Fledgling: Jason Steed

by Mark A. Cooper

  She laughed. “I will ask. No. I will tell her I want to start writing to you again.”

  “She won’t send you to the tower, will she?” Jason joked.

  “No, but she may send you there—if you do that to one of the security officers again.”

  ***

  Monday morning, Mrs. Betton dropped Jason off with his travel bag at the Sea Cadet HQ. There were sixteen from his regiment going. In total, one hundred and twenty Sea Cadets from all over the UK would be joining the HMS Stoke in Australia.

  The trip was almost cancelled at the last minute because of the problems in Jakarta, but the admiralty agreed that it should proceed and that they would “watch” the situation.

  On arrival in Sydney twenty hours later, the excited cadets were driven to the navy base. The Stoke then set off to the northwest coast.

  They were split into groups of six cadets—twenty groups in total. Regiments were mixed so the cadets would learn to team up with strangers.

  Jason was in group number nine, which had six cadets: John Leigh from Cornwall, age fifteen; Rob Matthews from Stoke, age fifteen; Jeff Wesley from Yorkshire, age fourteen; Jim Bloom from Bristol, age thirteen; Todd Johnson from Liverpool, age eleven; and, finally, Jason Steed from London, age eleven.

  Each group was given a bunk room—tiny, cramped spaces with three wooden bunks on top of each other on either side. The bunks had a small mattress and bedding. At the end of the room was an open unit split into six sections. There were no doors on the bunk rooms, so privacy was nonexistent.

  ***

  When group nine arrived at their bunk room, the older boys—John, Rob, and Jeff—picked their bunks first. Jason and Todd were left with the bottom bunks. They introduced themselves and unpacked. Jim went to find the bathroom.

  “You guys have gotta see this. You won’t believe the head,” he said.

  The other five followed him. They all looked, open-mouthed, at the stainless steel toilets with no doors. There were also six showerheads on one wall, ten sinks, and twelve urinals—and no doors anywhere.

  “No way, look at that. Everyone can see you taking a dump,” John said.

  “No privacy whatsoever,” Jeff replied. “It’s all right for them two,” he said pointing at Todd and Jason. “They probably don’t need privacy yet. You don’t yet, do you?” he said, looking at Todd and Jason. The two boys shrugged their shoulders and walked back to the bunk room together.

  “I guess we are going to be the butt of the jokes.” Todd sighed.

  “I am too tired to argue.” Jason yawned. He’d been up for twenty-four hours straight. The bunks were not very comfortable, but within minutes, he was sound asleep.

  Chapter Eleven

  As much as Jason liked being on the ship, he found the smell by the bunk rooms hard to deal with. One hundred and twenty young, unwashed, teenage male bodies, who had been wearing the same clothes, shoes, and socks for over twenty-four hours in the hot weather, produced a stench. Combined with the oil smell from the HMS Stoke, it was nauseating. Jason had no appetite.

  After they forced down some breakfast, the cadets assembled on deck. Instructors barked out orders on washing, requirements on keeping the bunk rooms tidy, and details on the “best group” competition. The winning group would get to take a flight in a helicopter to the navy base and the HMS Ark Royal and get awarded a merit badge. John was assigned as group nine’s leader. The competitions were on Morse code, swimming, diving, sailing, map reading, and inflatable boat control. John noticed Jason’s badges on his uniform.

  “Hey, Todd, you can help us win some of these.”

  “I’m Jason. Todd is the guy from Liverpool,” Jason said. “But of course I am going to help. I really need to win this and get the helicopter trip to the HMS Ark Royal.”

  “Really? Don’t take this wrong, but I thought I had been given the short straw. Most groups have maybe one eleven-year-old. We have to have two of you,” John said.

  “I can carry my own weight and will help Todd. You won’t have to worry about us. Put me in any swimming event you can. Seriously.”

  ***

  That evening, Jason and Todd were enjoying the breezy silence of an ocean sunset when a voice barked behind them: “You! Cadet!”

  The boys whirled around. It was the captain of the ship, William Giles. Jason and Todd saluted. Jason was positive that Giles didn’t remember or recognize him from his stay at his father’s apartment in Hong Kong six years earlier.

