The strength of the pirates has surprised the searchers but they know there is no time to lose to prevent any further attacks. A two-pronged assault is planned but this will require Ursula to use some of her unusual talents. When the troops finally join battle with their enemy, there are some unexpected discoveries.

The Voyage of the Visund

A tale of Anmar by Penny Lane

80 - Combined Operations

Disclaimer: The original characters and plot of this story are the property of the author. No infringement of pre-existing copyright is intended. This story is copyright (c) 2023 Penny Lane. All rights reserved.

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Eyebrows were raised when Ursula and Tyra boarded the Zebrin's Tusk the following evening, accompanied by Zakaros who carried two swords and three curious-looking cloth containers. Captain Anthar hurried forward to speak to them.

"Good evening, Mistress. Uh, surely you cannot intend to walk the forest tonight attired in evening gowns?"

"Good evening, Captain," Ursula replied. "Indeed we do not. These garments were intended to ensure that we did not offend anyone in Vormarin as we came over here this evening."

All three were dressed in uniform green. Zakaros was wearing a normal tunic but his legs were covered by cargo pants tucked into his brown Yodan calf boots. The two women were wearing what appeared to be long green gowns, although Ursula's had epaulets carrying her gray Director's slides.

Ursula and Tyra simultaneously reached behind themselves to untie tapes and release their wrap-around skirts.

"This is what we will be wearing!"

The jaws of every man who was in sight dropped.

= = =

There had been consternation and near panic at breakfast that morning as Eriana and Ursula had realized that, having asked Ursula to lead the Zebrins through the forest, certain important points had been overlooked. Fortunately the whole crew had rallied round and a suitable solution had been created to overcome what could have become an embarrassing episode.

The women of the Green Ptuvil had willingly used some of their green cloth to make made-to-measure tunics for the three, plus wrap skirts for Ursula and Tyra, while a trip to the market had discovered a thicker green material almost certainly intended for upholstery purposes. The men of the Visund, who had all seen what Ursula had been wearing when the crew had discovered her, set to work to provide other necessary garments for the three.

= = =

All three were now wearing cargo pants with drawstrings at waist and ankles. While Zakaros had his original Yodan calf boots to wear, the women were wearing their riding boots. The uppers of these were mostly knitted string so the men had fashioned gaiters from layers of the thicker fabric which would wrap around the women's lower legs and protect them from the undergrowth as they walked.

Since, therefore, their riding boots were mostly covered, their issue boot knives would not be accessable. New temporary scabbards had been fashioned and sewn to the outside of each woman's right gaiter. Both Tyra and Zakaros now attached their swords to the belts which were underneath the green sash that all wore over their tunics. Ursula had another, longer knife which she attached to her own belt.

The two women carefully folded their skirts into compact bundles. Zakaros handed them each one of the packs, into which the skirts were placed, before all three slung their packs onto their backs. Around them, the murmur of the Zebrins grew as they understood what they were seeing. These were no weak women who would rely on the men around them but competent professionals who appeared to know what they were doing.

"Maker! I did not know... is this then the uniform of the River Patrol?"

"Perhaps, Captain," Ursula replied. "Since we are a new organization we are still evaluating alternative clothing to wear for certain situations. Today we realized that we would be walking in the dark through a thick forest and our legs would have to be protected. Skirts would not have been advisable. As you can see these pants may offer us other advantages."

Anthar's mouth was dry. "And your man, he also wears the same garments? Does this not cause confusion?"

"He is not my man, Captain, he is a member of our ship's company with special responsibilities." She shrugged. "I don't see why it should confuse anyone. We all have our names inside our garments. We can all tell who is a man and who is a woman. Oh, this is Zakaros, he is here to help us do things we might not be able to do ourselves. He is not to be considered a warrior like your men are but of course he will fight if necessary."

"We would of course help you if you required, Mistress, but I can understand why you choose to bring one of your own." Anthar frowned. "Zakaros? Are you by chance a lender of coin?"

Zakaros gave a slight bow. "Captain, it has been the business of my family for many generations but I personally have served as a district adminstrator for those who governed my land."

"And your accent, it is not like those of the others."

"Neither is that of Mistress Ursula nor that of her assistant Tyra. Captain, we come from many different lands to serve a common cause. I am sworn to follow Her Highness Princess Eriana of Palarand; my origins are no longer of interest to anyone but her."

Anthar realized that he was probably talking to a wanderer, someone on the run or someone exiled, so he merely said, "As you say, Master Zakaros."

A shout came from the lookout's post and Anthar briefly turned before addressing the three.

"By your leave, it looks like your ship is about to depart. I must needs prepare for the Tusk to follow them."

Ursula gestured. "Do not let me stop you, Captain."

He bowed, turned and began shouting instructions. The crowd of fighting men around them watched them with curiosity but did not approach. Ropes were thrown, a drum began a beat, and Zebrin's Tusk moved away from the pontoons and into the Sirrel.

