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The Z-stacks-part twoMeanwhile, in a part of the harbour no tug would venture into in their right mind save two certain scrap dealers, messers Burke and Blair, scrap dealers extraordinary and money swindlers without peer, were getting ready to leave the port for Sodor. The once hissing, clanging, clanking machinery that made up the scrap yard that was their home, had now been shut down and looked as derelict and abandoned as the rest of the port.
Three sturdy barges were loaded up for their long journey to Sodor. two were loaded with coal. The third was covered in heavy sheets of tarpaulin. After checking that nothing had been left behind, Burke steamed over to
Tugs-StarfireStarfire

The river that leads into Bigg City from the North looks stunning in the summer. The flowers all come out, the trees are in full bloom and the sky is always clear. Such was the popularity of the river I decided to get in on it, and run special ferry services up and down the river during the tourist season. Obviously I had to acquire a passenger carrier from somewhere, but the one I chose didn’t get off to the best of starts with the rest of my fleet. I remember it well.

I had made a special announcement after the morning briefing. “One more thing”, I announced, “Due to the popularity of the river with tourists,
TUGS-Accused Part 3It was lonely at the Star's pier without Ten Cents. It just wasn't the same. There was much less talk, smiles and laughter without the cheerful switcher. In fact, there was barely any communication between the tugs at all, which was a rare thing in itself. Hercules had been called back from his job up the coast so he could support his team during this troubled time. He was currently with Captain Starr, at the Naval HQ, acting as a character witness. But Sunshine saw it as somewhat naive. If the Navy thought you were guilty, nothing short of a miracle would save you. Sunshine was currently moored next to Warrior, who had been a rock throughout
Tugs- HiddenBurke and Blair, the two scrap merchants in Bigg City, were always on the lookout for old or useless boats to takeaway to their breaker’s yard up river. They had made me countless offers for OJ, but he was staying put for the time being. But I can clearly re-call a time when one of my tugs thought they were next on their list.

It was that time of year in the heat of summer that Burke and Blair had been around looking for easy prey. One morning, Ten Cents and Sunshine had been sent up river to the sawmills with OJ. Not only did we have a contract with the sawmill owners, but I wanted to keep OJ out of Burke and Blair’s way while the
The Z-stacks part 7Eventually they reached the docks. Keeping out of sight they could see the bulk of the old tramper Jonnhy Cuba. The green eyed pirates sailed to and fro nervously, patrolling the area. Other piratical tugs could be seen, each one looked as menacing as the last. They recognised the grimy faces of tugs who’d they’d only seen been held up to them in newspapers, usually accompanied by headlines such as ’PHANTOM PIRATE STRIKES AGAIN!’ and some such.
However, Zorran wasn’t concentrating on the guards, rather on what they were guarding.
Behind the ring of pirates stood a warehouse, larger, older and uglier than the others.
The Z-stacks part 6Half an hour later, seven suspicious looking tugs, two of which looked as if they’d just been pulled off a bonfire and an ash covered boy in an old navel hat made there way up the harbour and up towards the docks up the coast. Zorran and Zebedee both kept a line attached to Burke and Blair, there was no way they were been let out of their sight.
‘Have you noticed something?’ said Zip.
‘Noticed what?’ growled Zak.
‘Well, we’ve seen no other tugs since we left the steelworks, you’d expect that there’d be someone about’.
Zak said nothing, and just continued steaming after their two guides. Su
The Z-stacks part threeThe Z-stacks looked at the two Star switchers in amazement. For a few brief seconds there was silence. Then Zip said something very stupid 'we're not under arrest are we?'. the two Star tugs both laughed out loud, the police boat stayed silent. Zorran shook his head, he was still quiet pale from the attack. And, for the first time in his life he was glad to see the familiar shapes of Ten Cents and Sunshine. 'who was that guy?' asked Zebedee, looking In all directions to see if their assailant was now watching them from behind the fleets moored trampers.
'I dunno' said the police boat at last. 'We've 'ad rumours of some sort 'gun-boat' tug c
TUGS 5: Johnny Cuba's revenge.TUGS Chapter 5: Johnny Cuba's Revenge

The tugs hadworked on Sodor for a fair few months now and they were welcomed by all engines. Donald and Douglas were teased for thier whistles by Henry and Gordon because they sounded like foghorns. But when they first saw the tugs, that shut them up. One night, Zebedee was having a rather bad dream.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I'm gonna sink you, Zebedee! You put me in the clink and i'm gonna do what I promised i'd do! I'm gonna break your stack!"

