Chapter 4 A Pirates' Life for Me….

John Silver

Blast it all! John Silver stomped to the longboat, fighting the urge to kill everyone on the desolate planet. The little lass was crying loudly from the basket; her shrill cries seemed to grow louder by the minute. Whining….wailing….squalling….crying…crying…. And Miss Scroop and the other two female members of his crew were hot on his trail. Nagging….questioning….. yelling….talking….talking….talking…

The rest of the crew had asked questions concerning the child, some yelling out suggestions for killing her, but they had given up when Silver insisted he would take care of it. Most of them had already taken their share of the booty and sped away in their longboats, but he guessed the female members were driven by a mother instinct or something….which would come in handy, but he didn't trust them. He just wanted them gooooonnnneeee!

So around and around the questions went…..melting into one another as soon as they reached his ears: "What're you going to do with that child?", "Aren't ya going to stop her cries?", "Do you want one of us to take care of it for you?" It was too much.

The pup starting squalling as soon as the other crew members were beginning to leave, which caused anxiety among the lingering crew members. When they began to ask questions, he had tried to cover it up like he had it all under control…..

He lifted the squalling baby from the basket and bounced her up and down, almost every female in the group pounced at once to support her head, which Silver had forgotten about. He held her head in one hand as he bounced her up and down and spoke in his gentlest tone to her. "Now, now lassie…..we're just going to take a little trip to one of the neighboring planets, is all. How does that sound for ya?"

The infant hushed her cries and opened those big blue eyes to stare back at him with an uncertain look. Silver held her up for the remaining members to see with a triumphant smile as he used his mechanical hand to gesture to her. "See? They just need a little explaining sometimes, is all."

…That had blown over for about five minutes; by the time Silver collected his share and started for his boat with the basket in hand, the little one started squalling louder than before. The pestering of the remaining members of his crew combined with the shrill cries until he couldn't take it anymore. He lowered the screaming basket and his share into the boat and swung his built in sword around him in a half circle as he yelled out in frustration. "I SAID I'M TAKIN' CARE OF THIS, NOW MAKE YOURSELVES SCARCE!" When they all froze in their tracks, he stamped his mechanical leg down on the ground. "And heaven help ya if you're not gone in five minutes, by t'under!"

This made the crying behind him get even louder, but it silenced the crew members in front of him. Most of them turned to go after that; only Miss Scroop remained with some sort of sack in her pinchers. Silver turned on her with the sword. "I'd get busy."

Miss Scroop hardly seemed intimidated; she tossed the sac to him and spoke in her normal hissing tone. "As would I."

This caught Silver off guard; he opened the sac and peered into it as he spoke in a monotone voice. "What?"

Miss Scroop looked at him as if he were the most idiotic spacer alive. "The sac. It's got some of her things in it. You might find a bottle of two in there."

Silver fished around in the bag. "Bottle?"

Miss Scroop shook her head in frustration and fished around in the sac before pulling out a small cup with a strange lid that was filled with milk or something. She tossed it over when he cut his eyes at her. "Put the end of it to her mouth."

Silver turned the small cup around in his hands before finally tossing the sac to the side and turning away. "I don't need this stuff."

Miss Scroop looked to be teasing him now, which made him even angrier. "Well, you've got a live beacon on your hands. She's quiet the show."

Silver froze; she was right. He couldn't have her squalling the whole way. It would give him away for sure. After a long pause, he flung the sac in the boat so hard that everything shook, then turned on Miss Scroop again with the bottle. "And how's she supposed to know what to do with this hunk of….."

Miss Scroop snatched the bottle away and walked over to the basket; Silver followed in close pursuit and peered down at the wailing child. She instantly stopped crying when she spotted the bottle, and reached out to it determinedly. When Miss Scroop placed the end of it in her mouth and propped it against the edge of the basket, the little one concentrated on drinking the milk little by little, making small sucking noises as the liquid disappeared from the bottle. Suddenly, everything was quiet again. Silver smiled and rubbed his chin. Oh, so that's how it works…. He cut his eyes to Miss Scroop's triumphant gaze and tiled his hat to her before jumping in the longboat. "T'ank ya."

Miss Scroop looked stunned. "Please tell me you're going to kill her now."

