To run a successful tug boat company you had to be willing to take some lower paid contracts now and then and I remember one time where my Switchers had to take a lonely Schooner out to sea right in the middle of winter. The Schooner was to be left out in the sea anchored to a point to record the temperature over the course of the following January months and into the next spring. This was to be the last useful trip for the Schooner as it was to be salvaged once the job was done.

The Schooner was waiting for Ten Cents and Sunshine at lucky's yard as it was having the equipment onboard tweaked and double checked for its lonely voyage. However when they arrived it was not all they found. Moured just outside Lucky's yard next to the Schooner was a strange looking tug. The tug was painted white with a red hull and was very shiny. A small cap atop its wheel house and a bigger stack than any tug they had seen before.

"Oh look what we have here…" The Tug smirked as he looked the two star's up and down. "A bunch of clapped out old kettles" Ten Cent and Sunshine gave each other a look.

"Who are you calling, clapped out?" said Ten Cents fiercely. "And what do you mean by Kettles?" Sunshine added. The Strange tug only laughed.

"Oh you would not understand… I am the future of this port. Diesel power, so much quicker and cleaner than steam and coal." He gloated. Sunshine and Ten Cents were shocked and as if to prove a point the Diesel Tug started up its gave a mighty roar before his engine started purring nicely. "See? Thats me ready to work" The Diesel Tug added with a wicked smile.

"Nonsense, so what if you're faster to start? Diesel is for cars, not tugs'' Ten Cents rebutted. The Diesel Tug just laughed.

"You say that now kettle but they are already testing diesel powered trains I hear, the future is here and you shall be scrapped to make its place." Sunshine had had enough as he could see Ten Cents chomping at the bit to fight him. "Hey man, pay no attention to him, we have a schooner to take out to sea remember?" Ten Cents wanted to continue the conversation with the Diesel Tug but he could see Sunshine was trying to pull them away, he always was better in these situations so Ten Cents didn't grumble. Both switchers attached a line to the Schooner and gave a blast on their hooters. The Diesel Tug gave a grin.

"Ta Ta kettles, see you when you're in dry dock!" and with that he gave a great blast with his fancy new horn. The vibrations of his horn caused some snow to slip from the roof of Lucky's yard above him and it fell right on top of him, covering him with snow. Then with a splutter his engine cut out. He tried to rev it but the cold was preventing him. "Damn these cold starts!" He muttered, hoping the switchers had not seen. However, Ten Cents and Sunshine saw everything.
As they traveled out of the mouth of the port the two laughed over the Diesel Tugs mishap however both of them felt uneasy. However rude the Diesel Tug had been there was an air of truth in his words which the switchers could not shake off.

"Sunshine… You don't think… that tug was telling the truth right? He's just a one off…" Ten cents nervously asked. Sunshine was silent for a moment before he spoke up.

"I don't know… I have heard rumours from Puffa of Diesel train experiments… So there's at least something to what he's saying…" He trailed off. The Schooner creaked as they got out into the coast line.

"Well… We won't be replaced… This Schooner is wind powered and it's still working all these years later." Said Ten Cents said with an air of fake confidence.

"Yet we are taking it to it's final job… Maybe he's right, Ten Cents… I mean you know how old O.J is and how close he has come to scrap a few times… Maybe we are next if more of these Diesel powered tugs arrive…" Sunshine quickly added. A stinging silence hung in the cold morning air. The mist was drawing in, covering the sea making it hard to see the rocks from the water so the Two tugs slowed down and switched on their lights.

"The Mist is thickening quickly, we will never get this Schooner out to sea before dark" Noted Ten Cents, trying to turn the conversation back to lighter topics.

"I, Pity we aren't passing Lillie, we could sure use her right now" Sunshine sighed as he looked around him.

"Agreed" Murmured Ten Cents. "Maybe we should have taken a light barge"

"Na, Mist wasn't this strong back in port, doubt they would let us take one just in case" Sunshine chuckled. "Besides if we become Salvage the fire Chief will be more then happy" Ten Cents could not help but laugh as he rolled his eyes.

"You know for someone called sunshine you have a dark sense of humour at times, you know that?" Before either of them could reply they heard a faint whistle in the distance.

"Hey up, that sounds like the coast guard, what's he doing all the way out here?" Sunshine asked with a scowl.

