152 - Enough To Make A Cat Laugh

Captain Kupepah hissed softly between his teeth as the Arkan ship gained on them. “That’s insane!” He whispered. It was one thing to read reports on how fast this ship was but quite another to see it.

“Signal Aymberkromy,” he snapped.  “He’s not going to be 

able to turn neatly when that monster runs up on us.”

“Aye, Captain.” The First Lieutenant raised his speaking trumpet, a flagger snapped to attention, then began snapping her ‘Attention’ banner before taking up her signal flags.

**

“Sikas, get the outer hull rowers ready,” Captain Filarias said, almost a bead after they took up the chase. “If I were them I’d split directions after setting us up to run straight and long after them.”

“They don’t know how well we can turn. Or how high into the wind we can manage.” He looked up at the turning sails that were bellied tight in the steady breeze.  From the foc’sle came the shout ‘Thirty-knots!”  Even with the cracked spar the wind was strong enough to take her up to her best, so far which was twice the speed of that schooner and the barqantine would be slower still.

“No, they don’t. But I have to assume that they are going to split and then turn into the wind, to come down on us, let us charge between them while they pound us with their carrons.”

“We aren’t going to do that, are we, Captain?”

“No, Sikas, we aren’t.  By the way, let our new carron crew try and fire in synchronization with the springalds.”

“It's enough to make the cat laugh,” Sikas grinned.  “I’ll tell them.”

"Oh, and Sikas... let the bosun know.  We'll be going after the schooner first, whichever way she breaks."

"Aye, Ser."

“Have the replacement oars ready to go.  I have a feeling we’re about to break a few.”

“Aye, Captain.”