This is a work of fiction any similarities between the characters, events, or locations in this story and actual locations, events, or people are purely coincidental.
© 2005 Warlord
(A story in the Sea Cruise Universe)
Paradoxically the tsunami’s obliteration of the nursing school put my mind at ease. The damage I visited on them during the rescue mattered little in comparison.
Dale wanted to chat with Cerise and Sydne. He asked me to hang around as well. Dale, calmly as ever explained the Seychelles visa situation. Turning to me he asked, :
“Ted, do you have a flight scheduled to Victoria?”
I nodded, saying, “Tomorrow morning at dawn, Nikki will have our executive Huey II ready to go. I understand we have an overnight at The Verandah. I planned on Cerise and Sydne with Bridgett for Sunrise.”
Dale cocked an eyebrow. “Security?”
I nodded again. “Honor, Akira, and me with crew of Nikki, Adrian as second, and Sally Ann as flight engineer.”
Dale nodded. “Good. I assume there are no problems for us on Mahe, but I don’t want to risk any, either. We have a good relationship with the Seychelles authorities. I will inform them you’re armed as part of my crew security on official Sunrise business.”
He turned to Cerise and Sydne, saying, “We intended to move you, your faculty and students quickly on your way, but the tsunami has had several effects. The various EU missions on Mauritius are swamped in the waves’ aftermath, Mauritius also being the location of the American representative in this area. Verifying all of your people’s status and issuing new passports is going to be a sluggish, drawn-out procedure. Transportation is similarly bollixed, as all available aircraft are diverted to moving refugees out and relief supplies in. Even when planes are available, the connection airports are so congested that flights not attached to relief efforts never receive take off clearance, being simply cancelled.”
I asked quietly, “How about one of my, um ‘uncle’s’ airplanes?”
Dale smiled at my reticence, then shook his head. “Sorry, they’re also ‘heavy hauling’ right now. I’ve even asked for one of his black ones, but they’re all committed.”
He turned back to Cerise and Sydne, saying, “I’m afraid this means you’re going to be our guests for longer than we first planned. I’m sorry.”
Cerise shook it off, replying forcefully, “We are alive. There is no question that my brave hero Ted saved us, twice! You are his Captain, so it was your order being carried out. How can we chastise either of you for a delay, when we could have been drowned, shot, raped or…”
As she ran down, lapsing into silence, Sydne said, “We will enjoy your hospitality until our passports arrive. There is no school to return to now. Perhaps, Captain Dale, you have another option to offer us.”
Dale smiled. “Perhaps. For now, enjoy our island and my ship. Please help Clarice generate the necessary documents for your students’ and faculty’s Seychelles visas and replacement passports. We will talk further when you return from Victoria.”
*****
Cerise and Sydne headed over to Clarice’s makeshift desk. Insistent hands turned me, as Honor had my left hand and Tex my right. Honor softly said, “Ted takes care of everyone; now, it’s time for Ted’s care. Come along quietly, Theodore.”
Like I was going to struggle very hard!
Honor led us to the gang showers, where she quickly stripped out of her jumpsuit. Honor began removing my vest and personal gear, while Tex stripped. I finally saw Tex without her hat. It was worth the wait.
These two nude blonde beauties had me naked under the running water, with Tex behind me, pulling my back into her ample, soapy breasts. Her hands were busy, smearing thick soap over my belly and chest.
Honor, by this time, was on her knees, soaping my feet and legs with soft caresses. Every time she leaned, forward her wet hair contacted my cock and balls, giving me an erotic jolt. Tex was rubbing and pinching my nipples, adding to my arousal. Tex reached down, taking my cock in her soapy fingers, stroking me while Honor lightly caressed my balls. My balls tightened as I spurted ropes of cum, spraying Honor’s face and hair with my spending.
Honor laughed delightedly at my attempted bukkake, rubbing my cock on her face, smearing cum and soap together in an erotic mess. Tex turned me, rubbing her soapy tits on my chest while she caressed my back and butt, spreading more thick soap with her soft fingers.
Their constant caresses kept my cock partly engorged. Honor and Tex stepped close, sandwiching me as they began to wash my hair. Their naked slick bodies pressed against me, while their four hands played in my hair and ‘elsewhere,’ bringing me to full hardness. Tex giggled teasingly, as she felt my hardened cock rub against her belly.
They continued to wash my hair. Their scalp massage and deep cleaning melted my stress. After I was cleaned to their satisfaction, they stood me under the pounding spray of hot water, rinsing me while they continued to tease me with intimate touches.
