----Chapter 3----

Sophie wrangled Camdyn and Gwynn into helping her carry all the food down a deck to the galley. Mina promptly disappeared and Camdyn commented on it.

"Mina bailed out on us."

"She's got good reason." Sophie said reassuringly. Camdyn was aware of the stares she was getting from the noisy crew members who were all talking amongst themselves. Camdyn stared back at them. She tried to match up faces with names that Mina had told her. The dog she thought was the one called Zoll seemed to have no tail at all. Camdyn wondered what could have possibly happened to it. She jumped as he spoke to her suddenly.

"I was born without one."

"I'm sorry, I didn't-"

"S'all right. I'm used to it." he winked at her, "Rather have a pretty lass like you staring at me bottom than this lot, that's for sure."

He laughed. Camdyn still couldn't believe he'd been born with no tail.

"You're name is...Zoll? Right?" she asked.

"Tha's right. The tail runs in the family. We're all welsh. You can sit 'ere." he shoved one of the pirates off the bench he was sitting on and offered her a spot. "It's the only way you'll ever get a seat."

Camdyn looked around and saw that both Sophie and Gwynn had found seats, so she took the Corgi up on his offer. The displaced pirate promptly went and shoved another and started another round of jostling.

"You're the new girl, ain't cha?" Zoll asked. "The one Mina brought aboard."

"Yes..."

"Coo, you're the reason Karnage is so ticked. He was madder than a cat with no claws earlier. Heard him and Mina arguing." at this Zoll pointed to his large ears "The old radar picks up a lot."

"She's fighting with the Captain? Isn't that a little...risky?"

"Too right." Zoll leaned over closer to Camdyn. "If you don't mind me sayin', you need to start watching your back. Yer one of four girls on this whole damn ship and the rest of us is...well, never mind that. We're the big dogs, and you've gotta learn to fight like one of us or you'll get run over."

Camdyn didn't know how to reply to that so she sat and stared at her hands. That was when Mina came in looking like she was going to murder someone. Karnage was right behind her.

"Oh no. Looks like things didn't go too well." Sophie whispered to Gwynn.

"I hope they don't keel haul, Camdyn. I like her." Gwynn said as Mina forcibly shoved herself into the space next to her.

"I'm sure the captain would let her walk the plank if she wanted to." Sophie said with a small smile. Gwynn rolled her eyes.

"So what did he say? Does she stay?" Gwynn asked.

"He doesn't want to talk about it." she snorted. "He doubted she'd even be able to hold her own in here much less on a raid." Mina was angry.

"Well, I hate to be the one to burst his bubble but, she's sitting over there making friends already." Sophie said pointing.

"What?" Mina looked across the table at Camdyn who was laughing at something Zoll had said.

"Zoll? ZOLL likes her?"

"I think he's just protecting her."

"Hrmph." was all Mina said. "She's not out of the woods."

Sophie and Gwynn tried to cajole her into talking more, but Mina wouldn't have any of it.

After dinner Mina caught up to Camdyn, Sophie and Gwynn on her heels.

"Come with me. You need to talk to the captain."

"Did he say I could stay? Or is he going to do me in?"

"Just come with me. You two should get to bed." Mina said watching the other two. They looked sheepish and slunk off to their shared room off the kitchen. It had the bonus of being warm in the coldness of the high altitudes.

Mina waited until she was sure they were gone then led Camdyn through another twisting maze of corridors.

"He doesn't like me does he?" Camdyn said. It really wasn't a question, more a statement, but Mina shook her head.

Mina shrugged.

Camdyn was quiet. "Do you think he'll let me stay? Or am I going to be shipped off to some island to be marooned? Or worse, turned in?"

"I honestly don't know what goes on in his head most of the time." Mina admitted. "I get along better than most of the crew. I've known him for years."

"Is that why you were arguing with him?" Camdyn put her paw over her mouth as soon as she said it.

"Ah, Zoll's Radar. He doesn't miss a beat that one. The only one more informed on the ship is Gibber." Mina didn't pause at all in her walking.

"Well, I suppose I can give you the short of it. It can't hurt. You see I can get away with a little bit of arguing here and there because I've known Karnage since he was little more than a pup himself...and I know how far I can push him before he gets really angry. Met him after he ran away from home and helped Mad Dog and Dumptruck break out. But I shouldn't have told you that...that's their story, not mine. And here we are anyway."

Mina knocked on the door in front of them. Camdyn wished more than anything that she could hide behind the big bear and pretend she wasn't there, but Mina shoved her inside first.

"I brought back-up this time." Mina said as soon as she closed the door.

"So you did. Should I be the frightened kitty-cat?"

"She held her own with the crew. She proved out there that she deserves a chance."

"She proved nothing. She has no skills...nothing that would be useful to a pirate." Karnage snapped.

"How do you know what skills I have? You haven't even asked me!" Camdyn said, wincing as Mina glared at her, but continued on, "My uncle is a cargo pilot. He even let me fly his plane on a few runs."

"See? She can do it." Mina interjected. Karnage snorted.

"Flying a cargo plane is not the same as flying a fighter."

"The only reason you're-" Mina started.

"The ONLY reason YOU are doing this is because you feel the guiltiness of failure." Karnage smiled wickedly. He'd hit a nerve and could tell it. "No matter what it is you teach to...her...she is not going to be bringing back the lost."

Mina was trembling. "How dare you bring that up!"

Camdyn was confused. Lost? Did that mean someone died?

"You are feeling sorry for her and wish to help her, yes/no? I am telling you she will never learn to be a pirate."

"You know, I remember when someone said the same thing about you."

"I am remembering it."

"Then you probably remember what happened to the person who said it."

"Vividly."

"Well, I'm not going to do it now...but only because it would be mutiny." Mina snapped and turned to go, completely forgetting Camdyn was standing there. The door slammed and resounded down the corridor. Camdyn looked frightened.

"Well?" Karnage asked. Camdyn turned to look at him. "Go. I am busy." Camdyn shuffled to the door, but paused before she opened it.

"What did she do?"

"Eh?"

"To the person."

"Oh...she back handed him across a table."

Camdyn nodded and began to leave.

"You may tell the bear, that she can teach you."

She stopped outside the door. Had she just heard that right?

"Really?"

"Yes. The only conditioner is she take you off of my lovely ship. You are distracting to the crew."

"Thank you."

"Do not be thanking me, go! Tell the bear before she goes off half cockroached."

Karnage winced as the door slammed a second time and listened to Camdyn's running fade into the distance. He only hoped she didn't get lost, that was the last thing he needed.

Camdyn didn't get lost, but she did end up in the crew's barracks. She managed to find Zoll in the melee of pirates.

"Have you seen Mina?" she asked him. Zoll shrugged.

"I've seen her."

Camdyn turned to the speaker and saw it was Mad Dog.

"She took off toward the hangar." he said pointing down the corridor. "If you hurry, you might actually catch her before she leaves."

"She's LEAVING? I have to tell her...something." Camdyn hurried off in the direction the mutt had pointed. She was stopped cold when he grabbed her by the back of her shirt.

"Hey! Lemme go!"

"It's faster if you go this way...you'll never get through down there." he pulled a vent cover loose and shoved her in. It was big enough for her to stand up in, as long as she ducked her head. "Just follow it straight out. You'll come out on the catwalk."

"Thanks." Camdyn was already moving, hoping Mad Dog wasn't playing some sort of cruel joke on her.

Zoll shook his head.

"What?" Mad Dog snapped.

"Nothing. It's just you helped her. You going soft?" Zoll received a punch in the shoulder for his troubles.

"Hehe. Guess not." he said, rubbing his shoulder.