Versions of Diplomacy

The twins spent their free time on the Ark working with ‘mancy.  It was their hobby, their passion, and so long as it worked it usually turned out to be quite beneficial as well.  The shift generator was one example of their successful ‘mancy.  It was also one of the few.  However, there were a few other odds and ends tucked into the hull of the Ark that served various useful purposes.  The alarm system was one of these.  Inside the helm, within easy reach of anyone inside or standing lookout on the top deck, was a ‘mancy circle written in grease pen on the wall.  This was the seal that held more ‘mancy in check that had been etched in every room of the Ark.  All a person had to do was run their finger through any part of the seal, breaking it, and released the ‘mancy that was contained in all the linked seals.  The result was a shockwave of ‘mancy that traveled through the air and felt like someone had just dropped a bucket of cold water on anyone caught in its radius – which with how the twins planned it was the entire crew.

Except Ajiin.  He protested so violently at the thought of having a ‘mancy ward in his room that the twins gave up and decided to just wake him in the dead of the night by other methods.

"Ajiin!  Grab your gun and get your worthless ass to the top deck!"

It was Langley.  Only Langley could possibly be loud enough to be heard – clearly – over the pounding of her fist on his door.  Then the racket ceased abruptly and the first mate heard the pound of their footsteps to the ladder and Sabreur calling out something about manning the guns.  Ajiin rolled out of bed and landed on the floor with a heavy thud.  This was intentional.  In the darkness he reached under his bed and pulled out his rifle.  It was wrapped in folded-over leather and he just let that drop before snagging the ammo pouch from the same location and stumbling for the door.  He always kept his weapon handy and ready to go.  Cut down on the time it took from getting his gun to the time he could start shooting people.

He climbed up the ladder with practiced ease.  Behind him was Crystal, rubbing her eyes and asking what was going on.  Ajiin paused on the top rung.

"Pirates," he said, "Most likely.  Hopefully nothing worse.  Go back to your cabin until someone comes and gets you, okay?"

She nodded and vanished back into her room.  It was agreed that although Crystal was a very powerful ‘mancer that she should remain out of combat.  There wasn't any definite idea of what would happen if she was on deck during a fight but Sabreur guessed that it would somehow involve zombies.  And possibly a very irate Mihos.

The first floor he reached would lead him to the main deck.  He kept climbing up into the helm instead.  Sparrow and Langley were already there, Sparrow standing off to the side and Langley wrapping a piece of string around her fingers.

"Gunners are ready," Sabreur's voice said from somewhere in the middle of the room, "I want to use the fore guns first.  They haven't been tested in battle conditions yet."

"You tested them plenty after we left Bastion."

"That wasn't in real combat."

Langley rolled her eyes and turned to Ajiin.  She had managed to toss her captain's jacket on over her nightgown and if it weren't for the fact that it was a warm night he would have the opportunity for some crass comments.  She held a rapier in one hand, sheathed, and her bag of components in the other.

"Be careful up there," she said, "It's dark and the moon is close to new so hopefully they won't be able to see you sniping.  But if they do find you drop down into the helm and find a better vantage on main deck."

"How many ships?" he asked quietly, his hand already on the ladder leading onto the helm.

"Just one.  Not running any flags though and is approaching from our starboard, looking to get our stern in range of their fore guns.  I tried to establish a relay over there and it got cut off instantly.  They're not looking to talk."

"Pirates," Ajiin sighed and heaved himself onto the ladder and onto the top deck.

He stayed low, lying on his belly as he edged himself to the side, facing the incoming vessel.  It was a larger skimmer and as he prepped his gun and put his eye to the scope he saw that it also had more guns than the Ark.  Four at the bow, two on each side, and presumably some more at the back.  It was built for strength and firepower.

"Can we outrun them?" Ajiin called down to Langley.

"I'm considering it.  I'm also considering letting them get close and then swinging the Ark around to double-back, fire off some shots with the fore guns, and then use the shift generator and our speed to get out of there.  Discourage them from following.  That sort of thing."

"And to let Sabreur try out the new guns?" he asked.

"Please do!" came the pyromancer's voice from the relay.

"Maybe," his sister replied.

Ajiin quietly loaded his gun, the click of ammo in the cartridge reassuring him.  They'd fight.  They were Stormriders.  And Langley was more aggressive when she was rudely awakened in the middle of the night by someone sounding the alert.  He'd be using bullets tonight.

Somehow, that failed to bother him.  Bastion had been unending boredom of talking to merchants interrupted by the uncertainty of that wretched sword.  He wished his captain would just throw it in the ocean and be done with it.  At least she hadn't grabbed it instead of her rapier when the watchman sounded the alarm.

"They're coming up fast," Ajiin called down below.

"I know," was Langley's reply, "We'd have to push to outrun them.  Wind isn't with us.  Sabreur, get the gunners ready.  They'll be expecting us to double-back so we're going to use the shift generator after the first volley."

"I'll start sniping as soon as they're within range."

Langley merely grunted in response.  He heard her shuffling papers down below and risked a glance away from the approaching pirate ship to see what she was doing.  Her stack of maps on the table had been rearranged and she was bent over, staring at one, while Sparrow nervously held a steady course at the wheel.

"Eh?"

"I'm updating my map.  You know, the one I use to track pirate attacks.  This seems to be a favorite route for ambushes… we've been attacked along it before."

"Can't this wait until later?" he asked.

"Are we within range of their guns?"

"No."

"Then I've got time."

The first volley fired by the attacking pirates fell short about seven yards.  Ajiin put his eye to the scope and watched for movement on the deck.  He could see figures and resisted the urge to take a couple shots.  The light wasn't terribly good and he didn't want to forewarn them that they would be taking sniper fire.  Not until he had some time to snap off a few clean shots that would put the bullet right into their heads.  He dimly heard Langley yelling orders below and shoving Sparrow aside to take the wheel herself.  It didn't register.  It never did when the fighting started.  All that really mattered was his gun and where he was going to put his bullet.  That's why he liked it so much – it made things simple.  Let the twins worry about the difficult things.

Then the guns on the pirate ship fired again and this time they landed within range, the splash of their miss echoing off the starboard side.  Ajiin settled the rifle more comfortably and exhaled slowly, reminding himself that he had time.  Plenty of time.  All the time in the world.  The Ark shifted below him, dipping to one side as Langley cut out the engine power on one side and brought the skimmer into the sharpest turn she could execute.  Ajiin watched as the crew on the pirate ship scurried to one side, readying hooks and other weapons they would be using to board as the Ark attempted to double-back on them.

Course, they didn't know about the shift generator.  And they didn't know about Ajiin.  He smiled to himself and pulled the trigger sharply, the kick landing against his shoulder, the bullet sending one of the would-be boarders flying backwards onto the deck.  Ajiin was already putting the second bullet into the chamber and taking aim.

There was an excited yelp from Sabreur across the relay as the Ark returned fire, one gun missing and the other glancing across the enemy skimmer's armor – failing to do any significant damage.  Not that it mattered – Sabreur was getting to try out the new guns in combat situation.  That would make him happy no matter what happened.  Ajiin took aim and fired again, this time sending one of the boarders sprawling into his friend, who started panicking at the idea of unseen gunfire until Ajiin put a third bullet in between his eyeballs.  The ships were growing closer now and the boarders were readying themselves – sniper fire or no.

"Hey," Langley said, "Sabreur.  The generator just came up with a failure."

And Ajiin sighed softly.  Shot another boarder and this time only clipped his arm.  Things were going to get up close and personal here pretty quickly.

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