New Homeport Island Part 9

The Captain sat with his legs crossed in his cage with one of the knot weed bar right between his b.u.t.tocks so as not to be a pressure point causing him pain, he folded his hands together, interlacing his fingers and looked down into his lap then murmured to himself, "I tried to make them believe that without my leadership they would turn cannibal...and now, I'm going to be eaten alive."

During Artimus's time as captain the course and tone he set took an adjustment but the crew came to terms with their social roles and Ident.i.ties and came to believe they had to play the cards they were dealt, but G.o.d did not play them these cards, Artimus did. There was an artifact of the American south present on the ship, it was an expectation that being subordinate meant you had to at least maintain a pretense or pretend that you weren't smart, better informed, or capable of preforming better than someone that out ranked you. I theory of operation that renders actual results meaningless, it's not whether or not you feed your family that matters it's what your wearing when you either feed them or don't feed them. This system had completely failed with that drum cadence. The college time of some of the commissioned officers actually resulted in them being smarter and more effective but for those that it only made surly, fate was taking back what they had stolen.

Senior chief Rickley saw mike standing there and called out, "Hey, get your a.s.s over here." Mike strolled out trembling as Rickly gesture to an open spot in the persecution.

Mike felt like he had been inducted into the Marine Corps as a hillbilly. No shoes, a torn shirt, terrified with only one thing on his mind; and true to a hillbilly he couldn't remember what that one thing was.

The command master chief took his post as the trial began and all were seated, mister Deckly crossed himself pressing his hands together and looked to the sky. Artimus was brought out of his cell to the courtroom floor and with a gesture it began.

Artimus said, "I would like to begin with..." Master chief hauldbalm serving as the judge interjected, "You aren't in charge here captain we'll hear from the lawyers first." Brosuers jumped up and said, "We'll go first if it pleases the court."

Artimus then yelled, "Hey! These are my opening statements, I'm the accused I get to speak and you haven't even presented the charges yet." Hauldbalm said, "ahh, Okay. You have to forgive me I just got out of a rocky relationship." Artimus heard a whisper from behind him, a couple of women in hushed conversation. It was Charlie McCree saying, "Does he mean me?" He glanced back and saw Charlie stand up fold her arms and c.o.c.k her head with an angry look on her face as tears started to flow from her eyes. Hauldbalm said, "It looks like I am misjudging things already...I don't know these procedures but I have heard of recusing yourself or in layman's terms, which I actually do speak, someone else is going to have to do this."

Mike Elper stood up and said, "I've been with the guys over there maybe I should do this." With a facial expression artimus signaled no to mike and his lawyer mister Deckly replied, "I don't think you want to drag them into this."

Mike replied, "Well, I'm over here now. I'm one of you not one of them."

Mike saw his opportunity and felt he needed I leadership position. He had originally tended the boilers and helped build the additional three after the first one was proved to work. He figured he would build up the other side of the island and manage the work flow there. He knew there were some things that 'Lyon' knew that just hadn't become relevant yet. I had become a giant in his mind and between being in my shadow and needing something for himself he ventured out to where I would not go.

Mike took his place at the judges table and pick up a rock from the ground and smashed it as hard as he could against the stone table top saying with supreme confidence, "I call this court to order." After looking around at the shock and astonishment of the crowd seated there he knew he could manage this group taking him seriously and continued with, "The court will hear from the accused before opening statements for the benefit of the courtroom."

Artimus said, "Thank you, your honor. For the record I state to the court and all gathered here I am David E. Artimus Captain United States navy and your commanding officer. I recognize our plight and the need for acknowledgement of your contribution and your sacrifices. What we will find through this formal inquiry is that we did the best we could, but the odds were stacked against us. Rescue and truth will come; the very delay of rescue infers our brothers and sisters in the armed forces are otherwise engaged in some manner of conflict preventing them from attending to us." Artimus began to pace as he said, "We have to get beyond the past, we have to accept that we all had a part in those events, we have to..." Mike interjected, "Captain if you could please refrain from pacing."

