‘Tinkle tinkle’ Was the sound that made young Lucius jump from his bed.

Even through the thundering storm that hammered the windows and howled through the narrow, high streets he could hear it.

He could always hear it.

It only ever meant one thing.

“Daddy!” he gasped in surprise before jumping out of his bunk to the floor and rushing down the creaky old stairs.

He saw in the darkness of the cramped living room, a figure slumped on an old leather chair.

The glowing light from a cigar pulsed dimly at the figures head.

Lucius stood for a moment, frozen in the doorway.

He was squinting at the figure, trying to see through the dark.

“Allo kiddo.” a deep, ash rusted voice eminated from the figure.

It moved to turn on a lamp near the chair.

“Daddy!” The boy shouted in elation as he ran to his father at speed.

Jumping to his lap and hugging him round the neck.

The man coughed out a chuckle.

Lucius took a look at his fathers face.

He had a rough, leathery visage, with a razor sharp nose that ended in a point.

It was set atop a full, black, heavily ornamented beard. It looked as if a hairy octopus came to rest on his face after robbing a jewellery stand.

His hair was long and messy, yet tamed into black tendrils that were draped in random treasures and trinkets.

He wore a captain's hat that was decorated with exotic and colourful feathers.

Although at the moment it was soggy and drooped heavily from the rain.

“Careful boyo, you’ll wake your mother jumping around like that.” He said as he doused his cigarette and set Lucius on his lap.

“Mum’s not here anymore… aunty Daff said she’s ill… said she had gone away down to the doctors to get fixed a month ago…” There were no doctors in the cheap streets, especially not for people like them.

Paupers they were, descendants from refugees displaced after the war of a thousand suns.

Lightning flashed outside illuminating his fathers stern and thoughtful expression. Lucius noticed many new scars had appeared on his face, some deep and jagged.

Darkness returned to the room following the sound of thunder, concealing the single tear that threatened to drop from his weathered eyes.

The lightning caused Lucius to jump back in fright.

“You’re not scared are ye boy? Haha, if ye didn’t have those eyes, I wouldn’t think you were my son at all.” He said jovially.

“Here boy I want to give you something…”

‘Tinkle tinkle’ was the sound that rang out as he pulled out a platinum chain with an antique cosmic compass on the end.

It looked like a glowing blue orb inside a spinning golden clockwork ball.

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Intricately etched and patterned.

The clockwork sphere opened up with a click showing the glowing blue orb within.

A small bright point in its centre moved to the top of the orb, pointing to the true centre of the galaxy.

“Boy I know I ain't been around to give you much in your life, not nearly as much as you needed…”

A brief silence ensued.

Lucius’ eyes widened in apprehension. An expression of turmoil came over his fathers face.

“But I can give you this.” He said as he clasped the compass in the boys hands and his own around the compass and his own around the boys.

Lucius looked up at his father with a confused expression.

"Follow this and follow your heart! Follow them wherever they may take you. This universe is yours for the taking and don't let anyone else tell you different!" He clasped his son around the shoulders.

"But for now take care of your aunt Daff hey."

"Daddy, are you leaving again?" Lucius said with a trembling lip.

Before his father could answer, lights began to sporadically flash through the windows and boot steps could be heard trudging along the scaffolding outside.

Suddenly another flash of lightning flooded the room and when Lucius turned to his father in time for the thunder to arrive, he was gone.

Disappearing into thin air leaving the boy standing in front of the chair, alone once more.

Before the boy had any time to react, the front door burst open with a splash of rain, splinters and mud.

In came at least half a dozen of the nights watch, led by a lean, crooked ruffian who came trudging in and stood in front of the boy.

His snake-like eyes carefully surveying the room before locking onto Lucius.

He crouched over the boy menacingly.

Not saying a word as the child's eyes shone defiantly despite the fear in his belly.

"What say you boy? Seen anything… out of the ordinary?" The lead watchman growled out.

Before the boy could answer, someone hurried down the stairs, into the scene.

It was Aunt Daff.

"Lucius! What are you doing out of bed dear? And what's this? The night's guard. Is there something wrong?" She queried cautiously, grabbing the attention of the lead watchman.

He stood up tall and slowly turned around.

He seemed like a sly scorpion poised to strike out at any time.

"You seen a man come round these parts ma'am?" He said as he slowly began to strutt towards the woman.

"What kind of man officer? Is there trouble about?"

"Not the kind of man you would want hanging around. A filthy, felonious witless worm. A dirty pirate." He said, stopping short of her by barely a foot.

Despite her angst she took a defensive posture and beckoned Lucius to her side.

"I've seen none the like of that here, but sir I must ask you to leave! You city guard have never bothered with the likes of us in the cheap streets before and now when you finally bother to show up, it's at an unimaginable time in the dead of night.

You come here and stomp your dirty boots all over my floor all in the guise of chasing ghosts!" She said sternly.

The watchman's face curled into a grimace as his beady eyes pierced through her.

He slowly tightened his hand around his baton but before he could do anything, another watchman burst through the door.

"Sir! A hovership has been reported stolen at the cheap street docks! I think its our man!" He exclaimed over the sound of the rain.

The ringleader's expression grew even more annoyed. With a final glance at Daff and the child he turned around and barked the orders:

"Well what are you whelping worms waiting for! Get the fuck out of here and find that dirty fucking pirate or ill have all your heads!" He yelled and in a mini tornado of grunts and mud, the company had left.

Lucius still hid behind his aunty's ragged night-gown, clutching the compass tightly under his own shirt.

After she calmed herself and her breathing slowed she turned to the boy.

"Crazy times these are… and you dear! What are you doing awake! Quickly now get back to bed!" She ordered the boy who quickly obliged.

He ran up the stairs and while still clutching the compass he jumped up onto his bed, kneeling over the window that looked out over the docks.

Through the rain he saw the faint blue neon light of a small hovership slowly rise up through the rain.

It was his father, Lucius knew.

Following it rose a few red flashing beacons, it was the watch on their hovercrafts.

Lucius gasped in apprehension as they seemed to catch up to the small ship.

All of a sudden, in a blue flash and a dull explosion of light, the hovership blasted off through the clouds and into the heavens.

Lucius couldn't help but giggle in excitement as the watch disbanded as they quit their chase.

His father had re rigged the hover jets and fusion generator to blast himself to warp speed.

He snuggled into his makeshift rag blanket holding the compass tight to his chest as he slowly drifted off to sleep to the sound of the rain and dreams of adventure.