Sea Battle

Posted on Mon Aug 26th, 2024 @ 2:33pm by Lieutenant Katherine "Kit" Vulpes & Captain Ansel Benoit & Commander Jade Troconis & Lieutenant Commander Michael Ki & Lieutenant Gregor Morgan & Lieutenant William Neil & Lieutenant Nicolette Riviere & Ensign Evie Forde & Petty Officer 1st Class Amalia Darcy

3,760 words; about a 19 minute read

Mission: The Trafalgar Roll
Location: Victory

The main deck had been cleared of furniture and other pieces of items in the preparation of the battle. The long cannons were placed in their open gun ports and they were prepped and ready to fire upon the French and Spanish ships.

Amalia had been assigned to bring up the gunpowder and cartridges needed to fire the cannons. Amalia paused for a moment, wiping off the trickle of sweat that ran down her face, looking up towards the quarterdeck where Nelson and several others were exchanging some pleasantries. She found it interesting to see Nelson there, missing most of his right arm, thin and definitely looking rather worse for the wear, sporting a scar and a partially missing eyebrow. With all that happened he was still someone who commanded respect. And he himself was respectful of his crew. And the crew willing to work hard for him.

On either side of the Victory were the ships the HMS Temeraire, and the HMS Royal Sovereign, Amelia felt her heart racing as the ship was heading into battle. She took a moment to see where the others were at. Closer and closer the ships moved forward then the sound of cannons being fired could be heard.

William wiped his brow as he was already working up a sweat as he shuttled the charges of black powder to the cannon teams. Not too much, they didn't want an accidental explosion, but just enough to last until he got back around. It was a delicate balance and he was quickly appreciating the dance around death they were performing. One of the cannoneers motioned for him and handed him his flask.

"Keep us going Willy, we'll give 'em hell." The man slurred as William took a quick swig of the offered drink. It burned and warmed him all at once. With a nod of appreciation, William handed it back.

"Don't go cross eyed when you aim and I'll be happy." William replied with a grim chuckle.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Evie said aloud. It wasn't to anyone in particular but looking out at the horizon, and then at the two accompanying ships, it gave her a feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Nicolette sidled up to Evie, "I wish you would not say that. History tells us what happens here." Including my death.... Probably.

Evie looked at Nicolette and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know history, and it tells us what it wants to tell us, and is that the history that involves us? For all we know our presence either resulted in what we know, or changes it in some way." she sighed as the ebb of the ship on the water made her stomach churn. "I'm sure we'll be fine. I don't think the alien would bring us here to die..." she hoped.

"Steady you two," Ans said, sparing a moment in the chaos to check on Evie. "We will live because our deaths were not recorded in the history books. Just keep a very close eye on everything going on around you. Victory was never boarded during the battle so we should be okay as long as way stay out of the way of the cannons and guns." That was no small task, he knew.

Depends on what you think or what history thinks I am right now. If I am a boy, then my death is a given. Who is to say that I do not disappear in the future because I die here? I appreciate the optimism, but I know my nightmares for the entirety of my life. Nicolette firmed her lips and headed back down to sick bay. Better to be there than where all this open water was, even if it meant her death.

____
Sometimes later:

The cannon fire, men screaming and shouting was all that could be heard among the smoke and haze and flying debris of the French ships Redoubtable and Bucentaure as Ans tried to make sense of the situation around him. He was keeping those under his command by any means possible which included firing a flintlock pistol, something he'd never done before and hoped he'd never have to do again. Suddenly over his shoulder he caught movement, a man rising up one of the masts on the Redoutable with a musket, aiming right at Evie. Ans lunged without thinking, striking her in the small of the back but knocking her several feet out of the way. He didn't even look to see if she'd landed on her feet. There was something wet on the front of him. He glanced down to see red filling his uniform. He took one final look at Evie and felt himself falling into blackness.

Kit pressed her shoulders back against the mast as she tucked the spyglass into her uniform jacket. She took a deep breath as the ship swayed with the rollick of the ocean beneath it. She pulled out the modified com badge, holding tightly to it. Kit had volunteered for the posting in the crow's nest, knowing it was the best place in the battle to be out of view of anyone else. Sure, there was a risk of her taking a swim in the ocean the moment the mast took damage, but the bustle of the decks and the hold below made it difficult for her to keep the technology out of the eyes of the current-day personnel on board.

