Chapter Five
The sun dawned on the castle tower. Captain Jean-Luc Picard
was standing at a window looking over the town. Directly below
him was the newer of the two castles in the town. Toward his
right stood Saint Peter's, North Bridge, Saint Paul's, and the
older castle. In front of him some distance away stood South
Gate and the Harbor and its keep. To his left stood West Bridge.
Breakfast smoke rose from inns near South Gate, North Bridge,
West Bridge, and in the middle of the town near the Market.
Suddenly a flare shot up in the west from a ship down
river... The enemy had been sighted. The sails of the two ships
in the Harbor rose as the moved to join it.
From up on top of one of the Tian Nan Men's masts, the
lookout shouted down to Captain Yoshida, "Five three-masters
flying the Romulan Warbird on white."
"Run up the signal flags for the town, Ensign," Captain
Yoshida said. "Five Romulans-s." The enemy ship's closed.
"Helm hard to port. Run out the guns and prepare to fire."
"Captain Washington is doing the same but towards the
starboard," Commander Earnheart reported.
"Two points to starboard," Yoshida ordered. "This is not
going to be easy." The Romulan ships came closer. "Ready
Archers-s." Archers lined the starboard deck. Still closer,
cannons boomed, they fell short. "Light arrows." Closer still.
"Fire arrows and starboard cannons-s."
Fire spat out of the side of the Tian Nan Men. Seconds
later the Miranda followed suit. Two of the Romulan ships
faltered as cannon balls impacted their sides. Then the other
ships faltered as their crews noticed flames on their sails and
sides.
"Reload and fire at will," Yoshida ordered. "We can do
better."
Cannon balls once again left the Tian Nan Men's sides. The
lead enemy ship was hit and began leaning to port. The masts on
the ship closest to the northern bank of the river's masts were
blown off.
Three ships continued to close. "Forty degrees to
starboard," Captain Yosida ordered. "Hold all fire and reload
all cannons." An enemy ship drew along side the Tian Nan Men.
"Fire all portside cannons, archers fire at will."
The cannon balls flew out. Three of them took the masts
right off. Five holed the ship below the waterline. The ship
sank like a rock. However another ship fired at the Tian Nan Men
from behind. A ship had gotten by the Tian Nan Men and the
Miranda and taken a parting shot. They made a hole just above
the waterline.
"Captain we are taking on water," an ensign yelled from the
hold.
"Helm set a coarse for the Harbor," Captain Yoshida ordered.
"Start bailing. Lighten the load. Raise sails." He motioned for
Commander Earnheart to join him. "Number One, put the six
portside cannons which didn't fire on bailing duty and when they
get back they can scrap the barnacles off the hull."
"Message from the Miranda," the lookout shouted from the
mast. "One got by. Will pursue. All systems Normal. Nice
Shot."
Lieutenant Commander Data, Master Archer, was up on the wall
between Old Castle and Saint Paul's on the north side of town.
Below him about 16 meters was the Deep Blue River. It was
11:06:43 according to Data's internal clock. Cook fires were
sending plumes of smoke from the inns in town. However that was
not the only source of smoke. Down river about a mile smoke rose
from the remains of 4 sailing ships.
Suddenly Data noticed out of the corner of his eye a out of
place sail. Data turned to get a better look. It was a three
masted affair with singed white sails. Data's android vision
allowed him to pick out the Romulan warbird flag flying from the
middle mast.
Data quickly said to a patrolling soldier on the wall,
"Ensign Spencer, inform Commander Riker at the Market Inn that
his forces will be needed at North Bridge in a half in hour. An
enemy flying the Romulan Warbird has passed the Miranda and the
Tian Nan Men. The Brittain and the Hemingway are not in a
position to block its progress up the Blue yet. Now go."
The soldier ran off. Data turned hid attention to the
rivers. The Brattain and the Hemingway were nearing the
confluence of the Green and Blue from the Blue. The Hemingway
positioned itself to block the way up the Green. The Brattain
attempted to do the same in the Blue but the enemy ship sailed
passed before it could do so.
The Romulan ship made for the fisherman's wharf on the other
side of the river, but first the ship had to pass Data. He drew
back his bow and took aim. The man at the tiller slumped over.
A second arrow shot out. The lookout fell to the deck. A third.
