"2566-31" - 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 Thirty One "A demonstration of swordsmanship while we wait," I said, the crew of the Corsica, both male and female, gathered below on the main deck. Valerie didn't look too "delighted" at what was "planned" for their "entertainment". The city of Arsana visible there to port, the Squala following close behind, Seahawk next, with Huntress now somewhat ahead of us, the small schooner from Talon bringing up the rear. The Tarls were now only specks there in the sky as the rising sun beamed down on us, a fresh and rath- er chilly breeze coming off the ocean nicely filling our sails. "Your leg's still bad," Valerie spoke softly, perhaps think- ing that I might "hurt" myself fencing with her. That wasn't too likely. Valerie Dunn was tall, with fiery hair like the rising sun. Her ancestry was Dularnian. Her parents having come from this land that we were now attacking. I wondered what she thought of that. Whether or not it really "mattered" to her now. "I'll go `easy' with you," I smiled, "teasing" her a bit. I have a reputation, well deserved I supposed, of being the "best". I am tall, agile, with incredibly fast reaction times. Perhaps the finest swordswoman who has ever lived, although I don't have any way of really knowing that. I suspect, however, it is true. "Oh, very well!" Valerie snapped, coming at me. I parried her thrust with ease, just standing there, not even moving a bit! Only my arm and the foil I held in my right hand then moving! Valerie tried again, with the exact same results. I made no at- tempt to attack. I let her "try" again. Again the same results! "Damn!" Valerie breathed. She was said to be "good". Such can take the "heart" of any Warrioress to face me. To realize just how "awesome" I can be when I wish to be. I am the world's best. Some say the "best" that ever lived. It is possible too. "You can `do' better than that," I said. Valerie tried, at- tempting a whirling thrusting attack to throw me "off balance". It was of course a failure. My reaction times were quicker than hers. She was "good", but I faced a number who were "better". "I don't believe it!" Valerie breathed out, standing there. "I've spent my entire lifetime developing the skills I have," I said. Swordsmanship has been my favorite form of "exer- cise" since I was but a girl in my early teens. It is usually the only form of exercise that I take. Recently, however, due to my injured thigh, I had been doing other forms of exercise to keep myself "fit" such as pushups. Such is important for a mem- ber of the Warrioress Caste. The sword however is my favorite weapon, my favorite form of exercise. I am not a "beautiful" woman, I don't have a "good figure", nor am I really that "good" an archer despite the practice that I've had. Darlanis is better at that than I am. I am a good military commander, but I suspect that there are others who do as well if not perhaps better still. I do have one outstanding quality, and that is my swordsmanship! "Let me try," her first officer suggested, eying me. I ex- pected he had a "surprise" waiting in store for him. He thrust at me, his foil slipping on past my shoulder as I deflected it, a small rounded bit of metal suddenly touching his exposed throat! "You were `careless'," I smiled. In real swordplay he would have of course been dead. I suspected that he knew it too now!!! "I always thought no woman could be `that good'," he gasped. "A woman can be as `good' as any man," I smiled back at him. "There is only one `Lorraine'," he breathed, stepping back. "Don't `underestimate' any woman you face," I smiled back. "There is `smoke'," Valerie spoke, looking through the tele- scope. At least one of our bird girls had made her "bombing run" successfully. We were now perhaps three or four miles from Arsa- na. The city there ahead of us making me think of other cities. Ones now only history more legend than fact. Walled cities built in an era before the invention of gunpowder. Arsana was such. "If Darlanis had possessed Tarls......," Valerie breathed. The outcome of the war against Dularn might have turned out a lot differently, although I suspected that the birds wouldn't be all that "effective" against a city built mostly of stone as Arsana is. I doubted if Talon really had "understood" the uses of "air power" in any sense anyway. Their war against Darlanis had been purely "defensive". That, I think, spoke much of them as such. I recalled too that Dala Dai had "known" of Leith. Aurora having done so through the use of electronic hypnosis so that there was no way that such a "secret" could ever be forced from Queen