After the kshatriya left the bow, Belisarius whispered to Garmat: “For some reason, they seemed terrified of fire. Is that because of the Arabs, do you think?”
Garmat shook his head. “Can’t be. Arab navies are known to use fire arrows, on occasion, but these are not naval forces. They are pirates. What would be the point of burning this ship? They want to capture it.”
Belisarius nodded his head. “So-it must be due to their own weapons.”
At that moment, more kshatriyas began emerging from the hold. They were bearing knobby, odd-looking, short-poles?
“Are those bamboo?” asked Belisarius.
“Yes,” replied Garmat. “Each of those poles is simply a length of bamboo with some kind of bundle at one end. I think the bundle is just a wider length of bamboo jammed over the end of the pole and bound to it with leather. See? That’s the end they’re placing in the troughs to face outward. The other end has a-a tail, let’s call it. That’s just a short length of bamboo split length-wise.”
“What are these things called?”
Garmat shrugged. aim seized the moment. In a paroxysm of determination, it drove the facets toward a single point. A pure focus, a narrow salient in the barrier, a simple thrust. Had aim understood the human way of siegecraft, it would have called itself a battering ram guided toward the hinge of the gate. Perhaps-yes! Yes! Yes!
“It’s called a-a rocket,” whispered Belisarius. “More,” he commanded. “More!”
“What are you talking about?” demanded Garmat. The old adviser was gazing at the general as if Belisarius were demented. Belisarius grinned at him.
“I’m not mad, Garmat, believe me. Just-I can’t explain, now. Something important is happening. I am-let’s say, I am understanding things.”
Again aim drove the facets. Again, it regained the focus. Again, the battering ram. Again-the breach!
“Yes,” whispered Belisarius. “I see it, yes! It could be turned around. Made its opposite. Expel its interior rather than be expelled by it. Yes!”
He frowned, concentrating, concentrating. For a moment-for he was well acquainted with the human way of siegecraft-he even envisioned himself as a battering ram. And, with that vision, made his own breach in the wall.
“Then it would be called a- cannon.”
He sagged, almost staggered. Garmat steadied him with a hand.
“Truly,” muttered the adviser, “truly I hope you have not gone mad. This is a poor time for it.” He shook the general’s arm. “Belisarius! Snap out of it! The pirates are almost within bow range.”
Belisarius straightened, looked seaward, then glanced down at the Axumite. He shook his head, smiling.
“You are exaggerating, Garmat. The Arabs will not be within bow range for two minutes. But-the pirates are within rocket range. Watch!”
At that moment, a strange hissing sound was heard, like a dragon’s rage. Startled, Garmat looked back amidships and gaped. One of the- rockets — was hurtling itself toward the pirates. Behind it, a ball of flame billowed on the deck, surrounding the hide roll at the back of the trough from which the rocket had soared. The kshatriyas were obviously expecting the phenomenon, for, within a second or two, buckets of water were poured over the smoldering hide bundle. The ball of flame became a small cloud of steam.
Belisarius watched the flight of the rocket. He was struck, more than anything, by the serpentine nature of the bamboo device’s trajectory. It did not fly with the true arc of an arrow or a cast spear. Instead, the rocket skittered and snaked about. He realized, after a moment, that there was some connection between the rocket’s movements and the erratic red flare that jetted from its tail.
Crude, blunt thoughts suddenly emerged through the barrier. They entered his mind like dumb creatures lumbering into a cave. poor mix. bad powder.
Mix? He wondered. Powder? What could powder-dust-have to do with-? powder is force.
“How? And what kind of powder?” he wondered aloud. Again, Garmat glanced at him worriedly. Belisarius began to smile reassuringly, but the smile faded. He could feel the alien presence in his mind retreating; could sense its discouragement.
The rocket began to drift downward toward the sea. It was obvious, long before it struck, that the device had been badly aimed. It would land far from any pirate craft.
“Is it aimed at all?” he muttered. Next to him, Garmat shook his head. The Axumite seemed relieved that Belisarius’ mumblings were now connected to reality.
“I do not think so, General. I think they are simply shot forth in the general direction of the enemy. You saw how it flew. How could such a capricious weapon be aimed?”
The rocket hit the sea. There was a sudden plume of water and steam, then-nothing. The multitude of Arabs aboard the pirate vessels gave out a great jeering cry.
The pirates were now close enough for examination.
There were a total of thirteen galleys approaching. Each was rowed on two banks, with a lateen sail and a huge crew. At a rough guess, Belisarius estimated that each ship carried over a hundred men. Most of the pirates were armed with swords or spears. A number had bows. Very few, however, wore much in the way of armor. Nor, for that matter, did many of the Arabs even carry shields.
As individuals, Belisarius decided, they were not particularly fearsome. The danger was in their great numbers.
Four more rockets were fired. Again, the skittering serpentine trajectories-and again, none of them came near their mark. The pirates were now jeering madly.
“They’re gaining on us,” groused Eon. “What a miserable ship this beast is! In these heavy seas, with this good wind, we should be leaving them behind easily.”
Six rockets were fired. And now, finally, the strange weapons showed their true power. Two of them struck the same pirate vessel. The Arab ship seemed to burst into flame and fury. Several pirates were hurled into the air as if they had been struck by the hand of an invisible titan.
“Force!” exclaimed Belisarius. “Yes-that’s what-” He fell silent.
“That’s what? ” demanded Garmat.
Belisarius glanced at him, pursed his lips in thought, then shook his head.
“Never mind, Garmat. I was just noticing that these weapons are not simply fire-weapons. They bear some other power with them as well. Some unknown- force — which acts like a blow as well as a flame.”
Garmat looked back at the pirate vessel. Now that the cloud of smoke had cleared, it was obvious that the ship had been struck as well as burnt. Where one of the rockets had collided, an entire section of the ship’s hull had been caved in. The vessel was already listing badly, and its crew was beginning to jump overboard. It was clear that the craft was doomed. The only uncertainty was whether it would sink before the flames could engulf it.
Again, suddenly, an alien thought moved into Belisarius’ mind. explosion. force is explosion.
Tantalizingly, Belisarius almost caught the image which the jewel was emitting. But it withdrew, faded-then surged back. Just for an instant, the general saw a barrel containing a blazing and furious fire. The fire produced a vast volume of gasses which pressed against the walls of the barrel until “Yes!” he cried. “Yes-I was right! It is fire!”
He suddenly realized that a number of people were staring at him. Not just Romans and Axumites, either. Several of the Ye-tai warriors stationed nearby were frowning at him, as well as a Mahaveda priest.
Keep your mouth shut, idiot. Observe in silence.