Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.  They belong to
Hanna-Barbara.  So don't sue me.  Please?  I'm a college student, and
I have no money.

        Archivers: If you'd like my story, you're welcome to it.


                A  NORMAL  VACATION

                 By Katherine Bare

        "Hard aport!"  Jonny Quest called out.  The boom swung out, sail
flapping in the  wind, and he ducked his head as it whooshed by.  Then
it settled into place and they were sailing off in another direction. 
        On the deck beside him, an irate red-haired figure was climbing to
her feet.  "Jonny Quest.  Of all the idiotic things.  What on earth
possessed you!"
        Jonny spared a puzzled glance at his friend.  "What's the matter,
Jess?"
        "You could have DECAPITATED ME!"
        " Well I SAID `Hard aport!'  Are you getting deaf?"
        "Very funny!  It was like one second before!"
        "So you should have ducked!"
        "You didn't give me any TIME!"  Scowling, she turned away.  "Oh, why
am I bothering to argue."
        Jonny didn't bother to answer.  Instead, he focused his attention on
sailing the boat.  The Quest team was on vacation at their villa in
Palm Key, Florida.  They'd all spent yesterday at the beach, and he
and Jessie had decided that today they'd go sailing instead.  "It'll
be cool!" Jessie had said.  "We can sail around and have a picnic on
an island and go exploring.  What do you think?"  Jonny snorted
quietly to himself.  He should have known that when Hadji got sick
from some bad fish and couldn't come, they'd never make it through the
outing without at least one fight.  So far they'd had two.  Still, he
decided, it was really too nice out to let a fight with Jessie spoil
his day.  The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, with thick
cotton-ball cumulus clouds drifting across the sky.  A brisk breeze
ruffled his hair and sent the Quest's little private sailboat scudding
across the blue-green ocean like a waterbug on a pond.  No, he
concluded contentedly, he just couldn't let an argument ruin a day
like this.
        Just then a shout from Jessie interrupted his reverie.  "Jonny!  Hey,
Jonny!  You're heading straight for those rocks!"
        Jonny blinked and glanced up, only to see the rocky tip of an island
that much too close for his comfort.  "Duck!" he shouted, and tacked
hard.  Jessie hit the deck, and the boat began to veer.  Were they
going to make it?  He tensed.  The rocks were coming nearer - nearer -
he could see the water dripping on them - and then he let out his
breath in a gasp of relief as they just barely scraped past the rocks
and into open water.
        Jessie got to her feet again for the second time in minutes. 
Silently counted to ten.  "Jonny," she said authoritatively, "I think
you'd better let me steer for a while.  You're going to get us killed
at this rate." Jonny opened his mouth to protest.  She gave him her
most lethal glare, and he grinned sheepishly.  
        "Yes, ma'am."  Handing over the tiller, he stretched out on a bench. 
Shutting his eyes, he sighed, letting the gentle bouncing of the boat
and the warm sun on his face relax him.  
        Grumbling softly, Jessie Bannon tucked a strand of fiery hair behind
an ear.  "Lunatic," she muttered, without rancor.  Sometimes Jonny was
so reckless and crazy it made her want to scream.  Still, she
reflected, life without Jonny would undoubtably be much less exciting.
 She sighed and was concentrating on the boat she controlled when a
shrill squee off the side of the boat caught her attention. 
Half-turning, she glanced over the side.  What she saw made her eyes
widen in wonder.  
        "Jonny!" she whispered, reaching over and shaking him.  Jonny groaned.
        "What'd you do that for?" he complained sleepily.  "I was just about
to fall asleep!"
        "Shhh!" Jessie hissed.  "Look!"  
        Jonny leaned over, following her finger.  His eyes widened too. 
Glancing up, he and Jessie exchanged awe-struck looks.  "Dolphins!" he
whispered.  "Slammin'!"
        Jessie made no reply, her gaze returning to the sleek, curving shapes
that slid through the water.  One leapt up, arcing through the air and
then landing back with a splash.  "Wow!" Jessie whispered.
        Jonny grinned delightedly.  Noticing something out of the corner of