* * *

"You are clear what you have to do?" Eriana had become nervous. A complicated operation like this, with troops of an unknown quality and two parties who could not easily communicate, she was unhappy about possible consequences.

"I am, Eriana," Ursula replied. "The only real problem is the timing of the first part. We will do what we can but you'll have to use your own judgment." She smiled. "Which you will do anyway."

"As you say. Three marks through thick undergrowth will take about four turns of the sand-dropper, I deem. Thus, as we can merely drift down the river with the slack current, we should leave sometime after three turns. We will be looking for your signal."

"Yes. Then we both press on. Good luck, Eriana. See you at Hamalbek."

"Aye. Take care of yourself."

"I'm not the one threatening people with a big sword."

"The last time I recall that it was you with the big sword!"

"Please. I don't want to have to do that again, Eriana."

This time it was Ursula who turned on her heel and left the other standing. She walked through Jenbek to the head of the sixty troops waiting for her to guide them, almost the entire complement of Zebrin's Tusk. Ahead, Loti stood eyeing them all.

She put her hand on his head. "We need to find the nearest lookout post, Loti. We will take care of those men quietly. We do not want to warn those in the village that we are coming."

A low rumble and then the dranakh set off. To Ursula's surprise she found that the forest was not completely dark, even though by chance none of the moons was providing much light to begin with. Instead it was the Veil which outlined parts of trunks, branches and small amounts of undergrowth in varying colors as they progressed.

The trail the dranakh led them on was broad enough that they had no trouble following behind.

Of course, a beast that size needs to make a reasonable sized passage just to get between the trunks.

Does that mean these trails go everywhere? Have the pirates realized this and made use of the trails?

I hope not!

She stumbled. Equally, of course, we still have to mind where we put our feet!

A steadying hand and a soft query. "Mistress?"

"I'm fine, Zakaros. Dranakhs can easily step over these roots, we have to be more careful."

Loti moved silently and so did Ursula and Tyra. Zakaros had begun noisily but soon realized just how far any sound might travel. Behind them, it was possible to tell the experienced Zebrins from the less able ones, whose careless blunders caused sharp comments from their NCOs. Ursula just hoped that they could get close enough to the lookout post without giving any alarm.

After threading their way through the forest for what seemed like forever Loti stopped and half-turned. Ursula took this to mean that he wanted to tell her something, but she found that he did not need her to touch him to do so. He projected some very strange images which she eventually understood to be dreams, indicating that there were two men and both were asleep. She tried to ask for a sense of how far away they were and received a clear image, seen in daylight, of a rough bridge that spanned the channel between the old land and the new.

She turned to the Zebrin officers behind her. "We are a short distance from the lookout post but it is the other side of the channel from where we are," she told them quietly. "There are two men there, both asleep, it appears one is at the top with the other in a hut at the bottom. There is a kind of temporary bridge to cross the channel but I don't think we need to send everyone across."

"Agreed, Mistress," one replied. She had been told their names but in the near-darkness it was hard to tell who was who. "How many should go?"

"I'm going and so will Tyra. One of you officers should come to report what we do. No more than four others, I think."

"Are you sure, Mistress? This could be dangerous."

"You do know we intend to launch a full assault when we reach the village? This is just two sentries asleep at their posts."

"As you say, Mistress. I am uncomfortable with the thought of women putting themselves in danger."

"Get used to the idea quickly, all of you. Your Graf intends to permit women to join his military in a number of different capacities - and those capacities will include officers. Now, I suggest you choose who is to come with us and arrange the rest to capture the one at the bottom if he tries to escape back over the bridge."

"As you command, Mistress."

The party reached the bridge without alarm. There was a tiny risk that the man above might be able to see someone coming across but Loti's images seemed to confirm that he was fast asleep. With the main party concealed in the surrounding trees, Ursula led the small group across. The channel was almost entirely choked here with both new growth and fallen trees so the pirates had taken several fallen trunks and lashed them together to make a rough crossing of the stagnant water beneath.

Once over they crept the seventy or so strides along the narrow path through the tangled forest to surround the hut. It was a fairly solid structure with a stove pipe coming out from one corner and, more significantly, a rope ladder to one side which climbed into the tree canopy. At a sign two of the Zebrins entered the hut. There were sounds of a scuffle and then one emerged shaking his head.

"Mistress," he reported quietly. "We woke the man but he reached for a knife. We tried to restrain him but he fought back and we were forced to kill him."

"Not your fault," she said. "You did what you could."

"Thank you, Mistress. There is something inside you should see."

She followed him into the hut to discover a pallet with the dead man on it, the stove and a makeshift table containing items for making simple meals. There was a small lantern hanging from the ceiling giving just enough light for the occupants to see without ruining their night vision. The Zebrin pointed, carefully, at one corner. There two trimmed branches were held under tension by taut cords going through holes in the ceiling. From one of the branches dangled a tiny bell.

