are trained to fight, and Sabriel and I have been in our fair share of sea battles. This is not a fight we can win. We need to come up with something in the next twenty minutes or we will be shark bait by nightfall. Any suggestions?”
The silence was deafening until Mae spoke. “I have an idea I think will work.”
The captain nodded, so she asked a few pointed questions about the ship. As she detailed her plan, the others’ tense expressions phased to incredulous.
When she finished, Trin asked, “Is that even possible ?”
Sabriel’s brow knit together as he considered her suggestion, “I . . . think so, but I’ve never seen it done before.”
The captain leaned in. “I think it’s our best shot, but it’s going to be risky. We will be betting our lives on Liri and Taryn.”
Uncertain about his role, Taryn’s eyes flickered to Liri. Smiling confidently, she said. “We can do it.”
The captain stood up. “We’re going to use Maemi’s plan. I don’t see any other option anyway. You all know your positions, so get to it. Sabriel, inform the rest of the crew and finish getting this ship prepared in any way possible.”
Mae leaned forward with an intense expression, drawing all eyes towards her. “Taryn and Liri will do their part. You can count on it.”
The captain nodded grimly. “Let’s hope so. Our lives depend on it.”
Resigned determination mingled with a glimmer of hope as the group hurried to prepare for the upcoming battle, but Taryn found that his heart was not in it. He’d trained his whole life for just such a battle, to defend those weaker than himself against individuals seeking to destroy, to fight the strong preying on the weak.
He just wished he wasn’t so afraid to end the life of another sentient being—a sentient being that might still have good within its soul.
Chapter 6: Outnumbered
Taryn looked down from the crow’s nest at the crew finishing their preparations. The plan that Mae had presented was going to be tricky, and counted on Liri’s and Taryn’s skills with a bow. After she’d suggested the plan, she’d explained that there were a limited number of options when faced up against a vastly superior opponent. Hit and run tactics was usually the best option—but they couldn’t use that in the current situation. When you are forced to face a much larger enemy, you could either take a superior defensive position—which they couldn’t do either—or attack at a weak spot that cripples your opponent. This is what they would attempt.
Prior to explaining her idea, Mae had asked the captain what places on a ship could be hit by an arrow or two that might disable the entire vessel. The captain had answered by saying the rudder might be destroyed by a few well placed arrows. He’d also suggested that cutting the ropes holding the sail down might work as well, but that could easily be repaired.
The proposed plan involved an attempt to disable ships before they could surround the Sea Dancer . The oars were the complicating factor. They couldn’t really take out the oars, which made hitting the rudder the best option since cutting the sails would only slow the ship. Everything would depend on Liri’s and Taryn’s ability to hit specific locations on the rudder at the correct angle while both ships bobbed up and down—at unknown distances. But a single vessel disabled might balance the scales for their survival.
“Are you ready?” the captain called up to Taryn.
He leaned over the rail and raised his arm to show his readiness. Liri, positioned at the front of the ship, did the same. The pirates were closing in on them, with the first one only a minute or two from getting within range of bow and ballista. At the moment there were three ships right in front of them. Two of them were in the process of turning to block their way forward. Other vessels were gliding in on the right and left of them, cutting off any escape. This was going to be close ,
The silence was deafening until Mae spoke. “I have an idea I think will work.”
The captain nodded, so she asked a few pointed questions about the ship. As she detailed her plan, the others’ tense expressions phased to incredulous.
When she finished, Trin asked, “Is that even possible ?”
Sabriel’s brow knit together as he considered her suggestion, “I . . . think so, but I’ve never seen it done before.”
The captain leaned in. “I think it’s our best shot, but it’s going to be risky. We will be betting our lives on Liri and Taryn.”
Uncertain about his role, Taryn’s eyes flickered to Liri. Smiling confidently, she said. “We can do it.”
The captain stood up. “We’re going to use Maemi’s plan. I don’t see any other option anyway. You all know your positions, so get to it. Sabriel, inform the rest of the crew and finish getting this ship prepared in any way possible.”
Mae leaned forward with an intense expression, drawing all eyes towards her. “Taryn and Liri will do their part. You can count on it.”
The captain nodded grimly. “Let’s hope so. Our lives depend on it.”
Resigned determination mingled with a glimmer of hope as the group hurried to prepare for the upcoming battle, but Taryn found that his heart was not in it. He’d trained his whole life for just such a battle, to defend those weaker than himself against individuals seeking to destroy, to fight the strong preying on the weak.
He just wished he wasn’t so afraid to end the life of another sentient being—a sentient being that might still have good within its soul.
Chapter 6: Outnumbered
Taryn looked down from the crow’s nest at the crew finishing their preparations. The plan that Mae had presented was going to be tricky, and counted on Liri’s and Taryn’s skills with a bow. After she’d suggested the plan, she’d explained that there were a limited number of options when faced up against a vastly superior opponent. Hit and run tactics was usually the best option—but they couldn’t use that in the current situation. When you are forced to face a much larger enemy, you could either take a superior defensive position—which they couldn’t do either—or attack at a weak spot that cripples your opponent. This is what they would attempt.
Prior to explaining her idea, Mae had asked the captain what places on a ship could be hit by an arrow or two that might disable the entire vessel. The captain had answered by saying the rudder might be destroyed by a few well placed arrows. He’d also suggested that cutting the ropes holding the sail down might work as well, but that could easily be repaired.
The proposed plan involved an attempt to disable ships before they could surround the Sea Dancer . The oars were the complicating factor. They couldn’t really take out the oars, which made hitting the rudder the best option since cutting the sails would only slow the ship. Everything would depend on Liri’s and Taryn’s ability to hit specific locations on the rudder at the correct angle while both ships bobbed up and down—at unknown distances. But a single vessel disabled might balance the scales for their survival.
“Are you ready?” the captain called up to Taryn.
He leaned over the rail and raised his arm to show his readiness. Liri, positioned at the front of the ship, did the same. The pirates were closing in on them, with the first one only a minute or two from getting within range of bow and ballista. At the moment there were three ships right in front of them. Two of them were in the process of turning to block their way forward. Other vessels were gliding in on the right and left of them, cutting off any escape. This was going to be close ,
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