Marine Marchandises

The smell of diesel and the throb of the low speed motor was all around and the heat oppressive as sweat poured from each of my pores, the engine room of this old Monrovian motor vessel was tired and worn from 40 years of service to the west African coast. The cake of grease and oil the encased each piece of machinery was witness to its history and lack of maintenance, steam leaked from boiler pumps and hot oil ran down the crank casings.

The engine room crew were all from Nigerian bandit gangs of Bakassi seeking to make a living from pirating and trading human beings across the continent. Plying their trade from Mogadishu to Lobito to Warri or wherever the business drew them.
My tasks were simple involving oiling and cleaning the propeller shaft that ran from the mid ship engine through 100m of shaft tunnel to the prop. Tasks were non-stop during the 4 hour watch. The shaft tunnel was my prison where I was kept during each watch closed from its engine room access by a bulkhead door for which only my body master had the key. Abdu was his name and he was some 15 years my senior and had been on the ship for 2 years and my Master since I had been drawn and entrapped while the ship was alongside in the Apapa port in Lagos 6 weeks previously. Abdu was an Ijaw Nigerian extremely handsome 1m80 with a closely cropped head and muscled torso and thighs with the meanest streak of any human I had ever come across until then.

My watch was coming to an end as the sweat dripped steadily from all over my completely naked body; from brow down my chest to trickle between my thighs to drip into the bilges below, oil covered hands had wiped stains to face, body and thighs. As I finished the greasing of the prop joint and oiling the final bearings I heard the bells from the engine room clang and I knew I was late for watch change and would need to run back the 100m of tunnel for Abdu to let me out and prepare for the evenings trials. As I returned I saw Abdu was watching for me through the bulkhead window as he waited for me to get to the door and place my collar and chain ready for him to enter and take me into his control. He was considerably more powerful than me and had consistently proved it to me since I had been allotted to him by the Captain from day one. So now my body was no longer mine but belonged totally to him. As I placed my broad leather oil and sweat soaked collar around my neck and painfully tightened it to its forth notch pinching the slight fold of skin and restricted my breathing as I had learned to my pain was what Abdu demanded from me before he would come to collect me. The light metal chain was 2 metres long and was clipped to the back of my collar, as I held the chain in my hands I presented myself to Abdu through the window and he inspected me from head to foot and I turned slowly around to show complete submission. The key opened the padlock releasing the handle and the heavy metal door pushed open as the fresher engine room air moved into the prop tunnel. As the door opened I held my chain at arms length and dropped my head in respect.

Abdu was dressed as usual in a sweaty singlet that stopped at his hips and was far to small for his muscular profile but that he wore constantly during engine room duties, a black cotton swimsuit stuck to his buttocks and sex. As was his habit he passed excess chain around my wrists that I had presented him and it was immediately evident that he was intending to inspect the tunnel and prop shaft with me and I understood very well that my delay in getting to the door had meant that the next watch had been given a further 20 minutes before change over. I knew what was likely to happen over the coming minutes as the muscles in my stomach tighten and prepared for the coming onslaught. The chain around my wrists tightened as he drew me to him, his fist clenched tight around my chain he pulled my face to his and he sighed slowly saying “you were late again, what happens now my little bitch”, the response always had to be sharp and rapid otherwise the punishment would be all the more vicious “my Master must discipline mercilessly his slave in order to teach him how to behave”. Abdu was pleased with the response as he opened his fist and slapped a full hand across my ear sending my head reeling from left to right and ringing in my ear. His hand remained around the neck pushing my head backwards and forwards. He leaned forward and whispered briefly “now you are going to satisfy me quickly before we go up topside, understood?”

“Yes Master I understand what you want from me, I beg you to let my mind, body and soul satisfy your every whim”.
With that he yanked both chained hands to his sweating groin where my fingers immediately commenced to grasp what remained of the cotton hem housing his sex and testicles. As my fingers explored gently he turned and pulled me following him towards the bowels of the prop tunnel.

