Ten Cents

**Ten Cents the Loyal Switcher Tug** is the main character in the Seventyverse's TUGS spinoff series and is the first member of the Star Fleet.

## Backstory

(To be updated with details regarding A Star is Born to be added) Among the things that happened prior to the start of the series was that O.J. took him under his wing (*Ghosts*), and that he once had a crush on Zip before Zug came and tore their friendship apart (*Run Aground*; *Loading Grain*). He also was ecstatic to meet Hercules, his big brother (*Hercules*), when he came to Bigg City Port and joined the Star Tugs.

It's implied that prior to the 1920s, Ten Cents was a switcher who did basic jobs for Captain Star rather than bigger ones alongside the other, larger tugs in the Star Fleet. However, Ten Cents got his chance of helping tow in an ocean liner when the Z-Stacks knocked Big Mac out of action.

Ten Cents usually works with Sunshine, the Star Fleet's second and smallest switcher. They have shared many adventures, almost to the extent that it is impossible to imagine one without the other. Ever since Sunshine joined the fleet, she and Ten Cents have been the best of friends. Hercules often relies on Ten Cents to look after others such as Lillie Lightship or the Duchess.

When Zak successfully framed Sunshine for an accident during the towing in of the Duchess, Ten Cents was the only tug that didn’t lose his likeness for her and tried to find her. The truth soon got out thanks to Izzy Gomez being a witness of the incident.

## Relationships

### Big Mac

Unlike Top Hat and Warrior, Big Mac didn't say anything about Ten Cents not being able to dock an Ocean Liner. However, it wasn't until he was stuck on the sand banks that Big Mac put his faith in Ten Cents.

The little switcher repects Big Mac and looks up to him as a mentor and an 'uncle' figure. Both of them can be greatly stubborn, and Big Mac can be a bit dubious of Ten Cents' ideas sometimes (such as having Billy use his dynmite to rescue Sunshine from the logs). However, Big Mac is very protective of Ten Cents too, and usally keeps calm when Ten Cents' temper flares up.

### O.J.

Ten Cents looks up to O.J. as a wise mentor and full of determination. He often asks O.J. for advice on how to handle situations, such as when Sunshine went missing or how to rescue Grampus. When O.J. lost his confidence after accidentally sinking Felicia and considered scrapping, Ten Cents told O.J. that he should never give up after one accident.

### Top Hat

Top Hat is often made fun of by Ten Cents when he gets too puffed up in the smokestack. However, when Ten Cents was capsizing with Izzy Gomez, Top Hat managed to use Lord Stinker to help save him. Their relationship faulterd when Top Hat didn't help put out the munitions fire, but when Top Hat led the charge to save O.J., Ten Cents forgave him. Ten Cents, like the rest of the Stars, were horrifed and heartbroken when Top Hat gave his life to save Zip.

### Warrior

Warrior didn't have the highest opinon of Ten Cents at first, saying it was "big tugs only" for ocean liner docking. However, he did allow Ten Cents to help, and listened to him when Sunshine was proven innocent. He also defended Ten Cents from the Z-Stacks taunts when he was accused of stealing barges, and worked with him to stop Zeus from contaminating more coal. Ten Cents' respect for Warrior also grew when the latter saved the former and Izzy Gomez from capsizing, as well as saving Uptown from the log jam.

### Hercules

Ten Cents is Hercules' little brother, and is proud to admit that. He looks up to Hercules as a role model and heavily trusts him. When Ten Cents tells Hercules about the ocean liner docking mishap, Hercules is more than willing to help investigate. When Hercules took on bad coal, Ten Cents immediately set out to rescue him and take him back to the Star Dock.

### Sunshine

Ten Cents and Sunshine instantly got along at first sight, and worked extremely well together in the harbour. Ten Cents stood by Sunshine when she was being accused of messing up the liner docking, and proved her innocent. Likewise, when Ten Cents was accused of stealing barges, Sunshine returned that loyalty, and stood by Ten Cents' side to rescue Sea Rogue and O'Malley.

### Grampus

Ten Cents gets along well with Grampus, and was very grateful when Grampus proved his innocence and helped to save Sea Rogue and O'Malley. In return, Ten Cents rushed in to save Grampus from being blown up by the Navy for target practice. Grampus returns the favour once more when he saves Ten Cents from the oil barge.

### Moonlight

When Sunshine was kidnapped by Corona, Nightshade, Oleander and Foxglove, Ten Cents and Moonlight formed a pair. They found her in the old shed near the dock of O.J.'s old fleet and quickly got her back to the Star Dock.

### Penny

Ten Cents initially knew a little bit about Penny due to stories from Hercules, but none of the trio knew they were related until Penny and Ariel were chartered by Captain Lucky. Although Penny unintentionally upset Ten Cents with a comment about an exploded fuel barge, she was quick to apologize. The two switchers bonded together with Ten Cents, even singing a song and going as far as to stick up for Penny when Zeus mocked her. Penny began to speculate that there was something going on between Ten Cents and Ariel. When Ten Cents went on loan to the Navy, Penny came back to cover for him. Ten Cents was thrilled when Penny and Ariel were to bought by Captain Lucky and help out around Lucky's Yard after the war.

