Chapter 2
-Flashback-
He had looked back. His father didn't care enough to look back, no one ever had. Jim could barely believe his eyes as he watched Silver turn the longboat around and head back to the bay for him. Someone finally gave a good goddamn about his feelings, and it was the most unlikely person of all, well, the most unlikely cyborg. Jim hopped into the boat and took the helm, showing off all his impressive solar surfer moves. Silver was so taken aback at first, he nearly fell over, but regained his composure and let Jim steer them onto the tail of a comet, and ride it far and fast through the Etherium. They spent the rest of the day riding comets and coasting through the vast three-dimensional plain that was space.
The Legacy was docked at a tiny planet that was used mainly for refueling (for the older vessels that weren't powered by solar sails) and restocking, and Jim and Silver pulled the longboat up to an even tinier natural satellite of the planet, securing it expertly to the jagged, but sturdy, rock formations. They needed some time alone to talk, and under Captain Amelia, they never had so much as a spare moment to fart. Morph had tagged along on their mini-adventure, and was now off exploring the layout of the satellite, mimicking all the trees and rocks he encountered, making his usual, random, happy noises. The terrain was red, tightly packed clay and huge, jutting rocks and hills, dotted with gnarled, weeping trees with orange leaves and vines, and coal black trunks. It was a mystery how the trees survived, as there didn't seem to be any water source, but in the last few weeks, Jim had seen so many new worlds and life forms, he had stopped questioning and simply began observing. Sometimes, things didn't really need answers; they just needed to be expressed. He felt the same way about those trees right now as he did about his feelings for Silver.
"Did you believe in the future when you were younger?" Jim asked, stretching out in the longboat, and glancing over at Silver, his hands behind his head
"Well, whether I did or didn't, it came about, did it not?" Silver replied, his brow a bit furrowed by Jim's question. "What are ye getting at, lad?"
"I meant, did you have any idea of what was going to become of you, did you know you would end up a cyborg? A cook on a ship?" Jim expected an honest answer, and Silver wouldn't let him down. Aside from his mutiny plans, he had resolved to be completely honest with the boy.
"Of course not! Are ye daft? Who imagines that as a possible outcome of their toils? But that ain't the point of livin', Jimbo. The point is, well, I haven't gotten that far yet!" Silver laughed softly, staring down at his robotic hand, the complex erector set that made up his fingers, knuckles and wrist. It was a tool, and a weapon, but right now he just wanted it to be a hand, a hand to reach out to Jim with. In the end, it was Jim who did the reaching, sitting up and lightly touching the cold machinery, curiously and tentatively at first. He inched closer to the older man, remaining silent and manually exploring the workings of his artificial limb. Jim had expected it to be unpleasant, but he found the metal to be smooth and stable, something strong to hold onto. Silver was old enough to be his father, and had looked after him in his own gruff way from day one. He wanted more than anything to trust this man, but the nagging suspicions, assuming the voice of old Billy Bones, kept intruding in his mind. Even if Silver wasn't the cyborg that was after Bones, how could he be sure this wasn't another man who would up and leave him alone, betrayed once more? That thought hurt Jim more than the memory of his father abandoning him, because his feelings for Silver were much more intense.
He slipped beneath the robotic arm and leaned against Silver's massive torso and shoulder. The flesh and bone of this man was even more stable than the metallic parts, and Jim himself was barely aware of how his hand now traveled over Silver's human hand, up his arm and came to rest on his chest, over his heart. He turned his head inward and nuzzled against his shoulder. "I don't think I've gotten that far either. I don't think I ever will."
Silver froze. He knew his conscience would eat at him for the rest of his life if he allowed the situation to escalate any further. The young pup barely knew which way was up, and to follow through with his more sexual inclinations towards the boy would be nothing short of debauchery, an act of selfish cruelty. It didn't matter that the feel of his young, smooth body inflamed him, and it didn't matter that he had grown to love the boy, and believe in all his potential to become a great man, all that mattered was that doing anything with him now would be wrong, plain and simple. He rotated his cyborg eye to peer into Jim's face, and the desire and desperation for love was clearly evident, but it was the wrong time, the wrong place. With a deep, sad breath, Silver lightly slapped the boy's cheek and ruffled his hair.
"Ah, Jimbo, ye got plenty more time to get there, a heap more than I do, anyhow. What do ye say we catch a few more tails before we head back to the ship? I got me some time before I need to head into the galley to prepare supper, you can show me some more of them fancy solar surfer moves!" He tried to sound cheerful and boisterous as always, but it was extremely difficult.
At first, Jim had never felt more hurt or rejected in his life, and he was so stunned, he couldn't speak. As they headed back into space, catching the tail of a huge and fast- moving comet, he began to think more clearly. His hair whipped around his face as fast as his thoughts swirled in his head, and when he followed the comet as it made its loop and then propelled the boat into the dark silence of space once more, he realized that Silver had just given him what he had wanted, someone to trust. In hindsight, Jim was shocked at himself, not only for whom he had found himself attracted to, but how easily he was ready to give himself over to him, and it made him feel more valuable than any treasure to know that Silver wouldn't take advantage of his vulnerability.
It was dark by the time they returned to the Legacy, and Jim was in much better spirits. They laughed and joked as they hauled the longboat up into the hanger bay.
"Jimbo, if I had maneuvered a skiff like that when I was your age, they'd be bowing in the streets when I walked by today!"
"Bowing in the streets!" Morph chimed in, darting to and fro around their heads.
Jim smiled. It was nice to know that someone thought he was worthy of a bow. And he was especially glad that it was Silver who thought so.
