Chapter Text
She can't remember how many times she had to remind herself to breath through her mouth and not her nose. Because seriously what was the god awful smell? Could things get that bad, she answered her own question when she found the score.
Which was one very rotten pile of use to be food, it was so far gone she couldn't even think of what it could have been. She held it out at arm's length trying to keep it as far away as possible, but with the rotten fungus that close breathing through her mouth she could practically taste the smell. And it was not pretty.
She made sure she mopped that spot a few extra times then needed before moving on to the rest of the floor. The soon to be sleeping corridors was empty as the crew wasn't due to come for another few hours, but Amelia insisted that they got to the ship earlier to make sure everything was in order for the unloading and arrival of others.
For being the R.L.S. Legacy this ship wasn't living up to the legacy part.
And after cleaning most of the rooms Elizabeth could see why she insisted. She popped the mop back to the bucket rising it of the dirty particles before taking it back out to go over another area where a spot just wouldn't come up. Another twenty minutes or so the teenager was done she threw a rag over her shoulder and placed her hand on her hip admiring her work.
The once dirty room was now polished and fresher, the stale air now gone and replaced with a hint of lemon. The wood floors practically sparkled at you they where so clean. Yeah she felt proud of herself even though the only real thing she did was clean but still even the simplest task played an important role on a ship.
Plus she highly doubted the crew wanted to sleep within ten feet of what ever she cleaned up.
So she had the right to feel smug if she wanted to. She only shifted from her position when she heard the sound of approaching footsteps, she wasn't surprised when she saw First Officer Arrow. He didn't say anything at first as he continued to walk till he was in the middle of the room careful eyeing over everything, he did a full 360 till he turned to face Elizabeth.
She had her eyebrows raised expectantly and her booted foot began a nervous tapping. "Well?" She pressed. "Do I have your seal of approval or not?"
His face softened as he smiled at her and shifted his hat on top of his head. "Well I say that you did a splendid Job, Miss Armstrong." She smirked at him before picking up the bucket of dirty water. "Well thank you Arrow, now only the poop deck is left." She gave him a mock salute before marching up the stairs which was proving to be a challenge as she didn't want to spill the water everywhere.
She only made it up three steps till Arrow decided he would rather help her then watch her struggle. She gave him her thanks before dragging the bucket to the edge of the ship and pouring the dirty contents over board. She filled it backed up with fresh water and began mopping again.
"Marvelous Job, Cadet Armstrong!" She heard Amelia's voice call from above, she looked up to find her standing on a mast fastening one of the few sails. "I'm sure you can eat off this floor when your done!" She tied the knot securely before jumping to the next pillar off to finish her work.
"I don't know about eating off it but it will be clean," Elizabeth said in a tone to soft for her to hear as she dunked the mop back into the sudsy water.
When she finally did finish mopping the deck she was set to set up all the rooms which meant making beds, putting up storage, organizing the kitchen, and finally unpacking all her stuff in her corridor. Her room was small no bigger than the eating area downstairs the only thing in it was a bland looking hammock and a storage unit.
She dragged the bag over her shoulder to the storage unit and slowly flipped the locks open before just dumping the belonging in it and throwing her now empty bag in the corner of her room. She looked in the box making sure everything was in there, spare clothes, sleeping materials, the necessities.
She pushed aside one of the extra shirts and found an old locket, the once sterling sliver was now old and even rusted in some parts. She slowly flipped it open and watched as the projections of three people flickered into view. The oldest was a man and woman each wearing happy smiles -the image flickered out before coming back- the family was running around chasing after a young toddler. A blonde girl with hazel eyes.
The man had salt and pepper like hair and amber eyes. The woman had soft brown hair that was in loose curls her eyes where the baby blue of the sky. They where a happy family she stared a few more moments at the moving images till a knock on her door boomed through the room.
She dropped her head and let the cool metal of her chain place on her neck, she tucked it under her shirt before before allowing the visitor access to her room.
