Disclaimer: Raitings bump to R/NC-17 for violence and other things Reavers do

The entire crew had gathered in the cockpit as soon as Sarah had given word that the Reavers had returned. She herself was out of breath from running the entire distance from the bridge of the Compass Rose back to the Shire. They were all staring out the front windows of the ship, trying to spot the as yet invisible threat that that was descending on them out of the black.

It was Rick who finally spoke. "Maybe they won't see us, keep going."

"I hope so," replied Linda.

"I doubt it," said Jason, voicing everyone’s worst fears. "This was a trap. I think they'd notice that it's been sprung."

"There," whispered Matt, his young eyes the first to detect the small movement against the background of stars. Everyone looked where he was pointing. Indeed, there it was. Everyone was silent as they watched the small ship that was drawing closer, ever so slowly. It was like a panther circling its prey in a darkened jungle.

As Jason watched the Reaver ship, he was surprised to find that the thought of speaking actually required conscious effort. They all knew what Reavers could do, and would do if or when they found them. Every instinct and fiber of his being was telling Jason to be quit, to find a corner to hide in, to cower until the threat passed. It was fear; fear borne of primal instinct when faced with an unstoppable predator. There had been over fifty living people on the Compass Rose, and now there where none. His small crew only numbered at five, what chance could they possibly have? He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. Now was not the time to indulge mindless panic. Pushing back the fear, he spoke.

"You know anything about fighting these things?" Jason asked Linda.

There was a pause, during which Linda herself seemed hesitant to speak. "Not a thing sir," she said finally.

"Well, I think we're all about to learn." Everyone in the cockpit stared at Jason with a mixture of fear and surprise. Even Linda's normally composed expression had changed to one of apprehension.

"We could hide," offered Rick.

Jason regarded his friend. "Yes, we could," he answered slowly. "But from what little I know, they would tear both of these ships apart till they found us. I’m hoping just like the rest of you that that ship passes on its way. But if it doesn’t, I really don't see any better options than to face them head on."

"Sir," said Linda. "I think you have a problem with your brain being missing."

"I can't order any of you to pick up a gun and face down that what’s out there,” Jason raised his finger to point out at the black. “I'm not gonna try to order you either," replied Jason. "But, I'd rather die fighting head on, then get hunted down and dragged away like ruttin livestock. Because I swear to you that is exactly what they will do."

As the small group of people looked among each other, they all found themselves coming to see the dark logic in Jason’s words. When no one voiced opposition, he continued.

"All right," said Jason. "Now that's settled, I can't say as I know too much on Reaver battle tactics, but it seems they like the head on fight. They’ll prolly try to get into the Shire first. The stories I’ve heard, they'll latch on like a leach and cut through the hull. I recommend we take a position in the cargo bay of the 'Rose. Preferably some place high up. And by God, we get all the guns we can find from both ships."

As Jason outlined his at best half thought out plan, the menacing ship drew ever closer to its prey.

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They chose to make their stand from the mid-ship stairwell of the freighter’s cargo bay, which was directly opposite to where they had docked. Sarah and Matt waited on the middle landing located halfway up to the next level of the freighter as they tried to familiarize themselves with the various weapons that had been collected. Looking down into the hold they could see Jason, Rick, and Linda still furiously stacking boxes around the base of the stair well. When they heard the sickening clank of the firefly latching onto the Shire, everyone looked up in apprehension. Any lingering hope that the Reavers would pass them by was now extinguished. Linda, Rick and Jason, quickly clambered over their make shift barricade and hurried up the stairs to take their positions next to Matt and Sarah.

The late crew of the Compass Rose had been good enough to leave behind an eclectic collection of weapons to choose from. Linda, with her mare's leg holstered at her side, now also carried a Kalashnikov-47 automatic assault riffle, a battle tested weapon that had been mass-produced for hundreds of years. Rick picked out a bolt action rifle similar to one he had used to shoot rats and other vermin back on the estate, though this one was chambered in Sharps 45-70, a caliber more suited to elephant than rats. Jason stood between them with a sawed off pump shotgun in his hands. Laid out at their feed was a small collection of revolvers and automatic pistols, ready for use on those targets that managed to sneak in closer. Matt and Sarah sat amid an array of boxes of ammunition, as their job was to reload.

