*
And so, we waited. For about half an hour, we waited. You could feel the tension in the air. People’s voices were trembling, at times. I looked around me and smiled. My crew, my team, was the most calm, the least worried. They were scared, of course. So was I. But we’d been in battles. We knew ‘danger’, so to speak. And we were ready. Even though we wouldn’t be doing much, in the battle ahead, we were okay.
“Signals’ orders, sir.” Said the S-Officer. “They’re asking for a batch.”
Ploom nodded.
“Send them.”
About a minute later, the vibration of the probes being launched echoed through the ship.
I looked at Ploom and saw him scratch his hand. There was a drop of sweat in the back of his neck. He was nervous. I leaned towards him, stretched and put my hand on his arm.
“Remember that time, Ploom, when we had our first fight with a Silent?”
Ploom looked at me, still nervous, and smiled a little.
“The Orink incident?”
I smiled.
“Yeah.”
He flinched.
“Crazy stuff.”
“Wasn’t it?” Actually, I was thinking he didn’t know the half of it, didn’t know how much worst we had it since then, but I still smiled as warmly as I could, trying to calm him down. Then the Signals Officer looked at him.
“Sir. Signal from the Carba. She made contact with the enemy.”
“Very well.”
I followed Ploom’s eyes to the screen with the Board of Activities.
“Mr.Vora, please tell Unit 2 to pick up the pace fixing the pressure stream. The boards will be clearing up soon, I’m sure.”
“Yes, sir.”
He was right. A few seconds later came the message.
“Captain’s order, sir: Clear the Boards!”
“Very well. Mr.Vora, clear the boards.”
“Yes, sir. Clearing the Boards!”
The Board of Activities was locked. We could see down there on the floor that the last operators on the firing teams were now arriving, leaving the other activities they’d been assigned to.
“Unit 2 asks for another two minutes, sir.” Said the T-officer.
“They have 30 seconds! Do they know what’s going on!? 30 seconds! I want them on deck!”
“Yes, sir.”
“Multiple contacts, sir.”
“Okay.”
Hull-Captains don’t really need to know about contacts. That information was just a general relay. As Ploom checked the communications, I asked:
“Did it start?”
He nodded.
“It’s about to.”
*
Things were happening very much as Monnier had predicted. Still, the tight formation of the Vüurkorps was there for a reason, and the enemy fleet was far more resilient than previously thought.
As the mighty Axxian fleet appeared on the scanners, it seemed like both fleets were approaching each other in a classic manner. Both were in a traditional and solid ‘spine formation,’ with destroyers and frigates screening the flanks.
The records would show that the W.S.Soreeno and the Axxian destroyer Kadaria were the first ships engaging in combat. Soon, several frigates would also engage. The Soreeno became one of the heroes of that day, as you may know. Even though the Kark and two frigates were relentlessly destroyed in the confrontation by an incredibly fast and effective barrage from the enemy’s frigates, the Soreeno monoeuvred in such a way that it damaged the Pirka and the Vivik II as well as completely destroying the Bauha and the Koregh.
A few minutes later, the main bodies of the fleet finally met. An injured Soreeno followed the battleships Hayjax and Meggo towards the left. As Monnier had predicted, Ghermer thought this to be a classical move to put both fleets flank with flank, and the Vüurkorps changed course to challenge the move. Soon, Samnuy’s small group was exchanging fire. The Hayjax traded blows with the Assauer, as the Meggo was fighting the Serdal Kuo. They were out-gunned, but they would be able to avoid placing themselves in impossible positions. More importantly, by then the main body of the 2nd Fleet had turned right and was making a large turn around the Vüurkorps, out of range of the enemy’s batteries. Ghermer couldn’t do anything but to follow the course Monnier had predicted, otherwise he’d compromise his formation.
And that’s how, about an hour and a half after the first shots, the main group of the 2nd Fleet was about to intercept the 2nd Vüurkorps in an advantageous position.