Tex held me tight as she went to her knees, carrying me down with her. Then she rolled on her back, still holding me on top. We lay there under the shower spray kissing. Honor intervened; reaching between us, she quickly had my hard cock at Tex’s center. Tex’s frantic movements to capture my cock head left little doubt, as Honor pressed on my butt until I was fully buried in Tex.
.
Tex yelled, “Fuck me. Ride ME. FUCK me HARD!”
Tex scissored her legs, raising them until I could reach her ankles. I was on my knees with her legs upright in front of me. I was slamming into her tight sheath, with her guttural screams for accompaniment. Her cunt rippled around me as I stroked into her. I pushed forward on her ankles, spreading her legs as I slammed into her. Tex kept flexing her hips to meet my thrusts, as she screamed out in her need.
The shower’s hard flow of hot water was like fucking in a tropical rainstorm. I had her ankles shoved back by her ears as I was driving down into her exposed, vulnerable cunt. I was yelling incoherently as Tex continued screaming.
My cock pulsed, spraying hot cum into her cunt; my whole body convulsed. I came so hard, I felt like my insides had blasted through my dick! Tex’s cunt clutched at my cock as she had a monster orgasm. I released her ankles as I collapsed on her. Tex grabbed me, and we held on tight as we settled through the aftershocks, until her hard, athletic body expelled my softened cock.
Tex and I were kissing and caressing; as we came out of our lover’s world we heard whistles, cheering and applause. We looked up from the floor to see a crowd of teachers and students from the nursing school waiting to use the showers. Judging from the reaction, they seemed to enjoy our little show.
Honor helped us to our feet, wrapping us in fluffy towels. Tex quickly retrieved her hat, after allowing Honor to towel dry her hair. Watching these blonde ‘centerfolds’ dry each other did not reduce my arousal. Then they both focused on drying me. My half engorged cock must have seemed wet, they kept ‘checking’ it the whole time they were drying me.
One of the ladies waiting to use the shower who looked like an eighty five pound gymnast and all of sixteen, leaned forward at the waist and kissed my cock then gave it a tiny lick. She stood back up, still holding me lightly, as she looked very serious, saying, “My name is Amelie. I was a member of the faculty at our late school. You are my hero. You saved us. I refuse you NOTHING. ANYTHING you can possibly imagine to request I willingly and eagerly perform. You have but to ask.”
Amelie stepped forward kissing my cheek with the merest giggle. Walking to the shower she flipped up her towel as she gave her tiny ass a shake. My cock lurched as I envisioned sinking it between those two petite ‘apple’ cheeks into her brown hole.
Honor threw a towel over my head, reclaiming my attention. I laughed, saying, “I was distracted.”
Honor was laughing, too: “Yes, lover, you are easily distracted and yet I love you to the exclusion of all else.”
She threw her arms around my neck, kissing me, with her tongue playing tag with mine.
Honor then said, “We need to get you dressed, sorta.”
With that she helped me into very short cutoff jeans and a pair of docksiders. I lifted an eyebrow in inquiry, as a laughing Honor replied, “Nope, Ted, that’s all Amanda brought for you.”
Honor shrugged into one of my white dress shirts and cross trainers. She didn’t bother with any of the buttons. Tex liked the look. She picked up another of my dress shirts, with her own running shoes.
As I walked out of the hangar arm in arm with Honor and Tex, Honor said, “Ted, you need to chat with Tex. She grew up on a ranch in Idaho. She’s been shooting all her life.”
Tex chimed in, “That’s right Ted; shotguns, rifles and pistols. I hunt with a seven mil magnum, shoot brush wolves with a twelve gauge, carry a Ruger three fifty seven when I ride. I want to join up. I don’t know who you are or what this outfit is, but I WANT IN!”
*****
We were back out on the taxiway just in time to help Shannon, Sunrise’s chef, deliver another of her ‘picnic style’ buffets. Again the long line of sawhorses covered with plywood sheets were groaning under the weight of all the food.
The Ekwueme nursing school faculty and students looked stunned by the quality and sheer quantity of food. Then it dawned on me that their last good meal had been a while ago. I stood up on one of the wagons and using my best ‘Dale’voice I said in a commanding fashion, “All of you from Ekwueme, please go through the buffet line first. Could someone from Sunrise please assist each of our guests? They may be faint; their captors starved them. Thank you.”
There were ohs and ahs, and even a patter of applause after my announcement. Mostly, there was an immediate rush of Sunrise folks to the sides of the recent captives to lend a hand.
