Fill-In-The-Blank Game!

[DavidFirth]

The group stopped in Sudan to build a church for some of the kind folks there.

But a mean Sultan showed up and...

 

[joyshirley]

@Sam91 offered her the medallion that Doctor.Sphinx had given her for JS to use as a badge to show rank.

joyshirley looked in surprise at Sam's outstretched hand, on which lay the medallion gifted to Sam by Dr S.

"That's very kind of you, Sam, but no. I cannot accept it. That was a gift for you from Dr S. You keep it," js said firmly, folding Sam's palm over the medallion.

Taking a battered Mars bar, as she had never tried one before, js sat down with the others on the deck, looking at the stars and enjoying the gentle lull of the waves against the side of the ship.

Most of the others were dozing off now and js contemplated this return trip to Egypt. What adventures lay in wait for them? Where was Dr S's conscience, which was booted off the boat some time since? Would they be descending underground again?

js shivered a little at the thought of deep, dark tunnels.

Turning to CTC, who was still examining the maps, js asked, "Figured out the route for us yet, CTC?"

"Yes," he replied. "Pretty straightforward, really. Interestingly, I did hear talk some while back that there is an island somewhere on our route which has rarely been visited. They say it's inhabited by an ancient tribe who are advanced in knowledge. Apparently they have built some beautiful stone buildings too. Unfortunately, there are very few written records about it and they are practically in tatters now."

"It would be wonderful if we happen upon it. I suppose no one knows its exact whereabouts?"

"No. According to the story I heard, no one has been there in the last two hundred years," CTC said.

"Well, here's hoping we stumble upon it, eh? Perhaps David will get to build his first church there, CTC."

Silence descended as the crew slept the sleep of the very tired, but contented.


*Sorry, David. I was writing this as you posted your latest post. Thought I'd still post this and then carry on with your post. Hope that's ok.*

 

[joyshirley]

The group stopped in Sudan to build a church for some of the kind folks there.

But a mean Sultan showed up and...

...ranted and raved, making so many threats to the crew, that in the end they just stood and laughed at him, an action which so infuriated the Sultan that he collapsed in shock.

"Dear oh dear - better call an ambulance," Lilac said pityingly.

"No pity for someone that performs in that despicable fashion!" David said. "CTC, have you got the local workmen organised? I want this church standing and ready to go by 0800 hours tomorrow morning!"

The crew looked at each other in horror and leapt into action.

js knew it could be done because her own children helped build a church in Fiji a few years ago. But it was boiling hot and very hard work.

Lost galloped off, without leave but redeemed himself by arriving back with cold drinks for everyone.

"Looks like we're well on target! Take a break!" David boomed.

"Our Captain really doesn't need a megaphone at all, eh?" Dirk said with a grin as locals stood by, watching.

"Hope these folks show up for the opening and dedication in the morning. Are all our musical instruments still safe on the ship, Dirk?" js asked.

"Yep! All good to go!"

"Brilliant!"

 

[joyshirley]

The crew worked late into the evening until finally, David called a halt. They stood back to gaze at the new church which had risen on the vacant land in just one day. Basic, to be sure, but built with beautiful local stone.

The workmen who had spearheaded the build headed home and the band of seafarers turned construction helpers staggered back to the little ship. It looked very inviting in the moonlight and the thought of comfortable beds kept the tired crew moving.

"Time to rise and shine! 0700 hours!" Dr S's voice rang out over the slumbering crew. "One hour to go! Get up, everyone!"

"Coffee - I need coffee," Spikey muttered as he wandered into the kitchen below decks.

"Breakfast on deck in two minutes!" Sam said with a smile as delicious aromas of coffee and toast wafted through the ship.

"Thanks, Sam!" Lost said. "If there's one thing I love, it's waking up to a fresh brew that I haven't had to make myself!"

"Where's our esteemed Captain? And js and Dirk?" sunshine asked.

"Already at the church. They took the musical instruments over. Guitar, bass, keyboard..." LaSorcia replied.

"Better get a move on, I suppose," Lilac said. "Should be a lovely service today!"

