Chapter 2 Luka

As Luka stood holding onto his new suitcase and overlooking the pier, his father stood in the same spot waiting for the ship to leave the port. Haunting memories of the past relentlessly pursued Luka, making it impossible for him to break free from their grip. His father’s words about Luka being Maleko’s blinded fool were completely correct. Luka hoped his father wouldn’t disappear for years again. Going over their conversation, he realized he needed him now more than ever, but he hadn’t promised to be here in a year to take him to California.

Sail away parties surrounded him while the image of the authorities leading Maleko away in handcuffs replayed repeatedly in his mind. He blamed himself for the predicament they’d found themselves in. If I had told Maleko no…

Men were bustling with excitement, but such joy seemed distant to Luka. His vacant stare remained fixed on the massive stretch of the sea, a reflection of the emptiness he felt.

Although Luka was grateful for his father’s intervention with the court, allowing him to work on this ship for a year instead of going to prison, it didn’t alleviate the heaviness of his conflicting emotions. Maleko’s absence weighed on him. A painful reminder of the love he had lost or thought he had and the poor choices he had made. What did he really have with Maleko?

Maleko told me to smoke dope, and I did. Maleko told me to drink more, and I did. I did everything Maleko wanted me to do. Was that even love?

“You must be Lucius Enrique Batista. I’m Captain Westly John Clarke. You may address me as Captain Clarke.” The man snapped him out of the gloomy thoughts that had been haunting him day and night since his arrest.

He nodded. “I go by Luka.” He looked up at the handsome man with sapphire blue eyes. Their color was darker than royal blue and lighter than navy blue. He couldn’t tell how old he was, but he had the shiniest silver hair with a matching trimmed beard. Luka hadn’t expected the captain to have a tall, masculine body or to be irresistibly attractive and radiating primal testosterone. Delicious.

Luka had read an online article about the captain, who had served in the US Marine Corps Special Forces for twenty years, and found he was intrigued by his remarkable achievements. The captain was single, never married, and educated with the highest degrees from one of Florida’s finest universities. Luka wanted to know more about this powerful man commanding the crewmembers as well as captaining a ship.

“I’ve been looking all over for you. I thought you would have boarded earlier than last call.”

“Sorry, sir. I was spending my last moments of freedom with my father, who I haven’t seen in a while.” Luka thought about running, but his father had convinced him to do his time as it was the right thing to do.

“Welcome aboard, Luka.”

“Thanks, Captain Clarke.”

“Follow me.”

Luka trailed behind the captain to the door labeled Captain’s Office. Luka was captivated by the man’s meticulous uniform, full naval style with white trousers, a navy-blue blazer, and a navy-blue hat with a gold braid. The gold epaulettes on his shoulders signified his rank as captain. There was no question who he was and his importance on this Pride Cruise. Everyone else, including himself, dressed casually.

When he entered the office, he was surprised by what he saw. Luka had imagined the captain would have a large wooden desk with a polished surface, a leather chair, and a computer screen. He had expected to see maps, charts, and documents neatly arranged on the desk, along with a few personal items, such as a photo frame or a souvenir. The captain’s desk was not large or wooden, but small and metal. It had a dull, gray color, and a few scratches and dents. The surface was bare, except for a laptop, a phone, and a clipboard. There were no maps, charts, or documents on the desk, nor any personal items. It looked cold and impersonal, and he couldn’t help feeling a bit of pity for the captain, who seemed to have nothing on his desk, and nothing in his life.

Luka wondered why the captain kept his desk so empty and clean. Did he have nothing to hide, or everything to hide? Did he have no hobbies, interests, or memories, or did he keep them elsewhere? Did he care about his crew, or only about his job? Luka wanted to know more about the captain, but he knew he had no right to ask.

“Sit!” He gestured for Luka to sit across from his neat desk.

Luka didn’t like the military order or the tone of his voice. The captain speaks like he’s still in the Marines.

“As you’re aware, the purpose of your assignment here is strictly confidential and should never be disclosed to anyone on this vessel. If you break that stipulation, our agreement ends. Do you understand?”

“Are you going to throw me overboard if I make a mistake?”

Captain Clarke leaned back into his chair and laughed. “We don’t throw wicked men overboard, and we don’t whip them for their misdeeds anymore. Although I could see a reason for whipping some.”

“Then what do you do?”

“Lock the culprit in his cabin until we dock. In your case, the police will take you to prison to serve the rest of your time.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that. It’s not something I want to brag about.” The reason he couldn’t ever go to prison in the States was because US immigration authorities would deport him to Brazil. His Finnish mother had never applied for US or Brazilian citizenship, because she was protected through her medical professional visas. Luka had waited for his father to make things safe so he could return to Brazil. Looking back on things, he should have applied for US citizenship, as he no longer wanted to live in Brazil.

