I am back! I finished up my summer course, and I have more time to write. :) However, I plan on doing a thing where I update at least twice a month (gotta give myself time to write and let ideas grow and develop). NefariousScalin has also helped me out when it comes to ideas for possible scenes in this chapter, so kudos to her.
There is language, so be warned (the fact I don't really swear is proof of this ). Enjoy!
A few days later, Hercules was quietly sailing to the estuary. The waters were relatively calm, making the trip to visit his friend (and lover) Lillie relatively easy. Once he arrived, he quietly greeted Lillie before sailing next to her and dropping his anchor.
"Evening Hercules." Lillie greeted, smiling as she turned to face him. "So how were things these past few weeks?" She asked, wanting to strike up a conversation.
"Going alright love." Hercules replied, humming in content before looking on at the setting sun. "The spring shipping season has kept me fairly busy, but then with the summer season coming up, it's keeping Starr on his toes. I don't mind the work of course, but it does get to a point where you just want to sneak in a few hours of sleep during down time."
"Oh I know the feeling all too well." Lillie chuckled. She was used to working long nights with little to no breaks, and she was often spotted sleeping during the day. "Work has been getting busier and busier with more ships coming in. But I don't mind it at all of course." After a moment, Lillie turned to face Hercules and asked in a calm voice, "Have you heard any news about what happened with Zorran? They say that he's actually being held somewhere in Bigg City against his will. The other cities up and down the coast have been on lookout, but no word."
Zorran? In Bigg City? Hercules was internally panicking, but he remained calm as ever. "It would make sense if a rival of Zero's has taken Zorran captive. He has many seedy collections after all." He said in a calm, almost relaxed tone. He was lying through his teeth of course, but he didn't want to arouse suspicion. "Hopefully he'll be found soon, and in one piece. This matter has been stressing the other Zero tugs for far too long."
Lillie was confused at how calm the ocean tug was about this whole situation. Yes, he was great at suppressing emotions, but this was ridiculous. Unless… he had done something he shouldn't have done. "Hercules, you seem awfully quiet about this whole matter. Did you know what happened to him by any chance?" She asked, showing concern in her eyes.
The words caught Hercules off guard. Now was time to panic. "Why should I be worried about him m'dear? He isn't even part of the Star Fleet." He replied, but he became more visibly nervous.
Lillie noticed this change, and now she became more firm. She replied with, "Past experience love. I know you and your Reaper have a tendency to-"
Finally, Hercules caved in. It was pointless to lie to Lillie, and if she caught him in one, he would definitely get in trouble. "Lillie, I killed Zorran. However, it was justified. He was collaborating with Timberwolf to have me arrested, but Ten Cents stepped in to take his position." He blurted out before looking away. "Hades even absorbed his soul."
The confession surprised Lillie, and she looked away from Hercules in response. She was aware that Hercules's Reaper had a tendency to capture the souls of those who turned on him and subject them to torment. After what looked like an eternity of silence, she whispered, "I… I just need time to process the information. I may have not liked Zorran, but what you did was unjustified. His fleet mates have gone mad because of your actions."
The words hit Hercules hard, and it was hard to come up with a proper response. Lillie had a point after all. Even if Hercules claimed it was justified to kill his biggest opponent, Lillie was quick to point out that his actions had consequences. "Lillie, I think I may need some time alone." He whispered, now struggling to hold back tears.
"I was thinking the same as well." Lillie replied, looking at the water below. "Farewell Hercules." With a sigh and tears in her eyes, she lifted her anchor and sailed off into the sunset.
"Lillie, wait!" Hercules pleaded, but Lillie didn't answer back. Once she wasn't seen, he grit his teeth and tried to not cry. He and Lillie had had problems about this issue before, but it was not like this. Her earlier words were nagging at him, and for the first time in his life, Hercules felt guilty.
