Chapter Two

I was sitting on the counter listening to my pa go on and on, on how to prepare his Bonzabeast Stew. That of which never tasted right to me whenever he made it. I grabbed a purp out of the barrel beside, turning it in my hand, and placed back loosing interest in the small fruit.

"Now all's we have to do is cut up a few of these here and we're in top knocks from there on." His robotic arm, shifted into many knives as he chopped a few ingredients, and then added them to the pot in the middle of the room. I sighed, bored and ready to be under way. "What is it, lass? You've been sour since you came in here." He looked over at me, his right mechanical eye shining a soft yellow in my direction.

I never had to hide my emotion around him, being my father and all he understood me, and my scars since he had many that were the same. "Ran into one of our passengers; knocked me over, looked scared to death when I came at him." I smiled remembering the fear in his eye, but soon it faded when I remembered his concern. I ran a hand through my silver hair, I wasn't old, hell no, but given my medical predicament, it never would be any other color. My eyes were a brilliant red, and my skin fair, something known to people with my luck. Albinism, it sucks yes, but it had its advantages at other points, my back being covers in tattoos being one of them, my white skin was the perfect canvas for its artist.

I opened my mouth to speak again, quickly shutting it as I hear footsteps coming down in our direction. 'Blast it all' I thought, I really needed a talk soon or I would blow up in someone's face.

"That woman- that feline- whom does she thinks is working for whom?!"Said a male canine in a metal suit, usually worn to protect oneself from the diseases carried in the far reaches of space. Next to him was the young man I ran into, he looked equally as stressed as the elder beside him.

"It's my map, and she has me bussing tables!"

Mr. Arrow soon interjected at that moment stopping them in their tracks. "I will not tolerate a cross word said about our captain. There's no finer officer in this, or any, galaxy." He released them from his grasp on their shoulders at the end of that last sentence, knocking the younger forward for a moment.

I hopped down from my perch and leaned against the post to the kitchen area. "Greeting Ms. Silver." Said Mr. Arrow, I respected the rock man, his loyalty in his captain shown in his every word spoken about her. I nodded my head in his direction, putting my hands in my pockets. "Gents, this is Salina Silver, our cabin girl. I would not mess with her if I were you." He said this because earlier I caught him as he slipped on water I had left on deck to mop back up. He never touched the ground. I had only to hold him up with one hand, never breaking a sweat.

I turned towards the kitchen, ignoring their greetings as my father began to right himself to great the passengers. He started whistling then, drawing their attention from me. I shook my head, it was an old tune, no one probably knew it anymore.

"Mr. Silver!" called out Arrow.

Pa came out, wiping his hands on his apron. "Why, Mr. Arrow sir!" he greeted, "Bringin' such fine-lookin' distinguished gents to grace my humble galley." He bowed, showing of his robotic parts all on his right side. I looked down and back at them awaiting their reaction. "Had I known, I'd have tucked in me shirt." He made a show of tucking his apron into his red and white striped pants.

The younger man only glared at him, shifting his gaze between all the hunks of hardware he had on him. I heard him gasp silently, thinking I heard cyborg slip from his lips. I then caught myself staring again, and went to look at the canine once more, his face a bit confused at my pa.

"May I introduce Dr. Doppler," the canine stepped forward, sticking his hand out towards Mr. Silver. "The financier of our voyage?" I scoffed at the tone of Arrow's voice; he made it sound like a question instead of a statement. All hint of confusion was gone from Doppler's face, replaced with confidence. I shifted away, keeping my distance from the doctor.

"Love the outfit, Doc." Said Pa, shifting his eye to a laser pointer, and scanning Dr. Doppler's suit.

"Well, t-thank you. Um…love the eye." He covers his lower regions, as my father's eye went lower. "Uh…"He grabbed the young lad behind him, pushing towards my father. "This young lad" he continued. "is Jim Hawkins."

