Jerome Bigge Warlady 8 Queen of Time(The )

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many of us aboard might ever see. I could, I knew, quite likely be sharing
their fate. As for Bob and Carol, I supposed there was little danger for them
here now. It is unlikely that any force, any agency less POWERFUL than that of
SHE herself can alter such things. I saw Joyce watching me, a mutated horror
standing there on the deck, the sun shining on it.
"You are she who fought her way across the ruins," she said. No one had
ever really believed until Joyce had confirmed it now.
"I never would have made it without Hope," I smiled, putting my arm
around Carol as she stood there at my side. This old wom- an, dying from an
uncurable disease that stole her very memories.
"I have taken the `liberty' of hoisting your flag," Janice said to me.
That double barred silvery cross on a black field. Tara would have no doubts
now as to "who" she faced here. The evil Princess, once the abode of the Queen
of Darkness, would be well aware that she faced Lorraine Richards, Queen of
Trelandar.
"Pass the word to the crew that at my command they are to fall flat to
the deck," I spoke, seeing her nod at my order here. The explosive shot fired
from Tara's ship would be less effective then. There would be a "gauntlet"
that we would have to run be- fore our weapons would be effective in reply to
Tara's cannons.
"I am glad I am here today," Janice Hill said to me then.
"There is the scent of blood in the air," I said to her.
"It is the scent of our foes," she answered with a smile, a grim smile
that left no doubts that she knew what we faced here!!
"Such is part of the caste codes of Warrioresses," Carol ex- plained to
Joyce, the old Warlady's memories apparently yet good. She was old, dying, but
I thought still proud of her caste here. We of the Warrioresses know that
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there are no immortals, that it is better to die with a sword in your hand
than to live a coward.
"Less than a mile now," Janice said to me, the enemy ship not having yet
identified itself. I wondered if it was Tara's? I knew of no other ship like
it save for the one Tara had built. The same vessel that she had used years
ago to provoke a war be- tween Dularn and California. A war that had dragged
on for years too before a peace treaty had been signed by Maris and Darlanis.
"May Lys have mercy upon our souls," I spoke then in turn.
"I am proud to stand beside my Queen," my commodore said.
"Better plan to be lying beside her," I grinned back then.
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"...
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"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. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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