Episode 6

The Pegasus

After a seemingly endless series of decks and downward ladders, Molly stopped outside a doorway covered in scrim and raised her lantern. “Here we are,” she said. “Your new home.”

Molly knocked on the dark wall just to the right. Tortoise noticed ‘A1’ had been carved into the wood and the grooves neatly painted white.

“Come in,” a young voice said.

Molly pulled back the scrim and ushered them through.

The room was narrow and dark. Three hammocks hung on each side, stacked one above the other up to the ceiling. Sitting on one of the bottom two hammocks was a willowy white ferret, lit dramatically by a candle lantern on the card table. She was dressed in a white shirt and maroon breeches. As Tortoise and Gecko entered she looked up from the book she was writing in and snapped it shut.

“Good evening, sir,” she said, jumping up nervously.

“At ease, Penny,” Molly said. “We have two new shipmates: Tortoise and Gecko. Make them welcome please—show them the ropes over the next couple of days. At least until we work out their roster and formal training schedule.”

“Do you mean like Old Gudge did for me?” Penny said. “But, sir, I don’t—”

“You’ll do fine, Penny. You know a lot more about the ship than they do. Gentlemen, I trust you’ll listen to her carefully. The recruit before Penny went over the edge in the first storm. Well, I’ll leave you to it. Stay safe and keep the ship shipshape.”

“Aye aye, sir,” Penny said.

“Thank you, Molly,” Tortoise said. “I mean, sir. Thank you, sir.”

“Aye aye, sir,” Gecko said. “You can count on us.”

Molly looked at Tortoise and Gecko sceptically. “Watch that lantern,” she said on her way out. “I don’t want to burn to death.”

Penny finished folding the table into the wall and turned with the lantern in her hand.

“Sorry, there’s not much space in… Oh. Where’s your friend gone?”

Tortoise turned around: Gecko had vanished.

“He was here. He does that, sorry. He’s probably just having a look around.”

“Oh. I was going to give you both a tour. Well, it’s getting late anyway. I have to be up early for morning watch, and you’re probably exhausted.”

He was feeling tired, Tortoise realised. But everything was happening so quickly he wasn’t sure he was ready for bed just yet. He thought about it for a moment, and then realised Penny was staring at him.

“Sorry, can I touch your shell? I’ve never met a turtle before.”

“I’m—”

“Oh, wow! It’s so smooth. And hard too.”

“It’s just my shell,” Tortoise said, pulling back a bit.

“It must be great having a shell,” Penny enthused, not noticing Tortoise’s discomfort. “It’s like you’re a knight, even when you’re sleeping. Rise, Sir Tortoise! Knight Turtle of Queen Polly and Protector of the Pegasus!”

“Um, well, thanks but—”

“God, sorry, I’m talking too much, aren’t I? You’re tired. Which bunk would you like: A or B?”

“Um… I don’t—”

“This one’s A. I was in it but now that you and Gecko are here I’ll be moving up to C.”

Tortoise looked up and noticed the top hammock above Penny was heavy with a body.

“Well, after Song wakes up. So for now I’ll move across to D, and Ibrahim will move up to E when he gets back from his watch.”

“And then E moves up to F?” Tortoise asked, trying to keep track. The letters were carved into the walls at the foot of each hammock. “Where will F go?”

“Dee will move next door to A2. Dee’s her name—the one who’s in F.”

Tortoise was a bit confused. Why was everyone moving?

“Why does everyone have to move?” he asked.

“It’s strange isn’t it?” Penny said. “I thought the same thing! I was told that no one’s really sure how many bunks we have so everyone just moves up one when someone new arrives and the new person moves into Bunk 1. The higher your bunk number the more people respect you but the longer it takes to get your breakfast.”

Tortoise wasn’t quite sure what Penny meant but she seemed nice so he just nodded seriously.

It was, he remembered, time to report to Polly.

Next episode: The Galley