The Ice Schooner by Michael Moorcock

Author:Michael Moorcock [Moorcock, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction
Published: 2011-10-23T11:22:50+00:00

14 The Ice Break

The monstrous ship lurched heavily again, swinging Arflane backwards into the doorframe of Ulrica Ulsenn’s cabin.

Manfred Rorsefne’s door opened. The young man was dishevelled and gasping; blood from a head wound ran down his face. He tried to grin at Arflane, staggered into the gangway, and fell against the far wall.

‘Where are the others?’ Arflane yelled above the sound of creaking and shattering ice. Rorsefne shook his head.

Arflane stumbled along the gangway until he could grab the handle of the door to Janek Ulsenn’s cabin. The ship listed, this time to port, as he opened the door and saw Ulsenn and his wife lying against the far bulkhead. Ulsenn was whimpering and Ulrica was trying to get him to his feet. ‘I can’t make him move,’ she said. ‘What has happened?’

‘Ice break,’ Arflane replied tersely. ‘The ship’s half in the water already. You’ve all got to get overboard at once. Tell him that.’ Then he grunted impatiently and grabbed Ulsenn by the front of his jacket, hauling the terrified man over his shoulder. He gestured towards the gangway. ‘Can you help your cousin, Ulrica - he’s hurt.’

She nodded and pulled herself to her feet, following him out of the cabin.

Manfred managed to smile at them as they came out, but his face was grey and he was hardly able to stand. Ulrica took his arm.

As they fought their way out to the swaying deck, Urquart joined them; the harpooner shouldered his lance and helped Ulrica with Manfred, who seemed close to fainting.

Around them in the black night, slabs of ice still rose and fell, crashing on to the deck, but the ship slipped no further into the break.

Arflane led them to the rail, grasped a dangling line and swung himself and his burden down the side, jumping the last few feet to the firm ice. Dimly seen figures milled around; over his head, the mooring lines running from the rail strummed in the darkness. Urquart and Ulrica Ulsenn were somehow managing between them to lower Rorsefne down. Arflane waited until they were all together and then jerked the trembling form of Janek Ulsenn from his shoulder and let the man fall to the ice. ‘Get up,’ he said curtly. ‘If you want to live you’ll help the men with the lines. Once the ship goes, we’re as good as dead.’

Janek Ulsenn climbed to his feet; he scowled at Arflane and looked around him angrily until he saw Ulrica and Manfred standing with Urquart. ‘This man,’ he said, pointing at Arflane, ‘this man has once again put our lives in jeopardy by his senseless - ‘

‘Do as he says, Janek,’ Ulrica said impatiently. ‘Come. We’ll both help with the lines.’

She walked off into the darkness. Ulsenn scowled back at Arflane for a second and then followed her. Manfred swayed, looking faintly apologetic. ‘I’m sorry, captain. I seem . . .’

‘Stay out of the way until we’ve done what we can,’ Arflane instructed him. ‘Urquart - let’s get on with it.

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