Tags: interracial romance, lesbian romance, high-class prostitution, career prostitution
Emily, Amy, Sansa, Sushila, Achara and Nilesh are taking morning coffee together in the dining room. Emily has been encouraging Achara to accompany her when she has the time and the inclination, but not to feel any pressure to do so. Achara is grateful to be seen socialising with the great ladies but feels out of her depth. Emily tells her that she understands and is helping her to 'fit in' as an essential and important person in Emily's business life. She will keep the offer open for her, in case she has a change of mind. While they are talking, a member of the security staff approaches Nilesh and begs the ladies' pardon but the Captain has asked if Emily is available to meet with him privately in his day cabin at her earliest convenience. Emily excuses herself and goes to meet with the Captain.
Seated in the Captain's day cabin, he apologises for presuming to summon her, but there is an urgent and serious matter he needs to discuss with her. Emily smiles telling him that they are both on the same team and asks him to describe the nature of the matter. He thanks her for her understanding and tells her that it concerns her colleague and friend Sansa. Emily feels her heart pumping hard in her chest and apprehensively asks what has happened. The Captain tells her that he has received a telephone call from the Police Commissioner in Kolkata who had obtained the ship's number from the Harbour Master.
Sansa's father has been shot in an open street of Kolkata. The assailant was not careful and carried out the shooting in front of many witnesses who descended upon him to give him a thorough beating. The police and an ambulance arrived and Sansa's father and the assailant were taken to the emergency hospital. Sansa's father was pronounced dead on arrival and the assailant, accompanied by 2 police officers, was taken to the emergency room.
Emily's face is ashen as she struggles to cope with the news, the Captain pours her a glass of water which she gratefully sips while she recovers her composure. When she asks him to continue, he tells her that on hearing the news, Sansa's mother appeared to have fainted and by the time assistance reached her, the paramedics found that her heart had stopped. They tried to resuscitate her all the way to the hospital, where she too was pronounced dead on arrival. Emily gasps at the awfulness of the double tragedy and again sips water from her glass which the Captain refills for her.
When she asks him to finish his account she wonders what other awful thing might yet be revealed. Fortunately there is nothing more, other than the witnesses to the shooting have all come forward and made statements to the Police. The Police Commissioner made a statement to the press that the assailant has been apprehended at the scene of the crime while still holding the weapon he had used to murder his victim. Also that there were numerous witnesses who came forward to provide statements which are likely to provide enough evidence to convict the man of murder. The Police are asking for the sentence, on the inevitable verdict of guilty, to be one of capital punishment, i.e. death by hanging.
The Captain offers her a glass of brandy which she accepts and takes a large sip. The strong spirit acts on her like a mild version of smelling salts and her ability to think clearly and express herself begins to return. She thanks the Captain for undertaking such a difficult task and the consideration he has shown. The most important person now is Sansa and looking to the Captain she asks their position and options. He puts a chart on the table and shows her their current position, about 12 miles offshore from the nearest port of Srikakulam which has a port accessible to Bangkok Girl, he says that including the river stage is it likely to take 2 hours or so to get there. He consults a book and says that a car could manage the trip to Kolkata in about 14 hours and be more comfortable than a bus that is likely to take 2 to 3 hours longer.
He goes on to explain that Visakhapatnam, the first port of call on their itinerary, could be reached by early evening but that it would substantially increase the length of the road journey to Kolkata. Emily asks if there are any issues he knows regarding Bangkok Girl diverting to Srikakulam so that Sansa, her PSO and A/PSO may disembark there. The Captain selects a book titled 'Pilotage: NE India' and studies it for a few minutes before announcing that, like any port there are challenges but the way into Srikakulam looks straightforward enough if undertaken prudently, which he jokes is his middle name. Emily is grateful for his joke which helps her to deal with the pressure of the moment: "I think putting into Srikakulam to disembark Sansa and her aides is my preferred course of action, but as the Captain of Bangkok Girl, what is your opinion?" He tells her that he concurs and after the disembarkation Bangkok Girl can put straight to sea again and arrive on schedule at the port of Visakhapatnam.
Emily drains the rest of her brandy from the glass, thanks the Captain for his assistance and must now go to break the terrible news to Sansa, so that she and her aides will be ready for disembarkation in Srikakulam. Emily asks Nilesh to secretly bring Sudesh to the vicinity of Emily's cabin and then returns to the dining room by way of the lounge where she finds they have moved to. She takes Sansa aside and taking her hand, whispers that she has to tell her something and asks whether she would like to hear it privately in Emily's cabin or with her friends about her. Sansa is naturally alarmed and not knowing what it is, chooses to receive the news privately. Emily asks the ladies to excuse them, then holding hands, she leads her to the lounge of her cabin suite. Emily notices that Bangkok Girl is changing course.