New Homeport Island Part 8

I was going to refine our boat and had been working on burning logs to split them and sand them to form instead it was another boat entirely, not as ambitious as it would need to be to hold the necessary previsions for a trans.p.a.cific sail back to the continent which it seemed would have to have been south America then to somewhere civilized enough that there would be phones and A.T.M.s as well as airports but honestly the insecurity we were suffering conjured fantasies of sailing up the coastline to California, rather than offloading in south America and waiting for pick up or just taking a commercial airline back home.

Aritmus had finally achieved some modic.u.m of order he had his 'in crowd' that he believed would stick with him regardless of what developed, in retrospect I believe his concern of cannibalism was driven by sleep deprivation, dehydration, or perhaps malnutrition. He was significantly older than the rest of the crew he and the master chief were both more than forty years old and the week on the water may have brought them closer to being a dying animal then the rest of us, for me it was like a week of hard sleep with a sever flu.

Artimus had patrols formed which circled the landing site and went just past the ridge establis.h.i.+ng a 'comfort zone for the troops'. We, at the boiler site had left even before the chaos had set in and a few more had joined us once their groups had ostracized them had been labeled 'the natives'. He warned the rest that leaving camp without permission would const.i.tute desertion and any fraternization with the natives would const.i.tute insurrection. Artimus tried to emulate a southern Baptist preacher he had seen on television as he spoke to the crew, "This is going to be our home for a week or two and this is where we are safe." He paused and smiled. He turned and looked to his left and speaking with hand gestures intended to objectify his speech there by distancing himself and his audience from the realities of which he spoke, "I will not have anyone endangering our safe heaven, we have worked too hard to survive to this point and to maintain any promise of surviving longer." Artimus actually strut his way over to the vases which still contained some water and continued, "So long as the natives still bring us tribute or water and fish we will not encroach upon their land. They seem happy in their way of life and we will leave them to it." Artimus looked down at the sand beneath his feet and kicked up a handful of sand as he said, "We need to establish our buying power, to show them we do have some influence in what it is we get, their tributes are certainly enough to keep us alive but we may want some extra. So I need to take a collection of money from you. You will be compensated or reimbursed upon our rescue." and with that the king headed into his castle.

As Artimus headed into the pentagon Smity looked around and stepped forward as though he were the next to speak, Clarkson seeing this shook her head and headed over to where Smity was standing but as he begun to dig in his pockets and pulled out his wallet she paused and observed the rest of the survivors doing the same. Clarkson pulled out her money as well and started to take up a collection, Smity handed her some, three dollars and forty five cents with that same absurd smile on his face.

As the collection of money was occurring throughout the landing there was a vibe in the air, everyone had a sense that things were going from bad to worse. There had been no consideration of money in anything anyone had done. The Captain had been over heard in the pentagon using the word 'monopoly' and now suspicions were high as to what game would be played upon them next.

The former crew were in small camps as outsiders to the pentagon, there were the small camps circling the pentagon composed of people seeking a place in the former captains new social order, and out upon the beach stood those that rejected everything about these goings on. Those hold outs stared at the ocean horizon until they got dizzy from vertigo and fell over.

Hudlow thought he might find and be able to eat sand crabs but all he found was a sand spider that in his delirium became his pet he called 'snack'.

Snack the sand spider was actually several sand spiders.

Whichever sand spider was crawling on James Hudlow at the time was surely his pet 'snack'. James marveled at how quickly snack could move, James would see snack on his right hand then looking left 'snack' was on his left foot and with a cough 'snack' was suddenly in James beard. James knew 'snack' had a family, a home, and a job...well a spider job and home in any case and it made James home sick. James would talk to 'snack' about his home and wife and together they would share the stories of home life and life on the beaches and seas.

Jane Spayner watched James talking to himself with spiders running all over him as though it were a television show. She found James to be something of a young Jackie Gleason. She had especially liked the episode where James and 'Snack' were going to make a boat out of sea weed, James couldn't believe it were possible but 'snack' had done it before, after all how else would 'snack' and his family have made it to the island from new York? Clarkson whispered to Spayner, "I wonder home long it'll be before he hurts himself?" Jane replied, "I just think it's funny when he begs snack to get out of his a.s.s and digs between his b.u.t.t cheeks with a handful of sand." James standing of in the distance near the cras.h.i.+ng surf said, "Ohh snack, the girls are having a giggle fest again."

Eric was gathering more twigs for his tree house, Hudlow and the others wondering the beach thought he'd decide to become a bird and build a nest before he flew away. Eric's bird house was well underway but it looked as though it would never support a human's weight.

Artimus in the pentagon was speaking with Swishzel and Wildly. In something of a hush the three were leaned in and Artimus said, "Once the money is collected I will buy extra food from the natives. We need to maintain leverage to stay in control, any cases of desertion must be dealt with swiftly and very publicly." Swishzel asked, "Aren't those natives just some of our crew?" Artimus replied, "They went native...the absolutely went native and somehow developed an understanding of the island. Mormus and I scouted for water and searched for food and there was absolutely none...and yet the rations keep coming. As far as we are concerned they are natives until the day we are rescued. I may have to talk big with this crew, but I want you to remain respectful of them as natives and if necessary I will glance at you as a signal for you to publicly correct me about the personal attacks I am making on them. We have to present correctly." Robert Wildy sat astonished. This explained a lot he had seen on the s.h.i.+p, 'presenting correctly' was apparently a code for 'f.u.c.k them in the a.s.s and take their wallet'. Wildly's stomach churned and growled, Artimus glanced at him starring him in the eye with something of a monstrous demeanor then point at him and said, "I agree with you completely." Wildly commented much later that it hadn't occurred to him what the captain had meant by that at the time but it seemed as though Artimus had made an a.s.sumption about what was running through Robert's mind and just went with it, Robert had decided long after these events it was just Dave Artimus's way. Presumption didn't always rule the day under Captain Artimus, it was usually a general confusion that set the mood and tone.

