by Robert Lyon
After I finished my story everyone was exhausted from all the implied work, it was like a good scenario covering everything except how to avoid a treaty violation.
As we nuzzled in for the night Megan took Michelle’s spot sleeping next to me and whispered in my ear, “Rob, I need you to shave my legs tomorrow.” I replied, “Okay.” and kissed her on the cheek. Athena threw her leg around my hip from behind me, and draped her arm around my chest before she hugged me as we went to sleep. The curtains we had woven for the cabana were swaying more than usual and I expected a change in the weather.
The next morning the winds were low with heavy cloud cover and there was a cool humidity about the air. Tim and
Mitch were making planks and Michael and I were placing them. At the rate we were working the hull would be complete in two days.
I couldn’t understand where the time had gone, the sundial had a trace on several stars and the small circles indicating north were nearly complete, as were the large circles indicating south.
There was also a heart shape forming that I was unsure of. It had been nearly a year. The line we fastened to our sundial pole’s tip had been lined up with the stars and we had noted in the circles that the chart is of course upside down. The note read, “North is at the bottom and the whole world is upside down”
Chapter Twelve
Mercury sets to sea
It had been a year the ship was complete and the celebration and launch of the ship was in a few days. Building up the rations took time and the fish were preserved as a dried fish meal, the sorghum floor and yeast would be prepared onboard in a small galley. Seasonings would be on top of the fishmeal cooked atop a hand sized ration of bread. The leeches were both dried and fresh kept in fresh water. Rations of fresh water were stored in barrels but the ship had a still and a mountain of charcoal.
My computer design still lay in odd components, sprockets, ladder-chain ropes, scales, levers, pulley wheels with intentional slippage and self-adjusting tensioners. But in my frustration I did take leave of the project and worked out a small model of a hot air balloon.
After the launch of the ship we would build the elevated platform, to watch for their return with help. We had planned for them to attempt to sail all the way back, but should they come in contact with any merchant traffic they could call for help. I had left this out of the scenarios but I reminded those we selected for the crew. I had to stay, I was still the governor and seemed adept at coming up with solutions to our problems here.
As I tested my small hot air balloon I tested how much weight it could carry and saw it as a crane, a nice sky hook. As for my computer idea, I struggled. What would it do? I was the governor and had certain responsibilities, and from those we had come up with appropriate laws through the senate. But I discovered people like to change the laws as they see fit and had to argue that’s what precedence setting incidents are. It happened this was our communities’ solution and we had to
stand by that answer forever, by using that response every time the defense can prove it is a similar situation…no special cases.
So, back to the idea of it being a tarot card deck with an animation. It will predict outcomes and guide us back to law, and it will present as a manifestation of one of the original twelve gods of ancient Rome. We had no crime on our side of the island but the actions of the senate and the decision as to labor force application and consumption of island resources had to be a matter of law; Or the decree of a god.
After I finished working out the model of a hot air balloon by stacking stones with it, I sat and narrated my thought looking at the ‘computer’ parts I had made. I spoke with a melody as though I were about to break into song, “Zeus was theology and we may need him, but not yet. Vulcan was an engineer, Hades was a surgeon and mortician, Mars was agriculture and military science, Demeter was hunting and botany related to animals,
Apollo was philosophy and arts; Hera was marriage and civil law. Civil law? Oh god, an island run by Hera…those nightmare stories are over a thousand years old and are still told. Let’s stick to Apollo.”
Between mechanical representations of logic gates, push rods and levers, a cam for clock pulses, scales that catch water and compare the weight, slipping pulley wheels with a lever system that adjusts their tension, I was absolutely not above using a papier-mâché puppet as an interface.
Tammy and Michelle were putting finishing touches on the ship, they were making a smooth deck cover with the knotweed by shaving it into veneer like strips. The deck was being coated with the tree sap and with the ship up on the wooden ‘x’s just above the water she got wet every time she took slats out to
Michael up on the deck.
Artimus was out on the militants fishing boat and had finally hardened his circle. Artimus said, “Looks like I’m a
Captain again.” Smity glanced over to the boat and asked,
“What do you mean?” Dave Artimus smiled a crooked smile and said, “I’ve tolerated all this craziness by my own choice. I have been in control and in command all along. And now they did just what I wanted them to do, I have a ship again and they made sure it was suitable to get them back.” Milson was the third man on the boat and he asked, “Will you be taking Koleson with you?” Artimus laughed, “No…I’m taking you guys and a couple more. And don’t piss me off, because that’s the only reason I was beating up that guys guts with my dick. And I guarantee that smart ass cabin boy knows his place now.” Smity inquired,
“On his knees with your dick in his mouth?” Artimus replied,
“Your god damn right.” with all the infliction and self- satisfaction of a new lottery winner.
