It seemed that the Wasp was doomed.
The Death Seeker, Kronos' flagship, had turned off it's invisibility device and declared itself at point-blank range. Before the Wasp's helmsman could react the Death Seeker fired its mighty cannons and scored a direct hit!
The Wasp rocked with the impact of the iron cannonballs smashing into its side, but her hull was made of stout liftwood-backed oak plated with iron and she shrugged off the attack, though the helmsman and trimsman had to work like devils to keep her steady and on an even keel.
The Wasp returned fire, but even though her guns were more powerful, more technologically advanced and manned by eagle-eyed gunners under the steady command of Sgt Pepper, the Death Seeker showed no obvious signs of damage.
The battle between the Wasp and the Death Seeker raged for several exchanges of largely ineffective fire before the Wasp was able to come alongside the Death Seeker and grapple her so that the British crew and the adventurers, incensed by the dastardly plan to drop Red Sands on the stout British lads standing to against the might of the Oenotrian Empire, could board and bring the leaders of the foul Brotherhood of Luxor to long-deserved justice.
The battle was pitched and no quarter was asked or given. All the Brotherhood leaders were there, many carrying exotic and deadly weird science weapons, while the British crew had only their trusty Martini-Henry rifles, the light of a just cause in their eyes and their indomitable British courage. And one of the Wasp's machine guns.
Lady Hyperion strode out onto the deck of the Death Seeker, aimed her terrifying Fear Pistol, and was engulfed in a fiery explosion as her fiendish device malfunctioned catastrophically! The crew of the Wasp, gave good account of themselves, repelling a determined team of boarders of their own and bringing the fight back to those aboard the Death Seeker. The adventurers had spread themselves among their crew, apportioning command responsibilities and using their own not inconsiderable heroism to its best advantage. Lord Hyperion was sent to his just reward, as was his wife, now fighting with more conventional firearms.
And our heroes won the day.
Kronos, cornered below decks, set off an infernal device and vanished in a burst of green lightning. But not before he had activated what was clearly a powerful bomb. Crius, Oceanus and Coeus had leapt overboard, using lift belts to break their long, long fall to the Martian desert below.
The adventurers scrambled to get everyone back to the Wasp,cut their grapples and raced away from the doomed Death Seeker, which was suddenly split in two by an enormous explosion. This breached the cargo hold and spilled out tons of deadly Red Sands powder, which fell in a crimson fog that engulfed the escaping officers of The Brotherhood of Luxor.
Those devils could look forward to a very nasty death.
The adventurers discussed their options and agreed that it was highly unlikely that anyone other than the three Brotherhood fiends would be wandering this desolate, arid area of Mars, that those devils would be dead and swallowed by the shifting sands before they wold have the chance to infect anyone, and that the Red Sands dust itself would dilute in the wind and become relatively harmless before it could do its worst on anyone.
Returning to Syrtis Major each would be feted, celebrated and made a household name in every British family on Mars, and certain reputations would be, if not erased, at least forgiven.
And if, on cold, dark nights over dinner and port, talk shifts to the whereabouts and doings of Queeleek Thorshian aka Kronos, we shall draw a curtain over those private cogitations.
This marks the end of the current campaign of Space 1889.
Clear Credit: Picture of the members of The Brotherhood of Luxor from page 59 of the Space 1889:Red Sands setting book published by Pinnacle Entertainment Group. No challenge of copyright is intended. I do not have clear attribution for the art itself, the book citing Interior art by: Richard Clark, Christophe Swal Cartography by: Jordan Peacock. If the responsible artist will contact me I will attribute the artwork properly.
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