Night had taken the Sweet Candy in its cradling arms, rocking her back and forth on the gentle dunes. The stars lit the way as the sternwheeler plowed through the sand. The second day of the voyage was coming to a close, and no one was more relieved than Alfred Shroedinger.
The man rubbed his own back, trying to alleviate the pain coursing through his lower back. He leaned against a piece of railing (rare on a ship that survived the attack of the Balal Quo Naga) thinking about lost thoughts.
The bell began to ring, alerting all deck hands that the ships guest cook was serving supper in the mess hall. Alfred stood himself away from the railing and smiled. A famished soul he was, and a little tucker in his belly was all he needed. Stretching, he began to walk towards the galley and down the steps in the mess hall.
The mess hall was filled to the brim with eager sailors awaiting their share of dinner. Unfortunately, it was soon discovered that the new cook, Virginia Maxwell, was not a cook at all. Helpings of cooked beans and strips of steer jerky were served, along with a mystery drink that some would guess consisted of berries. Jet sat down by himself at a small table in the corner of the long hall, not bothering to sample the drink as he slowly munched upon the meat. Virginia didn't let the surprised and disappointed faces of the sailors ruin her good mood. She was humming a tune to herself with a great big smile as she handed each sailor his or her items of nourishment. Captain Volks sat at a large table with Todd, carefully sniffing the beverage to see if it was toxic. Alfred sat down at Jet's table, pulling a chair out for himself as he placed the food before him.
"Is there something wrong with this drink? No ones drinking it." Alfred asked as he looked at the pink concoction.
"Virginia's trying to master this berry drink. She still has a way to go, seeing how the thing tastes like horse droppings…" Jet said between bites of the jerky.
"I don't think she'd be hurt if she found out that you didn't even try her drink." Alfred said.
"Why? The thing tastes like shit." Jet replied.
"She must have spent some time on it. And girls get all touchy if you don't acknowledge something they spent time on." Alfred advised.
Jet's eyes moved to the pink drink sitting so innocently beside him. He sighed and placed his fingers around it. He slowly raised it up in the air. "Bottoms up." He then gulped the entire thing in one sitting. His eyes went wide and started to water from the horrid tasting beverage.
"So what do you think of my drink Jet?" Virginia asked as she sat down at the table.
Jet swallowed and his tongue rolled out of his mouth. He was about to tell her the truth when Alfred shook his finger in protest. "Tashte vonderful." Jet practically gagged.
"Oh I'm so glad you think so Jet! I knew if I tried hard enough I'd be able to make the berry concoction a hit!" Virginia squealed.
There was a thud and Virginia turned around to see a sailor on the floor, the berry drink in his hand. Jet laughed nervously as Alfred tried to think. "He was just overwhelmed by the greatness of the drink, I'm sure."
Volks stood up at his tale, banging the table with his peg leg to get attention. "Eat, drink, and be merry! That's a philosophical statement, but we cannot be merry without a little song. Where's the entertainment?"
A group of sailors ran into the mess hall, violins, fiddles, and even a cello in their hands. They all hurried to the center of the hall and set up as fast as they could. "Uh, our singer's in the infirmary now, so we don't have any vocal talent. So we'll just play an instrumental for you!" They announced.
They were received by a crowd of booing. Virginia stood up and ran over. "I'll sing for you!" She was received by a crowd full of cheering. She smiled and waved at Jet, who was turning a pale shade of green from his latest drink.
"Do you know The Wells and Fargo Line?" Asked the cello player.
"You mean the one about the old mountain trail and the famous Rangers that used to guard it? Yea!" Virginia answered.
"O.K then. On a one, a two…" The violin player started them off.
"~Come and listen to my story, I'll not detain you long,
A-singing and a humming this simple and silly song.
'Tis of the old es-convicts, the men who served their time
for robbing mountain stages on the Wells and Fargo line.
There was Major Thompson turned up the other day,
He said that he would hold them up or hell he would pay,
For he could hold a rifle and draw a bead so fine
Upon those shotgun messengers of the Wells and Fargo line.
And there was Jimmy Miner who thought he was a thief
But he surely proved himself to be a dirty sneak;
And now behind San Quentin's he's serving out his time
for giving tips to old Jim Hughs on the Wells and Fargo Line.
And there's still another who well did play his part,
He's known among the mountains and the highwayman, Black Bart.
He'd ride those mountain jerkies, to him it was but pleasure,
He'd ride the trail both night and day for the Wells and Fargo treasure.
And now my stories ended,
I've not detained you long,
A-singing and a-humming this simple and silly song.
And though the nights are long, boys, and weary grows the time,
But when we are out we'll ride again the Wells and Fargo line.~"
The crowd cheered and wished for an encore. Virginia simply smiled and bowed. She stepped down from her position and rejoined Jet (who had regained his color after a quick vomit over board during the song) and Alfred at the table.
