Tempus_The Terraunum Origins Series

by R. J. Batla

  But right now, she could really use his support. Doubts raced through her head. Could she really lead this crew? She went over every decision she had made up until that point – what would have happened if…if…if…

  Could she have saved her five crew members? Did they have to die? It was her fault, all her fault.

  Voicing some of her concern to Wylie, the navigator managed to calm her back down and restore her confidence somewhat, but Celeste still hesitated before giving even simple orders.

  Five days later, the Tempus in the crow’s nest spotted Saginaw Island. The call of “Land ho!” brought Celeste and Wylie out into the daylight. With a quick once over, Celeste walked up the stairs to the wheel to stand at parade rest next to Mate. The Ajax had to sail all the way around to the west side of the island to find a suitable place to beach the vessel. As they approached the beach on Saginaw Island, Celeste ordered everyone to Push hard, and after a minute of Pushing, the Ajax had enough speed built up to fully beach herself on the first try, sticking tight and level in the soft sand.

  Once they were secure, Celeste called everyone to the main deck. She walked up the stairs to the wheel, and called for quiet. “Tempus, we’ve come to a point in this mission where I don’t know exactly what we need to do, so I’m going to call for a vote.” She took a deep breath. “We’ve got to repair the ship, but after that, we’ve got a couple of choices. You’re here with a green captain, and –”

  “Captain!” Mate said, with some grumbles from the rest of the crew, but she held a hand up to silence him.

  “I am green; there is no way around that. But that doesn’t mean I’m not capable. It also means I don’t have the experience to have all the answers. We find ourselves in a unique situation: in all our history, we’ve never faced an enemy like this. A traitor, one of our own, commanding great power like we’ve never seen, controlling the monsters of the deep like they were dogs.”

  At this, the crew began to shout, anger and frustration in their voices, along with threats on the man’s life if they were ever to see him again. Celeste had to shout to be heard again. “Monsters we’ve only seen in the history books. And here we are, a single Tempus navy crew, with no communication, no backup coming, and our backs against the wall. All against a traitor. Someone who knows us, knows how we think, knows our tactics, knows our weak spots. Knows just how to hit us to make us hurt. To make us question ourselves.

  “After we’re repaired, we can do one of three things: continue our mission to search for the Spirit, try to find the pirates again and see what they’re up to, or go back home to Watuaga with a failed mission and our tail between our legs.

  “I think it’s time we went home,” one sailor said. “It’s time to cut our losses. You’ve seen what commands those pirates! We can’t fight against krakens! It’s time we go home!”

  “But what about the Spirit? Who’ll find her?”

  “And the pirates! They’ve got to be stopped before they attack someone else!”

  The crew continued to debate back and forth.

  “Chase the pirates!” Leroy said, pulling out his knife and picking his fingernails.

  “No surprise there,” Wylie said laughing. “Although I like it better than the other options. If we went back to Watuaga, we’d waste too much time. We’d lose the trail and then no one would find them. I don’t think that’s a good option.”

  “Same goes for sailing to the mainland,” James said. “What is it, Wylie, a week?”

  “Two.”

  “Then we’d stand no chance to find either the Spirit or the pirates.”

  Celeste drummed on the rail with her fingers. “Wylie, can we repair the unit somehow?”

  “I’ve tried. I pulled in the ship’s engineer too, and both of us have come up with nothing. Without another telestone to replace the stolen part, we’ve got no communication. The traitor did his job well…”

  Celeste asked, “And you never heard from the Spirit at all?”

  “I sent out at least a hundred messages on dozens of frequencies at several points on our trip. Either their telestone has been disabled like ours has, or…” Wylie let the pause state the obvious. If they weren’t answering the dispatches, it was because it was broken, they were out of range, or because they were captured or dead. But was that cause to just abandon them? Ships got lost at sea, but it was a rare occasion when a Tempus couldn’t find any evidence as to why or how.

  More thoughts were shouted on all manner of topics.

