The sound of varkris cawing woke her, and she blinked in the dim light of early morning. In the distance the sound of Ixa'takan pipes met her ears; yawning she rose from the bedsheets and moved out into the clearing, where the able-bodied six-man crew milled about their breakfast. Beneath a spindly tree she could see a man sitting, contentedly watching the antics of a boy and girl play-fighting with sticks, and with a smile she approached them.
"'Morning, mom!" called the boy, and the girl dropped her twig and hugged her mothers' knees. The man rose from his position on the earth and kissed his wife on the cheek.
"Centime, dearest, you need your rest," she began imploringly, but he smiled disarmingly from behind great round spectacles and it served to quiet her.
"Karen, I do so enjoy the morning hours," Centime explained to his wife, hoisting his daughter into his arms and moving toward the meal set in the clearing. "I can play with the children before we start work on the ship, and it's not terribly humid yet."
Karen smiled to herself. She and Centime actually had no blood offspring of their own, learning shortly after their marriage that such a thing was impossible for her, yet by the grace of some higher power they were raising four lovely orphans. The eldest, Hans, was nearly as talented an engineer as his father at age nineteen; the boy and girl were twin Ixa'takan children, both six years of age with dark skin and hair. The other was a girl from Valua, almost ten now with fair skin and golden locks to her waist. Nevertheless they loved the children as they would their own, and Centime was so good with them that she was truly touched.
Even as they sat down for their morning meal Hans joined them, his hands already stained with oil and his face smudged with grease. "Father, the engines are malfunctioning again, and the cannons are showing the early signs of rust."
Centime sighed. The only reason he, his family, and his crew were in the Ixa'takan city of Horteka was because a hurricane had assaulted their ship, the Ironclad, on its voyage through South Ocean. In severe need of refuel and repair they had made an emergency landing, and now they remained four months later. The people of the Green Moon were very primitive, unfortunately, and didn't have all the supplies needed, so the task was taking much longer than he had anticipated.
"I will see to it," he told his eldest son with a smile. "Do not worry - there is nothing you and I cannot fix."
After some good-natured coaxing they convinced Hans to join them, and soon the entire family was dining and talking amiably. Centime felt very content, surrounded by the people he loved; they were stranded and lost, but they were together.
Author's Note: In the SoA game, Centime's wife doesn't have a name...I hope Karen will suffice for all of you who have an impeccable memory for small details. Also, I have chosen to omit Lapen, unless I discover later that I need him. And one more thing - I don't think it was ever specified whether Hans was a child of Centime's or not, but in this case, he is.
Empyrean - Glad to have you on board.
The Right Hand of Fate - OMG! Did I really steal your idea? I'm so sorry! Obviously I had no idea...I hope this is at least half as good as your idea was, and your concrit is greatly appreciated.