MV Lady Jean Peterson
by BobbyG

 

Chapter 8

The whole project had reached the point when everything was being done at the same time, sort of organized chaos but it was all coming together and the ship all but complete with just one more month to go before sea trials.

That day arrived but Scott was not permitted to be anything other than a spectator. The ship was crewed by dock staff but she was under the control of various officials who, after the trials, would issue the seaworthiness certificate… Or not.

During the trials the ship would have on board the engineers from the various companies who had been taken on to install their equipment, from radar to engines. From fuel systems to waste dumping. From galley equipment to water cannon function and it would carry on for three days until a smiling official presented Scott with that priceless piece of paper. They were seaworthy! Meanwhile back to appointing crew.

By now the short listed had arrived, all 40 applicants who had been invited to a two day gathering, followed by final selection interviews. The first thing to take him and Andrew by surprise was meeting Reginald and Frederick again. They all sensibly ignored each other. Scott already knew Neil Brown had applied and had even sailed with him two years previously and liked him.

He looked around the room and noticed a young really lovely looking West Indian guy and knew he had seen him before but could not put a time or place.

“First of all welcome and thank you for coming today. I would like to introduce my father, Sir William Peterson. The first thing you will want to ponder is if selected to become crew on my ship, I will be your captain, now is the time to leave if you want! In fact if there is anything you don’t like, it’s a free world and nobody will be less thought of if this is not for you.

There is one other person to introduce to you and that is my partner Andrew sitting with you listening while I make this up. Andrew has been appointed second engineer and is an excellent one, so he tells me despite the fact he is American and comes from somewhere over in that direction. Oh by the way I will be involved in teaching navigation.” The applicants were already smiling.

“Right, by now you will have guessed something about the role of the ship because of the areas we will be sailing through which will give you time to think about it and take your final interview should you so wish…”

He spent the next hour talking through the role of the ship and the role of every one on board as well as other duties they would all have to perform whilst at sea and the expected high standards from all crew. “If you like a drink whilst at sea or think this is a good time cruise, you are on the wrong ship.”

Of the 40 at the meeting, 40 would take their final interviews, only eleven of whom would be appointed.

By the end of the second day Scott knew as much as we already do!

That evening was the first time they met as a crew and the next day they would all be handing in notices or resigning. They would meet again on the 14th February at the Harbour Hotel in Southampton by midday to begin their new lives together.

From the 14th until the day before the naming and the crew going on their completed ship there would be no let up in training, being measured up for uniforms, going to a territorial training camp and join in with them, then returning knackered but happy by which time they had gelled as a crew and Scott a very happy captain.

It was now the night before the naming and 21 people squashed up round the dining table at William’s and Scott’s house, Andrew’s family had arrived bringing their enthusiasm with them and Shawn telling Scott and Andrew he had “lost it” and he and Jason were going on holiday in two weeks time!

As this was semi official all crew were in shirt sleeve order, no jackets and looking pretty good. The meal was fun and very relaxed and during it Scott would often glance up the table to smile at his dad. William had changed places and sat in Jean’s chair, Scott in William’s. At long last it went quiet and everyone looking at the captain. He stood up and looked around him and suddenly realised that everyone was there because of what he had started!

“Look, even I am getting fed up with my own voice but this needs to be said which will bring you up to date with all that’s about to happen.

Now the ship is legal to sail the oceans you, ladies and gentlemen are going to sail to Iceland and during the trip there and back we will train, train and train in all things sailing! By the time we get back we will be fully conversant with not only our ship but specific responsibilities and our alert stations as well. We will continue to be trained by crew from all departments which will include medical, fitness, navigation, mechanicals, radio radar operating, seamanship and much more besides. That’s just about it except for one thing.” He looked at Paul. “No ship sails without a first officer and Paul I would like you to become our first officer.”

“Thank you skip, thank you very much.”

“Good, I can now hand all the crap over to you!” There was a lot of applause but when it suddenly went quiet everyone heard, “Bugger!” They looked at Marcel who could have been blushing.

“Opps sorry skip, just thought you were going to ask me!” That lovely smile on his beautiful face could get him off a death sentence!

They all stood at the quay side looking at their new ship and just moments away from at last calling her by name. It was not just the crew, William, the Bushman’s and over two hundred men and women who had worked on her to transform this craft into nothing more than an object of beauty.