Artimus struck an argumentative demeanor and replied, "Well I'm sorry your honor, I've been in a G.o.d d.a.m.n cage for a week...while you were out with the natives living it up in 'we have water and fish town'" Mike replied, "Captain please..." Artimus ranted, "No...f.u.c.k you. What do you have over there." The crowd jostled and mike became visibly nervous. As captain artimus began to smile mike regained his composure and said, "Captain, I am well aware of my accomplishments; because, it was hard work. But we are here in a trial, not an 'inquiry', to present charges as to your guilt."

Artimus lashed out, "well maybe you can tell me what that was." Mike responded angrily, "Yes, let's finally get to that, let's do that, let's get to that. Prosecutor, please present your charges. Because I am an impartial judge that was making fresh water and even catch fish for food since we got here, I don't even know what the charges are!" Brosuer said apologetically, "That's your job judge." Mike Elpers retorted, "What!?"

Brosuer again speaking apologetically said, "Well, I don't have anything to write with." Mike sighed and said, "Chief...just say what the charges are."

Brosuers looked down at his feet and said, "I don't have any shoes, because of where we are..." then pointed at Artimus. He continued, "I haven't had any real food despite the hard work of the natives..." Mike noded and interject, "right" signifying he had taken no offense and Brosuer continued, "because of him. So in the legal terms we non-lawyers are not so familiar with what is he guilty of? Well, he lost the ship, made no distress call, and couldn't for the life of him tell these other officers exactly where we were. And I don't mean exactly in terms of GPS coordinates down to hours, minutes, and seconds..." Brosuer than turn red in the face and yelled, "I mean he doesn't know what G.o.d d.a.m.n hemisphere we're in!" Brosuer look around with his hand extended and said calmly, "You all know I'm trying to be professional about this...He willfully disobeys orders which we chiefs hear about in the chiefs mess refusing to get underway because he'll miss a football game."

Artimus in a hush gestured to himself and said, "That wasn't me, it was a large portion of the crew." Brosuer yelled again, "Captain! Stop..." Brosuer gestured an apology and continued, "We lost the ship, we've lost crew...I don't want to break with my role but that cage is no solution. I would like to know why we had him instead of a real captain, I would like to know what he plans to do, I would like to know why we built him a pentagon and on that note, I'm wondering if he is running for president here on 'oh f.u.c.k oh f.u.c.k we're lost' island."

Hauldbalm had begged forgiveness from his girlfriend for his insecurities and literally kissed her a.s.s in apologies and now with those issues at rest he said, "Maybe I should step in a prosecutor." Mike replied, "Let's stick with this prosecutor but if you can make it sound more formal please do." Brosuer looked back and shrugged at the Master Chief and Hauldbalm counted on his fingers, "Let's see destruction of government property possible misuse, hazarding the ship, hazarding personnel, abuse of authority, malicious maleficence , and something I can only describe as 'aqualung'."

Brosuer exploded, "Aqualung! That's a good example.

It's a crime, it is recognized, then joked about...the guy that did it...the a.s.sailant, is ridiculed and then nothing...we still have to work with the jack a.s.ses! Because he doesn't want anyone looking at his conduct."

With distain Hauldbalm offered the correction, "I was referring to the way I almost drown." There was a grumble in the crowd and Brosuer said, "I'm sure it was traumatic..."

Hauldbalm interjected, "Your G.o.d d.a.m.n right it was, I..."

Brosuer spoke over him, "Exactly so now we joke about it and then it's forgotten. But we all almost drown!" Hauldbalm said quietly as he sat down, "Your right."

Brosuer said, "Let's just cover everything until we know where this goes. I mean who this guy has actually been."

Brosuer shrugged and looked around and continued, "Maybe there is actually a mitigating factor I honestly don't know"

Artimus interjected, "That would be that I am the Captain."

Brosuer retorted in a strong clear voice that trailed off as he spoke, "Not anymore...not anymore...not anymore." shaking his head in defeat and disbelief.

There was a crack of thunder from the horizon, a storm was rolling by, or at least that's the way I remember it. I had been watching from the mountain top along with several others, we were still proficient lip readers, over the course of that trail there would be drama and inanities but we would sit back and watch, because we had nothing better to do.

Artimus stood up and asked, "Have I finished my opening statements?" and looked around and saw there was a general affirmative from the crowd and he added, "So, I made my point then? What does the jury say?" Mike Elper acting as judge said, "Not so fast there slick. I honestly think some of these people believe you failed in leadership one oh one, and would like to see you never referred to as Captain ever again, others...seem to have put a lot of effort into that cell. But then I am impartial and perhaps, there are mitigating factors?" Brosuer asked, "So they I'll continue then?" and mike replied, "If there aren't any reb.u.t.tals or objection from the defense, we'll continue in this forum."

