For Par/ Jake it was a first to see the a pulter in action. Cerule’s answer to gun powder and cannon, lay in the strength and braided bindings of bram-seaweed, a rubbery seaweed with incredible strength retention. Woven into spring like coils, the bram weed was used to pull large vortical bows made of multilaminate bram wood back in their black bram frames. Using a heavy sledge hammer the pulter-men swung into the head of a release bolt, which pushed out of the way allowed the multiple coils to release the bow, slamming the shot, a missile shaped black bram wood or far more precious shell of steel. The projectile fire had a range of roughly half a mile, but was plenty fast enough to cause extensive damage to hull and rigging.
The sound or release was like a la loud snapping throng followed by a scream like whistle.
As the sailors cranked their engines back, Par paced nearby, examining the machines with carefully casual interest, not wanting to give away that these engines of destruction were knew to the space faring Jake, if oddly familiar from what faint echo of Par’s memory “mind” brought to his senses.
Astern the sails of their pursuer were now visible from the deck. The enemy was gaining.
But at the same time “Mind” warned him of a squall front racing down on them from the east. Par knew Wil-kait could not be aware of it, and that with all sails fling and the ship already healing sharply, they were incredibly vulnerable to what was coming. Casually, he sauntered back to Wil-kait’s side, left leg bent to take in the heel of the ship.
“Wil-Kait, I don’t like the looks of what is coming.” Par pointed to windward where the horizon appeared as a thin white line.”
The Lightenant looked and his eyes widened. “All hands to the rigging. Take in sail! Prepare to loose sheets!”
From the mast head came an echo “White Squall!”
“Loose!” Wil-kait bellowed at the top of hi lungs as sailors swarmed the yards or frantically hauled down the for and aft rigged sails. They were about half the of the way there, the sails thundering furiously as all but a the aft spanker and a jib sheet were loosed. When the squall line hit those two sails, blew out.
Par caught sight of a sailor hanging onto a line as he was swept over board. Leaping down the sharp heeled deck he grabbed the line and hauled, pulling the sailor in. The man snatched at him as he came close, losing his grip on the line that had saved him. Holding the line Par darted after the man, grabbed him around his waist hanging onto him with one arm and the line with the other.
“Thankee… ya saved me…I canno swim.”
“Well then you will learn.” Par said to what he saw now as a young muscular man with dark brown hair and even, even handsome features. The crewman gave him a startled look, and then gasped, “M-Lord!”
Just then there was a tug on the line, and Par grinned at the young man, “Looks like were wanted.”
“Ah thank the Ral!” The young man cried.
Par froze for a moment in the water as the line tugged them again. He was reminded of the Ral who had brought him here, the super advanced race of beings who had called upon the Humana League to provide someone like him.
He gave the line too sharp tugs to signal there were two men out here in the water, and afte a moment, the pull became constant. Within moments they were pulled in to the looming lee of the Skylark and hauled aboard.
Wil-kait met him and gasped, “Thank the Gods your safe, my Lord.” He turned to a sailor and ordered “Tell the steward to fetch His Lordship a dry uniform.”
Par laughed, “Really, Wil? Its raining were all soaked, get the canvas replaced and get us under full sail, the wind will die soon enough. Did we lose anyone?” Par asked putting a hand on Wil-kait’s shoulder.
Wil-kait smiled, “Was afraid we lost you, and young Garth but no, thanks be to the Ral”
Par’s weather prediction, aided by the escort of tiny stealth water drones proved true as the wind fell away to a gentle breeze and then fell to a very light breath of air that just kept the ship moving. The seas calmed and a bank of fog rolled down from the east.
Par finally retreated to the captain’s cabin where Bits was waiting with a fresh uniform. “M-Lord, the Lightenant said to give you his best uniform and I took the liberty of stitching a full second stripe to the cuff as befits yer rank, Sir.”
“Thank you, Bits.” Par said, peeling off the sodden faded uniform excepting being toweled off by Bits, before donning the white leotard shirt, black sash, white, hi collared silk shirt and navy-blue waist coat with its double row of gold buttons up the front.
“You look grand, my Lord.” A bit thin for it, but you’ll fill out in time with a bit more fine meals such as we can get on land. Least wise, you don’t look as if your half starved, any more.”
“These leggings don’t hide much do they?” Par mused aloud.
“Well now, M-Lord, your blessed down there Might as well show it off.”
Par laughed and Bits grinned shyly.
There was a knock on the door and a voice called, “Seaman Garth begs a moment of your time, Lord.”
“Send him in.” Par called back, turning from the narrow full length mirror as the door opened to admit the young man he’d saved. Garth had changed into white cut off shorts that were very short and very snug. Par’s eyes slid over the young sailors muscular frame and the generous bulge, realizing, belatedly that the young man he’d rescued was very attractive.
Garth took one look at him and stepping forward went to his knees.
“Whats this? What can I do for you, sailor?”
Garth looked up. “If it please your Lordship, ya saved my life. And I beg to serve ya as yer man fer the rest of me life. I is yours, Sir if you’ll let me.”