A crude communication system from top to bottom. If either of those gets cut I suspect whoever is above will be woken and possibly then sound the alarm.

She nodded to the man and they stepped outside, Ursula going to stand thoughtfully at the base of the rope ladder, looking up.

A voice came close to her ear. "Mistress?"

"They have an alarm system," she told Tyra. "I don't know if it is safe to climb up without setting something off."

Tyra immediately shucked off her pack and handed it to Ursula. Without another word she vanished into the dark. Ursula looked up but the ladder was not shaking as if someone was on it. She looked at the five Zebrins and shrugged. Shortly, there was a faint noise and something fell through the trees to land near one of the men, who picked it up and brought it to Ursula. It was a bugle.

Shortly after that the ladder began shaking and Ursula beckoned the men to stand around the ladder with drawn swords. A man came down and immediately put his hands in the air. Two of the Zebrins pulled him away and secured him as Tyra followed him down.

"Not so comfortable above, Mistress," Tyra reported quietly. "Do you want me to show the light?"

"You are obviously more capable of doing that than the men are," Ursula agreed. "Here, let me get the lantern out."

"I do not know how long I might be, Mistress," Tyra warned.

"No. It is a problem, isn't it? We can wait for a while but we still have two marks or so to cover. I will whistle if I want you to come down."

"They will hear you in the camp!"

"A mouth whistle, Tyra, not using what the men gave us."

"Ah, as you say, Mistress."

Ursula rummaged through her pack and brought out a lantern of advanced design which Eriana had brought all the way from Palarand. Carefully placed internal mirrors meant that it only gave out a narrow beam of light, giving it the obvious name of 'beam lantern'. She handed it to Tyra and the girl swiftly disappeared up the ladder. There were two brief flashes from above as Tyra struck flint to steel and then darkness and silence.

* * *

Just as kettles do, the sand-dropper seemed to go slower and slower the more intently that Eriana watched. Lars in turn watched her impassively as she paced up and down the pontoon but he was familiar with her impatience, her need for activity. Finally, she let out a big sigh of relief and joined her men aboard the Visund.

«Finally! Time to go, boys. Oars out, quietly now.»

Eriana waved at the skeleton crew who remained aboard Zebrin's Tusk as the Visund slipped out into the Sirrel. Because the current would likely take them downstream too quickly, it was necessary to row slowly in the opposite direction to moderate their progress. The Norse were expert at this kind of travel and the oars made no noise as they dipped in and out. The two tiny fishing boats they had borrowed bobbed in their wake as they slid past the black expanse of the forest.

For this operation the Visund had been stripped. At Vormarin an empty barge had been requisitioned and filled with most of the contents of the longship, leaving the latter with little more than a bare hull and oars. Once the barge owner had discovered what they were doing he had no problem with waiting there the day or two the operation would likely take.

Each man now wore tee shirt and cargo shorts, excepting for the Zebrins who still wore their tights. Over this was as much armor as each man felt comfortable with, plus all the weapons they could manage. In a small canvas sack slung across each man's back was a day's rations and a bottle of water. Eriana, Bennet and Semma wore their training uniforms and also carried weapons and provisions.

Merion was with them once more but the time for concealment was now past. If the battle ahead went as most expected then other secrets of Palarand would also be exposed. Therefore, Eriana took out her telescope and scanned the top of the tree-line against the glow from the Veil, looking for the dark blob which would reveal the advanced lookout post.

After a while she became concerned that they had passed it and not noticed. Opting to carry on, they drifted for a few more moments and several dark blobs appeared. Realizing that these were real avian nests, she shook her head and swung her telescope further along.

There! But why was there no signal? Was that the right one?

They were too close to the bank! A whispered instruction and Tor leaned briefly on the steering oar to position them a little further away. That way an observer in, say, the top of the trees, could more easily make out the shape of the ship against the water for positive identification.

Suddenly a clear rectangle of yellow light appeared in the middle of the blob. The crazy plan had worked! Eriana sighed with relief and heard a few mutterings from the nearest men. Near the mast, two men briefly ran a small white flag to the top of the mast and rapidly down again. The light went out.

Eriana turned to Tor and made a 'go' signal with her hands. He raised an arm in reply, which was the signal for her men to begin preparing themselves for the next stage, which would be significantly more difficult.

Eventually the Visund came to a point where the foliage to their left began to drop away, giving the likely location of the channel. With the oars now working to keep them roughly stationary in the water, the fishing boats were pulled in, two men climbed into one and pushed off towards the bank. One had the ship's sounding rod and he pushed it into the visible mud to find out how deep the muck was. Pulling it out, he turned and held his hands one above the other a bare hand's breadth apart so that she could see them.

«Good,» Lars breathed into Eriana's ear. «We can manage that depth without needing those crates as stepping stones. We go, Princess?»