Deckly said, "I'm just waiting to hear something that isn't whining about having to follow instead of lead." Mike replied, "Point taken." Brosuer redirected, "Then I will continue to make my case." and from the background a voice called out, "I think you guys are starting to get the hang of this." As more and more terms from T.V. law shows started to come out their vocabularies became refined. Marcy stood up and said, "Stop. I think you said party of the parties." and everyone decided he need not be present and he was sent to check on Hudlow and his followers. Marcy had remembered hearing a legal contract read in central control by Clarkson to see if anyone had that level of reading comprehension, "party of the first part, party of the second part"; he thought maybe it'll be funny this time.

Brosuer continued, "We all seen this captain at his finest asleep in his bridge chair while the ship is underway, but what about that night watch? It was cold that night and he and the entire bridge crew were asleep, when as cold as it was there was a cold snap and they nearly died of hypothermia. And when the vertical launch system needed to be tested and he and several fire controlmen stood there playing with the wires until one of the caps blew off and broke a bridge window. The captains mast he broadcast on sight t.v. because his bailiff a third cla.s.s engineer was in the habit of kicking the command master chief out, only for us to find out the minor infraction being discussed was soliciting comments and admissions on the part of the captain that were in fact criminal offenses. And the utter insistence that the manuals don't run the ship, the captain does...well, the manuals weren't running the ship and maybe that's why it's at the bottom. I would like to know Captain, why is the ship at the bottom?"

There was a pause and Artimus felt it was working against him so he asked Mike, "Would you like me to answer that?" Mike Elper serving as the judge replied, "Yes, sir."

Artimus stood up and said, "Metal stress." Brosuer scoffed with a degree of condescension, "Mental stress?" Artimus replied, "Metal stress. The ship's hull has a long, twenty year history that doesn't start well, nor did it end well. The ship fell off the blocks during construction, in its initial sea trails the sonar dome cracked, years later it cracked again on a deployment in the eighties, the ship has been struck by mines, The ship came in contact with pier stanchions as the low tide side in Everett before the extension of the piers breaking those stanchions and stressing the hull near three generator room to the point of a leaking fissure. I did the best I could with what we had and you were here to help me not hinder me but look where you have us and now I am to blame?"

Mr. Deckly interjected, "I think it is time for the defense to speak now. This man has been your captain, he carries your pride for which you loath him but he also carries your shame for which you have hidden behind him and now when he needs something from you...A little trust, a little consideration you turn on him. This crew should be glad for him without him you wouldn't have survived to this point. Maybe some of you have a true reason for resentment, the ship was never properly maintained because you didn't work at it, but you said you had. When those transgressions were found I felt he was far too lenient. The corrosive element with in the crew remained and hazarded us all but not on his account but on your own. Which of you should have been sent to the stockades for derelictions and which of you were just in competent is perhaps where this trail should focus, but a few of you did work hard.

So, don't give it a name...don't answer as to whom it was that failed all of us, just start again. And, with that I move that the charges be dismissed."

Brosuer pointed at Mike and said, "I object to that."

Mike smiled at them both and said, "Objection over ruled but the motion does not carry. There is more to be heard."

Brosuer asked, "Captian, why did we fail those inspections." Artimus replied, "We weren't ready." Brosuer asked further, "Was it the leadership that wasn't ready." Artimus replied, "You know...I'm accustom to concealing certain things about what happens, where, and why, so as not to overwhelm you. But I realize now there's no rason for that concern here. We were a part of using an obscure law to give ourselves access to private property owned by the electric company to restore power to the civilian populous during a blizzard. To some that was martial law to others it was a military cue da ta. That drew some unwanted attention and some attacks that may have been justified. We weren't ready because you weren't ready because someone was trying to put you on an ego trip to see just how arrogant you were, while others were trying to show they are your adversary no matter what you are doing." Brosuer asked, "But, captain what does that have to do with what we are discussing here?"

