The Pirates of Shan: A Rick Brant Science-Adventure Story “Dangerous Discovery” - Chapter 8 The "Swift Arrow"

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Dream Audio Books presents the Pirates of Shan a Rick
Brandt's science adventure story Dangerous Discovery.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
By Harold L. Goodwin, Chapter eight. The Swift Arrow. Jose
Santos's boatyard was not large, but to Rick it seemed
as though the Filipino boatman had a sample of every
kind of craft, from a row boat to which Chinese junk.
We want a boat, Zircon stated, Not a sailboat. That
would be too slow. We want something reasonably fast, with

(00:31):
enough room for comfort. We may have to live aboard
for some time. Santos nodded you No care how big.
There are four of us to handle it plenty. Santos said,
No more help needed for my swift arrow. See over there.
Rick's quick eyes caught the lines of the craft first.

(00:51):
He exclaimed, well, I'll be a galloping grampus. It's a
torpedo boat. Yes, Santos confirmed, be me motor torpedo boat.
I convert her myself. Come see Shahatta asked Rick, what
is torpedo boat. It's a very fast light boat designed

(01:12):
to launch torpedoes at bigger ships. It depends on speed
for safety. This one must be left over from World
War two. Plenty old, Shahadas said, doubtfully, Scotty chuckled. Age
doesn't mean anything to a boat if it's well built
and well taken care of. The empty bees were light,
but very well built. You'll see. Zircon was well acquainted

(01:36):
with boats, and Rick and Scotti were not novices. They
went over the swift arrow from stem to stern missing nothing.
The armament had been removed and the original gasoline engines
were gone. Instead, it was operated by a pair of
marine diesels. Santos claimed that the engines were in excellent
shape and that the boat could make a speed of
twenty knots even in rough water, with a top speed

(01:59):
of nearly thirty knots in calm seas. Scotty checked the
engines and confirmed the claim. They ran like Swiss watches.
The boat was fully equipped, even to search light, horn
and a brass saluting cannon that fired blanks much like
shotgun shells. We'll take it, Sircon announced, filled with fuel

(02:20):
and water, put charts for the whole area, board with
navigation instruments, and we'll be back in an hour and
get under way. He hastily signed a traveler's check for
the advance fee. Then the four hiked back to the
hotel and got down to business. They made up a
provision list, arranged to rent bed, linens and towels from
the hotel, found out where ammunition could be purchased, packed

(02:42):
their bags and prepared to check out. Shahada spoke up,
where you go first, Yolo? Maybe suppose I go ahead
on pal and snoop around a little, meet you there.
Zircon considered, I suppose Holo's logical destination. It is the
capital of the seas dulu Arpeggio will refuel there probably

(03:02):
tomorrow morning. Rick thought it was probably a good idea
for Shahada to go ahead. He could use his Indian
contacts to pick up any information that might be available.
It would save him time. I'm for it, he said.
Zirkon made sure Shahada had ample funds. Then the three
bade him goodbye for the time being and started their
shopping tour. Within the promised hour, they had their luggage

(03:25):
and provisions loaded aboard and were prepared to cast off.
Santos had the boat ready, even to putting in a
box of shells for the saluting canyon. Scotty and Rick
cast off while Zirkon sent the MTB smoothly away from
the dock, threw the breakwater into the basilin strait. Then
Scotty took over while Zirkon checked the first leg of
their course. On the charts Santos had given them, the

(03:47):
routes between principal ports were clearly marked. Zirkon found the
route from Zambowanga to Holo and gave Scotty the first
compass setting. Scotty opened the throttle wide. The swift Arrow
responded instantly, planing along at a fast clip. Zircon took
sightings with Appellaris, then calculated his readings. Rick watched with interest,

(04:09):
anxious to find out what speed they were making. Finally,
the big physicists looked up, grinning, We've picked a champion
twenty eight knots. It was far below the original speed
of the craft, but probably far above the speed of
anything else in the Suluz. Rick was satisfied, I'm going below.
I'll store the child and relieve Scotty in a short time.

