Snippet #1864642

Olivia fidgeted slightly. She was annoyed and a little frustrated. Her crew on the Jade Moon had been working for the last week on being sail ready. It had been three days since she received word that the crew of the Obsidian Star, the sister ship to the Moon was to arrive. Olivia had waited for them, orders came that she was to greet them and prepare them for their captain.

Who this person was, Olivia had no clue but she did as ordered and set them to work. The master gunner, carpenter, boatswain and sailing master had arrived right away. Others had arrived the next day.

This morning, found Olivia in a slightly foul mood. Word came down that a marine was to arrive, a transplant from another crew and a former pirate to boot. Also, she was to have the crew ready on the dock for a ceremony. The Obsidian Star’s captain was to arrive today and receive their marque.

And so, here she was. On the dock in the hot sun, the Queen and her entourage waiting none too patiently and the Obsidian’s crew at her side. Olivia sighed a little. Ten minutes late. On the makeshift stage the royals whispered to each other.

Olivia took a moment to look over the crew. Her eyes fell on the scarred face of the carpenter. A skilled man, it was clear the moment he stepped on the deck. Everything she had seen of Shaafir said he was a man made for working with wood. Her eyes turned to the boatswain. The thin, short woman was efficient. It was a quality that Olivia admired and slightly envied.

The newest arrival caught Olivia’s eye next. The red haired marine had shown up this morning with no idea why she had been transferred to the Star. Olivia wasn’t sure that she liked it very much. The crews were hand picked to each ship and it seemed odd that the woman, who had already been part of a crew, had been moved.

Olivia half smiled as she glanced at the master gunner. Truly a man with a passion for his job. The look in his eyes made Olivia wonder if he wasn’t just a little mad. On top of that she could have sworn she had seen him grin like a happy child while playing in the gunpowder.

A sneer formed as Olivia looked over at the sailing master. The man had a grip on the arm of his wife. He was whispering to her and Olivia could see the look of hate in the woman’s eyes and she did not blame her. Olivia also knew that since arriving aboard it had been Pavati and not her husband that had done the navigation preparations. Olivia had already found the man drunk twice in a corner while the woman delicately drew out a map.

She turned back to look at the royals, wondering how they were taking the waiting when she realized that there was another figure there. She had missed the person’s approach as she looked over the others. Olivia couldn’t tell anything from this angle. His back was to her as the queen handed him his marque and was speaking to him.

The short ceremony concluded, the man turned to face his crew. Olivia’s eyes went wide. It had been five years since she had seen him. Five years since the Cartographer had been boarded and so many slain. Five years since they had made port, a skeleton crew and parted ways.

The Queen finished her speech and Gareth left the stage.

She stared at him, her face slightly pale. She wasn’t quite sure she wasn’t seeing a ghost. Gareth. Stepping forward, she held out her hand to him. Her back was straight and she did her very best to keep her composure. “Welcome back, Gareth.”

***

Gareth received the summons days ago. He loitered. He called it preparing, but who was he fooling. He knew what the summons meant. He knew it was back on a ship. He’d heard the stories of the Queen gathering the best sailors. He’d heard the crew of The Cartographer was being called upon. Why not? They had direct experience. He also knew that meant Olivia would be called upon. She would have been the first. She was the one to lead them back to port. Sure, the crew gave him credit. Maybe he kept order, but it was all he could fall back on considering the circumstances. She was the one who kept the ship on course and in sailing condition. He just ensured all her orders were being fulfilled. So, he prepared. He gathered his things. He put off going until the Queen’s men came to physically escort him.

When he arrived at Garame’s docks he saw the make shift stage. He knew he was the last captain there. He didn’t want some ceremony but knew that royals lived on this. He waited until the crowd formed. Until The Obsidian Star was empty. Then, he went aboard. The first step aboard a ship in five years. He paused, took a breath, closed his eyes, smelled the scent of salt water and wet canvas that was so familiar it hurt. He opened his eyes. The breeze must have shifted and hit him directly in his face. He couldn’t think of another reason why his eyes might be watering at this moment. He shook his head and walked the deck. This was to be his ship. His. Since when did he have a ship? He paused at the main mast. He looked up. He thought of the man leading the pirates. He thought of everything that meant. His face hardened.

Fine. They want me to lead this ship? They want me to find this man and his band of criminals? They do not realize the force they have unleashed.

Already he had pulled strings. Already he had used any and every tool he knew about to weigh the odds in his favour.

There are only two outcomes. Utter destruction of him. Or me.

He left the ship and made his way through the crowd. Gently he wound a way to the stage. Almost unnoticed he mounted the stairs and met the Queen. With solemn ceremony and a hard look in his eyes, he accepted the letter.

“Your Majesty, I will hunt this man to my last breath.” He did not make this pronouncement to the crowd. It was quiet. To the Queen herself. Only those closest to the stage heard him and they shuddered at the tone of his voice and the look in his eyes. The Queen herself looked slightly uneasy but she shook his hand, handed the letter and presented him to the crowd.

“Captain of The Obsidian Star. Gareth Fletcher.”

There was scattered applause as Gareth faced the crowd.

The Queen continued, “Now that all the captains have finally graced us with their presence you may all conclude your training and sail at will. You have your orders. Bring this menace to justice.”

The crowd yelled and began streaming toward their respective ships.

Gareth stepped off the stage and was immediately confronted with Olivia. She was quite formally greeting him. He paused. No matter how hard he steeled himself for this moment it was still more than he thought it would be. He could barely nod at her, tentatively reaching for her hand. He couldn’t speak.

He looked at her, his eyes softened. Gareth still held her hand and they stood, both unsure of what to say next. He opened his mouth, pausing too long in forming his thoughts. There was the sound of footfalls around them as the crew approached their new captain. Introductions were in order.