For a slight change to the usual "three words" challenges, my wife has been setting me picture based challenges. This one is inspired by this picture by by Sergey Samuilov. “Ship’s gaining on us, Captain,” said Joshua Biles, first mate of the Crosswind. He was climbing up to the quarter deck where the captain was currently at the wheel. His long coat flapped in the wind as he climbed the steps and, once he was stood next to the captain, he checked his pistol and stuffed it back into his belt. “How long do you think we have, Mr Biles?” Captain Merelinda Vasquez looked to him, her expression the usual mix of affection and authority that she showed to her old friend, first mate and occasional lover. She was of a similar age to him – her just the right side of 40 and him just the wrong one. Those years didn’t change how she looked to him though – there was still that sparkle in her eye that had made him follow her so long ago, and still that slight quirk to her lips that showed that she wasn’t worried – that confidence that had so inspired him for years. This time, she was overconfident, and he wasn’t looking forward to the battle at all. “If nothing changes, they’ll be on us tomorrow morning, I think.” He raised his eyeglass and looked towards the stern again. “Aye – tomorrow morning.” He’d stood with her for years – the first portion alongside the Republic of Pirates and more recently when she’d turned aside from that life and taken the crew with her. Now she sailed for a crown, rather than the common good of the common man, and the freedom that came with life on the seas. She’d explained her reasons – the money was better, the docks were safer, she felt better to have that letter that made her a part of something greater. He didn’t agree. He never had, but he’d continued to sail with her. With that letter might come a degree of safety and security, but it wasn’t worth it – she’d given up on freedom. In her race to find belonging in a nation, she’d forgotten the belonging that she’d left behind – that of the Republic. The ship following them was flying Republic colours. “I am minded to turn us about, Mr Biles,” Vasquez said, looking straight ahead – not wanting to see his reaction. “If we can’t escape, we may as well take it to them. The men are restless – it’s been too long since we saw battle and if we make port without a take, they’ll have nothing to spend in the taverns.” Biles was torn. She was right – the men were anxious and they would need to be lucky to escape. They might as well get on with it. On the other hand, he didn’t want to face this ship – he wanted to put it off as long as they could. Sadly, there was no way he could explain that that she would understand. “Aye, captain,” he replied after a moment. He gave her a nod, and moved back to the main deck, already shouting orders to the hands. Turning to face them would bring the battle forward from morning of the next day to a few hours away. There were preparations to make. The other ship was now close enough to read the name on the side – the Shark. Biles didn’t know this particular ship, but it had been a few years since they’d left the Republic. However, this was the first time they’d faced a Republic ship, rather than those of other nations or independent pirates.
“Is all in readiness, Mr Biles?” Captain Vasquez called down from the quarter deck. She’d given the wheel to another crewman, and she stood ready for combat herself, four pistols sitting in holsters, and sword in hand. “Aye, captain. The hands are ready, as is the Crosswind.” “Then fire at will, Mr Biles. Chasers until we get close, and then bring us about to broadside on my mark.” “Aye, captain.” He passed on the orders, and the two chaser cannons at the front of the ship started firing in their usual cycle – fire, reload, fire, reload. The range was good, but it was difficult to aim at this distance and the shots fell wide. He saw the flash of the Shark’s own chasers and heard the splashes as they were also missed. “Mr Biles,” the captain called down. “Remind me later that the hands need some training on how to aim cannons.” “Aye, captain,” he replied. He didn’t need to say any more – the crew had heard and understood the rebuke for what it was. The captain was still convinced there would be a later for them – that confidence was part of what had brought him to her crew in the first place. Of course, then they’d been with the Republic, rather than fighting it. He walked towards Vasquez, checking his pistol as he went. He knew that it was loaded and ready, but that didn’t assure him. “Captain – we’ve never faced a Republic ship before.” “I am aware of it, Mr Biles.” “This’ll be crossing a line, captain.” She turned to look at him. For once, those eyes didn’t hold the confidence, the cockiness, that he was used to. She trusted him, and if he was questioning their action, she knew there would be a reason for it. “Your point, Mr Biles?” “Just saying, captain. As things stand, the Republic don’t like us because we left them, but they’ve not bared their teeth at us. We take one of their ship, that’ll change.” She looked at him for long moments, as the roar of cannon fire and splash of missed shots surrounded them. “Nothing