Deep Sea Chapter 24

24.

The Surface

Lieutenant Galen selected twenty of the men he knew. They were all ex-military but they were also fishermen with special skills. Galen told them that their main objectives were the three sentry posts. It will be manned by at least two guards with machine guns.

“You may need stealth there. We don’t want to wake up the fishes in the sea.” Galen smiled at his joke. He wanted to say spooked the sheep but among the twenty-three, less than half had seen any service in the Navy or Army. He also recalled that the task ahead was not of God’s forgiving tasks but a needed right to be corrected by the act of killing. He paused in his words to ask for forgiveness before he continued on.

“Once that is done the same numbers will take the machine guns and set it at the pier on both sides. It will give them a crossfire effect. The remaining men will follow him to overcome the other warriors.

“There is no time for gallantry and skills. I want quiet kills but if need be done with the double taps and then move on.” Lieutenant Galen motioned to the Gewehr Model 88 they were issued with. “If you need to fight up close use the bayonet. Or your shellfish daggers.”

The fishermen do carry with them a small dagger-like stiletto blade which they used it to pry open the shellfish or oysters.

With that the Galen Fighters as they were named moved out. The pairs of assigned men went for the three sentry posts. The first one was on a balcony on the second level. It faced down the main street of the town. It was a good position for it covers both ends of the street.

Private Connors was assigned to that post. He was a hot-headed lad from the alleys between the pubs and lived with his fist and ran faster with his legs. He was a tall man with an agile skill. He had climbed up the sidewall of the butcher as if he was a monkey on a tree though he never has seen one before. It was his agility that gave him the edge. He lowered his right arm to raise his buddy , Nick. The other was scrawny but he was claimed to be elastic in his frame. They grew up together cleaning chimneys before they found real work as Army recruits. Both the men skipped on the rooftops like the tomcats looking for the nightcap. Their feet light on the steps and powerful in the strides soon got them to the butcher’s rooftop.

Connors leaned over and caught a glimpse of the two sentries. They were seated there behind the machine gun with a thick coat and gloves due to the cold. They were not used to the cold climate of the land where it can get below freeze at night. He gauged the distance from the roof to the balcony; a sheer drop of twelve feet. He did his own count and then motioned to Nick. They do this often as chimney sweepers. Or as silverware thieves after the soot was cleaned.

Nick was lowered down by Connors by his leg while the other held the bayonet knives in both hands. The force of the drop of his body with his extended six feet frame allowed him to land in between the two sentries at their neck level. Both his hands thrust the bayonet thrust into their neck and into their air passage. He then twisted the knives to sever the arteries to the heart. With that done he pulled the knives out with an outward motion to cut it once more across the neck. Both sentries went down without a sound. Those last acts were taught to him by the Army and by the fishermen method of cleaning the fish before it goes for the skillet.

The second set of men was Private Kenneth and Daniel who were skilled in their own ways. The second sentry post was in the middle of the intersection of the Main Street and Second Street. The intersection was wide and the sentry post was shielded by the sandbags. The sentry post was built around a tall four bulb light pole that reached over fifty feet in height. It was also the pole for the four wires that powered up the four bulbs on the intersecting streets. The fittings of the wires were held taut and double reinforced due to the frequent storms. Kenneth rode on the taut wires with the assistance of the greased belt pushed by Daniel. The smaller frame man hung by the belt slung across his chest like baby harness was propelled to the middle of the square. The movement was soundless and swift with the well-placed bayonet thrown like throwing knives. The knives found its position in the throat to stifle the shouts. The reaction of the warriors ended when Kenneth reached them. He grabbed both knives and sliced it down their chest. In the fishing term it was called belly slicing. Kenneth did improvise on the cut then.

The third-team had a harder task for the sentry post was at the pier. It was located at the side of the dry docks. The design of the dry dock there was the ‘patent’ design where the ship was parked on the cradle and with the help of the rails the ship will be pulled up to the dry area for repairs. At the dock was the trawler ’Desire’ that was there before the invasion. There was also another concern; there were three warriors there with two machine guns. The guns were pointed at the pier of a hundred feet across.

Corporal David and his partner Corporal Terrence Lester looked at their options. There were not many available and they took the risky one. They looked at each other and then nodded. They regretted being last to pick the straw. Terrence did grumble that it was fixed by the Lieutenant.

“Well, maybe he reckoned we stand more chance than God’s prayers.” It was David’s reply. “I have been diligent to church.”

He then took to the dry docks. He depressed the levers that will release the catches on the ship’s keel. Once it was released the ship was ready to return to the sea but he did was pump up the seawater.

“Kuan, the ship. It's moving.” The warrior there called on his Senior Warrior who was seated in the middle. The man stood up to look. At that moment Corporal Terrence had poured the slick engine oil on the pier. He was doing it for some time then, milking the concrete floor with it. He then positioned the four-wheeled six-footer tray that was used to cart the crates. When the ship began to move with its creaking noise on the keel, Terrence ran the short distance before he jumped on the tray. He crouched there with the double set of harpoon guns. The tray went propelling towards the sentry post. All three warriors had stood up to look at the flooding dry dock with the ship soon to slip to sea. They did not see or hear the moving tray on its oil-slicked journey.

