"2566-27" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jerome Bigge - Warlady 4 - 2566 Ad)2566 A.D.! A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN By Jerome B. Bigge Chapter Twenty Seven "They're gone," Janice spoke, staring about there in the dawn as we searched the village, or what remained of it now. The Huntress' firepower had been impressive, especially against such a target as this. Much of course is due to good training, good command. Janice was a very capable officer, I mused to myself! I recalled too what Captain Valerie Dunn of the Corsica had said about her, about how "competent" a first officer Janice had been before her well earned promotion up to commander of the Huntress. "Maybe," I breathed, eying the woods, waiting for the cross- bow bolt to strike me down. I felt very "vulnerable" just then. I had brought with us the entire force of archers. The Huntress standing ready to fire a deadly broadside into the woods beyond. I had no doubts that any attacker would pay a high price for us! "Two dead, three wounded," she smiled. The enemy had taken far greater losses from what I'd seen so far. We had fired upon a "Californian" village. However, the people of that village had been "aiding and abetting" the enemy. I wondered what Darlanis would make of all that. Just then I really didn't give a damm! Her sudden "unpredictability" too was something that bothered me. I had seen the bodies lying there on shore. There was no "doubt" that the people of the village had indeed assisted our foes too! "We didn't get the women back," I said, giving her a smile. I hoped the Dularnians hadn't just slit their throats and left them to rot. That is sometimes done, but rarely here in 2566 AD. "Most men won't give up a woman they've helped capture," she smiled back. I supposed that it was true. We had however proved to the enemies of the Empire that we knew "how" to "fight". I had no way of knowing if the captain of the enemy raider had sur- vived or not. Perhaps it was just as well that he had not. I did not think Maris would much approve of what had happened here. "I am gaining a `reputation' like Princess Tara," I smiled. I wondered what Darlanis would think once she learned of this??? ***************************************************************** "Ship is the Huntress!" the lookout called down from the masthead. Sela Dai breathed a mental sigh of relief. Lorraine was back in command of things. No more arguments between her and Jers with Lara sitting there smirking to herself over what do do. Jers feeling that the squadron should be split up into two parts, while she, Sela, wanted it kept together as one powerful force. "We've got our `Warlady' back," Mark smiled down at her. ***************************************************************** "You've been wounded!" Sela breathed as I climbed aboard the Squala. My leg was getting better now, but it still bothered me a bit, especially if I didn't keep it exercised and limbered up like the physician aboard the Huntress had warned me to do daily. The dampness of the cold sea air didn't do it any "good" either! "Took a crossbow bolt in the thigh when we met up with Maris and her North Star," I smiled back, stepping up on to the deck, listening to the cheering as my men and women "greeted" me back. "You took Huntress up against the North Star?" Mark gasped. "That was what I `had' when we `met' up," I smiled back. "You're truly a `Warlady'," Sela Dai smiled as she recounted her apparently mostly uneventful voyage up the coast of Imperial California. The only "excitement" having been when the squadron had encountered the "Northland", which had destroyed itself to avoid capture. I merely smiled and nodded, well aware that I might not have heard the "last" of all this once Darlanis heard! Especially the part about my destroying a "Californian village" from the sea for what I would claim was "aiding and abetting". I recalled another war, one no longer remembered now in this era. "A lot of people died, and for what?" I challenged her. "I didn't mean it that way," Sela quickly replied. "I'm just not in a good mood today," I quickly smiled. "The ship from Trella arrived a few hours ago," she said. "Your mother has `come through' for us," I smiled in reply. I now had an "air force" to use whatever way I saw fit. I was no longer limited to what could be seen from the top of a mast. I now once again could effectively apply my vessels knowing exactly "where" the enemy was, while he in turn was unable to find mine! "I am dividing our force into two parts," I said. "Seawolf and Nighthawk will patrol just to the south of here, engaging any of the raiders they can meet up with going north and south. They will have Arrow as their scouting vessel." I felt that this way I might be able to slow down a bit the predation that was taking place against the Empire. There was also no doubt in my mind now that those who lived in the "disputed territories" favored Dularn and its Queen over California and its Empress. I'd seen proof of that myself when the villagers assisted the surviving members of the crew of the Northland in an attempt to seize the Huntress. I also felt here that these three ships were not as "sharp" as the rest of my squadron, and thus such a division would insure that I had only my best for the actual "Assault Upon Dularn" that I now planned. That would be