“I don’t either. They have us outnumbered and out gunned. They have shown no fear of the King’s colors. There will be a fight,” explained James as he gripped his sword.
“You’re right, James. As soon as we are close enough, I’m going to give the order to fire,” said Sky Marshal Plateman.
“I don’t think you’ll have to!” shouted Crew Chief Rewk as the side of the Empire ship lit up with flashes followed by a thunderous sound.
“They are still out a bit but I believe our guns will hit them. Give the orders, Plateman!” commanded James as more fire came from the Empire’s ships with each shot hitting closer to James and his crew.
“Fire now!” ordered Sky Marshal Plateman through the intercom system. A loud explosion rocked the ship as the cannons spewed gray smoke out of their muzzles.
“Reload and fire again!” Misty shouted as the ship still vibrated from the cannon fire.
James looked through the telescope and announced, “Direct hit. It looks like we took out their steering. They are about to run into one of the ships on the right.” James watched as the ship that they had just fired on began to lose control and crash into another ship.
“Look! Both of them are going down and the last one is running. Do we give chase, sir?” asked Crew Chief Rewk.
“Unfortunately, no,” James answered and caused both the Crew Chief and the Sky Marshal to stare at him in disbelief.
“What in Sun Fire are you saying, James?” asked Sky Marshal Plateman as he stepped to the window to watch the two damaged ships sink to the ground.
“Calm down. We must be careful about how we go about this. Our ship is equipped with the communications system which Master Blacksmith Tole designed. It’s the only way to alert the Kingdom and the Aerial Defense Department of the presence of the Empire this far into the Kingdom,” explained James as he walked to the communications device and looked at it.
“I’m sorry, sir. Didn’t Captain Woodard inform us that the crew of the Sky Scorcher has one as well? They are probably waiting on someone to send a message so that they can use it against us,” reasoned Crew Chief Rewk as he finally loosened his grip on the wheel.
“Actually, that’s what I’m counting on. You see, with as much pirate activity as there was in Cloud Bay and more likely Sky Port, if we notify the Department and the Kingdom of the Empire’s activity then it should give us the edge on picking up a trail,” explained James as he tinkered with the communications device.
“Well, it would definitely keep them from moving so much. I’m going to go congratulate the crew on sinking an enemy ship,” said Sky Marshal Plateman as he eased the hammer of his pistol down and placed it back into his holster.
“Please tell Mr. Thornton that he did a fine job loading the cannons for a man of his age,” said Crew Chief Rewk as he watched the crew clean the cannons and clear the deck.
“I’ll be sure to do that,” replied Sky Marshal Plateman as he walked to the door.
“I’ll join you in a moment. Tell Misty that she can lower the King’s colors now,” said James as he turned the communications system on.
“Are you sure about this, sir?” asked Crew Chief Rewk as he watched James press buttons on the device.
“If we chase them and are unable to catch them, they will return to the Emperor and war will start. Or we can contact the Department who can head them off and make them surrender. It will be resolved by diplomats from each faction. Either way, the threat is even greater now that the Empire has made it this far into the Kingdom. We have to get the communications system back from Firebolt before the Empire gets their hands on it,” explained James to the Crew Chief to reassure him about using the device.
“That does make sense, sir. Then are we going to stay the course to Sky Port?” asked Crew Chief Rewk as he let go of the ship’s wheel to pour himself a drink of rum.
“Yes, stay on our course. Now…I need to think of exactly what to say,” added James as he looked at the communications systems.
James walked back to the communications system and pressed the receiver button. “Urgent news for the Department. Three Empire ships were spotted south of Sky Port. All ships in the vicinity need to close in the escape gap,” reported James across the communications system.
As soon as he released the receiver button, James switched off the device. He turned to Crew Chief Rewk who asked, “Why didn’t you mention your or the Sky Marshal’s name? Oh, and it looks like Misty is on her way here.”
“Simply because if Firebolt is listening…and I know that he is…names would have given him too much information. It is better if no one knows that the Kingdom has a new Sky Marshal,” replied James as Misty came through the door and saw James standing beside the communications system.
“The two Empire ships crashed and there’s no sign of movement,” said Misty feeling satisfied with the results.
“Good. Send a crew down to make sure there are no survivors and check their cargo hold. Something inside of it may reveal their reason for being this far across the border,” said James as he rubbed his forehead.
“Alright. I’ll go ask for volunteers to accompany me to the crash site,” Misty replied as she turned on a dime and dashed back out the door.
***
“Captain! Can you come to the engineering deck right away?” asked Jack through the intercom. The message had come through the device as plain and clear as if someone was standing next to him. Jack made sure to write down every word. He knew that the Captain would know more about what it meant.
Not long after he finished writing down what the voice on the other side had said, Joshua, Derek and Dr. Eiar barged into the room. Shelves of parts and tools lined the walls. Bright lights lit several work benches which held brass gyros and various sized cogs.
