The Scales of Splendor-Chapter 4: When Dragons Fly Over Water
Leola schemes; Triakka prepares officers
The Brandywine River featured ships. Hests had fashioned from their government rations a low-level vessel out of scrap metal. Costerlys had designed state of the art, all-around, technologically advanced ships that followed after the dragons.
At this point, the ships were docked three hundred yards away. Leola saw all of this in her room on her tablet when Triakka had left.
“Goddamnit, I’ve got to get on that boat,” she whispered to herself. This time, she did not don her regal battle attire. Instead, she sized up a female guard named Lindsay Donnen in a camouflage blouse and trousers. At her presence, the guard snapped to attention and saluted.
“Alright, Lindsay. Say…what if I were to take your uniform and I give you leave for a week?”
“For a week?”
“Yep.”
“Nope.”
“Huh?”
“Make that two weeks.”
“Fair deal.”
The two young women moved to a secure location within the compound and exchanged clothes.
What Lindsay wore consisted of the sweatpants and t-shirt that Leola had on in her room.
“Okay. I need you to ask you another favor,” Leola mentioned.
“You’re leaning on three weeks now, ‘Ola,” Lindsay responded.
“I need those cammies. Okay, okay,” she signaled for them to procure a vehicle to get down to the ship.
“What the hell were you thinking?” Lindsay asked.
“I just need to be in the war. If I can’t be on a dragon, I’d rather be fighting some other way,” Leola replied.
“And we’re here,” Lindsay announced.
“Thanks for this, Linds,” Leola mentioned.
“Three weeks should be nice.” Lindsay hopped into the driver’s seat and sped off from the pier.
Lindsay’s rank as a second lieutenant called for the enlisted to salute Leola under the impression that she was actually the officer. Leola walked aboard and quickly slid past the upper level brass. She crept up to a bulkhead and then a stention. By skulking, she found the control room. Commanders and captains occupied the place where she wanted to be. She knew that she would have to tread boldly but deftly. The ship began motion.
In all of the ways she could have just left well enough alone, she crotched, and backspun and jetted her way past the galley, past the personal quarters, and just hung out in the ready room.
No one was in there. She just observed coordinates and strategies. That was until the light clicked on in the room.
“Miss—Leola?” Triakka wondered.
“Shh…”
Triakka closed the door behind him.
“What the hell—”
“Shhh!”
“I don’t know how you got on this ship, but I’m sure your parents wouldn’t appreciate it. You were under my care. I thought that you’d stay at the Compound. What’re you doing?” A faint smile crossed his face.
“I could ask you the same thing. Why are you floating on a boat?”
“I’m here to address some military men and women on how to dress wounds and prepare them for the scales.”
“Oh.”
“Oh?! You act like I just said we’re going out for love, luck and lollipops. Must I remind you we are at war. Those Hests will cease at nothing to bring your family’s good name down and drag everyone associated with it,” Triakka huffed. No sign of a smile remained on his face now.
“I just meant that you’re here and that’s cool. You’re doing your job. You’re a professional. I get it.”
“I hope you do.”
The cammies didn’t fit perfectly and they kind of tugged at her arms and she had to reposition herself. She finally rose. It was the most comfortable position.
“I could report you. I could say that Miss Leola Costerly has gone rogue and is away from her position of safety. I could say you have departed from your designated place. What would you do then?” Triakka raised his eyebrows and placed his hands behind his back.
She charged. “I’ll put you in the brig!”
“On the sea or land?”
“Whichever I find most fitting!”
Triakka laughed. “You really must be tired. You’re talking out of your head.”
“Aren’t you glad you saw me?”
Triakka paused for a moment.
“I’m glad to know that you are healthier than when I first saw you,” he replied.
“Aranand,” Leola breathed.
“Yes, Aranand. He was a gem. What a mighty beast that one. Goddamn this war,” Triakka declared.
“The scales of splendor are what continue to fuel it. I think they’re worth dying for, what do you think?”
“I think we should take you back to the Compound,” Triakka said.
“No. I’ve already proven myself in battle,” she explained.
“You should get a medal, princess,” Triakka replied dryly.
“Maybe. I would’ve had to earn it though. And stop with all that princess stuff. I’m a warrior alone. I am the daughter of businesspeople. What the hell would you know about business?”
“In school, I majored in business administration. I then switched to medicine and now I’m here talking to a little brat who can’t tell how fortunate she is to not be a corpse.”
“Thank you Dr. Triakka,” she replied drolly and rolled her eyes.
“I’m serious, my team did a hell of a great job on you. Without their expertise, your parents would be making space in the Costerly plot.”
“Yes. I agree and…Aranand,” Leola responded wistfully.
Triakka breathed heavily. “They’re for our use. We become attached to the dragons but they are to be used. Not misused or abused but simply used to save human lives.”
“Of course. Of course. I don’t mean to be a Hest about it if that is what you are implying.”
“No, no. I just wanted to remind you what this war is all about and that we must be victorious.”
“We will be.”
The night had fallen and the ebb and flow of the water turned in the minds of the ship’s crew. The USS Nancy Vaughn, named after a young corporal who had perished in battle against the Hests, proved to be a bastion of excellent engineering.
