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Chapter 12
Loose Ends

[In Previous Chapters: The crew of the RLS Legacy remains docked upon the floating island of Alzrand. Amelia and Amherst are preparing the crew to set sail once more to stop a band of rogue pirates from taking over the twin islands' fishing grounds. Jim and Raymond, as lower ranking cadets, are sent into town to secure supplies for the voyage. During their assignment they are attacked by local ruffians, captured, and brought to a warehouse in the hills located above the town. There they discover the pirates are working for a stranger known as the Admiral who wants Jim and Ray alive along with an entire warehouse filled with crates of a flammable black mineral. Due to a careless light of a cigar, the pirates set fire to the establishment so Jim and Ray must escape on their own. But just before Raymond can get out, the structure collapses leaving Jim alive and face to face with the Admiral and his gun...]

Jim’s vision was blurry. This time there were no noises to wake him up. His head was throbbing, his muscles twitching as spasms wracked his body. His stomach roiled as he tried to hold down his vomit. He attempted to lift his heavy lids to find out where he was. There was the hazy image of a uniformed man standing before him.

The Admiral.

As if the very foundations of the universe had broken, his realization came crashing down. Raymond was dead.

“Good,” the Admiral purred as he watched Jim struggle to retain consciousness. “You are awake.” Jim slumped forward from where he sat on the ground. Upon better examination of his surroundings he realized he was in a brig most likely on a vessel in deep space. His wrists were secured with iron links chained to the walls. Square bars imprisoned him in his small cell. At the moment the door was open, and standing in its frame was the man Jim had never wanted to see again.

Amos Morgan.

“You…” Jim spat, his voice venomous.

“Yes. Me. You’ve had quite the excursion, haven’t you, Hawkins? What with being paralyzed twice in one day…losing a dear friend.”

“Shut up,” Jim coughed, the pangs in his heart overwhelming the pains of his body. Amos smirked as he took a step farther into the cell and crouched down in front of Jim.

“It hurts, doesn’t it?” he tsked. Jim gave the man a dark look as the Procyon Admiral returned to his feet and stared down at the boy – his uniform as impeccable as the day they had first met. “I should not have trusted a band of rogues to complete a task of such importance, but then again my officers are not particularly welcome in this area of the galaxy,” he said.

“You hired the pirates. You hired them to capture me and –” Jim swallowed, remembering his fallen friend. “Me and Ray,” he finished in a whisper.

“I did,” Amos nodded, clasping his hands behind his back, his posture stiff, his shoulders set back. Jim’s eyes drifted to the odd hat on his head. It was baby blue as was most of his uniform except that there was the symbol of Procyon rule imprinted on the fabric. A dark blue triangle with an opaque circle in the center.

“Why?” Jim forced out through clenched teeth. “Why not Captain Amelia or Commander Amherst? We’re just cadets.”

“Cadets that I need. Well,” Amos stopped, tilting his head as if he was rethinking his answer. “I needed you, Jim Hawkins. Your friend was expendable.”

Jim felt his hatred ignite in his stomach, crawling up his throat until he released a violent shout and lunged for the Admiral. The chains around his wrists dragged him down, but Jim would not be subdued. This man was the reason his best friend was dead. Amos’ eyes widened, just in the slightest, for he was not expecting Jim’s attack. The boy tried to hit the Proc, wound him, push him down, anything to quell the rage inside of him flaring like an inferno.

Instead Amos reacted with the speed and skill set of an advanced fighter. He blocked Jim’s fist, twisting the boy’s arm back and forcing him on his knees so Jim was staring up at him. With fluidity, he withdrew a knife and held it against Jim’s neck making the boy falter.

“Listen carefully, Mr. Hawkins,” Amos whispered, his mouth inches from Jim’s ear. Jim’s chest was heaving, his lip curling in disgust at the man’s close proximity. “I need you alive, but that does not mean I cannot bring you to the brink of death. Every opponent you have encountered thus far is nothing in comparison to what I will do to advance this war. While aboard my ship, you will learn your manners. Misbehavior will be accompanied by punishment – punishment that I am not afraid to give.”

Jim flinched when Amos dragged the sharp end of the knife across Jim’s throat, cutting just enough to draw a line of blood. At last he pulled back, releasing him as Jim brought his hand to his neck that now stung from the small cut running the length beneath his jaw. The Admiral grabbed Jim’s Academy jacket, wiping the knife off on the pearl white fabric, leaving a dark stain in return. He studied the blade a moment longer before deciding it was clean and putting it away.

“You are far from your friends, Mister Hawkins. There is no one to save you now,” he said. Jim wore a mask of loathing, his blue eyes swimming with built up emotion.

“Why do you need me?” he ground out. The Procyon leader gave Jim an eerie smile.

“Let’s just say I’m tying up loose ends,” he replied, turning to exit the brig when Jim called him back.

“And what about the rocks in the warehouse. What were they? Why did your hired hands need them?” Jim tried to hold down the hollow feeling in his stomach as he remembered Raymond demanding the pirates explain why they were shipping boxes loaded with, apparently, flammable minerals.

“Good,” Amos repeated, turning just enough for Jim to see his sharp eyes. “You’re finally asking the right questions.” Without another word, the Admiral left Jim’s cell, closing and locking the door tight behind him. Jim watched him retreat down the hall to the stairwell that led onto the upper regions of the ship. The boy slumped against the wall, letting his body sag with defeat. Raymond was dead because of Amos Morgan. He clenched his fists at his sides before bringing his hands up and digging the heels of his palms into his eyes. He could feel the tears burning behind his lids, and soon he was not strong enough to hold them back. Jim raked his fingers through his hair, the stress of his losses overcoming him.

Raymond, his best friend, was dead.

***

Doug was worried. He had not wanted to voice his anxieties earlier, suspecting there was still time for Jim and Ray to come back to the ship, but it was late afternoon now and all the other cadets had returned. He couldn’t say if their list had been exceptionally long, but a tense sensation had latched onto his gut, and Doug knew, after all the trouble he had experienced in the past, not to ignore a gut feeling.

“Are you alright, Doug?” Anne Marie asked as she leaned against the rail beside him. He was grateful for her presence, but he couldn’t shake his bad feeling.

“I don’t know. Jim and Ray haven’t returned yet,” he muttered, looking out over the busy docks.

“I’m sure they’ll be back,” Anne Marie suggested, brushing her wing with his. She was not fond of Raymond, but she knew he was close to Doug and it upset her to see him so distressed. She was sad that she had not been taken kindly by Doug’s other friends. They were nice enough, but because of Doug and Ray’s rift, they hadn’t exactly been able to get to know one another better. She stayed with Doug because she had no one else to turn to onboard the solar galleon. “Maybe when they come back…” she started, her rosette beak turning a darker hue. “Maybe you could apologize to him.”

“Why?” came Doug’s sharp reply. “It’s not like he was ever going to apologize to me.”

“No, but you miss him, and it’s making you two miserable,” she pointed out. Doug sighed and dipped his head. “Sometimes someone just has to take the first step.”

He looked at her and gave her a small smile.

“Thanks, Anne Marie. I’ll try to talk to him…if he comes back. Something doesn’t feel right. They shouldn’t have taken this long,” Doug sighed as a voice called his name interrupting the two.

“Have you guys seen Jim or Ray?” Dalia asked, Josephine beside her.

“They should have been back by now, all the other cadets are,” Josephine added.

“We were just wondering the same thing,” Anne Marie replied as she and Doug turned to face the girls. Dalia frowned, before glancing across the deck to see Alice engaged in a conversation with Ryan.

“Well, Jim’s not with Alice, that’s for sure. He’d get all upset if he saw her talking to Ryan,” the green skinned girl jerked her thumb over her shoulder.

“He was being ridiculous. Is she not allowed to have a friend?” Josephine snorted. “Honestly, I don’t understand those two’s dynamic sometimes.”

“You were the one trying to mack with him a year ago,” Dalia teased as Josephine gave her a shove.

“Okay, but this isn’t helping. Do you think we should report this to Commander Amherst?” Doug inquired, when Anne Marie cleared her throat.

“I think he already knows.”

Meanwhile at the helm, Amherst was taking inventory of the checked lists the cadets had given him. It seemed all the supplies were in order except for a few things Hawkins and Peters were meant to bring back. He frowned and scanned the deck, but found no sight of them. The cargo would be arriving any minute to be strapped into the hold of the ship. They’d be able to cast off at sundown.

If those two cadets were on time.

Amherst scowled and rolled his eyes. He had been having a hellish day trying to monitor the snarky Captain Amelia. She was not one to enjoy having her position questioned, which is why he was in no mood to go hunt down two boys who thought it was all in good fun to be a bother. He rubbed his temples at B.E.N’s prattling beside him. More than anything he wanted to deck the ridiculous robot and hire a machine that navigated in silence.

To his surprise, however, B.E.N went quiet. It was as if the hunk of hardware had heard his thoughts. Turning around, he realized why. Amelia was giving B.E.N a stern look which caused the robot to get awkward real fast.

“Sorry, Cap’n! I’ll just…stop talking now,” he pretended to zip his lips. When Jim told the robot to be quiet, B.E.N abided for a total of thirty seconds, but that was because he knew with Jim he wouldn’t be in too much trouble. Captain Amelia actually terrified him, and was, quite possibly, the only person that could get B.E.N to shut up and stay shut up for extended periods of time.

“Is there a problem, Amherst?” she asked, turning her cold gaze on him. He wanted to spit back, ‘Yeah, I’m not happy to be working with you either’ but he held his tongue.

“Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Peters have not returned from their assignment,” he replied. Amelia looked over the list in his hand before frowning.

“They should have been back by now,” she breathed.

“Perhaps they thought it funny, ma’am, to evade their duties,” Amherst grunted. Amelia shook her head.

“Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Peters are upstanding cadets who would not waste the Navy’s time for the sake of their own amusement. I’ll send Mason with a small party into town to look for them,” she suggested, about to turn away when Amherst made another remark on behalf of several uniformed men boarding the vessel.

“The dock hands are here with the supplies,” he pointed out as he and Amelia descended the helm’s steps to the lower levels of the deck. The docking master greeted them there, having scurried up the boardwalk to announce his presence. He was shrimp-like in appearance with long tentacle shaped whiskers. He was fondling a three cornered hat, a nervous look in his eye.

“Well, is everything in order?” Amherst demanded. The shrimp man nodded.

“Yessir,” he spoke up, his voice ringing with an accent Amelia had no name for. “The supplies will be loaded and secured in your bay promptly. We are sorry for the slight delay. Some trouble arose in town earlier this afternoon.”

“What sort of trouble?” Amelia frowned, tilting her head. It did not seem coincidental that Jim and Ray would disappear just as misfortune struck the town of Alzrand.

“They were everywhere, ma’am! Rogue bandits with covered faces, shooting down shops and chasing after these lads. They looked like cadets. I don’t know what the fiends wanted with ‘em.”

By now a majority of the crew had gathered at a distance to hear what was going on. Doug shared nervous looks with Dalia and Josephine while Alice stood beside Ryan, a worried crease upon her brow. She was ashamed to admit she hadn’t paid much attention to where Jim was or when he was coming back. She had felt rather relieved to spend time away with him for a little while.

“Can you describe these two cadets, Sir? What happened to them?”

“Well, I’m not rightly sure, Captain. I know one had darker skin and he was the shorter of the two. I didn’t get a good look at them. I don’t know where they went, but not to worry because the constables managed to capture several of the brigands. They’re being interrogated, I believe, down at the city hall courtroom,” he explained. Amelia thanked him and told him to get on with loading the crates into the hull. She turned to the crew and ordered several of the cadets to begin helping the dock hands below, telling others to check all sail lines and get the ship ready to launch. When the men and women jumped into action, Amelia turned to look at Amherst and Delbert now standing beside her.

“Amelia, you don’t suppose Jim –” Delbert began when Amelia shook her head.

“That is what I’m going to find out. Amherst, I think it would be wise we leave one commanding officer behind to overlook the running of my vessel in my absence, wouldn’t you agree?” she faced him.

“Where, may I ask, are you going, Captain?” he grimaced.

“To the courthouse. Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Peters are under my protection and valuable to this crew. Those lawbreakers will provide me with information on this supposed random attack or so help me I’ll be stringing them up by the gallows myself,” she sneered, turning on her heel when Amherst stopped her by reaching out to grab her arm.

“Remember, Captain, we have until the day’s end before we must sail south to the pirate base to stop their marauding. Whether Peters or Hawkins are found or not,” he argued. Amelia looked at him, pulling her arm out of his grasp.

“Perhaps we may not have to look far for these pirates after all, Mr. Amherst,” she replied, giving Delbert a quick goodbye before moving toward the gangway. She had just begun to descend when another voice called out to her making Amelia roll her eyes and stop to see Alice.

“Captain! I’m sorry, but, the man, he said he didn’t know where Jim and Ray are, right?” she asked, her voice ringing with urgency.

“No. I’m sure they are alright. Your, ahem, boyfriend has a knack for fending off assaults,” Amelia cleared her throat.

“Can I come with you?” Alice pleaded. “I have to know what happened to them. If they were alright, they would have returned, wouldn’t they?”

“I don’t know, Alice, and no, you may not join me. There is no place for a cadet in a courtroom interrogation,” Amelia reproached.

“Captain, please,” Alice begged, chewing on her lower lip. “Jim and I had a fight before he left, I just want to make sure nothing happened.”

Amelia sighed as she looked into Alice’s shining green eyes.

“I will find him, Alice. I’ll bring both of them back safely, but I can only do so much at this moment. Stay behind with the others. I should be back later to cast off, and I’ll be dragging both of those boys by their collars when I do,” she gave Alice a small smile and Alice returned it, though it was shaky, as the captain left the Legacy behind.

***

The courtroom was chaotic. There were plenty of townsfolk loitering on the steps, demanding payment for their destroyed businesses. Amelia navigated past the police who allowed her access because of her uniform. As she entered the large ornate building, officials were hauling the pirates in chains one by one out of their cells to account for their crimes in the courtroom through the large wooden double doors. Amelia approached a fellow Admiral to explain what had happened to two of her crewmembers and asked if she could be allowed to participate in the questionings. He agreed, leading her through the entrance into the courtroom where ten of the pirates were lined up, chained to a wooden table before the council of judges.

The layout of the court was similar to that of the high seats of parliament in that there were government-like figures to form houses in order to represent the people. Leading the hearing was the judge and beside her was Mayor Krell. Amelia was not surprised to see him there as she took a seat amongst the general public and waited for the trial to commence. The pirates said little to nothing about their reason for raiding the town. It appeared nothing was stolen, but gunfire had been rained down upon a civilian population. More than one eye witness account suggested the pirates had been after two young men who were nameless at the moment.

That’s when Amelia stood to explain Jim and Ray had been a part of her crew. A few whispers broke out amongst the people as to what that could mean. News of war rarely found its way to backwater fishing islands such as Alamein and Alzrand, despite their location and familiarity. They never trifled themselves with Naval business unless it affected them directly. However, Bancroft T. Thatcher had been thorough in his publishing of the Galactic Press. Amelia’s presence was too close to home.

“She’s bringing them to us! She’s the reason we were attacked! She even says those kids were a part of her crew!” an elder man accused, standing up and pointing his stubby finger in her direction. Amelia forced herself to bite back a retort as another woman stood as well to blame her misfortune upon the ‘woman who should never have been captain’.

Amelia’s face remained placid, indifferent. Not a single ruffled movement was exhibited to allow the civilians to witness her discomfiture, but if one knew Amelia well they would know inside she was anxious. If the citizens of the Empire were calling for her immediate removal, it would not take long for the Admiralty to hear. They already had her under tight surveillance. If she so much as missed a step, they would be there to snatch away everything she had strived to achieve since she was a young girl.

“Order! Order!” the judge called, bringing the gavel down hard and rattling Amelia out of her thoughts. “We are here to witness the court-martial of these convicted men and women. Correct me if I am wrong, but Captain Amelia has taken no part in crossing any law here upon the island of Alzrand. She is bringing information to our attention that can further improve our investigation as to what happened here today.” The judge finished and gave Amelia a curt nod which the captain returned before she took a seat once more. The questions resumed, but the pirates refused to share any of their knowledge on the situation.

Something seemed unsettling about the situation, despite the frustrations of lacking prime knowledge. Amelia could not place her finger on it as she watched the councilmembers sentence the men and women to ten years in prison. While people shuffled out of the room after the sentence was determined, Amelia turned to follow Mayor Krell and the justice to the back offices. She had to speak to them about what she suspected was happening and to see if there were any accounts as to where Jim and Ray might be. She knew that to hope they were safe aboard the Legacy was a useless thought.

Amelia glanced at the clock as she waited for the pirates to be returned to their holding cells. She had one hour. Time was running out. She knew she wouldn’t be able to come up with a liable excuse as to why she was putting two young men before the well-being of the Navy. She despised having to strive for the collective good when it meant sacrificing respectable men and women. It was one of the reasons she had dropped out of the Interstellar Army to begin with. She would not leave her two loyalist cadets to die, but she knew that with Amherst overseeing her, the Admiralty would be quick to find out about her follies. She bared her sharp teeth, not at all pleased with this turn of events. At last she was able to make her way to the door behind the half-circle stand. She pushed her way into the back hallway fully expecting to turn the corner and discover the mayor. Unbeknownst to Amelia, someone else had the same idea, but with a different person and direction in mind. As Amelia took the sharp corner, the fellow did the same. He was sturdy, tall, and traveling at a brisk pace which is why he came close to knocking Amelia off her feet - an exceptional occurrence.

“Excuse you,” Amelia snapped, not looking up as she made to move around the official. Instead a firm hand caught her arm, pulling her to a stop and forcing her to look at her accoster. It was a good thing the man did make her look for Amelia had been seconds away from attacking. Her eyebrows rose, an astonished expression gracing her features. The man was also a feline and he loomed above her – at least a foot and a half taller. He had a toned build with short black hair tucked under his three cornered captain’s hat. Amelia would recognize that smirk anywhere. “You –” she started, unable to speak proper.

“Hey, Amelia, good to see you,” he laughed, his dim green eyes twinkling with mirth and affection. “How’s my lil’ sister been doing?”

***

Jim clenched his teeth, biting his tongue so hard he was afraid he’d draw blood. He would not give the Procs the satisfaction of hearing him scream. The knife pressed a little deeper into his skin as crimson liquid leaked from the wound. Jim squeezed his eyes shut as they began to water. He’d rather voice his pain than let them see him cry. At last the knife was removed and Jim released a sharp breath he didn’t know he was holding. Amos waved for his soldiers to stand back as he approached Jim slumped against the wall.

“You’re disgusting!” Jim spat. “You know the Navy will find you. They’ll blow your ship out of the sky, you can’t win.”

