Barlow dragged Iris by the arm on the way back to his ship. He tossed her to the floor and spat out blood. Leland had hit him good.
There was still screaming and crying; Iris could smell the smoke from her village all the way up on the ship. She was too scared to move.
"Lock the others up in the cells." Barlow ordered. He walked over to Leland who was slowly crawling his way over to Iris to comfort her. Barlow stopped him as he grabbed him by the neck, squeezing. "I like your spirit, old man." He grinned, his green and yellow eyes flashed at him. "This one says your her uncle." Barlow took one long claw and picked at his teeth. "Funny," he said. "You two don't look anything alike." And he dropped him. "Put this one in a cell on his own. I don't want him stirring up trouble." He said to one of his men.

Iris was powerless to help any of her friends as they were all dragged before deck and put behind metal bars. Iris had never seen anything like it before. Who were these monsters, she thought. Why did they hate them so much?
When Barlow and his men first arrived on her planet they were looking for help. The atmospher had ruined a great deal of their ship. But when Barlow learned of their most valuable treasure: the crystals, he wanted to take them all for himself. He thought about what a fine price they would bring him on The Black Space Market.

The hours turned into days the days turned into weeks. One by one Iris's friends and family were dying around her. They were getting sick, puking up everything they would or having it come out the other end. The smell in the cell was rank, but Iris had gotten so used to it that she hardly even noticed it anymore.
Finally, after som time of bodies piling up some pirates took it upon themselves to drag the bodies out. The smell must reached the top deck and they were getting sick of smelling it.
Iris was one of the last ones and she held on to her friends tiny hand. She sang a song in her native tongue, hoping to lull the youngster to sleep. Their breaths were raspy and then suddenly it stopped. Iris stopped singing and looked at her friend. They has passed on from this life. Tears welled up and fell as they could no longer be held back.
Drip-drip~
She was all alone in the cell now.
Leland was across the room in a smaller cell, hudled in the corner; silent.
Iris tried speaking out to him but her throat was dry and her voice cracked. Uncle Leland, help me, is what she wanted to say. Don't leave me behind.
For the first time Iris cursed the crystal on her chest. She had never been given a reason to until now.

Before all of this Iris had viewed her crystal as something normal. She was born that way—they all were. She viewed that crystal the same way one would view their arms and legs. Of course, she knew her crystal was important to the planet, but never did she think they would be treated like this for it.

Footsteps could be heard decending the stairs and Iris froze in fear.
There standing at the door of her cage was a bear-like man. He would come down once a day to feed them. Now he was just feeding Iris and Leland. This man was Silver.
"Come on now, lass. It's a good meal tonight. I made it extra special for ya." He set the bowl of meat soup on the cold floor and slid it forward. "Eat up young one."
Iris crawled her way over, too weak to stand. She drank from the bowl of soup like an animal, slurping up the juices.
Silver pitied the girl. He could stand watching her shiver from the lack of clothes, so he took off his jacket and set it next to her. "I think it will get extra cold tonight, so use that to keep warm." He looked past her then and saw he dead friend. He sighed. Another one, he thought.
Iris looked up at Silver. Her face was dirty. "Thank you." She said weakly.
Silver noticed the tears fall and he took off his red bandana and wiped them away. He let her keep it, knowing she need it more than him. Silver then looked to Leland and offered him a bowl of soup as well.
Leland crawled out from his dark corner and started eating. "You're different than the rest. Who are you?" he asked.
"I'm John Silver, but everyone calls me Silver. And you? You don't look like these folks." Silver knew it was forbidden to talk to the prisnors, but he wanted some answers. He wasn't on the island. Barlow made him stay on the ship.
Leland finished chewing his chunk of meat before answering. "I'm Leland. And over there is Iris."
Silver craned his neck to look at Iris for a second and then looked back at Leland.
Leland continued. "Where are they taking us?"
"To be sold." Silver paused. "At least your little friend that is. Barlow might kill you or try making you one of them."
Leland scoffed. "I'll die first."
Silver nodded to this. "Yes, you will."
"Wait," said Leland. "One of them? Are you saying you're not a part of them?"
Silver shrugged, sighing. "I'm just the cook." He stood up then. "I'll be back tomorrow. Stay alive until then."

