Jammers Summary: Chapter 1, Turn 2

----------- = Meanwhile, elsewhere...
*********** = Later...

Round 1:

Watching the ships get slowly closer it becomes obvious they've stopped as the Eelship, already close to it, pulls alongside the now stopped caravel for boarding. Of course at this distance (5500 yards) it's hard to make out any details of the fighting. The crew go about their tasks at battle stations, watching the distance close.

Grigree gets his crossbow ready and climbs up to a stable part in the rigging of the mainmast.

Fidalie stands next to the mainmast, quickly checking the straps on his leather armor to make certain it's secure, and makes sure that his various combat related tools and weapons are where they are supposed to be. As he does so he curses in what must be his native tongue.

Deigatt, armed with his great axe, stands ready on deck as the Flowfish approaches the other vessels. He stands back from the railing to allow his shipmates armed with missile weapons to be unobstructed and also to keep his large body from being an easy target for opposing missile attacks.

Kain stares at the two ships, his right hand on the hilt of his shortsword, and his left hand clenching and unclenching.

Radick leaps from his position where he had been listening to the order and within a moment he is in position. Radick immediately prepares the first shot of the light catapult and waits for the order to fire as Billy approaches.

Billy walks up to the light catapult carrying his sack.

Italapate meanders up to the deck in response to yet another drill. His dark eyes take in the scene with a look of boredom. But, when he realizes what is happening, and sees the Eelship pursuing the dirtkicker vessel, there is a palpable demeanor change. His jaw sets angrily, and he snaps sharply to attention.

Holland rushes up to the forecastle with the Captain and scans around the ship in all directions to see if there are any other ships lurking about.

Talus watches the ships from the main deck.

Raken watches the goundling ship, with the Eelship in hot pursuit, from the forecastle. "They still fly those things?" he ponders.

"Aye." the captain replies, surprising Raken. "Something's not right..."

Below, on the bridge (#1) Lt. Sands says to Leera "Maintain course and go to maximum speed." Leera increases speed as much as she can, watching the surrounding asteroids nervously.

Lt. Sabbagh has the rear ballistae loaded.

Round 2:

The distance closes to 5000 yards, it seems the Flowfish will be too late to help the embattled caravel. Revenge is still possible, however.

Grigree continues waiting to fire, watching the ships close.

Fidalie remains below also watching the ships closely as the Flowfish gets closer to them.

Deigatt stands ready unless ordered otherwise. Periodically he glances behind him and aft to see if any other vessels might be coming up behind the Flowfish.

Italapate studies the Eelship intently, "There are so many possibilities," he mumbles to himself, but is easily heard. "Chainmen, Tenth Pit, Xenos, sometimes even Zhentarim or fanatics from Iuz..." Then he says out loud, "I wish I was a mage and could just blow them out of the stars."

A grunt of annoyance passes through Kain's lips as he continues to watch the two fighting ships. Drawing his shortsword, Kain crouches as the fight continues to unfold.

Radick stands ready, realigning the catapult as Leera guides the ship, making small direction changes almost constantly, "Keep it straight girl, we can't get a bead on them if you keep changing our line." Then he pauses and notes the stress and pressure that Leera is under and whispers so softly only Billy could hear it "Come on girl, you can do it... Just stay calm and concentrate."

Billy drops the bag on the deck next to the catapult and gauges the distance between ships. Seeing that he has time, he reaches into his sack and pulls out his leathern hauberk and starts pulling it on. "Time t' play heroes, dontcha know," says Billy. Then he whispers, "'Pon my soul, I hope th' captain knows what she's a-doin'"

Holland continues to scan for other ships.

Talus peers over the gunwale watching the approaching vessels.

"Captain," Raken says, "shall I Bless the officers, or the catapult? My other spells are cures; shall I prepare for... casualties?"

"Hmm... Yes, bless the catapult crew." The captain seems distracted and raises her spyglass for another look at the two ships grappled ahead "Should see more at this range...'PON MY SOUL! IT'S AN ILLUSION! LT. SANDS, REVERSE COURSE!"

Below, on the bridge Lt. Sands calls, "Bank to Port!" Leera desperately tries to comply, taking the Flowfish as hard as she dares to he left. Lt. Sands' command is relayed in an instant to the bosun; he gives two sharp orders to the sail crews. Leera feels the Flowfish respond, banking around in a sharp 135 degree turn.

Deigatt and Holland both shout out simultaneously as another Eelship pulls out from behind the closest asteroid and heads directly for the banking Flowfish. A ballistae bolt launches from the Eelship and slams into the bow of the Flowfish. It sticks there, quivering and below Leera feels a pinprick for just an instant. The second Eelship is only 1500 yards or so away, and coming at the Flowfish head to head.

Round 3:

Behind you now, the caravel fades from sight as the first Eelship accelerates towards the battle. It slowly closes the range to 4500 yards (despite it being a stern chase now).

The second Eelship and the Flowfish are closing each other at an alarming rate, the 1500 yards between them vanishing to nothing this round.

"SKIM PAST THEM, THEN SANDS TAKE THE HELM! ALL WEAPONS FIRE AT WILL!" the Captain yells.

Leera obeys, feeling the crews' aid as she guides the Flowfish in a skimming pass down the second Eelship's starboard side.

Raken intones a Bless spell on Radick and Billy. "By Celestrian's Glorious Journey throughout the Cosmos, Bless these men so that we may fight in your glory!"

Radick aims carefully and releases the catapult. His shot strikes true shattering several sideboards on the Eelship as the two vessels close.

The ship's air envelopes mingle as arrows and stones fly both ways. The Eelship's crew look to be mostly humans, ruffians the lot. The ship flies the Neogi skull on a black field, the standard pirate emblem.

Billy grabs his crossbow and fires a bolt towards the Eelship and is rewarded by the sight of one of its crewman taking a bolt to the leg.

Grigree squeezes off a crossbow shot, then curses as it goes wide into the Eelship's deck.

Fidalie watches the new vessel warily, ducking behind the mainmast for cover from the arrows they fired back.

Deigatt stands ready.

Waiting patiently for the long range attacks to pass, Kain looks to the stars for signs of other ships.

Italapate continues to finger his tomahawk in nervous anticipation of boarding.

Holland says to the Captain, "Captain, I intend to place a wall of fog on the main deck and engulf their main weapon and surroundings with a magical web. I can not cast these spells until I am within 30 yards for the fog and 15 yards for the web. Is this permissible?"

"YES!" the captain yells as she fires an arquebus towards the enemy vessel, taking down a ballistae crewman.

Talus peers over the gunwale and begins casting a spell, scattering something on the deck. Aboard the pirate ship several pirates slump to the deck in a sound sleep and begin to snore loudly.