She took another breath and tapped the badge. "Vulpes to Victory. Can you hear me?"

"Yes Lieutenant, ___ _ glad ___hear."

Kit let out a little cry, excitement and relief evident in her outburst. She pressed her shoulders harder to the mast, steadying her body as she took out an etching tool and pressed one of the slivers of metal tighter into the open portion of the combadge. "Victory, I don't know if you can hear me, but things are getting a little--" The next salvo of rifle fire spattered into the deck below her. "--explosive around here. I don't know what you need to pull us out of here, but the sooner, the better!"

Meanwhile below deck, William had been drafted into the unfamiliar position of nurses runner. There were wounded, some dire, and the doctors rushed to patch up those they could and comfort those they could not.

William tried to focus on the surgeon he'd been aiding. Anything the man called for from the stores or nearby, William was quick to fetch it.

"Willy!" The surgeon called out just as William turned to fetch something else. "I'll need you to hold him steady."

William stopped and looked down at the patient. A young man, no a boy no more than 14 laid sobbing with a large piece of wood through his left forearm. In the future, such a wound would be grievous, but easily fixed with not even a scar.

William helped the body at the shoulder and elbow before helping to wrap the tunicate around the arm just above the wound. The boy looked up at William with pleading eyes as he tried to stifle his own tears.

"Be brave son, it'll be but a moment of pain and you'll be right as rain." William promised without knowing exactly how far advanced they were for medicine at this time. He just hoped those wouldn't be the last words the boy heard.

Nicolette arrived and told William. "I am here. I will assist." And I will likely die. "If this boy is not up to the task, I can handle it alone with you." Remember, you look like a boy, too, Nico.

William nodded and handed Nicolette the handkerchief he'd had in his pocket. "Hold this across his mouth, between his teeth."

"Otherwise, he'll bite his tongue off." William whispered to Nicolette so the boy wouldn't hear.

Nicolette nodded understandingly. The concept was not foreign to her. These were brutal days with brutal remedies. "Perhaps a piece of wood, as well? I believe it was, er, it is called a bite stick. And maybe some rum to act as an anesth, er, dull the pain."

William nodded. "All good ideas." He reached into his jacket and handed Nicolette his own flask. It was still mostly full, the drinks he'd taken were more show than substance.

The ship's surgeon gave them both a nod to show he was about to exercise the large shrapnel and to be prepared.

Nicolette told the patient consolingly, "Drink this." She carefully poured some of the flask down the patient's throat. Once the patient had done so, she gave him the shrapnel and said, "You should bite down on this. It and the rum will help with the pain."

Evie awoke, her head throbbing. She'd felt a small thud in the small of her back and as she was thrust forward she had hit her head off a barrel on the way down. She had her bandana 'cap' knocked off and her blonde hair had began to cascade down her back. A trickle of blood from her hairline could be felt making its way down her forehead and she turned holding it as the pain intensified.

However, as she turned she saw Ansel clutching his mid-section and she rushed over to him. "You idiot!" she yelled at him, for moments forgetting he was her superior in so many ways. She now knew he had pushed her out of the way as the man that had taken aim at them was taken care of swiftly. She hovered over him, her hair tickling his face as she tried to push it aside. "Captain, you open your eyes and look at me!" she yelled at him and giving him a small shake.

Surprisingly for the first few moments he felt no pain and then it threatened to overwhelm him. He heard what Evie was saying but he could also feel the life draining out of him. He pulled all the strength he had left and focused on trying to remain conscious but knew it would be an uphill battle and he couldn't win. He tried to speak but ended up coughing up what looked like blood.

Evie held him close. "Someone help! The captain's been shot!" she yelled with tears in her eyes. Not only was this someone she'd grown to care for but this was her first experience of an injury of this degree. The blood on her hands, she could feel it almost seeping in to her core but she could do nothing but reassure Ansel, or try, as she stroked his hair and called for help.

After the first sighting of the ships that were heading for the HMS Victory, Jade had been sent down to the main deck leaving Kit to get contact with the ship, once her feet hit the wooden deck, she was grabbed by the shoulder and ordered to climb up the third mast, near the aft section of the HMS Victory. they were needing an extra set of hands, she obeyed the command and climbed up. It was a bit of a wrestle to get the loosened rope and wrangle the sail to catch the wind once more. Admiral Nelson needed the sails trimmed in order for the ship to maneuver better.