Dala! The Women having had for years "secrets" that only they knew of. Led by that amazing blonde "Leaderess" of theirs Raspa "trusted". "We will close the city," I ordered, limping to the railing. ***************************************************************** "Your place, my Queen, is with your people!" the warrioress spoke as Maris saw the smoke now rising from the direction of Ar- sana. The city, being of stone, was not all that "vulnerable" to Lorraine's attack, but there was no doubt that the birds no doubt had "other" objectives! And what was to stop Lorraine from using her new aerial weapon against all of Dularn? How long would it be before there were more birds, more riders? All commanded by that little Talon Princess serving under the Imperial's Warlady! "Yes!" Maris cried, flinging her saddle over the back of her unicorn. "I am still the Queen of Dularn!" The other woman's eyes meeting hers. Lorraine had made a "revolution" in Trelandar last year! Perhaps she could do the same here in Dularn too now! ***************************************************************** "We got two of their triremes!" Sela gasped as she scrambled down the rigging, her bird perched there on the main mast cross tree like some gigantic eagle or hawk, which Tarls do resemble! "You're going out again until her ramships are no more!" I snapped. We were close enough to Arsana now that the short range of the birds was of little concern. I had ordered the North Star spared. It was of little threat to my own ships, no match for anything but perhaps the Huntress or the smaller Talon schooner! I knew of Maris' love for her own ship. I had "hopes" for Maris! I thought despite whatever Darlanis did I might be able to some- how put an "end" to this "war" between us that neither "wanted"! ***************************************************************** "They're attacking us again!" the warrioress cried, pointing with her hand. Maris nodded, driving her spurs into the flanks of her big unicorn stallion. She thought of her beloved North Star, now doubtlessly only burning embers! Dularn was defense- less against this new Imperial "weapon"! Against their Warlady! "The city is of stone, they can't harm it that much!" one of the other women cried out from behind her. Maris was well aware of that fact, but she was also well aware that there were other things that could be dropped from the air, such as "darts" of the sort that could be fired from catapults!* Cast iron missiles like crossbow bolts! Such were supposedly another of Lorraine's "new weapons". Weapons now from drawn from every era in history! * At the time my squadron left Trella these were still in the "testing stage" and did not reach us until the Tarls did. It is interesting to note here that Maris was quite familiar with all my own weapons, indicating the excellent network of spies and agents that she has in operation within the Empire itself. (LR) "We have no way of fighting back!" Maris cried, feeling a blood hot fury go through her at the thought of what the Imperial Warlady could do to Arsana if she decided to do it. Flight after flight of the birds, firebombs and darts falling from the skies! And would there be even more birds? Even more "bird girls" from hidden Talon? Was there any "limit" to this awesome woman's own powers? Was Lorraine indeed as some said "another Janet Rogers"! ***************************************************************** "Their ramships are now destroyed," Sela said to me as she scrambled down the Corsica's rigging. Arsana now only a mile or so off. The smoke from the burning ships now darkening the sky. I had just given the people of the 26th Century a good demonstra- tion of the uses of "air power" that I was sure wouldn't be for- gotten! I recalled a similar situation back in the 20th Century. There had been the belief that no airplane would ever be "effec- tive" against a battleship. After a demonstration of "air power" and one had been "sunk", they had learned their painful "lesson". "They are now powerless against us," I told Valerie as she nodded, the look in her eyes one that made me smile to myself. I knew the thoughts that went through her mind. She had just seen the true meaning of "air power". "Air power" that I commanded!!! "The birds will require a considerable rest before we can use them again," Sela said to me. I nodded. They had well proved their "value" to me. Only Black Lady would have been more "effective", and Tais had forbidden me to use that. The Tarls of Talon were not as "effective", but they did do the "job". On the last flight each bird had carried two gallons of lamp oil. I did not think that there was much left anymore of Dularn's Navy now!