The Legacy loomed before her, all gleaming sails and polished decks and ultimate wonderful opportunity.
The girl nibbled at her lower lip, torn in two. She liked Montressor spaceport, much more than she'd ever liked any other port. She had lived in this place long enough to call it Home...but she had no home, not really. Space was her home, the wild freedom it entailed. The risks and adventure it promised.
Why not stow away on this magnificent ship and see some more action?
She stood at the dock, her arms crossed, as dock hands and common salts crowded past her, not noticing her at all. Of course she didn't care...it was better to remain anonymous, to be a nobody, especially when your face was registered in most wanted lists. Her clothes were shabby and worn, the usual garb of swoop racers or travelers. She wore a bandanna-cap and goggles over her long dark brown hair, which was sloppily gathered back into a ponytail that hung to her waist. Her royal blue eyes were fixed on the Legacy, the fire in them hungry for adventure. She couldn't have been much older then seventeen or so, but the way she carried herself, she had confidence. Her right arm flexed involuntarily, circuits and drivers clicking, the cyborg part of her expressing a nervous tic. From the shoulder down it was mechanical. A small scar was etched over her right eye, completing her strange appearance. Tall, rangy and agile, at first glance one might have called her a cabin boy.
I can't. Not again. Last time I stowed away I got lashes...
She blinked and gritted her teeth, clenching both fists. Some inner struggle resolved itself and her expression brightened, followed by a sly smirk. She would stow away on this ship, partly because of her lust for adventure...and partly because she had to keep a vow.
She shook her head. Best not dwell on that now. To adventure!
When she was sure no one was looking, she dashed for the loading ramp, sprinting up and over the rail. She headed straight for the hold. Lucky for her there was no one down there, just crates and boxes and barrels of fruit. Grinning, she activated a small light on her robotic wrist and found a comfy nook to settle in, right behind a tall pile of ropes and boxes. She helped herself to a purple fruit and leaned back against the wall. Good. She was aboard...now to survive being found, if it happened.
Such is the life of Nova, one of the best stowaways in the galaxy.
.........................
Jim Hawkins wandered into the hold shortly after the Legacy took off from Montressor spaceport. He was a little hungry, and after seeing all those vicious-looking crewmen, he was a bit uneasy. He started looking through barrels, searching for something decent to eat, then accidentally elbowed a large stack on crates. They tumbled backward with a loud crash.
"Aagh!" came a pained cry, followed by much movement.
Jim immediately started forward, puzzled, then stopped in his tracks upon seeing Nova. She glared at him, rubbed a few bruises and stood shakily, popping her neck. "Clumsy oaf, ya could've killed me!"
"You're a stowaway!" Jim accused her, pointing.
She rolled her eyes and cocked her head. "Duh. What other divine revelations do you have to tell me?"
"I should tell the Captain Ameliya." Jim fumbled, unsure of what to do. She looked underfed and poor, but then again, so did most pirates and thieves...but she wasn't much older than him, was she?
"Right. You must be the obedient little cabin boy. Well off with ya then, go tattle like a good li'l pet." Nova snorted, crossing her arms.
"I'm not a 'pet'. And I'm no obedient...little...cabin boy. I'm here because I happened to find the treasure ma-"
"Treasure map?" Nova's eyes grew round. "I-"
"I shouldn't have told you that. Now I'm going to report you." Jim said. He turned to make for the stairs, but Nova caught him by the arm and growled. "Now see here, laddie-"
"What's this?" hissed an evil-sounding voice, and down the stairs came Mister Scroop, an arachnid-crab alien with yellow eyes and sharp claws. "Ahh, a stowaway. Well, well, well, looks like we'll have to do something about this."
"Ah, button yer lip, Ugly. I'll tie yer legs in pretty li'l knots an' hang ye by yer gutstrings if ya so much as touch me!" Nova sneered, letting go of Jim. Jim wondered if she was crazy, challenging Scroop like that. She didn't look very strong.
"Let's see about that." Scroop growled, claws out and deadly.
"I say we report her to Captain Ameliya." Jim mustered. He and Scroop stared each other down for a moment, then the unsavory alien backed off. "Of course, Cabin Boy. Always do what you're told." he hissed, knowing that he was baiting the boy. Jim glared and grabbed Nova's arm. "C'mon. It's for your own good."
"No it ain't! You'll unhand me or...or..." Nova yanked herself free. "I don't take orders from nobody, an' I can't be chained! Nova don't wear a leash for no one!"
Scroop scuttled out of the hold, probably to alert the captain and crew of the stowaway.
Nova shot after him, Jim hot on her heels. Two alien crewmen rushed to block her way. Nova was seized but continued trying to struggle, kicking though her legs were lifted from the deck and her arms were pinned. She bared her teeth and glared daggers at Scroop, who smirked.
"Ah, a stowaway. How quaint." Captain Ameliya strode up to the incapacitated girl, who tilted up her chin in obvious defiance. The feline captain cocked an eyebrow, studying Nova. "Not the most threatening thing, I suppose...what is your name, girl?"
"Nova. Just Nova." Nova spat, glaring. "An' I'll kill whoever tries ta put me in irons, I promise ye that!"
"No one said anything about irons. Keep up that talk about killing and I might." Ameliya gestured and Nova was released...actually, dropped. She landed hard on her rear and stood immediately, wary and angry. Her gaze fell on Dopplar in his absurd space suit and she suppressed a fit of laughter.
"What use will a puny girl be to us, Captain? I say we get rid of her." Scroop suggested, and a few of the uglier aliens chorused an agreement.