Terrence aimed his harpoons at the two warriors. He was trained to shoot on the ships at the predators. He had perfected his aim with the waves smacking against the ship hull or when the stormwater hits his face stinging his eyes. It was his uncanny ability to do it with precision regardless of the condition. His harpoons pierced the chests and brought the devils closer to the last standing one. The tray crashed into the sentry sandbags and propelled the army killer at the last warrior. The last harpoon Terrence held in both arms pierced the last warrior in the chest. Both men collapsed to the back but it was Terrence who recovered first. He crouched up and then slammed his right fist into the throat. That was not a fisherman’s cut method but a killing move taught by the Army.

With the three posts overcome, Lieutenant Galen and his men secured the town and port. He soon joined his men at the tavern before the pier.

“Lieutenant, there is one which is in there. He refused to surrender. He had killed Jimmy and Harry when they tried to get him. He wants to see the leader. By the way, he is your type of fighter.” 

Lieutenant Galen looked at the tavern. His right fingers curled up to form a fist. Part of him wanted to go in there and conclude the battle. Part of him told him not to stick to the task. It would need only a bullet to end the battle. He then relaxed his fingers and then flexed it over the Webley at the holster. He picked up the pistol and walked into the tavern. 

“Are you the leader?” Leader Tian Fu asked from his seated position. His sword lies on the table but his hands were on the side of the table. Lieutenant Galen approached the table before he took out his Webley. He placed it there on the table across to the sword. He remained standing and then spoke to the warrior.

“You have been defeated. Will you surrender or do we fight to the death?” Lieutenant Galen glared at the man seated there. “Before you reply, let me tell you more. First, you killed two of my flock. I am tempted to kill you now but my other side tells me it’s wrong. Second, I am a soldier. I do not kill unnecessarily. I only kill if I am to be killed. As for you, you may not need to die now. You could live on although it will not be entirely like before. Third, ….”

“You talk too much.” Leader Tian Fu interrupted him. Lieutenant Galen stopped talking and then looked down at the table. He grabbed the Webley while the other reached for the sword. He shot the arm and then at the leader in the face. With that done, Lieutenant Galen lowered the Webley.

“You should never interfere when I was offering you the chance to redeem your soul.” Lieutenant Galen muttered out. “It’s like saying grace. You should offer thanks in return.”

The Depth

At the castle of Lady Jan near the port of Rising East formerly known as Bale, Senior Captain Cheng Ha stretched his back while lying face down on the soft bed. He flexed his muscles down the spine to his heels. He kneaded the back of his neck with the left hand while his right hand stretched out to hold Lady Jan’s. She was seated by herself on the single-seater resting her spine against the soft support on the seat.

“Was it good? Lady Jan asked of the dashing man who was naked on her bed.

“Yes, I enjoyed it. It was a long voyage. The few I had were so plain and undesirable at some time. I could tell them apart by the pockmarks on their cheeks.” Senior Captain Cheng Ha smiled. “I never thought you were one with your …”

“My implants are not something I fancied wearing around my neck.” Lady Jan smiled. “I did not see your …”

The Senior Captain was a eunuch but he could still sport an erection.

“It was fed to the fishes. I deplore having it slung at my waist. I will not have any of those memories when I still have my trunk.” Senior Captain Cheng Ha smiled. “What happened to yours? I heard of your double sets.”

Lady Jan smiled. She never knew what did happen to her detached sacs.

“It matters not what the rose was like when the major trunk still stings.” Lady Jan smiled. She had been the aggressor and he was fine being taken for the ride.

“Tell me of the Serpents.” Senior Captain Cheng Ha changed the subject while he pulled himself up to get dress. He was slipping on his pants when Lady Jan narrated her tale.

‘It was her Master; the famed alchemist then who brought her there a long time ago. He wanted to see the land of the conqueror of his home. He saw their pasture lands with the flock of sheep and cows. He was surprised at their smiling faces when they exit from the ore pits. He came there to learn the arts of potion from the witches and druids. It was initially knowledge and then vengeance. 

“Do you recall the large serpents we bred in our pond?” Master Yu asked of her. The young lady nodded. She had them fed till they were six feet in length before the Master had them taken away. She was not sure what happened to them and neither did her Master told her. It was years later when she knew.

“Well, with what I have learned here I could make them larger and above all, ferocious like the vipers in our forest.” Lady Jan had then cringed in fear for she was once bitten by the viper. She recalled the pain and the nightmares.

“We need only need the means to spread the spell.” Master Yu had identified his mean then. The lands there were fed by the freshwater from the rivers. It was also the faster mode of spreading the disease. He made the potion and combined with his own herbs, Master Yu soon polluted the river and with it the food supply that fed on it. People started to die but no one knew it was the works of one man. He then approached the sea to release his pets then.  He did not live long then to see the serpents grew for he soon succumbed to old age. Lady Jan left for her land and missed the events that soon poisoned the sea predators.

