Chapter 5: Settling In

The alerts, the heat…it wouldn't give in. Flames were everywhere, crewmembers scattered about the ship. The Neptune's Dragon was far from salvageable. How could this happen. How could it have gone so bad?

Beep Beep BEEP BEEP BEEEEEEEEEEP.

Vivian awoke in a cold sweat in her bed growling at her alarm clock. She slammed on it taking a breath. Guess time heals all wounds. What better way to do it than agree to destruction with the enemy? Or…former enemy. Although it still was going to take some time before she got comfortable fully with this crew.

She couldn't admit to them in front of their face that she was still intimidated. How would her father have been? Well…maybe not think that way…Her father was a little more brutal when it came to raids as well as keeping fear among clients. Call it a blood-given urge from her grandfather. Then again her mother wasn't exactly all-innocent either. Then again she just had a crazy family.

She grabbed and pulled on spare purple sweater (probably Fives), and gray pants clinging to her curves, along with her boots trying to think. Coffee would probably be a good thing to consider. It would calm her nerves and get down to business.

Knock, Knock, Knock.

Vivian jumped, pulling her long hair back into a braid.

"Come in," she announced. The door opened, with Android stepping into the room.

"Android," Vivian greeted with a grin. Android smiled politely.

"Miss Halvor," Android greeted.

"What do you got for me?" Vivian smiled as she finished her braid.

"I was here to tell you that breakfast is being served in the mess hall. It's protein packets in the flavor of eggs, bacon and toasted waffles," Android announced. Vivian smiled.

"Thank you I appreciate that. Is there coffee?" Vivian asked, getting up, putting on her necklace.

"I believe so. Colombian I think," Android pointed out. "Although I still don't understand why they call it Colombian if it's not actually made in Colombia."

Vivian giggled amused.

"Thanks Android. Is everyone else up?"

"I believe so. Although getting some of the crew awake seemed…unwise," Android commented. Vivian nodded towards the door.

"Walk with me," she suggested as they walked out of the room together.

"All right," Android smiled.

"So why is it unwise to wake up the crew?" Vivian asked as they walked to the mess hall.

"Well, Five, Six and Two are understandable. One is a little groggy. However Three and Four I will not try to awake again," Android explained.

"Why not?"

"They threw things at me. I suggest that if you wake either of them up you might wish to be cautious and weigh in the risks."

"Dually noted," Vivian grinned in amusement.

"Out of curiosity, how are you holding up with the new space?" Android asked as they got closer to the mess.

"Well it's not the Dragon but it's definitely impressive," Vivian smiled.

"Indeed. However, I did see the blueprints of your previous vessel. Quite fascinating," Android commented, making Vivian look at her in curiosity.

"Doing your research huh?"

"I might as well. You are a new recruit upon the ship. Might as well get to know you better."

"Or you can just ask," Vivian smirked, crossing her arms about her chest. Android blinked.

"I'll have to take that into consideration," she commented smiling.

"You're not a…usual Android are you?" Vivian asked.

"I'm programed with the ship's mainframe. Anything that happens to the ship I can be linked to."

"That's not exactly what I meant," Vivian smiled.

"Oh?"

"It's nothing bad, just you seem more…empathetic? Thinking things are fascinating or being curious isn't exactly normal for an android," Vivian commented.

"Interesting. Well it does help that I can assist in the Raza's functions on a daily basis," Android pointed out.

"Which I would've loved to have you aboard my ship."

"Did you not have an android of your own?" Android asked, looking confused. Vivian hesitated.

"He um…he didn't make it after the burn," Vivian sighed. Android blinked.

"I'm so sorry for your loss," she hesitated.

"It's fine. Although he's been in our family for generations," Vivian mentioned as they stepped to the mess. "We had a proper funeral."

Android looked at her confused.

"Why?"

"Just because he was an Android doesn't mean he wasn't a part of the family," Vivian replied with a small smile. "I'm sure the crew here would do the same for you."

Android looked down with a small smile on her face.

"Yes, I believe they would," she agreed as they approached the door. "Enjoy your meal Miss Halvor."

"Viv," Vivian smiled. "You don't have to be so formal if I'm a member now. Let me know if you need anything."

"Will do," Android nodded, smiling as she opened the door.

Vivian walked in seeing the Four sitting down at the table digging into the breakfast.

"Morning," Four grunted.

"I heard you had a bit of a wake up call mishap," Vivian smirked, as made her way to the coffee pot, grabbing some toasted waffles and a packet or two.

"That being?" Four asked.

"Android trying to get you to eat breakfast," Vivian teased as she sat diagonal from him.

"Waking up triggers some reflexes especially when being forced," Four warned. Vivian nodded.

