The Atlantic Via Bathtub CH 19

Next morning dawned bright and sunny, as if the sky knew that everything was right again. A fact which scientists had long debeted, that is, before they all got killed in silly Arctic adventures in SSMBT's well playing around with large sea creatures, anyway, they had long debated that if the sky knew when everything was well, and went all sunny like accordingly, why did it always get all cloudy and rain whenever you went on a picnic. The end result was they decided to go on a picnic, and see what happened. If it became all rainy, then they'd have another picnic another day and see what happened, well keeping track of everyone's mood, to find out just why it rained when you went on a picnic. 1

22 years later, they came to a conclusion. But they died of an accident at sea before they could reveal what it was.2

So on this fine and sunny morning, which no one knew if it was going to get rainy later if they decided to have a picnic or not, three people stood at the bow of the ship, staring over the railing at a long low shape stretching across the horizon.3

'Well, there's our new home,' said Douglas happily, 'we finally made it. After losing a member–' he hugged John's shoulder– 'and finding him again, we are here.'4

Mary leant her head on Douglas's shoulder and smiled. 'It looks so clean from here. I hope it's as clean up close.'5

'It will be, it will be.'6

'I wonder if we'll ever see Pete again after this,' mused John, apparently unaware of their conversation.7

Douglas looked at Mary, a worried look on his face, he wasn't sure about Pete, he seemed a bit dangerous. 'I don't know,' he replied to John, 'Probably never, I'm sure he's got lots of places to go to, things to do.'8

John frowned slightly. 'You don't seem to like him much Dad.'9

Douglas looked uncomfortable. 'Well... I don't dislike him, but he is a criminal. Even if he did keep you safe, he's killed people. So that makes him a bad person.'10

John sighed, 'Yeah. I guess. But I do wonder, what makes a person good or bad? How do you define good from bad?'11

Douglas looked puzzled. 'I don't know, I'd never really thought about it actually...'12

They were interrupted by the sound of footsteps behind them, turning, they saw Charles. He came to stand next to them, 'You're new home. How's it look from here?'13

'Like a long brown strip of land,' commented John dryly.14

'Haha! Indeed,' laughed Charles. 'Say, did I ever tell you the story about Captain Emo and his black SSMBT, Steam Sub Marine Boat Thingy?'15

'Ah, no... I don't believe so,' said John slowly.16

'Well, it all bega–'17

'All passengers who be getting off at this stop please start packing, last thing we want is for ye to be stuck on here!' boomed Pete's voice over the loud speaker.18

'I think we better go pack, coming John?' said Mary.19

'Yup,' said John quickly, not particularly interested in hearing about black SSMBTs and Captains called Emo.20

Charles face fell, he looked around deck, and saw another couple standing by the railing, his face lit up, and he dashed over to them.21

John could hear him ask, 'Did I ever tell you the tale about Captain Emo...'22

John smiled to himself, and stuck close to his parents as they went below deck.23

Somewhere on the upper decks of the ship, lay two figures, each with only a towel around their waist as clothing. One short, fat, balding, and white. The other tall, thin, stringy hair, and white.24

The tall thin one turned to the short fat one. 'I say Baldwin, so this is sunbathing is it? I've heard of such a concept, but never done it.'25

'Yez, zeez iz zunbazing Ericzzon. An interezting idea, I vunder who zought of it?'26

'Someone with to much time on there hands I figure.'27

'Yez, you are probably right.'28

They lay soaking up the sun, enjoying the warm rays over their bare skin.29

'I say, how long are you supposed to do this for?' asked Ericsson suddenly.30

'I vaz told vun muzt zpend zee whole day in zee zun to get a good tan. Zat iz juzt for zee firzt day, zee zecond day you zpend lezz, zo on zo forz, till you have a good tan.'31

'I see. Long day ahead of us then.'32

'Yez.'33

Ericsson shut his eyes and smiled, this was the life.34

Pete stood on the bridge of Le Charlotte, his hands clasped behind his back, staring out at the oncoming land. It felt good to be in command of a big ship again. And no one had tried to kill him through the night, so that was an added bonus.35

'Captain, we'll reach the port by 1:00 PM.' said one of the crew, as he stood behind Pete.36

