"Maybe we're just going to die here..."
The sailor sitting on the wooden stump muttered dejectedly as he chopped firewood, bringing the axe down hard as if to vent his despair on the wood.
"This godforsaken place isn't even on the Empire's sea charts, no ship would ever pass by here..."
If it were before, Captain Kedson would surely have rebuked any subordinate speaking such demoralizing words, perhaps even hanging the guy up for a few lashes, but now he didn't even have the strength to refute it.
Just then, a series of urgent footsteps interrupted his thoughts.
"Captain! Captain!" A lookout sailor burst into the makeshift camp, shouting like a madman, "People! It's Imperial soldiers! I saw their uniforms!"
Kedson leapt to his feet, as if struck by lightning.
Imperial soldiers?!
"What did you say?!"
Not only Kedson, but all the downcast sailors lifted their heads, a spark of hope flickering in their ashen eyes.
