Chapter 4: The Spaceport and Meeting Jim
After a few hours of riding, the carriage arrived at the Gandorona spaceport, and the adults and redhead exited with their luggage. They boarded on a ship and were taken up to the spaceport that was in the shape of a crescent moon. The closer they got to the crescent moon, as buildings and ships began to appear as the port got bigger and bigger.
Soon Rose, Artemis, Captain Amelia, and Mr. Arrow arrived at the Space Port of Crescentia and exited off the ship to walk within the busy port. Rose was amazed at the sight! She had never seen so many different kinds of people, as most of them were humanoid aliens and a few humans. Most of them were shouting and conversing and going about their day.
The redhead held her suitcase in her hand and had Artemis perched on her shoulder. She looked around with intense curiosity, and took a few steps forward, unaware that she accidentally wandered away from Captain Amelia and Mr. Arrow.
"Rose!" Captain Amelia called.
The redhead heard her adopted mother's call, and she turned around, realizing how far away she was. She hurried back to them and they gave her a stern look.
"Stay close Rose," Mr. Arrow said firmly. "It's easy to get lost in this spaceport, and we don't want anything to happen to you."
"I'm sorry," she said. "I guess I got distracted, but it won't happen again."
"That's quite all right Rose," the feline said. "But please remember to stay close to us in the future. This port is almost like a labyrinth."
The redhead nodded, and stayed close as she could with the adults. The trio made their way around the streets and buildings, and after twenty minutes of walking, they arrived at the docks.
"Here it is, Rose," Mr. Arrow said, gesturing his hand with a smile. "The R.L.S. Legacy."
Rose looked up and was awestruck to see the massive size of the floating ship. It was very elegant, the mahogany polished wood shined in the sunlight and it had multiple solar sails that matched the exterior of the ship. The port workers were just starting to load up crates of supplies for the voyage.
"My goodness," the redhead said, smiling. "I can't believe this is it!"
The trio walked up the gangplank and entered the deck. Rose grew more amazed by the sight with the towering masts, the birds flew around in the air, and the solar sails were securely fastened. She took a three hundred and sixty degree turn to take in her surroundings.
"Ah, the ship is still the same since the last voyage," the Captain said, standing in a graceful position. "Although it's a little out of order, but with some tidying up it'll look good as new. Why don't we head up to our quarters, settle down and get everything set up? Doctor Doppler and the rest of the crew should arrive in a few hours."
The adults and the girl headed up the stairs to where their quarters will be for the remainder of the voyage. There were four bedrooms reserved for Captain Amelia, Mr. Arrow, Rose, and Dr. Doppler, three washrooms, a dining room, and a stateroom where the Captain keeps up on her work. Once they finished putting their clothes, papers, books, and hygiene products away, they decided to set up more on the ship.
"Rose, we have a little surprise for you, and I think you'd really like it," Mr. Arrow said, giving a wink.
Captain Amelia and Mr. Arrow led the girl down the stairs to the medical bunks, a mini hospital on the ship. The room had two rows of beds, five on each side. The white sheets were clean and the scent was fresh. There were shelves of numerous medicines, painkillers, needles, and first aid kits. A sink to wash her hands, tools, and nearby were sterile products to kill microorganisms.
"So Mother and Papa, where's this surprise?"
Mr. Arrow pointed up to the ceiling and Rose saw a rope above. Her eyes widened in curiosity, she wondered what surprise was waiting for her up there.
"Pull it down, but watch your head," Mr. Arrow encouraged.
Rose grabbed the rope and slowly pulled it down, and a ladder appeared. The ladder slid down, she backed away as it landed on the floor and the girl grew amazed to see an opening in the ceiling.
"Is this a secret room?" she asked.
"When we first used this ship on other voyages, I discovered this room and realized until you had the courage to venture from home, we realized that this secret room would be a great place for you, and when you're not working," Captain Amelia said, smiling.
She climbed up the ladder and grew amazed at the size of her new room. It was medium sized, and the only furniture it had was a desk, a chair, and a navy blue fainting couch. She thanked her adopted parents and decided to start setting up the secret room. She placed down her sewing kit, her arts and crafts, gardening tools, and writing. Rose did her best to decorate the secret room for her comfort.
After a few hours, the crew members began to arrive. Most of them were aliens of different kinds. During the time, Mr. Arrow gave them clear rules to follow and no brawls. The crew members gave the first mate their agreements and went about to set up, although both Captain Amelia and Mr. Arrow didn't immediately trusted them and felt there was something too easy about them. But they shook their thoughts away and continued on with their tasks.
