by Jamie Davis
They did manage to pull away from the ship to their stern. She and the lookout had lost sight of it after about a day. But the ship to the port side had actually gotten closer. It was a naval frigate. They were not going to be able to race out of sight of it before they reached the coastline. It was going to be touch and go.
“Sylvie,” Cari called. “Get the schooner’s longboat ready to deploy in a hurry. We’re not going to have much time to load up and get ashore before that other ship arrives.”
“What kind of things do you want me to put in her, Captain.”
“Put all the remaining food supplies we have aboard. Try to pack them in satchels in such a way that we can quickly carry them from the boat once we get ashore. Also, add any weapons we might be able to carry with us from the Sailfish. I’m not sure what we’re gonna run into once we get on dry land.”
“Aye, ma’am.”
The lookout spotted another ship just as Sylvie finished loading the longboat with the weapons and supplies.
“Sail ho. One ship dead ahead.”
Cari stared straight ahead trying to make out the ship in front of them. The masts were just visible above the horizon. It was approaching fast, coming directly at them.
“How had they known we were here?” Cari wondered aloud. “It’s almost as if they had radio communication, which is, of course, impossible.”
“Radio?” Helen asked. “What’s that?”
“Never mind. It’s just something from where I come from. They probably got some sort of magical communication that allows them to speak to each other from ship to ship. That means they knew where we were going and got ahead of us.”
“They’ve got us trapped then.”
“Maybe, but maybe not.” Cari looked at her navigational overlays. As they got closer to shore and the seabed got closer to the surface, the current sometimes did strange things.
There were several places where there were cross-currents moving perpendicular to the primary current to and from shore. As Cari watched them move between the Sailfish and the incoming frigate, the beginnings of an idea formed in her mind.
There was a chance, if luck was with her, that they could use one of those cross-currents to maneuver in such a way as to avoid any incoming cannon fire. It should work at least long enough for them to get out of range and pass by the ship ahead of them.
Cari looked back over her shoulder. She knew there was at least one ship behind them, and another vessel to port. In all likelihood, there were probably more ships all along the coast.
The only thing she could do was keep running for land. All she had to do was get ashore. The ships wouldn’t be able to chase her once she had her feet on dry land. She could get lost, at least from the naval forces.
“Put on more sail, Bosun. We’ve got to pick up speed.”
“What’s your plan?” Helen asked.
“We can’t run away from them anymore. So we’re going to run straight at them.”
“That’s suicide. All we have for weapons are those silly swivel guns. The tiny cannonballs they fire won’t even put a dent in another ship that size.”
“We’re not going to fire at them. We’re going to out sail them. “
“Look, Cari, I know you’ve demonstrated some amazing seamanship. But you can’t outrun a cannonball.”
“I don’t have to outrun them. I just have to be able to outmaneuver them. Cannonballs are pretty slow when you think about it. All we have to do is wait until they’ve committed to firing and then get out of the way.”
“So now we’re dodging cannon balls? I’d want to see how you do it if it weren’t for the fact that I’m on the ship you’re planning on using for target practice.”
Cari couldn’t believe she was going to say this. It sounded suspiciously like something her father would say. “Helen, I know you don’t believe we can do this, but trust me. I have a plan.”
* * *
Quest accepted — Dodging cannonballs
* * *
She turned her attention to watching the currents and the wind direction again. Bearing down on the ship ahead, Cari made minute adjustments to their course. It all was going to depend on how fast they were moving. Speed was the key.
The schooner was far more responsive than a more massive ship. All she had to do was get past the ship ahead of them. They were less than a day’s travel away from the coastline. There couldn’t be more than this one ship ahead of them. Once they were past this one, it would be clear sailing.
As they drew closer to the other ship, Cari could make out from the sail pattern that it was an imperial naval vessel for sure. It was also a capital ship. That was both good and bad.
The capital ships of the imperial navy were huge and carried a complement of 22 guns in each broadside. When you added in the bow and stern chaser guns, that came to 48 cannons altogether. That was the bad news.
The good news was because the ship was so large, it would not be able to turn nearly as quickly as the tiny schooner could. All she had to do was sail past, carrying as much speed as she could. With a little luck, she’d be in an area where she could catch one of those sideways currents at the right moment.
This was going to take every bit of navigational and ship handling skills she’d accumulated in her time on Fantasma. Only someone who could see the currents and the wind patterns the way she did would be able to pull it off.
The first chance she got to try her new plan came when they first arrived in range of the approaching ship’s bow chasers. The massive cannons mounted directly in the front of the vessel on the forecastle, fired as soon as the Sailfish was in range. Cari saw the puffs of smoke from the cannon fire before she heard the boom of the shots. The cannonballs almost looked graceful as they arced in her direction.
Cari shook her head and smiled.
They’d fired a little too early and the cannonballs splashed harmlessly into the sea a hundred yards ahead of them. The next shots wouldn’t miss that way, though. They’d be well in range by that point.