*
“Captain’s calling Battle Stations, sir!”
“Very well. Battle Stations.”
By now, there was nothing on the Board of Activities for more than an hour. Unit 2 had finished its tasks, but others had to run and do one thing or another, even though nothing major was going on. As Battle Stations were called, everyone raced to their positions.
“What’s that guy in Unit 4 doing?”
“Getting water, sir.”
Ploom looked at me, hesitant and I nodded, advising him to allow it. The battle would be long, and people would need to drink to compensate the effort. Ploom struggled to remain calm, as all the others in his team. My team was the coolest in the place.
“Okay, make it quick! I need him there ASAP!”
“Yes, sir!”
*
The Assauer had been spearheading the enemy fleet. It had been trading heavy blows with the Hayjax and was winning. But at that moment, about 11 o’clock that morning, the Hayjax, the Meggo and the Soreeno all turned port. At the same time, the Magnar, the Viker and the Taurus started crossing the Assauer’s bow. She had been caught. She was able to fire another deadly broadside against the Meggo, as the Webburian ship crossed her SAF, but in the next moment, she was hit by six unimaginable broadsides.
*
“Captain asks to confirm Weapons Ready.”
“Confirm.”
“Sir, enemy target approaching our SAF. In 5-4-3-2-1. Zero. Target lock!”
“Wait for the order.” Ploom’s voice trembled a little bit.
“From the Captain! Fire odds!”
“FIRE!!”
The noise in the deck was tremendous! The missiles exited the tubes almost all at once!
*
About 2150 missiles hit the Assauer and made her disappear in a ball of smoke and flames and light. A few moments later, when she came out of that ball, it was over. She started to drop from the formation, and internal secondary blows were disintegrating her. She sent her surrender through the channels. She was dead. The first main goal of Monnier, to erase the Assauer in the first few moments, was achieved.
And now the dirty business really started.
Less than a minute later, the still very powerful Serdal Kuo showed herself from behind the wreck of the Assauer. Ghermer himself was on the bridge of that battleship.
*
“Captain’s calling ALL ODDS READY!”
“RELOAD!!”
Hundreds of people down on the deck were pushing and pulling and working as very well trained teams. The hydraulic lifts were moaning and screeching as they brought more ordinances in and fresh missiles were getting into the firing tubes. Too slow…
*
The whole enemy formation turned to port side and went up, trying to gain position. Monnier ordered the 2nd Fleet to keep circling left and going up as well, in a spiral, as the ships rotated to get the enemy in SAF. And that was when the Magnar was in danger. In seconds, we were in the Serdal Kuo’s SAF. And she fired. About 500 missiles came for us.
*
“WE’RE GONNA GET HIT!!!” Shouted one of Ploom’s officers.
I pulled the strap of my seat belt, making sure it was secured and held Mira’s hand.
“HOLD ON!!” Shouted Ploom on comms.
And then we got hit. The noise was incredible. I closed my eyes and felt the whole ship shaking like a box of matches. Then I opened my eyes, and everything seemed to be alright. The armour had held. And then sudde
nly, there was a minor explosion in Battery 1.
“What’s that!?” Asked Ploom. The W-Officer picked up the comms immediately. I grabbed Ploom’s arm and whispered:
“Leave it! Reload!!”
Ploom nodded and looked around, then asking.
“What’s with 8? What’s holding up 8!?”
The W-Officer turned his mind to his left and soon was saying.
“Minor jam, sir. They’re almost ready!”
“Okay. Now assess damage on 1.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Captain’s asking for Weapons, sir!”
“We just need 1!”
“Leave 1! You’re ready!” I whispered again.
“Signal Weapons Ready!” Said Ploom.
*
Now the whole fleet was engaged. Still, the position was so advantageous that the enemy Flag Ship was suddenly under the SAF of three different battleships of the 2nd. The Magnar, the Taurus and the Benavide released their broadsides and pounded Ghermer’s ship mercilessly. The Serdal Kuo was involved in smoke and the loud fireworks of the useless countermeasures.
