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finds fault with life, then it's time to up anchor and run for the shelter of
a safe harbor.
Believe me."
"I believe you."
"GO OVER THE SIDE, matey."
Ryan had walked alone into the bow of the whaler, leaning on the rail, feeling
its cold slickness under his hands. He looked down into the water, which was
barely visible in the mist. The voice behind him made him start.
"Slay her quick, cully."
The mumbling, toothless voice could only be that of Johnny Flynn, who was
lurking behind the windlass, invisible in the clinging fog.
"Thanks for trying to help," Ryan said quietly. "Appreciated it. Sorry you got
yourself "
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"Not the first time."
"Over the side or chill the bitch? You're giving me two bits of advice,
Johnny.
Which would you take, if you were me?"
"Can't swim, matey. Hardly a man on the
Salvation has that skill."
Despite the peril of his situation, Ryan was intrigued at this piece of news.
"Sailors and you can't swim! How can& ?"
The voice was slurred, indistinct. "Thou goest over into the Lantic& 'less
thou dost get a rope thrown to thee as she goes on by, then by the time the
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ship's turned around thou hast been in the water for an hour. Likely more.
Chance of finding a fingernail in a ton of manure's better than getting
thyself picked up. So the cold or the sharks get thee. And it's better that
thou dost go down fast and stay down. Less pain, outlander. I can't take that
much more of the paining."
"So you'd chill Pyra Quadde?"
"No."
"Why not? You told me that I should "
"Thou still knowest her not. She's faster and stronger than nearly any man on
board. Harder. More cruel. Ruthless and all. She'd kill me."
Ryan grinned into the mist. "Likely she'll kill me, Johnny."
The answer was a long while coming. "Yeah. Likely she will, outlander. But if
thou dost want a chance, thou must to strike quick and straight. Like a snake.
Or else."
"Or else?"
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"Or she'll draw the blaster. Cuff thee in chains to her bed. Frame's cold
iron, bolted to the bulkheads and deck. Once that's happened, thou art deader
than salt pig."
"I get it. Hadn't figured she'd& I'll think on it, Johnny Flynn. Sharks or the
bitch?
Fine choice."
But there was no answer. And when he turned on his heel and walked aft along
the deck, the space behind the windlass was filled only with the suffocating
wall of fog.
"TOO THICK."
"Too thick," J.B. repeated.
"Aye. I can no longer hazard my vessel and my men."
"You know we aren't in danger from the shore. You told us. There's no more
land out there for a thousand miles."
"There's Pyra Quadde," the captain said stubbornly.
"Captain," Jak interrupted, coming into the cabin to join the others. "We come
out sea to catch her. No other reason. Must be close. No?"
"Yeah, sure. But all thou hast said is that we get to her and tie alongside.
Ye will take those cannons ye got and blast the living savior out of anything
and anybody that gets in your way. Simple as that? Have I got it right?"
The Armorer nodded. "Sure did, Captain. All you got to do is put a man way out
on the pointed thing at the front. Bowsprit, would it be called?" Deacon
sucked at his teeth and said nothing. J.B. continued. "Out there. Sharpest man
you& wait.
Krysty, think you can do it?"
She shook her head. "Don't know. This fog distorts so much. But if we keep
death-
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quiet, we gotta hear them before they hear us. Can have a half dozen men
relaying the bearing and distance back to Captain Deacon here at the stern.
How's that sound?"
Deacon's expression didn't change. Finally he held out his hand to the girl,
who shook it with a smile that brightened the poorly lit cabin. "I'll do it,
little lady.
Truth is, when thou shanghaied the
Phoenix and held a blaster to my head& well, darnation! I could have seen thee
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all over the side and I'd have been smiling as I
sailed on. Now& ? Now's different. I'll help thee. We'll do as thou sayest.
Thou hast mutie hearing, lady?"
"Sort of. And I can 'see,' you know. Like a doomie but not as clear."
The skipper looked at the flame-haired young woman. "What dost thou see of thy
friends on the
Salvation
!"
Krysty closed her eyes. "Nothing plain. I think the fog's clouding everything
down. And it feels like Ryan's in danger, but he's got choices that confuse
things."
"So. All of ye wish us to go on in now? Not wait?"
Dix looked the silver-haired man in the eyes. "We go in. Soon as we get to
her, we go alongside and hit her hard. Maybe try and hole her with the
blasters. They won't fight so hard if their ship's going down under 'em." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]