An hour later, everyone was hard at work - again - helping to lay beautiful rugs on the stone flagged floor.

"Oh no! Chairs! We have no chairs!" js cried.

"Fear not! A truckload of chairs will arrive in precisely three minutes. If they keep their promise," CTC said, glancing at his watch.

"Better tune up, Dirk," js said. "Our new friends here have given us a song list. Only a couple of songs - Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) and Ten Thousand Reasons. No probs with those songs?"

Receiving a shake of the head, they tuned the guitars, turned the keyboard on and sat down as people started entering the church.

The pastor led a beautiful service, dedicating the new building to the furthering of God's Kingdom in that area and beyond, followed by several Bible readings, prayers and a short message, ending with the songs.

As js' fingers moved over the keyboard and she sang the songs, she couldn't help noticing a few men who chose not to enter, but lingered by the open doors at the entrance.

Dr S had noticed them too and js was certain he had turned a little pale upon sighting those men.

"So close to Egypt here. What can it mean?" js wondered, before putting it out of her mind momentarily as the songs rang out joyfully.

 

[Doctor.Sphinx]

The church service ended, and the crew returned to their ship. The men, it turned out, had been Sudanese, and were awaiting a second church service, but had not entered the church during the closing hymns, so as not to disturb the first service. JoyShirley realised that compared to these Sudanese men, everybody - even Ebony - seemed to pale a little.

'What a great church service,' chirped JoyShirley. 'I love the story of David and Goliath'.

'Hey Doctor Sphinx!' she exclaimed cheerfully. 'Given your age of 4 thousand years plus, you might have been alive at the time David fought Goliath. What was it like?'

The CF crew stared a JoyShirley suspiciously. What was the occasion for all this loquacity? Who was the strange young man she had spoken with earlier on their journey, moments before the group were unexpectedly and fortuitously gifted a sturdy and well-weathered little ship, the CF Sea Forth III? Even the good Doctor, muttering to himself about the filthiness of this younger generation of sailors, as he rigorously scrubbed away at the poop deck - a repulsive invention if ever there was one - took a moment from his grumbling to stop and stare at the suspect.

His thoughts returned to a board game of the mid-to-late 20th century, and Mrs White, with the candelabra, in the library...

 

[joyshirley]

js glanced up from her phone, where she had been sorting the many photos she had taken of the new church building, to find the gaze of most of the crew fixed on her.

"What?" js looked at everyone with a laugh, but inwardly noted the suspicion that was evident in the faces of the crew.

"Dr S, you don't need to answer if you prefer not to speak of those times." js continued."I expect it was an extremely trying time for you, being buried up to your neck in sand for so many centuries."

David rose to his feet and said, 'Look, it's great that we have this little ship or boat or floating home - whatever you want to call it. But how did you manage to get it? Where did it come from?"

"I told you, David - it was a gift."

js turned away, her heart thumping. She really did not want to have to tell the others that it was a gift from her own family. She had a shrewd idea that perhaps some of the crew disliked her way of thrusting unexplained gifts upon them.

"Well, who was that young man we saw you whispering with, js?"

Everyone moved a little closer, as if determined not to miss her reply.

"He is my son."

sunshine smiled and said, "That explains the mystery of the young man!"

js laughed, then caught the look on Dr S's face. It seemed to radiate disbelief.

js sighed inwardly. An explanation was required.

"My son is currently on a sailing trip with his friends, you see. It so happened that they were in the vicinity when I messaged him to tell him the latest - that we were now a Captain and crew without a boat."

js tried to smile, but it had become evident that the crew were not sure if they could trust her. She realised now, that absolute transparency was going to have to be the way of it. No more surprises. And she did so love to give people cool surprises.

"We - I mean, my son decided to buy a new boat and gave the old one to us. I just didn't want to advertise that the boat..."

js' voice trailed off as a small boat zoomed up alongside. A young man leapt up the ladder of the Sea Forth III and gave js a hug. The silence of the crew was pretty unnerving, so js hurried to introduce her son to everyone.

