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Attack

Night had well and truly fallen when I finally went up top and breathed the fresh ocean air again. Izzy was at the helm, adrenaline coursing through her making her jump and start at every move. I went to the aft compartment and picked out a buoyancy belt then joined Izzy at the helm. We watched the ship in the distance flicker with lanterns and candles. We had till sun up but only just.

“What should we be expecting here? Ruffians, casual? Or like, rogues from the British army or something?” She paused as bouts of laughter from the other ship was carried across the water. “Inebriated? Not well trained?” she asked as we listened to more shouts and calls from the pirates.

“No, these will be professionals.” I fit the hood over my hair. “I’m going to head out. Remember, Elizabeth first with the rifle, then you with the arrows, then me. Don’t rush. Trust the plan. There’s only twelve of them and if Elizabeth is as good a shot as I need her to be then they’ll be panicked and easy to pick off.”

These women on board were not soldiers, especially Izzy. She’d gotten a liberal arts degree. She engaged with people on the internet about moral, political, and philosophical issues. She questioned the world order. These were all terrible, terrible qualities to have in a soldier.

“First Elizabeth. Then you. Then me,” I repeated. I needed her to turn off her brain and just follow the orders. “If you shoot. Shoot point blank. Don’t listen to them,” I gestured to the other ship, “Don’t doubt that I’ll arrive. Just shoot those arrows and burn them down.”

“You really can’t die?”

“I can die.” This was very very important for her to internalize. “I can die,” I repeated. “But then I’ll come back and kick your ass if I have to dig myself out or need to swim to shore.” Izzy still wasn’t ready to joke. “I’ll be fine.”

She wrapped me in a tight hug and I let her. I knew she was nervous. I hugged her back until she relaxed.

“I’ll be fine. You have the souls. I’ve got the sails, right? Keep everyone fed and calm.” I climbed over the rail. “I’ll see you in a few hours.” Before she could attempt some big useless goodbye scene I dove into the water.

The Pacific waters are deep and cold. I flipped on my back and let the belt hold me up as I stroked slowly in the direction of the other ship. No splashing, no rushing, just sure strong strokes in the chill night water. There was little moon and partial cloud coverage tonight. The other ship wouldn’t be able to see me even if they were looking for me.

****

“You sure this is going to work?” Maui hissed at me as we stroked towards the galleon. The sailors were playing music on the big deck above. “It’s really cold. Are you cold?”

“Shut up. Sound carries over water.”

“A league looks much smaller from aboard a ship,” he kept complaining. I didn’t bother answering him. We’d get there when we’d get there.

****

The Try Your Luck was a dim shape that I could barely make out myself. I could count on one hand the number of times my ship had been on the water without me. The sight turned my stomach. My whole world was that ship.

The Try Your Luck and I continued to drift apart and my heart yearned for its boards beneath my feet. Even this small separation pulled at me like a phantom limb. I kept stroking towards the pirates. They were the ones who were making me leave my ship, they were the ones threatening my world, they would pay.

****

“I want the captain this time myself,” Maui whispered as we stroked the distance to the Indiaman.

“The captain is never who you have to worry about. It’s his vicious guards who are loyal to the hand that feeds them. They are the ones who stick us the worst.”

“I want the captain.”

“Fine. Take the captain.” Captains were a waste of time but he wanted his victory how he wanted it.

“No more talking,” he ordered.

****

Between swimming and resting, it took me a few hours before I made it to their ship. I successfully caught the ship with my grappling hook and reeled myself in close. One of the tools I’d included was another strong hook with deep threads I twisted into the side of their ship. Then I threaded a carabiner through to anchor myself and let the momentum of their sails carry me along with them as hidden ballast, a small silent drag in their wake.

The stars shone bright in the night sky. No matter how long I spent back here I always marveled at them. Growing up I’d seen so few stars. I felt lucky if I could pick out Orion’s belt or a sprinkling of the big dipper between the light pollution and smog. My eyes could never get their fill of the sight of stars back here in these pre-electric bulb nights.

****

I spat out blood as they struck me across the face again. Maui was already dead and dumped overboard. They wanted to keep me. Even though they were half terrified I was a sea sprite or malevolent mermaid or siren, they’d been at sea too long to deny themselves a woman when she so willingly boarded their ship.

I sent each of their souls down to hell. It took me a while to make my way back to Maui after that. I sailed the ship back to its homeland and slit the throats of the entire charter, burned the sailor’s offices and homes, and threatened to haunt their children through time should any of them dare cross me again.

****

The ship above me was lively. I did not recognize the language but I recognized the atmosphere. They were calm. They were expecting an easy pay day. From the high pitched comical voices followed by guttural laughter I understood they believed only women were on board and that they would take the ship and then take the women. Most of the men who attempted to board me thought that whatever men I’d traveled with had died and I was alone and unable to handle the sails and the ocean. Of course, the fools quickly learned otherwise.

