"What time was Hook cleaning until?" Emma asked, looking down at the pristine deck of the ship with a slight smile as dawn broke on the horizon.

"It was midnight before I could convince him to put away his scrubbing brush." Mr Anderson, the first mate, chuckled to himself, "It's a wonder that he could see anything with just one lantern lighting his work."

"What do you make of him, Anderson?" she asked, "Is he a useful addition to our crew?"

"He's as quiet as a mouse and skittish too, but he seems to work hard." Anderson replied, "I would put him on tasks below deck as that's where he's most familiar. His skills can then be evaluated and if it's worth it, we can assign him tasks above deck."

Emma nodded, "I agree with your suggestion. I have promised him a year as part of the crew, but if he is not of use to us then I have no problem with offloading him somewhere."

Anderson opened his leather-bound notebook and glanced over the crew duties and rotas, "We can put him in the laundry and in the galley too." he said, "Hopefully he has some ability to sew so we can have him repairing garments and sails."

"Find him and introduce him to the men. Make it clear to them that he's a survivor of Blackbeard's crew but is to be treated with respect." Emma decided, "Then get him set up in the laundry, if he isn't already familiar with it. I have plenty of garments in need of repairs, that should keep him busy for a few days."

"Yes, Captain." Anderson replied with a nod before he hurried away to find the deckhand.


"Have you slept?" Anderson asked with a raised eyebrow when he finally found Hook already working in the laundry.

"Aye, Sir." Killian replied, hanging a freshly cleaned blanket to dry, "I got a few hours."

"And where did you sleep?" Anderson asked, "I only told the crew about you an hour ago and barely any of them had seen you."

Killian paused a little, glancing over at the man, "I slept in here." he admitted softly, "I've never had a hammock or a bed in the crew's quarters, I just sleep when and where I can."

Anderson raised his eyebrows and shook his head a little, "I will have a space created for you in the crew's quarters if there is none currently available." he said, "Captain Swan likes her men to be well rested, not sleeping rough around the ship."

"I understand, Sir." Killian replied with a slight nod.

"Now, let's discuss your duties." Anderson said, opening his notepad, "You have no experience of any tasks above deck, is that correct?"

"That's right." Killian admitted, his eyes down in shame, "Captain Blackbeard and Captain Silver both made it clear to me that I'm not strong enough to work above deck."

"Captain Swan has decided that you will continue to work on tasks you are already familiar with for now, with a view to training you up for more manual tasks in the future." Anderson explained, "You will take shifts on laundry and in the galley, and you'll keep the Captain's cabin clean and tidy."

"Aye, Sir. Thank you." Killian replied, "Where will I be stationed today?"

"You're staying in the laundry, the Captain has some garments for you to repair. Either I or the Captain will bring you the garments later, for now just continue washing the sheets and blankets." Anderson answered, glancing over Killian for a moment, "Is that a brand on your shoulder?"

Killian glanced down at where his shirt had fallen open and immediately tugged it closed, "Yes, Sir. It's nothing, Sir."

Anderson reached out and pushed his hand and the shirt aside, examining the small star-shaped brand, "That's not a brand given for crimes. How did you get it?"

"I don't remember." Killian admitted, "I've always had it."

Anderson studied Hook for another long moment before he nodded and stepped back, "I'll have those garments brought to you."

"Thank you, Sir." Killian replied, going back to work.


"The Captain told me to bring these to you." Henry, the cabin boy, said as he placed a linen bag full of clothes needing repairs down on the floor.

"Thank you." Killian replied, getting up and moving towards the bag.

Henry hurriedly moved backwards when he saw the shining silver hook in place of a left hand. It was clearly extremely sharp and shone in the half-light of the laundry room.

Killian stopped moving closer when he realized that the boy was afraid of his hook. He looked down at it for a moment, hating that it made his life easier and made him into a monster at the same time.

"Please tell the Captain that you successfully delivered this to me." Killian told the boy, "You may go."

Henry nodded politely and with one last wide-eyed look at the hook, he was gone.

Killian sighed and waited until the boy was gone before he retrieved the bag from the floor. He carried it over to his workbench and tipped the contents out, running his fingers over the fine silk and satin as he located the rips, tears and sword slashes. He'd once dreamed of wearing such fine materials, of being a Captain, but he knew not to get his hopes up now.


Three days later, Anderson knocked on the door of the Captain's cabin, his leather-bound pad in his hand as always.

"Enter!" Emma called out, looking up from her stack of maps at the knock.

Anderson entered the cabin and carefully shut the door.

"What can I do for you, Mr Anderson? You should be at supper with the crew." Emma said, sitting back in her chair.

"We have a problem. Hook is missing." Anderson sighed, "I thought I'd just missed him due to opposing shifts over the last couple of days but I specifically looked for him today and couldn't find him."

"How can he be missing?" Emma asked with a frown, "The ship is large but not large enough to get lost on."

"I suspect that the crew have done something to him. I had a bed assigned to him three days ago but it shows no signs of being slept in." Anderson admitted, "I'm sorry Captain, I should have watched Hook more closely."

Emma shook her head, "We can't see everything, Mr Anderson." she said, getting to her feet, "If Hook is aboard this ship then I will find him. If not, then we will have no option but to declare him overboard."

"There's something else, Captain. Hook has a brand-." Anderson started.

"Let me find him first and then we can discuss any brands that he has." she said dismissively, "Stay here, lest you go missing too."