"Ya shouldn't have killed me you knob!" Zorran's voice called out, but Zorran did not physically appear. Instead, it was from deep within. Zorran's soul was trapped in a realm that only Hades could access, and he was having a hard time trying to escape the Reaper's clutches. "You just made your girlfriend leave you-"
"We had arguments like this before Zorran." Hercules snapped back mentally, now lifting his anchor and leaving the estuary. "I know she gets upset each time Hades does this. Besides, I figure we should get back in a few weeks. Or a month tops."
Zorran was thoroughly disgusted, and looked around to see if no one was going to rip him apart. With a smirk, he said, "Besides, Ten Cents got very close to learning about what ya did. Hell, I bet ya even Sunshine might-"
However, before Zorran could continue, Hades's misty form appeared before him. "Hello Zorran." He hissed, confidently inching towards the soul with glowing red eyes. "My host is already upset, and you just keep on pushing the knife deep into his spine. Besides, what good is it to you anyway?"
"What're you going to do? Torture me?" Zorran asked. "Break me down until I'm like those idjits? Forget it Hades, you don't have complete domain over me!"
"Well, I want to slap you on the wrist per say. Give your mind a break from my games." Hades smiled, stopping in his tracks to give Zorran space. "I put you through enough this week-"
"Heh you're just lying. You think I'm stupid, but I'm not!" The Z Stack defiantly said, not looking at Hades. "Even if it was legitimate, I won't take you up on your offer."
Hades was… confused to say the very least. He wasn't even lying when he made the offer, but the way Zorran was reacting was leaving him shocked. "Why, I'm being honest!" He said. "You're rude for turning down my offer." When he got no reply, he whispered, "Hercules do something!"
Hercules did not reply, as he had already arrived at his next contract: helping tow a freighter out of port. It should be relatively easy work, but he needed to concentrate. "Hades, can you not fuss over your little pet project? At least for a few hours? This ship needs my attention and I do not want mishaps." He thought, shrugging off the protests as he secured his tow ropes to the freighter.
What happened next caused even Zorran to nervously inch away. Hades was fuming, and to be denied twice in his offers of goodwill set him off. He cursed in a language that no one could understand and vanished into nothing, leaving a confused Zorran. Hercules could feel the anger swell up, and it was tempting to lash out and attack. However, with a freighter in tow, it was difficult to not give in. He finally shrugged off Hades's malicious urges and sailed on, and once the tow was completed, he hurried home with tears in his eyes.
It was now early June, and things were heating up between the Star Tugs and the Zero Tugs. There were some lucrative contracts up for grabs in the summer season, including one for a towing contract with Cunard Line. However, on the day of the scheduled arrival, the Star Tugs were greeted by Captain Starr. He had with him some papers, and he looked like he was serious.
"I just got a bulletin from the Coast Guard and the Weather Bureau that a massive storm is coming up the East Coast. Based on the reports I've gotten, Bigg City may be caught up in the storm's path. Therefore, the arrival of the Cunard liner will be delayed until further notice." He said through his megaphone, drawing gasps from the Stars.
"A storm? Delay an ocean liner?" Ten Cents asked, showing visible concern. "What's the reasoning behind that?"
The one word uttered out of OJ's mouth startled the other Star Tugs. "Hurricanes. They're so rare when it's early in the summer, but they can be powerful too." He explained, looking nervous. "That's why Cunard's delayed their arrival."
"OJ is right. There is no way in telling where and when the storm hit, and how strong it will be as well." Captain Starr added. "I may have to consider evacuating you all to sea if worse comes to worse. In the meantime, we will be making our own preparations for the storm. Good luck out there Stars!"
At the same time, Captain Zero was discussing the events with the remaining Zero tugs. Zorran's disappearance had gotten them to where they were losing contracts left and right, and Zero was using whatever remaining funds they had gotten from their work on alcohol. "So God continues to be an arse and sent up a storm." He slurred, barely able to read the bulletin.
"So no Cunard contract?" Zip asked, prompting Zak to silence him.
