Author's Note:

Sorry for the long wait, my procrastination for schoolwork is finally catching up to me… and writer's block is a meaner.

Once Rebecca had dressed herself appropriately for the day, Ethel Silver had treated everyone to a hearty breakfast.

Afterwards, John and Jim lead the travellers out to a hanger close to the Silver's residence. It was here that the Silver's heirloom ship was kept when not in use.

A string of curse words greeted the travellers as they entered the hanger.

"Tommy?" Jim enquired, hurrying towards the source of the foul language.

"Jimbo, 's that you?" A grunting voice called from somewhere in the darkened hanger. "This bloody son-of-a-space-whale 's not firin' up like she should…"

"Why were you going to fire her up any way?" Jim asked, searching the hanger for his friend.

A large pig man hopped down from the darkness of the hanger, his clothe apron covered with grease stains and his facial expression nonchalant.

"Was just gonna see if she's shipshape, that's all…" The pig man grunted.

John cleared his throat, drawing the pig man and Jim's attention back to the group of travellers.

"Johnny-Boy!" The pig man greeted friendlily, clapping John on the shoulder. "Haven't seen you in what… 'alf a year 's it?" He looked over John with his beady-black eyes.

"How's life been treating yeh, Tom?" John asked.

Tom shrugged. "Same old, same old…" He looked past John's shoulder at the large group of travellers. "Are we back in business, or are you just showing around your friends?"

"Both." John stated. "Know the planet Emery?"

The pig man snorted. "Who doesn't know Emery? Nobility 'round every corner and it's got to be one of the richest planets in the galaxy, if not the entire Etherium!"

John rolled his coal-black eyes at his friend's exaggeration. "Well that's where we're going, an' most of this group is gonna serve as our crew." He gestured to the group.

"I see…" Tom looked over each of the travellers. He nodded. "Well… Name's Biggs, Thomas Biggs…" The pig man introduced himself. He turned back to John. "We're not gonna git too far on this old clunker…" He nodded to the heirloom ship above them. "She's been acting up all week…" He polished his small grabby hands on a soiled handkerchief.

"If I may interject, Mister Biggs…" Jarred said suddenly, "I'm familiar with the mechanisms in ships… I could provide some assistance…"

Thomas looked over the young Shikaran and snorted. "I suppose so…" He nodded towards the suspended ship. "You'll at least be small enough to fit into the machines…" Jarred made a bit of a nervous noise in the back of his throat at the pig-man's comment, but said nothing.

Close by, Jim lowered a lever and the ship responded accordingly, descending from the ceiling of the hanger so it was bathed in the filtered glow of the rainy morning.

The HMS Aurora sank down to eye-level. The mechanisms controlled by the lever that Jim had pulled were cranking a series of chains to lower the ship while a line of massive ropes held the ship suspended over the ground.

A small coat-of-arms was painted near the bow of the ship on both sides. A wooden angel in billowing robes was carved at the bow of the ship, holding a dove to the skies.

"Well, if this is 'an old clunker' I wonder what a nice ship would be…" Juanita chuckled.

The pig man scoffed. "It may be a gem on the outside, but its inner mechanisms are as outta date as me grandma." Tom stated. He and Jarred then climbed up into the ship.

"How long will it take teh get 'er travel-ready, Tommy?" John asked.

Tom's footsteps echoed through the ship as the aforementioned pig-man walked through the lower decks. His head popped out of a porthole in the starboard side of the ship.

"It should take 'bout a week teh git the ship travel-ready…" Tom stated lazily. "Yeh git the supplies ready Johnny-Boy, an' I'll git 'er ready sooner."

John nodded. "Well I suggest yeh get started, Tommy."

Tommy chuckled. "That's what I like teh 'ear, Johnny-Boy."

Over the next few days, Rebecca and her escort were arranging supplies and preparing the ship for the coming voyage.

It was during these days that Rebecca began her learning of the sailing ways, hoping to be more of a contributing person on the vessel rather than a passenger. John seemed grateful for this; the more help he had, the better.

Ethel was brimming with happiness at the company's longer stay. She was often seen preparing delicious dishes in her kitchen while everyone was working on the Aurora, whistling or humming a sea shanty as she worked.

Despite the constant rain, everyone noted that it seemed to be getting brighter out. Some people wondered if the rare days of sunshine were coming soon. But on the day of the HMS Aurora's launch, no day of halted rain had come, and the travellers had to be on their way.

"Now take care of each other boys an' I'll keep me eyes peeled for yeh." Ethel bide her grandsons farewell as they prepared to launch their ship.

"Don't worry 'bout us Granny, you just keep the house in one piece and we'll be back before you know it." Jim reassured Ethel as he climbed aboard the ship.

"Oh an' Johnny?" Ethel murmured more quietly. "Keep an' eye on Jimbo would yeh? He's still got a mischief streak a mile long, he has..."

John beamed at his grandmother and swept her into a goodbye hug. "Don't yeh fret Granny, he's safe under me watchful eye."

"An' take care of that girl of yers!" Ethel added with a wink.

John groaned. "She's not me girl, Granny... she's a lady for goodness sakes."

Ethel just laughed, shaking her head and she waved goodbye to the travellers.

"All right then ladies and gents, onward!" Jim shouted as John stepped onto the main deck of the HMS Aurora.

John stepped in front of his younger brother. "Now see 'ere Jimbo, I'm captain, an' yer me first mate... so I'll be givin' the orders, if yeh don't mind."

Jim smirked. "All righty Captain Silver, what are your orders?"

John rolled his eyes. "Let's get goin' already." He climbed up to the helm of the ship where Henry was at the wheel.

"Right-o..." Jim began giving his orders to the small crew of friends that he had brought along as more experienced sailors for their voyage.

Rebecca stood at the bow of the ship, watching as it rose out of the hanger. She wondered inwardly how they were going to launch the ship, as it was already held down by the gravitational pull of the planet rather than being out in space like the ships in the spaceports.

Her answer came soon. "All sailors fasten your lifelines! We're launching then activating artificial gravity, so it's going to be a bit bumpy!"

Rebecca fastened herself to the railing just off of the bow and looked out at the entrance of the hanger. She gripped the wooden railing and smiled warmly as John's booming voice shouted,

"Fire Away!"

And with that, a new voyage had begun, as the HMS Aurora launched through the clouds of Romano and out into the Etherium.

Author's Note:

Thanks so much to Whisperwings for betaing this chapter!

MG#6