Silver felt his cyborg eye burning red and turned on her. "I'm losin' me patience, Ms. Scroop. Now, get outta here before I take your share."

Miss Scroop backed away. "You need someone to help ya keep her alive if you don't even know how to work a bottle!"

Silver waved his hand dismissively and started the boat. "I don't need ya." I just need to get two planets over. Two planets over…..

The spider like alien crossed her arms and turned away with indifference as his longboat lifted into the sky. He made a mental note to watch for her; the last thing he needed was her following. But he soon reasoned that their recent catch would occupy her for a while. He drove the ship through space in peace; when he looked back to check on the little lass, she didn't seem to mind that the bottle had fallen to the floor and was kicking her feet as she stared at the stars. She returned his gaze and one point, and cooed at a pattern of stars he recognized as the Big Dipper. He cut his eyes back to her. "Ya know that?"

It didn't take long for them to reach their destination; the little lass was surprisingly quiet. When Silver pulled the longboat onto a dock as quietly as possible, he took off his hat and sat for a moment to think. He picked up the sac and looked at the child. "What else ya got in here?"

He shifted things around in the sac for a moment: more bottles, blankets, clothes, some paper version of undergarments he had no name for, a stuffed sock animal….he paused when his fingers found something rigid and hard. He pulled it out to reveal a framed picture. When he turned it over to look, he nearly dropped the picture when he recognized the image he was seeing. His eyes softened at once as he held the picture closer to focus on it.

It was Jimbo's wedding photo; and quite a lovely photo it was. It looked as if someone had snapped it while Jim was escorting the young girl out right after the ceremony. Jim looked dashing in a white uniform; smiling proudly at his bride as the picture was taken. The young lady looked beautiful in a simple, flowing wedding gown with her hair flowing under a delicate veil. She smiled up at Jim with a loving look in her eyes as she clung to him arm. Silver nearly burst into tears of pride as he stared down at the photo and realized that Jim had indeed rattled the stars. He held the photo out for their little girl to see. "So this is your mom and dad."

When she caught sight of the picture, she instantly made a cooing sound as she reached out to touch the picture. Her small hands grasped at the faces of her parents as she made soft, warm sounds of recognition. Silver rubbed the top of her head as he examined the photo once more. The bottom right hand corner of the picture read "Jim and Krista Hawkins" in neat script. Silver smiled knowingly when he read the date which was not even a year and a half ago. He gently poked the infant in the belly. "Well, it didn't take long for you to come along…" He gave a short guffaw. "Bet my hat Jimbo was a surprised one."

When she just blinked at him as if he were crazy, he stuffed the photo and his share of the treasure in the sac and gather the handles of the basket with one hand, promising the child that they would find her parents. He had to stop twice as he walked along the familiar path surrounded by strange greenery on all sides. He tried the bottle again when the little lass started to cry, but when she rejected it, he got her quiet again by handing her the stuffed sock animal. Within the next few minutes, she was sound asleep cuddled next the animal. Silver sighed as he continued his path. "T'ank heavens."

He looked about him at the familiar scene he had not seen in five years; this calm little area of the grand swamp-like planet that had been his home planet in his years as a boy and his young adult life was Callinar Harbor. So many memories were associated with this place; it felt strange to return to the home he had not seen in such a long time. When he reached the small inn just a little ways from the harbor, he had to look down at the basket for determination before he swung open the door and stepped into the dim lighted room.

The inn was almost like any other; with a few small tables arranged around the room and a small counter blocking off the kitchen from the dining room. Up the small staircase were a few spare rooms that weary guests could use for a night's rest before continuing on their way. As the last of the guests left for the night, he spotted the very one he had been looking for, wiping the counter with her back to him. When she picked up on the sounds of his uneven footsteps approaching she turned, most likely to tell him she was closed, and widened her eyes in shock for a moment before regaining her composure and smiling as she turned her back to place her dirty rag on the table top. "John Silver."

