Chapter four
The instructive history of a zan-talenA second rock hurtled dangerously low over our deck. Wersting Rogahan was a remarkable shot with a varter, and could split the Chunkrah’s Eye at tremendous distances. A horrific thought occurred to me in the chaos of the moment — how would a shoot-out between Wersting and our two varterists, Wilma the Shot and Alwim the Eye, turn out? Impossible! I could not let that happen!
Captain Linson bellowed furiously.
“Prisoner of war? Prisoner of war! The Vallian is mad!”
People scurried about the decks, confusion held them all, and the sudden powerful smell of the sea reached up to me in the cross-trees, blowing all the aromas of the ship away.
“You said we could not outsail him!” screeched Pompino. The breeze blew words about like gulls ove
