The next morning Beckett and Luna greeted them all as they appeared, hung-over, in the galley. Dan was ecstatic that coffee had already been made. He poured a mug and joked, “This is what this ship needs, someone to wake up and make coffee for everyone.”

Beckett mumbled, “Your job.”

“A man can dream.” He appraised Beckett, who was smiling, full dimples showing. “You’re grinning like a recently sexed schoolboy, apologies Luna for my bluntness, I guess you had a good night in my Zodiac, Army?”

“I had a good night.” Beckett passed Dan the sugar for his coffee and a spoon. “Last I checked that Zodiac belongs to the ship.”

Dan grinned. “True that, I just borrow it. When there’s a need.” Sarah clambered down the stairs. Dan said, “Isn’t that right baby? When there’s a need?”

“Jeez honey, you talking about sex again? You’re incorrigible.”

Dan pouted. “Army started it. Look at him, all smiles. He had sex last night. You can see it all over his face, apologies again Luna.” Then he pouted. “Why didn’t I?”

Sarah gave his shoulder a playful slap, “You were too drunk last night and you know it.” She wrapped her arms around his head and he nestled into her chest. She whispered to Luna, “Don’t mind him.”

Luna said, “Oh I don’t mind. Someone had some mind-blowing sex in the Zodiac last night. As my friend Sky would say, ‘I reintroduced him to my spectacular awesome.’”

Dan grinned. “Luna, you’re the best.”

“Us Waterfolk live in pretty close quarters. We’re kind of open and blunt about our antics.”

Dan said, “See, I learn something new every day.”

Captain Aria appeared and everyone stopped laughing, un-entwined their bodies, and tried to act respectable. She chuckled. “At ease people. Got coffee? I’ve a bit of a headache.”

Rebecca and Jeffrey and Dr Mags appeared next. Dan and Beckett passed out mugs for coffee.

Captain Aria said, “Since you’re all here — we’ve had a change of plans. We have a big storm in the area. Lenny turned us south last night and he’s been running all night. It seems like we might as well head back to port. We’ll be arriving mid-morning tomorrow.”

Rebecca’s hair stuck up everywhere and her eyes were unfocused. “So can I go back to bed?”

Everyone laughed. Sarah said, “You know that ‘headed back to port’ means chores. And also you’re the one that needs to assign them. You know, as boss.”

Rebecca groaned. “Okay. Okay. It was my birthday yesterday.” She stuck her tongue out petulantly. “I’ll have a list ready by,” she looked at her wrist where there wasn’t a watch, “a while from now.” She dropped her head to the table, moaned, and spoke directly to Beckett and Luna. “You guys are lucky you don’t have to drink.”

Captain Aria said, “Well, I’m headed back to the bridge, bring my breakfast up when it’s ready Dan. I’ll send Lenny down before he gets to bed.” With that she climbed up the steps.

Dan said, after checking to make sure she had gone, “Fine, I’ll make breakfast. Someone has to, I suppose. Sheesh.” He hoisted himself up and disappeared in the kitchen, calling out, “We have too much food left, everyone is going to need to eat double time.” He reappeared around the corner. “Luna, heads up,” He tossed a chocolate bar.

“Yum, thanks Dan.” She ripped into it, bit off a corner, and hugged it to her chest.

Sarah moved into the seat beside Rebecca with a pad of paper and a pen and they began planning all the things that needed to be done to close down and relocate the lab and specimens and equipment. After a bit Dan appeared with eggs, bacon, and toast for everyone, and dictated a list to Jeffrey for closing up the kitchen. Beckett was necessary for parts of both, or all, jobs even with bandaged hands. He would be a floater and do whatever needed to be done. Luna was to wash the decks. She seemed excited about that job which made Dan squint his eyes skeptically. “That’s not a fun job.”

She looked incredulous. “Not fun? It’s water, soap — what do I use?”

“A mop. Sponges.”

“Mops, sponges, out on deck, on the ocean, with friends, all working together toward a common goal. I can’t think of anything more fun.” She took another bite of chocolate and grinned.

Beckett leaned over and kissed her on the temple.

_________________

The day was long. Beckett and Luna passed each other occasionally and kissed or held hands or just sat and leaned on each other, settling into being together. The chores took all day. Beckett asked Luna to help him at one point with tarp folding and like on the Outpost they spread out the tarps held the corners and moved to the middle to gather them together. Unlike on the Outpost, they kissed when they met in the middle and turned the whole thing into a game. Then Beckett disappeared to the galley while Luna organized ropes, but suddenly she appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, her face paler than usual.

“What’s up?”

“Nothing.” Her eyes flitted around the room.

“You sure?”

Dan looked up from a box he was filling with pots. “She’s hungry again, right Luna? Back for some dinner—” He looked at his wrist. “Damn, I’ve got to cook.” He spun around looking for his apron, lost in thought.

Beckett asked quietly, “What’s up?”

“Nothing . . .” She focused on the light switch on the wall beside him. “Did you see the big bank of clouds headed this way? It’s um — no big deal. I was wondering if you needed help down here?”

Beckett searched her eyes. “Yeah, I was coming to get you. Can you help me with packing the utensils?”

Relief washed over her face. “Sounds perfect.”

Dan said, “Again, not a fun job.”

Luna stuck out her tongue.

Thirty minutes later everyone else traipsed down to the galley, showing up at once, loud, boisterous, Jeffrey was last, wet. “The rain has arrived.”

They slid into all the booths and looked expectantly, half-jokingly at the kitchen door. Dan looked around the door jamb. “Jeez you guys need to eat again? It’s going to be awhile before it’s ready, so I don’t know, play cards or something.” An hour later he fed them a big meal he had conjured up of all the rest of the perishables.

Dr Mags said, “I’ve been dying for veggies and suddenly you have them? You saved them?”

“In case we needed them, now we do.”

“As your doctor I would like to go on the record as saying you need your veggies every day. It’s a fact, there’s no arguing.”

“When did you become my doctor, aren’t you an animal Doctor? Maybe you’re confusing me with a cow.” He placed a heaping plate in front of her and kissed her on the cheek playfully. “I kid, you’re not just an animal Doctor you’re also Beckett’s Doctor.”

Everyone ate in silence and Rebecca groaned again. “So how did everyone do on their lists? I’m not close to done, but it’s raining now, dark, I don’t want to do anything. Can we call it a day? I’m wiped.”

Sarah said, “You tell me. I can’t think, I need sleep.”

“I say we call it. We can finish tomorrow morning and then we have the unloading and moving and unpacking. Poop, let’s just go to bed.”

Dan said, “Wait! He rushed to the kitchen and returned with a heaping plate of cookies, turnovers, and pastries. “Eat! Finish these and then you can sleep. And Jeffrey, I’ll need your help after for cleanup again.” He pointed at Beckett with a questioning look.

Beckett shook his head.

“Okay, I only need Jeffrey.”