Athena had always loved playing the ‘bad girl’ she had tugged my heart strings so hard it felt as though my heart had been ripped from my chest. Now with the ship near complete she wanted to cross the tracks to the militant camp and celebrate with a little exhibitionism of power. In the late evening she slipped out of the gate and back to the militant camp. She was a little leery so she took our ‘holy relic’ knife with her. She found her friend Amber and said she had missed her, but with a wipe of her forehead and an exhaustive exhale she said dramatically,
“I’ve just been so busy. We finished our rescue ship, the
Woodenpeg. I’ve just been dying to see you and catch up on old times, how have you been.” Amber accustomed to that level of drama which assured her in the past she was in fact speaking to a woman rather than a dyke replied, “I’m the football queen cheerleader, they fell in love with my pompoms. Dave suggested
a prom. You should come!” Athena thought to herself, ‘All the damn parties I’ve managed over there and no one even thought of a prom?’ Amber noticing her silence and dismay said, “Can you show me how to make one of those dresses?” Athena gleamed an overwhelming smile and replied, “Totally!”
As they collected plant fibers to make the cloth from the whispers began. Amber asked, “You sure the boat won’t sink?”
Athena replied, “We absolutely worked it out. And we’ll test it, but the provisions are already to go, and the navigational circle says now is the time or we will have to wait out the winter.”
Amber chuckled, “I didn’t even notice last winter. You get a husband over there?” Athena tucked her head down as she collected the fibers and said, “Not that much has changed, it was only about a month ago that we saw each other.” Amber replied,
“I know. But while you guys were building the ship we didn’t see any of you for a year and we sent someone over to make sure you were still alive and they found the fence and the wall but found a way to look over it and saw how well the ship was coming; so Dave asked us to give them some time.”
Athena still speaking in a hush asked, “I thought you guys removed him from command.” Amber replied, “We did. But, what else are we going to do?” As Amber and Athena started to laugh and giggle in girl talk the guys noticed Athena was dressed very much like a native. They set a perimeter around them and
signaled Amber they were on alert. Amber nodded with an intense look to her eyes and a false smile and Athena noticed and got a little jittery. Amber in turn noticed the nervous tension and changed it into sexual tension by teasing her about boys. And the laughter continued, Amber knew that if she continued teasing her about sex and guys that once Athena was hot enough to smell her musk she would be fine.
The militant’s clothes we’re tattered and they had all lost weight and muscle mass. Some looked like Irish coalminers and others like Aborigines, but they knew her. She helped form a loom with Amber shirt was tattered, her bra intact, her pants shredded below the knee and a torn just under her left buttock.
While Athena wore a skirt and tank top that seemed to be a knit of green burlap with trace poke dots of red and when her body position and the wind were opposed in just the right way it became evident that she had no underwear. She had used the tie strap streamers like us all, but in her work her body position did leave a chance for the wind gust to expose her and we’d all just learned to accept our circumstance.
Atrisia had lost so much weight it was hard to recognize her, she caught a glimpse of Athena’s ass and walked up after figuring out what they were doing. Atrisia asked, “Hey can you make me one too?” Athena replied cheerfully, “Sure, I think ambers going to start a work group.” Amber interjected, “A work shop.” Atrisia looked to amber and nodded. The nod signified she hadn’t taken offense that she should make her own but in truth Athena’s cheerful demeanor was genuine and taking as such which meant on the otherside of the island that kind of insinuation did not amount to a ‘fuck off’. Atrisia asked, “How’
Tommi doing?” Athena said reassuringly, “She’s fine. We’re all just working really hard. But you know…work hard play hard.”
Randy Brosuer called over a chipper as he could manage,
“Ya, us too. that’s how decide who leads every month. With a football game.” Athena glanced over with a smile but knew
Chief Brosuer and recognized the look on his face as a cry for help. She said, “Our boat and crew heads out soon and we should be outta here in a few months. We don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up because once they’ve left if there is no rescue
in six months then they had to have died at sea. And, that’s pressure they don’t need and how the hell we would cope with that and move on is pressure we don’t need. The boat takes eight and they will get our rescue here.”
Smity walked up and asked, “How’s this ‘workshop’ going to work ahh…Amber?” Amber said with her head hung low and in an apologetic tone, “We need a bunch of plant fibers.” Smity replied, “Okay.” Then turned to the various groups on the beach and said, “Okay, this is this month’s leadership, form work details for collection of plant fibers; anyone on half rations just sit back we’ll get clothes made for you.”
Hudlow peeked out from a bush and said in an odd comedic feminine tone, “I’m on half-half rations” Smity replied,
“Ya, I know you psychopath. Just…” and with an inquisitive look Smity continued, “…stay in the bush.” Athena knew not look back and to quicken her time. It had become like visiting a neighbor that turned out to have redneck racist incestuous cousins living with them in an overcrowded house.
As Athena flaunted our accomplishments with our gate open, we were repositioning the crane for the final swing of the ship into the water. Tim was sitting up on the cranes support structure with his legs spread looking down at everyone looking up at him in confusion. He said, “What!?” Tammy replied, “We can all see up your dress!” Tim looked away ashamed and said,
“It’s a kilt and crossing my legs would look gay. So take it all in baby.” Tammy laughed and said, “I have.” and laughed hysterically. Tim climbed down and walked away in embarrassment. He said to himself as he walked, “That chief at medical told me, the navy fantasy was a copping mechanism but it becomes a culture and you actually brainwash each other. And that if we didn’t keep the balance it would fail and the ship
would some claustrophobically small. I give up on the brainwashing and this is a dress, keep it and it’s a kilt but…navy. All those ‘But…Navy’s have destroyed my life.”