After prayers it was Brenda’s turn who would deliver the time honoured words which would make the ship finally complete.

“I name this ship…Lady Jean Peterson….May God bless her and all who sail in her.”

Brenda was staring at the name on the bow and that name was her best friend. She released the champagne bottle. It smashed on the bow and in that instance Brenda had her friend back in the shape of this amazing ship.

After many handshakes and best wishes they all went on board to start the party. William had to endure being winched up by the crane and then manhandled down to the crew lounge by Paul picking him up and literally carrying him down two decks. “That’s the only time I have EVER been that close to a gay man, apart from my son! Put me down now first officer!”

It was all very nice, but William knew this would have to be a brief time as well. He knew from experience that now the naming had been carried out, Scott and the crew would be thinking of tomorrow and he needed to go and take the Bushman’s with him and leave Scott and his crew to focus. Scott stayed with his father the whole time and both knew that as from now they would be seeing a lot less of one another.

“We are going soon son, you need to have the Jean to yourselves now and we are in the way.”

“No you’re not, but you are right we are all thinking about tomorrow. We will be fine dad and try not to worry.  I will video call every day so we can be together at least for a while and now you are going back to the office much more, you will be busy as well.

They were now on their own, just 13 of them and thinking of tomorrow. The lounge was the largest open space on the Jean with sitting and dining areas that would become “home” when they were off watch and the main place to meet one another. The galley was next to the lounge and would produce 24 hour meals and snacks while at sea and with two great chefs on board, the crew would never go hungry.

No one said much and they began to drift off to their cabins after Scott and Andrew had gone to theirs.

Scott closed the door and stripped down to his tight briefs. Andrew looked at him and in particular that bloody wonderful package inside his boyfriends underpants and followed suit.

Scott laid them down on the settee and they wrapped their arms around one another and kissed. Neither of them said a thing for ages and were more than content to hold one another while each cock joined in and got hard. Finally they both had to get rid of the underwear as it was becoming really uncomfortable and once free they both settled back into kissing again.

“You ok about sailing tomorrow Andrew?”

“Just worried I might throw up. I just don’t want to let myself down, but I think all of us who have never been to sea before will be thinking the same.”

“Sweetheart, just think about Admiral Nelson, he was sea sick every time he sailed and if you ask me who Nelson was I will dump you over the side.”

They carried on cuddling in and kissing, but knew this was not the time to make full love and, even though they were still both hard as rocks, they went to their bunk and once again wrapped their arms around one another and kissed until they both fell asleep.

Scott had set his alarm for 7am, but woke an hour before it was due to go off. Andrew had turned as they slept and now had his back to Scott and Scott’s arms around him.

There was no way he could go back to sleep and he gently got out of the bunk making sure he did not disturb Andrew. He looked down at him and smiled his love before going for a shower.

He dried off and went back into the cabin and began to get ready for the biggest day of his young life.

He got into his tight white briefs and before he got into uniform he went to the bunk and looked down at Andrew and stared at him for sometime with all the many happy thoughts going through his head. He bent down and gently kissed Andrew’s cheek. “I love you so much Andrew Bushman.” He stood back up and got dressed.

He stood there looking at himself in the full length mirror. The reflection coming back showed a beautiful young man in his dark blue “day” uniform with an open necked shirt with a brilliant white tee shirt underneath. On his shoulders were his four gold rings and the gold badge of the Jean and his rank below it on his left breast. He looked and, not for the first time, thought he looked far too young to be dressed like this and when he put his cap on with the company badge of two crossed anchors with gold laurel leaf surrounding them and the gold braid on the peak, it just confirmed what he was thinking.

“Oh fuck it, the pay is good and the crew could not careless anyway, so why should I?” He smiled to himself and before he left to tour his ship, he went to the bunk, got on his knees and kissed Andrew’s cheek again.

He went down to the lowest part of his mother’s ship and slowly inspected every deck and compartment from stern to stem until finally arriving at the centre of his ship an hour later, the bridge. He sat in his seat which was raised so he could have an unrestricted 360 degree view outside and was in deep thought. He was now a captain and there would be no one to tell him what to do or how to do it, he was on his own now and everyone would be looking to him to command his ship with the highest standards of seamanship. During interviews not one of them had any reason to be concerned about his age as Scott’s personality was apparent and gave everyone a sense of confidence and by the end of interviews each applicant was even more keen to be taken on.