Squala, Corsica, Seahawk, and Huntress. "The ships under my command will attack Dularnian shipping between the island and the mainland," I smiled, this being an area that the Dularnians considered almost their own "lake". I did not think they would be expecting an attack in these waters. Or the use of Talon's Tarls and their lovely "bird girls" either! "Getting past the ramships patrolling around Arsana might be a problem," Jers spoke up, his sensual Lara there at his side. I recalled what Jon had once said about her. She is a busty wench! "I plan to enter through the northern passage," I smiled. I would sail up the western coast of Dularn, taking on anything that I could, and then whip around the northernmost rocks and sail back south around the tip of the island into the waters be- tween the island and the mainland to the east. Strike a swift and powerful punishing blow against Dularn, then scamper back out before Maris could bring up her forces of ramships to stop me! "There's a narrow rocky passage that you'll have to almost `feel' your way through there at the northern end of the island," Jers said. "Dularn also maintains a small fortress right at the worst point to prevent exactly what you are thinking of," Jers then added, playing the role of the "devil's advocate" here with lovely Lara at his side. Her eyes glowing into mine there across the table. I felt like C.S. Forester's Captain Hornblower again. "We will land a force under the command of Captain Dunn of Corscia sufficient to take the fort by surprise from the back," I smiled, "While the ships keep their attention directed towards the sea." Valerie was a trained Warrioress, she knew small unit tactics, all the sorts of things that a Warrioress should know about like attacking fortifications. I am of the caste, but I've never had the training most Warrioresses get. Most Dularnian military fortifications are actually "manned" by members of their "militia", which are not the "equal" in my opinion of seasoned fighting forces of the sort that I had under my command. Dularn does not have a large army or navy. It depends upon a "defense in depth" based upon its militia. Such had proved effective up against Darlanis' forces, but my military tactics were different! "We now have the means to observe the enemy's movements," Sela breathed, glancing at the other two young warrior women of Talon who now sat beside their Princess. I had been forbidden by Tais to use Black Lady for military uses, but I now had another form of "air force" that might be just as effective in its way! One that Tais could not complain violated the "Edict" either now! "I've never flown a Tarl over open water before," Sela said, her dark eyes meeting mine as we looked at the gigantic bird now perched up there on the mainmast crosstree of the big Corsica. I nodded, "envying" the small black clad delight there before me. The gigantic birds are almost "unique" to Talon itself, and are, I believe now, the product of past genetic manipulation by Leith. They are vicious creatures, and must be raised from hatchlings. Their high metabolic rates require considerable amounts of food, and they are carnivores with an almost insatiable taste for fresh meat. Not the sort of a creature you'd really want flying about! In appearance they resemble a cross between an eagle and a hawk, with a wingspan of about thirty five feet or so. These are "big" birds, let me kid you not, and seeing one in the "flesh" is an experience that you won't forget for some time. They have the same hollow bones as any bird, and despite their size, are not all that heavy, two strong men being able to pick one up. They are considered a terrible threat to small children, and the moth- ers of Talon watch over their children carefully for fear that one might come swooping down out of the sky and seize one to car- ry off to its nest. They are also known to the Nevadas and to those of eastern Trelandar where it borders on Talon to the east. This is perhaps the "most dangerous" creature ever "used" by Man. "Do you think you can do it?" Valerie Dunn asked, regarding both Sela in her form fitting leather "bird girl" costume and the gigantic creature now perched up there in our mainmast crosstree. Sela carrying nothing but a small slim blade and a long Tarl whip to help control her vicious and often dangerous feathered mount. "I can `try'," Sela smiled back, climbing up into the rig- ging. A small delightfully curved figure clad in tight leather, the Princess of Talon was a true "delight" to the masculine eye! "She's got `guts', that's for sure," Valerie said to me as we watched Sela climb up the rigging to where the bird perched. Tarls as a rule always launch themselves off something, and are usually unable to get off the ground with a rider on their backs. They are actually a soaring bird like a condor or eagle, and lack the ability to take off into instant flight like a smaller bird. "When she's ready swing the ship so that she can take off into the wind," I replied. Even so I wasn't "sure" that Sela's bird would be able to stay in the air after leaping off its perch up there, and should it fall into the water we'd have to fish out poor Sela Dai before she drowned in these almost icy cold waters! "Your airplane would have made more sense," Valerie smiled. "I'd like have the Starfire under my command," I smiled. "I'd like to be in Tarth making