  “What’s that on your head?” the captain asked. Jason’s blond bangs had been caught in the wind and again looked far too long for the navy.

  “It’s my hair, sir,” Jason said, trying to brush it back down.

  He grinned. “Report to the sickbay. Inform them you have been sent for a haircut.”

  “Yes, sir,” Jason said, saluting again.

  “What’s your name, cadet?” Giles asked.

  “Steed, sir. Jason Steed.”

  “Then, you should know better, shouldn’t you?”

  “Yes, sir. Sorry, sir. I will go now, sir.” Todd followed Jason down to sickbay.

  “What did he mean? You should know better?” Todd asked.

  “My father is the lieutenant commander on the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal. I’m sure he knows who I am now.”

  They arrived at the sickbay. Jason reported in and came out in less than five minutes, rubbing his head.

  “Well, it does make you look a little older,” Todd said, laughing.

  “Really?” Jason said. “Good.”

  “Yeah, you could pass for nine now.”

  ***

  The following morning, the competitions began. Rob and Jeff won the Morse code contest, giving team nine five points.

  The swimming event was next. The objective was to circle an inflatable raft that was 220 yards away from the ship and then come back. The first to touch the ship would win.

  Captain Giles watched the event. A rifle was shot in the air, signaling the start. They had to jump or dive off the side, which was a daunting task for many, as it was a long way down to the sea. Jason plunged into the cold water. Instantly, a boy pulled ahead of him.

  It turned out to be Colin Warden, a tall, fifteen-year-old from Cardiff. Colin kept his head down and only came up for air every two strokes. Jason fought back but couldn’t gain on him, although a huge gap started to grow between them and the rest of the swimmers.

  Jason did not want to finish second. He managed to swim up to his opponent’s waist, but Colin’s longer arms and legs kept plowing through the water at high speed. Colin’s hand hit the side of the ship, and a second later, Jason hit it. Dejectedly, lungs heaving, he followed Colin up the steel rung ladder back up to the ship’s deck. Colin was cheered and congratulated by his teammates. Captain Giles came over and shook Colin’s hand.

  “You were lucky, Colin. I thought that little blond kid was going to catch you,” one of Colin’s teammates told him.

  Colin turned and nodded in respect at Jason.

  “Team six gets five points thanks to Colin Warden. Overall, team six is now fourth. Team nine gets four points thanks to Jason Steed. Overall, they are now in second place,” an officer shouted.

  Jason’s team cheered as he walked toward them.

  Captain Giles called out, “Well done, Steed.”

  Jason turned. “Thank you, sir.”

  ***

  After lunch, they were all called on deck. A boxing ring was set up in the center. In their teams, the cadets sat cross-legged around the ring. Captain Giles stood on the small top deck overlooking the event. A muscular officer climbed into the ring. He stripped down to a tight white T-shirt. His bulging arms were covered in tattoos.

  “I’m Sergeant Brown. I am a drill sergeant and expert in unarmed combat. We have a small program to show you how to defend yourself in hand-to-hand combat. Okay, I need a volunteer to come and kill me with this.” He held a rubber knife above his head. Two older cadets both raised their hands.<
br />
  “Good, come up here, both of you. Name and team?” Brown asked the first one.

  “Tozer, sir, team four.”

  “Okay, one point to team four, just for being a volunteer.”

  “Damn it, that’s Colin’s team,” John muttered to Jason.

  Tozer stepped into the ring, and Brown passed the knife to him.

  “Okay, Tozer, I am a Chinese Jakarta rebel. Kill me.”

  Tozer stood wide-legged with the knife tightly in his hand. He jumped forward. Brown caught his arm and threw Tozer over his shoulder. Tozer fell heavily to the floor onto his back. Brown then placed his boot over Tozer’s throat. The cadets went silent. They didn’t expect him to get hurt like that. Brown helped the boy to his feet and told him to go back and sit down. Brown explained the mistake Tozer had made. Jason looked up at Captain Giles, who was smiling.

  The other volunteer was David James. His team was given a point, but his face was a shade paler now.