But suddenly, the wounded foe made a bold move. She turned about completely, changing course and heading towards us, and then towards the centre of the 2nd Fleet. Doing that, the Serdal Kuo could immediately use her port broadside on the Magnar, even before we could reload our batteries.
Who would have known Ghermer had that kind of crazy imagination?
*
We felt it. Oh, yes, we felt it. It was as if all hell had broken loose. First, there was the shaking and the noise and the fear. The walls vibrated like glass. Then, the hull breached. A big explosion rammed inside over Battery 5, a few dozen palms to our left. At least five people died instantly at that moment. The flames burst for a second and then disappeared as the oxygen was sucked off the Hull. The emergency foam activated and the emergency teams jumped into action. In less than a minute, the breach was closed. But gravity failed. We were all strapped to the chairs, but most of the people on the floor were sent into the air and held by the security lines like balloons. Some crashed against the walls or the tube. Some weren’t secured and went flying across the large hall. A few more people died that way.
Then one of the tubes exploded on Battery 4. The flames raised high. We could see, helpless, as team 4 struggled to release their security lines, some of them so they could fight the flames, some so they could escape them.
Ploom was suddenly very functional and professional. The initial shock had passed.
“O2 levels!” He demanded.
“Down to 30%-normal, sir!”
Normal air in the ships is about 20% oxygen. We’d gone to a third of that, effectively below 8% O2. Everyone without a mask could collapse very rapidly.
“Is the breach completely closed? Then activate the reserves!” He ordered. “Get it back up to at least 80%, ASAP!”
“Yes, sir!”
“And I want a report on gravity!”
But gravity went back to normal just the next second. Many people dropped hard on the floor. Many bones were broken.
“RELOAD!” Shouted Ploom. “NOW!”
Medical teams rushed to the floor and rescued the injured, but everybody else, anybody alive at least, jumped back to work reloading the batteries.
“CAPTAIN ORDERS WEAPONS READY!”
Ploom nodded.
“Give me a report. How many tubes did we lose?”
“Fourteen, sir!”
The teams did their jobs. In a couple of minutes, they were all aligned next to the tubes, their batteries ready.
“All batteries ready, sir!”
Ploom nodded.
“Call it.”
“Captains orders: Fire!”
“Fire!”
*
The next moment, the Serdal Kuo was lost. She didn’t survive the second salvo of our three enormous battleships. We only knew it later, but Ghermer was already dead at that point, his bridge collapsing over him.
But then the heroic Steadika and the incredible Shtormdal came into play. They came right at us. Within minutes, both fleets’ formations disassembled and from then on it was a dirty brawl. The Magnar strangely continued forward and lowered her bow and the 100-battery Steadika got a perfect position and fired a fierce broadside at us. But it hit the Flag-ship on the starboard side, and we didn’t feel anything on our side besides the shaking and the distant noise and the vibration.
And that’s when we got the call in H1-FCC.
*
“Call from the Tower, sir.”
“Pass it through.” Said Ploom.
“It’s for Commander Iddo, sir.”
Ploom raised his eyebrows and repeated:
“Just pass it through.”
He got the call on his headset, and I heard him say:
“Yes, he’s here. Very well.”
He then looked at me.
“Byl, Master Sandars needs you on the Tower. You and your whole team.”
“My whole team?” I repeated, finding it odd. What the hell was going on?
“Just go.” Urged Ploom.
And then we got hit again. Just before I left H1-FCC, I saw the flames expanding over the deck. Several dozen people sprang into action to fight them.
*
The Shtormdal had just fired two broadsides. The port one had hit us hard, while the starboard burst had crippled the Taurus.
*
I ran to the Tower. I knew something major had happened for Sandars to call me in the middle of the battle. Especially when he had also asked for my team. As I sped through the escalators and moving walkways of the Magnar, Mira, Ojoe, Steen, Dalto and Alzira followed me the best they could.