The Captain slumped over. A fourth. Down went an archer. He
drew back another arrow but the ship was now out of range so he
let it back and proceeded to North Bridge Gate.
The noon sun beat down hard on Commander Riker's Black
Armor. He wished Q had chosen a lighter color. Bad enough that
the armor weighed a ton, but the heat it absorbed made it
unbearable.
Commander Riker arrived at North Bridge Gate on his black
horse. "What's going on Data?" he asked.
"The Romulans have unloaded eighty men from their ship at
the old fisherman's wharf," Data said. "Barclay has hidden two
dozen men in the woods behind the cottage."
"Your idea?"
"Yes, Commander," Data said. I estimate a third of them will
parish in the first assault before a retreat is ordered. Then
you can come out and pin the remaining Romulans between yourself
and Barclay."
"Then we better get ready."
The Romulans charged over the bridge. toward the gate at its
far end. A battering ram lead the way. Data's archers felled a
dozen men and took out all of the battering ram bearers on one
side causing it to roll off the bridge.
When all the men were on the bridge, Data put down his bow
and picked up a rope attached to the tops of the bridge
supporting towers. The rope ran to the farside of pots mounted
on pivots over fires. Data pulled on the rope. Hot oil poured
down on the Romulans below. Mass confusion reined on the bridge.
Romulans jumped off the bridge into the deep Blue River to cool
off, only to discover that swimming in armor is not advisable.
Commander Riker formed up this troops, two dozen mounted
knights and fifty foot soldiers. "Open the gates," came
Commander Riker's call. The gates opened pushing enemy soldiers
into the water. They joined there downing companions, sinking
under the weight of their armor. Commander Riker and his troop
moved forward across the bridge.
The Romulans beat a retreat towards their ship.
Unfortunately, Barclay and his men were waiting. After their
numbers descended to two and a half dozen they surrendered.
Meanwhile the Miranda had arrived. She stooped alongside
the Romulan ship and T'Gwen Washington and thirty sailors
boarded. The resistance was light. In fact it didn't exist.
Being out numbered six to one left the Romulans little choice but
to join their brethren in the Old Castle dungeons.
The sun dawned on the castle tower. Captain Jean-Luc Picard
was standing at a window looking over the town. Directly below
him was the newer of the two castles in the town. Toward his
right stood Saint Peter's, North Bridge, Saint Paul's, and the
older castle. In front of him some distance away stood South
Gate and the Harbor and its keep. To his left stood West Bridge.
Breakfast smoke rose from inns near South Gate, North Bridge,
West Bridge, and in the middle of the town near the Market.
Suddenly a flare shot up in the west from a ship down
river... The enemy had been sighted. The sails of the two ships
in the Harbor rose as the moved to join it.
From up on top of one of the Tian Nan Men's masts, the
lookout shouted down to Captain Yoshida, "Five three-masters
flying the Romulan Warbird on white."
"Run up the signal flags for the town, Ensign," Captain
Yoshida said. "Five Romulans-s." The enemy ship's closed.
"Helm hard to port. Run out the guns and prepare to fire."
"Captain Washington is doing the same but towards the
starboard," Commander Earnheart reported.
"Two points to starboard," Yoshida ordered. "This is not
going to be easy." The Romulan ships came closer. "Ready
Archers-s." Archers lined the starboard deck. Still closer,
cannons boomed, they fell short. "Light arrows." Closer still.
"Fire arrows and starboard cannons-s."
Fire spat out of the side of the Tian Nan Men. Seconds
later the Miranda followed suit. Two of the Romulan ships
faltered as cannon balls impacted their sides. Then the other
ships faltered as their crews noticed flames on their sails and
sides.
"Reload and fire at will," Yoshida ordered. "We can do
better."
Cannon balls once again left the Tian Nan Men's sides. The
lead enemy ship was hit and began leaning to port. The masts on
the ship closest to the northern bank of the river's masts were
blown off.
Three ships continued to close. "Forty degrees to
starboard," Captain Yosida ordered. "Hold all fire and reload
all cannons." An enemy ship drew along side the Tian Nan Men.
"Fire all portside cannons, archers fire at will."