"Jimbo!" greeted Silver, reaching out his hand, showing his knives in the place of his fingers; quickly seeing his mistake shifting his hand to normal. Jim, only glared at my father, making me on edge, I went back in the kitchen grabbing two bowl knowing my father would have them eat his stew. "Ahh.." he shrugged. "Now, don't be so put off by this hunk of hardware." He grabbed four space shrimp from the ceiling, cutting the down and gutting them. He putt the shells in a small pot, which already had the ingredients from before, cut up some squash looking things. He faked cutting his other hand off, and popped it out of his sleeve with a chuckled, I did so as well, not with as much volume as him though. "These gears have been tough getting used to," he said, cracking three fretter eggs into the pot, and looked over his shoulder at me, smiling, "But they do come in mighty handy from time to time." Making and show of his work. He flamed the pot while walking over to the one I stood by, holding the pots and spoons.

I grabbed some spices, gently seasoning the pot, while Silver stirred. He lifted the ladle to his lips, tasting it before giving it an approving grin. Took the bowls and their spoon from my hands, filling them with soup- placing an eyeball into one bowl without the others noticing- handed me one and pointed to Hawkins. "Here, has a taste of me famous Bonzabeast Stew." He handed the one with the eye to Doppler while I handed the other to the lad.

I elbowed him in the side, getting his attention, and nodding my head in Doppler's direction. "Watch this." I said a slight laugh in my voice. Jim turned and watched as Doppler lapped at the stew.

"Delightfully tangy, yet…robust."

"Old family recipe," I said, watching as he went for another taste just as the eyeball popped up for a wink. Doppler jerked at the sight, I heard Jim laugh beside me. It was an old joke, one he played to every newcomer we came across.

Silver went to his side saying, "In fact, that was part of the ol' family." He said, laughed heartily, "I'm just kiddin' with you doc." picked up the eye and popped in his mouth. I went into the kitchen, fetching myself a bowl. It wasn't bad, better than nothing I would say. "I'm nothin' if I ain't a kidder." He said elbowing Jim on the other side. "Go on Jimbo have a swig."

Jim looked at it strangely; I had already eaten half of my bowl. Then the spoon he had picked some up with ate the stew. Jim gasped and let it go as it turned into a spall floating pink glob of goo. "Morph…" I said, "You jiggle-headed blob of mischief." Using my father's word from times before where he had done this.

"So that where you was hidin'." My father clapped me on the back and went to cook some more. Morph turned himself into a straw and ate what was left of Jim's stew, chirping happily as he finished.

Morph floated up and nuzzled Jim's cheek for a moment. "Blah… Ha…" he said nudging the blob away. "What is that thing?" he asked. I let Silver answer. Jim poked him, and he turned into a miniature Jim, repeating his voice at a higher frequency.

"Well, he's a morph." said Silver, "I rescued the little shape-shifter on Protues one. Met this little lass's mum there as well." Morph floated up to Silver and snuggled against his cheek purring. "Took a shine to me. We been together ever since." I sighed and leaned against a counter, knowing how this story went very well, having heard it from him a hundred times in the past. A bell chimed above our heads.

"We're about to get underway." interrupted Arrow. The canine turned to the stone. "Would you like to observe the launch, Doctor?" He asked bowing in his direction, ignoring Jim.

"Would I?" he asked back, "Does an active galactic nucleus have superluminal jets?" he asked. Not receiving an answer from Arrow so he shyly said, "I'll follow you…" and ducked away.

When Jim went to follow, Arrow stopped the boy and said. "The bow will stay here, in your charge Mister Silver." I heard Pa choke on his stew.

"Begging your pardon sir but-"

"Captain's orders!" he interjected. "See to it the new cabin boys kept busy." He walked away.

I jumped up and said, "What- No Arrow, but-." My father and Jim protested as well. I turned to see them sighing and rubbing their faces and the same fashion. It took a lot of will for me not to laugh at them both.

"So, Cap'n's put you with me, eh?" he broke the silence, pacing around Jim.