“Manners,” Amos said as his crew member wiped the blood of the knife on Jim’s Academy jacket. Amos held up the coat so the Proc could let the red stain the pearl white. When the job was done, he lowered the jacket to look at Jim. “I told you that misbehavior would not be tolerated aboard my vessel, Mr. Hawkins.”

Jim’s response was a snort.

“So, where should we cut you next?” Amos hummed, turning the jacket around. He took a knife out of his own belt this time and dragged it down the back of the jacket, tearing a sizable gap in it. He nodded to his men who wrestled Jim against the wall. The boy fought back, determined not to be handled like this. He knew what was coming as they held him firm and dragged the knife down the center of his back.

This time Jim did scream. They were pressing deeper this time, the weapon tearing his skin. When they pulled away Jim shivered, his back stinging whenever he moved. He would need stitches for sure after this, but something told him he would lose a lot of blood before that happened. Amos held the jacket to Jim’s bare back and injury so again the blood teased the shredded fabric. When he was satisfied he drew back and turned the article of clothing around in his hands.

“Hmmm, one more should do the trick, don’t you think, Jim?” Amos inquired, looking at Jim as if he honestly expected an answer.

“Bite me,” Jim growled. Amos’ eyes flickered as he thrust the coat into his guard’s arms and loomed over Jim, his knife drawn. He grabbed the back of Jim’s neck and held firm as he drew the knife over his temple, cutting down the side of his face dangerously close to his eye.

“That’s to correct your tongue. Shall I cut that out next or would you like to keep it?” Amos whispered in his ear, putting his knife away. Jim was glaring at the wall in front of him, but he remained silent for once. Amos stroked his hair. “Good boy,” he mocked, standing up and approaching his guards. He took the coat from them and cradled it. “One for good measure, men. I’ll be back after dinner,” he waved his hand, crossing the cell when Jim stopped him.

“Why are you doing this? Why do you need me?” he demanded. Amos looked at Jim with the smallest hint of a smile.

“Hawkins, I’m afraid I’m not one to reveal my ‘diabolical’ plans before they come to pass. Loose ends, Mr. Hawkins. Loose ends. This was a warm up. You must prove to me you’ve learned your place before I determine whether or not your pain is unneeded. I might just keep you around for my own amusement even after I’ve accomplished my feat, however,” he chuckled, giving Jim a sarcastic bow. “I’ll see you after dinner. Oh, don’t worry. I’ll let you eat…eventually.”

As Amos left the cell and returned to the upper decks, the other two Procs in the room, took up his place. One solid measured punch was delivered just beneath Jim’s eye, knocking him flat on his stomach leaving space for a rough kick to the ribs. When they were pleased Jim was unable to open his eyes or breathe, they left as well, locking the door behind him. Jim was shaking, the multiple lacerations burning from the depth, his cheekbone sore from the sudden attack, his stomach gasping for air. The world felt unstable when he attempted to sit up and this caused him to collapse once more, his mind spinning despite his closed eyes.

Morph slipped out of his pocket then, chirping and flitting around Jim’s head in worry. Before Amos had come down a second time, Jim had discovered his gelatinous body shaking away and thus instructed the little shape shifter to hide in his pants’ pocket to avoid Amos’ knowledge. Jim didn’t respond to Morph’s shrieks for a while as he attempted to regain his breath. He kept his eyes shut as at last he coughed and reached out trembling fingers to touch Morph’s form.

“I’m okay…” he breathed, his voice barely audible. “I’m okay.”

For how much longer, Jim wasn’t sure.

***

Amelia opened and closed her mouth again, for once in her life speechless at this surprising turn of events. She had not seen her elder brother in a year, and even their previous encounter had been brief.

“Stop it, sis, you’re making me uncomfortable,” he rolled his eyes as Amelia finally composed herself.

“What are you doing here?” she inquired, tilting her head, startled he would be in such an average courtroom. He was a part of the Admiralty himself – awarded as one of the most upstanding officers the galaxy had to offer. He did not bother himself with missions unless they were serious in every respect.

“You don’t think I haven’t heard about all of your adventures? Thought I would come help a sibling out,” he smirked, putting his hands on his hips. Amelia clasped her hands behind her back in retaliation and stuck her nose in the air.

“You’re ridiculous, Alex. I can handle myself and this mission. If this is another attempt by the Admiralty to –”

“No,” Alexander interrupted. “The Admiralty didn’t send me.”

By now Amelia was more than a little perplexed. She stared him down as if demanding he speak. Although he surpassed her in rank and status, she would always be able to enforce her will upon him. He sighed and took off his three cornered hat before rubbing his face.

“It’s a long story. Mind if we talk in private?” he asked, motioning toward an empty conference room nearby. Amelia dipped her head in acknowledgment as he led her into the quiet space away from the general hubbub of the other courtroom offices. When the door behind Alexander clicked, Amelia took a seat at the table and folded her hands on the surface.

“Well, what’s the story then?” she asked, giving him a look. Alexander set his hat down and sat across from her, wiping the exhaustion from his eyes.

“First of all, you should know that you are on seriously thin ice with the Admiralty, Amelia,” he began, releasing a hot breath of air.

“Yes, I do realize that. Mr. Amherst is a prime example of the lengths they are willing to go to impose their standards upon me,” she sniffed.

“Amelia, this isn’t a game!” Alex snapped, catching her attention. She had seen her brother’s wrath before, but it was uncommon it was directed toward her. His disposition was relaxed, yet purposeful when needed. At the moment he did not look pleased. In fact he looked agitated, almost nervous. “I’m sorry, but ever since the Procyons got ahold of those necklaces…Amelia, this is very bad. The Empire is going to war, and we have little knowledge of our enemies’ weaponry. The queen is ready to declare open fire on the Procs, and we still have no idea what they are capable of. Not to mention the ghost ships –”

“What ghost ships?” Amelia held up her hand, frowning at this knowledge.

“Our vessels are being attacked by unseen adversaries. They’re ghost ships – not deserted ships – they literally are not there! We can pick them up on radar, but we can’t see them. We don’t know if it’s Procyon technology or an older enemy hoping to rise when the Procs attempt to seize power. By Arda and above, we don’t even know how many blasted ships they have!” Alex argued as he got to his feet and began to pace, his shoulders rigid with tension.

“How many ghost ships? I was informed on Crescentia of these vessels,” Amelia spoke lightly, attempting to calm her brother down.

“We don’t know, but the attacks are becoming more ruthless,” Alexander sighed, taking a seat once more. “But that’s not why I came to find you.” Amelia’s ears twitched but she said nothing, allowing him to continue. Alex leaned farther over the table, fixing her with his green-eyed stare. “Amelia, I’m worried about you. You’re under threat and –”

“I can handle myself, Alex,” she scoffed.

“I know you can, but right now you need allies, and you don’t have many. So I propose sailing under your command,” he smiled, leaning back in his seat to resume a relaxed posture. Amelia stared at him incredulously.

“Under my command? Alex, you’re four years my senior and not to mention an Admiral and –”

“Yes, I am. Thank you for pointing out the obvious. I would like to sail under your command because I want to fight beside my family when war threatens to pass,” he argued, giving her a pointed look. “You need allies, Amelia. I want to help you get out of this.”

“Does the Admiralty know?”

“I am the Admiralty,” he said with conviction. “I am your commanding officer and I command you to let me sail under your wing.” Amelia shared Alex’s grin, unable to contain her affection for her brother. She had to hand it to him, he was always up to some nonsense. Then she remembered where she was and why she was there. Her smile fell away as a worried crease on her brow replaced it.

“Well, no matter. I am required to sail South in search of a band of rogue pirates threatening these islands. Meanwhile two of my cadets have gone missing, and the fiends in these cells refuse to speak of who they are working for,” she sighed, rubbing her temples. “Alex, I don’t know what to do. I have less than an hour before I must cast off, but I cannot leave these young men behind.” Alex hummed, staring at Amelia in silent curiosity. His sister had always believed if someone was still alive somewhere she had the chance to save them, but she also knew how to pick her battles.

“What are these lads’ names?” he asked.

“Raymond Peters and Jim Hawkins,” Amelia answered, watching the realization take hold of her brother’s expression.

“They were on board your galleon when the Procyons first attacked. They were the ones that were with you on the Eternity Star’s mission,” he stated.

“Yes, and I happen to be good friends with Jim’s mother. I cannot let harm come to them. There’s something strange about these pirates as well. Someone else is controlling them, and I do not know who,” Amelia explained, thinking back to the way the pirates had kept silent. It was then that she understood what had been troubling her earlier. It had to do with the notion that the pirates would rather stay quiet despite their predicament than spread information about their connections. There was some force out there which scared them more than the judicial system.

“Do you suppose they are pirates from the southern base?” Alexander questioned, also attempting to fit the puzzle pieces together in his mind.

“No. The pirates to the South are interested only in the fishing grounds, at least to my knowledge. It doesn’t seem likely they’d attack the port cities at random and so soon after our arrival. It wasn’t even an attack on the city. It was an attack on my crew! Alex, I don’t have much time. I can’t think of a liable reason as to why I would prolong a naval mission to search for two cadets, but I will not abandon them. Especially since I believe there is more to be learned,” Amelia stood up, clasping her hands behind her back and beginning to pace.

“Well, Sis, the way I see it there’s only one way to it.”

Amelia turned to look at him, one of her ears swiveling in his direction. Alex stood as well and adjusted his hat on his head once more.

“I’ll take care of the pirates to the South. You search for these cadets. I am now under your command, remember?” he winked. Amelia gave him a terse smile before shaking her head.

