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A Seafaring SagaChapter 22: Broadside's Retreat
Viktor, with a sword and his newly-acquired knife in his belt, grabbed his own hook and tossed it with all his might. It was an impressive throw, and it would have cleared the whole breadth of the Aterops if it had not snagged in the lower rigging. Tugging to make sure it was secure, Viktor jumped up on the railing of the Bombardier and jumped. He went down a foot and his stomach churned inside him, then the rope grew taunt and Viktor swung from the bow of the Bombardier at the stern of the Aterops, through the open, shuttered, windows of the captain’s cabin, and onto the floor beyond. He landed in a bit of a heap, as the swell knocked him down. As he got to his feet, he noticed a figure standing and looking at him.
What in blazes??? It was that sassy Crusader woman from Port Crowne!
Viktor lurched upward and drew out his sword with a flourish. The woman stared at him. It was obvious she recognized him.
“You!” she hissed, and her hand went to her waist, groping. But whatever she was reaching for wasn’t there.
“Tyco!” she snarled, and snatched up the nearest thing within reach -- a sextant. Johnson’s own prized sextant, in fact. She threw it hard at Viktor, who just barely ducked. The sextant whirred over his head, out the window, and into the dark waters below.
“So you’re with the Crusaders!” Viktor exclaimed, “You want me captured -- and dead!”
“What the megablocks?!” the woman growled, now grasping another one of Johnson’s possessions -- an inkwell, “Why the shift-brick would I want that? I was kidnapped!”
She threw the inkwell at Viktor, who this time didn’t duck fast enough. The bottle smashed into his chest and shattered, sending droplets of black fluid flying.
“You intellbrix!” growled Viktor.
He had done nothing to this mad she-bear! What problem did she have? Viktor had had enough. The first time that they had literally run into one another, Viktor was vulnerable. Not this time. This time it was he who had the blade.
“Megablocks you Crusaders!” bellowed Viktor, and he charged, sword raised.
The woman’s eyes widened and then turned red with fury. She dodged quickly behind Johnson’s desk, which received Viktor’s slashing blow instead of her. The sword shredded a detailed map of Dametreos and bit deep into the wood. With the blade temporarily lodged, the woman head-butted Viktor and leaped over the desk at the same time. They both crashed to the floor, the woman on top, and they furiously began to scrabbled at one another. Viktor rolled sides ways and flailed his fists, pounding into the chest of the woman. She retaliated with a vicious kick to the groin. Viktor groaned and nearly bit his tongue in two. He rolled sideways into to Johnson’s bunk and grabbed a sheet, throwing at the woman. The wad of the bedding tripped the woman, and her attempt to stand was aborted. Instead of dashing to the desk to retrieve his sword, Viktor, in his rage, simply threw himself on the woman. Again they wrestled, each exchanging blows. Viktor managed to straddle the woman, but then was kicked back with both feet. He fell backward, completely winded. As the woman stood, Viktor suddenly remembered his knife. Where was it? Luckily, it had slipped out of his belt after the woman had first hit him, or it could have skewered him while they had wrestled. Now it was quite near him, on the floor. Viktor lunged and snatched it up. The woman suddenly froze.
“Where’d you get that?” she snapped.
“I found it.” growled Viktor, “And ye best lay off if you don’t want to find it in your belly!”
“It’s mine!” she growled back, “Give it to me!”
“Do I look that stupid?” Viktor snapped.
“Yes, you megablocks.”
“Get it then!”
Viktor tossed the knife to his left, where it hit the far wall and fell to the ground. The woman dived for it while Viktor sped toward the desk where his sword was. They both acquired their weapons at the same time, and turned toward one another in unison.
“You know I will kill you.” growled Viktor, “A knife can’t duel with a sword.”
“You can’t throw a sword.” replied the woman.
Like lightning, she threw the knife. Viktor wasn’t sure he saw it fly through the air. One moment it was in the woman’s hand, the nest, it was in his. Imbedded, that is: the blade sunk deep in the flesh his hand.
“AARRRRRGH!”windows xp profesional version 2002 service pack 2
Viktor was in terrible pain, but things boded quite poorly for Rosa now, as he was armed, angry, and thus at something of an advantage. However, before anything happened, the door of the cabin smashed open, and Broadside’s mate Bill sauntered in with two other men.
