Meanwhile the fleet of ships draws near the tail of a large comet. As they get closer, the leaders hold a council to decide whether or not to stop and let the comet pass. They are unable to reach an agreement, and a fight breaks out between Chinese Chen and Caesar Mark. The fight quickly spreads until virtually everybody present is covered in bruises. Finally, Princess Shelah enters the room and yells at them. After she leaves the men organize themselves and start discussing the immediate problem again.
The SkyPath Crusade
A Science Fiction Epic Poem
Copyright © 2007 by Daniel Schilling
All Rights Reserved
Chapter Fifteen
The sight of comets in the sky
Is like a feathered spark
For those adrift who catch a whiff
It smells like maple bark
The pleasant smell will seem like hell
When trapped within its wake
When days are marked by endless dark,
The heart begins to break
*
That fateful day in early May
The famous fleet drew nigh
A sphere so vast it shed so fast
It blotted half the sky
The tail fell just parrelel
The course they had to take
It drew so near it made them fear
Of drowning in its wake
*
The kings at once were called from lunch
To meet on Traver’s ship
He said the disk posed quite a risk
Of strengthening its grip
The English knight exposed their plight
As truthful as he could
He said unless they stop to rest
Their chances weren’t so good
*
The kings agreed to slow their speed
Until they asked how long
The Briton smirked, his shoulder’s jerked,
He said he might be wrong
But at this rate he’d calculate
They’d have to wait for days
Because –he said—the comet’s head
Was melting from the rays
*
The Chinese Chen with sev’ral men
Sprang madly to his feet
He made a bray that Travers Grey
Was calling for defeat
He said his ship would keep its clip
When up jumped Caesar Mark
Who punched the Asian in the face
And knocked his head out dark
*
The guardsmen of the Chinese king
Had scarce the time to gasp
When Alfred jumped them from behind
As quickly as an asp
Then Travers charged into the fray
And Marcus punched some more
In half a sec they made a reck
Of all the Chinese corps
*
The Roman smiled with delight
And offered up a drink
His British host proposed a toast
That turned his man-flesh pink
The murky air produced a pair
Of swinging Roman fists
But Alfred tore a two-by-four
And smacked him on the wrists
*
But good ol’ Alf would soon himself
Be made to taste the floor
A Hittite Lord who dodged his board
Expelled him through the door
Egyptians and Phoenicians
Chaldeans and a Hun
Endeavored all to join the brawl
Though no one cared who won
*
As minutes flew a very few
Were all who had survived
But many knights rejoined the fights
The moment they revived
The Chinese Chen and all his men
Felt many knockout blows
While Caesar Mark fought like a shark
‘Til someone cracked his nose
*
‘Midst all this din there entered in
the royal girl herself
She gazed around and cast a frown
On good ol’ brother Alf
She stopped to park by Caesar Mark
And wiped his bloody face
But then she kicked him in the ribs
And left them in disgrace
*
At once the crowd was quickly cowed
For seconds no one spoke
The leaders mumbled to themselves
As if their tongues were broke
Their private war was fun no more
Since Shelah balled them out
So then the men sat down again
And worked their problems out
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