Bim turned a metal pin between his fingers while Hulda held the ship's enormous siege bow clear of its mounting. A damaged bearing in the base made the weapon stick whenever the sailors tried to turn it toward a target.
Veshara stood beside the empty mounting, waiting for him to put it back together.
"A moment, Captain. Angry at a bearing, you may be. Improve it, that will not."
"I'm angry at you, not the ship."
"Ah. Less useful still."
Quinlan heard Kaelira smother a laugh. She held the bearing steady while Bim filed away the rough edge that had been catching against the base. Once he had fitted it back into place and secured it with the pin, he waved Hulda closer.
The giantess lowered the siege bow onto its mounting. A sailor took the handles and turned it from side to side, testing the movement. This time, the heavy weapon swung smoothly toward the water.
"Oh," he said.
Veshara looked at him.
"It usually catches there, Captain."
"I gathered that."