Lady Jan to return to complete the Master’s dream.

“I hear they grow big here?” Senior Captain Cheng Ha placed forward his curiosity.

“No bigger than yours.” Lady Jan leaned back on the charming Senior Captain. “It’s my turn to be the mare.”

A level below in the Library, Senior Adviser Liang Zhao was pondering over the sea charts. The Senior Adviser was short and overweight with the double chin making his face looked like a large bottomed jar with a ponytail. He was dressed in the double coat to shield the cold air and his left hand held the small teacup. He took a sip of the raw tea leaves without his sight leaving the charts. He had placed pieces of wood for the ships that comprised the three fleets of Lady Jan. He mentally counted the ships in the fleet.

Two cruiser class and two destroyers with the ten supporting ships were all at Bale. Eight troopships were anchored off the port. He will name them the First Fleet.

Another cruiser and destroyer were at the port twenty miles up north at a Port named Devan. Ten troopships were anchored off the port.

“That will be the Second Fleet.”

The last cruiser was out at sea wasting time running further north with stops at the port there named Bright.  It was part of the third fleet which consist of ten more troopships and five destroyers with another five supplies ship was on the way towards Bright.

The adviser then marked the submersible; Sea Dragon Two and Three were out at sea before Bale while the Mother Dragon was at the port of Bale.

“It’s a mess.” Adviser Liang Zhao shook his head. “She may be the Iron Lady but her sea strategies are too shallow.”

“I won’t speak that too loud.” Kosovan spoke out from the corner where he was looking at the sea. It was a fantastic view from the window of the two-level structures they occupied. It was a red-bricked design that was local in design. The two-level structures held five rooms on the top wherein the ground level it housed the library, living area and the kitchen with the adjoining dining area. It also housed the servant quarters.

“They might listen.” Kosovan motioned at the baby serpent. “And they talk to their Mama much.”

“Yes, I know. Fishes have ears unlike ours. Their ears are hidden behind their eyes. They hear us as well as the sea currents.” Senior Adviser Liang smiled. “It’s just they don’t talk as much as we do.”

Senior Adviser Liang then looked back at his charts.

“Why are the ships sailing so close to the coastal lines? Don’t they have charts too on Bright?”

“They do but they are unsure of the sea predators here in this sea. So it’s safer to sail near to the coasts.” Kosovan replied. “Is there an issue there at Bright?”

Senior Adviser Liang shook his head. There was no issue but a problem. He knew that the fleet of ships was under observations when they are too close to the coasts.

“The coasts hold many eyes.” Senior Adviser lamented on the issue. “They can be seen and counted.”

The Senior Adviser then reached for the cup of tea laid for him. He finished his tea with one gulp. He looked into the cup at the remaining tea leaves. He heard tales that these people could read tea leaves to tell of coming events. He wondered what was his.

“Would you like to ride with me, Senior Adviser? I am going for a tour of the town.” Kosovan offered him. The short man nodded. Riding was one of his pleasurable hobbies and Bale was a new place to him.

Meanwhile in the cavern at Small Jaws, it was Stacy first personal ride to steer the Sea King out. She held the wheel and kept her eyes on the depth indicators. It was different from the surface where you looked out for the height of the waves. She moved the hull at one knot and then gradually edged it up by half a knot when she was in the canyon. According to Boatswain I Conlay, it was keeping your eyes on the canyon markings.

‘Give them names. Make them your babies.” Boatswain I Conlay told her. “There’s Betsy. She is shy but sharp with her corrals covering her deadlier stone edge.”

“After her is Peter, he is the old man. Watch out his beard.” Peter was an overhanging crop with the sea growths there that flowed with the sea currents. Stacy soon got to know the others. She did her training with Boatswain I Conlay several times and soon the other had her own command on Shark Three

The ships were told to leave for their tasks with their assigned safe ports on the coast. The renamed Shark One and Two were to pair.

“We know where they are. You will find those ships and destroy them. Shark Three will cover your flanks.” Captain Arthur gave the order.

“I will take on Bale with Sea King. There are reports of a large submerged ship there.”

“Shark One, Two, and Three will take on the ships up the coasts at Devan. Conlay take Shark One and O’Brien will sail Shark Two. Each fleet will be backed by two ships. Be careful of their unknown submerge ships.”

 “All the Sharks are fitted with an explosive tip on the aft. It’s your last resort to sink the ships.” Captain Arthur grimly voiced out the new fitting. “Only as a last resort and swim out before you rammed.”

Captain Arthur had also seen the last update from Lieutenant Galen. The later will secure the island as their off base. He had also received the update from Lord Henry.

“Big Jaws is ours again. There’s more good news for all of you. Lord Henry is mobilizing on the first front.” Captain Galen smiled. “We will win this war.”