  “Okay, Mr. David James. Don’t make the mistake Tozer did. Here’s the knife. Kill me with it,” Brown shouted out.

  David was hesitant. He switched the knife from hand to hand and walked around Brown like a fox circling its prey. After one minute, he was still circling and had not attacked. To David’s surprise, Brown attacked him. He went forward and swept David’s feet away, knocking him to the floor. Brown jumped down, landing on his knee onto David’s back. He then took the knife from David, who lay stunned, gasping for air.

  Brown again addressed the cadets as David staggered to his feet and lurched out of the ring. “I know some of you are thinking I’ve been a little hard, but I can’t teach you to hold hands. This is combat. It’s not for sissies. It’s bloody tough. Now, talking about sissies, who here has done some form of self-defense like martial arts?”

  Jason could feel Captain Giles looking at him.

  “Come on, there must be some of you?” Brown asked. Jason glanced up at Giles, who was staring directly at him. Jason looked away. A hand went up. It was Todd.

  “Come on up,” Brown told him. “You don’t get a point, as you didn’t volunteer, but come in and tell me what grade you are.” Todd made his way through the cadets and climbed into the ring.

  “I have a brown belt in jujitsu, sir,” Todd said anxiously.

  Brown shook his knees back and forth and wrung his hands, pretending to be nervous.

  “Oh, we have a brown belt karate expert—help!” Brown said, getting lots of laughs from some of the others. “I don’t mean to knock you. What’s your name?”

  “Todd, sir.”

  “Okay, Todd, I don’t mean to knock you personally, but that stuff is just a form of dancing. It won’t protect you or save you. Don’t you agree?”

  Todd paused before he said, “No, sir, I do not.”

  “Oops, wrong answer,” John whispered to his team.

  “Okay, Todd, you’re only small. I will take it easy. I will put my hands behind my back. Okay, now, can you protect yourself from an armless man?” Brown teased again and got more laughter. Jason noticed Giles was laughing too.

  Todd nodded and went into a classic karate pose. Brown lunged fast at Todd and stopped just short. Todd stepped back, bringing his arm down to protect an expected blow, but it never came. Brown stood on one leg and kicked out with the other, striking Todd on the face and knocking him back through the ropes.

  Jason started to get up but sat back down again. He was angry, but he remembered Wong Tong had told him never to fight in anger. Todd made his way back to his group amid snickers from the older cadets. He sat back down next to Jason and held his nose to stop the bleeding.

  Brown spoke again about combat fighting and showed how to break a man’s neck, stab someone, and strangle a man. After about an hour, he came to a close.

  “Okay, unless we have any more volunteers, that’s it,” Brown said, folding his arms. Jason looked at Todd, whose face was badly bruised, his confidence shattered.

  “Just a minute, Brown,” Giles called out. “I am sure we have another karate or kung fu expert here. Would that person like to show us his stuff?”

  The cadets glanced around, puzzled. Jason sat still. He could feel Captain Giles eyes burning into him.

  “Okay, I’ll put it another way. If anyone can put Brown on his back, his team will get ten points.”

  A few others followed the captain’s eyes and looked in Jason’s direction, but Jason sat firm. He was not going to fall into the trap. He looked to the floor.

  “Maybe I’m wrong. It could be a case of mistaken identity or maybe the cadet is yellow…and all the crap his father says about his spoiled son is just hot air. But I thought we had another cadet who could show us his karate skills.”

  “Come on, ten points if anyone can put me on my back,” Brown said.

  Jason knew it was only a matter of time before his name was called by Giles. He might as well turn it into an advantage. After he took a deep breath, he tugged John’s shirt.

  “What?” John whispered.

  “Tell them you will send your youngest and smallest team member into the ring if they double it to twenty points.”

  “Are you crazy? We already have Todd out now. Look at the state of him. I don’t want you to end up like that,” John hissed.

  “Do you trust me?” Jason asked.

  “Are you the guy the captain’s asking for?”

  “Just do it,” Jason said.

  John raised his hand.

  “Oh, we have a volunteer. Well, come up and see if you can get ten points,” Brown said.

