I slowly opened my eyes. Holy Space did everything hurt! My back hurt, my arms hurt, my head hurt, my legs hurt. Hell, even my toes hurt. Knowing this, I didn't really want to move, but for the life of me I couldn't remember where I was or what happened. My eyesight was blurry and everything was a distorted mess of mostly black and darker colors.

I'm on something soft and fluffy…. A bed most likely, but not the one from my room…

Those thoughts only confused me more. I moved my right arm, feeling what was under my head. It was a pillow. I groaned, even that simple movement had sent waves of pain up my arm. I shut my eyes again, concentrating on what had happened and reviewing my options.

So, I remember going on the Matrix… Getting into fights with zombies things… Finding the cell block with the captain and the crew in it…

I groaned again, thinking gave me an even bigger headache. But what had happened after? I adjusted my position only to gasp in shock as burning pain raged along my back. Well now, isn't that just lovely. I opened my eyes again, this time I could make out some shapes in all the mess of color.

I found the captain and…. Oh.

I had passed out. Well that explained a lot. I wasn't a stranger to blood loss, or pain. Or waking up distorted and disoriented after a particularly vicious fight. I smiled lightly.

If I was here, wherever here was, (I had a hunch that I was back on the Arcadia) then that meant I had successfully half rescued the crew + Captain from the Matrix. Yay. That was a mini success for me. And in my mini bout of happiness I sat up. I'm and idiot…

For starters, my back howled in protest. Secondly, my vision– which had only now started to make sense– swirled back into chaos. Urgh.

I stayed there, my back settling down again after a few minutes and my vision very gradually coming back to normal. I looked around once it had, at a loss for words.

I was in a huge room, and I mean hugeeeee. This was by far the biggest room in the ship, although now that I think of it mine was almost as big. The bed I had been passed out on was placed against the wall to the right. The wall opposite was bare, with only a dresser, a closet and what looked like a wine cabinet lined up against it.

Now that I looked around, the walls were made of wood, and so was the floor. In the middle of the room was a table with a few chairs around it, a chandelier hung above it casting the room in a warm glow. Along the wall opposite to the door was a tall desk with 4 stools scattered along its length. The wall itself was basically windows interlaced with wood, and now that I looked at it I realized that there was wood on the outside of the room too. Metal was laid in between both layers of wood (inside and outside) to resist space.

My eyes widened in realization.

"Holy space…" I croaked, almost flinching at the hoarseness of my voice. "The Captain' Quarters…" I looked around with a sharper eye, looking at the table again.

If it was possible, my eyes widened even more. There was a dark figure hunched over in one of the chairs, leaning on the table. …Oh frick…

"Captain… I stole your bed didn't I?" I said to myself softly, chuckling. It turned to a cough and sent pain down my ribs so I decided to stop. I wanted to laugh at the absurdity of this situation.

"Don't worry. I just came back anyway."

I jumped, not expecting an answer. Harlock straightened up in his chair. He looked tired. I noticed his cape was hung up on the back of his chair.

I smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry I woke you. I'll be going." I went to take off the blanket so that I could swing my legs out. That's when I realized that I was wrapped in gauze from my chest down to my hips, the wraps going over my left shoulder. I yelped, pulling the blanket back tightly around me.

Wait now a second…. I was dressed when I passed––– Ah hellll nah.

I felt my cheeks heat up and knew I was red as a Melder Tomato. I didn't know if it was from embarrassment or anger. I whipped my head around, looking for my clothes. I looked back to the captain when I didn't see them anywhere.

"Please tell me your not the one who…" I trailed off. Most of the crew were men… I hadn't really seen a woman.

The Captain chuckled, obviously catching my train of thought.

"Kei undressed you, but the Doctor had to stitch you up. But other than that, I, nor any other man on this ship saw you."

Well that was ok I suppose, he was a doctor, it was his job. That didn't keep me from tightening my grip on the blanket though.

A few moments passed in awkward silence… Well awkward for me.

"Sooooo…. Where are my clothes?" I asked, looking around again. I could only move my head thought, my back hurt at the smallest movement. I spotted my hat and gun belts on a chair, my weapons weren't in them thought. My poncho, my shirt, my pants, my boots and my *cough* over-shoulder-boulder-holder were nowhere to be seen.

