There is something strange about seeing a big thing, like a massive statue or a skyscraper. You can’t help but stop and stare at it for a moment, and the thought of it scares a part of you deep down that you didn’t know you had. Almost absentmindedly, you start watching to find if you can see it swaying the wind, though even if you did you know there is nothing you could do about it. But, as any scientist who respects themselves will tell you, there is no wind in space. However, this didn’t stop the group in Jenny McClain’s ship from staring in awe as they were reunited with the Lavender 1, yet again.
They were only beginning to understand how big the vessel was. Sure, they had seen it after they had crashed on the nose of Quiludia, but there was something about the way it sat in the darkness of space that put it into perspective. The sheer black exterior would be barely noticeable if it weren’t for the glint of a far-off star. It did indeed resemble an exclamation mark, with the massive glass dome near the helm being the preverbal dot. In comparison to the ship that they were now on, it was like measuring an ant to an elephant. If there had been a nearby sun, they would have surely been consumed in its shadow.
Strangely, as the Lavender got closer and closer, they could make out where a giant hole should have been. The new entrance that Jenny and her gang had made was completely gone, with no evidence it had ever been there at all. This was puzzling, but the tired group would have to save thinking about the nature of their ship for another day.
Jenny’s ship crept towards it, making its way slowly but surely. The captain shifted her arms, turning the massive wheel in front of her with ease and precision. “Don’t take it any of ya know how to use a Plasma-Cutter?” She asked to confused responses. “Well, I suppose I’ll have to teach ya.”
Timothy cocked his head to the side, “I’m a little lost, why would we need one of those?”
“To get in.” The pirate responded.
“You know it has a door, right?” Sophia said, crossing her arms with a little grin.
Jenny stared blankly out into space for a moment. “Yes.” She replied, unconvincingly.
With an awkward turn, the ship moved around the Lavender to the far side of it, where a clear and helpful door stood out plainly for all to see. “Ah.” The pirate mumbled softly to herself.
Carefully, Jenny nuzzled her ship up to the door, providing her guests with a clear entrance as the side panels of the walls slid away like a red carpet rolling out.
The door to their home now stood before them, but it would seem no one wanted to go in first. Yes, here was the place where they had lived and the place they had been trying to reach for days, but it sunk in that it was still completely alien to them. For a long time, they had considered the Lavender as their cage, the place where they were forced to be against their will. It had changed so quickly, hadn’t it? Now the only thing they wanted to do was crawl back inside to be protected by the familiar iron bars.
Alex bit his lip, “well, we can’t go anywhere else, can we?”
His arm reached out and turned that handle, the door pushing back as a cold draft flooded in immediately. Chills ran down their spine as they looked into the dark, black interior, which was perhaps not because of the temperature.
“We better get going,” Sophia mumbled, being the first to work up the courage to step inside.
Alex followed her quickly, making sure to grab the shopping bag on his way out. Next, Timothy followed him, after he made sure to give a polite curtsey to Jenny- which elicited a confused stare. Neil was the last to enter, needing extra time to mull the decision over. His footstep echoed on the familiar metal flooring, sending ripples of sound through the entire ship. He shuddered, a strange feeling filling his chest.
“You okay there, lad?” Jenny asked from her post.
Neil was quick to nod, “yeah, yeah, everything’s cool.” He hoped his smile was convincing.
The group was now standing at the threshold of the Lavender, taking in its giant corridors and space. “It’s nice to be back!” Timothy declared, ever the optimist.
“Is it?” Said Neil from behind him. “Do you guys feel like we’re walking into some sort of trap?”
“Well, if you’re worried about an ambush, I already checked for life signs,” Jenny replied, inviting herself in. “Ain’t no more than usual.”
“Than usual?” Alex repeated with a raise of his eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
The pirate shrugged her shoulders. “Sometimes the scanner is iffy, might show one or two more people than there are.” Something about this statement unsettled the boy in the tattered coat, but he kept it to himself. “Now, can I have a word with your captain, in private?”
“Who’s that?” Asked Timothy, looking over at his friends. “I didn’t know any of you were a captain!”
“We’re not.” Sophia was quick to respond. “But she means me.”
Alex gave a sarcastic frown and a delicate bow, “but I thought you were supposed to be a goddess? Soph, you’re grabbing titles left and right.”
“Shush.” The girl mumbled.
The rest of the group walked away, leaving the captain and the captain to be by themselves. They stood there for a moment, just staring at each other idly, waiting for the first move.
Jenny huffed, “I won’t repeat myself, you’ve heard my advice before and ya seem keen on ignorin’ it.” She reached to her belt and retrieved a small Blazer from it. “Take it.”
“What’s this for?” Sophia asked, not willing to take it.
“Protection.” She said with a nod. “If you want to try and keep those boys safe, then you’re gonna need a lot more than just that nasty left hook.”
