Defector: Chapter 2
(Please note that the previous chapter (with the exception of the first 6 paragraphs), and this chapter are past events being told from the present from the point of the said character, and will not flow. Rather this chapter is several months after the previous.)
Music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpSgjxeDW_w&feature=share
I had taken fast to getting used to the life at sea, where I had managed to escape all the problems the haunted my past. No one here really asked questions about what you did before this, and if they did you could simply lie. I had only had to do so a pawful number of times, and whoever asked seemed to have no problems believing what I said.
As of now, everyone who was interested in my past life thinks I was a farmer. It fit my body size and roughness so it was the best explanation I could use. They did not, and would never know that I was actually a deviant who cast aside the religion I was taught and was run out of my own town. They also did not need to know that I might have found a few of them, very few, attractive. They would never find out either since we really never got fully undressed and we were always busy.
The captain was broad, sturdy built Labrador with a solid yellow/golden coat which was groomed to appear as posh as possible. He was also much cleaner than the rest of the ships occupants, and spoke the language as properly as the queen herself. He was no doubt raised in royalty and had wealth beyond what I could ever manage.
He was as big as I, probably just as strong, and no doubt could be just as vicious even though he looked someone who should be a part of parliament. The uniform he wore everyday was always clean save for a blood stain on the right shoulder of his lapel which was no doubt from some sort of past conflict, and I could only assume he had not had it mended so he could wear it as a badge or save it for memories sake.
The uniform itself was the color of the royal navy flag, consisting of a red lapel, a light blue waistcoat, a solid white cotton shirt and solid black trousers with red stitching on the seams. The lapel was heavily adorned with medals for various things which I did not know the meanings of, and well as some personal touches such as gold buttons and two chest pockets instead of one.
Overall he appeared to be a very proud, authoritative fur with little or no time for non-sense, which only added to his royalty upbringing theory. He always look down at you when speaking, even if you were like me and stood and the same height. Somehow I found the situation ironic and amusing but kept it to myself since I was here to make a life out of the career.
The captain took a liking to me as soon as I boarded the ship, most likely due do to the fact I was the only new recruit that didn't fear him, or shiver in my boots when he came near. I simply did what he asked, and if something was wrong I took responsibility instead of making excuses of why it was wrong.
I even noticed times when he thought about some sort of punishment for my mistakes, but since I was so honest, it seemed to make him forget about doing so and let me continue doing my other tasks. At one time during the first few weeks, he once came up to me while I was leaning against the rails and joined me. Before I could stand straight, he put his paw on my back and told me to relax.
"Do you know what sets you aside from all the other recruits on this ship?" he asked me in a calm, but still authoritative tone.
"I do not wish to make false assumptions sir, but I should surmise it is my ability to follow orders without question."
"That's part of it, but its more the fact that you have potential. All the other recruits run their maws and complain that they did not think it would be like this, or make out or find fault with others. I've watched all of you, but I've never heard anything out of you. Never once have you complained about any tasks given to you, or how tired you are. Why is that if you don't mind me asking?"
"I have no reason to sir, almost anything is better than my previous arrangement." I replied plainly looking at the horizon, the sun reflecting off the water in the high noon sky.
With that he nodded and headed back onto the deck of the ship and continued his duties. At the time I had no idea what was going to become of me, but I knew I wanted to stay on this ship for my entire life, and serve under him until the day one of us perished.
After the private conversation we had, the captain didn't treat me any different. I didn't expect him to, but it was nice knowing that we did have it. I still did everything he asked the way he asked, and I still admitted and apologized for my mistakes.
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The accumulation of menial tasks and following orders went on for months as we docked in and out of various ports, lost and gained deckhands and recruits, and follow orders given by the parliament and her majesty. I was the only recruit who was still left after the initial batch I started with, and as such the captain gave me seniority over the new members, regardless of their age.
Although I had yet to learn the captains name by now, as well as the rest of the crew including the deckhands that were here before me, he had promised me many things to come in the future including a double promotion for my hard effort and work. We weren't what you called "friends" but we had respect for each other.
