Makarovia! Yes, I Know Where That is! Sophomore Year - 64. Yo, Ho, Ho and a Bottle of Rum

I'd love a psychiatric study on writers, Daniel.  In particular this writer.   Getting the story out takes priority over everything.  It's a compulsion.  Really.   I will write up until I die.   

Yo, Ho, Ho and a Bottle of Rum

It was a nice dinner. Even with his comedic antics, Henri left us pretty much alone. When he came out with two plates that had some very large lobster shells on them sending up steam. I will admit a part of me that reacted so much in favor of it, had lowered the flags in his hands and gave much weaker, “Yah.” Less enthusiastically than the first ones.

I sniffed the air. It didn't smell right. I could smell the onions, garlic, bacon, and jalapenos.

Henri's eyes turned to me and he smiled. He had taken what was in the lobster, chopped it up and put the lobster meat back in the shell, but kept adding more things.

“You made Chili!” I pointed at my shell that looked as though it had burst from the inside out threatening to spill off the plate it was so full. “You made Chili with...lobster!?” I couldn't believe it.

“I had to!” Henri shouted back telling us he was helpless not to.

“You had to?” Peter repeated smiling. “Why?”

“Because I was told it was impossible.” He said and waved at the shells or bowls...shell-bowls? “So, what's that?”

I laughed as I nodded. “Lobster Chili!”

Henri nodded. “Tell me it can't be done. I showed him.” He muttered as he went in the galley and still he muttered.

Peter shook with laughter and pointed at the galley door. “Okay, I love that man.”

I smiled tasting the impossible chili. "That's alright. I do, too." How do you describe a flavor in words? The meat of a lobster was like most shellfish or mussels. It was sweet-tasting meat. It still was, in the chili. Yet, Henri combined the onion, garlic, bacon, jalapenos, with chili powder and ground cumin and tomatoes. Other spices were in it, but he wouldn't say what they are, so I didn't bother asking. I was very happy there were no beans. At all. No beans. He created a flavor that didn't drown the taste but brought it forward with a slight tangy bite. It was very, very good. The sweet was separated from the savory but in a delicious marriage of the two.

We walked back to our quarters.

“This is just the beginning," Peter stated quietly.

“And this trip isn't over.” I nodded. “I look favorably to the future for all Makarovians.” I looked at my watch. “We were a little delayed by that female pirate. We should arrive before dawn.” I tightened my hold at his waist. “This was a once-in-a-lifetime trip.”

Peter looked at me. “Hopefully Aunt Maria will let us take her out...”

I was nodding as he began speaking. “Yes, yes...hopefully, she will. We take the Duchess for a vacation or anniversary, but our honeymoon will be in the past.”

“Oooooh,” Peter nodded. “I get it” He shrugged. “We can always take a page from Rolph's Playbook.”

I looked at Peter, no longer surprised at what he would say. "Those must have been quite a few hours with Ted. I know he had to tell you that.”

Peter nodded. “He did.” He smiled. “I'll miss him. He graduated at the end of last month.

He was speaking with real fondness. “He got married, but he is still alive.” I saw his expression. “I didn't realize you'd gotten so close to him.”

Peter looked at me and shook his head suddenly. “Not like that..."

I tightened my hold on Peter. “And I'm not saying you were. It's very possible, make that probably, to be friends with another person. You make a terrific friend. We married. We don't own each other.” I waved at him. “He's your David.”

Peter's head went back an inch to get that better view. “My...what!?”

I nodded as I insisted. “I'm pretty sure I like U. S. General David Burke more than you do. You two get along...”

Peter nodded with a grin. “Not at the level you do.” He stopped. “I can also say I never kissed Ted.”

“I never kissed David!” I shot back. “He kissed me! And I don’t care to repeat that whole wedding thing for twenty-five years at the least to do it again. He did it in front of you, his own wife, General Hammond, Olek, and Mom!"

There was no anger on the part of anyone. We both knew that. Knowing the other’s buttons, we got pleasure from pushing them. It’s never boring with us.

Peter and I had oysters and caviar to work with what enhancements there were, so we went in our quarters.

I woke up again as I realized we were no longer moving. No lazy clang of any sea bell. You need other boats for that.

What was also dangerous on the Duchess were the no appointments. No alarm clocks and no rush to start the day! No schedule.

I looked at my watch. It was almost nine in the morning. I looked over at Peter. He wasn’t doing his deep sleep breathing, so he wasn’t that asleep. Leaning over him I kissed my way up his chest to his lips, which turned the corners up.

"I was just waiting for you." Peter excused himself.

