Siren's Silence

Chapter 4: The Siren

James

I sat next to Thomas's hammock. He had been asleep for nearly three days now, only waking for brief periods of time during which he was barely functional and spoke only gibberish. The doctor used these times to get food into him. According to him, Thomas would soon be stable and able to wake fully... Hopefully.

Master Swartz and Ronan were still kept in the infirmary despite both of their protests, but most of the rest of the crew had been moved to the Griffin's massive crew quarters. Though I had received several offers to sleep elsewhere, I was still staying in the infirmary, but only to make sure my men recovered. Doc didn't mind my presence and had even begun teaching me some basic aid so that I could assist him.

When I wasn't below decks, I explored the ship, which I had been told I was free to do. I did my best to learn as much as I could, but it was difficult. Even ignoring the enigma that was the ship's captain, there were a million mysteries to the place.

Unlike most watercraft I had been on, the Griffin didn't feel cramped. Even the smallest rooms felt rather comfortable. What confused me the most was the complex mechanisms that seemed to take up more than half of the ship. I couldn't even fathom what most of them were for. One in the base of the ship was a large weight that could be moved on two axes: fore and aft, then starboard and port. This was one of few I understood, it was ballast. I assumed it would be moved based on how much cargo there was in a certain area of the ship or if the craft was damaged. I had also been informed that it was essential for fighting storms.

I had also learned that the "feathers" that decorated the sides of the Griffin were actually large armored scales that could be easily replaced. This explained the ship's ability to get into close quarters with another craft during combat but still sustain a minimum of damage. Most of the other mechanisms were beyond me.

A weak voice pulled me out of my musings. "Hey, Cap."

"Thomas," I said, relieved. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been kicked by a horse, but I'm doing okay."

"Well, at least you're awake finally."

"How long have I been out?" He rested one hand on his forehead.

"Three days."

"Mm." He looked concerned for a moment, then frowned at the ceiling and looked around. "Where are we?"

I half smiled. "You're never going to believe this," I said, "but we're aboard the Griffin."

"What! How? Is everyone okay? What do they want?" He tried to sit up, but I forced him down.

"Calm down, it's not what you think. We're here as guests, the Wolf's crew are prisoners. Doesn't seem like they want anything from us. We're down to only three people in here, most of the crew is resting a bit or helping the Griffin's crew. I've been doing a little myself, learning a few things here and there."

He rolled onto his side to look at me, his eyes shining. He looked like a child about to receive a gift. "So? Are the rumors true? What have you learned?"

"Well, it's not a ghost ship, obviously. It's a fast craft, well balanced, well-armored, and the crew has a way of communicating that is completely silent. I haven't figured that out yet. As far as I've heard, the captain finds storms an enjoyable challenge and a way to lose tails, so she aims for them... What else? Um... The ship has a 'spine' of some sort that runs from bow to stern, built for ramming. The crew is actually quite pleasant and... eloquent, surprisingly. The grey-eyed man from the legends is Parker, he's the first mate. He's usually the one giving orders. The captain is out and about a lot, but she's... An odd one, even beyond being a female captain."