He had not given me time to excite his large cock and caress his balls as he would normally do obviously had other thoughts in mind for this evening.

As we approached the tunnels mid point Abdu released the wrist from the chain and yanked sharply on the collar lifting me off the deck pushing me backwards against the warm steel bulkhead behind, his fist hitting home in the lower groin causing a cringing pain throughout the lower stomach I fell to my knees on the steel decking.

***

It was my third voyage to west Africa with Elder Dempster as assistant engineer to the Fourth Engineer taking the watch 00h00 to 04h00 and 12h00 to 16h00 on the MV Lycaon doing general cargo up and down the west coast. I had completed my electrical apprenticeship at 21 years old and after a year working experience had decided to change completely and travel to see the world. Little did I know how much that was about to change.

We had just sailed into Nigerias Lagos Apapa wharf and we expected to be alongside for at least 15 days loading palm oil, logs and cotton. The ship was bustling with the movement of imported goods dockhands were all around the ship, whores coming and going from the lower crew decks occasionally venturing up to the officers quarters to ply their trade under the very close and sometimes violent supervision of their pimp. Sub contractors coming and going for loading food and supplies engine room to maintain generators or control conformity of this and that, govt officials customs ferreting around searching for contraband wherever it might be hidden. My cabin had already been visited twice by them turning out desk and suitcases to inspect each nook and cranny capable of hiding the slightest trace of contraband. The second inspection had I recall been done whilst I was on watch and my steward Linus had made me aware after the fact when I had discovered my clothes in neat piles all around my cabin. Linus had arranged everything tidily after. Linus had been my steward since we had left Tilbury dock and he was a smart neat and handsome young Nigerian from Anambra state, sometimes a little too smart for my liking.

He was quite devoted to me and prepared all my belongings correctly taking particular attention in preparing my clothing to be worn from one day to the next always taking care I remember with my briefs that I wear very small and tight that I used to wear often in front of him while he would clean my cabin, he would I felt linger in making the bed or chat excessively in order to watch me and look me up and down as if weighing up the merchandise. He would often enter quietly the cabin to bring back laundry or to rearrange things without even knocking as if to try and surprise me and at any time of the day especially after the end of my watch when I might be changing or coming out of the shower. This attitude did not particularly bother me, in fact I found it quite exciting. When preparing for my watch I would simply wear, as was the basic engine room uniform, a white boiler suit buttoned from the crotch to the neck and just a brief underneath.

With the constant heat of the engine room it was usual not even to bother buttoning at all, leaving a clear and easy view of the naked torso.
It was under these conditions that I prepared to take my watch at midnight. The ship was alongside and the Fourth Engineer was working days not his normal watches so I would continue to cover the watch alone as I had for the past three days. Linus had come to layout my clean boiler suit at 11h30 and had hung around for 10 minutes chatting and cleaning as I had changed out of my tropical uniform, he handed me the cleaned and ironed red briefs I was to wear. As he left I slipped into my briefs and slipped each leg into the freshly laundered boiler suit pulling it up over each shoulder and pulling it into a neat and comfortable position as it sat tightly under the crotch. At 12h00 I left my cabin and crossed the corridor to the engine room access and walked down the six floors of metal stairs down to the control platform where I would take over the watch from the 3rd Engineers assistant.

The watch had been going quietly with nothing to report the engine room was spick and span all temperatures were normal and I was alone to supervise the two generators. It was about 02h20 when as usual I decided to go up topside to take some air and have a look around. I had been sweating a lot and wipe myself down as I came out of the engine room through the shower room and my boiler suit was completely soaked through as I stepped out into the cabin corridor just opposite my cabin, the ship was remarkably quiet as I turned left down the corridor and opened the door to the officers deck, the air was fresh and a slight breeze was blowing, it was good to get out for a couple of minutes as I leaned over the railing looking back over the aft decks towards the crew quarters in steering. The aft was dimly lit and there was no activity on deck.

