One Dead One Disobedient

My apologies, says Captain Stede Bonnet. I had no right to do that.

No time for apologies, we must retrieve Terence, says Gaius.

I think we have time for apologies, says Kobo.

It's my temper, says Captain Stede Bonnet. It's bad.

He was not your ship's boy, says Kobo.

I know, sighs the Captain. The question is, how to make amends.

You could go down, says Kobo. After all, you are a lobster.

I cannot leave my ship, says the Captain. How about Ageless?

Ageless, says Kobo, how do you feel about that?

Ageless is all unprepared for a good deed. He shuffles.

Nose's feet hit the deck.

Terence fell into the water! cries Nose. Someone save him!

Ageless is going, says Kobo. Aren't you, Ageless. Let your disposition not disgrace your appearance.

Ageless has never felt that his disposition disgraced his appearance. Where did that come from?

(Answer: From Hesiod's works and Days, which Kobo is reading).

Terence will die! cries Nose. And I'm his blood sister and parrot. So....!

She jumps into the water.

A parrot, says Stede. Why didn't she say so! I'm in need of a parrot. I knew there was something about her.

She is no parrot, says Gaius. Except for the pink patch of feathers close to her anus.

And they are from a monkey, says Griff, enjoying the discomfiture of the Captain.

Monkey with feathers?

But time is wasting, even though Terence won't die.

Nose sinks slowly.

Terence lies at the bottom of the Deep Water Harbour, amongst the shipwrecks, and dead ship's boys.

Bright purple sea whips and yellow finger sponges sway lazily.

Terence wonders how long before he is rescued and who it will be.

Drowned for disobedience. What a... bum-plop!

At least there's no one down here to tell him not to say bum-plop.

A sea snake snakes up to him.

Nice cutlass shorts, ship's boy.

The sea snake disappears into the lacy purple coral near a bunch of sea bottles.

Nose drops down beside Terence.

Of course. His blood sister.

But she isn't indicating that she has seen him.

Is she dead?

Terence can't believe it. Nose dead. Before she even became a useful parrot.

They lie side by side on the bottom.

One dead, one disobedient. Make that two disobedient.

But aha! Someone is coming. A rope tied to a deck chair. Feet.

It's the Captain, shamed into letting his disposition not disgrace his appearance.

He scoops up the ship's boy and his parrot.

Tugs on the rope, and the deck chair begins a slow rise to the surface.

The sea snake has not seen any thing like this for ages. He rises along with the deck chair.

Besides which, he lacks gills and must surface regularly.

Gaius is leaning over the railing.

What good fortune! A sea snake!

The gods must be smiling.