VOYAGERS! - The Voyager Chronicles
DISCOVERIES - BOOK 1
(The First New Adventure)
By DA Daugherty (VoyagersFan)
October 2006 (Revised 05/2009)
Previous disclaimers apply
Chapter 14 - BOGG'S REVENGE
The storm had passed and it was a new day. The seas were quite calm and there was a refreshing cool breeze blowing across the deck of the Santa Maria. Jeff and Bogg were enjoying this beautiful weather by soaking up some sun out on the deck.
"Kid, what could be better. We're on our way to discover a new world with no difficulties in sight. Here we sit, not a care in the world, enjoying this beautiful day, the warm sunshine and the cool breezes." Bogg said in a dreamy sort of way. "It could only be better if I had a beautiful woman sitting here beside me."
Jeff elbowed his partner in the ribs. "Bogg! I hate to disappoint you, but there are no women on any of these ships."
"Ouch!…Hey, a person can dream, can't he?" Bogg teased.
"Yea, you can dream, but remember, reality bites, especially when you come back to it." Jeff said with a grin.
"Ok, have it your way. I think I'll just lie back and soak up some more rays." Bogg said as he stretched out and put his hands behind his head.
At that moment, Columbus came out on deck and walked over and stood beside the two voyagers.
"Gentlemen, I hate to interrupt your moment of relaxation, but we have some business to attend to."
"What business is that, Chris?" Jeff asked.
"Well my young friend, we have a saboteur down below, and I think it's time we proceed with his punishment." Columbus replied.
Bogg and Jeff immediately stood up. "What did you have in mind, Chris" Bogg asked. "Flogging might be an option."
"No, Mr. Bogg. There's only one punishment for treachery of this sort." Columbus quipped.
By this time, Carlos, had walked over and heard part of the conversation.
"The Plank!" Carlos exclaimed.
"Yes, my friends, the Plank." Columbus replied.
"Bogg!" Jeff whispered. "They're going to make him walk the plank."
"Yea kid and he deserves it." Bogg said staunchly. "Every last step of it."
"Carlos, make the appropriate preparations. The traitor will take his final walk at noon today." Columbus ordered.
"Gentlemen, please continue to relax and enjoy the beautiful weather." Columbus said before he turned and walked back to his quarters.
"Bogg, they are going to kill him." Jeff whispered. "Even if he is a renegade, he doesn't deserve that. What about rehabilitation?"
"Kid. I know. If it were simply up to me, I would rather take him back to VHQ and let the Voyager Code dictate his punishment. Drake has done many bad things in his past, including the banishment of all those innocent voyagers, which we heard about at the trial. Unfortunately, he has reached a point where his actions have now condemned him. I really do not know how I can save him now. If he wants to get out of this one, he will have to figure it out himself. By now, he probably has his escape already planned. Just watch and see. The problem is, he cannot go anywhere in time as long as I have his omni clipped to my belt."
The two continued to lie on the deck and soak up the sun. In the background, preparations were being made for Drakes' upcoming walk.
-------------------------------------------
For Bogg and Jeff, time had quickly passed, for it was now noon. The sound of Columbus and his men, escorting their prisoner out on deck suddenly awakened them both. They stood up and walked over and stood beside Columbus.
"Hold him." Columbus barked.
"Crewman, according to the laws governing the seas, your actions have not only put this voyage in jeopardy but also have endangered myself, the crew and these two gentlemen as well. As admiral of this ship, I have the sole authority and responsibility for handing out punishment for such offenses. In this instance, there is only one punishment for such treachery. At this time, I hereby sentence you to the Plank. Is there anything you wish to say in your defense at this point?"
Drake raised his head and spoke defiantly to the group.
"All I want to say is that if it hadn't been for that man and his little brat of a partner, none of this would have happened."
Bogg pointed to his fellow Voyager and showing the same defiance, yelled back.
"Yea and if it hadn't been for the treachery you inflicted on others of our race and your greed to take control of our… um …country, you wouldn't be here. So you deserve what you get!"
Bogg looked down at his partner. "Isn't that right, my little brat of a partner?" He asked as he winked at him.
"Yea, right." Jeff agreed. He suddenly realized his partner had a plan. Bogg's wink was the signal for him to play along.
"This little brat of a partner says make him walk and quickly too!" Jeff yelled.