As I walked from port to starboard I look down onto the deck three floors below and noticed the aft bulkhead door swing open and Linus come out onto the deck preceding an older taller uniformed man that I took for a policeman. Linus was looking up and indicating to his friend the different levels and decks above until he saw me on the starboard side and waved immediately to me indicating that he was coming up to see me, I waved my agreement back and moved back to the centre of the ship to await him coming up the stairs. It was a little unusual to meet anyone at this time of the morning but I would often see Linus sitting aft by the winches cleaning shoes or similar pastime but he had never made signs to me or tried to see me.

Linus was leading as they came onto the deck in front of me, the taller man had not yet arrived on the deck as Linus introduced him as his brother Tom from Bakassi who was passing through Lagos to visit him and who had wanted to visit the ship. As he step onto the deck I could see his uniform more clearly but could still not make out any real indication as to his position, he was apparently a policemen as he introduced himself and held out his hand.

In the weak light I could see he was a very well built bearded man of some 45 years who spoke in very soft tones and was a little difficult to understand, I felt myself leaning forward to hear him better as he asked me a number of polite and what I thought at the time innocent questions. His intense stare was roaming meticulously from my eyes across my face down to my neck and torso, “Linus tells me you always dress like this to work in the Engine room”, I responded, looking down across my boiler suit open to the crotch showing my tiny red briefs that had by now drawn his intense stare “yes of course it gets very hot down there and I sweat a lot, as Linus must have explained to you”, he continued with a phrase half mumbled through his abundant lips, I asked him to repeat then naturally moved and leaned closer to hear, he seemed to whisper “yes I understand, Linus has explained a lot of things to me and how much he appreciates working with you, he is very lucky. I can see from looking at you that you are very handsome and well built”. For the first time Linus spoke and I turned my head to look at him, Tom however was still evidently intrigued by my wet red briefs that had become strangely transparent and made no effort to listen to what was being said, “Sir Tom is a police inspector from my home town and I have often talked to him about you and what a beautiful body you have, I hope you don’t mind, I didn’t mean any harm, and he had asked to meet with you” Linus continued his voice trembling slightly “Tom is a very powerful man in my home town and he can help me and my family back home, you know I have three brothers and sisters who depend on my salary to survive. I really need your help Sir”.

I turned back to watch Tom as he at that instance placed his large open hand on my shoulder his eyes continuing to fix the hair line descending towards the transparency of my red briefs, I sensed a stirring in my loins that surprised me and led me to try and resist from showing any external sign of excitement. Linus continued to plead “please sir you have to understand, you must help me, Tom wants a photograph with you and me as a reference, please sir it won’t take long sir, please sir it will help me so much, please sir”. As I turned again to Tom he took a camera from his pocket and signalled his encouragement to me, “just one or two, nothing much and I can ensure Linus the help he so needs back in his village, lets just step in to your cabin for a couple of seconds, OK, lets go”, as he took my elbow and signed to Linus to lead the way. Linus had already opened the door to the officers deck and had the key to my cabin in the lock by the time I could respond saying “I have no objection to providing a reference for Linus especially as I was very happy with his work. OK let’s go inside”.

Tom’s hand was still gripping tighter and tighter my elbow as we moved inside, the cabin had obviously been tidied whilst I had been on watch and was apparently prepared for identity photos, Tom shut the door behind him and placed his camera on the small desk next to the bunk. I moved to button up my boiler suit and as I did so Tom clearly was not happy and slapped my hand slightly to prevent me from doing so, he even continued by spreading open slightly more each side to better show the nudity below. “Please stand over here by the bunk with Linus beside you, put your hand around his shoulder, yes thats great, Linus stand up straight, good”, the camera clicked and the flash sparked. Tom indicated for us to move to the other side of the cabin and put the camera down again as he moved towards me placing both hands on my shoulders and grasping the collar of my boiler suit on both sides trying to abruptly draw it backwards off my shoulders adding briefly in my ear, “I just need a quick one of you just for me, OK……thanks”, as my boiler suit fell to the floor, he already had the camera in his hand and was clicking away frantically, getting closer and closer, he pushed Linus closer to me.