“No, it’s not. I’ve assigned you to work from six to six. Breakfast is at five, lunch at noon, and dinner at seven. After dinner, you will remain in your cabin.”

“Yes, sir.” He was stuck in a floating prison doing hard labor for the captain.

“As per agreement with the court, you’re not to associate with any passengers. The only men you can talk to are those working on the ship and me. Also, you will never take part in any entertainment or activities on this ship. Your meals will be taken with the crew. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.” I knew it. I am the one and only floating prisoner forced to do manual labor for the captain on this ship.Why did this man volunteer to take me on his ship in the first place?

“Then you are also aware when we dock, you will not disembark the ship.” He emphasized the word not.

“Yes, sir. Will I be locked in my cabin without food and water?”

“Let’s talk about your cabin first. Since you’ll be working here under unusual circumstances, you’ll stay in my cabin suite. I have a separate bedroom for you that adjoins my suite, but you’ll have your own entrance and exit. I’ll lock you in there in the evenings after dinner. Remember, you’re here to work, and that is what you’ll be doing if we’re docked or not.”

“Do you mean you’ll lock me inside from the outside of my door, so there’s no way out until you unlock the door? What if there’s a fire or a flood?” He didn’t like the sound of the words locked in. But now, he realized his hope for a new beginning was in vain. Captain Clarke would keep him as his personal prisoner, locked in his cabin after work.

“There is an emergency button to push. Be warned it will ring loudly, then it will open your door automatically. Don’t you dare use it unless there is an emergency.”

He would have no privacy, no dignity, no rights. He would be at the mercy of the captain’s whims and desires, unable to escape or resist. A cold sweat trickled down his forehead, and his heart pounded. He wanted to cry, to scream, to fight back. But he knew it was useless. Luka would find himself trapped, surrounded by walls with no visible escape route.

“Put your suitcase on the table,” he ordered as he pointed to the table against the wall. “Then open it for me.”

Luka followed Captain Clarke’s order. His father had given him a list of items to pack from Captain Clarke’s paperwork. From the decks, he heard laughter and conversations he couldn’t make out, but wished he were part of. All these gay men in one place.

Nervously, Luka watched as Captain Clarke meticulously went through the contents of his suitcase. He had packed everything on the list and made sure he didn’t add any extra items. The thought of someone else going through his belongings made him feel anxious and vulnerable. This was worse than he had imagined.

In the distance, he could hear dancing music playing again. Luka loved to dance, but he’d have to give that up for a fucking year. The idea of no sex for a year didn’t sit well. Surely, I could find someone with all these gay men on board. As Captain Clarke picked up each item, Luka could feel his heart racing. He had always been a private person, and having his personal space invaded like this was unsettling. His fingers instinctively clutched, as if trying to hold on to some semblance of control. He knew he was Captain Clarke’s prisoner to do with as he wanted.

Finally, Captain Clarke moved on to Luka’s personal mementos. Luka’s heart skipped a beat as he watched the captain’s eyes linger on a small photo frame containing the picture of Maleko. The thought of being away from him for an extended period suddenly hit him hard, and a pang of homesickness washed over him.

“Don’t tell me this is the man who committed the house invasion and armed robbery with you?”

“That’s the man I loved.” Luka wasn’t aware of how much of his case the captain knew. Apparently, he knew much more than he had imagined.

“Loved like in the past?”

“In my mind, yes. But he hasn’t left my heart yet.”

“I don’t enjoy having to poke through your items. The court stipulated certain items must not be in your possession.”

“I understand, sir.” Luka really didn’t understand. Why couldn’t the captain ignore such things? Throughout his entire life, he had never been under such strict supervision, even as a child. The captain’s power over him was beyond his understanding, like a force from another world.

As the captain continued to inspect Luka’s belongings, his scrutiny seemed to intensify. Luka’s stomach twisted into knots, and he wondered if he had missed something on the checklist.

“Where do you think you’re going with these G-strings?”

“Wear them in my dreams, I guess. I didn’t know you wouldn’t allow me to meet other guys on the Pride Cruise.”

“It has nothing to do with me, young man. This is a court order. Are you looking for a partner?”

“No, sir. Just some fucking fun.”

“Don’t use profanity on this ship. It’s against the rules. It’s also disrespectful. There are over a thousand gay men on board. Unfortunately for you, you won’t be meeting any of them.”

Luka mumbled he didn’t care about respecting him. He wanted to enjoy the cruise with all those men.

“Your time here can go easy, or it can be very difficult on you. It all depends on your behavior.”

“When do I start work, sir?”

“Tomorrow. Your uniform, lanyard with your name, and polished shoes are all in your closet. You don’t leave your room without them, and you are responsible to ensure your uniform is clean, pressed, and free of stains and damage.”