Not much talking in this chapter but I promise more dialogue in the next chapter... just hang on.

Chapter Three

Age five.

It was one of Ty's first days out in the open ocean. Ma tugged on the tether that was tied securely to her dive belt and his. He looked away from the bright blue fish swimming around his head and waded over to his mother. She held out her hand. He reached up and took it.

They waded towards the kelp fields where Pa was already starting to harvest to ripe kelp. Pa explained how most of their crops go towards paying their bills. It was a good deal so far. The Commonwealth got food and supplies and Ty go to live happily in his jelly fish shaped home.

He watched Ma bring out a pair of shears specially designed to cut kelp. She cut the long stalks of kelp down to size with her waist. She explained that you shouldn't cut kelp all the way down to the root. If you did, the plant wouldn't grow as well. You had to leave the plant with enough to work with so that the roots would grow deep and strong, producing even better kelp than before.

Pa gathered up the floating strands of kelp and tied them up in bundles. To each bundle a weight was attached so they wouldn't float to the surface of the ocean. That way the bundles could be collected and placed in a storage container to be taken away tomorrow.

Ty looked around at the schools of fish swimming around. Their colours shimmered as they zigzagged throughout the water, the sunlight bouncing off their scales and producing beautiful rainbows. He reached up and ran his hand through one of the beautiful dark blue schools of fish that swam around their property. He smiled. Life in the ocean. Was there anything better?

Something bumped against him. Ty woke up from his pleasant dream about home and found a set of clothes dumped onto him. He looked around but no one was near him. He sat up too quickly. After a perfectly blissful sleep, he forgot about his shoulder. It ached fiercely.

It was still quiet on the Specter. The outlaws must still be asleep. He sent out clicks. They bounced back at him, reporting that there was indeed a person standing in the room with him. He froze. Sending out more clicks he determined the person to be Shade. The picture in his mind was all too clear. Bare chested still, the outlaw leaned against the table with his arms crossed over his chest.

"You can see me, can't you?" he asked quietly. He took two steps forward and stopped. "How is that possible?" Shade's skin rippled as he became visible in the dim lighting. His skin was no longer black but that deep tan he favoured.

A Dark Gift, Ty thought. No one could change the colour of their skin. Shade smirked when he saw the look of confusion on Ty's face. Just for extra effects, he put on a dazzling display of tattoos writhing around his body like snakes. How could he have gotten a Dark Gift? The Seablite Gang arrived less than a year ago. Ty has been living subsea all his life. Born and raised with a Dark Gift of biosonar, like a dolphin.

He couldn't speak the words he wanted to. In his mind he knew that what he said could be used against him. It'd be best just to keep his mouth shut.

"What?" the outlaw probed. "Catfish got your tongue?" Shade crouched down to Ty's level and looked him straight in the eyes, his skin flashing brilliant colours like a red devil squid, red then white.

Ty shrunk back against the wall. Shade grinned. His dazzling display stopped and he resumed the pattern of the tattoos.

"I've been wondering, Guppy," he said in a low, ominous tone. "What's your real name?" Ty swallowed. He wanted to look away but he couldn't. The tattoos slithered around on Shade's skin. "I said, what's your name?" The tattoos stopped. Ty met Shade's gaze and almost whimpered. His eyes were fully black. There was no white, just black.

He opened his mouth to say something, anything but words just had to fail him at the wrong moment. The outlaw didn't take the silence very well. His hand shot out and gripped Ty around the throat. He stood with Ty in his grasp, gripping Shade's wrist with his good hand.

Shade pressed Ty against the wall and got in closer. "I can make you talk," he whispered. "Would you like that, Guppy?"

"Ty," he croaked. "It's Ty."

Shade grinned and gently released his throat. "That's all I wanted to know." He stepped back and lumbered off back the way he came.

Ty slid down against the wall. He rubbed his throat and stared after the retreating figure. The man didn't need his strength to get answers. All he needed was his words and he could get any information he wanted.

Ty picked up the set of clothes and slipped into them. They didn't exactly smell nice, but at least he had something to cover himself with than just the blanket. Dressed in a t-shirt and knee length shorts he drew the blanket around his shoulders and held his injured arm close to his chest. He could still feel the grip of Shade's hand around his throat. Lesson learned: answer every question given.

The day moved on much like the day before. Shade roused the outlaws and they all scampered down from hatch in the ceiling. They dispersed and did whatever they had to do. When the morning chores were done, the outlaws broke for breakfast. Once again, Ty didn't exist. They spoke loudly and chewed with their mouths open. Of course that was to be expected with such disgusting animals he was being held by.

"Breakfast time, Guppy," Eel said cheerfully and set down another bowl. It looked like he would always be fed after they had something to eat. Of course they would do that. They wouldn't want to waste any extra food on him.

Looking forward to a good meal, he was a little disappointed when he all he got were cubes of bread siting in warmed whale's milk. On the other hand he wouldn't be doing anything today so of course he wouldn't need much food. Sitting on the floor didn't waste any calories.

He ate slowly savouring every bite like it would be his last. The glares and smiles he got from the outlaws sent shivers down his spine. The way Pretty twirled his knife made Ty want to whimper and cower beneath his blanket but he was not, repeat, not going to give him the satisfaction of seeing him scared.

When the Specter started to slow, the outlaws readied themselves to leave. Ty heard them up where the berths were. There was probably hatch up there as well. Hatchet dropped by to check the Ty's rope before they left. Shade didn't want him escaping while they were gone. He tightened the rope around the pipe and his wrist, almost too tight.

"It's too tight," Ty whispered, barely audible.

Hatchet only grinned and climbed up the ladder and disappeared.

The rope, in fact, was too tight. He could feel a heartbeat in his hand, trying to force the blood past the rope. He waited until he was sure the outlaws were out of the Specter. Waiting a few extra minutes just to be sure, he went to work on the rope.

"Come on," he said and worked on the knot. Without his other hand, it was hard trying to untie the knots involved. He lifted his right hand to try and help, but it was hard enough to try and keep it up. He resorted to using his teeth but no matter what he tried, the knot wouldn't come loose.

"Crap." Ty stood up and walked as far as he could with the limited amount of rope he was given. He ran his hand through his hair and thought about the situation he was in. There was no way he was going to give up now. When was he going to get another chance to escape like this again?

He looked around for a sharp object he could use to cut himself free. He could try the galley but he couldn't reach it. The gear room was also too far. The only room that was close enough to where he was tied was the bathroom, but it appeared to be that all sharp objects were removed.

He sat down on the ground out of options. He choked back a sob and rested his head on his knees. He was a hostage, being kept against his will by the Seablite Gang. He began to cry. Without hope what could he possibly do? They gave no inclinations as to when they were going to let him go, if they planned to let him go.

When the outlaws returned, it was a few hours later. Ty was lying on his side, staring dried eyed at the wall. His left hand was tingling now and they couldn't care less. They were all in high spirits and smelled of alcohol. Why the only place that people could get those types of drinks that he could think of was the Trade Station. There was a bar in the lowest levels of the Station. At least they were still in the area. There was now a sliver of hope.