The torrential sea’s waves slammed against the ship’s sides with such force it sounded as if the weight of the water cracked the hardened wood.
Shouting of men howled back and forth as a gangly man ran to and from screaming orders to the ones pulling at oars.
“Row! Row like your lives depend on it you filthy bastards! I don’t want to be drinking from the bottom of the Mother’s Locker!” he shouted, his face inches from the ear of a rower.
“Ay but Jessie! Are life do depend on it don’t it! Haha!” another rower shouted, inciting a bellow of laughs to roar over the sound of the crashing ocean.
“Shad up and row if you got time to crack jokes, ya yappin bastard!” Jessie screamed back.
Another series of laughs and shouts rolled out from the crew as some rowed in the froth of the waves that made it over the side. Others bailing the water from the deck, making sure masts were secured.
Jessie scrambled back to the helm where the captain stood stoically, his eyes on the rolling storm they had gone head first into.
“You sure about this captain? We’re going straight into the static storm, our tech isn’t going to be a lick of use in that bloody thing,” Jessie said worriedly.
“Jess, would you like to eat this month?” the captain asked.
“Course I would, what kind of question is that Jack? In fact I’m starving as it is, when’s dinner?” Jessie shot back.
Jack looked over at Jessie, one eye cocked to judge the man. Jack’s captain's hat blocking his other eye.
“Jess,” he said grabbing the poor man by the gruff of his neck, pulling him close, “We ain't got no food, the only food we’ll be getting is whatever on that fucking island Ham went and scouted for,” he continued pointing one hand out to the ocean of purplish clouds, the lightning crackling in a beautiful violet color across them, “ And the only way we’re getting there is through that storm.”
Jessie gulped so loudly he was heard over the pelting rain and crashing of the waves, “But what about the Ramarah Cap’? And what do I tell the crew then?” he asked pensively.
“You know well as I do that they're tech won’t work same as ours in that storm. They’ll be stuck under the surface in their damned metal tubes well after we’ve gotten what we came for on the island. And for the food? Unless you are offerin up yourself as….” Jack looked Jessie up and down sizing him up, “As maybe a poor snack with you being so goddamn tiny I suggest you keep yer trap shut and keep em rowin, and keep em drunk.”
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Jack pushed Jessie away and crossed his arms again in front of the helm, looking into the distance his eye trained for Ham.
The waves continued to roar against the hull of the ship. Men shouting and running as the ship tipped and bowed with the waves.
This was the great Talar Sea. The unforgiving mistress of the world. A treasure trove of riches for anyone willing to go out and claim them for their own.
Over 5,000 years ago the great calamity fell upon the frozen death of the north melting the frozen wasteland and flooding the entire world.
Jack looked to the heavens as he thought of the stories. Long ago the world was at its pinnacle. Their race had made it to the stars, and was on a course to go anywhere in the galaxy in just a few more short centuries. But the calamity stopped all of that. Wiping the entire world nearly clean and isolating off the entire population in the space stations from their home on earth.
But those who survived on the planet adapted, becoming adept fishermen and seaman. Only to be looked down on by those from space, the Ramarah and their space government, the Galahumrah. They called any of the seafolk unclean and impure, said they were only good for supplying them with resources as we Talarians scour the unknown seas for islands that pop up from the receding seas. Or use Ramarah tech to dive in search of sunken cities from the old age.
Jack spat to the side thinking of the disgusting bastards, his eyes still scanning the horizon/
Finally a red, green, and blue splotch of color made itself visible in contrast the the purple clouds and violet lightning behind it.
“Ay Ham! There’s my good boy! What did you find you silly little bastard!” Jack shouted raising an arm for the Monkey Parrot to land, it’s human like feet grasping at his forearm.
The Monkey Parrot screeched and flapped its wings, shaking off some of the water as a majority of it fell off its sleek oiled feathers.
Jack preened Ham, brushing off some of the water his lovely pet had accumulated. Looking around Jack eyed the crew, then slipped his hand in his coat, pulling out a bright yellow half crescent.
“Now where’s the goods ya silly bird..” He whispered handing the banana to Ham.
Ham’s eyes sparkled as he snatched up the fruit instantly and inhaled it in a single gulp.
“Blasted glutton, the damned island!” Jack shouted.
Ham just gave Jack a look of vexation, pointing in a direction, a quick grunt following the action.
“Thank the Mother!” Jack roared, bringing his voice to an even harder volume to be heard over the crashing waves of the storm, “Alright you damned scallywags! Row like your sorry mothers loved ya, and she be cooking dinner with a nice kettle of tea on the rack! We’ve found the Island! Raise the mast, port to starboard! Row damn you, row! The Medusa has found her bounty and no one gets away from the stone cold stare of her greedy gaze! Time to make some money boys!”
A roar louder than both Jack and storm rose from the crew, hands and rusted swords shooting up into the air. The Medusa physically being shoved backwards by the momentum of the crew’s synchronized row forward towards their boon.