Harlock chuckled again and got up, walking over to the desk where I only now noticed a package was laid. Harlock picked it up and handed it to me. I opened it to find blue, fluffy pajamas. Thank space it was a set including a tank top and sweat pants.

"We had to stop to replenish our food supply, Kei took the opportunity to buy these for you. She hopes it fits." The captain said, walking over to the wine cabinet and taking out a copper colored glass bottle. The liquid inside was dark red.

I examined the clothes, reminding myself to thank Kei for it later. Whoever Kei was.

The captain seemed to read my mind, or maybe my face gave it all away.

"That's right, you still haven't meet the crew properly. Also, we're going to have to buy you some new clothes, your shirt was badly ripped along with your poncho. Your pants are not damaged along with your boots." Harlock said, pouring the red liquid into a glass he had retrieved from another cabinet I hadn't seen. He took a sip and pointed to a door near the bed. "That's the bathroom."

"Ok… but why would I need to know that?" I asked, kinda feeling like this whole thing was dream. I wanted to laugh at how absurd this situation was, and I had a feeling Harlock felt the same way.

"Because you will be staying here until you are back to normal." He said simply, going over to yet another cabinet I hadn't seen. Jeez, was he the master of hidden cabinets or something?

"…..What do you mean 'staying here'? I can't stay in your room! You need your bed! And, well, this is awkward!"

"You're staying right there until your rib heals. That's an order."

"But–"

"You are now a part of this crew, and I am your Captain. You are staying there until Dr. Zero says otherwise."

"What about you? You can't sleep on a table for a month! And what do you mean by 'rib'?"

I already knew, it explained why my ribs hurt when I was coughing earlier. Somehow I had bruised or fractured a rib, which didn't surprise me all that much. You see, I have broken my ribs a lot over the years, making them dangerously fragile. It was one of my great weak spots.

"Has you must of realized your little escapade to save us cost you. You have deep cuts across your back and various other cuts of various degrees of severity. The cut I gave you on your stomach has reopened, thankfully now it's closed and on the way back to the ship an… Unfortunate accident gave you a fractured rib." Harlock said this seriously.

I looked down realizing something else. If the Doc had dressed me up, then that means he obviously found the old scars on my back and the rope burns on my wrist. I wasn't touchy about that subject… It was just a bit too deep into my past for the moment. I wonder if he had told Harlock…

"As for where I'll sleep," He continued, snapping me out of my thoughts. "I'm perfectly fine." And he didn't expand on where it was he was going to sleep.

I sighed in defeat. For the time being, I was sharing a room with the Pirate Captain Of The Century. I crossed my arms, sending a pulse of pain down my back and arms.

I looked at the open package of clothes on my lap. The captain had sat back down with his glass of mystery red liquid, assuming that our talk was done.

I took the package and shifted the blanket on my shoulders, getting ready for my incredibly stupid idea.

I shifted my legs, draping them over the edge of the bed and touching the floor with my toes. I had clenched my teeth through the whole thing, my legs being incredibly sore. Glancing at the captain I concluded that he wasn't paying attention. I took a deep breath, grabbing the Pj's in a death grip and counted to 3.

1…

2…

3…

I hosted myself to my feet and stayed up for a few seconds…. …. And started to tip forward. I yelped as the ground came up to meet me. I crashed into it with an all mighty thud, and I heard a crunch as my fractured rib moved slightly. I couldn't help it and let out a mini scream at the pain in my back and rib. The Captain was in my field of vision immediately.

"What were you thinking!?" He said sternly, slowly slipping his arms around me and picked me up bridal style with the blanket and all. I had to hold back tears from the pain in my back and I bit my lip, not trusting myself to speak.

He placed me back in the bed with amazingly gentle hands and readjusted the blanket and pillow, walking over to the dresser and getting another blanket for me. He draped this one over one with the same gentleness that you would never expect a pirate to have. My wounds had settled into a softer pulsing pain and I cleared my throat awkwardly.

The Captain glared at me. "What were you thinking? I'm pretty sure your wounds reopened." He said sternly. I smiled sheepishly.

"I wanted to change into the Pj's…."

"You can do that in bed. I'll leave if you want me too." He said in the same berating tone. I dropped my smile for a frown.

