Ingrained Habits

Changing a place is no excuse for a change of habit. So is my perspective, that even if I were imprisoned on a naval ship I still do push-ups, sit-ups, and squats at five in the morning. For 35 years I trained myself mentally and physically, until skipping a workout feels bad, like a bitter shot of rum.

Outside, a storm of a thousand devils was raging. The ship was heeling too much for my custodians' liking, behind bars I could hear them puking a few times. However, I was used to the evils of the ocean seas of planet Wilson II. The waves were five times bigger than those of the old earth and the winter was six times worse than that of the Antarctic seas. In that world, two climates prevailed, rain and winter, because it was located at a far distance from its sun and the planet's moon was relatively close, so high tides and rain was frequent when we approached the sun, but when we moved away from its orbit, a winter prevailed for 2 years.

-We will die," I heard the pleading whisper of one of my jailers.

I continued to do my handstand push-ups, my ability to adapt to the ship's movements was rooted in my 20 years in the navy. I was once a captain of an LNG carrier, but I deserted my trade and became a pirate. The risks of sailing the planet's two oceans were poorly paid. The planet's shipowners were born exploiters. I spent the last 5 years stealing cargo from LNG ships and selling it on the black market, which was nothing but frozen hydrogen.

I heard the frigate lieutenant's footsteps.

“Let her go, the Captain needs her.”

“What are you crazy? She's one of the worst criminals in this world, I can't release him, just like that” my jailer the third-year cadet Abraham Well sounded so annoyed that he forgot his rank. “My father the admiral....”

“Shut up! And let her go, cadet” I distinctly heard the thump against the table. I smiled with pleasure, I liked it when they commanded respect from daddy's boys. “If you don't let her go, we'll die in this grade 5 storm.”

Outside, the storm continued with its infernal blizzards and thunder. I could distinguish sounds, not because I had bionic hearing like some of the aliens who came to my planet, but because it was evolution. As a tenth generation born and raised on Wilson II we had developed the ability to let's say sort out sounds. So despite the storm, I could hear the cadet still moaning and the lieutenant banging on it until he got the key.

When he opened the door for me I could see the handsome Lieutenant John Summer.

“Hello, Lorena. Former Captain of the LNG Ship Cassius V. She is now a mere pirate captain of the ship Cassius VI.”

Look at the guy with amusement.

“Let's stop with the introductions, I think I have to pilot a ship, don't you?”

...

In 5 minutes I was on the bridge. A warship differs from a commercial one in different things. Although due to the icebergs on the planet were dangerous, the ships were equipped with effective icebreakers, as well as steam jet turbines, located in the bow to thaw the ice or soften them before the ship collides, facilitating its breakup. The warship distinguished itself by having weapons such as guided missiles, heat-seeking missiles, nuclear missiles, defensive missiles, etc. Its cargo was ammunition and supplies for the crew. However, it had bulkheads, cofferdams, ballast tanks, engine room, and most importantly it needed RADAR, ECDIS, and NAVTEX.

“I want the autopilot removed," I ordered without introducing myself to Captain Pinto Salinas.

The helmsman stared at the captain.

“Hello, I ordered her to be released for....”

“Does he want to die or did he save all of your lives?" I spat angrily. “So disengage that autopilot and lower the propeller revolutions to the minimum.”

The captain stared at me with hatred. I was another rich man's son, a spoiled child who knew nothing about the sea. I had to grow up in a country dominated by the rich, hence the reason for the very basic name Wilson II. Growing up among the poor to achieve a position I had to work hard and I couldn't bear to see my knowledge displaced by someone else's privileges.

“Follow the orders of the civilian Lorraine," said the defeated Captain.

“For the time being, until I am imprisoned again, I will be the captain for you", I indicated smiling.

The lieutenant was about to limit his opinion, but the captain's hand was enough to silence him.

They disengaged the autopilot and slowed down. As I predicted, we were able to catch the next one in time, instead of overtaking it and suffering dire consequences. On the planet, it was not enough to have a nuclear engine, or the best titanium steel propellers, or even the toughest bow. It was the way you dominated the sea.
Visualize the radar.

“Helmsman, turn the ship 5 degrees port and full ahead.”

He obeyed me perplexed, it almost took him 30 seconds to doubt my orders. I had no use for someone like that.

“Next time don't hesitate, 30 seconds is enough to die in these seas.”

He nodded in fright.

We dodged two icebergs passing through the middle in a matter of 3 minutes, as well as taking on another huge wave. They were gigantic, any ordinary human would have taken refuge in his cabin, but for me, it was a ride.

“Follow the course, but minimize speed. I want to catch the next wave.”

In the two hours of sailing, we avoided colliding with 30 icebergs, catching 135 waves to slow the passage, something I had been doing since I boarded. The people commanding that ship were kids.

When we spotted the Mix 2.1 continental shelf, I knew I would return to my quarters. At least I had felt for a few hours the adrenaline of commanding a ship again.

“Goodbye, Captain Lorena! “ the helmsman said to me with admiring eyes. “I learned much more than I have learned in my six years of service.”

I could see to my satisfaction how the frigate captain nodded.

In 10 minutes I found myself in my cell again. I began the count again of my series of unfinished sit-ups.

I knew that in 2 hours we would reach the platform. One of the many artificial platforms for humans that burrowed into the great wall of ice that divided the planet. That was civilization, that's where I would be sentenced by the old millionaires.
I smiled, I knew there would be mutiny. I had the captain impressed, as well as the helmsman. In a matter of an hour, they would get the idea of the money they could make with me. In the universe, the human was ruled by the most basic principles of greed.

“1002, 1003, 1004 “ counted each ab.

That's why habits were never to be changed, despite the conditions of life. A habit gives you a skill, a skill gives you an advantage over others, and that advantage gives you power over destiny.

_{Cover and Banner made in Canva, Image, Dividers made in Photoshop.}