The sound of fire and heat. Emma's head hurt, and she smelt coal. Emma opened her eyes, blinking her eyelids repeatedly. The blur started to clear. In the room was a yellow and orange area. "I am in a fire." Emma thought. Immediately, Emma tried to get up. But her hands had been tied behind her. She was bound to a stake in the middle of a fire. "Some bastard had given her the Salem treatment," Emma's mind flashed. And now she kicked out and pulled at her bindings, trashing like a shark with a fat prize.

"Fire, lots of fire," Emma coughed out.

"Calm, Emma, you are safe," a familiar voice said.

"Amelia, is that you?" Emma called out.

"Yes, it is. And Reggee is here, also," Amelia revealed.

"First things first. Are you able to move around?" Emma asked.

"Why, yes. Quite freely," Amelia said, and she walked into Emma's view.

"Well, you seem well. How is Hutchens?" Emma asked.

"Also, well," Hutchens said, moving behind Amelia and gently touching her shoulder.

"Great. Untie me. Let's get the hell out of here," Emma said.

"Oh, lass, I don't think the Captain would like that. So let's just keep you here for a spell, and we wait for him to return to the ship," a man said.

"Who are you? Where are we?" Emma demanded.

"They call me Boson, lass. Got a bit of a Captain's voice of your own in your tone. And you are here because the Captain got a visit from ragamuffin from the drum, and then all hell broke loose." Boson said.

"These two tell me a story that they are journeying to rescue that man," Boson pointed to Amelia.

“No, Mr Boson, my fiancé. Emma's brother," Amelia corrected, face blushing.

"No problem, lass. My memory is not as good as it once was. And, there is naught need for you to look to the ground. I ain't a Captain," Boson assured him.

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"And by the look of that brass bracelet, you are not a freeman," Emma said.

"True enough. True… enough," Boson said. He lifted his head to meet Emma's eyes with his own.

"So, why have we been talking about this? One of you, let me up. We will leave this stoker's room, get my brother, and I will free you both," Emma ordered.

"Yes, Ca-captain," Boson straightened. Hutchens reached down and removed Emma's bonds.

Emma stood, quickly spinning around, taking in the room, the boiler, the coal bays, the workbench, the smell of coal, and the sound of the fire.

Emma bounced from side to side. "Well, then, that is good news," Emm said.

"What is that then, Amelia?" Replied.

"Here is a little tip if you don't throw up after a hit to your head. You're not concussed, right. We are on a ship in dock," Emma declared.

"You!" Emma pointed at Boson. "Where is my brother?"

"Captain, he is no longer with us," Boson replied. Emma took a step forward and grabbed Boson by his collar.

"Who killed him," Emma hissed.

"No," gasped Amelia.

"He is not dead. I looked after Kincade and saw him right. He was put off the ship onto a prize. The Captain captured," Boson explained.

"Great. More damned chasing around the damned Pacific," Emma growled and threw her head back, her palms up to the ceiling.

"What should we do?" Hutchens asked, his arm around Amelia as he comforted her.

"First, Let's get the hell out of here," Emma encouraged.

"How do you think we can do that? This ship is crawling with armed men who will kill us?" Hutchens asked.

"Well, there is a rope there!" Emma pointed at a rope coil on a peg in the corner of the cabin.

"And, if you pull this lever like this," Emma pointed to, then walked over and manipulated the lever.

"The bay doors there," Emma pointed at the doors in the cabin floor as they opened, leaving them all peering in on the now gaping opening.

"Sometimes, it is just that simple," Emma concluded as she tied off one end of the rope.

"Boson, did you see this prize ship?" Emma quizzed as she worked.

"Aye," Boson responded.

"Well, that is settled. You will come with us." Emma continued with the agreement before any bargain was struct.

"No, I can't. This ship is the last place for me, I will die." Boson said.

"Rubbish, we will get that stupid thing off your wrist and give you a job. Or, if you like, we can put you off somewhere you like with a bit of coin. Once we have found my brother." Emma said.

"No, my Captain would not like that one little bit. So put it where it stays." Boson responded.

"Fair. So let us get you two lowered down." Emma said. And over the next ten minutes, she worked to get Amelia and Hutchens quietly to the ground.

Before Emma climbed down, she stood at the opening and turned to Boson, offering her hand.

"Thank you for looking after him," Emma said. Boson first looked at her hand, wiped his palm on his chest, and then took a hand in his own. Emma looked into Boson's eyes and ensured she had a good grip on the rope.

Emma took one step back and pulled Boson after her.