"No! No! Please Mr.Cuba! I didn't mean it! Please! Stop!! Help! Henry! Gordon! Zorran! Ten Cents!
The Z-stacks part 8From their hiding place the Z-stacks could only watch  in horror as the pirates rounded up the Stars. Captain Pike watched the whole thing in silence, his head slowly turning to and fro to see them. His two guards did so in perfect unison. There was something disturbing about them, they seemed to be under some kind of trance. Their eyes stared dead ahead of them, completely expressionless.
Soon the Star tugs stood in a tight cluster in front of one of the warehouses, Pike’s two guards sailed round them like a pair sharks. All of them were terrified. Even Hercules was in the grip of a cold sweat. Sunshine had begun to cry. Top Hat was r
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The Z-stacks epilogueElsewhere, high up on one of the island’s mountains, where a breeze blew through the heather like a comb through hair, in the light of the setting sun, three strange figures stood. Well, two were standing, the third, dressed in a flamboyant cloak and hat, was at work digging a hole beside them. Craddock hefted out another shovel full of earth and looked up at the Colonel accusingly. ’I notice your not joining in the fun Obediah’ he said sarcastically. ’Just get it dug Craddock’ replied the Colonel simply. ’And none of that ’comedy gravedigger’ routine’.
The Stranger sat nearby, gazing out down the
The Z-stacks part 9 Zorran towed Zip back to the pirate’s base. Zanne sailed alongside him chatting excitedly, wanting to know what had happened to Zip when the secret went berserk. But all Zip could remember was a lot of bright light and someone singing ’When I Was a Lad’. ’ I could have sworn it was you singing it Zip’ said Zug, grinning. Zip Blushed and said nothing.
Zorran was carrying Pike’s hat on his prow. Daniel looked at it and sighed. ’Do you think he’s dead?’ he said. Zorran smiled ’you know I really doubt it, Pike’s got more lives than a cat. I thought he died once, but came back to haunt us a
The Z-stacks part 8From their hiding place the Z-stacks could only watch  in horror as the pirates rounded up the Stars. Captain Pike watched the whole thing in silence, his head slowly turning to and fro to see them. His two guards did so in perfect unison. There was something disturbing about them, they seemed to be under some kind of trance. Their eyes stared dead ahead of them, completely expressionless.
Soon the Star tugs stood in a tight cluster in front of one of the warehouses, Pike’s two guards sailed round them like a pair sharks. All of them were terrified. Even Hercules was in the grip of a cold sweat. Sunshine had begun to cry. Top Hat was r
The Z-stacks part 7Eventually they reached the docks. Keeping out of sight they could see the bulk of the old tramper Jonnhy Cuba. The green eyed pirates sailed to and fro nervously, patrolling the area. Other piratical tugs could be seen, each one looked as menacing as the last. They recognised the grimy faces of tugs who’d they’d only seen been held up to them in newspapers, usually accompanied by headlines such as ’PHANTOM PIRATE STRIKES AGAIN!’ and some such.
However, Zorran wasn’t concentrating on the guards, rather on what they were guarding.
Behind the ring of pirates stood a warehouse, larger, older and uglier than the others.
The Z-stacks part 6Half an hour later, seven suspicious looking tugs, two of which looked as if they’d just been pulled off a bonfire and an ash covered boy in an old navel hat made there way up the harbour and up towards the docks up the coast. Zorran and Zebedee both kept a line attached to Burke and Blair, there was no way they were been let out of their sight.
‘Have you noticed something?’ said Zip.
‘Noticed what?’ growled Zak.
‘Well, we’ve seen no other tugs since we left the steelworks, you’d expect that there’d be someone about’.
Zak said nothing, and just continued steaming after their two guides. Su
The Z-stacks part 5Meanwhile, on the other side of the harbour, two small switchers were making their way across the harbour path. On first inspection you would assume they were both members of the royal navy, but on closer inspection you could see that the pair of them were trying to keep a pair of all-concealing fake moustaches over their faces. Zip tried to keep the enormous Admiral's hat from slipping over his eyes. Zug coughed slightly though the fake moustache and looked down at Daniel. The boy was sitting on Zip's prow looking curiously into the water. Daniel trailed on hand in the water with a content look on his young face.  Daniel had said that by dis

