7.
Katherine stood next to Roberto as he rolled out a large map made from parchment onto the desk in his cabin. The light from the setting sun that filtered through the leaded windows cast long shadows about the room, and Katherine held her lantern high so that she could see the detail on the map.
Roberto pushed a sextant to one edge of the map and a telescope to the other. He traced the line of the coast with his finger and then moved it upwards. "We've made a fair speed." He tapped the map. "We should reach Michael's Point by dawn tomorrow and then……" His voice trailed off.
Katherine put her hand on his shoulder, sensing his unease. They had been sailing for a day and a half and the crew of the 'Sea Stallion' were getting restless. They trusted Roberto completely and he had convinced them that to return to the 'Bloody Mary' could make them all rich. But he had also been honest with them, warning of the terrible danger they could face. Before they had left Kingston he had asked if any wanted to stay in port. Not one man had taken up his offer.
"What do you think we'll find?" she asked him.
Roberto shrugged. "Shouldn't I be asking you that Katherine?"
"You know I'm just looking for the Doctor."
"I think it all depends on the weather. Last time we were there, the mists made it difficult to navigate – but they damn well saved our skins escaping from Castro."
"Do you think he raided Pryce's ship?"
Roberto laughed and poured himself a cup of wine. "That's what I would've done milady and no mistake!" He took a long swig. "But I think that depended on those creatures…."
**********************
Dawn broke with no mist but a hazy sunshine that glinted off the deep blue sea.
Katherine stood at the prow of the 'Sea Stallion', Roberto's telescope at her eye as she anxiously scanned the ocean around them. She had spent a fitful night with hardly any real sleep, and been up before dawn.
All the crew that were not actually helping to sail it, lined the deck. Hardly any spoke a word. Trent, who stood next to Katherine on the prow, chewed at a dirty thumbnail. She tried to summon a reassuring smile but it wouldn't come.
Suddenly, the sailor in the crow's nest shouted down. "Ship ahoy!"
The crew almost collectively took a breath.
Roberto ran up to Katherine as she put the spyglass to her eye again. "What can you see?" he demanded.
"The ship is still there – it hasn't been touched," Katherine whispered, "but there's a new wreck not far away from her!"
8.
In the undersea chamber, the Doctor looked between the impassive stares of the three Sea Devils. His mouth moved, but he couldn't form any words. "You can't be serious?" he stammered eventually.
Tarthor clenched a massive clawed fist. "I have told you before Doctor!" he hissed. "The humans destroyed our young without mercy. They struck the first blow - now they shall pay!"
"That doesn't mean you have to sink to their level!"
"Enough!" Tarthor smashed his fist down onto one of the control banks. "Do as you have been instructed Doctor and at least you will be spared." The Sea Devil leader strode from the chamber, his green moss cloak billowing behind him. The huge warrior that served as his bodyguard hissed contemptuously at the Doctor and then followed Tarthor.
The Doctor's jaw clenched as he watched them leave, his face a mask of anger. Then he took a deep breath and turned back to the smaller Sea Devil that remained. "And what do you think Kaulix?"
The Sea Devil avoided his gaze, his webbed hands altering dials and controls. "I am only a technician Doctor – I obey my orders."
"How many times have I heard that before?" spat the Doctor. "That's what they said in the concentration camps and before Hiroshima!"
Kaulix slowly blinked his large eyes. "I do not understand the references?"
The Doctor released his breath through his mouth. "No, of course not," he said, calming down. "I'm sorry."
Kaulix didn't reply and there were a few seconds of silence in the chamber as the Sea Devil monitored more of the controls that fed the latest hibernation chamber. "Help me repair the activation mechanism on this chamber," the Sea Devil whispered eventually, "and then I will show you something."
The Doctor's eyes narrowed. He sensed something in the tone of Kaulix's voice. "Show me what?"
But the Sea Devil technician shook his head. "Not yet – first we must repair the mechanism."
**************************
Tarthor and his bodyguard strode into the main control chamber in the undersea base. There were dozens of the organic control banks littered around the room and large screens hung from the roof of the chamber that showed various scenes of the base and the murky depths of surrounding ocean.
The Sea Devils that operated the control banks stopped their duties and looked up as their leader entered.
"It is time for our vengeance against the humans to begin," Tarthor commanded. "Assemble the warriors!"
9.
Katherine watched from the deck of the 'Sea Stallion' as they lowered the small rowing boat over the side, Trent guiding the thick ropes through his hand as Roberto del Guisa waved at her with a gusto that he didn't really feel.
The 'Sea Stallion' had come alongside the 'Bloody Mary' just as it had two weeks ago. Boarding planks had been laid down and Roberto had led his crew carefully across, their weapons drawn and ready. To their surprise and delight, the treasure of Jonas Pryce had been left untouched by both the Sea Devils and Castro. It was with great delight that the crew had brought several chests of gold and jewellery back to the 'Sea Stallion', all of them ready to drink a toast to their brave and clever Captain del Guisa.
