Low Gravity World – World 2
“Sail ho! Sail ho!”
The cry rolled over the ship in a churning wave, unsettling every place it touched. People rose and ran to look, wondering what this foreshadowed. Captain Rush came out of his cabin and stalked aft to see what was coming. The attack in port had them on edge, so imagination presented them with worst case scenarios.
“Well?” inquired Shipmaster Tavorian walking up to the Captain who was staring through his looking glass.
“Hard to tell yet,” said the Captain. “Smaller ships, that’s for sure. They could be small trading vessels or some of those fast ships the Tri-Cities use as scouts. Either way, they’re going to overtake us. No sense in worrying now. When they get closer, we’ll send a pair of scouts out for a look.”
A while later, the scouts launched. As they flew away, both passengers and crew watched with a mixture of apprehension and gratitude, wondering what they would find. Time passed, the ships grew closer, and still, the scouts had not returned. After what seemed an eternity, they were spotted flying back at top speed.
“Sound general quarters,” the Captain ordered. He noted the urgency in the scouts’ flight and knew the news was bad. “Send word to Squadron Leader Wakechai to prepare for anti-ship combat.”
The lookout hurried away to find the Squadron Leader as Master Tavorian rang the alarm. Around the ship, everyone jumped up and prepared for an attack. The civilians went to their cabins while the crew secured every hatch and loose item. Then the crew went to their positions around the ship, ready to respond to any command in seconds.
No orders came, as the Captain was still waiting for the scouts’ report. He stood watching the ships until the scouts landed heavily on the deck.
“Sir,” one of them reported breathlessly, “ships are attacking.”
“We’re ready. Sit down before you fall down. Go get them a drink”
This last order was given to a nearby crewman who disappeared for a moment and quickly returned with two cups of water. The scouts collapsed onto a nearby bench and tried to catch their breath. After a few moments there breathing slowed enough to speak.
“There are six ships. They’re much smaller than ours but crowded with men. We were fired on by some kind of long-range ship-mounted crossbow as we approached within about 200 meters. They are not wearing uniforms but are armored. I think we should assume they are military or have military training. And those ships are fast. We had difficulty outrunning them.”
“You two get some rest, the Captain said grimly. “You’re exhausted, and we may need you later.”
“Chief,” he turned to one of the ship’s officers, “arm the women, children, and older passengers as best you can and put them in defensible locations. We will try to protect them, but some enemies may get past us. Master Tavorian, prepare the crew and able bodied men to repel boarders.”
Lastly, he turned to the short, broad-chested figure wearing wings. “Squadron Leader Wakechai, gather your men outside the armory. We need you to use all of your weapons.”
Wakechai followed the Captain while calling his flyers. The Captain went to the back of the armory and unlocked a cupboard with a key only he possessed. He removed a belt holding 4 cylinders and handed it to Squadron Leader Wakechai. The other scouts’ eyes grew big when they saw this, but Wakechai accepted the belt with grim determination. The Captain finished distributing the belts and turned to address the men.
“We cannot stand against 6 ships full of soldiers, so we must sink as many as possible before they reach us. We depend on you. Strike hard. Strike true. Our lives are in your hands. Squadron Leader, those ships are close. Attack quickly.”
“Yes Sir,” Wakechai responded. “Scouts, we’ve done this drill before. Duff and Keiji will fill out the 3 and 4 slots of Blue Flight in place of Keb and Rob. Green will fly with only two. To your launch positions on the double … move!”
The scouts ran to their positions and began launching in pairs. Orbiting the ship, they formed up, then turned towards the enemy. Those left on board watched as they dwindled into specks, hoping for the best and fearing the worst.
action jumps in fast. The protection for passengers is unusual, but practical
If it’s not practical, it’s just going to get you killed. In combat situations, you go from bored out of your skull to scrambling just to survive in an instant, and the writing reflects that.