"Just for a minute please… It's kinda creepy being here alone…." I answered, getting out the sweat pants from the package I still had a death grip on. Harlock just nodded and turned away, walking to the door and leaving.

Now alone, I slipped on the sweat pants slowly and painstakingly. I was out of breath by the time I was done.

"Damn, how long have I been out anyway?" I asked myself, looking out the windows and realizing huge icy chunks of rocks were flying by. Now that I thought about it, the air was cooler then I remember. That raised another question: Where in all of space were we? It's too cold to be anywhere near the Industrial Solar system of Heavy Melder.

Someone— I assume the Captain– knocked on the door, making me jump (and wince thereafter) from my thoughts.

"Come in." I called, letting him know I was decent. That whole situation was just awkward…. So awkward…

"Your decent I assume?" Harlock said opening the door and walking in and closing said door behind him.

"Not like you gave me time to answer." I remarked. "How long have I been out?"

"About 3 or 4 days." He walked over to where he left his glass of red liquid on the table and took a sip. "Also," he said before I could ask my next question, "We are in the Gamora-Vega system. We are headed to its capital planet Igor-122. "

I closed my mouth seeing that my question had been answered. It explained why it was so cold too, Gamora-Vega was a known sub-zero, freezing, ice-cube like system. Its outer planets were so cold that machinery would freeze upon entering the atmosphere, AKA no one dared live there.

"Why are we here?" I asked after a few minutes of silence.

"We intercepted an S.O.S from a Council ship who was being boarded by those Undead things in the Matrix. That was a day ago, we're using it to track down who is controlling these ships and why." Harlock answered downing the bottom of his glass and putting it back on the table.

He turned to me. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Welllllll I don't think I can walk put it that way." I said, wondering what he was getting at. During all this time I had been slowly braiding what I could reach of my hair, without hurting myself, and I was amazed at how messy it was. Damn.

"It's time for a check up with the Doctor. But since your awake he says I might as well bring you there." Harlock said, still glaring or staring or I really don't have any clue at this point as to why he is so cold or why he was looking at me like that. I mean looking at someone like you want to kill them isn't that nice you know! I sighed. This whole chat was cold, and I felt like the Captain wasn't very happy at all, even thought his voice didn't exactly give a hint to anything.

"Like I said, I can't walk well yet. Give me a few tries and I'll be back on my feet, I swear." I said, trying to lighten up the move, or to make him not mad at me 'cause that's what it was looking like. To add emphasis to my words I swung my legs over the edge of the bed again, ignoring every complaining hurts on my body.

"No, you are not walking until the Doctor says you're clear." Harlock said, suddenly squarely in front of me. I hadn't even seen him move! This of course made me yelp in shock and fall backwards on the bed comically.

"Owwwww Wha'dja do that for?" I whined, bringing myself back up slowly. I could've sworn Harlock was smirking. Suddenly, thought I should've expected it, Harlock had me in his arms bridal style (thank space, with the blanket) and down the hall before I could blink.

"…Sadist…" I muttered under my breath. I could bet money I heard the Captain chuckle.

For about the next 10 or so minutes, as Harlock carried me to what I assume was the Med-wing, I met with a couple groups of the crew members. Most had been walking to or from their posts after a shift and had stopped to salute the Captain, asking after if I was feeling ok to which I replied "define ok?" then, "if you mean in working order, sure, I'm just jolly!". Yeah, most gave up at that point, some laughed and said I would be able to survive life here just fine. I don't wanna know what the hell he meant. But we're getting side tracked, unto the present!

I zoned back into reality after my wonderful little run around my brain, obviously completely lost when it came to what the Doctor, now named Dr. Zero, and the Captain had been talking about for the last 8 or so minutes.

"She wasn't supposed to have woken up yet! I put enough drugs in her to make an elephant sleep for a week!" The Doctor raged. I didn't exactly know what an elephant was, but anyway.

"Well 'She' is awake now, so elephant or no, I'm here." I effectively butted in. Both men turned to me. It was actually comical, Harlock being super tall and everyone else I've met so far being super short. Including the Doc.

"Yes well…" Zero stumbles over his word for a moment, took a swig of some clear liquid (wait… is that… sake?) and attempted to speak again. "We might as well continue with the check up then. I need to ask you a few questions."

He paused, took a swig and pushed a seat near the bed I was currently sat cross legged on. The blanket was draped around my shoulders.

