The following morning as Jim entered his office he had with him a bowl of fruit, but as he looked about the room Iris was nowhere to be seen.
The chest she arrived in sat next to the sofa, so to see if she had retreated there he set the food down on his desk again and opened the chest. Empty. He closed the chest and thought for a moment. There wasn't very many places for her to hide in here, so where could she have gone.
As Jim turned back around he noticed the bowl was gone. Ah hah, he thought, and walk around his desk. He moved the chair over and got down on his hands and knees.
There was Iris, hiding under his desk and eating the fruit he brought for her.
Jim smiled. "There you are. Good morning."
Iris said nothing and popped a green grape in her mouth. Munch~ Munch~
Jim was about to question why she chose to stay under there, but he soon realized that she might have felt safer being away from anyones view. He positioned himself on his bottom and sat cross legged. He rubbed his bearded chin for a moment and then asked, "Are you going to stay under there forever?"
Iris shrugged.
"Hmm. You were so talkative last night. What's the matter?"
Iris took a large bite out of a plum. "Everything," she said with a full mouth.
Now that it was day and there was more light in the room Jim could see her better. She was still dirty and he knew she would have to wash up eventually and be given clean clothes, although there was no one her size to be given a fresh, clean set of clothes. Finally Jim spoke after a moment of silence. "There is a favor I need to ask of you."
Before answering again Iris licked some juice sliding off her lips. "What is it?"
"None of the pirates will give me their names, as is to be expected. I was wondering if you give them to me."
Iris nodded slowly.
"Good," said Jim feeling better about the situation. "When you feel up to it there are writing utensils for you to use on the desk." He started to stand but stopped half way, kneeling on one leg and his arm resting on the top of the desk. He continued to look down at Iris. "Those pirates didn't hurt you, did they?"
"Define hurt."
Jim cleared his throat. "They didn't...touch you, did they?"
Iris looked embarrassed now. "No. Why do you ask?"
"Well, if they did," Jim started, "that would be held against them during trial."
"Oh," she said. "No, they didn't hurt me in that way." She then looked hopeful and she looked to Jim with eagerness. "Was there anyone else on the ship who was rescued?"
Jim shook his head. "No. You were the only one we found."
A look of defeat swallowed Iris's face.
A bit worried now Jim asked, "Iris, were there others like you on the ship?"
She nodded.
Jim cursed under his breath. He was about to say more on the matter but a whistle sounded, distracting him. "I'll return as soon as I can. Don't forget to write down those names."

Iris did not move until she heard the lock on the door click. She crawled out from under the desk and stood up, stretching. She took this opportunity to snoop around and she started by trying to open the drawers to the desk. Of course they were all but locked, so she moved over to what looked like an armoire but that too was locked. She sighed, wondering what to do with her time.
After a moment of aimlessly wandering the room she plopped down on the sofa and pulled her shirt down a bit. There, resting between her breasts was a shimmering white crystal. She rubbed it gingerly.
The crystal wasn't jewellery for there was no chain. It wasn't a tattoo for it had weight and definition to it. It was a real crystal etched into her chest.
She pulled her shirt back up and closed her eyes. She was exhausted. Ever since she woke up she wasn't able to get back to sleep. And no matter how much she wanted to she could not, because every time she tried the screams of her loved ones echoed in her mind. Iris could see them getting further and further away from her. She was being split apart from them. Her heart, it ached. It hurt so bad being away from them.
She opened her eyes at last, sobbing quietly. Iris didn't want anyone to hear her. Being alone was the best remedy for her.
There was no certainty if she would ever see her home again, but she knew that if she did not at least try she would eventually feel guilty.
Iris didnt know Jim and she definitely did not know his crew. How could she possibly ask for his help and put him in such danger? He was a stranger to her; kind, yes, but still a stranger.
She remembered him speaking of a placed called Montressor. Maybe the others who were kidnapped like her would be there.

After a few passing moments Iris stood up and walked over to the desk. She sat in the comfy chair and slid herself closer to the desk. She grabbed the quill and dipped it in ink, dabbing the end to get the excess ink off.
She started writing down names that she heard the most and went from there. Once she was done she had a list of ten names. There was definitely more pirates than that, but for the time being that's all she could remember.
Iris slumped back in the chair and spun around a few times but stopped before making herself sick. She stuffed her hands on her pants pockets and felt something on the right side. From her pocket she pulled out a red bandana. Tears formed at the corners of her eyes. The bandana was precious to her. It belonged to a friend. She didn't know him for very long, but he was kind to her. He was the reason none of the pirates took advantage of her. "Silver,"

The light in the room shifted as it became midday. The sun was bright and it left rays of warmth on Iris's body. She looked down at her hands and saw the dirt. At that point she took off her jacket and rolled up her sleeves; she was filthy and she wondered how Jim never made a comment about it. She smelt herself but was spared from that fear.