The Blazer looked cheap and small, but it was better than nothing. It curved at an awkward angle, like a lopsided L. This made it hard for anyone to reach their finger to the trigger, and it was likely even harder to aim. Still, Sophia smiled with appreciation. “Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it,” Jenny grunted, turning her mechanical eyes away. “What good’s a captain anyway, if she can’t defend her crew.”
Sophia gritted her teeth, “I’ve told you a million times…”
“Then what are ya, huh?” The pirate snapped around, looking straight through her. “Are you just some lost girl, beggin’ the stars to help ya? Are you some lost dog, limpin,’ and trying to make its way back home? In this universe, if you don’t decide what you are, someone else will.” She pushed the gun into the girl’s chest.
“I’m not a captain!” Sophia bit back. “I don’t know how to lead someone! Hell, I don’t even know how to fly a damn ship! How am I supposed to be a leader when I don’t even know what I’m doing!” The words had come out more honestly than she had expected, and she turned away to hide her frustration.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Jenny thought for a moment. “Sometimes ya just gotta roll with the punches.”
Sophia scoffed, “what sort of bullshit is that?”
“The type of bullshit that keeps you alive.” She countered. “Look, I ain’t your mother, alright? You can do whatever the hell you want, but if I were you, I’d take my advice. Life out here is hard, everyday somethin’ new gets thrown at ya, and there’s nothin’ ya can do to stop that. So, if you want to survive, and if ya want your friends to survive, you’re gonna have to learn how to live.”
“And how do I do that?”
Jenny reached up and pointed at all the scars across her metal body. “Trial and error, mostly.”
The girl in green laughed. “I don’t think we’ll have that many chances.”
“Then I guess you better learn quickly.”
As Sophia took in the words of advice from her old kidnapper, she thought about her friends. She wasn’t a leader, she knew that, but neither were any of them. They were all just lost kids, thrust into a world they knew nothing about, it was a miracle that they had even made it this far. They wouldn’t have even met each other if it weren’t by force, so why did she have to carry the burden? No one had taught her how to do this, in fact, no one had taught her how to do anything. But, even as she thought, the image of Henry kept popping up in her mind. She grumbled, her lips moving as she drug her tongue across her teeth.
“Guess I better had.” She said finally.
From below her long-brimmed hat, Jenny’s mechanical eyes lit up. A smile traced along her mouth as she spun on her heel, making her way back to the door. “So long, captain.” She said, throwing up a hand and waving. “See ya around.”
“See you, Jenny.”
The boys heard as something large detached from the Lavender, and it didn’t take a genius to realize that Jenny’s ship was now leaving them behind. “Aw.” Said Timothy with a sad look. “She didn’t say goodbye.”
“She was our kidnapper, Tim.” Neil couldn’t help but point out. “We’re lucky she didn’t just kill us.”
“I thought she was nice.” His cheery nature had already bounced back. “Though I’m glad we can be alone now.”
Sophia’s footsteps were heard coming from far away, and she met up with her friends in the corridor shortly. “Waiting up for me?”
“Yeah, what else would we be doing?” Alex shrugged.
Leaning in, Neil asked, “well, what did she tell you?”
“Oh, it was nothing.” The girl waved him off. “Just some space mumbo-jumbo.”
Alex had some doubts about that, but already he could feel his eyelids getting heavier. “Well, I guess that’s over then, right? No more Ring, no more kidnappers, and no more murders to solve!”
Timothy clapped his hands together and did a little jump. “Yes, it’s great to be safe again!”
“Yeah, home sweet home.” Neil pulled the sides of his coat together, hiding from the world. He felt off, something was… different.
“Well, we all need some rest.” Said Sophia, inspecting the three with tired eyes. “I say we hit the beds and worry about everything else later?”
“That’s a good idea,” Timothy began, already running off down the corridor. “But I’m famished, I’m going to go get some food first.”
“Be careful.” Neil found himself saying as he watched his friend disappear. “So, I guess we hit the hay now?”
Sophia nodded, “seems like the best idea. Come on crew, let’s go to bed.”
“Actually,” the boy in the tattered coat interrupted. “I’ll join you later, I just want to check something first.”
With a polite nod, Alex and Sophia watched Neil peel off, pulling his coat tighter around him.
They exchanged looks before making their way to the ‘Bed’ room. As they started to go, Alex tripped, his legs buckling beneath him. “I gotcha.” The girl said, catching him in her arms.
“Thanks.” He said, “I guess you were right about the rest thing.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“So, when did we become a crew?”
Sophia stopped in her tracks, the weight of her friend still leaning on her. “What?”
“Just now, you called us a ‘crew.’” Alex pointed out with a tired smile. “When did that happen?”
She shook her head, continuing down the hall. “Ignore it.”
“I will not.” He insisted. “Is that what Jenny was talking to you about?”
“Do you always have to be a smartass?”
“Yes, I admit it’s tiring sometimes.” He frowned. “So, I guess you’re the captain now?”
In Sophia’s other hand, the Blazer rested heavily, though for some reason it felt easier to hold in her grip now. “Yep, I guess that’s what I am.”