The cannon balls flew out. Three of them took the masts
right off. Five holed the ship below the waterline. The ship
sank like a rock. However another ship fired at the Tian Nan Men
from behind. A ship had gotten by the Tian Nan Men and the
Miranda and taken a parting shot. They made a hole just above
the waterline.
"Captain we are taking on water," an ensign yelled from the
hold.
"Helm set a coarse for the Harbor," Captain Yoshida ordered.
"Start bailing. Lighten the load. Raise sails." He motioned for
Commander Earnheart to join him. "Number One, put the six
portside cannons which didn't fire on bailing duty and when they
get back they can scrap the barnacles off the hull."
"Message from the Miranda," the lookout shouted from the
mast. "One got by. Will pursue. All systems Normal. Nice
Shot."
Lieutenant Commander Data, Master Archer, was up on the wall
between Old Castle and Saint Paul's on the north side of town.
Below him about 16 meters was the Deep Blue River. It was
11:06:43 according to Data's internal clock. Cook fires were
sending plumes of smoke from the inns in town. However that was
not the only source of smoke. Down river about a mile smoke rose
from the remains of 4 sailing ships.
Suddenly Data noticed out of the corner of his eye a out of
place sail. Data turned to get a better look. It was a three
masted affair with singed white sails. Data's android vision
allowed him to pick out the Romulan warbird flag flying from the
middle mast.
Data quickly said to a patrolling soldier on the wall,
"Ensign Spencer, inform Commander Riker at the Market Inn that
his forces will be needed at North Bridge in a half in hour. An
enemy flying the Romulan Warbird has passed the Miranda and the
Tian Nan Men. The Brittain and the Hemingway are not in a
position to block its progress up the Blue yet. Now go."
The soldier ran off. Data turned hid attention to the
rivers. The Brattain and the Hemingway were nearing the
confluence of the Green and Blue from the Blue. The Hemingway
positioned itself to block the way up the Green. The Brattain
attempted to do the same in the Blue but the enemy ship sailed
passed before it could do so.
The Romulan ship made for the fisherman's wharf on the other
side of the river, but first the ship had to pass Data. He drew
back his bow and took aim. The man at the tiller slumped over.
A second arrow shot out. The lookout fell to the deck. A third.
The Captain slumped over. A fourth. Down went an archer. He
drew back another arrow but the ship was now out of range so he
let it back and proceeded to North Bridge Gate.
The noon sun beat down hard on Commander Riker's Black
Armor. He wished Q had chosen a lighter color. Bad enough that
the armor weighed a ton, but the heat it absorbed made it
unbearable.
Commander Riker arrived at North Bridge Gate on his black
horse. "What's going on Data?" he asked.
"The Romulans have unloaded eighty men from their ship at
the old fisherman's wharf," Data said. "Barclay has hidden two
dozen men in the woods behind the cottage."
"Your idea?"
"Yes, Commander," Data said. I estimate a third of them will
parish in the first assault before a retreat is ordered. Then
you can come out and pin the remaining Romulans between yourself
and Barclay."
"Then we better get ready."
The Romulans charged over the bridge. toward the gate at its
far end. A battering ram lead the way. Data's archers felled a
dozen men and took out all of the battering ram bearers on one
side causing it to roll off the bridge.
When all the men were on the bridge, Data put down his bow
and picked up a rope attached to the tops of the bridge
supporting towers. The rope ran to the farside of pots mounted
on pivots over fires. Data pulled on the rope. Hot oil poured
down on the Romulans below. Mass confusion reined on the bridge.
Romulans jumped off the bridge into the deep Blue River to cool
off, only to discover that swimming in armor is not advisable.
Commander Riker formed up this troops, two dozen mounted
knights and fifty foot soldiers. "Open the gates," came
Commander Riker's call. The gates opened pushing enemy soldiers
into the water. They joined there downing companions, sinking
under the weight of their armor. Commander Riker and his troop
moved forward across the bridge.
The Romulans beat a retreat towards their ship.
Unfortunately, Barclay and his men were waiting. After their
numbers descended to two and a half dozen they surrendered.
Meanwhile the Miranda had arrived. She stooped alongside
the Romulan ship and T'Gwen Washington and thirty sailors
boarded. The resistance was light. In fact it didn't exist.
Being out numbered six to one left the Romulans little choice but
to join their brethren in the Old Castle dungeons.
