Free Ilse Witch by Terry Brooks

dive that sent the Federation Commander and his remaining adjutant flying back across the deck in the other direction. One Elf ship dropped after him, and when it did, he took it back under the second,
Black Moclips
twisting and dipping in smooth response to his hands on her controls.
    The Federation Commander was still screaming at him from behind, but he paid no attention. He took
Black Moclips
around and up in a tight spiral, missiles from his catapults firing into the Elf ships, which were firing back. Scrap metal took out the foresail of one and, in one of the luckiest shots Alt Mer had ever seen, damaged the steering rudders, as well. The ship lurched and fought to regain power. Alt Mer ignored it, wheeling on the other. Metal shards hammered into
Black Moclips’
pontoons and upper decking, knocking her sideways. But her armor held, and Alt Mer swung right into the enemy.
    “Brace!” he yelled down, jamming the controls forward to feed power to the crystals.
    Black Moclips
collided with the second Elf ship about halfway up its mainmast. The mast snapped as if caught in a high wind and toppled to the deck, bringing down sails and radian draws alike. Bereft of more than a third of his ship’s power, her Captain was forced to hood his crystals and take her down. Alt Mer held
Black Moclips
away, watching as both Elf vessels began to descend, rolling and slewing as they fought to stay upright, crews scrambling madly to reposition the draws. All around them, Free-born ships were descending, giving up the hunt. Four Federation ships were down, burning on the plains. Two of those still airborne were damaged, one badly. Alt Mer glanced earthward at the crippled Free-born ships and gave the order to withdraw.
    Suddenly the Federation Commander was shouting in his ear, his pinched face red and sweating. He had freed himself from his safety line and dragged himself across the decking. One hand gripped the railing of the pilot box and theother gestured furiously. “What do you think you’re doing, Captain?”
    Alt Mer had no idea what he was talking about and didn’t care for his tone of voice. “Heading home, Commander. Put your safety line back on.”
    “You’re letting them get away!” the other snapped, ignoring him. “You’re letting them escape!”
    Alt Mer glanced over the side of
Black Moclips
at the Free-born vessels. He shrugged. “Forget about them. They won’t fly again for a while.”
    “But when they do, they’ll be back in the skies, hunting our airships! I’m ordering you to destroy them, Captain!”
    The Rover shook his head. “You don’t give the orders aboard this vessel, Commander. Get back in place.”
    The Federation Commander seized his jacket. “I’m a superior officer, Captain Alt Mer, and I’m giving you a direct order!”
    Redden Alt Mer had put up with enough. “Hawk!” he yelled. His Second Officer was beside him in a heartbeat. “Help the Commander back into his safety harness, please. Make sure it’s securely fastened. Commander, we’ll discuss it later.”
    Furl Hawken removed the almost incoherent officer from the pilot box, muscled him over to the aft railing, and snapped him back into his harness, pulling out the release pin in the process. He passed by Alt Mer on his way forward with a wink, tossing the Captain the pin. “Wish Little Red were here to see this,” he whispered with a grin.
    Well and good to say so now, the Rover thought darkly, his hands steady on the ship’s controls, but it would be a different story when they landed. This wasn’t something the Commander was likely to overlook, and he doubted that a board of inquiry would back a mercenary against a regular. Even the appearance of insubordination was enough to have you brought up on charges in this army. The right or wrong of it wouldn’t matter, nor even the fact that on board any airship,like any sailing ship, the Captain’s was the final word. The Federation would back its own, and he would be