I sat down on the edge of the wagon’s bed with my feet dangling, sipping my coffee waiting for the buffet lines to thin a bit. I had no worry about Shannon running out of food. Before I could move, Adrian walked up with two plates. She handed one to me as she jumped up next to me. She said, “Dig in, Ted. You deserve it. That was a nice thing you did, plus it will help the captives mingle with us quicker. Good thinking. “
I shook my head as I said softly, “Not a bit, lover. I barely remembered they were hungry – the rest is just dumb luck. Sorry.”
Adrian laughed. “But you did Ted. You remembered and you acted. But if you want to argue, I’ll just forget about the long leisurely tongue bath and blowjob I was going to reward you.”
I replied slowly, “Lets not be too hasty, Adrian my love. I wasn’t arguing, more kind of a discussion…”
She was laughing delightedly as Sally Ann walked up, leading Cerise and Sydne to join us. Donna, Penelope, Anna and Kristen were circling the hangar with more platters of food and outsized trays of beverages.
Sally Ann kissed me, then with a big smile she asked, “Did you and Tex have a nice shower?”
I nodded, asking, “How…?”
That’s as far as I got before Adrian laughingly said, “Ted, people on the friggin’ ship heard you two.”
I said, “She’s a little noisy I guess.”
Now they were giggling as my Sally Ann said, “They thought it was an air raid siren. Yeah, she’s a ‘little’ all right.”
I nodded, laughing now, as she continued, “She wants to join us. We should take Tex along to Victoria. What do you think, Ted?”
I must have looked confused. “I found out about Tex, just before I sat down. Everybody else knows this stuff. Where was I?”
Adrian patted my arm comfortingly as she said, “Girl talk, Ted. Faster than fiber optics!”
All of them laughed at that. No point in trying to fight the inevitable, they had me more than surrounded. I nodded in agreement as I said with good grace, “Yes, by all means, we have plenty of room. We’ll take Tex along, it’ll be a good test run.”
I had another question. “Is the armory back in the hangar?”
Adrian replied, “Yes, Buck moved the guns back in. Miriam, Dix, Leticia and Kim are cleaning and sorting.”
I said, “Okay, I assume Akira is in charge of guns for our Victoria jaunt.”
As they nodded, I continued, “Sally my love, Will you please take Tex to the armory, introduce her to the ‘four horsemen,’ and have her pick out her personal weapons?”
Sally Ann, nodding, said, “Already done, Ted. Akira and I walked her over, making the introductions, with Miriam helping her with ‘choices’.”
Penelope interrupted us as she refilled my coffee cup, taking my dirty dishes away. Actually, my kissing and groping her was probably the interruption. By the time I was done ‘thanking’ Penelope for the coffee, her hair was mussed with clothes askew, and the zipper was completely down on my cut-offs.
As Penelope sauntered away, giggling, I looked down to see that Cerise’s hand had replaced Penelope’s stroking my cock. Cerise undid the snap as she opened my cutoffs widely, completely exposing my cock and balls to her caresses.
Cerise leaned forward, kissing me. Turns out she is an excellent kisser, easily world class. While I was lost somewhere in the softness of her lips, my cutoffs were removed and I was turned, leaning back against Sydne, who whispered in my ear, asking, “Isn’t she just the best kisser, Ted?”
With that arousing thought ricocheting around in my head, Cerise spread my knees. She shifted until her face was poised over my cock. Opening her mouth, Cerise exhaled, with her warm, moist breath surrounding my cock. She extended her pink tongue, licking up pre-cum. Cerise opened wide, with my cock balanced on her extended tongue; then, in one motion, she engulfed my cock, pressing forward until her nose was pressed to my belly, my cock buried in her throat. Her throat, clutching at my cock, sent unbelievable erotic jolts up and down my spine Cerise eased back slowly, and again pushed forward.
My fingers tangled in her long black hair as my hips flexed toward her sucking mouth. My entire world was focused on the intense sensations generated as Cerise rose and fell on my cock. I did not last long, suddenly spraying cum down her throat. Cerise backed off, with just the head of my cock in her mouth as my spurting ended.
Cerise crawled up my body. First she opened her mouth, showing me the pool of cum on her tongue; then she pulled Sydne’s face into my sightline. Cerise held Sydne’s chin, opening her mouth widely as she drizzled strings of cum downward into Sydne’s mouth.
Cerise kissed Sydne with her tongue, licking her face, pushing any remnants of my spending into her mouth. They were heedless as they kissed. Finally their erotic interlude ended, as Cerise settled in my arms, with gentle kisses on my cheek, chin, eyes, and jaw while Sydne continued to caress me gently.
