That is why Skree was changing the plan. They would travel directly for the Rift, and after, they would stop at Carvers bay, secure the island and establish the settlement proper. He had no intention of building anything; he wanted to make sure the island was ready for their return.
After the Funeral, Fenna stopped by the boarding house for a quick conversation.
“The Typhoon is coming with you.” She said, kicking her feet up on the table. She dug at her nails with a small knife.
“That isn‘t necessary Fenna. The Sawbones crew can handle it.”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s not up for debate. The waters between here and the Rift are dangerous. The orcs and their metal monstrosities can be nearly impossible to take down. Two ships are better than one.”
“Fine, but I am the leader of this expedition. Are you willing to follow my orders?”
“Sure. I can be submissive for a few weeks.” she said with a wink. This time Skree rolled his eyes.
“What happens on your ship is your business, but until we dock in Theseldora, I am in charge.”
“So serious.” She scoffed. “Listen Skree, I know my business. This is your expedition and I will behave accordingly. Until we return, the Typhoon is at your disposal.”
He nodded. “We leave in the morning. Are you prepared?”
“We are loaded with supplies, the crew is on standby and I’m getting bored sitting around here.”
“Then I will see you in the morning.”
~~~
“Are we ready to try this again?” Mills asked, watching the crew scramble over the deck.
“We are good to go. Take us out Helmsman.” He said, nodding at old Greg. The old man shot him a toothless smile and spun the wheel.
“Hoist the sails!” Elaina shouted, and the rigging crew pulled the sails into position. They caught the wind with a snap and the Sawbones pulled away from the dock. Within minutes, they had left the harbor and entered the open ocean. Behind them, the Typhoon raced to catch up, easily closing the distance. Fenna was right, her ship was the fastest in Theseldora, and possibly the entire world.
The pair of ships settled into formation and sailed toward the horizon, bobbing up and down through the rolling waves smoothly.Old Greg spun the wheel, guiding the hulking Sawbones across the water with practiced ease. Skree walked to the bow of the ship, staring at the horizon. Somewhere out there, far from here, waited the Great Rift. What would he find when he got there? Perhaps nothing, but he thought it was unlikely. No, deep down inside, he knew it had something to do with his mission.
Sharktooth, or Hakora, or whatever his name was, had brought him here for something, and the Great Rift seemed like a good reason. He shook his head with a smirk, recalling the confusion he felt on his first day in Raiya when the shark-headed bastard appeared before him. Seven feet tall with the body of a man and the head of a shark. Even know, he could still remember the rows of razor sharp fangs, and the cold black eyes.
Whatever it was, he owed Skree some answers.
~~~
A bell rang out, rousing Skree from a daydream in his cabin. They had been sailing for two weeks already and besides a few rainstorms and a single attack by impossibly large seabirds; the journey had been utterly boring. He hoped the bell was about to change that. Bursting onto the deck, Skree made his way onto the poop deck and asked Elaina for a report.
“Captain, the lookout has spotted a group of orc ships in the distance.”
“Are they on an intercept course?”
“Aye captain. One smoker and two smaller vessels.”
“Has the Typhoon spotted them as well?”
“Yes sir. She rang bells and signaled ready. We await your orders.”
Skree took a moment to consider their options. The smoker ships of the orcs were heavy, slow monstrosities, heavily armored with a large contingent of guns. The smaller ships would be there to harry them, giving the smoker time to get into position for a heavy broadside.
“Signal the Typhoon. I want them to engage the smaller ships. We will take out the smoker.”
She nodded, rushing to a platform and waving flags to communicate his orders. He watched as the Typhoon’s signalman waved his understanding. Seconds later, they signaled again.
“Orders understood and accepted Captain.” Elaina said.
Skree turned to Moultry. “The Boom Crew is ready?”
He grinned like a maniac. “More than ready sir. We been losing our minds with boredom.”
“To your station Master Guns. Prepare to fire on my mark.” The chief gunner nodded, nearly skipping as he rushed below decks.