Pete turned to face him, 'Good good. Notify the harbour master of that.'37

'Yes sir.' the sailor turned and departed, to give the message to the radioman.38

One O'clock came, and they arrived outside the New York port. A tug arrived beside them, and the harbour master boarded, to sail the ship to the docks.39

The harbour master walked up to Pete, he frowned slightly, 'You the captain?'40

'I sure am,' Pete replied.41

'Oh, I thought this was Doupree's ship,' said the harbour master slowly.42

'It was, but he, ah... Had an accident.'43

'An accident?'44

'Pardon?'45

'You said Doupree had an accident.'46

'I did?' asked Pete puzzled.47

'Yes,' growled the harbour master.48

Pete frowned. 'Yes what?'49

'Yes, yes you did say so!' snapped the harbour master.50

'Did say what?'51

'About Doupree!'52

'Ohhhh. What about him?' asked Pete, and innocent smile on his face.53

The harbour master's face turned to a dark shade of red. 'Just take me to the helm before I knock your lights out,' he growled.54

'Who's helm?'55

'Ragh!'56

Two sailors leapt forward and grabbed the harbour master by the arms, 'Perhaps you better come with us. They lead him spitting and swearing to the helm.57

Charles walked up behind Pete and asked, 'Why'd you do that to him?'58

Pete turned and smiled sweetly at him. 'Do what?'59

Charles stared at him, then rolled his eyes. 'Caw, give you command of a ship and you go balmy!60

Pete grinned broadly at him. 'It's called being over tired, and stupid harbour masters asking questions they shouldn't.'61

'You could have just told him you'd killed him.'62

'Nah, who knows what he might have done. The silly man.'63

'True that. So now what? You gonna kick me off this tub?' 64

Pete's grin, if possible, grew. 'No, but if you mutiny again...' he left the sentence unfinished.65

Charles nodded. 'Fair enough.' 66

'Aye. Now, you be making sure the pilot does his job right, and I be goin' to see to a certain passenger.'67

'Aye aye cap'n!' Charles did a smart about turn and strode into the bridge, to go freak the poor harbour master out.'68

Pete walked quickly down the lower floors, specifically one room which held one Sir Eric "Dragon" Lagson.69

Removing a set of keys from his pocket, Pete unlocked the door, and stepped in. Sir Eric was handcuffed to the bed at the far side of the room. Closing the door behind him, Pete walked up to him.70

'Ahh, come to bid me fair well, eh?' asked Sir Eric contemptuously, a sneer plastered over his face.71

'Yup. And I hope they hang you for what you've done.'72

'What makes you better then me?' snarled Sir Eric.73

'Not much. But that's beside the point.'74

'And what might that point be?'75

'That you're going to prison, and I'm not. And I'm here to make you a deal,' said Pete.76

'A deal? What sort of deal?' Sir Eric asked, suspicious of what Pete was planing.77

'A deal that I will let you go, on the one condition: That you leave me, John and his family, alone. That includes leaving Bootle alone.'78

'Indeed, and what brings this sudden change of heart that you'd let me go?' Sir Eric's tone was still nasty, but a faint hope that he might make it out of here alive glimmered in his eyes.79

'The fact that I'm not much better then you, and not been caught, so I can't with clean conscience condemn a man for the committing the same crimes as myself,' Pete told him flatly.80

Sir Eric raised an eyebrow. 'So give yourself up, then all the good guys are happy, well we swing from the gallows.'81

Pete's eyes narrowed. 'If you don't wish to take my offer, just say so.'82

Sir Eric stared hard at Pete, trying to work out if it was a trick. 'How do I know this isn't some sort of trick?'83

'What sort of trick could it be? That you'll lead someone to some sort of evidence that will get you the death sentence? Which I'm sure you all ready have.'84

Sir Eric smiled smugly. 'Oh, I see, you don't want me to bear witness to the fact that you killed an unarmed man, in cold blood?'85

'I've never killed anyone in cold blood,' said Pete icily.86

'Then why so eager to get rid of me?'87

Pete stood breathing heavily, his hands clenching and unclenching. 'Fine,' he growled through his teeth, 'You don't want to go, that's fine with me. So sorry to have disturbed you.' He turned and marched out of the room.88