Smity walked up to the pentagon entrance with the last of the collection and said, "I have the money sir." Artimus replied, "Give it to my cabin boy." and pointed at Wildly. Wildly looked back in the captains direction in disgust and dismay. Smity said, "Cabin boy huh? I sure that's a great honor. Here's the money cabin boy." Wildly walked up to Smity to take the money and whispered, "f.u.c.k you" Smity whisper back, "I say it's a great honor because I remember the first few days of boot camp, any t.i.tle, no matter how bulls.h.i.+t it seems later becomes authority.

And it sounds like you have a high one." Wildly began to see what all this political manipulation was about and smirked as he took the money from Smity. Smity said, "Show a little pride cabin boy those are the hard earned dollars of the united states navy." Smity popped a salute and Wildly returned his salute.

Wildly placed the money over near where he slept in the pentagon and Smity said, "Ahh, Captian maybe the term 'cabin boy' is quite right." Artimus looked back at him and said, "He keeps me warm at night and may just be saving my life by doing so, He was also a Mess Specialist feeding me. The term cabin boy is fitting, I trust him even as his a.s.s is nuzzling my jock in his sleep." Smity looked stunned and with a distant look said, "I'm sure it's a great honor sir." as Dave walked back to lay down near the pentagon wall he said, "Yes, a great honor for you both." with a sarcastic tone. Smity just stood there dazed and out of focus. And Robert Wildly said, "Your dismissed Smity" Smity slowly turned his head to look at Wildly and said and a clear serious tone, "Thank you cabin boy."

Atrisia Wells was just in ear shot and line of sight as this happen. Atrisia walked over to Smity as he stood there staring blankly at the ocean. He looked at her and she said, "Cabin boy huh?" Smity looked back to the ocean and said, "Ya...we have one of those now." Atrisia replied, "Maybe you should sit down" As smity sat down he asked nearly brought to tears, "You going to tell me we have a cabin girl too...or maybe I'm the cabin girl?" Atrisia replied, "Ya, so lose the mustache. f.u.c.k your crazy dude, maybe he's just being sarcastic." Smity replied, "It doesn't work like that, it was once pointed out to me that 'this is a science', just a couple of months ago infact and this t.i.tles of respect, endearment, or mockery are the attention that results in authority. He went on to say 'these idiots seem to think we're in a monarchy' and 'to watch what t.i.tles I accepted' but I couldn't help but admit I'd take any t.i.tle. And now the same guy that taught me that comes over and drops of water like he's setting water down in a tiger cage." Atrisia asked, "So he's right then?" Smity said, "He said it's actually sort of obvious, it's just so many people don't stick to their station, they think they out smarted the system by being a doctor that changes his own oil.

We're all just arrogant, we know what should happen and we are satisfied with knowing, f.u.c.k actually doing it, that'd be work."

Atrisia looked over to the opening into the pentagon and sat next to Smity and said, "Ya, we know what should happen. He lost the s.h.i.+p now he's stealing our money." Smity just continued staring blankly at the horizon.

Near the tree line Eric Milson was hard at work on his tree house, he had yet to give any thought as to where those beers in his fantasies would come from but as he gazed across the beach to McCree and the command master chief he had an idea as to where the kids at his barbeque would come from. The more he wove those twigs together the more determined he became to look down upon the world from a lofty childhood fantasy to prove he was the 'Big Daddy'.

News of Robert Wildly's new t.i.tle of 'Cabin Boy' was spreading quickly; hushed rumors and giggles made him a focus of attention. The s.e.xual innuendo in the questions he was asked was at times nauseating and at others genuine cause for laughter.

Those that sought him out either sought to accomplish a good relations.h.i.+p with him issuing sympathy for the bullying he was suffering or to present as compet.i.tion for the position of Captain's bed warmer. This aided Artimus in a circular reasoning fas.h.i.+on, with Wildly receiving sympathy for his relations.h.i.+p with the former captain, the captain achieved an understanding as to his superiority; it was just implied. Dave Artimus had used this type of sideways attack at deliberated reasoning over the course of his whole life. What those that had to deal with him thought was irrelevant in the face of what they felt. That night Wildly would cry like a baby in the night while Dave Artimus proved he was a man. The only other sound heard that night on the landings side of the island was a male voice from the tree line thought to be Eric Milson or possibly the long sleeping executive officer calling out the phrase, "Drum solo!!"

It had been nearly a week of this when the stress got to the former crew and violence had erupted once again separating the groups into the Captains 'in crowd' and the cast aside castaways.

Artimus sat in his empire of apathy as the native's toiled away providing basic sustenance in the form of rations. He had collected nearly two hundred dollars in what they later referred to as taxes. As complacency set in there became hide away locale and places to be festive as well as solemn. Once his majesty Dave Artimus was prepared he would purchase food for a great celebration of survival that some suspected was something of a coronation. I had made a delivery of the fish rations and caught them sarcastically referring to Artimus as 'his majesty' only to witness him correcting them with the retort, "Her majesty the queen is married to his highness the king...you've got the genders confused." I knew how badly things were going but I don't think I was proved to be a fool by not having foreseen their rebellion.

It was me that Artimus, whom I referred to as a former captain, tried to buy addition rations from with American currency. I was dumbfounded; did he expect I would make a quick run to a grocery store for some sandwiches?

