Heart of Oak (an excerpt)
'Captain, have you read about the Great Siege of Malta?' Grech asked.
'I have,' Gamble replied carefully.
'Then you will realise that the Turks and the French are more alike than you could possibly think.'
'How so?'
'It taught the world that a population; thought as nothing more than peasants, could unite in the face of invasion. That they could show courage and honour in desperate times, and dispel the destructiveness of religious hatred. Boys, who had become battle-weary veterans of the Italian campaigns, had sailed here to conquer Malta. But Captain, let me tell you, they have not. Have you heard of Fort St Elmo?'
Gamble stiffened, and threw away the stone. 'I have heard the name,' he said, wondering if Grech was trying to embarrass him by his lack of historical knowledge, but he considered it was something else.
'The Turkish fleet arrived with men who had conquered the fields of Europe with their scimitars, elite cavalry mounted on giant horses and devil-men who wore the skins of beasts. Their artillery numbered hundreds and they battered the fort's walls for days. Inside were Knights of St. John. And amidst that hell-fire they refused to surrender. Wave upon wave of screaming Turks then tried to capture the breaches, but the defenders repelled them all. They fought with pikes, swords, axes, blocks of stones and their bare hands. They invented fire-hoops; wooden rings, wrapped in layers of cotton, flax, brandy, gunpowder, turpentine, and ignited and rolled to the enemy. Trumps; hollow metal tubes filled with flammable sulphur resin and linseed oil; and when lit, blasted flame like dragon's breath. Many Turks with their flowing robes died from these new weapons. For thirty days the Knights held out. Eventually, they claimed their prize. But the Turks turned to Valletta. And they had done something utterly despicable which angered God. They mutilated the defenders, stuck their heads on pikes and floated the decapitated bodies of their officers across the harbour on wooden crosses. It was designed to cause distress and it would have, had it not been for God turning the tide.'
'God?' Gamble said, raising an eyebrow.
'Yes, Captain. God. The sun burned like a furnace, and it was said the dead left unburied in the fort blackened and burst spreading disease to the Turkish camp. They tried to take the city, but the defenders out-thought them and out-fought them. God had blessed them with plenty of supplies and ammunition. Even when autumn winds brought rain the defenders muskets and pistols felled the Muslim attackers. Then a relief force from Scilly smashed the Turks aside. They routed and were pursued across the island, dying in droves from my vengeful ancestors. It is said the waters of St Paul's Bay turned blood red. The Knights had won. Malta had been saved.'
'God,' Gamble said again.
Grech's eyes narrowed. 'Am I to believe that you are not a Christian?'
'I believe in a good musket,' Gamble replied flatly. 'I believe in the British Navy. I believe in wiping the earth of the bastard French.'
Grech grimaced. 'I see,' his grey eyes flashed at Zeppi, before turning back. 'We have been sent one company of men. Godless men at that, I might add.' He rubbed the ends of his beard through long fingers.
'Godless men who'll free your country,' Gamble said with a menacing glare. 'What were you trying to tell me with your story?'
'I want to see the French defeated,' Grech said. 'I want our people free. I want the world to see our victory as a beacon for Christianity.'
'You're doing this for God?'
'Yes,' Grech said, 'and so should you.'
Gamble shook his head. 'No, I'm doing this because I've been sent here by my superiors.'
Grech's mouth tightened with a smile. 'And just who told them to send you here?'
'I have,' Gamble replied carefully.
'Then you will realise that the Turks and the French are more alike than you could possibly think.'
'How so?'
'It taught the world that a population; thought as nothing more than peasants, could unite in the face of invasion. That they could show courage and honour in desperate times, and dispel the destructiveness of religious hatred. Boys, who had become battle-weary veterans of the Italian campaigns, had sailed here to conquer Malta. But Captain, let me tell you, they have not. Have you heard of Fort St Elmo?'
Gamble stiffened, and threw away the stone. 'I have heard the name,' he said, wondering if Grech was trying to embarrass him by his lack of historical knowledge, but he considered it was something else.
'The Turkish fleet arrived with men who had conquered the fields of Europe with their scimitars, elite cavalry mounted on giant horses and devil-men who wore the skins of beasts. Their artillery numbered hundreds and they battered the fort's walls for days. Inside were Knights of St. John. And amidst that hell-fire they refused to surrender. Wave upon wave of screaming Turks then tried to capture the breaches, but the defenders repelled them all. They fought with pikes, swords, axes, blocks of stones and their bare hands. They invented fire-hoops; wooden rings, wrapped in layers of cotton, flax, brandy, gunpowder, turpentine, and ignited and rolled to the enemy. Trumps; hollow metal tubes filled with flammable sulphur resin and linseed oil; and when lit, blasted flame like dragon's breath. Many Turks with their flowing robes died from these new weapons. For thirty days the Knights held out. Eventually, they claimed their prize. But the Turks turned to Valletta. And they had done something utterly despicable which angered God. They mutilated the defenders, stuck their heads on pikes and floated the decapitated bodies of their officers across the harbour on wooden crosses. It was designed to cause distress and it would have, had it not been for God turning the tide.'
'God?' Gamble said, raising an eyebrow.
'Yes, Captain. God. The sun burned like a furnace, and it was said the dead left unburied in the fort blackened and burst spreading disease to the Turkish camp. They tried to take the city, but the defenders out-thought them and out-fought them. God had blessed them with plenty of supplies and ammunition. Even when autumn winds brought rain the defenders muskets and pistols felled the Muslim attackers. Then a relief force from Scilly smashed the Turks aside. They routed and were pursued across the island, dying in droves from my vengeful ancestors. It is said the waters of St Paul's Bay turned blood red. The Knights had won. Malta had been saved.'
'God,' Gamble said again.
Grech's eyes narrowed. 'Am I to believe that you are not a Christian?'
'I believe in a good musket,' Gamble replied flatly. 'I believe in the British Navy. I believe in wiping the earth of the bastard French.'
Grech grimaced. 'I see,' his grey eyes flashed at Zeppi, before turning back. 'We have been sent one company of men. Godless men at that, I might add.' He rubbed the ends of his beard through long fingers.
'Godless men who'll free your country,' Gamble said with a menacing glare. 'What were you trying to tell me with your story?'
'I want to see the French defeated,' Grech said. 'I want our people free. I want the world to see our victory as a beacon for Christianity.'
'You're doing this for God?'
'Yes,' Grech said, 'and so should you.'
Gamble shook his head. 'No, I'm doing this because I've been sent here by my superiors.'
Grech's mouth tightened with a smile. 'And just who told them to send you here?'
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