.....And leaving the harbour

[Jacobus Loki]

The helicopter landed roughly on the fantail of the KMV. Lord Jake stumbled out, still dressed in the Yardistani Admiral's uniform, a but worse for the long night.

The captain of the ship ran up, trailed by a bevy of junior officers.

"Orders, My Lord?"

"The Dutch is gone. Freedom is gone." He sat on the deck with his head in his hands.

"Except on this ship, my lord," said the Exec.

"You are right!" Jake jumped to his feet. "You are right!"

He ran to the bridge, a wild look in his eyes, and a wake of the curious and confused coming up behind.

"Put me on the all-call", he said grabbing the nearest microphone.

"You are on, sir!"

"ALL HANDS! THIS IS, WELL this is Jake speaking. The Dutch has resigned, and with him, the last glimmer of freedom has gone out in Shireroth. With his departure, we are all released from our oaths. I don't know about all of you, but I think its time to go fishing. Set a course out of here, ready the fishing tackle for when we reach the open sea".

"What flag do we fly, milord?"

"The true Shirithian flag, for now."
He paused, thinking. Smiling, he asked, "Just in case, do we have a Jolly Roger on board?"

"I don't know, sir, but Ensign Fred is always kind of Goofy........"

[Jonas]

"Please take me with you," whispered the young guard of the harbour who had heard very late about the ship's arrival. His name was Jef Mirakel, "I want to leave my town and see the Kildarian coast line, the skyline of Apollo City, enjoy the adventures of true sailors..."

Jef was almost begging, and the junior officer was losing his patience: "Okay! You can come with us! But make yourself useful!"

Then he spoke in the direction of his Lord: "My Lord, we should stop in Apollo City to rescue the former Dutch. I have heard rumours about him being locked up in Grace Palace. He still rules over his lands and is free to walk around, but officers of the Throne and spies of Mortis surround him."

An other officer nodded and interfered: "My Lord, some of us had the plan to do the following: we stop at the harbour of Apollo City. The Gendarmerie is loyal to our cause. Together we march to the little city, Grace, which is near Apollo City and rescue Lord Win'Eth."

"This would mean a terrible provocation! We could be banned from the Empire!" shouted an older officer, who still didn't want to believe in the (in his and the other officers' eyes) terrible reforms that had happened, "The choice is yours, My Lord. We will support you, whatever happens: even if you chose for confrontation."

The officers knelt for their admiral and shouted: "Long live Shireroth! Long live Kildare! Long live the Dutchy!"

They can't say we aren't constructive.