Captain Savage: The Fortress pt.9



The successful raiders let down a sea ladder from the railing.
Whilst the pirates use the same ropes they did before the landlubbers really appreciate the aid
to get out of the port basin. One foot up the rail Jane and Sally lend a hand to everyone
coming aboard. In short time the small raiding party gathers around Captain Savage.
Meanwhile Malik helps Chang to carry the guards up the gangway. They cannot leave the
bodies in front of the ship or simply throw them into the water. Both options could easily
draw unwanted attention.
Dropping the bodies on deck Malik and Chang join to pull the last prisoners over the rail. Jane
finally takes a look around to check if everyone is aboard. She counts 33 people including
herself and her crew, three other women among them. Cain shares out belaying pins and the
weapons taken from the brigantine###s sentries to everyone unarmed. Even Chang takes two of
the belaying pins.
When everyone is prepared Jane whispers her orders. ###Davis and Caruthers secure the
gangway.### Two pirates hush towards the gangway ducking at each side.
###The rest of us go below. First we take care of the crew. Get rid of the soldiers, but don###t kill
the tars as long as you don###t have to. Maybe some of the swabbies join us later. We can use
every hand here.###
###Aye, Captain.### Cain nods conspiratively. From his time in the British navy he knows that
many of the men were pressed into service. Surely a lot of them would be only too pleased to
change allegiance.
###Take everyone useless to sail a ship as a guard. Juan, Sally and I check the stern with the
officer###s cabins.### Jane takes her lover by the arm before she leads the group to the hatch
downstairs.
On tiptoes they descend one by one into the hull. A foul smell of mouldy water and human
vapours welcomes them. At the end of the stairs Captain Savage turns towards the rear. Cain
leads his group to the quarters. He silently divides the men and women into different squads.
As they prepare to subdue the crew Captain Savage aims for a small strip of light coming
from under the door of the last cabin.
Commodore Pennington finishes his glass of Sherry with a content smile. The assault on the
pirate###s rat hole and their total eradication might be more than sufficient for his long desired
promotion. Admiral Pennington sounded exhilarating in his ears. Maybe he could even leave
this malaria and yellow fever contaminated piece of the Empire and return to England as a
hero. Killing a few women and children was a more than acceptable price for this privilege.
They were nothing but vermin and so they had to be extinct like vermin. Maybe he would
enjoy the attractions of some of them before. Not necessarily just the women if there were
some young handsome boys, too. He chuckled in pleasant anticipation.
His thoughts get interrupted disquietingly as the door suddenly bursts open. He looks up in
anger. His mouth opens about to bawl out the harasser, but he makes no sound. Instead of the
Governor###s messenger he faces a barefoot woman in soaking wet breeches and tied shirt
holding a sabre in her hand. Behind her an armed Hispanic enters the cabin of his chief
officer. Through the open door he also hears muffled cries out of the quarters. Within a split
second he realizes that he had turned from attacker to assaulted.
Captain Savage hurries into the room. Outside she had expected to face more enemies than
just the Commodore, so she waited until her raiding party started to overwhelm the drowsy
crew. Now she charges to finish him, too.
With a quick reaction Pennington throws his glass in Jane###s direction. It flies into flinders just
in front of her. She has to jump to the side to avoid her feet being cut by the sharp splinters.
This short moment allows him time to pull out his own blade.
Sally watches the fight for a moment from the floor as suddenly the door next to her opens.
The tall man she faces has been alarmed by the noise from the Commodore###s cabin. Before he
even realizes what is happening to him Sally###s foot already hits his chin, half-way knocking
him out. His pistol falls to the floor as he stumbles back falling on the berth. Quickly she
jumps upon him. One moment before forcing her knife into his heart she sees the medicine
chest and library on the other side of the room. That man must be the surgeon! She decides
just to stun him instead of killing. A doctor always proves beneficial in her dangerous
profession. Being captured between her strong legs he turns and twitches without effort. A
few hard punches in his face take the surgeon out cold. Sally quickly makes sure that he is
still alive before she returns to the floor.
She finds Pennington and her beloved in a fierce duel to the death. The Commodore is a
skilled swordsman and still defies Captain Savage. Steel encounters steel again and again.
Jane slowly repels him, but he uses lots of dirty tricks to distract her. His chair already lies on
the floor between them to keep her at arm###s length. She simply kicks it out of her way. Before
she can chase him again he already takes the decanter from the table and throws it at her.
There is no space to draw aside, but in the nick of time Jane can smash the flying vessel with
her sabre. All of a sudden Sherry and pieces of crystal scatter across her and the floor. She
protects her eyes with her forearm, but she feels a few cuts and the burning sensation of
alcohol touching the wounds immediately.
Having his opponent blindfolded Pennington attacks without hesitation. A strong flourish
slaps the sabre out of her hand. Jane hears an appalled cry from the door.
Before Sally can come to aid he attacks again. Jane quickly jumps back to avoid stepping into
the razor like glass all around. His blade tightly misses the mark. Jane falls upon the table,
lying on her back like a bug. Swinging his blade Pennington comes for the final blow. Jane
sees an evil grin upon his face.
###Now you die, bitch!### He shouts in triumph.
The very same moment a heavy explosion lights up the night. For a short moment the
unexpected awful noise and bright light of the fireball distract Pennington. This moment is all
Captain Savage needs. She clings to the table board and kicks with both her feet against his
face.
Putting all her power into this kick it catapults him straight back. On the wet floor he loses his
balance and bounces hard against the panorama windows. The glass immediately breaks
under the force of his falling body. Unconsciously he plunges down into the basin.
The fuse ignited the powder just in time! Through the windows Jane sees the side of the
fortress facing the bay crumble away. Some of the heavy guns fall down into the slight swell.
She hears Sally cheering up and feels loving arms wrapping around her. Sally laughs
unburdened, kissing Jane again and again.
Jane feels relieved, too. But there is no time to celebrate! The brigantine has to set sails as
long as the troops around are occupied and confused.