It was still dark outside and as he sat there his thoughts went back to the attack on the O6 and all the hell after it and the reason why he was sitting in this chair right now. But then he smiled and at the same time became more sure of himself and confident about his and the Jean’s role and his ability to protect the fleet, as Andrew’s hand landed on the back of his.

Scott smiled at his man and lent to him and kissed his sweet lips. Nothing was said and Andrew would stay where he was until Scott moved.

“Thanks my dear man. Thanks for everything, let’s go back.”

They undressed and got on top of the bunk and just cuddled in. Andrew had realised how anxious Scott must be, but thought he could help his captain relax, just a tad.

“Scott?”

“Yes my love.” There was a long pause.

“So who was this Nelson dude then!?” Andrew had just scored a hit!!!

They made a hell of a noise laughing, kissing then laughing again until they both went limp and fell asleep, still cuddled up in one another’s arms.

Ten minutes later the alarm went off!

The engines had been running for two hours with Neil and Andrew keeping an eye on all the various indicators while the rest of the crew prepared to leave harbour.

It was 0855 and Scott spoke to the engine room through his headset.

“All ok Neil?

“Engines and all systems are fine skip, we are ready to sail.”

Just two lines were left waiting for Scott’s order. “Let go fore and aft.” Scott wanted to take her out himself for the first time and with the control stick hard to port and the bow thruster pushing as well, the Jean pulled away from the pier a few yards and once clear he turned the thruster off and at the same time went ahead, the Jean was now on her maiden voyage.

She passed two ships, one of which was the new Ocean Six with Bob Taylor waving from the starboard side of his bridge as the Lady Jean slowly sail by.

“She looks great don’t you think Jerry and in very capable hands.” First Officer Jerry O’Brian was the last person who would want to be asked that.

“If you say so sir.” Then turned and went back into the bridge. “Fuck the Lady Jean Peterson and her captain. I knew that bastard would get a ship before me and only because of birth……Just wish she was named Titanic 2.” His bitterness would never go away it seemed.

Scott took her out into the Southampton water and got into her channel which would take the ship to the Solent and then into the English Channel. When they were into the Channel he handed over to Paul.

“She is all yours Paul, Iceland first stop in ten days.”

She could make Iceland long before that, but on the way they would be training and the ship would often be stopped or sailing at very slow speed.

Scott toured the ship and stopped on the flight deck and watched a very excited Marcel finishing his checks on his baby prior to taking her on her first sea flight. He had spent every hour he could flying long before today and had impressed all of them with his skills. Scott just knew having the helicopter was going to be a huge asset and with the delightful Marcel flying it, it would be an even better asset. He had already made his mind up that he needed another one and would order it after they got to Iceland to see if any modifications would be needed on the new one.

“All good Marcel?”

“Fine Skip. Just about to take off.” Scott wondered where this “Skip” thing came from, certainly not him. He watched as Marcel wound the engine up and after he was satisfied after the pre flight checks, took off as soon as he threw a switch on his control panel that released the four clamps from the skids that held the machine firmly to the deck. Marcel went up 50ft and at the same time 50ft off the starboard side to clear the ship. He threw another switch which would give control to the helicopter’s computer which would keep it at the stern while Marcel left the deck and ran like hell to get to the bridge. Once at his station he would take back manual control and begin his flight. Some crew stood behind him and watched the screen as the helicopters camera sent back images in clear HD and saw their ship from above and every other angle as well. He flew off and looked at other ships in the vicinity and then back for landing practice.

They were all on the bridge having a general discussion about various topics when Jerry asked who would be the strop man to be lifted over the side in the event of a rescue.

“Well it’s obvious Jerry, me!” Everyone looked at Andrew and Scott knew he could not object even though he wanted to. “That’s settled then. You two need to start practising. Colin had already become the winch man after he had impressed the crew with his skills.

By the fifth day they were north of Scotland and now into the North Atlantic headed towards the east coast of Iceland. As usual the sea was quite rough which gave Colin the opportunity to practice on the winch. Picking someone out of the sea was going to be a challenge as the ship could be tossed about all over the place as well as the survivor and of course Andrew. In fact long before Andrew was connected up, Colin would practise with a heavy weight attached to the end of the cable and practised keeping it just above the top of the sea by trying to anticipate the ships movement and that of the sea by running the cable out and then quickly back in. It took many hours, but he was having a great time doing it.