The men above me played music and cards, chatted and laughed, they peed into the sea, and kept a watch on the ship in front of them. I wasn’t familiar with their language but no one sounded stressed. Now that I was no longer moving the cold water leached all warmth from my body. I shivered as I was pulled along.

A pair of men came right up next to the rail, where I was clinging mere feet underneath, and conducted a sidebar conversation separate from their fellows. There were low murmurs and intermittent chuckles from them. I recognized the tones from my own conversations with my crew earlier in the day. They were assessing the possible risks, division of labor, and spoils of war. I wondered if Izzy, Catherine, and Elizabeth were discussing plans in similar tones on my ship right now. They better be.

First Elizabeth.

Then Izzy.

If you are going to shoot, shoot point blank.

Izzy majored in large animal basting and contemplated the deep ravines of human existence. I was doomed. She was going to offer these men quarter and puff pastries.

Have a little faith, Heeny.

I tread the water and held on. I just needed to make it till morning. I just needed to hold on.

****

We didn’t talk much anymore on these missions. Not since we’d both been executed after our drills had been heard and we were shot and thrown back into the waves. The ships didn’t sink fast enough with that technique. Killing them in stealth was much quicker.

“We can’t keep picking them off like this. We need to start at the source,” Maui’s voice hissed from the darkness. “It’s time to take the fight to them again.”

“Okay.” I shivered in my wetsuit, waiting for the ship to silence so we could attack.

****

The ship quieted above me as the minutes dripped by. I worked on keeping my breathing steady and not shivering all my energy away. I relaxed my muscles and let the water hold me up and the ship pull me forward. I tried to breathe deep and steady so oxygen would reach my extremities. The distance between now and the morning was simply a few moments of time. Time was nothing to fear, I had plenty of it.

The last time Maui and I had performed this trick we’d been executed again. He’d rampaged through the galleon, needlessly loud, raging just for the hell of it. It had been a long swim to shore. Stealth and quiet would win me the advantage here. Izzy and Elizabeth would keep the pirates’ attention and, if all went according to plan, I’d take a few out before anyone even registered my presence.

The sky began to lighten and the ship above me woke. I prayed that my crew had gotten even a little rest. Catherine and the baby should be in the hold now watching cartoon shapes count and find patterns on the old tablets. Maybe I should have kept Catherine up on deck as part of the attacking force. She had bludgeoned that fish like a proper warrior. No, John Henry needed her.

Elizabeth’s rifle should be placed and primed. Izzy’s arrows should be laid out and the fire kindled in the pit ready to light and send flying.

****

We finally got to shore and crawled up the sand. “Heeny, where are we? When are we?”

“I don’t know,” I gasped. Every muscle cramped and complained. All I knew is there was sun and sand and it would be a miracle if the secondary measures didn’t take me out again.

“I’ve been thinking. We should split up. I’ll work more with the islanders. You take these fights. You’re better at them.”

“I sail and I kill. Not much of a resume. But I guess it’s a talent.” I could already feel the secondary measures gearing up.

“See you on the other side, Heeny.” He looked over at me as my lungs stopped.

****

Like any attack, the first onslaught was noise. The ship above me launched taunts and calls and fired into the air to scare their quarry into paralysis. Don’t believe it, I urged my crew in my head, it’s just noise, propaganda. I wished I could see what was happening, see how far apart the ships were, but I was positioned on the aft of their ship for a reason and I needed to stay hidden. Their verbal assault grew bolder. Perhaps they saw my crew moving and readying for attack. The distinctive laughter and patronizing tones of males ready to pounce on vulnerable women

needed no translation; the language of the patriarchy is universal.

Crack.

A body toppled above and the ship went silent. I started my count.

Crack.

Two more bodies fell as the pirates waffled in indecision and incredulity. No gun in this era possessed the range and noise of the sniper rifle Elizabeth wielded. But, as I’d warned Izzy, these were not the drunken marauders she’d experienced before; these were the real deal. Their job was to attack, pillage, and leave our bodies in their wake. The men above me scrambled and took cover. They may not know how Elizabeth was managing to shoot this far but they knew what a bullet was.

Crack.

That was five. One magazine down. The pirates shouted to each other as they came up with a plan. Of course, the only plan available was to get to my ship faster. They raised more sail and extended the oars. These men were efficient and managed this task while Elizabeth worked to load her next magazine. I clung to the hull of the ship as we gained a huge burst of speed.

Crack.

Elizabeth was firing too quickly. She was letting her nerves get the better of her in the face of the pirates’ advance. When this was over I’d lecture her about that. She was better than that. She must be letting the other women’s nerves get to her. I didn’t hear any corresponding deaths from the shots. Seven left. I kept the count sacred in my head.

Crack.

The ship sped up. I felt their energy change as clearly as if the wind had reversed direction; The Try Your Luck was in range. The pirates’ guns exploded in a well trained volley and I winced at the damage my precious ship was taking.

Crack.

