Quote Originally Posted by learningtopleez
I thought the yacht that was circling the island looked familiar, when it suddenly hit me that it was Sir Chuck! He had been to visit us once before and to make sure we had enough supplies. But I had been here long enough. Although I greatly enjoyed Master13's care of myself and e.b., and nibbles while she was here: I so missed my friends and family at the dungeon. I rushed to find the flairs Master13 had in his luggage and shot one straight up in the air, hoping and praying that someone would see it. It wasn't long before a Gig came ashore with a man and woman I didn't recognize. The man approached me, telling me his name is Nick, and he is with Sir Chuck, and that he has come to take all that want to leave home! Tears run down my face as I realize I have been rescued. I run to tell the others, but they have chosen to stay for now. Master13 assures me that he will not be upset if I choose to leave and he sends me off with a slap on my bottom. I join Nick on the Gig and am introduced to Amy, who is just beautiful. She immediately starts inspecting me for any sunburn or other first aid needs. When we get to the yacht, I immediately fall to my knees at Sir Chucks feet with tears of gratitude in my eyes. He gently lifts me to my feet for inspection. Amy soon returns with some cream for my poison oak and insists that I take a sleeping pill. I look to Sir Chuck for approval and he gives me a nod. I take it gratefully and am lead to my own cabin with a real bed! Oh gosh, I will sleep like the dead tonight. Before I fall asleep I send a thank you with hugs and kisses to Sir Chuck in my mind, and I could have sworn I heard him say..."Just rest now Little One. We will talk soon." Must have been the sleeping pill!

Damn. I hate breaking promises... or even bending them. It turns out that the main's'l control fouled, and took with it the entire sheet control.... locking everything on the board fully extended! We likely broke a few speed records for our class of craft. Damn glad we were in open seas. The worst part was when the storm arose, Amy and Nick on opposite sides of the stick jumping up and down to try to loosen her up; the two jumped together into a very rough sea. I released the gig from her moorings and they managed to swim up to her and make weigh back to "Sailing Master". Scared us all.

Finally I just pulled the breakers on the master control and allowed it to reboot. Twenty minutes later the system was back online, we started the diesels and dowsed all the sheets. Finally able to turn Navigation back over to the computer, I had my first chance off the wheel in 23 hours. Having no energy to play, I grabbed the first lady I saw who'd had the guts to stick her head out on deck and took her to bed. Turned out lucky: it was LTP and most proud to give her a slow, half-sleepy welcome back.

Next morning we had an atoll climb the horizon before us, and we carefully worked our way (Mark Twain - style) through the coral and dropped the hook inside the lagoon. Almost felt like Gilligan, coming home.

Amy jumped into her new mesh diving suit, and took a quick swim under the lagoon, then set up a net with Nick's help across the opening to keep Portugese Men o' War, jellyfish, sharks, and other noxious sea denizens in their own neighborhoods. And to give us all room to play. While they finished that, I grabbed the Garand and swept the atoll's land for anything else which might be threatening; fortunately that I did, as one of the many thousands of mines still floating in the ocean from the Second World War had managed to work it's way up among some jungle plants extending nearly to the lagoon.

Firing a round into the air, Nick came running. He'd put down the gangplank and was finishing the other half. He skidded to a stop about twenty feet shy, and did a double-take. "A.... MINE? Never thought I'd see one except in a movie or museum! What do we do with this?"

"This one, Nick, will give us a chance to use another of our new toys, safely. Rig out the heavy laser."

With the help of Sari and Myya, the centerboards of the teak decking were folded back and the remote control retrieved. Nick smiled, and flipped on the power source.... firing up the Diesels to full rpm running the alternators. Carefully focusing the famous 'red dot' on the center of the mine, and blipping the siren a few times, he started bringing up the power slowly. The object was to melt the damned thing, not to blow it up unless they had to.

As the power was being applied, we soon found it unlikely to explode; a sudden burst of water from the new hole made it unlikely that the works still did.

They did. Violently. Thought I was far enough away, but getting blown through jungle 40 feet was wonderful for clearing the sinuses.

Once we'd all recovered, Ruby gathered the gang together and all filed ashore. "Today," she said, "we're each going to come up with a contest we can share for fun and spankings... or whatever. Before we start, we have a few cautions: no broken skin, broken bones, or broken friendships. We're letting anyone judge who wants, winners will be praised, losers will be spanked. Or something.

"First contest! Each of you is to find a coconut bigger than your, a, head. We were going to do bigger than your tits, but Jaden would have an unfair advantage. Oh, yes! Can't use your hands to bring it back, but we're giving you two rubber bands and a piece of netting. Speed is important, getting the thing off the ground is ok. FINALLY! A scream means DANGER. Another mine? Whatever. If you scream without there being danger to many, there'll be lots for you! Pick up your nets and rubber bands from the ground here, and get ready to run. Set? Go!"

They took off to find coconuts... and supper.