* * Most of it was destroyed in the earlier war with the Empire, I might note here. Queen Tulis made no attempt to "replace" the older and now "obsolete" ramships, but instead started building a fleet of commerce raiding schooners. Maris did the same. (LR) "Close the city to half a mile," I said. I was curious to see what Maris would do now. I was hoping that she would decide that negotiations with Darlanis made "more sense" than warfare!!! ***************************************************************** "You have to `DO' something about this!" Darl Jord cried as he grabbed his wife's arm. Maris' hate filled emerald eyes burning coldly like ice into his pig-like face as she dismounted. "Lorraine's destroyed most of our Navy!" Maris smiled. To her the old ramships were badly "obsolete" anyway, especially in the sort of naval warfare that was now developing. Much to her own pleasure the North Star had survived, and she had no doubts ei- ther that Lorraine had "spared" it for a reason! It being quite "obvious" to her that Lorraine had merely wished to show that the Empire now possessed the "power" to destroy the navies of its own enemies without any "risk" to its own ships by the use of Tarls!! "And what do you `suggest' that I do?" Maris hissed, brush- ing away his hand. "Go run back to your slave girls where you belong!" she snapped, disgusted at the man. Her women glancing at each other, it being common knowledge now that the relation- ship between Darl Jord and his lovely wife was quite "loveless"! "You've got to `trick' Lorraine, capture her, do something!" Darl Jord cried. "She's even more `dangerous' than Darlanis!" "Violate the Caste Codes?" Maris snapped back coldly! "She has to be killed!" the fat pig-like man cried! "Get away from me!" Maris cried, shoving him away! "Someone's got to `act' to save us!" he protested! ***************************************************************** "Signal from the city," the midshipman said, looking through his telescope. I had expected such. I would take the Huntress into the harbor while the other three larger ships remained at anchor outside. I "trusted" Maris, but it is wise not to ever do something that might just "tempt" certain people a bit too far! 2566 A.D.! A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN By Jerome B. Bigge Chapter Thirty One "A demonstration of swordsmanship while we wait," I said, the crew of the Corsica, both male and female, gathered below on the main deck. Valerie didn't look too "delighted" at what was "planned" for their "entertainment". The city of Arsana visible there to port, the Squala following close behind, Seahawk next, with Huntress now somewhat ahead of us, the small schooner from Talon bringing up the rear. The Tarls were now only specks there in the sky as the rising sun beamed down on us, a fresh and rath- er chilly breeze coming off the ocean nicely filling our sails. "Your leg's still bad," Valerie spoke softly, perhaps think- ing that I might "hurt" myself fencing with her. That wasn't too likely. Valerie Dunn was tall, with fiery hair like the rising sun. Her ancestry was Dularnian. Her parents having come from this land that we were now attacking. I wondered what she thought of that. Whether or not it really "mattered" to her now. "I'll go `easy' with you," I smiled, "teasing" her a bit. I have a reputation, well deserved I supposed, of being the "best". I am tall, agile, with incredibly fast reaction times. Perhaps the finest swordswoman who has ever lived, although I don't have any way of really knowing that. I suspect, however, it is true. "Oh, very well!" Valerie snapped, coming at me. I parried her thrust with ease, just standing there, not even moving a bit! Only my arm and the foil I held in my right hand then moving! Valerie tried again, with the exact same results. I made no at- tempt to attack. I let her "try" again. Again the same results! "Damn!" Valerie breathed. She was said to be "good". Such can take the "heart" of any Warrioress to face me. To realize just how "awesome" I can be when I wish to be. I am the world's best. Some say the "best" that ever lived. It is possible too. "You can `do' better than that," I said. Valerie tried, at- tempting a whirling thrusting attack to throw me "off balance". It was of course a failure. My reaction times were quicker than hers. She was "good", but I faced a number who were "better". "I don't believe it!" Valerie breathed out, standing there. "I've spent my entire lifetime developing the skills I have," I said. Swordsmanship has been my favorite form of "exer- cise" since I