[b]Hamerlin Le mariner[/b]


It was not what he wnated to do as Hamerlin gripped the nav desk and took out a silver hip flask, a short swig to manage his nerves and flash back. 

[i]“BATTERY ZULU READY” as the last turret chimed over the net and every station reported, Battery Bravo, his gun was ready as could be and loading shells into a pair of massive guns. 

The secondary was online, main, damage control…it was coming to life in organised chaos, that only the Navy could master like this. Around 1000 pounds of shell was worked up on chains and brought into the loading cradle, rams drove it home and the powder in a single fluid movement. The breach closed with shouts and confirms running like clockwork. 

“All guns ready sir” Came the cry and then the wait, 5…10 minutes, shells slammed into the water about them but they held for the range was not accurate and they held their first clean best shots. 

Only when the rage master called the solution, did he drop his arm. “Fire, Fire ..” He shouted and braced as hundreds of tons of metal recoiled hard into buffers the size of men in width. 

“Reload, AP.” He called. That was the last he remembered, until he woke up on a hospital ship. 
[/i]
…

“Captain, Welcome to the fun part.” he said as he fortified his resolve, turning to the map chart and the plan, he was responsible… He had a duty to do. His… Battle shock as it had to take second place, he could break later. Not now. His joke was weak but an attempt to show he was fighting his fears not being ruled by them. 

“Helm…” He said slowly but regained his cool confident tones.

“Bring us about to 220, when we lift. This will narrow our profile from their cannons, should they take the fort's guns. Turn randomly, adjust our speed, heading and height by margins so they cannot get an as easy firing solution but no more than 15 degrees off 220 as we stray into other battery zones of fire.. Hold until we are at least 10 miles out.” He spoke calmly and coolly, he forced the old Favis military school lessons into his brain as he stood, he held his nerve even when he was a damaged man. 

Was it paranoid? Probably but they would not want to be predictable, they would throw off the enemy aim, should they try anything. 

“After 10 miles we should be safe to resume our normal course of 185, and steady speed And height. “ He laid the plan out clearly. A few may really not like his making the airship a little less smooth, but they could complain when they were alive. 

It was like a Dreadnought.. kinda…breaking up their pattern and calculated location that could be used against them. That was the plan anyway.