Subjects

22- The New Age Panther

A lot of questions were asked.

A lot.

I'll spare you the investigation that the five had to go through. You can take my word for it that it was less than pleasant. And honestly, what could they expect? That the crew of this random military cargo ship would simply accept the fact that they were stranded in a spaceship in the middle of the ocean? Maybe they should have thought of a cover story that doesn't involve aliens instead of spending all their time complaining about the food. Just a thought.

After two hours of questioning, one of the crew members, the one that seems to be a little older, went to consult with the captain while the other stayed to watch over them.

"I told you already, we only need to get back to the shore. If you'd just let me call my dad he'd pay you whatever price you want," Eva really doesn't want to be asking her dad for money right now but if that's what she has to do to get out of here, she'd do it.

"We wait for the captain's decision," says the crew member who's still standing by the door with his arms crossed.

They hear footsteps from the hall and a few seconds later someone comes into the room, followed by the crew member that went to speak to the captain. "What's going on in here, Jeff? Because Patch is not making any sense."

The crew member apparently named Jeff salutes quickly. "Yes Chief, these kids here were in some weird ship just floating about in the ocean," says Jeff, who probably haven't yet earned the right to call them 'kids' since he's only two years older than them. "They say they need help getting back to shore."

The one he just called Chief turns to look at the five of them. "Wait, I know you," he points at Ben. "You're that guy from YouTube, aren't you? My son always talks about you."

"That's me," Ben nods cheerily.

"Wow, how are you here? The last video you did with the hienas, were they really that close?" the Chief asks and it seems like maybe not only his son is a big fan of Ben's.

"Oh yes, I was scared to death. For a second there I thought that was going to be-" Eva clears her throat and glares at Ben to concentrate. "Umm, listen, Chief, as you know my videos get a little out of hand sometimes. Me and my friends here planned only to stay at sea for a short while but our ship stopped working and we got stuck in the middle of nowhere. It's been days, weeks, since we set out and we really need your help."

"I hear you, I still need to talk to the captain about this but for now I think we can get you a room. I'm chief officer Moore, second in command," he offers Ben to shake his hand.

"Ben," Ben takes it. "These are Eva, Emily, Roger and Angie," Ben points at his friends in order. "She's my little sister," he adds when he sees the suspicious looks the crew members gave her. It really did seem pretty strange for a group of teenagers to hang out with an eight year old.

"And your parents let you take her when you film?" Chief Moore inquires.

"Only this once, she's older than she seems."

"Alright, Jeff, Patch, I think there's an empty room on the second accommodation wing. You can take them there and give them something clean to wear while you're at it. I'm going to talk to the captain." Jeff and Patch salute and wait until chief Moore leaves the room.

"Welcome aboard, then," says the one called Patch. "I'm third officer Parker, but you can call me Patch, and this is deck cadet Jeffers."

"Thank you for helping us," says Ben. "There are some things that I need from our ship, can you maybe take us to it?"

"Jeff will take you, it's in the cargo hall. I'll go with the rest of your friends to your room," says Patch. "Jeff, when you're done take him to 214B."

"Watch over her," says Ben to Roger, gotta keep up the brotherly act.

"Let's go," says Jeff to Ben.