Saint Seiya: The Legend of Seiya

87 - Lower Decks

"Captain's log, supplement. Captain Meko Kaire of the Galleon of Athena speaking, and I hereby inform you that the regulations for music players are revoked on my ship, so that Ensign-Engineer Lunara can hear her songs before bed. Unless, of course, my first-mate objects."

Lunara would repeatedly listen to Captain Meko Kaire's latest recording on her personal recorder whenever she ended her shift, as if to remind herself of how he thought she did a great job. It was something that made her a little sad with longing, but also made her laugh briefly at the nonsense and especially at the Immediate Geist super nervous on the recording.

She wasn't the only sad one on that ship.

The atmosphere was funereal throughout the Galleon under the command of Geist, who was also experiencing a certain apathy when occupying the chair of her former Captain, a man so energetic and adored by the crew. One night, at the end of the day-shift, they were all surprised on deck by the sad guitar that Seiya was playing while sitting on the forecastle, humming slow melodies. The guitar that had been a gift from the Captain himself and Seiya played it in a very delicate and sad way; he, always so cheerful and confident, had lately seemed to be mired in grief.

Even the Pacific Ocean seemed to live up to its name, and not for a day did it harass the ship with its traps, its typhoons, or its sirens; they sailed for days and days in an enormous calm, as if the ocean itself were mourning the loss of such a huge sailor. From someone who had respected the Seas and fallen in love with the waters.

The crew functioned perfectly, each in his own way, and there was no animosity towards Captain Geist, and she knew better than to resent the coldness with which everyone responded to her orders. June was raised to the status of First-mate and warned her about the morale of the crew only to fulfill her role as a medical assistant, because in fact she knew that there was not much to be done, as only time could ease that kind of pain.

All they had to do was go on with the Galleon quest: there were still three Relics to be sealed and they would fulfill that quest for Captain Meko Kaire. And for Athena, of course.

The Galleon left Polynesia in the South Pacific and descended close to the Antarctic continent to cross the southern most far coast of the American, known as Tierra-del-Fugo. Then it swerved left and sailed across the entire Brazilian coast upwards. Mysteriously, according to the Nicol's Nautical Chart, the Relic of the Sea was in the heart of the Amazon forest.

At dusk of another calm day at the Galleon, Seiya and Lunara were already getting ready to end their shift to sleep another sad night without Captain Kaire. June, in the condition of first-mate, blew a low whistle to announce the first signal, which was to wake up those who hadn't woken up to take the night-shift, as was usual. In the canteen on the lower deck, three seated sailors heard the first signal and looked at the ladder at the same time.

And then they faced each other, each with his own weary face.

"At the end of the day is another day over." said the first, Thales was his name.

"Not for us." Theo commented beside him.

They were two older men with scruffy beards; the first was thicker, while the second was so skinny and tall that he stooped a little. At the table sat a woman with strong legs but delicate hands; hair tied in a bun. She was bringing them three mugs of bitter tea.

"Did you hear something, Ophelia?" asked Thales, the burly.

"Looks like Elias' group didn't find anything. They left with one of the boys, but they couldn't find their way through the woods and had to return, because it was already getting dark."

Thales shook his head in clear disagreement.

"They're too young to command this ship." Thales said with his index finger on the table.