I was surprised but not unhappy at this attention and felt I was quite enjoying it as Linus came very close his hand passed behind me to grasp my hip, Tom continued to click away. The flashes were a little blinding and I had not noticed Linus’s free hand move across in front of me and grasp the top of my briefs and to tear downwards as Tom continued to photograph. “OK that’s all for tonight, thanks so much for your help, let’s go Linus” and both left hurriedly as I was left to readjust my dress and surprise. I was a long way from suspecting how this tiny incident was about to change my life forever.

The next day I couldn’t find Linus anyhere and he had been replaced by another steward who informed me that he had left to return to his village. This surprised me a little as he had never told me anything of his intentions apart from this early morning incident. Still I was happy he had been able to return to take care of his family build a new life for himself in his village.

The rest of the day passed without incident and I took watch as usual at 00h00 as usual with little thought of the previous morning’s incident. It was 02h15 when I proceeded out of the engine room to take some air on the officers deck as usual and there as I opened the door leading out on to the deck I came face to face with Tom, his eyes staring down at me, he seemed a full head taller this time and dominating the doorway, he moved aside and invited me out to join him as he apologised for having left so sharply yesterday as he and Linus had to leave and prepare his references and documents allowing him to return to his village. He thanked me profusely for my help and hope he had not upset me in any way. “Of course not I was more than happy to be able to help, I would like to see the photos you took and make sure there was nothing to embarrassing from Linus’s final clownery”. Tom started now to act quite agitated at this point “well you and I have a slight problem on that score actually. Let me explain. All the photos were together and we downloaded to a USB and I handed it over to immigration police first thing this morning and I am trying to get them all back, it should not be difficult but I will need you to come with me tomorrow morning to claim them back, no problem. O.K.”. I indicated that I had to be back by latest 11h30 for my watch and that he would have to provide transport as I had no access to a car. Tom replied easily “don’t worry I will send someone to pick you up at 08h30, make sure you bring your passport and some cash, you never know if they ask for a dash. Better wear your white tropical uniform as well, looks official and perhaps also the briefs you wore last time to confirm the photos. O.K; and don’t worry at all I’ll be at the police station to meet you and clear all this up”.

“That’s fine I’m not really worried as long as you are there to clear things up”, I confirmed. Tom smiled as is if to reassure me and suggested that I not discuss the issue with anyone on board as it might complicate things a little.

Tom turned to leave and placed his hand on my shoulder running his hand slowly down my back and across the pert young buttocks that he had obviously relished from the morning before and squeezed slightly “don’t worry for Linus he is fine and we can quickly clear this problem together tomorrow morning. O.K……..tell me you’re OK with this, we need to get it cleared otherwise immigration may well stop you leaving the country, you know it’s against the law to be taken in photos like that…..and with two men together as well…..could be very nasty if we are not careful……DO YOU UNDERSTAND…..YES or NO”, my lips began to tremble as the possible consequences started to sink in and images of the possible photos taken may implicate me in….”Yes I understand but I was just doing it to help Linus nothing else, you have to tell them Tom, please, please don’t let me down…”. Now don’t get upset we will settle this first thing tomorrow, don’t forget what I told you, uniform, briefs, car at 08h30 and don’t tell anyone…UNDERSTOOD”. I understood clearly and confirmed to Tom again. He walked away with a broad smile on his face and winked “no worries, count on me, see you tomorrow”.

The rest of my watch my mind went over every possible eventuality from prison, to deportation and humiliation for me and my family if news got out, I had to make sure this was all cleared up tomorrow whatever the cost.