But Roberto had cut short the celebrations, both for his own curiosity and on Katherine's pleas. He had insisted that they explore the new wreck that they had spotted a few leagues further north. Roberto had also refused, much to her annoyance, to let Katherine aboard the row boat.
With strong strokes of the oars, Trent guided the small vessel past the smashed remains of a tall mast that was twisted around a jagged and ripped sail. Roberto knew that bringing the 'Sea Stallion' through here might ensnare it in the sail, which was why his ship had to remain at a distance. As soon as he had seen the sail, with its painting of the huge black bull, Roberto knew that Castro and all of his crew had become victims of the Sea Devils.
The main hull of the 'Spaniard' floated on its side like a dying whale, shattered and defeated. There was a gaping hold in one side of the hull, clearly smashed in by one of the huge sea monsters, which led into the forbidding darkness of the hold. Bodies of sailors bobbed up and down on the waves.
Roberto regarded the corpses with a mixture of satisfaction and horror. Castro had been a brutal pirate and his crew vicious, but nobody deserved to die like this. He crossed his chest silently and then jumped as one of the corpses moved an arm. This one was still alive!
Quickly, Roberto grabbed a spare oar, pulled the body towards the boat, and then leant over and hauled the heavy body of the sailor aboard. The man was deathly white and his skin bloated and wrinkled from exposure to the sea water, but his eyes flickered open.
10.
Kaulix led the Doctor quickly through the rocky tunnels of the undersea base.
They had finished repairing the revival mechanism of the hibernation chamber after only a few hours work. The damage to this chamber had been minimal and after repairing more extensive problems on previous controls, replicating the correct circuitry had been relatively easy. In fact, the Doctor had been working deliberately slowly over the last two weeks, often inventing delays and problems to stall the Sea Devils. But Kaulix was quick to learn and fooling or simply delaying him was getting increasingly more difficult. The Doctor was also growing fond of the young reptile since they had started working together, and admired his intelligence and adaptability. Deliberately trying to mislead him would now feel a little like betrayal, and the Doctor hated betraying a being with such an open mind.
It seemed that the Doctor's respect for Kaulix was now paying off. The Sea Devil technician was clearly putting himself at risk by his actions and he glanced nervously around the corridors as they hurried along.
Fortunately, all the Sea Devils that they passed ignored them.
"Where are we going?" asked the Doctor.
Kaulix shook his large head. "Please do not ask questions – just follow me."
They soon reached a large metal hatch at the end of a corridor. Checking that there were no other Sea Devils behind them, Kaulix moved some dangling weed that grew on the rocky wall and keyed in a sequence on a gnarled control panel beneath it. Oval buttons lit up with a green light as the hatch juddered open.
Kaulix gestured for the Doctor to step through the hatch. The Doctor raised an eyebrow but did as he was instructed and Kaulix, with a last look behind him, followed.
They now stood in a small circular pod, only about two metres across. On one of the walls was a window and the Doctor peered out of the pod to see the ocean bed. Shoals of brightly coloured fish darted past and across a nearby reef. "Incredible!" he whispered.
"Hold on," instructed Kaulix, pointing to metal rungs that were dotted around the walls at regular intervals.
The hatch to the pod closed, and the Doctor looked around as Kaulix, without further warning, pressed a series of buttons on another control panel.
The Doctor yelled in surprise and delight as suddenly the pod accelerated upwards through the ocean like a rocket.
11.
The pirate licked his salt-dry lips and moaned as Roberto knelt next to him and gently held a flask of water to his mouth. Coughing and spluttering, the man's eyes snapped wide open in terror. "The creatures!" he screamed, clutching fearfully at Roberto's arm.
"Easy now - it's all over," replied Roberto gently. He looked back at an apprehensive Trent who still sat holding the oars. "Take us back to the 'Stallion'."
Trent nodded and started rowing as the rescued pirate stirred in Roberto's arms. "Trent….." he muttered weakly.
Roberto frowned. Why would this man know a member of his crew? Then came the sudden cold realisation that twisted in his stomach like a knife. How could he have been so stupid? He glanced backwards, and tried to get to his feet, his movements hampered by the rescued pirate. He saw a flash of metal as Trent lunged towards him with a knife. Roberto del Guisa cursed. Here he was - helpless as a newborn!
Then there was the boom of a pistol and Trent clutched at his chest with a scream. Dropping the knife, he pitched over the side of the boat and crashed into the sea. His dead body joined the ranks of Castro's crew.
Roberto looked up to see Katherine on the side of the 'Sea Stallion', the still smoking flintlock pistol in her outstretched hand. Her brown eyes were as cold as winter.
*******************
The Doctor stepped from the pod, shaking his head to clear it. A huge grin was plastered on his face. "Blimey, that was a bit of a ride Kaulix – you should sell it to Disney!"
But the Sea Devil just looked blankly at the Doctor as it closed the hatch on the pod.