Within minutes of the Reaver ship’s docking, footfalls could be heard emendating from the other side of the passage formed by the docked airlocks. A moment later, the first hunched form could be seen creeping into the cargo hold of the larger ship as it searched for its elusive prey. As it looked around the dimly lit interior, it wandered off toward the stern of the freighter. Linda began to raise her rifle, but Rick put a hand on her arm. He held up two fingers and pointed to himself. She looked to Jason, who nodded and gave a hand signal for her to hold her fire. It was too soon to give away their position and moreover, Jason was confident Rick could make the shot from clear across the length of the Freighter. Soon, a second Reaver came into view, this one going off toward the front of the ship’s cargo hold. Still, they held their fire. The next to emerge was a pair of two more Reavers.

"Now!" declared Jason.

Rick dropped the first Reaver instantly with a near perfect shot to the brain pan, as Linda cut down the two newest arrivals with a burst from her assault rifle. The remaining Reaver at the opposite end of the cargo hold charged with a roar, but only got a few steps as Rick swung around and put his second bullet through its skill, taking only seconds to adjust his aim.

There was a moment of silence, then all hell broke loose as the other Reavers were drawn to the sound of battle as sharks to the smell of blood. The cacophony of footfalls that echoing from the air lock was akin to the sound of a stampede as near on a dozen of the crazed man beasts burst into view. Taking only a second to look at their fallen brethren, they soon noticed the Shire's crew on the landing above them when Linda sprayed their ranks with lead. Rick worked the bolt of his rifle as fast as he could, taking down a Reaver with each shot of the powerful rifle. As the charging horde neared, Jason fired into their ranks with his shotgun, knocking down two with one blast, though to his dismay, they simply got and continued the charge, blood welling from buckshot wounds in their chests.

Despite the valiant efforts of the defenders, near a dozen Reavers managed to cross the distance to the stair well’s entrance below them. From the staircase below, they could hear frantic footfalls rushing up the flights of steps. Jason turned, stepping in front of Sarah and bringing his weapon to bear just as the visage of the first man-beast came into view at the bottom the flight of steps. At close range, the shotgun more than compensated for its poor ranged performance, and Jason blasted a hole the size of a dinner plate though the Reaver's chest. This time, it did not get up.

Linda emptied the remainder of her clip into the next two Reavers to round the corner of the stairwell. Just as she cut them down, her rifles action locked back. She passed the now empty weapon to her son and drew her mare's leg. Rick dropped the bolt action rifle and pulled his nine millimeter, pumping five shots into the next Reaver before it finally fell. Jason dropped three more before he passed the empty shotgun to Sarah, who almost dropped the weapon from her shaking hands. Seeing the poor effect that Rick's Tokerev was having against the berserker onslaught, Jason opted for a .45 ACP from the weapons arrayed in front of him. The first shot from the powerful handgun almost knocked him off balance, as it dropped its intended target with a single blow.

Finally, Rick's pistol ran out of ammunition. At the sound of the action locking back, the big man looked down in desperation at the now useless weapon. With the hail of bullets now reduced, four of the Reavers charged two abreast up the steps. The first two went down under the gunfire, while the second pair managed to cover the distance and pounced on Rick and Jason. The first bit its filed teeth deep into Rick’s arm, the second tore into the base of Jason’s neck like a deranged vampire, knocking the .45 from his grasp. Jason put both hands around the Reaver’s neck and pushed with all his might but the Reaver was simply too strong. He could feel his hot blood running down his shoulder as the beast man shook and tore at his flesh. The he felt a brush of soft hair on his cheek and with a sudden jolt the Reaver released its hold and fell backward. He looked up to see Sarah holding his still smoking gun. Pushing the still warm corpse from atop him, Jason took the .45 from Sarah and pumped two rounds into the Reaver that was still attacking Rick.

With a strength that was born of years of manual labor and coupled with a surge of adrenaline, Rick ignored his pain and lifted the body of the Reaver that had attacked him off its feet. With a grunt he tossed it back into its advancing comrades causing the entire horde to tumble back down the steps. Linda took the opportunity to throw the one grenade they had found down the stairwell. The explosion was deafening, but gave them a few precious seconds of reprieve.

"Fall back!" yelled Jason. Everyone quickly grabbed what weaponry they could and rushed up the next flight of steps. At the top of the stairwell the small crew tumbled into the large dining area. In the momentary reprieve, Sarah and Matt tried to reload what weapons they could for the others. Matt clicked a fresh clip into the assault rifle before handing it back to his mother. Sarah slid the last cartridge into Jason's shotgun as another stampede of footfalls echoed once again from below. Linda quickly upended the large dining table that graced the center of the dining hall and they all took cover behind it just as the next wave of Reaves stormed into the room.