“Where shall I start searching for them? The scoundrels won’t speak true about who they are working for. They won’t talk!” That was when Alex gave her a sly smile.

“I can make them talk.”

***

The pirate squirmed under Alex’s sharp gaze, his hands bound to the chair he sat in. Alex had, personally, secured the rope around his legs, cutting off his circulation and invoking more vulnerability. For a long time no one spoke in the rotted out cell. It was just Alex and his prey. He refused to let his younger sister see him this way, and he did not want the pirate to know of their relationship or worse use it as leverage. He would crack the man before him, whether it was now or a week later.

“Are you afraid?” Alex asked, breaking the silence at last. The man narrowed his eyes.

“I’ve seen a lot worse than you, mate,” he sneered.

“Do enlighten me,” Alex responded. His body remained stoic and immovable save for his mouth which was the only way to tell he was the one speaking.

“You’re just as dumb as the court if ya think I’m gonna spill me knowledge!” he hacked out a snicker. Alex was swift as he withdrew the pistol from his belt and pointed it at the rogue’s head. This elicited another laugh from the man before him. “Death don’t scare me, mate.”

“Then what does?” Alex lowered his voice, his eyes harboring a cold sort of malice.

“People who are bigger than you!”

“Fair enough,” Alex straightened up, lowering the gun so it pointed at the man’s sternum. “What’s your name?”

“Why should I -?”

Alex pulled the trigger causing the pirate to flinch and gape at the Admiral towering over him. At the last minute he had tilted his wrist so the shot just scraped the pirate’s side. The brute’s shirt had burnt away, part of his skin sizzling and beginning to bleed.

“I’m Clive! For the stars’ sakes my name is Clive!” he shrieked before hanging his head, moaning as the injury took effect.

“Now then, Clive,” Alex began, ignoring the man’s wheezy breaths as he began to circle him. “Who are you working for?”

When Clive didn’t respond, Alex knelt in front of him, drawing the barrel of the pistol down the front of his shirt making him shiver. Clive’s forehead began to sweat as he struggled to look away, to maintain his strength. At last he gave in, letting his head drop. There was no way that man would come back for him, Clive was but a pawn. Keeping the blasted warlord safe wasn’t worth losing his limbs over. He glanced up at last and hissed out through clenched teeth so Admiral Alexander knew he was telling the absolute truth.

“Our benefactor is Amos Morgan.”

Alex knelt there for a moment longer, not at all expecting what he had just heard. At first he could not seem to comprehend what had just been spoken. Then his head began to spin while he feared he might lose his stance and the contents of his stomach.

“What did you say?” he breathed, his expression morphing into one of fear. Plain and simple fear.

“Our leader was that Proc Amos Morgan,” Clive annunciated, pleased the name had such an effect on this upstanding Naval brat.

“No…” Alex whispered as he got to his feet, putting away his gun and raking his hands through his hair. “No. No!” With a quick spin around he punched Clive just beneath the jaw snapping the pirate’s head back before Alex reached for his shirt and pulled him forward. “Why did he want the cadets? What business did he have with them?” Alex yelled, knowing that the situation was unraveling and it was unraveling fast. He could almost see the loose ends coming undone. Clive spluttered, trying to catch his breath.

“I-I don’t know! He wouldn’t say! We just had to get them to his ship!”

“Lies!”

“It’s true! I don’t know what he wanted with them! It was a waste of a mission if you ask me,” Clive cried out when Alex threw him back against the chair, ignoring the thief’s injury. For a while the Admiral paced, knowing it was dangerous to lose control over the situation, but he was in no mood to be placid. He whirled on Clive one last time.

“Where did he take them? Do you have any idea where their vessel was headed?” he growled, baring his sharp teeth. Clive dipped his head once.

“The Broken Territories. I don’t know what his business was there, I swear it on my mother’s grave!”

“Swear it on your own,” Alex snapped as he reached for the door to the cell and stepped out into the hallway. He nodded to the guard beside the door to let him know he was done before returning to the main offices on the opposite side of the building. Amelia was sipping an espresso and pouring over maps and possible locations in the conference room where he had left her. She looked up when he entered and shut the door behind him.

“Well?” she inquired, straightening up. Almost at once her expression sobered at the sight of his grave look.

“Amelia,” he started, swallowing before shaking his head. “We’re in trouble.”

***

“That can’t be true,” Amherst said flatly as they stood in Amelia’s stateroom. The midafternoon was shifting to dusk. Already they had lost precious time. The rest of the crew was preparing for launch, scrambling to tie down their newly loaded supplies and unfurl the sails. Amelia had wasted no time the minute she had set foot on deck. Alex was already back aboard his own vessel, readying for battle. He would take his fleet under Amelia’s authority to investigate the pirate’s marauding to the south allowing Amelia time to sail after Morgan. It had taken some convincing for her brother not to sail with her as well. He did not want her going to face Amos alone. Both of them knew what sort of snake the Procyon could be.

An unsettling feeling now resided in the pit of Amelia’s stomach. She did not know what sort of tricks Amos was up to, but with him it was never good. She couldn’t imagine why he needed Jim and Raymond out of their entire crew, and, although she wouldn’t admit it, this terrified her. Not knowing Amos’ gambits was risky. She was used to his strategy: when you thought you had him cornered, he changed the rules of the game.

“It is true,” Amelia retorted. “Amos Morgan is moving. The board is set and his pieces are in play.”

“But Amos Morgan –”

“Is quite possibly the most dangerous man you have ever met,” Amelia snapped, standing up from her position behind her stateroom desk. “I have seen him at war, once, many years ago when I was a novice like yourself. The Navy won the battle by a thread. I do not understand why he needed Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Peters, but no doubt it is for cruel intentions to further expand his chances. If I know him, and I know him well enough, he will do anything to win. He will not lose his foothold on the Empire again.”

The air in the room felt thick with tension. Delbert adjusted his spectacles on the bridge of his nose and glanced down at the maps on her desk.

“If I may, Captain, the closest passage to the Broken Territories is across this sector here, but that may send us farther into danger,” he cleared his throat.

“Explain, Doctor,” Amherst requested.

“I have already spoken to Amelia about this, but there is a planet: Creedence which is magnetically connecting with its sun. It has the potential to cause a very disconcerting solar storm, if my calculations are correct. However, since we’re only sailing toward the Broken Territories, we have the ability to escape this horror if we time it right and take the most direct passage,” Delbert explained, scribbling down numbers and equations on the chart before them.

“Well, it looks as if you’ll be getting your way after all, Delbert. I do hope we’ll catch up to that ship before it has time to make it the Broken Territories,” Amelia sighed, sinking back into her seat.

“This is your plan, Captain? Perhaps we should call for help. You cannot go after Amos Morgan alone,” Amherst pressed.

“There is no time to call for aide. We must act now.”

“This is a ship full of cadets. We are not meant to fight upon the front lines,” Amherst snarled, bringing his fist down upon her desk. “They are children facing dragons! If Amos Morgan is as dangerous as you say he is, then we will all be killed before the red dawn has time to rise!”

Amelia closed her eyes for a moment, breathing hard through her nose. She understood what Amherst was saying, but desperation was clawing at her insides. She would not abandon Hawkins and Peters.

“Very well. If we do not catch up to them by the time they reach the Broken Territories, we will fall back and request backup,” she relented.

“But, Amelia –” Delbert started.

“Mr. Amherst, please prepare the ship for takeoff,” she ordered and watched as her first mate dipped his head, leaving the room.

“Amelia,” Delbert tried again. “We can’t leave Jim or Raymond.”

“I will catch up with that ship, Delbert. By the powers that be, I will bring Amos to justice before any harm comes to those boys,” she growled, her voice low and threatening. With a swish of her coat she left the room, Delbert following behind. Amherst was barking orders as Delbert told B.E.N what sorts of coordinates to punch in. The sails were unraveled, glowing with solar light. The deep gentle hum of the engines powering up tickled the deck beneath Amelia’s boots. A light breeze tossed her short auburn hair. The wind was with them. She hoped that God was too.

The dockhands below were pulling the transportable staircase away from the Legacy’s rail so that the ship could draw anchor and cast off. They had hardly detached the device before a shout came from further back.

“Wait!” the voice cried as a figure came barreling down the pier and toward the floating craft. “Wait!”

But the desperate plea could not be heard over the noise on deck and near the helm.

“Wait!”

The man knew they would not hear him in time. His eyes darted about the dock when he found what he was looking for. Truth be told it was probably a suicide mission, but he needed to stop that ship. He needed to get back aboard. He was almost insulted they were leaving him behind. Without stopping to think it through, he barreled past the dockhands who swore, cursing him and calling for him to stop, but he would not stop. Not now. He sprinted up the stairs as fast as his legs could carry him, his breaths heaving in and out of his lungs. He was losing steam. His stamina was draining fast.

With a fierce holler, he took to the last step and threw himself out into open air. As he watched the flight of stairs leave his feet, as he watched the ground stretch far and wide below him, he came to the sudden and horrible conclusion that perhaps this was the stupidest thing he had ever done.

And perhaps, just perhaps, he might not make it.

Then it was over.

He cleared the rail of the ship moments before it rose out of reach from the stairwell. With a thump and a tumble and a little bit of a roll he was safe and his body lay still on his back. As the crew gathered around to see the brave soul who had attempted such a feat, a single voice rang out above all the others.

“Raymond!” Doug yelled, shoving the cadets away as he launched himself at his friend.

Ray coughed and hacked and wheezed, his saliva thick in his mouth and fatigue drawing at his limbs.

“Hey, guys. It’s good to be back.”