She was almost just as he remembered her; one of the few creatures like him and pretty, with a plump figure and short red brown hair that framed her face. She was the closest to a childhood friend he had; never asking questions when he came for a stay, but always there to listen. The last time they saw each other, he had broken down and told her about Jim, just after he said goodbye to him and departed the RLS Legacy to avoid capture. She was no doubt aware of his life of piracy, but never turned him down when he needed a stay. She wiped her hands on the white apron that covered her simple purple dress as she turned around; she had been running the inn for years to make a living, and was very skilled with keeping a business, too. She crossed her arms and smiled at him as he crossed the room. "What brings you here?"

You'll be please to know. Silver placed the basket and the sac on the counter and removed his hat. "Ahh, Libby….just look at ya. You're still as lovely as a….."

Libby jabbed her finger at him in a teasing, but stern way. "Don't ya start sweet talkin' me, John Silver. You've got some explaining to do after five years of silence." She turned to the basket, immediately sensing something was amiss. "What brings you here from nowhere?"

Silver stood from his seat at the counter and laid down enough money for a night's stay. "I need to a room for the night." He hastily shoved the basket over to her and occupied himself with retrieving his share of the treasure from the baby sac. "Will you take care of this for me?"

"Lord have mercy!" One look at Libby stumbling backwards with her hand over her heart told Silver she had indeed seen what was in the basket. He hastily inched over to the rack of keys and pulled a familiar one from its hook. "All you'll need is in the sac."

Libby recovered enough to start scolding. "Now you wait just a minute, John Silver…."

Silver clapped his hat back on his head as he backed up the staircase and tried to keep his voice pleasant. He indicated up the stairway with the key in hand. "Last one on the left?"

Libby was getting angry with him now. "You stop right there, I want to know how you…."

Silver was already halfway up the staircase. "See ya in the mornin', Ms. Libby."

Libby was getting anxious. "LONG JOHN SILVER!"

This was enough to make the pirate quicken his pace and unlock his door. Libby didn't pursue him because the infant had startled and was starting to squall. The last thing Silver heard before he locked the door was: "You had better be ready to explain yourself in the morning, Silver, do you hear me?"

Yeah, I heard ya. He plopped down on the bed for a while to think about how he would do just that, then laid down for a peaceful sleep when he concluded he wouldn't.

The next morning, after dismissing the idea of sleeping in, Silver grabbed the small sac containing his share of the treasure and quietly closed the door to the room before doing his best to sneak downstairs. He peered around the corner to find Libby with her back to him, stirring a steaming pot with a long spoon. He quietly hung the key back on its hook and grabbed the basket and sac he spotted on the edge of the counter. As he exited the inn, he laughed quietly to how easy it had been and parted the handles of the basket with a smile. "Good mornin' Lass….." His cyborg eye popped halfway out when he found that the sac was empty. He swung around as his eye burned red. "Blast it all!"

He burst through the door to the inn once more and stomped to the counter. He plopped onto a stool with an angry look on his face. When Libby didn't even turn her back, he spotted the baby sprawled on top of a blanket spread in the floor near Libby, lying on her stomach as she kicked her feet and worked on a bottle that was propped on a folded towel. All that was on her was one of those paper undergarments he had no name for. Oh, mother of pearl. Silver cut narrowed eyes toward Libby as he greeted her in a begrudging tone. "Hi."

Libby only halfway turned her head to him. "Hi yourself. Didn't really think it would be that easy, did ya?" When he didn't answer, she continued to stir whatever was in the pot. "So are you going to tell me who she is? Or who her parents are? You aren't leaving until you do."

Silver had nothing and fumbled around with his words. "She's a….well, she's a…." He voiced his thoughts as soon as he had something with a smile. "She's mine."

He instantly regretted the lie when he heard the spoon clatter to the floor. It took Libby four footfalls to turn in a half circle to face him. When she did, her expression told him this was the worst lie he had ever laid on her. When he tried to cover it with a persistent smile, she placed her hands on her hips. "Is she now?"

Silver's smile melted as she crossed over the sac and fished out the wedding photo of Jim and Krista. "And here I was thinking she was theirs."

Silver's eyes burned red as he snatched the picture away with a sullen expression. Libby leaned on the counter across from him with a knowing look. "It seems you have a lot of explaining to do, John Silver."

…That is all I've got up until now, but I will be working on a few more chapters as soon as I can. I hope you like the story so far. Thanks for reading and I hope you will keep checking back!...