Chapter two

Held in the cunning two-handed Krozair grip the glittering longsword slashed left and right. Two Shanks had no time to scream, collapsing in green gore. Most of the length of the Krozair brand still glittered in the lights of the twin suns.

As more of the surprised Fish Faces fell under the merciless blows, the glitter changed to an ominous green patina. It was absolutely vital to keep moving, to strike economically despite the red roaring passion of revengeful blood. The Katakis shouted confused orders and the Whiptail Chuktar tried to thrust with his bladed tail. The tail was severed by a slicing cut which went straight on to sunder his armor in a welter of blood.

“Come on! Come on! Grab weapons! Bratch!”

Llodi was the first to react. He snatched up a fallen trident and with a whooping shriek thrust a Shank clean through the guts.

Kuong and Mevancy retrieved swords and went to work.

Rollo got his fists around a trident and joined them.

The suddenness of it all, the shock, the abrupt death of the lord, tumbled the Fish Faces back in confusion. More died. The fight raged across the filthy deck.

Even then, we might not have done it — probably would not have done it — against this formidable opposition that swiftly threw more Shank soldiers into the fray. But acid was eating, eating at six membranes. The acid did not bite through evenly, so that the incendiary devices planted aboard six of the Shank flying ships ignited in sequence. With a great whoosh flames burst up from the ship next along the line. A bedlam of yells and shrieks broke from this vessel, the lord’s flagship, as the incendiary device I’d planted in the magazine at last took fire.

Half a dozen Fish Faces leaped over the side. Others hesitated.

Striking with the Krozair brand I cleared a space.

“Rollo! I’ll hold ’em. Get up to the controls!”

“But — Drajak—”

“Mevancy, go with Rollo! Come on. Runner, you know how to fly one of these contraptions! Move!”

Without another word Rollo started for the ladder to the next deck. The position of the controls was plain enough, in the armored box just for’ard of midships. Mevancy stuck a Kataki through and stepped on his tail as she ran with Rollo. She did not stop to cut his tail off. Normally one would cut off a Kataki’s tail if the opportunity offered; but she’d stuck him good. She and Rollo vanished above.

Now other slaves were coming alive, were seeing salvation.

I knew none of the others, apart from my four friends. The killing frenzy that had given me impetus enough to break free from the slave mentality had to be channeled, organized, used. This fight was not over yet.

Flames roared over the after part of the flagship. Fire was sweeping through all six ships in which the fire eggs had been planted.

This ship, the lord’s flagship, w