The next three months, which passed on the RLS Legacy, were at times both enjoyable and tedious…
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Roxanne sighed as she watched Jim walk off with John Silver, Jim had formed a tight bond with Silver over the last few weeks, Captain Amelia and the doctor seemed to have stopped their squabbling and the crew were still keeping themselves to themselves. This left her alone, well not completely alone, she had her predicament to keep her company, but it not only kept her company, it kept her awake most nights too.
"Damn journey," she muttered to herself as she leant against the mast. It was a clear evening, though the weather had been changing more than the Captain's orders for the passed week or so. This was because they keep drifting in and out of other planets' atmospheres. Roxanne had situated herself on the third highest rung leading out from the mast, with her back to Silver and Jim, so she could look out at the stars and think.
She had learnt of the pirates plan to take over the ship when they reached their destination and take the treasure for themselves two days after the fight between Scroop and Jim, though she wished she hadn't. This discovery was a nuisance to her. She knew that when the pirates did get the treasure they would leave the Captain, Mr. Arrow, the doctor, herself and Jim for dead. She knew how pirates worked, having lived on their ships with her dad for all of her life. She could join their side, though they would be dubious as they knew her father, or she could tell the Captain and have them arrested at the next port they stopped at, but the Captain may also be dubious. Either one had its own problems, if she told the Captain then the pirates would seek their revenge and have her killed but if she joined the pirates then the Captain would have her hanged if they got caught. She had no idea how her father ever did his job.
She looked down to see Jim moping along the side of the ship, lost in his thoughts. He'd been very distracted recently, even though Silver had taken him under his wing, which was just one more of her problems. She knew that Silver was only being nice to Jim to keep him off of their plan, though sometimes Roxanne fancied she saw something more than false care and kindness in Silver's eye, and she hoped, for Jim's sake that she was right. He'd taken quite a shine to the cook, even if he was reluctant to admit it. How could she tell him that it was all an act that Silver was putting on? Jim probably wouldn't believe her and if he did, it would break his heart. She was stuck with only one, all be it a measly and cowardly, option………
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Jim groaned as he pulled on his boots and ran his hand through his hair. It was beyond him why the captain had decided to have this little 'Party' for the entire ship. She said it was to keep them from 'Cabin Fever', Jim thought it was because she wasn't as prim and proper as she put across and she needed to let her hair down. Either way he wasn't looking forward to it. He knew that the crew would be drinking, in vast amounts, and that could only mean trouble for him, still, at least he knew that Silver would stand up for him. He was glad to have Silver, though he was still wary of him, he felt that the old spacer had filled the empty void left in him from his father.
He strolled up onto the deck and was amazed at the transformation. The deck was lit up, with coloured lights up the mast and wrapped around the rigging. The crew sat around, happily talking and drinking, the Captain, her first mate and the doctor formed a group of their own. Jim didn't know where to go for best as he looked around at all of the uninviting faces, even the doctor seemed to deep in his conversation to notice him.
"Ah Jimbo!" a merry voice bellowed from behind him as Silver came up and clapped him on the back. "Here lad git some o' this in yer," he pushed a drink into Jim's hand before walking past him to join some of the crew. Seeing that the boy had not followed him, he yelled over to him.
"Come 'ere lad 'n join us." He beckoned with his large mechanical hand.
Reluctantly, Jim joined them, feeling very intimidated by the looks he was getting off of the other members in the group. They sat talking about various things, other voyages, home planets and such. Jim rarely joined in but listened more, though he felt unexpectedly relaxed with the crewmembers, who were now being civilised and friendly to him under the threatening eye of Silver, which Jim did not notice.
After an hour or so of talking and drinking all of the men were getting tipsy except Jim, he was taking it slow because he knew what he could be like under the influence of excessive alcohol. The conversation changed as Roxanne appeared on the deck, Jim did not know where she had been but she had been ignoring him for over a week now, only speaking to him if it was to deliver an insult. He had no idea why.
"Hey Silver why don't you invite your little cabin girl over here?" a large three-eyed creature asked.
"Yeh we could do with some female company." Another chirped.
"I certainly wouldn't mind being kept company by her, with that body." The man who had pinned her against the mast the day of the fight growled, earning a multitude of explicit comments from the others.
Not liking the way the conversation was going, Jim shut their voices out of his mind, hoping they would shut up. They didn't.
"I wonder if she's a virgin," one ventured " I'd like a bit of fresh meat under me…"
"Hey!" Jim interrupted "She's not some sex object, she's a living person, she has feelings. Show her some respect." He spat, not liking what they were saying about her.
"Ooh listen to Mr. Female rights over here." They teased, earning them a dirty look from Jim, not that they cared.
Roxanne looked over at them in disgust as they wolf whistled and made sexual gestures at her. Captain Amelia had also seen this and broke out of her conversation with the doctor to give her crew a stern look before returning to it. Memories began to flood back into Roxanne's mind and she moved quickly to behind the Captains lookout, blocking out the pirates careless words. She sank down to the deck, leaning against a barrel, and closed her eyes as the scenes she dreaded replayed in her head.
