CHAPTER FIVE Flying Dutchmen

As Kathren gazed upon the sea captain, he was sure part of the sea. He held no characteristics of the flesh race, he was quite fishy! He was a six foot male with two legs like most land walking species, except his left leg was made of wood. His hands were two claws of hard plated shell, tan colored. His face, a ill light-blue, with a flat nose, a fleshy mouth and two eyes that resemble the land dwellers eyes, but his cheek, jaw, chin, and areas where his ears should be are covered in slimy, light blue tentacles.

As the squid faced creature appeared on the foredeck, he is dressed in a well worn brown-green coat with a triangle shaped hat. He has not one ounce of hair upon his head and the only sound emitting off him is the sound of light splats of his tentacles as he wiggles them around on his face and oozes around his chest. Even Kathren herself contains a low level of mucus, but he is just nasty! As he walks gently towards Kathren, the sound of his feet hitting the wooden boards is a heavy thump. None on the pirates are laughing no more, instead they look upon their captain actually with a respectful fear that makes Kathren's stomach ache. As the man stops only inches away from Kathren, he looks at Kathren, a average age woman, but a hybrid of half-fish-half-Human. As the captain looks about his ship he quickly looks at Kathren, and his slimy tentacles upon his face fling its contents upon Kathren and some of the crew. Kathren remains unmoved, transfixed in terror, surrounded by fear, smothered with an organic compound which has way to much mucusgen! As the captain opens his mouth and breathes in the salty sea air he looks up at the sky and then back at Kathren, but this time much more slowly. "Top of the day to you fair lady." Says the captain in a surprising clear, calm voice.

Kathren nods but does not smile. "Thank you…you would be the captain?"

The captain looks at his crew and his officers who stand right by him. "Yes, I'd be the captain. Do you go by a name missy?"

Kathren is amazed at this pirates calm, clean nature, even if his appearance is somewhat hideous. "My name is Kathren Deprofit, is there a name I can properly call you?"

The captain looks at Kathren, he looks of a ill mixture of being shocked and sadden. "You never heard of me?"

Kathren notices the captains hurt nature and does not know how to reply. "I'm sorry, I usually keep to myself and so I know little of my world!"

The captain looks at the crew who stand, or sit, depending on their working nature, and a slight smile comes to the captains aquatic face. "You've a place where the dead spirits go eh?"

Kathren is unsure of this question. "Yes, they turn to guardians of the water. When I die, I probably be a guardian of the fresh water. So yes, to answer your question, we have a place when we die, now the rest, I don't know their origin."

The captain seizes his chance to fill in the void. "Ah, when the other find their peril at sea, they go to rest in the underwater grave of Davy Jones Locker, only those who owe debts must live a life of damnation at the oars of the helm!" The captain points to the chained individuals whom are sitting in agony, but relieved with the sudden appearance of Kathren whom has gave them a break of their eternal pain.

Kathren looks back to the captain after applying one glance at the damned. "This is a slave ship?"

The captain shakes his head, the tentacles slapping side-to-side. "No my dearie, this not be-a slave ship, this be-a bloody ghost ship."

Kathren does not see how that's possible. "This can't be a ghost ship, for you can't stand on a ghost ship."

The captain nods, "True, but this is a ghost ship…" The captain walks to Kathren's side, Kathren does not move. "Let me tell you a story of one particular ghost ship that sails these very waters. It was a massive ghost ship, a ship that sails the four seas claiming souls of both the dead…" The captain stops and looks at Kathren directly in the eye. "And the living. No Numenorean or Angmarean vessel could catch her, for like you said…you can't catch a ghost! The ghost ship at first remained captain less for eons, claiming its crew to navigate her, it was not until the ghost ship came upon a heart broken, rustic captain of the infamous vessel the Locker, a ship that hunted other ships and locked its crew under its own hauls to die, or to trade. With the captain claimed upon death, he became captain of the ghost ship and he and his crew of men were sent into serving the ship until the end of time. The ship is stealthy, appearing above the waves, and under the waves. Storms always brew over her mast, fog envelopes her bow to stern, and beyond! No ship can destroy her." Kathren notices clouds beginning to move in from the coast from the northeast and it begins to rain.

