The Enemy of My Enemy [LOG]
Dawn breaks off the coast of Kitezh and the light spills across a brilliant, red ship. Soon, other ships can be seen in her wake. This motley group of dangerous-looking vessels is on an intercept course with a fleet of long ships with a decidedly more uniform shape. The ships Minos and Kitezh are meeting once again but this time their archers are not aiming things at each other. For now.
Cyrus stands in the wheelhouse of the Ten of Swords which is just port and aft of The Golden Apple. His crew moves like a single organism across the decks as he scans the horizon with a spyglass.
Dinah stands at the wheel of the red ship, and orders are called out over the deck in Minosian. One of which involves telling a lesser shipman to take his hand off the hilt of his blade for the moment. The deck is wet with a travelled-through rain but it doesn't seem to have slowed the crew any.
Across the aft of the red ship is her name, The Golden Apple.
The fact that the archers of Kitezh and Minos are not aiming at one another is an event in and of itself. There's no small number of men in the longboats looking uncomfortable as the other ships near, and fingers do twitch some, as though in longing. At the prow of the main ship is King Viktor, standing straight and proud as he waits. He's dressed for battle, of course, an immense two-handed sword sheathed on his back.
Saffron is on the Apple, busying herself with seeing to the practicalities of the voyage. She frowns, briefly, as Dinah has to chide a crew member, silently marking the man for a talking-to later.
It should be of note that while none of the ships are flying the black flag, they all do all have the flag of Minos dancing from their main masts. It's not something often seen. As the Fleet draws closer to the longboats, Dinah hands the wheel off to a midshipsman, moving towards the rail and gesturing for Saffron to come along.
The Ten of Swords flies a Minosian flag underneath a bright green one bearing the Chantris eagle. Amber's standard is nowhere to be seen.
Saffron, in spite of fixing her attention on the crewmen, manages to have Dinah's location and gesture marked from the corner of an eye. She moves to the rail, brows lifting in silent query.
While those on the longboats remain ready - just in case - not a one of them crosses the king's orders and touches their weapon. Viktor's eyes seem to be taking in the positioning of all the ships carefully, though the center of his attention appears to be those on the lead ship.
Privately, to Saffron, Dinah murmurs, lowly in Minosian, "Kick me if I lose my temper. We're here to help, and you're better at keeping your head than I am."
Privately, to Dinah, Saffron manages to mostly hide her smirk, at that. "Have a few children, Captain. That cured me of the hot-headedness."
Privately, to Saffron, Dinah, through the laughter, "Between you and I? I've been trying."
Dinah's hands touch the rail and she leans against it slightly once she has Viktor in her sights. The crew on the Apple, and those on the other ships, all seem wary and prepared for action--but none draws a blade. Dinah laughs at something said on the ship, and then lifts her voice, looking to Viktor. "Good Thane," she calls out over the sea, voice carrying clearly, like she was standing right next to the man. "What a splendid day to slaughter a mutual enemy, don't you think?"
Saffron spends a long moment just staring at Dinah, then shakes her head. Something's said quietly, before she turns her attention toward the Thane's ship.
Privately, to Dinah, Saffron says, "May all the gods help us."
Cyrus watches the Minosians and the Kitezh as often as he looks to the horizon, now
.
Viktor studies the woman for a long moment, then notes with all seriousness "Any day we can slaughter an enemy is a good day." His eyes flicker over any others visible, for a familiar face.
Dinah hardly looks like an intimidating figure, from afar. She's not tall, nor is she over-muscled. But the smile she flashes would look perfectly at home on a great white shark. "Then lead on, Thane, and the Minos Fleet will help you be rid o' them."
Saffron mirrors Dinah's expression, though hers is made a good deal less disturbing by the dimples that accompany it.
Viktor seems to be all business. He nods once, then only glances towards the man steering the ship in order to get them underway. Having the Minosians at their back does nothing at all to make those of Kitezh comfortable, though not all the longships are leading. Some are quite purposefully moving to the sides, to flank their more historical enemy.
Cyrus puts the Ten of Swords directly behind the Apple. The Ten's crew is preparing for something but it is not readily apparent to those not on her decks.
The Apple takes point, as far as the Minosian ships go, the others spread out to allow room to manuever. Wary pirates keep an eye on the ships that flank them, but still there are no arrows shot, no ballistae unloaded. Dinah moves back to the wheel, looking quite at home and perhaps just a touch eager.
