Chapter 4: Inquiry

“Will they kill us Captain?”

“NO!”

“How can you be so certain, Captain?”

“Warren? Francine needs a hug and reassurance. They can’t kill us, Francine. We are safe. They can’t get inside here to do anything.”

“Maybe they will set us on fire and we will burn up?”

“Starting a fire, a major fire, would be difficult to do and why would they want to?”

“To kill us?”

“Why would they want to kill us? Never mind, that’s a stupid question. Look at this situation as a crime mystery you are investigating. What is the first thing you would investigate?”

“Motive? I don’t know anything about doing investigations.”

“Who profits from the crime. Follow the money. Have you ever heard that suggestion before?”

“Do you think they are doing this just for money? Like a burglar breaking into someone’s house?”

“Yep, pretty much! They would like to steal the entire ship, the cargo, and kidnap the crew, then ransom everything for big bucks.”

“Would they kill us anyway even after the ransom is paid?”

“Nobody is going to be ransomed. Nobody is being kidnapped.”

“Will they just steal the ship and cargo and let us go? I wish I could believe that, but I don’t!”

“Nobody is stealing the ship or cargo, either. They are ransacking our rooms looking for personal valuables. Is there anything in your room you will be heartbroken to lose?”

“Well, I don’t want them stealing my things, I’m not happy about it, but I guess I could get over it. There isn’t much of value in my room. You have our documents and money locked up in the safe. Right?Those are the important things.”

“Yep!”

“And you’re sure they can’t break in and get us?”

“They can’t break in, I promise.”

“How long will the emergency lights stay on? They run on batteries don’t they?”

“Yep. The lanterns will last a few hours. The pirates will be gone by then.”

“Are you sure they will leave soon?”

“Yep, pretty soon.”

A lot of automatic gunfire rippled through the boat, the racket from multiple weapons emptying magazines. In sheer frustration, I hope.

“They’re getting ready to leave now. Sounds like the grand finale!”

In a few moments their chase boats fired up their throaty engines, and with yells and shouts and a few more bursts of gunfire, the boats departed at high speed.

“Is it safe to come out now?”

“Probably, but we will wait a half hour or bit longer to be sure their leaving is not just a ruse, to sucker us out.”

We sat in silence, for forty more minutes by my watch.

“Okay. Warren? Unlock the safe please and load that shotgun. Enrique? As soon as I go through the door, slam and bolt it behind me. Warren? If anyone is waiting on the other side and busts in here? Shoot them in the face. Blow fucking their head off. I seriously doubt anyone is out there, but be ready, just in case. Francine? You hide out of sight behind the electrical panel but don’t touch it. High voltage, read the warning sign. Everybody ready? GO!”

The pirates left no one aboard. Even our criminal mates and ABs cleared out. I correctly assumed they were plants aboard, intended to bring us to the pirates. That’s one of the pirate trademark tricks. Another is to approach in a small boat asking for water. When they are allowed to come alongside, they pull a pistol and demand to be taken to the captain. Tricky bastards, but simple minded tricks.

Sure did shoot hell out the interior, especially the bridge. All the electronics and windows are shot to shit. All the rooms rifled and ransacked, drawers dumped out, clothing strewn on the deck and trampled on.

Dawn soon. Time to skedaddle. Pound, pound, pound, knock knock.

The old shave and a haircut, two bits, ID code signal.

Not prearranged with Warren, just recognizably American.

“It’s me, Warren. Ya’ll can come on out now, or you can send the others out, and fire up the generator and mains before you come up. Please. We need to get on our way. Quickly. Tell me the instant it’s safe to use the engines. I killed the mains with the emergency stops. You’ll need to reset them before they’ll start.”

Francine was saddened at the wanton destruction she saw topsides and sat down in the galley, cradling her head in her arms and bawling her eyes out. Stress relief, I think. Good for her to cry it out.

Heaving up the anchor takes too long. A Norwegian buoy fastened to the chain by a long line, will mark the spot, if we decide to return with armed escorts and retrieve the anchor and chain sometime soon. Before somebody steals the buoy. Engaging the windlass when electricity was restored, I rolled in the extra chain blocking the riding pawl. Disengaging the pawl, flipping it out of the way, I released the brake and ran away a dozen yards. When the bitter end of the chain snapped loose from it’s staple, it flew off the wildcat and flogged chips from the paint in it’s violent departure out the hawse pipe. Glad I wasn’t near it! When I reached the bridge, Warren was already there, and under the dash.

“You can use Skeeter’s engines now, and the mains available in five more minutes. You have manual steering control only at the after station, but the auto pilot works from either station. I’ll repair the shot away air line under the dash, as soon as I get my tools up here. Full steering will be restored in about an hour unless I discover more damage.”

“Thanks Chief. Can you check in my quarters? Look under my bunk. Lift the mattress and the bunk boards to get to the space beneath. There are spare electronics stored there. I need a VHF radio up here.

Would you check for one, please? Hope the pirates didn’t find them.”

There is no qualified bridge relief now on board to assist me, though Enrique spells me for calls of nature. We arrived at Lagos after sunset and had to wait until the next morning before getting a pilot. When we were finally safely tied up at the city dock, I had been continuously on the bridge for nearly thirty hours straight. Need I say I am tired? No rest for the weary.

An immediate inquiry into the pirate attack is initiated by three different authorities and two more interested parties. The two interested parties, are our office and our insurance carrier, The authorities are the Nigerian Military, the National Police, and the Nigerian Maritime Administration. The US Coast Guard is also going to investigate, but until the officers arrive from the US, they can’t bother me much. Yet.

Finally, I’ve had enough, and shut down the Q and A. The Lagos agent seems to be the right sort. Taking him aside, I inform him I have nothing more to say to the voracious officials cluttering up my galley. Not until after I catch up on some sleep. I want them off my ship, NOW. I want armed guards, our guards, stationed to prevent anyone, everyone, and I don’t care if it’s the president himself, from boarding my ship without my permission. They are not to bother me, and do not ask me for permission for officials to board, I am unavailable! Tell the guards I will inform them when I wake up if I am or the next when I’ll be available to receive visitors. They should not ask. I am going to bed, do not disturb!

I locked the door to my room and refused to respond to knocking. Not even to shouted demands and threats of jail if I didn’t open.

Unavailable for two entire days, I slept, ate, slept some more. Then the US Coast Guard pounded on my door. They would not be denied coming aboard, and not in any mood to tolerate my refusing to talk with them. I told them, to wait for me in the galley.

I plant to shit, shower, shave and then I’ll join them. Not necessarily shortly! God dammed inconsiderate, ill mannered, rude officials of all stripes and nationalities, can go straight to hell! Go harass the pirates, not the victims of the pirates.

“We are not going to apologize for disturbing you, captain. This is an official inquiry. You are required to cooperate.”

“Do you believe you are truly officers and gentlemen, by writ of Congress? That’s what is claimed, isn’t it?”

“We comport ourselves as gentlemen, and we are indeed officers of the US Coast Guard.”

“Very well, gentlemen. I too am an officer and a gentlemen, licensed as Master by the US Coast Guard. Treat me with gentlemanly good manners and due respect, and I believe we’ll get along. Would you gentlemen care for coffee? I am going to fix myself a cup. Francine will be happy to serve you. I prefer not to impose upon my crew for personal services and will serve myself. Excuse me one moment.”