DESTINY 

By Tessa Harvey


       "Captain," the voice stern, a reminder of duty. Edward Starkey bent over the body of his friend, mentor and Chief Engineer, Emrys Jones. Taffy had finally felt he could leave his engine room safely.
    The door had been closed, the man was only metres away, but then had come what obviously had been an unexpected explosion, blowing the door wide open and causing this stalwart man to be fatally injured. When the captain had reached him, Taffy had opened his eyes. "Eddie," he had whispered, "remember Jesus, our only Hope." He had tried to rise, to help, but then his injuries had proved too much.
    Captain Starkey turned to the chief mate who stood watching him. "Send four reliable seamen to take the body to the storage unit. Then send the other engineers. Thank you."
    He could already feel the ship slow, the propulsion unit failing. Three more days and they would have reached their destination. Twenty- seven days safely over. Only three had been left. There was a great deal to be done. Could this disaster have been sabotage? Surely unthinkable!


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