Post by Biblically Accurate Angel on Nov 9, 2015 11:13:39 GMT -5
The Tugboat, for its size, is the most powerful craft to float, and the Star Tugs are the power behind the ships that make up the Bigg City port.
This, is TUGS.
TUGS
Based on the original stories by David Mitton and Robert Cardona
Trouble
Based on the original stories by David Mitton and Robert Cardona
Trouble
Written by frankthetriviaman, Diesel 11, and Tugboatfan4
It was a cool Autumn day in Bigg City, and the Star Tugs were at their dock, getting assigned their jobs.
"Good morning Star Fleet!"
"Good morning Captain Star!"
"Right, we've got a full day ahead of us, but thankfully the winds are calm and the tide isn't acting up, so we won't have to worry about those. Hercules, There's a tramper that's gotta go out in an hour, will you be able to handle it on your own?"
"Of course Captain Star, you've got nothing to worry about my dear."
"Good. Get going before the harbor gets congested." And Hercules left.
"Ten Cents, there is an important barge needed up river; important supplies for the new project, try and get it there before 3 if you can."
"No problem sir... I just hope Shoepack isn't delivering any dynamite today." And Ten Cents left.
"Warrior, daily garbage detail for you. Top Hat, you're on railway barges, and don't argue just go get Frank and Eddie" and the two tugs left.
"Big Mac, pick up the steel for the new bridge; construction must remain on schedule and we need this contract."
"Right away Captain." And Big Mac left.
"O.J. last night a tramper ran onto shallow water in the estuary, see what you can do about rescuing it." And the paddle tug left without question.
"Sunshine, they need Mighty Mo at the bridge; get him there, will you?"
"Right away Captain" and Sunshine left.
"And me Captain?" Grampus asked.
"Scuttlebutt Pete is dredging in the bay; go make sure he doesn't drift too far" and Grampus left.
In another part of Bigg City Port, the Z-Stacks were getting there orders.
"Alll right, listen you tugboats: I've got a beeg job forr you."
"Oh, dear," said Zug.
"What waz that?"
"Oh, uh, nothing, Sir."
"Right! The Star Tugz have a beeg job today, and I want you to beat them."
"Uh, oh, beat them? You mean like ram them into a dock, orโ"
"Shut up, Zip!!"
"Oh, uh, sorry, Sir."
"Now, as I was saying, an Ocean Liner called the Queen Mary is due in port before the sunsets, I want you to keep the Star Tugs from being able to pull her in so we can get the contract and make some money, you got that?", said Captain Zero
"Right!", replied the Zed Stacks as the left to go cause havoc for the Stars...
Meanwhile the Coast Guard was approaching Izzy Gomez who was trying to sneak into port without a tow again.
"Hold it right there Izzy! Trying to sneak into port again? I am warning you now, get a tow or you will be fined."
Nearby, Zak had shown up.
"You there, Z-stack, are you free to give Izzy a tow?" The Coast guard called out.
Just then, Izzy scraped his side. Water was starting to come in.
"Oh, dear," he said.
"Z-Stack!" said the Coast Guard, "Help him!"
But the Zak didn't hear โ or didn't want to.
"Bother!" said the Coast Guard, and he raced off to find another Tugboat.
Nearby, O.J. was helping the tramper that was stuck in the shallow water... and he wasn't happy with who it turned out to be.
"Dear oh dear, what kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time Nantucket? Trouble seems to follow you where ever you go"
"I was just fine last night!" the Old Dirt Bucket grumbled
"You didn't notice where you were? you probably got stuck here when when the water went down after the tide went out" O.J. said as he continued to try and free Nantucket.
Then the Coast Guard came up to him
"Izzy Gomez is sinking! I need your help."
"Right away!" And O.J. went away.
Zebedee was working when he heard a familiar horn. "Oh, no," he said, "it's Johnny Cuba!"
"Hey, what about me!" Nantucket called out
"You're not going anywhere dirt bucket; you've got nothing to worry about" as O.J. and the Coast Guard went to Izzy. Fortunately, the situation was not as bad as it first appeared.
"You're very lucky Izzy; you managed to contain the flooding to a single watertight compartment thanks to your bulkheads." O.J. pointed out.
Izzy said nothing as O.J. towed him into port.
The Coast Guard caught up with Zak, who seemed to be just sailing aimlessly around the estuary.
"Ahoy there, you. Zak, you are under arrest!"
"What?! On what charge?"
"Ignoring a distress signal. I'm taking you in immediately, now come on Zak, you've got a lot to answer for."
"Oh no, Captain Zero isn't going to like this" Zak said as he was taken away. Zorran, who was nearby, listened to everything. "You idiot! Not helping with a tow because you are on a job is one thing, but you never ignore a distress call!" The Z-stacks may have been more deceitful and devious than the Stars, but even Zorran knew there were some lines not meant to be cross.
