Captain Ulmar Wenceslas Lockhart

Captain Ulmar Wenceslas Lockhart

It was not a sight for the faint hearted, that I can tell thee

To see my Captain fighting his enemy, and break free

And live to fight another day, to explore the endless blue sea

Alas that is life, such are things meant to be

My Captain was Ulmar Wenceslas Lockhart, God be with the man

Sailed many seas he did, those who fought him were damned

None could be saved when they faced Lockhart, all feared his plan

To bring down the Odyssey, to which end he never ran

This is the story of Captain Lockhart, and his brave last stand

The Odyssey’s captain was no ordinary fool

He was Lockhart’s equal, affluent in all trades and tools

He was Nicodemus Bartholomew “Lockhart”

“Lockhart” because he equaled my Captain in every art

From the Port O’ Leon to The guild town Hall

Numerous times they blocked the seas; all
to themselves they kept the battlefield;

But alas, their efforts provided no yield

They lived to die another day, of which I have come to say

It was a good fight, however sad a sight, because of the weather’s lay

I suppose even the Heavens decided ‘twas time for their disheartening disarray;

To be put at bay, by allowing their weapons for one last epic wield

‘Tis speculation, of course, God showed great remorse

Our time had come to show whether we were the masters or the horse

When our sleep was interrupted by a loud throttle

And a booming voice shouting, “... On y’er feet, ye filthy mongrels...”

I

“Enemy, Enemy; Enemy by the oft-side bow”, we heard the second mate cry

“Get o’ y’er feet, ye filthy mongrels! Carpe Diem! Do or die!”

And the crew made haste, the sails were set

The Captain, stern and determined, “set course nor’ by nor’-west”

“Against the tide we’ll batter the lot with power to shake the skies”

“Gibbons, fasten the cannons!

Let’s show ‘em scoundrels old country mettle and iron!

Elias, lead them onward to our trail!

For victory, for glory, and the prize entailed!

Make sure we maintain present course

Have faith and courage men! Show no remorse!”

The latches were battened, ‘twas only a moment’s wait

The Eldred was armed and ready to put its pursuer to rest

The clock started ticking, only a few moments at best

Before she drew close enough, for our cannon fire’s grit

“Steady now” calmed the Captain, watching his prey

With a smile he screamed, “God be praised, today’s our day!

It’s the Odyssey, boys! Let’s give her a good bangin’!”

The Eldred looked out, onward to the sea

She had nothing to fear, she only needed to be

So was carved on her port side

“I am the greatest vessel by the king’s side

To all the ships all over, by God’s grace I swear!

Toil death and deal with the devil to truly capture me!”

From the aft mast, a sailor shouted “Look!

The Odyssey’s Captain has taken our hook”

“Well, cheers and be happy then! It’s a fight he wants

Tighten the sails; make sure they’re all tout

Lest our luck betrays us, because of a careless clout

And his ill consideration of an enemy’s taunt”

Declared the first mate, sarcasm of refined taste

And went to the Captain, informing him in haste

“Captain Lockhart, the sails are all set

The Eldred is ready to face that foe it met
three days ago; she’s some distance afar

Captain Lockhart, what is your command for within the hour?”

“Has she accepted our gambit?”

“Aye Captain, hook, line and sinker”

“IS she on course, ready for her breaker?”

“Aye Captain, the Odyssey is ready to be hit”

“Is the ammunition sufficient for our arsenal?”

“Aye Captain, lock, stock, and barrel”

“Tell the snipers then, to shoot when ready”

“Should I tell them why?”

“I want to keep my odds secure - make sure more of them die”

“Aye, Sir! I’ll inform them you want a clear blue sky”

The First Mate went to the deck, to keep the crew in check

“Gibbons, are the cannons ready?” Aye

“Elias, keep present course and the ship steady” Aye

“Also, inform the snipers, show no remorse” Aye

“Is the Odyssey still on course?”

“Aye sir, she is, obliging as a horse”

“Careful now, our prize might turn hoarse”

The wind swayed to and fro, and with it the vessel

The Eldred swung to and fro, amidst hustle and tussle

Amidst laughter and cheer, the Eldred would test

Would fight to the death, nothing less

So did the Odyssey, which kept pace, was still on the chase

Of the Eldred, the craft, leading the race

“Snipers off the port side” was the call from the mizzen mast

“Splendid, that’s what we need” was Gibbon’s response from down below

“Aim for the mast, make sure the target’s cast

Just right to break their speed, and deal them a heavy blow”

To this Gibbons ordered the crew on the gun deck

“I don’t want the cannons to have any specks”

The chains holding the weapons were tightly bound

‘Twas the only means by which the fire came round

And hit its target right, leaving a mark profound

But the Odyssey had felt the worst, it was a living wreck

She had survived hell and damnation; and many battlegrounds

Captain Lockhart observed with his eyeglass, the view

He had a clear vision of the Odyssey’s crew

Of the lot - who were stench and refuse - there was only one man he knew

The dark skinned leader in justacorps, his archenemy Bartholomew

Seen from a distance, he looked a man without fear

Seen from a distance, his men were indifferent to fear

Seen from the distance, he looked and observed

Seen from the distance, he ordered his men unnerved

“But alas, brave adversary, I am the predator, and you are my prey

Godspeed to your doom asunder, and a worthwhile fight I pray”

The first mate hurried to the Captain; before speaking he took a deep breath

“What is it, Samuel; what seems to be wrong?”