Rick and Linda opened fire, dropping the first few invaders as Jason took the shotgun from Sarah's trembling hands. Two Reavers vaulted over the table just as he brought the weapon to bear and fired. The first Reaver was dead by the time it's limp body fell onto Jason, knocking him to the floor and the weapon from his hands. It was all the chance the second Reaver needed as it hauled its dead comrade from Jason and fell upon its prey, swinging a wicked looking blade down toward Jason's skull.

Rick was reduced to handguns as his own pair of Reavers assaulted him. Seeing his friend go down, he wondered for a moment weather the man-beasts had somehow adjusted their tactics, coordinating to take them each down, two on one, one at a time. The first of Rick's assailants finally dropped just as the last cartridge ejected from his Tokerev, having had its body filled with nearly the full contents of the pistol's magazine. Looking around, Rick grabbed the first thing he could find, a large brass candelabra that had formally sat on the table. With all his strength he swung the heavy object at the head of the second Reaver as it tackled him to the floor.

Three more Reavers fell to the floor under the onslaught of Linda’s rifle before its magazine once again ran dry. Dropping the weapon, she brought her mare's leg to bear as two more of the abominations began advancing on her, but with a sickening click, the weapon's hammer fell on an empty chamber.

Jason rolled his head to the side, just as the Reaver's blade pounded into the decking so close that it’s edge sliced deeply into his cheek. His assailant leered down at him with what at first seemed a gleeful smiled until Jason realized that the Reaver had cut away all of the lips and cheek flesh from around its own mouth. With no other weapon or tactic left to him, he head butted the hideous face. More from surprise, then the actual impact, the Reaver paused for a mere second. It then raised its wicked blade and plunged it down into Jason's chest.

Rick felt teeth give way as the heavy candelabra impacted the Reavers skull, driving it's body sideways as they both hit the floor together. Without hesitation or even conscious thought, Rick swung again, and again, and again; and each time, without hesitation or conscious thought, the Reaver kept getting back up. Linda watched the two remaining Reaver's approach her, and in their eyes she saw the inevitability of her own grizzly fate. Suddenly, just as the closest was raising its blade to strike, it staggered to the side as a bullet slammed into its chest. Looking to her left, she saw her son standing, wide eyed, with a massive revolver in his hands. The boy pulled the trigger again, and once more the body of the Reaver lurched from the impact. Two more shots the boy fired, and finally the abomination of humanity fell to the floor. In horror Linda watched as next Reaver stopped its advance on her, and turned to her son.

"Run Matthew! Run Now!" Linda screamed. To her relief her son needed little prompting as he tore off down the corridor toward the engine room. To her horror, two Reavers followed.

Jason tried to block the blade by swinging his arm up into the Reaver's forearm. This desperate action deflected the blade from its lethal path into Jason lung, but instead impaled his shoulder. Jason screamed as the blade was pulled free for another deadly thrust. Suddenly a roaring blast deafened his ears and the Reaver was thrown off of him, landing lifeless on the floor. Looking up in surprised relieve, Jason watched as Sarah racked the shotgun he had dropped and fired the next blast into the Reaver now struggling with Rick.

Linda pulled a handful of 30-30 cartridges from her pocket and began reloading her mare's leg as she chased after the monsters that chased her son. As she brought the weapon to bear, she realized that there was a very real possibility of hitting her own son who was directly behind her target.

Jason, still lying wounded on the floor, watched as three more Reavers came into the room. Seeing Sarah as the only person standing, they immediately advanced on her. He watched as she pumped the firearm and fired, taking down the first, then the second, only to find that it came up empty when she tried for the third. He watched the fear overtake her face. There was no way the small woman could stand against such a foe, yet still she stood her ground. He yelled for her to run, yelled with words he could not even hear with his still ringing ears.

"Gorramit woman. This is an order, RUN!"

She finally looked at him and dropped the useless firearm, taking off as fast as her legs would carry her down the corridor toward the bridge. The Reaver, prompted by primal instinct, was compelled to give chase.