Artimus struck a refined posture and answered with a sense of command in his voice, "You have just reminded me you are a chief petty officer and in doing so reminded me that I am a captain. Your understanding of the 'scope' of a situation and the implications of actions taken are devoid of any comprehension as to the meaning or definition of the words, 'scope' and 'implication'.

Mr. Deckly said, "Your honor these questions are far too vague, my client would have to give a four year long cla.s.s on various topics of education for his responses to these uncertain and generalized 'why, but..but, why's' we are hearing.

Mike replied, "Chief keep your questions simple enough that I could answer them."

Brosuer said, "The Captain was in misconduct and he made political enemies and he is trying to blame us for something that was done right but be someone beneath his rank." Mike replied, "Then chief ask him questions that will either establish in his own words that that is the case or explain why it isn't that way." Brosuers face turned bright red and he looked to the sky and said while looking up, "Captain were you placed in hack" Artimus replied, "Yes." Brosuer again in obvious frustration asked, "Captain, does 'Hack' stand for House Arrest and Confinement." Again Artimus replied, "Yes."

Brosuer then turn to him and asked, "Why?" Artimus responded, "There's the trick, you hit on something that actually is a personal matter. But, were it not I would still have the right to not testify against myself, and all I am left with now is establishing, it was in fact irrelevant. But, I will tell you as I mentioned before, I am accustomed to shielding you from things you don't need to know, and...well, the squadron commander and I had a difference of opinion." Bruce looked confused as that question seemed as though he were leading in a specific direction and despite Bruce having been one of the commissioned officers on board he had no knowledge of this ever having happened.

Brosuer spoke as an adult speaking to an unruly child and said, "No Captain, it goes to your state of mind and general conduct. Were you not hara.s.sing a third cla.s.s petty officers girlfriend and father for applying the instruction per the navy manuals rather than 'doing it your way' which caused many failed evaluations?" Artimus responded, "There seems to be some question as to whether or not I am the captain now and I am reasonable, so I understand your confusion but at the time I was absolutely the captain and those were my decisions to make." Brosuer replied, "I don't think so Captain, it was an illegal hara.s.sment for which you were placed on house arrest and confinement, you still don't see that error as you don't see the errors you are making now."

Artimus was cleaning the underside of one of his fingernails with a thumb nail looking distracted when he replied, "Well, that's your opinion." Brosuers looked at mike and said, "I move that that be recognized as a fact." Artimus uttered, "Object" Bruce Deckly declared, "Objection" Brosuer extended his hand toward the judge to prevent him from acting to quickly then asked; "On what grounds?" Deckly responded dismissively, "It hasn't been established." Mike said, "Over ruled. It is recognized as a fact that Captain Artimus's house arrest and confinement was the result of a crime, the court recognizes he is still in denial on that matter and will hear more as to whether he is currently in error and whether he actually recognizes that."

We watched from the mountain top as these events unfolded, they eventually adjourned. And we watched Artimus much less confident and smug in his cage, he seemed fascinated with his finger nails being clean, he even started polishing them with sand.

Athena and I had dealings with Artimus before he was intrusive and voyeuristic on personal matters and later tried to say he just wanted to be our friends. We were the only native California's that suffered this but we both knew how to party, I had social skills that were good and public speaking wasn't a problem, Athena had a better look about her but in high school I had taken a work experience program and earned a two hundred hour certificate in food preparation and management which in comparison to a mess specialist made me a gourmet chef. I'm not sure what drove him so zealously at Athena other than a possible s.e.xual attraction but I had been in a p.o.r.n shop when old Dave tried a nineteen seventies style beer run, except it wasn't beer it was a d.i.l.d.o he needed for a prank and the two guys working the counter weren't over worked under paid college students they were the co-owners and security cameras were everywhere these days. His impulse control was only moderate and his maturity seemed to be based on peter pan.

She and I slept together on the mountain top that night, I cuddled up to her and she nuzzled in despite the lack of wind blowing across us. We had a bound, upon meeting we initially had an attraction to one another, but her interest faded as she saw me overworked in a destroyer engine room and marred with grease, oil, and all the failures of being on Ol'

Dave's ship. She was sweet and smelled like home.