“Captain, the tides are changing form, it’s leading us along

A course towards a colossal whirlpool, into the jaws of death

Captain, we must change course, the Odyssey is not worth the risk”

“So long as I am Captain, the whirlpool is a mere trick

Would it matter if there are any deaths to tick
if the Odyssey is not taken in a battle of our pick?”

“Captain, it is difficult to predict; the Odyssey is not worth the risk”

“You have seen for yourself the men - they are fighting fit

They WANT the Odyssey, and break it into bits

‘Tis only in the jaws of death that the Odyssey can be hit

Do you still disagree, Samuel, to a last stand so poignant and brisk?”

“I still believe, sir, the Odyssey is not worth the risk”

“Your opinion does not matter, we have nothing to fear

As for how the world will remember be, it does not matter, nor do I care

Continue with your orders, Samuel, you are not needed here

And rest assured the Odyssey is worth the risk”

II

By stroke of luck, or perhaps perchance of fate

The Odyssey steered and made a gambit

The stance was clever; it gave Captain Thyme an edge

Perchance he was hoping to break Lockhart’s flanking wedge?

Whatever the case may be, he was trekking a slippery ledge

The storm gathered, a battering it yearned to brew

Perforce a dreadful power struck the sailor, on the aft mast top-gallant sail

Holding on for dear life, hoping, praying he could get through

The maddening blizzard of the storm’s dreadnaught, striking without fail

Was each thunderclap a dash towards disaster? God only knew

But Captain Lockhart, knowing the time was right

Roared in commanding spite, “Guide the Eldred with all your might

The Odyssey is a brigantine, how shall his cannon’s splice?

This is your moment, your fight! Are you men or are you mice?”

Lead into the whirlpool, the Eldred was

She slowly swirled, the water was the cause

“Lead deeper into hell’s deep” hears we did the caws

“What better way to make a last stand, than right in death’s jaws?”

The Eldred made leeway into hell’s deep

The splashes of the waves slowly started to seep

Into the ship, into the gunner’s deck

“Now you know” Gibbon said “Why I warned no specks”

The Captain took his eyeglass, and unnerved he called

“On my command, hammer her with our core”

Within moments, the pounders were set, the cannons were bored

Gibbons waited for the Captain’s command, for damnation appalled

A moment it was, the calling of the gods

The drive of the hellfire was far from anything the crew thought

What the cannons wanted, was to contort

To sink the Odyssey, by the power of the gods

Wrought were the Eldred and the Odyssey with cannon shots

The balls of doom punctured with indescribable rot

Injuries on both sides, mortalities were plenty

It was a sad sight, to witness such a travesty

The ships came closer, the smell of gunpowder in the air

The sea was a baptism of death, the sky, of hell’s glare

The ships battered and thrashed, until the time an-neared

They rammed into each other; it was here! The crew flared

Lockhart, armed to the teeth

Jumped onboard the Odyssey, Thymes passing wreathes

“Here I am, Nicodemus! I am who you seek!”

That was Lockhart’s taunt, spoken with energy and cheek

III

And they fought tooth and nail

It was a metallic hail

Till death they must have fought, neither derailed

So were the ships, purging each other at any rate

The cannons splintered and shattered without abate

The crew did not care, this was preordained fate

To fight to the death, through to Oblivion’s Gate

The crew fought, each with pistols wrought

But all kept their distance from the captains - they were excellent shots

For every swing Nicodemus made, Lockhart defensively caught

As if they had known each other, this was not the first time they fought

Alas, as if in a trance

They were locked in a dance

Who would win and who would perchance

Tell the world the fight was no more, the thirst for an aggressive stance

Had made way for a satisfying inner peace, for there was no need to advance

But the fight kept going on, so did the sea waves

The ships were now clogged together, the masts were engraved

Into each other now, the ships were enslaved

By the sea, by God, to test among us the brave

The Captain fought with pride, He showed no remorse

But where he could be able enough, he broke from his course

To save a crew mate or to gain a few minutes repose

Whatever we had to bear, he equally bore

But alas, he took no more, and called out to Captain Thyme

“Bartholomew Lockhart, this battle is yours and mine

Why not discard the crew and fight till the end of time?”

Captain Thyme responded, amidst a laughter very refined

“Lockhart, your idea is the same as mine; ‘Tis seems we are meant to fight

Till the end of time; till the moment sublime;

When we shall be judged in His Sight

So he ran to his enemy’s ship, and so did Lockhart

Whatever they thought, was in itself a part

Of a scheme that shattered the gun decks within moments into shards

Bits and pieces flying away, the ships swinging in an arc

It was a glorious discordance; it was an abstruse work of art

Wrought in havoc the ships were, the sea in discord

The Eldred and the Odyssey; the men pursuing Lockhart’s accord

The Eldred is no more, nor is the Odyssey

I barely managed to survive, able to tell ye

Perhaps it is bad luck, perhaps by the will of three

Eternally I am condemned, for I can see

Is the cracking and breaking of the Eldred in front of me

It was not a sight for the faint hearted, that I can tell thee

To see my Captain fighting his enemy, and break free

And live to fight another day, to explore the endless blue sea

Alas that is life, such are things meant to be