RESTORED

“AY LADDIES AND LASSIES! WE'VE GOT WORK TO DO!” Triton exclaimed.

I know a decent bit of ships, having dabbled in the sea in my few years in the navy, and my father being a devoted seaman, so I'll describe everything as it happened.

The barnacles and seaweed are the first to go. Men and women, even Cassandra chipped in, with long-handled scrapers, attacked the hull.
The air was filled with the sharp, salty stench of the seabed and the grating sound of iron on shell.

“Laddie, this be back-breaking, thankless work under this sun.” One man said.

After the hull was scraped clean, the true 'old wounds' became visible. Triton walked the length of the ship, tapping the timbers with a mallet, listening.
A hollow thud meant rot; a solid thunk meant life.
He marked the dead planks with chalk X's, creating a sort of roadmap of the work ahead. All the workers looked on, for there were a vast number of X's

(Author's note: To scale the ship, think the proposed 170 gun First-Rate ship of the Line HMS Duke of Kent)

Regardless, the hundreds of men and women got to work.
Planks marked with the chalk X are pried off, revealing the ship's massive ribs. Some men took to the nearby woods to gather wood, via chopping down trees or otherwise, to make planks. 
The sounds of mallets striking caulking irons and the hot, sticky smell of pitch and tar filled the air.
As new, strong wood replaces the raw, exposed patches, the Maw begins to look less like a corpse and more like a recovering patient in a hospital.

“Aye, them masts I reckon will be a pain in my side.” Triton said as he shook his head.

The leaning masts were indeed the greatest challenge, for they were too immense to fix in place. 
In a daring and perilous operation, the crew used a complex system of block and tackle to unstep the old masts, lowering them to the ground with agonizing slowness. 
They were then reshaped, reinforced with iron splints. Thankfully, none of them were so rotten that they should be replaced entirely.
In about two days, the repaired masts are stepped-hoisted vertically and slotted perfectly into the keel.
It was a day of much cheer and celebration, for it was the first time that the Obsidian Maw stood tall and proud.

“She's starting to look like her old self again.” Triton said.

“And with that, I can remember the many voyages of Aquarius on this beauty. I remember mother saying he should marry the darn thing, HAHA!”

“Just like how he should marry that darn sword.” Cassandra whispered in my ear.

I chuckled, Tulote really loved his sword after all.

“Now that her structure is sound, time to deal with what makes her work! LET'S GET TO IT!” Triton said.

There were cries of YES SIR and general cheers all around.
Spirits were high, and rightfully so.
Seeing this ship was enough to inspire hope in anyone.

The old rigging was cut away in a flurry of blades, raining down onto the deck like dead vines.
They were then burned in a massive bonfire on the beach, a little ways away from the dry dock.

The riggers got to work. They spent some time weaving new rigging for the ship. 
The air smelt of fresh hemp and tar.
They then worked high on the masts, with their calls echoing as they thread thousands of feet of rope through blocks and deadeyes.
The rigging was done.

The cannons were winched out of their homes.
They were scoured of rust, but they were not in disproportionate disrepair.

“All these things need are a few repairs and oiled down, then they should be better than new.” Triton explained.

The jammed gun ports were freed and re-hung.
The moment the first cannon is run out, its muzzle glaring from a newly painted port, was when I truly began to see the menace that Triton spoke so much of.

“Just a few more things to do before we can go out to sea.” Triton said.

“What's that?” I asked.

“You'll see soon enough,” Triton continued, “and you lot can help with this set.”

We helped mix Gallons of black paint so that it became thick and lustrous.
The workers, along with ourselves, swarmed the hull.
We painted and painted for two days and nights. Once we were done, she felt reborn, her paint absorbed the surrounding light.

“She, she looks exactly like how she was before…” Tulote said, awe stricken.

“Just a little more to do before we can say that for sure.”

Triton called out for artisans from the workers, and tasked them with restoring the carvings.
They re-carved lost details and applied fresh gold leaf.
The fierce dragon heads and snarling beasts gleam anew on the bow and stern.

“Her spirit's returning… This be a beautiful sight.” Triton said, a tear at his eye.

The great stern lanterns were the final touch.
The broken frames were mended, and new, thick panes of glass were fitted.

—

That evening, as dusk settled, Triton had the honour of lighting them for the first time. 
Their warm, eerie glow spilled across the water.

It was done.
We had a ship, no, a legend, that we could use to save those souls at sea.

Tulote broke down into tears.

“It's okay, man, it's alright.”

“I didn't realize how much I missed him, Arda. He was the first of us all, and I looked up to him so much.” 

“I know, it must be hard seeing, much less being on something that was once so dear to your brother…” Cassandra added.

“It feels so different, I was too late to save him… If it weren't for me-”

“I'm going to stop you right there Tulote, maybe it was your fault, maybe it wasn't but I sure as hell know that Aquarius would want you to stop beating yourself over the past.” I said.

“His sons, and daughters, are out there,” Cassandra said as she pointed to the sea. “We owe him that duty.”

Tulote was on his knees for a bit longer.
Then he wiped his face and spoke,

“You guys are right, for Aquarius. It's my way of making it up to him”. 

“That's right, Lord Regent, and we'll all be by your side.”  Triton said.

Triton and all those who worked on The Obsidian Maw, about 1100 strong, bowed down to him.

Cassandra and I joined in.

“We will join you in whatever battles ensue over these seas. Whether we return or die by it, we pledge allegiance to you, mae lord.” Triton said.

Tulote stood up now, his coat hanging over his shoulders. He spoke.

“MY PEOPLE, I AM TOUCHED BY YOUR ALLEGIANCE TO ME. ON THAT NOTE, SEE TRITON, MYSELF, OR ARDA FOR YOUR ROLES.” Tulote continued, “Triton, I assign you as Captain of this vessel, it's fitting seeing as though you've been in its care.”

“The honour is all mine, mae lord, I will serve ye well.” Triton said.

“I will see myself to the role of Quartermaster.”

I was assigned the role of Master at Arms, and with the assistance of Tulote and Cassandra, trained the crew in basic hand-to-hand combat, if we were ever boarded.

There was a little boy, by the name of Yui, who, according to Triton, had only known the sea.
He was an orphan.

So I rightfully assigned him the role of Cabin Boy

I kneeled down.

“How old are you son?”

“Six-sixteen sir!” 

“Well you'll make a fine Cabin Boy won't you?”

“Sir yes sir!”

I rubbed his head and laughed, he reminded me of my sons a bit, and that gave me some solice at the time.

The sailing master, along with Tulote and Triton, charted the fastest course to the Imperial Navy's last known position.

The Boatswain was busy making sure that everything was in order, supplies in place, ammunition in check along with the Master Gunner.

Once all was in check, the ship was launched.

She floated perfectly.
Dare I say, she glided above the waves.

“AYE, MEN, YOU'VE DONE GREAT FOR TONIGHT! BOARD HER AND FIND YE BUNKS, FOR WE SAIL AT THE FIRST SIGN OF LIGHT!”

I watched as the men clambered upon the ship's deck, and disappeared one by one below deck.

After some time of admiring the ship had passed, I retreated to my own cabin, and fell soundly asleep.