love," Valerie smiled back. 2566 A.D.! A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN By Jerome B. Bigge Chapter Twenty Seven "They're gone," Janice spoke, staring about there in the dawn as we searched the village, or what remained of it now. The Huntress' firepower had been impressive, especially against such a target as this. Much of course is due to good training, good command. Janice was a very capable officer, I mused to myself! I recalled too what Captain Valerie Dunn of the Corsica had said about her, about how "competent" a first officer Janice had been before her well earned promotion up to commander of the Huntress. "Maybe," I breathed, eying the woods, waiting for the cross- bow bolt to strike me down. I felt very "vulnerable" just then. I had brought with us the entire force of archers. The Huntress standing ready to fire a deadly broadside into the woods beyond. I had no doubts that any attacker would pay a high price for us! "Two dead, three wounded," she smiled. The enemy had taken far greater losses from what I'd seen so far. We had fired upon a "Californian" village. However, the people of that village had been "aiding and abetting" the enemy. I wondered what Darlanis would make of all that. Just then I really didn't give a damm! Her sudden "unpredictability" too was something that bothered me. I had seen the bodies lying there on shore. There was no "doubt" that the people of the village had indeed assisted our foes too! "We didn't get the women back," I said, giving her a smile. I hoped the Dularnians hadn't just slit their throats and left them to rot. That is sometimes done, but rarely here in 2566 AD. "Most men won't give up a woman they've helped capture," she smiled back. I supposed that it was true. We had however proved to the enemies of the Empire that we knew "how" to "fight". I had no way of knowing if the captain of the enemy raider had sur- vived or not. Perhaps it was just as well that he had not. I did not think Maris would much approve of what had happened here. "I am gaining a `reputation' like Princess Tara," I smiled. I wondered what Darlanis would think once she learned of this??? ***************************************************************** "Ship is the Huntress!" the lookout called down from the masthead. Sela Dai breathed a mental sigh of relief. Lorraine was back in command of things. No more arguments between her and Jers with Lara sitting there smirking to herself over what do do. Jers feeling that the squadron should be split up into two parts, while she, Sela, wanted it kept together as one powerful force. "We've got our `Warlady' back," Mark smiled down at her. ***************************************************************** "You've been wounded!" Sela breathed as I climbed aboard the Squala. My leg was getting better now, but it still bothered me a bit, especially if I didn't keep it exercised and limbered up like the physician aboard the Huntress had warned me to do daily. The dampness of the cold sea air didn't do it any "good" either! "Took a crossbow bolt in the thigh when we met up with Maris and her North Star," I smiled back, stepping up on to the deck, listening to the cheering as my men and women "greeted" me back. "You took Huntress up against the North Star?" Mark gasped. "That was what I `had' when we `met' up," I smiled back. "You're truly a `Warlady'," Sela Dai smiled as she recounted her apparently mostly uneventful voyage up the coast of Imperial California. The only "excitement" having been when the squadron had encountered the "Northland", which had destroyed itself to avoid capture. I merely smiled and nodded, well aware that I might not have heard the "last" of all this once Darlanis heard! Especially the part about my destroying a "Californian village" from the sea for what I would claim was "aiding and abetting". I recalled another war, one no longer remembered now in this era. "A lot of people died, and for what?" I challenged her. "I didn't mean it that way," Sela quickly replied. "I'm just not in a good mood today," I quickly smiled. "The ship from Trella arrived a few hours ago," she said. "Your mother has `come through' for us," I smiled in reply. I now had an "air force" to use whatever way I saw fit. I was no longer limited to what could be seen from the top of a mast. I now once again could effectively apply my vessels knowing exactly "where" the enemy was, while he in turn was unable to find mine! "I am dividing our force into two parts," I said. "Seawolf and Nighthawk will patrol just to the south of here, engaging any of the raiders they can meet up with going north and south. They will have Arrow as their scouting vessel." I felt that this way I might be able to slow down a bit the predation that was taking place against the Empire. There was also no doubt in my mind now that those who lived in the "disputed territories" favored Dularn and its Queen over California and its Empress. I'd seen proof of that myself when the villagers assisted the surviving members of the crew of the Northland in an attempt to seize the Huntress. I also felt here that these three ships were not as "sharp" as the rest of my squadron, and thus such a division would insure that I had only my best for the actual "Assault Upon Dularn" that I now planned. That would be Squala, Corsica, Seahawk, and Huntress. "The ships under my command will attack Dularnian