Cari checked the currents and adjusted her course slightly to pass to the starboard of the naval vessel. That was where she could spot the nearest perpendicular currents in a row that would pass by at the same time they were going by the bigger ship. If luck was with her, those currents would help her dodge the incoming cannon fire.
First, though, she had to dodge the next shots from the other ship. Two more puffs of smoke followed by the booming sound of cannon fire announced the next round of attacks. This time Cari adjusted the course once again and caught one of the perpendicular currents just as the cannonballs soared in at them.
Just as planned, the current popped the small schooner sideways in the water as it cut forward through the waves. It was suddenly out of the path of the incoming cannonballs and they splashed harmlessly to the port side only about hundred feet from the side of the vessel.
“If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t believe it,” Helen said. “How did you do that?”
“If I thought I could teach you, I would. For now, you’ll just have to trust that I can do it again because we’re about to pass by that monster’s broadside. “
“Dodging two cannonballs from the bow chasers is one thing, Cari. Dodging twenty-two is quite another.”
“There’s no time like the present to see if the plan works. Get everyone up in the forecastle by the longboat. If things go badly, we’re not going to have much time to lower it and get aboard before this tiny vessel sinks.”
“It’s nice to see you have so much confidence in your plan.”
“Just taking precautions. Get Percy and Jaycee up there by the boat. Sylvie and the others can sail this thing. I want you, Francesca, and Percy by Jaycee’s side in case you have to get over into the smaller boat. We’ll only have one shot at this.”
They were at an angle now to the side that the bow chasers couldn’t fire any longer and she could see the men aboard the imperial vessel crowding to the rail on th
e starboard side of their ship, manning the guns, ready to fire on the tiny schooner. Cari concentrated and poured every ounce of her will into activating her navigational and seamanship skills. It was now or never.
They were about a hundred yards off the Imperial ship’s starboard side when the first broadside fired at them. Cari was glad they’d waited as long as they did. She had just entered the first sideways current and she spun the wheel turning the schooner so that it now faced almost directly away from The Imperial ship.
With the schooner now turned to present a narrower target and racing away from them at high speed, all but one of the cannonballs fired at them missed. The one that did hit them struck at the stern rail just behind where Cari stood at the wheel. It splintered an entire section of decking and railing but causing no other damage that would affect their seaworthiness.
Cari immediately spun the wheel to port and turned the schooner once again catching another current headed towards the shore along with the more favorable winds to sail them past the Imperial ship. The other ship’s crew would have reloaded by now. She had to be ready to react.
She was almost to the next perpendicular current, this one carrying them back in the opposite direction. She was taking a chance, but she expected most of the gun crews on the Imperial vessel would be aiming high expecting her to turn away again and get farther away, rather than closer. If they did as she expected, Cari could sail right under the gunfire.
The belt of smoke billowed from the side of the Imperial ship announcing another broadside. This time Cari spun the wheel to port and now sailed directly at the Imperial ship catching another of the swift perpendicular currents.
Once again it propelled the Sailfish at a higher speed than expected and she managed to sail past all of the cannonballs as they were aimed too high. They all sailed over her ship.
As soon as the cannonballs passed, she spun the wheel again to catch another current headed to shore.
Cari laughed aloud into the wind blowing past her. They were past the broadside guns. The other, much larger ship would not be able to turn in time to keep them in range or in their sights. Now all she had to do was avoid the double stern chasers and they were home free.
This was going to be a little trickier.
“Sylvie, be ready to have those sails aloft and add as much sail as you can. We’re going to have to sail faster than they can reload. If I’m right, that will only give them one shot at us.”
“One shot might be all they need, Captain,” Sylvie said.
Cari shrugged. She wasn’t wrong. A few minutes later they were directly astern of the other ship and sailing away from them. As soon as they were in the sights of the stern chasers, the gun crews fired two cannonballs. They arced out towards them.
Cari searched the waters ahead but there were no currents to slide her to the side this time. All she could do was hope their aim was bad.
One of the cannonballs missed wide to the port side. The other, however, drove straight in and slammed into the center of the deck on the small schooner, tearing up planking and throwing up hatch covers like it was kindling.
“Sylvie get below and check on damage. Make sure that cannonball didn’t spring any timbers in the lower hold.”
“Aye aye, ma’am.”
While Sylvie headed down below, Cari continued steering them directly toward the coastline ahead of them. She could just make out the smudge on the horizon that announced their arrival at the Imperial mainland.
Cari looked back over her shoulder. She didn’t think the stern chasers would have the range on them for another shot.
She was right. They fired, but the two cannonballs fell harmlessly into the sea behind them. A cheer went up from the crew.
Sylvie came back up on deck from one of the hatchways. She was smiling.
“What’s so funny?” Cari asked.
“Captain Wheldon is going to be a little perturbed with you, ma’am. That last cannonball didn’t do any damage to the hull, but it smashed the wine storage on this prize schooner of his. I think there were some very nice vintages stored in there.”
