Kid Fleet Season 1

Chapter 4~ All Hands to Dubai

Mary watched with annoyance as Elizabeth started to lag behind again. It was a 1 week sail from Southampton to Dubai and 3 days into it Elizabeth's energy dissolved. She'd been quiet and lagging ever since. This trip was Victoria's doing. Mary just knew it. Ever since she had made the promise to her sister to tell Elizabeth the truth. The younger sibling had made it clear in no uncertain terms that they were going to Dubai to see Elizabeth's mother QE2. "Are we..." Elizabeth began. "Liz, if you start that silly Yank game so help me..." Mary snarled. "Eehe sorry." Elizabeth squeaked, sounding not in the slightest. Mary sighed. Finally, with the horizon, salvation. "We're almost there anyways." She smiled. "Yess!" Elizabeth crowed and just like that the boundless energy was back. She zipped ahead.

With a top speed of 30 knots, Mary was more than capable of keeping up with her fleetmate but she increased speed only slightly. Just enough to ensure Elizabeth didn't get too far ahead. And ensuring she would be nearby if her childish antics startled another ship. Elizabeth for her part was having the time of her life. She was practically vibrating with giggles as she steamed effortlessly past the seawall. She had to go to the cruise terminal and let her people off but once she did she quickly became bored again. As Mary pulled up to her dock next to her, Elizabeth snapped her moorings and backed out. "Elizabeth, be a lady and wait for me." "Nope!" Mary sighed as her fleetmate danced out into the harbor. "Hopefully she doesn't cause too much trouble." She thought.

After chatting with a few ships, Elizabeth made her way out of the main channel. She spotted some carnival shops nearby and her mouth watered as the scents of cotton candy and elephant ears filled her nostrils. Her stomach sounded its eagerness and the liner set out for them. Rounding a corner though something caught her eye. Another ship. She was similar in size to her but had less decks. Her bow was sleek like Queen Mary's, clearly designed for battling the harsh ocean swells. She was old, her muzzle silver with age. She had Cunard's red funnel. But the most curious thing was the name written on her bow. Queen Elizabeth 2. Elizabeth had heard the name before but little else. Both Mary and Victoria avoided the subject like a plague around her. Elizabeth wondered why? Had QE2 done something wrong? Something that might've gotten her sent here? The way Mary's eyes softened when she was mentioned made Elizabeth believe otherwise. She found herself staring. Elizabeth knew it was rude but she was more curious than ever now about this new vessel. Before she left Southampton, Victoria had instructed her to write a 3 page report on a ship she met there. The way her eyes had twinkled when she said that made Elizabeth wonder now if she'd meant Queen Elizabeth 2. Curiosity drove her forward until she was right up next to her.

QE2 started at seeing her. "Oh my dear, you gave me a fright." "Was not my intention I assure you madam." Elizabeth replied. "Liz please." She said. "And who might you be dearie?" "Mind if I call you Lizzie? I go by Liz as well so it might be less confusing." Elizabeth asked. QE2 smiled. "I don't see why not." She looked Liz over and the younger ship was struck by her eyes. Deep garnet. "Just like in my memories." She thought. "You are Cunard's newest ship. Vista-class if I'm not mistaken." QE2's voice brought Elizabeth out of her thoughts. "Yes. I am a sister ship to Queen Victoria but not a sister. That honor belongs to Queen Mary." She replied. "And how is my dear Mary?" QE2 asked. Elizabeth was reminded of something Victoria had told her. About Mary being raised by a surrogate mother. She assumed QE2 was that ship. "I liken her akin to a teenager trying to act grown up." She replied. "It works until Victoria becomes involved." QE2 laughed, the sound like chimes in the wind and surprisingly soothing to the younger ship. "That girl knows how to cheer me up. Why, the last time she was here, not more than a few months ago, I laughed more than the rest of the year combined." "She has that way about her." Elizabeth smiled.

"Elizabeth! I told you to wait for me!" Half-pouting, half-glaring at her fleetmate's giggle, Mary pulled up alongside. "I hope she hasn't been too bothersome mother. Elizabeth can be trying at times." "A bother, not at all." QE2 gave her a smile that warmed Elizabeth's heart. "I haven't met such a sweet little ship in some time. She's quite like yourself with a hint of Victoria in her too." A laugh. "She did a fine job of sneaking up to me." "Elizabeth!" Mary scolded and Elizabeth giggled, ducking closer to QE2 out of range of Mary's bow. Mary rolled her eyes. "Quite alright Mary I assure you." QE2 soothed her daughter. Elizabeth giggled again as Mary shot her a stink eye. "Mind yourself." Was all she said.