shipping between the island and the mainland," I smiled, this being an area that the Dularnians considered almost their own "lake". I did not think they would be expecting an attack in these waters. Or the use of Talon's Tarls and their lovely "bird girls" either! "Getting past the ramships patrolling around Arsana might be a problem," Jers spoke up, his sensual Lara there at his side. I recalled what Jon had once said about her. She is a busty wench! "I plan to enter through the northern passage," I smiled. I would sail up the western coast of Dularn, taking on anything that I could, and then whip around the northernmost rocks and sail back south around the tip of the island into the waters be- tween the island and the mainland to the east. Strike a swift and powerful punishing blow against Dularn, then scamper back out before Maris could bring up her forces of ramships to stop me! "There's a narrow rocky passage that you'll have to almost `feel' your way through there at the northern end of the island," Jers said. "Dularn also maintains a small fortress right at the worst point to prevent exactly what you are thinking of," Jers then added, playing the role of the "devil's advocate" here with lovely Lara at his side. Her eyes glowing into mine there across the table. I felt like C.S. Forester's Captain Hornblower again. "We will land a force under the command of Captain Dunn of Corscia sufficient to take the fort by surprise from the back," I smiled, "While the ships keep their attention directed towards the sea." Valerie was a trained Warrioress, she knew small unit tactics, all the sorts of things that a Warrioress should know about like attacking fortifications. I am of the caste, but I've never had the training most Warrioresses get. Most Dularnian military fortifications are actually "manned" by members of their "militia", which are not the "equal" in my opinion of seasoned fighting forces of the sort that I had under my command. Dularn does not have a large army or navy. It depends upon a "defense in depth" based upon its militia. Such had proved effective up against Darlanis' forces, but my military tactics were different! "We now have the means to observe the enemy's movements," Sela breathed, glancing at the other two young warrior women of Talon who now sat beside their Princess. I had been forbidden by Tais to use Black Lady for military uses, but I now had another form of "air force" that might be just as effective in its way! One that Tais could not complain violated the "Edict" either now! "I've never flown a Tarl over open water before," Sela said, her dark eyes meeting mine as we looked at the gigantic bird now perched up there on the mainmast crosstree of the big Corsica. I nodded, "envying" the small black clad delight there before me. The gigantic birds are almost "unique" to Talon itself, and are, I believe now, the product of past genetic manipulation by Leith. They are vicious creatures, and must be raised from hatchlings. Their high metabolic rates require considerable amounts of food, and they are carnivores with an almost insatiable taste for fresh meat. Not the sort of a creature you'd really want flying about! In appearance they resemble a cross between an eagle and a hawk, with a wingspan of about thirty five feet or so. These are "big" birds, let me kid you not, and seeing one in the "flesh" is an experience that you won't forget for some time. They have the same hollow bones as any bird, and despite their size, are not all that heavy, two strong men being able to pick one up. They are considered a terrible threat to small children, and the moth- ers of Talon watch over their children carefully for fear that one might come swooping down out of the sky and seize one to car- ry off to its nest. They are also known to the Nevadas and to those of eastern Trelandar where it borders on Talon to the east. This is perhaps the "most dangerous" creature ever "used" by Man. "Do you think you can do it?" Valerie Dunn asked, regarding both Sela in her form fitting leather "bird girl" costume and the gigantic creature now perched up there in our mainmast crosstree. Sela carrying nothing but a small slim blade and a long Tarl whip to help control her vicious and often dangerous feathered mount. "I can `try'," Sela smiled back, climbing up into the rig- ging. A small delightfully curved figure clad in tight leather, the Princess of Talon was a true "delight" to the masculine eye! "She's got `guts', that's for sure," Valerie said to me as we watched Sela climb up the rigging to where the bird perched. Tarls as a rule always launch themselves off something, and are usually unable to get off the ground with a rider on their backs. They are actually a soaring bird like a condor or eagle, and lack the ability to take off into instant flight like a smaller bird. "When she's ready swing the ship so that she can take off into the wind," I replied. Even so I wasn't "sure" that Sela's bird would be able to stay in the air after leaping off its perch up there, and should it fall into the water we'd have to fish out poor Sela Dai before she drowned in these almost icy cold waters! "Your airplane would have made more sense," Valerie smiled. "I'd like have the Starfire under my command," I smiled. "I'd like to be in Tarth making love," Valerie smiled back. |
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