Chapter Three
Although that night was interesting, the morning that followed proved to be even more interesting.
"Jim." Sarah whispered to him in the hallway, "I want you to take this and go find Luna a dress before you go to the spaceport, okay?"
"Why me? Why don't you do it?" Jim said, dreading the thought, "I don't want to look at girl's clothes."
"Because, I'm not leaving you here alone with her, Jim." Sarah said, "And she isn't leaving out of this house without something appropriate to wear."
Jim was able to prevent himself from turning red, "Fine." He snatched the money out of her hand, "I'll be back."
Sarah grinned to herself, this was good for her son. It was something she wanted him to get used to.
Luna came in a tired fashion out of the room that was given her for the night.
"Morning, sleepyhead." Sarah said to her, she was fond of Luna's modest attitude.
"Good morning." She replied with a yawn to follow.
"Here, I made this for you." Sarah handed her a cup of tea, "It's hot."
"Thank you." Luna said, blowing and sipping on it. Sarah observed a necklace that Luna was wearing. It was very fragile in appearance. Two almost transparent pieces of glass intertwined together on a very thin chain of silver. Sarah decided to keep it as just an observance, however.
"So, tell me about yourself." Sarah said, breaking the ice, "About your family."
"Well," Luna began, "I don't really have family. My Mother died when I was just a child. It made my Father so upset. He became…" A stone wall was building up, "… Emotionally unavailable to me."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Luna." Sarah had a look of concern on her face, "How did you wind up in that crystal?"
"Well," Luna answered, "It wasn't long after my Mother had gone, that my Father followed her as well."
"Both of your parents died? That's awful." Sarah was not only feeling sympathetic for her, but was forming a bond with her, she very much liked Luna. Although upset by the things she was saying, she was being honest, brutally so.
"At least neither of them purposely left me when I was young." She said, openly comparing herself to Sarah and Jim's situation, she continued to explain, "So, I was sent to live with my Grandparents. They were both very old. My Grandmother, she also passed away two weeks after I moved in with them. My
Grandfather was, just like my own Father had been, emotionally unavailable for me." The stone wall began to set in her eyes, "But, I couldn't blame either of them. How could I?" She made eye contact briefly, "They both had lost their wives, the very dearest possession they had…"
"Luna, don't discount yourself." Sarah said, "I'm sure that they…" Sarah realized what she was saying was making Luna tear, she was hiding behind the cup of tea.
" Well… um…." Luna came out from hiding behind her mug, and continued, "One day, my Grandfather grabbed my hand, he took me to a cave with many blue crystals like the one I came in and sealed me in one, telling me that I needed to leave. Never explaining why."
"You're so open, Luna. To have been through all that and still be okay to discuss it." Sarah complimented her, Luna was unsure of how to react at first. She thought for a moment, then replied, "It is my life. If I was quiet or untruthful, that wouldn't make it any less real."
Jim cleared his throat behind them. They both turned and looked at him.
"Oh! Um, whenever you're ready to go, Luna. I'm… We're ready." Jim said, that'd been his best sentence to her so far.
"And?" Sarah waited for the word that he'd found something.
"And I got this." There went the neon sign again, as he handed Luna a white dress, "For you, Luna."
"Thank you so much!" Luna said, making eye contact with him, causing his heart to jump. Off she went to try it on. When she came out in it, the white made her look all the more heavenly. Although adorable on her, the dress was short. Sarah shot a glance at Jim.
"It…. Uh… you look… uh… a lot better." He managed to get out.
Luna's face sort-of went into a sickish look, as she remembered how he'd first seen her, likewise so did he. Jim slapped his hand to his forehead, "UH! I mean… you looked nice… but with the dress it's um… better…?" Luna tilted her head to the side, a little unsure of what it was he was trying to say. He made a frustrated sound and quickly reworded everything in one simple sentence, "I think that you look… You look pretty no matter what you wear."
Luna and Jim exchanged brief smiles and admiring stares between their red faces.
"Well, it was so nice having you stay, Luna." Sarah said, breaking the silence. Hugging the girl, she added, "I hope that you'll come back and visit, even after you find your planet. And don't be so hard on yourself."
"Goodbye, Ms. Hawkins. And thank you so much." She smiled sweetly, nodded, and followed Jim and Morph out the door. As they walked, Jim was unsure of whether to stand next to her, behind her, or in front of her. Morph was checking the both of them out and got a sinister idea, he shape shifted into Jim and Luna dancing. Jim caught sight of it, grabbing Morph before Luna had the chance to see, he raised an eyebrow at him. Still uncomfortable about the walking situation, Jim put a hand on the back of his head, peeking at her over his arm. Fortunately, Luna didn't seem to notice the uncomfortable aura surrounding him. But, wait a second, her cheeks had turned a deep shade of pink, was she as uneasy as he was? Whispers began to abound among the townspeople on the crescent shaped port.
