When the lead ship was even with the defenders’ ship it kept pace and a man came on deck and signaled with his arms.

“So far it’s just a greeting,” Inu told Lewis as the man continued signaling, pausing to get a reply from somebody that they could not see on the larger ship. “Hold on, something about a prisoner, they want to propose a trade. I didn’t catch that… OK they say the odds are three to one. Damn, I believe he’s threatening the warship.”

Lewis took out his pocket size spiral notebook and looked for a blank sheet, making a mental note to find something to replace it with. He fumbled in another pocket and found a pencil.

“We might be able to even those odds a little,” Lewis suggested.

“What are you thinking?” Inu asked, still staring at the signalman.

“I’m thinking that it is not in our interest to allow those three ships to attack our escort while we stand by and hope for the best.” Lewis replied. “If she should lose the fight we’d be next.”

“Are you suggesting I pit my ship against those?” Inu was staring incredulously at him. “Don’t forget you’re on a merchant ship.”

“That’s true but think about it. These are probably the same guys who killed those other two ships,” Lewis said quietly. “That means that we are really the quarry, and the warship is the only obstacle in their way. If we can do anything to take some heat off her, we, and I mean all three of our crews, may live longer.”

“All right, show me,” Inu indicated his paper.

“OK, put Deepwater Cutter abreast with and on the portside of the warship,” Lewis explained. “And we drop back so we’re right off her bow.”

He drew the formation on his notebook and was intending to say more when Telini came up and stood at attention, indicating that he had something to say. Lewis turned to him and nodded. Telini handed him his hand held radio. “It’s for you, sir.”

“Lieutenant Lewis here.”

“Lieutenant Lewis, this is Lieutenant Commander Morris,” the voice on the other side said. “Sierra papa bravo, two thirty five.”

“What can I do for you, Commander?” Lewis asked, and then added, for Inu’s benefit. “Submerged people’s boat, right?”

“Correct, we were looking at some wreckage here and noticed that you seemed to be having a party up there. Do you have foodstuffs for Port Mist?”

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“Affirmative.”

“Are you OK?”

“So far, may be more for you to look at later today.”

“We are not an attack, but we do have some tricks. Do you need assistance?”

“Not yet, but the potential problem concerns the three ships most west.”

“Copy that, we will track the three most west and keep this frequency open. Two thirty five out.”

“Romeo out.”

As Morris signed off, Inu tapped Lewis on the shoulder and pointed at the signal man, who was now lying on the deck as a couple of men rushed over and knelt beside him. The men stood with him between them and hustled him off the deck. The ship looked like it was drifting starboard.

“Now, Captain,” Lewis said firmly.

Inu folded his telescope and signaled Deepwater Cutter, waving his arms and pointing. Lewis could see Captain Waymer wave back and turn to his men. Small arms fire could be heard sporadically. Inu started to shout orders at his men. Lewis turned to Telini.

“Get down there and tell the team to make their first few shots count. If you can find a good target, take it.”

“Sir!” Telini bounded down the ladder in two steps and hit the deck running in a crouch.

Lewis turned back to see what was going on. The ship that was now foremost of the three had turned to the port in an arc that would bring it into Inu’s starboard side. Inu was shouting at his crew as they tried to bring the sail about. The big warship was crowding into its two neighbors and the shots came faster. The third enemy ship surged ahead while moving seaward to avoid a possible collision. Waymer had veered hard to port moving toward his assigned place on Churro’s left.

Inu’s ship dropped back as the number two ship missed in its attempt to impale them, passing broadside to the front. As it came close, Team Romeo, and the sailors that weren’t busy, opened fire. Several of the marines, who looked like they were waiting to board Inu’s ship, fell to the deck. The remainder of the marines returned fire, causing Lewis’ team to duck behind their crates. Lewis raked their deck with his AK 47, and dropped a couple more. Roquette stood and threw a grenade, which exploded against the side of the ship. Blair crept up the stairs and set up a mortar.

Lewis saw that the number three ship was making a big loop, which would bring it up behind Waymer. Meanwhile, the number one ship was slugging it out with the defenders. Each had brought out a big gun on a carriage, and were busy blowing holes in each other’s sides. Lewis heard a whoomp! behind him, and saw a mortar round explode twenty feet short of the ship that was fighting the defenders.

“A little short!” he hollered at Blair.

The next shell hit the rail and men flew about, then the sailors on the defender’s ship threw grappling hooks and started hauling the two ships together.

Sailors on Churro’s and Waymer’s ships fired at the one that was closing fast from their rear.

Lewis heard yelling and smelled smoke, when he turned he saw a man in full body armor with a flame thrower shooting flames onto Inu’s deck. Lewis grabbed the new rifle and took careful aim at the man’s left ankle. He didn’t hold out too much hope of hitting with both decks moving erratically, but the man dropped his flame thrower and staggered against the rail. The man drew a pistol from its thigh holster and fired at Lewis who had dropped to the deck and shot the rifle from a prone position.