The combined fleet moves away from the coast and toward an archipelago. One of the larger islands contains a cove enshrouded in thick fog that has nothing to do with the normal early-morning conditions. As the ships get closer, faint voices can be heard. Snippets of sea shanties, bellowed orders, unearthly howls.
Saffron doesn't follow Dinah, but rather, slips away to make her way about the ship. She pauses, though, when the other voices drift toward them. "Captain?" she calls.
Viktor and his men remain more or less steady despite the mist. They've clearly experienced it before. The fingers of those with free hands do rest one of the on their blade, though this time not because of the Minosians.
Dinah's grin quirks. "Prepare for engagement," she bellows across the decks. Immediately, signal flags go up, and the other ships of the small fleet can be seen preparing, manning weapons. "And keep your wits about ye," is added, after one of those howls.
The Ten of Swords puts her masts at an acute angle to the water and darts suddenly to her port side, cutting across the paths of several of the Minosian ships whose captains shout various curses.
There are calls from one longboat to another, and the ships immediately move to form up properly. Clearly, these are some of the best Kitezh' Navy has to offer.
Privately, to Saffron, Dinah hears the shouts, and looks back to the Ten of Swords. "Show off," she laughs, and shakes her head.
Saffron looks to the man who'd previously reached for the hilt of his weapon. "You, especially, keep your wits about you," she says, flatly. That said, she moves to the railing once again.
The Minosian ships alter their formation slightly, and even more men appear on the decks of the ships. Dinah has a firm grip on the wheel as her eyes narrow, peering into the fog. The fact that she's singing along with one of the shanties may be a -bit- eerie.
The fleets get close enough to the cove that the fog is beginning to cut visibility from ship to ship. No movement is visible inside the mists but creakings and soft splashes can be heard from time to time. Other than that, it is far too quiet. Until an enormous splash sends water cascading onto the Apple's decks. Another one drenches the crew of a longboat. Soon, missles of all sizes are raining down upon Kitezh and Minosian alike. Some of the ships take hits while others lose crew to arrows.
One thing is clear. Whatever is in that fog can see through it just fine.
If there's one thing Dinah -really- doesn't like, it's people firing on her ship. She likes it even less when it's a fleet hidden in fog. "Bastards!," she bellows out as she's drenched, "It'll be to the bottom of the sea with you and your lot! All hands, prepare to fire!"
The sounds of arrows cutting through the air, along with missles of various sizes and materials, go flying from the decks of the Minosian ships, along with shouted curses.
There is a bright light on the starboard sid of the Ten of Swords. Her captain seems to have ordered that a ballista bolt be set on fire. The faces of the men standing around the weapon are underlit giving them a maniacal quality. Then again, it might just be that they have set a tree trunk alight on the deck of a wooden ship. They fire the burning missle into the fog and it strikes something with a horrible tearing sound. Now there is something large and glowing in the fog.
The creaking and splashes get Viktor's attention quickly, and he's immediately barking orders as the water covers him and the sailors on his boat. All the longboats are immediately taking evasive actions as they try to determine where the arrows are coming from, to return fire. One attack, from Viktor's ship, earns a gratifying shattering of wood.
Saffron awaits Dinah's order, then moves to be precisely where the Captain can't -- near one of the ballistae. She waits for the first round to be fired on Dinah's command, then issues an order of her own. "Again! Even if we can't see them, we can make them miserable!"
All of the Kitezh very carefully make certain that any fallen comrades remain on the ship.
Dinah keeps her grip on the Apple's wheel, wincing slightly when one of her crew is rewarded for bravery with a crossbow bolt through his leg. "Fire at Saff's command!," she calls out, turning the ship to port, hard, and issuing another order for a new sail to be raised. The sound of thunder rolling comes once that sail has wind within it.
Saffron is, at least, clever enough to wait until the sail is unfurled and the ship's course to port has been established. "Fire!" she cries, her voice carrying over the sound of the thunder. Gratifyingly, the ballistae launch another volley toward the fog.
The arrows and larger things fired from the Kitezh ships are all aflame, aiming more for the enemy ships than the crew. In the fog, more bits of red can be seen as they hit their marks.
Cyrus can be seen speaking to his first mate who laughs loud enough to be heard on nearby ships.