### Zebedee

Other than a few taunts, Ten Cents didn't have much of an opinion on Zebedee at first. However, after Zebedee helps Ten Cents (and Sunshine) with Scuttlebutt Pete and he helped the Stars with the Princess Alice docking, Ten Cents deeply respects Zebedee. He offers Zebedee a place in the Stars, but he declined. However, 21 years later, he warmly accepts Zebedee into the Star Tugs after Zero Marine goes bankrupt.

### Zip

Before Zug joined the Z-Stacks, Ten Cents and Zip had a secret friendship. When they met, Ten Cents stood up for Zip when she was being bullied by Zorran and Zak. Zip, surprised and grateful, started a friendly rivalry with Ten Cents. The two competed for smaller contracts across the port, and as they learned more about each other, developed a spark of romance. When Zug came, he decided to put an end to this friendship, and unfortunately, his manipulation on Zip had worked. This left poor Ten Cents on his own, and Zip deeply morally conflicted. The other Stars and Z-Stacks found out about Ten Cents' previous friendship with Zip, but only Hercules knew about the romantic spark between the Star Crossed Lovers. After Zip and Zug saved a freightliner, Zip and Ten Cents start to repair their friendship. However, they don't regain their romance, as Ten Cents has moved onto another tug: Ariel. After Zero Marine is bankrupt, Ten Cents warmly welcomed Zip into the Stars.

### Zob

Ten Cents found Zob to be very professional and highly respected the railway tug. This was especially true after it was revealed Zob served in WW1. After Zero Marine is bankrupt, Ten Cents warmly welcomed Zob into the Stars.

## Romance

### Ariel

When Ariel and Penny were chartered by Captain Lucky after Big Mac, O.J. and Sunshine went to help the Salvage Fleet and Hercules was called away up the coast, Ten Cents thought that Ariel was the most beautiful tug he had ever seen. When Ariel revealed how she sometimes wished she was a human, she and Ten Cents had to laugh, and Top Hat, Warrior and Penny joined in as well. Ariel also felt sorry for Ten Cents after learning about his near death experience. Sadly, Ten Cents couldn't confess his love to her before she and Penny went home and since they lived in different states, a long distance relationship would be difficult. After Top Hat was killed, Ariel was informed about it by Captain Lucky and she came back to help, despite not being for railway work. The remaining Stars were cheered up by her presence, especially Ten Cents. When Ten Cents volunteered for the Navy, Ariel begged him to be careful. During the final battle, Ariel acted as back-up for Ten Cents in rescuing Zebedee but he didn't need it. After Ursula and her gang were defeated, Ten Cents was thrilled to learn that Ariel and Penny would be staying to help Captain Lucky after the war. A few days later, Ten Cents and Ariel finally confessed their love to each other.

## Personality

Ten Cents is one of the younger and braver Star Tugs. He has a tendency to be a bit cheeky at times, but is strong-willed, and it takes a lot to break him. He is quick-witted and takes action swiftly without hesitation. He never lets other tugs bully him, never fails to stand up for others, and is always willing to set aside his own safety for the sake of others. He has a bit of a short temper, but he is also smart enough to listen to the advice of the older, more experienced tugs. He also shows a great deal of respect and kindness to others around him, by tooting his whistle all the time and greeting other tugs such as Boomer, or even the likes of the Z-Stacks.

Ten Cents is young, impulsive and quick to anger. In several stories, Ten Cents is always so quick to put himself in danger, mostly for the greater good. But is then pulled back by a wiser character advising against it. He is very lovable though, and has a heart of gold. He is very loyal to his fleet and his Captain, plays by the rules and is a real hero. (Info regarding Munitions to be added)

## Technical Details

### Basis

Like the rest of the Star Fleet, Ten Cents is based on the tugs of San Francisco from the 1920s, and his name reflects his American origins.

### Livery

Ten Cents is painted in the Star Fleet's corporate livery. This consists of a black hull, a yellow superstructure, white mast, and an American flag-styled red, white, and blue funnel. His name is painted on the sides of his bow in white and he has the number "1" on his funnel. He wears a blue cap.

## Differences between TUGS, Salty's Lighthouse and the SeventyVerse

* In *TUGS* and the SeventyVerse, Ten Cents and Sunshine are best friends. In *Salty Lighthouse*, they are brother and sister.
* In the SeventyVerse, Zip and Ten Cents used to be friends prior to meeting Zug and Sunshine, and even had a crush on each other.

## Trivia

* The preferred voice actor for Ten Cents is Simon Nash, who voiced him in the original *TUGS* series.
* Like in the older, deleted scripts, Ten Cents and Hercules are brothers.
* Ten Cents' worst nightmare is explosions (and potentially dying from one).