"Hey, sorry about the state of the old girl," her son said to David, as he noticed the scrubbing brush in David's hand. "Didn't have time to clean her up a bit for you, but she's perfectly seaworthy and should see you right. Sorry I didn't stop to say Hi the other day, but we'd arranged to check out our new vessel and Mum wanted to surprise you, anyway. Where are you off to next?"

"Egypt," David replied, as the young man shook his hand heartily.

js' son seemed not to notice anything amiss in the atmosphere and chatted about his travels for a few minutes, before giving everyone a cheerful wave and preparing to leave. A hug for his mother and he was away back to shore.

In an effort to lighten the atmosphere, js reached into her bag, bringing out some lovely scented candles.

"I picked these up in the local market this morning. Beautiful, aren't they?" she said. "Let's try them out tonight. By the way, has anyone seen GreenWizard? He seems to have disappeared..."

 

[Sam91]

Sam91 looked at the good doc suspectingly.
However, he and GW had patched things up months ago.

She looked at @Lost4words instead... yes, GW disappered after @Lost4words 's arrival. Surely not...

 

[Spikey]

I think I've been written out

Carry on.

 

[Sam91]

Said Spikey.

@Sam91 looked at @Doctor.Sphinx thinking that was an unfortunate thing for Spikey to say.

The good doc nodded his agreement conspiratorially.

 

[Doctor.Sphinx]

He then proceeded to leave his scrubber on the poop-deck - which, admittedly, was looking sparklingly clean - and disappeared below decks, gesturing to Sam91 that he would like her to deal with his ex-Conscience, who had accompanied Spikey to lodge the formal complaint about the alleged "write-out" of their roles on the CF crew.

"I'll be in the library," Doctor Sphinx called out, trying to be loud enough for Sam91 to hear, but not so loud as to be heard by his ex-Conscience or Spikey.

Before he disappeared below decks, Sam91 noticed with surprise that the Doctor was carrying the candelabra.

 

[DavidFirth]

@Spikey met a beautiful young Egyptian lady and asked the Doc how to go about courting her. The Doc replied...

 

[Doctor.Sphinx]

'I think you're a bit out of your league with *that* girl, Spikey. Perhaps you should be looking more toward ladies with less hair, fewer teeth, longer and wartier noses, and which cackle insanely from time to time?'

 

[Sam91]

@Sam91 finally decided to take the hint. She'd been worried about the propriety of following a guy's suggestion to sneak off, but reasoned that this was a Sphinx, and not just any Sphinx either. He'd be too preoccupied with his own matters to have even a trace of impropriety in his mind. She felt a little guilty for thinking of such things.

However, she still felt apprehensive. One could never anticipate his next scheme.
Opening the door slowly, pasting a smile on her worried face, she entered the library.

Looking up she saw tumult in his expression and grandiosity in his gesture.

'Ah my good conscience and friend, would you take a look in here.' Gesturing towards a wardrobe.

@Sam91 instincts told her not to trust him but she walked towards the piece of furniture nonetheless. Suddenly, she was shoved rather skillfully into it and the door locked behind her.

Bashing on the door she shouted

'Let me out! Let me out you bad Sphinx! Just wait until I get my hands on you, your nose won't be the only thing you're missing!!'

The wise doc hesitated for a moment and considered her rather sinister love of sharp instruments. He fortunately remembered her good nature and pleaded.

'Samantha, trust me I need your assistance. Turn around 180 and walk 3 steps.' The sphinx replied.

She snorted at the absurdity but did as she was asked.. the wood was wet and cold. Looking around she was in a forest.

Moments later a chagrined Sphinx stood beside her.

'What, where, how?' She uttered confoundedly.

'But Samantha, the real question is why!
Why? We need to find @GreenWizard.

You see, without my conscience I did something rather um dastardly. I can not be reunited with my wizened conscience until we find him. I need your help! Will you be my sidekick in this quest?'

Sam91 inhaled rather slowly. She'd had enough of the ocean, but this wintery forest was rather cold.

The good-but-sometimes-roguish-doctor ever invasive to the sanctity of her mind rushed off back into the wardrobe and returned promptly with the most luxuriously-warm-looking-and-oddly-still-fashionable-fur coat.