Meanwhile with Zebedee, he knew Cuba was bad news, and wasn't about to make the same mistake twice. "Not him again! I'd better get out of here and warn the coast guard" Zebedee said as he started making a full turn towards port. He wanted as much distance as possible between him and Cuba.
Meanwhile, Lord Stinker was collecting the rubbish with Warrior.
"Do be careful Warrior, we don't need an accident today." Lord Stinker reminded the tug.
They were making good time when they saw O.J. Pulling in Izzy.
"suffering Stacks! What happened O.J.?"
"Izzy scraped his side and started sinking."
Just then Zorran came up. "Well, well, well, what have we here?"
"Izzy's got flooding in a compartment; he's got to get to Lucky's now." O.J. Informed. "how are you holding up Izzy?"
"At least I've only got one compartment flooded." Izzy said.
Zorran then said, "I always knew this would happen, Izzy. You ought to get scrapped."
Burke and Blair came up. "I think I heard someone say 'scrap', Mr. Blair."
"I did too, Mr. Burke."
"Back off you two, Izzy may be sneaky but even he doesn't deserve the scrapyard just yet. Now get out of my way, Izzy's got to get to Lucky's before something bad happens" O.J. told the scrap tugs.
"Relax O.J., you said yourself Izzy's got the flooding contained to a single compartment; the only way it could get worse is if a bulkhead were to collapse, and that's not going to happen" Lord Stinker assured.
O.J. set off again. On the nearby Zero dock, the Coast Guard's messenger was delivering a message to Captain Zero.
"Arrested?! Why was my tug arrested!?" He fumed.
"Because he didn't help out when I told him to."
"Grr!" said Captain Zero. "Where'z Burke and Blair?"
"You're not thinking ofโ"
"Yes, I am! And eet's none of your buzness, so..."
"Get back to work!"
Meanwhile Ten Cents was delivering his barge when he ran into Billy Shoepack
Billy said, "Hello Ten Cents; where are those supplies going?"
"Oh hi Billy, these supplies are going to that new project; Captain said to get them there by three."
"Ah, yes."
"And watch out with that dynamite!"
"You Don't have to tell me twice Billy; I just hope these tools help with that project." Ten Cents said as he carefully maneuvered around Shoepack; dynamite had its uses, but there wasn't a need for it today.
Down at the port, Zak had been detained and was being questioned by the Coast Guard.
"You know very well that you are not supposed to ignore a distress signal Zak, why didn't you come to Izzy's aid?" He said firmly.
"I didn't hear you call."
"What do you mean you didn't hear me?" The Coast Guard wasn't buying any of it "you were looking right at me when I called out to you; so you knew about the distress signal; now why didn't you answer?"
Captain Zero being down a tug was certainly a pain in the neck, but the Star Tugs already had enough work to do that they couldn't even give them a thought.
By now, O.J. had returned to Nantucket, who was still stuck in the estuary. Hercules had finished taking the tramper out and was on his way back when he passed by O.J.
"Hercules! Nantucket won't come free; give me a hand, will you?" the paddler called to his fellow star tug.
"Right, then," and Hercules came over. "One, two, three!" And they pulled.
They pulled hard; and eventually Nantuket began to move.
"We've got it O.J. my dear, just a little more!" Hercules called out.
"It's working! Come on, get me out of here!" Nantucket shouted.
Just then, they noticed the cable was starting to snap. "Oh, no!" they cried.
Warrior suddenly appeared.
"Warrior, help us!" cried O.J.
"Ok, I'm on my way!" He called out.
The three tugs finally freed Nantucket.
"Thank you star tugs... no I suppose one of you has got to tow me into port?" The old dirt bucket asked.
"Those are the rules and you know it, m'dear. O.J. I assume you've got this? I'm going to go refill my coal then report to captain Star. Warrior, aren't you supposed to be on garbage detail?"
"I was told there was a liner that needs garbage unloaded so I was to sail here immediately to get it; did you see where it was waiting?" Warrior asked.
"It was right overโ watch out!"
Warrior hit the sandbank. "Oh, no," he said.
"How are we ever going to get you out?"
"Is it just me, or are way too many accidents happening today?" Warrior asked?
"Don't worry Warrior, I've still got a fair amount of coal; I'll get you out in no time m'dear" Hercules said; his coal bunkers were half full, so he easily had enough time to do this. Plus warrior was significantly smaller than Nantucket; an easy task for an ocean tug like Hercules.
****
Soon the day was over. The Star Tugs had gotten the contract, and the Z-Stacks had yet again been knocked down a notch or two. All the TUGS had learned a good lesson โ no matter if there was trouble, they could always accomplish things.
The End