Fourth Vector Ch. 23

"Right, approximately thirty," confirmed Jack.

Horatio gestured all around them. "We don't have any battleships in this task force. The one ahead of us just has two. We seem a little outnumbered."

"There will be more bottled up in Aberdeen when we reach the city tomorrow. I hate to break it to you, but we're the bait," said Jack with a reluctant smile. "We're here to strike fast and get out, drawing the enemy behind us. Although, I think if they see us as sitting ducks tomorrow, they'll soon find out we have a few dirty tricks we can use to fight them."

"We can hope so," said Owen. "As much as I like fighting, I'd rather be on the winning side. It's a long way back to Picardy from here, especially without a ship to get you there."

Jack chuckled. "That it is. Hopefully it won't come to that."

"At least we can look on the bright side," said Horatio with a grin. "With us holding back, we have the best chance to escape if something goes wrong."

"True," said Owen with a shrug. "Let's hope we don't need it."

"I'm confident with our plan tomorrow. I think we'll surprise the enemy when it counts the most," said Jack. "And all too soon, we can be on the way back to your homelands."

"That's not a bad idea right there," said Horatio. "Don't get me wrong, Jack. I like seeing all of this new territory and everything, but I wouldn't mind being back home either. Especially with this war with the Swabians heating up still."

Jack nodded as he listened. The latest dispatch to reach him from Picardy talked about the push south into the country while reports of the Swabian force marched north to join battle. All too soon, he expected to hear of a climactic battle, and hopefully one that would remove the Swabian presence from Picardy completely.

"If you have to miss the action at home because of this, then I hope we can make this worth your time tomorrow," said Jack with a consoling tone to both men.

"Aye," said Owen with a long sigh. "Me too!"

*****

The night before the battle, Luke sat at his command station on theValiant, eagerly looking out at the scenery of the Javan wilderness as they passed by. Their current position off the coast was marked by a landmark called the North Horn, the northernmost point in all of Java. This landmark jutted into the ocean at a forty-five degree angle before the rest of the landmass fell away to the south, enabling them to finally stop sailing east and begin to sail south into Aberdeen bay. Now that the transit through the channel was all but complete, it was time to prepare for battle in the morning.

He'd given some grief to Jack yesterday about being on edge but now that the great battle was only hours away, just about everyone seemed to be feeling the same way. There was a stillness over the ship, a type of calm serenity that can only be found before battle. Most of the crew was quiet and reflective, no doubt trying to make their peace with what might happen in the morning.

Luke knew there was a good chance that many of them would see the sunrise for the last time tomorrow, and if there was any time to make peace with their lives, now was as good as ever.

Thankfully, he didn't have to go too far off the deep end while on the bridge. At least he had company.

"Luke, did you hear me?" asked Anna, catching his attention as she assumed a not-too-patient look.

"Sorry," he said with a startled movement. "Just not all here right now."

Anna smiled. "You too?"

"What do you mean?"

"Thinking about tomorrow, I meant," she said.

Luke nodded. "Was it that easy to see?"

She shrugged. "Not really. I just assumed we were all feeling the same thing. It kind of feels . . . different tonight, right?"

He found himself nodding easily at the words that had just recently been bouncing around his head. "It sure does. Like the calm before a storm."

Anna gestured out to the horizon. "You think the Occies know we're coming?"

"I'd hate to say yes, but something of this magnitude would be hard to miss," said Luke. "I bet they know something is brewing. I just hope that tomorrow when they see us all slip into the bay that they have more surprise than expectation."

Anna rubbed her arm. "Me too. We can all hope at least."

Luke finished up the rest of his work after some idle chatter with Anna and soon left the bridge in her capable hands. He made his way down to his quarters, eager to catch what little sleep might be available tonight. It quickly became apparent that he wasn't alone in his room as soon as he stepped in, and a quick flicker of the lights revealed the main culprit.

"Why, hello there Lt. Commander Ravencross," purred Kim from his bed, her gaze looking seductive and inviting.

