A/N: paragrahs that are in italics are dream sequences.
~.*.~
The boat listed heavily to port. Water was starting to overwhelm the pumps and the boat would most likely capsize and sink. Amber was in the wheel house trying hard to right her boat, but deep down she knew that the Queen was a goner.
She picked up the mic for the two way radio. "Mayday, mayday, mayday, this is the Aleutian Queen and we are taking on water and...Ohmigod..."
Amber sits bolt upright in bed. It's just after midnight and she is planing on starting the week long trip, by water, to Dutch tomorrow. She grabs her phone off the night stand and starts thumbing through her contacts. When she stops Johnathan Hillstrand's number is highlighted.
"What the Hell," she mutters as she presses the call button. It immediatly goes to voice mail. "Hey John, it's Amber, call me back as soon as you get this."
Ten minutes later her phone vibrates. "'ello?" she answers tiredly.
"Amber, it's Johnathan, you sounded kinda distressed in your message, you alright?" he asks.
"Not really..." Amber confesses.
"Not feeling well?" Johnathan asks.
"Something like that," Amber hears Johnathan sigh.
"Lucky for you I'm in Seattle at the moment, can I meet up with you in the morning?"
"Sure, but pack your seabag, I'm throwing lines tomorrow."
"Free ride to Dutch, sounds good to me,"
"Thanks Johnathan," Amber says before hanging up.
~.*.~
The morning of December 27 dawns foggy and rainy, not unusual for Seattle in winter. Amber packs the last few things needed for the season in her seabag. She then locks the door to her house and sets off in her truck to the Ballard Docks.
She arrives at the docks fifteen minutes later. Before leaving her truck she takes a few deep breaths. "I'm gonna have a heart attack," she mutters, trying to calm her nerves. She heaves another breath of air into her lungs, slowly letting it out moments later. This isn't her first Opilio season, but it sure as hell feels like it by the way she is acting. She finally gets out of the truck when she sees Marty pull into the spot nearest hers.
"It's only been two days after Christmas and you want to get back up to Dutch?" the relief skipper asks.
"The more we get taken care of now, the less we have to do right before the season starts." Amber replies, walking down the dock toward her boat.
"Knew you'd say that..." Marty grubbles, following slightly behind.
"I never said that you were required to come with me, I know Aunt Ida would like you to stay home every now and again."
"Ida also knows that you have that heart condition and that it is safer for you to make the week long trip with someone with you, besides, she couldn't care less, so long as you keep paying me good."
Ambe chuckles. "Well, technically I won't be going up alone this time."
"Who is going with you then?" Marty asks confused, as they pull themselves over the starboard rail.
"One Johnathan Hillstrand of the Time Bandit,"
There is a loud chuckle from the forepeak. "Took you two long enough," Johnathan says, emerging from the bait area.
"Traffic," Amber and Marty say in unison.
Johnathan chuckles again, he could tell the other two are related.
"Well lets not stand out here like a couple of Yankees, be ready to throw lines when I give the signal." Amber says as she unlocks the door to the ready room and galley.
A shaggy haired kid appears on the dock and looks at the boat. "Captain Jennings, Captain Jennings." he calls.
Amber has just entered the wheelhouse after starting the boat's main engines. She opens the window. "What is it Andrew?" she asks.
"Can I come along? I've packed a duffle bag." The boy answers.
"Are you skipping school?" Amber asks skeptically.
"No ma'am," Andrew says in reply, "Mom enrolled me in online high school, and I'm doing better."
"Good, did you talk to her about it?"
"She thinks it would be a good thing for me to do."
Amber sighs in contimplation. Lord, forgive me, she prays. "Alright, but I will call your mother and if she says that none of what you said is true, I am putting you on the first plane out of Dutch."
"That's cool with me Captain Jennings."
"Alright, Andrew get up on the bow line so we can get a move on." she grabs the mic for th loud hailer, "Marty, Johnathan, one of you get up on the bow and the other get on the stern we're casting off."
~.*.~
She watched as one large wave after another broke over the bow. Each one was larger than the last. She grabbed the loud hailer mic. "Okay boys," she said, "I'm callin' it, it's rought to work." At that moment a rouge wave broke over the port side, sweepping the crew over to the starboard side. After a few seconds the water cleared and amber starts mentally counting heads, only greenhorn Collin McDaniel was missing. Again she grabbed the loud hailer mic. "Where's the greenhorn?" Only silence met her question. "Guys, where's Collin?" Again only silence met her question. She then knew...
"Collin?!" her own desperite calling wakes her up.
Amber looks around unsure of where she's at, then she realizes that she is on her boat, and that it wasn't moving. She gets out of her bunk and goes up to the wheelhouse and sees that they are sitting at the dock. Marty is sitting in the captain's chair. "When did we get into Dutch?" she asks.
"Just a little while ago," Marty replies, "I took the libery of calling Andrew's mother and she was able to confirm what he told you, and she does think that this will benefit him in some way."
Amber nods. "Good, because I didn't want to buy the kid a plane ticket home."
"You are too soft hearted." Marty comments.
"Blame Yohnny,"
"Who's Yohnny?" Marty asks, slightly perplexed.
"Sig, I'm the only one that can get away with calling him by his middle name only."
Marty chuckles. "Should've known that."
"Wellp, I think I'm gonna go over to Latitudes for a while to catch up on the gossup."
"John and Andrew are already down there."
Amber nods and heads out. There are still a few weeks before the season is set to begain so it is still safe for Amber to endulge in one or two alcoholic beverages before hand. She puts on her Aleutian Queen jacket and heads out.
