Episode 50

An Ice Kraken

There was a brief tug of war over one of the whale carcasses, the flensers on it leaping to the other body or desperately scrambling up the side of the ship. A few of the whalers onboard began harpooning the kraken.

“No, don’t do that,” Polly said.

Things began to move very quickly once the ice kraken attacked the whaler. It’s grey-green arms reached up and grabbed the harpooners, dragging them kicking and screaming into the water. Other arms, monstrously long, shot up around the whaler’s mast and pulled the entire ship towards it. The whalers cried out in alarm and terror as the rigging began to snap and tangle.

Polly turned to Aberra. “We can run before the wind, but when it gets to us we need firepower,” she said. “We need as much of it as possible in the line of fire.”

The sailing master nodded grimly. “So we give it something to climb. We beam reach to starboard and broach at the last possible moment. We’d better hope it attacks or we’ll be thinking about keeling over.”

“Ice krakens don’t mess around,” Polly said.

“Then we take in as much sail as we can and the rest as soon as we heel. This storm might be on us before it is.” Aberra shouted orders and the deck crew got to work. “Stay focused on the bloody sails,” he added, half to himself.

“Modura, all gunners to starboard. I’ll call it on the pipe. Reload and fire if you can. Sasha, I want sharpshooters in the fighting tops and on the afterdeck. Aim for the eyes. Things will be busy, but even one shot could do the trick. Ọya, I want you on the foredeck. We need calm.”

The other ship’s mizzenmast snapped and splintered. The kraken flickered a greenish blue. They could hear men and women screaming. The mast toppled.

“Umah save us,” someone said fervently.

“An ice kraken,” Geoff said. “Holy mother of God.”

Tortoise turned to Gecko. “What’s the difference between a kraken and an ice kraken?”

“No time for difficult questions!” Polly was standing at the quarterdeck rail overlooking the main deck. “Now listen up lasses and lads! Our very lives could be at stake! Remember: it’s good to be afraid, it keeps us frosty, but a block of ice will sink the ship. Watch each other’s backs and chop those tentacles faster than the cook. No offence, Cook.”

Polly looked around at everyone present. “This is the best crew in the Seven Seas. Prepare to be boarded.”

“Tortoise, I’ve got a job for you,” Polly called out, as everyone got to work. “Where are the rest of the recruits? Get them up here now.” She disappeared into her day cabin.

Tortoise looked around to see who was present. Heavy drops of rain began to hit his face. Most of the recruits were waisters; the ones who weren’t already busy looked back at him expectantly.

“I’ll find the others,” Alinta said. “I think I know where they are.”

“Thank you,” Tortoise said. “Meet back here. Hurry.”

Alinta dashed off, and the rest of them moved up to the quarterdeck.

Tortoise looked around for Gecko. He couldn’t see him; he’d probably gone up the shrouds with the other lofters. He looked across to the whaler. The kraken’s body had emerged from the ocean a little as it pulled itself up, water pouring off its back. The rain front had reached the whaler and paused over it like a grey sheet veiling the whaler and her grisly new crew member, which was glowing blueish green in sudden fits and starts, as if the very spirits of the air wished to conceal what was within.

A few muskets cracked, but the creature itself made no sound other than the violence of its plaything being methodically taken apart. Some of the crew had managed to launch one of the boats, casting off before it was full, and dozens of sailors were jumping into the sea now, others who had been thrown from the rigging crying out in the water or drowning silently. Tortoise shuddered. Would the kraken really attack the Pegasus? Everyone seemed to think so. But why? Why couldn’t they rescue them? He looked away, breathing heavily.

What could Polly possibly want him to do?

Polly emerged from her cabin wearing her sword. She took the whole ship in with one quick glance, then turned her gaze to Tortoise.

“Tortoise, you’re getting the recruits off the ship. Head east to the coast, then south to Akasha. Find a tailor named Iñana and give her this.” She held out a bracelet, perhaps silver.

He stared at it, then slowly took it.

Polly put her hand on his shoulder. “Tortoise, are you with me?”

She held his gaze. He took a deep breath. “Yes, sir.”

“You know what to do. Remember Gudge. Use the stern jolly boat. East then south. Go.”

Tortoise nodded and turned to Cadge. “Wait for Alinta and meet us there.” Cadge nodded. Tortoise looked at the frightened recruits. “That means the back of the ship,” he said. They all stared at him. “Run.”

They ran.

Next episode: The Lifeboat