"2570-45" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jerome Bigge - Warlady 8 - The Queen Of Time)THE QUEEN OF TIME 2570 A.D.! A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE By Jerome B. Bigge Chapter Forty Five "No signals, no `nothing'," Janice breathed, it hardly being necessary to use a telescope. We were doing almost seven knots. Bob had "adjusted" the safety valves for more pressure, saying it was time to "use" the "safety factor" built into the boiler here. I trusted his knowledge of such things, even as "old" as he was. "A ship of Tara's for sure," I answered, Carol talking to Joyce as the two stood there now watching the approaching enemy. I wondered if Tara herself was in command, or another was here... Tara had so far as I knew "retired" after getting "burned" last year. I supposed she had decided to "go straight" after all the experiences she'd had, the terrible "scarring" of her face, body. Too, I suspect that she'd learned much of "evil" from the "Queen of Darkness", whose evil spirit had once inhabited her own soul. There was a time when I would have laughed at such ideas, but no more. I recalled what Darlanis had told me of such matters here. I believed now in such things, that "EVIL" did exist as a Being! "They must know `who' they face," Janice smiled back now. "Let us hope it causes them `concern'," I smiled in reply. I have a "reputation" for having a "bulldog tenacity" in battle. "About a thousand yards now," Sandis North broke in here. "There is a `roll'," I observed, seeing her nod in return. "Stay alert, you lookouts!" the captain yelled to mastheads. "My husband has an `eye' for blondes," Janice whispered now. "She is built pretty good," I observed in the same tones... Not "Darlanis" quality, but Sandis was one very attractive woman. "There was a time when only slave girls went to sea," Janice said to me, standing there watching the approaching enemy vessel. One does not like to think of what lies ahead. Thus such banali- ties are commonplace when you are facing battle. There is also I think an attempt to avoid showing the fear, the terrors you feel. I recalled the time we faced Maris Marn, the North Star with this same ship. Janice had been young, inexperienced, in command for the first time. She had done well back then, however, I reflect- ed thoughtfully. I could trust her to carry the attack through if I fell. I glanced at Carol, knew we had a second "Warlady"... "If I fall, ask Carol for assistance," I said to Janice. "She's..." Janice breathed, aware of the implications. "Her fighting instincts are still good," I smiled back. "Ahh... Down!" Janice yelled, a puff of white smoke from the enemy leaving no doubts either as to the type of weapons carried! I reflected upon the low muzzle velocity of Tara's cannon as we laid there waiting for the hit of the deadly projectile. Then came a splash to one side of the ship, the cannon obviously not being too accurate, although I think the fact we had "zigged" a bit might have made a difference here along with the heavy roll. While there was no wind at all, there was still a heavy "roll" as I've noted, and I suppose that did have its effects here too now. "Turning `broadside' to us," Sandis said there on her knees. "May Lys be merciful..." I heard Janice breathe just then. "Range about seven hundred yards," Bob Simmons announced. "Everyone `DOWN'," I snapped, following my own orders! "I believe they have `fired'," Carol ventured to us now. "Muzzle velocity less than six hundred," I said to Janice. A sudden loud explosion to port leaving no doubts we'd been hit! The other four had been all misses, going over us a bit here now! "On your feet, man your weapons, damage party to port!" I heard my commodore bark as she leaped up to her feet. "Helm to port," she added, the Huntress swinging, bringing her broadside to bear. Range too long for our quickfirers, but we might get a hit with one of our catapults if we were lucky, I thought then... "`Accident' aboard the enemy, I believe," Sandis said to me. I'd seen the puff of white smoke, the thud of it echoing across the water. The Huntress was almost broadside to them now. I had hopes we might score a hit. The damage fortunately from the shot had been minor, the missile having exploded against the railing with all the rest complete misses. Either Tara's weapons were not very accurate, or her gunners were inexperienced with cannon. "Must have `dropped' a shell," I grinned back at her. The crew of the Huntress was now busy loading, the ship coming around to present her own