The tugboats of The Great Ocean Tug and Salvage Company sat at their dock waiting for Hank to return from garbage duty. Foduck and Emily looked at the photos of the crash at Knapford Junction with much interest

"My, my, my. What a mess." Foduck observed, "Lucky for you they're so small. I mean seriously. How do they expect to run their railroad?"

"Railway and it is a practice that's been in use in England for over one hundred and thirty years." Emily replied. Foduck snorted, "Although it looks like times are changing, look at the cars being used to haul the debris away. They're more familiar to me."

"Trucks, they're called trucks." Theodore replied. The Emergency Tugboat then said "Let me do this. I can't get used to that title." Emily winked at Theodore who winked back as he said "Still those trucks had some weight."

"Not as much as a car." Foduck said, "Especially the boxes." Emily jokingly questioned "Fords are heavier than one of them?" Foduck realized his mistake and grumbled under his breath while Theodore and Emily chuckled. George stifled a laugh as he noticed Foducks fire hose (water) was active. Sadly Foduck heard and a moment later all three tugs were sprayed.

All three tugboats spluttered while Foduck grinned in victory. Hank then came in and said "Story time!"

Theodore smiled, "We have time for two tonight. So let me -." The Dispatcher turned and said "George first. Also, we need to talk about retraining. I have concerns." The tugboat in question blushed heavily.

"Well, it was fifteen years ago and the fault of two little tank engines."

September 21st, 1967

Bill and Ben came into Brendam with a long train of china clay wagons, they looked eagerly at the wharf, "Look Bill! There's a new tugboat!" Ben said. Bill looked and grinned, "Must be a foreigner, lets see what fun could be had." The twins giggled and the trucks behind chuckled, they could always count on those two for entertainment.

George was sitting crossly at the dock, the barges he had come to collect were in fact not ready and he would be stuck on this island for a week. Then a pair of whistles told him steam engines were coming, interested the large tugboat turned and said "Morning."

"Morning." The two engines said simultaneously. George blinked "You are twins?" The twin engines replied with a toot at the same time. The tugboat said "No funny business." and roaring his horn moved to another dock to keep out of their way and avoid trouble. Bill said "Looks like he's a bit prepared."

"Don't worry. I know a good way." Ben eyed the harbormaster cheekily and told his twin the plan. Bill giggled and went to the harbormaster, unaware of their cheeky plan he agreed to the plan.

Bill rushed back and said "He wants them to wait but the entertainment from them together will be enough." Ben agreed and both rushed to the tugboat, "Excuse us Mr. Tugboat."

"I have a name." George responded.

"Oh sorry Mr. George." The tugboat grunted in worry as the twins were being too nice as they continued, "The harbormaster wants you to assist moving the SS Roxstar to Tidmouth for overhaul on the boiler and hull." George laughed out loud and said "You must think my wheelhouse is empty!"

"There's no one in there so that's not wrong." Ben replied.

George scowled and said "Out with it or else." Bill acted scared and said "Your a big meanie! We came here to tell you the harbormaster wants you to do work but you yell at us!" The big tugboat laughed and said "Ha! As if I'd believe you two! I'll go over right now and ask. Show you for barging in." Both twins giggled as George swaggered over to the harbormaster.

A few moments later the tugboat blushed in embarrassment and the two engines and China clay trucks burst out laughing.

"We showed him didn't we Ben?" Bill blurted but his twin was roaring with laughter and so failed to respond. George simply headed to the converted Hotel liner.

Present Day

"That's it?" Hank asked, disappointed at that. The Dispatcher answered and said "Go on George, tell them how you almost sank the former Cunard vessel."

"Come off it sir. Those two were at fault." George sulked. The Dispatcher then said "Very well, I'll do it for you." The large tugboats face dropped as the old gruff building began.

1967

"Why hello there! Who are you?" A tugboat called, George turned, he was stopped from saying anything as the sight of the tugboat registered. It was an old tugboat with an older style rotating wheelhouse with a top hat on top. The cap wearing tugboat replied "George, I see your Top Hat. That's really your name?"

"Why yes it is." Top Hat responded.

"Mmm. I see your a fop." George replied. Top Hat turned and said "Excuse me! I see your a hooligan. A purple baseball cap? Who thought that was a good idea?"

"Your complaining about my hat?! At least my hat belongs to this century." George growled. Top Hat glared and responded, "I think you should go to the cleaners, clearly your engine has something green and oregano smelling in it."

Georges mouth dropped and he said "Fine, you know what? I'll handle this!" Top Hat laughed and said "You couldn't hope to handle this without me." as George buttoned up to the Roxstar's side.

On the quay Bill and Ben listened with much interest to the row behind the liner, "Oy Bill. Do you think he can?" Ben asked. Bill frowned, "Nah. The liners stuck in the harbor. That's why they called the dredger."

"Oh yeah. Money on Top Hat making the most progress." Ben replied, "Cor that's untrue. The bigger tug will do more." The driver of Bill said "Your all wrong, the Dredger will do the most work." and all the human crews and engines laughed.

