-We All Find a Way
"Once, we commandeered a ship while the entire crew was asleep, knocking the night watch unconscious and drugging the rest..." said our new Captain. "But we don't have the right tools with us, and the Scabrous will still be up by the time we reach the Asimov system."
Captain Jim Hawkins stared thoughtfully at the wall. He was sitting on an old brown trunk across the bed, where Aaren was sitting cross-legged. I sat on the floor leaning against the bed, just at her feet. Lakan stood by the wall, the side of his head pressed against the porthole, his hand absently tapping at the casing.
"They aren't very smart, though..." At this, Captain Jim smirked. "Why is it that every time I'm captured, it's by a crew that isn't very smart?"
"Because you're a hero," Lakan answered.
Captain Jim hadn't really expected anyone to answer. But then he nodded at Lakan and said, "We all could be. We could go home, alert central intelligence, and help save the Alliance. Or we could die trying."
"Personally," I put in, "I'm for trying."
Aaren laughed. Surprised, I looked up at her and met her eyes. Her laugh softened, and then she cleared her throat and looked back at her father. I looked back at the Captain, too, just in time to catch him and Lakan exchanging amused looks. I looked back up at Aaren, who seemed to flush a little, but her expression was solemn. Obviously, this was no time to straighten out whatever was going on between us - if there was anything going on.
She gave her father an angry look, and he gave a mock sigh before continuing. "They should have locked us in the hull, because then there would be virtually no means of escape. But instead, they're the ones in the hull because they're just too big for the normal size cabins..." Captain Jim rubbed his chin in thought. "I wonder why Devon - " the traitorous officer " - never told them that..."
"I don't think Devon cares much which side wins in this," Aaren said pointedly, "he just wants to win something for himself."
"Someone has to block off the hull, bar the hatch and prevent the Scabrous inside from coming out," continued Captain Jim. "But then we'd need to get out of this cabin. How will we get past the ones on deck, I wonder...?"
Lakan cleared his throat. "Is there anyone big enough to fit through this porthole?" We looked at him, and he stepped away from the round window. He tapped once or twice on the wall, and the screws fell one by one to the floor. He caught the metal casing before it clattered after them. Meanwhile, the glass pane and the outer casing fell away, lost in the etherium. We were stunned, but the Captain laughed and clapped his hands.
He was quieted, though, when Aaren said, "I can." There were protests from the two older men, and quieter, inner protests on my part. It was too dangerous to let her climb out of the porthole - what if she was seen? What if she lost her grip? What if we lost her? We couldn't let her do it.
"You have to let me do it. I'm the only one who'll fit through the porthole. The Scabrous have let space barnacles collect on the sides; they don't care as much about maintenance as officers of the fleet. I can use them as handholds and move down to the longboat bay, work the hatch open, steal a longboat, and swing back for when you break out of this cabin."
"We're breaking out of this cabin?" her father asked dubiously.
Aaren rolled her eyes. "Dad," she said exasperatedly, "it's not like that'll be difficult for you." And at this, he grinned sheepishly. "You'll break out of the cabin and fight your way to the deck, and then you'll rush for the railing and jump off the ship."
"Excuse me!" exclaimed Lakan.
Aaren continued, "By then I should have brought the longboat around to catch you... Though maybe Marko should do it, he seems to be such an expert at piloting a longboat."
There was silence. I felt three pairs of eyes on me. I couldn't look at her. Finally, I said, "You're right about being the only one who'll fit through the porthole. You're right about everything." And there was more silence.
Aaren got off the bed. I'd crossed my arms in front of my chest and looked away, beginning to sulk and feel like a child. Before I knew it, the last I saw of her then was her left foot going out the window.
Captain Jim and I rushed to the hole in the wall. There was Aaren, several feet below us, clinging desperately to the huge barnacles just covering the name Celerity. She was biting her lip and fighting back tears, and I noticed that her hands were bleeding as she moved slowly, painfully from barnacle to razor sharp barnacle. It should have been me down there, and I was about to jump out the hole after her when the Captain put his hand on my shoulder. "I've taken note of her pace. In approximately two minutes, she will have reached the hatch. That's when we bust down the door."
I noticed that he was trying his best to keep solemn, but his eyes betrayed a troubled mind. We'd just thrown his only child, the most beloved, most treasured being in both our lives, out the window and into space. Nevertheless, he glanced at the old clock on the wall. After a few minutes, he put his shoulder to the cabin door. "On three," he said.