was but a girl in my early teens. It is usually the only form of exercise that I take. Recently, however, due to my injured thigh, I had been doing other forms of exercise to keep myself "fit" such as pushups. Such is important for a mem- ber of the Warrioress Caste. The sword however is my favorite weapon, my favorite form of exercise. I am not a "beautiful" woman, I don't have a "good figure", nor am I really that "good" an archer despite the practice that I've had. Darlanis is better at that than I am. I am a good military commander, but I suspect that there are others who do as well if not perhaps better still. I do have one outstanding quality, and that is my swordsmanship! "Let me try," her first officer suggested, eying me. I ex- pected he had a "surprise" waiting in store for him. He thrust at me, his foil slipping on past my shoulder as I deflected it, a small rounded bit of metal suddenly touching his exposed throat! "You were `careless'," I smiled. In real swordplay he would have of course been dead. I suspected that he knew it too now!!! "I always thought no woman could be `that good'," he gasped. "A woman can be as `good' as any man," I smiled back at him. "There is only one `Lorraine'," he breathed, stepping back. "Don't `underestimate' any woman you face," I smiled back. "There is `smoke'," Valerie spoke, looking through the tele- scope. At least one of our bird girls had made her "bombing run" successfully. We were now perhaps three or four miles from Arsa- na. The city there ahead of us making me think of other cities. Ones now only history more legend than fact. Walled cities built in an era before the invention of gunpowder. Arsana was such. "If Darlanis had possessed Tarls......," Valerie breathed. The outcome of the war against Dularn might have turned out a lot differently, although I suspected that the birds wouldn't be all that "effective" against a city built mostly of stone as Arsana is. I doubted if Talon really had "understood" the uses of "air power" in any sense anyway. Their war against Darlanis had been purely "defensive". That, I think, spoke much of them as such. I recalled too that Dala Dai had "known" of Leith. Aurora having done so through the use of electronic hypnosis so that there was no way that such a "secret" could ever be forced from Queen Dala! The Women having had for years "secrets" that only they knew of. Led by that amazing blonde "Leaderess" of theirs Raspa "trusted". "We will close the city," I ordered, limping to the railing. ***************************************************************** "Your place, my Queen, is with your people!" the warrioress spoke as Maris saw the smoke now rising from the direction of Ar- sana. The city, being of stone, was not all that "vulnerable" to Lorraine's attack, but there was no doubt that the birds no doubt had "other" objectives! And what was to stop Lorraine from using her new aerial weapon against all of Dularn? How long would it be before there were more birds, more riders? All commanded by that little Talon Princess serving under the Imperial's Warlady! "Yes!" Maris cried, flinging her saddle over the back of her unicorn. "I am still the Queen of Dularn!" The other woman's eyes meeting hers. Lorraine had made a "revolution" in Trelandar last year! Perhaps she could do the same here in Dularn too now! ***************************************************************** "We got two of their triremes!" Sela gasped as she scrambled down the rigging, her bird perched there on the main mast cross tree like some gigantic eagle or hawk, which Tarls do resemble! "You're going out again until her ramships are no more!" I snapped. We were close enough to Arsana now that the short range of the birds was of little concern. I had ordered the North Star spared. It was of little threat to my own ships, no match for anything but perhaps the Huntress or the smaller Talon schooner! I knew of Maris' love for her own ship. I had "hopes" for Maris! I thought despite whatever Darlanis did I might be able to some- how put an "end" to this "war" between us that neither "wanted"! ***************************************************************** "They're attacking us again!" the warrioress cried, pointing with her hand. Maris nodded, driving her spurs into the flanks of her big unicorn stallion. She thought of her beloved North Star, now doubtlessly only burning embers! Dularn was defense- less against this new Imperial "weapon"! Against their Warlady! "The city is of stone, they can't harm it that much!" one of the other women cried out from behind her. Maris was well aware of that fact, but she was also well aware that there were other things that could be dropped from the air, such as "darts" of the sort that could be fired from catapults!