Tales from the Stream Ch. 18

"How is that even possible?" Emily's voice echoed from the inside of the ship.

"Lube," said Amaliya. "Lots of lube."

"Fu-uh-uh-uk!" hollered Jamie.

"Do you think they'll mind?" asked Joan.

"The question is, do you think they'll even notice," said Jade, walking toward the gangplank. "My money's on no."

Joan grinned and picked up a sack labeled beans.

* * *

Another two hours into the night

"Anybody want baguette," asked Jamie. She was standing at the bottom of the gangplank, feet planted wide apart, wrapped in a bed sheet and nothing else. In her hand was a long loaf of bread with the end missing. "I'm famished."

Jade and Joan traded a glance while Jade smirked and Joan bit her lip.

"Oh, baguette," said Amaliya, emerging from the ship with her hair a mess and her jumpsuit zipped only half way.

"Did I win the toaster oven?" asked Emily, running her hand through her hair and walking up behind Jamie and planting a kiss on the back of her neck.

"Baby," sighed Jamie, ripping off another hunk of bread and offering the loaf to Emily, then Amaliya.

"Well, that ought to add some variety to the galley selection on The Black Prince," said Jade. "Thanks, Em. Way to be a team player."

"Mmm, yeah. It was so rough." said Emily, resting her head on Jamie's shoulder, while Jamie pulled off another piece of bread and fed it to her.

* * *

Nauja Vilnius space elevator, orbital terminus

"Well that was harder than I thought," said Joan. "It cost me three seasons of Ally MacBeal and an Office 365 license code to convince the harbormaster to tow the ship up into orbit."

"You could have mentioned your brother's married to her half-sister," said Jamie. "You're practically family."

"I didn't want to go there."

"You have a lot of family here," said Jade. On Jade's shoulder, Reg pushed himself up on his front legs and turned his eye stalks to Joan.

"Everyone I know is on the planet below," said Joan. "Except for you lot. And Jamie here."

Jamie flashed a toothy grin.

"I'm going to miss them," said Joan. "But there's so much for me out there. I think I can really do some good for this world."

Jade stepped forward and offered a hug. As the two captains parted, Reg crouched and leapt into Joan's arms.

"Aw, I'm going to miss you too, Reg." Joan extended a finger to scratch Reg's back.

Jamie stepped forward to throw an arm around Emily. "And I'll miss you most of all, Scarecrow."

"Shut up." Emily punched Jamie in the shoulder.

"You're not going with?" said Jade.

"I got my toaster oven," said Emily.

"And I've got my rainbow colored memories," said Jamie, sighing.

"Seriously?" said Jade. "That's it?"

Jamie dropped her gaze to stare at her boots for a minute before peering up at Emily, who was standing beside Amaliya, fidgeting.

"No commitments," said Jamie.

"That was the deal." Emily nodded. "No commitments."

"Mm-hmm," said Jade. "I want a show of hands here. Who's piloted a ship before?"

"I don't know what that's got to do with anything," asked Emily.

Jade ignored the question and raised her hand in the air. She was followed by Amaliya, and finally Emily, though she cast her gaze to the deck as she did.

"Joan? Jamie?" asked Jade. "Ever pilot a ship?"

They shook their heads.

"Lúcia? Aidoru?"

Lúcia and Aidoru shook their heads.

"Seems to me there's a shortage of qualified pilots around these parts, Em," said Jade. "You piloted the Kobayashi a time or two."

"I did." Emily peered up.

"Joan's ship's about half the size. What do you say?"

Joan stepped forward and picked up Emily's hand. "I could use a good pilot." She turned her eyes to Jamie.

"And I could use another good roll in the hay." Jamie grinned. "To keep me on the path."

"You sure you want me--?"

"I kind of figured it'd be me," said Jade. That's why Amaliya's been practicing docking maneuvers and everything else. So she could pilot The Black Prince while I helped out on the Hispaniola. But you're more than qualified."

"I suppose..."

"That's it," said Jamie. She stepped forward and grabbed Emily in a headlock. "Permission to abduct a pilot for the ship, Captain Joan."

Joan looked at Jade and then Emily. "Granted," said Joan.

"Well, come on," said Jamie. "Kiss everybody goodbye so I can show you the first mate's quarters."

"I've already seen it," said Emily.

"Good. Then we can skip the foreplay."

Reg sat up in Joan's hand, grabbed the cuff of her sleeve in a pincer and tugged. Joan tickled his back one more time and held her hand out so he could crawl up Jade's arm to sit on her shoulder.

While Emily and Jamie were saying their farewells, Jamie kept one hand parked firmly on Emily's backside the entire time.

"See you in the next port," said Joan.

Jade shot a crisp salute. "See you out there, Captain."

* * *

Afterword

Hope you enjoyed the silliness. The inspiration for Jamie came from a suggestion by Maonaigh. The toaster oven idea was from FriskyMind.