Taryn thought.
“Fire as soon as you think you can hit them,” the captain called to Taryn and Liri.
Taryn waved in acknowledgement and drew Ianna. In a flash of light it changed to the bow. “I’ll take the big one on the left,” he yelled to Liri as he raised the bow. Sighting on the ship he’d designated as his target, he waited for the right moment to shoot. He’d picked this particular ship because it was one of the ships that was in the process of turning broadside towards them, which would present the rudder in a couple of seconds.
There! The vessel had finished its turn, bringing the rudder into view. With his elven vision enhanced by the far viewer, he focused on the tail end of the ship. Locating the spot he wanted to hit, he carefully put the far-viewer back into its case without taking his eyes from his target. Taking a deep breath, he brought the bow up and drew back an arrow of solid green light. This is just target practice , he told himself—then he released.
It took a few seconds for the arrow to strike, even though it flew so fast it was a blur of green. Hitting hard, it sunk into the wood at the highest spot visible—right next to where the cord that turned the rudder was connected. With a snap that could be heard from their own ship, the arrow went clean through the rudder . . . breaking it completely off! Not only did the rope tear, but also the top wooden pin that hinged it. Now the pirates’ rudder hung to the side, barely connected by the second wooden pin at the bottom.
Not a moment later, a second arrow flew from the front of their ship. It didn’t travel as fast as Taryn’s had, but Liri’s arrow still hit its target, and even more accurately, Taryn noted as he looked through the distance viewer. Liri’s arrow hit the rope square on, snapping it and embedding into the wood behind it.
A cheer went up from their ship and sailors began calling to Liri and Taryn, but the captain’s deep voice cut through their exuberance: “Save the celebration for later mates, we’re not out of hot water yet. Taryn, Liri, nice shooting; now do it again if you can.”
Taryn waved his arm and prepared to target another ship, but as he began looking for a rudder to target he noticed something strange—and not good for their plan. Even though several other ships had been in the process of turning broadside before, now they were straightening out and coming directly at them—keeping their rudders out of view.
Liri must have noticed it too. “I don’t have anything, do you see an opening?” she yelled up to him.
“No, they’ve all turned towards us,” he said, then hesitated, choosing his words carefully. “They responded pretty quickly to our shots; maybe they are watching their own ships.”
Her sharp look was still visible to him despite the distance separating them, and he nodded to her. She tilted her head in acknowledgement and left her post, heading for the captain at the helm. He hadn’t wanted to alert the crew, but the pirates almost certainly had some form of communication, and whatever it was, it was fast. There was no way all the ships could have seen them hit the rudders, so he’d hoped Liri would catch on and go tell the captain. He was glad to see her hurrying because they didn’t have much time. A couple of pirates were already trying to shoot some arrows—which splashed down a hundred feet short of the Sea Dancer .
The captain suddenly shouted, “It looks like they’re on to us. Taryn get down here. The rest of you lot, prepare to repel boarders.” Seeing the fear returning to their faces, he added, “And take courage, they will learn to fear us before this day is out!”
Taryn dropped to the deck and raced to the captain. As he skidded to a stop, the captain said, “Liri explained your theory and it sounds right, so what’s our new plan?”
Liri looked at Taryn and he nodded to her. She said, “Normally the only option left would be to try to take the
“Fire as soon as you think you can hit them,” the captain called to Taryn and Liri.
Taryn waved in acknowledgement and drew Ianna. In a flash of light it changed to the bow. “I’ll take the big one on the left,” he yelled to Liri as he raised the bow. Sighting on the ship he’d designated as his target, he waited for the right moment to shoot. He’d picked this particular ship because it was one of the ships that was in the process of turning broadside towards them, which would present the rudder in a couple of seconds.
There! The vessel had finished its turn, bringing the rudder into view. With his elven vision enhanced by the far viewer, he focused on the tail end of the ship. Locating the spot he wanted to hit, he carefully put the far-viewer back into its case without taking his eyes from his target. Taking a deep breath, he brought the bow up and drew back an arrow of solid green light. This is just target practice , he told himself—then he released.
It took a few seconds for the arrow to strike, even though it flew so fast it was a blur of green. Hitting hard, it sunk into the wood at the highest spot visible—right next to where the cord that turned the rudder was connected. With a snap that could be heard from their own ship, the arrow went clean through the rudder . . . breaking it completely off! Not only did the rope tear, but also the top wooden pin that hinged it. Now the pirates’ rudder hung to the side, barely connected by the second wooden pin at the bottom.
Not a moment later, a second arrow flew from the front of their ship. It didn’t travel as fast as Taryn’s had, but Liri’s arrow still hit its target, and even more accurately, Taryn noted as he looked through the distance viewer. Liri’s arrow hit the rope square on, snapping it and embedding into the wood behind it.
A cheer went up from their ship and sailors began calling to Liri and Taryn, but the captain’s deep voice cut through their exuberance: “Save the celebration for later mates, we’re not out of hot water yet. Taryn, Liri, nice shooting; now do it again if you can.”
Taryn waved his arm and prepared to target another ship, but as he began looking for a rudder to target he noticed something strange—and not good for their plan. Even though several other ships had been in the process of turning broadside before, now they were straightening out and coming directly at them—keeping their rudders out of view.
Liri must have noticed it too. “I don’t have anything, do you see an opening?” she yelled up to him.
“No, they’ve all turned towards us,” he said, then hesitated, choosing his words carefully. “They responded pretty quickly to our shots; maybe they are watching their own ships.”
Her sharp look was still visible to him despite the distance separating them, and he nodded to her. She tilted her head in acknowledgement and left her post, heading for the captain at the helm. He hadn’t wanted to alert the crew, but the pirates almost certainly had some form of communication, and whatever it was, it was fast. There was no way all the ships could have seen them hit the rudders, so he’d hoped Liri would catch on and go tell the captain. He was glad to see her hurrying because they didn’t have much time. A couple of pirates were already trying to shoot some arrows—which splashed down a hundred feet short of the Sea Dancer .
The captain suddenly shouted, “It looks like they’re on to us. Taryn get down here. The rest of you lot, prepare to repel boarders.” Seeing the fear returning to their faces, he added, “And take courage, they will learn to fear us before this day is out!”
Taryn dropped to the deck and raced to the captain. As he skidded to a stop, the captain said, “Liri explained your theory and it sounds right, so what’s our new plan?”
Liri looked at Taryn and he nodded to her. She said, “Normally the only option left would be to try to take the
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