Much to his surprise, the Doctor suddenly realised that they were not underwater. Instead, a hot sun beat down from above, golden sand lay beneath their feet, and a jungle of waving palms surrounded them.
"Oops," said the Doctor, as he looked around, "we're not in Kansas any more!" He took a deep breath of the fresh salty air – after being confined in the Sea Devil base for two weeks it tasted like nectar. Then he turned back to Kaulix. "Where are we?"
"This is one of our hatching islands," whispered the Sea Devil and the Doctor could detect a hint of sadness in the reptile's voice. "Follow me." Kaulix started to walk up a sandy dune.
The wind blowing his hair and his curiosity burning, the Doctor trailed behind.
12.
Roberto clambered up the ladder on the side of the 'Sea Stallion', the rescued pirate on his back. He had hardly time to offload the man to his waiting crew when Katherine threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly. Roberto grinned with delight. "I think it is I that should be thanking you milady."
Katherine looked up and kissed Roberto fiercely on the lips before quickly pulling away. "You were almost killed!" she burst out. Then she punched him hard on the chest. "And stop calling me that!"
Slightly confused, not least about his own feelings, Roberto rubbed his bruised chest and just nodded.
"Anyway," Katherine continued, without missing a beat. "You'd better see this." She handed Roberto a spyglass and pointed across the horizon to the east.
Roberto put the spyglass to his eye and looked in the direction Katherine had pointed. Far on the horizon was a tiny outcropping of rock and trees. "Santa Maria," he breathed, "an island!"
Katherine nodded. "It could be why the Sea Devils attacked us here." The words just fell out. "They could have taken the Doctor there!"
Roberto grinned, lowered the spyglass and cupped her chin in his hand. "You never do give up do you Katherine?"
********************
Kaulix reached the top of the sand dune and paused, waiting for the Doctor to reach him. As he did so, the Sea Devil pointed down the other side of the dune. "This is what the humans discovered. This is why my people want revenge!"
An iron band tightened around his chest as the Doctor gasped at what lay before him. He licked his suddenly dry lips, struggling to find the right words.
The top of the dune was actually part of a giant circular ridge of about a hundred feet in diameter. The other side of the ridge dipped away so that there was depression like a huge sandy nest. Inside the nest were dozens of giant eggs, each one easily ten times the size of an ostrich egg. Each of the eggs, every single one, was cracked, smashed or totally destroyed. The small green bodies of naked Sea Devil young lay lifeless in the nest. Some were sprawled on dark, stained sand whilst others had been murdered still inside their shells.
"I'm sorry, I'm so…." The Doctor trailed off, a mixture of fury and sorrow filling his hearts.
But he knew words would not be enough.
Not nearly enough.
13.
When Katherine saw the familiar figure, the long brown coat flapping in the wind on top of the sand dune, her heart leapt into her mouth. "Doctor!" she cried.
She instantly broke into a run, leaving behind Roberto and the other two men that had accompanied them to the island, and heedless of any danger.
"Katherine, come back!" Roberto yelled after her and drew his flintlock. He too had seen the Doctor, but had also spotted the Sea Devil that stood next to him.
On top of the dune, the Doctor turned to see Katherine sprinting towards him. He grinned affectionately, but saw that she wasn't alone and his smile was replaced by a frown of concern as he saw del Guisa draw his pistol. Next to him, Kaulix was also reaching for the heat weapon at his belt. He had to act quickly or this could turn from a happy reunion into a needless bloodbath.
The Doctor turned and knocked Kaulix's weapon from his hand just as Katherine cannoned into him. Hugging her tightly, the Doctor moved in front of the Sea Devil, blocking him from any fire from Roberto or his men. "Don't shoot!" he shouted. "I won't have any more death here. This has to end now!"
"Doctor," sobbed Katherine, "I thought you were dead! I thought those things had killed you!"
"I'm fine," he reassured her, looking deeply into her large brown eyes with a smile. "And I've missed you too." A short hiss from behind him made the Doctor turn. "And this is my friend Kaulix."
Katherine regarded the Sea Devil warily. "Your friend?"
"Yes I think so. You are my friend aren't you Kaulix?"
Kaulix paused before giving a short nod, but took a step backwards as Roberto and his men approached.
Roberto still held his pistol and the crewmen had drawn their cutlasses, watching the Sea Devil with both fear and anger in their eyes. "So you survived Doctor," laughed Roberto. "You must have more lives than a cat!"
"Oh I do," replied the Doctor lightly, "at least ten now." There was something in the buccaneer's voice – almost a hint of disappointment - but the Doctor ignored it and his face became deadly serious. "But before any of you feel like killing Kaulix here, take a look down there." He pointed to the ravaged Sea Devil nest between the dunes. "This is what Pryce's crew did to them."
Roberto swept his eyes over the devastation and paled, instantly realising what had happened. His mouth moved, but no words came. "My God," he finally muttered.
"Now you understand," whispered Kaulix sadly.
