still bone dry.
“Ready to inspect the troops?” Sidorio inquired, extending his arm.
She nodded, looping her own arm through the crook of his. She glanced over her shoulder to check on Jacqueline and Nathalie’s progress. Reassured that they had now joined her on the sand, she allowed Sidorio to lead her off into the melee.
The whole atoll was alive with movement and noise as the swarm of Vampirates got stuck into their nighttime training session. The air rang with the clashing of swords and other noises—cries, roars, and the ominous, more subtle, sound of weaponless combat. The crews of some twenty Vampirate ships had disembarked here tonight for this latest bout—designed to sharpen their fighting skills and also their bloodlust.
As Sidorio and Lola strode among them, followed close behind by Jacqueline and Nathalie, the warring Vampirates were careful to make room for their revered leaders. Sidorio slowed his pace to observe a particularly vicious duel.
“Go on, my son!” he called out. “In for the kill! Show no mercy!”
Lola laughed. “This
is
only a training session,” she said. “You don’t
actually
want them to destroy their own comrades, do you?”
Sidorio turned to face his wife. “Darling Lola, Camp Decimation is based on principles derived from the Roman Army. By the close of play tonight, I want the weakest tenpercent of our troops destroyed.
That’s
how you keep your army on its toes.” Smiling, he added, “If you want a solution, always look to Rome.”
Lola raised an eyebrow and reached out her hand to toy with the line of chunky medals pinned across his chest. “No one could argue that the Romans didn’t leave us a potent legacy.” She smiled. “I’m impressed, husband. It seems you’ve been making some interesting changes.”
Sidorio nodded, his eyes turning from his wife back to the duel being enacted before their eyes. “War is a state of constant change,” he said. “And I intend to
win
this war.”
Suddenly the Vampirate Sidorio had urged on before broke free and attacked his opponent from a new angle. As he did so, he opened his mouth and bit off his opponent’s middle finger.
Lola and her aides gasped in surprise. Sidorio only laughed. “There you are, ladies. I give you the principle of decimation in practice. Removal of a tenth.”
Lola shook her head fondly. “Sometimes I forget what a brute you are, Sid.” She stroked his serge sleeve tenderly as they continued on their way. “Thanks for the reminder.”
“Commander!” came a cry. Johnny marched out of the fray to greet Sidorio and the others.
“Stetson!” Sidorio exclaimed, pulling his comrade into a warm bear hug. “How’s it going with the new recruits?”
“Same old, same old,” Johnny said, bowing courteously to Lola and her aides. “The landlubber Vampiratesare still coming to grips with the rudiments of swordsmanship. But there are a few stars in the making. Take a look at these two over here.” He pointed to a muscled young man locked in a fight with a lithe older woman.
“What’s their story?” Sidorio asked, his arm draped casually over Johnny’s shoulder.
“The blond guy, Skawen, is an old vamp,” Johnny said. “Viking stock, so no stranger to fighting, pillaging, and the like. He’s been landlocked for centuries but he was made to be on our team.”
“And his sparring partner?” Sidorio inquired.
“Martha Corey,” Johnny said. “She’s an interesting one. American by birth. Hanged in the Salem witch trials but didn’t go gentle into that good night.”
“Good for her!” Lola said. “Look at the fire in her eyes. If you hadn’t already recruited her, Johnny, I’d take her for
The Vagabond
.”
“She’s yours if you want her,” Johnny said, in no doubt of the hierarchy.
“That’s very kind of you,” Lola replied. “But I’m happy enough with my current crew. She’s all yours, Johnny. Cherish her!”
Johnny nodded. “I will.”
“How’s it
“Ready to inspect the troops?” Sidorio inquired, extending his arm.
She nodded, looping her own arm through the crook of his. She glanced over her shoulder to check on Jacqueline and Nathalie’s progress. Reassured that they had now joined her on the sand, she allowed Sidorio to lead her off into the melee.
The whole atoll was alive with movement and noise as the swarm of Vampirates got stuck into their nighttime training session. The air rang with the clashing of swords and other noises—cries, roars, and the ominous, more subtle, sound of weaponless combat. The crews of some twenty Vampirate ships had disembarked here tonight for this latest bout—designed to sharpen their fighting skills and also their bloodlust.
As Sidorio and Lola strode among them, followed close behind by Jacqueline and Nathalie, the warring Vampirates were careful to make room for their revered leaders. Sidorio slowed his pace to observe a particularly vicious duel.
“Go on, my son!” he called out. “In for the kill! Show no mercy!”
Lola laughed. “This
is
only a training session,” she said. “You don’t
actually
want them to destroy their own comrades, do you?”
Sidorio turned to face his wife. “Darling Lola, Camp Decimation is based on principles derived from the Roman Army. By the close of play tonight, I want the weakest tenpercent of our troops destroyed.
That’s
how you keep your army on its toes.” Smiling, he added, “If you want a solution, always look to Rome.”
Lola raised an eyebrow and reached out her hand to toy with the line of chunky medals pinned across his chest. “No one could argue that the Romans didn’t leave us a potent legacy.” She smiled. “I’m impressed, husband. It seems you’ve been making some interesting changes.”
Sidorio nodded, his eyes turning from his wife back to the duel being enacted before their eyes. “War is a state of constant change,” he said. “And I intend to
win
this war.”
Suddenly the Vampirate Sidorio had urged on before broke free and attacked his opponent from a new angle. As he did so, he opened his mouth and bit off his opponent’s middle finger.
Lola and her aides gasped in surprise. Sidorio only laughed. “There you are, ladies. I give you the principle of decimation in practice. Removal of a tenth.”
Lola shook her head fondly. “Sometimes I forget what a brute you are, Sid.” She stroked his serge sleeve tenderly as they continued on their way. “Thanks for the reminder.”
“Commander!” came a cry. Johnny marched out of the fray to greet Sidorio and the others.
“Stetson!” Sidorio exclaimed, pulling his comrade into a warm bear hug. “How’s it going with the new recruits?”
“Same old, same old,” Johnny said, bowing courteously to Lola and her aides. “The landlubber Vampiratesare still coming to grips with the rudiments of swordsmanship. But there are a few stars in the making. Take a look at these two over here.” He pointed to a muscled young man locked in a fight with a lithe older woman.
“What’s their story?” Sidorio asked, his arm draped casually over Johnny’s shoulder.
“The blond guy, Skawen, is an old vamp,” Johnny said. “Viking stock, so no stranger to fighting, pillaging, and the like. He’s been landlocked for centuries but he was made to be on our team.”
“And his sparring partner?” Sidorio inquired.
“Martha Corey,” Johnny said. “She’s an interesting one. American by birth. Hanged in the Salem witch trials but didn’t go gentle into that good night.”
“Good for her!” Lola said. “Look at the fire in her eyes. If you hadn’t already recruited her, Johnny, I’d take her for
The Vagabond
.”
“She’s yours if you want her,” Johnny said, in no doubt of the hierarchy.
“That’s very kind of you,” Lola replied. “But I’m happy enough with my current crew. She’s all yours, Johnny. Cherish her!”
Johnny nodded. “I will.”
“How’s it
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