A Guardian's Voyage
Ch. 4
"That woman! That... feline! Whom does she think is working for whom?!" Dr. Dopplar angrily exclaimed.
Doppler, Jim, Moria, Sonya are below deck with Mr. Arrow in company. Max-5 is at the engine room receiving instructions.
"Come on, Doc. She's the Captain of the ship and a good leader. I like her." Sonya said.
"It's my map, and she's got me bussin' tables-" Jim spoke out.
"I'll not tolerate crossword about our captain!" Mr. Arrow interrupted, "There's no finer officer in this or any galaxy."
They see a figure standing in a dark corner with a knife, whistling.
"Mr. Silver!"
Silver turns around to greet the six, revealing his mechanical arm, leg, ear, and eye.
John Silver: Why, Mr. Arrow, sir! Bringin' such fine-lookin' distinguished gents to brace me humble galley? Had I known, I'd have tucked in me shirt! [tucks in his apron and chuckles while Jim observes his mechanical body parts.
Jim Hawkins whispers to himself, remembering Billy Bones's dying warning "A cyborg!"
"May I introduce Dr. Doppler, the financier of our voyage." Mr Arrow said.
John Silver uses his cyborg eye to observe Doppler's suit, "Love the outfit, doc!"
"Uh... thank you. Love the eye!" Delbert said,
"And I see you have some new friends." Silver said.
"I am Moria, and this is Max-5, and Sonya. We're known as the Guardians." Moria said.
"Ah. Fellow warriors. Name's Silver" Silver said offering a handshake only for Max-5 to shake it.
"This young lad is Jim Hawkins." Delbert said.
"Jimbo!" Silver said holding out his arm for Jim to shake it, but there are five sharp tools instead of five fingers. Silver notices and switches it to a hand. Jim glares at the arm and Silver untrusting. Silver simply smiles and prepares a dish. "Ah, now, don't be too put off by this hunk o' hardware." Switches from hand to small knife-like scissors. Slices up some shellfish into a bowl. Switches from scissors to cleaver to cut up some vegetables, but he does this without looking and almost cuts off his left hand. Has a shocked look and then just smiles again. "Whoa! Heh-heh." Switches the cyborg arm from cleaver to three-clawed mini-arms. Throws three eggs and cracks them into the bowl. "These gears have been tough gettin' used to, but they do come in mighty handy from time to time." Switches his arm as he throws the bowl on top and fire comes shooting out for a couple of seconds. Pours the stew into a pot set on top of an open stove and adds some salt. Takes out a spoon and tries it to see if it's just right. Has an approving smile on his face. Pours some stew into five bowls, one for Delbert, one for Jim, and others for Moria, Max, and Sonya. "Here, now. Have a taste of me famous Bonzabeast Stew."
The three Guardians had a taste of the stew before nodding.
"It's good." Moria said.
Delbert sniffs, and then tasting the stew, "Mmm! Delightfully tangy, yet robust."
"Old family recipe. "Silver said as Doppler sees an eyeball float to the top of the stew and yelps. "In fact, that was part of the old family! Ah, I'm just kiddin', doc." Takes out the eye and swallows it. I'm nuttin' if I ain't a kidder." Sees Jim hesitating. "Go on, Jimbo, have a swig."
Jim looks at the spoon again. Suddenly the top turns into a little pink face stuffed with the stew. The rest of the spoon does the same, revealing the form of a smiling, pink blob. Turns into a straw and devours the rest of the stew in a flash.
"Morph! You jiggle-headed blob o' mischief! So that's where you were hidin'!" Silver said.
Morph peeks over the top of the bowl, chatters, then belches. He floats up and rubs against Jim's cheek. Sonya sees Morph.
"It's cute." She said with a bit of glee.
"Heh. What is that thing?" Jim asks.
"What is that thing?" Morph asks.
Jim touches Morph, who then shapeshifts into a miniature version of Jim.
"It can transform." Moria said.
"He's... a Morph. I rescued the little shapeshifter on Proteus One." Silver explained. Morph transforms back and floats over the Silver; they cuddle each other. "Aw, he took a shine to me. We've been together ever since."
Bell rings up on deck.
"We're about to get underway," Mr. Arrow said. "Would you like to observe the launch, Doctor?"
"Would I?! Does an active galactic nucleus have superluminal jets?!" Delbert asks Arrow only to receive silence. "I'll follow you."
Jim, Sonya, and Max start to follow them out but are stopped by Arrow.
"Mr. Hawkins and Mrs. Hart will stay here, in your charge, Mr. Silver. Mr. Five, are you to head for below deck." Mr. Arrow said
Silver spits out the stew, surprised, "Beggin' your pardon, sir, but, uh-"
"Captain's orders! See to it the new cabin boy and cabin girl' kept busy."
Both Jim and Silver attempt to protest, giving up simultaneously as Arrow departs. Sonya huffs before crossing her arms.
"So... Cap'n's put the both of you with me, eh? Silver says as he walks around Jim and Sonya.
"Whatever." Jim said, flatly.
Silver smiles and starts to prepare another dish. "Ah, who be a humble cyborg to argue with a Cap'n?"
Jim grabs a purp from a barrel and starts to walk around. "Ya know... These purps, they're kinda like the ones back home... On Montressor. Ya ever been there?"
"Ah... Can't says I have, Jimbo." Silver said.
Jim takes a bite out of the purp, "Come to think of it, just before I left, I met this old guy who was, uh... He was kind of looking for a cyborg buddy of his."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. What was that old salamander's name? Oh, yeah. Bones. Billy Bones?"
"Bones? BONES? ...Eh, 'tain't ringin' any bells. Must've been a different cyborg. There's a slew of cyborgs roamin' this port."
"Not like Exos back on Earth." Sonya said.
"Pretty impressive, Sonya." Jim said to her.
"All hands to stations!"
The next chapter coming up... Request are open.