"Noted," she smirked. Six groaned walking into the mess hall.

"Please tell me there's coffee," he muttered.

"Seconded," as Three followed from behind. Vivian took a bite of the bacon-flavored protein. She made a face. Six and Three noticed trying not to look amused.

"Not used to rationed protein-packeted food?" Three asked as he grabbed a tray, filling it up with some of the packets and a few waffles.

"You realize this is the cheap stuff yeah?" Vivian asked. Three sat across from her, next to Four.

"Let me guess, the pirating life made you have wines from the finest planets and a and the best Angus steaks you can by," Three teased.

"You don't actually believe that nonsense do you?" Six asked sitting next to Vivian.

"Actually he's not too far off," Vivian smirked. "Then again who said a pirate couldn't live in a little luxury?"

"Sounds nice," Six laughed. Vivian ate her waffles. At least those didn't taste awful.

"Speaking of luxury," Three began mid chewing his bacon flavored protein. "When's your boy-toy going to mail some dollars our way?"

"My bodyguard," Vivian corrected. "Is making negotiations from my father. He'll wire us some money when we get it."

"Good considering we lost our last contract. Not a huge fan of disease ridden people though," Six scoffed.

"Hey, at least there was something on that freight worth selling," Three interjected.

"That place was dangerous," Four added. "Besides, you find value in anything. Even the ship."

"Can't we all just let that behind us?" Three asked. Vivian rolled her eyes.

"Besides I'm sure the pirate girl here can find a few things worth selling in her estate that's worth a little money," Three smirked as he bit into a waffle.

"You wish," Six chuckled as he took a sip of his coffee. Vivian tried not to laugh.

"Miss Halvor," Android's voice chimed on the intercom. "There is someone trying to call you on our transmission signal. Seems to be coming from two different sources."

Vivian looked up and sighed.

"Can't have a break," she sang as she grabbed her coffee mug and headed to the bridge. "Coming."

"I suggest the rest of the crew comes to the bridge as well," Android chimed.

Everyone groaned.

The crew (except for Five who was still asleep) gathered on the bridge spreading out.

"What's this about?" One asked.

"Someone I think we should meet as in person as we get," Two suggested.

"That being?" Three asked.

Android pressed the accept call button, as Vivian stood in the middle of the group. Suddenly a lean, older gentleman, with a dark well groomed beard and slicked back hair with shining studded earring appeared on the screen. He wore leather hides, and the same golden cross around his neck. Clearly this was a man who knew a thing or two about fighting and space travel. It wasn't any better seeing a few heads of strange animals behind him in his office. Only thing that gave away his age was the silver hair here and there.

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes," Three muttered.

"Father," Vivian greeted with a smile. Three tensed up, raising his brows. He looked at the others like this was nuts.

He peered examining the Raza crew.

"Vivian my pearl," Erik Halvor grinned, showing a shining tooth here and there. He drummed his fingers on his desk, glaring at the crew. "I see you have finally met our former clients in-person?"

"Yes sir," Vivian replied sternly, putting her arms behind her back.

"Portia," Erik purred eyeing her. Two tensed as his eyes hardened with hatred. "It seems you have convinced my daughter of her services aboard your ship."

"Your daughter informed me of the breaches of contract if that's what you're referring to," Two stated seriously.

"Really now? And here I thought you'd be smart enough to remember such a thing," Erik spat.

"Father-" Vivian began to intervene but Erik put up a hand to silence her. The entire crew noticed how tense she became. He glared at the crew.

"You have cost me a great deal for my family to accept your services again Portia," Erik growled. "I hope you have a good reason of coaxing her onto your ship."

"With all due respect sir, we don't exactly know why we would you know, part our contract with you," Three chimed in. Two gave him a warning look.

"Maybe you should've thought of that before blowing up my ship," Erik growled.

"I'm sorry Mr.-" One began.

"That's Captain to you pretty boy," Erik commanded. "My daughter might've inherited the job, but I still rule the family."

Thrown off One began again.

"Captain, unfortunately if there are any qualms between us, we have no recollection of it," One informed, trying not to sound intimidated. Erik furrowed his brows at them in confusion.

"Is this a joke? What sort of mockery do you think you can put on me and my own daughter?" Erik growled.

"Actually Captain Halvor, within the past several weeks we have been trying to recover such data regarding those aboard here and the state of their mission," Android chimed.

"And you expect me to believe that?"

"We lost our memories to an accident while in stasis pods, whether you believe us or not is up for you to decide," Two pitched in. "However, Vivian has made us a deal that she signed by her own hand and mine. I plan to keep it that way."

"Yes I'm very well aware of the agreement. Corey was smart enough to send it to me to keep on file," Erik spat. "A word of warning to you."