“You need help?” he asked Viktor, glancing at the two of them.
“I can handle this on my own,” said Viktor through gritted teeth.
“All righ’,” said Bill, “But if’n yer comin’ with us, we’re leavin’ quick. The cap’n wants ter be out o’ here as soon as may be. King Kendo down in the harbor don’ like us none.”
“Right, I’m coming,” said Viktor, “And this one's coming to. Could you fellows escort her to the Bombardier? I don’t think that I can.” He looked down at his hand.
“And what if I don't want to come?” snapped Rosa.
“You don’t really have much of a chance,” said Viktor, “But I don’t see why you’d want to stay. It didn’t look to me like you got on all that well with the Crusaders anyway.”
“Fine, I’ll come,” said Rosa, “But I want to talk to your captain before you try locking me up or punishing me or anything. What’s more, I expect to be well-treated.”
“Don’ worry,” said Bill, “The cap’n won’ let any Crusader woman be mistreated. He’s got a soft spot fer his countrywomen. Now just ye move along, Viktor, and leave this lady ter us.”
Under duress, Viktor did. And as soon as he was back on the Bombardier, he had his hand bandaged. Meanwhile, on deck, Bill was reporting to Broadside.
“We sacked the Aterops o’ all her valuables,” said Bill, “Didn’ amount ter too much. They didn’ put up too much of a fight. Gave up when they saw they were too badly outnumbered. We disabled her ballista, but left them with stores and equipment. Our men are in fine shape. Only two sailors and that Viktor fellow hurt themselves at all.”
“Good work,” said Broadside, “Cut the lines, and make sail. When their cap’n returns, I want ter be long gone, even if ‘is men are in no condition ter fight. It’s time ter lie low fer a little while, methinks. That Storm-Rider business didn’ work out the way I was hopin’. As soon as we drop off that Viktor, we’ll go look fer a harbor to rest in fer a while.”
“Very good, cap’n,” said Bill agreeably, as the men began to get the Bombardier loose and ready to sail.
“Oh, by the way, cap’n,” said Bill, “We picked up a Crusader lady in the Aterops’ cabin. She’s the one what tore up Master Viktor’s hand. Didn’t seem to be well-trusted by the Crusaders. We brought her aboard. She wants a word with you -- guarantee of safe conduct, I imagine.”
“Thank ye, Bill. I’ll attend to her once we’re underway.”
The Bombardier, sail fully piled on, was making a quick getaway from the slave island. Once Broadside was satisfied they were well underway, he made his way to his cabin. Two persons were inside, Viktor and a woman, the woman Bill had mentioned. T here were positioned on opposite sides of the room, both glowering at one another. Viktor was massaging his bandaged hand while the woman quietly fingered a long, slim knife. Broadside coughed.
“Bloomin’ barnacles, Vikky, ye look at little worse fer wear.”
Viktor glared and snarled, “No tyco megabloks thanks to that intellabix shifty-brick there!” indicating the woman with a violent thrust of his good hand.
Broadside turned to the woman.
“And who are ye?” he asked.
“Rosa.” the woman snapped, still fingering the knife, “What ship is this, and how long ‘til we reach shore?”
“This'n the Bombardier,” announced Broadside proudly, “And I be her captain, Jacques Broadside. Why’re ye so eager to land?”
“For the last several months I’ve been hauled from one tyco ship to the next!” snapped Rosa, “I want to go ashore.” she added dangerously.
“I--” Viktor coughed, “would like to as well…but not with her!” he added venomously.
Rosa twirled her knife but did not toss it.
“Now, now…” cooed Broadside, “Ne’er worry yes elves…the Bombardier’s shore-bound, indeed. We’ll reach the Knight’s Kingdom shore in a week or two.”
“Fine, then.” snapped Rosa. Viktor simply nodded sharply.
“Well, then…” Broadside coughed again, “Until then, Lady Rosa…er…enjoy yer stay…”
Both Rosa and Viktor glared, and Broadside quickly left his cabin in search of some wine in the hold. The shore of Knight’s Kingdom couldn’t come soon enough, with those two at each other’s throats.
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