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of Lorraine's, and unlike some of her other ideas, seemed to work effectively,
at least when the weather was clear, I understood. There was nothing "modern"
about the "technology", since a system very much like it had been in use in
France in the 18th Century.
"Otherwise Darlanis is going to be able to figure out pretty soon about
`where' our ships are," Carol added, glancing at Sandi sitting there next to
her husband. The Queen could send out a couple of second rates, and several
third rates, enough ships to put a quick halt to our activities if they ever
found us at sea!!
"Shouldn't be too hard to destroy one of those towers," Lars said, his
arm around his wife. "Only trouble is that the Imperi- als are certainly going
to know what we're up to when we do it!"
"Maybe there's a way of doing it so they won't know," Sandi suggested
then, her eyes meeting those of my wife as she nodded. She was first officer
on the Swiftstar, a position she deserved!!
"`Spooky' out here at night," Shari Johnson whispered, well aware of how
useless her sword or bow would be up against some of the life in this era. Her
black clad Warlady and the first offi- cer of the Swiftstar smiling to
themselves at her choice of words just then! The group of archers and
crossbowmen following close.
"There's the tower," Carol whispered, the thing towering up into the
star sprinkled sky. A small hut at its base no doubt housing the operator and
his family. A little jetty jutting out into the bay had a small sailboat tied
up to it, she noticed now.
"Hold your force here," Sandi ordered Shari, the archers and crossbowmen
from the ships squatting down in the sand. Shari watching the two black faced
women carefully creeping ahead, the lovely midshipman wondering to herself if
she would ever be able to do things like this? To lead a force down a beach to
assault an enemy outpost. To bring the force of Dularnian naval power to bear
in a place like this? The sixteen year old girl well aware of the "fate" that
would await her should the Imperials capture them. The "war" was "undeclared",
and so far as the Empire was concerned, she might very well be considered as
"collar meat". And the poor family she came from certainly would never be able
to ransom her if the Imperials ever decided to make her a slave!!
"No guards, no nothing," Sandi breathed into Carol's ear, the Warlady
nodding in reply. There was a small village down the coast a mile or so away.
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This part of southern Sarn was not heavily populated. "We could `take' this
ourselves," she smiled!
"Let's do it then!" Carol answered with a soft laugh, creep- ing
forward, Sandi at her side. The brownette crawling up to the side of the hut,
there beneath an open window, the gentle sound of snoring coming to her ears
as she listened carefully now. A nod to Sandi and both women lit the fire
bottles they'd brought, tossing them in through the open window and then
dashing around to the front of the hut, their drawn swords now in their
hands!!!
Chapter Fifty One
"Trella," I said to Carol, lowering the telescope, the city just visible
there in the distance against the distant bluish haze. The ship gently rolling
there beneath us as we stood in the main mast crows nest. "I'll use that
little sailboat we've got," I said. The one we'd "stolen" from the telegraph
operator.
"Take someone with you," Carol said, her eyes holding mine.
"I'd like Shari," I said, my wife nodding, smiling a bit. It was a nice
day, a mild warm breeze just right for a "cruise".
"Scared?" I asked Shari as we sailed into the great harbor. She was an
attractive girl, one who impressed me with her maturi- ty, her "competence" at
everything that she did. I had no doubt she'd make Dularn an excellent captain
some day. She was eager to learn, to absorb information on everything. She was
the daughter of a ordinary working family in Arsana, metal workers, I knew. A
girl who had sought ships, the sea as her goal in life.
"You should have taken Denise, she's of the aristocracy," Shari smiled.
"My father just pounds on metal and makes things."
"A `metal worker' is `useful', the aristocrats aren't," I smiled back.
That was the "trouble" with our societies, I said. On the other hand those of
the 20th Century had been no better...
"That must be the Athena," she answered, turning on the seat to look
ahead. I noticed Lorraine had taken the masts down, the great hull showing no
sign of the battle the ship had been in.
"There's an Imperial second rate," I said, seeing the ship floating
there at anchor. Its flags indicated that it was one of Darlanis'. The design
of these ships is a perfect copy of the North Star, I might note. Such speaks
well of my beloved Queen.
"If Queen Lorraine has revoked the `agreement'...," Shari breathed, her
eyes meeting mine. She has hair slightly darker than Carol's, although her eye
color is that of a blonde woman's.
"Such matters involve `honor' and `caste codes'," I smiled. In dealing
with Lorraine I tend to see her as I saw her back in the 20th Century. On the
other hand rationally I was well aware she was no longer the same person that
she had been back then...
"That `command' is pretty small, `cap'n," the prostitute said, leaning
there against a post that helped support the dock. Her short leather skirt and
halter reminded me of Kathi's attire. She carried the common fighting sword
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and dagger, a narrow band about her throat marking her as being a "caste
sister", a member of the Prostitute Guild controlled by the new Princess of
Baja, the yet famous "Lara Warsan", who is married to Tara's son Jers.
"I do have a regular ship," I answered, wondering "why" I had said it
just as soon as I spoke. She was brunette, her skin color leaving no doubts as
to her "mixed blood" heritage that is so common here in what was once southern
California. I knew too that women such as her often acted as the eyes and ears
of rulers such as Darlanis and Lorraine. Darlanis for example owes a part of
her "success" to the support given to her by Lara's "women"...
"You once had a midshipman called Monica Freeman?" the woman smiled,
leaning there against the post. A few of the city's men at arms were watching
us from a shady spot. I had expected more of a "reception" than this, but on
the other hand I didn't know if the prostitute was actually "what" she
appeared to be either.
"Blonde, about sixteen," I answered, a cold feeling going through me. It
was obvious that Monica hadn't made it to Dularn! I was thankful she didn't
know that much about our plans, as no doubt she had told all she knew of
things. Such is why Carol and I never told any of those under us our full long
range plans now.
"She pleases her master well," the prostitute smiled back.
"I am here to speak to your Queen," I said to the woman.
"We expected that you were," she smiled back at me now.
"In here," the man said, the "prostitute" smiling at Shari. Lorraine
does have a sense of humor, and sending one of her own Warrioresses attired as
a prostitute was I supposed her version of a joke. On the other hand Lorraine
does keep pretty close tabs on things. Very little happens that she doesn't
know about!
"Expected you'd show up eventually," Lorraine smiled, her dark eyes
glowing into mine, the azure of Darlanis' a hot blaze!! "Especially after
putting my telegraph out of operation like you did there five days ago," the
Warlady of California smiled at me. The two sitting there on a sofa, both a
"contrast" to the other.
"Your majesties," Shari breathed, doing a little curtsy.
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