  After a couple of minutes, Leroy shouted over the crowd, his hands folded across his chest. “What do you think we should do, Captain?”

  All eyes turned to her. Celeste continued to drum her fingers on the rail. “Personally, if we can get the ship fully functional again, I’d like our first mission to be a success. I’d like to continue searching for the Spirit while working our way back to the mainland to get a new telestone.”

  That brought on a lot of nods in agreement, so she called for a vote. A few wanted to head home, a quarter wanted to go after the pirates, and the rest voted to continue the search.

  Celeste beamed with pride. “That settles it then. Secure the ship, then let’s get her repaired. James, John, take fifty sailors and head into the forest. Find a couple of tall, sturdy trees we can use to replace the masts. Half of the rest set up camp, the other half head out see if there is any edible plants or wild game on the island, and try to find some fresh water so we can fill our stores. Move out.”

  “Aye, Captain!”

  Celeste watched the now one hundred forty-nine crew members throw down the gangplank, drop to the sandy beach, and head in several directions to carry out her orders. Her mind raced, trying to wrap her head around the traitor and what his plan would be. What would motivate him? Why would he turn on the Tempus?

  Around her, the sounds of the ocean and a few sailors doing some simple repairs, hammers banging and saws sawing, filled the air. “A head with that many thoughts has to be pretty heavy.”

  Celeste let out an undignified yelp, her hand going to her sword as she turned to see her first mate. “Mate! You scared me half to death.”

  He grinned. “Thinking about the traitor?”

  She nodded. “Yes, I was. Such a curious problem. Most of the crew wants to kill the bastard.” Offering him a small smile, she said, “I need to get my mind off of it. Come on. I’ve got some whiskey in my cabin. Let’s go see what we can come up within an hour. Then I want to help repair my ship.”

  Even with the whiskey, the two commanders came up with nothing, so after an hour, they joined the crew in repairing the Ajax. It was tough work, but extremely satisfying, leaving Celeste sufficiently sweaty and sore. They made great progress, getting most of the simple repairs done and having everything prepped to install the masts. With any luck, they would be seaworthy in five days’ time. Not bad for losing two of your three masts.

  The crew had set up some temporary shelter just off the beach – a row of tents, with a larger one that served as galley and mess hall. The weather was thankfully fair, and the Tempus had an easy evening. She dined with the crew, a raucous affair, while somber at the same time. Celeste called for a barrel of ale for the occasion, and many toasts were given to the fallen Tempus. A couple of her crewmembers managed to kill a wild boar, and it made a fine first meal.

  After a bath in the sea, Celeste returned to her tent.

  A little more than two weeks. She’d been captain for a little more than two weeks, and five of her crew were dead. It weighed heavy on her, but she had to shake it off. She had to be the leader they needed. Her crew was counting on her. They trusted her. They followed her. They were her responsibility.

  Chapter 10

  After five days of good meals and restful sleep, the Ajax was fully repaired and seaworthy again. They prepared to set sail the next day. To celebrate, Celeste had ordered several more barrels of ale brought out, and the crew was having a grand old time. After another bath, Celeste joined Mate, P
oteet, Leroy, Wylie, James, and John who sat around a table on the beach, sipping the whiskey Celeste had brought from her own private quarters. The evening was nice, and they were enjoying themselves, talking lightly and watching a crab and a lizard fight over a scrap of food. A nice respite before their next journey.

  As she sat down, Mate passed her a cup of whiskey. “Well you smell much better, Captain.”

  Celeste narrowed her eyes and made a show of sniffing the air. “At least one of us does. You could do with a bath yourself.”

  He grinned as the others laughed. “True that. I might take one in a week or two. We were just talking about you, Captain.”

  “And?”

  “And what made you join the navy and get appointed to lead this fine crew?” Poteet asked. He was a quiet man, not one to speak much unless he needed something, but he was deeply respected by the crew.

