Changes

== The Privateer ==

== The Privateer ==

Ragnar Danneskjold's solution came from the heritage and tradition of his [[Viking]] forebears. How he acquired or captured a ship and outfitted it as a ship of war, or recruited and trained a crew to navigate and fight that ship, the novel never makes clear. From the descriptions given of his activities, Ragnar had a fast ship that nevertheless carried long-range guns capable of bombarding either another ship or a shore target at long range. Ragnar also had at his disposal at least one aircraft: a cargo carrier with which Ragnar would later transport large quantities of the [[gold]] he collected in his activities. The novel provides confusing clues as to whether or not this aircraft launched from and landed aboard his ship. Ragnar does boast at one point of "defying the law of [[gravitation]]," but that is a specific reference to his carrying a record load of gold, more in fact than the aircraft was rated to carry. Though he launches from the Mid-Atlantic, he might possibly have seized control of an island in the Portuguese Azores and turned that into a berthing place and air station.

Ragnar Danneskjold's solution came from the heritage and tradition of his [[Viking]] forebears. How he acquired or captured a ship and outfitted it as a ship of war, or recruited and trained a crew to navigate and fight that ship, the novel never makes clear. From the descriptions given of his activities, Ragnar had a fast ship that nevertheless carried guns capable of bombarding either another ship or a shore target at long range. Ragnar also had at his disposal at least one aircraft: a cargo carrier with which Ragnar would later transport large quantities of the [[gold]] he collected in his activities. The novel provides confusing clues as to whether or not this aircraft launched from and landed aboard his ship. Ragnar does boast at one point of "defying the law of [[gravitation]]," but that is a specific reference to his carrying a record load of gold, more in fact than the aircraft was rated to carry. Though he launches from the Mid-Atlantic, he might possibly have seized control of an island in the Portuguese Azores and turned that into a berthing place and air station.

And so he became a [[privateer]], and in fact became known as the scourge of the high seas (chiefly the [[Atlantic Ocean]] and occasionally the [[Caribbean Sea]]). He was careful never to kill a member of another ship's crew if he could avoid it; if he ever had to sink another vessel, he would put the crew adrift in lifeboats. He never attacked any private vessel, nor seized private property. With one exception: at Francisco d'Anconia's specific request, he attacked D'Anconia Copper ships and sank them with their loads. Francisco had decided to destroy D'Anconia Copper systematically, so that no one would benefit from his talents ''or'' those of his father and grandfather and ancestors.

And so he became a [[privateer]], and in fact became known as the scourge of the high seas (chiefly the [[Atlantic Ocean]] and occasionally the [[Caribbean Sea]]). He was careful never to kill a member of another ship's crew if he could avoid it; if he ever had to sink another vessel, he would put the crew adrift in lifeboats. He never attacked any private vessel, nor seized private property. With one exception: at Francisco d'Anconia's specific request, he attacked D'Anconia Copper ships and sank them with their loads. Francisco had decided to destroy D'Anconia Copper systematically, so that no one would benefit from his talents ''or'' those of his father and grandfather and ancestors.