"Whatever." Replied Jim, he seemed to not care about it.

I shook my head and grabbed the mop and went to work on the kitchen floor, Pa could be such a slob.

"Well, who be a humble cyborg to argue with the Cap'n?" I noticed Jim go for a purp, the same one I had put back a while before.

"You know," he said shaking it in his hand, "these purps. They're like the ones back home, on Montressor." He caught my attention, we were there last night. "You ever been there?" I shook my head when he glanced in my direction for an answer.

"I can't say as I have, Jimbo." My father smiled over his shoulder at Jim, throwing things into a new pot beside him.

Jim took a bite of the fruit, and continued around the bite, sitting on the counter opposite of where I was. "Come to think of it," he swallowed, "Just before I left I met this old guy," he paused, "Who was, um…" I stopped mopping, leaned on the mop, and gave him my attention. Watching him through the fumes coming out of the pot, I quickly took it and moved to the counter so it wouldn't burn. "He was looking for a cyborg buddy of his."

"Is that so?" asked Silver.

"Yeah…What was that old Salamander's name?" he asked himself. I raised an eyebrow, very curious. "Oh yeah…Bones…Billy Bones." He finished. My breath hitched for the slightest seconds, but i soon corrected it.

I shook my head again, going back to my mopping. "Bones? Bo-o-ones…" said Silver, taking some pasta he had been boiling and strained it out. "Mm-mmm. T'ain't ringin' any bells." He passed Jim, steam passing in front of his face. "Must have been a different cyborg." He said, dropping the pasta beside Jim. "There's a slew of cyborgs roamin' these parts."

There was a whistle above deck, signaling the last call for departure. I propped Mr. Mop on the wall waiting for us to be excused to go watch, knowing he would. "Eh, off with you lad, and watch the launch." He pushed Jim towards the door, "Take Salina with you. Lord knows she needs the fresh air." I scoffed and went ahead of him. "There'll be plenty of work…" his voice trailed off as I want up the stairs, Jim close behind.

I rushed to the front of the ship, avoiding the crew as best I could. I heard the all clear from the crow's nest, and stood on the main bow in from of the ship, straddling the pole, locking me ankles. The sky was a bright blue today, making for a beautiful launch. Behind me I heard Arrow roar out the order for stations, and waited for the gravity to give way.

"Loose all Solar Sails!" he yelled. I bit my lip; the wind was on our side today. "Heave up the braces! Brace up!" he yelled. I heard Jim stand in front of the main mast; he was the only one clambering about more than the others.

My hair floated in front of my face, my weight lifting away, and my legs kept me in place though. "Mr. Zoff! Engage artificial gravity! I heard Captain Amelia yell. Three, two one…I counted to gravity engagement. I was on time, and gravity hit just right, pushing me back down to the pole. I stood and braced myself for launch. I heard Dr. Doppler drop down into a heap of metal behind me.

"Take her away!" I heard Arrow shout down to the engine room. I felt goose bumps rise on my arms in anticipation. Then I was slightly jerked back, wind snapping my hair behind me. Dr. Doppler yelled as he was thrust against something. I heard screws not a second later rolling on deck. We were off.

I walked back to the main deck, and saw Jim on the shrouds enjoying the sight. I sighed, his jacket blew about him, making himself seem at home. I shook my head and leaned against the mast to watch the stars appear before us. Space bats flocked our ship moving ahead of us. I heard Jim gasp as he caught sight of the Orcus Galacticus, or space whales as they were usually called, passed by us. The doctor confirmed the name from in the fishing post. It was a little area spreading away from the ship so you would be able to try and catch something if you had the chance. Amelia warned him about his actions, but he paid no word. I watched as the doc was sprayed by a whale, getting slime all over his suit. I shook my head; it would start rusting in his hands now. I looked to Jim again, regretting it a moment later. Jim was even better looking in open space- Wait, better looking, where did that come from? I shook my head again, trying to rid myself of the preposterous words.