Another volley of missles sails through the fog, each one leaves curls of mist behind it. The Cockatrice, one of the Minosian vessels, is hit so hard that she immediately begins listing and taking on water. Soon, the fog is so thick that splashes and shouts are the only indications that any other ships are in the area.
Dinah's eyes narrow as she peers through the fog to the glowing bits of ship within it. She turns the wheel three clicks to the port in attempt to better line up shots. One hand leaves the wheel and the captain herself fires a bolt towards an enemy ship. There's the sound of scraping but no satisfying crash. Scowling, she points. "There's the stern!" It sounds like an order.
Viktor directs his men to focus on one of the flaming ships, and there is a volley returned that hits its mark solidly. From the shape of the fire, it's starting to list and likely isn't long above the water.
The Kitezh fleet follows the lead of their king and focuses on one ship at a time. Signals and messages are sent by short bursts from a ram's horn, and the resulting attack leaves a second ship crippled.
Saffron gives Dinah a long, tolerant look, then drawls, "For the stern." She lifts a hand. "Fire." This time, there's a satisfying crash just moments after the ballistae fire.
Viktor frowns deeply as he gets a sense of something. His voice booms as he calls towards one area, a crackle of thunder accompanying his words. In the native tongue of Kitezh, "Brothers! You should be feasting with the gods! Fight with us, and we will see you rewarded at last!"
Saffron turns her attention away from the burning targets, neck craning to watch the arc of incoming fire. "Damn it," she hisses under her breath. "Captain! We need to run -- now! It's a trap!" The latter is, of course, cried across the deck of the ship, and she doesn't wait for Dinah's reply to shout out a few other orders, directing the ballistae to turn their attention in the opposite direction.
The look on Dinah's face, quite plainly, says she doesn't like the word 'Trap'. She nods, however, and shouts are given in Minosian from the wheel of the Apple to the other ships to head out. The Apple seems to be doing some limping. Perhaps the ship took on some unseen damage. There is a lot of fog, after all.
Two more ships burst into flames in the distance. The combined heat from the burning vessels is making holes in the fog. More enemy ships are visible with each passing minute as the gloom dissipates. They are of every shape, size, and manufacture. Minosian, Chantris, Kitezh, even some from Montevalno are mixed in with vessels far less well known. The only thing they have in common is their decrepit states. Torn sails, missing chunks of hull, snapped masts. None of these should be seaworthy. The missles continue as the cadre of former Kitezh boats clears the way for an enormous longboat that seems to have it in for Viktor's ship personally.
The Ten of Swords is nowhere to be seen.
Cyrus's voice reaches you. "I'm flanking. See you on the other side of these bastards."
Saffron calls out for a volley of fire in the direction of the unknown enemy, letting Dinah handle the actual sailing. Moving away from the ballistae, she begins redirecting some of the archers toward the other side of the ship.
As the Kitezh fleet prepares to fire again on one of their former own, Viktor's own prepares to face down the one headed towards him. "Noble men of Hjemkomst! We are not your enemy!" Though, he's clearly ready to fire again unless the other boat does something to indicate it will not attack.
The other ships of the Fleet are starting to turn about, firing still as they make way to clearer seas. The Apple, however, is still seeming to have a difficult time. At least that's how it appears to those on other ships. On the deck itself, however...that could be another story.
Dinah quietly signals for a gunner to move to the storm cannon on the port side.
The Hjemkomst bears down upon Viktor's ship. Her crew can be seen more clearly, now. They are literally pale mockeries of the noble warriors who once sailed her. They do not look like the types to respond to parley.
Several of the rotting hulks of the ghost fleet change course to chase the Apple in a classic pincer move. They taste blood in the water and they are about to frenzy.
When it becomes apparent both that the older ships are not looking for brotherhood, and that there are more ships coming around to close them in, Viktor sounds another attack and orders his other ships to attack once more as well. Meanwhile, those steering and rowing immediately busy themselves with forming back up for the retreat.
Saffron moves to help someone push something across the deck of the Apple, saying loudly, "Put a bit more speed on, will you?" toward Dinah. "We're never going to outrun them like this."
