Captain Savage: The Fortress pt.8



Although the city is connected to the fortress, enclosed by the same palisades, Pennington###s
coach has to stop at two different checkpoints. The governor is a cautious man, the
commodore thinks. Showing enough presence of his troops will keep the people calm and
prevent them from revolting against the crown. The Empire is still being broadsided by the
loss of the New England colonies. In Pennington###s opinion the remaining dependencies have
to be ruled with an iron fist to keep them loyal.
Finally he arrives at the harbour. The coach stops in front of the brigantine. Currently
Pennington has chosen the comparatively small ship as his vessel. Due to its speed it allowed
him to keep close contact between his patrolling ships and the governor. His flagship, an
impressive ship of the line named ###Devastator###, was on duty in hunting pirates, too. He would
return to ###Devastator### as soon as he knew the destination for the coming attack.
Two soldiers guard the gangway towards the brigantine. They spring to attention as they see
the commodore coming. Pennington passes them with a short nod. Of course, he is not
welcomed by the whistle of the officer of the deck at this time of the night, but one of the
petty officers salutes him. The other two guards on deck watchfully keep their positions. The
petty officer reports that all hands are aboard and sleeping yet, but the ship is prepared to
leave harbour at Pennington###s order.
Pennington nods again, satisfied with the report. All that he needs now is the messenger with
the coordinates.
He walks towards his cabin. Watching through the large windows at the backside he vaguely
sees some motion on the watchtowers of the fortress. Obviously the change of guards, he
thinks unsuspicious.
He pours some sherry from a reasonably filled decanter into a matching glass and walks
towards his map table. By the dim light of a lamp he watches the nautical chart upon it. The
chart shows the coastline of the colony and the estimated positions of every ship of his flotilla.
Besides his flagship two frigates and another brigantine are securing the area. Gathering them
for the strike against the pirate base he would return to his flagship first. Then ###Devastator###
would meet one of the frigates, leaving the other two ships for the brigantine. He thoughtfully
studies the chart to find a significant meeting point for the flotilla. With combined forces they
would crush any resistance!
He drinks his sherry with a smile.
Sally runs down the stairs from the watchtower as fast as possible; her feet hardly touching
the steps. When she enters the bailey she sees the rest of the prisoners already approaching,
too. Coming around the corner she finds Jane and her assault detachment over the dead bodies
of the guards. Before anyone else arrives at the gate she already stands by the captain###s side.
Jane opens a small door within the gate to draw less attention. One by one the prisoners leave
the fortress and sneak around the walls.
Having Cain as rearguard the women lead the group towards the shore. They already know
from the locals that a lot of troops are stalking the streets at night. Therefore ##' and since Sally
already proved it being a fatal surprise for the enemy ##' the escapees are going to swim to the
brigantine.
Coming to the water some of the prisoners take off their shoes. Especially the coloured ones
are already barefoot. Fortunately there are no non-swimmers among them. Wading through
the mud the pirates tell them to swim calmly. It is better to move slowly than making too
much noise.
Like a shoal they glide through the swell. Their heads come out of the water for a short
breathing only. The water is quite warm, but it cools Jane###s wounds and revives her. Stroke by
stroke her body regains more strength. As they pass about half of the distance Jane can see
Sally and herself together with Chang and Malik having an abundantly clear lead over the
rest.
She watches the lights of the ship coming nearer. She feels a bit uncomfortable seeing the
windows at the stern enlightened. How many men aboard are still awake? Will they see the
fugitives coming? No time to think about it.
Sally swims in front of her, fast and lithe like a fish. Jane is impressed how much power her
beloved still shows after everything she did tonight. She is glad to have Sally and two of her
best fighters with her in the fore. If she had to choose a team for this nightly forage it would
have been exactly this one.
They have nearly reached the ship as one of the sailors comes to the rail lighting his pipe. In
the glowing light Jane can clearly see his face and navy suit. She holds her breath, but he does
not look into her direction. His eyes are turned towards the open water. Suddenly he
disappears again. Jane can hear his steps on the deck.