There was something strange going on in the Tower, and it was clear as soon as we got there. There were closed doors where there should be open ones, and some people hanging around that shouldn’t be there.
Sandars was waiting for us and waved at me urgently. As I got close I saw with surprise that Erbay was also there, with a gun in his hand, leaning against the wall and looking miserable, blood pouring on the side of his face.
“What the hell is going on?” I asked. “Are you okay, Kary?”
“Just a cut, Byl. I’ll be alright.”
“Mr Iddo.” Started Sandars with a grave face. “We have two major problems going on. This is very serious.”
Sandars wasn’t one to exaggerate. I looked at him attentively, realising all my team was now behind me, listening in. He continued:
“The last two salvos we got hit with... We had several explosions in the Tower, and several gases were leaked into the bridge. All of the officers on the bridge got unconscious or died.”
I frowned.
“You mean Monnier and Orrey and the rest? So who’s running the ship?”
Sandars waved his head.
“No-one, sir. I was calling you, and your team and the medics were getting in there when something else happened.”
Sandars looked at Erbay. I looked at him as well.
“What?” I asked.
Erbay spoke, cold and quiet.
“The prisoners got away.”
“What do you mean? The prisoners from the Arrabat?”
Erbay nodded.
“H2 got hit. I got pinned under rubble. When I came to, the prisoners had grabbed the opportunity to escape. They came directly for the Tower.”
I had my eyes wide open in surprise. Sandars continued.
“They were armed and ruthless, sir. A couple of my people managed to close themselves up in the bridge, but the enemy took the main chamber and is barricading there, trying to get into the bridge.”
“Have you called the marines?”
Erbay nodded.
“They’re coming.”
“Okay.” I said. “What can we do?”
Sandars almost smiled.
“We need someone on the bridge to command the ship, sir.”
“How do we get in?” I asked.
“There’s a way. Would you please come with me?”
“Certainly.” I turned to Erbay. His cut kept bleeding. “You’re gonna be alright?”
He nodded and started walking.
“Let’s just go.”
*
We went around the edge of the Tower through a narrow service corridor I never knew was there. Then, Sandars made us climb some metal stairs that took us to a narrow shaft. We all crawled through there a few hundred palms. Finally, Sandars opened a hatch and pointed to a rope ladder hanging down. I got to him first and looked down. It was the bridge. Just a couple of dozen palms down.
“I’ll be damned…” I whispered. “You’re full of surprises, Mr.Sandars. What about the gas?”
“We filtered it out already, sir. It should be clean. Please hurry.”
I turned and climbed down. I hadn’t used a rope ladder since the Academy, but I quickly found my balance. I got to the ground and looked around in dismay. There were bodies all over the floor, from the officers on the bridge. I had just dined with many of them the night before. There were also a couple of medics giving oxygen to some of the injured.
Erbay climbed down after me, using only his arms and wasting no more than three or four seconds.
“Move.” He said, taking his gun out of the small of his back and pushing me out of the way. He went towards the door, where I could hear banging and shouting outside. There were two scared sailors next to it, with pistols in their hands. As Erbay approached, he said: “Friendly!”
I immediately looked for Orrey and the Admiral. I found Orrey dead on the floor, next to the captain’s chair, bleeding from the mouth and nose. I found the Admiral near him, still alive, with an oxygen mask over his mouth. I took him in my arms. He was already too injured to be saved. He looked at me, took the mask off and asked me:
“Did we get them?”
“Yes, sir. We got them.” I answered. For a moment, I was afraid he would be able to tell I was lying. I looked up for a second and saw Mira looking at me. Monnier couldn’t see, at that point. He was blind. His optic nerves had stopped functioning because of the gas. He was bleeding through the nose. And then, his last words:
Shark-Killer (The Dark Sea War Chronicles Book 3) Page 12