Top of the Slide

The Lilli Elithiac was on a direct course to China, roundtrip to Britain. The ship and her crew were overseen by Captain Bruce Heinsbrooke, a gentle sailor of thirty-six. Heinsbrooke was 6' 2'', a thin build, but muscular; he guides his crew with a rusty voice and smiled upon by his crew who he had come to know for four years.
The first, Mr. Elijah Mcgee, father of two; the second, Mr. George Peterson; next came Mr. Harris and first mate Stough, followed by Mr. Oliver, Jacobs, Cameron, and Wabash. All eight men knew eachother as one knows his own face and Heinsbrooke was not wasted on care for his men. The ship and its crew had been importing goods for most of its four years, bringing in many items and only recently being assigned to opium. Though Heinsbrooke and none of his crew were users of the illustrious drug, they had all seen its effects, present in bars and sailor supplied taverns. Bruce wasn't too keen on the idea of recreational narcotics, but it put bread on the table.
The Lilli Elithiac always made impeccable time, and the ship and its crew made the trip to China, on most occasions, in under a week. Five days into their voyage, first mate Stough approached Heinsbrooke after his evening meal.
"Captain," he declared, his voice gruff from overuse. "We are a few miles away from China, sir. We'll be bringing her in soon."
Heinsbrooke nodded his approval and lit his pipe; twenty minutes later, Mr. Oliver was shouting 'land.' As they pulled into the harbor of a town in China, Captain Heinsbrooke addressed the Oriental in front of him.
"I'm here for my parcel."
The man nodded and showed Bruce hi load of opium, stored in two dozen wood barrels.
"Alright," said Bruce. "Load them up."
After everything had been said and done and over half of the opium had been loaded into the Lilli's cargo hold, the ship's hull slapping raciously against the waves, shouts emerged from the harbor. A group of Chinese policemen were heading straight for the Lilli Elithiac came strolling through the bustling harbor, jostling young sailors running errands. Captain Heinsbrooke surged forward.
"What's all this, then?" he demanded, waving his hands in the general direction of the Chinese enforcers. A sharp looking man stepped forward, tall compared to his comrads. His hair was combed against his scalp, glasses perched upon his pointed nose, a hat set upon his head. he was dressed straighter than a pin, pressed and steamed into a blue uniform.
"Haven't you heard?" he said in perfect english. ''The opium trade has been banned. You are not welcome here."
"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Bruce, outraged. "We were given strict orders when we left Britain five days ago that we were to receive the shipment of opium waiting for us."