Skyworld Book I

Chapter Seven - The Captain's Table

"Ah, I see my duty uniform fits you perfectly," Captain Cloud commented as Gideon and Romaine entered his spacious private cabin. Although the horseshoe shape room was large, it's owner was economic in his furnishings. Several small bookcases were built into the walls to either sides of the main entry. Beneath the shelf to the left was a rectangular bed done up in a stiff, military fashion. Facing this across the room was a tall closet and foot locker where the skipper kept his clothes, weapons and other paraphernalia required of his command. The aft curved wall consisted of three large paneled windows that made up the upper hull section beneath the bridge. Centered before this amazing view of Skyworld's heavens was the captain's heavy wooden desk. This too was covered with writing parchment, maps and other equipment vital to his daily mission.

What was not a regular fixture in the room was the long, lace covered table and eight chairs that had been retrieved from storage for this special occasion. The ship's cook, and several crewmen acting as stewards, were bustling about the table, depositing trays of succulent looking meats, vegetables and breads.

The sight and smell of the waiting feast almost distracted Gideon from his host's friendly greeting.

"We could be twins," he laughed, glancing down at the baggie purple pants, white tunic and indigo vest with the crossed lightning logo over the breast pocket. "Thank you for their use."

"No thanks necessary, sir, after that marvelous display of seamanship and bravery you and the good wizard provided us with. My men will be talking about it for many toberis to come."

"Trust me, Skymarshal," Prof. Romaine said, standing next to Dent in an ensign's matching attire. "We are thrilled you were on hand to see it."

"I too," Cloud continued. "It is an honor for the Purpleheart to have you as our guests."

"Keep that up," Dent chuckled, "and we'll never want to leave."

"Ha. You would be a welcome addition to any crew, Gideon Dent. But come, all this jabbering is making me dry. Let's have some wine and I will introduce to you to my junior officers. I'm told the princess will be joining us soon."

As one of the stewards handed both Dent and Romaine a hefty mug of sweet wine, Captain Cloud introduced them to his cadre of officers. The first was Lt. Menin Tand, a tall, bony chap with black hair and an eagle's beak of a nose. Dent was still taken with the yellow skin cast of these people. Especially when set off by their contrasting hair colors such as Dan'yal Cloud's red pigmentation or Tand's coal dark strands. Still, their graceful acceptance of his own odd coloring diminished any discomfort he might have felt. Shaking hands with the gawky Lt. Tand, who seemed gregarious and amiable, he wondered how the man would be treated back home on earth. He had dealt with the ignorance and ugliness of prejudice often enough to be impressed by the acceptance practiced in this strange and exotic world.

As he was being formally introduced to ensigns Troge and Aryn and Doctor Emar Cliff, Princess Althea made her appearance. All eyes turned to her as she entered the room. Although wearing an ensign's outfit, she had found a lacy, white scarf to drape around her neck and clipped a beautiful orange flower to her hair just over her right ear. Looking fully rested and refreshed, she was an alluring site with a noticeable effect on the men, especially the young ensigns, gathered around the table.

"Princess," Cloud beamed as he bowed formally. "On behalf of my liege, King Onith and the people of Grandar, it is our privilege to welcome you."

"Thank you, Skymarshal Cloud," Althea returned, tipping her head respectfully. "It is our good fortune that you arrived when you did."

"Please, Princess," Cloud indicated the magnificent meal spread out before them. "Let us sit down and enjoy the delicacies my ship's cook has prepared in your honor. You must be famished after your ordeal."

Seating the princess to his immediate right, Cloud took the chair at the head of the table and the rest of the party randomly took the nearest available seats. Dent found himself between Lt. Tand and Prof. Romaine, which was a smart choice as he was somewhat leery of the dishes set before them. Aboard the Wind-Runner, he had tasted the lango fruit, assorted breads and some salt-dried meats, but nothing so richly prepared as this.

Watching Romaine scoop up a large wedge of dark, flaky stuff and plop it onto his plate, he raised an eyebrow. The professor-turned-wizard leaned in close and whispered to him that it was a meat pie from sasorn beef; the sasorn being Skyworld's version of a cow. Dent decided there and then it would be wise to follow the wizard's lead in gastronomic choices.

Tand, having observed the exchange, politely queried Dent on his background and became genuinely intrigued as the adventurer's story began to unfold. Although there were several animated conversations buzzing amidst the eating and drinking, when Gideon began describing his amazing journey through the dimensional gap, he discovered that attention was focused on his particular story.

"What an incredible adventure," Lt. Tand commented after he had concluded with his remarkable reunion with the professor. "This blue wall you spoke of sounds like an amazing thing?"