-Flashback-
He had looked back. His father didn't care enough to look back, no one ever had. Jim could barely believe his eyes as he watched Silver turn the longboat around and head back to the bay for him. Someone finally gave a good goddamn about his feelings, and it was the most unlikely person of all, well, the most unlikely cyborg. Jim hopped into the boat and took the helm, showing off all his impressive solar surfer moves. Silver was so taken aback at first, he nearly fell over, but regained his composure and let Jim steer them onto the tail of a comet, and ride it far and fast through the Etherium. They spent the rest of the day riding comets and coasting through the vast three-dimensional plain that was space.
The Legacy was docked at a tiny planet that was used mainly for refueling (for the older vessels that weren't powered by solar sails) and restocking, and Jim and Silver pulled the longboat up to an even tinier natural satellite of the planet, securing it expertly to the jagged, but sturdy, rock formations. They needed some time alone to talk, and under Captain Amelia, they never had so much as a spare moment to fart. Morph had tagged along on their mini-adventure, and was now off exploring the layout of the satellite, mimicking all the trees and rocks he encountered, making his usual, random, happy noises. The terrain was red, tightly packed clay and huge, jutting rocks and hills, dotted with gnarled, weeping trees with orange leaves and vines, and coal black trunks. It was a mystery how the trees survived, as there didn't seem to be any water source, but in the last few weeks, Jim had seen so many new worlds and life forms, he had stopped questioning and simply began observing. Sometimes, things didn't really need answers; they just needed to be expressed. He felt the same way about those trees right now as he did about his feelings for Silver.
"Did you believe in the future when you were younger?" Jim asked, stretching out in the longboat, and glancing over at Silver, his hands behind his head
"Well, whether I did or didn't, it came about, did it not?" Silver replied, his brow a bit furrowed by Jim's question. "What are ye getting at, lad?"
"I meant, did you have any idea of what was going to become of you, did you know you would end up a cyborg? A cook on a ship?" Jim expected an honest answer, and Silver wouldn't let him down. Aside from his mutiny plans, he had resolved to be completely honest with the boy.
"Of course not! Are ye daft? Who imagines that as a possible outcome of their toils? But that ain't the point of livin', Jimbo. The point is, well, I haven't gotten that far yet!" Silver laughed softly, staring down at his robotic hand, the complex erector set that made up his fingers, knuckles and wrist. It was a tool, and a weapon, but right now he just wanted it to be a hand, a hand to reach out to Jim with. In the end, it was Jim who did the reaching, sitting up and lightly touching the cold machinery, curiously and tentatively at first. He inched closer to the older man, remaining silent and manually exploring the workings of his artificial limb. Jim had expected it to be unpleasant, but he found the metal to be smooth and stable, something strong to hold onto. Silver was old enough to be his father, and had looked after him in his own gruff way from day one. He wanted more than anything to trust this man, but the nagging suspicions, assuming the voice of old Billy Bones, kept intruding in his mind. Even if Silver wasn't the cyborg that was after Bones, how could he be sure this wasn't another man who would up and leave him alone, betrayed once more? That thought hurt Jim more than the memory of his father abandoning him, because his feelings for Silver were much more intense.
He slipped beneath the robotic arm and leaned against Silver's massive torso and shoulder. The flesh and bone of this man was even more stable than the metallic parts, and Jim himself was barely aware of how his hand now traveled over Silver's human hand, up his arm and came to rest on his chest, over his heart. He turned his head inward and nuzzled against his shoulder. "I don't think I've gotten that far either. I don't think I ever will."
Silver froze. He knew his conscience would eat at him for the rest of his life if he allowed the situation to escalate any further. The young pup barely knew which way was up, and to follow through with his more sexual inclinations towards the boy would be nothing short of debauchery, an act of selfish cruelty. It didn't matter that the feel of his young, smooth body inflamed him, and it didn't matter that he had grown to love the boy, and believe in all his potential to become a great man, all that mattered was that doing anything with him now would be wrong, plain and simple. He rotated his cyborg eye to peer into Jim's face, and the desire and desperation for love was clearly evident, but it was the wrong time, the wrong place. With a deep, sad breath, Silver lightly slapped the boy's cheek and ruffled his hair.
"Ah, Jimbo, ye got plenty more time to get there, a heap more than I do, anyhow. What do ye say we catch a few more tails before we head back to the ship? I got me some time before I need to head into the galley to prepare supper, you can show me some more of them fancy solar surfer moves!" He tried to sound cheerful and boisterous as always, but it was extremely difficult.
At first, Jim had never felt more hurt or rejected in his life, and he was so stunned, he couldn't speak. As they headed back into space, catching the tail of a huge and fast- moving comet, he began to think more clearly. His hair whipped around his face as fast as his thoughts swirled in his head, and when he followed the comet as it made its loop and then propelled the boat into the dark silence of space once more, he realized that Silver had just given him what he had wanted, someone to trust. In hindsight, Jim was shocked at himself, not only for whom he had found himself attracted to, but how easily he was ready to give himself over to him, and it made him feel more valuable than any treasure to know that Silver wouldn't take advantage of his vulnerability.
It was dark by the time they returned to the Legacy, and Jim was in much better spirits. They laughed and joked as they hauled the longboat up into the hanger bay.
"Jimbo, if I had maneuvered a skiff like that when I was your age, they'd be bowing in the streets when I walked by today!"
"Bowing in the streets!" Morph chimed in, darting to and fro around their heads.
Jim smiled. It was nice to know that someone thought he was worthy of a bow. And he was especially glad that it was Silver who thought so.