Doing the “aw, that’s so sweet” voice, I nodded. “That’s very thoughtful of you. Unless you want to be served in bed, Boris and Yuri will be biding their time if they see the Duchess, but don’t see us.”

“And that’s another thing!” Peter threw his sheet back and groused. “I’ve spoken English in my life and daily for the past two years…all day! In the past week or two I’m hearing words I never knew about. Why?”

"Simple," I said smiling getting up myself. My destination was the bathroom with just a slight detour. I pulled him in a kiss. “You’ve done it so well for so long; you sound like a native now and can handle standard slang as you now sound.”

I had a surprised Makarovian here a few seconds. His growing smile of satisfaction was turning the wattage of that smile way up. “Really?” He even sounded pleased with himself.

I chuckled holding three of my fingers up in a cub scout, boy scout or any other scout groups for boys…none of which I ever belonged to. “Honest Injun.”

Peter did it again, backed his head a little and said. “Huh?”

I patted him on the arm. “Even that was done very like a native. Keep up the good work!”

Peter grunted. “What did you say?”

That one wasn’t really fair. Many people in the United States didn’t know that one. It was what? A hundred years ago? Trusted Native Americans swearing to tell the truth like that would take offense by it now. And they should! They were insulted! They weren’t Indians at all! A man from Italy was funded and given ships by Spain, had gotten lost and thought he was where he wasn’t and the name for the people there just…stuck. And he is credited for discovering where he never set foot on!

(That…was a deliberate sidebar. I loathed stupidity. I didn’t want to be stupid. Ignorance is understandable if they couldn’t know about whatever. No excuses. Learn, damn it! That’s a sure cure for ignorance.)

Peter and I didn’t rush through our morning routines but we did make it up to the main deck by nine-fifteen. I saw the Captain talking with Earl under the covered part of the main deck. Earl was in warm water scuba gear. The neoprene short sleeve and short pants. I grinned as I noticed his air tank was a bright, nearly luminescent pink. That was not really a fashion statement, but safety. Easily spotted on dark blue waters. The diver would get rescued faster.

“Is there a problem, Captain?” I asked stopping by them.

Luke hesitated. “It might not be anything…”

“So, Earl is just going for a dip?” I asked my voice hopefully transmitted I knew better.

Luke nodded. “We’re looking for tracking devices.”

“Do you think that Beast Woman placed one on us?” Peter asked.

"Or used by her to know we were coming," I said.

Peter’s eyes grew again. “She was a pirate! Now, she’s part of this groups that extort money!?”

I shrugged.

Earl took a step toward me. “You got me that would have been the perfect location. It could have just been an accidental encounter.”

I nodded and added. “Or it wasn’t because she knew we were coming and waited.”

“But how would she know?” Earl asked in general but looked at me. “Unless we were tracked!”

"You're talking about this Consortium using pirates," Peter said to be sure he was following the line of conversation.

I nodded. “The United States did it with the Mafia during World War II!” I pointed out the window, not at Mario’s Island, but Sicily. “Right over there a few kilometers away.”

Earl nodded. “And, I think it was a test.”

“For what?” Peter asked.

“How prepared we were for a crisis.” Luke nodded.

“We’re only on the Duchess a few more days," Peter said.

"A lot can happen in a few days," I mumbled. "How many are down there with you?"

"Just Gretchen and I," Earl said. “The Captain is certified, but one command officer…”

“I’m PADI certified.” I grudging nod. “It’s been five or six years…”

Luke’s eyes widened in shock. “I can’t let you do that! I’m supposed to keep you out of danger…”

“Captain Agius!” I said firmly but smiled at him. “One or two people can’t cover all of that hull.”

“Then I go, too!” Peter declared.

I nodded. “What’s the signal you’re in distress? How much counterweight is needed for you to counter any buoyancy? Mine is between ten and fifteen pounds in weights.” I asked and nodded. “I’ll worry about you drowning.”

"And I won't?" Peter asked. "Who's Patty and what can she do to make your dive safer?"

Even I got momentarily sidetracked with that. I chuckled. “Not Patty, but P. A. D. I. The Professional Association of Diving Instructors.”

Peter shook his head. “So, where’s the other one?”

I grinned as two faces came out of the sunshine to the sheltered deck. “Right there!” I pointed at Yuri’s smiling face.

I will be the first one to admit it. (I should be only one.) He and Boris were practically different men! Boris had tanned nicely and was a nice bronze color. He was more like Peter, as in when he didn’t have the tan he was more pale, not quite Mom’s complexion. The color change looked good on him. His hair was normally combed back and very well-groomed. It had been combed sometime that morning, but now was windblown and he didn’t care. Yuri was slightly darker like Olek was to Peter. He was also more tan than that before, but his hair was just past where he normally had it cut. Their hands clasped with each other’s hand. The expressions on their faces were open and relaxed as I never saw on them before! They had on shorts loose shirts and looked much younger!