“What is it, Jack?” asked Joshua as he walked over to what must have been Jack’s workstation.
“It’s about the device that Mr. Stones brought back from one of the crashed Department ships. A message just came through,” explained Jack as he handed the note to Joshua. Joshua read the note silently.
Urgent news for the Department.
Three Empire ships were spotted south of Sky Port.
All ships in the vicinity need to close in the escape gap.
When Joshua finished reading the note with wide eyes, he handed it to Derek and Dr. Eiar.
“Good thing that we’re well inside the storms,” said Dr. Eiar as he looked at the note again.
“Derek, go find out how far we are from Hover Bay. Time is running out,” Joshua ordered as he paced back and forth.
“Why are you so shaken up? It’s just a few Empire ships. We’ve sunk plenty ourselves,” snapped Derek as he grabbed the note from the Doctor’s hand and waved it in the air.
“Yes, we have. But you’re missing the point…the last time that Empire ships were that far into the Kingdom, it was war time. That means that Emperor Remos II has heard of the death of Sky Marshal Nelean. If that ship makes it past the Department, then the Empire will know for certain that the Aerial Defense Department is leaderless,” explained Joshua as he raised his voice.
“Now it all makes sense. With that device, we can listen to the Department conversations if war does erupt. Hopefully the Council will understand. Are you going to show them the device?” Dr. Eiar asked as he thought of the conversation about the fortress and put the pieces together in his mind.
“You see it now, Doc? Converting Hover Bay into a fortress will insure our way of life. Not to mention that we will be the true force of piracy in the sky. This device is key for our plan once the other Council members are convinced. We will be safe inside the storms. If the war does make it to us, we will have a fighting chance,” explained Joshua as he looked to the three of them.
“Alright, I’ll go check with Bill and see when we will be out of the storms,” said Derek before leaving the others at the engineering deck.
Bill was watching the other edges of the storm clouds
when Derek arrived at the helm.
“Afternoon, Bill,” Derek said as he entered into the helm.
“Yeah, yeah. What was all the fuss about in engineering?” Bill asked cutting straight to the point.
“Seems okay. Jack caught a message on that device that we brought back,” Derek explained as he looked at the storm clouds through the window of the helm.
“Was it anything important?” asked Bill Daggs with disappointment of the news.
“Captain seems to think so. We almost out of the storm yet?” asked Derek as he eyed an unopened bottle of Vaspian wine.
“A few more hours. Should be there before sundown if you want to tell the Captain,” answered Bill unenthusiastically.
“Thanks, Bill. I’ll let him know,” replied Derek as he exited the door to return to Joshua.
Before he entered back into the engineering deck, Derek heard Joshua and Doc talking to Jack.
“Bill said we will be there before sundown,” Derek announced as he walked into the room and over to where everyone was standing.
“Think you will be ready to start tonight, Jack?” asked Joshua as he laid down one of the engineer’s tools he had been looking at.
“I should be. I need to go over a few details with the others and sort out some of the kinks before we arrive,” explained Jack as he picked up the blueprints to study them better.
“This is of the uttermost importance, Jack. Don’t let me down, son,” Joshua said as he placed a hand on Jack’s shoulder to reassure him.
“Let him get to work, Captain. I think it is in good hands. Come on, let’s go get something to eat,” suggested Doctor Eiar with his usual serious voice.
“Now that sounds like a plan. I’m starving,” agreed Derek as he licked his lips and patted his stomach with both hands.
“Of course it does. You’re always hungry…or thirsty,” laughed Joshua as he placed his arm around Derek’s neck and left the room.
***
“It’s a noble thing to have saved lives today for the Kingdom. Sinking those Empire ships will ensure that the ground villages near Sky Port will be safe,” said Misty proudly as she looked at Mr. Thornton who had volunteered to join her to check the cargo of the crashed Empire ships.
“I have lived nearly seventy years, Misty, and I have never found anything noble about taking the life of one to save another. But with that said, I am glad that the Kingdom’s boundaries are safe for the time being,” replied Mr. Thornton as their smaller craft drew closer to the crash site.
“I suppose you’re right. Let’s stay focused. If there are any survivors, they will shoot first and ask questions later,” Misty said as she loaded her pistol with powder and a lead ball.
Mr. Thornton followed suit only instead of a pistol, he readied his rifle. “Alright, gentlemen, load your weapons. Remember, only fire your weapon if you absolutely have to,” explained Mr. Thornton as he placed his rifle over his shoulder.
Misty had her eyes fixed on the crash site. As the small craft grew closer, she saw pieces of the two ships all across the ground. One was still burning in spots and smoke was rising into the air.
“Can you see anything moving down there?” Mr. Thornton asked as he helped the crew members load their weapons.
