“But the ship is coal-powered ...”
“It’s been retrofitted to run on coal, of course. But the reactor remains.”
“And will blow as the fire intensifies, is that it?”
“Yes, my lord. Which will surely sink the ship.”
Valdus seethed. He scanned the lines of their own boats. “The supply skiffs ... we’ll use them to ladle water. We’ll enter the hole and put out the fire; then attack the ship from the bottom up.”
“My lord,” said Hirth, alarmed. “The ferrymen, too, will investigate ... and cut us to ribbons as we enter.”
“Only those not picked off on the deck by your archers,” said Valdus quickly. “The rest will be overwhelmed by our conscripts, who will attack from the top.” He grinned at him devilishly, as in the earliest days of the conflict. “Sheer numbers, my friend. The ferrymen are few