"First off, because you are now my responsibility as a part of this crew, I must ask why you have so many old scars! You couldn't have had that bad of a life."

Damn. First question and it's already a touchy question… Well sort of….

I looked away from his gaze, biting my bottom lip. The story of my scars wasn't actually that bad. I fell from a lot of trees when I was young, that and a whole lot of other accidents and stuff. Those explained the millions of little scars everywhere. But… There were two that… were a bit touchy.

I looked back up to see that both the Captain and Dr. Zero were looking at me worriedly… and even concerned? Damn, didn't know I had gained that much respect.

After a minute of awkward for me silence, and it became clear that I wouldn't speak, (I couldn't decide wither I should or not. Stupid, I know.) The Captain spoke up.

"Maybe we should start a little less deep." He suggested. So maybe the Sadist could feel compassion! "What, or more likely, who are you and where do you come from."

I perked up. "Well that's easy. I come from the slightly less dusty regions of Heavy Melder, The Barrel lands."

The Doc whistled. "Wow, that's a lonnnnnng way from the Capital and where we were parked Miss!"

I smiled some-what sadly. More nostalgic then actually sad. "Yes well, I was traveling for about 3 and a half years before I met you."

Both men looked at each other then back at me, obviously surprised and somewhat impressed. "Alone?" The Captain asked.

I nodded. "I'm not gonna say it was easy… but yah. My goal was to board a ship that needed an extra crew hand—I'm not that bad at machinery—and work till I got enough money to buy a trip to the Council Capital. If not, I was just gonna stay on the ship and explore space with it. That's my dream… sorta."

I didn't want to tell them all this was basically fueled with a desire to find my father. At least not yet. Cliché, I know.

"So, You survived 3 and a half years on Heavy Melder, ALONE, to go to the Capital and get a job?" I nodded at the Doc. "Damn, you're more than qualified for this ship. I doubt that quite a few men on board could do that, and you're what, 18? Damn. Just Damn."

I chuckled. "I'm actually turning 16 in May." That little fact only seemed to make the Doctor's eyes go wider and Harlock lift an eyebrow.

"You're young."

"Yeppers."

"In fact you're the youngest member on this ship. Don't expect favoritism thought." The Captain said in a more commanding tone near the end.

"I wouldn't expect that for the world Captain." I said, grinning madly.

"Some of the other members might baby you thought. Logan might even try to boss you around." Zero added, swigging the sake like the world was ending. How was he not drunk?

"So then, to confirm for the log books, your name is Phantom…?" The Captain continued abruptly, changing the subject as well.

"Phantom F. Basically, I'm kinda in the process of finding my name." I said sheepishly. I mean seriously! What kind of a name was Phantom F! Oh well.

"Well then, Tommy, let's get to business." The Doctor chuckled. My smile went wide. It was the first time someone had ever nicknamed me and I liked it.

"About those scars." And there goes the smile. I had hoped the two men in the room had forgotten about it. I sighed, might as well tell them

"Look, the scars around my hands are from a gang catching me one time. And the one on my hip is from the nasty fight that followed." I said, kinda fast, but it was coherent.

The Doctor just looked at me in a I-hope-your-not-serious kinda way. I bit my lip and played with my thumbs, looking down. I squirmed when I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Doc.

"Phantom, you could've just said you didn't want to tell us." He said dead serious. Way to go to make your patient feel better Doc, I cursed mentally. I looked up, he standing on the chair in front of me to reach my shoulder. I would've laughed, but you know, saying something deep like that kinda dulls the mood. "But I'm happy you did, those cowards deserved whatever you gave them after." That made me smile slightly.

I looked to Harlock who hadn't said a word for quite a while. I almost jumped when I saw intensely dark and furious look in his eye, only for it to be gone the next when he noticed I was looking, gone and replaced with a much softer one. If Harlock could have a soft gaze.

"How old were you Phantom?" He asked. I squirmed again, but didn't look away.

"It was just after I had turned 13, and I wasn't has good a shot as I am now." I answered, not being able to stop myself from adding that little fact.

"I see. Well those men were cowards to have attacked you."

"I do agree with you, now can we please move on to something that actually includes medicine and the practice thereof?" I half-joked, flashing a coy smile and making the Doctor roll his eyes.