Tammy had started becoming more active at night, she was going from bush to bush just to see if it was only Joseph Leos that was keeping Tommi in the bushes. Tammy found a well-rounded stick, nice and smooth and the end had been rounded and smoothed with stone and sand. She had her suspicions so she sniffed at it and found what she was looking for. She slipped off her pants and pulled down her panties, kneeling there looking at it in the moon light, she whispered a name to it and slowly slid her knees apart. She reached down and used circular motions on her l.a.b.i.a and then tugged at her lips until she dripped with moisture. She placed the stick beneath her and impaled herself, caressing her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and the back of her neck as she rode they stick at a steady canter. Athena woke to the call she heard below the mountain top, "Your my Stud! Your my Stud!" Then Athena pulled my hair.

The next morning they moved at such a slow pace we weren't sure if the trial would continue. I told Athena I should probably do some fishing today, since I noticed Mich.e.l.le seemed to have lost someone. Athena said she'd take notes on this trial and Mitch joined her on the hill top as I headed down.

Mitch mentioned in pa.s.sing, "Mike's over there now Rob, Tommi and Michael are taking care of the boilers and Tim's stilling looking for those pigs." I replied, "Alright, I'm fishing."

As the trial continued they lined up and took their places in their court circle kneeling and sitting on dried gra.s.s and green palm leaves, the captain was ushered in and he said, "You know before we start, I've been thinking and first I want to thank you for your service, but I'd also like to address some of the things I've had to keep from you as a navy captain. I can hear the groans and see the concern in your faces but it's not about you. There has been an issue with the navy for quite some time we've recently labeled a 'training issue'. In truth, our recruiters have turned away people that are too smart to be subordinate to someone with an a.s.sociate's degree from the year nineteen seventy eight. And now, we are paying the price, I'd like to remind you none of us are perfect but you did not get weeded out of that screening process. There are people smarter than you, they made sure during your recruitment that I as an at least average Navy Captain am smarter than you. I just need more time."

Mike had slept okay but alone, something he hadn't need to do since the trauma of losing the ship. Mike said, "The idiot's will come to order, this court is in session, I the honorable Mike Elper presiding." and he smashed the table hard with a stone in his hand.

Artimus stood up and said, "If it please the court, I would like to discuss the possibility of a plea deal with my lawyer, or advocate, or whatever we are calling Bruce." Mr.

Deckly said, "Your honor I think that should be allowed." and Brosuer shrugged, "I'd like to hear it." Mike said, "We'll give 'til midday. Court is in recess ."

Mich.e.l.le came through the brush saying, "I got him, I got one, I got one." Michael looked and she had blood on her hands and he said, "Oh G.o.d. Are you alright" Mich.e.l.le pointed and said, "Over there...over there. I'm not sure if he's dead." Tim jumped to his feet and said, "Who!?" Mich.e.l.le still too excited to communicate said, "I didn't name him I going to eat him!"

Dave Miles stood up, obviously dizzy and said, "What the f.u.c.k are you talking about?" Mich.e.l.le said, "Boar stupid, I got a boar...help me...make sure he's dead."

They rushed over and there was a fair sized boar with Mich.e.l.le's spear through its chest just behind a front leg. The boar was making a shuttering sound and trying to limp away.

Mich.e.l.le yelled out, "For f.u.c.ks sake kill it!" Michael ran over and grabbed its hind legs and pulled yelling, "Get a rock or something sharp!" Michael saw the blood and heard the sound of the boar as he pulled it back and he had to turn his head, but Tim was a true harden redneck, he grabbed some line and hog tied the boar, pulled out the damaged spear and used it on the boars neck like an inmate in fulsome prison. Michael said, "Oh G.o.d, son of a b.i.t.c.h" but Tim didn't hear him. Tim was in full on 'hee-haw' mode and the 'general lee was flying through hazard county toward a pig-b-que' to the styling of Waylon Jennings.

As the boar began what can only be described as a death spasm, Tim could be heard for a great distance yelling "Woohoo!!" Mich.e.l.le looked at him and said, "I killed him too."

Tim said, "h.e.l.l ya, h.e.l.l ya, you got him!" I was out fishing and wasn't sure I had heard what I heard but the flying fish whistling through the air yelling 'woohoo' made me laugh. And then I saw Hudlow waving at me from the beach yelling, "Hey Rob, they got him, they got him in a cage!!" I waved politely and he kept pointing with urgency toward the trial, he ran over and looked then strolled back and used his hands to focus his voice calling out, "Never mind he got out. I have spiders." I called back, "Are you sure you don't mean crabs?!" He called back, "maybe it's crabs." and then plopped down on his b.u.t.t and fell back in the sand. I adjusted the sail and headed toward the next good spot.