Luke's eyes nearly fell out of his sockets. Kim certainly wasn't wearing any naval uniform he'd ever seen. Instead, she'd found a lace babydoll that only offered the briefest degree of modesty, being sheer enough to reveal every part of her while still offering the vaguest sense of covering. It fit her body perfectly, tapering at the waist before flaring out on either end to get her wide hips and large breasts.

The sight was enough to render him almost speechless.

Almost.

"Well, this is a surprise," said Luke with a nervous laugh, as he loosened a few buttons on his uniform. "The rest of the ship is anxious for tomorrow and here you are in my bed looking like the pinnacle of sex."

Kim raised an eyebrow. "Are you complaining?"

"Not at all," he said quickly, stopping as his knees pressed against the bed. "It's quite refreshing actually."

"I figured with no one really knowing what might happen tomorrow that we should make the best of our time tonight," she whispered in a breathless tone as she slipped one of the straps off her shoulders. The sight of the bare skin alone was enough to make him hard, and it was his quick hands that sought to relieve the pressure from his tight trousers.

Kim licked her lips as soon as his drawers hit the floor. "Is that for me, sir?"

"In the mood for roleplay tonight, hmm?" he asked.

Kim nodded innocently. "I sure am, sir. I was hoping you might be able to show me how you do things here in the navy." Her foot crept out slowly, nudging against his manhood as her toes curled around his shaft.

Luke found an easy grin on his lips as he soon crept into bed. If he expected Kim to remain on her back, he would soon be disappointed. In fact, the redhead soon flipped over onto her stomach and pushed her hips into the air, providing a most alluring target. He particularly liked how the soft blue fabric ended just inches above her ass, and his hands soon grabbed each cheek out of pure arousal.

Kim purred as soon as she felt his hands on her. "Don't keep me waiting, please. I'm soaked, Luke."

She wasn't exaggerating. He could see even from here that her pussy was drenched, and it was with the easiest of pushes that he slipped inside, soon bottoming out in her depths.

"Yes, just like that," she cooed, feeling him fill her body. She craned her neck around, sending her red hair tumbling. "Give it to me hard, sir. I've been a naughty girl."

He didn't need to be told twice, and with careful precision, Luke withdrew his hips before he came crashing forward once more. The intensity of the thrust caused her to let out a low, guttural moan, and they remained locked together as the force of arousal started to build.

Kim's passion continued to surprise him. She would continue to look behind while they coupled, locking eyes with him as they celebrated this most intimate act. The look in her eyes was sultry, seductive, and completely enticing, and Luke swore that she pushed back a little harder each time her gaze locked on his.

Soon, they were both coated with a thick layer of sweat, and Luke could feel it dripping off his brow as he maintained such a vigorous pace. Kim didn't have any trouble achieving orgasm with the rapidity of their thrusting, and Luke counted more than three of them before he could feel his own threatening to boil over.

It erupted quickly, taking him by surprise with the intensity. His hips remained glued to Kim's, spreading his seed deep inside her while his hand gripped her ass tightly. Kim cooed delightfully at the feeling of being filled, and she buried her head into his pillow as the rest of her body crashed to the mattress.

"There's no feeling in the world quite like that," she said happily, after Luke had pulled out and slipped beside her. "You were like a man possessed tonight."

Luke pulled her to him and soon felt her head press against his chest. "I needed that badly, I think. Everyone seems so tense on the ship, and I know that I needed to release some pressure."

Kim looked up at him and waited for him to return the gaze. When he did, what he saw surprised him.

The confident and seductive woman he'd just been intimate with was completely gone.

Now, Kim gave him a look of fear. Her lip trembled and her eyes became vulnerable. The sudden transformation from confidence to fear was frightening, and it had him struggling to catch up.

His hand slipped under her chin. "What's wrong, Kim?"

She shook her head quickly. "Just like everyone else, I guess. Thinking about tomorrow."

"It'll be all right. We'll be okay tomorrow, I just know it," he said confidently, more out of an effort to calm her down other than believing the words himself.

"Are you sure about that? We're literally bait tomorrow. In just about anything you do with bait, it never really turns out well for them," she said.

"Listen, Jack has a plan for tomorrow. He's led us this far, right?" said Luke before refocusing on her. "Besides, we've been in a lot of other scrapes and came out on the other side in one piece, right?"

