Chapter nine. Whew, talk about work. I never been this engrossed with a story. Enjoy this one!


Over the next months that passed by, Silver put us to work. He gave us work from peeling potatoes to scraping urchins off the hull of the ship. After the first few weeks, I was finally able to take off the bandage for my cut, which turned into a nasty scar across my cheek. I didn't let that bother me though. I was more worried about Jim. I often found him daydreaming. One time Silver was showing us how to make a study knot, but Jim already left, making the knot before Silver was finished.

"What's wrong with him?" Silver asked.

"Probably the usual," I replied, watching Jim walk about the ship. He was thinking about his past, I knew it.

We stopped wearing our jackets after a while, only using them when needed. I often found Jim on the end of the bowsprit, watching all the stars and galaxies roam by. 'Never seen him so calm,' I thought. Even when we washed dishes, when I got done with my half, I see Jim behind me, already asleep, leaning up against a finished bowl or pot. Silver even put a jacket on him to keep him from catching a chill, and I did what he didn't finish, which wasn't much. He was a better bus boy then I was.

One time, we helped Sil, which is a nickname I made up for Silver at that time, get a small boat out for a test run. As Silver went out, I looked at Jim. He had a feeling of worry in his eyes. I remember that day too well, where his father left without a word to him, but Sil wasn't so cold hearted. He came back and let us on. As we jumped on, Silver was explaining how to control it, but Jim beat him to the punch and already had it in gear.

Sil wasn't ready for it, "Whoa!"

But I was. "Yeeeaaahh Ha!"

I was standing the whole time, even when we flew in a comet. I shook some of the dust off and took a look at the beauty of the aura.

"Greg!" I looked at Jim, who had a daring look in his eye.

I placed my feet under a couple of boards and said, "Bring it!"

Then Jim pulled some twists and spins, making me feel like I was back on a solar surfer again. Now I knew the feeling of how daring Jim got when he pulled his daring stunts. I had to return the favor. As Jim gave me the controls, I headed us back to the ship, making some sharp turns as we went to show Jim how I did things.

We went in the ship, pulling on the ropes to get it in place.

"Oh, Jimbo. If I could maneuver a skiff like that when I was your age, they'd be bowing in the streets when I walked by today," Silver said as he plopped down into the boat. "And Greg, I don't know how you pulled off such turns. I didn't know this boat could take such a thing."

"It takes practice," I told him.

"They weren't exactly singing our praises when we left home," Jim said, taking a seat. I sat on the head of the boat. "But we're gonna change all that."

"Are you now?" Sil asked. "How so?"

"Uh... we got some plans. Gonna make people see us a little different."

"Sometimes... plans go astray."

"Not this time."

"When the time comes," I added, "we'll be livin' the way we should be."

Silver nodded, then pulled his mechanical leg up and tried tightening a bolt on it. Morph seemed worried and turned into a wrench to help. "Oh, thank you, Morphy," he said, and quickly fixed his problem. Jim sat up and watched, same as me.

"So, uh, how'd that happen anyway?" Jim asked.

Sil looked at his metal hand. "You give up a few things, chasing a dream."

"Was it worth it?" I asked, trying to sound caring.

"Well, was that scar worth it, Gregy?"

I just looked at him for a moment. What did he mean? But as I felt the leftover wound, I knew what he meant. Was it worth trying to get Jim out of trouble? "I think so," I replied, smiling at Jim. He did the same.

"I'm hoping it is too, Greg. I most surly am." He leaned back, draping his arm over Jim's shoulders. The two leaned their heads back to rest. I just shook my head, but this peaceful moment didn't last. Something hit the ship, hard, and I fell off the boat onto the floorboards.

"What in the universe was that?" I screamed.

We ran out as the ship steadied some and got on deck. "What the devil?" Silver asked as he came up behind me. I looked up and seen a star exploding, going supernova!

"Evasive action, Mr. Turnbuckle!" I heard the captain yell as she ran up to her command station.

"All hands, fasten your lifelines," Arrow called.

Everyone did just that, I made mine so tight that the only way to get it off was to cut it off. Bits of rock started tearing the sails bit by bit then the captain ordered for them to be secured. Jim and Silver went over to the bowsprit while I went up to take care of the ones higher up.

The waves made it hard trying to pull the sails up, but that didn't matter. I was too focused on the task at hand. However, I noticed a large meteor, capable of destroying the whole ship, coming by.

"Oh my!" I thought this was it. The end of all our journeys. I looked down at Jim and Silver, wondering what they were thinking, but then the red glow started to dim. "Say wha?" That hunk of rock was being pulled back. I looked past it and seen the very thing that I hoped wouldn't be. "Black Hole!" I screamed.

The sails were about to be secured and I already started heading down, but a wave caught me off balance. Next thing I knew, I was flying through the air. I looked around, trying to find where I was headed, but before I could maneuver, I felt my head hit something, heard orders from Mr. Arrow concerning me, then... nothing.


In case you're wondering, yes, he was knocked out. Mr. Arrow must have see it happen, since Greg heard him say something about him. You think so?