«Yes. Be careful, Lars.»

She beckoned to the boat and the two men sculled back to the Visund. Now more men climbed into both boats and headed for the shoreline. They climbed out, pulled the boats clear of the water and disappeared into the trees.

Travel through the tangled growth was not easy, but some of the Norse had done this before when they had neutralized the lookouts at Bakhrad. It helped that, being so close to the river, there was little undergrowth to impede progress. It still took them time and effort to reach the hut which was their target without alerting anyone. Lars used hand signals to position his men and then two crept close to the entrance to the hut.

"A six and a three! How did you do that? The more I play with these dice the more I think they are loaded."

"Look," another voice said in a tired voice, "we have been playing with these dice for months. When do you think I had time to fix these dice and what is it you think I could have done? See for yourself!"

"Stop it, you two!" a third voice broke in. "It is bad enough being over here all night without having to listen to you two bickering. Why can't you get some shut-eye like normal people?"

"Probably because we spent half the day asleep," the first voice grumbled. "I'm all wide awake now."

A fourth voice added, "These days are too hot, boss, stuck out here in the trees. At least you get a breeze when you're out on the water."

"All right," voice three decided. "Put those dice away and find something else to do that is quieter. You're making so much noise a whole army could be right outside the door and we'd never know!"

One of the Norse outside the door turned and held up four fingers to Lars. He gestured three more to join the two at the door and crept over himself. At a chopped hand signal the door was roughly yanked open and four Norse entered. The fight was short, bloody and fortunately not too noisy. The bodies were dragged outside and moved away from the hut. Lars and another returned to the boats and each sculled one back to the Visund, where they were reattached.

He climbed aboard. «Four men, Princess. I think they must need that number to haul the plug in and out of the channel.»

«No problems?»

«No. They were all awake but arguing over this and that. No arguments now. Do we move on to the next one?»

«Of course. We have started, we have to finish this.»

Lars grunted. «Very well. Do you want to moor here? It should be safe enough now.»

«Yes, please, Lars. We might get away with a fishing boat or two but that lookout cannot fail to notice the ship.»

«If he is awake.»

«But those men were not asleep. Perhaps they are more alert here.»

Lars nodded agreement to the implied word of caution but added, «You call that alert? Amateurs!»

The praam was used to carry an anchor to the shore and wedge it into the silt which was beneath the hand-deep layer of mud. While that was happening, eight more men including Lars climbed into the two fishing boats and allowed the current to let them drift downstream past the entrance to the channel. Careful probing showed the mud layer was slightly deeper than the upstream side but not enough to slow them down or, more importantly, make sucking noises as the party made their way ashore.

This hut was better built than the other one and a little bigger. Lars noticed the rope ladder and pointed it out to his men. Two of them crept close to the hut, listened, and then one turned and indicated four, possibly five men. The other waved a warning hand and pointed to some cords which came out of the hut roof and went upwards. In the gloom it was not possible to make out detail but it looked like there could be some kind of alarm system in place.

When they pulled the door it stuck. Lars grabbed the rough wood handle and heaved. There was splintering within and the door suddenly flew open, making him sprawl backwards onto the ground. This did not stop the others from entering and finishing off the occupants. By the time Lars had climbed to his feet it was all over. One of the Norse beckoned him in and pointed.

Although they did not know it, the arrangement was the same as at the other lookout post. Two sprung branches connected to the cords, one of them having a small bell attached. Lars looked around him at the shambles, shook his head and stepped outside, beckoning.

A swathed figure emerged from the darkness. Toshi had been one of the eight but had left the heavy lifting to the Norse. Now Lars wanted him to do the job he claimed he could do but the Norse could not. Lars pointed to the two cords above the roof.

"Alarm. Goes up to man in trees. You fix?"

Toshi gave a brief nod. "Hai. I fix, big man. You hold sword?"

"Yah."

Toshi pulled his scabbarded sword from his sash and handed it to Lars. He then adjusted his turban so that the end wound around his face, only exposing his eyes. He turned, moved swiftly around the corner of the hut, and vanished.

There was an anxious wait until he reappeared, climbing carefully but swiftly down the rope ladder. When he reached the ground and turned Lars could just make out that he had items stuffed into his sash. Toshi joined Lars and pulled out a bugle, a sword and two knives.

"He does not need these any more."

Lars grunted. "Here is your sword back. I'll take those."

The obstruction in the channel proved to be a barge with a pontoon roped to either side. The front ends of the pontoons and the barge had been draped in fishing nets into which branches and foliage had been woven, giving the impression that the forest grew right down to water level. On the decks and hidden behind the netting were wooden crates and half-barrels filled with earth in which trees and shrubs had been planted to provide a tall screen of seeming forest.