Matt ran with all the strength his legs could muster, but still he could hear the footfalls of the pursuing Reaver growing closer. With fear he realized the engine room was just ahead and it was the end of the road. His only hope was to make it in time to be able to close its heavy steel door. It was then that he noticed there was another stairwell at this end of the ship leading back down into the hold. Was there likely to be more Reavers left downstairs? He could literally feel the breath of his pursuer hot on his neck as Matt considered his options. His decision made, Matt leapt through the portal into the large engine room and spun as soon as his feet hit the ground. Raising the revolver the boy fired the last shot into the Reaver's chest. Then, seizing the moment of surprise, Matt hauled the heavy door closed. The door slammed shut with a resounding clank, and Matt spun the portals heavy wheel, locking himself into the engine room just as the Reavers fists began pounding on the other side.

Back in the dining hall, Jason and Rick hauled themselves to their feet. Both had been badly beat, bitten, and slashed. Rick picked up his 9mm and quickly swapped the clip as Jason picked up the dropped shotgun and a handful of shells from a wayward box of ammunition that had spilled on the floor. The two men both looked to the stairwell, but no more Reavers emerged. Then they looked at each other.

“Go help Linda,” said Jason. Rick nodded, not even questioning the order, as they ran off in opposite directions.

Sarah was running as fast as her legs could carry her, yet the taller Reaver was gaining inches on her by the second. She was almost at the bridge with its heavily reinforced door, her only hope for survival. Sarah’s lungs and legs burned from the exertion. There where only a few yards to go to the bridge and she knew she could make it. That was when another Reaver stepped from the forward stairwell to stand in front of her.

Linda saw the engine room hatch close. Her son safe, she began firing into the backs of the two Reavers that were now pounding on the door. Realizing they had new prey, they turned to her. In her fury to get to her son, Linda realized too late that she had run out of ammunition.

Sarah was trapped between two Reavers that stood mere meters behind and in front of her. She was a small woman, and being unarmed she would be at their mercy should they capture her. Desperate to get away, she took the only escape route open and threw herself against one of the hatches that lined the corridor. Sarah yelped in pain as her body hit the floor of the cabin below. Ignoring the pain she leaped to her feet and slammed the hatch shut right onto a Reaver’s scarred hands. As it slammed closed, the door refused to lock, with the crushed appendage gored into its mechanism. Then, with strength born of insanity, the maimed Reaver forced the hatch back open, and pounced down upon her.

Jason had only managed to feed a single cartridge into his shotgun when he watch as Sarah ducked into one of the crew cabins. Bringing the weapon to bear he blasted the shot into the chest of the nearest Reaver as he watched the other lunge down upon Sarah.

Rick ran toward Linda as the two Reavers at the end of the corridor turned from the now closed engine room door to the woman before him. Raising his gun, he fired. As the shot ricocheting dangerously close to Linda’s head, Rick realized grimly that he was too far off to safely shoot and not hit Linda. He then watched in horror as the two forms drove the woman to the floor. Rick willed himself to run faster as he watched Linda fight to keep them from her neck, even as they tore at her clothes and bit into her arms.

As Sarah fell back onto the floor, the Reaver roared with triumph. With a single swipe of his hand, he ripped the shirt from her chest, laying bare her small breasts. Sarah scuttled back on her arms and legs to get away from the cannibal until her back hit the wall of the small cabin. Biting his teeth into Sarah’s throat, the Reaver pinned her while leaving his hands free to tear her pants apart at their seams. Sarah screamed in terror as she tried to push with her hands against the Reaver’s shoulders. Sarah screamed again as she saw the vicious lust it its eyes.

In horror Jason watched as the Reaver he had shot rose once again from the floor. He had been too far off when he had fired the shotgun, and as a result less than half of the pellets had found their mark. His now empty shotgun useless, Jason swung it like a club as he tackled the injured Reaver to the ground. As they collided, Jason brought the stock of the shotgun down into the Reaver’s head with a blow that would have rendered a normal human unconscious, yet still it was to no avail. Though mortally injured, the Reaver still fought on.

Finally close enough to fire, Rick raised his pistol and let off two shots that slammed into one of the Reaver’s chest and a third into its throat. The beast finally fell from atop Linda’s struggling form, with blood gurgling from its mouth.

Sarah watched in horror as the Reaver pulled aside its loincloth of human skin to reveal an organ that had been just as mutilated as the rest of its body. Razor blades and jagged nails pierced and adorned its abominable nether parts. Sarah cried in fear, begging God not to let her die with her insides ripped to ribbons by the vile thing before her. With a thrust of its hips it drove the mutilated man-organ toward her stomach.

