Thank you all reviewers, I will finish it and yes, Silver DOES come in.

Morning dawned clear and bright, showing no trace of the previous nights squalls.

Jim Hawkins yawned and stretched as he tore himself away from his nice warm bed and slipped into some of his more casual clothes, choosing to forgo wearing his uniform. As he descended the stairs, and resisted the urge to slide down the railing, he noted that the dining room, which was usually vacant this early in the morning, had two occupants.

At a table near the door sat the newcomer, Nik, and across from her was B.E.N. They seemed to be carrying on a conversation, and from the carefree look on Nik's face, her manner had changed rapidly from last night.

Taking a deep breath, Jim strode over to their table, but at his approach, Nik grew silent.

"Morning, Jimmy!" B.E.N. beckoned him over. "I was just chatting with our newest customer here." B.E.N. stood and walked around to her side of the table, patting her head with this hand, a gesture which she appeared not to appreciate. "You know." He leaned on her chair. "She's actually a very nice person, although she's a little bit shy at first. I got to her though! And the next thing I knew, we were chatting like old housewives. Although.in my case I don't think it would be housewife, but anyhow, she's really interested in pi-"

"B.E.N." It was the first word she'd said in Jim's presence all morning. " I don't think Mr. Hawkins really wants to hear anymore about me right now."

Jim pulled up a chair. "On the contrary, there are a few things I'd like to know."

B.E.N. elbowed Nik. "See I knew it!"

Nik slid down slightly in her chair and knit her eyebrows, but nodded for Jim to continue.

Jim yawned again, then spoke. "Well, I guess I can start with why are you up so early?"

She colored slightly, but then shrugged. "I'm just an early riser, that's all."

"I see.okay, so where are you from?"

"Nowhere important."

Jim arched his eyebrows slightly. "How about your family, where are they?"

Nik sat upright. "That's really none of your business it?" She stood and straightened her oversized green shirt so it hung almost to her knees, and along with her loose khaki pants, completely obliterating the notion that she had any kind of figure at all.

Jim also jumped to his feet. "Wait, I'm sorry, I was just wondering."

"Wondering! Hah! What is this? Some sort of a question and answer session?"

"No, I was just."

"Well I'll tell you one thing, Mr. Hawkins; you wouldn't want me to answer your questions if you knew what I'd have to say. Trust me; you're better off not knowing about my family.in fact, you're better off pretending that I'm not here."

Nik started to retreat to the stairs, but turned back and nodded to B.E.N. "Thank you for your kindness and hospitality, B.E.N. Id very much like to speak with you again."

With that, she turned on her heels and headed back upstairs, leaving a dazed Jim and a glowing B.E.N.

Finally B.E.N. broke the silence. "Well, Jimmy, I think you did pretty good. I mean, you can't win every argument, because if you could then there would be two winners in ever fight, and I'm telling you, that would be difficult to handle. In fact-"

"Never mind B.E.N." Jim pushed in his chair and shook his head slowly. "I just want to help, to reach her like I was reached, but obviously I'm doing something wrong."

B.E.N. opened his mouth to speak, but Jim cut him off.

"Tell mom I'll be out solar surfing. I'll be back sometime before lunch."

With that, Jim flung open the door and headed to where he kept his new solar surfer. As he readied it for flight, he looked up at the sky and shook his head.

"I just don't think I can do it, Silver, I just don't think I can."