Erik leaned onto his desk, making Vivian tense up, looking down at his dominance. Everyone sort of backed up slightly out of instinct.

"If any of you lay a hand on my daughter, or show even a hint of betrayal again, you will have to answer to me personally," Erik warned lowly. "You have signed to protect her while you're in my services. If you do it just right she will do the same for you, right my pearl?"

Vivian nodded in agreement.

"You have the house of Halvor behind you. Don't abuse it," Erik growled, causing the rest of the crew to stare. Erik's face softened at Vivian with a slight smile.

"Goodbye my star, I'll send the money swiftly at your disposal and I sent Corey with a few things of yours to get comfortable. Don't let us down."

Vivian bowed her head in respect.

"Captain," Erik nodded to Two before signing off. Vivian's jaw twisted.

"Well that wasn't scary," One sighed.

"He's a charmer ain't he?" Three scoffed.

Vivian glanced at Android.

"Thank you Android," she bowed her head, tensing before storming out of the bridge.

The crew watched as she left slightly confused.

"Is she okay?" Six asked.

"I noticed high stress signals coming from her. Rapid heart rate, anxiety and surrender all within a few minutes," Android announced.

"Probably because Daddy having a stick up his butt," Three chuckled.

"He's a man of high status, and he just gave us his daughter," Four stated flatly.

"Are we sure we want to have someone that dangerous on deck?"

"We are not breaking this contract. Whatever you do don't sever ties with him," Two

"Got it?" Two asked. Four nodded stiffly, Three put his hands up while One and Six nodded in agreement.

Everyone split from the bridge. Clearly things weren't going to be easy.

Raza was taken out of FTL followed by a strange ship. It wasn't until a friendly face on the transmission feed did anyone back down. Corey boarded the ship with several of Vivian's things. He got odd looks as she guided him back to her room. It also seemed odd to Vivian noticing everyone trying to act like they weren't following her or him back to her quarters.

"I hope that this'll be enough. Then again you can always give me a ring," Corey smiled as Bruce hopped up on Vivian's bed wagging his tail at Corey. Corey dropped a few bags onto the bed.

"What on earth did he give you? My room?" Vivian smirked as she went through the duffle bags.

"Clothes, weapons, trinkets for good luck, that sort of thing," Corey grinned, his accent thick. Three and Four watched from the other end of the hall while the others scattered near her door listening in, watching if they could.

"Of course he did," Vivian laughed. It wasn't unlike her father to over pack. Then again he's a little more experienced on high-end voyages.

"Are you sure you don't want me to bring Bruce home?" Corey asked patting his head.

"Oh no he's fine. He's made a friend or two on the ship," Vivian smiled at him. "Aren't you big guy?"

Bruce wagged his tail playfully as Corey petted his head.

"Still can't believe your father agreed to this," Corey looked around the quarters of her room. "You sure you don't want me to hitch along? Like old times?"

Vivian sighed.

"As much as I love your company Corey," Vivian smirked. "I'm a big girl now."

"You can't blame me for being jumpy lass. I've known you since you were a wee one," Corey glanced behind him seeing the crew scattered outside your door. "Especially with vicious criminals."

"They are no different than me," Vivian breathed as she unpacked her clothes, pulling out the spare ones Two and Five gave her.

"You at least have a head on your shoulders," Corey disagreed.

"Well you do see heads on theirs. Besides, they'll keep their contract," Vivian smiles. "What do they have to lose?"

"Oh speaking of which," Corey pulled out a box. "This is for your company."

The crew peeked in seeing the lock box as it opened. Credit chips. Lots of credit chips. The members tried not to be a little thrown back by 20,000 just sitting in a lockbox. Corey handed it to Vivian motioned Two over. Two (among the peeking crew members) came into the room. Vivian handed her the lockbox.

"As we agreed," she stated as she dropped the box in her grip.

"Gladly," Two smirked heading out of the room with One following behind her.

"Told you we'd eat like kings," Six smirked as he finally left the scene with Five.

"That's all the bags?" Vivian asked.

"Yes Ma'am," Corey replied, bowing his head. "Are you sure you don't want me to stick around?"

"I think we can handle ourselves right buddy?" Vivian commented looking at Bruce. Corey grinned then looked up in thought.

"Oh I almost forgot," he grinned, pulling out a raw chew bone from his pocket. "Little extra for your companion."

Bruce perked his ears up, grabbed the bone and ran out of the room to gnaw on it in piece. Corey and Vivian laughed. Four and Three still hung out by the door.

"That's all from me Captain," Corey sighed. Vivian smiled, grabbing him and hugging him tightly.

"Thanks again. I really do appreciate it," Vivian grinned as Corey patted her back affectionately.