"Let's find out, Ahoy there?" Called Ten Cents with two loud blasts of his whistle. The Reply was short and blunt.

"Say away!"

"Well we would if we could see you, blimey you're closer than we thought, where are you?" asked Ten Cent looking all around but unable to see in the fog.

"I was returning home and got stuck on a sandbank. Stay back, it's too risky to try to help me" The Coast guard said. Through the fog they just about made him out and carefully they made their way over to him.

"Your barely on it, come on we can pull you off in no time" Sunshine tried to argue but the coast guard was firm.

"No you will not, the water is shallow and if you try you will trap yourself."

"Look this is silly, listen here, we will help you an-" But the coast guard cut Ten Cents off.

"No! If You get stuck trying to save me, Captain Star will not be happy at all." Sunshine sighed.

"Well we can't leave you here…"

"If you want to help you can tell them where I am when you return, the fog will have cleared up by morning...I think." The Switchers could tell the Coast Guard was unsure but being a stickler for the rules would not bend them.

"Well ok then…" Ten Cents said before whispering to sunshine. "Cut your line on the schooner and I'll get him, If I get stuck you pull me out" Not wanting to give anything away to the coast guard Sunshine Winked and cut his line. The Schooner's hull was much shallower than Ten Cents so he pushed it in front as he neared the sand bank.

"What are you-" The Coast guard tried to call but Ten Cents just blew his whistle loud.

"Oh sorry sir, can't hear you, I seem to be drifting off course" He lied as he pushed the Schooner up along side the Coast Guard. "Now get a line" He called. The Coast Guard frowned.

"I should have you court marshalled for disobeying my orders.." he started as he throw a line and Ten Cents pulled him off the bank. "But as its new year and you could not hear me I will let you off…" He gave a friendly wink which both switchers returned.

Soon they parted ways and as it grew later in the day Ten Cents and Sunshine's minds returned to the diesel tug.

"What do you think his name is?" Sunshine asked as they noticed the sun starting to set.

"Not sure...do you think these new tugs will even have names?"

"Of course man, a tugs got to have a name!"

"But you hear his horn, it's so… liveless, standard… not like a whistle". There was a hint of sadness in Ten Cents' voice as he said that. His whistle may have gotten him in trouble in the past but he loved it. He loved how unique it was, in fact he loved that about all the whistles he had heard in Bigg City port and how most were different in some way, either from the sound they made to the design.

"True I suppose...However I doubt they would not give a tug a name." Sunshine said to try to comfort his friend.

"Do you think the others know? About the Diesel tug I mean?" Ten Cents asked, relaxing a little as he thought of the rest of the fleet.

"Na, knowing them and how last new year played out-Wah!" Sunshine was cut off as Ten Cents suddenly thought. "What are you playing at man? I Nearly pulled the Schooner apart!" SUnshine said annoyed.

"S-sorry...I just thought… we will miss new years…" Sunshines mood softened.

"Now don't upset yourself man, just because we are out here in the fog doesn't mean we can't celebrate it. Hey, cheer up, remember how last year Top Hat got so excited about it his monocle fell out?" Ten Cents laughed a bit as he started on again.

"Yeah… and How Warrior went to catch it but missed and bumped right into him. He was complaining about the scratches in his paint for weeks"

"Or How Sally Seaplane flew over at midnight with a banner saying "Happy new year" but spelt slightly off?" Soon the two tugs were laughing and picking up speed. Both tugs were normally very careful but the memories of previous years were distracting them. Suddenly with loud screeching noise Ten Cents ran aground on a shallow rock bed.

"Damn...My hulls burst, I am taking on water fast!" He cried. Sunshine and Ten Cents cut their lines on the Schooner as Sunshine came alongside Ten Cents slowly, careful not to get himself stuck.

"Relax man, you are resting on that rock bed so you should not sink… But if I try tow you off you will… mmm what to do…I can't just leave you here… Oh hey isn't that funny?"

"What is funny about this Sunshine?" Snapped Ten Cents.

"Oh um, no not funny like that but… this is where we need to leave the Schooner! The… oh…" Both Sunshine and Ten Cents looked back to the Schooner. It was already half way under by the time they remembered about it. It had also hit the same rock bed as Ten Cents however it had not been so lucky and with no tow lines to hold it in place it had been pulled by the waves off to a deeper part of the water and was now sinking.

