A coarse, gravelly voice emanated from the radio, “I bid ye farewell gentlemen, and thank ye fer the fine vessel,” Adam turned to Toby, wide-eyed and brow furrowed. Toby returned his gaze with a steely look and snatched the microphone from Adam’s hand.
“Kalypso to African Star. Identify yourself,” Toby ordered. His jaw was clenched tight, and a vein protruded angrily from his forehead.
“Cap’n Samuel West, at your service,” rattled the unfamiliar voice, like the sound of a paper bag being crushed. Toby blinked and took off his cap to wipe his brow. He looked out across the depths at the last vestiges of the African Star fading into the twilight. The last rays of sunlight stroked the sea as the setting sun fell below the horizon.
Toby flicked his cap onto the control panel and whipped a short wave radio from his belt. His face glistened with sweat and his lips were taut as he activated the unit.
“Gerard, report!”
“Receiving.”
“Get the engines running and primed for immediate departure on my command,” Toby ordered, re-holstering the radio on his belt without waiting for any confirmation.
Adam stood, motionless, across the dais from Toby. His brow was furrowed and he clutched his head with one hand. Slowly, he looked up at Toby, panic in his eyes. Outside was dark and the African Star had totally disappeared like a phantom. Only a vague, distant thrum of engines gave away the presence of the invisible ship, and punctuated the eerie silence aboard the Kalypso.
Toby hailed the vagrant freighter again, “Kalypso to African Star. This is Chief Officer Mitchel. I request you immediately reverse engines and await the rest of your crew!”
Again the aggressive voice of Samuel West retorted, “I am sorry Chief Officer Mitchel but I can’t be doing that. Ye see, there be a fine booty aboard this here vessel, and an acre more space to stow it. I’d be right disinclined to have to share that,” he sneered. “Good bye Mr Mitchel,” with each word the ship seemed ever more distant.
“Toby, what are we going to do? Is it just me or do they sound like pirates from two hundred years ago?” Adam enquired rhetorically. It was better than saying nothing. Toby grunted in response and called again.
“Kalypso to African Star. Come in!” Silence. Toby hurled the microphone at the console violently and stormed out of the bridge, barking orders to the sparse crew as he went.
Another crew member hurried into the room, knocking belatedly on the door as he passed, “Mr Sheffield, may I have an urgent word please?”
Adam licked his lips and took a deep breath, “Sure, what is it?”
“It’s the men we found earlier on the deck,” puffed the man, out of breath “one of them has come around enough to talk and… you won’t believe what he is saying!”
Try me! thought Adam as hurriedly followed his fellow through the door.
Comments
"Mitchell flicked his cap onto the control panel and whipped a short wave radio from his belt. His face glistened with sweat and his lips were taut as he activated the unit."
I really enjoyed this chapter...