"That was pretty good. You sing almost as well as Maya does." Alfred told her.
"Maya sings?" Jet asked, surprised.
"Really? I'll have to have her sing a tune one time…" Virginia mused.
"Yea, she can carry a tune when she's not being her bossy self." Alfred sighed and looked at the wooden wall beside them.
"Do you miss your sister?" Virginia asked, feeling concerned about the Shroedinger boy.
"…Yea. I know it's only been two days, but I've traveled with her and Shadey everyday for years…" Alfred sighed.
"I don't know how you can handle it…" Jet took a bite from his jerky.
"JET!" Virginia knocked the sample out of his chair. "Where are your manners!?"
"Gee SORRY." Jet rubbed the side of his head as he pulled himself back into the chair.
"It's O.K. I know Maya can give that impression." Alfred smiled.
"LAND HO!" Shouted a voice from the voice tube.
"Land? That must mean-" Jet started but was interrupted.
"BOOT HILL! We're finally home!" Virginia stood up, excited. "Come on! Let's go see!" She grabbed Jets arm and almost tore it out of its socket as she raced up stairs to the bow.
The two darted around the smashed deck and the slimy head of the Dune Devil, walking over the smashed crates and debris until they came to the very tip of the sand freighter. Below the starry night was a flat landmass that glowed a light blue. Virginia leaned on the railing and gazed out upon it.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Virginia sighed and she smiled.
Jet looked at the distant plain from behind Virginia. He had really no interest in the place before him. After all, he didn't grow up there. He didn't know every blade of grass and every rock that lined the trails. He looked at the girl in front of him and smiled.
"Yea…" He placed a hand on Virginia's shoulder.
Virginia raised a hand and placed it on his, still gazing out over the bow. "Jet?"
"Yea?"
"What was it like where you grew up? At Leyline."
"I don't remember. I can't really recall anything prior to ten years ago…"
"Not even small glimpses of it?"
"No…"
"I'm sorry. It must be difficult…"
"Not really."
"Hmmm… I know!" Virginia spun around and faced Jet, an all-knowing smile on her face. "My home can be your home. Your new hometown will be Boot Hill!"
"You can't just give someone a hometown. They have to be raised there, don't they?" Jet asked, confused.
"We can make an exception! Come on! It will be fun!" Virginia pleaded.
Jet sighed. "We… we should be thinking of other things right now. We're almost there, so we should start thinking about Asgard's clues."
Virginia frowned. "All right. We'll get to business if you want."
"Good. We should meet the others and converse this. I'll go retrieve Todd and meet you and Alfred in the lower hold." Jet then walked off, leaving Virginia lone on the bow.
Virginia stood there a minute, a hurt look in her blue eyes. She blinked and furrowed her brow and started off towards the mess hall, where Alfred was.
** *
The lower hold consisted of a maze of pipes and steel. Steam bellowed everywhere and rats ran about unchecked. Virginia sat herself upon a crate as Alfred, Todd, and Jet continued to stand.
"This place gives me the creeps…" Virginia confessed.
"It's a Malduke generator. These things haven't been used in years." Alfred said, rubbing a giant pipe.
"Whatever. Come on people, lets get working. What do we do about Asgard and the Riflemen?" Jet leaned against a pipe.
"We seek out Asgard's clues, which will tell us of the Riflemen's whereabouts." Todd answered.
"But what are his clues though?" Alfred asked. "Will they be riddles, or signs, or are they even written?"
"There's no way we can figure this out now. We have to actually see one first." Virginia reasoned.
Jet sighed. "What could they possibly want with Morning Star?" Jet asked himself.
"Perhaps they plan to use it for summoning another demon lord?" Todd replied.
"Or maybe it has a giant ARM attached to it, and they plan on firing at Filgaia." Virginia thought.
"I doubt that, Virginia. Clive said it was a communications satellite, right?" Alfred said.
"Yea, but it IS demon origin. So it's chock full of evil stuff, right?" Virginia replied.
"Not evil Virginia. Like I said earlier, no one's evil or good. You have to stop thinking like that." Jet said.
"It could be anything. I agree with Virginia when I say we need more information." Todd said.
"They're right Jet. We'll just have to ask everybody if they've seen anything suspicious lately…" Alfred said.
"Stop worrying Jet. It'll come out fine. Let's just get some rest…" Virginia requested.
"…Fine." Jet responded.
"Tomorrow should be a big day. It is fortunate we have a guide with us." Todd said, eyeing Virginia.
"Yea, well, I'm glad to be of use. And I'm glad we're at Boot Hill. I can finally see if everyone made it out all right after the Horizon incident." Virginia rubbed her neck.