Silver came on board, he had put on his black trench coat and captains hat, called to the captain, complimenting her and he day at the same time. I also heard Morph making fun of her. I chuckled, the little trouble-maker.

Jim was still in the shrouds and going down slightly for a more stable hold. I shook my head, the lad was just asking for trouble.

"Jimbo!" yelled Silver, "I've got two new friends I'd like you to meet." Jim looked around, waiting to see them. "Say hello to Mr. Mop," he chucked it at him, "and Mrs. Bucket." Jim caught them both, not faltering with his hold on the rigging. "Salina, you and him can scrub the deck for the rest of the night, I want it shining when I see you later." I saluted him, as he tossed me the brush, and got to work from where I was earlier that day. It still had soap from when I left.

We spent the next hours working; I was on my hands a knees, scrubbing away. I leaned back on my feet, wiping my forehead. "I never did quite catch your name." said Jim. I looked up, he was leaning against the mop looking down at me.

"Never gave it to you." I said going back to work. I didn't want to be there, bed looked good right then, to be able to rest my legs.

"My names Jim," he held his hand out to my. I took it, he pulled me up to level with him.

"Salina, Salina Silver." I shook his hand, and grabbed the mop from him and pointed to the brush on the ground where I left it.

"'Silver', isn't that-"

"Yes, I'm his daughter." I moved the mop, scooting away from him.

"No way…A pretty thing like you?" I saw right through his little charm he was pulling.

"Not by blood you ding bat, my mum married him before she knew she was with child, he took me as if I were his own. Owe my life to the dog." Jim laughed a little at the end.

"So why do you stay with him and not your mom?" he asked, his hands in his pockets.

"Not something I'm willing to tell you, pup. Now get to work." I moved away from him. I heard him sigh behind me, and start scrubbing the floor. A four armed man came up behind me, and shoved me back.

"Watch it twerp." He said in a deep voice.

"You watch it four arms." I said back to him, my voice dripping with venom.

The man growled at me and turned away. Jim decided then to come up to me and check if I was okay. He put his hand on my arm, causing the skin to burn underneath.

"Fine, just dandy." I wrenched my arm away. I turned away from him and his fiery touch. Even through my jacket it felt as if my skin were a flame.

Out of the corner of my eye I caught Jim looking about, shifting from one crew member to the next. His gaze finally rested and I followed it to the three on the other side of the boat. Mr. Zoff, one of them, nudged the others when he saw us staring. "What are you looking at weirdo?" asked one of the others. The ones head climbed off its shoulders and stood on the barrel beside it. It nudged the other and then the stomach opened its eyes.

"Yeah, weirdo." It snickered. I shook my head and about went back to my chore. Just then I heard a hiss above our heads, looking up I saw one of my father's pals, Mr. Scroop. I hated the man, never thinks before he acts, which causes a lot of problems.

"Cabin boys should learn to mind their own business." He hissed at Jim. I rolled my eyes and stepped in between them.

"Leave him alone Scroop, he didn't do nothin' to you." I glared at the bug, he looked like a earthen Lotus Shrimp, his eyes big and his face long and skinny.

"Stay out of this darling, wouldn't want to mess up that pretty face of yours." He shoved me out of the way, and went back to Jim. "I won't say it again." He hissed at the lad.

"Why?" he said with a smirk, "got something to hide, Bright-Eyes?"

Scroop growled, grabbed Jim by the collar of his shirt and lifted him into the air. "Maybe your ears don't work so well" He hiss, a glob of spit hitting Jim's cheek.

Jim turns away, his nose scrunched up. "Uh, yeah." He said making a gagging face, "To bad my nose works just fine." He shook his head.

"Why you impudent little-. " Scroop shoved him against the front mast; I heard Jim let out a gust of air as it was knocked out of him.

"Scroop, let him go!" I put my hand on his other arm in a warning.

