This was, of course, the moment when everything went mad. From Menk came the cry, "Boats! Boats full of boarders!" Kort didn't wait for instructions: he simply turned and sprinted back to his command.Ross's voice echoed, "Boats approaching! Pipes ready!""Right, then, Sergeant," I said, quietly, before adding in full command voice, "Marines to the braces!" I grinned at the Sergeant, who was grinning at me. "Sergeant Shearan! Cut loose the for'rd mooring, if you will! Loose the stern line!""Unlock. Loose!" I heard Ross call, and then the same from the other side of the pier, aboard Menk. I had to leave the weapons to their job - I was needed to sail the ship.Just seconds later, I felt a shudder run through the ship. The forward line was severed.

Shearan raced past, headed aft, and a few seconds later a second shudder told me that the rear was loose."Let fly the tops'ls!" They came pouring down. "Rudder hard to starboard!" The helmsman had no resistance as he spun the wheel. "Brace easy!" I wanted the turning motion of the ship to gain speed, but not to rip out the pier!Our attackers set up a chorus of ululating howls."Topmen!" I shouted, "down to the deck! Get your weapons and stand ready!"Ross continued to chant his orders to the pipe-organs, "Unlock. Loose!""Unlock. Loose!" echoed someone on Menk.Shomoah turned quickly, bow downwind, but the risk was that she remain planted there.

"Keep the sails braced broad to the wind!" I called. The Marines hauled the sail smoothly across the wind, and Shomoah continued to turn, until she was nearly parallel to the pier, but headed outward. I went to the aft rail. "Are you ready, Master Kort?" I shouted.Ross shouted, "Unlock. Loose!""Aye, Sir!" Kort called back.A "zip" somewhere near my head told me we were within range of the oncoming boarders' arbaletes."Unlock.

Loose!" came the cry from the far side of Menk."Sergeant Shearan!" My voice was almost a scream. "Let go the aft mooring!" In the gloom I saw his sword fall. once, twice, a third time. and then that shudder again, as Shomoah left the pier."Master Kort! Send a runner to Lieutenant Sartine: time to go!""Aye, Sir! Time to go!""Marines!" I cried, "Get on the tow line! Don't let it snap! Pay it out smoothly!""Unlock. Loose!" from nearby. "Unlock.

Loose!" from Menk."Marines, to me!" came Ross's voice. "Prepare to repel boarders!""Helmsman," I called to the man at the wheel, "Keep her toward the middle of the channel! A point to starboard, to separate Menk from the pier when she cuts her moorings!"I drew my sword. and realized that I still had an arbalete in my left hand, unnoticed through all this. "Alright, lads!" I shouted to my sailors, "It's time to dance! . Follow me!" I charged toward Ross's position.Ross saw us coming. Our Marines were a few paces nearer to him, so he pointed to the opposite gunnel, and shouted "There, Sir! There's another smack getting too close!"The man next to me took a bolt through the side of his head, spun, and crashed to the deck.

without a cry. I felt his blood spray across my neck, but did not slow.The fishing smack was still a dozen rods from us, and slowing down - a collision at speed would not disturb the great bulk of Shomoah. but the smack could be shattered."Stay down!" I yelled. My sailors crouched behind the gunnel, as several unseen bolts whispered their passage above us. "Anyone have an arbalete?" I asked. No one.

I moved several rods aft, rose just high enough to lean my arbalete on the railing, aimed and let fly. I ducked, reloaded, moved nearer my lads, popped up, and loosed again.Hommage to C. S. Forester and all his followers.Ensign Garid Fochen is attached to an embassy whose purpose is to prevent a war. Through a more or less random series of events, Garid becomes the Ambassador's Messenger. Messenger into danger!.