'Is this fur-real?' She checked, eyebrow raised judgementally.

'Always questioning' he sighed, putting the coat on her, his ancient-brain-system-of-levers-and-pulleys busy planning the rescue of the l'il leprechaun dude.

 

[Doctor.Sphinx]

'Now doctor, if I'm to be of any help in rescuing our friend and estwhile companion, I need to know what's going on,' the fashionably-fur-clad lady insisted.

'Well,' began the doctor reluctantly, 'it all began when I needed some time alone with the only one who cares,' he began.

'And that's the Green Leprechaun?'

No silly. The Green Leprechaun doesn't care at all. I was being metaphorical. The only one who cares is me.'

'Well, I care,' Sam91 answered, before qualifying, 'Somewhat. I care somewhat. Sometimes.'

'Be that as it may,' the Doctor continued, 'My usual place of refuge from the unceasing bombardment of persiflage, as you know, was the closet in my room, but, as you also know, our houseboat was destroyed, so now I don't actually have a closet, nor a room, nor a sanctuary. Hence, I came venturing into the library, and found an optimally sized closet by which I could escape the rigours of daily life. But on sneaking into said closet, who should I come across, but the little Green Leprechaun, having pre-emptively stolen my spot, before even I had the opportunity to claim it.'

'Do go on,' Sam91 commented, 'But quickly,' she added kindly, stifling a yawn.

Doctor Sphinx, somehow sensing his friend was losing interest in his story, continued more quickly. 'Well naturally, I was angry with the little gremlin for stealing my spot, so I started to push him out of the closet to reclaim my space. Unfortunately, the act of pushing him out awakened him, and he, not wanting to lose the spot that he had so skillfully stolen, tried to push me out of the closet also.'

Sam91 nodded.

'Well, we each started to fight, to maintain our place in the closet, but after several moments of tumbling over each other and through fur coats and jackets, we found ourselves in this cold, wet forest. Quite surprised and more than a little cold, we stopped our fighting, and started to explore. We had only been exploring several minutes, when we came across a group of strange-looking, turban-clad, dark-skinned warriors.'

'What, here in the forest?' exclaimed Sam91 surprised.

'Well, yes. It was quite strange,' admitted the Doctor. 'But they were dressed warmly. As if a raiding party of some sort.'

'And then what?' asked Sam.

'Well, I naturally presumed the strange men to be Philistines, so drew lots with the leprechaun as to who should bear the armour, and who should smite the Philistines. Unfortunately, the leprechaun cheated again, and although I had purposefully placed short straws in both hands in order that I might smite the Philistines, irrespective of all my scheming, he somehow drew the longer straw.'

'Oh. So you had to bear the armour?' Sam91 stifled a giggle at the thought. Even though Doctor Sphinx's monstrous-and-much-reviled-ego-of-epic-proportions had been excised, removed, shrunk, marooned and now detonated on more than one occasion - and on some occasions, rather quite skillfully and precisely, if she did say so herself - she knew the doctor still didn't particularly enjoy taking 2nd place, especially when it came to certain others, one of whom was the Green Leprechaun.

'I most certainly did not!' exclaimed the Doctor indignantly. 'Each of us then began to quarrel about the other having cheated, until those barbarians heard us, and by the time several of them approached with drawn swords, it was too late for either of us to draw sword and smite.'

'So what did you do?' asked the other.

At this, the Doctor looked to the forest floor guiltily. 'I told those Philistines that the leprechaun could spin straw into gold, and that I would be prepared to sell him to them for the right price.'

Sam91 gasped disappointedly. 'You sold the Green Leprechaun!' she exclaimed, in exasperation.

'Well, not exactly,' began the Doctor.

'Well, what did you get for him, then?' she persisted.

'Ah, well, they didn't actually give me anything for him,' admitted the Doctor. 'They did try to kill me, but fortunately, after my disagreement with the leprechaun, I was bearing the armour, so managed to shield myself with it, from some of their blows.'

Sam91 tried not to roll her eyes. 'So what about the leprechaun? Did they hurt him?'

'After they stopped pursuing me, I turned back, and saw that they had placed him into some sort of a cage, aboard a carriage pulled by horses,' the Doctor replied.