“I see.” Alex thought for a moment. “Then what does that make me? If you’re the captain, then maybe I can be the first officer?”
“More like a deckhand.”
The boy gasped, “I just solved a murder, remember? You could be a little nicer to me.”
“Sorry, deckhand,” Sophia smirked.
Not deterred by his friend’s mockery, Alex continued with his line of thought. “No, I can be the navigator, yeah, that works! Now, I wonder what Neil is… a boatswain?”
“A what?”
“Yeah, that doesn’t roll off the tongue, does it? How about the engineer?”
Sophia scoffed, “I wish we had someone who knew how to run this place.”
“It’s more of a title than a position.” He smiled, though suddenly his face went long. “That leaves Timothy to be the pilot.”
Their stride got slower all of a sudden. “Yeah, I guess it does.” Sophia’s words were hesitant and calculated.
“Oh, Tim.” He sighed. “I’m worried about him.”
“Me too.” The girl admitted. “It’s dangerous for him to get back into that seat, anything could happen.”
“That wasn’t what I meant,” Alex said softly.
Above them now was an open doorway with the word ‘Bed’ inscribed across it. Inside the room was huge, practically the size of a football field. However, there was nothing in the room besides one thing- rows and rows of identical beds. If you had shouted, you could have probably heard an echo reverberate in the walls. The two had been here many times before, so they didn’t take the time to stop and admire it.
Sophia helped Alex to the closest bed, flopping him down on his side. “Thanks, Soph.” He said, already feeling the sleep drifting inside him.
“What were you worried about?” The girl prodded, putting her hands on her hips.
“The voice.” Came the reply. “That voice Timothy keeps saying he hears, don’t you remember?”
“Yeah, I do, but I thought…” The truth was that she didn’t know what she thought, up until this point she had marked it off inside her head.
Alex attempted to sit up, but he failed miserably, falling back into the stern mattress. “Something’s up with him, I know it.”
“I thought you said you trusted him.”
“I do.” The boy insisted. “But I don’t trust whatever it is that’s in his head. Soph, we’re in a place now where anything is possible, so we can’t rule out that whatever it is isn’t harmful.”
“You’re sounding like Neil.” She spoke, but then added a nod. “But you’re right, I have a bad feeling about it too. Tomorrow, we’ll have to…”
Her speech was interrupted by the sound of loud snoring. Looking down, she saw that Alex had already fallen asleep, his new tie rising and falling with his rhythm of breathing. She rolled her eyes, wondering whether or not she should cover him with the blanket. The answer landed on a 'no' as she shrugged and made her way to a bed, picking one at random.
Sophia didn’t even bother taking her shoes off, instead, she just rested her head on the pillow and closed her eyes. She could sleep soundly now knowing that her friends, for the time being, were safe and sound. Though this didn’t stop her from placing her gun underneath her pillow- just in case.
…
Deep within the halls of the Lavender, Neil heard the soft clink-clank of his steps as he glided slowly across the ship. His shadow stretched, climbing from his feet to the tippy top of the large circular walls. He could see his breath in front of him, filling the cold air with mist.
There was no way that any of his friends would ever be able to grasp how much Neil understood this place, although it was likely that they would never want to. There was a link between the two, something unspoken but deep. It was like his pulse was embedded somewhere inside it, his heart echoing through the very structure itself. All that time he had spent here, all the lonely days trapped and afraid, seemed like a distant dream now. He remembered every single one, no matter how hard he tried to forget. Sometimes, when he closed his eyes, he could hear himself still screaming in here, like some ghost from the past.
His hand traced along the wall, the rough texture passing across his skin. How many times had he touched that exact spot, he wondered as he stood still- it would have to be in the thousands.
Neil bent to his knees, almost like he was going to start praying. But then he lowered the rest of his body, pushing his ear against the floor. He knew the sound the Lavender made, he knew it as well as his own voice. It was a gentle hum, as soft and as unnoticeable as a clock ticking in the night. Be he heard it, he could always hear it now, in the back of his mind.
“No…” He muttered to himself, his voice the sound of scratching. “No, no, no, that’s wrong… that’s not how you’re supposed to be…”
A chill filled his soul, one that he would never be able to describe. He sat up, his chest heaving in and out like he was struggling to breathe. His entire body twitched, then twitched again. Something was wrong here, he knew it, but he just couldn’t tell what it was. The walls seemed closer, the bars of his old cage closing in on him.
Then it struck him.
It was colder now, that’s what he was feeling. It was ever so slight, but he could tell. But why had that changed, what made it change? But even as these questions filled his mind, the walls did not stop their approach. He stood to balance himself, but his head was spinning.
A thought occurred to him then, one that would sit with him forever. He realized, at that moment, that the walls that surrounded him weren’t a part of his cage. They weren’t the bars of a cell, or even the bolted lock of a door, no, they were something else entirely. No, they were a stomach, and he was standing inside the belly of a beast he could not hope to understand.