"That it is," Romaine interjected. "For, I too traveled through the same portal to arrive here. I only wish I'd had more opportunity to examine it closer."

"Why didn't you?" Gideon inquired.

"Because, at the time, I was being chased by the White Cannibals." Seeing Dent's bewilderment, Romaine went on. "They are the albino humanoids who inhabit most of that area of the Rim Jungles. A bloodthirsty lot, the whole bunch of them."

"But you escaped."

"Only because I was found by a scouting patrol from Meland." Romaine nodded to the princess, raising his wine mug. "For which I am eternally grateful."

"I take it these jungles are pretty wild?"

"That's putting it mildly," Captain Cloud offered. "For the most part they are unexplored wilderness teeming will all manner of wild beasts and man-like monsters such as the White Cannibals. Skyworlders rarely venture into them without good cause."

From that point the mixed conversations started up again. Princess Althea questioned the captain on the status of affairs back in Meland. Cloud informed her that Prince Akurn had made her disappearance public and sent out an appeal to allied principalities for help in her recovery. Of course it was all a sham meant to placate the rest of the royal family and the citizens of Meland. But everyone was not so easily duped.

King Onith, a close friend of her father's, thought it extremely suspicious that she should vanish only a few tobers before ascending to the throne. Onith ordered Cloud to take the Gandarian fleet and join the search but cautioned him to be wary of the prince. Thus when Meland's Skymarshal, one Kell Dercov, a known confident of Prince Arkurn, dismissed the notion that the princess could be lost amidst the Rim Jungles, Cloud's hackles were raised.

Once the other ships had all departed on courses determined by Dercov, Cloud turned the Purpleheart and two other Grandarian cruisers, for the rim. Thus their timely presence and rescue.

Gideon heard bits and pieces of this exchange while he and Lt. Dant discussed the military structure of Skyworld. As an archeologist, he was always fascinated by the political and social structures invented by the various cultures he had studied.

From the knowledgeable and friendly officer, he learned that their martial system was based on the air navy and its various responsibilities. Each island fiefdom had a fleet administered to by four distinct and separate offices.

The largest branch of the skyfleet was overseen by the Skymarshals. Each of these unique men and women operated from special shipyards where the fleets were maintained. Within these stations were commissioned Royal Sentinels whose mission it was to guard, protect and maintain order within these facilities. They sounded much like marines to Dent.

Next came the Royal Cadre: elite warriors drawn from the Sentinels. They were assigned as bodyguards to protect royalty, dignitaries and high-ranking fleet officials.

The final group, and the most mysterious, made up the intelligence branch of each navy. They were called the Beefeaters.

At this last designation, Gideon chuckled and Lt. Dant asked why he did so.

"Because, Lieutenant," the earthman replied, "Your entire set-up is highly similar to what our own world employed long ago in its history."

"Ah, I see. So your world is further advanced than ours?"

"Well, that depends."

"On what?"

"If you consider the science of warfare and butchery cultural advancement, then yes. We are indeed ahead of you in those things."

Seeing the look of disgust on Dent's face, Lt. Dant raised his wine mug. "Then a toast to peace and ignorance."

Dent and Romaine were only too happy to lift their own mugs to that salutation.

The remainder of the captain's dinner was pleasant for most of the participants. Yet through the evening, it was obvious to Capt. Cloud that Princess Althea was merely putting on a polite mask. As the gathering started to wind down and the junior officers excused themselves to return to duty, he took a moment to reassure her.

"Please, dear lady, rest assured, we are making for Meland at the best possible speed. You have my word, you will arrive before your brother can usurp the crown."

"I believe you, Skymarshal," she said, rising from the table. "Still it is impossible for me to totally forget the plight of my people and the confrontation that awaits me when we do return."

"At which point, you will have my ship and her crew at your disposal, madam." Cloud bowed. "Those were the orders of my king and I will see they are carried out."

Althea reached out and touched Cloud on the shoulder in gratitude. "That is all well and good, sir, but as you well know, I cannot take the throne by force. Especially that of a foreign sovereignty.

"Bring me home," Althea sighed, "and I will trust in the gods of justice to do the rest."

"And so it shall be." He swept his arm about. "Until then, I hope these humble quarters will be sufficient to your needs. Good rest, Princess."

"Thank you, Captain. And to you as well."

Thus the men assembled bid the royal lady goodnight and made their exit together. Dent and Romaine thanked Cloud for his gracious hospitality and retired to the officers quarters. The combination of full stomachs and soft beds assured they would be asleep fast enough.

End Of Chapter Seven