The breeze shifted and once again Elizabeth's nose was filled with the delicious scents that brought her this way in the first place. "Do you like cotton candy?" She asked QE2. "Elizabeth!" Mary hissed but the old liner just smiled. "Why yes I do. I imagine you're tempted by those carnival rides." She handed Elizabeth some coins. "Bring some back for all of us. Mary, you want anything?" She asked. Mary shrugged. "Cinnamon elephant ears." She replied. Elizabeth grinned. "Coming right up. Back in a flash." She raced off.

Only when she was gone did QE2 turn to Mary. "She doesn't know." "I never told her." Mary replied. "Why?" "Remember how I reacted when you told me. I still have a hard time accepting it. You were more of a mother to me than Queen Mary ever was. I was and still am confused. I don't know how to handle her. Liz shouldn't have to go through the same thing." QE2 nodded. "Your concern for her is admirable. However are you sure that is the only reason?" "What do you mean?" Mary asked. "Liz is young. She can still understand. I waited too long with you and that was my mistake. A mistake you don't have to replicate if you tell her soon. You know this as well as I. I think you're withholding the truth because you're jealous. Or are afraid of being jealous." QE2 replied. "Jealous?!" Mary repeated. "Oh aye. Jealous because she's my daughter while you are not. At least that's what you think. Am I right?" QE2's stare was intense and Mary bowed under it. "To the letter." She mumbled. She felt the older liner nuzzle her. "You fear I'd chose another over you? You who I raised from when you were just a week old. I lost Liz at that same age. I never knew her, never got to. I only see the adult. But you, you were and still are the daughter I never had. How could any ship replace that? Replace you?!" Mary gave a dry sob and leaned into her. QE2 held her, licking her cheek like she used to do when Mary was a shipling.

Elizabeth was enjoying herself. She'd discovered QE2's coins were good for the prize stands and spent them accordingly. She won a few rounds of horse racing and proved very adept at the watergun stand. Satisfied with her earnings, Elizabeth made her way back with a bagful of cotton candy and still hot elephant ears. (She didn't understand why they were called that as they looked nothing like elephant)

Rounding the corner she found QE2 with Mary slumped over next to her. Elizabeth was concerned until she saw that her flagship was asleep. She couldn't help but coo at the cute sight. "Aww now that's adorable." "Shh!" QE2 hissed. "You'll wake her." Elizabeth offered an apology before slipping in quietly next to the pair. Sandwiched between QE2 on one side and Elizabeth on the other, Mary relaxed even more, sighing in contentment as she stretched out. Her props tickled Elizabeth's rudder and despite herself, she couldn't help but giggle. QE2 had a gentle smile on her face. "You raised her, I understand?" She asked. "How much as she told you?" QE2 questioned. Elizabeth shrugged. "Just that you existed." She replied. "That you raised her and were fleet flagship before her were things I pieced together on my own." "I'm impressed. You must be quite the detective." QE2 praised her. "Only with practice. There's much I've pieced together that most think I couldn't." QE2 chuckled. "You're just like me when I was your age. I had this insatiable curiosity. Drove my mother up a sandback and my aunt crazy." Elizabeth giggled, handling her the bag of goodies. "Dunno why they're called elephant ears. They don't look like 'em." "That's because they aren't actual elephant dearie." QE2 laughed. "It's one of those silly things humans came up with. Like how not all bacon is pork." Elizabeth nodded, watching as QE2 took a bite. "Could I-try it?" She asked timidly. QE2 smiled and handed her a piece which Elizabeth promptly popped in her mouth. "S'guh." She mumbled. "Do not talk with your mouth open." QE2 scolded, giving her a light swat. Elizabeth yelped and cowered under the blow. She pouted, rubbing the spot bu conceded. "Yes Liz. Sorry Liz." She said. "You're forgiven." The older liner turned back to her elephant ear and Elizabeth, polishing off a spot of cotton candy, turned her attention to her assignment. She was busily compiling notes as QE2 looked over. "What's do you have there?" She asked. "Victoria's doing. She wants me to write a report about a ship I meet here. I want it to be about you." Elizabeth replied. "Me?!" QE2 exclaimed. "Why me?" "Because I like you. You're the first friend I've made outside my fleet." "Friend." QE2 mused. "Yeah, I can go with that. What do you want to know?" Thus, pen at the ready, Elizabeth eagerly asked her questions and the pair sat up talking much of the night.