Disclaimer: Theodore Tugboat belongs to Classic Media. However, the characters I create in this are mine and my own. I do not seek profit in the creation of this story, but to bring enjoyment to other TT fans.


~Helsinki Port, Finland~

It was rather cool over here in beautiful Helsinki. The cold waves lapped against the barges and the ships. To those who were used to a hot summer felt chilled by the Finland breezes but to the residents of the cold country, it was another beautiful summer day. George the Valiant was at the fuel docks to receive a full tank for his trip back home. He actually was late in returning to the Big Harbor but he had a good reason.

~Flashback, Yesterday ~

It was mid morning in the port and George getting ready to pull Shelburne the sea barge. "Ready to go home Shelburne?" George boomed.

"Ready when you are George." He replied in his slow voice. George smiled and puffed up some smoke and began to pull but just then, he saw two tugboats racing up to him blowing their whistles. One was young small harbor tugboat wearing a rust and cream-colored striped hullo. The other was an ocean tugboat sporting a tangelo beret slightly pushed to the side. The younger tug blew his whistle and called to him. "George! Tarvitsemme apuasi! Nyt on hätä, alus on vaikeuksissa ja Edvin ei ole täällä auttamassa meitä!" He cried.

George looked puzzled at the young tug. He knew something was wrong by the way, he sounded. He looked to ocean tug. "What did he say Serena?" He asked. Serena the Verity was their unofficial translator for foreign ships who could not understand Finnish but she only understood and spoke Finnish, English and French. She spoke in a French accent. "As Aalto was saying, we need your help. A container ship with a double load has crashed amongst uncharted rocks outside the harbor and is now stuck. Moreover, not only that, some containers have fallen overboard. Our other ocean tug Edvin is away on assignment and you are the only other V-tug here right now that is strong enough to help. Will you help?"

"Auta meitä!"

George looked at both of them with surprise. He knew he might be in trouble if he returned home late but he had to help. He blasted his deepest whistle and blew up some smoke from his stack. "Lead the way Serena." He said.

"I'll help too." Shelburne added slowly. Serena smiled gratefully for their help. Aalto smiled too and tooted his whistle. He did not understand what was said but he knew George accepted their help. The Verity blew her horn, signaling the Valiant to follow her. The big tug quickly followed, pulling the sea barge along and the younger tugboat tailed behind them.


Soon they arrived to aid the stuck ship. George turned to Aalto motioning him come over to him. "I need you take Shelburne and have him out of the way while Serena and I help get the ship unstuck." He said. Poor Aalto was confused and nervous. He looked to Serena for help. She smiled gently. "Ota Shelburne. Tarvitsemme teitä molempia Vistbacka kunnes saamme laivan vapaa ja turvassa. Okei?" She encouraged.

"Okei!" He said bravely and gladly took the barge from George. He puffed a bit as he pulled the big sea barge a safe distance away.

George and Serena looked up to the container ship whose name was Corsica and she was stuck tight amongst the rocks. They sized up how bad the situation was and what to do. George was the first to speak. "How close are the rocks to the surface?"

Serena scanned the area with her eyes to spot any rocks. It was not easy to see them with all the water that was churned. "Nelma, our safety trainee should be on her way." She explained. "She has the equipment to detect the hidden rocks. But I do see a few jagged ones just above the surface." The French tugboat was right; there were rocks that could be seen. "But how will we get to her…" She trailed off; Serena was worried of the possibility of the ship sinking if they did not hurry.

However, George had an idea. "Good ol' Theodore." He thought. "Your good idea will help us."

"We need to find a floating log." The big tug stated. Serena looked at him puzzled. "Theodore and I once used a floating log to help get a ship unstuck. We had our tow ropes tied to it and pushed it towards the ship until it got close enough for the ship to reach them and we pulled her free."

The female ocean tug revved up her engines a little in hope. "Yes it might work." She smiled. "There is a beach just down the coast from here. Logs wash up there often. Will you get one? I will wait here until Nelma arrives."