Arrow stepped into the room and because of his sized he looked even bigger then usual in here, something Elizabeth didn't think was possible. "The crew has arrived," He announced causing the girl in front of him to smirk. "I would most like it if you would help me see they become acquainted with the ship."
"Yes Sir,"
He smiled at her before leading the way out her room once on the deck Elizabeth had to blink at the sudden life it had on it. Every where she turned there was someone doing something unloading supplies, moving belongings, and setting up for work.
"Look out!" Elizabeth had to quickly duck as someone was swinging over her head on one of the many ropes tied to the ship. She narrowed her eyes after the quickly figure grumbling to herself.
"Remember no altercations," She soothed herself. "These are your crew mates you'll be living with these guys for the next few months," Just then a big slug like alien passed in front of her spewing spit and gases making her hair blow up at odd angles. She swore he smelt worse then the mess she cleaned up earlier. Her right eye began to twitch out of irritation.
"The next very long few months," She grumbled crosses her arms over her chest. Arrow was watching the girl with amusement twinkling in his eyes.
"It's good to see you restraining your actions keeping up your good streak," The rock man encouraged her. "I highly doubt you'll have any incidents this time around, hmm?" Elizabeth jokingly rolled her eyes at the older man. "No promises shall be made," She summed up looking up at him.
After that Arrow sent her off to help the new cook organize the kitchen because the Kitchen was one of the most important parts of the ship, he was just trying in a very polite way to send her to the place where she could cause the least amount of trouble. He set off to help the crew mates in settle while that Captain was doing whatever she was doing. With that the two went their separate ways.
When she walked down the stairs to the kitchen she was greeted with the strangest thing, at first she thought her eyes where playing tricks on her and so she blinked. One, two, three times. But much to her surprise the Pink Thing was still there.
She let out a surprised squawk and took a step back nearly tripping over her boots.
"Well I see ya've meant Morph," That voice was new and unknown to her. She turned to the direction of it and saw a man standing next to the cup boards. At first she didn't notice he looked like any Ursid she seen before. But that was just his left side.
He turned to face her a mischievous smile on his features, well the features that could smile anyway. The right majority of his body, from what she could tell, was mechanical as in he was a Cybrog. His right eye scanned over her in a way that made her feel as if he was looking for something. "The names, O Long John Sliver," He continued. "But cha can 'ust call meh Sliver." He held out his hand, the flesh one, towards her. Elizabeth eyes flickered from the hand to him a few time before she took it.
"Elizabeth," She introduced herself. "Elizabeth Armstrong."
The the Pink blob, Morph she remembered, appeared in front of her then quickly changed into a miniature version of her. "Elizabeth Armstrong! Armstrong! Armstrong!" He repeated in a high pitched voice making her smirk at the thing. "What is he?" She asked looking over at Sliver.
"Well he a Morphling," The Cybrog explained. "I found 'im and he 'ust grew on meh." The blop changed back to it's original pink form of space goo and nuzzled it's self into the mans cheek. "He's a little softie."
"Yeah Literaly," She replied causing Morph to float around her head, eventually he calmed down and settled for floating near her shoulder.
Silver smiled at the girl. "I 'hink he's taken a likein' to ya lass," Sliver let out a laugh before turning back to the cupboards putting food in. "Now if ya don't mind my askin' what cha doin' 'ere?"
"We'll Mr. Arrow sent me down here to help you," She explained picking up a full box of canned foods and meat, she let it dropped to the counter as she opened the cup board and began putting the items away. "Personally I think he's just trying to keep me out of trouble."
He grabbed a few items out of the box before speaking again, "Well that's awfully kind o ya lass but 'hat I mean't was what are you doing 'ere? On the ship?" He carefully watched the young girl, she pursed her lips before answering.
"Working," She summed up chewing on the inside of her cheek, she reached in the empty box and found that it was already empty and moved on to the next one. She felt Sliver's gaze on her, he had his eyebrows raised signalling for her to go on. "Working on a 'being a better me'." Not her words.