'So where will they take him? How will we find him?' she asked.

'If they believed me,' the doctor replied, 'and I was very convincing,' he added, 'they will be making a beeline to the nearest village, to obtain a spinning wheel and some straw.'

 

[Sam91]

'Why me and not the brave captain @DavidFirth? Why not @Dirk1540 , @Spikey or @CtC?

@LaSorcia has more might in that pinkey of hers, than I possess overall. Not to mention her superpowers of moderation!' She said utterly perplexed.

'But thou art my substitute conscience! You need to be the armour bearer.'

He replaced her yarmulke-of-protection-against-mental-eavesdroppers with the yarmulke-of-unyielding-strength-for-the-weak-and-utterly-feeble-at-heart and set off determinedly. 'Come now, lets find the l'il dude before they realise the truth'...

Meanwhile, aboard the ship they were eating a splendid banquet of ribs, sushi and the most delicious chocolate dessert, washed down with bucket loads of mirth.

 

[Sam91]

After the dinner things were cleaned away, the group gathered for a rather peaceful and less eventful than usual Bible study. The crew were surprised after that there had been no foolish debates or contentions. There had been a brotherly loving atmosphere and the group praised the Lord for the crew's unity.

It was then that the astute @Lilac asked where the good doc and the skilled Sam91 were. The entrepid crew scoured the ship, even looking overboard and squinting at the vast ocean.

There wasn't a trace except for a note in the Captain's log with a seemingly very cryptic 'Gone to Narnia, if Sam isn't with you she is assisting me. Signed, the Wondrous Sphinx of old..' The Captain @DavidFirth was not one to indulge Dr.S so skipped reading the list of his achievements and longer list of brave and noble deeds, heroic and unlikely former victories against the Philistines. The crew were relieved and looked forward to a more settled night....

 

[DavidFirth]

'Well, shiver me timbers, we got 2 of our crew unaccounted for. And I need that poop deck cleaned again, too. Oh well. We searched far and wide and no Doc or Sam to be found anywhere. Wonder where they went off to? Must be some crazy adventure involving those crazy yarmulkes of theirs.'

 

[Doctor.Sphinx]

Meanwhile, back in the wintery forest, Doctor Sphinx was engaged in a discussion with @Sam91, about why he needed her, rather than say, @DavidFirth, @Dirk1540, @Spikey, @CtC, or even the moderate @LaSorcia.

'They just don't get me like you do, Sam91. The Captain always has me cleaning up that filthy poop-deck. I think CtC is secretly jealous of my rather handsome features,' Doctor Sphinx answered. 'Look,' he gestured, 'he even built a veruca into this prosthetic nose he designed me. Dirk1540 - well, me and he hardly ever talk. Spikey has more in common with my once-monstrous-and-much-reviled-ego-of-epic-proportions, and LaSorcia - she's just too competitve. It nearly got her killed on the CF Sea Forth II'.

Sam sighed. She actually did rather enjoy the wonderful Winterland she had found herself in, but wasn't altogether thrilled at the thought of sharing her adventure with this Sphinx.

'I'm competitive too,' Sam replied. 'I dispatched far more sea-trolls than you did during our last battle.'

'And I'm a female,' she added, just to test if it would have any effect. She knew the Sphinx claimed to be a he, and seemed to have a certain expectation that he was therefore able to outperform females at, well, everything.

The doctor nodded, although he didn't seem the slightest bit perturbed. 'See? I told you that you are different. I'm not even upset that you won. I'm just pleased that you weren't hurt, after disobeying my instructions.'

Sam91 gave the doctor a glare, and they both walked on in silence; the crisp, cool air, the clean snow, and the beautiful Winter scenery quickly helping them forget their disagreement.

The duo had been walking some time through the forest now, and they suddenly came to a clearing.

'Wagon tracks!' the doctor pointed. 'This is where those uncircumcised Philistines captured the poor, brave Green Leprechaun'.

'Doctor, are you sure that's what they were?' asked Sam thoughtfully.

