H.M.S Valor: Treachery And Triumph: A war time adventure on the high seas by Cal Clement (best contemporary novels txt) 📕

the ready. Then only the slightest heartbeat of pause and Harper screamed again, “FIRE!” The volley reverberated through the ship, causing it to rock slightly sideways, tilting the masts from the forceful collective recoil from twenty-eight guns fired nearly simultaneously. As the smoke cleared from his vision, Will could see the carnage he had unleashed on the pirate ship. Her aft and main masts were broken and had fallen, ripping sails and rigging, sending men from aloft hurdling toward the deck and into the water. Her battery facing the Endurance was all but blown away, massive holes had been penetrated through her side level with her gun ports and on her fantail, Will could see they had scored a hit to her rudder.

“She’s dead in the water boys!” Will cried out to a mass of shouts and cheers from the crew. “That one’s for Captain Grimes you bastards!” he yelled inciting another round of shouts and a roar of taunts and curses directed at the pirate ship. The shouts and jeers continued as the Endurance slipped past the rear of the pirate ship and Will examined her closely for any sign of continued defiance. As the ship’s starboard side came into view it became obvious that the crew was abandoning her as they were lowering the intact longboat over the side.

“Shall we fire another volley Sir?” Lieutenant Harper asked, reappearing to Will’s side from below deck.

“No. We’ve done her in, let the sea finish the deed,” answered Will as he shifted his focus over to the American ship. From his vantage on the quarter deck of the Endurance, he watched as the American sailors labored to recover their ship. When they noticed the pirates putting to sea in a longboat several of the Americans took up muskets and began firing on them. The pirates made a futile attempt at returning fire in their desperate attempt to escape, but the accurate fire from the Americans was too much to overcome. After a few volleys of fire, the longboat bobbed along lifelessly in the current of the sea.

Will glanced over the longboat, limbs of the dead pirates protruded over the sides and its oars hung limp into the water. The sun rose higher into the morning sky revealing the scene of carnage in its bright and gory detail. The American ship slipped further north, having jettisoned their broken aft mast and resetting their sails.

“Shall we pursue them Sir?” Shelton’s voice came over Will’s shoulder. Will turned quickly, seeing the young officer had emerged from the Admiral’s cabin.

“Lieutenant, what are you doing up here? Are you well?” Will inquired with a concerned look.

“Well enough Sir. Please don’t shove me back down into that cabin, I can’t stand it.” Shelton pleaded.

“No, lad. No, if you are well enough, I’m happy to have you.” Will answered turning back toward the wreckage of their engagement, “As far as following the Americans, I don’t know to what end. We are still bound by the articles of war and I cannot engage a vessel flying colors of a nation we are not at war with, unless provoked.”

“The man who shot the Admiral…” Shelton began.

“We can’t know if he is on board, nor even if he has anything to do with that vessel. We could certainly follow them, but I don’t know if there would be any benefit to it. The Valor is still out there somewhere and there was another battle to our south and east. That would likely be a better course.” Will interrupted.

“Something in that longboat Sir! Some cargo they didn’t want going down with the ship!” called down the aft lookout.

Will stepped back toward the rail and extended his telescope. He could see nothing noteworthy in the longboat through tangled mass of perished. He handed his telescope over to Shelton, who looked through to the same result.

“Mr. Shelton, you have the ship. See the longboats are readied, I’m taking a compliment of marines to investigate.” Will ordered, sending a wide smile across Lieutenant Shelton’s face.

Drowned Maiden

25 Sept 1808

17 Degrees 14 minutes N, 76 Degrees 8’ W

Smoke lingered over the water’s surface in the morning sun, spreading an eerie thin veil over a scattering of flotsam and bodies from the sunken vessels. Flames still smoldered on several pieces of floating debris, occasionally carrying their fire to slicks of floating whale oil. The barrage had lasted long into the night and a subsequent engagement with another of the American ships had garnered similar results. The crew of the Maiden greeted the new day with high spirits and tired eyes. Though she would rather be on the helm, Lilith stood on the bow with Chibs as a lookout while they moved through the wreckage. The Unholy Shepherd had taken after one of the fleeing American ships in the darkness and James announced with the daylight that they would sail north to rendezvous with their sister ship. The fatigued crew was weary to chance another battle so soon, cannon fire had been heard to the north of them and Lilith feared they could be sailing into an engagement with the American ship instead of a rendezvous with a victorious Shepherd. Chatter she overheard throughout the crew indicated that she was not alone in her fears.

As the Maiden slid through the debris field Lilith looked over the wreckage. Burned and broken pieces of wood, shreds of sail, lengths of rope were all interspersed by the occasional floating body or body part. It was gut wrenching to the young woman to witness the carnage left in their aftermath. As they neared the edge of the debris, Lilith spotted a large man clinging to a broken barrel. She strained to see through the stinging smoke, but as her eyes found focus, she could see that he was clearly alive.

“Chibs!” Lilith said, tugging on his shirt sleeve and pointing to the man in the water.

“A survivor,” he grumbled, rubbing his whiskers, “We’ll haul the bugger aboard and see what he has to say