The Independence Mutiny

Chapter 14: Something Stupid Like I Love You...

 Emma felt bad about what she did to Shifty. Emma ran ashore when she heard Millie shouting of death threats and the ka-chink of a pump action cycling. She walked along the shore, past the yachts and fancy houses. As she walked, one cute boy walked by carrying a load of life rings. Emma was looking at him and absentmindedly walked off the dock. She swam to the surface and grabbed a life ring that landed near her. She was pulled in and the cute boy helped her back onto the dock.

"Thank you, thank you!" She looked up into the boy's face as he helped her up. She smiled and nervously rubbed the back of her head. Then she realized her shirt was completely see through and quickly put her hands down. The boy realized it about the same time and turned around so he wouldn't steal a look. He took off his windbreaker and put it over her.

"Your welcome! I'm Henry. I work here!"

"Emma! Thank you for the jacket!"

"Let's get you inside and get you out of those wet clothes. Something dry!" Henry escorted the soggy engineer into a utility building and gave her a change of clothing. He turned around as she changed, and wringed out the scout uniform for her.

"So are you from one of the boats here, or are you visiting?"

"Visiting."

"Oh, that's too bad. Not that you are here, well..."

"We're staying a while, though."

Henry lit up, "So what are you doing tonight?"

Emma lit up, "Nothing planned. How do I look?"

Henry looked at the Star Scout in a marina polo and slacks. They fit just right. "If you don't have anything planned, how about dinner with me?"

"I'd love to!" this would be Emma's first real date. She skipped back to the boat, barely missing falling off the dock two more times.

Ed and Hera went for a walk along the shore line. Ed skipped a rock five times, a personal best. Hera skips a rock until it disappeared from sight. They walked along the industrial ruins, they walked along the gentrified urban redevelopment ruins, they even walked past the ruins of an abandoned shanty town. The pair walked to the ruins of a collapsed railroad tunnel. The two perched on the rubble overlooking the foundations of an old swimming pool building. Ed tossed some gravel, and Hera a boulder. For no reason, they began to excavate the old tunnel. Hera threw aside several boulders for every paltry handful of rocks Ed threw.

"Do I contribute?" asked Ed as he continued to work.

"I appreciate the company, and I think this was your idea."

"No, to the boat. What do I do?"

"You navigate. You show us where to go." Hera stopped what she was doing to comfort her man. Ed stood still and somber.

"The computer navigates. I just push a button. I can't think of anything I do other than that."

"You saved Alice's life, and fixed Millie's butt. You do a lot more than you give yourself credit. Now stop moping for sympathy and help me explore this tunnel!"

Ed continued his first love, digging through old wreckage, with his new love, Hera, with renewed enthusiasm. Hera moved the big blocks while Ed, with his eye for detail, looked for small bits in the gravel. "You know, I do lack character development, no real story or anything interesting. I'm like a stock-" Ed was interrupted by dodging a handful of gravel, passing centimeters from his head like a load of buckshot. "Hera, that could have killed me!"

"That wasn't me! Look!" In the tunnel, fastened to the wall, was a cheap, rusty single shot shotgun, barrel smoking and wire leading from the trigger. "Someone didn't want us here."