Dinah's features take on a look of pure anger and determination. There are storms brewing in her eyes, and curses said under her breath in Minosian. Orders are called out and the Apple starts cutting through the water with a bit more speed. Two of the ghost fleet move in closer, and the ballistae they launch leaves holes in the Apple's sides and sets the aft on fire. "We'll outrun them," Dinah says with certainty, despite the fire, as those Saffron was helping uncover the bronze cannon.
Viktor's men have managed to ensure that the Hjemkomst cannot give chase, though nor is it finished. As the ships give their best speed to escape the trap, work is done to put out fire and bail water let in by holes in the hull.
The ghost ships close in on the Apple from each side. One of them falls behind as it loses too much sail to allow it to keep up. The other, however, is well within archery range but it appears to be maneuvering in an attempt to board. The pockmarked and spectral sailors on board look eager to wrap their cold hands around some living throats.
On board the Hjemkomst, the crew begin singing a dirge for fallen shieldmates as Viktor and then most of the rest of the living Kitezh sailors go beyond their reach.
Saffron glances toward the bronze cannon, and breaks into a wide, cheerful grin. She even wiggles her fingers in greeting to the spectral sailors who seem to be considering boarding. Conversationally, she says to the gunner, "I think it's a good time to fire, don't you?" A quick glance to Dinah confirms that.
A nod is given to Saffron, then "FIRE!" is bellowed out by Dinah, and only one of the crew members, young and still learning, seem to think she's speaking of the flames licking at the wooden aft of the Apple. The bronze cannon humms and the scent of ozone starts to fill the air. And then there's the deafening roar of thunder as a bolt of white-hot lightning comes screaming out of the cannon, aimed for the ship that thought boarding the Apple was a good idea.
Naturally, the Kitezh weapons continue to be fired as the boats retreat. If they aren't immediately threatened, however, they will fire on anything threatening the others. Yes, they will actually fire on a ship attacking the Minosians. There will be drinking later. Heavy drinking. The world as they know it has clearly ended.
The mainmast of the ghost ship is sheered off at the base. Some of the wood that makes up the deck is too rotten to burn but even those parts vaporize in the face of the lightning from the storm cannon. Undead sailors fly in all directions and the ship literally spins in the water as the Apple makes a beeline for a hole in the enemy's defenses.
Saffron gives a small, satisfied smile, and retreats a bit, leaving further orders to her Captain.
Dinah cheerfully flips off one of the undead sailors as he goes flying past, steering the Apple towards open waters and casually remarking that someone really should do something about that fire that's threatening her aft..
Cyrus stands in the wheelhouse of the Ten of Swords which is just port and aft of The Golden Apple. His crew moves like a single organism across the decks as he scans the horizon with a spyglass.
Dinah stands at the wheel of the red ship, and orders are called out over the deck in Minosian. One of which involves telling a lesser shipman to take his hand off the hilt of his blade for the moment. The deck is wet with a travelled-through rain but it doesn't seem to have slowed the crew any.
Across the aft of the red ship is her name, The Golden Apple.
The fact that the archers of Kitezh and Minos are not aiming at one another is an event in and of itself. There's no small number of men in the longboats looking uncomfortable as the other ships near, and fingers do twitch some, as though in longing. At the prow of the main ship is King Viktor, standing straight and proud as he waits. He's dressed for battle, of course, an immense two-handed sword sheathed on his back.
Saffron is on the Apple, busying herself with seeing to the practicalities of the voyage. She frowns, briefly, as Dinah has to chide a crew member, silently marking the man for a talking-to later.
It should be of note that while none of the ships are flying the black flag, they all do all have the flag of Minos dancing from their main masts. It's not something often seen. As the Fleet draws closer to the longboats, Dinah hands the wheel off to a midshipsman, moving towards the rail and gesturing for Saffron to come along.
The Ten of Swords flies a Minosian flag underneath a bright green one bearing the Chantris eagle. Amber's standard is nowhere to be seen.
Saffron, in spite of fixing her attention on the crewmen, manages to have Dinah's location and gesture marked from the corner of an eye. She moves to the rail, brows lifting in silent query.
While those on the longboats remain ready - just in case - not a one of them crosses the king's orders and touches their weapon. Viktor's eyes seem to be taking in the positioning of all the ships carefully, though the center of his attention appears to be those on the lead ship.
Privately, to Saffron, Dinah murmurs, lowly in Minosian, "Kick me if I lose my temper. We're here to help, and you're better at keeping your head than I am."