For the next couple of days Silver brought down fresh clothes for Iris. They didn't quite fit her but it was better than what she was wearing. Often time when Silver came to give them their meal Iris would be waiting for him, leaning against the bars as she sat on the floor, her head leaning to one side. She spoke very few words to Silver, but her body language told him that she trusted him.

But one day, before Silver had a chance to meet with them, shots were fired; cannons boomed. They were under attack!
Iris and Leland listened helplessly to the war cries from the men above, and then a few cannons came barreling through the ship, breaking Iris's cell.
Silver came running down the stairs so fast that he mistook one of his steps and fell down the rest. His loud tumble down was muted by the whistling of another cannon flying through the ship. This time it crushed the door ro Leland's cell.
"Get up, you idiots!" Silver yelled. "We're getting off this fucking ship right now!"
As weak as Leland was he hobbled out of his cell and ran to Iris. She was slow to get up and Leland help her move along.
"No time to waste, hurry!"
"Shut up!" Leland said. "She's weak."
Silver grumbled and said something under his breath as he led the two further down into the ship where the life boats were.
"Help me with this rope." Silver said as took his robotic arm and starting cutting the thick rope.
Leland let go of Iris's hand and started unravling the rope.

Another loud bang erupted from above, shaking the whole ship.
"Shit!" Yelled silver. "She's going down. Come on now, hurry!"
Once the boat was free Silver opened the lower door. He jumped into the boat, getting it ready to sail away.
Leland turned to help Iris but when he did he was faced by pirates. One socked him the face, making him fall backwards while the others grabbed Iris. She kicked and screamed as much as her weak body would allow her.
"Let her go!" Cried Leland. He lunged at one of the pirates, trying his damnedest to set Iris free, but he failed and was hit once again. He tripped over his feet and landed into the life boat with Silver. His head was spinning as he tried to get up.
"Fuck it! Silver yelled and shot one of the pirates who pointed is gun at him. He was going to kill them all and save Iris but more pirates were coming. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" He fumed. He dropped the gravitational pull that held the life boat in place and escaped the ship.
"NO!" Cried Leland. "What the hell are you doing?" Leland fought over control of the boat with Silver. "You have to turn back!"
"We can't!"
Leland grabbed Silver by the front of his shirt. "She'll die, you bastard! Don't you understand that?"
Silver pushed Leland off of him and steadied the boat. "WE'LL DIE if we go back. Don't YOU understand that?"
Leland gritted his teeth.
"If you want to help your friend its best that we escape. Besides, you see that ship? It's part of the Navy. Iris is better off without us...at least for the moment. So stop pulling stupid shit, or I'll have to kill you."

As Iris and Jim sailed away from the island and accended into the clouds once again, Iris pulled out Silver's bandana from the dress of her pocket to look at. She wondered if he and Leland were still alive.
"What's that?" Jim asked as he walked up to her. They were standing by the bow of the ship.
Iris looked up at him and then back down at the bandana. "It belongs to a friend." She told him.
"Who? If you don't mind me asking that is?"
Iris gave a small sigh. "I didn't know him for very long but he helped me and my uncle while were held captive on Barlow's ship. His name is Silver."
"Silver?" Jim gripped the side of the ship. She knew Silver? It was almost too good to be true. "Was he on the island with you?"
Iris shook her head. "No, he was the cook. Barlow wouldn't let him off the ship."
Jim's heart was racing now. He thought he'd never hear anything about Silver again. "I'm sure you're friend and uncle are fine."
Iris stuffed the bandana back in her pocket. "I hope you're right." She then said, "He isn't really my uncle."
"Huh?" Jim was curious now. If she knew Silver than who was this supposedely uncle of hers?
"My uncle...he's not related to me by blood, but my family and him grew very close."
"What's his name?" Jim asked.
"Leland, but most everyone called him Lee for short." Iris smiled to herself. "I always just called him uncle Leland though."
Jim gripped the edge harder. He ws trying very hard to control his emotions. It can't be him, he thought. "How long have you known him?" Jim was trying to figure it all out without loosing his shit.
"I first met him when I was five. He crash landed on my planet. His boat was beyond repair, so he decided to live with us." Iris smiled proudly. "I was his first friend." She looked over at Jim and gave him a good look. "You remind me a little of him. I think that's why I like you so much." She blushed suddenly, realizing what she had just said. "I don't mean I see you as my uncle. I meant as a friend." She chuckled nervously. She then saw the uneasy look plastered on Jim's face. "Did I say something bad?"
Jim took a breath. "No," he said. "I just suddenly remembered something I have to do when we get back to Montressor."
Iris didn't believe him. "I said something wrong, didn't I?"
Jim gently grabbed her arms. "No no," he told her. "Not at all." He let go of her. "I have to go write a few letters. Feel free to stay out here." He scruffed her hair before walking away.

