Chapter 2

AZKi made her way down into the ship’s commissioned officer’s quarters, the barrel of the blunderbuss poking hard into her right shoulder. She walked towards a large cabinet, putting her hand on the handle and hesitating only to hear the hammer of the gun cock back.

“Remember…” Chloe said in her sing-song voice “remember what happened last time someone said ‘no’ to me. You’ve used your one chance. I wouldn’t waste it.”

AZKi closed her eyes, letting out a shallow, nervous breath and opened the cabinet. Inside lay a small iron lockbox. Pulling the key from her pocket, she opened it, showing three rubies. It was an ancient custom of respect and faith, given out by the queen to her highest servants on their most important tasks, a tradition going as far back as the invention of mining such precious materials.

“There… see? Now we can all go away happy. You get your life, I get paid, we all win, don’t we?”

“You won’t get away with this…” AZKi hissed

“A phrase I’ve heard many times. Yet here I am: getting away with it.” she chuckled “Now, back to the upper deck and don’t try anything funny.”

The two walked back to the ship’s upper deck, Chloe with the lockbox of rubies in her arm.

“Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. It has been such an honor to speak with you, but I must be away. I wouldn’t want these rubies to go to waste! Ta-ta for now!”

Chloe skipped back to her schooner like the cat that got the cream and began to sail away back to the carrack.

“Once we get back aboard the Shiikuni, give them all five fingers.”

“Yes, captain!”

The Skiikuni began to turn clockwise, aiming its three cannons at the Hoshiyomi, the schooners mimicking the motion.

“Three,” Chloe started “two… one. Fire!”

In a loud thunder of fire and smoke, five cannon balls ripped through the air, making four impressive holes in the ship’s hull, the fifth hitting one of the two lifeboats as though to rub salt in the wound. Water poured into the lower deck and the Hoshiyomi began to sink at a rapid pace.

“Everyone! To the lifeboat!” AZKi shouted

You ran to the side of the ship, getting on the starboard lifeboat.

“How do we know they aren’t just going to shoot the lifeboat too?”

“We either risk it or stay aboard the Hoshiyomi. I know which chance I’d rather bet on.”

As they walked to the lifeboat, it was made very apparent that not everyone would fit in just one lifeboat. As everyone filed in, five men sat at the edge, stumbling to get aboard. AZKi pulled out her pistol and fired a shot into one of the men’s arm.

The lifeboat fell down into the water with a crash, splashing sea water on their feet. Two men began to row away and you turned to look at the pirates. Thankfully, they had begun to sail in the opposite direction. AZKi called out to the other end of boat.

“Navigator! Is there any place we can go to shore? Any ports?”

Takane Lui, both a veteran in the Northern Reclamation War and a senior navigator, waved over.

“I made sure to collect the maps before they boarded. If we keep a westerly bearing for around fifteen nautical miles, we should reach an island called Climatic Island. It’s uninhabited but there’s plenty of game and it used to be a military outpost, there should be shelter there.”

“Good job. We’ll sail there and figure out what to do next. About how long do you think it’ll take?”

“About three days. Two if we hurry.”

“Alright. Here’s how it’s going to be: we’ll row in shifts. Those who aren’t rowing will be fishing. Any questions?”

The crew remained silent.

“Good. God have mercy on us.” AZKi said

It was the longest three days of your life. You could hear the men’s screams as the ship slowly sank into the sea, their terrified yells as they swam frenzied towards the lifeboats in the distance. Then the screaming died down, being replaced with cries for help. They begged AZKi and the rest of the crew to turn back, offered deals, one even claimed he’d give the crew his wife. Then silence. A haunting silence knowing that not a mile away, men you’d spent three months with had just drowned.

The sun beat down with all the fury of the Queen’s temper and the waves constantly sloshed water into the boat, leaving your feet perpetually damp. The crew were bored, antsy, and tired, a terrible trio that always led to problems. One of them, a newbie crewmate with barely a year in service as a privateer, spoke up.

“Did… did we really have to leave them? We could’ve dragged them behind, each of us swimming in shifts.” her voice quivered “We could’ve saved them! We left them to die!”

“I did what I had to do, Mel. Now settle down.”

