It was dawn by the time Jim finally touched the ship down on the ocean. Jim made sure the boat was undetected in it's arrival and they would reach their intended destination before midday. He'd been unsurprised earlier in the night to see that there was nothing particularly extraordinary about Earth, it's vegetation and vast lakes were similar to those of his home planet. He had yet to glance any other humans but it didn't matter anyway, making friends was not on his agenda. It was to get the final bit of money he needed to fund his own voyages across the galaxy.

He dreamt about it as he steered the ship. Where he would go, he didn't know. What he would see, he could only imagine. Maybe he'd look up Silver. Instantly Jim looked up at the purplish pink sky. In the past two years he'd only heard from the cyborg once. A letter of congratulations when he graduated from the Academy a whole year early. It came with an early birthday gift, Jim was now nineteen. One of the youngest accredited captains in years.

Jim subconsciously touched his hand to the compass in his pocket, running his thumb over the smooth rose gold surface.

"Any news for Herms? He's like kid down there, twitching and fidgeting for news." Jim laughed at the young man who'd spoken. His First Mate, Thomas. They'd graduated from the Academy together, and planned to take that solo voyage together as 'd become best friends in their time at the Academy. It was the same as his friendship with Silver. Silver had been more the father he'd never had. But they were close and had each others backs.

"Tell him he can get his panties out of a twist, we'll be there before midday. And you can also tell him to get his crap off my ship too." Thomas laughed and lugged himself back down to the deck below.

Jim urged the ship forward faster. He was itching to get on his glider and away from Herms for a bit. Or maybe it was just the itch to be a bit reckless. It was hours before something on the horizon finally caught Jim's eye. At first he thought it was a mountain because of it's size but the closer the ship sailed, the clearer it became. It was a castle.

All white washed stone, gold sand and glittering water. This surprised him, it was unlike anything Jim had ever seen. The only sign that the castle hadn't arisen out of the sea itself was it's reddish-orange roofs. Even the windows looked like sea glass, with their smooth and colored contours. It was the most excitement he'd had in days. But even his amazement fizzled out quickly with the arrival of Herms on deck. He wanted to groan but resisted the urge.

"Captain Hawkins." The blonde man inquired almost imperiously.

"Yes?"

"When we arrive, me and my men will be staying within the castle with the King's family. He's asked that you and your first mate dine with us at dinner, the rest of your crew however I must ask to stay aboard the ship."

"Wouldn't have it any other way." Jim said absentmindedly. He waited until Mr. Herms had gone before calling for all hands on deck. "Prepare to dock!" Jim yelled. He pulled Thomas to steer the helm while he went to the deck and inspected the men, all the while assisting here and there. The moment the ship docked Jim glanced at the party awaiting their arrival. Various amounts of kindly faced servants littered the golden sands. Behind them, on higher ground he could only assume were the King and Queen.

They didn't look anything like he'd expected. The King was relatively young, a strapping man with dark black hair and an easy demeanor. His wife was young as well, beautiful to say the least. Bright red hair tied to the side, so that their waves hung over her shoulder. He modest green dress swaying in the breeze. There was something about her that made Jim curious. He couldn't pin exactly what it was, but something about her didn't really fit. In the languid way she moved, as if she were water.

"Thomas, great them in my stead. Tell them I'll be about for dinner but now I have business to attend to." Thomas nodded curtly before moving quickly to follow Herms and and his men.

Jim turned away from the couple, not noticing the young woman who stood off to the side, nearly hidden by her father's tall stature. Ebony dark hair, pulled into an ugly braid that hung down her back. Her hands fidgeted with her pale blue skirt, she wanted nothing more than to take down the hideous braid and be anywhere but greeting family guests. She glanced longingly at the sea. As the newcomers became acquainted she silently devised a plan to slip away.

Her gaze fell to the ship they'd arrived in. Her father had warned her that they might seem different. She might see things she didn't expect. But she'd insisted that after finding out the truth about her mother, and essentially herself, not much was surprising. The ship was strange to her, in the way it's sails glittered in the high sunlight. But it didn't frighten her as she'd been warned it might. It made her curious. Finally Mr. Herms stood in front of her, her father introducing her as politely as possible.

Mr. Herms grasped her hand and bowed to kiss it. She shuddered at the brush of his lips and the way they lingered a fraction of a second too long. When she caught his eyes looking her up and down, she pulled her hand from his. Turning to her parents she said in faint little voice, "Mother, Father, I'm not feeling very well. May I retire to my rooms?"

Her father looked worriedly at her and nodded. Her mother however held a knowing look before nodding as well. "Just be sure to be back for dinner." She said quietly, an almost undetectable smirk gracing her lips.

She nodded obediently to her mother and was silently thankful for this new found relationship between them. More trust than anything. She turned and headed meekly toward the castle. Waiting until her parents and their new guests had turned the corner, she tore off in the other direction. Straight for the shoreline. As she sprinted she tore the ribbon from her hair and shook out the braid. She kicked of her shoes and the heavy dark coat behind her, they landed like crumbs marking where she'd been.

The water kicked up into the air as she kept running, and sprinkled like tiny diamonds in the sunlight. Diving forward she swam out until her feet no longer reached the bottom. She reveled in the feeling of the water, the way it wrapped her up like a blanket of freedom and carried her away from her practical little world.

Mid-dive she glanced the ship again, it's strangely gleaming sails and almost metallic exterior, intrigued she swam toward it. As if reading her thoughts a baby dolphin waited below the surface. She pointed to herself and then to the strange ship before grasping it's fin. The animal couldn't have been more than a baby, but he moved faster than she could have ever swam. They reached the boat in mere seconds, she waved good-bye to the dolphin who swam away happily.

Pushing her hair back she took a closer look at the ship. Her eyebrows crinkled at the sight, there wasn't an inch of wood making up this ship. She let her fingers graze over it's slick side, cold metal. It seemed to thrum beneath her fingers like a quickened heartbeat. Where did it come from? it was all she could think about and she swam around the bow.