The Captain gave Rose a list of last minute errands to pick up before leaving. The girl managed to find her way around the port, picking up some food for Artemis consisting of fruit and silkworms. She also managed to pick up some plants to give some life for the secret room as if it were her garden back home. Soon after, the secret room was set up, and Rose was completely satisfied with the outcome.
Seeing the ship packed with the crew members, the girl decided to watch the view from the platform above where the steering wheel was and the place where her guardians will stand for the launch. She leaned over the railing and her mind was at peace.
She continued to watch and hear Mr. Arrow calling out orders, and she looked down until she saw two more souls entering the deck. One of them was a humanoid dog with brown hair, a pair of glasses and wore a ridiculous yellow space suit, and Rose assumed that was Dr. Doppler. Next to the humanoid dog, was a human teenage boy around her age.
The boy had tan skin, dark chestnut hair that was shaved from the ear down, bangs that hung down, a small golden hoop earring on his left ear, and a rat tail at the bottom of his neck. He wore a tan colored shirt, a dark leather jacket, olive green pants that reached to his shins, and black boots. His appearance was indeed very rebellious. But his pale blue eyes have caught her attention, and they were very beautiful and clear.
She continued to watch him as he looked around with wonder, until he ran into an alien that looked like a slug (wearing a blue hat and red vest) with many snouts and tentacles, and accidentally stepped on his tail.
"Sorry about that, I didn't mean…" the boy said, backing away. But the alien got mad, balled up his fists for a fight, and made various farting sounds. His tentacles blew into the boy's face, and he stood there dumbfounded, and blew one of his bangs. Rose gave a giggle at the boy's reaction, and then the humanoid dog stood next to him and knew what to do.
"Allow me to handle this," he said.
Then Doppler began to make similar noises that the crew member had, blowing raspberries and making armpit sounds. Whatever Doppler said, managed to help the alien slug understand the doctor and he burst out laughing.
"I'm fluent in Flatula Jim," Doppler said, smiling. "Took two years of it in high school."
The doctor blew a raspberry to the alien and he left. This left the boy, known as Jim, impressed as he ran a hand through his hair to fix it.
"Flatula? Cool," he said.
Before Jim could follow his friend, his eyes traveled to the left of his peripheral vision and noticed the girl up on the platform. The redhead was looking in the distance of the ship. The boy's expression turned into surprise as he looked at her.
"Whoa," he muttered to himself, he had never seen a girl with natural beauty. He stood there for a few minutes to watch her.
"Jim? Jim?" Doppler said, walking back to Jim, wondering what he was looking at. The boy was still in a daze looking at the petite redhead.
Then the humanoid dog followed the boy's direction and noticed Rose. The girl looked over in Jim's direction, but she quickly looked away. She looked at the boy's direction again, and their eyes were locked into each other.
"I wonder who that girl is?" he asked himself.
"I'm not sure," Doppler said, shrugging his shoulders. "I think she must be a companion to the Captain."
The humanoid dog gave the girl a friendly wave, and the girl flinched in nervousness, giving an awkward wave and hurried away. Jim kept his gaze on her until she disappeared. His expression of awe turned to disappointment, and he was curious about her. Maybe he'll run into her later on, hopefully.
The two men made their way to Mr. Arrow as he was standing by making sure everything was in order.
"Good morning Captain," Delbert said, greeting him. "Everything ship-shape?"
Mr. Arrow glanced at the two men, before answering.
"Ship-shape it is sir, but I'm not the captain," he replied, before gesturing up to the sails. "The Captain's aloft."
Right on cue, Captain Amelia ran across the mast, leaped off grabbing one of the ropes and somersaulted in the air, landing on another mast. She hopped off and grabbed another rope. After doing a backflip, she landed on the deck, standing up straight with grace and confidence.
Jim and Delbert gawked at the Captain unexpectedly. The lid on Delbert's helmet fell down and he gazed with Jim, as they were both skeptical.
"Mr. Arrow," Captain Amelia started in her business tone, and Mr. Arrow stood up straight and tall, "I've checked this miserable ship from stem to stern and, as usual, it's… spot on. Can you get nothing wrong?" Her serious face turned into a friendly expression as she looked at her best friend.
"You flatter me, Captain," Mr. Arrow said, smiling as he tipped his tri-corn hat.
The Captain gave a wink and came face-to-face with Doppler. She stared at him curiously, looking up and down at his suit, and she smirked mischievously.