broadside, while the enemy seemed to just sit there broadside to us as if their captain didn't know what to do! The thought going through my mind that Tara most certainly was not aboard, as she would have never tolerated any such nonsense!! "`Fire' the broadside!" Janice yelled, the Huntress firing! "May Lys be merciful," I heard Sandis softly muttering now. "Hard turn to starboard, man the port broadside," I ordered. I would keep up a steady rain of fire upon the enemy, my own arms being able to fire far faster than could their crude cannons now! "There is a `hit'," Janice breathed, the flames now visible! "Port broadside fire as your weapons bear!" I snapped then!! The men and women of the Huntress scurrying to do my bidding now! "They are returning fire!" Carol spoke, standing beside me. "Everyone Down!" I yelled, the crew dropping as one here! "Let's just hope their `marksmanship'..." Janice breathed, a sudden terrific explosion overhead causing yells of terror as hot pieces of the deadly metal came shooting down among us! A small piece of something struck me in the back, like some spent arrow, I thought! The mainmast, now cut in half, falling over the side! "Damage control, get that mast cut free!" Janice cried, on her feet, Carol yanking a bloody splinter from my back, giving me a silly grin. I could feel the blood run, the wound however only minor, nothing to concern myself about for the moment at least... "Enemy hopelessly on fire," Sandis spoke, the black smoke now rising far up into the hot summer sky. I could see that they were starting to abandon ship, get what boats they could afloat! When the fire reached their powder magazine or the shells that they carried, I suspected that it would blow the ship sky high!!! "Launch boats, pick up survivors, but stay at least a hun- dred yards from that ship," I ordered. Sandis now nodding back. "You are wounded," she observed, giving me a grim smile. "Another scar to bring back memories," I grinned back. "That `woman' is the same one I saw in Les Hawkins' mind," Joyce said to me as we dragged the survivors from Tara's ship up over our side to the deck. The Huntress had taken "losses", our "butcher's bill" having been three dead, two seriously wounded... The broken off stub of the main mast leaving no doubts either now that the ship had been in a fight. Princess Tara had not been among those we'd rescued before the enemy ship exploded in fire. Janice had cut my dress apart, applied wound compound to me there on deck when I'd refused to go below to see the ship's doctor. I supposed Jon would smile and comment about another "scar" on me. "I will allow you to `question' her," I smiled back at Joyce. I had no doubts that Joyce would learn much we needed to know. Evidence I'd need to convict Les Hawkins of treason here! The woman shrinking back in obvious terror as Joyce reached out with a clawed hand. The "Queen of Los Angeles" like a nightmare. "Do we continue on to your estate?" Janice asked me then. "I think we will return to Trella," I smiled back in reply. "We have the `proof' we need now of Hawkins' treason," my commodore observed, giving me a smile as Joyce dragged the luck- less woman off. I did not think the woman would forget this now! Joyce would merely ask questions, and read her own thoughts back. "I see Trella is still in one piece," I smiled to Sanda Ta- len as she came aboard, the Huntress' damage obvious to any who had eyes to see. Joyce had learned much from the woman, enough to convict Les Hawkins of having been an agent of Princess Tara. It was nearly sunset, a row of dark clouds there on the horizon. "Amethysta `took things in hand', and `dealt' with Hawkins," Sanda spoke, a note of "awe" in her voice as she looked up at me. Going on to say that Amethysta had gathered together the people loyal to me, and in a short hot battle, defeated Hawkins' rabble! She had killed Hawkins herself, putting an end to his evil plot!! "She doesn't `believe' in `democracy'," I pointed out to my Prime Minister. "Like Darlanis she believes in something else." "Maybe she is `right'," Lady Sanda Talen admitted softly. "There is a `time for steel'," I smiled back at Sanda. "That is why we need a Queen like you," Sanda answered. "Or like Amethysta," I smiled back, Sanda Talen nodding. "I don't like her, but she is `effective'," Sanda admitted. "Perhaps she `reminds' you too much of `others'," I smiled. "That is `possible'," my Prime Minister admitted to me now. "One tall and golden, who once ruled this country?" I said. "I do not see Darlanis as I once