"I heard it's a nasty one too." Zebedee asked. Then, in an effort to be firm, he asked, "Captain Zero, what should we do if it comes in? I mean, we might not be prepared for it at all!"
"Preparations, who gives a damn about preparations Zebedee!" Captain Zero snapped, sticking his head out of the window. "If we get some damage, I can get us insurance money! That way, we'll stay afloat!"
"On alcohol money." Zak sneered, prompting Captain Zero to throw his bottle of whiskey at him. The bottle struck the deck and shattered on impact, but the harbor tug was unphased. "We need cash for coal, repairs, a new tug-"
"We can't afford a new tug you bastard!" Captain Zero roared, his voice nearly going hoarse. "I don't care if any of you get caught up in the storm! As long as you can still work, you should get the job done!"
While Zak was arguing, Zebedee hurried off with Zug and Zip. It was useless for them to get caught up in the crossfire of such arguments. Once they reached the harbor, Zebedee sighed and said nothing.
"Zebedee what do we-" Zip was about to ask, but Zug silenced him. Zip could only look at the large harbor tug with worry, wondering what could happen to them…
A few days later, Captain Starr hurried over to his office, sweating nervously. Fortunately, the Star Tugs were at the Star Dock getting ready for the day, so he wouldn't have to worry about interrupting any work. It was already starting to get windy, but that was the least of his worries. He opened his window and announced, "I have received terrible news from the Weather Bureau. The storm is heading right for Bigg City and should be arriving in the next day or two!"
"What!?" Big Mac gasped. "Ca'n, what do we do about the harbor? And our work?"
"Safety is our first priority. The smaller vessels have been moored, and we will do what we always do in storms." Captain Starr replied. "Men, get ready to brace yourselves. This is not a drill."
"Brace ourselves?" Sunshine asked, having not experienced such a storm like one. Living Up River meant that things like storms were even more frightening to him.
"We usually go out to sea and point our bows towards the waves." Hercules explained, having experienced some storms during his time in San Francisco. "They can be particularly nasty if you aren't prepared for it. I figure the harbor should provide some refuge for us, yes?"
"Not if you want to get swept away." OJ remarked. "Ten Cents, Sunshine, even Zug and Zip could capsize if the waves are large enough. We should have plenty of shelter in this dock to protect us from the storm."
"Stop fussing!" Captain Starr said, noticing how frantic his tugs were getting. "I have already made arrangements for you to stay inside the harbor. Zero has already fled Up River to avoid the storm, so I will be relaying the news to his fleet. I will be going to Top Town due to its distance inland."
The Star Tugs went silent and nodded, realizing that it was pointless to bicker over a storm. Then, Sunshine had an idea. "Captain, why don't we go up to Top Town with you? I know some places where we can seek shelter!" He suggested, wanting to brighten brighten the mood.
"That is actually a good idea Sunshine. However, not all of you are made for the river." Captain Starr replied, looking at a fuming Hercules. "I also need to check if the lake at Top Town can fit all of you. If not, I'm afraid I'll have to have a few of you stay here. For now, you are all dismissed!"
By the afternoon, the tugs were all busy with work. However, the weather was starting to deteriorate. It was starting to become more windy, and the rain was making it difficult for the tugs to see. Zebedee was finishing up with a small fishing contract when he spotted Hercules. The two tugs had only met a few times, their most notable meeting being the incident with Johnny Cuba. Although the two left on amicable terms, Zebedee was still wary around the ocean tug for a good reason.
"Zebedee, what are you doing in this weather? It's getting dangerous!" Hercules asked, having given up efforts to shake off the rain. A few ravens were perched on his deck, all looking on at the Z Stack with curious eyes.
"And water is wet Star." Zebedee snapped, ignoring Hercules and instead helping escort the vessel. "Listen, this weather is just as stressful for me as it is for you. No need to boss others around."
"What would you like me to then, storm out?" Hercules countered. Now was not the time to argue with a Zero tug, but his pride said otherwise.
