valiantly,
the Ship Fought.
many Days,
she took a pounding
her mighty Hull bracing;
against unforgiving Seas
her thick Armour;
withstanding Bombardment.

the first great Wave
knocked a Rivet loose,
a Steel Plate dented
by the first big Bomb

she didn't Shoot back
ever hoping for peaceful resolve
but the Seas and the Bombs
all took their toll!

the first 3 enemy Ships
packed their Punch
but she stood firm
armour deflecting every Bomb

but the Sea grew Dark;
the very Water
that held her aloft
now threatened her very Existence!

the Sea destroyed Rivets
The Bombs dented armour
and slowly but surely
she took on Water

for it is the small Rivets that hold a Ship together;
small rivets that Bind Metal Plates
and when the Rivets fail
the Ship is lost!

Noble Captain stood on deck
the death of His Ship
a mathematical Certainty

again and again the 3 locust ships fired
again and again the Sea pounded

the Evacuation order needs to come soon
only the Captain to remain with a final solemn Duty

for a captain goes down with his ship
when all others are safe.

the Sea will calm down
the 3 will stop firing
once the Bow of the Ship
slips beneath the Waves

the Charges set,
ready to blow,
scuttle the ship -
Down she will go

Captain salutes Her
a fine Ship she's been
as he presses his Pistol
to his temple

right finger on the trigger
the left on the bomb's fuse,
A solitary tear,
3,2,1...