Chapter 35
After a couple of days, two things became clear to Ayanna about the cannon. First, the cannon was a simple gun to shoot. About like a muzzle loader. There were some safety precautions that had to be followed.
Secondly, it was extremely hard to hit anything with the cannon. There was page after page of mathematical equations on ballistic trajectory. No one had ever taught her any of this it looked totally cryptic, she wanted to give up.
"Hey!"
Ayanna looked up. A large recruit was moving a section of chain across the deck.
"The man said, "Is that all you do, is sit there and read that stuff?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I was told to."
The big guy came over to where Ayanna was sitting and dripped drops of sweat down on her documents.
Ayanna took her sleeve and wiped it off.
"Sorry, Crawford."
Ayanna looked at his name patch, "No worries, Garfield. What they got you doing here?"
"I'm carrying stuff around for the welders right now. I'm gonna be the guy who shoots the cannon here."
"Oh you are, huh?"
"Yes."
"So who told you that?"
"Vinnie."
"Garfield, do you know how to hit the target with the cannon?"
"I guess you just aim it at it."
"Nice." Phil always told Ayanna to simplify complex things in her mind. Break them down. Ayanna imagined that she could hear Phil tell her, "You don't need all that dang math. Just shoot the dang thing."
At least by studying the math, she was able to determine some things about shooting the cannon. There has to be a maximum distance angle to compensate for ball drop. If you lower the gun higher or lower than that angle, the next shot won't go as far. There was nothing in the stupid documents about factoring in the ship's speed or the target's speed. Even the wind speed could affect the flight of the heavy cannonball.
Maybe during the next five years she would never have to shoot the stupid thing at the enemy. Firing a cannon with no training. How stupid is this? They would never leave such a thing to chance back in Crawfordton. "Hey Vinnie!"
"What Crawford?!"
"Doesn't anyone here know how to shoot a nineteenth century cannon, and hit a moving target while we're moving, in a strong wind?"
Petty Officer Vinton said, "Well, since you put it that way, No. But actually, it sounds like you are starting to get it."
"You guys aren't asking much, are you? This is pissing me off."
"Crawford! We don't have anyone else! I can't help it!"
"Why not!?"
"Honestly. . . Because the last cannon blew up and they all got killed."
"What?! Oh now I feel waaay better! Damn! Sorry for your loss, but you could have said something!"
"Now calm down Crawford. I was going to tell you when we go through the steps."
"Really?! When was this supposed to be?!"
"Tomorrow."
"Great! All I have to do, according to Garfield here is to 'Aim the gun'. No problem." Ayanna went back over to her documents and started studying them again.
Garfield looked over and shrugged his shoulders, wondering if he had said anything wrong.
Ayanna slammed the documents back down on the deck, "Here's the deal, Vinnie. I might be responsible for all of the lives on this ship someday, and if I can't make this gun hit the enemy, or get close enough so they will stop laughing, then we could all die!
"Crawford!" Lieutenant Kirkendahl said. "I want to speak to you in the office."
"Aye aye sir," she saluted.
The Lieutenant led Ayanna down the gangplank to the Station Office. "Crawford, I heard what you said out there."
"I'm just very stressed over this whole thing, Sir."
"Actually, I like what I am hearing. You won't accept failure. You want things done right. We were considering it, but now I've made my decision. Crawford, I'm going to make you ensign over the main gun."
"Sir? What's an ensign?"
"You still report to me, but Vinnie reports to you now. So, no more frustration with him or yelling. You need to be confident. Let Vinnie do any yelling that needs done."
"Aye, Lieutenant. Thank you." Ayanna hoped the promotion came with a pay raise. Her pay was only a fraction of what she made as a spy. "I do have one concern, Sir."
"Yes?"
"I noticed there's no rifling in the barrel of our cannon. It will never be very accurate."
"We know, Crawford. It's primitive. They don't have the technology to rifle the barrels yet. Do the best you can with it, Ensign."
"Aye, Lieutenant."