George blew his horn twice to say yes. "I'll be right back." He boomed and raced off down the coast. Aalto watched George leave and right away began to worry. "Serena, jossa hän on menossa?" He called.

"Lähetin hänet hakea kelluva loki." Serena explained, giving him a reassuring smile. Aalto worried about everyone around him more than he did for himself. Aalto looked confused. "Kelluva loki? Mitä varten?"

"Aiomme käyttää sitä päästä aluksen ja toivottavasti vetää hänet ulos turvallisesti."

Aalto looked relieved, he never would have thought of something like that. He was starting to like this George.


The big tug came around the bend of rocks and found the beach Serena mentioned. Right away, he did see a few logs. "Which one to use." He thought to himself. Some were different shapes and sizes. However, he needed a big sturdy one. One big log on the shore caught his attention and he tied his towrope around it. However, as soon as he pulled it into the water, it sank like a stone. Quickly George untied his line and looked around for another log, grumbling a bit as he went. Soon he spotted another big log that was amongst a pile of other driftwood. Carefully the Valiant tied his line tightly around the dead tree and began to pull hard. That unfortunately did not go the way he planned, because with the big log came the rest of the pile and it whole pile fell apart everywhere.

George groaned and puffed up some smoke in frustration as the log he chose sunk along with a few others. Once again, he untied his line and hauled it back up. He stared at all the logs that did not sink and saw a sturdy looking log bobbing like a cork in the water. "Perfect." He said to himself and roped it up. Hauling it to his side, he began to puff away.

When George returned with the floating tree, he saw that there was another young tugboat talking to Serena. "That must be Nelma." He thought to himself. He saw that she wore a bright red Finnish fire helmet but what he saw that was a little strange was she wore glasses and her cheeks looked freckled. He could not understand them but it must have been about the hidden rocks as there were temporary marker buoys to show where the dangerous rocks are.

The youngest tug noticed George has returned. He blew his whistle and tried to speak to the big tug. "George back!" Aalto said grinning from ear to ear. Serena and the trainee tug stopped talking and saw George too. Nelma floated forward. Her glasses slid down her nose and quickly bobbed back to push them back up so she could see him better. "Hei George," She spoke in broken English but it rang with authority. "I see you have log. Good good. We must go to back of ship. I help you." With that, she moved to the back of Corsica carefully maneuvering around the marker buoys.

Serena spoke with the ship in French, explaining what they were going to do. Corsica blew her horn in understanding. "Oui s'il vous plaît me faire sortir d'ici!" She said. Watching Serena and the other ocean tug move behind her while avoiding the rocks. Both Nelma and Serena tied their towropes around the log securely. George looked both to the Finnish tugs. "Ready to get this ship free?" He asked. Both tugs smiled, determined to assist the ship. All three pushed the log towards the ship and let out more towline as the log floated away.

It was a slow process to watch that log make its way to the ship but it did eventually make it to Corsica who managed to reach the log and haul it up with special hooks. The log rolled onto her deck with a thunk. The deck hands onboard helped untie the lines from the log and retied them around the cleats at the stern of the container ship.

Corsica let out a blast of her horn. "Lignes de remorquage sont sécurisés!." She called to the tugs. Serena smiled.

"The lines are tied safely. She is ready to be pulled. Are you ready George?"

George blew his whistle twice to signal he was ready and blew up a little smoke. "Oletko valmis Nelma?"

"Valmis, kun olet Serena." The trainee said bobbing back to make her glasses slide back up her nose. The French ocean tug revved up her engines. "Okay on three, we pull! One! Two! Three!"


Aalto and Shelburne watched as all three used their strength to pull the heavy ship. Both were worried if their friends would be all right. The little tugboat's attention was on George. He was completely awed by the strength and bravery the Valiant showed in pulling Corsica free along with Serena and Nelma. Soon he and the barge heard a groan coming from the ship. She slowly began to move. Aalto blew his whistle and shouted. "Jatka matkaa! Jatka matkaa!"

The sea barge rang his bell loudly. "She's beginning to move!" He called to George in his slow voice.

