Chapter Eight: James Wix
“Lord Gange warned of something like this.” Wix said to Hadrian. They were sitting together in the Captain’s cabin, drinking a poorly-aged wine.
“My information comes from this woman I hired, Sara. She listened in on a Black Coat meeting.”
“Who is she?”
Hadrian shrugged. “The mercenary sort. Doesn’t speak of her home or a family. My guess is former soldier, based on her disdain for authority and her… skills.”
“Good with a blade then, I take it?”
“A wolf in sheep’s clothing would be an understatement.”
“And she’s committed to fighting the Black Coats. Any idea why?”
“No.” Hadrian sipped his wine. “We have problems enough at the moment without trying to understand that woman.”
“You are worried about this Damien, then?”
“He’s powerful, that’s all I can be sure of. There’s at least one more, a man named Seamus.”
“When you say powerful…”
“I mean magic.”
“Oh.” He gave a shudder. Wix was still not comfortable with some of the things he had seen. He suspected that he was going crazy. Or maybe he was in a coma, lying in a hospital bed somewhere.
Hadrian gave him a smile. “I should be able to distract them, at the very least.”
There was a pause and Wix asked. “And why are you willing to help?”
“My wife and I are targets, Captain, just like you. Stopping these madmen is the only way to assure our safety.”
He was willing to accept that. “Okay then, let’s talk strategy.”
“I assume you have prepared a defense around your ship?”
“Of course.”
“Sara warns that the attack will come from both land and sea.”
“We thought they might try something like that.” Wix had ordered the gun ports sealed so that attackers would have to climb onto the deck. There, his men would be waiting for them.
“Then I will send you a signal when the attack comes and keep the two wizards away from you, for as long as possible. There is a very real possibility that they will overwhelm me.”
Wix nodded.
“Other than that, I do not know how else to prepare you. If you need my help… I’ll know, but I might not be able to get to you.”
“Do you think we can defeat them?”
“In one battle? No, but I think we can hit them hard. They will not suspect my involvement.”
“So we have surprise on our side.” Wix felt better with at least one advantage.
“Yes. My cover as a merchant has worked well, but after this battle I will be identified.”
“I sorry about that.”
Hadrian laughed. “Everything must come to an end. I will remain minor nobility however, so that is some consolation.”
“Are you worried the Black Coats will seek revenge?”
“Worried? No, but I am aware.” He stood up. “Well, Captain, I’ve taken up too much of your time already. And good luck, I’ll see you on the battlefield.”
Wix shook his hand. “I’m grateful to have you on our side.”
Hadrian left and Wix went to oversee preparations. Cannons and the smaller deck guns were trained on the wharf in front of the ship. Any land attack would have to come from there and the attacks would have to cross through hell. The deck of the ship was fortified with sharpened stakes on the railings and barricades for the defenders to hide behind. The hand-to-hand fighting would be toughest, but Wix could spare only twenty men to defend the ship. The rest would be needed on the front line. He hoped that his decision would cost him the battle.
Mr. Howe came up to him and gave him a grim smile.
“How many guns do we have?”
“Plenty. Each man is fully armed; it’s a good thing you’ve had us collect so many weapons.”
“The M16’s how many? And how much ammo?”
“Um, fifteen rifles, with plenty of ammunition. In the future we will need more, but we will have enough for now.”
“Good to hear it. Those guns will be our edge in this battle. We have to make it count.”
“We will, Captain. I’ve told the men to get some rest, it will be sundown in five or six hours. You should do the same, sir.”
“I will if you’ll do the same Mr. Howe.”
“I have no problem with that order, sir.” He saluted and walked off.
Wix stared at the warehouses and beyond. The roads were narrow, the enemy would be packed tightly together. Any maneuver they tried, it would take time to organize among the buildings. The wharf was narrow strip of land, paved with slabs of slate. The Black Coats would have no cover standing there, waiting for their turn to fight. Wix felt good about the crew’s chances. He wanted to run, to sail away and never look back, but this fight seemed necessary.
Wix was speaking to Mr. Howe when the signal flare, a red falcon, flew overhead. The men watched it flap its flaming wings and soar above them in lazy circles.
“To arms!” Wix yelled. “Get in positions!”
“You know the drill, move it you slugs!” Bellowed Mr. Garrett, the First Mate.
Those with muskets lined up against the barricade of barrels and sandbags, blocking the width of the dock. The marines, and their automatic weapons, held the flanks. Behind them, on the ship, the crew’s best fighters waited to repel any boarders. They numbered twenty-one, not counting the men manning the deck guns. Spotters were hanging in the rigging and in the crow’s nest. A call came down and Wix, along with everyone else, looked ahead.
The enemy marched in a ragged line, at least five ranks deep. A few men in the front were shirtless and painted in hellish-looking symbols. They looked monstrous, even from a distance, and carried no weapons. Wix did not think they would need any.
On both sides Sergeants called out orders. Flints were cocked back, horns were blown, and cannons fired. The Black Coats had mortars covering their advance. All of the shells, save one, fell short. It exploded on the far side of the barricade, throwing men back. Few looked injured however, most were just stunned. The gap closed quickly, but there was now a hole in the defenses. Wix cursed silently and refocused on the enemy.
The shots from the deck guns of the Ardent Wind cut neat holes in the enemy line, files of men vanished in red mist. They began to run in poor order, bringing them in range of the M16’s. The gunfire was steady and precise, picking off the men in front. Others tripped over the bodies and the advance was halted momentarily. None of the painted monsters seemed to slow however, and they came in range of the muskets.
