Author's Note:

And on with the show! Thanks again for the betaing: Whisperwings.

On the outskirts of Treaka's capital city, Towata, lay the port town of New Hastings, where the main shipping and trading industries were. The port was busy, as always, with huge vessels weaving in and out of the docks, and smaller boats transporting provisions and people about.

John Silver slung his duffel bag over a shoulder and looked about the port with cautious coal-black eyes. He proceeded to the nearest information kiosk and looked over the small scrap of parchment bearing the name of Captain Mantra's ship.

"How can I help you?" An inquisitive bird-like receptionist sat in the information kiosk.

"Which dock is the Siren's Sonnet at?" John asked.

The receptionist looked over a lengthy chart of the ships that had docked at the port. "It's up in the Alpha Sector of the port, just a few blocks that way." She pointed to John's right. "You can't miss her…"

"Thank yeh." The young sailor nodded and walked down towards the Alpha Sector.

"Here we are, Beck…" The youngest of Rebecca's three older brothers –Denton- stated as he handed Rebecca her lone bag of items, his arm linked with his fiancée's. They looked up at the glimmering hull of the Siren's Sonnet.

"You sure know how to pick out the beaus of the bushel, Beck." Giles whistled at the tall ship. He and his fiancée stood beside Rebecca.

"They said it was the best." Rebecca stated, smiling up at the ship.

"For how long will you be gone?" Sebastian's pregnant wife asked.

Rebecca smiled weakly. "I don't know…" She shrugged. "Los Terrano is about a month's sailing, then… I'm not sure where I'm going to go." She straightened up confidently. "But don't worry. I'll be back before you know it."

"Aww…" Sebastian cooed playfully. "Our little Becky is all grown up." He chuckled.

Rebecca laughed, wiping away some absent-minded tears from her pale green eyes. "I'll miss you all dearly." She vowed.

"Do write about your adventures, my dear." Douglas smiled, looking at his youngest child with proud copper-brown eyes.

"Yes." Denton agreed. "We'll want to hear some stories once you've returned!"

Rebecca smiled and looked at her mother, the only one who hadn't said anything. "I'll be back soon, mother."

Jane nodded mechanically and smiled tearfully. "Be careful out there."

"I will." Rebecca nodded. "I promise."

The young adventurer hugged each person in turn, before grabbing her bag and walking up the gangplank onto the main deck of the Siren's Sonnet. She looked back once to give them a reassuring smile, then faced forwards.

Captain Darcy Mantra observed his newly hired crew with skilled rust-coloured eyes as he stood at the aft of his ship.

His eldest son Tristan Mantra, and now his first mate, stood at his side. The young man shared the same rust-coloured eyes as his father, but had an unusual shade of green in his hair and bangs that concealed his right eye, likely because he was the fruit of a human and alien's passions.

"I believe that must be Lady Rebecca." Tristan nodded towards the only female who had walked onto the main deck.

"Aye… our financier." The Captain smirked as he walked across the aft, towards the stairs leading to the main deck. "Prepare the crew to launch."

"Aye, Captain." Tristan nodded briskly, stuffing his oddly coloured hair under his black tri-cornered hat and hurried to assume his post.

Rebecca scanned the busy main deck, trying to locate the captain of the ship. She looked over the ordinarily dressed men, who were the hired crewmembers, and tried for something more obvious.

"Miss Clarke." A voice stated curtly behind the young woman.

Rebecca nearly jumped out of her skin, but managed to remain calm as she turned to the voice. She observed an older man, likely in his mid-forties to fifties, with a wild mane of silver-grey hair and an equally untamed beard. He had a pair of dark red-brown eyes, which Rebecca could only specifically pin on a deep rust colour. The man wore an ultramarine overcoat with tawny trousers and polished black boots, a pistol holster and a sheathed rapier sword were at his hip, and he had a black tri-pointed hat atop his head.

Trying to keep to her decent upbringing, Rebecca cleared her throat and answered the man politely. "Yes, I'm Rebecca Clarke." She introduced herself. "Are you Captain Mantra?"

The man nodded in approval. "Aye, that be I… Ma'am." He cleared his throat. "We'll be launching the ship out of port in a few moments, afterwards we'll show you to your accommodations." He scratched his cheek in thought. "Just hang tight to your belongings, Miss Clarke."

"As you wish, Captain." Rebecca agreed.

The captain nodded once more, and then left the main deck to the helm of his ship.

The young woman watched him leave, unsure whether she was to follow him or not. And what did one do to prepare herself for a ship's launching?

Author's Note:

Thanks again for the awesome reviews from you readers, I love them!

MG#6