"Shut up you insolent little bitch!" he shoved me back, making me trip over the bucket and hitting my head on the railing. I could feel the blood pooling out of my head already.

A crowd appeared around Scroop and Hawkins, cheering the spider on. I heard many things, "Slit his throat" "Skin him" "Rip out his tongue and force him to eat it." I was about to get up but a hand pushed me back down gently.

"Any last words, cabin boy?" asked Scroop. He raised his empty claw up to Jims neck. My breath hitched, and my heart stopped.

"Mr. Scroop," yelled and angry voice. Silver grabbed Scroop's claw with his clamp, forcing it away from Jim's neck. Pa bit into a purp that he had in his hand, "Do you know what happens to a fresh purp," he swallowed, "when you squeeze real hard?" he tightened his hold on Scroop's claw, causing the spider to moan in pain, and drop Jim to the floor.

I ran over to Jim, my head pounding with every step. "Are you hurt." I asked him, inspecting his neck and chest. There were small scratches, but nothing to fret over. He shook his head no, letting me do what I was doing.

Pa then let go of the spider's claw as Mr. Arrow came on deck."What's all this then?" he asked. "You know the rules." He addressed everyone, "there will be no brawling on this ship." He looked over the crowd before continuing. "any further offenders will be confined to the brig for the rest of the voyage." He stood in front of Scroop then, "Do I make myself clear?" he asked, glaring down at the spider.

I saw the rage build up in Mr. Scroop's eyes, Pa did as well, I heard him growl beside me, his eye glowing red with fury. "Transparently." He growled at the first mate.

Satisfied, Mr. Arrow left the deck and went back to talk with the captain in her quarters. Mr. Scroop and the other crew man left the deck and went down to the galley. I was about to go when Silver grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

"Well done Mr. Arrow," Silver yell after him, "A tight ship's a happy ship!" after he made sure everyone was off deck he turned to Jim and me. "Jimbo, Salina!" he growled at us. "I gave you a job!" he raised the mop at us to see.

"Hey I was doing it until that bug thing-"

"Belay that!" he yelled in Jims face. "And you," he turned to me, "You're supposed to be watchin' out for the lad, not watchin' him pick fights!"

"But Pa I tried, but he-"

"Shut it, the both of you." I looked down, I hated when he did that. "Now," he said more calmly, "I want this deck spotless, and Heaven help you if I come back and it's not done."

"Whatever," I said, grabbing the bucket and brush.

"Morph?" called Silver, the blob appeared next to him in almost a flash. "I want you to look after these pups, and let me know if there are anymore distractions." He stormed away, heading towards the galley himself. Morph changed into a pair of large eyes and followed both of us as we began to work once more. "Salina, come along! We need to talk..." yelled Silver over his shoulder. I shrugged dropping the brush in the bucket a followed behind him.

Once we were down the galey's steps he motions me to close the doors behind me. I did as he said, locking them for extra precaution.

"So, we're all here than?" he started softly. The men were silent, Scroop hid himself in a corner of the room. I leaned against the doors, blocking them from the men. "Now, if you pardon my plain speakin', gentlemen." He said, I sighed, knowing exactly what he was going to say next. "Are you all…" he started, changed his hand into a sword, and then yelled, "Star-raving, totally blinking daft?" he said swinging his arm around, slashing at the crew left and right, stopping after he clipped my cheek. 'After all my finaglin', gettin' us hired as a upstandin' crew. You want to blow the whole mutiny before it's time?" he got into Scroop's face, pointing the sword at the alien's neck.

I wiped at my cheek clearing the small amount that left it before it had healed and became an already fading scar.

"The boy was sniffing about." Said Scroop.

"You just stick to the plan you bug-brained twit. I'll run him so ragged he won't have time to think."

After everything was settled people began to go to their bunks. I instead headed back on deck. As soon as I was in talking distance Hawkins began asking me questions.

"What happened? I heard yelling." He said.