"Oh no captain Star will sink us" Cried Sunshine.

"Not if we do that first, come on think… How do we get the message to bing a crane out here in this fog without losing this position" Ten Cents spoke to himself out loud.

"Well there's no way, only way would be if we had one of those Radio's that the Ocean Liners have but where would we get one of those…" The two tugs thought for a moment before hearing a familiar horn.

"Oh no…" Ten Cent wanted to just sink in that moment as he knew who it belonged to.

"He's our only chance of safety...maybe he can get help." Admitted Sunshine before he whistled long and loud. "Hey, Diesel over here!" The same Purring of an engine the two had heard hours before at Lucky's yard came into ear shot as they saw the Diesel Tug.

"Well well well, what do we have here, You would make lovely Salvage you would hehe" He growled.

"Oi watch it mate, you just try it and-" But the Diesel Tug cut him off.

"I said "would," you kettle… Lucky for you Captain Star has hired me to look for you relics. Seems you were gone too long. And it seems a good thing I did, my my, seems you're both unfit to travel in fog."

"Can it cold start" Retorted Ten Cents. "How exactly are you going to get us home and why did Captain Star hire you? The rest of the star fleet are available." The Diesel Tug grinned.

"As I told you this morning… I am the future… They have given me all the luxuries a tug could want… Radar, two way radio…" Sunshine and Ten Cents were shocked… and partly jealous.

Soon the fog was easing up as they heard Big Mac's and Top Hat's whistles. They soon came into view with Mighty Mo between them. Top Hat eyed up the diesel Tug Suspiciously.

"What a mess you two are in, are you lads alright?" called Big Mac

"I,we are fine, Ten Cent is taking on water fast though" Said sunshine.

"Oh all the nights to make us come all the way out here you pick new years eve, really and at 11pm too." Top Hat complained.

"Wait, we haven't missed new years?" Asked Ten Cents hopefully.

"Not Yet Ten Cents but if we don't get a move on you will" Added Mighty Mo. It was about quarter to midnight when the tugs all returned to Lucky's yard.

"Thanks for saving me you guys…" Said Ten Cents, a little ashamed.

"I me too, We were both stuck in a real pickle." Added sunshine. Top Hat sniffed.

"Well as much as I truly hate to admit it we would not have found you without that...thing" He looked off towards the Diesel tug.

"Charming that isn't it, I save two of your fleet and thats the thanks I get" he moaned.

"Well maybe if you were not so rude while doing it we would be more thankful" Scrowled Ten Cents.

"Alright settle down Me dears" Called Hercules who had just pulled up. "Its new years eve, lets enjoy it, you lot can have your little spat tomorrow. And you," He said turning to the Diesel Tug "I overheard you this morning talking to our Star Switchers and Captain star knows all about your attitude so can it before he suggests a better use for your hull to your owners." Everyone grew silent as Hercules, Big Mac and Top Hat left the two switchers and the Diesel Tug alone at Lucky's yard. "Too da loo chaps, you we better head back to the star dock but you can stay with Ten Cents Sunshine, I have a feeling Captain star will want a full report about how you both lost the Schooner in the morning…" He chuckled. "But in the meanwhile enjoy yourselves, I am sure he will not go to hard on you with the fog on top of our hero of the hour other there getting to you this morning" He said gesturing to the Diesel tug who just purred in anger.

The Diesel Tug had enough of the Star fleet and soon sulked off.

"Well we are back home for New years" Said Sunshine with a sigh "Even if we didn't do our job…"

"Sunshine… Honestly do you think Diesel is the future?" Ten Cents asked now they were alone again.

"I don't know but for tonight I don't care if we are going to end up on the scrap heap tomorrow, lets enjoy new year."

"Agreed, happy new year sunshine"

"Happy new year Ten Cents.

In the morning I did have some stern words for my switchers but given the circumstances I didn't go too hard on them both, especially with there track records of being hard working tugs. I had been planning to buy the Diesel tug to add to my fleet but after I had heard of his behavior I let Captain Zero buy him. With that the last contract of the winter and the year was done and while I lost money that day on both repairs and the contract I learnt how much my tugs could band together to help each other in tough situations and for me that was rewarding enough in itself.