Privately, to Dinah, Saffron manages to mostly hide her smirk, at that. "Have a few children, Captain. That cured me of the hot-headedness."
Privately, to Saffron, Dinah, through the laughter, "Between you and I? I've been trying."
Dinah's hands touch the rail and she leans against it slightly once she has Viktor in her sights. The crew on the Apple, and those on the other ships, all seem wary and prepared for action--but none draws a blade. Dinah laughs at something said on the ship, and then lifts her voice, looking to Viktor. "Good Thane," she calls out over the sea, voice carrying clearly, like she was standing right next to the man. "What a splendid day to slaughter a mutual enemy, don't you think?"
Saffron spends a long moment just staring at Dinah, then shakes her head. Something's said quietly, before she turns her attention toward the Thane's ship.
Privately, to Dinah, Saffron says, "May all the gods help us."
Cyrus watches the Minosians and the Kitezh as often as he looks to the horizon, now
.
Viktor studies the woman for a long moment, then notes with all seriousness "Any day we can slaughter an enemy is a good day." His eyes flicker over any others visible, for a familiar face.
Dinah hardly looks like an intimidating figure, from afar. She's not tall, nor is she over-muscled. But the smile she flashes would look perfectly at home on a great white shark. "Then lead on, Thane, and the Minos Fleet will help you be rid o' them."
Saffron mirrors Dinah's expression, though hers is made a good deal less disturbing by the dimples that accompany it.
Viktor seems to be all business. He nods once, then only glances towards the man steering the ship in order to get them underway. Having the Minosians at their back does nothing at all to make those of Kitezh comfortable, though not all the longships are leading. Some are quite purposefully moving to the sides, to flank their more historical enemy.
Cyrus puts the Ten of Swords directly behind the Apple. The Ten's crew is preparing for something but it is not readily apparent to those not on her decks.
The Apple takes point, as far as the Minosian ships go, the others spread out to allow room to manuever. Wary pirates keep an eye on the ships that flank them, but still there are no arrows shot, no ballistae unloaded. Dinah moves back to the wheel, looking quite at home and perhaps just a touch eager.
The combined fleet moves away from the coast and toward an archipelago. One of the larger islands contains a cove enshrouded in thick fog that has nothing to do with the normal early-morning conditions. As the ships get closer, faint voices can be heard. Snippets of sea shanties, bellowed orders, unearthly howls.
Saffron doesn't follow Dinah, but rather, slips away to make her way about the ship. She pauses, though, when the other voices drift toward them. "Captain?" she calls.
Viktor and his men remain more or less steady despite the mist. They've clearly experienced it before. The fingers of those with free hands do rest one of the on their blade, though this time not because of the Minosians.
Dinah's grin quirks. "Prepare for engagement," she bellows across the decks. Immediately, signal flags go up, and the other ships of the small fleet can be seen preparing, manning weapons. "And keep your wits about ye," is added, after one of those howls.
The Ten of Swords puts her masts at an acute angle to the water and darts suddenly to her port side, cutting across the paths of several of the Minosian ships whose captains shout various curses.
There are calls from one longboat to another, and the ships immediately move to form up properly. Clearly, these are some of the best Kitezh' Navy has to offer.
Privately, to Saffron, Dinah hears the shouts, and looks back to the Ten of Swords. "Show off," she laughs, and shakes her head.
Saffron looks to the man who'd previously reached for the hilt of his weapon. "You, especially, keep your wits about you," she says, flatly. That said, she moves to the railing once again.
The Minosian ships alter their formation slightly, and even more men appear on the decks of the ships. Dinah has a firm grip on the wheel as her eyes narrow, peering into the fog. The fact that she's singing along with one of the shanties may be a -bit- eerie.
The fleets get close enough to the cove that the fog is beginning to cut visibility from ship to ship. No movement is visible inside the mists but creakings and soft splashes can be heard from time to time. Other than that, it is far too quiet. Until an enormous splash sends water cascading onto the Apple's decks. Another one drenches the crew of a longboat. Soon, missles of all sizes are raining down upon Kitezh and Minosian alike. Some of the ships take hits while others lose crew to arrows.
One thing is clear. Whatever is in that fog can see through it just fine.
If there's one thing Dinah -really- doesn't like, it's people firing on her ship. She likes it even less when it's a fleet hidden in fog. "Bastards!," she bellows out as she's drenched, "It'll be to the bottom of the sea with you and your lot! All hands, prepare to fire!"