Description
Chapter 12
Loose Ends

[In Previous Chapters: The crew of the RLS Legacy remains docked upon the floating island of Alzrand. Amelia and Amherst are preparing the crew to set sail once more to stop a band of rogue pirates from taking over the twin islands' fishing grounds. Jim and Raymond, as lower ranking cadets, are sent into town to secure supplies for the voyage. During their assignment they are attacked by local ruffians, captured, and brought to a warehouse in the hills located above the town. There they discover the pirates are working for a stranger known as the Admiral who wants Jim and Ray alive along with an entire warehouse filled with crates of a flammable black mineral. Due to a careless light of a cigar, the pirates set fire to the establishment so Jim and Ray must escape on their own. But just before Raymond can get out, the structure collapses leaving Jim alive and face to face with the Admiral and his gun...]

Jim’s vision was blurry. This time there were no noises to wake him up. His head was throbbing, his muscles twitching as spasms wracked his body. His stomach roiled as he tried to hold down his vomit. He attempted to lift his heavy lids to find out where he was. There was the hazy image of a uniformed man standing before him.

The Admiral.

As if the very foundations of the universe had broken, his realization came crashing down. Raymond was dead.

“Good,” the Admiral purred as he watched Jim struggle to retain consciousness. “You are awake.” Jim slumped forward from where he sat on the ground. Upon better examination of his surroundings he realized he was in a brig most likely on a vessel in deep space. His wrists were secured with iron links chained to the walls. Square bars imprisoned him in his small cell. At the moment the door was open, and standing in its frame was the man Jim had never wanted to see again.

Amos Morgan.

“You…” Jim spat, his voice venomous.

“Yes. Me. You’ve had quite the excursion, haven’t you, Hawkins? What with being paralyzed twice in one day…losing a dear friend.”

“Shut up,” Jim coughed, the pangs in his heart overwhelming the pains of his body. Amos smirked as he took a step farther into the cell and crouched down in front of Jim.

“It hurts, doesn’t it?” he tsked. Jim gave the man a dark look as the Procyon Admiral returned to his feet and stared down at the boy – his uniform as impeccable as the day they had first met. “I should not have trusted a band of rogues to complete a task of such importance, but then again my officers are not particularly welcome in this area of the galaxy,” he said.

“You hired the pirates. You hired them to capture me and –” Jim swallowed, remembering his fallen friend. “Me and Ray,” he finished in a whisper.

“I did,” Amos nodded, clasping his hands behind his back, his posture stiff, his shoulders set back. Jim’s eyes drifted to the odd hat on his head. It was baby blue as was most of his uniform except that there was the symbol of Procyon rule imprinted on the fabric. A dark blue triangle with an opaque circle in the center.

“Why?” Jim forced out through clenched teeth. “Why not Captain Amelia or Commander Amherst? We’re just cadets.”

“Cadets that I need. Well,” Amos stopped, tilting his head as if he was rethinking his answer. “I needed you, Jim Hawkins. Your friend was expendable.”

Jim felt his hatred ignite in his stomach, crawling up his throat until he released a violent shout and lunged for the Admiral. The chains around his wrists dragged him down, but Jim would not be subdued. This man was the reason his best friend was dead. Amos’ eyes widened, just in the slightest, for he was not expecting Jim’s attack. The boy tried to hit the Proc, wound him, push him down, anything to quell the rage inside of him flaring like an inferno.

Instead Amos reacted with the speed and skill set of an advanced fighter. He blocked Jim’s fist, twisting the boy’s arm back and forcing him on his knees so Jim was staring up at him. With fluidity, he withdrew a knife and held it against Jim’s neck making the boy falter.

“Listen carefully, Mr. Hawkins,” Amos whispered, his mouth inches from Jim’s ear. Jim’s chest was heaving, his lip curling in disgust at the man’s close proximity. “I need you alive, but that does not mean I cannot bring you to the brink of death. Every opponent you have encountered thus far is nothing in comparison to what I will do to advance this war. While aboard my ship, you will learn your manners. Misbehavior will be accompanied by punishment – punishment that I am not afraid to give.”

Jim flinched when Amos dragged the sharp end of the knife across Jim’s throat, cutting just enough to draw a line of blood. At last he pulled back, releasing him as Jim brought his hand to his neck that now stung from the small cut running the length beneath his jaw. The Admiral grabbed Jim’s Academy jacket, wiping the knife off on the pearl white fabric, leaving a dark stain in return. He studied the blade a moment longer before deciding it was clean and putting it away.

“You are far from your friends, Mister Hawkins. There is no one to save you now,” he said. Jim wore a mask of loathing, his blue eyes swimming with built up emotion.

“Why do you need me?” he ground out. The Procyon leader gave Jim an eerie smile.

“Let’s just say I’m tying up loose ends,” he replied, turning to exit the brig when Jim called him back.

“And what about the rocks in the warehouse. What were they? Why did your hired hands need them?” Jim tried to hold down the hollow feeling in his stomach as he remembered Raymond demanding the pirates explain why they were shipping boxes loaded with, apparently, flammable minerals.

“Good,” Amos repeated, turning just enough for Jim to see his sharp eyes. “You’re finally asking the right questions.” Without another word, the Admiral left Jim’s cell, closing and locking the door tight behind him. Jim watched him retreat down the hall to the stairwell that led onto the upper regions of the ship. The boy slumped against the wall, letting his body sag with defeat. Raymond was dead because of Amos Morgan. He clenched his fists at his sides before bringing his hands up and digging the heels of his palms into his eyes. He could feel the tears burning behind his lids, and soon he was not strong enough to hold them back. Jim raked his fingers through his hair, the stress of his losses overcoming him.

Raymond, his best friend, was dead.

***

Doug was worried. He had not wanted to voice his anxieties earlier, suspecting there was still time for Jim and Ray to come back to the ship, but it was late afternoon now and all the other cadets had returned. He couldn’t say if their list had been exceptionally long, but a tense sensation had latched onto his gut, and Doug knew, after all the trouble he had experienced in the past, not to ignore a gut feeling.

“Are you alright, Doug?” Anne Marie asked as she leaned against the rail beside him. He was grateful for her presence, but he couldn’t shake his bad feeling.

“I don’t know. Jim and Ray haven’t returned yet,” he muttered, looking out over the busy docks.

“I’m sure they’ll be back,” Anne Marie suggested, brushing her wing with his. She was not fond of Raymond, but she knew he was close to Doug and it upset her to see him so distressed. She was sad that she had not been taken kindly by Doug’s other friends. They were nice enough, but because of Doug and Ray’s rift, they hadn’t exactly been able to get to know one another better. She stayed with Doug because she had no one else to turn to onboard the solar galleon. “Maybe when they come back…” she started, her rosette beak turning a darker hue. “Maybe you could apologize to him.”

“Why?” came Doug’s sharp reply. “It’s not like he was ever going to apologize to me.”

“No, but you miss him, and it’s making you two miserable,” she pointed out. Doug sighed and dipped his head. “Sometimes someone just has to take the first step.”

He looked at her and gave her a small smile.

“Thanks, Anne Marie. I’ll try to talk to him…if he comes back. Something doesn’t feel right. They shouldn’t have taken this long,” Doug sighed as a voice called his name interrupting the two.

“Have you guys seen Jim or Ray?” Dalia asked, Josephine beside her.

“They should have been back by now, all the other cadets are,” Josephine added.

“We were just wondering the same thing,” Anne Marie replied as she and Doug turned to face the girls. Dalia frowned, before glancing across the deck to see Alice engaged in a conversation with Ryan.

“Well, Jim’s not with Alice, that’s for sure. He’d get all upset if he saw her talking to Ryan,” the green skinned girl jerked her thumb over her shoulder.

“He was being ridiculous. Is she not allowed to have a friend?” Josephine snorted. “Honestly, I don’t understand those two’s dynamic sometimes.”

“You were the one trying to mack with him a year ago,” Dalia teased as Josephine gave her a shove.

“Okay, but this isn’t helping. Do you think we should report this to Commander Amherst?” Doug inquired, when Anne Marie cleared her throat.

“I think he already knows.”

Meanwhile at the helm, Amherst was taking inventory of the checked lists the cadets had given him. It seemed all the supplies were in order except for a few things Hawkins and Peters were meant to bring back. He frowned and scanned the deck, but found no sight of them. The cargo would be arriving any minute to be strapped into the hold of the ship. They’d be able to cast off at sundown.

If those two cadets were on time.

Amherst scowled and rolled his eyes. He had been having a hellish day trying to monitor the snarky Captain Amelia. She was not one to enjoy having her position questioned, which is why he was in no mood to go hunt down two boys who thought it was all in good fun to be a bother. He rubbed his temples at B.E.N’s prattling beside him. More than anything he wanted to deck the ridiculous robot and hire a machine that navigated in silence.

To his surprise, however, B.E.N went quiet. It was as if the hunk of hardware had heard his thoughts. Turning around, he realized why. Amelia was giving B.E.N a stern look which caused the robot to get awkward real fast.

“Sorry, Cap’n! I’ll just…stop talking now,” he pretended to zip his lips. When Jim told the robot to be quiet, B.E.N abided for a total of thirty seconds, but that was because he knew with Jim he wouldn’t be in too much trouble. Captain Amelia actually terrified him, and was, quite possibly, the only person that could get B.E.N to shut up and stay shut up for extended periods of time.

“Is there a problem, Amherst?” she asked, turning her cold gaze on him. He wanted to spit back, ‘Yeah, I’m not happy to be working with you either’ but he held his tongue.

“Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Peters have not returned from their assignment,” he replied. Amelia looked over the list in his hand before frowning.

“They should have been back by now,” she breathed.

“Perhaps they thought it funny, ma’am, to evade their duties,” Amherst grunted. Amelia shook her head.

“Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Peters are upstanding cadets who would not waste the Navy’s time for the sake of their own amusement. I’ll send Mason with a small party into town to look for them,” she suggested, about to turn away when Amherst made another remark on behalf of several uniformed men boarding the vessel.

“The dock hands are here with the supplies,” he pointed out as he and Amelia descended the helm’s steps to the lower levels of the deck. The docking master greeted them there, having scurried up the boardwalk to announce his presence. He was shrimp-like in appearance with long tentacle shaped whiskers. He was fondling a three cornered hat, a nervous look in his eye.

“Well, is everything in order?” Amherst demanded. The shrimp man nodded.

“Yessir,” he spoke up, his voice ringing with an accent Amelia had no name for. “The supplies will be loaded and secured in your bay promptly. We are sorry for the slight delay. Some trouble arose in town earlier this afternoon.”

“What sort of trouble?” Amelia frowned, tilting her head. It did not seem coincidental that Jim and Ray would disappear just as misfortune struck the town of Alzrand.

“They were everywhere, ma’am! Rogue bandits with covered faces, shooting down shops and chasing after these lads. They looked like cadets. I don’t know what the fiends wanted with ‘em.”

By now a majority of the crew had gathered at a distance to hear what was going on. Doug shared nervous looks with Dalia and Josephine while Alice stood beside Ryan, a worried crease upon her brow. She was ashamed to admit she hadn’t paid much attention to where Jim was or when he was coming back. She had felt rather relieved to spend time away with him for a little while.

“Can you describe these two cadets, Sir? What happened to them?”

“Well, I’m not rightly sure, Captain. I know one had darker skin and he was the shorter of the two. I didn’t get a good look at them. I don’t know where they went, but not to worry because the constables managed to capture several of the brigands. They’re being interrogated, I believe, down at the city hall courtroom,” he explained. Amelia thanked him and told him to get on with loading the crates into the hull. She turned to the crew and ordered several of the cadets to begin helping the dock hands below, telling others to check all sail lines and get the ship ready to launch. When the men and women jumped into action, Amelia turned to look at Amherst and Delbert now standing beside her.

“Amelia, you don’t suppose Jim –” Delbert began when Amelia shook her head.

“That is what I’m going to find out. Amherst, I think it would be wise we leave one commanding officer behind to overlook the running of my vessel in my absence, wouldn’t you agree?” she faced him.

“Where, may I ask, are you going, Captain?” he grimaced.

“To the courthouse. Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Peters are under my protection and valuable to this crew. Those lawbreakers will provide me with information on this supposed random attack or so help me I’ll be stringing them up by the gallows myself,” she sneered, turning on her heel when Amherst stopped her by reaching out to grab her arm.

“Remember, Captain, we have until the day’s end before we must sail south to the pirate base to stop their marauding. Whether Peters or Hawkins are found or not,” he argued. Amelia looked at him, pulling her arm out of his grasp.

“Perhaps we may not have to look far for these pirates after all, Mr. Amherst,” she replied, giving Delbert a quick goodbye before moving toward the gangway. She had just begun to descend when another voice called out to her making Amelia roll her eyes and stop to see Alice.

“Captain! I’m sorry, but, the man, he said he didn’t know where Jim and Ray are, right?” she asked, her voice ringing with urgency.

“No. I’m sure they are alright. Your, ahem, boyfriend has a knack for fending off assaults,” Amelia cleared her throat.

“Can I come with you?” Alice pleaded. “I have to know what happened to them. If they were alright, they would have returned, wouldn’t they?”

“I don’t know, Alice, and no, you may not join me. There is no place for a cadet in a courtroom interrogation,” Amelia reproached.

“Captain, please,” Alice begged, chewing on her lower lip. “Jim and I had a fight before he left, I just want to make sure nothing happened.”

Amelia sighed as she looked into Alice’s shining green eyes.

“I will find him, Alice. I’ll bring both of them back safely, but I can only do so much at this moment. Stay behind with the others. I should be back later to cast off, and I’ll be dragging both of those boys by their collars when I do,” she gave Alice a small smile and Alice returned it, though it was shaky, as the captain left the Legacy behind.

***

The courtroom was chaotic. There were plenty of townsfolk loitering on the steps, demanding payment for their destroyed businesses. Amelia navigated past the police who allowed her access because of her uniform. As she entered the large ornate building, officials were hauling the pirates in chains one by one out of their cells to account for their crimes in the courtroom through the large wooden double doors. Amelia approached a fellow Admiral to explain what had happened to two of her crewmembers and asked if she could be allowed to participate in the questionings. He agreed, leading her through the entrance into the courtroom where ten of the pirates were lined up, chained to a wooden table before the council of judges.

The layout of the court was similar to that of the high seats of parliament in that there were government-like figures to form houses in order to represent the people. Leading the hearing was the judge and beside her was Mayor Krell. Amelia was not surprised to see him there as she took a seat amongst the general public and waited for the trial to commence. The pirates said little to nothing about their reason for raiding the town. It appeared nothing was stolen, but gunfire had been rained down upon a civilian population. More than one eye witness account suggested the pirates had been after two young men who were nameless at the moment.

That’s when Amelia stood to explain Jim and Ray had been a part of her crew. A few whispers broke out amongst the people as to what that could mean. News of war rarely found its way to backwater fishing islands such as Alamein and Alzrand, despite their location and familiarity. They never trifled themselves with Naval business unless it affected them directly. However, Bancroft T. Thatcher had been thorough in his publishing of the Galactic Press. Amelia’s presence was too close to home.

“She’s bringing them to us! She’s the reason we were attacked! She even says those kids were a part of her crew!” an elder man accused, standing up and pointing his stubby finger in her direction. Amelia forced herself to bite back a retort as another woman stood as well to blame her misfortune upon the ‘woman who should never have been captain’.

Amelia’s face remained placid, indifferent. Not a single ruffled movement was exhibited to allow the civilians to witness her discomfiture, but if one knew Amelia well they would know inside she was anxious. If the citizens of the Empire were calling for her immediate removal, it would not take long for the Admiralty to hear. They already had her under tight surveillance. If she so much as missed a step, they would be there to snatch away everything she had strived to achieve since she was a young girl.

“Order! Order!” the judge called, bringing the gavel down hard and rattling Amelia out of her thoughts. “We are here to witness the court-martial of these convicted men and women. Correct me if I am wrong, but Captain Amelia has taken no part in crossing any law here upon the island of Alzrand. She is bringing information to our attention that can further improve our investigation as to what happened here today.” The judge finished and gave Amelia a curt nod which the captain returned before she took a seat once more. The questions resumed, but the pirates refused to share any of their knowledge on the situation.

Something seemed unsettling about the situation, despite the frustrations of lacking prime knowledge. Amelia could not place her finger on it as she watched the councilmembers sentence the men and women to ten years in prison. While people shuffled out of the room after the sentence was determined, Amelia turned to follow Mayor Krell and the justice to the back offices. She had to speak to them about what she suspected was happening and to see if there were any accounts as to where Jim and Ray might be. She knew that to hope they were safe aboard the Legacy was a useless thought.

Amelia glanced at the clock as she waited for the pirates to be returned to their holding cells. She had one hour. Time was running out. She knew she wouldn’t be able to come up with a liable excuse as to why she was putting two young men before the well-being of the Navy. She despised having to strive for the collective good when it meant sacrificing respectable men and women. It was one of the reasons she had dropped out of the Interstellar Army to begin with. She would not leave her two loyalist cadets to die, but she knew that with Amherst overseeing her, the Admiralty would be quick to find out about her follies. She bared her sharp teeth, not at all pleased with this turn of events. At last she was able to make her way to the door behind the half-circle stand. She pushed her way into the back hallway fully expecting to turn the corner and discover the mayor. Unbeknownst to Amelia, someone else had the same idea, but with a different person and direction in mind. As Amelia took the sharp corner, the fellow did the same. He was sturdy, tall, and traveling at a brisk pace which is why he came close to knocking Amelia off her feet - an exceptional occurrence.

“Excuse you,” Amelia snapped, not looking up as she made to move around the official. Instead a firm hand caught her arm, pulling her to a stop and forcing her to look at her accoster. It was a good thing the man did make her look for Amelia had been seconds away from attacking. Her eyebrows rose, an astonished expression gracing her features. The man was also a feline and he loomed above her – at least a foot and a half taller. He had a toned build with short black hair tucked under his three cornered captain’s hat. Amelia would recognize that smirk anywhere. “You –” she started, unable to speak proper.

“Hey, Amelia, good to see you,” he laughed, his dim green eyes twinkling with mirth and affection. “How’s my lil’ sister been doing?”

***

Jim clenched his teeth, biting his tongue so hard he was afraid he’d draw blood. He would not give the Procs the satisfaction of hearing him scream. The knife pressed a little deeper into his skin as crimson liquid leaked from the wound. Jim squeezed his eyes shut as they began to water. He’d rather voice his pain than let them see him cry. At last the knife was removed and Jim released a sharp breath he didn’t know he was holding. Amos waved for his soldiers to stand back as he approached Jim slumped against the wall.

“You’re disgusting!” Jim spat. “You know the Navy will find you. They’ll blow your ship out of the sky, you can’t win.”