I was no longer doing "completely" menial tasks, though some of my chores still were. My time was now being occupied by the captain teaching me how to read the navigation charts and maps, as well as the signs of an enemy ship by color or flags. He had also started treating me more like an actual fur than some grunt, and had starting using some manners such as saying "thank you".
I had also gotten used to not being on land much, and preferred much more to stay out at sea. Despite how disgusting it could be with no bath, the heat, the smell of hot fur, and the food and lager, it was honesty pretty good. If one wanted a bath or to be cooled down, whenever the ship was stopped you were more than welcome to jump in the ocean. The food was mostly dried meat with grains that we cooked on the ship, and the lager was poor and consisted mostly of water which kept us hydrated and fairly sober.
Being on land brought nothing but long and distant memories anyway, and even seeing land caused a shift in my overall behavior. All the trouble that it had caused me just made me want to wish the land away, and let there be nothing but water. I knew however that a wish such as that would be very unpractical, and since I was not big on eating fish for every meal I was in no hurry to wish it all away.
During our time in ports, I would busy myself with caring for the ship and studying the maps and charts, as well as check our supplies and rations. I was asked on several occasions why I was reluctant to set foot on land, but I really never gave an answer. They had stopped asking after the first few times, and the captain never seemed bother by my refusal to go ashore voluntarily.
It did not stop them from trying, coaxing me with stories of whore houses where the woman would do anything, magnificent local theatre, and fresh food with real lager. It was tempting not to go explore the lands but I stood my ground. It was the only time I ever got anytime to myself and I was going to take advantage of it as much as possible.
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The rest of year went by, and we had managed to have no real battles, just a few skirmished with smaller pirate vessels that were easily disposed of, though one a few weeks ago managed to punch a decent sized hole in the bow. However the aim was to high and it posed no immediate risk to the ship since water did not reach that high.
We did however lose a few good men in that scrimmage. While they lacked the firepower to do any real damage to the ship, we lacked the maneuverability to keep their cannons from taking aim at deckhand. A few had sustained injury from shattering wood, but three perished by direct hits from the cannon's projectiles. What was left of Jacob, Aidan, and Barrett was a permanent lacquer on the wooden panels and floors where they were working. They were good deckhands and although they had not been on the ship for than a few years, every mourned for their loss including me.
On the brighter side of things I had gotten my double promotion as the captain had promised, and was no longer in charge of doing any of the janitorial work. I was instead in charge of keeping an eye out for obstacles, ships, and unexplored lands.
As of a week ago while we were docked in her majesty's main city, we were given an errand to run, which was the same time I was promoted, to gather up some criminals on the other side of the mainland which was several weeks journey north and into freezing weather that was forever unforgiving, or so I was told it was.
I had helped store rations, ammo, clothing, as well as every other supply we needed to make the journey. No one was anxious about going so far north, and some thought if we weren't careful we would fall off the edge of the world. Other talked about how the air was so cold that if you had a hot steak hung in front of your snout that you would not be able to smell it. All I really cared about was the reason we were going there.
Why would there be criminals so far north, and in what is said to be freezing and most unpleasant conditions? The captain had told me it was nothing like the sailors were describing, and that they were scared about going so far north. He didn't dismiss the idea of falling off the world, but he didn't seem effected by it.
We weren't due to leave for a few days and after we were done stocking the ship, he more or less ordered everyone to do as they pleased but to be back early in the morning on the day we were scheduled to leave. I of course stayed on the ship and took my rest there, sleeping for many hours the first day until it was well beyond noon, and taking the second day to personally get ready for the trip.
The third day the captain pulled me aside for more lessons on reading maps as well as how to tell which direction we were heading without the use of a compass. All of which I easily understood so it didn't take much time for him to teach the lesson. He seemed somehow dejected that I learned and caught on to everything so quickly, and simplified it in such a way that I could never forget, but he never said anything or held me back from leaving once the lesson was finished.
I really didn't think more of the situation and took the rest of the day to check over the ship, fix whatever was loose and needed mending, and tried to remove the bloodstains from the spots where the crewmembers had perished. The day did not last long most likely due to me losing my since of time and I had decided to retire early to fully be ready early in the morning if needed.
I could help that somehow I felt like I was missing something...