'Sam91, haven't you read the bible? No less an authority than King David declared about their champion, "Who is this..."'

'No,' interrupted Sam91, What I meant was that everything I've seen points me to the conclusion that we are somehow in the land of Narnia. And from what I learned about Narnia in school, there were no Philistines...'

'Wait! So you think I could have imagined all this? What about these wagon tracks?' the Doctor gave Sam91 a puzzled glance.

'The Calormenes were the villains in Narnia,' explained Sam91 patiently. 'I suspect that the raiding party you believed to be Philistines was actually comprised of Calormenes, but what Calormenes would be doing in Narnia during the Winter period, I still cannot deduce.'

The Doctor raised his eyebrows at his friend's deductive reasoning. 'And you think LaSorcia, or even the Captain, would be able to reason so well as that?' he asked.

Sam91 gave a half-smile. She was pleased she had been able to help, but was cautious so as not to feed her own ego so as to grow it to be as repulsive as the good Doctor's once-monstrous-and-much-reviled-ego-of-epic-proportions had been.

'The wagon tracks head that way,' explained the Doctor, 'so we must follow as quickly as we are able.'

The duo headed off along the trail in the direction the wagon had been heading, still enjoying the peacefulness and cleanliness of the place, but silently wondering how best to rescue the Green Leprechaun when finally they should catch the Calormenes.

 

[Sam91]

Sam91 eyed the verruca on the good doc's nose. If only it had been flesh she might have been able to use the EPLCv2.1. She sighed. The good doc's company was kind of pleasant, he was pleasant enough to look at too, but the pleasantries were a little excessive. She wondered whether he was manipulating her ... but then he'd be a not-so-good-doc.

She saw a palace on the horizon and struggled to recall what had become of the ice queen. Alas, her memories of CS Lewis's works seemed as distant as the sun from the moon.


The doc definitely needed a bath. She determined to walk slightly ahead as the stench was starting to turn her ravenously hungry stomach.

'Don't worry my friend , you aren't too smelly yet' the obnoxiously-intrusive-mind-invading-not-yet-so-pompous-sphinx uttered blessing rather than taking offence.

Sam91 decided to exact revenge for the replacing of the yarmulke which provided privacy with the one that provided much needed strength and stamina . (She remained a resolute believer in reaping what you sow , needing to learn to be more merciful and humble ). She commenced a mental barrage of attacks at the poor doc.

'We are getting close Samantha, see the smoke in that valley. That must be a town, oh I do hope the houses are medieval in construction. The middle ages , Samantha, was an excellent epoch. Most went to Church daily ... even if the teachings weren't theologically sound, the majority feared the Lord. The punishments were severe for for the slightest offense, you really could have gotten away with eye gouging or amputating people's right hands. Imagine the use you could have had for your spiritually beneficial tools !

There were none of these abominations, innoculations or silly theories about the earth either. Of course, men were men and women were women....' seeing his companion's raised eyebrow, he deftly avoiding a scuffle in the snow.

'Things were more ordered.

You know, I think you would have enjoyed it. A simpler way of life. Some great diseases to encounter. You would have been intrigued. I can imagine you as an apocathary.' Said the rather patient Sphinx trying to distract his substitute conscience from the mental character assasination .

'I'd have been burned at the stake! ' Said the not amused @Sam91 enjoying being obtuse. She also disagreed with the sphinx's romanticised verson of the era; thinking of the short life expentancy , high childhood mortality , poor sanitation but realised that might be a ruse of his to evoke a conversation. Sam remained silent.

'Look...'

 

[Sam91]

The good doc stopped abruptly pointing to a lovely looking clearing. He opened his bag and pulled out a cast iron log burner, a bench, small table and many sandwiches.

At this Sam91 gasped. Here was a manly version of her handbag. She grew suspicious and reasoned that there were no rules about looking in men's bags, except for snooping.

Seizing the bag she uttered 'I so need to examine the workmanship'

Before the Sphinx could stop her she opened his bag to discover that his bag contained her handbag.

'Oh Sphinxy! How..'

The doctor looked thoroughly ashamed of himself.

'... resourceful of you! You seem to have thought of everything!'