From the pontoons, ropes led off to anchor points in the forest both sides. There were also long trimmed and stripped poles aboard to use to push the assembly in or out as required. After beckoning the four from the upstream side on board the assembly Lars considered how to proceed. Two men were sent back to the upstream bank while four went ashore downstream, the rest remaining on board. The ropes were cast off the pontoons and those aboard began to pole the assembly back towards the village.

Once they had pushed the mass far enough back Lars ordered the men to swing it to the downstream side to get it out of the way of incoming traffic. Seeing the channel open up, the two groups of men left ashore hurried down to the edge of the river and pulled beam lanterns out of their canvas bags, lit them and aimed them upstream. Very soon the dark mass of the Visund became visible, the splashes from the oars showing white in the uncertain light.

The ship swung wide and turned, aiming for the gap between the lanterns. There was just room for the Visund with oars out to pass through without being fouled. As they emerged a bugle sounded from across the water, they had been seen.

The time for stealth was now over, so Eriana, at the bow of the longship, used her whistle to signal Tor to bear left. She wanted to come to land between the galleys and the accommodation blocks. Fortunately the bank there sloped enough to allow the bow to slide up enough that most of the men could jump off without getting too wet.

As they had rowed the last stretch a fire-pot had been lit, and from this a number of oil-soaked brands were ignited. As they ran, the men who held them tossed them onto the roofs of the first two buildings. By that time the alarm had been raised and men began staggering out of the buildings, weapons in hand. Some were shouting instructions, others were just shouting in panic.

Behind them, the four men downstream recovered the two fishing boats and set off. One boat headed directly for the channel while the other made a stop to pick up the two men left on the upstream side. Once all were afloat they went through the channel and headed for the ungainly craft which Lars was now directing towards the two galleys.

* * *

When the Zebrins reached the edge of the cleared area Ursula called a halt. She could now see the extra buildings in the faint pre-dawn light and her ideas had undergone a change.

Those are not buildings, they are prison cages! How could we have overlooked that?

Though the structures had resembled buildings in the images Loti had provided, the dranakh did not know the difference... but Ursula did. What she was looking at were essentially prison compounds with closely-spaced bars made of the local tree trunks, bound together with ropes from the captured barges. Tarpaulins and sail canvas were stretched across the top of each to provide some shelter to those within.

Of course. If those galleys originally came from Yod the rowers would have been criminals and prisoners - essentially slaves. They have no need for rowers on their raiding barges but they would need those crews once the rainy season is over.

She turned to the officers waiting behind. "These three buildings in front of us are prisons, gentlemen. Can you see? The walls are bars, not solid, and, unlike the solid roofs of the buildings near those two galleys, they just have cloth stretched across them."

Anthar asked, "Are you sure, Mistress? They appear full of men, I would not care to leave an enemy behind me."

"The galleys would have had slave rowers, Captain, but with the river this low they can't use the galleys. If they were ruthless they could just kill them all but I think they planned to use them again once the rain has stopped falling."

The Zebrin grunted. "Mistress, if that is their intent they will receive an unpleasant surprise, I deem. The Rains will swell the river so much in these parts that the waters will rise almost to the top of those roofs. This whole area will become a lake for a time, perhaps two months."

"What? It looks like someone does not know how to build structures in this forest, unlike the last time we did this. But if we leave them everyone will drown, pirates and slaves."

"As you say, Mistress. But, regarding these prisons, how may we be sure the men inside are not our enemies?"

Ursula thought. "A good point, Captain. We need more information. How about you and I - oh, and the dranakh for safety - go and see if we can talk to someone inside? I don't see any doorways this side, we should be safe enough and we can't be seen from the other buildings."

He thought. "It is a risk, Mistress, but the more I consider the matter the more I think that I agree." He turned to the others. "The Mistress and I will investigate the nearest prison building, if that is what it is. The dranakh will come as escort. Remain here until we return."

"Sir. If you do not return?"

Anthar shrugged. "Wait for the signal and then follow the plan, of course. What else are we here for?"

He turned to Ursula. "We had best go, Mistress."

With a thought to Loti to try and explain what they were doing, Ursula led Anthar, Tyra and Zakaros across the empty space towards the structures. The ground underfoot was rough, but she was surprised not to see any stumps or other growths at all.

They have even grubbed out the tree stumps! What are they doing out here?

A sleepy voice came from inside the bars, followed by others.

"Hey, we got company! Easy, now, we don't want the pirates to find out."

"What's that with them? Maker, it is a dranakh!"

"Can't make them out in the poor light... black attire? Might they be Zebrins? What are Zebrins doing over here?"

"Pirates are pirates whichever land you're in, Ashan. Let's just hope there are enough of them to finish off this lot!"

Ursula, Loti and Anthar reached the structure followed by Tyra and Zakaros, who turned around and kept watch in other directions in case they were disturbed.

A voice asked quietly, "Who are you people?"

Ursula replied, "We are the River Patrol. We have come to defeat the pirates but we did not know they had prisoners here as well."

"Maker! A woman?"

