Cutter Wind Chantey, "Shiny Bright Captain"
Another element I would have liked to print in the back of Salvage if paper costs hadn't been so high and the story already so bulky, is the chantey that Talis and her crew sing to help time some of their endeavors, much like sea chanteys were used to aid with rhythm in Earth's own nautical history.
And if you are familiar with Earth's chanteys, you might pick up the tune to this one without any trouble (do let me know if you ever sing it aloud!) I tried to include some hints of emphasis by bolding the syllables.
Of course if one needed to sing this longer, it would be fairly simple to make up further insults, especially about a captain who didn't care for their crew.
Shiny Bright Captain
Well, our captain is a high-born type;
Proper man, captain! Shiny bright captain!
You should see his palecoat catch the light;
Proper man, captain! Shiny bright captain!
He’ll polish his buttons straight through the night.
Toast to our captain! Proper man, captain!
The captain ain’t a bastard like you an’ me;
Proper man, captain! Shiny bright captain!
No, the captain’s got a pretty little ancestry;
Proper man, captain! Shiny bright captain!
You could fall to your death from his fam’ly tree.
Toast to our captain! Proper man, captain!
Our captain inherited an island home;
Proper man, captain! Shiny bright captain!
Doesn’t have to sail where the winds push on;
Proper man, captain! Shiny bright captain!
And when we dock that’s where he’s go'n.
Toast to our captain! Proper man, captain!
Alana Abbott