Here Shines the Sun

by M. David White

  As Balin’s speech came to an end, the portcullises around the arena all shut and steel gates came down over them, sealing them with a thud and a clank. Chazod looked up to the top of the arena wall beyond the galleon. There were a dozen round portals spread out down the length, each about ten-feet in diameter and closed off by rusty bars. Valves moaned from deep within them, and a moment later water gushed forth. The entire opposite wall was transformed into something like a waterfall, filling the air with a fresh, pleasant mist as thousands of gallons slapped down upon the stone floor and quickly began spreading throughout the arena.

  A foul odor drifted into Chazod’s nose and he traced the miasma over to Jaquin. The goons all scooted away from him, waving their hands in front of their noses and coughing. “Jaquin, you fucking shit head!” protested Maddox, half laughing as he moved away from the man.

  Chazod fixed Jaquin with his dark eyes and grabbed the man by the ear and pulled him to the end of the boat. A foul, brown liquid trickled from Jaquin’s shorts and down his legs, leaving a trail of sewage as he went.

  “You’re going to have to do something more than shit yourself if you stay with us.” Chazod pushed the man down into the last bench of the boat. Then he turned his attention to the goons. “You four row, and row fast.” said Chazod as water spread its way around the boat. “Get us away from the rest of the fleet as quickly as you can and bring us around to the back of the galleon.”

  One of the goons looked at him with a scowl. “You call these rowboats a fleet? And we can’t board no galleon from the rear. The square galley’s too high.” He held up one of the grappling hooks. “We got to go in at the side. That’s why they got it facing us like this.”

  Chazod reached over and smacked the man across the skull. “We ain’t boarding the ship, dumb-ass.”

  “What do you mean we ain’t boarding the ship?” protested the man. “They’ll think we cowards! They’ll whip us for sure!”

  “We ain’t gonna be cowards.” said Chazod. “We’re gonna be the winners.”

  “We ain’t gonna be no winners against them in that ship.” said one of the other goons. “They just want to see what we can do. They wanna see if their ship contraption thing works, and see which ones of us get hurt the least.”

  “We ain’t got to take no orders from him.” said another goon.

  “Yes, you do.” said Banden coolly from his seat. The man looked at him and Banden crossed his arms over his powerful chest.

  “What are we doing, anyway?” asked Maddox. Water began to inch its way up the side of their rowboat.

  Chazod huddled in with his team and spoke softly. “You see those hydraulics beneath the hull? They hold up the iron beams the ship rests on. Water’s gonna rise up and cover most of the ship’s hull, and we’ll swim under, loosen those bolts that connect the hydraulics to the deck, and the whole thing capsizes.”

  “We’ll drown for sure!” said Jaquin.

  Chazod smacked him on the head. “We ain’t gonna drown. There won’t be any water under the hull.”

  One of the goons laughed. “Magic water! You’re a damn fool, you know that?”

  Chazod cast him a dark look. “Your master ever make you wash dishes? Ever put a bowl upside down in the water? The air stays in the bowl even as the water goes above it.”

  “If you’re so smart, then how you plan to loosen them bolts? With your bare hands?” said a goon. “Them thing’s are like three-feet around and last I looked you ain’t got no wrench that big.”

  Chazod took Padraic’s chain from him. “We wrap a chain around a bolt,” he said, circling it around the most annoying of the goons’ waist a couple times. Then Chazod took a spear and slid it between the wide links at either end, connecting the chain together. “One end of the spear rests flat against the chain and the bolt. And we use the other end as a lever.” He pushed on the end of the spear, and it immediately constricted the chain around the man’s body. His flesh twisted and pooled up in the links and turned red. Chazod applied a little more force and the man yelped. Chazod released his grip, letting the chain slide off the man.

  Padraic looked at Chazod. “That’s a fucking brilliant plan.”

  “No.” said Maddox. “That’s a really fucking stupid plan. If I drown, I’m haunting you the rest of your days. Try getting it up for a woman with my pale, bloated face staring at you from the shadows.”