"Well what's 'rong with ya?"
"A better question is what isn't wrong with me," The locket around her neck suddenly became tight. A pained expression crossed her face for a short moment before she dived back in the conversation. "So why are you here?"
"Well I'm 'ust and Ol Cyrbrog lookin' for work," He told her almost singing the words as he heated up the big pan the was over the stove. "Nothin' out of the ordinary at all." She narrowed her eyes at the back of his head at this. "Well since yer 'ere to work, would ya 'ind helping meh prepare lunch?"
"No not at all," She gave him a small smile before handing him an apron. "So what are we cooking?"
Much to Elizabeth's surprise she actually enjoyed her time with Silver. He was very charismatic, in a way. He told her how he had really come across Morph, and his other journeys of being a crew's cook. She shared with him few things about her nothing she hasn't told anybody else, she taught she was boring compared to the old man.
She opened her mouth to ask him another question but came to a stop as she heard the sound of multiple footsteps and voices talking. And a strange noise the sound of metal clanking.
Down the stairs came Arrow along with two new guest the one she noticed first was a Dog like man rambling on about a Feline, one Elizabeth could assume was none other then Captain Amelia, who probably had a entertaining time introducing herself. Elizabeth's eyes scanned over the man's attire from the spectacles on his nose to his overly sized space suit.
She could understand if Amelia poked fun at him.
"It's my Map and she's got me busting tables," The other voice belonged to a boy not too much younger then Elizabeth. He had a mess of brown hair atop his head and doned a leather jacket.
At the last remark Mr. Arrow patience for the two had quickly dissolved he grabbed them each by the shoulder stopping them from saying the next few probably not kind words about Captain, "I'll not tolerate a cross word about our Captain," He said his voice taking an authoritative tone Elizabeth barely heard. "There's no finer officer in this or any Galaxy."
The two then toned down before turning their attention to the kitchen where Sliver and Elizabeth where just finishing up, Sliver had even taken kindly to act like he wasn't paying attention by whistling loudly.
"Mr. Sliver!"
Sliver sent her a quick smile before turning to the group, "Why Mr. Arrow sir," He started stopping from cutting up the meat to wipe his hands on his aprons. He practically paraded around the galley as he introduced himself to the pair, Elizabeth didn't miss how the boy eyed Silver.
"May I introduce Dr. Doppler," Arrow spoke you as the man proudly walked up to Elizabeth and Silver. "The Financier of our voyage."
Sliver eyes, well eye really, twinkled with mirth before a red beam found it's way scanning over the man's space suit. "Love the outfit, Doc," This made the man extremely uncomfortable and Elizabeth laugh as he tried to cover up where ever the beam landed like it could see pass the metal.
"Well... Uh thank you. Love the eye," He replied awkwardly before dragging the boy in front of him. "This young Lad is Jim Hawkins."
The boy had an ever present frown on his face since the moment he stepped foot in the Galley. Right away Elizabeth could tell he was the moody type. Sliver dived into the conversation first.
"Jimbo," He greeted making the mistake of sticking out his cybrog hand which still was in cooking mode, places where fingers should be knives and odd mixes tools where found their instead. Realizing his mistake he quickly changed back to his regular hand.
The boy stared at the hand and the man it belonged too, much like Elizabeth did earlier but instead of taking it he continued to stare at it. Sliver only smiled as he went back to work. "Nah, 'on't be too put off by 'his hunk O hardware," He mused moving vastly through the kitchen.
Elizabeth could tell he was trying to show off to get the boys approval, she exchanged a small smile with Arrow at this. He heated up his contents of food in a small pan before dumping them in the pot, sprinkling in a little salt. He got a laddle out and tasted the soup smacked his lips in approval before getting out three bowls and pouring a little in each.
He shoved the bowls into the hands of the Doctor, Jim, and Elizabeth, "Have a taste of me famous Bonzebeast Stew." Elizabeth looked down at the chunky contents swirling her bowl slightly.