Five shots remaining. The pirates above reloaded and fired. My stomach gripped. They were good. They got off another few rounds and my heart stopped when I didn’t hear return fire. Had they gotten her? Was she okay? Was Izzy? What was happening? The pirates were taunting my crew across the waves again and I locked my muscles in place. If I came in too early and too many of them were alive and ready to kill me, we would lose. Why wasn’t there any returning noise from my ship?

Crack.

The pirates were in an uproar as three shots smashed into their ship. I couldn’t tell if Elizabeth had hit anyone. Then there was a thunk, another thunk, and two more…and the smell of smoke. A body fell off the side of the ship. I watched it splash and sink. I looked up in glee as I saw the main sail blazing from one of Izzy’s arrows.

Crack.

One shot left. I unhooked my carabiner and got ready to toss up my grapple hook. I was going to Batman the shit out of this ship. Izzy fired more arrows and above me there were screams and the smell of smoke grew.

Crack.

Showtime.

I threw the grapple up around the rail and began the climb. My muscles were stiff and resisted at first but I wasn’t accepting anything short of perfection from myself today. The deck of the pirate ship was chaos. Several bodies lay across the boards bleeding out and getting trampled. Anything flammable was blazing and Izzy rained down arrows as fast as she could reload.

Climbing over the rail was the point where I would be most exposed. I steeled myself and pulled up and over. One of the pirates saw me and began to scream a warning but his voice was drowned in a sudden blast of noise from the Try Your Luck. Elizabeth had found her trusty air horn again. I felt a feral grin split across my face like an energy shield and went to work.

We were closer to my ship than I’d realized. I could see Elizabeth arming herself with more weapons. I counted only four stilled bodies on the deck and three mortally wounded, plus the one that went overboard. I pulled a sharp knife from my belt. Down went Number Six, Seven, and Eight, with my hand over their mouths and my knife through their throats.

Each man down made the stage quieter and quieter. Elizabeth said the count was 12. Four to go. Number Nine turned to me, his pistol raised to shoot. I grabbed his arm, wrestled the gun away, boxed him to the edge of the ship and over, then shot him with his own gun and threw the weapon away. Rule number one: dead men tell no tales. I met Number Ten with a cutlass to his gut and shoved him into Number Eleven then turned to Number Twelve and delivered an uppercut that sent him sprawling to the ground. Number Eleven came back and we traded cuts and blows until Number Twelve smashed a broken board into my right arm hard enough to break the humerus. My arm fell dead at my side and I screamed at him as I pushed him back and buried a blade deep into his thigh. The man staggered back to regroup.

It wasn’t till I heard Izzy and Elizabeth shouting that I registered how close the ships had drifted as I’d fought. I looked up in time to see the hulls crash together. Eleven, Twelve, and I toppled to the deck.

My ship!

I couldn’t spare a moment to think about her. Eleven was on the ground next to me cradling his side; I wrapped a rope around his neck and kicked him off the side. Izzy and Elizabeth were still screaming and shouting but I couldn’t pick out their words through the adrenaline and blood lust. The mast of the pirate ship splintered and crashed to the deck of the Try Your Luck, locking the ships together. Number Twelve was crushed underneath a stack of fallen crates. I found a gun, loaded it, and shot him through his temples.

Twelve. It was over.

Izzy and Elizabeth were still shouting. I looked up to see two more pirates bearing down.

“You said 12!” I shouted to Elizabeth as Surprise Number Thirteen tackled me. He was larger than I was by three stone and took me down to the boards. I had one knife left in my belt and I shoved it up into this fucker’s heart. Number Fourteen, upset with my actions, pulled my leg and stomped down on my knee. I screamed and shoved Thirteen off me only to find Fourteen with a broad tipped harpoon in his hands.

“No!” I put my one good hand up as he drove the wide hooked spear through my ribs and into the boards below me.

“No,” the word escaped my lips along with the copper taste of blood. Fourteen’s head exploded out the back and I turned to see my sister with a gun out, point blank range (the perfect student), standing over him.

“Izzy–” I wanted to say good job but I was losing air and ability. Elizabeth appeared next to Izzy. “Fourteen. Not twelve. Fourteen,” I gasped. There was a deep pain, fathoms deep, that my body wanted to wrap around and suffocate. The pressure of the wound ate away at my consciousness. I could feel the secondary measures begin. My head was ready to split open.

They were both saying things and looking scared. They shouldn’t be scared. They were children.

“Don’t bury me.”

They both kept saying things. They both were good with words. Always words. So many words.

So many…“Fourteen,” I wheezed again. How could Elizabeth have missed those two? How could she have failed me like that? Now I was impaled.

Everything was growing fuzzy. Izzy looked terrible.

“Don’t bury me,” I breathed. The secondary measures waited in the wings for my heart to fail. “Take me to Zheng.” I wondered if the words were in my voice or my head.

The top of me was cold but underneath was a seeping warmth. The floor was spinning a little and I couldn’t keep track of which side my sister was on. Izzy was upset and I brought my hand to her cheek – at least I thought I did, it was difficult to feel my limbs. The sun eclipsed most of my vision and I felt warm rather than cold.