Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: [R] Remi[Cote d'Azur]: Get That Archer! Message-ID: <1992Oct28.031848.5758@kakwa.ucs.ualberta.ca> From: aaron@space.ualberta.ca (Aaron Humphrey) Date: Wed, 28 Oct 1992 03:18:48 GMT Remi continued to watch the action through his spyglass. So far a large portion of the defenders of the Arcas were continuing with their sham of being wounded, although a sufficient number of those active were keeping the boarders distracted that no-one had yet had the opportunity to call their bluff. Slowly but surely, though, they were turning the ride. They were little match for his men. He watched as Vanshar cut a swath through the batch he was fighting. Good First Mate, that, if a little bloodthirsty. He turned his view to Laurent. His squad were going for the woman he'd spied. Remi smiled, envisioning the sweet nights he'd have with that one... But then another woman stood up from those apparently wounded, and stopped to talk to Laurent. Then they went and started fighting another of their own squads! Remi almost dropped his spyglass in surprise. They had even better spellpower than he had anticipated. He marked the witch for later reference. Then another, standing near the witch, started writhing and changing...soon it was no man, but a tiger, crouched and ready to spring. Again, the witch said something to it, and it quieted down. They had a weretiger on their side? With Laurent having turned coat, this put the odds too poor for Remi's tastes. He hoped that Vanshar could recoup his losses, or else he'd have to take the rest of his crew over. Dragon would enjoy that, but it was risky. He hadn't had to risk himself that way for a long time, and he suddenly wondered if he still had the skill necessary... The members of the strange magical battle seemed to be separating to face the attack, as well. Sardonikas better get his butt in gear, he grumbled to himself. He motioned one of his men over, and was about to tell him to fetch the mage when he heard a dull thump and the man keeled over, an arrow in his side. That was meant for me, he realized. Turning his spyglass upward, he noted an archer that had climbed the rigging and was now training arrows on the ship. As he watched, the man took careful aim and fired again, but not at the deck of the Cote d'Azur... The boat heeled over in a sudden gust, and one of the sail ropes strained under the sudden stress, and at that moment was cut by the archer's arrow. The sail fell and trapped several crewmembers, including Dragon. Remi cursed. This had gone too far. He would have to join the fight himself, if only to get away from that damnable sniper. He turned to spy Sardonikas sitting on the deck nearby. "Sardonikas!" he roared. "Get that archer!" Then he went to free Dragon from the sail. When he had, he said, "I'm going over. Join me with the rest at first opportunity." The bosun grinned. "Aye, aye, Cap'n!" He hadn't been in a combat for far too long, and his sword hand was already itchy... Remi snagged one of the original boarding ropes, and when the time was right, he jumped over to the Arcas. He could see three or four others joining him already. He caught Vanshar's eye for a moment, and waved to him. Well, at least this way he could take his prize personally, he thought... -- ---Alfvaen(Canadian SF Quasi-Activist) "Don't plant your bad days, they grow into weeks." ---Tom Waits Current Album--Madonna:True Blue Current Read--Tom Clancy:The Sum of All Fears