I lifted Cerise’s chin. Kissing her lips, I gently pushed my tongue past her teeth. When I withdrew, her tongue followed mine back into my mouth. We continued to kiss. I did mention that Cerise was a great kisser? Thought so!
*****
By now, I was held upright by Sydne, as Sally Ann brought desserts for the ladies and espresso for me. I looked around to see Captain Dale, shadowed by his luscious Rhiannon circulating the hangar, meeting and greeting with his personal welcome. He already seemed to know the names of our guests from Ekwueme. This attention to detail and his personal touch – another example of Dale’s leader ‘magic’ on display.
Dale eventually found his way to our little group perched on the wagon. He carried a tray of espressos, offering them to us, while Rhiannon carried away our dessert remnants. Dale observed me, relaxed, leaning back against Sydne, while Cerise was stretched out on her back with her head on my thigh, her long black hair fanned out covering my legs. I was petting Cerise with light fingertip touches on her flat belly with my free hand while I sipped the espresso held in my left.
Dale said, “I really hate to impose on you, Ted. The ladies and you seem so relaxed…”
I shook my head as I replied, “What do you need, Captain?”
He was almost apologetic as he replied, “I need a run from the Zodiac OTH. Quite a long run actually, you might not be back for the festivities and bonfire.”
He paused as I quickly asked, “When do I leave?”
He smiled, saying, “They’re waiting now. Bridget has charts and waypoints with her in the H1. She’ll give you a ride to the jetty. I’ve asked Honor and Destiny, she goes by Tex I understand, to accompany you. You might need the extra help tonight.”
I asked him, “How does everybody else know about Tex and not me?”
Dale answered, “Rhiannon told me.”
The ladies laughed at that, as Dale grinned at me. I was sitting up straight now as I asked, “Captain, what are my rules of engagement for tonight?”
Dale nodded as he said calmly and slowly, “I trust your judgment Ted. In a nutshell, defend yourself and I fully expect you to step in front of anyone being victimized. Otherwise be your usual discreet self.”
I frowned as I started to ask another question. Dale interrupted, saying, “That’s all I am at liberty to say right now, Ted. Perhaps when you return, I will be in position to offer a better explanation. Sorry.”
*****
I joined Bridget in the H1. She was dressed in a bright yellow slingshot thong. The thong straps, reminiscent of dental floss, went up over her shoulders and down her back, supporting a tiny ‘postage stamp’ of a thong. Emphasizing her lovely curves without concealing them in any way.
Bridget was all business tonight – at least, she was, after we kissed for a while with my hands roving over the exposed ‘real estate’ -- we were both a tiny bit ‘breathy’ by the time she put the HumVee in gear.
We pulled up on the jetty, joining the group standing next to the OTH Zodiac, with its pair of three hundred horsepower engines already idling. I climbed out of the H1 to the accompaniment of whistles at my nakedness. Honor had a set of dark gray BDU for me matching theirs. Honor opened a gym bag, giving me my ‘personal gear’ for the trip. I clipped the tactical holster with my Colt to my thigh. I slipped on my sunglasses and my ‘Crazy Girls’ cap, a souvenir from The Rivera casino picked up on my last trip to Las Vegas.
While I was dressing, Miriam took my chart pouch, and spread the overview map on the HumVee’s hood. They clustered around it trying to make sense out of it. I shared what I knew, with Bridget adding in where she could. Mostly we had the chart calling for a ‘speed run’ to an ‘observation area’ with Waypoints shaped in a ‘figure eight’ within the ‘area’ we were to patrol. I gave them the rules of engagement for the evening, shedding little additional light.
As they had before, Kim and Dixie had their two 7.62 M240-D machine guns in the bow, with Leticia in the stern with her M-Deuce 50 caliber. Miriam would be sitting amidships, seated on a jockey seat in front of the radar screen, with her twenty five millimeter Barrett M109 at her side. I was standing at the helm station, with Honor and Tex flanking me port and starboard on two more jockey seats.
Honor was carrying a Steyr AUG with a forty millimeter grenade launcher under barrel, while Tex had a M25 Tactical Rifle with a Leatherwood scope from Springfield Armory, a 7.62 ‘clone’ (though a highly accurized one) of the M14. Miriam handed me the Springfield Armory SOCOM 16 scout version of their M1A, with its sixteen inch barrel also in 7.62.
By now Bridget, had programmed the waypoints in the GPS while we studied the chart. I said, “Nothing more to learn here, might as well get after it. Saddle up, ladies.”