For all of the ways that the opposition could have countered the Costerlys, this vessel could launch aircraft like letting fireflies dance in the night. Its capacity featured the best in nuclear power and kept up an even keel even while being threatened by other ships.
It took the entire time for the crew to gather intelligence against the enemy.
Admirals had sent down word from their stations in Newark to engage with severe prejudice any forces that dared to rise up against the Costerly fleet.
In lines drawn, the capacity of the ship to destroy any submarines were met with superior ones. The power, the very might of this ship rested in the minds of the men and women who worked on it.
Leola had a few friends aboard (she just didn’t want to have them know). There was Commander Berto Quince. He instituted a strong command and ordered without malice but with heavy delight. He drew up the plans for the nuclear jets to fly over the fields to save the dragons from being overused. He put all of his strength in fighting for the Costerlys because he had been sent to college based on Gesta and Costerly’s trust that he would fight.
Their investment paid off and Quince projected the thoughtful warrior who knew how to battle with strategy instead of brute force like the Hests. Ninety percent of the ordinance and armaments had been crafted from a 3-D printer as well. While small arms certainly could fulfill the requirements, he knew that the machine had to produce bombs and rockets in addition to rifles and grenades.
Quince’s mind slowed and his thoughts became clearer still. He observed the various digital charts with the number of wounded and dead reported on both sides.
He outlined the specific spots for the jets to bomb certain targets. All of the sense of what he had learned infused his ease and calmness. He typed out a report with aplomb to be sent to the higher ups.
In recognition of his efforts, he had been awarded the Costerly Cross when he was shot down and saved the life of his co-pilot. He had dragged him fifty feet away from the wrecked aircraft, all while laying down suppressive fire. He didn’t boast about it. He just kept it to himself and continued on his missions. Now, if asked, he would say, “I selfishly saved the life of my friend and killed those who tried to kill us.”
He didn’t say in an elevated voice, just cool. At the time of his latest official missive to the admirals, he had just sipped coffee with the Costerly emblem emblazoned on the mug. He sipped slowly. He then sent the top secret letters.
They all consisted of the coordinates to where the Hests hid their weapons caches. He sighed. He left from his compartment and continued out the hatch when he bumped into Leola.
“Ola, my God, what are you doing here?”
“I’m undercover for my folks.”
He looked at her cross. “Donnen? you dragged Lindsay into this?”
“It’s the only way I could be able to—”
“Say less,” He then looked down the hallway. He noticed Triakka walking down the passageway towards them, Triakka.
“We’ve got to go in here,” Leola demanded. The officer and the daughter cramped into the space and watched Triakka walk past the hatch.
“What was the rush about?” Quince asked.
“I wanted to…talk to you.”
“I’m busy.”
Leola looked at all of the equipment powered down.
“I was busy. Are you and the captain—”
“No. Yes. I mean—”
“Please don’t say ‘it’s complicated.’”
“No, I mean we’re just talking.”
“Talking….”
“He helped to save my life. He’s intelligent, and I think he’s something special.”
Quince paced. “You know how old he is, right?”
“I do.”
“And that he outranks me….”
“I’m aware.”
“This could get awkward.”
“Yes.”
“I want you to get off this ship and go back to your Compound. You think you were in trouble on the dragon, you’ll see how messy things get when you involve superior and lower grade officers in ‘friendships.’ We’re going to have to sort this one out, it simply won’t do.”
Leola searched in her mind for a proper response. Something she could say about the situation that would be clear, concise, and complete. She opened her mouth.
“It’s not complicated,” she pushed out a puff of air.
“Your mom and dad will flip if they find that a man in his forties is with their precious daughter. A man in their military, as well,” Quince said.
“Whom should I be with? You?” Leola questioned.
“We’re strictly friendly. You know that, ‘Ola,” he countered.
“If it is worth anything, we’ve not been involved in any way that you may be thinking about in your head,” Leola replied.
“I hope not. I’d hate to see the captain’s head roll for being with the CEO’s own offspring. I just have misgivings about the whole situation.”
“You won’t have to worry. The good doctor Triakka is just so adamant about taking me and locking me up in that room that I’m not even considering going further with our relationship.”
“I’m glad to hear that. What we have to do is consider this turmoil we have found ourselves experiencing. This war is going to test us in ways we may never understand.”
“This war is for healing.”
“Yes. The dragons drive our economy and the captain and I are on the brink of gaining our stars one day based on what we do today.”
“That sounds about right. Hey, don’t tell my folks I came on the ship, okay?”
“If you stay out of the way and keep quiet…you have my word,” Commander Quince replied.
She leapt to hug him with sincere, friendly affection. The faint sound of bombs bursting still reached the ships. A few dragons flew over the water in formation like jets. Leola and Quince looked at each other and exchanged solemn glances. They both knew that they needed to grasp the entirety of everything around them and digest it with definite and true caution.
About the Creator
Skyler Saunders
Cash App: $SkylerSaunders1
PayPal: paypal.me/SkylerSaunders
Join Skyler’s 100 Club by contributing $100 a month to the page. Thank you!
Comments
There are no comments for this story
Be the first to respond and start the conversation.