helium. With the reduced gas levels, the
Water Lily
started sinking rapidly.
“Yes!” Elle said as she watched one of the grappling hooks slip loose and fly past the windglass. Now all she had to do was to create enough clearance to miss the bilge hooks attached to the hull of the pirate ship above them. With a little luck they could slip past at a lower altitude. Once clear, the other hooks would slip free. It would be a fast plummet to the ground before she’d be able to refill the balloon, but she was sure the largervessel would not be able to turn around fast enough to catch them.
With grim resolve, she grabbed hold of the thruster controls in order to swivel them about. The sky went dark as the large hull of the pirate ship blocked out the sun. The
Water Lily
dipped in a desperate bid for freedom.
Suddenly there was a loud clanging noise. The ship shuddered and listed sharply to the port side. The sudden jolt caused a universal pressure release, and with a hiss of steam the engines went out.
Elle grabbed her periscope and swung it round. The pirate ship was directly above them. Above her, the
Water Lily
’s balloon billowed limply below it. Her rigging cables creaked as the hull swung in the bottom drag caused by the hull of the bigger ship.
The
Water Lily
was securely caught in the row of grappling hooks attached to the bottom of the hull of the pirate ship. And judging by the flapping of the balloon canvas, she appeared to have bled out all of her gas.
“That’s not terribly good, is it?” Dr. Bell said.
“No, it’s not,” Elle replied. Her duck-and-cover maneuver had been too little, too late, and they were now stuck, with no means of escape. Elle felt a wave of panicky fear rise up into her throat. They were in very big trouble indeed.
CHAPTER 5
The sharp rattle of her communications console startled Elle out of her fear-induced stupor.
Elle grabbed the speaking tube. “What?” she said rather rudely.
“This is the captain of the pirate ship
Inanna
. You are completely immobilized. Any further resistance will only result in your death.”
“How dare you attack my ship, you vile bastard? Have you no honor? I will never surrender to you!” she shouted.
The captain just laughed at her fury. “Prepare to be boarded. Any resistance will be met with violence. You have been warned.” The console lights went out as the communication was terminated.
There was a series of loud thumps overhead as the pirates dropped down onto the roof of the
Water Lily
.
“I’m so sorry,” Elle said to Dr. Bell.
Dr. Bell just closed the shotgun and aimed for the hatch. “Oh, I think we could still give them a run for their money. I for one am not prepared to give up my artifacts so easily. Not after all I’ve been through to find them.”
“Right on.” Elle pulled her revolver out and cocked it. “We fight until we cannot fight any longer, but please be careful, Gertrude.”
Dr. Bell just gave her a reassuring smile. “Never youmind about me. I can take care of myself. You should rather pay attention to staying alive yourself, hmm?”
“Right. United we stand, divided we fall.” She gripped her pistol. “Bring it on, you rotters.”
Slowly the hatch above them creaked open. A pair of heavy rubber-soled, steel-tipped boots appeared at the top of the ladder. Attached to the boots was a pair of legs, clad in brown canvas trousers, soon followed by a broad leather belt and the bottom of a shirt and waistcoat.
Then there was the eardrum-ripping boom that only a shotgun could make, as Dr. Bell dispatched the pirate before he could even draw his weapon. The cabin filled with gun smoke as he dropped to the floor with a dull thump, his face covered by the leather aviator mask.
Then the fight broke out in earnest as the rest of the pirates boarded the
Water Lily
.
Elle took out the next two men who came through the hatch. They too dropped to the floor on top of their departed compatriot.
Then the
Water Lily
started sinking rapidly.
“Yes!” Elle said as she watched one of the grappling hooks slip loose and fly past the windglass. Now all she had to do was to create enough clearance to miss the bilge hooks attached to the hull of the pirate ship above them. With a little luck they could slip past at a lower altitude. Once clear, the other hooks would slip free. It would be a fast plummet to the ground before she’d be able to refill the balloon, but she was sure the largervessel would not be able to turn around fast enough to catch them.
With grim resolve, she grabbed hold of the thruster controls in order to swivel them about. The sky went dark as the large hull of the pirate ship blocked out the sun. The
Water Lily
dipped in a desperate bid for freedom.
Suddenly there was a loud clanging noise. The ship shuddered and listed sharply to the port side. The sudden jolt caused a universal pressure release, and with a hiss of steam the engines went out.
Elle grabbed her periscope and swung it round. The pirate ship was directly above them. Above her, the
Water Lily
’s balloon billowed limply below it. Her rigging cables creaked as the hull swung in the bottom drag caused by the hull of the bigger ship.
The
Water Lily
was securely caught in the row of grappling hooks attached to the bottom of the hull of the pirate ship. And judging by the flapping of the balloon canvas, she appeared to have bled out all of her gas.
“That’s not terribly good, is it?” Dr. Bell said.
“No, it’s not,” Elle replied. Her duck-and-cover maneuver had been too little, too late, and they were now stuck, with no means of escape. Elle felt a wave of panicky fear rise up into her throat. They were in very big trouble indeed.
CHAPTER 5
The sharp rattle of her communications console startled Elle out of her fear-induced stupor.
Elle grabbed the speaking tube. “What?” she said rather rudely.
“This is the captain of the pirate ship
Inanna
. You are completely immobilized. Any further resistance will only result in your death.”
“How dare you attack my ship, you vile bastard? Have you no honor? I will never surrender to you!” she shouted.
The captain just laughed at her fury. “Prepare to be boarded. Any resistance will be met with violence. You have been warned.” The console lights went out as the communication was terminated.
There was a series of loud thumps overhead as the pirates dropped down onto the roof of the
Water Lily
.
“I’m so sorry,” Elle said to Dr. Bell.
Dr. Bell just closed the shotgun and aimed for the hatch. “Oh, I think we could still give them a run for their money. I for one am not prepared to give up my artifacts so easily. Not after all I’ve been through to find them.”
“Right on.” Elle pulled her revolver out and cocked it. “We fight until we cannot fight any longer, but please be careful, Gertrude.”
Dr. Bell just gave her a reassuring smile. “Never youmind about me. I can take care of myself. You should rather pay attention to staying alive yourself, hmm?”
“Right. United we stand, divided we fall.” She gripped her pistol. “Bring it on, you rotters.”
Slowly the hatch above them creaked open. A pair of heavy rubber-soled, steel-tipped boots appeared at the top of the ladder. Attached to the boots was a pair of legs, clad in brown canvas trousers, soon followed by a broad leather belt and the bottom of a shirt and waistcoat.
Then there was the eardrum-ripping boom that only a shotgun could make, as Dr. Bell dispatched the pirate before he could even draw his weapon. The cabin filled with gun smoke as he dropped to the floor with a dull thump, his face covered by the leather aviator mask.
Then the fight broke out in earnest as the rest of the pirates boarded the
Water Lily
.
Elle took out the next two men who came through the hatch. They too dropped to the floor on top of their departed compatriot.
Then the
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