So that was it, people were staring at her, or was it them? Did they think that the two of them were together? Jim smiled at the thought of being assumed as hers, then shook his head back into reality, Delbert was wrong, James P. Hawkins was NOT going to get attached to this girl. Nope, he wouldn't get attached to her kind manner, elegant gestures, or any of that, not ever. She wanted to go home, and he wanted the spear of Corin. Finally they had reached the ship. To both of their relief.
"Welcome aboard the Legacy!" Delbert said enthusiastically.
"Delbert?! What in the world are you doing here?!" Jim exclaimed.
"I'm going with you, don't think that I trust you to find this place alone." Delbert was firm in his standing, "Come over here and meet my trusty crew, Jim!"
Jim heaved a sigh and went over to meet them, Morph following closely, as always.
"You too Luna!" Captain Delbert commanded. The excitement beamed through her deep eyes as she daintily wisped onto the ship.
"State your names and positions spacers!" Delbert was efficient as Captain of the Legacy. The crew began stating their last names in a straight lineup.
"Windsoarer. Deckmate." The first said, he looked very interesting with his ten tentacles.
"Swiftshape. Deckmate." The next stated, being tall and gangly, he towered at about nine foot five.
"Ebony. Navigations." The alien woman said, although a very odd looking dark blue alien, she was attractive in her own unique way.
"Colter. Weaponry." An alien man with an accent said, causing the name to sound more like 'Colta' than 'Colter.'
"Jimmy!!" A familiar voice shouted, "How ya doin'?!" Delbert glared at him, "Oh, uh. B.E.N.! NAVIGA-TIONS!!"
Jim laughed, "I know who you are, c'mere!" He hugged the old robot, "Great to see ya, B.E.N.!"
"Um… Jimmy, who's the girl?" He asked, glancing back at Luna.
"Luna!" Jim said, sounding suddenly proud, "Luna Blackstar from Utopia."
Luna did a little bit of a curtsy to B.E.N.
"Ah!" B.E.N. reacted, "Such manners… You have SUCH manners!! My fair lady!" He held her hand and bowed traditionally.
"As do you, bronze B.E.N." She said sweetly.
"Why thank you, you are… Too kind." B.E.N. had the dramatic tone in his voice, but, Jim grinned knowing that he meant every word of it, as he always did. Even with his mind, B.E.N. was still just as crazy. As Luna made fast friends with B.E.N. awed by his drama, Jim moved on to the last couple of people in the lineup.
"Hurl. The cook." He smiled, his teeth looking completely corroded. Jim cringed and willingly moved on to the last in the group.
"Who's this guy?" He asked, looking at the light green, short and plump fellow with four arms that was too nervous to speak.
"T-T-Tiny's the name, s-sir…" He replied, shyly, "I-I'm the… cabin boy…"
"Tiny… huh…" Jim said pondering the name, wondering what in the world provoked his mother to name him that.
"You'll be rooming with him." Delbert had already taken charge of the mission, "Miss Blackstar will be in her own cabin."
Luna had never been on a ship before. She looked around in amazement.
"So…" B.E.N. struck up a conversation with the astounded girl, "Are you going to be needing any accompaniment my lady?"
Luna smiled, "If you so wish to keep me company, I shall gladly accept, sir –"
"B.E.N." He finished for her, she giggled. Jim was secretly envying how B.E.N could just talk to her with such ease. But, took his attention away as he noticed Delbert was observing his every action.
"I bet you couldn't get that girl to sit within three feet of you this entire trip." Delbert whispered into Jim's ear, seizing the opportunity to tease Jim.
At first Jim took it as a total challenge, then, realized it for what it was. Delbert was trying to get to him, "I know what you're up to." Jim said.
"I'm not up to anything. I'm just stating a fact." Delbert said proudly. "Prepare for lift off!!" Delbert called behind himself.
"Hold onto something, Miss Blackstar!" B.E.N. instructed, making sure that he was plastered to the ship.
Morph scurried over to Luna, turning into a small white bow on her dress strap.
Of course, Delbert was right, Luna sat off in a corner, all on her own gripping a wooden post as the ship soared into the sky. The wind blew through her hair, looking like silk being blown in the wind. Jim climbed to the ship's highest point, really taking in the surroundings. The ship finally erupted out of the clouds and into space's atmosphere. It was absolutely beautiful.
Standing back on her feet, Luna gasped, "Wow. This is so beautiful." She said, astounded.
"Let me show you to your room, Miss Luna." B.E.N. said, walking down to the lower decks. Luna followed, still looking around amazed.
Jim watched her walk, enjoying her astonishment with everything. He remembered the first time he'd set foot on the Legacy. It was indeed an awesome experience for him.
"How long do you think it'll take to get there?" Jim asked.
"Eh… well…." Delbert seemed uneasy to say.
"Delbert." Jim's tone was evident, "How long?"
"A week… or… so…" Delbert said, tugging at his collar, "Only with my astronomical guidance, of course."
"Oh, I see." Jim said, "Well, not a problem. Make due with what you've got, I guess!"
The ship began wandering to the far parts of space. Unknowing of the shadow that was in deep pursuit of it.