has changed in the last few hours, Mr Biles, and the Republic have started this fight. They were chasing us. You agreed that we can’t escape. You don’t seem to want to fight. Are you suggesting surrender?” He opened his mouth to reply, but before he could do so she started speaking again, the confusion in her eyes replaced by anger. “I’ll hear none of it. If you have lost your nerve, you may go below and I’ll find somewhere to put you off after the battle. For now, we are committed, and we will be the ones to sail away after this.” Biles stood tall, like the crew accepting the rebuke. Her words made him angry, as he knew was the captain’s intent. He hadn’t lost his nerve. Far from it. “Aye, captain,” he said through gritted teeth. So be it, he thought to himself – he’d tried to turn her back. The chaser cannon crew started to find their marks, but they hit the other ship and largely glanced off, only causing minimal damage. The shots fired from the Shark were having a similarly limited effect. As they got closer, the damage would increase and, already, splinters were flying up. When they turned to unleash their broadside, that would be more telling. And that time was getting closer. He stood behind the captain, waiting. They both stood their ground, together as they always had, as cannonballs rained around them, and splinters and smoke filled the air. “Bring us about, Mr Biles,” the captain said, calm now that battle was about to launched in truth. “Prepare to fire a broadside from starboard.” “Aye, captain.” Biles replied and then called the more specific orders to the crew. The ship began to move, turning the starboard side to face the Shark. The other ship didn’t turn, presumably hoping that the broadside would largely miss their smaller head-on profile. It was a risky move, but also suggested that they wanted to get close swiftly and board. “On my mark, Mr Biles,” Vasquez said, waiting until they could fire their cannons. Biles drew his sword and placed the point to the captain’s back. He pressed it slightly. “I think not, captain.” She turned, shock registering on her face, pain showing in her eyes. At his voice and her movements, the crew burst into life. Half of them were had been with the ship since the Republic days, and they turned on those that were newer to the crew. They were fewer these days, but they were more experienced, and they had the element of surprise. Biles had planned his mutiny perfectly. The captain said nothing as she looked at him, trying to understand. The cannons went unfired. The Shark didn’t fire any more themselves, their lookouts presumably having informed their own captain of what was occurring. “Surrender, captain,” said Biles. “Give me your sword and save those men that are loyal to you.” “Why?” said Vasquez. “Why?” It was the only word she could utter. “You took a wrong course, captain. I tried to warn you, but you’d set your sails and wouldn’t hear any argument. You gave up on freedom, for what you thought was security. And the men, they valued that freedom more highly.” “No Biles – I went the right way. The Republic has no future – I got us out at the right time.” “Doesn’t matter now, captain. Please, surrender. These are good men, and I don’t want to see them dead.” “And me, Biles? What about me?” “I don’t want to see you dead, either. Please Merelinda. Stand down.” For a moment, he thought that she would. For a moment. Then he saw her eyes steel, saw that resolution in her face. Saw the moment where she went for a pistol, hoping to shoot him before he could run her through. And he almost let her. He pushed forward with his sword as her hand moved and she tried to step back. In the end, he knew her too well, and she must have known it. She fell to the deck, sliding off his sword. He caught her as she fell and lowered her to the deck – it was the least he could do. She tried to speak, but it was too late for words, and only blood came from her mouth. He hoped that she could see in those last moments, in those eyes of his that had shared so much with her over the years, how much he regretted these actions. It didn’t take long for her to stop breathing. He took her sword and held it aloft along with his own. At the sight, the crew knew that she was dead, and that he was now in charge and the fighting came to a halt. He called for the colours to be changed – he still had their old Republic flag from years ago, kept in his seachest since. The Shark stood down once they saw the change of colours – no matter how much disagreement individual captains might have, they would never fly false colours once battle was joined, and one Republic ship would never fire on another. The Shark’s captain came aboard, congratulating Biles on his successful capture of the ship and return to the Republic. The toast rang out over the ship, as even those sailors who had fought for Vasquez saw the way the wind was blowing. “For the Republic! For the Republic!” To Biles, it sounded hollow. Those ideals, those freedoms. He had killed his friend for them. He had betrayed her. And he would need to live with that.
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October 2021
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