“No, nothing. We will be lucky to find anything to take back to James and the Sky Marshal that isn’t destroyed,” replied Misty bleakly when they were close enough to land.
“Listen up, lads! This is it. Take us in. Remember to stick close together and stay away from the powder magazine. It could blow at any second if it hasn’t already,” explained Mr. Thornton as his eyes searched the entire crash site before allowing anyone to exit the boat.
Misty looked at him and gave him a quick nod.
“Alright. Let’s get this done,” announced Mr. Thornton as he hopped over the side of the boat and landed firmly on the ground. Misty hit on her feet right behind him.
“I’m going to get closer and check the cargo. That hole in the hull is just big enough for me to slip through. You and a few others stand guard,” Misty said before moving quickly to the breach in the hull of the ship.
“Be careful in there. James would never forgive me if anything ever happened to you,” said Mr. Thornton cautiously.
“I’ll be fine, Mr. Thornton. Just stay focused. I will be back as soon as I can,” assured Misty as she cocked her pistol and slid through the small hole of the Empire ship.
Mr. Thornton and four of the crewmen positioned themselves to cover the breach in the ship. Misty moved in the shadows as silently as she could, but froze when she heard a man’s voice.
“We have to hurry. Burn them all,” said the man’s voice frantically.
“Surely we couldn’t be the only two who survived, could we?” asked another man.
Misty was still too far away to see exactly what the men where doing. She silently marched forward until she was able to see the shadows of the two men inside the ship.
“Here is the last of them,” said one of the men.
“Quickly! Throw them into the fire and let’s get out of here,” replied the other man.
Misty knew that she had to act fast to stop them from destroying whatever it was so that she could know the importance of it. In one swift motion, Misty drew her sword and fired her pistol. The shot hit the man closest to her. The other man turned towards her to shoot while attempting to toss the items into the fire to burn.
Misty swung her sword and cut deep into the man’s arm causing him to drop what he was holding as he fell backwards. Misty stopped to pick up the piece of paper that the man was trying to burn.
“What is this?” barked Misty to the man who was now holding his arm.
“Don’t kill me! Please!” begged the man as Misty held the tip of her sword just under the man’s chin.
“Talk!” shouted Misty as she took a step closer to the man.
“Okay! Okay!” the man answered breathlessly. “That’s why we’re here. The Emperor got word from his spies in the Palace that Sky Marshal Nelean was dead. That paper is a copy of a letter written by his own hand. He commissioned us to scatter them across your Kingdom.”
Misty turned the paper over and read the letter.
All Citizens of the Kingdom of Tideon:
Now that your armada is leaderless, I will stretch forth my hand and take what is mine by birthright.
But I am a just ruler.
This letter is a way out for you.
If you come and bow down at the Gates of Remos,
we will accept you as refugees.
Emperor Kinom Remos
Of the Empire of Remos
And Rightful Ruler of the
Kingdom of Tideon
Rage filled Misty as she read the letter. “On your feet, sir…unless you want to die on your knees,” Misty ordered as she gritted her teeth.
“No! Ma’am, I beg you!” cried the man as he stood to his feet with Misty’s sword still below his chin.
“Misty! Wait!” shouted Mr. Thornton as he stepped from the shadows.
“You’re supposed to be guarding the escape!” barked Misty while never taking her eyes off the man.
“I heard the gunshot. I had to make sure you were alright. We can take him back to the ship as a prisoner,” Mr. Thornton said softly as he placed his rifle back onto his shoulder and held out his hand to Misty.
“They want war! They were sent to spread lies through out the Kingdom,” Misty said as she looked to Mr. Thornton. When she turned her eyes back to the injured man, she saw that he was holding a rifle and had it aimed at Mr. Thornton. She moved quickly to pull Mr. Thornton out of the way as the man pulled the trigger and the musket fired.
Mr. Thornton was struck in the back and was killed instantly. His body crumpled to the ground and Misty’s anger boiled over.
Misty pulled the rifle from Mr. Thornton’s shoulder and aimed at the man and pulled the trigger. The shot hit the man in the head. As the smoke cleared, Misty saw that t
he other man, whom she had assumed was dead, was reaching for a pistol lying next to the fire. When his hand was almost on the pistol, Misty picked up her sword and thrust it through him. The man screamed in pain as she slowly pulled the sword from his body.
“He was trying to save you!” shouted Misty as the man lay on the cold metal hull of what once was the cargo hold of the Empire ship.
Misty folded the letter and placed it in her waist coat pocket. She returned to Mr. Thornton’s lifeless body. “I’m not leaving you here,” she whispered as tears began to fall from her eyes. She used all her might and to drag him to the breach in the hull where she had entered the crashed ship.
As she got closer, she heard the voice of one of the crewmen who had volunteered. “Here they come, lads!” said the man with his eyes on the breach. He saw Misty bent over dragging something.
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