Zebedee was bewildered, and simply watched as the fishing vessel hurried back to the safe confines of the harbor. "Just what exactly are you doing here anyway? Make my day worse?" He asked, turning to face the ocean tug.
"Captain Starr actually has some important news, and he needs all of us at the Star Dock." Hercules calmly replied, but he was chomping at the bit. "Is something on your mind Zebedee?"
"Is he gonna pull a Noah's Ark on us?" Zebedee bluntly asked, now turning to face the ocean tug. "The last thing I need is to never see Zip and Zug again."
"No no. But I won't be surprised if he did." Hercules sighed, now facing the Z Stack with worried eyes. With a chuckle, he remarked, "I'd certainly get left behind."
"Same here." Zebedee huffed, now turning to face the ocean tug. "What're you laughing at any way?"
"Trying to be in good spirits." Hercules replied. "Besides, we don't know what the storm has in store for us. Come on now, let's hurry back before Starr has my keel on his wall."
"Has Starr actually threatened you with this? Zero's said that threat for all of us." Zebedee chuckled, now realizing there were more similarities between him and his opponent.
"Yes. Twice in fact." Hercules smiled, glad that he was able to finally at least sway the Z Stack. "Come on now, someone is expecting us."
Zebedee gave a hesitant nod and followed Hercules back into the harbor, wondering if the ocean tug had good intentions. Considering how… terrifying the other was around Zorran, it was a miracle he made it out unscathed. After some time, they reached the Star Dock, and Zebedee was shocked by the sight. The Star Tugs were all moored up, as were the Z Stacks. And both fleets were not happy.
"QUIET!" Captain Starr shouted to the point of going hoarse, as he watched Star and Zero argue with each other over storms. Once both fleets went silent, he said, "Now, the latest bulletin came out and the storm is now a hurricane. I have been able to make arrangements to evacuate some of you to Top Town. Ten Cents, Sunshine, Zip, Zug, OJ, and Zebedee will all be going up. The rest will have to stay here due to size and financial costs."
The tugs were flabbergasted at the news. The fact some would be left behind was troubling tugs like Ten Cents greatly, but others like Zak were not pleased with the news. "Oh fuck off Starr! I can weather this storm without you and your little shits ruining it for me!" He shouted, and Zebedee was furious.
Hercules noticed this and stepped in, not wanting a fight to break out. In a cold voice he said, "No funny business Zak. He can't simply choose a tug because of their strengths and weaknesses. Want to continue with your tirade? I can crack your keel with a single charge, even snap your frame in clean in two if I feel like it. I suppose Zero will be happy to claim the insurance money then."
"Insurance money? On my dead body? You slimy bast-" Zak was about to attack, but luckily Zebedee stepped in and subdued him.
"If I wanted to live through a hurricane Zak, I would keep that mouth shut. Otherwise, I'd be happy to put it to use as a bird feeder." The ocean tug snapped, his temper flaring.
Finally, Captain Starr had enough. It was now time to play peacemaker. "Alright alright, quiet down! I know how stressful it is for all of you, but it's pointless to argue. All who are going Up River, meet me at the entrance to the dock. As for the rest of you, anchor down and stay safe."
Once Captain Starr finished speaking, the evacuees said their goodbyes and wished the remaining tugs good luck as they hurried off. Zak snarled as he watched the others leave, and hurried back to the Zero Dock. No point to argue with the Star Tugs at this point, it seemed. Hercules gave a heavy sigh as he watched the others leave, leaving him, Big Mac, Warrior, and Top Hat behind.
Late that night, the hurricane made landfall. At the Star Dock, no one would even try to sleep with the rain and rushing wind, making it for an unpleasant evening. Top Hat was moored near some equipment, Big Mac was moored near Star and Marine headquarters, and Warrior was moored at his spot on the pier. It was too dangerous for them to stay moored near each other. Top Hat was not too pleased to say the least, and he asked, "Of all the cities on the East Coast, why are we being hit by a hurricane? In the middle of June?"
