The Adventures of the HMS Harlot

Part 1: Captain Victoria Neckett

I untied myself from my position and forced my way through sheets of rain to the helm, where Roy had taken the wheel. He was clutching the wheel so tight his knuckles were white. The ship jerked back and forth with every gust of wind and turn of the wheel. 

"ROY! At least try to keep her steady!" I screamed over the crack of the thunder

"I've done this before!" Roy shouted back at me.

"Really? Because your skill set is lacking!"

Roy was silent for a moment, as he stared derisively into the storm "Yes." He paused and looked at me with great distaste "Captain." Roy had so much disdain in his voice, when he had to call me Captain.

"Roy, I haven't the time for your daily dose of insubordination! Just make sure we're not struck by lightning!" My priority had to be leading my crew to safety.

I quickly searched the deck for our navigator. The instant I saw lightning and I knew a storm was coming, I charged her to find us the quickest route to a land mass...any land mass. The rain was so heavy I could barely see three inches in front of my face. Finally, I spotted her attempting to hold one of her maps down and fought my way through the rain and sleet.

Otto's whip cracked loudly over the thunder. I could not see it and prayed he did not hit me...for his sake.

"Where are your orthography tools?" I yelled approaching Ethel.

"I keep my good tools near my bunk. I have Witherford looking after my backups! Odessa is getting them!"

I assisted Ethel in holding down the maps, when Odessa appeared with a brown satchel.

"Is this the satchel?" Odessa cried.

"I hope so!" Ethel hollered back.

Odessa then turned to me. "Captain, Otto has killed another one!"

"His damn temper! We only have so many prisoners! Go assist him and grab Connor and Seymour!"

"Aye! Aye!"

Odessa faded quickly from eyesight.

"There is plenty of land to the east!" Ethel pointed. "We can make it, if Roy changes course."

"What course?! Right now we're going whatever course will prevent us from getting struck by lightning." Then, almost as if I had summoned it, lightning struck the ship like a whip and the sails caught fire. Seymour, Otto, and his men raced up the rigging and quickly extinguished the flames. I sighed a breath of relief.

Ethel jumped, as the ship shook; then let out a quick gasp and pointed. A black figure approached us; it's face disguised by a gas mask. The figure slowly removed it's disguise and revealed the face of Bartholomew Jones, quartermaster, covered in ash. Ethel shrugged and went back to battling with her maps.

Barty walked to me "There was a fire below deck!" I knew I smelled the putrid stench of burning Venenosa. But I suppose I was lucky that Barty had the foresight to wear a gas mask. I could only hope Witherford had the same foresight. The sap of Venenosa will kill you instantly; the fumes let off by burning Venenosa will take their time.

"We managed to put it out before anything spread,"

"Good, I cannot have my crew writhing in agony."

He continued "But all our fuel burned up and our engine is under too much stress! It's failing."

"What about the replacement engine?"

"That was the replacement engine!"

"Throw whatever you can find into the engine!" The rain started to let up and the thunder became distant. "There is land not far from here. Just keep us in the air long enough to get there."