Aritmus was standing at the opening in the tree line to the path we had beaten with our frequent trips when he said, "I can finally offer you some compensation for your efforts, but I need something extra to show them 'the good faith' is still intact. Of all the money on the island I offer you twenty percent of the only currency present." I replied, "Artimus, I have no..."

Artimus interjected, "That's Captain. Lyon have you lost your mind?" I continued, "Look captain there is no monetary system here, those dollars are worthless there is no grocery store, or hardware store. You see those plants over there? The grain in those plumes are what I need, we actually made a small loaf of risen bread." The blooms or cl.u.s.ter of red I had pointed to were sorghum according to one of the Pilipino from the former crew, the yeast we had found was a pungent and disgusting mold but as hungry as we were we recognized the smell of yeast.

Artimus was both glad for the hope of bread while simultaneously dashed to find out the sense of power and influence as well as an innate sense of security slipped through his fingers. He had planned to barter refusing any offer made until a week had past to ensure he had elevated the value of the money to its maximum potential. He had intended to set himself as the bank of the island and struggled to remember what he could, and devise new versions of the derivative schemes, stock trading, interest and investments of all manners. He stood there a long while starring at those dollars in his hand, so long in fact I had to gesture to one of his 'in crowd' to tend to him and left him there that way.

Back at the boiler site Michael and I had nearly finished our revised fis.h.i.+ng boat. Mitch and Mich.e.l.le had worked on a small triangular sail, while Jennifer and Mike maintained the boilers making fresh water trading off with Tommi and Tammy.

Dave Miles and Athena Williams had been working on turning the sun dial into a navigational circle, using celestial navigation to work out our longitude and lat.i.tude; I had added a farmer's almanac aspect to the circles around the staff in the ground since Megan and Tim had been gathering grain.

The quartermaster koleson, a second cla.s.s petty officer, with a pension for the unusual had been laying low. The Captain had certain needs and desires, to be recognized, feared and celebrated. Now that the captain had a cabin boy koleson felt left out; as though the game of cat and mouse had left him not played with at all. He had discovered the subterfuge the captain and his cabin boy were using a s.e.xual intimidation tactic that had, for years before, been reserved for s.h.i.+ps with all male crews and this man's man had discovered the c.o.c.k tease.

Koleson enjoyed partic.i.p.ating in displays of machismo and sometimes embracing the sympathies of other hormonally unstable men. It was a game of pa.s.sive aggressive threat and black mail Artimus had practiced with koleson but Artimus enjoyed the mockery and shaming aspects and only endured the shock and humility himself instead of languis.h.i.+ng in it. Koleson embraced a fevered blush, the sudden onset of hormonal urges and the feeling of b.u.t.terflies in his lower abdomen.

Koleson was racked with jealousy, he couldn't blame the cabin boy and he had never been dominated as he desired by the captain, his efforts had bared no true reward and only solicited the most pa.s.sing forms of attention. Now he would be more direct and would utilize the technics of the straight sailors and allow their prey to seduce themselves, bringing on the fever of l.u.s.t and he would quench those flames with his effeminate allure. To a straight man his mustache seemed to be a mask to conceal his true ident.i.ty, which he thought was taken as being mysterious and was still an allure. But to the gay man a mustache was a sign of virility and a textured contour to be experienced rather than observed. Koleson had decided to plan his seductive pout which always brought the dominate men to him, throwing him to his knees and forcing his true frail demeanor out into the light to be gawked at and acknowledged publicly, the only form of true social acceptance he knew other than sodomy.

Koleson was sitting in quiet contemplation. He recalled his stepfather's claim that Koleson's real father sold Slurpee's at Wham concerts and there were no beverages involved. All his life his stepfather had berated and mocked his biological father in ways he was just too young to understand until the day he met his first papi. Koleson had met a middle aged Cuban man at a party in his first year in the navy. He said his name was 'f.e.l.l.a.t.i.o'. f.e.l.l.a.t.i.o had broad shoulders, a deep skin tone and was virtually body hair free with the only exceptions being his head and mustachio. f.e.l.l.a.t.i.o offered young QMSN Koleson 'a ride in his sports car he would never forget' and with the aid of a little ecstasy Koleson discovered f.e.l.l.a.t.i.o was his true calling.

His step father's predictions were all true; he would in fact make someone a good wife someday.

Koleson stepped through the pentagon entrance with Dave Artimus. Koleson explained, "look sugar, I know you like to be the mac daddy..." and with a z snap he continued, "but it ain't happenin'" Artimus looked back at koleson and asked, "Did you get hit in the head?" Koleson replied, "Look, no more pretending. You're an insecure domineering guy with a hard on for me..." Artimus interjected, "What!!??" Koleson responded, "Oh, you don't remember the time you put the h.o.m.ophobic guy in the brig cell so he couldn't intervene and ordered me to suck you off?" Artimus looked at Koleson with a smug smile and said with a laugh, "Ya, and you did it!" Koleson smiled back effeminately and with a raise of his right knee and a slight bow he replied, "That's right. and as soon as I whipped that thing out you were rock hard and ready. Time to stop playing straight."

Artimus scoffed, "I was showing that guy my crew would follow any and every order I issued." Koleson responded, "No babe...you were getting your d.i.c.k sucked. period." Artimus angrily replied, "f.u.c.k you f.a.g!" Koleson unbuckled his belt and retorted, "Now is as good a time as ever."

In astonishment Dave stood there starring and drooling as Koleson exposed himself to the man he completely accepted as his 'Captain'. Artimus had enjoyed feeling dominate to other men and berating them in ways he thought they lack the sophistication to understand. He would insult them using a sophisticated English and then be rea.s.sured in his superiority as they thanked him and this had brought him s.e.xual arousal as well as personal satisfaction. But in recent years an a.s.sociate's degree from Virginia in the year nineteen seventy eight did not suffice as a level of education establis.h.i.+ng that level of superiority. By current standards he had effectively dropped out in the eighth grade, lacked vocabulary and fluency, as well as having lost the glimmer of youth which somehow in years past had carried an illusion of propriety in his conduct by virtue of his clothing which was so common it was referred to as a uniform.