She nodded and reburied her face against his chest. It would have been adorable if not for the situation, but it still had him struggling to catch up with the version of her that he'd just had sex with.

"You really surprised me just now," he said with a chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. "I walk into my room and find my own sex goddess. Where did she go?"

Kim smiled and wiped a tear from her eye. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I guess I just figured a little roleplay and some sex might take my mind off of it. And it worked. That was some really good sex."

"Was it ever," he echoed.

"But I guess I can't outrun my feelings about the matter."

"No one is asking you to," said Luke. "You're definitely not alone in that regard. Although, I will give you points for creativity with the way you tried to go around it."

Kim giggled. "I thought you'd appreciate that."

"I sure did," he said while kissing her forehead. "But it's all right to be nervous for tomorrow. We just have to deal with it tonight and then put it away for tomorrow. We can't let our nerves rule us during the battle."

She nodded again. "I know that. I guess I've just been thinking all day long."

"About?"

"What happens if we survive?"

Luke shifted uncomfortably at the thought of her mortality. Or his.

"Like where do we go from here, Luke?"

"Probably back to the Vector, I'd imagine," he said before she started shaking her head rapidly.

"No, I mean you and me," she corrected, leaning up on her elbow. "I don't mean the mission, I meant our relationship."

"Oh, that," said Luke lightly, putting a smile on his lips. "I mean, nothing changes between you and I."

"Don't think I'm crazy when I mention this," she said with a pointed look.

"What's that?"

Kim took a deep breath. "I mean if we survive this tomorrow, I guess I just want to know that we have something to look forward to on the other side. Something serious and real, and something that really has the legs to go the distance."

"We already have that," he interjected while stroking her side. "I love you, Kim, you know that."

She smiled. "I do know that. And I love you just as much. And if we get through this . . . I want to take things to the next level, Luke."

"Next level?" he repeated. "You mean . . ."

She nodded. "I do. I know it's not my position to ask that of you, but I think about it all the time. Whether that's in our future or not."

"I definitely think it could be," he said quickly. "We go well together, we love each other, the sex is mindblowing—how could we not fit together long term?"

Kim rolled her eyes playfully. "So is there anything you want to ask me then, Luke?" She arched her eyebrows at her suggestively.

"What, right now?" he asked with a laugh. "Don't you want to wait until we can do it some place nice? Maybe after a fancy dinner or something like that?"

"I'm on your schedule," she said. "And I don't want you to think I'm forcing you to do this at all. That's not what this is about. I just wanted to make sure that we're on the same page together, and if we are, then what are we waiting for?"

"I hadn't really thought about it much," said Luke, but not before dodging a poke from her. "It's not for that reason. I just didn't expect so much from this at first."

"I know," said Kim with a giggle. "You thought I was just going to be a booty call."

Luke laughed. "And you were at first. But it deepened so quickly that it left my initial thoughts in the dust. I'm glad that it did, truthfully. I wouldn't have fallen for such an amazing woman. One that I love more than anything."

She leaned in and kissed him deeply. "As I love you. And if we get through this tomorrow, I'm not afraid of what the future might hold. I just want to know that this future will be with you."

"It will," he promised, as he hand searched for hers. "I just know it will."

As Kim fell asleep against his chest, Luke remained more determined than ever to give her the future that she deserved.

As long as they survived tomorrow.

*****

"I'm starting to lose my patience with you, Heron. I've been here for two months, and I still don't have enough resources to fill one single ship to send back to Java."

Heron couldn't help but roll his eyes at yet another tirade by Viceroy Lucius Grant. Almost every day, the man came in expecting more progress from them, and almost every day, he left with an attitude, persistently disappointed by the results. At first, Heron had thought to stall the man as much as possible until he heard back from Jack, but after this long with no official word on whether Lucius was here to stay, he was starting to lose hope.

More recently, their stalling had produced some food products to send to the Javans, and their own reconnaissance had found a type of tree that the Javans were really interested in, called a rubber tree. They'd begun to gather the extract from the tree to take with them, although Heron wasn't sure the actual use they might have for it.