Once I had hauled in I signaled for help to off load now much easier than it was when it was just a couple of logs.

Mich.e.l.le ran up with a smile that just told me she was so happy daddy was home with the bacon and said, "Look what we got." I looked over and saw mama had gotten the bacon and said, "Holy s.h.i.t!" I gave Mich.e.l.le a hug and she squeezed my jock saying, "Fish is good too babe." so, I grabbed her as and kissed her.

Joseph looked over and mouth the words silently, "You too?" I smiled and shrugged as Mich.e.l.le turn and swaggered back to her kill.

We hauled the fish over to our smoking stand and I stood over the boar and said, "Don't lose too much blood we'll add it to the bread as blood sausage, fill the intestine with meat for real sausage which will last without spoiling longer, But I'm not sure I can handle making haggis out of the lung." Tim stepped up beside me and said, "I was just thinkin' jerky" I looked at him and said, "Ya, that too. And we might need the leather from its hide." Tim said, "Ya" Dave Miles said, "I don't know anything about any of that, you guys just make it so we can eat it please."

Chris Marcy stood talking with James Hudlow about the behavior of crabs, Hudlow stood there with his lips purse and his head c.o.c.ked, Chris had been talking nonstop for ten minutes and had segued and diverted on tangents so frequently Hudlow thought he stepped on the remote control.

Mitch called down from the mountain top, "Artimus is headed over here." Mich.e.l.le said, "No f.u.c.king way are we accepting that guy as some kind of exile, Rob go talk to him before he gets all the way over here." Everyone was very unsettled, we had seen some crazy s.h.i.t go on over there. Our personal experience with that Captain was anything but positive, probably what made it so easy for us to walk away from everyone. I didn't want to look the fool so I went far away from them to try a boiler, and now I was trying to make a large keel hidden from them as well. So, I hastily made me way toward the clearing he would have to pa.s.s through to get to us and I was hoping it was swampy as it gets during high tide. As it happens luck was on my side and it was high tide.

I got to the clearing and Dave Artimus raised his hand and said, "Don't try to cross, everyones been worried about trench foot." he continued with a laugh, "I've been watching the women fascinated with their toes for days, I thought it was about their pedicures. But, I guess it was this huh?" I agreed and asked, "What can I do for you Artimus?" He winced with a grimace upon realizing I called him 'Artimus' and not 'Captain' he had recalled the circ.u.mstances on the ship were in an urgent situation the crew had called him just Artimus rather than Captain and decided it fit then as it fit now. The illusion was lost. He said, "I need some help, I need something to appease those guys over there, I'm afraid they're gonna' get violent and just start taking things. So I took a collection of money and so long as they hold to what we taught them all their lives they will accept they don't just take things without giving money in exchange." I replied, "On this side of the island money has been a bitter reminder of how little we have access to. We've made Chinese checker board and dominos to stay distracted and every time we eat the bread it's a little celebration that we've gotten this far."

Artimus replied, "I need a boat and a little extra food, and I'll get them back under control. Is it you over here?" I replied, "It's like a roman senate over here, If you can get them to gather grain from the north of the island we can increase the bread, the yeast we found is nasty smelling and doesn't take hold perfectly but it works, as far as fish the boat and net and sails would have to be made first. We collect and haul all we can and there's always the risk of over fishing a spot and not being able to reach their next favorite hangout."

Artimus said, "Well give me something now or it a falls down!" I replied, "s.h.i.t dude, the only thing I can possibly spare are our only set of dominos and we'll just make another."

Artimus said, "That'll..." and choked up a little then regained his breathe, "I can see them behind you and I just want you to understand I haven't forgotten where we are, the dominos...I might be able to work that angle." Athena ran up behind me and said, "I got 'em Rob." and she ran over and gave them to Artimus and gave him a hug. Artimus held them in the small cloth bag we had made from plant fibers, examined a couple and held them up and choking up with emotion he held them up and said in a very emotional way, "Thank you...I'm.." he began to cry and finished his sentence, "...I'm gonna' get this fixed."