“Manners,” Amos said as his crew member wiped the blood of the knife on Jim’s Academy jacket. Amos held up the coat so the Proc could let the red stain the pearl white. When the job was done, he lowered the jacket to look at Jim. “I told you that misbehavior would not be tolerated aboard my vessel, Mr. Hawkins.”

Jim’s response was a snort.

“So, where should we cut you next?” Amos hummed, turning the jacket around. He took a knife out of his own belt this time and dragged it down the back of the jacket, tearing a sizable gap in it. He nodded to his men who wrestled Jim against the wall. The boy fought back, determined not to be handled like this. He knew what was coming as they held him firm and dragged the knife down the center of his back.

This time Jim did scream. They were pressing deeper this time, the weapon tearing his skin. When they pulled away Jim shivered, his back stinging whenever he moved. He would need stitches for sure after this, but something told him he would lose a lot of blood before that happened. Amos held the jacket to Jim’s bare back and injury so again the blood teased the shredded fabric. When he was satisfied he drew back and turned the article of clothing around in his hands.

“Hmmm, one more should do the trick, don’t you think, Jim?” Amos inquired, looking at Jim as if he honestly expected an answer.

“Bite me,” Jim growled. Amos’ eyes flickered as he thrust the coat into his guard’s arms and loomed over Jim, his knife drawn. He grabbed the back of Jim’s neck and held firm as he drew the knife over his temple, cutting down the side of his face dangerously close to his eye.

“That’s to correct your tongue. Shall I cut that out next or would you like to keep it?” Amos whispered in his ear, putting his knife away. Jim was glaring at the wall in front of him, but he remained silent for once. Amos stroked his hair. “Good boy,” he mocked, standing up and approaching his guards. He took the coat from them and cradled it. “One for good measure, men. I’ll be back after dinner,” he waved his hand, crossing the cell when Jim stopped him.

“Why are you doing this? Why do you need me?” he demanded. Amos looked at Jim with the smallest hint of a smile.

“Hawkins, I’m afraid I’m not one to reveal my ‘diabolical’ plans before they come to pass. Loose ends, Mr. Hawkins. Loose ends. This was a warm up. You must prove to me you’ve learned your place before I determine whether or not your pain is unneeded. I might just keep you around for my own amusement even after I’ve accomplished my feat, however,” he chuckled, giving Jim a sarcastic bow. “I’ll see you after dinner. Oh, don’t worry. I’ll let you eat…eventually.”

As Amos left the cell and returned to the upper decks, the other two Procs in the room, took up his place. One solid measured punch was delivered just beneath Jim’s eye, knocking him flat on his stomach leaving space for a rough kick to the ribs. When they were pleased Jim was unable to open his eyes or breathe, they left as well, locking the door behind him. Jim was shaking, the multiple lacerations burning from the depth, his cheekbone sore from the sudden attack, his stomach gasping for air. The world felt unstable when he attempted to sit up and this caused him to collapse once more, his mind spinning despite his closed eyes.

Morph slipped out of his pocket then, chirping and flitting around Jim’s head in worry. Before Amos had come down a second time, Jim had discovered his gelatinous body shaking away and thus instructed the little shape shifter to hide in his pants’ pocket to avoid Amos’ knowledge. Jim didn’t respond to Morph’s shrieks for a while as he attempted to regain his breath. He kept his eyes shut as at last he coughed and reached out trembling fingers to touch Morph’s form.

“I’m okay…” he breathed, his voice barely audible. “I’m okay.”

For how much longer, Jim wasn’t sure.

***

Amelia opened and closed her mouth again, for once in her life speechless at this surprising turn of events. She had not seen her elder brother in a year, and even their previous encounter had been brief.

“Stop it, sis, you’re making me uncomfortable,” he rolled his eyes as Amelia finally composed herself.

“What are you doing here?” she inquired, tilting her head, startled he would be in such an average courtroom. He was a part of the Admiralty himself – awarded as one of the most upstanding officers the galaxy had to offer. He did not bother himself with missions unless they were serious in every respect.

“You don’t think I haven’t heard about all of your adventures? Thought I would come help a sibling out,” he smirked, putting his hands on his hips. Amelia clasped her hands behind her back in retaliation and stuck her nose in the air.

“You’re ridiculous, Alex. I can handle myself and this mission. If this is another attempt by the Admiralty to –”

“No,” Alexander interrupted. “The Admiralty didn’t send me.”

By now Amelia was more than a little perplexed. She stared him down as if demanding he speak. Although he surpassed her in rank and status, she would always be able to enforce her will upon him. He sighed and took off his three cornered hat before rubbing his face.

“It’s a long story. Mind if we talk in private?” he asked, motioning toward an empty conference room nearby. Amelia dipped her head in acknowledgment as he led her into the quiet space away from the general hubbub of the other courtroom offices. When the door behind Alexander clicked, Amelia took a seat at the table and folded her hands on the surface.

“Well, what’s the story then?” she asked, giving him a look. Alexander set his hat down and sat across from her, wiping the exhaustion from his eyes.

“First of all, you should know that you are on seriously thin ice with the Admiralty, Amelia,” he began, releasing a hot breath of air.

“Yes, I do realize that. Mr. Amherst is a prime example of the lengths they are willing to go to impose their standards upon me,” she sniffed.

“Amelia, this isn’t a game!” Alex snapped, catching her attention. She had seen her brother’s wrath before, but it was uncommon it was directed toward her. His disposition was relaxed, yet purposeful when needed. At the moment he did not look pleased. In fact he looked agitated, almost nervous. “I’m sorry, but ever since the Procyons got ahold of those necklaces…Amelia, this is very bad. The Empire is going to war, and we have little knowledge of our enemies’ weaponry. The queen is ready to declare open fire on the Procs, and we still have no idea what they are capable of. Not to mention the ghost ships –”

“What ghost ships?” Amelia held up her hand, frowning at this knowledge.

“Our vessels are being attacked by unseen adversaries. They’re ghost ships – not deserted ships – they literally are not there! We can pick them up on radar, but we can’t see them. We don’t know if it’s Procyon technology or an older enemy hoping to rise when the Procs attempt to seize power. By Arda and above, we don’t even know how many blasted ships they have!” Alex argued as he got to his feet and began to pace, his shoulders rigid with tension.

“How many ghost ships? I was informed on Crescentia of these vessels,” Amelia spoke lightly, attempting to calm her brother down.

“We don’t know, but the attacks are becoming more ruthless,” Alexander sighed, taking a seat once more. “But that’s not why I came to find you.” Amelia’s ears twitched but she said nothing, allowing him to continue. Alex leaned farther over the table, fixing her with his green-eyed stare. “Amelia, I’m worried about you. You’re under threat and –”

“I can handle myself, Alex,” she scoffed.

“I know you can, but right now you need allies, and you don’t have many. So I propose sailing under your command,” he smiled, leaning back in his seat to resume a relaxed posture. Amelia stared at him incredulously.

“Under my command? Alex, you’re four years my senior and not to mention an Admiral and –”

“Yes, I am. Thank you for pointing out the obvious. I would like to sail under your command because I want to fight beside my family when war threatens to pass,” he argued, giving her a pointed look. “You need allies, Amelia. I want to help you get out of this.”

“Does the Admiralty know?”

“I am the Admiralty,” he said with conviction. “I am your commanding officer and I command you to let me sail under your wing.” Amelia shared Alex’s grin, unable to contain her affection for her brother. She had to hand it to him, he was always up to some nonsense. Then she remembered where she was and why she was there. Her smile fell away as a worried crease on her brow replaced it.

“Well, no matter. I am required to sail South in search of a band of rogue pirates threatening these islands. Meanwhile two of my cadets have gone missing, and the fiends in these cells refuse to speak of who they are working for,” she sighed, rubbing her temples. “Alex, I don’t know what to do. I have less than an hour before I must cast off, but I cannot leave these young men behind.” Alex hummed, staring at Amelia in silent curiosity. His sister had always believed if someone was still alive somewhere she had the chance to save them, but she also knew how to pick her battles.

“What are these lads’ names?” he asked.

“Raymond Peters and Jim Hawkins,” Amelia answered, watching the realization take hold of her brother’s expression.

“They were on board your galleon when the Procyons first attacked. They were the ones that were with you on the Eternity Star’s mission,” he stated.

“Yes, and I happen to be good friends with Jim’s mother. I cannot let harm come to them. There’s something strange about these pirates as well. Someone else is controlling them, and I do not know who,” Amelia explained, thinking back to the way the pirates had kept silent. It was then that she understood what had been troubling her earlier. It had to do with the notion that the pirates would rather stay quiet despite their predicament than spread information about their connections. There was some force out there which scared them more than the judicial system.

“Do you suppose they are pirates from the southern base?” Alexander questioned, also attempting to fit the puzzle pieces together in his mind.

“No. The pirates to the South are interested only in the fishing grounds, at least to my knowledge. It doesn’t seem likely they’d attack the port cities at random and so soon after our arrival. It wasn’t even an attack on the city. It was an attack on my crew! Alex, I don’t have much time. I can’t think of a liable reason as to why I would prolong a naval mission to search for two cadets, but I will not abandon them. Especially since I believe there is more to be learned,” Amelia stood up, clasping her hands behind her back and beginning to pace.

“Well, Sis, the way I see it there’s only one way to it.”

Amelia turned to look at him, one of her ears swiveling in his direction. Alex stood as well and adjusted his hat on his head once more.

“I’ll take care of the pirates to the South. You search for these cadets. I am now under your command, remember?” he winked. Amelia gave him a terse smile before shaking her head.

