Post by elizar on Mar 7, 2010 18:44:01 GMT -5
Rita was sailing alongside with Matt. The sea was clear and both of them were making a good speed. Because the ocean was still ruled by pirates, it was a dangerous venture to sail for any humans on a dead boat, and for living boats as well. She, Matt, and the small crew they had made their money from being hired by companies to find their missing ships and hopefully cargo they had on board.
Matt had been a recent addition and his build showed as well that there was a need for a second ship, and that not many were offering. While Rita had great tug ability, and often nicknamed “John Ross” by her human crew, Matt showed that either of his parents was a dredger, but the rest of him was a mix of this and that. But his size and cabin capabilities made it possible for him to hold a lot of cargo, or a lot of people in need of help from a ship dead at sea.
This tour was their third one together. The sun was setting and everyone was bored. They had been hired to find a missing passenger ship. A company that had been based in the US had finally finished building a dam in Netherlands, and had rented an old cruise liner and a convoy for their staff. It had been considered more of a reward, and had armed escort. They had stopped reporting in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. There were others searching as this was a big deal.
“At least we’re getting paid for this.” Alan, a human and the ‘Commodore’ of the two ships and their crews. He was at the ‘bridge’ of Rita and had said that through one of her pipings.
“At least we know never to get another contract from ValTrans.” Rita answered. “They were not that happy about their cargo being stolen by pirates before we found the ship.”
“That’s one fiasco we can’t afford to repeat.” Alan answered. “The legal costs were enough to convince me that they were loonies.”
“At least include me in the conversation if you’re going to have it right next to me.” Matt said. He did have couple of humans manning him compared to Rita’s threes. It was a real skeleton crew. At least they didn’t have to spend too much money on pay with that arrangement, though they had their fair share of educated and experienced people.
“Sorry Matt.” Rita said. “Alan’s just bitching as usual.” She chuckled.
“Come on.” Alan whined in a fake dramatic tone. “I hate these kind of jobs. Too many people end up dead from it.”
“We don’t know if they’re dead yet.” Matt said. “And then we might not even end up seeing the ship. The oceans are big.”
“You better get rid of that attitude.” Rita said. “For us to have any work we got to have the reputation of finding stuff. Because who wants to hire a salvage company that can’t find shit?”
“She’s right you know.” Alan said in the radio, now directed to Matt, then he switched to the private frequency. He was alone in the bridge, and he even arranged for that Rita wouldn’t hear him. “Now, you wish to tender your resignation when we get back to port?”
Matt was silent and sighed. He gave a quick negative signal through his systems and to Alan. But his lack of more precise response conveyed that Alan would get it later. Probably through the Bluetooth mail system.
Alan turned back on Rita’s piping and sighed. “We should leave work for now until tomorrow. What game are you two going to play now?”
Matt smirked. It was regular that during the off-time, he and Rita were often playing through the small network they had. And they usually picked out some obscure game, and tried to play a different game each off-time.
“It’s going to be Bomberman.” Matt said with a smirk. “Neither of us have played it, but I think I’ve played some clones of it before.”
“Now then, whom are you going to bet for?” Rita smirked. It was pretty common for crew at each ship to watch the game on a big TV while they were either playing or reading.
“I’m going for you baby.” Alan said. “Bomberman is about strategy, and I think you got what it takes to beat this greenie.”
Matt had been a recent addition and his build showed as well that there was a need for a second ship, and that not many were offering. While Rita had great tug ability, and often nicknamed “John Ross” by her human crew, Matt showed that either of his parents was a dredger, but the rest of him was a mix of this and that. But his size and cabin capabilities made it possible for him to hold a lot of cargo, or a lot of people in need of help from a ship dead at sea.
This tour was their third one together. The sun was setting and everyone was bored. They had been hired to find a missing passenger ship. A company that had been based in the US had finally finished building a dam in Netherlands, and had rented an old cruise liner and a convoy for their staff. It had been considered more of a reward, and had armed escort. They had stopped reporting in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. There were others searching as this was a big deal.
“At least we’re getting paid for this.” Alan, a human and the ‘Commodore’ of the two ships and their crews. He was at the ‘bridge’ of Rita and had said that through one of her pipings.
“At least we know never to get another contract from ValTrans.” Rita answered. “They were not that happy about their cargo being stolen by pirates before we found the ship.”
“That’s one fiasco we can’t afford to repeat.” Alan answered. “The legal costs were enough to convince me that they were loonies.”
“At least include me in the conversation if you’re going to have it right next to me.” Matt said. He did have couple of humans manning him compared to Rita’s threes. It was a real skeleton crew. At least they didn’t have to spend too much money on pay with that arrangement, though they had their fair share of educated and experienced people.
“Sorry Matt.” Rita said. “Alan’s just bitching as usual.” She chuckled.
“Come on.” Alan whined in a fake dramatic tone. “I hate these kind of jobs. Too many people end up dead from it.”
“We don’t know if they’re dead yet.” Matt said. “And then we might not even end up seeing the ship. The oceans are big.”
“You better get rid of that attitude.” Rita said. “For us to have any work we got to have the reputation of finding stuff. Because who wants to hire a salvage company that can’t find shit?”
“She’s right you know.” Alan said in the radio, now directed to Matt, then he switched to the private frequency. He was alone in the bridge, and he even arranged for that Rita wouldn’t hear him. “Now, you wish to tender your resignation when we get back to port?”
Matt was silent and sighed. He gave a quick negative signal through his systems and to Alan. But his lack of more precise response conveyed that Alan would get it later. Probably through the Bluetooth mail system.
Alan turned back on Rita’s piping and sighed. “We should leave work for now until tomorrow. What game are you two going to play now?”
Matt smirked. It was regular that during the off-time, he and Rita were often playing through the small network they had. And they usually picked out some obscure game, and tried to play a different game each off-time.
“It’s going to be Bomberman.” Matt said with a smirk. “Neither of us have played it, but I think I’ve played some clones of it before.”
“Now then, whom are you going to bet for?” Rita smirked. It was pretty common for crew at each ship to watch the game on a big TV while they were either playing or reading.
“I’m going for you baby.” Alan said. “Bomberman is about strategy, and I think you got what it takes to beat this greenie.”