As he walked away he murmured to himself, "I can't believe I forgot games...entertainment, games."

As we headed back Tim asked, "Why the h.e.l.l don't they just start working?" Mitch said, "They don't know how dude."

As we entered our campsite, joseph and Tommi stood there and asked, "What happened?" Athena replied, "We need more dominos" I said, "We didn't get to use them long because they had to dry in the sun...too small for the fire. I'm afraid we need to jump up to marionettes and fireside stories." Michael asked, "Where the f.u.c.k is any of this really going?" I replied, "I fell a tree to try and make a keel for a ship that can hold the provisions to get us all the way back to real life, but the wood has to be boiled or steamed to be bent. I've been doing it out of sight because I hate my failures being too public; give me some more time on that."

Everyone was too stunned to respond or even dwell on the idea. Michael said, "So...I guess we make them a fishing boat now?" Mich.e.l.le replied, "As soon as they start delivering grain."

Artimus didn't head right back to the landing site, "He looked at the only thing he had gained to offer but couldn't help but to see the accomplishment of it. The cloth bag was made from plant fibers on the island and resembled burlap, the dominos were the standard rectangles divided in the middle with a line and divots that had been darken but also had a decorative pattern not unlike the plants of the island. He decided to embellish upon the design by using plants to stain the decorative design, maybe a little flare of color would add some leverage to whatever scheme he could devise.

As Dave Artimus added green, to the j.a.panese knotweed embellishments which he took for bamboo, and add red dots to the sorghum which took to be holly berries he sat thinking, "What the h.e.l.l am I supposed to tell these guys?" He heard some laughter in the distance and realized it came from down the beach away from the landings as well as over the cliff like slope of the island directly across from the boiler site and decided to find out who was there.

Artimus didn't want to be caught 'deviating from mission' so he was as stealthy as he could be. The majority of the black sailors had found a way to slip over to a secluded beach where they were playing what appeared to be lawn darts.

In Dave's prior experience as a captain in the navy ethnic segregation was always a bad sign but so long as there was at least one Hispanic, or Pilipino, things seemed to work out okay, but that wasn't the case here. Dave quietly slipped back toward the clearing in the tree line to face the rest of the music.

Artimus went over toward Bruce Deckly carrying the small bag and Atrisia saw it she called out, "Tell me those aren't magic beans." Artimus looked at Bruce and asked, "Did anything subside at all." Bruce replied, "No, sir. I did my best but it seems at the very least they expect to strip you of your t.i.tle and may want to incarcerate you for two weeks." Artimus announced, "I have here a gift from the natives, a gesture of good will. They have provided us with the only entertainment they could muster, that being dominos." Chief Dotle cried out, "What the f.u.c.k are those a.s.sholes doing over there." Artimus signaled his cabin boy and Robert Wildly thought to himself, 'he said to defend the natives...' so he interjected, "more than you're doing over here jack a.s.s, need I remind you they are providing the food!!?" Artimus rubbed his eyes and thought to himself, 'That wasn't what I was looking for' then voiced loudly, "The natives are providing the food, but they abandoned their obligations to this crew. They are however...keeping us alive." Koleson retorted, "So wha'd you get us honey bear?"

Artimus once again got that odd, twisted homicidal look on his face and dropped the small bag of dominos and sprinted at Koleson tackling him and yelling, "I'm gonna give you a..." his dialogue continued but was all unintelligible gibberish.

As Dave Artimus was hauled kicking and snarling back to his cage Bruce Deckly tried to rea.s.sure him, "Dave it's just not your day." Becky Clarkson commented from near the tree line to Jane, "I think all that time on the water damaged his vocabulary, he doesn't go into a homicidal rage, he goes into a h.o.m.os.e.xual rage."

As four men held the cage door closed and it was secured with lashing and braces and pins, Artimus pointed at Koleson yelling, "I'm gonna' suck your fleeberson epchky c.o.kosaflaaahhh!!"

There was a pause in the trial and those domino tiles sat on the judges table for three days, rations were delivered and as had become the custom both those at the landing site and those delivering the rations made a significant effort to show no signs of aggression, like feeding tigers in a cage.