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The Z-stacks part one

:iconbloodknok:

THE Z-STACKS
or
DUTIES DONE

'when a felons not engaged in his employment,
or maturing his felonious little plans,
his capacity for innocent enjoyment,
is just as great as any honest mans'
- The Pirates of Penzance

The year was 1929, in the turmoil of the great depression the tugs of Bigg City port had mainly emigrated over to the Island of Sodor. the star tugs were already getting ready to leave Bigg City. But more of that later. One all to familiar tug fleet was going through its own problems concerning a hi-jacked tramper and its inevitable consequences.
The door to the warehouse/cell flew open and the burly navel tugs barged their prisoners inside. 'GET OFF ME!' cried Zorran 'you wanna catch something?' he added as he and his motley crew and captain were unceremoniously shunted into their cell and the door banged shut behind them.
A long silence followed. all five of the Z-stacks looked at their commander who looked at the stout door trapping them. 'lads' said captain Zero, 'tell me who's stupid idea was this to hi-jack a navel tramper and sell its goods on the black market?' there was a long pause before Zak spoke up 'er yours sir, I mean cap'n er oh heck!' he stammered as zero cast his staring eyes at him through his steel rimmed glasses and moustache. 'of course' said the captain 'and who was it that messed it all up?'.
all eyes fell upon Zip and Zug 'I wasn’t our fault!' spluttered Zug 'you try keeping a whacking great tramper under control in a force 8 gale!' exclaimed Zip before realising what he had said and backed away nervously behind Zebedee.
'well' said Zero, much to the surprise of his tugs 'not much we can do about it now, tell me how long did that idiot Bluenose say how long we were meant to stay here?. '93 years sir' coughed Zorran. 'and how old will we all be when we get out of here? said Zebedee rather worried and with good cause. 'I'd be 83!' exclaimed Zug 'I'd only be 82' said Zip sounding rather happy.
there was a very long silence.
it lasted a whole week.
I needn’t go into much detail of that week just to say it was very boring. there only recreation was to gaze longingly at the harbour, made only visible through a tiny crack in Zip's head.
the harbour itself was carrying on very much as it had always done, only there was less work to be done and the price of coal and water was rising. occasionally they heard the puffing and whistling of Puffa the railway engine, he was going to Sodor too.
Then after a week of sheer boredom the door to the cell swung open and the all-to familiar shape of Captain Bluenose was sillotted in the door in an official voice he barked 'Captain Zero? you and your tugs are requested to be audience to the admiral, ruler of the queens navy, we have a little business proposition to put to you an we are certain you won’t say no‘. Bluenose looked into the cell and at its surprised occupants 'we have a little problem on our hands that only you can fix'
:iconbloodknok:
Good morning, good morning!. I'm Bloodknok, not really good at art but I'm certainly a deacent writer of fan-fiction. those of you who remember the old Tv show Tugs and former members of the Clearwater forum will know all about the Z-stacks, not to mention that this here story was left unfinished, well not any longer! here for your entertainment is the first part of 'THE Z-STACKS'
Enjoy!
:icondangerousradical:
=DangerousRadical Jun 5, 2008  Hobbyist General Artist
It's the sort of introduction laced with Goon Show goodness that just speaks volumes XD

I do picture Zorran yelling that sort of sentence...why I don't know, but the image makes me giggle like a madwoman.

I definitely owe you some fanart, mate.
[:+favlove:]
~:heart:
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