“Silver Adventures”- Captain Joshua Slane – 08MR19 – ‘Deja vu...’
⛵ ⛵ ⛵ ⛵. . . "Tour of the Gulf of Aden". . . (cont.)
[Last time...]
“Hoist th' anchur an' gezz me some sail clootie! Let's break waves!"
“Aye, aye Sairrr!”
In less than ten minutes the big ship heaved to port and began to cut water. Her course was north-east as she began to round the top of Desroches Island.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[On the Silverton...]
The crew was in high spirits being on the move again and Boy- Tipper walked about the main deck with a basket of plains, handing out the treat to whomever wanted one.
“Aaaargh it is one fur me!” Boy- Owernap said as took one off the top.
“Aye, th' bludy raven will oblige yea!” Boy Errislravenhill jested as he took one.
Sitting together on the forecastle, Seaman- Ordinary Seaman Teemitag was busy telling Seaman- Ordinary Seaman Andofzara and Seaman- Landsman Ergino all about the mysterious encounter he had in the forest of Desroches island.
Meanwhile, down in the chartroom, the tone was much more serious…
The Captain was seated at the large chart table with his hands folded as the knock at the door got his attention…
“Comes in!”
Opening the door slowly, Petty Officer- Master-at-Arms Ickied stepped in and removed his hat while saluting the Captain.
“At ease son! Hav a seat..."
Ickied took a chair while glancing around at the well-furnished room. He had never seen it before and it was a sight to see, with maps covering the walls and a huge colorful chart spread out flat on the table in front of him. There were symbols and marks, lines and angles drawn, and in the center of it all, he saw the island of Seychelles clearly…
“Petty Officer Ickied is your nam?” The Captain began.
“Aye Sairrr, Petty Officer- Master-at-Arms… Sairrr..."
“Hmm.” The Captain nodded as he stroked his beard in deep thought.
“Ye wanted a report o’ uir shair leave Sairrr?" Ickied said uncomfortably.
The Captain looked him in the eye. It was the kind of look that seemed like it could peel the skin right off a man, and yet, inquisitive all at once.
“Ahh did…”
Ickied sat rigid as a dead man’s plank and a full minute went by with no words being spoken. The tension grew by the second and sweat began to bead on Ickied’s brow. The Captain seemed to be weighing how much he wanted to say…
“While ye waur oan Desroches... ye waur in th' village squaur?"
“Och Aye Sairrr, most o’ lest night Sairrr."
“Guid. An' did ye happen tae see an attractiff hen, sittin' aff tae herself, tatooed likes a ban chi?" The Captain asked, lifting one eyebrow.
“As a matter o' fact… Ahh did Sairrr!" Ickied replied, his interest now heightened.
“An' did she beckon ye ower, tae hav yer foortune read?"
“She did Sairrr.”
The Captain nodded as he continued, “An' did ye oblige 'er?"
“Aye, fur fife coppers…”
“Fife coppers? Hmmm…used tae be four. An' may Ahh ask whit she read fur yer fortune Lad?"
Ickied hesitated. The fortune was dark and he didn’t want to jinx the voyage. Finally he spoke…
“It wisnae guid..."
“It ne'er is...tells me…"
Ickied took a deep breath and then unfolded the vision as best he could…
“War Sairrr! Smoke and fire, yellin’ and screamin’!”
The Captain didn’t flinch and he showed no emotion…
“Whaur son?"
“On the Arabian Brine…Sairrr.”
The Captain looked down at his chart a moment, then picked up a pair of compass points and walked off the distance from Seychelles to the center of the Arabian Sea.
“But Sairrr...Ahh wooldn’t put too much stock in it...she was a yoong hen, wi' a simple way aboot 'er." Ickied tried to deflect.
The Captain looked up slowly and locked eyes with him…
“She was a yoong hen twenty-fife years ago… when Ahh was yer age an' sittin' at th' bench wi' mah coppers oan th' table!"
⛵ ⛵ ⛵ ⛵
"Mah ship's chart fur th' lest twalve weeks an' sae forth..." -Captain Joshua Slane
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"Confused? Ascared? Seasick? Need a private chat with the Captain?" - [email protected]
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