"Puny?! I'll show ya puny! Just wait till I get me hands around yer puny li'l neck!" Nova shot back, ready to launch herself at Scroop and to blazes with the consequences. Ameliya nearly ordered a defense, but then Nova found herself hoisted up by the back of her shirt collar, suspended a foot off the deck and rendered harmless.
"Thank you, Mister Silver. That was well in order." Ameliya said approvingly.
Nova glanced sideways at Silver, noting his cyborg parts. He held her up by the scruff at arm's length. He was even smiling as if she was comical. That made her even more mad. She kicked and struggled but could not prevail; she was as helpless as a puppy being carried by its scruff. "Thank ye, Cap'n. I don't think this mite's very dangerous. P'raps a good meal an' a proper job alongside th' crew would calm her down, aye? No humanity in tossin' a youngun' over the side." he said.
"I ain't joinin' no crew an' I ain't workin' alongside that spindly-legged crab cake!" Nova declared, pointing at Scroop. "An' I happen to be VERY dangerous when I'm on me own two feet!"
Silver burst out laughing and so did some of the crewmen, which ticked Nova off severely. Her face turned red and she hissed out some words in an alien tongue that are best left untranslated.
"You have a choice, Nova, if that is your name. Stay aboard as a part of this crew or spend quite a few weeks at the nearest reform academy for juvenile delinquents. It is a fair choice either way and I daresay that either one shall improve your welfare greatly." Ameliya said. "It is because you are quite young and we could use all the extra hands we could get. Also because on this ship discipline and work are of the essence and you shall receive a much more, shall I say, agreeable lot than you would behind bars."
"She can't join the crew!" one of the hands blurted, then added under his breath: "Too many throats to slit already."
"An' who's to say I can't, ye? Bah! I'm joinin' this crew an' I'll outwork ye till ye drop dead, Slimball!" Nova retorted, refusing to be made a coward. I'll show them just how tough I am, she thought proudly. Anyone can crew a stupid boat.
"It's settled then. Silver, I'm putting you in charge of this...miscreant. She can work alongside Hawkins." Ameliya said, nodding with finality. Silver set Nova down on the deck and she yanked her stretched collar down, casting baleful looks toward anyone who was sneering at her. Her eyes settled on Jim, who was somewhat perturbed over being paired with this crazy lunatic of a girl. She noticed his blandly bleak expression and allowed herself a small smile. Ameliya clapped her hands and began giving orders to the crew. "You there, secure that line! Oil those rusty sockets! Make sure those cables are secured!" They scattered to do her bidding. All except Silver, Jim, Nova, Dopplar, Arrow and Ameliya. Ameliya headed for her cabin, trailed by loyal Arrow, while Dopplar hurried to his cabin to extricate himself from the clunky space suit.
Jim and Nova cast disparaging glances at each other, dreading the coming work. Silver noticed their discomfort and smirked. "Now, lads and lasses, there'll be no bickerin' whilst there's chores to be done."
"I can handle chores just fine. I ain't a sissy." Nova said proudly, giving Jim a snooty look.
"Neither am I." Jim shot back. "In fact, I-"
"All right then, let's get to workin." Silver interrupted. He headed for the galley, his cyborg peg leg thumping as he went. Nova and Jim followed him, keeping a distance between each other. When they reached the doorway they found two mops being thrust at them.
"Great. Swabbie duty." Jim sighed.
"What, scared ye might pull one o' yer nonexistent muscles?" Nova sneered.
"Hey, I can outwork you any day, Miss Priss." Jim shot back.
"I'll hold ye to that challenge, Mister Hawkins." Nova smirked slyly.
"What did I say, now?" Silver emerged, carrying a large bucket of soapy water. It sloshed as he walked, getting on Nova, who scowled but did not say anything. Instead she trooped after him, her mop over her shoulder like a musket. Jim did the same, hating the current situation. Now he wished he had let Scroop have his way. How would having a psychomaniac stowaway on board help anything? They had treasure to find!
Nova immediately thrust her mop into the water as soon as Silver set down the bucket and began scrubbing furiously. Jim hesitated, then followed suit, less enthusiastic and much more unwilling.
Silver watched as the young girl attacked her first chore, her desire to show up Jim fueling her frenzied enthusiasm. He wondered why he had suggested letting her join the crew in the first place. After all, he had a plan to stick to...a plan that did not need any more crew to get rid of clogging it up. This girl would definitely pose a problem when the time came to mutiny. But she reminded him of someone. He couldn't recall just who, though...
"AAAGGGHHH!"
Suddenly Nova let out an ear-rending shriek and leaped straight up in the air, much like a frightened cat. She brandished the mop like a ninja staff and bared her teeth, glaring at the mop water. "Ye gods, I coulda sworn I saw a-"
Up from the water came a blob, a blob that chortled with laughter upon seeing Nova's reaction. She stared, incredulous, then relaxed somewhat. Jim was nearly turning purple trying to keep from laughing.
"What. Is. That. Thing?" Nova asked, lowering her mop.
"Aw, that be Morphie. He's no harm. Are ya Morphie?" Silver addressed the blob, which came to him like a pet and danced around in the air. Nova shook her head and reassumed her confident air. "Well that was a mighty sneaky joke ye played, mate! Near about scared me stiff!"
Morph flew over to her and squished her face, then slithered down her arm and morphed into a minature Nova, replaying her freak-out. "Hey! Cut it out., ye consarned blob o' jelly!" Nova protested. Morph copied her, shaking a fist for emphasis. Nova couldn't help but laugh.
"See, he likes ya." Silver grinned. Nova saw Jim's amused expression and sighed. "Go ahead an' laugh, mate. It was pretty funny."
She felt somewhat hopeful for the future. Maybe, just maybe, life here wouldn't be so bad.