They quickly climbed aboard, as I kissed Bridget goodbye, then followed. We put on our headsets, hooking into the Zodiac’s intercom as I performed my radio check with Tawny.
I waved and Bridget cast off our lines. We idled across the bay and out of the breakwater. I put us on our first heading, announcing, “Time to put the pedal to the metal. Ready?”
At their quiet acknowledgement I pushed the twin throttles forward. The stern drives dug in as we accelerated. We were flying over the water as we sped along our first heading.
******
Tropical sunsets are spectacular. Even distracted as I was, I called the ladies’ attention to the light show as the sun slipped below the horizon. We continued speeding across the water, as we discussed our inscrutable captain. As dusk thickened, we began to dodge in and out of reefs and tiny uninhabited islands in this part of the Seychelles.
We finally reached the ‘patrol area,’ and as I throttled back, the ladies slipped on their night vision goggles. There was just enough moonlight to help the goggles, without illuminating us to any degree.
I announced, “Coming about to new heading.”
We began our sweeps of the immediate area. I took us through in a figure eight; we had no contacts. We continued our slow circuits. Suddenly, in the midst of our utter boredom, Miriam announced, “Radar con, Ted. Green one zero four. Range six thousand. “
I slowed the Zodiac until we were just making steerage way as I waited for a visual. I turned with my binoculars as Leticia announced visual contact. A large brightly lit craft appeared. I asked, “Anyone have an ID?”
Tex quickly said, “Reef Diver from Mahe, diver excursion boat. Picks up tourists in Victoria runs to one of the Seychelles refuge islands for a couple days of diving. Some of the nurses and I took the trip. It was a GREAT time. Get drunk, get high, get laid and dive some spectacular scenery.”
The rest of us on the Zodiac were laughing as Tex reminisced. Mir said, “I want to hear more about the getting high and laid stuff, but after we’re done.”
I asked, “So it’s a party boat? Why does Dale fuckin care about the Muff Diver or whatever?”
No one had a clue. I requested a course from Miriam paralleling the party boat at about a ‘click’ separation. We decided to shadow it until it left our patrol square. Miriam called another contact. “Radar con, Red four five. Range five thousand and fast closing. Intercept course for Reef Diver.”
I said, “Thank you, radar, coming about and speed, hang on.”
We were between this contact and Reef Diver. I swung the Zodiac to cut off the contact and gave it throttle. Dixie announced the first visual. It was a Dhow, a traditional Arab watercraft on the Indian Ocean. This one a fishing boat, about a forty footer, with its lateen sails half furled as three large displacement Honda outboards pushed it along at a brisk pace.
Couple hundred meters from the Dhow I swung the Zodiac throttling back until we were running with it just astern on the same heading toward the party boat. I asked, “This fucker is running right at the ‘dive boat’, straight as can be. Just like he knew it was out here. So what’s going on?”
Tex responded, “The dive excursions are on a regular schedule. If you’re plugged in you can practically set your watch by them. The destination island is always the same. I’m sure the course out and back never varies.”
I asked, “Other traffic, radar?”
Miriam came right back. “Two known contacts only, Ted.”
I announced, “We are at battle stations, please. No action except on my order.”
The loud music with the bright lights from Reef Diver grew louder and brighter as we closed. Movement on the Dhow reclaimed our attention as half dozen vehicle headlights on their bow lit followed immediately by a soviet PKM 7.62 machine gun on tall pipe stand with a single gunner began firing long bursts at the dive boat shattering cabin windows.
I asked, “Who can take that fucker?”
Tex answered, “I’m on it, Ted.”
She stood up, sighting through the scope on her rifle, in a balanced stance with her hips compensating for the swells, as we continued to match speed with the Dhow. She squeezed off one round, the PKM went silent as the gunner disappeared from sight.
I announced, “Fire at will. Keep ’em elevated, please, we want him to run not sink. Honor, light’em up.”
Honor stood firing a forty millimeter white illuminating parachute flare past the Dhow silhouetting him nicely for us. I turned away from the Dhow giving him a smaller target and giving Leticia a clear field of fire for her ‘fifty’. She immediately chewed up their wheelhouse. She ceased fire, and I turned to cross behind the dhow just as members of their crew ran to the rail, firing wildly into the dark with their AK assault rifles. I was increasing my separation from them, not wanting to take a bullet in the flotation of our Zodiac. Now as Dix and Kim had shots, they laid long bursts across the deck, into the cabin, and up into the rigging.
