Alexander's Response

"Stand your ground to the last, men! Don't take a step back!"

"There is nowhere for us to run! So fight! Fight like caged lions, men!"

"Take one scum to hell with you! If you are a man, take at least one scum with you!" 

Aboard Remus's ships, the man himself, as well as his officers could be heard making such shouts all across the deck, as they held on for dear life.

When the two ships had collided, the greater mass of the Heeat family's ship had caused it to skewer directly into the hull of Remus's ship, virtually crippling the smaller vessel.

But not to be outdone, Remus had also managed to use his much larger and better ram to punch such an enormous hole into the other's side that the sailors determined if they were to disengage now, their hull would start taking too much water and ultimately drown.

Hence both sides became 'struck' with each other.