"2565-62" - читать интересную книгу автора (Warlady 1 - 2565 Ad Book 2)

2565 A.D.!

A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN

By Jerome B. Bigge

Book Two

Chapter Nineteen       (Darlanis' version)       "Do you think it will clear up, Captain Stone?" I asked, the impenetrable fog now like a cold wet invisible hand brushing up against my face there in the night. The dampness chill against my exposed skin. The polished wood of the quarterdeck wet and slippery beneath my high heeled boots. My heavy fur trimmed silk lined cloak a comfort. We were somewhere to the south of Trella, escorting a couple of fat merchantmen and the now famous Ronda. The former slaver on its maiden voyage as a fast passenger coast- er. A slaver being ideal for such work, as its burly feminine captain, Shirl, had pointed out to me. I knew of the pirates in these waters, and also of concern was the ramship Janis, of 56 oars. Only Sarnian Lady, my own 54, being a match for such a heavy galley as the Janis. I did not like to think of what such a fight between our two ships would be like in a ship to ship ac- tion. I knew a great deal about Jon Richards. Too much to be- lieve that Captain Stone would be his equal if it came to battle. He was an experienced, capable officer, but rather unimaginative.       "I'd like be able to `see' where we're going, your majesty," my captain growled, unhappy with the state of affairs. Both with the fog and the fact that we might have to battle the Janis, face Jon Richards, the best that Dularn had to offer. The outcome of such a battle was uncertain. Luck would have a great deal to do with it. I trusted captain Stone, but wondered if he was the "equal" of Jon Richards. I doubted it. Captain Stone was compe- tent, able, but somewhat unimaginative. Not the man his Dularni- an counterpart was, I feared. I wished I had Lorraine Duval with me. She was the sort who could see what others could not. Or Jers Bisan, who was perhaps California's best naval officer.       I glanced up at the sails overhead, only blurs in the dark- ness. I could hear the man at the bow tossing the lead. We were far enough out that there was little danger of grounding on some uncharted rock. That was what had happened to the bireme Isis, a 36, only a week ago. Its bottom had been torn out by some rock. Fortunately there had been no loss of life, the escorted vessels having been able to pick up the officers and men from the rapidly sinking galley, which had been unfortunately a total loss. The captain now faced a naval court martial for his own carelessness.       Beneath my lovely long fur trimmed cloak I wore a beautiful fitted halter and a mid-thigh length skirt, both made of flexible golden threads. Sharon had suggested such as a replacement for the uncomfortable but distinctive golden mesh outfit I had worn. My beloved foster daughter had made my life once again worth liv- ing. Her sense of humor, the way that she delighted in playfully teasing me when we were alone together, all made me once again look forward to each day. Savoring the pleasures and delights of life here in the 26th Century as California's famous "golden Em- press". I in turn delighted in "mothering" Sharon, teasing her a bit about the 20th Century, of which I knew more than she had first realized. Her nickname for me of "SHE-RA" making me smile!       With Lorraine now gone out of her life Sharon had seemed to "blossom out", to become utterly different than she had been with Lorraine. She also had a delightful grim sense of humor that I had never realized that she had when she had been with Lorraine. Needless to add I now loved her as a daughter just as much as if I'd actually given birth to her! She was very precious to me!       "Brr, it's cold out here," Sharon commented as she joined me there on the quarterdeck, drawing her cloak tightly about her- self. "Not a good night for much of anything," she added with a smile, her golden hair already glistening with droplets of mois- ture from the fog. Her eyes glittering in the light of our run- ning lamps as she smiled, "Let's just hope the Janis doesn't spot us as we're a `sitting duck' all `lit up' like this." A sudden chill immediately going through me at her words! She was truly a daughter of Lorraine Duval. She had "seen" what none of us had!       "We'll lose the others in this fog," captain Stone protested as he regarded that lovely Imperial Princess standing beside me.       "Not `if' you have them sail ahead of you and you follow," Sharon pointed out in the same competent tones that Lorraine her- self would have used. "The Dularnians wouldn't risk ramming a merchantman and losing all that `profit' and in the darkness you could easily run up alongside an enemy and give them `what for'."       "Signal the escort and inform them of our change of posi- tion," I snapped, "And have those lamps put out!" I added, my hand on Sharon's shoulder. I was very proud of my "golden girl"!       "I hear something out there," Sharon breathed, looking out to port. "Splashing like." The terror clutching at my heart as I knew what it must be! The sound of the oars of the Janis!!!       "BATTLE STATIONS! OUT OARS! RIG FOR BATTLE!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I have a voice that carries well. No man or woman on Sarnian Lady had any doubts either who giving the or- ders! My sword was already gleaming there in my hand as I flung my cloak off, seeing to my horror a darker shadow there to port!       "Turn to port!" I snapped at the man at the helm, ignoring captain Stone. Aware that the Janis was racing towards our vul- nerable flank. About to smash through our side! I felt Sarnian Lady start to swing, the man at the helm already having the wheel all the way over, but I knew it would not be enough to save us now! I saw men running, a ship's girl dashing below. There was no real safety there, but such flight is perhaps "instinctive".       "Lousy night for a swim," I heard Sharon mutter as the Janis came looming out of the darkness at maximum beat towards us! We were now turning, but it would be too late. I saw the Janis' ram jutting out there before the ship, saw the glow of the waters as they parted, then THE IMPACT CAME! The Janis striking us about three quarters of the way back, our turn having caused the other galley to strike us much further back than what Jon Richards had no doubt planned! The impact nearly throwing me from my feet as I felt Sarnian Lady recoil beneath me, seriously wounded from the strike of the Janis' ram! The Janis backing off, a dark shadow there in the fog, the splash of her oars the only sound she made!       We were badly crippled, almost dead in the water as confused men and women now dashed here and there on our decks. I waited for the Janis to finish us off with another strike as it floated there no more than a hundred feet away now. I could feel Sarnian Lady starting to settle beneath me. Heard the yells, the cries of terror as the water came pouring in below at the waterline. I put my arm around Sharon, my sword gleaming in my hand. I sensed figures moving there on the deck of the Janis. Thought of what a beautiful target I made in my glittering golden attire. It would take but one crossbow bolt to end my life. No doubt Queen Tulis would reward the man or woman who did the deed, I grimly smiled!       "Will we sink?" Sharon asked, her voice soft, but telling of the terror she doubtlessly felt. I told her it wasn't likely un- less the Janis rammed us again. Sarnian Lady was constructed with watertight compartments below the waterline. We had suf- fered severe damage, but we would be able to stay afloat. Not that it did us much good, as we were nearly helpless, but at least we wouldn't drown. I didn't like to think of what it would be like to be paraded through the streets of Arsana as a captive. No doubt my brother would get considerably pleasure out of humil- iating me in any way that he could while my "mother" looked on and took pleasure in seeing the degradation of her hated "daugh- ter". I wondered if I could convince Jon Richards to let Sharon go. I did not think he wished to "anger" Lorraine Duval. She is not the sort of a woman that you would want as an enemy. We were not that far from her estates. She could be put ashore from a boat. I would be "trophy" enough now for any Dularnian captain!       Then to my amazement I saw the Janis backing off into the fog, leaving us! Not a shot had been fired at us! It was almost as if Jon Richards had only wished to cripple my ship. Prove to me that he was the better commander. Nothing else made sense!* * I did not realize then that Jon Richards was not concerned about me, but about Sharon, whom he recognized standing there be- side me. Jon later on has told me that he has no doubt that had any harm come to Sharon that Dularn would have faced a far more terrible enemy in Lorraine Duval than they ever faced in me! (D)       "See if we can get under way," I snapped at captain Stone, dashing below to see what could be done about the damage. To bring order out of chaos. Leaving Sharon on deck to do what she could. She was surprisingly "competent" for a girl of sixteen!       "There's a slave girl trapped in there," the sailor said, the whites of his eyes gleaming in the light of the lamp. The water was nearly up to the top of the compartment. Sarnian Lady still taking in water, sinking lower. Another minute and she would drown! I could hear her screaming, begging to be rescued!       "Gutless Bastard!" I hissed, stripping off my harness, yank- ing the knife from his belt and jumping into the compartment, into the darkness. The chill water only inches from the bottom of the deck above! Various stores floating and bumping up against the top of the compartment as I struggled towards the sound of the woman's voice! Hearing the terror in her shrill words! The rising water inches from the top of the compartment!       "I'm caught!" she whimpered as I touched her in the dark- ness, the luckless wench having no idea of who I was. No doubt she thought I was one of my warrioresses if she even knew that!       I dove, the knife between my teeth, my hand running down her leg. I felt the rope twisted about her ankle, part of the rope used to secure items against the roll of the ship. I suspected she was the same wench I had seen earlier fleeing below to sup- posed safety. It had been a stupid act on her part, I thought to myself as I cut at the rope with my knife, aware that Sarnian Lady was sinking further and that the water was no doubt now up to the top of the compartment! We could both drown down here! I had her free now, but I couldn't find my way back out to safety!       Then I heard a splashing sound, a glow in the water, and with the terrified girl clinging to me, her grip choking me in her terror, I swam towards the glow. My lungs bursting from the strain, floating boxes and containers of various sorts adding an additional hazard to our perilous underwater passage to safety!       "It's The EMPRESS!" I heard a voice say, Sharon holding a lamp. She had been slapping the water with her hand to guide me.