When they returned to Montressor the spaceport was still busy as ever. Iris grabbed Jim's hand, not wanting to get pushed back and sepperated from him. She blushed a little as he gingerly squeezed her hand, guiding her through the crowd.
Once free from the madness and they boarded the shuttle, they continued to hold hands. Even after they reached the mining bay port Jim kept his grip on her. His hands were a bit rough, but they were strong and in a way they were gentle, too.
Thoughts of his hands touching other parts of her body made her face get hot. She felt nervous around him all of a sudden, remembering the kiss. Was she dreaming, or did he really kiss her?She then wondered if Jim was a man of exprience. He was a captain of the highest ranking, rich, good looking, charasmatic, smart, strong; etc. He had to have shared his nights with at least a few woman.
And then there was Kate. The tension between those two did not go unnoticed.
Iris tried not to think about it. It would only upset her.

As they made their way up the hill a hover vehicle came towards them. Admiral Blake was inside along with his chauffeur. He called out to his driver to stop. "Mr. Hawkins, you vanished on us yesterday. What happened?"
Jim let go of Iris's hand. "I took Iris to the beach to help her feel more at ease."
Iris stared down at the gap betweem their hands. Why did he let go all of a sudden? It spoiled her mood a little.
"I see," said Admiral Blake. "I need you to get in. There are important matters to discuss."
Jim looked over at Iris. He didn't want to leave her, but his commander was giving him an order. "Go back to the Inn. I'm sure my mom will fix you something to eat." He got into the floating vehicle. "Don't wait up." He told her.

Iris watched them leave, her fists clentched the whole time.
When they were gone from her sights Iris looked up a the sky. It was going to rain.

Back at Head Quarters Jim was arguing with the other high standing captains and officers, generals; the sort.
"Send her to the camps! She's had too much freedom!" squawked a bird man.
"I second that." A woman with the features of a beetle said.
Jim crossed his arms, holding back the fire that wanted to ignite. "She's not going anywhere." He said sternly.
"Do you fancy this girl?" Admiral Blake said. He looked calm up front, but Jim knew that wasn't the case.
"She knows Silver."
A few gasps hushed the room.
"THE John Silver?" Said Amelia said, more than curious now.
Jim nodded. "Yes, and I think she knows my father, Leland. Everything she told me fits too well to not be them. They were on Captain Barlow's ship with her." He looked Kate's way. "She trusts me enough to have told me this and I have no reason to not believe her."
Kate was Silent.
Jim told everyone in the room what Iris said abourt Barlow; how he wanted to take the crystals from her planet and sell them illegally. He told them what would happen if the crystal would be taken from said planet and no one argued with him now. "That's why I need to get her back home, to ensure that doesn't happen."
"And that means something else," said Amelia. "You'll need a powerful ship to get through that atmospher."
Jim nodded.
Admiral Blake rubbed his chin. "Say you aquire this ship and you and your crew manage to get there safely. What then? Will you wait for Barlow so you can kill him? If that's the case you're more likely to fail. Captain Barlow is a formidable foe."
Jim smirked. "Who said I would be the only one going?"

The sky was black, the wind was strong and cold, and the moon was covered up by the clouds. Rain fell hard as thunder rumbled and lightning shot across the sky.
Two individuals sluggishly made their way to the Benbow Inn. Both of them soaked.
"Almost there." Said Silver.
Leland tripped on some mud and fell on his stomach. "Damn it..." he grumbled.
Silved hoisted him back on his feet. "Let's keep moving. This rain is freezing."
"I can't." Said Leland.
Silver shot him a nasty glare. "What the hell was that?"
"I can't face my family. What if they don't recognize me?"
Silver spot at his friends feet. "You coward!" he yelled. "Hurry the hell up before I beat you to death. And trust me, that would be a waste of my energy."
Leland heaved a heavy sighed and kept walking.

Further down the road in the opposite direction Silver and Leland were heading, a pare of green and yellow eyes were watching them, pick their teeth.