Clear For Action
by Dan L.
Hollifield
An "Art Time With Nick Tockert" Story Prompt:
 The
captain,
in his red cloak and
hat, stalked the bridge of his ship Evermore. His
face stern and
weathered by the duties of a life spent protecting those he long ago
outlived.
His loyalty to a Monarch and Country so far in the past that even he
could
remember but little of those halcyon, bygone days. His crew, long ago
used to
trusting to their Captain’s honor and duty, were diligent in their
tasks, only
desiring to serve under his leadership come hell or high water.
Pirates
were their foes, no matter how powerful or elusive they may be. His
hunting
ground was the wide, world sea. His crew sought only to serve by his
side. To
fight, and mayhap to die, in service to a Royalty that had long since
passed
into legend. Nevertheless, loyal were his crew—to a man—and no hardship
deterred them from the pursuit of the duties that limned their lives in
stark
contrasts between long spells of boredom, and short, sharp episodes of
fierce
combat.
None among
them could remember a time when their Captain was not there, inspiring
them to
fulfill their ancient and solemn oaths. Some of the crew were old
beyond their
years. Others were but newly-fledged recruits joined at far-flung
foreign
ports. All were pledged to defend the honor and pageantry and
sovereignty of a
long-forgotten realm, ages ago passed into legend. One which even their
Captain
only dimly remembered.
The weight
of untold ages writ subtle lines into his otherwise unmarked visage.
He’d long
and long and long ago sworn an oath to serve and protect a sovereign
and
country that had vanished into the ageless mists of time. Yet, so long
as he
lived, he would honor that oath. The years hung heavy upon him, even as
he
appeared untouched by them. Perhaps only Vanderdecken,
himself, would understand the entirety of the red-clad Captain’s
self-imposed
curse.
“Ship, off
the port bow,” the lookout called from the tall mast which held the
ship’s crowsnest.
“No flag,” he added in a hoarse shout down to the decks. Could this be
one of
the captain’s enemies? Using a long brass telescope, the captain peered
towards
the far-away ship on the horizon. His steely, grey-green eyes studied
the
distant craft. Within moments, the captain frowned in distaste.
“Well
spotted, Sid,” the captain shouted aloft to the ever-vigilant lookout.
“Raise
all sail!” He instructed the crew. “Stand by for action!” He added. As
an aside
to his blue-clad second in command, he said, “anything can happen in
the next
thirty minutes. Make the cannons ready. Have all crew issued double
rations
while we speed to an intercept with those daemons. I want everyone well
rested
and well fed while we chase them down. By the time we reach them, it’ll
either
be nothing, or Hell itself unleashed. Only time will tell If these
mysterious
fiends sail under the Green Circle flag of our enemies. If they be
pirates, we
will give them as good as we’ve got. If they are innocent traders,
we’ll know
soon enough. It behooves us to make ready to repel boarders—if
necessary…”
“Aye-aye,
Captain,”
replied his second in command. “If this be battle, we will be ready.”
THE END
© 2023 Dan L. Hollifield
Artwork © 2023 Nick Tockert
Bio: Dan L. Hollifield is the
Senior Editor and Publisher of Aphelion Webzine. Best known for his
Mare Inebrium spaceport bar shared universe and his Adventures Of Tom
Darby stories, he is also a music composer, artist, and raconteur.
E-mail: Dan
L. Hollifield
Website: Dan
L. Hollifield's
Website
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