Chapter 2: Disloyal

“Don’t do this, Mr. Tynsall. The crew we put together is a great team. Best I ever had. Don’t break us up, it isn’t good for business.”

“It IS business! I’m under a lot of pressure from many quarters to get the women off the boat and safely back home. Everyone agrees it’s too dangerous for them to be in Africa. No husbands, and all alone. Married US embassy personnel have evacuated their own families. This revolution by the so called PRINCE Johnson and his buddy Charles Taylor is not limited to just Liberia alone. The entire region of West Africa is seeing horrible atrocities committed everywhere.”

“Exactly who is pressuring you, George?”

Silence. Always before, I addressed him as Mr Tynsall. Calling him George stops him cold. Something is amiss with our relationship. There is a change underway, and not a good change, and George is generally uncomfortable with change he doesn’t initiate.

“The Pipeline company. They have an impressive investment locked up in the equipment we shipped over to Africa, so it’s only right they have a say in the manning of the vessels.”

“Who else? You whined you are pressured from many quarters.”

“I did not whine, Captain.”

Silence on my part. Let him sweat.

“Pressure from the Maritime Administration, the Coast Guard, and the State Department.”

“Anyone else?”

“Warnings from our agents in Abidjian and in Lagos, Nigeria, and from our customer, the recipient for the cargo. According to our agent in Abidjian, dire predictions from his government too!”

“The agent came aboard a half an hour ago with this unsettling news of busting up my crew, but no money.”

“You will receive Nigerian currency in Lagos. The customer has decided they prefer taking delivery in Nigeria after all. The political crisis there is over. Start as soon as you have clearance papers.”

“We are not prepared to immediately get underway. We have repairs to make first. I need local currency. Instruct the agents office, I’m keeping him hostage outside in the sun and rain, and it just began raining here, outside without a place to rest, no shelter, no shade, food, or water until I receive the francs. All of them that are due.”

“You MUST immediately get underway, just as soon as the girls are off the ship! Everyone is depending on you, Captain.”

“My crew depends on me, George. Everybody else? The line forms at the back.”

“How long will it take to make repairs?”

“Two days, if the Chief feels like working that hard. I’m looking at him, and he looks pretty miserable. Looks betrayed, disgusted, broken hearted, and despairing of justice for all he contributed getting us here in one piece. Warren performed beyond the call of duty. Generous with his time. Deprived himself of sleep. For what?”

“Warren is well paid, paid better than even you, Captain.”

“A package with items of interest and value to you, photographs, and written reports, was turned over to your agent to mail to you. You might want to follow up if he did. I don’t trust him. Or you, George. You are too easily swayed from our course by ill-willed advisors.”

“Do you honestly think, I am being badly advised?”

“From day one, George. Also I suggest you inform any concerned, my women crew members are not alone and are definitely protected. There are eight of us including the women, who will fight to protect them. Vietnam was a vicious school. Tiger, Fred, Warren and I graduated. We didn’t drop out, we dropped the enemy, sent THEM to their graves. My personal suggestion for you George, is grow a pair.”

“You aren’t irreplaceable Captain!”

“Do you want to fire me, George?”

“Not really, No. I believe without you, we would not have been this successful. You took junk and made something workable from it. You have my gratitude. But don’t insult me again!”

“When someone acts like a shit, I tell them.”

“The women have to get off. That’s final.”

“Don’t buy plane ticket’s for Francine and Warren. Deposit the value of the fares in their bank accounts. They will buy their own tickets when they are finished honeymooning. I will let you know which day they are terminated.”

“Terminated?”

“Yes, I intend to write them letters of termination of employment.”

“I don’t want the Chief terminated.”

“Well, my hands are tied. If I allow Warren to get away with telling me go fuck myself, I will lose all authority with the crew that remains aboard. They will all flip me off! Warren has to go.”

“When did he tell you to ... that?”

“Just now. He flipped me the bird. That means, go fuck yourself.”

I demonstrated for Mr. Tynsall, but I doubt he saw it, all away over in Houston.

“Are you firing him today?”

“Nope. I insist he clean up his mess and fix things back where they’re supposed to be, before he goes. Warren is a hard man to push. I suspect he will “GO SLOW” strike on me.”

“Do the best you can. I’ll send you an engineer as soon as possible.”

“Never mind, I have several candidates in mind. Deckhands too.”

“Do the hiring through the agent. He will have all the proper paperwork, I’ll fax the forms to his office.”

“What about the cash? And depositing the air fares to Warrens and Francine’s accounts?”

“I will comply with your wishes Captain. You are a hard man.”

“You told my agent, you wanted a strong Captain. Did you mean big muscles? Or iron willed?”

“Be careful what you ask for. I’ll remember that next time. Glad you’re on my side Captain.”

Am I?

“Well, my starry eyed lovers, I did the best I could for you.”

“Sounded fantastic. I can hardly believe you pulled that off.”

“Don’t confuse yourselves. Down deep, Mr Tynsall wanted me to pull it off. That’s the only reason he caved in easily. Believe it!”

“I intend to buy you a drink, boss!”