* Cast iron missiles like crossbow bolts! Such were supposedly another of Lorraine's "new weapons". Weapons now from drawn from every era in history! * At the time my squadron left Trella these were still in the "testing stage" and did not reach us until the Tarls did. It is interesting to note here that Maris was quite familiar with all my own weapons, indicating the excellent network of spies and agents that she has in operation within the Empire itself. (LR) "We have no way of fighting back!" Maris cried, feeling a blood hot fury go through her at the thought of what the Imperial Warlady could do to Arsana if she decided to do it. Flight after flight of the birds, firebombs and darts falling from the skies! And would there be even more birds? Even more "bird girls" from hidden Talon? Was there any "limit" to this awesome woman's own powers? Was Lorraine indeed as some said "another Janet Rogers"! ***************************************************************** "Their ramships are now destroyed," Sela said to me as she scrambled down the Corsica's rigging. Arsana now only a mile or so off. The smoke from the burning ships now darkening the sky. I had just given the people of the 26th Century a good demonstra- tion of the uses of "air power" that I was sure wouldn't be for- gotten! I recalled a similar situation back in the 20th Century. There had been the belief that no airplane would ever be "effec- tive" against a battleship. After a demonstration of "air power" and one had been "sunk", they had learned their painful "lesson". "They are now powerless against us," I told Valerie as she nodded, the look in her eyes one that made me smile to myself. I knew the thoughts that went through her mind. She had just seen the true meaning of "air power". "Air power" that I commanded!!! "The birds will require a considerable rest before we can use them again," Sela said to me. I nodded. They had well proved their "value" to me. Only Black Lady would have been more "effective", and Tais had forbidden me to use that. The Tarls of Talon were not as "effective", but they did do the "job". On the last flight each bird had carried two gallons of lamp oil. I did not think that there was much left anymore of Dularn's Navy now!* * Most of it was destroyed in the earlier war with the Empire, I might note here. Queen Tulis made no attempt to "replace" the older and now "obsolete" ramships, but instead started building a fleet of commerce raiding schooners. Maris did the same. (LR) "Close the city to half a mile," I said. I was curious to see what Maris would do now. I was hoping that she would decide that negotiations with Darlanis made "more sense" than warfare!!! ***************************************************************** "You have to `DO' something about this!" Darl Jord cried as he grabbed his wife's arm. Maris' hate filled emerald eyes burning coldly like ice into his pig-like face as she dismounted. "Lorraine's destroyed most of our Navy!" Maris smiled. To her the old ramships were badly "obsolete" anyway, especially in the sort of naval warfare that was now developing. Much to her own pleasure the North Star had survived, and she had no doubts ei- ther that Lorraine had "spared" it for a reason! It being quite "obvious" to her that Lorraine had merely wished to show that the Empire now possessed the "power" to destroy the navies of its own enemies without any "risk" to its own ships by the use of Tarls!! "And what do you `suggest' that I do?" Maris hissed, brush- ing away his hand. "Go run back to your slave girls where you belong!" she snapped, disgusted at the man. Her women glancing at each other, it being common knowledge now that the relation- ship between Darl Jord and his lovely wife was quite "loveless"! "You've got to `trick' Lorraine, capture her, do something!" Darl Jord cried. "She's even more `dangerous' than Darlanis!" "Violate the Caste Codes?" Maris snapped back coldly! "She has to be killed!" the fat pig-like man cried! "Get away from me!" Maris cried, shoving him away! "Someone's got to `act' to save us!" he protested! ***************************************************************** "Signal from the city," the midshipman said, looking through his telescope. I had expected such. I would take the Huntress into the harbor while the other three larger ships remained at anchor outside. I "trusted" Maris, but it is wise not to ever do something that might just "tempt" certain people a bit too far! |
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