All of Dave Artimus's acts of depravity and hidden fantasies were now out on the flight line to be observed and evaluated just as a younger man of approximately twenty nine who prides himself in being a 'b.i.t.c.h' was about to upset Dave fantasy world of illusion. Dave tremble and could swear he heard to voice of a popular Cuban actor of the seventies just outside the pentagon walls issue the phrase, "Welcome to fantasy island...I am your host 'Harry b.a.l.l.s'" Artimus squealed in frustration as Koleson stood there awkward looking to a straight man but apparently enticing to a gay man...he had his dungaree pants down around his ankles with off white briefs down around his ankles as well, his s.h.i.+rt was fully b.u.t.toned and his hat was still on, his hair was dirty an oily, his face un- groomed leaving his mustache over grown and lopsided as he shuffled in the sand with arms extended as though he were a child at an amus.e.m.e.nt park seeking a hug from a costumed character playing a cartoon dog. Artimus was confounded but only by the shear intensity of the s.e.xual arousal he was experiencing, Artimus asked, "Did you drug me?" Koleson replied, "Because I gave you a b.o.n.e.r you think I drugged you?

haha, come here and be my Captain." Artimus made odd wheezing noises and became dizzy. Sounding as though he were pa.s.sing out from the shear intensity of his erection Artimus repeatedly issued the phrase, "You f.u.c.k...you f.u.c.k..." h.o.m.o- erotica had always been a power play intimidation to Dave and now it seemed it was to be his life style.

Charlie McCree was standing near a pentagon wall and said, "Well, that's freedom for ya'. I would like to state for the record...once again...at least I'm not a chubby chaser." Sam Tomly standing next to her asked, "How is the master chief, I mean...your old man?" Charlie replied, "Well, f.u.c.k you. But we're doing fine.'' Sam replied, "Glad to hear it." and walked away to check on the patrols.

I sat again tending to the grooming of the women. Athena's ankle rest on my shoulder as I singed the hair on her inner thigh, Athena whispered in a hush, "Be careful down there." Flush with overwhelming arousal I replied in a similar whisper, "I am." as I slid my hand smoothly over her thigh. From the deepth's of relaxation she looked at me sternly and said clearly in a full voice, "Hey... she's next" and pointed at Tammy.

Tammy said, "If Mich.e.l.le see's you like that she'll bust your b.a.l.l.s." and laughed. Athena laughed and said, "He's not getting any of that either. Maybe you should visit Tommi in the bushes." I retorted, "Just because I'm keeping my eye candy from looking like dudes don't think I won't f.u.c.k the s.h.i.+t out of you." Mich.e.l.le came out of nowhere and whispered on the back of my neck, "promises, promises" Athena pulled her leg away and pressed her foot to my cheek and said, "Rob, if you're not a good boy when Mich.e.l.le shaves you later it'll be more than just your face." Tammy interjected, "Then they be staring at your a.s.s."

Mike Elper called out from across our cobble stone courtyard, "You're always to accommodating Lyon...but, Williams...he is a man and you may end up getting what Mich.e.l.le there is getting." Mich.e.l.le scoffed and walked away.

Athena put her leg back over my shoulder as she propped herself up with her elbows and hung her head back to look at mike to gauge his sincerity. Athena said, "I'd say bulls.h.i.+t by the look on your face Elper, but your upside down." Tommi called out from a nearby bush, "I'm just going to go amazon."

A couple of weeks later I was up on the mountain, we had taken to calling it a mountain despite having realized it is most definitely just a hill, and I saw Artimus arguing with a crowd of people regarding his conspiracies. They had lost all hope in rescue and changes were coming fast. It was likely my experience of having a deaf neighbor at the age of five and learning lip reading that saved us from a horrible end. I saw Chief Brosuer throw the captain down into the spread eagle position like a p.i.s.sed off cop and he held him there until they fetched some line. I was considerable distressed that they had lost stability but strangely satisfied that at least they had been making rope and line from plant materials. They disappeared from sight but from the onlookers I could still see I a.s.sumed they tied him to a tree. There was a strange large nest in a tree that they had taken materials from and began building a cage. I called for Mitch and Mike to observe them from the mountain; we would stand another watch to figure out what was going on before rations delivery.

I headed back to our camp while Mitch and Mike watched, just as I got to camp I heard what seemed to be the very end of an argument. Athena said, "...So Lyon reached the end of his contract and left...that's how that story ends." and she walked off in a huff. Micheal and Jennifer were apparently in the conversation they both had an odd reserved look about them which caused me to check the boilers and they were all fine. I asked, "Is everything alright?" and Jennifer said, "Ya Rob, just leave her alone." It wasn't the first time I had been told something to that effect about Athena and rarely did I know what caused it. She was a beautiful girl we had been close...at times, especially in long beach before the change of homeport.

But Artimus had his schemes of sibling rivalry and contrasting personalities. I once saw him try to snap the s.h.i.+p into a battle condition for an evaluation and saw the folly of his ludicrous theory; Getting people of similar personality types to have friction to prevent social cliques and coming up with 'special projects for the captain' to get those that had conflicting personality types to learn to get along. Once disaster strikes, some will find they get along fine after all, others will find they have learned to get along...the reality was instead everyone had disturbingly different views making them incompatible or had had bad experiences together leading to contempt and strife.