Columbus nodded in agreement. "There seems to be a consensus here. So men, if you would, please commence with the punishment."
The crewmen led Drake up and out onto the plank. They removed the ropes that bound him and began to push him forward with the points of their swords.
"Bogg!" Drake yelled, his voice quivering from knowing his eventual fate. "Are you going to stand there and let these people kill a fellow voyager? I don't deserve this."
"Yes, you do." Bogg said in a rather uncaring manner.
"Help me Bogg!, Please!" Drake pleaded.
"Why should I after what you put me through at the trial."
"Bogg! I'll do anything, please!"
The crew continued to push Drake further out onto the plank.
"Are you willing to leave Jeff and I alone." Bogg asked.
"Yes, I'll leave you and your little brat alone."
"And Susan and the others at VHQ?" Bogg asked.
"Yes, them too. I swear, I won't do anything else to harm them."
"Are you willing to go back to VHQ and accept punishment for all those you have wronged in the past?" Bogg asked.
"Yes, I do! I promise! I accept full responsibility!" Drake yelled impatiently. "Now help me, Bogg!"
By this time, the crew had pushed Drake to the edge of the plank. Bogg looked up and noticed the now nervous Drake was sweating profusely. He knew Drake had realized this was his last chance. It was now time to implement his plan.
"Chris! Wait a moment." Bogg asked.
"Hold up men!" Columbus commanded.
"Chris, I have something that belongs to the traitor. It's the only possession he had on him at the time and I feel he needs to take it with him on his walk. Maybe it will bring him some good luck."
Columbus and the crew began to laugh uncontrollably. "Yea, give him his good luck charm, he will need all the luck he can get where he's going." One of the crewmen yelled out.
"Here, catch." Bogg tossed the silver omni to Drake. "I expect you to keep your word."
"Yes, I will." Drake replied.
"Proceed with the punishment!" Columbus ordered.
The crew continued to prod Drake off the edge with their swords. Suddenly, Drake took a step and fell overboard with a splash.
"Yay!" The crew shouted.
"Well, Mr. Bogg, Mr. Jones, we won't be bothered again by him." Columbus said boldly.
"No, I guess not." Bogg replied.
"I have some work to finish, you two continue to enjoy the sun."
"We will, thanks Chris." Jeff replied.
Columbus turned and walked back to his quarters to complete his work. In the meantime, Bogg and Jeff sat back down on the deck and discussed the events, which had just transpired.
"Bogg, what made you give Drake back his omni?"
"Kid, I couldn't just stand by and let them kill him."
"Why not Bogg? He deserved it. Look at what he did here to corrupt history. What about all those innocent Voyagers he falsely accused and banished? If that wasn't enough, he tried to do the same to both of us." Jeff preached dispassionately.
"I understand how you feel Jeff. Believe me. I'm still angry with him also, but kid he's a fellow Voyager. We were always taught at Voyager Academy to help our fellow Voyagers, especially when they are in trouble. Jeff, after all the wrongs he's done, he's still a Voyager and obviously one who was in trouble at that time. Granted, he needs to be punished for his wrongs, but killing him would solve nothing."
"I don't understand Bogg, why did you change your mind?" Jeff asked curiously.
"I really didn't" Bogg replied with a smile.
"But, you said…" Jeff exclaimed as he was suddenly interrupted by his partner.
"Yes, kid. I'm sorry I misled you. But I had to make you believe that he deserved what he got. It was all a part of my plan."
"And what was that?" Jeff asked.
"I wanted to teach him a lesson. You remember back at the trial, he had both of us terrified that we would never see each other again. Well, I wanted him to feel that same pain he inflicted on us. The only way to do that was to make him believe we were going to stand by and let Columbus and his crew kill him. That's why I waited until he was almost on the edge before I tossed his omni to him."
"So you wanted him to squirm and chirp like a bird?" Jeff said in his gangster voice.
Bogg laughed, "You said it. And did he ever squirm and chirp."
"Do you think he will honor his word? You know, go back to VHQ and accept his punishment?"
"No. When he was on the plank, he was saying anything and everything to save his own skin." Bogg said pointedly. "So don't get too complacent, Drake's not done with us yet."
"Great!, Just great!, Jeff ranted. "We had the perfect opportunity to get rid of him and now all we've done is made him even madder at us."
"Kid, it's amazing how well you can figure these things out." Bogg said with a chuckle.