Fourth Vector Ch. 10

Jack smiled and then kissed her forehead. "I'm glad you liked it. It turns the traditional woman-on-top position back into more of a submissive role."

"And here I didn't think you'd like me in more of a submissive role."

"I like you backwards and forwards, inside and out," he said with a laugh. "Most importantly, I like you in any position as long as I'm inside you."

Abigail purred happily. "Good answer."

"Glad I didn't disappoint," said Jack as he wrapped his arms around her. He listened to her steady breathing for a few minutes, nothing but the sound of the distant boilers echoing along the bulkheads to keep them company. Finally, after enough time, Abigail opened up with a surprising statement.

"I don't get it, Jack. I don't know how she walked away so willingly."

"Hmm? Who walked away?"

Abigail turned to look at him. "Anna. How did she walk away so easily from you?"

Jack shrugged gently. "It just wasn't a good fit."

"I don't get that. I struggle so much with not staring at you all day long," she said while looking into his eyes. "I love being around you, and our sex is just on another level. Why would she give that up?"

"I guess she didn't want to be involved with me as long as you were there. How could she do that with her own sister?"

"Do you think it bothered her more that it was me or the fact that she had to share you?"

Jack shrugged again. "I don't know. Both of those items are a lot to ask so either answer could have done it. When combined together, I can understand why she walked away."

"What if I couldn't walk away, Jack? What if I didn't want to walk away from you?"

He smiled and kissed her gently. "You'd hear no complaints from me."

"I know it's crazy," she said while her eyes searched his face. "But even the thought of sharing you doesn't bother me. As long as I had a piece of you, part of your soul, it wouldn't affect me. Even when the whole thing with Anna went down, I know if you wanted both of us, I would've been okay with that."

Jack nodded as he digested her words. It was a shocking admission to be sure, and one he was surprised to hear from someone like Abigail. Yet a small part of him was ecstatic to hear it. Even as this relationship with Abigail deepened, a small part of his brain reminded him that somewhere out there, Kat was still waiting for him. And his feelings for her were just as strong as they were for Abigail. Could this be a way for him to have both of them?

"Still thinking that over or are you just picturing us inviting another woman into bed?" teased Abigail while she poked him in the side.

Jack started to laugh. "Just thinking it over. Although, I wouldn't mind that second option either."

"I didn't think you would. Typical man." She giggled as she traced a line across his chest. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? Maybe I could suck your balls while you fuck another woman while she eats my pussy. She can lay on top of me and you can fuck her deep from behind and shoot your cum all over her ass and let it drip down into my waiting mouth. What do you say to that?"

"I say if you keep talking like that, we're going to have to go another round."

She giggled. "Maybe in the morning. I'm sleepy now and just want to get some rest." Abigail raised up on her elbows to kiss him one last time and then winked. "But if you slip it in me in the middle of the night, I won't say no."

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The next morning, Jack awoke still tangled up with Abigail. They were spooning together, and her pert little ass was pressed up against him in such a way that he was already hard. Jack wasn't sure if it was just his body's natural morning response to waking up or if it had been caused by the subtle grinding that she was doing against his body. Either way, Abigail's words from the previous night echoed in his mind and he enjoyed the surprising gasp from her as he plunged inside her pussy from behind.

After they both came, she slipped out of bed to go back to her quarters before the rest of the ship woke up, and Jack prepared himself for the day ahead. A quick glance out the port window showed nothing but open seas, and he hoped for a less eventful day than the day before. Somewhere out there was Kat and Vera, and he prayed that both of them were doing all right and were still safe.

Jack entered the bridge just before the morning report, listening to his officers give updates on their respective stations from over the night. Every once in a while during the briefing, Abigail would catch his eye and smile, a shared memory of their night spent in pleasure. Jack was enjoying this new side of her and her openness to a deeper type of relationship was more apparent than ever before. With nothing new on the morning report and Abigail's persistent yet subtle flirting, the morning got off to a good start, and it was just after he broke for lunch that the first sound of trouble reached him.