She heard the smacking of lips and looked up to find the doctor reviewing the stew, "Ol' family recipe," Sliver informed earning the doctors approval as he went in to take another sip but much to his surprise and Elizabeth's too an eyeball came afloat stopping him mid action. He cringed before almost dropping the bowl entirely.
"In fact," Sliver added throwing his arms over the Doctor's shoulder. "That was part of the old family." He laughed for minute even going as far as wiping a tear from his eye. "Just kidding, Doc," He then plucked the eyeball out and popped it in his mouth. He turn to the two younger kids.
"Go on, Jimbo," he encouraged then turned to Elizabeth. "You too now, Eliza have a swig." Elizabeth took noticed of the nickname right away, because no one hasn't called her that in awhile. She smiled at the older man before looking down at the contents of her bowl and swirling the silver spoon around slightly.
No. Obviously she wasn't going to taste it not after an eyeball popped up in one, herself was saved by Morph who had formed into Jim's spoon and ate his bite. He then turned into a straw and sucked up the remains while Sliver scold him, not like the pink blob was paying him much attention anyway. He was too fascinated with the new guest.
He cuddled into Jim's face, much like he done Elizabeth earlier, Jim didn't seem to mind. With a smile he asked, "What is that thing?"
"What is that thing?" Morph mocked making Elizabeth smile.
He broke apart quickly coming back together to form a mini Jim, Jim leaned in closer to him while Sliver explained how he found him again. Morph licked Jim's face before fluttering back over to Sliver. The sound of the ships bell brought Elizabeth's attention to the action up deck.
"Where about to get underway," Arrow announced getting both Jim and the Doctors attention. "Would you like to observe the launch, Doctor?"
"Would I? Does an active galactic nucleus have supernurmeral jets?" The young girl guessed that this was his try at a joke. A sad misunderstood one at that. Seeing as he was the only one understanding the information he spoke again. "I'll follow you."
Then began heading upstairs, Arrow turned to leave then noticed how Jim was about to follow and announced that he would be under Sliver's care from the point being, this took the other man by surprise causing him to spit out his stew.
He tried to object but Arrow quickly dismissed it then turned to Elizabeth, "Cadet Armstrong the Captain would like to see you in her estate."
Elizabeth raised her eyebrows at him but followed anyway, once they where out of earshot she asked, "May I know what about, Sir?"
"Well your assignment for the voyage of course," Elizabeth smiled before she rushed to the find the Captian.
"You called for me, Ma'am?" Elizabeth asked upon entering the estate she found the Captain sitting at her desk tossing a key back and forth in her hands. Her ears perked up and the sight of the girl.
"So have you meant our two other campaigns?" She asked a playful smirk forming on her features.
"Yes I have,"
"Yes well you see I'll be needing you to be doing something very important for me," She stood up from her seat and walked around her desk till she was directly in front of Elizabeth. "the boy, Jim, well he's a little bit of the rebellious nature and as you know Sliver is in charge of him." Elizabeth nodded. "But I believe the Mr. Sliver will have quite a hard time with him."
The girl brought her eyebrows together in confusion. "I'm sorry but I'm not following, ma'am."
"Yes well let me shorten this up," She brought he hand to her chin in thought mumbling lowly to herself. "I would like you to watch over Mr. Hawkins see to it he stays out of trouble."
"You want be to Babysit?"
"Don't look at it that way," She said seeing the girl's irritation rise. "What do you kids call it? Hanging out? Yes, well I would like if you would hang out with Mr. Hawkins."
"It's called babysitting," Elizabeth crossed her arms. "Just because you slap on another title doesn't change what it means."
Amelia pursed her lips. "Yes well I do suppose, you're right. Either way you stick to him like glue and still keep up with your duties. Is that clear?"
"Yes Ma'am," Elizabeth grumbled much to her dismay.
"Yes well I suggest you go off and find him then," She encouraged placing her hand on the girls shoulder. "The Launch is about to start."