The sounds of arrows cutting through the air, along with missles of various sizes and materials, go flying from the decks of the Minosian ships, along with shouted curses.
There is a bright light on the starboard sid of the Ten of Swords. Her captain seems to have ordered that a ballista bolt be set on fire. The faces of the men standing around the weapon are underlit giving them a maniacal quality. Then again, it might just be that they have set a tree trunk alight on the deck of a wooden ship. They fire the burning missle into the fog and it strikes something with a horrible tearing sound. Now there is something large and glowing in the fog.
The creaking and splashes get Viktor's attention quickly, and he's immediately barking orders as the water covers him and the sailors on his boat. All the longboats are immediately taking evasive actions as they try to determine where the arrows are coming from, to return fire. One attack, from Viktor's ship, earns a gratifying shattering of wood.
Saffron awaits Dinah's order, then moves to be precisely where the Captain can't -- near one of the ballistae. She waits for the first round to be fired on Dinah's command, then issues an order of her own. "Again! Even if we can't see them, we can make them miserable!"
All of the Kitezh very carefully make certain that any fallen comrades remain on the ship.
Dinah keeps her grip on the Apple's wheel, wincing slightly when one of her crew is rewarded for bravery with a crossbow bolt through his leg. "Fire at Saff's command!," she calls out, turning the ship to port, hard, and issuing another order for a new sail to be raised. The sound of thunder rolling comes once that sail has wind within it.
Saffron is, at least, clever enough to wait until the sail is unfurled and the ship's course to port has been established. "Fire!" she cries, her voice carrying over the sound of the thunder. Gratifyingly, the ballistae launch another volley toward the fog.
The arrows and larger things fired from the Kitezh ships are all aflame, aiming more for the enemy ships than the crew. In the fog, more bits of red can be seen as they hit their marks.
Cyrus can be seen speaking to his first mate who laughs loud enough to be heard on nearby ships.
Another volley of missles sails through the fog, each one leaves curls of mist behind it. The Cockatrice, one of the Minosian vessels, is hit so hard that she immediately begins listing and taking on water. Soon, the fog is so thick that splashes and shouts are the only indications that any other ships are in the area.
Dinah's eyes narrow as she peers through the fog to the glowing bits of ship within it. She turns the wheel three clicks to the port in attempt to better line up shots. One hand leaves the wheel and the captain herself fires a bolt towards an enemy ship. There's the sound of scraping but no satisfying crash. Scowling, she points. "There's the stern!" It sounds like an order.
Viktor directs his men to focus on one of the flaming ships, and there is a volley returned that hits its mark solidly. From the shape of the fire, it's starting to list and likely isn't long above the water.
The Kitezh fleet follows the lead of their king and focuses on one ship at a time. Signals and messages are sent by short bursts from a ram's horn, and the resulting attack leaves a second ship crippled.
Saffron gives Dinah a long, tolerant look, then drawls, "For the stern." She lifts a hand. "Fire." This time, there's a satisfying crash just moments after the ballistae fire.
Viktor frowns deeply as he gets a sense of something. His voice booms as he calls towards one area, a crackle of thunder accompanying his words. In the native tongue of Kitezh, "Brothers! You should be feasting with the gods! Fight with us, and we will see you rewarded at last!"
Saffron turns her attention away from the burning targets, neck craning to watch the arc of incoming fire. "Damn it," she hisses under her breath. "Captain! We need to run -- now! It's a trap!" The latter is, of course, cried across the deck of the ship, and she doesn't wait for Dinah's reply to shout out a few other orders, directing the ballistae to turn their attention in the opposite direction.
The look on Dinah's face, quite plainly, says she doesn't like the word 'Trap'. She nods, however, and shouts are given in Minosian from the wheel of the Apple to the other ships to head out. The Apple seems to be doing some limping. Perhaps the ship took on some unseen damage. There is a lot of fog, after all.
Two more ships burst into flames in the distance. The combined heat from the burning vessels is making holes in the fog. More enemy ships are visible with each passing minute as the gloom dissipates. They are of every shape, size, and manufacture. Minosian, Chantris, Kitezh, even some from Montevalno are mixed in with vessels far less well known. The only thing they have in common is their decrepit states. Torn sails, missing chunks of hull, snapped masts. None of these should be seaworthy. The missles continue as the cadre of former Kitezh boats clears the way for an enormous longboat that seems to have it in for Viktor's ship personally.
