Author's Note:

As usual, a thank you to Whisperwings for her awesome betaing, and on with the show!

Rebecca, now settled in her new quarters and becoming accustomed to the gentle rocking of the ship's movement, retrieved a small pocketbook she had purchased while in New Hastings. It had a leather cover that had been dyed a deep navy blue colour and the spine of the book tightly held together the pages of parchment.

The young woman retrieved a nib pen from her belongings and uncapped a bottle of black ink. She carefully dipped the nib into the bottle, getting only enough ink on the pen to avoid it splattering everywhere, and then opened the pocketbook to its first page.

Day One, Voyage One

She paused, wondering if recording the date was wise in this pocketbook. Surely when she travelled to other planets there would be a different set of days, months, even years than that of her own planet.

Rebecca decided that she wouldn't bother with the date, as the matter of passing through time zones, missed or repeated days, etcetera was far too mind boggling.

"Voyage One it is then." She nodded to herself and continued writing.

Dearest wishes to my family and friends,

It was difficult to finally leave Treaka's comforting limits and plunge headfirst into the unknown Etherium, but I now know that this voyage –hopefully one of many- is just another chapter to my story, one I hope to tell you upon my return.

It will be another thirty days of non-stop sailing until we reach Los Terrano. Once I'm there, I'll hire an escort and seek out other civilized areas of the galaxy. Wherever life takes me, I'm positive that I'm prepared for it.

Rebecca thought of the people she had met already so early in the voyage and began to write about them.

The captain of the ship ferrying me to Los Terrano –The Siren's Sonnet- is Captain Darcy Mantra. I find the man a little outlandish, but no doubt he has the smarts of how to run this ship. His son, Tristan Mantra, is the first mate of this ship. He seems more reserved than his father, but I sense the makings of a leader within him despite his quiet demeanour. I confess that I'm suspicious of the young man to be hiding something, but it is not anything I should get involved with. It's not my business.

Rebecca gnawed on her bottom lip in thought, and then remembered the other young man she had met at the beginning of this voyage.

There is another young man I've had the chance to get acquainted with, his name is John Silver. He helped me prepare myself for the ship's launch, as he's an experienced sailor himself. He seems like a polite young man, and despite how brash and barbaric sailors tend to be, he's different.

Rebecca sighed to herself and shook her head in disbelief.

But who am I to judge these people that I've only met? They could all clearly be the exact opposite to my speculations. I wonder if they act this way because I'm the only lady on this voyage… perhaps.

Rebecca narrowed her eyes in anticipation. She set the tip of her pen down upon the parchment and continued writing in her neat curvy handwriting.

Well… I see no need to stay within my quarters for all thirty days of voyaging. I could do the same and save a pretty penny by sitting around at home. I'm off to familiarize myself with my surroundings.

While the black writing was drying, Rebecca sealed the bottle of ink with its cork and cleaned the nib of the pen with an old handkerchief. Rebecca gently placed the items in the outer pocket of her bag, and then replaced the bag atop of her bed's covers.

Once the ink was dry, she closed the pocketbook, slipping it into the outer pocket of her bag and she set out to familiarize herself with the ship.

'Should I never talk teh the lass this entire voyage?' John Silver thought to himself as he climbed up the shrouds of the mainmast. He paused and sighed to himself. 'Nope, can't do that… an' I'd better stop calling her lass. She is a lady after all.'

The young man reached the wooden platform under the mainsail, which was glimmering brightly from the amount of starlight, and sat down with his legs dangling over its edge.

He gently stroked the thin stubble on his chin in thought while looking out into the vast galaxy before the ship.

A nimble being leapt from the mainmast and landed next to Silver on the platform, it took a moment to recuperate before looking up at the young man.

"'Ello mate!" The being looked much like a weasel with an eye patch over his right eye and he wore a dark green open-chest vest with black baggy trousers. He flashed a friendly grin, showing off his pointed teeth. "Name's Gage Smithy." The weasel humanoid eagerly shook John's hand.

"John Silver." The human stated as the weasel released his hand.

"Aye, strong name that is..." Gage sat down next to the human, his tail twitching with his inability to stay still. "I 'ear that this 'ere voyage is real important…"

"Yeh, don't say…" John looked back out into the Etherium, feigning interest.

"Oh ya." Gage didn't notice the hint of sarcasm in Silver's tone of voice. "Got a financer an' everything... a real babe."

John decided to play dumb on the subject, though he was mildly irritated by Gage's wording. "Really…"

Gage nodded vigorously. "See 'er down there?" He pointed a clawed finger at the familiar woman's appearance on the main deck. "Mmm hmm…" The weasel growled a little in the back of his throat, his friendly grin turning into a mischievous smirk.

Silver didn't want to know what the weasel was thinking at the moment, but he did want to go see the young lady once again… at least to apologize for his ignorance. John grasped onto one of the rope ladders and began to climb down towards the main deck.

"Where ya goin'?" Gage's voice called down, his small head appearing at the edge of the platform.

John decided not to answer the weasel's question, and continued climbing down the rope ladder.

Gage made the connection with the young woman's appearance and John's leaving, and then shouted down to the male human. "Go get 'er, Johnny-Boy!"

Silver sighed, hopping down the last few bits of the rope ladder and landing on the main deck. He recited what he was going to say to this young woman in his mind, trying to make sure that he wouldn't make a fool of himself. Again.

Author's Note:

The sole problem about knowing how this story's going to play out is getting the initiative to write the entire thing as most of the time, I just want to jump straight to the fight scenes etc... I thank you all for you undying patience and I will try my best at this!

MG#6