You sight down the barrel and crank the cannon into position. You throw your whole weight behind it and push, grunting and cursing, to angle it just a few degrees to starboard. You sight again and angle again. You take a deep breath. You touch the lighted fuse to the primer.

Boom!

You wave the smoke away frantically and peer out at the pirate ship. There’s your shot! It’s right on course, it’s headed straight for the enemy, this will bring them down, you’re going to save the Invictus, you’re–

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The shot falls pitifully shot, arcing harmlessly down towards the ocean.

Well, blast.

The black-sailed gliders descend on you from all directions. You can hear the pirates’ shouts of victory thin through the wind, but getting louder all the time.

If you’re going to do anything, it has to be right now.