his eye, he looked over the other side.  "Look!" he exclaimed. 
"They're on this side too!"  
        Jessie glanced over.  Sure enough, several dark shapes were playing
beside the other side.  Suddenly a thought struck her, and she leaned
on the tiller.  As the boat turned, so did the dolphins.  Jessie
laughed in delight.  "They're following us!"
        "No," Jonny said.  "They're playing with us!"  Sure enough, the
dolphins were leaping and gamboling beside the little boat, exactly
like children at play.  
        Jessie shifted, letting one hand trail in the water while the other
held the tiller steady.  A curious dolphin rose up, nudging at the
strange object, and Jessie giggled at the feel of the smooth, wet
skin.  
        Jonny grinned, and stood up.  Standing poised on the seat, he called
out mischievously, "Should I go swimming with the dolphins?"
        Jessie looked up, green eyes alarmed.  "Don't!" she exclaimed.  "You
might scare them away!"
        Jonny stood for a moment longer, then sat down.  "Oh, all right. 
Just for you, Jess," he added, eyes sparkling teasingly.  Jessie
swatted at him.  "Ow!"  Then another squee from the dolphins caught
their attention, and they both looked back at the playful creatures
again.
        The two teenagers spent a happy hour with the dolphins.  They was
scarcely aware of where they sailed, only keeping enough of an eye out
to watch for other sailboats and islands.  Most of their attention was
on the delightful animals.  It was only when they suddenly
disappeared, diving deep into the depths, that Jessie and Jonny looked
at each other in puzzlement..  
        "What?  Why'd they go?" Jonny asked, looking bewildered.  Jessie only
shrugged, as perplexed as he was.  Then a cool breeze gusted, ruffling
their hair, and Jonny looked up in alarm.  His eyes widened.  "Cripes!
 Jess, look!" he exclaimed, pointing to the north.  Jessie followed
his gaze, and paled.  On the horizon, dark clouds were massed
ominously together.  And they were headed their way.  Already a cold
wind was pushing at them, whipping the waves into white-capped rollers.
        "Oh, great!" Jessie cried out.  "Idiot!" she remonstrated, hitting
her forehead.  "I didn't even think to watch the weather!"
        "No time!" Jonny yelled.  "We gotta get home quick!  That storm's
moving fast!"  
        "Right!" Jessie answered.  Swinging the boat around, she added, "Get
some life jackets!"  As Jonny ducked into the tiny cabin, she took a
firm grip on the tiller.  The waves were getting rougher.  How far
from their villa were they? she wondered nervously.  Glancing at her
tracker-watch, she removed one hand from the tiller long enough to set
it for home.  She winced.  They were several miles from home.  Looking
back at the storm, she bit her lip.  Could they outrun it?  She didn't
think this little boat could survive in a huge storm like the one
behind them.  Adjusting the tiller slightly, she turned the boat just
enough to get the most of the wind.  They weren't going in exactly the
right direction, she thought, but better to get the most out of the
wind and be a little off course than be headed directly for home
without the most wind they could get. 
        Jonny ducked back out of the cabin, his arms full, and glanced up
anxiously at the rapidly darkening sky.  Quickly he made his way over
to the thin, determined girl crouched over the tiller.  "Jess!" he
called out over the gusting wind.  "Here, put these on!  I'll steer!"
        "Put them down first!  I don't want to let the tiller loose!" she
shouted back.  Nodding in agreement, Jonny set the bundle on the deck
and grabbed the tiller firmly.  Only then did Jessie let go, ducking
out of the way so Jonny could take her place.  Pushing the bundle
along with her foot she scrambled into the more protected cabin, and
let out her breath as the wind disappeared.  Bending over, she picked
up an object from the pile, and then had to drop it as the deck
lurched and she grabbed frantically for balance.  "Whoa!" she
exclaimed, teetering.  Finally regaining her balance, she pressed
herself into a corner for support and scooped up the object again.  It
was a rain poncho.  "Hey, good idea.  Jonny actually used his brains
for once," she said aloud.  Awkwardly, because of the wall at her
back, she tugged it over her head and snapped it up, and fastened the