Artimus had been attempting child psychology on college age trade workers and students. Just another absurd a.s.sumption by the 'eighties guy' that refused to grow old, resulting in the notion that if you were born in nineteen seventy four you must still be twelve years old since the captain had been twenty four years old since that year and every year after.

Over at the landing Artimus murmured, "You really think...you really think you're gonna' cage me?" There was a tremor to the captains voice. Chief Brosuer said, "It's just a procedure sir, I'm afraid this trail is very real." Artimus growled, "And then what!?" Smity said, "Don't worry sir I'm sure justice will be served." and Koleson interjected, "Ya, I won't let them kill you." Smity interjected, "ya...no, I mean worst case you get some kind of work detail or somethin' you know?"

Artimus watched as they struggled to form a box out of j.a.panese knot weed, as they struggled to make line to lash the bamboo like stalks together he was dismayed but content until they tested the line or the fixtures and ensured they wouldn't break. His stomach turned as Atrisia Wells tested each part of the cage that she had made showing no signs of a failing resolve every time a bit of line or a particular stalk failed. She simply looked at it a.n.a.lyzed the failure and improved her efforts. Every time she made eye contact with him through this process he nearly vomited.

Koleson brought him water and rations of bread with flirtatious delight. His big daddy boyfriend would soon be in a dungeon of delight. Koleson said, "Take this bread now and take me later." Artimus looked koleson in the eye originally in disbelief, but in a matter of seconds it turned to l.u.s.tful antic.i.p.ation. Tied to that tree with a quivering stomach, tingling hands and toes, and baited breathe Artimus became s.e.xually charged and erect. The bulge in his slightly torn khaki pants was teasing; then ma.s.saged by Koleson discretely enough that only Atrisia noticed. She smirked a sly knowing look both intimidating and welcoming at Dave Artimus that seemed to say, 'ya b.i.t.c.h it's coming'

Artimus asked, "Can you make it bigger" the working party stopped and looked at what they had so far and Atrisia pointed at his bulging pants with the look of a school teacher and said, "We already did." then glanced around to the others working on the cage and made sure they all saw where she was pointing and that they noticed his current state of arousal. This mockery further aroused Dave and his breathing became heavy and rapid.

Koleson started taking measurements of his Captains ankles, wrist, neck, thighs, and abdomen with a couple of coils of string.

He did this only to not incense the rest of the crew as he excersized an excuse to fondle Dave. The guilt of knowing his obvious fate and that he may never see his wife again thrust dave to the height of ecstasy as koleson pulled firmly on a coil of string around Dave's thigh just as Atrisia tested the resilience of a short section of knotweed resulting in the knotweed snapping with a noticeable crack and pop sound that sent Dave over the top. Dave Artimus a castaway and former navy captain of a spurance cla.s.s destroyer let out an orgasimic moan as the bulge in his pants twitched with a pumping rhythm. Atrisia stepped up and leaned in over Dave to inspect the wet spot on his pants crotch and glancing up to Dave's eyes to enjoy the look of guilt and fear made a point of a.s.serting she had witnessed his shame with her facial expression as she pointed left to right back and forth between Artimus and Koleson and said, "I think your actually going to like this, turns out you're a b.i.t.c.h."

The rest of the survivors at the landing had taken to duties that removed them from the area of the captains impending incarceration, preparing fires to nearly be only ceremonial, seating areas of sand covered with loose gra.s.s and leaves, and a spot marked by a rock for the judges.

Chief brosuer in a conversation with ensign Bruce Deckly said, "It's almost like the Captain has developed a split personality, but then if he had been gay or bis.e.xual this whole time we wouldn't have known. As for Koleson, we suspected it to the point of knowing; it wasn't an issue and sort of a.s.serted he was always an inferior to anyone that wasn't gay." Bruce replied, "Under the suspection that the captain has always been gay it would be simple that his conduct was perfessional, but I work closer with him than you and I think it's more a matter of stress. But, ahh...I've been there to see the admiral call him a pa.s.sive aggressive f.a.g." Bruce laughed and continued, "...I don't know about the f.a.g thing but he was being very pa.s.sive aggressive."

Bruce explained, "Captain Artimus wasn't the I.S.i.C. the 'immediate superior in command for one of our inspections. So Cap'n Dave said 'if your gonna treat me like a child I'll act like one.' It was an epic tantrum. Every time Admiral Duff said something Dave had a snide under the breath comment or sighed loudly." Deckly laughed, "Clarkson's been doing it to him ever since." Bruce laughed so hard he had to sit down it was a welcome relief to the pressures of island idleness. The officers speaking with the captain over night time rations in the pentagon referred to the situation as 'a depression that masturbation couldn't cure.'

Brosuer said, "When we conduct this trial e should include charges for having lost the s.h.i.+p." Deckly replied, "Ya, just formalities I guess." Brouser asked, "You are his defense attorney aren't you?" Deckly said, "no...ya, it's taken care of.

But, what're you gonna' do you know?" Brosuer replied, "I don't know...jail him until rescue?" Deckly responded, "Ya, he gets all the breaks. Considering life on this island being properly jailed and maintained would be like being sent to a holiday resort. I'm just wondering if the punishment you are seeking requires congical visits, and which female you'll order to do those." having said that bruce smirked. Chief Brosuer was startled at the comment and replied, "I don't know if you've been paying attention but his b.i.t.c.h seems to be QM2 Koleson and maybe congical visits should be mandated." With that comment bruce placed his hand on brosuer's back and patted him on the chest as he walked by saying, "excuse me."

Deckly headed over to the 'trial grounds' a fair grounds of sorts soon to be quite the circus. He attempted to a.s.sert his authority as the defense attorney by making ridiculous demands as to the setting of the trail, more or less insisting there would have to be an entire courtroom built.