The jets on the surfer ignited, and he was off.

~~~~~~~~

B.E.N. sat with his legs crossed and his hands behind his head in a high backed chair opposite Nik in her room. "Oh yeah, he had such a temper! And I'm telling you, the followers he's got now are no better, although most of them are in prison. From what I've heard, there's only one of them free, but I'm not on top of the gossip chain in any way."

Nik chewed on her lip. "So you think I'm pretty safe, then?"

"I'd say yes, definitely yes." He watched his foot swing for a moment, then returned his attention to her. "You know I'm sure Jimmy knows a lot more about these pirates than I do. After all, he spent several months in space with them and I only knew them for like, a day. Why don't you ask him?"

"I can't." Her brows knit. "I can't bring myself to trust just anyone. You're different because you're a robot, and I grew up seeing robots every day.but after mother was killed, the only person I saw was the maid, and she was a crank."

B.E.N. stopped and looked at her. "Your mother was killed?"

Nik closed her eyes for a moment, and then reopened them. B.E.N. could see even from a distance that they were brimming with tears.

"Yes.yes she was. That's why I'm so afraid of the pirates, B.E.N., they-" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"-killed her!" B.E.N. exclaimed, watching Jim's reaction carefully. "And now she's worried because she thinks they might be after her!"

Jim slowly turned his head and looked out the Benbow's front window. "That's silly, they're all locked up. But still.well, I don't know, but she'll tell me this herself when's she's good and ready. As for now, I'm all for some lunch."

Jim stood and strode to the kitchen. After being greeted by an ecstatic Morph, he swung open the door and stepped in. To his shock, he found Nik, along with Captain Amelia and his mother, sitting at the small corner kitchen table.

"What." his jaw dropped.

"Ah, Capt. Hawkins, please join us." Amelia beckoned him over with her delicately gloved hand.

Sarah Hawkins scooted closer to the Captain to allow Jim to fit a chair between her and Nik, but instead, Nik peered out at the darkening sky, stood, and smiled nervously.

"Actually, he can just have my chair, I should be going."

"Its fine, I'll just get a chair." Jim took a step towards the other table and reached for a chair."

"No, don't bother."

In an instant she had slipped past him and through the door, leaving it swinging on its hinges.

Amelia raised an eyebrow and looked to Jim, while his mother stared at the door with her mouth hanging slightly open.

Jim ran a hand through his hair as he sat. "I seem to have that effect on her. Every time I try to talk to her she leaves. She'll talk to B.E.N., but not to me."

"There's defiantly something wrong with that." Amelia chuckled, and waved away the curious Morph that was floating near her shoulder.

Jim sighed and slumped. "B.E.N. said she's worried about pirates or something, but she won't tell why. I-I just want to help, but she won't give me the chance."

Sarah placed a hand on her sons shoulder. "Jim, sometimes you have to be patient. For some people trust doesn't come easily. And we have no idea what went on before she came here, except that she lived on a low-gravity planet. That much she told us, but you could've guessed that by looking at her."

"How so?" Jim asked.

Sarah rolled her eyes and smiled. "Jim, haven't you noticed how her hips and thighs seem slightly out of proportion with her upper body?"

"Yeah, but I wasn't going to say anything about it."

"Good, but anyway, you don't get a lower body like that by choice. Low gravity does that to you, and she's trying to reverse the effects."

"I rather believe she can do it." Amelia spoke up. "She has quite a bit of will power, but she's very uncertain about herself, and very untrustworthy of others. I'm quite sure she has a most interesting past. If only she'd give her last name."

Jim shrugged. "All I know is that her mother was killed by these pirates she's afraid of."

Amelia's ears perked. "That's the second time you've mentioned them. What pirates are we referring to?"

Jim looked her in the eye. "Flint's crew, or his followers I guess. Nothing B.E.N. said seemed to convince her that they were behind bars and she was safe. It's got her scared stiff."

"Poor girl." Sarah shook her head. "Lost her mother.than I assume something else happened, maybe with her father. That would explain why she is so much more open to Amelia and I than she is to you."

Jim shrugged, and Amelia spoke.

"For the moment I think it would be best if terminated this conversation before we develop any incorrect theories. Mr. Hawkins, perhaps you should try something a bit more simple than asking questions. Invite her along on some escapade with your metal man and the blob. Be friendly, not inquisitive."

"Thanks Captain." Jim yawned. "But first, I think I'll sleep on it and let my mind clear a bit. Why do I feel like a spy?"

Sarah laughed. "You, a spy? I thought that's what B.E.N. was for. But just remember, it's really not our business. Be careful what you say."

"I will, mom, I will."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nik stood in her room, staring sadly at her reflection in the wall mirror. Her soft brown hair curled in all directions framing her baby face, highlighting the contrast between her hair and eyes.

She tugged down her shirt and rolled her eyes as she glanced at her slightly wide hips and thighs. "The curse of low gravity." she muttered, and returned her gaze to the eyes of the mirror image.

I can change it all.she thought, except my eyes. They'll be with me forever as a terrible reminder of what happened. With a sigh, she reached under her pillow and took out a small holophoto of a young woman of medium height with chin length brown hair, wearing a long dress of shy blue that highlighted the feature she shared with Nik - her eyes.

Nik rubbed her neck and set the photo on the end stand as she plopped down onto her bed. "I won't let it happen again, Mom," she whispered to the empty air. "Twice is enough, I won't let you down."

There's chapter two for ya. Hope you like it. Reviews are appreciated, and flames get nasty replies. I love advice and opinions, though - just be nice about it please, or Morphy here will cry. And we wouldn't want that to happen, would we? Thanks for reading!!!!!