And if Harlock had known I was been watching, he wouldn't have rolled his eyes at my comment either.

"Damn. So let me get this straight." Coma said, messaging his temples. It had been 4 days since they had started the suicide mission. 2 since they were actually airborn and 1 since the crew have started complaining.

And I thought this mission was going to be hellish without all this…. Marcus sighed.

"We are travelling to Gamora-Vega, because a zombie ship. ZOMBIE ship has been sighted there, and because another ship like that was found destroyed at an area where HARLOCK was said to have been pinged on radar. Can we just take a moment to admire the beauty of how UTTERLY RIDICULOUS AND LIFE-THREATENING THAT SOUNDS?" Coma ranted, yelling a few words here and there and yelling the last bit for emphasis. It was Marcus' turn to rub his temples.

"I agree with him!" Yami said raising her hand from her seat.

They were all on the bridge, quietly (on the outside) drifting in a Faster-Than-Light warp. They were about halfway through the 6 hour-long warp from HQ to Gamora.

All the crew, except Keago, Kigo and Barrango were stationed on the long, narrower than average bridge. Yami, Miko and Coma were seated on the left of Marcus and Barrango normally sat on the right when he was stationed there. In front of them were a whole bunch of controls for navigation, radar, stealth and speed. Barrango controlled the guns and firepower. Marcus sat at the far back, having his own station of directional and warp controls to look after. The opposite wall to him was the windshield, giving the view of the whole of the Estrela's bow. In the middle of the room lay a 3D map of their current position in relation to HQ.

"Come on now. If we don't have hope we'll never get this done!" Marcus tried in vain to save the situation.

Coma snorted. Marcus looked to Miko for help, but the youth just shrugged his shoulders with a I-can't-help-you-sorry look. Marcus looked back to Coma, now officially on his own. Normally Miko would try to save the situation as much as Marcus, but sometimes, the Teen just couldn't help.

I brought myself into this situation… Marcus despaired. Now I need to get myself out.

"Look I know this is one of my biggest mistakes but there is NOTHING I can do about it for the moment! I know we can get through this, and I know we are going to beat Harlock into the ground! But please bear with me! I am your Captain and I say we are going to end this mission before it's even started! We'll catch Harlock and be back within the week!" Marcus finished his mini speech, Sari, who was sitting near Marcus barked as if in agreement and Miko clapped.

Coma glared skeptically then sighed and looked away, finally giving in. "We trust you Captain. We trust you." Was all the old man said before going to sit done at his station.

He's scared… Marcus suddenly realized with a jolt, and looking around he saw that Yami was squirming every few moments or so and that Miko had a stiff stance. We're all scared… especially me…

Marcus sighed. He took a moment, thinking about everything that could go wrong, and then everything that could go horribly wrong. He imagined everyone else present was doing the same. Then he steeled himself, turning to face the space that zoomed by with a spectral light outside his ship. He would bring his team through this. And they would all be alive when he did.

"To Gamora!" Marcus announced.

And everyone currently there hollered out their approval.

"Get her in the thick of it Yami. Stealth field Alpha to 100% full." Marcus ordered.

They had arrived from the grueling 6 hour long warp along edge of the solar system in said system's one and only warp zone. After that they had immediately started the trip to an asteroid field about halfway into the system. Once that 2 hour trip was over they were ready to set up their ambush. Their whole plan rested on the fact that Harlock would have to warp in at the same place they had, and so would have to pass by or in the asteroid field they were currently stationed. Of course, any normal person would be like: but he could warp in somewhere further away and just cruise in anywhere else. Yes, in truth Harlock could, but the space around Gamora-Vega wasn't stable, and plenty of huge asteroids caught whoever escaped the dimensional pockets and electromagnetic rock fields that were once another planet. The safest route was to warp in from the only secure place.

So here they were, fine tuning their position.

"Captain, ship in place and anchored." Miko reported.

"Perfect. Now we wait. Everyone on full alert, reach out with the long distance radars, use the infrared too." Marcus commanded, leaning back in his chair.

"Long distance Radars and infrared hooked up, Captain." Yami reported. As soon as she said it a 3D map of their current spot and the space around it showed up, with a blotch of red far to the right signaling a civilian ship heading to Igor-122.

"Full alert. Harlock could be here any minute."

And so they waited.