Search for the Sun by Kapp Colin

Author:Kapp, Colin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction
ISBN: 9780575133709
Publisher: Orion Publishing Group
Published: 2012-12-14T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Mandersport

AS WELL as their message-bearing function, the signal beacons seemed also to serve as navigation markers after dark, and Sarassim shrewdly read their positions and confidently set course for the area where the Shellback had made touchdown. When they had been travelling for a little over an hour, he stilled the thundering of the ponderous engine, and in the absolute darkness that followed, began to lower an anchor.

‘We’re in a good position, if there’s no wind-change before first-light. Now we must wait.’

‘What for?’

‘My dear sky-fellow, you cannot fight an enemy you cannot see. That’s why they struck at dusk, knowing they had the night to consolidate their position whilst we would be helpless.’

‘How far away are they?’

Sarassim consulted his beacons. ‘The nearest, probably not more than a mile downwind.’

‘Then let’s drift towards them. We’ll take them by surprise.’

The Suzerain muttered something incomprehensible, but nevertheless hauled the anchor back in again.

‘How long will it take to reach them?’ asked Ancor.

‘About eight to ten minutes – not that we’ll ever see them.’

‘We’ll see them, I promise you. Now load your crossbows and stand ready. When I tell you, fire your shafts into the gasbags. That way you’ll be able to salvage them later.’

‘And what will they be doing whilst we run so obligingly close between them?’

‘They’ll be occupied with other things,’ said Ancor.

‘It’s a curious way to fight a battle! You’re either a madman or a genius, and only first-light will tell us which.’

When he had judged the time of their drifting to be complete, Ancor took his projector and fired several star-flare pellets as near vertically into the air as the gasbags above his head would allow. The intense light thrown out by these slowly falling super-illuminants was more than adequate to light up the whole terrain, and eight moored ships were immediately visible, grouped close together though farther away than Ancor had anticipated.

‘Start your engine,’ he told Sarassim. ‘And give me the steering reins.’

Sarassim blinked at the marvellous glow which lit the skies, and complied without question, it suddenly occurring to him that a man who could bring his own pocket luminaries might indeed have the monopoly on surprises.

With the engine reinforcing the drift imparted by the wind, they closed rapidly on the moored ships. As the range shortened, Ancor worked swiftly. The hypersonic stun pellets he was employing had to be projected accurately through the window slits of the dirigibles’ cabins if they were to be guaranteed to disable the watch-crews who would be manning them, and even one bowman or bombardier left on his feet could be sufficient to turn their attack into a disaster.

They drew near to the first vessel without any sign of their fire being returned, and Ancor knew his stun pellets had done their job. Sarassim began to use his crossbow like a man possessed, and an expression of pagan joy came upon his face. Three ships had been badly punctured by his shafts before there came the blare of a cannon from the fourth ship and the sound of heavy shot against the plating of their own cabin.

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