“Where shall I start searching for them? The scoundrels won’t speak true about who they are working for. They won’t talk!” That was when Alex gave her a sly smile.

“I can make them talk.”

***

The pirate squirmed under Alex’s sharp gaze, his hands bound to the chair he sat in. Alex had, personally, secured the rope around his legs, cutting off his circulation and invoking more vulnerability. For a long time no one spoke in the rotted out cell. It was just Alex and his prey. He refused to let his younger sister see him this way, and he did not want the pirate to know of their relationship or worse use it as leverage. He would crack the man before him, whether it was now or a week later.

“Are you afraid?” Alex asked, breaking the silence at last. The man narrowed his eyes.

“I’ve seen a lot worse than you, mate,” he sneered.

“Do enlighten me,” Alex responded. His body remained stoic and immovable save for his mouth which was the only way to tell he was the one speaking.

“You’re just as dumb as the court if ya think I’m gonna spill me knowledge!” he hacked out a snicker. Alex was swift as he withdrew the pistol from his belt and pointed it at the rogue’s head. This elicited another laugh from the man before him. “Death don’t scare me, mate.”

“Then what does?” Alex lowered his voice, his eyes harboring a cold sort of malice.

“People who are bigger than you!”

“Fair enough,” Alex straightened up, lowering the gun so it pointed at the man’s sternum. “What’s your name?”

“Why should I -?”

Alex pulled the trigger causing the pirate to flinch and gape at the Admiral towering over him. At the last minute he had tilted his wrist so the shot just scraped the pirate’s side. The brute’s shirt had burnt away, part of his skin sizzling and beginning to bleed.

“I’m Clive! For the stars’ sakes my name is Clive!” he shrieked before hanging his head, moaning as the injury took effect.

“Now then, Clive,” Alex began, ignoring the man’s wheezy breaths as he began to circle him. “Who are you working for?”

When Clive didn’t respond, Alex knelt in front of him, drawing the barrel of the pistol down the front of his shirt making him shiver. Clive’s forehead began to sweat as he struggled to look away, to maintain his strength. At last he gave in, letting his head drop. There was no way that man would come back for him, Clive was but a pawn. Keeping the blasted warlord safe wasn’t worth losing his limbs over. He glanced up at last and hissed out through clenched teeth so Admiral Alexander knew he was telling the absolute truth.

“Our benefactor is Amos Morgan.”

Alex knelt there for a moment longer, not at all expecting what he had just heard. At first he could not seem to comprehend what had just been spoken. Then his head began to spin while he feared he might lose his stance and the contents of his stomach.

“What did you say?” he breathed, his expression morphing into one of fear. Plain and simple fear.

“Our leader was that Proc Amos Morgan,” Clive annunciated, pleased the name had such an effect on this upstanding Naval brat.

“No…” Alex whispered as he got to his feet, putting away his gun and raking his hands through his hair. “No. No!” With a quick spin around he punched Clive just beneath the jaw snapping the pirate’s head back before Alex reached for his shirt and pulled him forward. “Why did he want the cadets? What business did he have with them?” Alex yelled, knowing that the situation was unraveling and it was unraveling fast. He could almost see the loose ends coming undone. Clive spluttered, trying to catch his breath.

“I-I don’t know! He wouldn’t say! We just had to get them to his ship!”

“Lies!”

“It’s true! I don’t know what he wanted with them! It was a waste of a mission if you ask me,” Clive cried out when Alex threw him back against the chair, ignoring the thief’s injury. For a while the Admiral paced, knowing it was dangerous to lose control over the situation, but he was in no mood to be placid. He whirled on Clive one last time.

“Where did he take them? Do you have any idea where their vessel was headed?” he growled, baring his sharp teeth. Clive dipped his head once.

“The Broken Territories. I don’t know what his business was there, I swear it on my mother’s grave!”

“Swear it on your own,” Alex snapped as he reached for the door to the cell and stepped out into the hallway. He nodded to the guard beside the door to let him know he was done before returning to the main offices on the opposite side of the building. Amelia was sipping an espresso and pouring over maps and possible locations in the conference room where he had left her. She looked up when he entered and shut the door behind him.

“Well?” she inquired, straightening up. Almost at once her expression sobered at the sight of his grave look.

“Amelia,” he started, swallowing before shaking his head. “We’re in trouble.”

***

“That can’t be true,” Amherst said flatly as they stood in Amelia’s stateroom. The midafternoon was shifting to dusk. Already they had lost precious time. The rest of the crew was preparing for launch, scrambling to tie down their newly loaded supplies and unfurl the sails. Amelia had wasted no time the minute she had set foot on deck. Alex was already back aboard his own vessel, readying for battle. He would take his fleet under Amelia’s authority to investigate the pirate’s marauding to the south allowing Amelia time to sail after Morgan. It had taken some convincing for her brother not to sail with her as well. He did not want her going to face Amos alone. Both of them knew what sort of snake the Procyon could be.

An unsettling feeling now resided in the pit of Amelia’s stomach. She did not know what sort of tricks Amos was up to, but with him it was never good. She couldn’t imagine why he needed Jim and Raymond out of their entire crew, and, although she wouldn’t admit it, this terrified her. Not knowing Amos’ gambits was risky. She was used to his strategy: when you thought you had him cornered, he changed the rules of the game.

“It is true,” Amelia retorted. “Amos Morgan is moving. The board is set and his pieces are in play.”

“But Amos Morgan –”

“Is quite possibly the most dangerous man you have ever met,” Amelia snapped, standing up from her position behind her stateroom desk. “I have seen him at war, once, many years ago when I was a novice like yourself. The Navy won the battle by a thread. I do not understand why he needed Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Peters, but no doubt it is for cruel intentions to further expand his chances. If I know him, and I know him well enough, he will do anything to win. He will not lose his foothold on the Empire again.”

The air in the room felt thick with tension. Delbert adjusted his spectacles on the bridge of his nose and glanced down at the maps on her desk.

“If I may, Captain, the closest passage to the Broken Territories is across this sector here, but that may send us farther into danger,” he cleared his throat.

“Explain, Doctor,” Amherst requested.

“I have already spoken to Amelia about this, but there is a planet: Creedence which is magnetically connecting with its sun. It has the potential to cause a very disconcerting solar storm, if my calculations are correct. However, since we’re only sailing toward the Broken Territories, we have the ability to escape this horror if we time it right and take the most direct passage,” Delbert explained, scribbling down numbers and equations on the chart before them.

“Well, it looks as if you’ll be getting your way after all, Delbert. I do hope we’ll catch up to that ship before it has time to make it the Broken Territories,” Amelia sighed, sinking back into her seat.

“This is your plan, Captain? Perhaps we should call for help. You cannot go after Amos Morgan alone,” Amherst pressed.

“There is no time to call for aide. We must act now.”

“This is a ship full of cadets. We are not meant to fight upon the front lines,” Amherst snarled, bringing his fist down upon her desk. “They are children facing dragons! If Amos Morgan is as dangerous as you say he is, then we will all be killed before the red dawn has time to rise!”

Amelia closed her eyes for a moment, breathing hard through her nose. She understood what Amherst was saying, but desperation was clawing at her insides. She would not abandon Hawkins and Peters.

“Very well. If we do not catch up to them by the time they reach the Broken Territories, we will fall back and request backup,” she relented.

“But, Amelia –” Delbert started.

“Mr. Amherst, please prepare the ship for takeoff,” she ordered and watched as her first mate dipped his head, leaving the room.

“Amelia,” Delbert tried again. “We can’t leave Jim or Raymond.”

“I will catch up with that ship, Delbert. By the powers that be, I will bring Amos to justice before any harm comes to those boys,” she growled, her voice low and threatening. With a swish of her coat she left the room, Delbert following behind. Amherst was barking orders as Delbert told B.E.N what sorts of coordinates to punch in. The sails were unraveled, glowing with solar light. The deep gentle hum of the engines powering up tickled the deck beneath Amelia’s boots. A light breeze tossed her short auburn hair. The wind was with them. She hoped that God was too.

The dockhands below were pulling the transportable staircase away from the Legacy’s rail so that the ship could draw anchor and cast off. They had hardly detached the device before a shout came from further back.

“Wait!” the voice cried as a figure came barreling down the pier and toward the floating craft. “Wait!”

But the desperate plea could not be heard over the noise on deck and near the helm.

“Wait!”

The man knew they would not hear him in time. His eyes darted about the dock when he found what he was looking for. Truth be told it was probably a suicide mission, but he needed to stop that ship. He needed to get back aboard. He was almost insulted they were leaving him behind. Without stopping to think it through, he barreled past the dockhands who swore, cursing him and calling for him to stop, but he would not stop. Not now. He sprinted up the stairs as fast as his legs could carry him, his breaths heaving in and out of his lungs. He was losing steam. His stamina was draining fast.

With a fierce holler, he took to the last step and threw himself out into open air. As he watched the flight of stairs leave his feet, as he watched the ground stretch far and wide below him, he came to the sudden and horrible conclusion that perhaps this was the stupidest thing he had ever done.

And perhaps, just perhaps, he might not make it.

Then it was over.

He cleared the rail of the ship moments before it rose out of reach from the stairwell. With a thump and a tumble and a little bit of a roll he was safe and his body lay still on his back. As the crew gathered around to see the brave soul who had attempted such a feat, a single voice rang out above all the others.

“Raymond!” Doug yelled, shoving the cadets away as he launched himself at his friend.

Ray coughed and hacked and wheezed, his saliva thick in his mouth and fatigue drawing at his limbs.

“Hey, guys. It’s good to be back.”