Chapter 18

John called Brian back on time. Brian said immediately ““Bad news, John. Article 3 of the International Convention on Salvage, IMO 1989, specifically excludes platforms and drill rigs. Specifically, it states:

Article 3 - Platforms and drilling units: This Convention shall not apply to fixed or floating platforms or to mobile offshore drilling units when such platforms or units are on location engaged in the exploration, exploitation or production of sea-bed mineral resources.”

John then told Brian about the crew abandoning the rig, leaving them to die, and finding Marty tied up left to die.

Brian then said, “If you have evidence of that I can make a claim stick.”

“Would a picture of the rig boss in a lifeboat suffice to prove they abandoned ship.”

Brian said “Send me his name and the picture when you can and I’ll start the paper on this end. For now, make a radio broadcast with the hull number and stating your claim.”

John made the call. He got a confirmation acknowledgment of the message from the Coast Guard. He wasn’t sure what good it would do, but it was done.

He sat back closed his eyes and took a sip of coffee. He figured Rodriguez Energy would pay just to keep what happened silent. He hated to play ball like this, but he was thoroughly pissed off by now.

Trying to think ahead, he realized he had no idea how much fuel the generator had. He opened his eyes and looked at Mei. “Get this camera offloaded to the laptop” he said as he took it off.

After she was done, he put it back on, then said “I need to survey this rig before it hits the fan again. You three stay here.”

His first stop was the generator control room. Looking around he found the fuel level indicator. It was almost dry. He saw a label for ‘Auxiliary Tank’ and it was listed as full. “Now how do I switch this?”

After a few minutes, he realized it was probably a manual valve. He went looking for it by going to the generator and back tracing the fuel lines. It led to the main fuel tank. Looking around it, he found another line that led to the tank labeled ‘Auxiliary.’

Looking around this area he realized the setup was the same as an old school, dual tank semi. After flipping the valve, he went back to the generator control room finding that the tanks were showing half full each. He left well enough alone and went about looking over the rest of the rig. He saw drill pipe scattered everywhere on the deck. Going to the rack, he chained down what was left. There was nothing he could do about what was on the deck, he figured by the time they came out of the other side it would be gone. He snapped a couple of pictures then moved on.

Looking back across the rig, he saw the same canopy of clouds from before approaching fast, so he made for the control room immediately.

He’d just gotten to the hatch when he saw the Saint Elmos fire dancing on the Derrick again. He jumped inside but the door hadn’t closed when a bright flash hit along with a deafening thunderous boom. He dogged the hatch shut. Looking at the three girls, he said “It’s about to get interesting again, strap into a chair everyone.”

Mei motioned to the body cam. Taking the hint, he turned it off.

Mie said “I edited the part out where you slung the logbook. But that camera needs to die. A two-bit expert could recover its memory. John took it off, opened the hatch again, slung it into the ocean, and then redogged the hatch.

He went to his bag, pulled out the backup, and put it on without turning it on.

Mei nodded at his actions, then asked for the backup camera. He looked puzzled but handed it over. She hooked it up then uploaded the file from the other cam to it, then erased the laptop file. She then reloaded the video to the laptop. She looked at John and said “We really need a computer expert in the group.”

Marty spoke up and said “I have my Utech of Jamaica Masters in Information Technology. I’d be glad to help if I can.”

John looked at her and asked “What are you doing working the galley if you have that?”

“I answered an ad posted for the job. It got me a green card so I’m legal in the states. The money is better than anything I could made on my feet back home.”

John didn’t need to ask what she meant by that. He said “At least you went about it the right way.”

John didn’t mind immigrants in general but he did mind the kind that came across illegally and demanded rights of a country they were never a citizen of. He had sponsored Jose and Maria back in the day because they were good people.

John could feel the rig riding swells by this time, so he strapped himself into a chair.

He looked at the women and said “Show time, buckle in.”

The girls strapped in next to each other where they could finish their gabfest.

John fell asleep strapped into the chair. He’d been going thirty hours by this time and no amount of coffee was keeping him up.

He was woken up later by someone pulling his dick out of his pants. He didn’t even open his eyes until a mouth engulfed him. Looking down he saw a pretty mocha face swallowing his dick to the root with pale blue eyes staring up at him. Beside her was Pixy and Mei book ending her with a hand each on the back of her head pushing her face down. He wasn’t sure how she did it, but he felt her tongue tickling his balls while she swallowed his shaft.

It didn’t take long before he was ready to cum, he didn’t bother trying to hold back either. He shot his load down Marty’s throat. Seeing his relief, Pixy and Mei let up on Marty’s head. She started going back and forth intent on milking him dry.

Reaching down he stopped her and said “Have these two told you what this means?”

She nodded her head.

John looked at Pixy and said “That makes five. No more for no reason. Understand?”

Pixy meekly said “Understood.”

After that he asked “What time is it?”

Mei answered “It’s 0800 local time.”

Doing the math in his head, he realized it was sixteen hours since he fell asleep.

John unstrapped.

Pixy chirped “You could sleep through a hurricane.”

The ship to shore phone rang. John went to the desk and picked it up. Petra’s voice was on the line, she said “How’s our rig?”