"We've had some bad storms up in Canada Top Hat. Nature can be unpredictable." Big Mac shouted, trying to shield his eyes from the rain.
"They can get nasty too!" Warrior chimed in, watching as the wind battered down on the buildings. After a minute, he asked, "How do you think the others are doing? They're so far up too!"
"Probably worryin' over us." Big Mac remarked, closing his eyes to protect them from the rain. "At least they're grateful to be so far up inland. Meanwhile, we're takin' hits left and right- Look at that!" The three tugs turned their heads to watch as metal was easily ripped from its spot on the roof thanks to a strong gust of wind. Fortunately, the metal landed in the water. "Thank God we weren't in its path." The harbor tug remarked, pleased that no one was hurt.
"It's going to be like this all night Big Mac." Top Hat called out, but he tried to remain strong despite witnessing what had happened. "Besides, I wonder if Zak is having it worse than us. I figure he's sulking and wondering why he chose to ride it out here."
"He's nothing but hot air Toppy. However, he got incredibly upset when Herc told him he was gonna kill him for insulting us." Big Mac frowned, watching as more loose roof tiles were blown off. "I figure nature is gonna give him karma."
"You do realize karma works both ways, ri- OW!" Top Hat was rudely interrupted when an empty barrel struck him on his face, right between his eyes. His vision faded to black, and he immediately fell unconscious.
"Top Hat, no!" The remaining tugs shouted in unison, but they couldn't move in and help him. Instead, they watched as he went almost limp, and prayed that he would make it out intact.
Hercules meanwhile was out near the entrance to the harbor, anchored into place. He had considered anchoring within the Star Dock, but had his concerns over what sort of hazards would come up with the weather. The waves were rough, but it wasn't to where he could run the risk of capsizing. However, the events of that afternoon were weighing heavily on his mind, and he was wondering on what he could have done differently.
"So you ditched everyone to ride it out huh?" Zorran's soul called out, wanting to take another jab at the mighty ocean tug. "That's very brave of a cow-"
"Honey, when you were alive, your paint peeled whenever you saw me." Hercules retorted, ignoring a blast of wind. He was already stressed out, and now was not the time to have more piled up on his plate. "You left everyone to their own devices during that incident Up River, remember?"
"I did, but that was because Zug was a cun-" Before Zorran could finish his sentence, a bolt of lightning struck the lighthouse and shattered the glass!
Hercules was shocked at the sight as well, but he quickly calmed down. "Be grateful that didn't hit us." He said to himself, and Zorran went quiet. He took it as a sign that Hades was beating Zorran again, or that the Z Stack was so impressed by the sight he wouldn't speak. With a sigh of relief, he went into an uneasy sleep.
The next day, Hercules awoke to find that the hurricane had blown over, and he muttered a silent prayer over how lucky he was. However, his first priority was to go back to the Star Dock and check on his friends. He was incredibly worried about them to say the least, but he also had his concerns for the tugs that were Up River. Would they have gotten away unscathed, or did they escape with some damage? These questions ran through his head as he drew his anchor and started to sail towards the harbor.
The moment the ocean tug entered the harbor limits, he was greeted by a troubling sight. Some of the older buildings lost roofs and windows, while the newer buildings were not as damaged. As he sailed closer inland, the damage became more and more obvious. The piers suffered damage, and some of the smaller vessels were moaning in pain from the objects blown at them by the wind. He was surprised that no Coast Guard vessels were out assessing damage or stopping him from going further, but he figured that they too were reeling in from the hurricane and dealing with their own casualties. He slowly tredged on, but was relieved when he spotted Big Mac.
"Thank goodness you're safe Hercules!" Big Mac said with a smile on his face, relieved to know that the ocean tug was safe. "How was it out there in the sea? I was worrying for you!"
"I've dealt with worse Macca." Hercules chuckled, glad to see that his friend made it out. He then spotted Warrior and gave a blast of his hooter to greet the other harbor tug. "Looks like Warrior's safe too. But where's Top Hat?"