  “I got it up for your mother and she’s twice as ugly as you.” quipped Chazod.

  “Gah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!” cackled Banden, slapping Chazod on the back. The rest of the team all laughed too.

  Water continued to rise at a surprising rate. Before long the fleet of rowboats were floating. Chazod kept his eyes on the scaffolding beneath the ship, watching as the waters inched their way up until they overtook the galleon’s partial hull and he could no longer see it. At that point there began a rhythmic clanking from beneath the ship and it began to slowly sway back and forth, as if rocked by the ocean. The swaying, in turn, created small waves that spread forward, and the fleet began to rise and fall with them.

  From the King’s box Balin shouted, “The Lands take witness of your bravery this day!” And then the rowers began to move the boats forward.

  “Skirt around.” said Chazod. “Don’t follow forward. Head for the ship’s stern.” The entire fleet pulled away as Chazod’s boat moved around to the left.

  “Fire at will, men!” From the galleon’s deck Jorund began barking orders. The ship’s starboard side was fully facing the fleet and from the cannon ports Chazod could see wicks sparkling to life.

  “They’re going to fire cannons at us?!” cried Jaquin.

  “Heads down.” said Chazod, ducking and covering himself with his arms as best he could.

  A volley of cannon blasts echoed through the arena. Men screamed. Jorund laughed nearly as loud as his cannons. Chazod looked up as his rowers paddled as quickly as they could around the outskirts of the arena. Small, leather pellets floated everywhere on the water. At the front of the fleet a few men clutched at their eyes, screaming. Others had red welts all over their bodies. The boats continued to move forward, coming upon the galleon.

  “Nice of them not to use steel, I suppose.” said Maddox.

  “Hurry.” said Chazod. “Keep rowing. They’re going to focus on the boats closest.”

  They all watched as another volley of cannon fire was let loose. This time men jumped into the water before their boat could be sprayed. They came up bobbing with the waves as the closest boatmen began whirling their grappling hooks, then tossing them at the ship’s rails.

  Slowly and steadily Chazod’s boat came around to the galleon’s rear. There was a high, enclosed deck, full of galley windows, though Chazod suspected they were for show and that no such rooms were actually built within the ship.

  “How do we get under with the chains?” asked Banden. He bounced his heavy coil in his hand. “Can’t swim with this.”

  Chazod began grabbing the wooden swords that the four goons had taken. Then, as they came up to the back of the ship, he took the wooden oars from them. “Start wrapping the chains around these.” he said. “Should give just enough buoyancy that they won’t sink like stones, and we’ll be able to swim them under with us. I’m going to go inspect what’s beneath the ship.”

  As his men began wrapping the chains around the oars and wooden swords, Chazod dove into the water. Its coldness nearly sucked his breath away as bubbles and waves overtook his hearing. Beneath the waters Chazod opened his eyes. Dust and rust particles clouded it, but he could see clearly enough. He swam deep to avoid the rocking ship, and then went under the partial hull. As he suspected, he came up into a pocket of air and immediately the world became an unbearably loud place.

  He shook his head and wiped the water from his eyes as he looked around. The hydraulics hissed and steel screamed as the entire ship move
d back and forth in a dizzying display around him, though the surface of the water in here was quite calm. It wasn’t as dark as he feared it might be. Light streamed in through the decking above, giving him a good view of the heavy, iron beams that swayed back and forth high above his head. There were six steel pistons and they moved in and out and seemed far more powerful and intimidating up close. The bolts that connected them to the iron beams holding the ship also seemed far larger and more imposing than he had thought.

  He watched a moment as the six iron arms moved up and down together. Between them, narrow scaffolding led up to the hydraulics that controlled them. There he saw some grated platforms where, if they stood, they could reach the bolts. But there were a couple of issues. First, they’d have to be careful not to get clobbered by any of the huge, moving parts as they went up the scaffolding. There seemed to be just enough clearance to make it, though he had his doubts about Banden’s bulk. Second, once they got to those platforms, it would be difficult to get the chains around the bolts. As the hydraulics were moving up and down they made a huge crankshaft turn. It was between those cranks that the bolts were exposed. They’d have to time wrapping the chains and using them to wrench the bolts free, working between each revolution of the crankshaft. Still, it was all moving slowly enough that he thought they had a chance.