Brosuer stood in quiet contemplation considering his role as prosecutor and realizing political games he was unprepared for had already begun. He glanced around at everyone preparing for the trial and the mood seemed positive. He dedicated himself to getting actual justice one way or the other the c.o.c.ked his head to the right and started singing the lymric 'barnacle bill the sailor'

I was back at the boiler site and Athena had walked off, I figured maybe she's doing the 'bush thing' but it turned out that was only Tommi's gig. Micheal and Mike were working on the fis.h.i.+ng boat. We had it all finished but we had to replace lines frequently. It was somewhere between sixteen and twenty feet long, I had really measured it. Its hull was a dark reddish black color from the smoke we sealed it with. The pontoon section no longer looked like a small log it had been smoothed with sand after burning away the bark but it was a natural wood color rather the red. The sail was a triangular sheet which worked nicely, but needed to be reworked every few days. The cabanas where holding up nicely and we braced the bottoms of the support columns with clay rings, maybe we would work them into being large ceramic columns but no reason to be too ambitious at the start.

We would be fis.h.i.+ng again soon and I worried about the fish migration patterns and we were recording the approximate size of the schools of fish into the navigation circle which was originally just a sun dial.

Athena stood down the beach and I could help be drawn to her. She stood there in her dungaree s.h.i.+rt and panties with her pants and bra lying on the beach beside her. She glanced at me as I walked up and she didn't seem to concerned. I asked, "Anything wrong Athena" She starred out at the water and said, "Ya, Rob were stuck on an island." I replied, "We're working on it." Athena responded, "Ya...I know. We have a boat. Yay...but it's just for fis.h.i.+ng because we need three months of provisions for the trip. Like the what?" I replied, "The pinta or nina"

Athena continued, "Columbus's s.h.i.+ps. and it took two years to build those...two years." I said, "Ya, I know. But we have to stay distracted, let's go make some dominos and a Chinese checker board." Athena looked at me blankly and tried to yell in anger but she chocked and coughed, and as she put her hand to her throat she uttered, "Bulls.h.i.+t" So, I took her hand and we walked up to fetch some clay.

I told her the story of my fourteenth birthday money. I went to a library and looked up music instruments, took a design for a clay ocarina to a crafts shop and made one. It cost my twenty two dollars out of the thirty six I had but after testing it I went over to the music store and sold it for two hundred dollars. The extra holes I gave it to ensure it could hit binaural tones seemed to add significantly to its value. Athena looked at my testing my honesty then laughed and said, "Only you. I don't know about that binaural stuff but I am definitely making a flute or whistle."

Athena had been pent up in frustration she eventually broke as we were making the Chinese checker board and said just after she licked her thumb, "The whole time I've known you you've walked around with dirty on your face." and she wiped at my jaw line she looked dismayed and said, "It doesn't come off..." I replied, "Athena...I have Piuate native American ancestry.

Because my grandmother actually knew her grandmother there is no question, those freckles you are wiping at are freckles I get through that part of my bloodline. Honestly I wouldn't have expect that misinterpretation from a black women." She looked embarra.s.sed and said, "I...some of the officers on the s.h.i.+p made some comments about you that I just belived...sorry." I asked, "What's got you so stir crazy? Just cabin fever ehh, island fever?" Athena asked in harsh tone, "Isn't that enough?" I calmy replied, "Yes, but sometimes it isn't everything." Athena retorted, "Just because we sleep together doesn't mean you're my husband." I laughingly replied, "Well give me some time."

Athena started mas.h.i.+ng the divots into the Chinese check board a little more violently than what was required, and I said, "sorry" she respond with a sigh and said, "f.u.c.k you...how many of these marbels to we make for this?" I said, "I'll have to remember what the board should look like and count them."

Mitch, Tommi and Micheal launched the fis.h.i.+ng boat and as had become Athena's habit since the fis.h.i.+ng boat started to look like a real boat she looked up and called out to them, "Are you leaving us?" and the reply was what had become the custom, "We'll be right back." sometimes we would add 'with fish'.

Chapter Eight.

It was a simple way of life Artimus had really come through as an all-around villain, he had given our problem a name...and a cage. Contact between the two sites we lived in on the island had become more relaxed and the standoffishness had subsided. They informed us the trial would take place soon and if we didn't intend to testify or present charges we should stay on our side of the island. I was there when Ensign Deckly with QM2 Koleson and GMMC Brosuer with Atrisia Wells as well as the Command Master Chief referred to it as "our side of the island" and breathed a noticeable sigh of relief, Hauldbalm scratched his head and said to his group, "I think they prefer to sit this out, they're very busy keeping us all alive." Mr. Deckly nodded an a.s.suring nod and said, "We'll be able to help more once this is all straightened out." Athena, Michael, and I thanked them; Tammy, Tim, and Mike were a little more reserved.

Once they headed away from the clearing with the rations we had brought, we headed back feeling less under threat. Dave Miles was the watch on the hill and Mich.e.l.le had the patrol. Mitch was tending the boilers and I decided I needed to do some scouting. In truth there were a few things I needed to sort out and needed the time alone.

It was the day before the commencement of the trial, Artimus was jovial in his cage, he had had plenty of one start hotel service and stranded on a desolate island that's just heaven. He did however realize he would soon once again be their captain or worst case scenario be joining a beleaguered work force as the second oldest guy on the island.

You could see the scheming in his eyes as he observed how the group got along; up to date he hadn't cared so long as all believed he was in control. After gazing at Washam for a while he realized holding eye contact was taken as a threat. He had to gesture dismissively by rubbing his eyes and acting as though he were suffering from allergies a time or two, but for the most part he was able to observe unnoticed.