"Got knocked out." Warrior frowned, looking down at the water below. "Hopefully he'll wake up by the afternoon."
Hercules's heart sank, but he remained in good spirits. "I'll go back and check on him. What are you two doing out here anyway?" He asked, now noticing a sense of urgency in the harbor tugs' eyes.
"We got a message from the Coast Guard about something being dredged up in one of the canals. They need a crane to lift it out." Big Mac replied, now becoming serious.
"Are you sure we can confirm that? I'm doubtful the city's power and lines came back in one piece." Hercules asked, raising an eyebrow. "Or if the cranes were damaged by the storm."
"Only one way to find out." Big Mac said, and he and Warrior steamed off. "Se ya later Herc!"
"Likewise Macca." Hercules sighed, and he hurried back to the Star Dock. Once there, he found the unconscious railway tug and some damaged offices. He could write a summary of what happened to Starr, but he wasn't sure if it was possible to even use Morse Code. With a hum, he anchored next to the railway tug and kept close.
Up River, meanwhile, had taken quite a bit of damage from the hurricane. Many railway lines were damaged, and to make it worse, the main water way back to Bigg City was blocked by fallen trees and various debris. The power lines were also knocked over by the gusts, cutting off the smaller towns from the outside world.
At Top Town, Ten Cents and Sunshine awoke to find that they and the other tugs made it in one piece. However, the scene was horrific to say the least. "Lucky we were in the lake and not on land." Ten Cents whispered, not wanting to wake the others up.
"Look at the train tracks." Sunshine gasped, looking at how the lines were littered with tree branches. "Hopefully the others at Bigg City are safe."
"Especially since they were out there at the time of the hurricane too." Ten Cents replied, and soon spotted a man walking down. "That's Captain Starr! What's he doing out here?"
OJ, Zebedee, Zug, and Zip woke up, and were just as surprised. "Don't you think he's going to check up on us for damage?" Zebedee asked, spotting some papers in the man's hand.
"Perhaps. He's going to speak right now." OJ whispered, and everyone went silent as Captain Starr started talking.
"The hurricane did a number to us, but I'm pleased to say that we made it out alright." He said, and the tugs blew their hooters. After a minute, he said, "However, we don't know how well the others fared in Bigg City. The lines were toppled by the storm, so it may take a few days until power is restored."
The tugs frowned, and were now worrying about how their fleetmates were doing in Bigg City. After a minute, OJ broke the silence with, "Perhaps we can help clear fallen debris! That might help take out minds off the stress."
"I'm not sure, considering the debris and how large some of them are. Until the larger debris is removed, you will need to stay anchored here." Captain Starr said with a frown. "Stay strong everyone."
The tugs were disappointed, but OJ proposed that they spend time with talking and telling each other stories. Zebedee was hesitant, but with some gentle persuasion from his fellow Z Stacks, he reluctantly obliged.
Within a day, communication lines were restored. Local and state efforts were now launched to help assist those affected, and the Coast Guard were helping clear debris. That evening, Captain Starr walked down to the pier with some papers from the Coast Guard. All turned their attention, wondering if they were allowed to go and help clean up.
"I got some news from the Coast Guard. We took some damage at Bigg City, but it wasn't anything too significant. Top Hat was knocked unconscious by flying debris, but luckily, he wasn't blinded. He woke up last night, and despite his headache, he's okay." He said in a serious voice, drawing gasps from Ten Cents, Sunshine, and OJ. Then, he flipped to another paper and said in a somber tone, "Zorran was also found yesterday afternoon by the Coast Guard, Big Mac, and Warrior. Unfortunately, he wasn't found alive."
The moment Captain Starr spoke those words, Zug's face went from worry to complete disbelief. Zorran, dead? It couldn't be! It can't be! He drew his anchor and hurried away from the pier, crying hysterically. Zebedee pleaded for the switcher to come back, but OJ restrained him. Zebedee watched in horror, but he and Zip soon too broke down in tears. Their leader, Zorran, was dead.