The Golden Nori - Dwight

LT Kumar was in an excellent mood as he strolled past the crew and deckhands in a slow and deliberate manner. Nothing could go past his eyes unseen. He took a special pride in his, long trained for, ability to exude nothing but calm confidence and absolute authority. Admittedly he was less confident in himself than he made others believe, in fact he had only recently been abruptly promoted to LT, by virtue of collaboration with the new management, from the previous financial department where he held a position of assistance clerk to back office. He had always known his day would come and the day was now. So he thought when he arrived at the cargo airlock's window. Pressed against the other side of it a mesh of entangled, suited, arms, legs, and bodies were either out cold or quietly groaning in pain.

The airlock cycled, the door swished open and the sorry heap fell into the ship corridor.

It wasn't what Kumar had expected. It seemed that holding a speech to the pile of humans in front of him was a waste of time. But an order was given...

"Ladies and gentlemen, in the name of ship captain and crew I have the privilege of welcoming you aboard the Golden Nori"

Groans and general quiet and quick breathing was all that answered him. Which was ok.

"We would like to offer each one of you a once in a lifetime opportunity. Wealth honour and camaraderie are a given"

"Bastard" former captain Rhymes hissed more to himself.

"Kuuummaarrr you spineless fuck I'm gonna rip off your f******* head and shit down your throat !!!" someone inside the pile roared while wiggling to get free but failed.

Doubt found its slithery unfathomable way into Kumar's mind. But he figured it was best for him not to deviate from his script.

"After a short period of evaluation you shall be assigned to duties seen fit to you, of course that entails a medical examination and possibly treatment. If any of you wished to decline said made offer, I would appreciate it if you could step back into the airlock for further processing."

He said his piece and was beginning to feel quite uncomfortable it was time to retreat orderly and leave the rest to his lessors.

He called up the ships Ai and tasked her with the general care taking of the new recruits and called some of the meaner looking home-grown roughneck pirates over and tasked them with drilling and guarding the newcomers. Then he headed back to the bridge.

Commodore Blomar was awaiting him on the bridge.

"Good job XO, marvellous speech"

Kumar wasn't entirely sure he had the man figured out, and couldn't quite pin down whether he should rate this as a sarcastic comment or genuine praise. He was not used to praise, it just never occurred to his former colleagues and friends that he did anything praiseworthy, and so he came to view reluctant acceptance as the usual modus operandi he defaulted to.

"Yes, Cap'n."

Anicetus Blomar was satisfied with the progress made so far. A year ago he had made the decision that enough was enough, he had unbeknownst to the rest of his family clan sold their opulent mansion to a shady broker. God knew that they were better off that way. He had got away with it to his own surprise, started a small pirate outfit and had taken his racing steed. Now all that was left was getting her race worthy and make it to the starting System of the Galactic Rim Race.