“Helmsman, are we faster than the Smoker?”
“By a bit captain. I can keep us at a decent distance, Moultry should be able to soften her up for us.”
“Good, set our heading for an intercept. Max speed. If any of the small ships try to block us, put our ram to good use will you?”
“Aye, captain.” the old sailor barked, adjusting their course. Across the water, the Typhoon was pulling away from them, cutting a wide arc around the ships. One of the smaller vessels turned to match their course, and the other remained out in front of the heavy smoker. Skree could finally see why they called it that. A large chimney jutted up from the ship, spewing a plume of thick black smoke. The ship had two large paddle wheels, apparently powered by steam or some other form of locomotion. It had no sails, instead relying entirely on the burning of fuel to move them through the water.
The distance shrank quickly, and he could hear the booms of cannons as the Typhoon engaged the first of the smaller ships. Great billows of white smoke rolled away from the Typhoon, and the shattering of wood and metal rang out from the smaller vessel. With expert timing, Fenna’s ship rode over a wave as a volley of cannonballs splashed harmlessly into the surrounding water, shooting jets of spray into the air.
“Brace for fire!” Elaina called, and the crew ducked behind the ships railing. Cannonballs zipped from the smaller leading ship, and wood splintered as a few of the projectiles impacted the Sawbones. Skree checked the ship's health and saw it was ninety-eight percent. A glancing shot, nothing to worry about yet. Skree watched the ship veer toward the port side, looking to get a better firing arc. Old Greg adjusted course to bring them into a firing arc.
“Helmsman, ignore that ship.” Skree ordered. Old Greg nodded hesitantly and reset the tack, the ram pointed straight at the heavy smoker.
“Captain?” Elaina asked, watching the small ship line up a shot. “If we maintain course, they will have a direct line of fire.”
He nodded. “Understood. Carry on.”
She glanced at old Greg nervously and back at the smaller ship. It turned broadside to face them, firing a dozen guns in their direction. “Brace!”
Again the crew took cover, and the cannonballs tore chunks from the side of the ship. There was a scream from a crewman he fell to the ground clutching his face. Skree rushed to his side, checking him for injuries. Several large splinters jutted from his face, but none had hit his eyes or neck. With steady hands, Skree pulled the pieces of wood from the man's face and cast Minor Restoration. The wounds closed in seconds and he helped the man to his feet.
“Thanks captain.” The crewman said before resuming his position. Skree jogged back to the helm, nodding at Old Greg.
“Steady as she goes.” he said, watching as they passed the ship. It turned, trying to bring the vessel around in a hurry. Just as Skree had expected, they had surprised the enemy crew by ignoring it. It caught a wave, sliding the ship closer to them.
“Adjust course, forty degree to port!” he snapped and the rigging crew whipped the sails, and old Greg spun the wheel, catching the wind. Seconds later, he tugged a rope attached to a bell on the cannon deck and as soon as the firing arc lined up, Moultry and the Boom Crew let loose with nearly two dozen guns. Heavy lead balls crushed the enemy ship, blasting holes in its hull and tearing through the sails.
“Captain, they are br
eaking away!” Elaina shouted.
“Helmsman, return to our original course.” Skree ordered, staring at the hulking smoker. The plumes seemed to grow thicker, and the paddles spun faster, allowing the ship to close the distance faster than he expected. It slowly rotated, attempting to bring its guns into alignment. “Time to show me those moves old Greg!” Skree shouted.
The helmsman spun the wheel, and the large rudder turned the ship rapidly, bringing them atop a rolling wave as the trough lowered the heavy smoker. Moultry fired a full broadside, punching holes in the orc craft. Skree heard metal impacting metal as the cannon balls rebounded off its heavy armor.
“Bring us toward the ship engaging the Typhoon.” Skree said, pointing at the vessel spinning in place, trying to fire at the faster Typhoon. Old Greg nodded, spinning the wheel hard to starboard. The rigging team adjusted sails to match the new heading, and the ship lurched forward, putting more distance between them and the smoker. They pulled away from the heavy ship, cutting a direct line for the smaller orc craft.