Still, something was better than nothing, but you wouldn't know it by the tone of Lucius' voice.

"Perhaps I should send my troops in amongst your peoples?" suggested the viceroy as his hands planted firmly on his hips. "Maybe then you'll take our requests seriously enough to produce the needed resources."

"And if you do that, I guarantee you'll find war instead of resources," said Heron wearily, already tired of having the same conversations with the man.

"A short war it will be against your farmers armed with muskets," snapped Lucius.

"Maybe," said Heron with a shrug. "But it will be a fierce one. And we won't stop until all of you are dead."

Lucius' cheek flinched and his gaze narrowed. "Such talk will get you in trouble, Heron. It wouldn't take much for me to find some other noble that would want to be king and put him in your place."

"Good luck to you in that regard," answered Heron with a careless look. "My family has ruled Sorella for centuries. I doubt any of them would willingly betray their rightful king."

"A few gold coins could be enough to persuade a desperate man."

"Perhaps. If you're willing to take that risk," replied Heron.

Lucius let out a deep sigh. "I'm tiring of this. I have too much room on my supply ship back to Quiller's Cove. This is your last chance, Heron. If that supply ship is not full of product by the end of this week, you'll find the consequences for disobedience will outweigh anything you could dream of now."

Lucius didn't wait for a reply. The viceroy quickly turned heel and left the audience chamber, flanked by his marine guards. As soon as he was gone, the silence was deafening. Heron even thought he could hear the pounding of his own heart and he knew what must happen next.

Peace was almost impossible with such a man as Lucius Grant. Nothing would ever be good enough. Despite feeling indebted to Jack for his help in the war, this was just far too much. Heron could never accept the mere mention of violence against his own people, let alone from an ally instead of an enemy, and a line had been crossed that morning that couldn't be undone.

Sorella was not a colony, and he was tired of it being treated as such.

As the sovereign of the Sorellan people, there was only so much he could take, especially when it came to threats of violence.

Such threats would be answered in kind. It was only with a heavy heart that Heron came to accept the inevitable. That the Javans would have to be pushed out by force. He had to assume that nothing further was coming from Jack, and part of him questioned whether he would ever see the man again. But he couldn't let one good man excuse the actions of other vile ones, especially from the same country.

Now was the time to act. He needed a plan.

For that reason, Heron moved out of the audience chamber and sought his daughter and future son-in-law. He quickly found them together, as was most natural, outside the palace near the stables. To her credit, Elektra knew something was up from the moment she saw him.

"Father, what's wrong?"

Heron raised his chin stiffly. "We need to prepare for war."

*****

On the island of Cormfeld in Swabia, Lord Avila stood on his balcony as he watched the two ships dock in the harbor below him. It was another gray Swabian day, the sun not having been visible for nearly a week. It was the usual forecast for such a land, the morosity of the weather reflective in their choice of clothing.

Still, the day held much promise. The two visitors on their way to his estate would cap the culmination on a series of talks, and if all went to plan, it would elevate his position ever closer to the imperial throne.

Avila knew he couldn't take the throne without allies amongst the lords of Swabia. For close to two millennia, emperors had risen and fallen based upon their support of the nobility and now was no different. If he wanted to topple Emperor Aurelius, he would need their support.

Unfortunately for him, it was one area where he was severely lagging behind. Amongst the thirty-five odd lords of Swabia, he could count on only two others as true allies. One of them was the father of his wife, gaining his support with the marriage. The other was a minor lord of a neighboring island, hardly worth mentioning with its insignificance.

But the two lords on the way up to his chambers were different. One was Lord of Lindau, one of the new territories seized from the Galician dogs a hundred years prior. The current lord, Clovis Helmut, was new to the lordship and untested in battle. However, Lindau was one of the most economically powerful islands in Swabia, and he could count on a heavy war chest to fuel any ambition he wished.

The other lord was an old man, Godric Katla of Selz, a neighboring island with one of the largest personal armies in Swabia. Godric was a man without an heir, and it was wide knowledge that Selz would be up for bidding once the man finally croaked. Unfortunately for those other lords, Godric was still in decent health and could expect many more years of life.