The main lateen sail dropped with a loud crash, draping the deck with wood, canvas and rope lines. This seemed the signal for the dhow to break off the engagement. They turned away from Reef Diver in a wide circle, back the way they’d come.
I slowed our Zodiac as the dhow ran for it. Their crew’s random fire showed they had no clue where we were.
I said, “Cease fire, please, thank you, excellent work. Tex, can you hit their outboards from here?”
She laughed, saying, “Yeah, I think so, if you give me a no deflection shot.”
I replied, “Cool. Tex only, please. Coming to zero bearing.”
I turned, following the Dhow at about half speed, lining up the Zodiac’s bow on those big white Honda outboards. Tex stood up, sighting quietly, then squeezed off three fast rounds, riding the recoil. The outboard on the left side began smoking. Tex fired three more and it was smoking a whole lot! The Dhow lost speed. She put up the rifle as she asked, “Try for one more, Ted?”
I smiled as I said, “Yeah, Ms. show-off, one more will be fine.”
The crew laughed as Tex sighted. Tex began firing singles and the middle outboard began smoking, with the motor quickly enveloped in a cloud of steam.
I said, “Thank you, Tex. Get ready Leti, hang on Tex, I’m coming around smartly, NOW.”
I pivoted us in almost our own length pushing the throttles to the stops as we accelerated out of the danger zone. Leticia cleared the back rails of the dhow’s raised poop deck with long bursts from our heavy machine gun.
I said, “Cease fire, Leti. Thank you, good work.”
Now clearly limping, the dhow continued due west from us, heading for the coast of Africa.
I said, “Stand down now, please. Damage?”
They all reported no damage as we took stock. I continued, “Miriam, report our engagement to Sunrise. Request Dale’s permission to offer assistance to Reef Diver.”
Then, quieter. “Dale and I have much to discuss when I return to Mireille.”
Dixie said, “Ted, Honor is pissed at you.”
I asked in mock sympathy, “What’s wrong with my lover?”
Dix answered, “Disappointed. She wanted to board them, kill a bunch of the fuckers hand to hand, and then sink them.”
I nodded as I answered, “Next time ladies. I’m confident we’ll have a green light from Dale to finish what we start. This was a trial run of some kind. That okay, Honor?”
She laughed. “Yes, sir. I’m not really pissed at you, Ted, I just hate to see them get away.”
There was agreement from the rest of the ladies with that sentiment. As we closed with Reef Diver, I turned on our running lights. No point in scaring them anymore than they were. By then Miriam reported, “Ted, Dale offered his congratulations and said go ahead and help Reef Diver.”
I flipped on the pair of powerful searchlights in the frame over my head as I picked up the mic for the loudhailer. Kimberly announced:
“Ted, I’ve got my medic crash bag. Leti and I are ready to go aboard if they have wounded.”
I replied, “Thanks, ladies, let’s find out what they need.”
I keyed the mic on the loudhailer. “Reef Diver! Attention REEF DIVER! Do you require assistance? May we come alongside?”
Suddenly a figure appeared at the rail. I reached up aiming one of the lights illuminating him. We were running with our ‘bumpers’ right next to the Reef Diver’s hull. He yelled in a quavering voice, “We have a man shot. Can you help us?”
The deck he was on was only slightly above the rubber flotation chambers of our Zodiac. I keyed the hailer: “Open the railing and get ready to assist medical team aboard.”
Another man was on deck, and the two of them flanked the opening in the railing. I eased sideways until the bumpers made contact, then matched speeds, with my helm station lined up with the opening. Kim and Leti were next to me, hanging on as I maneuvered. Once more on the hailer: “Ready for boarding?”
When the two men shouted their readiness, Kim threw her big medical bag on the deck, scrambling after it, followed by Leti who was wearing a somewhat smaller backpack. In moments, they were being escorted into the ships main cabin.
The guy still at the rail leaned out towards me, asking, “You want to tie on while you wait for your mates?”
He pointed at a large brass cleat forward and one just astern. I nodded as I spoke into the intercom. We were quickly made fast to the Reef Diver. We kept the props turning matching our speed to theirs. Miriam spoke up over the intercom:
“Ted, you should be in there looking after Kim and Leti. Dixie can take the helm and I’ll keep on the radar, I ‘m not blocked to the West.”
I replied:
“Okay, I agree. Dixie has the helm; Honor and Tex are with me. Short guns only please. Mir, monitor our radio and keep us informed.”
