All was quite on the rescuers' ship at the moment.
Fakir, Mytho, Mama Edel with Uzura in her arms, and Lysander were all trying to predict where the pirates were headed.

"Looking at their usual patterns," Mytho began looking at the map bellow them, "They usually attack around-"
SCREEEEEAAACCCHHHH

The gears of the engine where grinding loudly as the ship slammed to a rude emergency halt.
Edel jumped almost dropping her child.
"What was that –zura!?" the child shouted.

"Sounds like a mechanical problem." Lysander's voice was oozing with excitement, and a glow appearing in his eyes.

Fakir and Mytho shared a confused look.
"Why is he looking like that?" Fakir asked.
"No reason, just get my wife and I to your engine room."

Fakir looked back at Mytho, "Um… right this way?"

Fakir soon led Lysander and Hermia to the ship's engine room.
The room was hot, cramped, and full of smoke!

Lysander took a quick look at the main part of the engine.
After opening a few doors and changing a few switches, a problem had surfaced.

"Fakir, when was the last time you had your engine checked?"
"This morning, why?"

"Because it looks like a part was ripped out."
"What?!"

Hermia and Fakir rushed to where Lysander was speaking, and indeed he was right.
There were several wires that seemed to have been cut poorly and a huge amount of space where something should have been.

"But, I checked it this morning!" Fakir snapped.
"I understand," Lysander responded, "But we can take care of it."
"How?!"
"Do you have any spare metal and a few tools?" Hermia asked.
"I think in the lower deck"
"Then that's all we need." She said with a smile as she took her husband's arm and took him off to the lower deck.

"But how did that part disappear if I checked it this morning?"
Is someone trying to sabotage the mission?

No one was too antsy about having to wait for the ship to get up and running again.
All except Fakir who was certain someone was up to something…

He knew if anyone from his crew was here they would assume it was one of the gypsies since they were "dirty thieves" or something like that. But that's not enough proof to attack someone on you side.

So who else could it be…?
Mytho was the one who set up this whole mission, so why would he sabotage it?
And all the gypsies want to get Ahiru back as much as he does.
So who would do this? A stow-away? A trader?

As Fakir searched the ship, thoughts of Ahiru settled in his mind.
He couldn't image the horrors she had to be facing right about now. She didn't deserve that! What did she ever do wrong besides be friendly to every one!

… maybe that's why this happened to her.
She befriended a soldier, who no one wanted her to be with.

Maybe because of him, he brought this fate onto her…

That thought settled into his mind, making his heart ache.
After all this, would it be safer if they didn't see each other again?

Just before Fakir would come to a conclusion, he tripped over something on Jaden's side of the ship.

"And just what are you doing in here?!" Jaden scolded from behind Fakir.
Fakir slowly got up saying, "Sorry, I was lost in thought."
"Well go get lost somewhere else!"

"Who peed on your food this morning?" Fakir said raising an eyebrow.
"You did, when you got us into this whole mess!"
"Wait, where do you get off saying this is my fault?! Didn't you say at the trial you were sent to watch her?"
"I wouldn't of had to had she not met you! So much trouble started happening once you and your men came on the scene! That little girl doesn't know any better of who to talk to and who to stay away from."

"That little girl's name is Ahiru. And I think she has a right to who she can and can't talk to. You're not her father!"
"And look what that right has gotten her. And that's why this is your fault. Or can you live with that…"

Fakir fell silent.
"That's what I thought. Now get out of here!" Jaden said as he walked away.

Right when the cost was clear, Fakir looked over the blanketed object he tripped over.

Wait a minute! This was the missing part!

"Miss Edel!" Fakir shouted as he ran down the hull of the ship.
"Miss Edel! Jaden's a trader!" He said as he caught up to her.

Mama Edel looked at him in surprise, "Sir Fakir, what are you talking about?"
"The reason the engine was stalled today was because a part was taken, which I found in Jaden's room." He huffed, "Plus he was in a hurry to get me out of there! I'm telling you he doesn't want us to find Ahiru just yet!"

"Sir Fakir you need to calm down. I know you and Jaden are not on the best of terms, but I grantee you he wants more than anything else to get her back."
"Then why did I find the missing part of the engine in his room, huh?!"
"Perhaps someone else is trying to frame him, are you sure you are not over reacting?"
"NO! I know what I saw! Jaden is causing trouble!"

Mama Edel gave Fakir a cold glare, "Sir Fakir! I will not have you accuse one of my own just because you don't like them. I know Jaden can be a handful sometimes, but he would never stop us from trying to find Ahiru! You need to calm down and think about what you are really trying to say!"

"But-"
"NO! I refuse to hear anymore of this nonsense!" And with that, Fakir was left alone.

Why was everything stacked against him right now!?

Hi everyone.
This would have been here sooner, but my boyfriend was making me watch Rurouni Kenshin. (In exchange he'll watch Princess Tutu so…) Anyway, because of that, I suddenly had an idea to crossover, Kenshin with Tutu, so we can see how that will go (If you guys want that or not…)

Also I was stricken ill, which I am still trying to conquer. So that does not help brain storming…

Enough with the excuses, time for something important!
I give my thanks to:

Tyran masterof shadows (For favoring and following)
and Night-kun (For favoring and following)

And thank you for reading this far! I'd give you a hug, but I don't think you'd want my germs…