  Taking a huge breath, Chazod went back into the silence of the water and came up beside the boat. “Let’s do this.”

  Banden’s chain was wrapped around a pair of oars and he tossed it in. It sank just beneath the water’s surface, but stayed floating there. Then the large man jumped in with spear in hand. Padraic and Maddox followed quickly but Jaquin seemed reluctant to get out of the boat.

  “Come on!” yelled Chazod. “Hurry!”

  Jaquin breathed deeply, but before he could jump one of the goons pushed him and he fell in with a splash.

  Together, the five swam under the hull, pushing their chains and spears with the help of the oars and wooden swords. They came up within the belly of the ship and Chazod swam over to the clanking, hissing, turning, monster of a contraption with the others following behind him. “We climb up this scaffolding.” said Chazod, pointing up.

  Jaquin gulped. Padraic slapped him on the back. “You’re last. I don’t want a face full of shit.”

  With Chazod in the lead, they began to scale up the narrow bars of the scaffolding, carrying the chains around their shoulders and their spears in hand. Clunk-Hiss, Clunk-Hiss, Clunk-Hiss, the machine turned over and over with each bar they climbed. A couple times during his assent Chazod felt the cold, heavy, iron bars slide across his back and he was pushed against the scaffolding, the breath knocked from his lungs. The gap they had to climb up was just wide enough to avoid getting hit, and the slightest deviation would put their backs to the moving arms. Banden had the most difficulty, but also complained the least when getting knocked against the scaffolding.

  At last they made it, and they found themselves standing on the narrow platform at the top. Here, if they stretched, they could reach up and touch the ship’s deck, the iron girders it was attached to threatening to smash their heads as it swayed back and forth in its slow, rhythmic motion. They could clearly hear the boots of Jorund and his knights above them; hear their laughter as they thwarted somebody from boarding the ship.

  “Now what?” asked Maddox, looking at the pistons and the turning crankshaft that connected them. They were uncomfortably close to the massive things; could smell the wet iron, grease and oil. The power of each revolution was enough to make the entire platform vibrate uncomfortably, and one wrong move would result in an unpleasant mangling. The bolts that connected the pistons to the crankshaft were set between each of the cranks. To get the chains around and wrench them free would require standing right between those huge, powerful, moving parts. “How do we get the chains around those?”

  “Very carefully.” said Chazod, holding his chain in a loop by both ends. Timing his movements with the in and out motion of the crankshaft, he slipped the chain around one bolt and wrapped it around. Then he put the spear through the large loops at the ends. Taking a deep breath, he pulled up on the spear as the hydraulic arm fully extended. Somewhat surprisingly, even to himself, the bolt turned. Before the hydraulic arm could come back down, Chazod slipped the spear from the chain and let the piston fall. Working quickly he slipped the spear back through the loops of the chain, waited for the arm to go back up, and made another quick turn.

  Chazod looked at the others. “Each time the arm extends, turn quickly, remove your spear, and wait for it to come back down.”

  “There’s six pistons and only five of us.” remarked Maddox.

  “We get these five off and that last one won’t matter.” said Chazod. “We need to try and make sure our bolts all fall at the same time. If one comes off before the others this whole thing might shake apart.”

  “To those about to die, I salute you.” said Padraic, shaking his head.

  Nearby there was a pattering sound on the platform as Jaquin’s bladder released. With some prodding, Banden got the man to stand in position in front of his bolt.

  “You guys ready?” asked Chazod.

  “To die?” said Maddox. “Sure. Today’s as good a day as any.” He got his chain around his bolt. They all waited for Jaquin to get his secured. It took him a few tries, but he eventually got it.

  “Timing is everything.” said Chazod, looking at Jaquin. “I mean it.”