I shook my head, "Got chewed out is all," I lied, "It's nothing new." I went to grab the mop from Jim, for the second time that day, but jerked away when our hands accidentally met.

I took my hand, curling it into a fist. My fingers where we had touched felt as if a meteor had burnt them down to the bone. And after that another had run into at full speed crushing every know bone in them.

"You okay?" asked Jim, the concern back in his eye, Damn those blue eyes.

"Fine," I spat at him, stepping away, turning and going towards the bucket where I had left the brush.

"Salina, your hair! It's-"

"Just noticing it's white, cabin boy. I took you for someone smarter than that."

"No, there blood in it, did that happen- Shit!" he grabbed my arm, causing the burning to change positions and lay under his hand. He charged towards the medic room, pulling me in tow. "How did I not-" he stopped as I yanked my arm out of his hold.

"It's fine, Hawkins." I spat at him, and walked back towards deck.

"But-" he argued.

" It's already healed, There's nothing to worry about, all I need is to get these blasted chores done, and have a quick dip to get my hair clean." I grabbed the bucket with the brush inside it and started my way towards the front of the ship.

Jim sighed behind me, and followed soon after.

An hour later, we were close to done. Morph joked with Jim, forming himself into a miniature mop, going over Jim's feet trying to make the young lad laugh.

"Well this has been a fun day huh?" he asked Morph. "Making new friends like that spider psycho." He wiggled his fingers at the blob making it laugh. Morph shifted into Mr. Scroop and repeated Jim's final two words. "A little uglier," said Jim, giggling behind his statement.

Morph obliged and made the spider seem even crazier, while laughing hysterically.

"Close enough," I said. Morph, happy to hear me after my long silence, floated over to me and rubbed against chest. He managed in lowering my shirt far enough to show three small holes in my chest. I quickly covered them back up and went back to my work. I saw Jim's concerned look for the third, fourth time that evening. I turned away to see Silver coming up the steps. "Well thank Heavens for little miracles." He went to the railing, pouring leftovers out of the pot in his hands. Morph seeing the goods, went towards it to grab a small prize, and coming back up with a good mouthful and a triumphant smile on his pink face. "Up here for an hour now and the decks still in one piece." Silver chuckled at his own statement. I slowly shook my head.

There was a small silence, one of which Jim broke, "Um…look, I…uh…" he moved Mr. Mop around in the spot before him before continuing, "What you did I…uh…" he looked to Silver, "Thanks," he said then turning to me, "to both of you."

"Didn't your pa ever teach you to pick your fight a little more carefully?" I rubbed my neck moving away from the awkward conversation I could feel forming in the air. Jim didn't answer.

"You're father not the teaching sort?" I asked, sitting on the railing close to where Silver had dumped the pot. I reached into my pocket, taking out a picture of me as little wee lass. My mother was standing behind me and Silver behind her.

"No," he stated flatly, it took me gaze from the photo, and watched as Jim edged away from me and Silver. "He was more the taking-off-and-never-coming-back sort." He wove back and forth getting the last spots we had missed.

I looked to my dad "oh, uh-huh." He said, sounding just as sympathetic as he looked. "Sorry, lad." Silver went over to him, leaning against the opposite railing to me, right beside Jim. I put the picture back in my pocket.

"Hey no big deal, I'm doing just fine." He leaned over gazing down the edge taking in the surrounding stars.

"Is that so?" asked Silver, rubbing his chin, I could tell be the action he was thinking up something. "Well, since the captain put you in my charge. Like it or not, I'll be pounding a few skill into that thick skull of yours to keep you out of trouble." I smiled, Jim scoffed. "From now on I'm not letting you out of me sight."

"You can't do that!" yelled Jim.

"You won't so much as eat, sleep, or scratch your bum without my say so."

"Don't do me any favors!"

"Oh you can be sure of that, my lad. You can be sure of that." He laughed as he patted Jim on the chest and told us to go get some rest.