Sir Eric just stared at his retreating back, a smile on his face.89

'You got everything John?' asked Mary, as they stood in their room surveying it one last time, before they made their way to the deck, to leave the ship, and enter a new land.90

'I think so, seeing as I never really unpacked anything,' he replied, smiling up at her.91

Douglas entered the room, 'Ready family?' His face was alight, his family together again, and from what he could see, America looked to be a clean country.92

'Yes, I think we're ready,' replied Mary.93

'Goodo,' said Douglas as he lifted the two largest suitcases. 'Would you grab those two John?' he said, nodding his head in the direction of two other suitcases.94

'Yes Dad,' said John, as he walked over to the bags, and lifted them, they were somewhat heavier then he thought they'd be. So struggling he followed his father out of the room, Mary bringing up the rear with the smallest bags.95

They arrived on deck, and dumping the bags, took seats and waited for the ship to finishing being docked.96

They'd been there for only a few minutes before Baldwin and Ericsson appeared next to them.97

Mary gasped. 'What happened to you two? You're burnt to a crisp almost!' she exclaimed, surveying their bright red arms and faces.98

Baldwin frowned, and very carefully sat down on the bench next to them. 'Ve ver zunbazing. And it vould appear zat ze ver given vrong information on vat to do,' he growled.99

'Ouch. How long were you told to do it for?' Mary asked, somewhat concerned by how red they were.100

'He zaid to do it for a whole day zee firzt day, and lezz every day till you ver tanned.'101

'Who said?' John blurted.102

Ericsson's face turned to one of extreme distaste as he joined them on the bench. 'Charles.'103

John burst out laughing. 'You listened to Charles?' he asked incredulously.104

'John, that's not very polite,' scolded his father.105

'He'z right zough. Ve zer ztupid to lizten to Charlez.'106

Ericsson nodded.107

Charles wandered up behind them, and seeing Ericsson and Baldwin sitting next to each other, stopped behind them, and slapping them heartily on the shoulders said, 'How goes the sunbathing?' he asked cheerfully.108

Baldwin and Ericsson both winced, tears coming to their eyes from the pain of being slapped on their sunburn.109

'Ve vill get you for ziz,' growled Baldwin through gritted teeth.110

Ericsson nodded, agreeing thoroughly with Baldwin, but in to much pain to say anything.111

'That was not a very nice thing to do to them,' Mary said, shaking her head and frowning at Charles.112

Charles grinned at her. 'Maybe, maybe.' He walked round the bench and sat heavily on it next John. He was about to say something when a voice thundered over the PA system, 'Charles! Get back up here now!'113

'Oop, Pete calls.' He leapt of the seat and dashed off.114

'Why does Mr. Hayward always seem so annoyed with him?' asked Mary.115

John looked puzzled a moment, trying to work out who Mr. Hayward was, then it dawned on him. 'Oh, He stole Pete's ship once, so Pete never really like him much after that.'116

'I see,' she said frowning slightly.117

'Pluz he zeemz to juzt have a knack for rubbing people up zee wrong vay. From vat I can tell, you eizer love Charlez, or you hate him. Zer doezn't zeem to be and in between.'118

Douglas laughed. 'I could imagine that.'119

At last Le Charlotte was docked, the gangways down, passengers started filing off.120

The Rendrige family stood up from their bench and joined the crowd.121

They hadn't gone far when Pete caught them up. 'Hey, just dropping by to say bye.'122

Douglas nodded, then extended his hand. 'I can never thank you enough for taking care of John for us. But if there's ever anything you need, let me know, and I'll do my utmost to help.'123

Pete smiled, and took his hand. 'Aye, no problem. Twas fun wasn't it John?'124

John grinned. 'Life here will seem dull now.' 125

Mary laughed. 'I hope so! I don't think I could stand it if life was that exciting.'126

Pete offered his hand to John. 'Good luck lad, look after yet parents won't you?'127

John shook his hand. 'Will do.'128

Pete stepped back and watched them as they drifted off with the crowd. He'd miss that kid. Shaking his head he turned and went back to his new favourite spot, the bridge, to await the arrival authorities to take Sir Eric away.