Thomas was laying in his bunk with his arm draped over his eyes. Letting out a groan of suffering when the ship moved yet again, “Oh Christ, are we there yet?” he croaked as he put his other hand on his stomach trying to will whatever contents might be left in there to stay put. It had been a hellish few months of travel by the sea. How was he to know that he’d be heaving over the top deck and praying for death nearly every moment of the day. The ship rocked again and the door slammed open, the footsteps on the floor could only signal one person. 

He moved his arm and cracked open an eye to stare at George, the small curly-haired boy who happened to have his bunk directly above his. George was about nine years old and was traveling with his parents and two baby sisters. The boy was tickled that Thomas, this man bigger than his Dad, was reduced to a retching wreck almost daily. “We’re ‘ere!” George yelled in Thomas’ face jumping up and down with joy before he bent over and started tugging on Tom’s arm. “Come on, come see America!” he yelled again. The rocking of his body mixed with the bumps and movement of the boat docking made Thomas groan again and then shove the boy out of the way to sit up and quickly get to his feet. He was about to revisit his lunch, and there was no way he was going to be doing that from his bunk. 

Thomas didn’t even take note of the city off to the side of the ship, instead he went to the other railing and took up his usual position of his head hanging over the side, and not for the first time he seriously considered hauling himself over to end it all. When his stomach was empty, he heard George and one of his sisters laughing behind him, but at this point, he didn’t have the energy to tell them to bugger off. He stayed where he was until he heard people disembarking from the boat. He moved back to his bunk area and grabbed his things. Stopping off in one of the communal bathrooms he quickly rinsed his mouth and brushed his teeth. 

Thomas stood on the deck, blissfully happy that for once the cursed thing wasn’t moving. He reached his hand up to touch his front pocket where he had stored the letter from his mother, Amelia. She had sent him off to boarding school when he was young because she didn’t want the same life for him that she had had. But now she was dead, and he was fully grown and allowed to make his own choices. Plus, Kathryn, Charlie, and their brood were starting to get on his tits. So here he was in America, looking for his cousin, Tabitha, or Tam or something with a T. He shook his head, with nothing left keeping him on this ship, he got in line to walk down the gangplank. Once his feet hit the solid ground Thomas wanted to weep with joy. He thought he saw a black-haired girl peering at him curiously, so he took a few steps in her direction which promptly caused his legs to give up and send him sprawling. 

“Bloody great first impression, knob head.” he muttered to himself as he laid there, wishing the ground would just open up and swallow him whole.
 

Not unfamiliar with waking up on the floor in a disorientated, dehydrated state, Tammy peered down at the man lying flat out on the dock. She approached slowly, her hair catching in the sea breeze. Around them, passengers bustled and gulls called. Nearby ship horns floated on the air and echoed off the city limits. Tammy passed through the oncoming crowds until she stood over the figure on the floor.

She was wrapped in a brown overcoat to break the wind and her hair was held up in an untidy bunch by a black band. She poked at him with the toe of her heeled shoe and quietly questioned. 

"Tommy?"

Thomas heard the Irish voice and slowly opened his eyes. He blinked a few times so the face would come into focus. The black hair, pale skin and the blue sky outlining them both caused him to swear, “Christ you look like your father.” He muttered before pushing himself up on his elbows and grinning at the lass. “Tabby, Tammy, Tabitha?” he asked raised one of his eyebrows at the girl. He figured he had the right one, not a lot of women would approach a strange unconscious man, and even fewer looked like his uncle. 

He looked around the sea of ankles and shoes and shook his head, “It would appear I’ve forgotten how to walk on land.” He told her before struggling to his feet. He half turned, bending down to pick up his rucksack that he had dropped in his fall before placing a strap over his shoulder and then holding his hand out. “Well, Tabitha, Tammy or Tabby, it is lovely to meet you.” He told the girl with a grin. 
 

"Tammy, please."

She shook the hand with unexpected vigor and a half grin. It wasn't often she was told she looked like a man, but there was something about Thomas that made it OK. 

"So, did your mam' marry? Or you're just keeping the only name you know you have?"

She turned as they walked away from the dock, out towards the road. There were multiple vehicles rolling past, the laboured engine growls drowning out all but the most intimate conversations. 

"Tammy it is," he said while shaking her hand. He hoisted his bag higher on his shoulder and looked around for one of the dock workers. He needed to arrange the transport of his trunk, but after a moment he gave up trying to located someone in the crush of people and instead fell in step with Tammy as they left the docks. "Mum? She never married, she was going to, but then..." he swallowed the lump in his throat that formed whenever he thought about his mother. "Never mind that though," he said, his voice rough. "Besides, if she had there was no chance of carrying on the Gato name, was there?" he told her. 