"Anytime lass," he breathed pulling away from the hug. Vivian looked over at Four and Three.

"Four you mind escorting him out," motioning to Corey.

"Yes ma'am. This way," Four motioned to a hallway down the corridor. Corey waved off then pointed at her.

"If there's anything else give me a ring," Corey playfully scored. Vivian nodded, rolling her eyes as he disappeared with Four.

Vivian went back to her unpacking as Three looked around, realizing everyone scattered, leaving him alone with her. He walked in closing the door behind him.

Vivian glanced over.

"Can I help you?" she smiled as he looked at the various bags of stuff.

"I was just curious what Mr. Scotts brought you," Three smirked. He plopped onto the bed, putting his feed up, his arms behind his head.

"Make yourself at home," Vivian teased. He winked at her.

"So what's a pirate girl have in her pile of treasures eh?" he asked as he sat up going through one of the bags of things as she pulled out clothes of hers.

"I'm sure there's plenty of interest to you," Vivian remarked busying herself with another bag.

"Ooo, what have we got here?" Three asked, pulling out a corset vest from her clothes bag. Vivian looked over rolling her eyes. "Is this for a special occasion or everyday wear?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Vivian teased tried not to laugh. Three's eyes lit up.

"You're not one of those girls who likes the frisky stuff right?" Three asked. Vivian grabbed her corset vest from him and stuffed it into her clothes bag. She scooted it away from him placing it by her dresser and smirked.

"I'm a pirate captain not a whore," she commented.

"Oh come on no shame in being a little down and dirty," Three grinned, putting his arms behind his head. Vivian unsheathed a cutlass sword from a hardened case, pointing it at him. Three swallowed staring at the polished blade near his neck.

"Speak for yourself big guy," she smirked, pointing the blade away from him and sheathing it carefully. Three laughed a bit.

"You just love those shiny blades of yours don't you?" Three joked, grabbing a trinket on her bed. Looked like an old-style compass.

"When you run out of bullets, you gotta improvise," Vivian breathed, packing all her clothes in the dresser drawers and closet.

"Or you just don't miss your shot," Three smirked. Vivian rolled her eyes.

"Point," she agreed. Three grinned.

"Look at you agreeing with me. Guess I'm rubbing off on you," Three winked.

She put a few daggers in her nightstand drawers and scattered various objects around the room. Although Three was confused when he saw a few lengths of rope just neatly tucked into the last bag.

"Geez did your bodyguard give you a boat too?" Three asked as she unraveled one batch of them as she finished with the rest of her unpacking. She threw the neatly coiled rope at him. It really was like a pirate ship's rope. But it was different. Three put his fingers along it and Vivian sat down next to him as he sat up, folding his legs under him.

"No I just like having stuff like that around," Vivian commented. Three gave her a weird look.

"Rope? What can you do with rope?" Three raised a brow at her, showing her the coiled bundle.

"You can learn to tie knots," Vivian objected. Three scoffed.

"And?" he asked in amusement. Vivian looked up in thought.

"Tie people up," she stated plainly.

"Well yeah but that's still not that useful," Three chuckled. "What if the guy is big and burly? He would tear right through this thing. Besides it's..." Three ran his fingers along the rope. "Soft? Why is it soft?"

Vivian gave a coy smile. Three was examining the rope but as he glanced over to her he could see a look on her face. Was he thinking too much? Or was it getting warmer in here.

"What?" he scoffed. Vivian scooted closer to him making him back away slightly from surprise.

"I didn't say that the only tying is from some big bad enemy," Vivian smirked. Three raised his brows at her curiously.

"I'm listening," he whispered. She reached down grabbing the rope closely towards his lap that made him twitch and look down.

"It can always have other uses," Vivian whispered alluringly. Threes eye's darted up to hers as she casually wrapped some of the rope around one of his wrists.

"And no one said he just had to be anything too complicated," Vivian smirked, and then suddenly pulled on the rope around his wrist, forcing him to jump forward a little bit. Three gasped in shock but then chuckled.

"Well aren't you full of surprises?" he whispered.

"I try," Vivian eyed him. Three smirked.

"So is it only others getting tied up or is there ever an exception?" Three asked eyeing her. Vivian bit her lip as she grabbed the rope away from him.

"Well I guess you'll have to figure that out for yourself now won't you?" Vivian teased. "That is if you're up for it…"

"Oh I'm more than up for it," whispered with a mischievous smirk, leaning in a bit before her door opened.

"Hey guys, Five just-" Six announced, then stopped and smiled amused. "Uh am I interrupting something?"

"Of course not," Vivian replied, stuffing the rope behind her. Three rolled his eyes giving Six a dark look.

"You better have a damn good reason why-?" Three began.

"Five knows the code to the door. We're going to open it."