PoraBora

Chapter Fifty-Four

Ouuli had a bustling village of a port, even back then, when a younger Akoni had been ordered to do what he could to win Noikoa the war against Kenoe. What he could do was wait, for forty-three days, living in guilty luxury on land, with food when he wanted it and a nap when he pleased.

He hadn't intended to wait for forty-three days, but then he'd been a more patient man. And Kenoe's lionfish was sure to anchor and refuel before long.

Forty-three days was after long, but the ship came at last, just as Akoni had decided to round up his men and make back for Henoue with apologies to Noikoa, so he rounded up his men, waited for night, and made for the bay instead.

The boarding had gone well until they were seen, alarms were sounded, messages were flashed, and they ended up captured.

Tonight, thought Akoni, wouldn't be like that.

The net had been pulled up and folded, but where there was a boat, there was a place to hide. He hid as long as he dared, long enough the whole ship could hear that Akoni had been thrown into the molten oil and burned to death. If they hated him bad enough, he hoped they also had the pleasure of imagining his demise included the sharp, stunning stings of jellyfish.

It would make their deaths that much more confusing.

He rasped on the porthole window.

Tua opened it. Solemnity became stunned silence swiftly.

Akoni let himself in.

His friend couldn't open his mouth.

Akoni looked at the body on the bed and had little more to add.

Yetamika was dead.

"Makaia?" asked Akoni quietly.

"The jellyfish," Tua managed. "How are you...."

"Keasau's blessing," said Akoni. "We can puzzle out the details later. The plan hasn't changed. We're taking this ship."

"The others have been imprisoned," whispered Tua. "After what happened to you, Kepuni...well, all of us...Sorry, it's turning into an eventful week, and I'm not sure I can handle it."

"Then keep it simple, warrior. I'm alive, Yetamika's dead, and we've got a few more doorways to walk through. How'd you get here if you were imprisoned?"

"They called me to hear Yetamika's last words."

"What were they?"

Tua shrugged. "He didn't manage them."

Akoni winced, looking around the room for anything he could use. "We've got company outside, then," he whispered. "It goes like this: quiet, quick, easy. I want Makaia stuck in his room until we've got every koa on our side and all of his gutted and cleaned."

Tua steeled himself. "Will they even join us?"

Akoni hoped so.

Tua went out first. The warriors at the door held a quick conversation before they turned the rigsman back to his cell.

Then Akoni, and the first two men hit the deck. Akoni grabbed their spears and tossed one to Tua. Together, they dragged the bodies into Yetamika's holding. Then Akoni pointed his weapon at their chests.

"No other way?" asked Tua.

"No safer way," said Akoni. He stabbed them both.

Tua took another breath, then knelt down and slipped the keys off of their wrists.

They shared a nod.

It had to be done swiftly. Every minute a man was missing was a minute somebody would notice. They had a head start with these. People would have heard Tua went in to hear Yetamika's words, and the warriors might have heart enough not to disturb them. That would put off their checking, but it wouldn't take much to know something was wrong. Missing men were not hard to see.