S5: “Ship on the Line. Stand Ready for Boarding.”

 [Jimmy Stays in Contact with his New York Newspaper Editor]

Saturday evening, 9 Sept: “Ring, ring. Hey boss, Jimmy here. I need you to authorize another fifty-bucks into my account. Professor Moore’s room steward is starting to jack-up his asking price for info. Appease him now till we sail. I did learn the trio met with that famous painter Nicholas Roerich. Something about a Dyer manuscript he was supposed to handover to Starks till he got mugged by Germans. Yeah, dem Nazi guys. And according to Nicholas, Ms. Lexington is of that fascist persuasion. Which now makes them question the recent hire of the German ship captain, Heir Vredenburg. Moore seems more concern Dyer didn’t try to contact him instead of Starks. He can’t understand why James didn’t agree to meet with Nicholas, “James would have turned it into another photo op.” Anyway, I gotta get back onboard the ship. I’ll take notes and send from the Panama Canal.”

[Jimmy’s Notes]

Sunday, 10 Sept: last day in New York before we sail on tomorrow’s tide

·       Oskar stays aboard to begin his psych-evals of the team. Captain says to leave his ship-crew alone, “They don’t need excuses to avoid work. They’re all crazy; why else would they sign up to sail so far south?! The pay ain’t that great.”

·       Robert also aboard managing mundane tasks. Walking the huskies. I think he purposely stopped beside me to let the dog wiz on my leg. Damn dog!

·       Wilbur down on the dock making random crate inspections. [Spot Hidden: 82 and 91-fails] “All looks in order.” Dock-fire made him jumpy; suspects more sabotage despite Oskar catching the arsonist.

·       Lost track of Oskar. Appears to wander ship trying to learn its layout.

·       Robert also going deck-to-deck looking for stowaways.

·       Wilbur left ship to check up on Capt Vredenburg per the Harbormaster. Immigrated to America decades ago. Arctic whaler. Captained freighter Lorelei now in Trenton drydock; thus, his availability.

·       Evening paper…police got confession from arsonist. Supposed to meet his hire in Central Park at 3pm to be paid but no-show. Duh, his arrest announced in paper.

Monday, 11 Sept: 3pm high-tide; tugs push us into Hudson current

·       Morning paper with photo of Starks escorting a married Broadway Starlet.

·       Trio pissed about his broad grin. Pissed they didn’t think about partying with the girls their last night in New York.

·       Looking busy taking photos during sailing party. Sykes entertaining all with his musical squeezebox and chanties. Scientists trying to one-up each other with their field the most important of the expedition.

Ø  Paleontologists: Dr. Cope, Moorehouse Bryce and Cartier

Ø  Meteorologists: Pierce Albermarle and Orgelfinger

Ø  Archaeologists: Charles Myers and Giles

Ø  Botanists: Wilbur Sampson and Charlene Whitston

Ø  Geologists: Willard Griffith and Charlie Porter

·       Chance to interview the girls who led me to their room. To show off James’ “spare no expense” luxury item for them. Anti-Sea-Sick beds.

 ·       Priceless photo of Pierce arguing with steward about no laundry service. And Wilbur at the rails chumming the seas. We haven’t even reached rough waters.

Tuesday, 12 Sept: Sailing routine established. Moore installed a chalkboard on the crew-mess wall that shows current Lat/Lon position, winds, temp, and projected arrival in Panama (7 days). Includes hourly schedule of daily classes on variety of topics.

·       I have to admit Avery Giles does a good impersonation of Starkweather. The pipe, hand on his hip, thin moustache, haughty tone.

·       Expecting calm waters along the Eastern coast all the way to Cuba.

15 Sept: passed American Destroyer rounding Florida. Picking up Radio-Havana. Stark pissed at the news Tallahassee arrived in Panama. Calling on Capt to “Pour on the steam!” Capt declines. Moore explains limited coal supply for boilers.

19 Sept: Arrive Colon, Panama. Freighters lined up. Long day to get thru the locks. Locks quick but the tugs and trains that pull us along between locks are slow. Paced. South America “siesta” pace. Hot, humid, caw of tropical birds, Cayman sun along shores, stench of jungle rot. Anchor in Balboa Bay to take on more food supplies.

20 Sept: Couldn't resist sending the postcard with the 'Byrd' stamp. Finally slip into the Pacific. Colder waters. Rough and choppy. I see that I am joined at the ‘vomit’ rail by both Doctors Orendorf and Cope.

Sunday,24 Sept: Crew has been acting strange these last 2 days. Restricted area topside stern. Passed a few crewmen in passage; definitely hiding something. Maybe working for Giles building secret moonshine still.

·      Rocking action picking up. Finally realized we are stopped. ‘Dead-In-the-Water’ as they say. Ship horn blaring.

·      All hailed topside. I’m told to stand beside Oskar and Robert. Wilbur separated. Anxious moments as I expect them to hand out life preservers and assign rafts.