  John stood up and said, “Sir, if I send my youngest and smallest team member in and he puts you on your back, will you double it to twenty points?”

  Several cadets chuckled.

  “Double it? I will triple it. Thirty points,” Brown said.

  John sat back down, and Jason rose to his feet.

  “Don’t sneeze, Brown. You’ll blow him off the ship,” shouted a sailor.

  Some of the laughter stopped when Jason bent down and started taking his shoes and socks off. He was concerned about his temper. He was furious with Brown for what he had said about karate and what he had done to Todd. The remarks from Captain Giles had only made it worse. He concentrated and tried to calm himself down.

  “So, what’s your name, cadet?” Brown asked.

  “Steed, sir. Jason Steed.”

  “What can you do, Steed? Karate? Judo? Or just ballroom dancing? What is it?”

  Jason ignored him and climbed into the ring.

  “Hey, kid, come on. Talk to me. What can you do?”

  Again, Jason ignored him and started heavy breathing to fill his blood with oxygen.

  “Are you deaf? Is it karate or judo, and what belt are you? It must be something. You have taken your shoes and socks off,” Brown said.

  “I did not come in here to talk,” Jason said calmly.

  Brown’s smile faded. “Okay, kid, no talking. Come on. Put me on my back.”

  Jason sprung to his toes and rocked from side to side at an angle to Brown. He didn’t move forward. He simply waited.

  Eventually, Brown attacked him. He ran and stopped short just as he’d done to Todd. Jason never flinched. He kept rocking gently from side to side on his toes. Brown stepped back and then kicked. Jason dove to the floor, landing on his hands in a pushup position, and swung his legs around, sweeping Brown’s leg away from him. Brown’s feet flew into the air, and he landed with a heavy thud on his back.

  Jason was already standing. He dove down onto Brown, landing his knee on Brown’s chest. Jason pulled his right arm back. His clenched fist struck out at Brown’s face, stopping less than an inch away from his nose.

  “Keeah!” Jason shouted.

  The silenced, stunned cadets and crew alike stared wide-eyed at Jason. His fist trembled in anger. He climbed off his opponent and stood up.

  “Is karate just for sissies now?” Jason shouted at the top of his voice, looking down at Brown. Shaking
, he walked to the side of the ring and picked up his shoes and socks. He looked up at Captain Giles. “That’s thirty points for team nine, sir!”

  As he climbed out of the ring, he was applauded. Giles turned away, his face void of expression. Slowly, Brown got to his feet, scratching his head.

  “Dismissed!” Giles cried.

  ***

  Jason’s head was still in a dark cloud as he followed the others down to his bunk room. To his surprise, Sergeant Brown was waiting there, sitting on his bunk. The officer stood up and looked down at them. Todd stepped back in fear.

  “You certainly made me look foolish, didn’t you, Steed?”

  “No, sir, you did that yourself,” Jason replied, standing in front of Todd.

  The other members of the team waited out in the hallway, stunned by Jason’s remark.

  “Why did you not hit me?” Brown demanded. “At least get me back for what I did to your friend.”

  “The objective was to learn hand-to-hand combat. I learned a lot from you: how to break a man’s neck and more. It was interesting, but it was not necessary for you to kick Todd in the face just to prove you are bigger and better than him. I proved my point. Hitting you would not have put it across anymore. Karate is not for sissies and is certainly not dancing.”

  “I would have liked it if you hit him, Jason,” Todd said, peering from behind Jason.

  Brown smiled. “You’re all right, Steed. I like you. I am sorry, Todd. Maybe we all learned something today.” He shook Jason’s hand and left.

  The cadets sighed.

  “I thought he was going to kill you, Steed,” Rob muttered.

  Jason collapsed onto his bunk, exhausted. I thought he was too, he admitted to himself. While his team planned for the next day, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

  ***

  The following week went fast. Every day featured different activities. Jason and Todd stuck together every minute. They ate, slept, swam, and did karate together in their free time. Todd had two sisters, both older than him. He was the baby of the family, and it was the first time he had ever been away from his mother. He spoke of his mother every day. Jason listened, but he couldn’t help thinking to himself, Todd isn’t going to last.