The Shooting Star

Chapter four: Surprises revealed

Part one: A Good Idea

The Captain, Fred and Daphne followed Velma into the Master suite. The bed filled most of the room, only narrow aisles on either side. Matching oak nightstands stood on each side at the head of the bed.

"Not exactly the time to be invited into your parents master suite" the captain smiled.

"I'll take that remark as a joke, a poor one" Velma replied, not smiling. "I have trust issues…what I'm about to reveal is to stay here, between us, understood?'

"Understood" there was no smile on the captains' face now.

"Only one other person knows about this…and now you three." Velma said, pulling out the drawer of the nightstand, sitting it on the bed. Reaching into the recess, she released a hidden spring lock. The wall separated into two sections, sliding easily on hidden tracks, revealing a duplicate of the control bridge.

"We can do everything from here, except steer' Velma announced.

"Impressive, but why?" impressed, the captain asked.

"While I was with Mystery Inc we ran into some unsavory characters. My friend and I decided that this alternate bridge would be a good idea. It does have some drawbacks. This radio isn't as powerful as the main one on the bridge. It was never intended to be, but the equipment can be plugged into the main console easily and operated from there…I don't do mysteries anymore" she said looking at Fred, and then turning her attention back to the captain, "I would suggest that the numbers on this paper is our position. Your saboteur sent a message to his friends and wadded up the paper, dropping it before he destroyed our equipment. He was interrupted before he could damage the steering or PA system. Question is: was that change in the ETA authentic? You'll have to look close to home for your saboteur. If I'm correct in my deduction, we can expect uninvited guests. My guess would be after we retrieve Shooting Star and before or at sunrise. They will be coming from the East, out of the sun." Velma explained.

"I concur. The message was authentic. It carried a verification code only I knew. ETA is now less than one-half hour. Shall we go on deck?"

Part two: Shooting Star

It would have been hard to miss the satellite blazing across the night sky.

"On course, on time" one soldier reported. "Stand by for splashdown!" roared the captain, walking away.

Velma walked over to Fred and Daphne, "getting enough for your story Daphne?" "Yes, it is beautiful isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. Guys, that shooting star is carrying a military payload. When our guests arrive, I'd like you two and Jake below deck."

"What about you Velms?" Fred asked.

"Oh, I think I'll be busy" she replied, walking away.

"What did she mean by that?" Daphne asked, perplexed.

"I have no idea but it should be interesting" was Fred's answer.

At exactly 0300 hours Shooting Star splashed down. Things looked like organized chaos as the recovery team retrieved the satellite, attaching the lifting cables. Another team lifted the satellite, securing it to the aft deck.

"I wonder what those two are talking about." Daphne nodded at Velma talking to the Captain.

"I don't know but I'd guess the captain is about to lose part of his command" Fred reasoned.

"Why aren't you up there with them?

"I'm here as representative of the insurance company, nothing more. I don't know what Velms has in mind but I can't wait to find out and I trust her judgment."

Daphne looked at Fred with a new appreciation for the change she had sensed before.

They watched an animated conversation between the captain and Velma. Finally Velma walked off followed by the Captain.

"Let's go—this might prove to be interesting" Fred said when they saw Velma wave for them to join her and the Captain.

Part Three: 'Lil Lulu

Velma led the way below decks, across the catwalk, talking as she went. "I thought it prudent to add some surprises. You, Captain, along with Fred and Daphne are about to see the culmination of a lot of research and work…may I introduce 'Lil Lulu." Before them was a tear drop shaped submersible, suspended by cables.

"Don't let her size and beauty fool you. I've had her up to seventy miles per hour on the surface in tests, one half that speed submerged. Captain, when our visitors arrive, and they will, I'll need to take 'Lil Lulu out. I want someone I can trust, who knows the 'Spirit' and my plan…yes, I have a plan."

"I don't like it one little bit but you've convinced me. Who do you want at the wheel of the 'Spirit'?" said the Captain, looking at Fred.

"Not Fred…Shaggy. He helped modify the 'Spirit'. If you saw the specs, you would see she was 80 feet long. If you measured her now you'd find her at an even one hundred feet. Those twenty feet was Shaggys' idea and work."

They returned to the bridge where Velma picked up the PA mike, "Shaggy, report to the bridge." The Captain watched the lanky, six foot tall deckhand walk forward. He started to say something but a glance at Velma changed his mind, at least for now.

"Plan 'A'?" Shaggy asked Velma upon his arrival at the bridge.

"Yes, just as we planned it. I'm sorry I have to put you in harms way but we have no choice."

"Don't worry about it…we've talked this out before" Shaggy countered.

"Plan 'A'? do you have a plan 'B'?" wondered Fred.

"Fred, we have one chance and one chance only. Plan 'B' is what we always did, Run like hell and hope the monster didn't catch you. This monster isn't wearing a plastic mask, he's playing for keeps. Clear?"

"Clear" was all Fred could say.

"Captain, Shaggy at the wheel is going to be vulnerable. Please protect him."

"That's why we're here."

"Fred, look out for my big sister."

"Count on it" his arm around Daphne's slim waist tightened.

"Now we wait. Each of us has a job and we've planned the best we can. Let's do it" Velma looked at each of her friends as if for the first time…or last.

The sun had just broken the horizon when, "Contact Captain! Twenty degrees off starboard bow."

"Friendly?" shouted the Captain.

"Don't believe so, Captain. She's struck her colors and blacked out the name."

"Unfriendly then. Deploy men! BAR on the bow, Erickson, with me!"

"Captain" Shaggy said, "I saw an old space movie once, bad guys trying to invade another planet. They lost because their ships were bulky and hard to maneuver. I took that idea and came up with this…"

"'Lil Lulu in the water Buck. Time to lose some weight." Velma's voice came over the radio.

"Waiting for you to clear."

'Lil Lulu appeared from between the pontoons. "Clear" Velma announced.

"Preparing to disengage" Shaggy announced over the PA system. "Good luck…and knock off the 'Buck'"

"Right Buck…good luck to you"

'Lil Lulu sat down in the water as Velma added power. The submersible jumped ahead, thirty, forty, fifty miles per hour, making course for Bermuda.

"Inflatable in the water…your eight o'clock moving to your six" Shaggy said into the radio as he watched the inflatable leave the attacking pirate ship.

There was no answer…