(04:31):
Taking turns at the helm, the three had everything stowed
and bunks ready for occupancy. Zircon and Scotti had broken
out the newly purchased ammunition and loaded their weapons. Rick
hung Shannon's quiver on a hook near the bunks. The
swift arrow sped steadily on Basilian dropped astern as they
negotiated the countless islands of the Pillas group. Two islands

(04:54):
formed a narrow channel ahead. Rick saw as he took
the wheel from Scotti. Once through the channel, they would
be in open water. Nothing between them and Holo but
the Sulusi. Scotty walked to the bow to check on
the readiness of the anchor. In a moment, he returned
and joined Rick. Must be good fishing country. Lots of
vintas in the channel ahead, Rick had noticed, must be

(05:16):
two dozen between the islands. The channel was dotted with red, purple, green,
and brown sails. As the MTB drew nearer, Rick throttled
down a little. He was already traveling at cruising speed,
considerably less than top speed, but he didn't want to
take a chance of ramming one of the moral craft.
The distance closed rapidly, and Zircon pointed out that the

(05:38):
ventas seemed to be spreading in a line across the channel,
only a boat's length between them. Slow down more, he advised,
they may be hauling in a net or something. Rick
did so, keeping a careful eye out for net floats.
Not much room to go through. I'll toot the horn.
He gave the horn a long blast. The Moros paid

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no attention. Apparently fishing boats had the right of way
and they didn't intend to move. The swift Arrow was
close enough now so that he could see the triangular
masts and the booms of the Lantin's sails. He could
make out the crews too. The boat seemed to be
crowded with men. They're not gonna make way, Sirkon exclaimed.

(06:19):
The MTB was already well within the channel there, incepting
us front and rear. Scotty yelled, look. The vinches on
the ends of the line had moved rapidly, and the
rest followed. The MTB would soon be surrounded. Rick spun
the wheel and turned the big boat nearly its own length,
healing far over. In the same instance, a rifled slug

(06:41):
splittered wood on the cabin roof overhead. Scotty jumped for
his rifle and started firing. Sircon hauled the automatic from
his belt and yelled gun at Rick. Rick did not
need the advice. He strained the MTB out and rammed
the throttles to full speed. Slugs smacked into the hull
or blossomed as stars on the glass of the pilot house.

(07:01):
He made the MTB dance through the water at top speed.
His evasive action made it hard for Scotty and Zircon
to fire accurately, and they stopped. In a few moments.
They were out of range of the vintas Zirkon called
out a new course that would take them through another
channel more to the west. It was longer, but savor
The three remained silent while Ritcon on the new course.

(07:23):
Attacked by Vintus in open water was about the last
thing any of them had expected. Finally, Zirkon slipped the
clip from his pistol, ejected the shell in the chamber,
and reloaded. The scientists said severely, mister Scott, on a
certain occasion at Zamboanga yesterday, you were heard to make
a remark to the effect that piracy has been dead

(07:45):
for a century. In view of our recent experience, I
believe it is only fair to offer an opportunity to
correct the record. Scotty bowed ceremoniously. You are most kind,
doctor Zirkon, it would perhaps be more accurate to state
that piracy has not been dead for a century. My
conclusion is entirely empirical, of course, but observation leads me

(08:09):
to conclude that the ventas in the channel may have
indeed been manned by pirates. Handsomely, said mister Scott, you
have a comment, mister Brandt i concur Rick said gravely.
Would you care to hazard a surmise about the identity
of this punitive pirates? Zircon stroked his chin thoughtfully. We

(08:31):
had no opportunity to remove shirts and examine backs. Yet
I must venture the opinion that the men and the
Vintas carry the mark of the mountain. And why did
they lay in wait for us? Scott, he asked. My surmise,
Sir Kon boomed, is that we are doing exactly the
right thing. They fear our ultimate success, ergo, they try

(08:52):
to remove us. Rick had to grin. I've always wanted
to hear somebody say ergo. But how why did they
know we were coming? Zircon shook his head. The islands
in the vicinity are too small to have radio or telephone. However,
we have not been too careful about our plans. The
waiter last night, or a houseboy outside our hotel door

(09:14):
could have overheard, and a Vina could have gotten here
in time to lay a trap. Suddenly, he grinned widely.
He had the feeling they were making progress. At least,
he stated, we've met the Pirates of Shan. End of
Chapter eight.

Speaker 1 (09:32):
Dream Audiobooks hopes you have enjoyed this program.