They had two methods of rescue, the first similar to the one used by conventional helicopters when a rescuer would be winched down to the survivor and a strop would be placed around his shoulders and with the rescuer holding on with arms and legs, signal to be hoisted up. The other was an idea of Scott’s which was a rope basket that had a metal base and as it was lifted the basket would unfold and lowered into the sea so that up to four could get on board at a time. All good stuff, but the biggest difference between them and a helicopter was that the helicopter would be a much more stable platform than the Jean would be. Finally, when he declared himself ready the RIB was launched with Jan and three others on board and the happiest of them all, Marcel. They went off about half a mile, dumped him over the side and he had to wait to be picked up. Freddy would take the Jean up wind of Marcel and once in place Colin lifted Andrew off the deck and the rescue attempt was made. After many times like this Marcel guessed Andrew had his arms and legs around him more times than Andrew had them around Scott over the past few days.

Marcel thought about that when he got to his cabin after the day’s work. He had said goodnight to those off watch and was now in the shower after he had put his shower cap on and had become an eighteen year old again as the water cascaded over his dark brown skin and then turned the water off and began to soap all 5ft 7inches of himself.

Because he was so active and fit, his slim natural build and tight body was a delight for all those who saw him at the pool or beach and most definitely after sports in the showers. Most would just see his face of course and all those that did agreed he was incredibly handsome, beautiful in fact. With his interracial blood line he was born to be beautiful and his dreadlocks only enhanced that beauty. Those dreadlocks were his pride and he took great care of them and kept them at shoulder length and just covering his ears and forehead. To complete this wonderful sight were his deep brown eyes, perfectly shaped nose and full soft lips and when he smiled, which was most of the time, perfectly formed white teeth. The two “smile” lines either side of his mouth completed this picture of sheer beauty.

Marcel continued to soap down his body and had now got to his belly button, that too was perfect and from it a thin line of black hair that travelled down and cascaded outwards and formed his generous thick bush of pubic hair which crowned his amazing 7.5 inches of boyhood. Seven and a half inches of magnificence covered in a thick layer of soft silky black skin with the head just visible at the very end. When erect it grew another half inch which pulled his foreskin back exposing the whole head and his two hair free plumb sized testicles that hung half way down the length of straight cock.

He laid on top of his bunk and bought this magnificent rod to full erection and while he did thought of everyone on board as he did most times before sleep.

All of them were lovely people and he had become very fond of them all, but could be excused for dwelling on the physical side of the younger men who were in marvelous shape. Jerry Forsyth 25 and 5ft 11 of toned body which he kept in great shape and with his handsome face he was indeed a lovely sight and single. Marcel smiled at that. Paul Smith maybe 35 but he had the body of a giant in amazing shape and Marcel had often wondered about Paul and the lovely diminutive Tommy together in bed. Thinking about the 6ft 6 gentle giant and Tommy 5ft 5 “performing” bought Marcel’s cock even harder and by the time his thoughts got to Scott and Andrew he was only seconds away and with the same person in his mind like every other time he was like this, the last one he was thinking of was Scott.

Marcel had arrived and with both hands around his masterpiece he stiffened and one enormous continuous load shot out, climbed two foot and landed back down all over him. That was followed by three more lesser loads and after five minutes in recovery he was back in the shower.

The man who had sent Marcel over the edge was cuddled up to his boyfriend enjoying the motion of the ship as it ploughed into the heavy sea. The Jean was forced up to the top of the next wave and hung there for a few seconds and then crashed back down.

“You ok Andrew?”

“FUCK! Why did you ask?” He shot out of the bunk and just made the toilet.

Sea sickness is a bummer and even worst when you were in the middle of your first heavy sea and also knew by the forecast this was going to go on all bloody night. A pill or even some injections could help, but Andrew was about to be cured without taking either, but not quite in the way he thought.

It was 3am when Scott’s phone rang and woke him and the suffering Andrew up, it was Paul.

“Sorry to wake you Skip, but we are picking up a distress call and we are only 20 miles from it and we seem to be the closest ship.

 

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