After a short exchange of looks the four pirates dive the rest of the distance. They do not raise
their heads out of the water until they feel the wooden ship###s side. Being in a blind area for
the sentries Jane signals the stragglers to dive, too. It would be fatal being detected now;
sitting ducks without any chance to fight back.
Before the group arrives the vanguard already catch at some ropes hanging down the ship.
Jane notices Sally having the knife between her teeth again. For a short sweet moment she
feels aroused by the amazing display.
Silently they pull themselves out of the water and climb up with their feet leaning against the
hull planking. Their eyes carefully watch the rail above, but the smoking sailor does not show
again. Neither does anyone else.
Seconds before they reach the top footsteps are coming closer. Sally slings the rope around
her leg improving her hold while she reaches for her blade. A moment later the smoker
returns. Fain##ant he starts to clean his pipe just above the pirate. When he wants to dump the
ashes overboard he directly stares into her eyes. She sees the scariness on his face when he
realises the danger straight below. Before he can sound the alarm Sally###s hand quickly grabs
his neck, pulling him down. With the other hand she thrusts her knife deep into his throat.
Jane quickly jumps upon deck, hiding behind a barrel. Silently she unsheathes her sabre. She
can see the petty officer and another sailor on deck. The sailor soon spots his comrade
hanging over the rail, his body twitching and choking.
###Seasick at harbour? You should really change your tobacco, Jack!### He chuckles as he comes
nearer. The petty officer on the other side just watches for a moment, shaking his head in
disgust.
During his death-throes the smoker wets his pants. At close range his comrade senses the
stench of urine. The same moment he sees a hand upon the dying man###s neck. He gasps in
sheer horror, but instantly an entwined arm cuts of his breath. He feels a stabbing pain as
suddenly a sabre tip emerges from his chest. It is the last thing he sees before the world turns
black. Jane drops his body behind the barrel and gives Sally and the others a sign to come up.
Malik is the first one to follow her aboard. Despite his muscle-bound body his moves are
smooth and agile. Jane only points at the petty officer and he sneaks forward with silent
acknowledgment. His black body nearly melts into the night, only the soles of his feet
outshining. Chang quickly follows him to the starboard side.
Jane offers Sally a hand to come aboard. When she places her foot on the rail she sees Malik
in the back of the petty officer. Coming like a phantom out of the night he takes the head of
the unsuspecting man in his tremendous hands and brutally twists it around.
The sound of his neck breaking draws the attention of the guards in front of the gangway, but
Chang is already jumping through the air towards them, pulling them both to the ground. His
deadly hands finish the soldiers fast as lightning.
The pirates watch for more enemies to come, but everything stays calm. The deck is in their
hands!
Inside the fortress the next change of guards is scheduled.
Lieutenant Gosford leads his men out of their quarters. Marching through the aisles of the
fortress he asks himself curiously if Basington already made this captured pirate wench speak.
How odd, he thinks, a woman being a pirate! Women should not be aboard of a ship, less than
ever being a captain! They shall make their homes and raise children instead of clothing and
acting like a man. He subtly shakes his head in disgust. Well, woman or not, Basington was
surely the right man to get his answers.
The soldiers enter the bailey in a perfect row of two. From here they split up in a certain order
to relieve the guards.
The group that is destined to secure the gate are the first ones to detect something startling.
The bodies of their comrades are lying motionless in the corners, massacred, their faces still
showing the horrors of their last moments.
###Alarm!### The sergeant of the group shouts across the bailey. He is still shocked by the sight
of their dead predecessors, but he has the reflexes of a war-wise soldier.
Gosford looks at the sergeant unbelievingly. What on Earth could cause an alarm inside these
walls? What the sergeant reports to him makes no sense.
###Did they kill each other? In a brawl, for example?### He asks the man. It is absolutely
impossible that anyone from outside could intrude the fortress and kill those guards without
being stopped or even noticed.
The very same moment the first shouts from the watchtowers sound through the night.
Gosford turns pale. Something in here has gone terribly wrong! Quickly he gives his orders.