Kathren's eyes are stung as lightening flashes through the cloudy, darken sky, another freaky storm is moving in! "And this ship, does it claim a name?" Says Kathren as she watches the freaky storm move around the ship.

A dense fog moves in and covers the ship, and it gets quite dark. "Yes…the Flying Dutchmen." Lightening flashes and the sudden light shines off a plank board with the visible letter of the ship Kathren is currently on, they spell out: CHMEN, another flash of light and the fog shows more of the name: UTCHMEN, and as the fear grows, the final flash of light and the full name appears: FLYING DUTCHMEN.

As Kathren slowly realizes the level of danger she is in, she remembers what the captain said…'a ship that sails the four seas claiming souls of both the dead…and the living.' Kathren runs for the edge of the Flying Dutchmen and is grabbed by another crew member and thrown hard, on her back, on the deck. As the person grabs her by the arm, another grabs her other arm and drags her back to the center of the ship where the captain still stands watching Kathren's desperate chance of escape fail.

Kathren looks at the hands of her captors and the one on her left shoulder has five tentacle-fingers, on the right shoulder, the guard's hand is webbed with sharp claws that are dug into Kathren's shoulder. Kathren tries to mind-out the pain and looks at the captain. "If this is the Flying Dutchmen, you must be the captain of the Locker? But what is your full name? Is it Captain Locker?" The crew breaks out in a joyful laugher.

The captain ushers them to seize their laugher. "No dearie, the Locker was just my ship, I am called Davy Jones."

Kathren looks at the misty deck of the Flying Dutchmen. "Captain Davy Jones Locker…the Davy Jones Locker? Kathren looks up with a new sense of knowledge…"You're a reaper?"

Davy Jones shakes his head. "No, only a traveler, a captain of my vessel…the Flying Dutchmen…" Davy Jones looks at Kathren. "Welcome to the Flying Dutchmen." The captain looks at the two holding Kathren, "Take her to my guest quarters, I have a feeling that Dearie will be staying with us for awhile!"

The guard and seamen nod and drags Kathren. Kathren tries to resist, but the grip is just to strong and Kathren's last plea is to Captain Davy Jones. "Please Davy Jones, release me!" Davy Jones just watches as if he was unsure what to do with her. Kathren pleas lastly to the crew…"Any one…help me!" Kathren is dragged into the quarters.

As the guards throw Kathren deep into the quarters, the main guard looks at Kathren. "Now keep it down, unless you wish to have a quick funeral!" He slams the door.

As Kathren looks at the metal door, she hears Davy Jones final commands to the crew. "Well shows over boys, lets get back to work."

The sound of step, thump, step, thump comes closer to the door that entraps Kathren, but Davy Jones never enters. As Kathren looks around her new, temporary quarters, she hears an odd sound, like creaking…the ship is sinking! As Kathren tries to get out of the cabin, the door is locked, she opens the window, but she can't fit through the window. She is trapped! As the water hit's the level of Kathren's open window, the water does not enter, instead it holds only a few inches from the window frame.

As the Flying Dutchmen is completely submerged underwater, Kathren calms down…what's the fuss anyway? If it floods anyway, she can't die, she breathes easier underwater. With this comforting thought, Kathren passes the room, she looks at the decorations, sea-shells, sand models, clothing fit for royalty at Numenor. As Kathren lays down for the first time in a feather bed, she wonders if this ever was meant to be slept on, if so, it's sure comfortable. With being comfortable, Kathren closes her eyes and begins to fall asleep, but there is a sound at the door. As Kathren sits up quickly, she looks at the well aged woman who has entered, she wears a dress of Numenor descent.

"My Dearie?" Says the woman with a complexion of barnacles. "The captain ask for your presence."

Kathren looks at the hideous female with large barnacles all over her face, Kathren notices also that she can't talk, to talk you need air to vibrate the vocal cords, however the creepy lady manages to talk, is anyone's guess. As Kathren vocals with her mind, she is unsure if she will be heard. The creepy lady responds to Kathren's call. "Who? Dat's Davy Jones." The barnacle ridden lady nods. "Yes dearie, Capt'n Davy Jones." The lady hands Kathren a flowing white dress. "The Capt'n expects you to be wearing this Dearie."

