Seaflower - 10

 

“About 30 years ago I came on this ship wide eyed, 18, fresh booter and had never seen a lake before let alone an ocean. I started the check-in process then that night everybody went to the hanger, much like they do now.  The first fight that I saw was similar to the one you just seen, a few minor differences.  She appeared right when they called “X”, and the guy did jumping jacks when she blew the cold air.  The fight ended when he curled into the fetal position when she threw the tidal wave.  I had never heard of her before that, but I wanted to serve her right then, and wanted to be in her class.  Never praying in my life before, I prayed to her, and was gifted something.”

            Tye felt her presence before he could see her.  She was holding his seaflower.  He reached to take it but she walked forward, holding it, and then levitating it, for all to see.

            “Most sailors had one.  It was a time that praying to both of us was acceptable, even though my counter-part had long since hid within the walls of the building of his name.  I prefer to walk among my followers, gifting them when I see fit. I let them know that I am there for them.” 

            “The next night something horrible happened.”  Tye continued when the goddess didn’t. “It is winter now as it was then. Days ended early, nights were cold, dark and seemed to last longer than they did.  We had pulled out that day, and like always, there was no moon that night.

            “I had snuck up to the flight deck.  The stars filled the sky like they did at my home.  You can’t see the sky for the stars, go up next new moon.  You’ll see what I’m talking about.  I had been appreciating the fact that I did have something so important to me on the ship that I had from home that I didn’t realize there was two guys behind me.   Before I could turn around to see who it was, I was falling, then cold water, and finally nothing.” Tye had to pause. “I woke up to the most beautiful face; it was full of concern until she realized that I was okay.” He shot a quick look at the goddess who was watching him with a smile he could not recognize.  “Let me tell you, you do not want to piss her off.

            Tye changed his voice and tempo.  He had been talking so quietly he was surprised anybody could hear him, but they were all listening.  “How many of you have seen the wall of tears for this ship? Or heard why it’s famous?”  A lot of hands rose.  He noticed the junior sailor who had tried to answer about the drill, pointed to the sailor.

            The sailor gulped as he stood up, “It is famous because no other commissioned ship has as many.”

            “That’s right; see there, you’ve actually earned your coin.” One of the guys slapped the sailors back so hard he fell on the sailor in front of him. 

            “Our ship, well, no other ship in the history of our great navy has half the tears that ours does with the exception of ones that have sunk.  Who is the most recent recruit, freshest booter?”

            A few stood up, looked around, one was left standing.  Tye spoke, “Do they still take you to building 13?”

            “They still take us to the halls of sorrow.”

            “What do they tell you about it?”

            “When a ship sinks and every man is either dead or no longer trapped in ship that the wall of tears disappears and reappears in building 13.  Every tear holds a face of a man who has died while serving on a ship, so that there families will know if they are alive or not.”

            Tye nodded and tossed him a coin.  “I don’t remember much of what happened after I woke up.  However, the aftermath wasn’t pretty.  80% of the crew was dead, 15% injured.” 

            There were a few protests.  “No, you didn’t hear about it in boot camp.  They choose to cover it up.”