“Once we get Jaycee to her great-grandmother, I’ll make it up to him. He can have as much wine as he wants.”
Cari checked behind her one more time.
The Imperial vessel was coming about, turning in a painfully slow arc. There was no way they were going to be able to catch the Sailfish. They’d made it past with only minimal damage and the schooner still raced on towards the shoreline ahead.
* * *
Quest completed — Dodging cannonballs
18,000 experience awarded
Chapter 5
As they raced away from the naval ship, Cari called out to Sylvie on the main deck. “Come take over the helm. Have the crew in the tops keep a sharp lookout for any other ships. Keep heading towards the shore dead ahead of us. Helen, join me down in the captain’s cabin. We need to look at the charts one more time and figure out where we’re going to put ashore.”
Sylvie came to the small quarterdeck and took the wheel, continuing their heading towards the distant smudge of the shoreline ahead of them on the horizon. Helen and Cari headed down to the captain’s cabin.
As Cari unrolled the charts on the table, she scanned the shoreline represented on them. She placed a paperweight at the corners and took a pencil and marked two positions far apart on the shore on one of the charts. “Based on what I can figure, we are going to land somewhere between these two markers. The question is, where?”
Helen leaned over the table next to her and scanned the shoreline. “There are no villages it appears. But I’ve seen this portion of the shoreline before.” Helen shook her head and stared at the coastline. “I wish we had our old charts from the Vengeance. These aren’t very detailed.”
“Me too. Still, there’s no sense worrying about stuff we can’t do anything about.” Cari thought for a few seconds and then pointed at the section of the shore Helen indicated. “Isn’t this the area where we landed in that cove to get to the old silver mines?”
“I think so, but I don’t see the cove marked on the chart.”
“Hmm, these charts might not be accurate enough to show a small inlet like that one. Captain Wheldon used this schooner mostly around the Cairn Islands. He probably didn’t bother stocking decent charts for anywhere else. It would’ve been too expensive.”
“So,” Helen asked. “Where do you think the cove is on this chart?”
“I’m not sure. We’ll probably just have to get to the coastline and then sail along until we find it.”
“If we do that, it’s going to give those Imperials a chance to catch up with us.”
Cari shrugged. “I don’t see any other solution. If we can find that cove, it’ll give us a chance to get away from the ship and onto dry land before anyone can organize enough to follow us. Plus, there’s always a chance they might sail past the ship altogether if we are hidden in the cove. That would give the rest of the crew a chance to keep the schooner and sail onward once they’re back on board and the danger has passed.”
“There’s a slim chance of that happening,” Helen said. “But it’s the best option, I suppose.”
* * *
Quest accepted — Land at the secret cove
* * *
“After sailing around that Man ‘O War and keeping at the wheel for an extended period of time, I’m pretty exhausted. Do you think you can take command while I get some rest?”
“I was hoping you’d come to your senses. You’re not superhuman, you know.”
“What, I’m not Supergirl?”
“You’re super, but you’re not superhuman. Get some rest Cari, we’ll wake you up when we get closer to land. That should give you a couple of hours to sleep at least.”
Cari nodded. “Thank you. Wake me up as soon as we get close enough to the shoreline to start scouting for that cove.”
“Will do.”
Helen left Cari alone in the cabin and Cari walke
d over and laid down on the captain’s bunk. She didn’t even bother to get undressed. She was so exhausted, she fell asleep immediately.
Cari awoke with a start as someone poked her shoulder. She looked down at her arm to see Percy standing there.
“Miss Doolan sends her compliments, ma’am. She told me to tell you we are close enough to the shoreline that we’re ready to start looking for that cove.”
“Thank you, Mr. McShea. Tell Miss Doolan I’ll be right there.”
As Percy left, Cari got out of the bunk and walked over to the washstand where she poured some water from the pitcher into the wash basin and splashed some on her face to freshen up. She looked up in the mirror and brushed a stray strand of hair away from her eyes.
She was still exhausted and looked it, but she had a lot to get done and they had to get away from the pursuing naval ships. That was the first order of business. Hopefully, once she was ashore, she could rest some more.
By the time Cari got up on deck, the shoreline was close enough that she could make out details on the beach. Most of the coastline was made up of rocky stretches of cliffs and shoals that would not offer a safe place to land, even in their small boat. “Sylvie, turn us to starboard and let’s continue southeast along the coast. By my best reckoning, the cove we’re looking for is in that direction.”
“Aye, aye, ma’am.”
Sylvie spun the wheel and the Sailfish came about onto its new heading, paralleling the coastline. Once again Cari wished she had a proper spyglass to scan the shoreline ahead of them. It would’ve made things so much easier. She turned and checked the horizon behind them. There were no signs of any sails. That was good news.
“Helen make sure that the stores Sylvie stocked in the longboat are still fresh and ready to go. Once we find the cove, we’re not going to have much time to do anything but put ashore.”