The Ten of Swords is nowhere to be seen.
Cyrus's voice reaches you. "I'm flanking. See you on the other side of these bastards."
Saffron calls out for a volley of fire in the direction of the unknown enemy, letting Dinah handle the actual sailing. Moving away from the ballistae, she begins redirecting some of the archers toward the other side of the ship.
As the Kitezh fleet prepares to fire again on one of their former own, Viktor's own prepares to face down the one headed towards him. "Noble men of Hjemkomst! We are not your enemy!" Though, he's clearly ready to fire again unless the other boat does something to indicate it will not attack.
The other ships of the Fleet are starting to turn about, firing still as they make way to clearer seas. The Apple, however, is still seeming to have a difficult time. At least that's how it appears to those on other ships. On the deck itself, however...that could be another story.
Dinah quietly signals for a gunner to move to the storm cannon on the port side.
The Hjemkomst bears down upon Viktor's ship. Her crew can be seen more clearly, now. They are literally pale mockeries of the noble warriors who once sailed her. They do not look like the types to respond to parley.
Several of the rotting hulks of the ghost fleet change course to chase the Apple in a classic pincer move. They taste blood in the water and they are about to frenzy.
When it becomes apparent both that the older ships are not looking for brotherhood, and that there are more ships coming around to close them in, Viktor sounds another attack and orders his other ships to attack once more as well. Meanwhile, those steering and rowing immediately busy themselves with forming back up for the retreat.
Saffron moves to help someone push something across the deck of the Apple, saying loudly, "Put a bit more speed on, will you?" toward Dinah. "We're never going to outrun them like this."
Dinah's features take on a look of pure anger and determination. There are storms brewing in her eyes, and curses said under her breath in Minosian. Orders are called out and the Apple starts cutting through the water with a bit more speed. Two of the ghost fleet move in closer, and the ballistae they launch leaves holes in the Apple's sides and sets the aft on fire. "We'll outrun them," Dinah says with certainty, despite the fire, as those Saffron was helping uncover the bronze cannon.
Viktor's men have managed to ensure that the Hjemkomst cannot give chase, though nor is it finished. As the ships give their best speed to escape the trap, work is done to put out fire and bail water let in by holes in the hull.
The ghost ships close in on the Apple from each side. One of them falls behind as it loses too much sail to allow it to keep up. The other, however, is well within archery range but it appears to be maneuvering in an attempt to board. The pockmarked and spectral sailors on board look eager to wrap their cold hands around some living throats.
On board the Hjemkomst, the crew begin singing a dirge for fallen shieldmates as Viktor and then most of the rest of the living Kitezh sailors go beyond their reach.
Saffron glances toward the bronze cannon, and breaks into a wide, cheerful grin. She even wiggles her fingers in greeting to the spectral sailors who seem to be considering boarding. Conversationally, she says to the gunner, "I think it's a good time to fire, don't you?" A quick glance to Dinah confirms that.
A nod is given to Saffron, then "FIRE!" is bellowed out by Dinah, and only one of the crew members, young and still learning, seem to think she's speaking of the flames licking at the wooden aft of the Apple. The bronze cannon humms and the scent of ozone starts to fill the air. And then there's the deafening roar of thunder as a bolt of white-hot lightning comes screaming out of the cannon, aimed for the ship that thought boarding the Apple was a good idea.
Naturally, the Kitezh weapons continue to be fired as the boats retreat. If they aren't immediately threatened, however, they will fire on anything threatening the others. Yes, they will actually fire on a ship attacking the Minosians. There will be drinking later. Heavy drinking. The world as they know it has clearly ended.
The mainmast of the ghost ship is sheered off at the base. Some of the wood that makes up the deck is too rotten to burn but even those parts vaporize in the face of the lightning from the storm cannon. Undead sailors fly in all directions and the ship literally spins in the water as the Apple makes a beeline for a hole in the enemy's defenses.
Saffron gives a small, satisfied smile, and retreats a bit, leaving further orders to her Captain.
Dinah cheerfully flips off one of the undead sailors as he goes flying past, steering the Apple towards open waters and casually remarking that someone really should do something about that fire that's threatening her aft..