IX. Desperation

*****

No! Not on m' ship!

Fletcher was putting up a stunning defense. It was a part of her Jim hoped he would never be on the wrong side of. Teeth bared in a savage growl, she barked orders one after another to her now-feral crew.

Take out their cannons! Watch those shrouds! They're tryin' t' get abreast o' us - I donnae want t' see any movement on that deck!

And for their part, the crew of the Redemption was putting up a spectacular fight.

Unfortunately, the Revenge had the makings of the best ships of the etherium. Even with the damaged engine, she could outmaneuver Fletcher's galleon, her guns were higher-caliber, and every single crew member knew it.

Jim had reverted to using his flintlock, and fired at the deck of the Revenge, but from the distance he was at, most of the crew members looked no bigger than specks of dust. He could hear the unintelligible screams, though, and knew his aim was true. He smirked grimly.

Hawkins, Digland! Get down!

Aubrey barely got the order out in time for Jim and the helmsman to dodge one of the Revenge's cannon blasts. Shards from the nearest mast rained down on their heads.



Digland and Aubrey had already recovered, and while he did his best to steer the ship out of the path of enemy fire, Aubrey used her laser rifle in an attempt to take out the Revenge's seemingly endless crew members.

Jim checked his flintlock, preparing to stand and fire, when a sharp cry made him snap his head up. Aubrey was holding her left arm, rifle forgotten, and the smell of charred flesh rent the air.



She gasped in pain, sliding to the deck, but kept her wits about her enough to keep the orders coming.

Digland, drop! Before ye wind up d-

The helmsman fell to the deck, his eyes rolled back and glazed over, and his mouth was wide open in shock. The stench was stronger now, and Jim didn't have to see the gaping hole in the alien's midsection to know the Redemption's helmsman was dead.

Aubrey snarled, and a look of pained sorrow flashed over her face briefly. Damn it! She ripped the bottom of the shirt she was wearing and quickly tied it into a makeshift bandage around her upper arm.

Hawkins, stay down - they're getting closer... She had trouble getting out the next phrase. They're... they're going t' board us.

Her voice was laced with disbelief and defeat. Jim looked at her incredulously.

No, Fletcher. This is the Redemption, and she's not going to fall to that crew!

In a moment when the adrenaline was pumping, Jim's head was filled with thoughts of bravado and daring, and not with the consequences of his actions. He stood quickly, took in the position of the Revenge, and aimed his pistol at the two figures standing on the bridge of the larger ship. The smaller of the two turned in time to see the Redemption's first mate fire a shot, and fell to the blast before he could finish shouting out a warning to the captain. Jim didn't have time to get a second shot off; the larger figure had already fired his own weapon.



There was the familiar sound of the laser bolt, a searing pain, the shouts of the two battling crews intermingled with cries from Aubrey as well as another familiar voice, and then silence.

*****

Aubrey watched helplessly as her first mate leapt into plain view of the enemy, laser flintlock blazing. It all happened too quickly. Jim leapt up, she reached for her rifle to back him up, and as she stood, he fell.

The familiar voice of the captain of the Redemption:

An unfamiliar voice from the deck of the Revenge: Hold yer fire!

Silence.

She stood, watching her own crew, giving them the wordless signal that meant get yer arses ready for plan B.

Fletcher dropped to the floor of the bridge, assessing Jim's injury.

It looked bad. The bolt had hit him on the left side of his chest, just below the shoulder. He lay gasping for air, his eyes unfocused and staring out into space. She clenched her teeth and put a hand on his brow.

Jim lad? Can ye speak t' me?

In the background, she could hear the all-too-familiar sounds of boarding hooks being lowered onto her ship's deck. She shut her eyes in anguish, wanting desperately to block out the wretchedness of the truth.

C'mon, lad...

She brushed his damp bangs out of his eyes and lifted his head with her hands.

Don't ye dare leave me!

Silence on deck, except for the muffled footsteps of the Revenge's boarding crew.

A sob from Aubrey:

Chaos erupted.

Fletcher's crew sprang to life. Riggers and ropers that had seemed completely lost, stood, and gave every last ounce of strength they possessed. Screams of pain and rage filled the still air of the etherium. The desperation of her crew was apparent, and she imagined the Revenge's crew hadn't been expecting a fight at this point. But her crew was stouthearted. The enemy was beyond surprised. Flintlocks, swords, daggers, and even ropes from the deck were put into use. If their flintlocks were empty and their swords broken, her crew fought with teeth and claws. The rest of the Revenge's crew emptied onto the Redemption, only to face a furious onslaught.

Aubrey had time enough to wonder what heavenly creature was looking out for her to give her a crew such as this.

Movement from her arms.



C-capt-...... D-don't - A gasp of pain.

What, lad?

He managed a small smile. W-would... you... let me finish?

She chuckled.

The - the captain... it's him... The pain became too much. He passed out.

Fletcher's expression darkened as the voices from the deck suddenly hushed.

Captain! We've got captives! Captain?

She rose to her feet, gently setting her first mate's head to rest on the deck.

Ah'm coming.

Bodies of dead crew members from both sides littered the deck of her ship.

She was silent as she made her way to the small crowd of spacers awaiting her.

Mr. Duncan.

Yes, Captain?

A casualty report, please.

Um, I'm afraid I'm not exactly sure, Captain, ma'am...

Then go find out. An' get Slipp up t' see m' first mate on th' bridge, immediately. Her tone was deathly quiet, and both crews cowered under her gaze.



Yes, Captain.

Explain t' me why Ah should let th' last o' this crew live t' see their next meal. Her voice absolutely shook with silent rage.

Because they'll fetch a good price with GP, ma'am.

She spun around to shoot a withering glare at the unsuspecting Ingram. They're going t' need a better excuse than that.

Ingram faltered, taking an involuntary step back. I - I don't know, ma'am...

It was then that Aubrey turned to look at the sniveling crew that made up the Revenge. Well, mostly sniveling. One crew member stood apart from the rest. He wasn't sniveling. He was part cyborg. The part of him that wasn't mechanical was the same species as she. He met her eyes evenly. Her eyes narrowed, her inspection of him calculating.

It was Silver.

The man that Jim had spoken of so highly. The cyborg wanted in nearly every system in the known universe. The pirate who had nearly decimated her crew. The reason that Jim was lying near death on the bridge. A privateer's biggest catch. The captain of the Revenge. John Silver.

And she couldn't do anything to him.

Every breath she took shuddered with fury. Ingram, take this sorry crew t' th' brig o' th' Revenge. Disable their cannons, engines, and navigation system. For good. Tie them up. If anyone tries anything, execute them. She made eye contact with each crew member. All of them. Her voice was hardly above a whisper, but they heard every single word.

Yes, Captain.

Except for that one. She pointed at Silver. He's t' go t' our brig, and Ah want tha' scrap o' metal he calls an arm disabled. She thought for a second. Remove it. Check his peg for weapons as well.

Yes, Captain.

She snarled and stalked back to the bridge, where one of the medics was attending to Jim.

*****

Silver, to his credit, didn't say anything. Not because he was afraid, and not because he had nothing to say, but because he was sizing Fletcher up. He realized that here was a formidable opponent.

As he was led to the brig - guarded heavily by no less than six of the Redemption's crew members - and his cyborg arm was detached, he wondered how in the universe he was going to convince Fletcher (for he had heard of her before now) that he was a friend of her first mate. He didn't suppose the pup would have told this particular captain about his friendship with a pirate like Silver.

He wasn't sure whether it was rotten luck or a blessing that the one ship that was able to overtake his Revenge was one that held James Hawkins as her first mate. He sincerely hoped it was the latter.