Jack was back in his quarters when his command radio went off. Immediately, he heard Stephanie's voice, noting the panic that was in her tone. "Jack, can you come to the bridge right now, please? We have a problem."

"What is it, Steph?"

She took a few moments to respond. "More smoke on the horizon, Jack."

"Be there shortly," said Jack as he finished his current set of orders and then made a dash to the main deck. In what was already beginning to feel like a repeat of yesterday, he climbed into the bridge and grabbed his binoculars right away. This time, both Stephanie and Abigail were watching just off to their port side where another plume of smoke, much heavier than yesterday's, was billowing just off the horizon.

"Have you identified what it is yet?" asked Jack as he scoped out the damage himself.

"It looks like theSwordfish, Jack," said Abigail.

Jack gulped and pressed the binoculars to his eyes. Sure enough, the large ship on the horizon looked exactly as he remembered when it left the Sorellan port just two days before theirs. His heart seized up almost instantly at the thought of Kat and Vera. He had to reach that ship right away.

"Increase speed," said Jack to Cory. "Bring us in as close as you can." He then turned to Stephanie. "Tell Vicky to circle theTiger around us to keep a watch out for any further trouble. Get a message down to Greg and have him prepare a boarding party as well. If there's still anyone alive on the ship, we'll need to rescue them before it sinks."

Stephanie nodded and went about the tasks before Abigail grabbed his arm. "Is that a good idea, Jack?" she whispered. "We can see the ship burning from here. It's not going to stay afloat much longer."

"We have to try," said Jack. "If Kat and Vera are still on that ship, we have to try to rescue them. And anyone else that's still alive."

"I don't know if anyone could survive that," said Abigail while looking back at the ship. She wasn't too far off the mark. With how badly the blaze was burning, the entire bow of the ship was aflame. Time was of the essence.

In the next few minutes, Jack couldn't stop wiping the sweat from his brow as they neared the burning trade ship. At one point, Greg appeared on the bridge as well, his rifle strapped around his shoulder and looking ready for action.

"It's theSwordfish, isn't it?" asked Greg without looking any further. Jack could only nod as the marine set about issuing the last orders to the boarding party. In total, a full platoon was made available to serve as the rescue team. They wouldn't be able to get too close to the ship out of precaution for any explosives, so the launch boats were readied as well as some grappling hooks to start the initial ascent.

As theDestiny neared the burning ship, Jack looked for any sign of life on the deck or in the waters below, his morale plunging when he found no one within sight. The burning ship stood out like a bright, depressing beacon and the closer they got, the more he feared the fate of his friends. Finally, they were close enough to almost feel the heat of the flames from the main deck of the ship, and that's when Jack made the move to leave the bridge.

"Keep the guns ready just in case. Whoever did this can't be far away. If they come back, give me a heads-up, but don't be afraid to go after them if I can't make it back in time," said Jack. "If there's too many of them, leave us behind."

"Jack, are you sure—"

"Leave us behind. Don't sacrifice theDestiny if you don't have to," said Jack firmly. "The mission is more important than any one life."

Abigail nodded her acceptance and didn't fight it any further. Not wasting any more time, he quickly descended down to the main deck and jumped over to one of the launch boats. His was filled with about five other marines plus Greg, as well as grappling equipment to get onto the burning ship. Time was against them, so once the boat touched the water, they lowered the engine and quickly sped off to the other ship.

The seas were choppy that morning and when combined with the high speed of the launch, just about every member of the boat got wet on the short jaunt over to theSwordfish. It was only once they pulled up to the hull that the smell of burning wood filled their noses. The smoke was thick and made his eyes sting with tears as they tossed hooks over the side, waiting until they were secure before the first man grabbed hold to scurry up the side.

"Before you go, put this over your mouth," said Greg while tossing each of them strips of cloth. He dunked his in the ocean and then brought it to his mouth. "Should help us breathe easier especially with all the smoke."

"Good call, Greg," said Jack while taking his cloth. "Stay out of the smoke as much as possible. Let's try to do this without any casualties of our own, understood?"

