Norsemen!
Chapter Twenty Two

Lieutenant Vox was on the bridge watching the small launches extract the last of the soldiers from the beach when there was a flash of light to his left....south east. He turned with his binoculars to see what it was just as the look out yelled.

"IN COMING ROUNDS!!"

He had seen, only for a moment, a small, fast ship that he did not recognize. It was long, sleek and moved at a very fast pace across his left. He dropped the binoculars to his chest.

"ALL HANDS MAN YOUR BATTLE STATIONS!" He yelled as the klaxon began with sailors running in all directions to man their post.

"Target south, south east moving at about thirty knots! Three thousand yards out."

He heard the plotter yell out as he manned his station near the ships wheel.

"Come about, port twenty degrees, all ahead full." He said in a calm voice . "We need to get those men out of the water quickly!"

His ship turned towards the small launches as they headed towards him at their full speed of about ten knots.

"Another ship, sir! Bearing zero, one, five degrees!"

He grabbed his binoculars from his chest and went to the side of the bridge to look. There was another ship of the same make and speed and they seemed to be trying to get into position to fire a salvo once they were on station. He turned sideways and yelled.

"GET THOSE SOLDIERS OUT OF THE DAMN WATER! NOW!"

He knew he had to at the very least, slow down to ten knots to pick everyone out of the small boats and that would take time that he knew they did not have. However, by continuing to move it made him more difficult to hit.

"Radio!" He said as he stepped back into the bridge. "Call main. Tell them we need assistance RIGHT NOW! Air if they have it. Tell them the targets as well."

"Aye, aye, sir!"

"IN COMING ROUNDS!" The look out yelled from above.

"Stand by! Get a fix on the target and FIRE!" He yelled out as he grabbed onto a fixed table bolted to the deck.

Five rounds landed in the water around them spewing sea water all over the deck and rocking the small launches as the soldiers tried scrambling up the sides of the ship. His ship returned fire and he could feel the concussion from his guns and the deck plats vibrate, smoke covered them briefly but flew by with the sea breeze.

"Contact! Two rounds hit!" The look out yelled.

"Get them on board..NOW!" He yelled as he ran back into the bridge looking through his binoculars at the two enemy ships.

"INCOMING ROUNDS!" The look out yelled.

"Brace yourselves!" He yelled out, holding onto the hatch way frame, half way inside the bridge.

There was an explosion aft, at the rear of the ship. The bow seemed to jump slightly out of the water with the explosion. Screams of wounded came seconds later, then his guns fired again, rocking his ship with the concussion.

"Come left two, eight, zero degrees, full speed. Lets get out of here!" He felt the ship lurch forward as it picked up speed, then several more rounds erupted around his ship with more water flowing over the decks as if in storm.

"Return fire when ready!" He said loudly into the intercom and all most immediately felt the ship shudder as the guns fired.

Halfdan and Frode entered the bridge, scanning it as they entered.

"Cap'n?" Halfdan said as he tried to see the enemy ships by bending over slightly to look through the windows. "We getting any help soon or is this it?"

"I called it in, now it's up to Main if they send anything or not but these ships are hot on our heels."

"What's the damage?"Frode asked." I saw you get hit before I got on board."

"We have two dead and six wounded and the aft deck plating was destroyed but the engines are fine." Vox said as he held the binoculars to his eyes looking aft, to the rear.

For the next two days the enemy ships followed him, both at full speed but now Vox knew he had to slow down to give the engines a break and have them checked by the engineers. His crew were still at battle stations and would stay there, having sandwiches brought to them for meals and if they had to go, a relief was put in their place but all hands manned the guns at all times.

They had just went through the straights between Corsica and Sardinia when the look out yelled.

"Enemy ships gaining! I see a third ship now!"

He stepped outside to have a look and there seemed to be another enemy ship that joined his chasers.

"Ship ahead!" The look out yelled pointing forward.

As he turned to see what the look out spotted, a deep roar over head from three sea planes as they passed over, heading for the enemy ships.

"Signal that ship and ask if they are engaging the enemy ships. We will assist if so."

"Aye, aye, sir."

"Are we going to fight captain?" Frode asked as he grabbed a steel beam over head.

Vox turned to his charts, leaning over them he studied the two islands near by. If he went through the straight, had the other ship come in close and he waited for them, he could turn on the enemy and fire as the new ship joined the fight. With the sea planes and this other NS ship, they could destroy those enemy ships while they were still in the straight.

"I don't know. It would be very tight quarters here near this straight." He paused, looking at him. "But not impossible," Vox smiled.

"You look a bit to sly for that smile, Cap'n!" Frode said with a grin.

"Radio..send this message." He handed a scribbled piece of paper to the operator.

"Prepare to come about!" Vox said as he jumped to the out side of the bridge to see the enemy ships. They were closing at a fast rate so he waited for the sea planes to do their bit before he reacted. As his ship cleared the straight he yelled.

"COME ABOUT....FORTY-FIVE DEGREES. GUNS STAND BY!"

Halfdan and Frode stood by, out of the way, watching as the ship turned sideways for a broad side, both grabbing something to hold onto as the ship leaned into the turn. Vox watched as the sea planes made their bomb run. Just as their bombs fell on target, he yelled..

"OPEN FIRE and continue firing until I give the command to stop!"

Halfdan and Frode both looked at each other as if caught out in the open.

"There's no cover and concealment here, Halfdan!"Frode said with a half smile.

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Every large gun on deck fired with an ear splitting crack, smoke filled the air for only seconds as it was carried away by the sea breeze. In only minuets, they fired again. Halfdan and Frode could see smoke rising on the horizon in the distance but it was too far away to actually see what was happening. Again the guns fired with Frode covering his ears with a winching face. The other ship that was spotted coming in from home port came near them and they, too began to fire non stop. The sea planes flew over head with Halfdan looking up. He saw the rear gunner waving with a thumbs up sign. But, did that mean THEY had made a direct hit or was the ships guns doing a good job?

The guns fired for over fifteen minuets then Vox ordered them to cease fire and stand down. He stood on the aft of the ship, in the wreckage of the deck plates, looking through his binoculars at the heavy black smoke in the distance. A sailor came to him at attention.

"Sir! Look out says he sees one ship sinking and the other two are heavily damaged and withdrawin." He paused. "Also, sir. Message from the NS Birger. They say we are to be commended."

"OK then." He said flatly, dropping his binoculars to his chest. "Have all stations stand down from general Quarters and lets all get something to eat besides sandwiches and some well deserved sleep."

The Gunny and Yngvilder made it back to the State house and were just walking in when they got the news of the Naval battle between the NS Espen and Birger. Russian ships had started encroaching into their own waters and now they seemed to want to play hard ball, Gunny thought. All right! We can do that!

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