McCree spoke with Deckly about the circ.u.mstance and that regardless of the outcome she wanted to be a girl, which being that she was a girl or women I would have thought it to be an odd thing to say as did Bruce given the expression on his face but Dave Artimus seemed to understand completely. Atrisia wells was the next subject of observation and she scratched at her crotch liberally, Artimus seemed to gleam some meaning to this as well. Brosuer seemed exceptionally polite and soft handed when interviewing the sailors for the trial; he had the demeanor of an elementary school teacher. Jane looked confused and dismayed, but also as if she could see a McDonalds just on the horizon. Becky was staring at Jane's a.s.s which was not unusual for her, it seemed as though she were aware of some tattoo of some kind and couldn't help getting a visual from the sight of Jane's posterior from their time together as roommates, an unfortunate aspect of sisterhood. Koleson had bribed one of the women to give up her bra and walked around s.h.i.+rtless with it on, from the mountain top where I observed this I could actually see Artimus shake his head at the sight of that and mouth the words, "No help there." Scott Tinnel was urinating in the direction of the cage at a distance of some ten yards and Artimus saw that and laid down, Scott had found an effective way to show contempt.

They piled rocks into what looked like an altar, some were round and smooth so it was packed with mud. Eric insisted the grey ones be on top and the colors shade was to remain uniform as possible. Artimus watched from within his cage as Eric sorted stones and squabbled. Artimus suspected he was an idiot and might be useful. Haydel was on the beach and noticed Artimus was a.n.a.lyzing everything going on, so she pulled off her dungaree s.h.i.+rt and having already given up her tee-s.h.i.+rt for a drinking cloth she was in her bra, which she also removed. She bounced and waved at Artimus trying to distract him but despite her giddy girlish demeanor he was unimpress...in fact no one was impressed, so she gave everyone the finger and put her bra on backwards and laid down in the surf. McCree checked in her own bra and asked Brouser standing near her, "I'm not fat am I?" Brouser replied, "Your firm."

There were more people watching than before now that Haydel had drawn attention to the captain, though most black sailors had to hide from the sun, they too watched from lean-to's and the shade of the tree line. Artimus shrugged and said, "What!? I have to s.h.i.+t and I don't want everyone watching."

Hudlow stopped wandering the beach where Hefter stood as a statue, Hefter had been a Hull Technician first cla.s.s petty officer, he stood there with grey eyes, a grey mustache, and short curly grey hair. Hudlow asked, "Are you afraid of spiders...ah, ah, ah..?" Hefter replied, "There are people missing, I know there's a way out of here, they got away...there's, there's...a s.h.i.+p" Hudlow looked out to the horizon where the ghostly apparition of an 'Abraham Lincoln'

HT1 Hefter stood looking and said, "I don't see anything."

Hefter replied, "a white s.h.i.+p." Hudlow replied, "Oh. That's just death" and they stood together starring at the horizon experiencing vertigo and dizziness looking for a s.h.i.+p.

The stone judges table had been completed and Hauldbalm whispered in McCrees ear, "I'd let you under my desk, but there is no 'under'." McCree gave a single wave down of her hand and said, "Oh, that's okay." Hauldbalm being forty eight years old recognized the disinterest and played his I won't let her see me cry and smooth things over card. He said, "Well, young miss, I'll bid you good day. I have duties to attend to." and with a broad politicians smile he strut away simulating pride as many years of wearing a uniform had taught him. As he walked pa.s.s Tinnel he lean over and said so as to be over heard, "I'm gonna' be the judge you know!" Tinnel squinting form the sun light and bright sands replied, "I know" Hauldbalm pointed at McCree and said, "See that young lady over there? You take care of her when I'm gone." and then he marched off to the group finis.h.i.+ng the mud between the stones of the alter looking table.

I stood on the mountain top and my legs were beginning to ache and thought to myself how odd it seemed he didn't look back after he spoke to Tinnel, she was so much younger than him he knew he couldn't keep her, not even stuck on an island, I wouldn't have been that strong and yet I considered him an idiot for wasting so much of his life at sea as a navy sailor had been the merchant marine the pay would have been an excuse for days thrown away in work.

Brosuer's khaki chief's uniform was tattered and discolored at the lower legs, but what really stood out were the black socks he walked around in, shoes in the sand wasn't working for anyone. He had been collecting information for the trail from the former crew, and he was beginning to realize the situation called for recognizing they had been a crew but were now 'castaways' a term that struck at his gut. Castaway from their s.h.i.+p, from the sea's, from their society, from the whole world, this is when the term 'former crew' became the descriptor used by most if not all. I had, as many others, decided the captains command was at the bottom of the ocean. I didn't understand how his propensity for political games that were actually way above his station, sank the s.h.i.+p but I would develop my suspicions over time and in the beginning, it was just the sort of thing that would happen to him and his crew.

Atrisia was heard by all yelling at Brosuer, "Are you kidding!! that many charges and you aren't even up to the s.h.i.+p sinking yet!!?" Brosuer replied, "Don't yell!! We think the s.h.i.+p was lost due to a lot of contributing factors and we had little to no warning, according to many of the engineers forward pump room is supposed to have the sounding and security watch pa.s.s through once an hour...but, they'd rather not bother. And Sonar seven may have had some problem pipes, on top of which these are just some of the ongoing problems for the s.h.i.+p over the years."