Who did I hug first? We went with the one facing us the closest. Grabbing Yuri I squeezed him hard. What I suspected I’d find out. These two were big brothers. Yuri was capable of a lot of love once you got him past a certain point. He was a great guy. I loved Boris very quickly, but he loved me back just as quickly. He trusted me just within a few days. Yuri took a little longer. I never backed down. I knew he’d give in.

“I was going to have you thrown off the Duchess!” I said still squeezing him. “I could barely believe it’s you!”

“You, too!” Yuri said smiling and he was squeezing me back. Then he parted from me just a little. “We woke up and saw the ship, but no moved on her or seemed to up! I was beginning to think this was another Demeter!”

The name of the Demeter is a proper noun. However, my hearing it in Makarovian took me a second or two longer. Peter got it instantly and burst out laughing.

It finally came to me, which I laughed, too. “Oh, yeah, right! The ship that brought Dracula to England…” I tried to remember, “What the town’s name?” I really ask anyone and no one.

“Whitby, England," Peter said. "It was written in different languages. Romania was one of the last to have it translated. He was a hero to them.”

"Yeah, but you've forgotten one other," Boris said happily as he bounced a couple of times. “There is no Makarovian translation.”

Peter nodded as he hugged Yuri. “It was in Ukrainian and other than some spelling issues and pronunciations it’s the same language. Any school child learning to read could get through it. Maybe not what a word means…” He put a hand on his chest proudly. “I read mine in English.”

“Well,” Yuri shrugged to concede. “How many books are you hoping to sell? Makarovian is a limited market.”

“The vampire thing.” Peter nodded. “But that’s what Eric said! When we first met, he told me I was so pale I reminded him of vampires!”

“But that wasn’t all of it.” I grinned and I heard Earl almost mutter to Luke.

“Have you understood anything?” Earl asked Luke.

Luke was stroking his clean-shaven chin as he listened but shook his head. "Not really." He pointed at me. “I believe he said something about Dracula.” He pointed at Peter. “He said something about vampires.” Luke shrugged. “I don’t know.” He pointed a scolding finger at Earl. “And don’t tell everybody that was correct. I could be totally missing something and be completely wrong!”

I turned to chuckle at them. "But you are correct, Captain."

"It was a momentary thing." Boris smiled. "At that moment we forgot the etiquette of the situation.”

Peter looked at Boris. “Ooo, e-ti-quette.” He emphasized each syllable as he teased which Boris tolerated with a smile. “That’s one of those expensive words you store and only use to impress.”

I chuckled remembering what Peter had done as a child to save Olek from making the wrong choice on a future wife. The mouse down her blouse? I saw a glimpse of that mischievous little boy in Peter now.

Yuri, however, was still security. "What happened?"

Luke nodded. “It may be over.”

“Which and means it also may not be," Yuri stated. “Tell me.”

We got Gretchin up and we sat down to tell him. Earl got to take his extra gear off. Don’t worry; you don’t need to hear it again. You were there!

Yuri had learned to listen before he asked any questions.

“What was it you saw under her boat?” Yuri asked.

"Nothing really," Luke replied seeing Peter’s face and he wasn’t understanding Luke. “We do have the latest in Sonar technology.” He looked at Peter. “We have the three-dimensional readings…” He thought how best to explain. “Regular sonar works as soundwaves are sent out come back and,” he did finger quotes, “sees because what’s different when it comes back. Any obstruction makes it different. The Duchess' does a thousand in the length of time it takes regular does one. It causes what we get back to have more detail. We see with sound. An image of what's there is what we have. Cameras work best on drones. There are cameras on the Duchess but at the wrong angle. The images we got with sonar showed a second vessel below the first and it was the bigger of the two. A regular sonar would send a signal. One signal saying one object. We saw two. The second was a submersible. We also picked up three individuals leave that submersible and swim toward us.”

“Which led us to question if they had a way of finding us by satellite," Earl explained further.

"They didn't have time plant an additional anything," Luke said.

“Which wouldn’t have to if it was here already.” Earl gave a nod. “We were in Athens two nights. They had time.”

“Which we couldn't see if they came at night and attached it to the hull." Luke pointed out. ‘”They couldn’t sneak onboard.”

"You touched on it that very day," Earl said to me. "You asked if she did it often this far North and close to land.” He shrugged. “She has!”

"When she has a lucrative target in her sights," Luke said. “Meaning she knew it was.” He smiled. “How did she do that? She waited for us!”