Meanwhile George fumed as he tried to pull the massive 34,000 ton vessel. Top Hat giggled at this display. Suddenly SHS Roxstar*, the former RMS Aquitania** yawned "Lads? Could you calm down? It's a bit distracting." George turned and said "We are getting you out as fast as we can."

Top Hat saw a cloud of silt from the seabed rise up and said "She's firmly in the silt. That gives me an idea old boy. You pull from the stern and I the bow, whichever one of us pulls her out first is the winner." George turned and said "You are on."

A few minutes later both tugboats had buttoned up and began pulling. Trouble had come though and both stubborn and arrogant tugs couldn't see the issues.

It was true that Roxstar was stuck, however the silt buildup was uneven and at the top of the pile there was less silt. The lower levels of the silt pile though remained hard and firm. Thus the ship couldn't leave the dock, but the pulling from the top of the ship was causing it to move.

Not in the way people hoped though. Onboard the ship, the hands still onboard suddenly felt the deck begin to slant.

Bill and Ben, waiting for their trucks also saw the issue.

Ben cried out "Bill, The Roxstar is listing! We have to do something!"

Bill said "Uncouple me, I'll go get the harbormaster. You pull the Roxstar!"

The fireman in Bens cab did so and both engines rushed off to rescue the situation.

Ben rushed up to the men on the quay who were stunned in horror as the horrified Roxstar began the process of turning turtle while screaming. "Hook me to the side! I'm going to try to slow her down." As if a spell was broken the dock crew got ropes and throwing them to the men on deck attached the little tank engine to the ship. Whistling hard Ben pulled backwards, for a few moments the process slowed. Then George applied the full might of his two engines.

Ben was horrified as he was pulled along the dock. "Help! Help!" He and Roxstar called but nobody came. Slowly Roxstar reached the point of no return (20 degrees) when a voice said "STOP PULLING HER YOU WANKERS! SHE'S CAPSIZING!" Both tugboats stopped at the unfamiliar voice. On the dock, Cranky the Crane coughed a little and said "Harbormasters orders."

A minute later Bill arrived with tugboats he harbormaster who horrified at the mess halted all movement of Roxstar until she was righted. Slowly her ancient pumping systems were activated and water poured into her port side righting her. Then the dredger came and slowly got the old ship free where two other tugboats sailed her to Barrow.

The harbormaster spoke severely to all of them.

"Never in all my years have I seen a ship turn turtle and never do I want to see that again. Bill and Ben, I should've known you had something up your sleeves. Despite your actions in rescuing the situation, I do hold you responsible partially for tricking me. As such your manager has been informed and will handle your discipline." The tugboats sighed in relief. Then the harbormaster turned sharply to them.

"You two, what were you thinking? Especially you Top Hat! I've a good mind to take away your controls and leave you under a human trainee crew. The scrapes and bumps there would do far more for your sense. Both tugboats shuddered as he paused for breath and continued "Especially with half the dock shouting at you. I know Roxstar is soft spoken but she was hollering loud enough for me to hear. I'll decide what to do with you two later. Now go to Pier 46 and tie yourself there to await judgement." He turned and departed mumbling fiercely.

When the inspectorate had finished it's inquiry they assigned blame and the punishments followed as such.

1). The harbormaster was fined nine hundred quid for not keeping a better eye on his harbor.

2). Bill and Ben were kept in the sheds for awhile while two J94s did their job.

3). Top Hat and George lost self driving abilities for several weeks and were put hauling garbage.

4). The crew was put through retraining and fined four hundred fifty quid per man for not reballasting immediately.

The only bright spot was Cranky the Crane who was commended for taking action of his own accord and stopping the dreadful accident. When asked about his actions, Cranky said "She's good company."

Present Day

"Suddenly I feel lucky I didn't get a larger punishment." Theodore said and the Dispatcher chuckled. "You performed the mistakes Bill and Ben did. The men working on the trucks were more at fault. Plus Bulstrode rushed the process and you made up for it unconventionally." He winked at the tugboat who winked back.

Foduck turned to George and said "I see Clare*** wasn't the only ship you nearly sunk." The tugboat growled and turned in for the night by covering his eyes with the cap.

"Baby." Emily chuckled cheekily, "Now then how did you redeem yourself?"

Theodore smiled, "Well then. Let me get my thoughts in order."

He began to think of those weeks in Tidmouth and began thinking of the story.

-FIN-

*-Sudrian Hotel Ship

**-In this world the RMS Aquitania was purchased by a Sodor hotel firm and given the Queen Mary treatment. However Cunard requested on purchase that she be renamed.

***-Ship from George's Big Hurry Episode 5 of Season 5, my favorite episode of Theodore Tugboat. Watch it, its a nice episode is all I have to say and has a sort of Tugs feel to it.

Incident based on the issues with the movement of USS Intrepid in 2006