“Well, ah, hmm, its not a question of letting you, but rather…”
“I’ll do anything ya ask, guard ya, protect ya, bring you your food and drink, clean after ya.”
Bits huffed and Par/Jake caught it. “Bits here takes good care of the lightenant and me both. Soon we’ll reach Nor and things will change…”
Bits straightened up and puffed up a bit.
Garth wasn’t about to let this go without a fight. “The Lightenant will let me serve ya. Its time honored for a man to serve another iffn’ his life is saved. No one will say I can’t unless you says so, M-Lord” The hunky sailor argued.
“Mind, what is going on here. Is this something I have to accept?”
In this culture and in most of Cerule, when someone pledges their life in service to another, refusal of such an offer is taken as condemnation, not only of them but their entire family. Suicide over rejection of a servant is not unknown.”
Talk about passive aggressive,” Par thought back, dryly. But out loud he said, “Very well. I accept your service and in return off my protection of you and yours. Rise and serve me, Garth by returning to your duties aboard this ship as part of her crew.”
Garth stumbled to his feet, looking puzzled but Par/Jake added. “When we have reached Nor, I will see about detaching you to serve me privately.”
Garth’s face was transformed into a radiant smile, and Par/Jake couldn’t help thinking, “Damn what a hot stud.”
A few minutes later with the sailor returned to his duties, Par asked, “Mind report status of enemy.”
“The ship chasing us lost their main top and for mast and are stalled to just to windward of the Thomorus Shoals. We are passing safely to the West of the shoals and as they are crippled, we should escape them. However a second larger ship of war is sailing along Nor coast and will be in a position to intercept us within the next hour.”
Bits slung an oil skin cloak over Par’s shoulders before Par could leave the cabin.
He found Wil-kait standing on the foredeck and joined him. “Bit’s is bringing us something hot.”
Wil-kait gave him an admiring look with eyes shaded by fatigue. “You look very fine in full uniform, Sir. I should have offered that from the beginning.”
“Ah but then I’d have had to change into a dry worn out uniform.”
Wil-kait grinned. “You have me there, Sir.” The Lightenant faced forward again, and then spoke, “This damn fog. Last I could see we’d been blown west of he Thormorus shoal which means if we clear it we’ll have to tack to gain the mouth of Nor.”
“With a very good chance of stumbling across the enemy.” Par said.
“Aye, the damnable blockade that isn’t.”
Par decided to see if he could get more information from Wil-kait on the state of things. “A blockade that isn’t is a good way to put it. After the sinking of the Waverly, I’d think things were a bit more obvious.”
“Yes, you’d think. Damn Imperials have been claiming this lie that all the Western Seas belong to them, but their boundary to the Western Sea keeps changing. Because they trade with Nor, they own the seas to do so, and since Nor is too weak to patrol our own coast, they must do so for u\s. For us, bah! Bunch of sorcerers and snakes. You will not know this my Lord but before we were sent out to look for survivors, our government announced it would investigate claims by the Imps that the Waverly was conducting piracy praying on their ships, and that the Imps claimed self defense in their peaceful patrol of these waters. Bah! It's enough to drive a man mad watching them encroach on everything from trade to diplomacy, to their ever-escalating claims of the seas. And they are right, we are hiding deep up the bay building our reserve, but the ships we do have are sitting and rotting in port with no crews, while our Government and our Admiralty…” Wil-kait stopped.
Par/ Jake put a calming hand to the Lightenant’s shoulder. “Be at ease. Wil. This is a war that will last many life times. Nothing we can do but do our best and keep on doing it.”
“Aye My-lord.” Wil-kait offered softly.
Par ha to marvel as the men went about their jobs, some few wearing oil skins to keep off the damp, but most of them not bothering. The climate was sub tropical and even with the thickening fog, the dampness was not too chilly.
Par/Jake felt it as a distant thing, taking note of it, but unaffected by it.
“Breakers, there starboard bow!”
Wil-kait tensed, pacing quickly forward and peering into the fog. Par stayed where he was by the stays, well assured by “Mind” that the ship was well clear of the shoals.
However, he was also aware that the enemy ship that had chased them north from the bam Islands, on a diverging course from well to the windward, now wallowed uncomfortably near, just to the east of the shoal bank and reef they were passing.
In moments they would be in no more than a quarter mile from the storm stricken ship. Close enough to hear shouting.
Making himself move slowly as to not alarm the crew, Par strolled forward to Wil-kait and said, “You may want to remind the men to keep silent for a bit. By my calculations the enemy ship chasing you should be near us to windward, somewhere.”
“Good advice, my Lord” Wil-kait said in a hushed tone and quickly hurried away.
His warning turned out to be not a moment too soon. Presently through the fog he heard the sound of men snapping orders, the sound of a crack and ruffling canvas, and a loud voice that cried out “all the fuking ells, but she is stuck fast till high tide.”
A seaman close by gasped, “ooh by the Gods they’ve struck.”
“Silence you fool.” Snapped the bosun with the sound of a hand hitting a back.