"So I have been told. I need numbers. How many pirates, where are they, how many of you?"

"You lead these men? You must do, to come here in such a manner. We do not know exactly how many of them there are, Mistress, but maybe one hundred to one hundred twenty. Some are always away on watch or out catching more barges. There are about the same number of us, but many are sick and we are all ill-fed. The criminals reside in those three buildings behind this one, the leaders live in the one to your left, away from the river, I guess about thirty to forty in each house, would that be right, Zanar?"

"As you say, Benakar. About that. Thirty or so in the King's house, forty in the others."

"The leader calls himself the 'King of the Sirrel'," Benakar explained. "Oh, one word of warning, those around the leader have some new weapons which they say can kill many at one time."

"We know of them. Those of Yod invented them." This was not the time to explain any of the truth. "They might not work after all this time but we have ways of dealing with those who use them."

"You do? That is good news!"

Zanar added, "Tell them about these cages, Benakar."

"Oh, yes. You mentioned those of Yod, the cage to your left hold what are left of the Yodans who originally commanded those galleys. The pirates are the slave rowers who revolted and took the first galley over, then captured the second galley by guile and freed those rowers. We are the fitter prisoners, mostly men taken from barges now. The cage to your right holds men they trust enough to do their dirty work around camp but not enough to remain free overnight. It also holds the sick men, the ones they haven't yet gotten rid of."

"Men, you say. No women?"

There was a long pause. "There were women, Mistress, when they started this place, but they didn't last long. It is said they caused too many arguments among the pirates. Now, when they take a barge, they just kill everyone aboard, man or woman. Very occasionally they keep a crew man but not often now." Through the bars she could just make out a shrug. "More mouths to feed, I deem."

The pirates have a problem, in that they will need crews for those galleys but have to feed those crews. Whatever they have planned, I am not sure it would have worked, not after, what, six weeks of rain?

Never mind. Now we are here their plans are all history.

"Let us see if we can do something about that. I have sixty men, there are the same number coming through the channel -"

"It is blocked! They will see anyone coming and sound the alarm!"

"We'll manage. You do not know the kind of men they are. Tell me, if we release you, how many could fight?"

The reply sounded doubtful. "Mistress, maybe fifteen, twenty or so if we are lucky. Most of us can barely stand and walk around. I guess we all know how to use a sword but we're bargemen not armsmen. They feed us but it is not enough and we have no exercise. Have you weapons we can use?"

"No. That will be a problem until we can take some off them. But if we let you out -"

Her words were cut off by the sound of a distant bugle and then a faint whistle.

Ursula knew what had happened. "It looks like our other force has gotten through the channel, then. We'll let you out but the best thing you can all do is stay out of everybody's way."

She turned to Anthar. "That's the signal for our party to attack, but we now know these three structures do not contain enemies. Go back and tell your men to advance as planned, but to go around these three structures and attack the main buildings from the other side."

"At once, Director."

Again. It is inevitable, I cannot keep objecting.

"Oh, and I'll try to set the men in here free but I don't think it would be a good idea to open the other two, do you?"

He nodded. "Agreed, Director."

The Zebrin turned and ran back to the tree line, from which men were already emerging.

There was a shout from within. "Hey! The buildings are on fire! Look!"

Ursula said, "That is part of our plan. Stay calm, you are in no danger here."

"He named you Director, Mistress. What are you, to command those men?"

She scowled. "It is complicated. Just call me Mistress for now. Now, let me see if we can open you up. Tyra, Zakaros, follow me."

The three turned left and walked rapidly around the building. The flames from the burning roofs were now bright enough for her and Tyra to see what they were doing, but that also meant that they could be seen in turn. There were two large doors made from wood frames filled with a grid of poles, the doors held shut by a chain and padlock.

"How are we supposed to open these, Mistress?"

"Let's have a look at the hinges."

The hinges proved to be wide straps of leather wrapped around door frame and building frame and nailed to the building on the outside. Their boot knives took time but eventually cut through the tough leather, upon which the doors were pushed open from inside and fell flat on the ground.

Benakar was first out, identifiable by his voice in the uncertain light.

"Mistress, we can manage from here. What about those men? Can you do anything for them?"

He pointed and Ursula's blood ran cold. Midway between the pirate buildings and the cages rectangular frames had been set up and in each one a man was held spread-eagled.

"What are they? Are they alive?"

"Examples, Mistress, to keep the rest of us in line. You get put up there, you get left to die. I don't think Sallo is alive any more, I don't know about the other two. They don't encourage questions."

Another problem! I can't do anything about them until we have won this battle.

"Very well. Take all the men and lead them back to the tree line, please. That way you won't be mistaken for a pirate."

"Unlikely, Mistress. Look at us!"

As the men came out of the doorway she could see that all had long, matted hair and beards, were thin and malnourished and were wearing little more than rags. Sounds of battle now rang behind her and she twitched.