  Celeste took a big swig of whiskey and looked at each of them. “I’ve wanted to be in the navy since I was a little girl. My father was, as were both my grandparents. Once I started training, and discovered I was fairly good, I set it as my goal to be a captain. And here I am.” She took another swig. “Mind, it’s a lot sooner than I expected.”

  Wylie said, “If I beg your pardon, this was supposed to be a simple mission. A mission more suited to a new captain. The crew’s a loyal bunch, but this business with the whales, pirates, giant squid – it’s got everyone nervous.”

  “Well, I’m nervous too.”

  “What’s our next move, Captain?” Mate asked. “With no telestone, we can’t communicate with anyone, so we’re stuck out here alone. Are we going to look for the missing Spirit? Do we turn around and go back?”

  Celeste thought hard, swirling the whiskey in her glass. Truth was, she’d thought of little else while they’d been on the island. “I’m not sure exactly. I would ask advice from some wise, trusted counselor, but I guess I’ll just ask you lot.” That at least brought a chuckle. “So where do you look for a lost ship when you don’t have a clue where it might be? Go back where we started the search? See if the dead sea creatures are still floating around? Do we sail all the way back to Watuaga? Sail straight to the nearest city along the coast?”

  Shouts erupted from down the beach as Tempus pointed to the horizon, everyone turning first to look at them, then to where they pointed.

  “Captain!” Leroy said from the top of a coconut tree. When did he get up there? “Ship, Captain! Three clicks out, due west and heading away from us.”

  All heads jerked to the west. Mate pulled out his spyglass and tossed it up to Leroy. “Ma’am, they’re flying the skull and crossbones – the same flag as the other ship we faced.”

  “Pirates,” came the murmur from all lips.

  Celeste looked around. Everyone was staring at the ship, just a blip on the distant horizon, the moonlight shining down on it like a spotlight. Their stances hardened. The corner of her mouth turned up in a smirk. “Well? What’s it going to be?”

  The sailors looked between each other and yelled, pointing at the retreating vessel.

  Celeste laughed. “Then it really seems we have only one option.”

  Leroy grinned.

  Celeste couldn’t help but grin herself, as she shouted: “Let’s chase some bloody pirates!”

  The Tempus scrambled to board their waiting ship, moving quickly and efficiently, and within two minutes, the Ajax was ready. “Mate, Wylie, Leroy, help me launch her.”

  They each stepped forward, raising their left hands. The ocean obeyed, surging from the stern to get under the entire vessel. As one, they raised their hands, and the ship rose three feet, freeing itself from the land. The four Tempus then pulled their hands back to their chests, and the ocean pulled the ship out to sea, with Celeste adding a spin that pointed them in the right direction.

  They aimed the bow of the Ajax at the lone ship on the horizon. Even with their brief delay, it seemed the vessel had gained distance on them. However, the full moon made it easy to keep sight of their quarry, now angling to the southwest. After an hour, the moon and earth had rotated enough that the Ajax too was in the moonlight, exposed. Minutes later, the pirate ship dropped more sails – it hadn’t taken long for the Ajax to be spotted.

  Mate watched through his spyglass while Wylie steered the ship beside him. Pulling it down and collapsing the spyglass, he said, “Well, we’ve been spotted, Captain. She’s an F-class ship. She’ll be fast. They have human water Senturians on board who’ve already started Pushing.”

  “Then why are you smiling, Mate?” Celeste asked.

  “Cause they’re not Tempus. Other than their sails, they’re not getting much momentum going. They won’t be as fast as us. If we Pushed, we would catch them quickly.”

  Celeste grinned. “You heard the man: let’s go get ‘em! Push it out!”

  The call echoed among the crew. “Push it out!”

  Celeste rushed to the wheel and stood behind Mate. Three-fourths of the crew lined the rails and rolled their hands back behind their heads, then heaved their upper bodies toward the front of the ship as they stepped forward once. The Ajax gave a mighty lurch and accelerated, the combined powers of forty-odd Tempus propelling the ship. Each time they stepped forward, the ship gained speed.

  “Wylie, give me an estimate,” Celeste said.