Wix and his officers from the U.S.S. Lyat had trained the men well. They did not waste their volley on a handful of men, no matter how terrifying they looked. In another moment, the second mortar strike began. For some reason, that Wix could not understand, the enemy had not fixed their firing arcs. The shells fell neatly amongst the men in warpaint, causing a carnage that was difficult to watch. None survived their own artillery attack.
Cannons continued to fire, turning the small trip of the wharf into something from a nightmare. The Black Coat line could not reform in time before the M16’s or deck guns shredded holes in their line. Men who would have been steady in a proper marching order instead panicked and tried to run. Meanwhile, those behind them tried to push forward rather than stand still among the cannon fire. The killing continued like clockwork.
In the warehouse district, Wix could see flames rising from burning buildings. There was a faint, blue glow as well. He wondered at what was happening, but Mr. Howe was yelling.
“The ship is being boarded Captain!”
Wix nodded and looked for Mr. Garrett. He was behind the barricade loading a musket.
“Hold here! I’m going to defend the ship”
“Aye!” The First Mate continued shouting orders. Wix gathered as many marines as he could find. Two were guarding the flank, watching for anyone trying to sneak around the barricade. Another had replaced a fallen
Sergeant and was giving firing orders.
“Just tell them to fire at will! Come one!” Wix waved towards the ships.
The four of them ran up the gangplank and looked over the deck. Dead bodies littered the far railing, but the crew of the Ardent Wind still held the ship.
“Another wave coming Captain!”
“Thank the gods for you sir!”
“Ha! Didn’t think we’d survive the next one!”
The determined faces of his men made Wix flush with pride. “Neatly done boys! Neatly done!”
Guns were leveled and they held their collective breath. A hand emerged, followed by a head. They held their fire. Another hand, then three more heads. Wix kept saying over and over to himself, and perhaps out loud, “Wait for it. Wait for it.”
The Black Coats, stripped to the waist and armed only with swords, ran forward. “Fire!” Wix yelled over the sound of gunfire.
The enemy was cut down in that single volley. Wix had even forgotten to fire. “Forward! Look for climbers!” He moved quickly to the railing and aimed his pistol down the side of the ship, careful of the wooden spikes. A surprised face looked up at him and he fired. The face vanished and a new one was looking up at him. He fired again.
The marines had also switched to their pistols, firing down at almost point-blank range. One was beside him, yelling down curses while firing. Once the enemy were gone, Wix reloaded his gun and looked around.
“Timely arrival Captain.” A sailor said to him, his arm bleeding from a large gash.
Wix pointed at the wound.
“Bandage that up.” He looked at the other men, tending to their weapons or checking fallen comrades. They sensed his gaze and watched him.
“You held the ship, and you didn’t run. You should be damn proud of yourselves.”
Most looked embarrassed and Wix smiled to himself. “We made those bastards pay.”
He was cut off by Mr. Howe. “We’ve got more coming, sir. A lot more.”
Wix nodded. He was not concerned with the how or why of it. If the Black Coats wanted another round, then his men were ready to oblige.
“Man the cannons! And someone keep a look out for more boarders!”
They ran to their positions, Wix and Mr. Howe went down the gangplank, followed by the three marines.
“Hell of a battle.” Mr. Howe remarked, looking out over the wharf. Bodies were littered everywhere, the sounds of the dying inescapable.
“How are the men doing?”
“Tired, sir, but they’ll hold. We trained them well.”
“Good. I…” A red-haired woman strolled up to him, wearing a sailor’s cap.
She pointed to it. “So I don’t get shot. Captain Wix? Good to meet you.”
“You must be Sara?” He could not understand what she was doing here. “What’s going on?”
“I believe you are defending against those Black Coat bastards, sir. It’s a battle you see. All the bodies and killing really give it away.”
Wix scowled. “I mean, why are you here?”
“Messenger, kind of. Plus, it’s safer this side of the line.”
“You have a message?”
“Hadrian warns the night isn’t over. Those other two wizards are giving him hell."
"It seems the battle is almost over.” Wix protested.
“This is all for show.” Sara pointed at the enemy line, out of cannon range. “They’re going to switch tactics.”
“To what?”
“Hell if I know. Just watch yourself.” She smiled sympathetically. “I watched them fight for a while. You don’t want to face those guys alone.”
Sara mocked a salute and turned to leave.
“What are you going to do?”
She yelled over her shoulder. “Not all of those pricks have magic.”
Wix and Mr. Howe watched her leave.
“Do you like red-heads, Captain?” The other man was smiling. Wix laughed at the attempted humor.
“Blondes, actually.”
“A shame sir, that one would keep you busy.”
“I’m sure.” He pointed to the barricade. “Tell everyone to take a rest. Arrange food and water too.”
“Yes, sir.”
Wix looked out over the port. The blue light had intensified and now lightning rained down from the sky. Warehouse fires raged all along the wharf.
“Why do I get the feeling that we’re going to be blamed for this?” Asked Mr. Garrett.
“I’m thinking the same. Well, just because he doesn’t want to pay, it doesn’t mean we won’t get what we’re owed.”
“You sound more like a pirate every day, Captain.” Mr. Garrett was smiling, a hard smile that looked like it was given against his better judgement.
“All I need now is a hook for a hand.” Wix laughed and went to look for something to drink.
Author's Note: Hi, and thanks for reading. Don't worry, the rest of the book is free, I'm just done finished writing it. Check out https://www.wedonotsowonfriday.com/
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