"I see what you mean, but men with the fire of battle inside them might not. Go!"

"Aye, Mistress."

The men filed past, some being helped, several being almost carried. Zakaros came close to Ursula to be heard.

"What do we do now, Mistress?"

She looked around. "What happened to Loti?"

"He ran off over there, where the cooking area was supposed to be."

"We are not supposed to fight but I do not want to go back too far. Let us investigate these examples, then."

"As you wish, Mistress."

* * *

Eriana's men had effectively pinned most of the pirates inside the burning buildings. They fought to get out and some managed it but they didn't go far. There were screams from inside as parts of the burning roof fell into the interior, and other sounds could just be heard over the noise of battle and fire as the occupants fought desperately to get out.

The big problem was the third building, the one the leaders were supposed to be in. Ursula had deduced this from some of the images Loti had given her, but it was only a theory not known fact. However, Eriana had faith in Ursula and a line of men was ready when the first pirates emerged from the end building.

Many of these were mown down by crossbow bolts as they emerged, leaving an obstacle for those following. Others did make it, they saw the line of Norse and came forward to fight. Still more followed, saw the Norse and the burning buildings and thought only to save their skin so turned the other way.

Three dranakhs faced them, the center one being Loti. He let out a blood-curdling roar and all thought of escape that way vanished. Swords were reluctantly pulled and they joined the battle. Soon enough had come out of that building that Eriana began to feel some unease. That increased when two pairs of men emerged, each pair carrying a familiar pipe-like object.

* * *

On the barge-pontoon assembly Lars and his party had by now managed to pole it across the mouth of the creek and reach the outermost galley. Grappling irons were thrown and the men began to haul themselves up one by one. Toshi, being the smallest and nimblest, reached the top first and vaulted over. There were two watchmen on the other galley who had been attracted by the noise, they jumped across and came at him with swords drawn. He swayed back at their first attack, then ducked and twisted as he pulled his sword. Three strokes was all it took to fell both men.

By that time most of the Norse had also made it aboard. Lars joined Toshi as he wiped his blade clean on one of the bodies.

"Nice work. You join us, hey? We need folk like you in River Patrol."

Toshi turned, slide his blade into the scabbard and then bowed. "Lars, I would be honored."

The second galley listed in both directions, a clear indication that it was aground. The deck was slightly higher than the first one but an easy jump for the Norsemen. Once over they crept to the far side to look down at the battle just four strides below, but stepped back as pirates with crossbows raced to ladders to climb onto the galley.

Once the first men had reached the top of the ladders they were easy meat for the Norse, who chopped at them and sent them tumbling onto those who followed. A push with a booted foot sent the ladders sideways, removing easy access to the galleys with their higher vantage point.

Lars muttered. «Do you still have the fire-pot?»

«What do you think, Lars? Am I an Einnlander? Here it is, be careful, it might be hot.»

«Funny man.»

Lars removed the cloth bag he had slung over his shoulder and took out a fist-sized ceramic object.

* * *

"Get back, men!" A loud voice came from the third building, where a sword-wielding pirate was climbing out over the bodies of some of his comrades. "Let them see the fury of our magic weapons!"

"What do we do, Admiral?" Bennet asked.

There was no time to hear the answer as a smoking cord was touched to the first Thunder Pipe. Since they could not possibly have been loaded in the time since the alarm had been sounded, Eriana thought that they must have been kept already loaded, which gave them a chance.

Eriana waited until the fuse flared and then turned. "DOWN!"

The Norse all fell flat. All who had shields of any kind held them over their heads at an angle to deflect the shot upwards. But that was not what happened.

There was an ominous silence and then a jet of flame roared out of the barrel as the charge burned away. The force of the blast, effectively a rocket, bowled the pipeman over and knocked the fuse man flying. The discharging pipe, dropped, now flipped in random directions, causing the pirates to scatter in panic.

As the flame died the leading pirate came forward, sword in hand. "Steady, men! It does not matter, these pathetic intruders are too few, we shall soon have them." He raised his voice to reach the Norse. "I am Zanthar Blackheart, King of the Sirrel! Put down your weapons now and live! You are too few, you cannot withstand my men!"

The Norse scrambled to their feet but as they did the second pipe man set up his weapon causing them to pause.

"Admiral?" Semma asked. "Now?"

"I think so." Eriana tossed her broadsword onto the ground, causing the Pirate King to begin a smile. "You deal with the pipe crew, I'll deal with big mouth."

Bennet and Semma also threw down their swords, causing the pipeman to straighten up. Then the three, acting almost as if they had practised the maneuver, lifted their skirts, drew their Personal Pistols as one, crouched, aimed and fired. The Pirate King, the pipeman and his fuse man were all thrown backwards from the force of the shot. The other pirates looked at each other in consternation, then someone shouted, "Nooo!" and they all charged.

Lars teased the end of the fuse away from the body and held the grenade out.

