The sharp smell of smoke still lingered in Lilith’s nostrils, drowning out the brine of the sea and even Chibs’ pipe which he puffed at with the same fervor, sitting at the aft castle bulkhead behind the helm. Her attention lay absorbed in the Maiden’s sails and her course. After consulting Chibs from his position on deck with a chart in hand, she had devised a plan which would rob their adversary of the advantage of both guns and numbers, but only if everything worked in her favor. She judged wind speed and direction and agonized constantly over the wheel and sail positioning, making minute corrections every few minutes. By Chibs’ reckoning, they would make round the southern point of west Haiti before the pursuing ship was within firing range. But only if the wind held.
Every sail change required close guidance and it quickly became obvious that maneuvering while running the gun batteries would be out of the question until her crew was far more experienced. “We’ll use a different strategy is all Lil. It makes no difference how you beat their commander, so long as you beat them.” Chibs had told her. While the sun rose high above into the sky, they had made the best use they could of the smoke screen rising up from the wreckage of the Endurance, shielding their own movement from the ship far to the south. Shortly after noon though, it became apparent that they had been spotted by the ship Will had identified as the Valor, which skirted the wreckage and made sail on course toward the Maiden.
On deck it felt like an ongoing funeral procession. The hands with experience either grieved for their lost captain or could see the impending danger approaching from behind while the Africans who had recently become part of the crew quickly realized how few an ineffective they were while executing basic sailing tasks. The only chance they had to best a seasoned crew, as Chibs had told Lilith, was to outthink them. The Valor was a Royal Navy warship, even without her commander she would have a seasoned crew, weary to almost any trickery a sixteen-year-old girl could produce. “So. You’ll have to do something that will catch an old sailor off guard. And it just so happens, you’ve got an old sailor on deck girl. We might just fare alright.” It did little to ease Lilith’s mind as the sails behind grew larger while the Valor continued making headway against them, gaining on them with every passing hour.
Trina was a comforting presence, ever patient and instructive with the green crew of African rescues as she was with Lilith those first few weeks after she had joined the ranks of the Maiden. When the guard she had posted below to watch over their prisoners appeared on deck requesting Trina come below, Lilith thought nothing of it until Trina had been absent for some time. When Trina materialized on deck with Lieutenant Pike at her side, she didn’t know what to think, other than Trina must have held a soft spot for the man who had spared her life.
“He says he is ready to do as the Maiden requires Captain, as well as the charges he came aboard with.” Trina said.
“Just hours ago, he was ready to die before committing service to the Maiden. What changes? Should I expect a sword at my throat the minute I look away?” Lilith cut back, giving Will a suspicious glare.
“I met your other prisoner. He has enlightened me to the circumstances behind what has occurred since my arrival in the Caribbean.” Will uttered with a somber stare.
“The governor?” Chibs chimed, “Piss on that fat old dirtball. He’s so full of lies I’m surprised a sailor would give any credit to his hot air. Just a bunch of flotsam and dredge yield if you ask me.”
“No, Sir. He is genuine, and he is the governor of Jamaica. He has proved as much to me based purely off information only the governor would be apprised of. The conclusions I have come to are disturbing. But based on them, I cannot in good conscience stay my present course. I will aid you in your effort, miss. So long as the ships you engage are not law-abiding merchantmen.” Will replied in a curt, matter of fact affect.
“Fine. Relieve them of their restraints and put them to work Trin. But don’t arm them yet. I’m not quite convinced this won’t result in my throat being cut from behind.” She gave Will a side glance while she spoke, “Or at least, I’m not convinced they would try it.”
“Try and fail girl. I saw what she can do with a sword aboard the Endurance, Lieutenant. Don’t let those princess eyes fool you. She’d drop your corpse to the deck and step into her next sword swing, that’s a fact.” Chibs added, pointing his weathered finger at the officer with a squinting glare. Lilith wore his protective threats like a shield, raising her eyebrows at Will, inviting his response.
“I have no intentions of the sort. The Valor is my charge, whether the crew has mutinied or not, I am responsible for her actions and if she is aiding the slave trade, I will see her to the bottom while I live and breathe,” his words drug out as if he could barely annunciate them. “I’ll serve to that end, in any way that I can.”
Lilith furrowed her eyebrows in a moment of thought, Trina gave her an encouraging nod, yet it was not quite enough but with so few able bodies aboard she needed every strong back and willing heart. Chibs shifted in his seat, looking over everyone that had congregated in front of him. His tightly wrapped wounds showed no sign of infection yet, but the French doctor still held a concern over his long-term outlook especially after Lilith’s vows to hold him directly accountable. The salty quartermaster grimaced, pulling himself up by a ledge from
