to back away. More pirates spilled up through the hatch. Liam fired his second pistol, slowing the advance, but not enough. He bumped into the sailor behind him. Turning, he realized that his team had met the rest of the boarding party, with pirates ahead and behind. He motioned Hedge behind him, and stepped forward to join the battle line.
A Theropod leaped at them, swinging his mighty tailsword across the width of the passageway. Liam arched back, dodging the blow, then slashing down at the brute’s back. He nicked cloth, just enough to upset the tail’s backswing. The massive blade flew high and Liam stabbed, driving the point of his sword into the pirate’s leathery hide. The brute recoiled, off balance, and Liam stepped forward, stabbing again with a flick to tear open the wound. Thick blood oozed across the pirate’s shirt and he retreated with a hiss.
Two Human pirates took his place, though, both swiping down at Liam’s head. He caught both blows on his saber, stepping back as his team engaged, slicing at the pirates’ exposed torsos. Liam felt the enemy blades fall away and he struck out with a flurry of slashes to finish the attackers off. But more were coming.
Liam glanced over his shoulder. His sailors behind him were cut off from the boat. In all, he had six members of his team clustered in a defensive huddle, surrounded. Hedge was in the middle, clutching the memory core.
“Leave that with me,” he said, grabbing the core from her and switching places. “Hold the line while I clear a path to the boat.”
She drew her sword and filled his space in the corridor, immediately blocking a blade strike. Liam pulled out a pistol and slapped in its final reload of bullets. Through the chaos he could just see the junction that led to the airlock and their surviving boat. But a mob of pirates blocked the way. It was a dangerous business, firing his pistol into a melee, but his sailors could only fight so long before exhaustion took them all and the sheer numbers of the enemy overwhelmed them. He aimed and fired. One pirate dropped. Another stepped in, sword swinging. Another shot. Another pirate down.
“Acid!” screamed Hedge.
Liam spun, and saw a pirate pulling a ball-sized object out of a strongbox. One acid blast and his entire boarding team would be down. He thrust his pistol over her shoulder to clear his own line and fired. The shot struck the acid-wielding pirate, but he staggered forward, hefting his deadly cargo. Liam fired his last shot. The pirate stumbled back, the ball flying from his hands. It sailed into the air as other pirates fled down the passageway. The bomb traced a deadly arc down to the deck, barely three paces behind the line of pirates pressing in on Liam’s team. It struck, and an explosion of black acid sprayed across the passageway.
The pirates took the brunt of the blow on their backs, and they collapsed in screams. The awful hiss of burning cloth and flesh filled the corridor. Hedge staggered, tearing off her armor as drops of acid ate away at the thick padding. One of Liam’s men collapsed forward, desperately clawing at his disintegrating face and neck. He was dead before his body hit the deck. Liam felt heat rise past his chin and edged back as drops of acid burned across his own breastplate. For six paces down the passageway, all the surfaces sizzled as the black ooze burned. Liam pulled Hedge and his other surviving sailor away, turning them to face the second front of pirates. They pressed the attack as Liam quickly examined the memory core at his feet. No acid had reached it, and aside from being knocked over, it appeared unharmed. He loaded his second pistol with its final set of bullets and watched the passageway beyond the acid for a counterattack.
“XO, Assault: boat away,” Sky suddenly reported over the radio. “Virtue aboard with the package.”
“Understood,” he replied. “We’re in the cross-passage, fighting to your position.”
“We’re holding the airlock, but hemmed in.”
It was going to be a brawl to get to that airlock, Liam realized. With four blades in action, his sailors were pushing the pirates back, and he was tempted to help clear the path with his pistol, but a glance back down toward the acid explosion reminded him that those four remaining bullets were needed to defend against grenade throwers.
A single pirate head peeked around the corner of the distant T-junction. Liam pointed his pistol and the head disappeared.
“Fall back,” he heard suddenly. But it was a voice he didn’t recognize.
Looking forward, he saw the pirates clearly backing away, still blocking attacks but definitely retreating. Farther ahead, he saw another group of pirates shuffle into view, holding their position at the T-junction until their comrades joined them. Consolidated, the pirates continued to back away, allowing Liam’s team to join up with Sky’s.
Hefting the memory core and dragging the body of his fallen sailor, Liam hustled to reach the airlock. He grinned viciously at Sky.
“I guess we’re too much for them.”
Sky didn’t return the humor. “They had us contained. Why pull back?”
“They were fighting on multiple fronts—this way they only have to defend against us from one direction.”
“Or trap us,” Sky muttered, nodding to the airlock. She examined the door for a moment, then grabbed a small handle and wrenched it down, locking the controls. “Nobody’s ejecting us remotely.”
Liam peered out through the airlock portal, surprised at how close Daring loomed. The frigate’s masts were retracted, thrusters firing to keep pace with the still-sailing Bluebird. The boat was racing to cro
ss the open gulf between ships, and even from this distance Liam could see the sparks of weapons fire striking it. He tried not to imagine Amelia as she clung on to her seat. If that canopy shattered . . .
When the boat finally disappeared behind Daring’s bulk, he exhaled, suddenly realizing he’d been holding his breath.
“Boat’s made it to mother,” he reported to Sky.
She repeated the report loudly enough for the rest of the team to hear. Visible relief washed over the eight remaining sailors.
“How many did you send in the first boat?” he asked Sky.
“Virtue, your boat’s crew, and the wounded or dead,” she replied. “I needed every able fighter just to hold this position.”
He nodded. He would have preferred for more of his team to have been on that boat, but he couldn’t argue with his assaulter’s calculus. He looked back out through the porthole, and saw the boat reemerging from behind Daring. It immediately came under renewed fire, and Daring’s energy turrets flashed to life in response. The boat surged across the gulf, but the impacts were relentless. Daring’s turrets fired repeatedly at targets but quickly went dark as they needed to recharge. And the onslaught of impacts on the boat continued.
Liam guessed why the pirates had pulled back from the close fighting. Why risk lives trying to attack with swords when you could just destroy the escape mechanism?
The boat grew larger in his view, not even bothering to try to evade the barrage, but making the quickest run it could across open space. Liam could even see the boat’s crew, the bowsman frantically applying sealant to the cracks on the canopy as the coxn hunkered over his controls. The boat’s thrusters fired anew and it began to roll, pitching upward to face its hull toward the airlock. The battered gray surface filled Liam’s view closing in at speed. It shuddered mightily, tipping askew, but still approaching quickly. Too quickly, he suddenly realized. And no retro-thrusters firing.
Winds of Marque Page 24