bulky life vest over it.  "Alright.  Here we go," she told herself,
and scrambled back outside again.
        Jessie had no sooner stepped outside than she had to grab for
something to hold.  Bracing herself against the wall, she looked
swiftly around, and frowned worriedly.  The weather had changed
drastically from the sunny blueness of an hour before.  The sky was
gray and lowering with storm clouds.  Heavy wind gusted, whipping the
ocean into  choppy white-tipped waves.  Thunder rumbled in the
distance.  Jessie glanced nervously in that direction, then, balancing
carefully, crossed the deck and sat down across from Jonny.    
        Jonny looked up at her momentarily, then returned his attention to
the boat.  "How far away are we?" he asked.
        Jessie glanced at her tracker.  "Still a ways to go," she replied
anxiously.  "Think we'll beat it?" she asked, absently pushing a
wind-whipped strand of red hair away from her face.
        Jonny forced a lopsided grin.  "Sure!  With this little thing we can
beat any storm."  He freed one hand long enough to pat the hull.
        As if in direct contrast to his words, a great bolt of lightening
flashed overhead, followed in a split second by a roar of thunder. 
With this dramatic prelude, the skies opened up and a torrent of rain
sheeted down, drenching the two teenagers despite their protective
ponchos.  Jessie wiped her eyes fruitlessly.  "You sure about that
Jonny?" she yelled over the storm.  
        "Well..." Jonny shrugged helplessly, and bent over the boat. Suddenly
the boat jerked, almost pulling the tiller out of his hands.  He
grabbed at it frantically.  Managing to regain his hold, he held it
steady with all of his strength.  Not that it did much good, he
thought.  This little boat was fine for an afternoon's outing, but in
a storm he was totally helpless.  They were being bounced about like a
rubber ball.  He watched the waves around him grow higher and heavier,
the wind roar around them, driving the rain into their faces, and
tried to desperately control their little sailboat.  It was no use. 
He could barely hold the tiller steady, let alone hold any kind of
course, he thought angrily.
        The next flash of lightning showed Jessie huddled across from him,
clinging on for dear life.  "Jonny!" she screamed over the wind. 
"We'll never make it home!  Either we'll hit some rocks, or we'll take
on too much water and sink!  We have to take refuge in one of the
islands!"
        Jonny chewed his lip.  She was right, he realized.  Already waves
were slopping over the sides, and the rain was pouring in water too. 
"Fine!" he shouted.  "But can you see any place to go?"
        Jessie peered around through the blinding rain.  Nothing. 
Frantically she wiped her eyes and squinted harder.   "There!" she
finally shouted, pointing at a darker blur off their port side. 
"Isn't that an island?"
        Jonny spared a glance in that direction, focusing on the barely
visible blur.  "Might as well check it out!" he yelled.  Wrenching the
tiller around, he tried to head them in that direction.  The wild
waves fought him, tossing the little craft about, but he wrestled with
the tiller and managed to keep them heading toward the island.  Slowly
but surely they drew closer.  Holding them on course required much of
Jonny's attention, and he barely looked at the island they were slowly
nearing until Jessie's shout of alarm rang out over wind and rain.
        "Jonny!" she shouted.  "It's rock!  We're heading toward rock!  Turn
the boat!"
        Jonny glanced up and saw the jagged promontory, barely visible
through the rain, jutting out into the ocean only a few yards from
their boat.  The waves that bore them along crashed against it,
sending spray into the air to mingle with the rain.  "CRIPES!"  Jonny
yelled. Desperately he slammed his body against the tiller, wrenching
the boat around.  It was too late.  Just as the boat turned, a huge
wave caught it.  The last thing Jonny heard was a splintering crash as
they slammed into the cliff, just before he was hurled into the
storm-tossed ocean.



        Author's note: So there it is!  The first part of my first fanfic. 
What do you think?  Do you want more?  Or is it totally terrible? 
Bounteous praise, vicious name-calling, and ordinary comments are all
welcome.