Valhalla Rising Read Online Free Page A

was aiming the elevation screw on the breech. “You heard the captain. Lay your shot fifty yards ahead of the beast.”
    The adjustment was made, the lanyard was pulled, the big gun roared and leaped back against the thick stay rope running through the eye ring on its butt. It was a near-perfect shot, and the shell splashed directly in front of the giant hump that effortlessly slipped through the water. Animal or machine, it ignored the intrusion and maintained its speed and course without the slightest deviation.
    “It doesn’t appear impressed with our gunnery,” Ellis said with a slight grin.
    Hunt peered through his glasses. “I judge her speed at ten knots against our twelve.”
    “We should be alongside in another ten minutes.”
    “When we’ve closed to three hundred yards, fire another shot. This time, lay it within thirty yards.”
    All hands except the engine-room crew were lining the rails now, gazing at the monster that was closer to the bow of the ship with every passing minute. There was only a ripple on the surface, but white froth could be seen swirling in its wake below. Then the mound on its back flashed and glinted.
    “If I didn’t know better,” said Hunt, “I’d say the sun is reflecting off some kind of window or port.”
    “No sea monster has glass built into it,” Ellis muttered.
    The gun crew reloaded and fired another shot that struck with a great splash between fifteen and twenty yards forward of the monster. Still no reaction. It continued as if the Kearsarge was little more than a passing annoyance. It was near enough now that Captain Hunt and his crew could make out a triangular housing atop the monster, with large round quartz ports.
    “She’s a man-built vessel,” gasped Hunt in amazement.
    “I can’t believe it’s possible,” Ellis said vaguely. “Who could have built such an incredible contraption?”
    “If not the United States, it has to be of British or German origin.”
    “Who can say? She flies no flag.”
    As they watched, the strange object slowly slid beneath the waves until it vanished from view. The Kearsarge passed directly over the spot where it sank, but the crew could detect no sign of it in the depths.
    “She’s gone, Captain,” one of the seamen called to Hunt.
    “Keep a sharp eye out for it,” Hunt shouted back. “Some of you men take to the rigging for a better view.”
    “What do we do if she reappears?” asked Ellis.
    “If she won’t heave to and identify herself, we’ll pour a broadside into her.”
    The hours passed and sunset came, as the Kearsarge cruised in ever-widening circles in a fading hope of finding the monster again. Captain Hunt was about to break off the pursuit when a lookout in the rigging shouted down to the deck.
    “Monster off the port beam about a thousand yards, heading our way.”
    The officers and crew rushed to the port railing and stared out over the water. There was still enough light to see it clearly. It appeared to be coming directly toward the Kearsarge at a very rapid rate of speed.
    During the search, the gun crews had stood patiently, their great muzzle-loaders primed and ready to fire. The gunners on the port side quickly ran out their guns and sighted on the approaching apparition. “Allow for her speed and aim at that projection aft of her bow,” Merryman instructed them.
    Adjustments were made and the gun muzzles depressed as the monster loomed in the sights. Then Hunt yelled, “Fire!”
    Six of the Kearsarge’s eight guns roared, their explosive blasts shattering the air as fire and smoke spouted from their muzzles. Staring through his binoculars, Hunt could see the shells from the two big eleven-inch pivot guns smash the water on each side of the baffling thing. The nine-inch smoothbores added to the geysers erupting around the target. Then he saw the shell from the twenty-pounder rifled gun strike the monster’s back, bounce into the air and ricochet across the water like a skipping