«Light it! Quickly!»

As the glowing embers in the fire-pot touched the end of the fuse it bubbled, smoked and then began fizzing. Lars smoothly turned and lobbed the grenade directly into the mass of pirates. There was a flash, a thump and screams followed by silence.

He stood proud at the galley bow holding up a grenade in either hand. He called, "Anyone else want to be stupid?"

Swords and knives were tossed to the ground. Some of the men kneeled, others saw and followed. Soon the only sound was that of the flames consuming the two buildings and the moans of the injured.

* * *

"They are all dead," said a tired Ursula, staring down at the third body. "I don't think this one has been dead very long, though. Maybe yesterday or the night before."

"Such cruelty," Zakaros muttered. "I would certainly not stoop to such behavior." He looked up. "Since there is one of these outside each prison, Mistress, I would venture that these came each from those within."

"Agreed. To see one of your own strung up like that would give any man second thoughts."

"As you say, Mistress, but my thought is that this man must have therefore been a Yodan, if that is who is in the building behind."

"Oh!" Ursula looked up and gazed at the building behind them. "You are right, of course. Those still inside are going to present us with a problem. Do you understand that?"

"I do, Mistress, yet I may be the one who could solve that problem."

"How do you propose to do that?"

"First we must tell them what has happened to the Yod they once knew."

"Very well." Ursula regarded Zakaros warily in the half-light of early dawn. "Can I trust you not to say anything stupid?"

Zakaros promptly drew his sword and laid it at Ursula's feet. "Mistress... Director, I have already made an oath to Her Highness but I will also make one to you. Just now you named us the River Patrol and that brave band of men and women shall include me, I deem. You gave me my life, I will never do anything to cause you concern or distrust."

Ursula stared at Zakaros as Tyra quietly stated, "Heard and witnessed."

Ursula sighed. "Pick up your sword, Zakaros, and let us find out what you can do."

The three walked over to the Yodan prison where men were now gathering inside the chained double doors.

"Is he dead?" someone asked, apparently referring to the man they had cut down.

"Yes, I regret that he is," she replied.

"A woman? They let women join raiding parties now?"

Zakaros said sharply, "Mind your tongue! Director Ursula is second-in-command of this force. Her troops are doing what those of Yod could not."

Somebody inside had apparently noticed Zakaros's calf boots. "You are a Yodan? Are you in command? Is Yod employing mercenaries now?"

Ursula stated, "We are the River Patrol. Yod is the reason that this service was created but only because everyone else wanted a way of preventing Yod from invading them in the future. Yes, Zakaros is a Yodan but he is sworn to me and he will tell you the truth."

"Yodans, hear me," Zakaros began. "I was once a District Commissioner for the Ascendancy. I consider that I governed those of Chidrell fairly and without favor or malice. To my surprise and disgust I have since learned that many of my fellows in the Ascendancy did not. By circumstance I have, with Director Ursula, been able to meet the Old Führer and even he did not approve of what the Ascendancy had become.

"By invading the lands of others you provoked them all to come together and Yod was defeated many months ago. Now troops of those lands occupy Yod and try to bring order to what has become chaos. Some of those who reside in Yod desire that the Ascendancy would return, half wish it had never existed, others do not even desire to be part of Yod. You who I believe were the crews of those galleys, your service ended months ago, you are men with no country.

"It is possible that, should you desire to return to Yod, it would be permitted but not immediately. We are a long way from Yod. Some of you may never return, you will become exiles like me and you must needs consider what your future might be in a valley which dislikes the name of Yod and all that it claimed for itself."

In the distance there came suddenly three rapid cracks followed shortly by a thump. The sound of warfare ended abruptly, leaving only the crackle of flames as the two pirate buildings crumbled into charred skeletons. The sky had lightened considerably but Ursula knew that it would still be half a bell before the sun appeared and even then it would not clear the forest for another bell or more.

The voice inside asked, "What was that? It could not have been Thunder Pipes."

"Indeed," she replied. "We have weapons which are more efficient than Thunder Pipes. We do not propose to use them against you, though. We could offer you a way out of this alive."

Whoever was inside thought this through before asking, "What is it you offer us, then?"

"If the Director sets you free you may be in danger both from the other prisoners and from the troops who even now have routed the pirates," Zakaros explained. "I would recommend that you each give your parole to our senior officers before you could be permitted to roam free, and even then I would advise you to remain inside for the present. Director?"

Ursula thought and suddenly realized the enormity of what was about to hit her. "We have three cages of prisoners who must all be treated differently," she added. "We will also have some surviving pirates to deal with. All must be checked over, wounds and other afflictions attended to and I suppose you all want feeding. Once we understand who remains alive and who is dead, then we can consider what to do with you all."

She added, "It looks like the fighting has ended and I can see officers walking across to join us. It appears I might shortly become very busy, so if you would excuse me..."

The voice inside said, "As you command, Director."