The roar of the cannons brought her attention to the deck below seeing the grapeshot spray across the deck, causing damage then seeing her captain, Ansel Benoit go down and Admiral Nelson as well. Her cries of shock and horror were muffled by yet another round of cannon fire. Splinter of wood made her cover her face with one hand as she hung on for dear life with the other to the rope her legs intertwining with the ropes, following Kit's instructions on the other mast. Jade was fearing for her life as well as the others. She dared not move from her semi-protected perch, was this going to be the end for all of them?

Below deck in the galley, Avelina had to scamper away from where she had been cooking food, throwing water upon the coals that had escaped from the fire she was cooking on.

Amalia found herself sprawling on the deck, feeling the sting of splinters in her leg, she growled at that, plucking out the offending pieces of wood. She could feel the sting of a cut upon her cheek right now she didn't have the time to tend to it. As the ship shuddered even more from more impact of Cannons. And also the return fire from their own.

Water started to make its way into the sickbay. She looked at the Doctor with a resigned fate of acceptance. "The ship is being pummeled," she observed distantly.

Ki had never worked what was known as meatball medicine before. Yet here he was, the smock he wore covered in blood. The floor he stood on slick with a mixture of water and blood. The white sleeves of his uniform red with blood. Here he was on the edge of everything. "Get this man a ration of rum and a stick I am going to have to sever the leg." He called out to anyone who would listen.

Over the din of noise Michael heard the voice of Evie as she called for help for the Captain. He wondered if that meant Ansel or the Commander of this Victory. He exhaled sharply as he realized there was nothing he could do. Michael Ki was up to his chin in patients.

Nicolette was still helping. After all, what could else she do? Death would be coming switftly but perhaps she could assist Michael in saving some of these souls. "Rum," she announced, as she poured it down the patient's gullet and then placing a bite stick between his teeth. "Your patient, doctor. I will get the next ready."

"Thank you..." Michael replied as he reached for a bone saw. Everyone was about to learn why ship's doctors of this age had the nickname Sawbones. He began to saw the leg as the patient bit the stick hard. He would saw for a moment then remove the saw and cauterize to prevent the loss of blood. Finally with a sickening thud the leg fell to the floor. The stump that remained trickled blood as Ki sewed it closed.

Michael turned to Nicolette. "Go on deck, look for the one who is calling for help for the Captain and see if medical is the help needed. If so, bring them to me." He hoped that she understood that when he said Captain he meant Benoit.

Nicolette started to turn pale. Casual observers might think that it was from the sickening smell of the body parts being deposited at random around the sickbay. However, the Counselor fretted the idea of going onto the open deck and seeing water. Perhaps the battle would distract her? Or perhaps going on deck would be her final act where she would drown.

There was little choice in the matter. The Doctor was her superior officer and she was given an order. Please, please, please, let's not freeze up there. Reluctantly, the Counselor headed up the stairs, trying to see the situation and if she could immediately find Captain Benoit.

Kit grimaced, bracing a hand against the edge of the crow's nest. "Victory--" She pulled her hand back to the device, trying to adjust her contraption around the com as she once again heard static on the other end. "Victory, I need you to start beaming us out now!" In that moment, through the deafening thunder of cannon fire, her mast was struck. As the ship listed to one side through the pitch of the ocean, Kit catapulted forward. She heard the crack of her mast as the upper portion gave way, slinging her over the edge of the ship. Though she had the foresight to take in a breath as she fell, the impact of her body on the surface of the ocean knocked the air out of her lungs.

Jade came to her senses and quickly scampered down the ropes barely reaching the firm wooden planks that the deck was comprised of. She was knocked off her feet and rolled out of the way of the sail that descended downwards. She saw the mast that Kit was on give way and the engineer disappearing from view. "USS Victory,hopefully you heard Kit. Beam us up now!"

It was as if the USS Victory had heard the call of Kit and the plea of Jade, Those of the crew of the USS Victory were beamed up, Jade found herself upon the transporter pad quickly stepping off the platform. "Beam Captain Benoit immediately to sick bay along with Doctor Ki going to stand beside the crewman manning the transporter station.

Amalia blinked as she felt the tingle of the transporter activate beaming her from where she had stood. She held in her hand a cartridge that was prepped to be placed into the cannon. "Uh I think I need to take care of this." giving a grimace.

