FIVE

We head back to the ship, and I help Jim pull one side as silver pulls the other, "you having little trouble there?" I laugh as Jim slides over to slivers side "Oh, get away from me" "Oh, Jimbo, lf I could maneuver a skiff like that when I was your age...they'd be bowing in the streets when I walked by today." silver sat down and let out a huf, I giggle as Morph copied him "Bowing in the streets. oof" "l don't know, they weren't exactly singing my praises when I left home" I look at Jim as he sat down across form silver and I sat in the middle between them leaning back so I can look at both of them as they talked as silver wiped his face with his handkerchif "But I'm gonna change all that" Jim says "Are you now? How so?" "Uh, I got some plans. Gonna make people see me a little different." Jim lays back putting his hands behind his head closing his eyes. "Ooh? Sometimes, plans go astray." I look away from them hold my arm that had the scar on it "Not this time" silver put his cybrog leg on the bench and tried to lossen it, Morph made a few worried sounds then turned into a wrench "Oh, thank you, Morphy." As silver lossen his leg Jim looked at it and put his arms down "So, uh, how'd that happen anyway?" "You give up a few things chasing a dream" silver looks at his cybrog hand and his rea hand looking a bit sad" "Was it worth it?" Heh. I'm hoping it is, Jimbo. l most surely am." I opened my mouth to say something but

suddenly the ship got pushed back by something, I grabbed Morph as we run up to the main deck, "What the devil?" "Good heavens, The star Pelusa...it's gone supernova!" I run to get the lifeine ropes and tie them to the mainmast as quickly as possable "Evasive action, Mr. Turnbuckle!" "Aye-aye, Captain" a squid like alien quickly turned the wheel "All hands, fasten your lifelines!" "Mr. Arrow, secure those sails!" "Secure all sails!" I climb up the mainmast and undo the the sails and see silver fall "Silver! Jim grabed his life line and I grumbled under my breath as I undo the next sail then over hear the doctor and the captain. "Captain, the star! It's devolving into a... a black hole!" "We're being pulled in!" mr. Turnbuckle tried to move the wheel but got thrown to the side as the captain grabbed it and tried to turn the ship "Ohh! No, you don't, you--Blast these waves! They're so deucedly erratic! "No, Captain. They're not erratic at all, there'll be one more in precisely 47.2 seconds, followed by the biggest magilla of them all!" "Of course! Brilliant, Doctor! We'll ride that last magilla out of here" I jump down and pull the lifelines tight that were lose ''All sails secured, Captain!" "Good man!, Now release them immediately!" "Aye...Captain. You heard her men, release those sails" "What?!" "But we just finished... Tying them down!" "Make up your blooming minds!" I groan and throw a crew mate up the main mast "just do it, I am not going die because of your complaning Bird Barin!" I reach out to help Jim up but the captain calls him " Mr. Hawkins...make sure all lifelines are secured good and tight!" "Aye-aye, Captain" I see him run around pulling ALL the lifelines tight "Lifelines secured, Captain!" "Very good" I grab Jim and help him tie down the sails We jump down but I slip almost falling. I look up seeing Jim holding my arm I smile as we run to the mainmast "Captain. the last wave! Here it comes!" "Hold on to your lifelines, gents! It's gonna be a bumpy ride!" I hold onto Jim's shirt shutting my eyes feeling his arm around my waist and silvers arm around both of us. I open my eyes seeing the light of space. I smile and look up at Jim who had his arms still around my waist and my hands were still on his chest. "Ahem" I clear my throat getting out of his arms blushing slighly untying my lifeline" Well, I must congratulate you, Mr. Silver, lt seems your cabin boy...did a bang-up job with those lifelines. All hands accounted for, Mr. Arrow? Mr. Arrow?" I look around for Mr.Arrow but see mr.sroop "I'm afraid Mr. Arrow has been lost, his lifeline was not secured." "No, I checked them all" Jim runs over to Mr.Arrows life line, but it's not there. l--l did. I checked them all. They were secure, l swear." I look over at mr.sroop and he just smiled evily "Mr. Arrow was a...Ahem. Fine spacer...could ever hope to be...but he knew the risks,as do we all...Resume your posts, we carry on." I look over at Jim who ran off "Jim!" I run after him to the frount of the boat.

Look around for Jim but I didn't see him "Jim!" "what?" I look up at Jim messing with a rope sitting on the ratlines. "It's not your fault, it was that creepy spider creature "well not like there is prof, I was responsable for his life line!" He jumps down and looks at me"Jim with out you we would all be in the black of space!" "Look, don't you get it?! l screwed up!, for two seconds I thought that maybe...l could do something right for once, but Aagh!, I just.. Just forget it." He walks away but I grab him and turn him around, "Jim your not the only one that has screwed up" He looks at me, I let go of his arm and cover mine "My mother died at my brothers birth and it was just my father me and my little brother, I was seven at the time and I wanted to help my dad the best I could, I was in the market one day with him and..." I look to the side my eye filling with tears "I got him killed, just because I got lost on the way home" I took a small piece of rope and threw it in space. I felt a hand on my shoulder and see Silver looking at us. "Know listen you two, you both got the makings of greatness in ya, but you gotta take the helm and chart your own course, stick to it and no matter the squalls, and maybe when the time comes you get the chance to really test the cut of your sails and show what you're made of and well, I just hope I'm there catching some of the lightcoming off ya that day." I smile as Jim puts his head on Silvers stomach crying softly. "There, there Lad, it's all right Jimbo It's all right." I smile as he straightns up "Now you two get to bed l, um...l best be getting about my watch...and you best be getting some shut-eye." Jim walks back and silver holds me back "wear him out tonight lass, we have a meeting early tomorrow morning" I push away from him "I am not gonna do that to him, after this is over I will be telling the captain the truth, I don't care what you do with me" silver's cybrog eye turns red and grabs my arm and starts twisting it "ah" "listen hear girly, I can do much worst to your lover boy" I look at mr.scroop and feel my heart racing "do it Calla or else."