Chapter 29
The activityon the ship was frenetic. They were boxing, piling, organizing, drying down wet equipment, and then packing it up. Beckett and Jeffrey helped everyone in turns. Luna helped Sarah and Rebecca in the lab, talking about life on the sea, answering questions about her life as Waterfolk. Then there was a farewell lunch. They gathered on deck to eat sandwiches.
Sarah asked, “Beckett, Luna, what’s next for you? Will you come out with us next trip?”
Luna looked expectantly at Beckett, would they? This was really awesome. And partly familiar. Familiar enough to not be scary, except of course the storms. But if she wanted to live at sea there would be storms. Question was, did she want a sea-life?
She wanted a life with Beckett. That was all she knew.
Beckett answered, “As great as this has been, I don’t think the sea is for me. If you guys would do some land animal research I’d be there in a second.”
Luna put her head on his shoulder.
Dan shook his head sadly. “Have you learned nothing Army? You’re thinking land-based, but it’s the oceans, man. You gotta come to terms with the mysterious depths.”
“No thank you. And I’ll remind you that Navy chefs need land-based farmers for their food.”
“True that.”
Beckett asked, “What is everyone else doing?”
Rebecca said, “Me and Dan and Sarah share a flat near the university. Sarah and I go to the office starting Monday and Sarah teaches this semester, so we won’t be back on the high seas for many months. It’s all so boring, am I right Dan?”
He said, “Boring as hell. I hate it. I can’t wait to come back out.”
Jeffrey shook his head. “I’m going to miss it. Give me boring any day.”
Rebecca smiled sadly then continued, “Dr Mags sits in her recliner until we call her up to come with us on another adventure.”
“Not true, I have a job. But I do sit in a recliner a lot.”
Captain Aria came down and gave everyone a speech about how much the trip had accomplished and how proud they should be about the research they had conducted. And that the H2OPE would be going back out in four months and they were all welcome. As she finished Luna raised her hand.
“How long until port?”
“An hour and a half.”
“Mind if I get out and paddle it?”
Dan interrupted, “You plan to race us to shore Nomad?”
Luna smirked. “It would be foolhardy to suggest that I could beat this big ship. No, I mean to paddle alongside it.”
Dan laughed.
Captain Aria said, “We’ll pull to a stop, let your board down, and see you at port. It was a pleasure meeting you, Luna.”
The lunch was finished. The day was calm and clear. The H2OPE slowed. Beckett asked, “You’re sure about this?”
Luna answered, “I told you I was going to paddle to meet you at Heighton Port. I promised. I mean to fulfill that promise.”
Beckett nodded. “Wait, wear this.” He took off the watch and gave it to her.
She said, “You don’t need an insurance policy, I’m coming.”
“It’s not insurance, it’s tradition.” He helped her latch it to her wrist and turned on the winch to lower Luna’s board to the water.
Luna stood at the opening in the railing at the top of the ladder. She swayed back, stepped forward, and leapt out —