My watch finished as usual at 08h00 and I had just 30 minutes to shower and get ready to go ashore, I had been careful not to alert anyone on board and prepared resolutely to solve the problem confronting me. I slipped into the red briefs that I had been wearing the day before and noticed strangely that they seemed slightly lighter and thinner and more transparent than the ones I had purchased prior to coming aboard, standing in front of the mirror I could clearly see through the material to the black curled pubic hair surrounding the apparent form of my cock and balls. I had some doubts as to whether I should wear these to the Police Station as they were to say the least provocative, my mind slipped back to Tom’s instructions earlier that morning and I quickly grabbed my white tropical shorts and drew them up over my buttocks to cover the transparent briefs. Shirt and long knee length socks completed the dress with black shoes. I didn’t bother with the cap that I hated and neglected always to wear. I grabbed my passport and slipped it into my rear pocket and took a wad of all the cash I had with me, about 100 000 Naira in all and stepped quietly out on to the deck.

Getting off the ship was not difficult with all the comings and goings and I walked to the end of Apapa wharf some 350 metres, quite embarrassing as I walked through literally hundreds of local Dockers and workers milling around in the filthiest conditions imaginable, I stood out like a sore thumb in pristine tropical whites.

The driver had no difficulty in recognising me and made signs for me to join him and another passenger in what was a run down smelly noisy smoky jalopy that I doubted would ever get us anywhere, the driver however confirmed that Tom had sent him to pick me up to take me to the Immigration “yes Master Tom give very nice photo of him, very good photo, good for wank me and my brother, we show you”, the passenger plunged into the dilapidated dirty glove compartment to pull out a large format well thumbed and grubby photo of me that had been taking the previous evening by Tom an Linus in my cabin, I was naked except for my what seemed now such tiny red transparent briefs with Linus stood next to with his hand around my waist and hand on the top of my left thigh.
“You need to pay in advance 20 000 Naira and we need to check a few things first to make sure you have everything the police will need”. I had plenty with me so paid quickly from the wad that the driver eyed eagerly before starting off.
The heat in the vehicle was almost intolerable as we drove away but stopped just around the corner when the passenger got out and joined me on the back seat with the photo largely in view and the car moved on again.

“First thing I need to see is your passport”, this I took from my back seat pocket and handed to him, he checked briefly and threw forward onto the front seat. “your uniform we can see is fine, do you have anything else in your pockets, just empty them so we have no problems with the police, they can be very awkward and we don’t want them to give you trouble”. I showed him the contents of my pockets a hanky and the money that was left. “That’s good the money will help to persuade the police of your innocence, he threw that forward to the front seat and left the hanky on his lap. “Now I need to see you as you were in this photo and see the red ladies underwear, Tom was very insistent, so just slip off your shirt and shorts”.
“Is that absolutely necessary I can assure you I have exactly the same red briefs on this morning as in the photo”, I argued feebly.

The driver responded “yes we really must check my brother and I that you have all as in the photo, any mistakes and the police will put you directly in jail, believe me sir, very easy just take off shirt and shorts, easy now do it please…..please sir no fuss…..do it now please sir or we leave you here” and he moved to stop on the road side.
I moved to undo my shorts….

“start with shirt please Sir…..please sir”, I corrected myself and started to unbutton my shirt, the passenger next to me was growing quite intense and started to rub his crotch and the driver turned quickly into a tiny back alley slum road to slow to a stop and turn to watch the show. It was not easy in this run down wreck but I struggled un graciously out of my short sleeved shirt and moved to undo my shorts, the driver indicated to the passenger to pass him my shirt, that he grabbed and checked minutely before folding onto the front seat. I undid the top button and unfastened the clasp of my light cotton shorts to slip them to the floor of the vehicle, as I pulled them down they caught on the briefs at the back and I found myself with them to half way down over my buttocks but I quickly redressed and showed myself to my two recent friends.

“Just pass me the shorts too….”, urged the driver to the passenger again, who leaned over to help me slide them over my shoes. “that’s just nice, quite like the photo, let me touch them because they look less transparent than the ones in the photo, or perhaps because you are sat down, stretch out a little and turn towards me, what do you think Brother”.