The rage drained from Tina’s features in an instant as she realized what she had said. “Oh hell… I’m sorry, baby. I let my mouth run off about the book signing to sting Gomez. Of course I don’t run you. I get it though. I’m too snarky, but Tyrannosaurus Tina? Really, you guys?”
General amusement ensued as Gus enfolded his T-Rex Tina in his arms. “Yeah… sometimes you get carried away with the snark, baby. I’m taking too much heat from my brothers in the ‘Unholy Trio’. I have to draw the line somewhere or they’ll be buying me nose-rings and shit.”
Tina laughed. “I’ll do better. I am sorry about the permission innuendo.”
“Accepted,” Gus replied. “Let’s have a drink unless Cala wants to slap John around a little more about his not behaving.”
“I think not,” Cala said. “It appears I was for a moment beginning to take over the overbearing nickname slot. I think I will be Circumspect Cala instead of Conniving Cala.”
“After saving the Boston Harbor, I may have two drinks,” Nick said.
“We’ll see how long that limit lasts once the tastin’ begins,” Gus said. “I think four would be a more equitable sipping reward with this wonderful view and the book signing not starting until 1 pm. We did after all save the Queen Mary II in addition to the harbor.”
“You did?” Jean ran back over with Sonny. “Is the Queen Mary ship here?”
“No. It’s due into port soon with special guests aboard we cannot speak of,” Nick answered. “As Gus said, we saved it by ending the threat which would have caused massive destruction to the harbor as well as the Queen Mary.”
“Can we go see the Queen Mary II, Dad?”
“Sure. Don’t expect a ticker tape parade or anything, but I could get us an invitation to go on board. Paul would get it for me. If they gave him a bad time about it, he’d threaten to take back the save.”
After much amusement over Nick’s Queen Mary II invitation plot, Tina said, “we should all go on a cruise together. I’ve heard on the radio about famous authors or celebrities going on cruises, signing books, and giving talks. You could do that, Gomez.”
“It would be just our luck to be attacked by pirates,” Rachel said.
Nick, who had been moving quietly toward the bar, stopped in his tracks. “Did you say pirates? Do they still attack cruise ships? I thought the cruise ships had some kind of defense against boarders – tight beamed sonic pulse weapons.”
“The pirates still attack,” Gus said. “Some cruise lines don’t permit deadly weapons on board. Back in 2009 they attacked the cruise ship Balmoral when the ship sailed into Somali waters. The security team fashioned guns out of wood to frighten the pirates. Naturally, it was a US Navy ship that ended the threat.”
Nick motioned everyone toward the bar. “I must hear more of treacherous pirates while I drink grog until the sun comes up.”
“That would be so cool! El Muerto and the Unholy Trio against the pirates of the Caribbean,” Jean said. She and Sonny angled for seats nearest the Unholy Trio core.
“You have a book signing,” Rachel reminded him. “No grog drinking until morning for you Captain Muerto.”
“Arrrrrrhhhh… there be more important events than book signings, lass,” Nick stated, pouring whiskey for his Unholy Trio partners. “El Muerto needs more information on these pirates. Muerto will turn the tables on these varlots!”
“Don’t even think about going on a binge tonight, Muerto,” Rachel warned. “Mrs. Muerto has other plans.”
Nick grinned. “Okay. The Reader’s Digest version of events please, Gus.”
“Nothing much to tell,” Gus replied. “The Cruise ship owners don’t want accidents. They have the faster boats, too large to be boarded easily. They can simply outrun a pirate skiff.”
“If they know it is there,” John remarked. “Why could the pirates not sneak in close at night time and sabotage the ship so it could not move?”
“The ships have water canons and nonlethal weapons like the sonic one Nick mentioned. They also employ a larger security force than even cargo ships have,” Gus said. “They’re so afraid of hurting someone and being sued, they’d rather chance having their ships hijacked.”
“That’s ridiculous.” Nick sipped his whiskey with a frown. “The Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship ‘Oasis of the Seas’ is twenty stories high. It cost one and a half billion dollars to make that thing. Do you mean to tell me they’d chance losing it to avoid hurting pirate sensibilities? Hell, I could protect a damn cruise ship with an M107 sniper rifle and an M134 GAU-17 Gatling Gun. Arrrrrhhhh… there would be no prisoners.”
“You’re going to scare the kids, Gomez,” Tina said.
Jean and Sonny listened intently only voicing avid protests when Tina tried to cut off the talk. “Go on, Dad. Don’t let T-Rex Tina boss you around.”