"Ah, Doctor Doppler, I presume?" she asked.
The doctor stammered, clearing his throat, and did his best to answer the Captain. But this made Captain Amelia speak up again, "Hello? Can you hear me?" she knocked her fist on his helmet playfully.
"Yes, I can! Stop that banging!" Delbert exclaimed, getting flustered, and attempted to take off his helmet.
"If I may doctor, this works so much better when it's right way up and plugged in!" She said, adjusting his suit by turning a lever, pulling a plug and placed it in the back of his suit, creating an electric shock in the back. "Lovely, there you go."
Delbert was finally able to take off his helmet and unplugged his cord, and said agitated, "If you don't mind, I can manage my own plugging!"
She ignored him, shaking his hand and introduced herself, "I'm Captain Amelia, late of a few run-ins with the Procyon Armada. Nasty business, but I won't bore you with my scars." She gestured to her first mate. "You've met my first officer, Mr. Arrow. Sterling, tough, dependable, honest, brave, and true."
"Please Captain," the First Mate said, modestly.
"Oh shut up Arrow, you know I don't mean a word of it," the Captain teased.
"Excuse me," Delbert said, clearing his throat. "I hate to interrupt this lovely banter, but may I introduce you to Jim Hawkins? Jim you see… he's the boy who found the treasure…"
Before Delbert could say 'map', Captain Amelia's ears shot up in alarm and gripped her hand to close the doctor's jaws.
"Doctor please!" she hissed. She looked back to see the crew members looking at them suspiciously, and one of them growled before they went back to work.
"I'd like a word with you in my stateroom," she announced softly, and released her tough grip from his face. She went over to her first mate and whispered in his ear, "Please bring Rose into the stateroom as well, she ought to know what must go on, but first, why don't you introduce her to the doctor and the cabin boy?"
Mr. Arrow nodded and motioned his head for Delbert and Jim to follow him. The boy remembered the girl he saw on the upper platform and decided to ask the First Mate about her, "Hey Mr. Arrow, who's the girl with the long red hair?"
"That is the Captain's adopted daughter, Rose, and I am also her guardian. She's the R.L.S. Legacy's nurse and botanist," Mr. Arrow said. "The Captain and I adopted her when she was six years old, after she lost her parents. She's very nervous around new people and quite introverted. Give her some time to get used to her surroundings."
"Oh, what happened to her parents?" Delbert asked, his face turning to sympathy.
"I wouldn't bring up that subject," Mr. Arrow warned. "Rose doesn't like to talk about it."
Delbert nodded and Jim rolled his eyes, but had sympathy for the girl. Rose? He thought to himself. That's a pretty name for a girl like her.
"So how old is she? Twelve? Thirteen?" the boy asked.
"Rose is fifteen, Mr. Hawkins," Mr. Arrow said sternly. "In the future, call her Ms. Morgan."
Jim grew surprised, that there was someone around his age to be around with him.
"Fifteen years old?" he remarked. "That's how old I am."
"Well, at least Rose will have someone around her age to socialize with," the First Mate said, giving a small smile.
Mr. Arrow knocked on the door to the medical bunks. The door slowly opened and Rose revealed herself. She came up to Mr. Arrow, and stood still. Jim and Doppler grew surprised, not realizing how short the girl was, and she almost looked like a preteen despite being a teenager. She had very delicate features that gave her the appearance of a fragile porcelain doll.
"Rose," Mr. Arrow said. "I like you to meet Doctor Doppler and Mr. Hawkins."
The redhead looked at each of them carefully. She folded her pale hands and bowed her head slightly.
"It's nice to meet you Doctor Doppler and Mr. Hawkins," she said softly.
The girl looked up at the two men again. The canine nodded his head to greet her. She slowly came up to Jim and looked up at him. He stood up a few inches above her, that she had to look up at him, and he had to tilt his head down. They both shook their hands. Rose's snow colored skin was contrasted against Jim's tan complexion.
"Nice meeting you Ms. Morgan," he said, awkwardly.
"Yes, you too, Mr. Hawkins," she said softly.
They looked at each other again, but they couldn't let out any more words to each other. Rose, for a strange reason, felt her face blushing. Jim, in the meantime, felt more awkwardness as he never been around girls a lot, and doesn't know how to talk to them.
"I'll let you two get acquainted later," Mr. Arrow spoke up. "Let's head up to the stateroom, we don't want to keep the Captain waiting."
