The Adventurous Ero Path of a Sailor

Jack awoke with a start the next morning, his eyes quickly darting around to get his bearings. It took him a few moments to remember that he wasn't in his own quarters on the Valiant.

Last night had been wonderful. His time with Abigail was well spent in the tiny quarters of the commanding officer of the Destiny. Even now with a full night's sleep and the taste of her still on his lips, he felt ready for whatever the day might throw at him.

He wasn't sure how long he spent admiring her features before her own eyes popped open and caught his own.

"Morning, Jack," she whispered, taking the moment to wrap herself snugly in the blankets.

"Morning, Abigail." Jack enfolded her in his arms. The leggy brunette took a moment to press a kiss to his lips.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" she asked while shutting her eyes and resting her head against his bare chest.

Jack glanced down at his wristwatch before turning back to her. "Just before seven."

"I hope the day is uneventful. I'd rather stay in bed most of—do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Jack asked quickly. Abigail held up her hand to silence him and then they both listened more carefully. Something was making a noise, something that sounded far away and was coming closer. It was like a streaking sound, and it was headed toward a crescendo as it came ever closer.

BOOM

The entire ship rattled in its berth and a few pens fell off the commander's nearby desk. Both Jack and Abigail shot up from bed and looked at each other.

"What the hell was that?"

"That almost sounded like an artillery shell going off. You don't think that—"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!..

The ship rocked again and voices began to shout as the men and women of the crew started to piece together that something bad was happening. Out beyond the ship came the sound of something exploding and screams pierced the early morning air.

Jack was up in an instant. "We're being bombed. Get up and get the men to battle-stations. Quickly!"

Abigail wasted no time. Immediately, she began to throw her uniform back on as Jack did the same. As his fingers made quick work of the buttons of his uniform, the sound of shelling seemed to get louder, coming in closer intervals.

He raced out of the cabin as he heard Abigail get on the radio to the bridge. "Assume battle-stations. We're being bombed! Get it on the speakers now!"

Jack raced about as other sailors shuffled out of their morning quarters in various states of undress. Most of them were just as confused as he, and half of them had never seen a call to battle-stations before. Soon enough, it was roaring throughout the entire ship's PA system.

"MAN YOUR BATTLE-STATIONS, MAN YOUR BATTLE-STATIONS. THIS IS NOT A DRILL."

Jack found the main door out of the superstructure and stepped outside. It was just light enough that he could make out the rest of the harbor as well as the town a short distance away.

Around him, fire and smoke filled the morning air mixed with the occasional scream. Jack's attention was caught as he watched something bright streak across the sky before coming down in a roaring crash against a barracks building some hundred yards away. The building exploded in a brilliant fury as parts of the structure were sent into the sky.

BOOOM!!

Jack covered his body as one piece of the roof landed on the railing only ten feet from his very spot. It made a terrific crash before splashing down off the railing and into the water below.

Turning to face the bay, he followed the smoke trail out to the horizon where, even at this distance, he could make out the shapes of two warships on the horizon.

There was no time to waste. He sprinted to the plank and raced across the dock to get to the Valiant. It was only a short while later until he made his way to the bridge of the ship which was in the same chaos as the Destiny with sailors running every which way.

Jack ducked into the bridge and found both Kim Cross and Bill Norman on the radio with their separate divisions.

"What's going on? What's the status?"