By the time the enemy ship noticed them approaching, it was too late. “Brace for impact!” Elaina screamed, grabbing onto the helm’s railing. The Sawbones drove the Fangs of Korm directly into the side of the smaller ship, and the ram cleaved it in two, both halves of the ship grinding against the heavy wood of the hull as they passed straight through.
Skree got his first look at the orcs and they were not what he had expected. Dark black skin, covered in white stripes gave them the appearance of Zebra’s.Dozen of them fell into the sea, or leapt over the railing to escape the sinking halves. Skree didn't have time to think about their strange appearance, instead returning his focus to the smoker.
“Let’s soften that bastard up.” Skree shouted to old Greg as the Typhoon turned away, adjusting course to engage the remaining smaller vessel. It may have broken from the Sawbones, but it wasn’t out of the fight just yet. Skree grinned as he saw Fenna standing at the bow of the ship, glittering white sword pointed at the far ship.
Cannon fire burst from the Sawbones when the enemy ship was in range, the whistling cannonballs smashing into the massive ship and the two large ships circled each other. Every thirty seconds, the smoker fired volleys at them, but old Greg kept them at a safe distance. They had hit a few of the crew, and he provided what aid he could, casting Minor Restoration on the ones he could save, but some wounds were too severe and they were dead before he could get to them.
“Captain! The Typhoon has sunk the other ship and is returning to engage.” Mills shouted from the crows nest.
“Thank you, Mister Jefferies!” he shouted in reply. Within minutes, the Sawbones and the Typhoon were circling the smoker, unloading volley after volley into the ship. Black smoke poured from massive holes in the orc warship and fires burned internally.
“Ring six bells.” Skree said to Elaina.
“Six bells? You expect them to surrender?” She said, bewildered by the idea.
“I don‘t expect anything, but I intend to offer them the opportunity.”
“But captain, they’re orcs!” She chided, hand clasping the rope of the bell.
He glared at her. “Ring the bell.” She shook her head, but obeyed, clanging the bell six times. They waited thirty seconds, and she rang the bell again.
“They aren’t surrendering.” Elaina said.
“But they have stopped firing.” Skree replied, watching the crew of the smoker scramble about the deck. The strange humanoids appeared to be hoisting buckets of water to extinguish the flames burning below decks.
“If we give them time to put out the fires, we lose our advantage.” Old Greg said, still keeping them at a distance.
“I know that, but I refuse to murder hundreds of them unless they give me no choice.”
“Need I remind you, they attacked us first.”
“We are trespassers in their waters. Perhaps they are defending their homes just like we would.” Skree watched as a hulking orc marched toward the front of the ship and waved a white flag. He nodded to Elaina. “See, perhaps we can learn something about our friends here.”
Chapter 49
The Smoker stopped moving and the pair of ships sidled up to the warship, tossing boarding hooks and pulling the ships together. Skree, flanked by his officers and Priestess, strode down the gang-plank. On the opposite side, Fenna, Hawkins and two members of the crew he recognized but couldn‘t recall their names, walked aboard. Welcoming them aboard was the enormous orc, the stripes covering his skin accented his bulging muscles making them appear even larger.
“You are the Captain of that ship?” The orc asked in his language, pointing at the Sawbones. Skree listened to the grunting, gravelly sounds for a moment before his Rosetta Stone talent activated and he understood the words.
“I am Captain Skree of the Sawbones.” He replied in orcish. Elaina shot him a concerned look.
“You can speak Orcish?” She asked, glancing at Skree in confusion.
“He is just full of surprises.” Fenna said playfully. Skree held up a hand, asking them for silence.
“What is your name?” Skree asked.
“I am commander of the fourth legion and captain of the Ramathorn. You may call me Commander Estrix.”
“Excellent. You can just call me Captain Skree. Now, why did you attack our vessels?”
