(Author's Note: Hey, sorry its been a while since my last update. I've been so absorbed with my TSCC fic Break and hey, if any of you people like the Sarah Connor Chronicles go read it! I haven't had time to write in this one. But a certain friend of mine kept threatening to do bad things to my stuffed penguin Sigmund if I didn't write more, so here's a new chapter. Oh, and that certain friend? He's in the story now. lol, Enjoy!)

chapter five:

"You!"

It was said like an accusation from Jim; she, on the other hand, had gasped and backed away. Her violet eyes were wide with shock as she said, "What are you doing here?"

Jim frowned and spat back, "What do you mean, what am I doing here? I should ask you the same thing!"

Her eyes narrowed. "I work here."

"Then what's the point of stealing?"

Her mouth opened in indignation, but it shut just as quickly as she looked at Mr. Smrott, who had been watching the scene in mild amusement. She opened her mouth again, looking to Jim rather like a fish, pleading silently with the head cook. He was stoic, however, and the girl turned back to Jim with a huff.

"That's none of your business," she said, chin up.

"Finn, Jim is my new assistant."

She nearly dropped her tray, and Jim snorted. She looked at the Corbae again, who had cocked his head down at her.

"Smrott, you can't--!"

"--be serious? You'll find I am." He wiped his hands off on his apron. "Now, if you will please show Jim up to the mess hall."

She stared incredulously at the Corbae, then took a deep breath and let it out her nose. Jim smirked at her, unable to help himself, and picked up his tray.

"After you," he said, and she glared at him, but held her chin up and walked back to the group of servers. Jim grinned up at the Corbae, who was smirking and rolling his eyes.

"I don't want to know," he said, turning back to the stove top. "But be easy on her. She's not to be taken lightly."

Jim ignored him and followed the girl over to the waiting group. He was met with a couple of amused stares and wary smiles; the girl promptly refused to acknowledge him. He wasn't discouraged, though, and he sidled up next to her and asked, "What did you saw your name was?"

She didn't look at him, but paused long enough in her conversation with another girl to shoot "I didn't" over her shoulder. Jim smirked.

"Y'know, I could tell Smrott that you stole it."

She sighed and turned to him. And eyebrow was arched and she had the tray resting on one hip; her free hand was planted firmly on the other. She was giving him a look that faintly reminded him of Captain Amelia, like she was used to not being questioned but was too high and mighty to bother with reprimanding him. It only made him smirk more.

"Does it look like I care?" she said, her voice light and smooth. Jim faltered slightly.

"Well, wouldn't you? You could lose your job."

She laughed, not to mock him, but because she really thought it was funny.

"They wouldn't fire me."

Smrott's voice cut Jim off. "All right, you lot! Upstairs!"

The group started up the steps and the girl quickly made her way to the front. Jim had to push his way to get next to her again.

"What did you do with it?" he hissed.

She shook her head. "What are you talking about?"

"My letter. What the hell did you do with it?"

She rolled her eyes and trotted up the last couple steps, managing to evade him. Jim growled under his breath and followed the rest of the group up.

The mess hall was heard before it was seen. Voices spilled into the servant's hall; Jim caught words like "starving" and "eat a mantabird," and he had a feeling they were running behind schedule. He followed the others into the large room and instantly scanned it for the girl. She was by a table full of boys, all of them dressed in blue pants and a black shirt. One of the boys was talking to her with a leering grin on his face.

"Hey kid!"

Jim snapped his gaze away and turned to the voice that had called out. It had been a dark-haired boy with hazel brown eyes and olive skin that was sitting at a table all to himself; his boots were propped up in front of him and he was leaning back in his chair with an easy grin on his face. Jim was in a good enough mood; he decided that he'd oblige.

"You new?"

Jim nodded and went over to him, offering the tray. The boy -- who had to have been the same age as him -- looked at the contents, turned up his nose, and pushed it away.

"Can't stand half the stuff they serve here," he said nonchalantly. "Bad cooking should be a crime." When Jim raised an eyebrow, the boy put the front legs of his chair on the floor and held out his hand.

"Konrade Dtarn."

Jim took it and shook. "Jim Hawkins."

