Deep Seas War 7.2

The Depth

Stacy was the one who saw the low flying dirigible. She shook up the Captain and pointed to the flying balloon. There were some figures being lowered down by the rope ladder. It was flying parallel to the train and was on a collision course.

“I think they are trying to land on the train.” Stacy looked out and saw they were on an upslope and its engines were dragging the load up. “They can make it.”

Just then, the Captain saw the four flying contraptions tailing it. There were two more dirigibles further to the right. They were smaller than the ones piloted by Captain Claude. These were smaller by half the design for speed and manoeuvrability. They housed a cannon on the fore and four machine guns posts bit they carried a smaller complement of passengers.

“Those are Army dirigibles. I disliked them.” The Captain was fired on by these units before to stop his ship. He stood up to look out. He was unarmed and need to rush out there.

“You need a gun.” The sheep handler handed over a ‘Le Mat’. It was a nine shot revolver pistol introduced fifty years ago. “It was my wife’s and given to her by her late father, and then to me. I hold it to shoot at wolves, or the one in sheep coating.”

Captain checked the pistol and saw it held four shots. Guess there was one too many wolves shot by him. He was watching the dirigible. It was hovering over the train.

At a short distance ahead, Jones had to be the first to volunteer down the ladder. He held onto it while the dirigible swung across the field towards the train. Once he was on top of the train, he recklessly stepped off the ladder. He stumbled on the hard surface before he got his balance on. It was not easy to jump on it. He had jumped off horses but that one was an iron horse. There was no soft manes to grab or the hard leather of the saddle. It was all wood and metal with the gust of winds. He braced himself while adjusting his body to the   vibrations of the train. The next one down was his Lordship. He climbed down with his butt protruded out because he wanted to look downwards. Jones stepped up to hold the ladder stead for the senior officer and was rewarded with a body slam when the wind swept the ladder.

“Ouch!” Lord Henry called out in pain. His Lordship had bumped hard with his wounded leg. He righted himself and then stood with his good foot on the train. It was worse than those infernal rides but he held on. He crouched forward and then sat there on the train top. Then it was the Sergeant Major who lowered the weapons and then descended himself. He was more fluid than his Lordship and soon the trio was running to the end of the coach. The dirigible had pulled off to the skies.

There they climbed down to the balcony at the coach deck before the Sergeant Major knocked on the door. It was a gentlemanly way to announce the entry. The coach was a Pullman design with a length of forty four feet. That was the plush coach for the one who could afford it. The furnishing was fine linens and silk shades covered the windows. The seats were full leather tanned and shaped to fit the cushion attached to the wooden structure. The electric light bulbs lined the walls to give it an ambience feel of warm comfort. There were the valet ropes that will alert the staff on their needs. At the end of the coach, those were the comfort cubicles.

It was the first thing that his Lordship made for.

“It’s my bladder.” His Lordship went in to ease his agony.

“He got have done it anywhere.” Jones voiced out.

“Where? In your cupped out hands perhaps? Then you can drop throw it down the drain?” The Sergeant Major smiled. “I like the train more. They have the running water.”

Meanwhile then, Captain Arthur was making his way up the coach with Stacy following behind. The train was partially filled with the exhausted passengers who were mostly resting. He stepped over the extended legs and inched his way past the fallen bags. Then they reached the luxury coach and then sighed.

“Money does wonders.” Captain Arthur smiled. It was then he saw the Sergeant Major with the long rifle. The former raised the rifle and aimed at the Captain. He then trained it to the windows while he made his way towards the Captain.

“Bloody better times for us to meet and you had to choose this one.” Captain Arthur smiled at the Sergeant Major. They went through the drills together before the Captain volunteered for stealth missions.

“If I knew you were coming, I would have brought the ham and sausages but now it’s just crummy bread and water.” The Sergeant Major replied. “So you getting older or still shagging them younger than your age.”

Stacy rushed forth and held the dagger of her’ at the Sergeant Major throat.

“Hold that. He’s the only Sergeant Major I do not dislike.” Corporal Jones have his Whitworth aimed at the lady’s chest. 

“But if you will tell me your name I could spare him off.”

“Look like we are holding a sound reunion. Did you bring your drunken mother in law? She will be hit at such parties.” Captain Arthur smiled at Jones.

“Pardon me, Sir. I was never married. It was those older ladies thinketh I will do justice for their daughters.” Jones replied. “I can’t say they were wrong but I have my eyes on her.”

“Can it, boys. The train have stopped.” His Lordship spoke out. He was fuming mad when it did. He stained the front of his pants.