The Admiral

James Morgan

I watch as Mr. Hope searches through his papers. I catch a glimpse of the sketch I drew when I told my account of what happened to the Orion. I start to eat; I don’t have much of an appetite with the feeling Arden is about to walk out of my life, but after last night my body needs fuel, and I don’t know when my next meal might be. By the looks of it, my life is now in the hands of the men seated before me.

“I’ve read your account of what happened Master Morgan, I won’t be going over any of those details again, they’re all here in black and white,” Hope says pulling a sheet with a detailed schematic from his papers. “What I’m about to show you, is a ship I designed ten years ago. I wanted to make sure, that this,” he holds up my sketch, “is what you saw. Now, Captain Debang has assured me that you’re an upstanding fellow that can be trusted with top-secret information.”

“I dedicated my life to the Hunter’s Fleet Mr. Hope, but I know that nothing I say here means much of anything. Wyatt Grayson took the same oath I did and look at him now.”

Giddeon and Debang knock on the table, twice; a sign they support what I say. If they’re not speaking it might mean Mr. Hope here is a higher up.

Hope slides the schematic my way. The details of the front of his drawings are much more detailed than mine, but fundamentally it’s the same ship.

“That’s the ship I saw, but Wyatt’s ship was more ornate than this.” I point to the bow of the ship, “He had this part here resemble a dragon’s head.”

Mr. Hope laughs, “Yes, he always was a little on the dramatic side.” He takes off his glasses and rubs his face. “Well, this is a fucking disaster, isn’t it. The prick stole my goddamned ship.”

“May I ask what the plan is to deal with him, because nothing would bring me more pleasure to shoot the prick myself,” I say as I gather food onto my fork.

Debang and Giddeon knock on the table again.

“Yes, Giddeon mentioned you were an excellent shot. Four aces at 200 feet, remarkable. Unfortunately, at this very moment, I’m not at liberty to divulge any information regarding that.” Hope glances at Debang who takes that as his cue to speak.

Captain Debang takes a document from the folder before him and slides it my way. It’s a new Fleet contract, already drafted with my name and ready to be signed.

Debang laces his fingers and leans forward, “Morgan we’d like to officially offer you Captaincy of The Serenity, the newest ship to join the fleet. You’ll be given a new crew of experienced sailors, and take your pick of Academy recruits-”

“I’m sorry to interrupt you Captain Debang, but I have to respectfully decline your offer. I have no intention of leaving the Morning Star,” I slide the contract back his way, “when this says Master of Arms, on the Morning Star, then I’ll sign.”

Hope chuckles to himself and covers his mouth in order to hide his amusement.

Captain Debang narrows his eyes at me, “You do realize the Morning Star is the Commanding Vessel of the Hunter’s Fleet?”

“Yes.”

“I’m in no position to make such an offer to you.”

I lean back in my chair, “I understand your position Captain, but I need you to understand that although Arden might try to push me away, I spent years searching for her, and now that I’ve found her, I have no intentions of willingly leaving her side. You’ll have to cuff, court-martial me and drag me off that ship.” I resume casually eating my breakfast.

Debang smiles and looks to Hope, who nods. Debang takes the contract back and slips it into his folder. He pulls out the only other sheet of paper in there and slides it my way. I pick it up and read it; it’s exactly what I asked for, a post on the Morning Star as Master of Arms.

“If you sign this Morgan, you will also be privy to the highest level of intelligence the Fleet has to offer,” Hope adds.

Captain Debang offers me a pen and I sign my name without a moment of hesitation. Before I hand it back to him, I noticed there was another space for a signature.

Debang offers me his hand, “Welcome to the Morning Star Master Morgan. I was hoping things would play out this way.” I eye him suspiciously as I shake his hand. He should have signed it. Until it’s signed by a higher-up, it’s not official. Debang and Giddeon get up and everyone starts to gather their papers.

Debang opens the door, “Follow me, Morgan, like I said, I’m in no position to sign this.”

I follow Captain Debang downstairs where Arden sits alone at the bar eating her breakfast. Something about the air around her seems so melancholy and it makes me sick in the gut.

“Wait here,” Debang goes to sit next to her and slides my new contract her way. He talks to her quietly for a minute and I can hear Arden starting to sniff, as if she were holding back tears.

Debang places a pen on the contract and motions for me to approach as he makes his way upstairs. I sit next to Arden, placing my hand on the small of her back. “Arden, what the hell is going on here? Why are you crying?”

She clears her throat, eyeing the agreement I signed just minutes ago. “Is this really what you want?”

“I want you, Arden, if this is how I get you, then yes.”

She looks at me, “And you are willing to serve under me, follow my command regardless of your emotional entanglements, even if you disagree with my orders?”

“That’s what I signed up for when I joined the Fleet.”

“And if I choose to end our relationship, will you still follow me then?”

“Are you going to do that? My darling, I need you to trust me.”

“I trusted Wyatt-”

I shake my head, almost in disbelief, “Arden, I’m not Wyatt.”

That was all she needed to hear.

I watch carefully as Arden takes the pen and signs her name on my contract. When she went to sign her rank; I expected her to write Commodore. Instead, she started with an A, and I felt a smile creep onto my lips as I watched in fascination as the mysterious creature before me finished signing her rank.

Arden Lexington, Admiral.