The Captain’s Dilemma
The captain found himself in a difficult position. On the one hand, Ed and Mabel had broken no laws by staying aboard, though they had exploited a loophole in the ship’s system. On the other hand, their continued presence posed a logistical challenge. How had they avoided detection for so long? The captain realized that this wasn’t just a matter of evicting two passengers; it was about preventing something like this from happening again.
A Decision Is Made
After much deliberation, the captain decided to handle the situation quietly. Rather than causing a public scandal or alerting the authorities, he offered Ed and Mabel a deal. They could stay until the end of the current voyage, but after that, they would need to disembark and leave the Ocean Serenity. Ed and Mabel agreed, though the reality of their departure weighed heavily on them. Their decade-long adventure was finally coming to a close.