did," Sanda admitted to me. THE QUEEN OF TIME 2570 A.D.! A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE By Jerome B. Bigge Chapter Forty Five "No signals, no `nothing'," Janice breathed, it hardly being necessary to use a telescope. We were doing almost seven knots. Bob had "adjusted" the safety valves for more pressure, saying it was time to "use" the "safety factor" built into the boiler here. I trusted his knowledge of such things, even as "old" as he was. "A ship of Tara's for sure," I answered, Carol talking to Joyce as the two stood there now watching the approaching enemy. I wondered if Tara herself was in command, or another was here... Tara had so far as I knew "retired" after getting "burned" last year. I supposed she had decided to "go straight" after all the experiences she'd had, the terrible "scarring" of her face, body. Too, I suspect that she'd learned much of "evil" from the "Queen of Darkness", whose evil spirit had once inhabited her own soul. There was a time when I would have laughed at such ideas, but no more. I recalled what Darlanis had told me of such matters here. I believed now in such things, that "EVIL" did exist as a Being! "They must know `who' they face," Janice smiled back now. "Let us hope it causes them `concern'," I smiled in reply. I have a "reputation" for having a "bulldog tenacity" in battle. "About a thousand yards now," Sandis North broke in here. "There is a `roll'," I observed, seeing her nod in return. "Stay alert, you lookouts!" the captain yelled to mastheads. "My husband has an `eye' for blondes," Janice whispered now. "She is built pretty good," I observed in the same tones... Not "Darlanis" quality, but Sandis was one very attractive woman. "There was a time when only slave girls went to sea," Janice said to me, standing there watching the approaching enemy vessel. One does not like to think of what lies ahead. Thus such banali- ties are commonplace when you are facing battle. There is also I think an attempt to avoid showing the fear, the terrors you feel. I recalled the time we faced Maris Marn, the North Star with this same ship. Janice had been young, inexperienced, in command for the first time. She had done well back then, however, I reflect- ed thoughtfully. I could trust her to carry the attack through if I fell. I glanced at Carol, knew we had a second "Warlady"... "If I fall, ask Carol for assistance," I said to Janice. "She's..." Janice breathed, aware of the implications. "Her fighting instincts are still good," I smiled back. "Ahh... Down!" Janice yelled, a puff of white smoke from the enemy leaving no doubts either as to the type of weapons carried! I reflected upon the low muzzle velocity of Tara's cannon as we laid there waiting for the hit of the deadly projectile. Then came a splash to one side of the ship, the cannon obviously not being too accurate, although I think the fact we had "zigged" a bit might have made a difference here along with the heavy roll. While there was no wind at all, there was still a heavy "roll" as I've noted, and I suppose that did have its effects here too now. "Turning `broadside' to us," Sandis said there on her knees. "May Lys be merciful..." I heard Janice breathe just then. "Range about seven hundred yards," Bob Simmons announced. "Everyone `DOWN'," I snapped, following my own orders! "I believe they have `fired'," Carol ventured to us now. "Muzzle velocity less than six hundred," I said to Janice. A sudden loud explosion to port leaving no doubts we'd been hit! The other four had been all misses, going over us a bit here now! "On your feet, man your weapons, damage party to port!" I heard my commodore bark as she leaped up to her feet. "Helm to port," she added, the Huntress swinging, bringing her broadside to bear. Range too long for our quickfirers, but we might get a hit with one of our catapults if we were lucky, I thought then... "`Accident' aboard the enemy, I believe," Sandis said to me. I'd seen the puff of white smoke, the thud of it echoing across the water. The Huntress was almost broadside to them now. I had hopes we might score a hit. The damage fortunately from the shot had been minor, the missile having exploded against the railing with all the rest complete misses. Either Tara's weapons were not very accurate, or her gunners were inexperienced with cannon. "Must have `dropped' a shell," I grinned back at her. The crew of the Huntress was now busy loading, the ship coming around to present her own broadside, while the enemy seemed to just sit there broadside to us as if their