Dyrrachium, 17 February 1745
Even in winter, the Mediterranean sun beats down harshly on everyone, including one Captain Thanos Argyros, veteran on the Aegean and Ionian seas and master of the multipurpose vessel
Thekla[1]. He strode away from the squat building in Dyrrachium harbor with his XO in tow, staring at the sheet of paper that detailed his orders. He waited as a column of infantry crossed the street, then continued on his merry way toward his ship as the executive officer raced to catch up.
"Well, sir, that paper sure explains why we're here, eh?"
"Yes. Calling up the Merchant Marine was a wise move under the circumstances. I suppose the Emperor needs all the help he can get with this crisis brewing over that caught spy."
"I heard they executed the man. Poor sap."
"He was an enemy of the Emperor, an enemy of the Empire, and therefore an enemy of God, no matter who he worshiped...false as that kind of worship is."
The captain's views on the subject were notorious: the XO let it drop. He tried a new tack: "But, Cap'n, can you clear this up for me? I didn't get to read the orders..."
"I'll be relatively brief. We're to onload a regiment of Varangian infantry, the Twelfth, and proceed out of the harbor in convoy with the rest of the fleet in line-ahead formation, behind the
Chara[2], and continue under the guard of the Fourth Flotilla to Point
Charmion, which was discussed in the briefing."
The XO was silent as the captain elaborated: "Naturally, since this is an issue of critical national importance, we are to keep a clean ship. I want it impressed on every man that we are to have no spirits of any kind onboard ship and to keep
Thekla as quiet as we can. There's no point in letting the Bad Guys know we're coming. We may not be in the regular military, but we'll show the Navy boys we know what we're doing.
"Have them do it for pride if nothing else, all right, Demetrios?"
"Yessir. I'll get her rigged up for immediate departure. Do you want to send a runner out to the Twelfth, let them know they can get on-board?"
"I'll do that; I have the utmost confidence in your ability to get everything ready. We've been working together too long to do anything else."
"Yessir. God be with us, then."
"I think He will, Demetrios. I think He will."
The Thekla sitting in Dyrrachium harbor.
[1] = Greek diminutive for a female name meaning
glory of God
[2] = Greek female name meaning
happiness or
joy