The captain had been taken below, Gregor followed after, not much he could do as the space was cramped and he needed to check on the other crew members and his wife who was in the galley.

"Gregor!" Avelina quite happy to see him, exclaimed, "You are safe!" as she moved towards the door.

"Avelina," pulling her close to him briefly, relieved to see her. "You're alright. Let's find the others hopefully we can get them to some safety." leading her away from the galley both of them stumbling from impact of the cannonball, where Avelina had been at. "Gods, what have I gotten you into." moving to check on her, she was unconscious picking her up he headed for where the doctor was. He didn't make it, finding them on the transporter pad instead. "Make a hole!" he shouted carrying Avelina out of the transporter room to sickbay.

Jade watched the transporter pad waiting for others to show up. Where was Max? Where was Lakeland?

The deafening roar of the canons blasting to and fro between Victory and the French ships was much louder than Nicolette anticipated. It had been a bit more muffled in the sickbay. She started looking for the Captain, hands over her ears. She saw the Captain beam up. However, she did not see the canon ball that exploded, causing her to fly off the ship.

The feeling was all too familiar. She had seen it play in her nightmares too many times. This is how she died or he died. It was a bit confusing at the moment. Wooden shrapnel covered her and she could not swim. Apparently he could not either. Looking up at the water and the wood, Nicolette resigned herself to her fate. Barring a miracle, with Victory beaming her up, her nameless end was here.

Nicolette started to feel the water come into her nose and mouth. It burned down her throat. As she coughed, more liquid filled her. Soon, she knew, she would be dead.

With a splash, Nicolette and Kit appeared on the transporter pad, each with their respective puddle of ocean water. Kit gave a heave, coughing up a mouthful of seawater. In her hand, she still grasped the Frankensteined combadge, the metal digging into her hand severely enough that a rivulet of red ran down her hand and wrist. "Thank the prophets--" she sputtered.

William appeared a moment later, his face grim with his clothes and hands soaked in blood. He looked up from his crouched position and then back to where a moment ago he'd been with the boy. He closed his eyes for a long moment before finally standing up and walking off the transporter pad. He knew that they were only to observe, their mission to Star Fleet was their priority, but he hated leaving a task unfinished even if he knew it was hopeless.

Ans opened his eyes for only a brief moment and realized he was home. Evie's face was a blur, he only knew it to be her because of her scent. Funny how he hadn't realized she smelled slightly of lilacs, something his sister Melissa used to grow. Maybe he really was home after all, on the farm. And it wasn't Evie he saw in front of himself but his sister with her soft smile and mischievous blue eyes that he had also inherited from their mother. A hand was reaching for him and in the back of his mind he had some doubt as to whether to take it or not. But he could never refuse Melissa. He had looked up to her, she had been his world as a child. Ans reached for her hand and as their fingers touched he felt his body fall away from her, away from the peace and calm and down down into pain and ultimately darkness.

Michael Ki stood in what passed for a medical bay in the tall sailing ship Victory. Beads of sweat trickled down his head as he worked to save each and every crew member that was brought to him. A small amount of worry and panic set in when Nicolette did not return. Was he wrong about his theory? At the moment he had to push those thoughts away as he was literally elbow deep in a man's chest. Suddenly his eyes widened as he realized he was in the transporter effect. "Nooooooooo!!!! Damn it no!!!" He said as he materialized in Sick Bay next to a bio bed that bore Captain Benoit. He would have to save the Captain, but Michael Ki knew that most of those brave men on the Victory would perish.

Nicolette choked, as air replaced water. Forcibly, she ejected the water from her throat and lungs. Some of her stomach's contents exited onto her old fashioned clothing as tried to breathe normally. There was a gag and then a wheeze and an unanswered question, because the answer was self-apparent. "I'm alive?"

Captain Ansel Benoit
Commanding Officer
USS Victory

Lieutenant Commander Michael Ki
Chief Medical Officer
USS Victory

Lieutenant Katherine "Kit" Vulpes
Chief Engineer
USS Victory

Lieutenant Nicolette Riviere
Chief Counselor
USS Victory

Lieutenant William Neil
Chief Operations Officer
USS Victory

PO1 Amalia Darcy
Engineer
USS Victory

Lieutenant Gregor Morgan
Chief Security
USS Victory

Avelina Morgan
Civilian

Commander Jade Troconis
Executive Officer
USS Victory

 

RSS Feed