captain didn't know what to do! The thought going through my mind that Tara most certainly was not aboard, as she would have never tolerated any such nonsense!! "`Fire' the broadside!" Janice yelled, the Huntress firing! "May Lys be merciful," I heard Sandis softly muttering now. "Hard turn to starboard, man the port broadside," I ordered. I would keep up a steady rain of fire upon the enemy, my own arms being able to fire far faster than could their crude cannons now! "There is a `hit'," Janice breathed, the flames now visible! "Port broadside fire as your weapons bear!" I snapped then!! The men and women of the Huntress scurrying to do my bidding now! "They are returning fire!" Carol spoke, standing beside me. "Everyone Down!" I yelled, the crew dropping as one here! "Let's just hope their `marksmanship'..." Janice breathed, a sudden terrific explosion overhead causing yells of terror as hot pieces of the deadly metal came shooting down among us! A small piece of something struck me in the back, like some spent arrow, I thought! The mainmast, now cut in half, falling over the side! "Damage control, get that mast cut free!" Janice cried, on her feet, Carol yanking a bloody splinter from my back, giving me a silly grin. I could feel the blood run, the wound however only minor, nothing to concern myself about for the moment at least... "Enemy hopelessly on fire," Sandis spoke, the black smoke now rising far up into the hot summer sky. I could see that they were starting to abandon ship, get what boats they could afloat! When the fire reached their powder magazine or the shells that they carried, I suspected that it would blow the ship sky high!!! "Launch boats, pick up survivors, but stay at least a hun- dred yards from that ship," I ordered. Sandis now nodding back. "You are wounded," she observed, giving me a grim smile. "Another scar to bring back memories," I grinned back. "That `woman' is the same one I saw in Les Hawkins' mind," Joyce said to me as we dragged the survivors from Tara's ship up over our side to the deck. The Huntress had taken "losses", our "butcher's bill" having been three dead, two seriously wounded... The broken off stub of the main mast leaving no doubts either now that the ship had been in a fight. Princess Tara had not been among those we'd rescued before the enemy ship exploded in fire. Janice had cut my dress apart, applied wound compound to me there on deck when I'd refused to go below to see the ship's doctor. I supposed Jon would smile and comment about another "scar" on me. "I will allow you to `question' her," I smiled back at Joyce. I had no doubts that Joyce would learn much we needed to know. Evidence I'd need to convict Les Hawkins of treason here! The woman shrinking back in obvious terror as Joyce reached out with a clawed hand. The "Queen of Los Angeles" like a nightmare. "Do we continue on to your estate?" Janice asked me then. "I think we will return to Trella," I smiled back in reply. "We have the `proof' we need now of Hawkins' treason," my commodore observed, giving me a smile as Joyce dragged the luck- less woman off. I did not think the woman would forget this now! Joyce would merely ask questions, and read her own thoughts back. "I see Trella is still in one piece," I smiled to Sanda Ta- len as she came aboard, the Huntress' damage obvious to any who had eyes to see. Joyce had learned much from the woman, enough to convict Les Hawkins of having been an agent of Princess Tara. It was nearly sunset, a row of dark clouds there on the horizon. "Amethysta `took things in hand', and `dealt' with Hawkins," Sanda spoke, a note of "awe" in her voice as she looked up at me. Going on to say that Amethysta had gathered together the people loyal to me, and in a short hot battle, defeated Hawkins' rabble! She had killed Hawkins herself, putting an end to his evil plot!! "She doesn't `believe' in `democracy'," I pointed out to my Prime Minister. "Like Darlanis she believes in something else." "Maybe she is `right'," Lady Sanda Talen admitted softly. "There is a `time for steel'," I smiled back at Sanda. "That is why we need a Queen like you," Sanda answered. "Or like Amethysta," I smiled back, Sanda Talen nodding. "I don't like her, but she is `effective'," Sanda admitted. "Perhaps she `reminds' you too much of `others'," I smiled. "That is `possible'," my Prime Minister admitted to me now. "One tall and golden, who once ruled this country?" I said. "I do not see Darlanis as I once did," Sanda admitted to me. |
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