Deckly looked on with interest but lacking true concern. He knew of these problems but all the s.h.i.+ps officers knew the root was follow through. The chiefs would report a problem corrected, then days to weeks later say they needed time allotted to fix what they claimed they had already fixed. It was a middle management stall tactic not uncommon in any organization solicited out of insecurity to s.h.i.+ft the sense of control from the 'managing' officers down to the 'labor' enlisted. The political motivations of the enlisted were often what made the job worth doing...the chief could not understand why the officers weren't more enthused about the baloney sandwiches the chiefs finally managed to get them unaware of all the red tape they had to fight through after having created that red tape themselves to feel officious. The officers had their own version of these 'result's free' behaviors, but those were mostly for the drama majors to feel utilized and to inspire senior officers to believe they still actually did something. After all, what's a staff meeting without cappuccino?

Master Chief Hauldbalm piped off, "Let's get this thing started." Chief Brosuer looked startled and glanced at Mr.Deckly. Deckly waved at the Master Chief and retorted, "It's getting late...tomorrow"

As the sunset we managed to deliver more bread with the fish and water, the grain source on the island look spa.r.s.e but we had exceeded what I thought we would produce, there was something resembling wheat that we hoped was wheat but we couldn't be certain and it seemed so unlikely but we added it anyways. Mich.e.l.le standing in tall gra.s.ses, Athena popping up from the gra.s.s as well, and despite the facial expressions of Tammy and Megan bent over with aching backs it was like heaven.

We slept in our usual arrangements, being so close felt so good. There was a softness to it that any bed lacked, even as tammy snored and Mich.e.l.le twitched and Athena purred the rest was deep and easy. They were perfumed by a lack of soap and the scent in our cabana was sweet. Michael and Jennifer slept a bit further away, and Mitch would get restless and come in and out.

The lean-too's of the pentagon whimpered in the absence of its commander Dave, he sat in his cage sleeping against the knot weed bars, while tucked into a small creva.s.se at the base of his lean-too rested a fold of clothe he was preparing as a flag. He want it to be large...obscenely large, so that any flag pole of the island would never measure up. Hauldbalm nuzzled up to McCree and once he fell asleep she got up and moved and sleep next to someone else she could not make out in the dark. Jane lay near her former roommate Becky sucking her thumb, resulting in Becky placing her arm around her like a good big sister.

Deep in the cage of his mind Dave Artimus was dreaming as always his dreams start with a field of daisies and a young girl pulling pedals from a daffodil and counting them wearing a circlet of forget me not's in her hair, and then in the distance is a flash a white light and the song eve of destruction whispers through the air, but tonight rather than a castle tower overlooking a battle scared field, there is instead his wife. She sits in an unfamiliar room wearing black, and calls for a woman named Druecinda and asks her for her husband's coat.

Druecinda is dressed as a Spanish Madonna in morning with a black veil over her face and a black dress pillowed by many petticoats. She answer her husband has no coat for her and has left a distant land. Dave's wife, Elizabeth sighs sadly and reaches for a top hat on the end table next to her and the heavy red velvet curtains behind her sway. She looks into the hat and pulls out a cigar and places the hat on her head.

Dave hands Elizabeth a gla.s.s of wine but she won't look at him and he is saddened. Then a large red ball rolls through the room and after following it Dave feels lost and finds he is in a forest. He walks up to his horse and mounts it, he is dressed for a fox hunt. Becky Clarkson rides up in a white flowing sheer sun dress, but says her name is Debbie. Dave says, "Have you found my rose bush." Debbie responds, "It's a shame to lose a whole bush...how could you." Dave laughs, "She was old." and a crow landed on Debbie's shoulder.

Dave rustled in his sleep, the knot weed bars he sleeps on are ridged and uncomfortable. Bruce Deckly slept alone and he too was dreaming. Bruce stood in Pioneer Square under a billboard upon which he was a model. It was an underwear advertis.e.m.e.nt. He stood there surrounded by beautiful women fawning over him. On the billboard he stood in white bikini briefs and the caption reads, 'Pimping this out'. Bruce urinated on himself in his sleep that night .

My dreams were different but then I was an obsessive, I had reoccurring dreams that we had run out of wood and couldn't build s.h.i.+ps or run the boilers so we carved stone statues that looked like people so that satellites or pa.s.sers-by would know there were people there. I dreamt of coliseums where we acted out events through our empire so the voters would be well informed. I dreamt of schools attributed to G.o.ds so that no one would ever challenge the instructor resulting in procedures not followed and parasite infects in all that drank water not purified.

And on this night I dreamt of weather towers made from stone we had all cut from the island and used the cloth we had made from plant fibers to make hot air balloons with pulleys and lines in place of baskets which we used as cranes to lift the stones into place nearly one hundred feet in the air. Farming plateaus to maximize irrigation, and an island senate that was broken into working casts .

It was a cool comfortable night. 'Snack' was dancing on James Hudlow's forehead as he counted the stars; he was also dancing on Hudlow's knee. Snack was frequently in more than one place at a time. Sometimes snack would try to make a web blanket for James and James was so grateful he'd run around in circles when he woke up yelling, "Who ya, who ya !!!". One morning James got so excite he threw up. The last words spoken near the pentagon that night were, "Snack, my forehead needs to sleep now."

The following morning was trial day, Bruce seemed a little more nervous than he had up to that point. Brosuer didn't look nervous or confident, he just looked p.i.s.sed off. Nick Eckievari called for morning calisthenics in the form of a slow pace around the trail area until a trench had formed in the sand.

There was a drum beat cadence added by Wayne Bohee, he had used some driftwood that had been hollowed out by decay and some large sticks.

When we heard the drums over at the boiler site Mitch and Mike started running in the direction of the landings and I yelled, "Wait, wrong way...we'll find out what's going on from the mountain top." Mitch looked back in shock. We all ran up there but mike, it was the first time we had left the boilers completely unattended. Mike watched from the opening in the tree line, as they paced around kicking up and away the sand they trod upon.