them.” The snort that he ended with was very meaningful. Sailors who were in a fight did not get tired. They got more energised.
“Nobody charged us with anything,” Daniel continued.
“They never do,” Stroro displayed his experience. “They stick us in the brig, the boss comes to get us out, we promise not do it anymore and we walk.”
“Sounds like that is a contradiction. You did this before, right?”
“Yeah. Different bar.” Stroro grinned. “They know they can’t stop us. It’s a game between them and us.”
Daniel was not pleased. He’d been in enough trouble already; this bit of joy would not look good on him. The carriage did not look like something strong enough to hold his Bactine body in for long, but a break-out of a police carriage would probably do him even more damage.
The sailors all seemed quite relaxed under the circumstances. Some of them were already snoring. Stroro was one of them.
The ride ended. The door swung open and outside, to Daniel’s surprise, were just two policemen who watched the group of sailors walk into the building. They all seemed to know the way and located the cells on their own. Some were looking around for their buddies, so they’d be in the same cells for the time being.
“Daniel. Over here.” Bilk waved at him, holding up Stroro. Lidrin was with him also, so Daniel pushed his way through the stream of sailors. “This is a good one. To the side. And quiet.”
Daniel stared as they moved into the cell. He slowly followed. “Want me to close the door?”
Lidrin shook his head. “Why? Nobody’s going to rob us here, we’re in the brig.”
Bilk lowered Stroro on one of the beds where the sailor continued his snoring. They were joined by three more sailors, who also picked a bunk to crash on.
Daniel sank on a bed and looked around, not understanding the proceedings at all.
“There’s water there,” Lidrin pointed to a table with some bottles in the corner, “and the piss is outside, to the left.”
Mere minutes later every single one of them, except Daniel, was asleep. The former soldier sat with his back leaning against a wall.
“Hey you. Everything okay?”
Daniel looked at the man who stood near the open door. “Yes. I am fine.”
“Good. Just making sure.” The man, in official law enforcement uniform, looked Daniel over. “Are you certain? You look a bit strange.”
“I’m fine, really.”
“If you say so. Sleep well.”
Daniel watched the man stroll off. He shook his head and lay down. After a while he fell asleep also.
The next morning he awoke to the sound of noise. He rose quickly. Around him, sailors were slowly getting to their feet, stretching themselves. One after the other disappeared for a visit to ‘the piss’, a relieved expression on their face as they returned.
Outside the cell the name of a ship was called out, and men came from the cell. They assembled near a man in a suit who spoke to them and then the group left the police station without further ado.
More and more ships names were called, and the cells were emptying rapidly.
“Pricosine!”
“Ah. That’s us.” Stroro hauled himself to his feet. They walked out of the cell, Daniel last, and walked up to Clelem, who stood waiting with Gaguran. They were both dressed to the nines.
“Ah, gentlemen,” their employer said. “It appears you had a good night out. Mr. Zacharias, I see you are settling in quite nicely with the crew.”
“Seigner, I am truly sorry. I-”
“It is fine, Mr. Zacharias. It is fine.”
Daniel could not believe his ears. Best thing now was to keep his mouth shut and to hope that someone would clarify all this sometime soon.
Clelem nodded to Gaguran. They turned and walked outside, the sailors in their wake.
“Have a good day, gentlemen,” Clelem said. He nodded and turned to walk to his waiting carriage. As the door opened, Daniel could not restrain himself. “Seigner Dandra ko Galem.”
The man slowly turned. “Ah. Mr. Zacharias.”
Daniel noticed the highly disapproving look on the face of the serving man and ignored it. “I beg your pardon, sir, but can you please clarify the proceedings? I am, to say the least, extremely puzzled.”
Clelem frowned for a moment. He cast a glance inside the carriage, where Daniel spotted the frilly girl again, fan up for protection. “Of course. I should not expect that lot to explain all this to you. Would you mind riding with us? We have more things to do.”
Daniel looked at his attire. “I’m afraid I am not exactly properly dressed, sir,” he said.
“For this time, I will not take offence, Mr. Zacharias. After all, we know what has happened.” Clelem Dandra ko Galem got into the carriage. Gaguran stepped in and Daniel followed. He was stared at by the young woman. Two large brown eyes over the rim of the fan, that then quickly looked away, out the carriage.
Gaguran did his trick with the hydger. Daniel noticed that he had a very small one this time, like an oversized locket.
“Mr. Zacharias,” Clelem said, “the Ship Owners Society is aware of the strain that seafaring folk are living under when away for so long. Therefore it is no more than natural that sailors feel the need to let off steam, so to speak. For that reason, twice a year an establishment in the sailor’s district is selected to be redecorated.”
“Redecorated?” Daniel missed something crucial, he was certain of that. He blamed the long and intense night and the short sleep.
“Indeed. The name of the establishment is mentioned to at least one person of the crew, who will then direct his fellow crewmen there. At a certain point they will start fighting, which will severely damage the interior. As you may have witnessed. This makes the removal of the interior easier for the workmen. The seafaring folk had their brawl and a secure place to sleep, and in the morning we come to collect them.”
Daniel’s surprise was growing.
“The Ship Owners Society has a separate fund for carrying some of the costs that are involved in redecorating the establishment. It can, after all, happen that some of the sailors get a bit carried away in their efforts.”
“But sir, I was the one who started the fight.” Daniel felt bad about that.
“Good for you, Mr. Zacharias. But do you believe that the night would have gone by peacefully if you had not done that?”
The carriage came to a halt. “I believe we have reached your homestead, Mr. Zacharias. I commend your honesty. Have a good day, sir.”
Daniel left the carriage and said his goodbyes. As the carriage rattled off, he scratched his head. This was really insane. The ship owners decided what place needed to be patched up and arranged for the sailors to take most of it apart. He grinned and went up to his apartment. After a shower and some breakfast he dropped himself on the bed and was asleep in seconds.
15. A new trip
The hydger rattled. Daniel picked it up from the table and recognised Ulaman’s sign. “Ulaman, good morning.”
“Hello, Daniel. The ship is ready for new sailing. There have been some alterations to the rudder and we have a new sail. The Seigner wants us to take the ship out for a long test. We will leave in the afternoon.”
“I’ll be there, Ulaman.”
“I know.” Ulaman’s face attempted a smile and the screen went grey.
Daniel stretched his legs under the table. He was sitting outside a nice little restaurant, enjoying a brew called sturt which was the local excuse for coffee. He had grown to like it. Tomlin Barker had pointed it out to him some days ago. “It makes a nice change to tea, Daniel,” he had said. His friend had been right.