Jason heard Sarah scream as he fell on top of the Reaver, fearing at the thought of what was happening to the girl. Taking advantage of Jason’s moment of distraction, the Reaver planted its feet into Jason’s stomach and threw him over its head. Jason saw stars when his back hit the wall, and watched as the Reaver rolled once again to its feet. Realizing he still had his Tokerev, Jason drew the small pistol and fired three more rounds into his enemy’s chest. Finally, the Reaver succumbed to its multitude of wounds and fell to the deck in a pool of its own blood. Jason’s own blood then drained from his face as he heard Sarah scream once again.

Rick turned to the other Reaver that was still straddling Linda. Despite its fury, the woman was managing to keep it off of her as she grasped its wrists with her two hands. Understanding dawned as Rick noticed blood running from multiple gunshots down the Reaver’s chest. Grabbing it by the neck, Rick hauled it off of her and tossed its weakened body aside. Aiming his pistol directly at the monster’s mouth, Rick fired, putting it down with a single shot.

Sarah managed to bring one knee up and slam it into the Reaver’s belly, preventing it from impaling her with its vile self. The Reaver backhanded her mercilessly and blood splattered as her lip split from the blow. Sarah screamed again in terror as the Reaver shoved her leg aside and prepared for another thrust.

Dropping to his knees, Rick looked Linda over. She was staring white faced and wide eyed up at him. Her shirt was in ribbons and she had wicked looking bite marks running along the length of her arms and across her bare chest. Her pants where still on, however, and Rick thanked whatever powers that where that they had not managed to violate her. Offering his had, he pulled the woman to her feet, and she began trying to fasten the few remaining buttons of her shredded shirt.

Jason crawled to the edge of the hatch, unable to stand from the abuse his body had taken. Another blood curdling scream issued from the cabin below. Jason willed himself forward and fell down into its depths.

Sarah screamed again and closed her eyes, certain her bloody and violated end was near. The Reaver pinned her arms to her sides as it arched its hips above her, preparing to slake its vile lust. Finally, she was helpless to resist as its awful body fell down upon her. But Sarah felt none of the pain she was certain would come. The Reaver did not even stir, but had gone limp atop her trembling body. Suddenly, its dead weight was shoved aside. Opening her eyes Sarah looked up to see Jason kneeling above her, a smoking pistol in his hand.

The pounding of the Reaver’s stopped and after a moment Matt heard the sound of gunshots echo from the other side of the metal portal. After a moment, someone knocked on the other side of the door. It was not the savage pounding of the Revers, but just a polite knocking. There were voices as well. Though he could not make out the words, one sounded like his mother’s.

Unsure of what to do, Matt reloaded the large .44 magnum revolver and cocked back the hammer. With trepidation Matt spun the doors locking mechanism with one hand, keeping the weapon ready in the other. When the door finally swung open, he looked out to see his mother supported by the arm of Mister Orlan around her waist. Matt dropped the gun and wrapped his arms around both of them.

Linda, Rick, and Matt walked back to the dining hall of the Compass Rose. Finally reaching the common area, the three fell as one into a plush couch that was set against one of the bulkheads. No further Reavers had stormed up the stairwells and Rick was too tired to bother checking to see if any more would.

Then the sound of footfalls echoes from the opposite passageway. Rick raised an empty weapon toward the approaching intruder. As the form limped closer, Rick’s face spread out in a wide grin as Jason limped into the light. It was a grin that quickly fell as he saw that he was carrying a sobbing Sarah, who was clothed in nothing but rags and Jason’s old leather Jacket.

“Did they?” asked Rick, fearing the worst.

“No,” replied Jason. “Damn close, but no. She’ll be all right.” Then Jason’s twisted ankle finally gave out, and he collapsed to his knees, only barely able to still hold on to the weeping girl in his arms.

TO BE CONTINUED

Authors Notes: OK, I stole another line. This one seemed to fit better though. From now on I’ll try to avoid doing that.

I wanted to finish Ghost Ship in two parts, but after writing this, I’m feeling a bit burned out. I think Ill have to finish it up tomorrow with part III rather than rush it tonight. This was a challenging one to write. A big thanks to rmonroe and colt999 for the feedback. Even bigger thanks to MerryK for letting me know with each post that I am not just writing to myself.