Konrade grinned. "I'd say it's nice to meet you, but I don't know that yet, do I?"

Jim put the tray down and sat in a chair, shrugging. "Makes sense, I guess."

He nodded and picked up his glass of perp juice and spun the contents. "So what brings you to the fine city of Carviene?" He said 'fine' with such sarcasm that Jim had to smile.

"Well actually--" and he shoved his hands into his pockets, failing at modesty, "--I'm supposed to wearing the same uniform as you."

Konrade raised an eyebrow. "Really? Go on."

Jim turned in his seat, finding the girl easily. He jerked his head in her direction. "She stole my letter of recommendation."

His eyebrow went even higher and his eyes sparkled conspiratorially. "Really?" A smirk grew on his lips. "Finn? I knew she was hiding something."

Jim frowned. "Who is she?"

Konrade crossed his arms and gave the girl a contemplative look. "Her name's Findabhair; we call her Finn. She's a Selkie."

"Huh?"

"She's from Selcinorce. All the girls from there are shape shifters. She's gotta be one." He shrugged. "At least that's my theory."

But Jim was remembering the Elysian from the alley, the one that had told him how to get to the Academy. It was been her. He frowned.

"She shape shift often?"

Konrade shrugged. "Wouldn't know. Selkies aren't like morphs. They have skins. You know the stories, don't you?"

Jim said of course he did, he'd grown up in a mining colony after all. It was a story told to young boys and would-be spacers as a warning. It went like this:

A young spacer was on his way home when he saw a woman coming out of the mist that rose up from the mines. She was stunningly beautiful, with hair like fire and eyes as shining and unsubstantial as a nebula. The spacer instantly fell in love with her and asked her to marry him. She refused, saying she couldn't marry anyone because she was free. The spacer didn't understand what she meant, but he vowed to have her no matter what. He followed her in secret for weeks until he saw her going into a mine. He snuck in after her and watched silently as she slipped out of her dress and then unbuckled a worn leather band from her upper thigh. And then the moment its touch left her skin, she vanished. The spacer, knowing that this was his chance, rushed forward and grabbed the band before she could reappear. When she did, in her true form -- a glowing gold shape with violet eyes -- she knew that she had been captured, and she agreed to marry him. They lived together happily for many years, until the Selkie found her skin and took it back from her husband. He never saw her again.

Jim went over the story in his head as he watched Finn from across the mess hall. She was still standing by the table with the leering bow, a smile on her face that looked forced.

"What's she doing working here?" he asked. Konrade shrugged.

"No idea. I don't talk to servants often." He caught Jim's eye and smirked. Jim laughed.

"Oi! Jim!" one of the servant boys called. Jim immediately jumped out of his chair and grabbed the tray, while Konrade laughed and went back to balancing his chair on two legs.

"I'll be seeing you around, Jim," he said. Jim nodded.

"Right."

"Jim!"

He rolled his eyes and walked toward the servant boy that was calling for him. Konrade shook his head and resumed his breakfast.

"Yeah?" Jim asked the boy. He must have been about twelve years old. There was no way he was taking orders from a kid.

The boy looked up at him, a stern expression on his face. "You have to serve everyone," he said stiffly. "Even if you want to talk to your friends."

Jim frowned. "Then how come she gets to stay and flirt while I gotta work?" He jerked a thumb in Finn's direction. The boy bit his lip, caught. Jim just chuckled and ruffled the kid's hair.

"What's your name?"

"Andrew."

"Well don't worry, Andrew, I'll get my job done."

Andrew nodded and ran off towards the servants hall. Jim watched him go, shaking his head, then finished dishing out the contents of his tray to the cadets in the mess hall. Then he went back to the kitchen. He'd wanted to wait for Finn to get done, but when he'd checked the hall for her, she was gone. His gaze went to the table with the leering boy. The cadet caught his eye and made a rude gesture, then laughed with his friends. Jim just glared and walked out.

Dear Mom,

Well, I'm finally here. The Academy is so much more than I thought it would be. I'm making lots of new friends and my classes are great. I miss you and I'll write again when I have more time -- they're working me hard.

Love,

Jim

(Author's Note: REVIEW PLEASE!!)