As Tim walked passed Michelle she interjected, “Tim…you’ve got a nice package up that dress and I don’t mind seeing it. So relax.” Tim flashed back for an instant to when Michelle was actually one of his subordinates and briefly smiled, then it occurred to him she had caught him masturbating at least ten times over the past year.
Tommi was quick in her step and hadn’t been far from
Joseph since the island clothing became absolutely necessary.
She swung around him and held him then leaned in and whispered, “If you forget about me after we get back home, I’ll cut your nuts off and choke you with them.” Joseph got that look that really defined their relationship, it was the pitiful look of ‘I know what you mean to say but your saying all wrong.’ and he kissed her. Not unlike a young Pilipino wife speaking with her young American sailor husband while he learns Tagalog.
Athena had returned and after entering the gate she turned around and waved with a pleasant smile and said, “Good bye guys…close the gate.” Michael ran over and closed the gate and said, “I didn’t see anyone.” she looked at him and teared up. She said, “I thought I might have been followed.” and knowing
Athena, she wouldn’t want to present with the weakness of ignorance. Athena said, “It got even worse over there.”
The ship was ready for a morning ‘test flight’, she would circle the island all day long testing steerage and sail then tie up for the following days deployment. The boat was well secured and anchored. we all sat and watched the sunset behind the
Woodenpeg it was a picturesque scene. Dave miles used what
dyes we had to capture the moment on his vest by finger painting it.
That night we could hear the difference in the surf, the slapping of the waves against the hull, the creaking of the supporting Wooden ‘X’s we had moored her to, it was hypnotic.
We heard a nymph laughing and giggling just outside our wall as we slept. But when we awake we realized that laughing was
Atrisia and in a panic we rushed out of our cabanas and saw the truth of Artimus.
As the ‘Artimus gang’ slipped through our wall, Atrisia giggled surprised she had been told of the hole before. Artimus had been spying and preparing all along, else wise we would not had been able to go so long unmolested.
Our navigation circle had been destroyed and more stores than what we had loaded had been stolen. Mr. Deckly arrived at the gate soon after we woke and knocked at the gate with a long heavy stick with a stone weight tied to the end. We answered and before we could ask what the hell had happened Bruce
Deckly informed us, “You are all put on notice the Captain intends to seek criminal charges on desertion, consider yourselves under arrest and confined here to your side of the island.”
Michelle collapsed and Athena Ran away. I stood up and retorted, “Wait a second the mother fucker steals our boat and you expect to arrest us.” Mr. deckly stated angrily, “You are still property of the united states navy!” I yelled back, “Wrong branch motherfucker, this isn’t the army, I am not from
Mississippi, nor have I ever been there during my service…I am not a slave or property and my state of origin ratified that amendment long ago!” Brosuer stepped out from behind him as deckly realized the implications of what we both had said.
Brosuer said, “Please understand I had nothing to do with this but I do ask you don’t attack us. The captain bated us into football games to determine who the leaders would be month by month, it seemed like a game but it got out of control and
‘Football’ isn’t violent enough of a term to describe what it became.”
I replied, “None of you over there has ever managed to not disappoint me. Stay clear of our walls and gate and stay clear of us in the waters, do not interfere with any of our ‘operations’.
Deckly smirked and sounded like a Halloween character as he leaned forward and asked, “And what if he comes back?” I looked at him shocked and replied, “First I’m counting on that he would still report the stranded. Second, you seem to have forgotten he lost a god damn destroyer!!!” Deckly again looked stunned, then a bit dizzy and he and Brosuer walked away. As we closed the gate Athena yelled, “Make sure your drinking clean water you look too fucked up!”
Everyone was distraught, he had betrayed us at every opportunity…he had created opportunities just to betray us again. He was vile and loathsome even before he had lost the ship. When we received calls to the ship he used the message board to harass our callers, be they wives or husband, girl friends or boyfriends or even parents and siblings.
He had managed to fail evaluations by the navy by doing things his way rather than insuring compliance with the navy’s ways.
He found fault in individual strengths that an immediate superior was lacking but the subordinate had acquired. He made sarcasm of training deficiencies in the subordinates and invited mockery by superiors when they actually knew the subject matter. He split personality types by creating sibling rivalries based on navy
rates when the personality types got along with each other and demanded that the personality types that did not get along learn to work together through special projects for the captain intended to solicit a shared pride in their captain rather than their own accomplishments. He stole from our lockers claiming it was his ship and he would confiscate anything he deemed necessary which only complimented his opening our mail in a voyeuristic fashion. As we vented our hatred of him, our individual stories coalesced in the nightmare image of David Artimus Commander