·      Cheers and catcalls from the stern announce the arrival of “Davie Jones.”

·      “Stand aside ye Pollywogs” announces our place in the coming Shellback Ceremony. Davie instructing Capt Vredenburg to “stand ready ye sailors to be tested for their seaworthiness to meet King Neptune himself. Drag dem scurvy landlubbers along wit dem. Ya got 20 hours to make ready.”

1130, 25 Sept: calm seas, clear sky. Ship radio announcement, “Ship is on the Line. Assemble. Make ready to be boarded.”

·       I have no idea how to present myself. I dress as normal. I see Wilbur dressed as a pirate while Dr. Cope wears his finest black suit and top-hat. Dr. Orendorf wears his medical scrubs as he carries a bottle of scotch.

·       Topside lined with sailors dressed as mermaids in coconut-bras. More pirates.

·       King Neptune himself (aka Enke Fiskarson) escorted forward to join the Captain and Starkweather seated on a dais. “Bring forth the unworthy who dare enter my domain uninvited. May they have the guts and balls to pay proper homage to the god of the sea.”

·       Stark pleads for leniency for his team. Neptune scoffs, “Leniency? Did you hire a bunch of whims and lasses? BHAW. Let them suffer like the rest.”

·       Mermaids and pirates form gauntlets that weave a long trail toward the dais. First buckets of cold sea water to douse us, then clumps of seaweed draped as décor over our shoulders, then on our knees to crawl thru a canvas tunnel as we are pummeled with short-knotted ropes, to then feast upon the chummed belly of our 1^st Officer Torlough, before we stand before Neptune himself…to plead our case.

·       I snicker as Dr. Cope approaches to be chastised, “A Dandy? Top-hat no less. What’s left of it.” But Robert smiles and southern charm to offer his chewed cigar. The man not fazed his best suit ruined. Taken in stride.

·       Oskar is equally chastised till he presents his gift…the scotch bottle. Neptune pleased. But like all others, the doctors’ acceptance by Neptune is noted by the LARGE paddle held aloft by the biggest brute of the crew. “WHACK!” As he and each before him is them led to the plank extending over the cold saltwater pool.

·       Jeering toward the ladies (Charlene and Gill) treated with “kid-gloves”.

1500 hours (3pm): A party like none other held in the crew-mess. Even the off-watch crew participating. Food, snacks, drinks. Yes, alcohol. Laughter and good times as all relax and cherish their newest possession: their official letter documenting their transition from ‘Pollywog’ to ‘Shellback’.

1630 hours: I think it was Dr. Cope…the first to spot the seaman staggering out of the door, gasping for breath. Followed by the stench of ammonia. Dr. Orendorf tends to the ailing seaman as Robert and Wilbur (slightly inebriated) track the source. Stronger inside as they cover their nose and eyes. Descend the stairs, arriving at the ‘Reefer’ (refrigeration unit). That holds the majority of the ship’s food supplies. Over 10 tons. I was unable to follow; thus, do not know what they found. But within the hour a ship-wide announcement is made how the reefer failed due to electrical shorting.

·       Moore announces the ship is now under strict food rationing till we dock in Melbourne.

·       I rush to the crew-mess to gorge myself on the remaining fruit still on the trays.

Behind the Scenes:

Dr. Orendorf reports to Moore, “I took inventory of the remaining supplies. We can fit some meat items in the smaller galley refrigeration units. The eggs are still good for a few more hours; so, I instructed the cook to scramble up a ton of eggs for tonight’s meal. The fruit, vegetables, and dairy products had to be tossed overboard. God help anyone who accidently falls overboard into that mass of sharks that now follow us.”

Dr. Cope gives his own report, “I had to really dig deep to find a hole in the copper tubing suppling the refrigerant to the unit. At first I thought age-related deterioration. Till I saw how big an area involved. Wilbur was able to determine it was purposefully melted by corrosive acid. Sabotage. I suggest we keep this to ourselves. Improve our chances of finding the agent. It could be ship-crew bribed by our exploration competitors, or even an exploration teammate working for the other-side. Anyway, that’s why I asked permission from the Captain to announce the electrical fault.”

Oskar spoke up, “I’ve had a chance to psych-eval all of the team. There are at least 3 members who stand out as problematic. I’d rather not say their names yet…innocent till proven guilty.”

And that’s when Wilbur spoke up, “So we just sit around till something else is sabotaged?! Excuse me doc, but if you have suspects, at least give us a hint so we can discreetly check them out. Now, before he can hide evidence. I found acid burn also on the flooring; maybe he splashed some onto his shoes or got some on his fingertips. It’s one thing to spoil our food and discourage us from continuing the trip. But if we reach the ice, God help us if he has sabotaged our means of survival. God have mercy on him if I catch the bastard!”

Next episode: https://rigglebmm.blogspot.com/2020/10/s6-damn-starkers.html