WesWorld

This isn't a newsitem - just a descriptive drabble.

The darkness and the weather made it difficult to see clearly for most citizens, but there were still many who noted the slightly odd appearance of a ship entering the harbour sometime after midnight. There wasn't really much to see, of course, except the ship's navigational lights, wich all the same gave reason for puzzlement. The main port and starboard lanterns, for instance, were clearly not on the same deck of the ship, or else the ship was listing heavily. Also the white lanterns marking the length of the vessel, as well as the midship, as per international rules, did show sign of something amiss - certainly one could be forgiven for thinking that the ship was heavy by the bow. And then, amidships, there was the flickering crimson glow, seemingly from somewhere within the bowels of the ship. The flicker was like to that that sometimes can be seen faintly from the top of the funnels of a coilfired ship racing at full speed, but on this ship it was rather more intense, and rather low - too low to be from any funnel.

Some of those staying up late in Cape Town are the naval buffs - strange people devoting their time to learning statistics of armament and armour and speed of naval vessels, seemingly deriving joy from this knowledge alone. Indubitably, these people would have been puzzled by the above, and even more puzzled by the communications done by Aldis-lamp from the ship to shore, and the reaction this provoked. Within soon, serving men who thought themselves to have earned a sound night's sleep would find themselves roused by stern officers with urgent orders, vehicles would drive at breakneck speed through the city-streets, bells and sirens ringing wildly, and interpreters proficient in the Spanish language would find themselves in great demand.

In Pretoria, there would be calm for some longer time, but a telephone call to the embassy of the Kingdom of Nordmark will succeed in bringing chaos also to Pretoria, with the slamming of gates, and the rapid drive of several motorcars through Pretoria's streets, to some destination in the outskirts of the city.

In the morning, one dock in Cape Town harbour will be occupied by some vessel of unknown origin, said vessel being heavily obscured by various old vessels moored before the dock, as well as by the buildings surrounding the dock. In Pretoria, several persons with business to the embassy of the Kingdom of Nordmark will find it closed for all but matters of life and death.