Project Boussh: A Three Hour Tour...
by Alison Sky

Alison and Hobbie sat at a table, staring at each other intently.  Alison
whistled a bit, a version of the "Gilligan's Island" theme song.

"Got any threes?"

"Go fish."

Hobbie slammed his cards on the table.  "How can you win this game?  Everytime
I ask you for a card, you tell me to go fish!  It makes no sense!"

Alison smiled.  "Want a game that will last forever?  We could play war..."

"I've played in enough wars, thank you very much," Hobbie said.  "Last thing I
need is a card game war.  I'll end up in bacta from paper cuts."

Shaking her head, Alison took one card and flung it at the Rogue.  "Be careful.
 I could make you play 52 card pickup."

Hobbie looked up at her and smiled his playboy smile.  "I'll be doomed for sure
then."

He stood and stretched his legs in the cramped cabin of the sea shuttle.  "They
are never gonna answer, are they?"

Alison picked up her comlink and flicked the on/off button.  "Maybe they are
out of distance."

"Nah, these things can pick up distances from the surface to outerspace.  We
could contact Nick in Australia from New Hampshire."

"I could try again..." Alison flicked the comlink on and waited for a powerup,
then flipped to the specific frequency that she had been told to signal on. 
"Terran Eleven and Rogue Four, calling out.  Anyone reading us?"

-="static=-

"Is anyone there?"

-=static=- he -=static=- Hey -=static=- will you stop -=static=- damn Ewok!

Alison and Hobbie exchanged glances.  "Hello?"

-=fuzz=- Eleven, this is Lead.  Where are you? -=fuzz=-

"Lead!  Am I glad to hear your voice!  Hobbie took a wrong turn at Bermuda and
we're lost."

-=fuzz=- "You let Hobbie steer into the Bermuda Triangle?" -=fuzz=-

"He's the pilot.  I figured he would know what he was doing."

"I pilot starships," Hobbie stated from the controls.  "Not sea shuttles.  You
want a seaman, go find popeye."

-=fuzzy laughter=- "Sounds like you guys are in a mess.  I'm going to send you
a link up through the com.  You can follow us." -=fuzzy laughter=-

Hobbie pushed a few buttons and smiled "Got the download."

"Thanks Lead," Alison stated.  "We're on your tail."

-=fuzz=- "Acknowledged, Eleven.  See you at the checkpoint." -=fuzz=-

"And where would that be?"

-=fuzz=- "Where else.  Atner's doorstep.  Lead out." -=fuzz=-

Alison turned off the comlink and went to stand behind Hobbie as he started
stearing the shuttle along the directions.  "Now, make sure you avoid the
whales this time."

"Hey, free willy or not.  It gets in my way, I'm gonna hit it."

"Now I know why you always end up in a bacta tank.  How does Wes put up with
you?"

Hobbie stiffened at the mention of his friend's name.  Ever since that
message... "I'm housebroken," he said, repeating a joke he had probably told
before with Wes' help on the punchline.

Alison placed her hand on Hobbie's shoulder and squeezed.  They drove in
silence, not knowing what really awaited them when they came ashore.