Mel hugged her knees, rocking back and forth slightly like a child who desperately needed her mother. You couldn’t bear to watch. Finally, on the afternoon of the third day, you could see land in the distance. It was a modest island, barely seventeen miles long and three wide, yet it looked like the gates to heaven after all that had transpired. On the peninsula closest to them lay an old, crumbling stone fort being reclaimed by nature. Along its tall walls crawled ivy and other such vegetation. From the large opening in its eastern half, it was doubtless a home to animals as well. The island’s most stunning feature was the large mountain at its farthest end, an intimidating thing that looked like it touched the very heavens, yet strikingly majestic. A few hours later, the lifeboat hit land not far from the fort.

Mel got out of the ship, still hugging herself and rocking slightly back and forth on her heels. You knew exactly the sort of person she was: a naïve child who believed this would be a glorious adventure across the sea, not a constant struggle for survival as so often privateering was. The tired, weary crew walked up to the old fort, finding it was in far worse shape than what was seen from afar. The walls lay cracked and crumbling, worn away by years of exposure to the salty sea air without maintenance, and the battlement facing the sea had completely collapsed, leaving a nice wide opening filled with rubble. Grass grew out of control within and a bee’s hive lay hitched to the center starboard side turret, its buzz being heard before they even reached the fort’s opening. You walked up to AZKi, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“So,” you said with a pause “What’s the plan?”

AZKi let out a sigh, struggling to keep her composure. It was clear from her face she was close to breaking point and was like to start shouting at anyone who crossed her.

“For now… we need rest. Anyone who feels ready and able to hunt should do so. We also need fresh water desperately.”

Lui walked up to you both, map in hand.

“There should be a fresh water source just half a mile from here. It’s a large lake.”

“You’re a godsend Lui.” AZKi said “I don’t know what we’d do without you.”

Lui gave a weak smile.

“Always happy to help.”

“I think that’s our first objective then. We’ll go get water then… then…”

She put her hand against the wall of the fort, gasping for breath.

“We’ll go get water and carry it back. I know some of the men still have their canteens on them, me being one of them. You need to rest.”

“You’re right…” she gasped, plopping on the sand with a thud “you are so right.”

“Lui, if you can manage it, try to set up some water distilleries.”

“Right away.”

You gathered five of the crew, along with Mel, and made your way through the island to the oasis. Just as Lui promised, the lake was practically right beside the fort, requiring a mere ten minutes to reach. Much like the mountain, it was a sight more beautiful than anything you’d seen before it. You put your canteen in and drank water like you’d never drank before, gulping down so much you felt your belly may burst. The crew did much the same.

“Mel,” you asked, filling your canteen “how are you feeling?”

She looked at you, bags under her eyes and a bewildered look that one only acquired when seeing horrible things that would stick with them for life.

“Those men… I can still hear them… their screams…”

She winced, crouching and putting her hands over her eyes.

“Sorry. Sorry… I shouldn’t have brought it up.” you put your hand on her shoulder, gently rubbing her back “We’ll get through this, alright? Things are bad, but we’ve finally reached land. We’ll get through this somehow.”

After a moment's rest, you and the men returned to the fort, giving everyone water. AZKi gulped the water in your canteen down furiously, letting out a satisfying sigh when it was drained. Dusk began to descend and the moon started its rise. A couple of men started a fire and a few more came back with a dead fox. You sat at AZKi’s side.

“Seems things are finally shaping up. Everyone is a lot happier now.”

“Yes. That was quite a close call.”

“I guess that means your captain now, huh?”

“I guess so…” she sighed “I don’t think I’ve wanted a promotion any less than I do now.”

“Happens that way sometimes. Heroes rarely seek to be heroes.”

AZKi let out a laugh.

“As if I’m a hero.”

“After all of that? I’d classify that as heroics. Nobody could have pulled off the escape.”

Her eyes saddened and she hugged her legs.

“Tell that to the men I left to drown.” she said quietly

You both sat in silence for a while before she looked back at you.

“You know what I think? Seeing as you’re so poetic and good with the rest of the crew, I think it’s only right that you should get the promotion as well. I think you should be First Mate.”

“Not Lui?”

“Lui is good with navigation, not with leading and other responsibilities. She has her gifts, but she would not make a good First Mate.”

“Well…” you chuckled “you certainly are correct on the assumption that I don’t want it.”

“Well, you know how it is: heroes rarely seek to be heroes.” she mocked

“Yes, yes, very funny. But alright. If you think I’m the man for the job, I’ll step up.”

Suddenly, one of the men came running to you and AZKi.

“AZKi! AZKi!” he shouted “It’s the Shiikuni ten miles off port!”

You both shot up and looked out into the setting sun. Sure enough, an intimidating ship accompanied by two schooners lay on the horizon, its black flag hoisted high.