The other men nodded as the first of them began the climb onto theSwordfish. Jack went second, pulling his way up to the main deck. It was harder to do than he remembered and the muscles in his arms ached once he was at the top. Surely still a sign of his wounds from the last battle, he hoped he wouldn't have to climb like that many more times.

Once he was on the main deck, Jack had to make the decision where to go. They had landed near the stern, which seemed to be the safest bet since it was the farthest away from the smoking bow. Yet, theSwordfish was almost as big as theDestiny, and they would need a plan to check all the areas still accessible to them. As the last man climbed aboard the ship, Jack turned to address them all.

"All right, we're going to split up into teams. Two men to a group," said Jack before pointing to the closest marine. "You come with me. Spread out and remember to keep out of the smoke!"

"Jack, the ship is starting to list!" Greg pointed at the deck, where the port side was now starting to sink a bit lower than the starboard. Eventually this ship would capsize.

"Let's get moving! Don't go too far into the ship," said Jack. "If you notice the list getting more pronounced quickly, get back to the main deck. Don't take any needless risks with your lives."

With that being said, they all split off. Jack and his teammate, another marine named Pollard made their way to the closest hatch and descended below deck. All around them, the ship showed signs of having been boarded and ransacked. Personal belongings were strewn everywhere as well as some of the various trade goods that they'd picked up in Sorella. The very first room they came to, a personal quarters for one of the traders, looked like it had been nearly destroyed.

"Pollard, let's go this way. We need to find if anyone is still alive in here," said Jack, waving him down another passageway.

They descended deeper into the bowels of the ship. The further they went, the more they escaped the heat of the fires, but at a certain point, they ran into water filling up the lower decks. Whoever they had run into wanted to make it impossible for them to get away in one piece between the fire and the sinking.

It was on the second to last deck that Jack found the first body. One of the traders judging by the garb, he found himself looking away almost as soon as he saw the dead man. Even having seen enough death and misery from his time in the service, the gruesome remains of the trader were almost enough to give an ordinary man nightmares. Jack counted more than ten different stab wounds before he gave up and looked away, obvious that the man had been abused even in death. Jack left him in the room, determined to find someone alive.

"Kat! Vera!" he yelled, hoping for any sign that the two women might still be alive. The further he got inside the ship, the more he despaired. Everyone left on board was dead. He found two more bodies on the next deck up before running into another team of marines.

"Anyone still alive down there?" he asked.

The marine in front shook his head. "Negative, sir. Two dead bodies, both male, down that passageway. All the goods we've seen so far have been damaged beyond repair."

"Keep your eyes out for two women, both blonde," said Jack. "If you find them, bring them to me immediately!"

"Yes, sir!"

Jack pushed deeper into the ship. He could begin to tell he was too close to the bow once he started to feel the heat, knowing some portion of the flames must be directly in front and above him. That was when he heard the first cry for help.

"Help me, please!"

Jack stopped and listened for the source of the sound. All the noise from the distressed ship had a way of echoing sounds but his intuition told him it was coming down one particular passageway he just passed. Pulling back, Jack felt his way along the walls, having to use it to steady his grip as the ship listed further to port. Finally, he came to a locked wooden door, the source of the recent cries for help.

"Are you in there? Help is here!" Jack called out while pounding on the door.

"Help me! The door is locked! You'll have to find a way to break it down!"

Jack searched the ground nearby for something to use on the door, anything would give him the extra strength needed to bust it down. But time was running out.

"Sir, the water!" said Pollard as he pointed down the passageway.

Jack turned to watch a steady seepage of water begin to work its way up the passageway. Based on how quickly it was working its way up the ship, they didn't have much time.

"Pollard, put all your strength against that door while I find something," said Jack as he rushed toward the water. There were open rooms on either side of him but after taking quick peeks inside both, nothing suitable seemed to be available. Jack tried one last door but he already found his boots splashing the water as it followed quickly on his heels. Inside, he found what looked to be another trader's quarters except the first thing he saw on the floor was what looked to be a metal safe. He bent down to pick it up, finding the weight not easy to move.