  With a deep breath, they all got to work. Banden, Padraic and Maddox each got the first turn of their bolt, but Jaquin got held up. “I… I can’t turn it!”

  “Get your spear out before it comes back down!” yelled Chazod.

  Jaquin fumbled with the thing. Just as the piston began to fall, he slipped the spear out. The crankshaft turned, and the piston retracted. Chazod puffed out a breath. If the spear were to get caught in the up position as the piston came down, it would bend or break the spear, forcing it into the crankshaft. Or worse.

  “Try again!” ordered Chazod. “We need to unbolt these at the same time!”

  Reluctantly, Jaquin got back in front of the bolt. As his piston came back down, he slipped his spear between the chain’s loops and pulled up with the piston, turning the bolt. Then he slipped the spear out and waited for the piston to fall again.

  With a sigh of relief, they all got back to work. The bolts began to loosen as the machine turned over and over and over. “We’re almost there!” cried Chazod.

  “I got about three more turns before my bolt comes out!” yelled Maddox.

  “Me too.” said Banden.

  “I think I need four!” yelled Padraic.

  “How many you got, Jaquin?” shouted Chazod.

  “I don’t know!” cried Jaquin. Chazod watched as the man turned his bolt. He was hardly moving it at all.

  “Hell below, Jaquin!” screamed Chazod. “How far out is your bolt sticking?”

  “I… I don’t know!” cried the man, scrambling to insert his spear again. His piston went up and the man pulled up on his spear, but it didn’t really move.

  “My bolt’s gonna come out!” yelled Padraic.

  “Stop! Everybody stop for a minute!” screamed Chazod.

  Jaquin fumbled to get his spear out. “I can’t! I can’t get—”

  The piston began to fall and Jaquin moved away, the spear still sticking straight up. The entire arm fell, catching the spear, and it began to bend, twisting in on the crankshaft. The crankshaft turned around, snapping the shaft of the spear. Like a bullet, the steel fragment whipped across Jaquin’s bare chest, opening a wide gash. Jaquin screamed as blood poured out of the wound. He stumbled to the side as one of the iron arms came down and pushed him into the crankshaft.

  Flesh came off like a shirt being peeled from a body. Bones snapped. Blood slapped across Maddox’s body. Screams were drowned out in t
he hissing of hydraulics.

  As Jaquin’s mangled remains began plopping into the water below, Chazod heard Padraic curse. He turned and saw a giant bolt come loose and fall. It hit the platform, not with a boom, but with the pop of weld-seams breaking. The platform twisted in and the bolt slid down, plunging into the water with a huge splash. Padraic stumbled, but before the steel piston could come loose and fall on him, he slipped off the platform and dove into the crimson water below.

  Fuck, was all Chazod could think as that piston fell from the crankshaft. It hit the platform and Chazod felt himself rocked to the side. Maddox screamed something and he saw the man dive into the water just as his own bolt came free, dropping its piston. There was a terrible grinding sound now as the crankshaft turned over, no longer properly aligned by all the pistons. Above, the entire deck of the ship jumped up and then fell hard.

  “Let’s finish this!” thundered Banden. Chazod saw him turn his bolt loose and jump toward him. Chazod turned his bolt, and then was grabbed by Banden just as the two pistons came loose and fell upon the platform. Banden reached his long arms over and grabbed hold of the scaffolding, taking Chazod with him as the platform fell away.

  Chazod clung to the scaffolding beside Banden. Torn metal tangled in the crankshaft. Steam hissed from the broken pistons, a searing jet narrowly missing Chazod’s back. Above the deck, Chazod heard men scream and the only remaining piston suddenly retracted with a jerk, ripping the girder from the deck above. There was a crunching noise as that last hydraulic arm worked to sway the ship, but now it was all lopsided. The decking above began to crack and twist. Men on the ship screamed. And then the entire ship began to fall to the side. Chazod held onto the scaffolding for dear life as the crankshaft ground away, tearing itself loose. Steel moaned as it collapsed, taking with it the rest of the ship.