The pulling trio poured on the power and pulled harder when they heard the two cheering them on, blowing up smoke from the stacks along the way. With another loud groan, there was a loud splash of water. Corsica, the French container ship was finally pulled back into the water, free at last. George, Serena and Nelma kept pulling her away from the dangerous rocks and into safer water. The little harbor tug whooped and blew his whistle loudly. He was excited that the ship was now safe.

Serena let out a sigh of slightly tired relief, smiling at George and Nelma. "Well done, well done." She puffed.

~End of flashback, present~

George smiled at how well they worked together helping Corsica. Aalto and Shelburne helped too by retrieving the fallen containers from the water. A new marker buoy was placed to ward ships away from the treacherous rocks in the future.

Later on that day, it was too late to go home but Serena invited him to join in on their version of story telling time. George told them all about the Big Harbor and his friends who lived there, with the help of linguistic ocean tug of course. He had a good time with them and knew he was going to have great stories to tell when he and Shelburne got home.

Soon his tank was full and sailed off to pick up his friend from the barge docks. When he got there, Serena and Aalto were there with Shelburne waiting for him. George was puzzled on why they were there in the first place. Serena floated forward first and spoke. "We came to say goodbye to you." She said. "Thank you for the help with Corsica."

George smiled too. "You're welcome Serena." And he looked at Aalto too. "And thank you for staying with Shelburne and helping him with the containers." Serena translated what George to the little tug. Aalto let out a huge smile and said in very broken English. "I be like you!" And revved his engines loudly, blowing up smoke from his stack.

The big stared blankly at the young harbor tugboat and then laughed, blowing up smoke too. He just became an idol for a tug across the ocean from his home. He gave his own advice to Aalto. "Be strong and brave. And one day you will become and Ocean tug." Serena smiled as she watched the exchange. She translated again for Aalto who in return blew his whistle. George blew his whistle too and went to button his towrope onto Shelburne. "Lets go home Shelburne." He smiled and pulled away.

"Ready when you are George." The barge said as he was pulled along. Soon he and George moving through the port and then to the wide-open ocean. Serena and Aalto tooted their whistles farewell to him and the sea barge. George blew his horn one last time and headed for home.

-End-


Longest. Freaking. Chapter. Ever! Over 2100 words, just over three pages.

Serena the Verity belongs to Yelhsa1276. Thank you for letting me use her. She helped me in portraying her character in this chapter. And without her this chapter would have came out completely different! And who knows she might come back for another later chapter if the story allows it.

I also thank the awesome Google translate, without it I definitely wouldn't have been able to use different languages. *hugs Google translate* I love you Google!

And thank you readers for waiting. It took awhile since I wanted to take a break from showing the Big Harbor. But I hope it was worth it.

Nelma, Aalto and Corsica are also my creations to help push the story along.

Here are the translations for what was said in Finnish and French:

George! Tarvitsemme apuasi! Nyt on hätä, alus on vaikeuksissa ja Edvin ei ole täällä auttamassa meitä! - George! We need your help! It's an emergency, a ship is in trouble and Edvin isn't here to help us!

Auta meitä! - Please, help us!

Ota Shelburne. Tarvitsemme teitä molempia Vistbacka kunnes saamme laivan vapaa ja turvassa. Okei? - Take Shelburne. We need you both to stay back until we can get the ship free and out of harm's way. Okay?

Serena, jossa hän on menossa? - Serena, where is he going?

Lähetin hänet hakea kelluva loki - I sent him to retrieve a floating log

Kelluva loki? Mitä varten - A floating log? What for?

Aiomme käyttää sitä päästä aluksen ja toivottavasti vetää hänet ulos turvallisesti. - We're going to use it to reach the ship and hopefully pull her out safely.

Oui s'il vous plaît me faire sortir d'ici! - Yes please get me out of here!

lignes de remorquage sont sécurisés! - Tow lines are secure!

Oletko valmis Nelma? - Are you ready Nelma?

Valmis, kun olet Serena. - Ready when you are Serena.

Jatka matkaa! Jatka matkaa! - Keep going! Keep going!