Jack called out down the passageway. "Pollard, get over here and give me a hand with this!"

Together the two men were able to pick up the safe although getting it out of the room proved tougher with the water that was now ankle deep. They trudged their way back up the passageway until they reached the door.

"Okay, swing it back and let the force crack against the door," said Jack. "Ready, one, two, three!"

They both pulled it back and let the force of the forward momentum come crashing against the door. The door buckled against the frame but ultimately didn't come down.

"Again!"

The second hit was accompanied by the sound of wood splintering and Jack was hopeful it would come down on the next blow. Or at least he prayed it would, as the water was now back at his feet.

"One more time!"

With a final, deafening roar, the door blasted open, allowing Jack to get inside. He recognized the face almost instantly, finding the captain of the ship, Aristides, on the ground clutching his stomach. Jack could already see the blood staining the floor underneath the man and knew he wouldn't be much longer for this world.

"Commander Easterbrook," said the Sorellan trader weakly.

"Come on, Aristides. We have to get you above deck," said Jack as he and Pollard rushed to the man. Jack grabbed the man by the shoulders while Pollard grabbed his feet, and together they lifted the man and started to pull him out of the room. The water was rushing faster now, and the oozing stream was now turning into a rushing barrage.

"Aristides, we have to move quickly, so this might hurt a little. Stay with us though," said Jack as he slung the man over his shoulders. Aristides gave out a weak yell as the other two men were able to get out of that passageway and ascend to a higher deck. They stopped along the way to pick up another body, although Jack feared that man was long since dead, and together they brought Aristides and other man to the main deck on their shoulders. Once clear of the cramped and smoky passageways, Jack inhaled the fresh ocean air and let Aristides fall carefully to the deck.

"Hang on a little longer, Aristides," said Jack as soon as the man was on his back. "We'll get you back to our ship here shortly."

Aristides waved his hand back and forth with what little strength he had left. "Don't bother with me. I'm a goner and I know it, Jack."

Jack turned to look at Pollard. "Attach yourself to another team and see if there's any other survivors. We need to get off this ship soon."

"Yes, sir," said Pollard before rushing off with another two-man group.

Jack turned back to the dying man at his feet. Kneeling down to look at him, Jack grabbed his canteen and let the captain drink from it. Aristides drank eagerly, only spitting most of it out once it became difficult for him to swallow.

"Thank you, Jack," he said with a cough. "You have no idea how thirsty I was."

"Can I do anything else for you in the meantime?"

Aristides shook his head weakly. "No. I'm just glad that I'll get to die in the open air instead of drowning in the decks below. Thank you for that, Jack."

"Tell me what happened to your ship, Aristides. Who attacked you? What happened?"

Aristides looked at him with a fearful expression. "It was the Swabians, Jack. The Swabians did this. They stopped us with one of their cruisers early on this morning." Aristides then gave a long hacking cough. "We didn't have a chance."

"Why did they stop you?"

"Routine patrol," said the captain before shaking his head. "There was nothing routine about what they did. Warships usually don't stop trading vessels in peacetime. We thought we might have to pay a toll or a tax to cross their stretch of ocean."

"Did they try to get payment?"

"They sure did. They went about it in a rough and brutish way," said Aristides. "They personally shook down every merchant in a flat head tax for the entire trading corps on the ship. Nearly ransacked most of the place too. Just about all of them were relieved of all their spare coins but no one was stupid enough to challenge a Swabian warship. Several of the braver merchants thought they could stand up to them. They were tortured and killed in the most brutal ways."

"So they basically robbed you of your money and killed anyone who dared question them," asked Jack. "What happened next? What made them attack you?" He scarcely needed to hear the man's answer, already finding the story similar to the one told by Captain Wally fromSunflower.

"That's not all, Jack. They took all the women on board. Brought them over to their ship in chains."

"For what reason," asked Jack, his voice raising another octave. "Why did they take them?"

"It was probably the Andalucian boat that was near them. I know they've been working together. I'd bet they are to be sold as slaves."