Mike Elper waited to resume his role as the judge but was looking for more of a leadership position. He tried to get them to dig the trench necessary for the fire to cure the clay for the 'evaporative distillation plant', or boiler as we were calling them but the landings group was too militant. The existence of a chain of command was their first and only priority and the junior ranking refused to dig their own graves.

He tried to make a fishing net and was mocked for trying to make himself a dress. They demonstrated to him every way possible that they would not be led by a third cla.s.s petty officer all while their captain sat in a wooden cage deliriously enraged.

He sat playing dominos with Eric Milson and as they played he said, "Yep, screw the fishing, screw the water, let's just all starve or make those a.s.sholes do it." using his thumb to gesture over his shoulder to our side of the island. Eric laughed as he placed a domino saying, "They aren't in the military."

Mike retorted with a snide fake laugh, "Ya, which does what?"

Eric responded, "Just relax. Look your just a third cla.s.s, I was a third cla.s.s once. You'll understand once you make second cla.s.s, you just have to start moving in that direction." Artimus in his cage nearby violently shook the bars and said, "Ya, you might even make captain someday then they'll cage you too." Mike said to Eric, "Well..? Your retirement plan is talking to you dude."

Chapter Nine.

Caging a man's desires Artimus has been in his cage waiting for his pa.s.sive aggressive rage to subside for hours . The trial has been in recess so long some have lost interest or thought that it had become a game and lost its propriety.

Artimus has been requesting visitation time with everyone to establish his motives were pure and that he was still a good guy. He is ma.s.sing social support and sympathy, with emotional ploy's and romantic images of a Navy Captain valiantly fighting for his crew, his ship, and his station. Those romantic images had a back lash though, bragging to his own crew about the hard work they had done which earned him merit and credit and afford them only a bent back and a damaged social life. In speaking with more than one of the former crewmembers he placed himself working directly on a critical problem with a chief petty officer speaking directly to the third cla.s.s or second cla.s.s petty officer that actually did do the work.

For Dave Artimus former captain of DD-964 his cage had finally become a jail cell rather than the antics of a wayward crew, sleep deprived and malnourished.

Bruce Deckly acting as defense attorney fought in deliberations rather than the actual trial to determine reasonable and arguable charges. They narrowed it down to the captain simply did not know anything about the existing hazards on the ship or it's failing condition and judged him to be criminally negligent.

Having refused a navy achievement medal and sat in the captain's chair as a reward instead, by the captains instruction for a day, by the squadron commanders instruction for three days, and by order of the department of defense upon calling for special deputization to ensure the legality of my being in that chair, for two weeks. I practiced a high level of paranoia; reading each and every instruction; designing work sheets for each department head, division officer, and work center supervisor. And through these efforts I found what, had I been ignorant of, could lead to a charge of criminal neglect and guarded myself with work sheets for the captains station as well...which turned mostly into 'how-to's' as far as filling in standard forms. I found the job was nearly effortless, but also a.n.a.lyzing the captain's usual way of doing things reflected the job gets much harder if you have a political agenda.

The criminal neglect Artimus was found guilty of, mostly regarded engineering s.p.a.ces and equipment as well as material state of various other systems throughout the ship. A preliminary conclusion was drawn as to the loss of the ship. First, that as a result of trauma no one fully remembered or understood what had happened. Second, the command as a unit failed to respond.

And lastly, the unit had not been maintained, either in material state and fighting ability, nor in personnel qualifications or training. Team building had developed into a tangent and become a means of bullying and molesting subordinates as a copping mechanism for the mutually a.s.sured failure dynamic built into the units' social structure.

Artimus was ordered to surrender the t.i.tle and ent.i.tlements of Captain, but Bruce managed to maintain Artimus's station as a commanding officer using the existence of the 'natives' as cause. It was as though there were two entirely different forms of chaos clashing together causing an apparition of order. Much in the same way legitimacy was derived from mob rule, once a situation or claim to ownership was deemed legitimate the basis of the argument became law and would apply to other circ.u.mstances where appropriate.

At the boiler site the wild boar had been strung up by its hide legs from a tree. We were making the sharpest cutting instruments we could. I had considered trying to make gla.s.s using the fire box bellows we had made from paper derived from plant fibers of the island and a new firebox shaped more like a kiln than the boilers were. The only example I had ever seen was at a renaissance festival.