  “We’ll be upon the pirate ship in ten minutes,” Wylie said.

  Celeste nodded. “Good. I don’t want to prolong this any more than we have to.”

  A couple of booms and flashes of light came from their quarry.

  “Incoming!” came the call from the bow.

  Crew members took cover or pulled water from the ocean creating shields for themselves. One cannonball splashed off the port side, but the other slammed right between the main and back masts, splintering the wood and throwing several crew members off their feet.

  “Wylie, get below deck and check the damage! See if we’re taking on water. Jace, cover that hole so no one falls in.”

  A female sailor grabbed a glowstone off a rack and dropped down the hole as a large Tempus swung his hand, pulled water from the sea, and froze it over the hole, sealing the gap.

  Seconds later, Wylie poked her head out of the cargo hold. “We’re lucky it wasn’t an explosive round, just the ball. It only penetrated two levels; the hull is intact. She looks good. Nothing major was damaged. Sail on.”

  “All ahead full!” Celeste shouted. “Jace, grab two sailors, get below and start making repairs, but be ready to get topside in an instant.”

  “Aye, Captain,” he said, grabbing two others and three dropped below deck.

  “James, John, get up front and keep an eye out for those flashes. I want ten of you on each side, ready to slide the ship hard to port next time we see them, on my command. Let’s Push it out again.”

  “Aye!” the crew shouted, the Ajax lurching forward again.

  “Who the hell puts rear-facing cannons on a ship?” Celeste asked.

  Mate smirked. “Someone who’s being chased all the time.”

  “Incoming!” John yelled from the bow.

  She looked up in time to see the second flash, and waited two seconds. “Slide now!” she said, grabbing the rail.

  As one, the twenty Tempus crew slid their feet along the deck and dragged their hands behind them. The ship groaned as a solid mass of water shoved her fifty yards to the port side in less than a second, her wake cutting a ninety-degree angle behind her. Two explosions erupted from the water where they had been only seconds before.

  “Let’s not give them a chance to reload – double time!” Celeste said.

  “Aye!”

  This time the ship didn’t lurch so much as shoot forward as if from a cannon herself.

  “John, take six crew and secure all the sails. James, prep the grappling guns on the starboard side.”

  “How many, Captain?” John asked.

  “All of them. Mate, ETA?”

  “Three minutes.”
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  Celeste did a few quick mental calculations. If they could just get out of their line of fire it would be fine. But since ships couldn’t travel underwater – there hadn’t been submarines for ages – they were left with…wait. They didn’t have to stay under that long. “Everyone secure yourselves – we’re doing an undertow.”

  “Undertow, aye!” came the call from the crew, grins popping up on many faces. It was a risky maneuver, but one, if pulled off correctly, was one of the most badass moves a ship could perform – grabbing the enemy with grappling hooks, then going under the vessel to use its own weight to flip it over.

  Quickly the sails were stowed, the crew had secured themselves in place, and the Ajax steadily gained on their quarry.

  “Thirty seconds,” Mate announced.

  “Everyone ready?” Celeste called, lashing herself to the rail just in front of the wheel. Wylie did the same next to her.

  “Aye!”

  “Then Push!” Celeste said, joining her crew as they propelled their ship. The Ajax practically flew across the water, gaining speed fast, the pirate ship approaching at an alarming rate.

  The pirate ship turned to port, trying to bring the main number of her guns to bear on their pursuers.

  “Mate!”

  “On it! Do it now!” he said, spinning the wheel. The Ajax turned sharply, much too sharply for the speed they were going – they should have tipped.

  But that was all part of the plan. On her command, ten sailors, Celeste, and Wylie jumped in the air, using the ocean to press the bottom of the ship upward. With a great lurch, the Ajax popped up out of the water, fully airborne. With no water dragging her down, the ship careened towards a broadside collision course with the pirate vessel.

  They were close enough to the vessel that Celeste could see the faces of their foes turn from delight to horror as they saw hundreds of tons of timber and metal careening toward them.