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2565 A.D.!

A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE OF MAN

By Jerome B. Bigge

Book Two

Chapter Nineteen       (Darlanis' version)       "Do you think it will clear up, Captain Stone?" I asked, the impenetrable fog now like a cold wet invisible hand brushing up against my face there in the night. The dampness chill against my exposed skin. The polished wood of the quarterdeck wet and slippery beneath my high heeled boots. My heavy fur trimmed silk lined cloak a comfort. We were somewhere to the south of Trella, escorting a couple of fat merchantmen and the now famous Ronda. The former slaver on its maiden voyage as a fast passenger coast- er. A slaver being ideal for such work, as its burly feminine captain, Shirl, had pointed out to me. I knew of the pirates in these waters, and also of concern was the ramship Janis, of 56 oars. Only Sarnian Lady, my own 54, being a match for such a heavy galley as the Janis. I did not like to think of what such a fight between our two ships would be like in a ship to ship ac- tion. I knew a great deal about Jon Richards. Too much to be- lieve that Captain Stone would be his equal if it came to battle. He was an experienced, capable officer, but rather unimaginative.       "I'd like be able to `see' where we're going, your majesty," my captain growled, unhappy with the state of affairs. Both with the fog and the fact that we might have to battle the Janis, face Jon Richards, the best that Dularn had to offer. The outcome of such a battle was uncertain. Luck would have a great deal to do with it. I trusted captain Stone, but wondered if he was the "equal" of Jon Richards. I doubted it. Captain Stone was compe- tent, able, but somewhat unimaginative. Not the man his Dularni- an counterpart was, I feared. I wished I had Lorraine Duval with me. She was the sort who could see what others could not. Or Jers Bisan, who was perhaps California's best naval officer.       I glanced up at the sails overhead, only blurs in the dark- ness. I could hear the man at the bow tossing the lead. We were far enough out that there was little danger of grounding on some uncharted rock. That was what had happened to the bireme Isis, a 36, only a week ago. Its bottom had been torn out by some rock. Fortunately there had been no loss of life, the escorted vessels having been able to pick up the officers and men from the rapidly sinking galley, which had been unfortunately a total loss. The captain now faced a naval court martial for his own carelessness.       Beneath my lovely long fur trimmed cloak I wore a beautiful fitted halter and a mid-thigh length skirt, both made of flexible golden threads. Sharon had suggested such as a replacement for the uncomfortable but distinctive golden mesh outfit I had worn. My beloved foster daughter had made my life once again worth liv- ing. Her sense of humor, the way that she delighted in playfully teasing me when we were alone together, all made me once again look forward to each day. Savoring the pleasures and delights of life here in the 26th Century as California's famous "golden Em- press". I in turn delighted in "mothering" Sharon, teasing her a bit about the 20th Century, of which I knew more than she had first realized. Her nickname for me of "SHE-RA" making me smile!       With Lorraine now gone out of her life Sharon had seemed to "blossom out", to become utterly different than she had been with Lorraine. She also had a delightful grim sense of humor that I had never realized that she had when she had been with Lorraine. Needless to add I now loved her as a daughter just as much as if I'd actually given birth to her! She was very precious to me!       "Brr, it's cold out here," Sharon commented as she joined me there on the quarterdeck, drawing her cloak tightly about her- self. "Not a good night for much of anything," she added with a smile, her golden hair already glistening with droplets of mois- ture from the fog. Her eyes glittering in the light of our run- ning lamps as she smiled, "Let's just hope the Janis doesn't spot us as we're a `sitting duck' all `lit up' like this." A sudden chill immediately going through me at her words! She was truly a daughter of Lorraine Duval. She had "seen" what none of us had!       "We'll lose the others in this fog," captain Stone protested as he regarded that lovely Imperial Princess standing beside me.       "Not `if' you have them sail ahead of you and you follow," Sharon pointed out in the same competent tones that Lorraine her- self would have used. "The Dularnians wouldn't risk ramming a merchantman and losing all that `profit' and in the darkness you could easily run up alongside an enemy and give them `what for'."       "Signal the escort and inform them of our change of posi- tion," I snapped, "And have those lamps put out!" I added, my hand on Sharon's shoulder. I was very proud of my "golden girl"!       "I hear something out there," Sharon breathed, looking out to port. "Splashing like." The terror clutching at my heart as I knew what it must be! The sound of the oars of the Janis!!!       "BATTLE STATIONS! OUT OARS! RIG FOR BATTLE!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I have a voice that carries well. No man or woman on Sarnian Lady had any doubts either who giving the or- ders! My sword was already gleaming there in my hand as I flung my cloak off, seeing to my horror a darker shadow there to port!       "Turn to port!" I snapped at the man at the helm, ignoring captain Stone. Aware that the Janis was racing towards our vul- nerable flank. About to smash through our side! I felt Sarnian Lady start to swing, the man at the helm already having the wheel all the way over, but I knew it would not be enough to save us now! I saw men running, a ship's girl dashing below. There was no real safety there, but such flight is perhaps "instinctive".       "Lousy night for a swim," I heard Sharon mutter as the Janis came looming out of the darkness at maximum beat towards us! We were now turning, but it would be too late. I saw the Janis' ram jutting out there before the ship, saw the glow of the waters as they parted, then THE IMPACT CAME! The Janis striking us about three quarters of the way back, our turn having caused the other galley to strike us much further back than what Jon Richards had no doubt planned! The impact nearly throwing me from my feet as I felt Sarnian Lady recoil beneath me, seriously wounded from the strike of the Janis' ram! The Janis backing off, a dark shadow there in the fog, the splash of her oars the only sound she made!       We were badly crippled, almost dead in the water as confused men and women now dashed here and there on our decks. I waited for the Janis to finish us off with another strike as it floated there no more than a hundred feet away now. I could feel Sarnian Lady starting to settle beneath me. Heard the yells, the cries of terror as the water came pouring in below at the waterline. I put my arm around Sharon, my sword gleaming in my hand. I sensed figures moving there on the deck of the Janis. Thought of what a beautiful target I made in my glittering golden attire. It would take but one crossbow bolt to end my life. No doubt Queen Tulis would reward the man or woman who did the deed, I grimly smiled!       "Will we sink?" Sharon asked, her voice soft, but telling of the terror she doubtlessly felt. I told her it wasn't likely un- less the Janis rammed us again. Sarnian Lady was constructed with watertight compartments below the waterline. We had suf- fered severe damage, but we would be able to stay afloat. Not that it did us much good, as we were nearly helpless, but at least we wouldn't drown. I didn't like to think of what it would be like to be paraded through the streets of Arsana as a captive. No doubt my brother would get considerably pleasure out of humil- iating me in any way that he could while my "mother" looked on and took pleasure in seeing the degradation of her hated "daugh- ter". I wondered if I could convince Jon Richards to let Sharon go. I did not think he wished to "anger" Lorraine Duval. She is not the sort of a woman that you would want as an enemy. We were not that far from her estates. She could be put ashore from a boat. I would be "trophy" enough now for any Dularnian captain!       Then to my amazement I saw the Janis backing off into the fog, leaving us! Not a shot had been fired at us! It was almost as if Jon Richards had only wished to cripple my ship. Prove to me that he was the better commander. Nothing else made sense!* * I did not realize then that Jon Richards was not concerned about me, but about Sharon, whom he recognized standing there be- side me. Jon later on has told me that he has no doubt that had any harm come to Sharon that Dularn would have faced a far more terrible enemy in Lorraine Duval than they ever faced in me! (D)       "See if we can get under way," I snapped at captain Stone, dashing below to see what could be done about the damage. To bring order out of chaos. Leaving Sharon on deck to do what she could. She was surprisingly "competent" for a girl of sixteen!       "There's a slave girl trapped in there," the sailor said, the whites of his eyes gleaming in the light of the lamp. The water was nearly up to the top of the compartment. Sarnian Lady still taking in water, sinking lower. Another minute and she would drown! I could hear her screaming, begging to be rescued!       "Gutless Bastard!" I hissed, stripping off my harness, yank- ing the knife from his belt and jumping into the compartment, into the darkness. The chill water only inches from the bottom of the deck above! Various stores floating and bumping up against the top of the compartment as I struggled towards the sound of the woman's voice! Hearing the terror in her shrill words! The rising water inches from the top of the compartment!       "I'm caught!" she whimpered as I touched her in the dark- ness, the luckless wench having no idea of who I was. No doubt she thought I was one of my warrioresses if she even knew that!       I dove, the knife between my teeth, my hand running down her leg. I felt the rope twisted about her ankle, part of the rope used to secure items against the roll of the ship. I suspected she was the same wench I had seen earlier fleeing below to sup- posed safety. It had been a stupid act on her part, I thought to myself as I cut at the rope with my knife, aware that Sarnian Lady was sinking further and that the water was no doubt now up to the top of the compartment! We could both drown down here! I had her free now, but I couldn't find my way back out to safety!       Then I heard a splashing sound, a glow in the water, and with the terrified girl clinging to me, her grip choking me in her terror, I swam towards the glow. My lungs bursting from the strain, floating boxes and containers of various sorts adding an additional hazard to our perilous underwater passage to safety!       "It's The EMPRESS!" I heard a voice say, Sharon holding a lamp. She had been slapping the water with her hand to guide me.

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