Summary: AU. "Death Tears." The Jells and the Cles are at war. Mistoffelees, Munkustrap, Demeter and Victoria are mixed up in it.
Notes: Rasgos da Morte means Death (Morte) Tears (Rasgos) in Portuguese.
Disclaimer: I don't own CATS.
Italics text is Munkustrap. He is captain of HMS Rasgos.
Bold text is Mistoffelees. He is a sailor on HMS Morte.
Normal text is Demeter. She is Munkustrap's wife.
Underlined text is Victoria. She is Mistoffelees' sister.
"Captain!"
I turn. Sailor Rum Tum Tugger is standing behind me. I nod to allow him to speak.
"We are within five miles of HMS Morte. Shall we prepare to fire?"
I nod again and turn back around. It is an exciting day for the crew and myself. We're launching the first torpedo in the history of the world. It had not been tested, but that is what we're doing on the fine submarine HMS Rasgos. We're going to fire them at HMS Morte, the enemy submarine. I hope they work. Those meddling Jells need to be taught who was boss. They need to see that us Cles are fit to rule.
This is the life for me! When I first joined as a sailor on HMS Morte, I thought it would be all fighting and not much rest. How wrong I was! I love being here: it's so peaceful.
I suppose that everyone else thinks so too. All our emergency doors are open, and we don't have our radar on. They must be pretty sure that there aren't any Cles around.
I must say, though, that this peacefulness is unnerving me. It can't keep up for much longer. We will be found. That's when the fighting will come.
But I have great faith on our captain, Alonzo. He will see us through anything. He has faced certain death and escaped, so I'm told by Plato. I guess that means we're mostly safe.
"Four miles, Captain!"
Peace. That's really all I want. That's what I'm getting at the moment. Why can't every day be like this? My life's been changed by this war. And I have no doubt that it will be changed some more.
"Three!"
I don't see why so many people are glad for this war. They think it as a chance to prove themselves. I don't. I see it as a chance for everyone to be killed. What's the point in that?
"Two miles away!"
I turn to Tumblebrutus, who is on the bunk below me. "Tumble, what do you think the outcome of this war's going to be?" I see him smirk about my posh accent, but he replies, "Dunno. We're gunna win, ain't we? We 'ave to. 'Scuse, but I'm just gunna go 'n' use the bathroom." And he walks off.
"We're within one mile now, Captain. Will you go and supervise the firing?"
I nod, and follow him to the place where the torpedoes are loaded. All I have to do is give one word, and they will fire. Fire into the unknown and, who knows? They may even hit their target.
This war is stupid! The men going off to fight for their country and getting killed in the process! For that is what will happen. It has in every other war and will in wars to come. Bast bless my husband.
Wars separate families. Just like I am separated from my dear brother. We have never been apart for this long before. He was always there to protect me from anything and everything. Now, I feel so vulnerable. I just have to hope and pray that he is safe, and everything is going well for him.
The time had come to say the word. The word that may kill so many lives.
"Fire!"
I sit up. Something just went bang. Without warning, I am thrown backwards. I can hear screaming. I can recognise Tumble's, but none others. There's fire! Burning my fur, singeing me. I can feel it's scorching heat. I must get away...
At the thud, everyone starts cheering. A ruthless pride gathers up inside of me. I yell in joy along with the rest of them, and get ready to order the next shot.
Must...get...away... I turn and see Tumble's face nearly hidden in the flames. I look away and run down a corridor. The exit is somewhere around here...
Skimbleshanks comes up behind me. "Follow me, Lad," he yells. I do as I'm told, sprinting after him, fleeing from the hungry flames behind me. The smoke has caught up with us and is clogging my throat. Tears are streaming down my face.
Plato's just come out and is running alongside us. I think we're only ones left.
"Fire the next shot!"
As soon as the words come out, the realisation hits me. What am I doing? The bloodthirsty part of me leaks away and I am left with a feeling of guilt. Did those people have to die?
And I fill myself with the though that yes, they did. They are the enemy. I have never known them, and now I never will. All because of one word: fire.
Skimble throws open the door onto the deck. We clamber after him, coughing. At last, we are safe.
But no, another something has hit us. I'm thrown down on the deck. Plato falls back down below deck. Skimble nearly falls overboard, but is caught by Alonzo.
Alonzo! Our captain survived! He is bound to have something that will get us all to safety. We gather around him. He looks at each burnt face, filled with anticipation, yet covered by worry and sadness.
And he sighs and motions towards the lifeboats. That is all we can do. Our submarine is sinking!
What if the stupid new torpedoes Munkustrap was talking about hit another submarine? All those innocent people, dying for their country. But they haven't actually achieved anything for their stupid blooming country! Because they died!
I heard the Cles are building some new weapon. Torpeeks, or something. They're supposed to be very dangerous. I sincerely hope that Misto will be okay.
I sit down in my chair. At least twenty lives have been destroyed. By me. The ruthless, killing Captain of HMS Rasgos.
Only one lifeboat has survived, and not all of us can fit in. I know that Alonzo must stay with his boat if he cannot come on the lifeboat. I hope that it will not come to that.
But it has. Myself, Plato and Skimble are on the boat, but Alonzo is not. The boat will not survive being lowered to the water if he comes too. So he is to jump in the water and join us when we are safe in the water.
Stupid war!
Oh, for the families of those that are dead!
I pray a silent prayer that the souls of the dead may rest peacefully.
Alonzo has jumped in the water and we are waiting for him to come up. It has been a minute, and he has still not come up. We fear that he will never reach the surface. The water is so cold that he might have frozen to death before swimming up.
I wonder what Victoria thinks.
What will Demeter say when she finds out that I've become a killer? I hope she understands that is was for the good of the Cles.
Who am I kidding? I barely helped the Cles. Being known as a killer isn't going to get me any farther in life.
We row away. Alonzo has no chance of still being alive. What will we do now? I can't believe everyone else is dead!
The news is finally here! I wonder if Munkustrap's in it-
Oh Bast! His submarine hit HMS Morte! I told him the war would just end in killing, and now it has! Oh, Munkustrap!
I've just read the news! Misto's submarine's been hit by the Cles' new weapon. What will I do if he hasn't survived?
Why did I do it?
Tumble...dead...
My darling, why did you do it?
My poor brother! Who knows whether he's dead or not? I hate those Cles!
They had done nothing directly to me!
Bast, they're all gone... My face is wet with...
Why kill innocent people? The end is simply...
What's the point in wars? Good people...
But now the war is nearly over...
...my tears...
...of death...
...shall fall.
This was posted up because of various requests to see it here.
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Xbakiyalo