Estrix bared his teeth, revealing his tusks. “You are prey in our seas.”
Skree sighed. “Yes, but why did you attack us? Surely you have a better reason than we are prey.”
“I do not understand your question.” Estrix replied, his snarl vanishing, replaced by a look of confusion.
“What do you seek to gain by attacking us? Are you protecting your lands? Do you need food? What is worth the cost you have suffered?”
The commander paused, considering his question. “Many years ago, the Great Rift consumed our lands, pushing us closer to your Central Kingdom. Every year, it continues to expand, destroying everything. We have lost most of our farmlands, and much of our livestock.”
“Survival.” Skree muttered, nodding. “I understand your plight.”
“Do you?” Estrix barked. “Have you watched your children starve, your friends and family suffer for lack of resources?”
“Then why have you not attempted to trade with others? Surely, you could strike a bargain to save your people.”
Estrix growled, the sound causing his crew to rest hands on their weapons. Skree waved them off.
“Humans and the other races have never allied with the Orcs. When the Great Rift consumed our capital, we sent ships to your waters and few returned. Every time we approached, your kind attacked, killing hundreds or thousands of my kind.”
Skree held up a hand, asking him to stop. He turned to his friends and explained what they were discussing.
“Everyone knows, the only good orc is a dead orc.” Moultry said, eyes scanning the crowded deck.
“Historically, they have always been a force of destruction.” Elaina explained.
Old Greg nodded in agreement. “Every time we drew near to an orcish ship, they would attack us. Been that way since I was a young man, and my father always said the same.”
Skree nodded, turning back to Estrix. “Are you able to speak for your entire people?”
“My entire people?” he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “We barely number in the thousands at this point.”
“Fine, are you considered a leader amongst your people?”
“Warlord Egin leads the orcs. He trusts my judgment.”
“I am prepared to offer you a deal. Will you listen?”
Estrix scowled. “My people have a saying. A human is worse than a viper in your bed. We have nothing to discuss.”
“I disagree.” Skree pointed toward the wreckage of the ship he had cleaved in two. “Out there are dozens of your people, swimming for their lives.” He turned toward the burning wreckage of the second ship that Fenna had sunk. “Over there, they screa
m and beg for rescue. My ships could have sunk yours to the depths, or boarded and taken this fine warship as a prize, but we have not.”
Skree waited for a moment and Estrix nodded for him to continue. “Times are changing. The Great Rift threatens our homes like it does yours. It may be years or decades before it comes, but it is coming. Now is not the time to abandon hope. I offer you trade and once I establish my settlement, I am prepared to offer sanctuary in times of great need.”
“Ravager Scat.” Estrix spit on the deck. “No human would offer an orc sanctuary.”
“I am not an ordinary human. This offer is real, and the best you will receive. A new chance for our people to work together.”
“Will you swear an oath bound in blood?” Estrix asked, eyes narrowed.
“Will you?” He asked in return.
“First, answer me this question.” Estrix said, stepping closer. Everyone tensed, but Skree just stared up at the massive orc. “What do you expect to trade with us? We have no food and our resources dwindle to nothing.”
Skree looked around at the warship, taking in the fine craftsmanship of the metal. “It is clear your people have a talent for metallurgy. Weapons, armor, ship components, anything you can craft, we can find a use for. My settlement will need skilled laborers.”
“So you seek slaves.” Estrix said, a sneer plastered on his face. “The orcs will never be slaves.”
“I will pay them, in whatever currency they desire. I will treat them as equals in my settlement. Free to come as go as they please.”
“How can I trust you when your people are so willing to kill us?” Estrix asked.
Skree smiled, waving for Priestess to join him. She hopped over to them, tail wagging. “This is my friend, a kobold. She and I own this ship.” he gestured again at the Sawbones, pointing up at the sails. “I swore an oath to the high-king of kobolds to protect his kind and I have. I will continue to do so until my last breath. No blood oath, no magic compact, just a bond between friends.”
Raiya- Early Game Page 34