Captain Sebastian stood behind the ship’s wheel. The Derecho was his ship. Guiding her was a pleasure, especially on a morning like this. The sun burned away the few clouds that had lingered from the night. The slight breeze inflated the sails and pushed away the humidity. The vessel glided easily atop the Isthmian. The ship’s wake cutting the water was the only disturbance as far as he could see.
The Derechohis He’d almost lost his ship in a freak storm. Helix, his Boatswain, was who he thanked most for getting them out of the mess in one piece. He’d managed and coordinated the deck crew that worked the ropes and masts as well as repairing the damage sustained by that hellish torrent. This was their first time out in days. Usually the Lieutenant, Cearl—or Lou as they called him—manned th