With their affirmative responses, I unplugged and hung up my headset. I gestured at the figure in his Reef Diver tee shirt and bright yellow swim trunks. He stuck out a hand. I was quickly aboard, followed by Tex and Honor. I gestured them past me into the main cabin as I shook hands with Jimmy who introduced himself saying, “Welcome aboard Reef Diver. I’m Jimmy Moore, Captain, Dive Master and with the sufferance of my English bank -- Owner.”
He continued as we stood outside surveying the broken glass of the cabin windows, “Thank you so bloody much for your intervention. I can NEVER repay you. If there is anything I can ever do for you…”
Then he looked more carefully at my uniform with its lack of insignia, and our boat with its sterile exterior and heavy armament. Jimmy asked softly, “Don’t mean to pry, exactly, but who the fuck are you?”
I smiled as I answered, “Nobody. We just happened to be in the neighborhood. Glad we could help.”
Jimmy grinned skeptically as he said, “Yeah, in the neighborhood. Tell you what Mr. Nobody, my guests and crew will be informed that ‘nobody’ got a good look at you so ‘nobody’ will have shit to say when we get back to Victoria to report this incident.”
I nodded my thanks as I asked, “Jimmy, did you have any indication at all about this attack?”
Jimmy was shaking his head in emphatic negation. “No sir. In hindsight there has been some scuttlebutt around the marina about unexplained sinking and disappearances of ships with very experienced crews in good weather. I figured it was bullshit until tonight!”
I asked, softly: “Pirates?”
Jimmy answered, “Yeah, ain’t it some shit.”
I unzipped the pocket in my sleeve, digging out a pack of Marlboros and my ancient Zippo. Offering one to Jimmy, I took one for myself, lighting them both with my Gunsite logo lighter. As I stood at the rail puffing on my weed I looked over the side at our Zodiac. Dixie made eye contact, blowing me a kiss. Jimmy, standing next to me, started to laugh; then he sobered, saying, “We better get inside. We need to check on my people and you want to look after yours.”
We walked in the main cabin. The first thing I saw was Kim and Leti calmly and efficiently laboring over a male figure lying supine on the deck. Looked like he had stopped at least one slug in the chest.
A hanging 3000-milliliter bag of saline solution was running into him. One advantage of having this happen on a ‘dive’ boat – they already had an oxygen mask on him. A quite lovely sun streaked blonde, whose chest put a significant strain on her Reef Diver tee shirt, was assisting Kim and Leti.
The rest of the Reef Diver medics were bandaging passengers and crew. Glass cuts with embedded fragments seemed the biggest issue, after the dhow’s machine gun fire shattered most of the picture windows in the main cabin, forcing the occupants to huddle in the glass shards to seek cover from the gun fire.
Passengers were dressed in miniscule swimsuits or less, and were barefoot. Most crew had only the added tee shirt with some flip-flops, while Jimmy and the unfortunate patient were the only ones wearing athletic shoes. All of us on the Zodiac had Red Wing slip on leather work boots with heavy rubber soles, quite impervious to the glass fragments we encountered.
Tex and Honor were helping people ‘up and out’ of the layer of glass carpeting the floor and on to booths and benches where the medics could begin digging out the glass, disinfecting and bandaging.
A couple of crew members were ineffectually trying to sweep up the glass, while barefoot passengers clearly in shock were trying to move on the carpet of glass. Tex tried to corral them before they did further damage to their feet.
Jimmy was looking down at the gun shot victim as he said to me, “He was my helmsman. The first shots went into the wheelhouse. He never had a chance. I’ve got god damn good medics like Zoë there; nobody has any experience with gunshots. You blokes are a godsend.”
Jimmy looked around the cabin as he observed, “They interrupted our farewell celebration. I was firing up the ganja and we were getting ready to get naked and form a big pile!”
He laughed at my expression as he went on, “You and your ladies now have my standing invitation to join Reef Diver for any of our expedition excursions. Any time and as many times as you want absolutely FREE you’ve already more than paid your fare tonight.”
Then he took a long look at Honor and Tex as he said, “Somehow I get the feeling that it wont be your first orgy…”
*****
Finally Kim sat up, followed by Leti. They turned to me, both wreathed in smiles, as was Zoë. Leti stood up to walk over to Jimmy and I, saying softly, “We’ve got him stabilized. Zoë has it under control now.”
Jimmy smiled happily as he said, “Okay, once you’re out of sight, I’m reporting this attack, requesting a Seychelles patrol boat to escort us into Mahe harbor. Then I’m asking for an ambulance to be waiting on the dock for us. Thank you all, again. I can never hope to repay you for this.”
He lapsed into silence as he went to stand over Zoë and his helmsman. I called Miriam on my transceiver, saying, “We’re done in here, love, please check with Dale for further instructions.”
