Chapter 14

Buckland turned slightly, inclining his head towards Catherine who quickly approached him. There was restraint in his posture. A curt nod, little more that the jerk of his head, greeted her. After barely, escaping imprisonment in the brig and being accused of mutiny, Buckland felt that nay association with the other lieutenant s meant death for all. Catherine, however, seemed to be oblivious of the attitude posed by the senior lieutenant.

"Sir, you cannot allow this to continue," she objected in a harsh whisper. "We need to act!"

Her mind unwittingly flicked to Kennedy who at present was suffering imprisonment and disgrace in the brig while they dawdled.

"At least try to prevent this!" she pressed.

Buckland's response was a baleful stare. It clearly was a look of dejected frustration, anger and annoyance. Without further ado, the first lieutenant stalked away. Catherine was left to glare haplessly at his fast retreating back. Alone. She felt oppressed the necktie constricting. Like a opportunist, she sighed and waited, peering once more through her glass at the land over the horizon that was fast approaching.

There was silence on the Renown save for the creaking of the timbers and of the guns. The captain stood at the edge of the quarterdeck, surveying through glazed eyes. Catherine fidgeted, Buckland stood stiffly beside her. Both behind Sawyer. She could sense Buckland's nervousness and discomfort as palpable as the deck beneath her feet. Sweat poured downed her neck and pricked her brow.

The fort loomed before the bow. Cliffs gleamed white and pale in the sun. The fort disappeared into the cliffs, impenetrable as if cared from the very rocks it perched. Gold and red of the Spanish flag flapped in the breeze.

Catherine tightened her grip on her glass. While she may not have ten years of fighting experience, she knew that the fort was far too high for the Renown's guns to fire upon. She could also see that the Renown would be within the full firing range of the fort's guns within seconds. But the breeze pushed the ship further into the harbour and the fort's range.

"Five!" came the depth reading.

"Deep 4!"

"A half 4!"

Catherine blinked. A dull thud signalled the gun settling heavily onto its carriage.

"It's no go, 'ir!" cried Matthews, "The fort's too high up!"

"Sir…" she began, disrupting the captain from whatever reverie he was immersed in. She took several tentative steps towards him.

"No, get away! Get away!" Sawyer barked, stamping his feet. Catherine halted abruptly, suddenly fearful. Hurried footsteps sounded behind her.

"We are standing into terrible danger, sir." Buckland. Catherine's eyes widened.

"By the mark 4."

"There are only a few feet of water beneath us."

"Yes," agreed Catherine, "we must turn back before it's too late, sir."

Sawyer snorted, nostrils flaring with sudden uncontrollable rage. He growled, "No, I want to fight them."

Catherine threw Buckland a helpless look. If Sawyer wanted to fight, then it was for the lieutenants to help him and to remove the Renown from too dangerous a situation, she decided. And is was an opportunity. She stammered, "The other lieutenants."

"Yes, at least let me realise the other lieutenants. Without them there is no one to command the guns," carried on Buckland.

Slowly, Sawyer turned around. Buckland halted in his speech.

"I know what you want," he paused, "they'll stay exactly where they are."

Sawyer's voice made Catherine's hair stand on end. It was so cold and so controlled, it was terrifying.

Catherine turned to face Sawyer. Exhaustion drained her body and mind. Her lids were heavy. At least she tried, even if this was the end. She frowned. What pathetic excuses! Catherine had prided herself as someone who never gabe up and would die fighting. This Catherine would not give up when there was still room to try.

Splash! Spray showered the deck as cannonballs fell into the sea. They were under fire. Catherine started at the realization. Without sparing a glance at Buckland or Sawyer, she hurried down onto the upper gundeck, sliding in her haste down the ladder.

"Hobbs!" she shouted, gesturing wildly at the gunner. "Elevate the guns as much as possible and prepare to fire!"

Hobbs, his brows creased in a frown, nodded in response. Another round of cannon shook the Renown. This time several guns found it mark. Splinters flew through the crowded deck. Two ports were nearly ripped into one. Shrieks filled the air, piercing. The stench of singed wood and smoke began to clog the air. Catherine halfway on the ladder, lost her balance. Clutching a beam, she barely managed to pull herself onto the quarterdeck.

The quarterdeck fared on better than below. Huge splinters lay across the deck. Groaning men were carried below by their comrades. Blood coated the deck with a shiny sheen. Catherine smelt the stench of singed wood as well. Quickly surveying the deck, she caught sight of a cannonball lodged neatly in the side of the Renown. It was red and burning. Smoke rose around the ball. Heated shot.

Sparing a glance at Buckland and Sawyer, her skin felt cold. Sawyer had a pistol I his hand loaded and cocked. It was pointed directly at Buckland. Wellard who took Catherine's place beside Buckland looked on agitated and fearful. Eyes widening, Catherine half ran, half skidded across the deck to them.

"This is my ship!" cried the captain. Sawyer's eyes dilated, his hand holding the pistol shook. Catherine found herself staring straight into a barrel, pitch black. She halted in her tracks, dumbstruck. "Return fire, Mr Buckland."

Buckland's eyes flittered from left to right, unsure. He caught her eye.

"Sir…." began Catherine.

"Not even you, Mr Porter. Not even you," Sawyer muttered. His disappointment etched into his voice. Catherine's brow began to crease into a worried frown. She gave the order.

"Fire!"

After a brief interlude, the Renown shook once again at the recoil of her own guns, staining to break free. Puffs of dust rose from the cliffs as each shot found itself lodged into the cliffside. Not one was able to shoot high enough.

Another round of shot was fired by the fort, the shock of impact coursing through the Renown. Catherine stumbled backwards, crashing into a canon. Splinters rained down on her. Staggering upright amidst cries of 'sir' and helping hands, her eyesight was blurred slightly with red. Carefully touching her forehead she felt a deep gash above her left brow. Quickly dabbing at it and trying to ignore the bruises of hitting a canon, she caught sight of Sawyer staggering out of sight.

Another shudder coursed through the already battle - weary ship. This time there were splinters however.

"Oh, God!" we're aground!" muttered Buckland, clutching his head.