In a normal situation would have been humorous. They were completing each other’s sentences and unspoken thoughts.

Then Peter leaned toward me. “How long do you think they’ve been married?”

I know my eyes opened wide amazed and I quickly stood up. “Okay, that’s it!” I pointed off the Duchess. “Get out! Get out now!”

At first, Peter’s face held surprise. It became less surprised and an understanding smile grew.

The others were startled by the tone I never used with Peter. “What’s wrong, Eric?” Luke asked concerned.

I pointed at Peter. “He’s in my head,” I grumbled leaning close to Peter. “Again.”

“What?” Earl asked as a ghost of a smile started.

"He does it all the time," I explained as Peter grinned. "Something comes to my mind and he just blurts it out." I looked at the others. "I don’t have to say a thing.”

Yuri pointed a Boris. “He does it to me all the time.” He dismissed.

“It’s what we do.” Boris grinned. “We’re married.”

“You do it with him.” Yuri pointed at Peter with a chuckle. “You two have been married a while.”

"You said you had been certified as a scuba diver," I said sitting again by Peter again.

“I am.” Yuri nodded.

“Earl and Gretchen are going over the hull to try to locate any tracking devices," Peter said. "You can help them do that and might recognize one quicker."

“What about your AIS?” Yuri asked Luke.

Luke thought. “It’s always on.”

I saw Peter getting ready to ask, so I said, “Automatic Identification System. It’s a means for a ship to tell by satellite who they are, position, course, and speed."

Peter grinned nodding at me. “I didn’t ask.”

I smiled back pointing at his face. “You were going to.”

“I can turn it off.” Yuri grinned.

I frowned. “It’s built-in,” I said, “and automatic.”

Yuri nodded. “It has to be powered on. I know how to power it down.” He chuckled. “With more time, I could program it to say we’re on the Queen Mary or even the Titanic.”

Boris actually looked embarrassed. “You need a good breakfast beforehand. I would have made it in the house…if we had the supplies and…”

“Henri’s making it.” I smiled. I turned to the Captain. “We have time, don’t you think?”

“Sure.” Luke nodded. “Even she’s not brazen enough to attack now. She prefers isolated, cut-off attacks.” He indicated the island. “I’ve not heard of an attack on land.”

I smiled at Yuri. “You will see…” I began, “there have been a lot of changes.” I held him so he could see my eyes. “You’ve become someone very important to Peter and me. We love you, Yuri. You are family.”

Yuri smiled but looked uncertain where I was going with what I was saying. “Okay.”

We walked down to the crew’s galley where they ate. I had told them to be themselves.

“Thank God!!!” Cosmo said with a loud relieved sigh. He pointed at Mercea’s place at the table. “He wouldn’t survive much longer without food.”

“At least that’s what we kept hearing.” Rolph chuckled.

I smiled at the casual friendly banter.

“I said I was hungry over an hour ago!” Mercea protested with a grin. "An hour agony and suffering!!"

“Leave Mercea alone," Peter said as we got some plates. “He’s a growing boy.”

I looked at Yuri’s face and saw the shock there. I took the plate Peter offered to me. I nodded. “Which he’d be in trouble if he just took and threw it away. He ate all five waffles yesterday.”

Mikell shook his head. “It’s impolite to not wait for all to come to the table.”

“When all the signals your brain gets when you’re hungry,” Peter handed Boris and Yuri plates. "What's polite and not polite becomes less important when you're hurting."

“You didn’t tell us,” I said looking at Rolph. “We left Malta, did you find anything to surprise Alina and Darla?”

Peter laughed at that. “Aren’t you forgetting someone? Andreea? He’s supposed to be winning her, isn’t he? Or is that a done deal?”

“That’s what makes it magical doing what we do.” Rolph said simply. “It’s never a done deal.” He shrugged. “I got Andreea this great necklace. It reminded me of her.” He looked at me inquisitively. “I got Alina and Darla dolls again. If you can think of another toy or something for them, Eric. I am all ears.”

I nodded. “They aren’t Barbies, are they?”

“No.” He said in an are-you-kidding tone. “Barbie is available everywhere…even Makarovia.”

I chuckled about to get something as I saw near panic and horror on Yuri’s face as he slowly shook his head.

I touched Yuri’s arm, but he ignored it or was in denial. “They have become good friends, Yuri.” This reaction was way more than a simple unwelcomed emotion. “They are good men. You’ll like them.”

Yuri shook his head. “I…I can’t.”

“Why not?” I asked.

“They’ll die!!” Yuri stated loud giving me looks the others gave said they couldn't believe it.

I put my plate down. “No one will know why he said that if we just stare at each other. I’ll have to ask him.”