Faster than I could imagine, pairs of men reloaded each one of the big guns. This was the first time I had seem them in action and I was impressed. The cannons were devastion incarnate but the men were a wonder to watch. To my eyes, each man acted like a cog in a giant machine. They knew their places and handled themseves with a subdued efficiency. Part of me wondered how often Firus had used this maneuver prior to his association with the Air Corp.

When the second round of fire thundered all around me, I was braced and ready for it. This time I could watch the effects of our work.

Dots of fire and smoke blossomed across the hull of the pirate ship in a rough line. It paralleled the damage caused by our previous attack.

Hoarse cheers erupted from the men as they watched the ship begin to sink past us.

A terrifying thought occurred to me. The pirate’s mag-anchors were still attached to us! If we didn’t do something about them, the falling ship would drag us down with them or tear us apart without trying.