Par held his breath as the sounds from the other ship shifted slowly astern and faded away. Unfortunately, he knew from “Mind” that an Imperial Frigate of thirty-four Pulters, or Pults as the seaman called them, was bearing down upon them along the Nor coast ahead.
Par strolled slowly back to where the Lightenent fretted by the helm station. When Par reached his side, the handsome blond officer gripped his arm. “My Lord, we were very lucky. They must have been crippled by the storm to end up in those straights. But I fear the probability of an Imperial ship on patrol. Any advice you might give me would be welcome.”
Par kept his tone casual, “Well, Lightenent, preferably if we made contact they would be passing behind us or having to manuver quickly not to lose us. We are sailing close hauled to make the western headland of Nor’s bay entrance, and not at our best point of sail. The advantage this ship has is her speed and maneuverability. I suggest you keep all canvas up and ease off the course to get the speediest trim. You know your ship best, Captain. If we have to tack, very well, but if worst comes to worst, and we are caught in a fight, we can always beach her or even, swim to shore. Lets hope it doesn’t come to that.”
Wil-Kait hesitated byt a moment and then said, “Sir, I formally request you take command.”
Par studied the lightenant’s chiseled features noting the strain. “Only if you promise not to take my doing so as a sign I do not have confidence in you, Wil.” He said softly.
Wil-kait visibly relaxed in relief. “I promise, Sir.”
“Very well, ease the ship off to her best point of sail, Mr. Kait.”
Then Par added in a fuller voice just loud enough to carry the length of the ship. “Your brave Captain has ceded command of the Sky Lark to me. Do your best, men, stay steady and quiet, as another ship may be close, and I will see you safe at home, and if we are lucky, perhaps we can embarrass the Imps a touch along the way…”
Here and there some grins and appeared and some quiet chuckles.
Par was very aware that the breeze was freshening, and with it, the fog. A greater expanse of water around the ship was visible. He could not help but turn to look out as for a moment the sight of the dark rippling rollers of the sea opened up to windward with another bank moving in from the east.
“Gods!” Cried a man as the shadowy shape of a full rigged sailing man of war appeared on the edge of that bank.
“Bear up ten.” Par ordered, “Haul away.”
Orders rifled swiftly behind him and men began running to their tasks.
The enemy ship slid further into view and with the sight came the distant chilling sound of shouts. They had been spotted!
Par waited patiently as the fog bank to the east floated down toward them.
Wil-kait was at his side. “They are loading their pulters. Shouldn’t we beat to quarters?”
“Without the beat. Maintain silence.”
“Aye Sir.. ”
A moment later the fog bank was on them. Par counted to three, waiting until they were completely hidden, “Bring us about, Mr. Kait.”
“Aye Sir.”
“Close on the Port Tack.” Par added quietly, strolling back to the helm.
“Aye Sir.”
Par counted to ten as the little ship swung around on her heels like a lithe dancer, her sails filling on her new course.
At that moment he heard an odd deep clatter of thunderclaps, followed by a whistling sound. “Mind” tracked the incoming swarm of heavy black Bram wood balls, and Par eased from his momentary tension as the enemy's fire landed in harmless geysers just astern.
“Load Port Pults.” Par ordered.
Kait came up, looking puzzled and murmured, “On this tack our starboard is most likely facing them.”
:If the fog continues to lift I believe we will find them crossing our stern to our port in an attempt to get the wind gage.” Par explained. “We will tack back to Port when we can make directly for the shelter of the Nor Eastern Battery, and on the way we can attempt a few long shots to cripple them. We might get lucky.”
“Aye My Lord, but are we hat close to Nor?”
“It will be a long tricky final tac to the battery.” Mr. Kait. I hope the surgeon is ready.”
“He will be, Sir.” The Lightenant said grimly.
Par watched with eyes full of silent prayers for the fog to hold just a bit longer, waiting for the moment to wear ship, the graph of their course and he ship’s position playing out on a screen in his head. “Now, Kait, wear the ship to starboard Tack north by nor east.”
As the Skylark settled on her new course the fog, as if signaled by a sign from the Gods of fortune itself, shredded into smaller pieces. The mast head shouted “Ship ho.”
Rather unnecessarily, Par thought, as indeed the enemy emerged from the thinning fog. They had not tacked as he feared they might, but were well to the lee of their position and ahead.
Even as he looked he saw them working to come into the wind, no doubt to fire again.
Walking down to the pults as they swung forward to bring the enemy into their sights, Par was tempted to order the ship up wind a few to accomplish but instead he said, “Steady as she goes.”
He paced back to the helm, waiting. The moment he heard that clatter sound he snapped, ‘Hard a port!”
“Aye sir. The helmsmen cranked the wheel, sending it spinning and the ship answered turning leeward. Par tracked the incoming projectiles and smiled as the wide scattered shot splashed harmlessly down just short of them and to starboard.
“Nor by nor east again Helm.
Looking forward Par saw a shadow emerging from he mists ahead, the Eastern batter of the Island of Nor. They had a mile to under enemy fire. It would be a close-run thing if they made it at all.
He looked up to see Wil-kait making his way to him with a worried knot on his brow.