###Inform the Governor that we are being attacked by intruders! He shall lock himself in his
rooms immediately. I will report to him as soon as I have more information. Dismiss!###
The sergeant disappears at the double.
Gosford sees the number of lights in the windows increasing faster and faster. The sound of
energetic footsteps caused by heavy boots already echo through the corridors. There is no
time to waste!
###Hurry up! We have to check the catacombs! Maybe someone tries to get the prisoners out of
the dungeon!### With a pistol in his hand he storms through the entrance towards the lower
levels followed by his troops. At the end of the gloomy corridor he orders six of his men to
reinforce the guards at the powder magazine. With the rest of his men he moves towards the
dungeon.
In the meantime his sergeant arrives at the Governors place. Powerful he knocks at his door.
An indignant grunt answers from the other side. A moment later the Governor himself opens
the door. He is wearing his nightdress; the powdered wig on his stand leaving his chaplet
exposed. Behind the massive body of the Governor the Sergeant can see two young mulattoes
on his bed, their dark hair and skin highlighted by their white gowns. Yet unaccompanied,
they kiss each other passionately.
###What###s that noise, Sergeant? I hope, you have a good reason to interrupt my sleep!###
The Governor###s impatient voice quickly ends the pleasant distraction.
###Lieutenant Gosford sends me, Milord! Someone has entered the fortress and killed the
guards. The Lieutenant wants you to lock up yourself until the situation is under control and
he can give you a full report.###
###What? What do you mean: someone? You don###t even have a clue about who did?### The
Governor###s face turns red in anger.
###No, Milord!### The Sergeant gulps nervously. ###We just found the bodies and the Lieutenant
immediately sent me to inform you. Maybe some of the insurgents among the colonists are
responsible for the assault.###
###Nonsense! These bumpkins would have flocked together with their pitchforks and scythes
and two or three bone crushers to storm the walls. It must be someone else###### Suddenly his
face turns pale. ###It###s the pirates! We didn###t catch them all and now they try to rescue their
cronies! I want Lieutenant Gosford to bring me any single one of these rogues! They###ll hang
from the gallows until the flesh rots from their bones! Damned!###
In the dungeon Gosford is appalled by the scenery he came across. The guardroom had turned
into a slaughterhouse. The cells are empty except for the dead bodies of Lieutenant Basington
and his men. Someone did not only take their lives, but also all of their weapons!
###To the powder magazine! Quickly!### He orders his soldiers to follow him. The guards did not
carry much gunpowder and musket balls with them, but when the intruders found the
magazine things could really get out of control.
Following the same way Jane and Sally used before the soldiers dash to the magazine. Before
they even reach the last corner Gosford already hears a heavy hammering. Inside he wonders
which disaster awaits him next.
As he comes around the corner two of his men are trying in terms to force the padlock open
with their butts. In feverish activity they hammer their guns against the door.
###What###s going on here, Corporal?### Gosford asks the senior of the men.
###There is a fuse burning on the other side of the door!### The man reports nervously.
###A fuse? What are you telling me?### Suddenly the Lieutenant###s blood runs cold.
###When we arrived the guards were gone, the door still locked. A fuse burned on the threshold.
It disappeared under the door before we could discharge it. I###m...I###m sorry, Sir!###
Without responding to the corporal Gosford hurries towards the door.
###Go away!### He shouts to the soldiers as he cocks his pistol. Until now he never even thought
about shooting the door of a powder magazine, but this night was like a nightmare from which
he could not wake. The only chance to discharge the fuse in time was a goddamn pistol shot
in the direction of a shipload of explosives! He feels the sweat on his brow as he aims for the
padlock.
The soldiers wince as the shot already sounds like an explosion inside the catacombs.
Splinters of wood fly around with parts of the destroyed padlock. Through the smoke the
Lieutenant kicks open the door. He jumps into the room. With a quick look around he detects
not only the dead guards lying on the floor, but also the fuse on the other side of the
magazine. It is nearly burned down!
With a courage born out of despair Gosford hurries ahead###