Miriam laughed, “He’s way ahead of you, message follows: ‘After rendering assistance RTB fastest direct route, full speed.’”
I was smiling as I pondered his message. Yeah, she was right, and I took no offense at all, Dale WAS way ahead of me. I looked around Kim and Leti were picking up their toys, while Tex and Honor were assisting the Reef Diver medicos. I whistled sharply, with a ‘wind it up’ gesture.
Tex and Honor quickly said their goodbyes to the Reef Diver passengers and crew, joining Kim and Leti, helping them with their medical bags. Soon they were on their feet, standing in a loose circle around me as I said:
“We’re done out here tonight, ladies, RTB. Let’s rock and roll.”
We headed out the door, followed by Jimmy and Zoë. Miriam was waiting. First she caught the medical bags, then pulled each of us aboard’ while Dixie held the Zodiac steady.
I was last off, I received a grateful hug from Jimmy, then Zoë molded her lush body to me, giving me a tonsil-clearing kiss. Naturally I was subjected to wolf whistles, catcalls and raucous comments as I left Zoë and stepped aboard. She was laughing uproariously at my reception on the Zodiac.
I assumed the Zodiacs helm, putting my headset back on over my hat. We were back in travel positions as I pointed at Jimmy. He and Zoë cast us off; then they both stood at attention, saluting us in the Brit style as I sheered off. Accelerating away, I gave the siren a blip in farewell.
As we left the shadow of the Reef Diver, I shut off the searchlights and running lights. I was steadily advancing the throttles.
I asked Miriam, “Radar, report please.”
Miriam replied, “Reef Diver is only contact, Ted.”
I announced, “Coming to heading for return to base, prepare for maneuvers at speed. Lookouts look sharp please,” as I swung us onto the heading for home.
We were up on plane, making full speed in just moments. I had time for an errant thought as I was ‘driving’ the boat -- Dale must be psychic or stone lucky, nobody’s intel was this good!
*****
We were in sight of the lights of Mireille when Tex observed, “This was quite a fucking rush, Ted. Is it always like this?”
Amidst the general laughter Miriam replied, “Dale and Ted do their best to keep things eventful.”
I was smiling, as I kept silent thinking, yeah, eventful. Dixie had the harbor entrance lights in sight. In response I turned on our running and searchlights. Mindful of the debris in the harbor, I slowed us down just before we entered the gap in the breakwater.
Kenny’s bonfire brightly lit the entire harbor. Even with the burning that had already taken place, this one was bigger than all the previous. The harbor’s surface seemed cleaner, with less debris; they were dragging some of the flotsam and jetsam to shore to be burned up. I was taking it slow; if I busted a prop there would be no end to the bullshit.
We tied up to the jetty, next to one of the M-Gators. My ladies were unloading the boat, stacking our gear in the ATV’s box while I stuffed my charts back in the case. I shut off the lights and turned off the Zodiac engines. I clambered up on the jetty joining my lovelies.
My personal gear went into a gym bag, then into the M-Gator box. Honor helped me out of my BDU and boots, dropping those into the box as well. Miriam driving and the rest of us walking behind, we headed down the jetty toward the beach. Dale met us at the shore. Stopping Miriam and pointing at the ‘Gator’ he said, “I’ll have one of the crew take care of this. Thank you for another job well done. Please get a drink but stay together I’d like to chat with you about your mission.”
With that, we all headed for the makeshift bar, made of planks and sawhorses in the middle of the beach, presided over by JR, Ardelia and Betsy Rae. Ardelia poured Stoli in a plastic glass with a couple ice cubes, handed it to me, then opened a beer for me.
I found a soft spot of sand, enough back from the fire that I didn’t get sunburn from it! Adrian and my Sally angel joined me. Adrian was seated behind me, with my back settled against her, while Sally Ann was lying face up, with her head pillowed on my lap. The rest of the Zodiac team was soon clustered around us, along with Sydney and Cerise.
Captain Dale sauntered up followed by his blonde and lovely Rhiannon. Dale spoke in his resonant voice, saying, “Thank you for jobs well done, first the rescue than your police action with the pirate. All of you have my sincere thanks.’
Dale looked around at our expectant faces as he continued, “In fairness to you all, I must tell you about the pirates who are plaguing this part of the Indian Ocean, since you met one tonight and will again.”
Stay tuned for the further Seychelles adventures of Ted and his ‘girls’ in PIRATE CRUISE and VISITING VICTORIA. The prequel Sea Cruise is still in progress.
The voyage continues…