We got out to the vehicle, and I noticed we had no BabySub, so I ran inside and learned she was unable to go, due to something the alien had done. I stopped to ask bisarah if she would like to go, and she jumped at the chance.
Handing her a naval seabag when we got to her quarters, I stood back and watched her pack. The lady understands priorities! Toys first, her teddy bear, some dressy night clothes, underwear, a few cosmetics and toiletries, her pillow, and she was ready to run. We dashed back to the car together, only stopping at Dee's office for a second to get her properly innoculated for tropical diseases and to pick up a few supplies.

At the dock, the "Sailing Master" rode at anchor, shining in the sunlight. My first mate, Nick, was standing at the head of the gangway, and began to lower the cargo net for the luggage and final few supplies. We all walked up and came aboard, as Nick stowed the cargo hoist for sailing, and retracted the gangway into it's slot under the decking. I turned to Nick and instructed him to get underweigh, and signalled the stevedores to assist with the docking ropes. Showing the ladies how we coiled the ropes on deck, I let them do the last three while Nick started the engines and we began our journey.

Confident of the skill of my first mate, I gathered the ladies together to watch from some deck chairs while we slowly moved out of the harbor, and into open ocean. The wind was fresh and the seas smooth; I called to Nick to set sail. Dropping the dual centerboards, he touched the electronic controls which raised all the canvas we had: soon he disengaged the twin diesels, and we were riding before the winds. I gathered the ladies and we went below.

Moving belowdecks, a quick tour of the ship was conducted, and I was soon in my chair in the main salon with the ladies in an arc before me, sitting tailor-fashion on the floor.

"Seaboard life will have a few different rules, and one complication. Nick, who you met upstairs, will never give you orders unless I instruct him to. He does, however, have an obligation to protect the ship and crew: therefore, any order he gives, no matter how silly it may seem to you, must be obeyed at once and without question. It may save your lives.

"Next. Can all of you swim?" All four nodded, though Bisarah said it had been some years. "Good. Bisarah, first two weeks you always swim with a companion and someone on deck watching. You others, swimming always allowed if you have no other duties or obligations, but always in pairs and NEVER without first notifying the officer on duty.

"Each of you will be spending time in training to sail "Sailing Master", under direction of Nick or me. A minimum of ten hours a week of training, some day, some night, will be conducted for each of you. You will mark and sign the ships' log each day for your training, having it cosigned by the duty officer.
While we are under sail, she moves at a fast pace: no swimming until we are no longer in motion. Anyone going on deck is reminded to use sunscreen each time you climb the stairs. Help each other. Uniform of the day for you ladies will be no clothing except a hat and deck shoes. This will hold true except when other ships pass into visual range or we are near land or port. The duty officer will warn you at ten miles on the radar: you will immediately comply.

"Now, stand by for ship's orders: bisarah, you are today's cook, and you will work with yellowrose until IN YOUR OPINION she is competent in the galley.
Yellowrose, you'll be working with Jenny, bisarah, and wannabexopsed on your kitchen skills, but the first cook is bisarah. Unless I cook.

"Jenny, you will learn sailing as quickly as you can: I expect you competent to stand watch within a few weeks. Until then, we will anchor every night.

"WB, you are in charge of conditions below decks. Cleaning, sanitizing, making beds, whatever. These jobs will rotate until all are competent at each, and the schedule is up on the wall in the stairwell. Check it frequently, it may change without notice.

"It's almost 11 AM, so bisarah, take yellowrose and rustle up some calories for all of us. Nothing fancy, and it's to be done in 40 minutes. Pick a good wine to go with lunch; you'll find a well-stocked wine cellar forward of the galley." The two left rather quickly.

"Jenny and WB, you will be my lunch furniture; one a table, the other a footrest. Get yourselves undressed, collect the cooks' clothing, and stow them in my cabin for now. 5 minutes! Move!" I stepped over to a tall, narrow cabinet near the chair, and retrieved a nice willow switch.

My two companions, sadly, took 5 minutes and 15 seconds. I had them on their knees, then head cradled on their arms on the deck. 15 with the switch had them howling, but I spread them out to make it easier on them. Each of the ladies would be found wanting in some way or another a few times each day. This was going to be fun!

44 minutes after assignment, lunch was brought out on two trays by the cooks. By this time, WB had been shaped into a table with ropes and cuffs, and Jenny was rolled into a nice footstool. The cooks served me, then took double portions and ate while feeding the furniture. Once finished eating, the cooks were told to clear away the remainder, except the wine, and to return to the salon.

"I'm very surprised that you did not meet the time limit for lunch. Forty minutes will soon seem generous, as tomorrow it drops to thirty-nine. Now the furniture here were 15 seconds late from their task, and got 15 strokes with the switch. You were four full minutes late: 240 seconds. Would you prefer 240 strokes with the switch, or 24 with the belt?"

Bisarah spoke up and stated 24 would be their preference. I nodded at the choice, and said, "24 strokes at once would damage you, so we shall not do that. Rather we will do 6 now, 6 when cleanup is complete and I inspect, and 12 later in the day. You two move under this ceiling hoist. Now hug each other tightly, hand grasping the opposite wrist."

A few minutes with some rope, and they were one being. The highest rope, under the arms and over breasts, had some extra at the knot; this I made into a loop, then hooked on the hoist and tightened just a little. This would keep them from falling over.

The six strokes each were rapidly delivered, drawing howls of pain and making some lovely weals on their backs, buttocks, and thighs. I knew they would fade fairly quickly. Unbinding them, I sent them off to do the cleanup.

I settled back in my chair, lifting my wine from WB's back and resting my feet on Jenny. The furniture was getting a little shakey, but they had another 30 minutes until release.

This was going to be a fun cruise.