They fell into silence, although the noises around them were vast. He was trying to be nonchalant about it, but he kept sneaking peeks at the areas around him. He'd been to London, but that had a certain civility about it that appeared to be lacking here in the States. A small child stood on the corner, covered in dirt and grime hawking papers for pennies. He nearly purchased one, when he realized he had no money on him. That'd have to be fixed rather quickly. "So...." he said, reaching for a topic of conversation. "I suppose it was a bit of a shock getting that letter from me, eh?" he asked her. 

Tammy chuckles as they walked. Relatives had recently been popping up all over since she the deaths of their parents. Names listed in their last will was bringing family back together.

As they approached the roadside a car pulled up next to them and came to a gradual halt. Tammy was quick to open the door and offer Thomas a seat. 

"It was a shock, but I also reunited with Terra only days before."

She cocks her head with a quizzical look. 

"...You do know about Terra, don't you?"

Tommy ducked his head as he slid into the car, setting his rucksack at the floor between his feet. He glazed out the moment for a while, gawking like a proper tourist before he forced his attention back to Tammy. "Huh?" he said, reaching up to scratch the stubble on the side of his jaw. "Terra?" he asked and then he leaned towards her, "Wait, Your dad or my mom?" he asked quickly, wondering if him being an only child wasn't as true as he had thought. It wouldn't surprise him, given some of the vitriol he'd heard whispered about his mum back home. 

She smiles while watching Thomas take in the city. One thing she knew about America that differed from England, and that was that everything was considered taller over here. Having never been across the pond, she couldn't really comment, though her cousin was seemingly transfixed by the difference.

"My dad and... someone else's mother." She said with an indifferent tone.

She was never around to see her fathers years, her knowledge of him and his life was pieced together by other people. Though there were many stories about him, few would comment on his family life. After he left Tammy and her mother for their own safety, his life took him in another direction once in Detroit. As a result, she had a sister.

"She's nice, real friendly. And smart, from what I remember. Recently came back from schooling."

Thomas stopped gawking and looked at Tammy. "Well, I suppose thats a good thing." he told her, "Although, didn't our parents have two other siblings?" he asked rubbing the back of his head. "I wonder if more bloody Gatos are going to come out of the woodwork." he shook his head. 

The car moved along, and he resumed looking out the window. There was so much to see and he wanted to take it all in. He supposed once he was settled he could do with a bit of a wander around the city, which might be a fun afternoon. 

"Where are we going, anyway?" he asked Tammy, glancing over at her quickly, "Because I would love a cuppa." he admitted with a sheepish smile. 

"The airport, dear Thomas, we need to get to Las Vegas."

The car took them over bridges and past rail roads, leaving the city and taking them deeper into the state. Over their shoulder a second car followed. 

"I tink' you're going to like our people. There will be time for sight seein' later, we've got some work to do."

They arrived at the airport. The roar of engines and propellers almost deafening, the air was tense and disturbed, an eerie humidity surrounding them. The second car parked up as they disembarked, the occupants exiting with Thomas's trunk.

She turned, grinning. 

"How well do ya' fly?"

He stared at the plane and shook his head, "I've never flown before." he admitted to his cousin. He put his hand to his stomach thinking about his trip over the ocean and felt it roll. "But, I can't possibly be so unlucky as to get air sick and sea sick, right?" he asked. The climbed up the steps, Tammy leading the way to their seats. Once they were buckled in he took a deep breath and looked out the window, hoping he would manage to keep the contents of his stomach where they belonged. 

The plane started hurtling down the runway at rather impressive speeds, and Thomas was staring out the window taking it all in as the world blurred. But the moment it lifted off, his stomach dropped and he quickly turned to focus on the seat in front of him before squeezing his eyes closed. "Ok, I don't like it." he finally said about flying, his hands gripping the armrests tightly. "Is it too late to turn back?" he muttered. 

Kuku- stared at the ship happening to come into his gaze...

Friends, gather round, for there is a new SHIP coming into view, soon, it'll come into dock.  And then, the passengers will get off.  They will alight.  From the ship.

And then, my friends, the alighted passengers will walk among us.

They will have arrived, here, in this thing.

What will these passengers be like?

Thomas gripped the armrests tighter as the airplane turned in the air, "What is going on?" he asked looking around. He glanced out the window and saw that the plane was about to go over the docks that he had just disembarked from, "What?" he asked, looking at Tammy for answers. She didn't have any. A voice came through the plane, telling them not to worry and they just had to lighten the load a bit and make a quick deposit. 

As the plane flew over the docks, one of the stewardesses pressed a button allowing the waste contents from the toilet to drop down below to where the lovely Kuku- was standing. Thomas watched in earnest as the people below were painted in the mixture. "Fitting." he muttered before closing his eyes once more as the plane corrected its course and headed towards his new home.