Kathren looks at the odd cloth, Kathren has never seen a dress before. "What is it?" Says Kathren through mind-speak.

The barnacle woman looks at Kathren as if she was the oddest individual ever known. "My Dearie, have you've never seen a dress before?"

Kathren shakes her head. "No not personally, it looks as if it doesn't give you any freedom to move about!"

"Dearie…your female and your on the Flying Dutchmen, there is no such thing as freedom, we're all captive aboard this god forsaking vessel-of-a-ship. Living for an eternity in an eternal life of torture! And when we die…we pass on into the wood of the ship…there is no afterlife for us!"

Kathren looks at the ship. "How horrible!"

"Yes Dearie." She hands the last piece of the dress to Kathren. Kathren slips on the dress, it fits nicely! As the barnacle woman opens the door, she takes Kathren out onto the upper deck of the Flying Dutchmen. As Kathren walks on the foredeck, the scales reflect on the filtered sunlight. Kathren's loaned white-robe flows in slow motion around in the water, Kathren's fins also flow in the water, the silvery-fins play around on Kathren's face, just like Davy Jones facial tentacles. Some of the crew whisper, considering that Kathren is Davy Jones old lover.

As Kathren comes up to the door, she knocks. "Enter." As Kathren enters, Davy Jones is hammering down on a organ of the Flying Dutchmen. As the tones play around on the sea-decorated room. Kathren listens to Davy Jones. "Here upon the restless waves. Oh the ocean to deep to save, over the perils of the waves!" Davy Jones turns to look at Kathren. "Can you handle that song?"

Kathren nods. "Almost some of it?"

Davy Jones pulls up a chair for Kathren. "Sit down." Kathren takes a seat and Davy Jones sits on the other side of the table. "So tell me, do you fear death?"

Kathren looks at her hands. "No, not really. Death is just a path we must all take!"

Davy Jones bites into a raw fish. "So your not concern of my crew?"

Kathren shakes her head. "No." Davy Jones does not reply, he just keeps eating. "So you called me, why?"

"I called you to ask you a question." Davy Jones puts down his fish. "Do you know a lady called Kathren Dawndeath Northmar?"

Kathren hears the name, but only knows that Kathren Dawndeath Northmar is the first of the Kathren's. "She is my great, great, great, great grandmother, does she mean anything to you?"

Davy Jones face is sadden. "You're her grandchild?"

Kathren looks at Davy Jones. "Kathren Dawndeath Northmar has been dead for 502,118 years."

Davy Jones drops his fish on his plate. "She said she would come back to me, she was just 16 years old. We met on land. The last night she was changing and told me that she could not see me until the transformation ended! So I sailed away upon my vessel the Locker until a birdie told me that Kathren was swallowed by the ocean…that same time I crashed my ship into the rocks and sunk to the bottom of the ocean. There I died and made myself captain of the Flying Dutchmen on one condition…to find her!"

Kathren shakes her head. "So what do you want of me?"

Davy Jones looks up at the door where the two guards come back to take Kathren away. "I already got my answer." Davy Jones looks at the guards. "Take her back to the foredeck. If she gonna take room on the Dutchmen, she ought to share some of the dooties!" Kathren is grabbed by the arms again and dragged out on the deck where the other trapped pirates await for her. As Kathren is pushed around on deck, one of the pirates takes advantage of Kathren being a woman and tries to harass her in improper ways. As Kathren begins to feel uncomfortable, she sends off a electrical wave that throws the intruder on the side of the ship…his back is broken, but luckily for him, it does not phase him much for he is already dead.

As the other crew members look at the hurt pirate they slowly look at Kathren, fear dwells in their eyes, for even though the intruder pirate is not dead-dead, the electrical shock was enough to paralyze his spirit.

As Kathren looks at the ocean, she jumps into the ocean and swims away from the Flying Dutchmen as fast as she can swim, but against the speed of the Dutchmen, there can be no escape.

As Kathren continues with her speedy swim, Davy Jones knows that Kathren has escaped, the whole ship moans telling Jones the bad news…it moans…'there are no survivors, there is no escape'. As the crew looks at Davy Jones quarters door, they fear the worse is yet to come for them, as sure enough, the door slams open and out rushes Davy Jones yelling, "Find her!"

END OF CHAPTER FIVE