Just as Iris was getting impatient the door swung open. When she saw that it was someone different this time she dived under the desk, unfortunately she did not move quickly enough.
"The Captain has ordered me to bring you some fresh clothes." He set the neatly folded pile of clothes on the desk. When Iris did not respond he leaned over the desk some. "My name is Phillip. The Captain has told me a bit about you already." He paused. "Its alright, you can come out." Phillip heard her soft shuffles and saw her head pop out from behind the desk.
When Iris turned to look at him her mouth gaped open and her eyes went wide.
"What's the matter?" Phillip asked her. "Never seen such big ears and a noes before?"
That was beside the point. Iris had never seen his species before! She saw many kinds on the pirate ship, but a man who looked like a dog was a first for her. Iris then tried to control her manners and blinked a few times, closing her mouth. "Thank you..."She said quietly as she reached for the pile of clothes.
Phillip nodded. "You're welcome, little lady. Once you pick out some fresh clothes either the Captain or myself will escort you to the showers."
Iris leaned her head to one side. "Showers," she said in question. She'd never heard of a shower before. Where she was from you washed up in the ocean a lake, or a pond; or when it rained you would wash the dirt from your skin that way.

Once Phillip left Iris started going through the clothes. Most of them were too big for her and the others were oddly shaped.
A minute passed and the door opened up again, this time it was Jim.
"I see Phillip came by already." He walked over to where she was standing and set a pair of boots down with grey socks. "These were the smallest pair of boots I could find. I really hope they fit you." He then saw the tangled mess of clothes on the desk and her holding some and said, "Finished picking out something to wear? Good." He started making his way to the door and motioned Iris to follow him.
Iris grabbed the boots and socks and followed after Jim.

The air outside was nice. There was a small breeze and it smelt fresh.
As Jim led her below deck she managed to scan the top, eyeing those around her. There were at least twenty of them, most of them different species. Not one looked like her and Jim.
Jim led Iris past the room filled with hammocks and opened a back door. Inside were three long pipes sticking up with a circular base at the top with tiny holes in it.
Is this a shower, thought Iris.
"This is the shower room," and like that her question was answered. "Soap is already there to be used. You can set your clothes over there," he pointed to one side of the room where racks were placed. "When you finish just leave your dirty clothes here." Jim left her then and Iris placed her clothes on one of the racks. She stripped naked, feeling a bit cold now, and walked over to one of the showers. Wait, she thought, how do you turn these on? Her hands fumbled around as she gently turned a cold metal handle outward. Water instantly came shooting out, scaring her as it hit her square in the chest. She ran from the shower at first, cowaring in a corner, but soon emerged and reached out one arm to test the water. It was warm and no longer seemed so scary. Iris allowed herself to go under the showerhead. She could see the dirt coming off her body and into the drain.
Near the handle was a tiny platform and the soap rested on it. Iris had never heard of soap either, but she grabbed it nonetheless, almost dropping it in the process because of it's slippery texture and sniffed it. It smelt like honey and vanilla. She smiled. It reminded her of her mothers baking.
Iris waisted no time lathering her body in it. This was first best thing she had encountered since being away from home.

Once she finished she walked back to the rack and dried herself off with a towel. She took the bandages that kept her breasts in place and put those back on. She then took the clean white shirt she had picked out and buttoned it nearly to the top, leaving two buttons loose. The pants came next. They were too long so she rolled them up. Thankfully they fitted around her waist just fine. Lastly she put on the socks and boots. She had never worn socks or boots, but she learned how to put them by watching the others.
On her home planet the weather was tropical, never cold, unless a storm came and only then did it get a bit chilly. She had always gone barefoot with the exception of wearing sandals made out of leaves and straw.

Iris left the shower room and was making her way pass the hammocks again when Jim met her half way. He had with him the list of names.
"Iris I need your help again." His face almost looked apologetic for asking so many favors of her, but he soon smiled, admiring her freckles he had otherwise missed underneath all that dirt. "The pirates are stubborn by nature and even with this list no one will come forward. Could you point them out for me?"
Iris said nothing but she answered him with a nod.
She followed him to the cells where they met Phillip. He was sitting at a small writing desk. They walked passed him and stood where the pirates were kept in their cells.
Iris scanned the cells quickly, trying to find two familiar faces, but they were not in the crowd and she was thankful for that.
Jim started calling off names and Iris pointed. Everyone was accounted for besides one: Barlow, the one responsible for her kidnapping. Maybe he was dead? She hoped so.

Phillip called Jim over for a second and they discussed the names in private. Iris was left to look down at all the men who gave her and the people she knew so much hell. She was glad they were all locked up now.
And then, quite suddenly, she felt someone touch the ends of her hair. She spun around quickly and saw one of the pirates reaching out to her. He had similarities to that of a snake.
"You think you're safe?" He whispered so that only she could hear. "Leland and Silver aren't around to protect you anymore." He grinned, showing his yellow stained sharp teeth. "You're our prize, do you hear me, bitch?"
"Hey!" Jim yelled and ran over to Iris.
The snake man retreated far back in his cell.
"Did he say something to you?" Jim wanted to know.
Iris stood still, staring at the pitiful snake man. Finally she shook her head. "No."