TP: Treasure Seeker -- 5 - Dead Weight

Jim slapped his mop on the deck, irritated about the boring assignment they had.

"Yeah I got your 'Mr. Mop'," Jim mumbled to himself. The atmosphere around the ship was bleaker than when they first took off. A mist settled around them, and was cooler than the warm air back at Montressor Spaceport. Hannah swabbed the deck with him, equally uninterested in the task. But she had to brighten up the mood somehow, even in the dreary mist.

"Well, it's not that bad," she grinned, "At least we're on this boat. It may not be… the greatest, thrilling journey we were thinking about. But, when we finally land at our destination, we'll get our fair share."

Jim pondered on what she said, and lifted his spirits enough to ask a few questions. It was in his mind ever since he left the galley, so he brought it up cautiously, "So, you already know Silver?"

"Yeah, we met at the Spaceport about…" she paused, looked up and thought, "three or four days ago probably."

"Did he talk to you first or the other way around?"

"He talked to me first. It was in the middle of the day and he walked right up to me and said 'What is a pretty lass like you wanderin' the streets of this here port?' I was seriously cautious at first, as you might have expected. But he was actually really friendly for someone like him."

"And… why did he include you into the crew?"

Hannah stopped in mid swab and straightened up, "Honestly," she finally said, "I don't know."

Jim paused in his work too, "You don't know?"

"I've been wondering why ever since he gave me the offer. To be honest, I don't know what he sees in me that would be of any help to this voyage," she continued her work, but a little more solemn than before.

He wanted to say something that would encourage her, but he couldn't find anything. He wasn't a words person. But he did understand how she felt. He's been nothing but trouble to his mom, and still was in awe that she still tolerated him. But he was on this journey to change that. He was continuing his work again, but before he could make much progress he saw one of the larger crew members pass by. It shoved Jim forcefully to the side with its two, muscular, left arms.

"Watch it, twerp," it growled, and walked away. Jim stared at its four arms, wanting nothing to do with that thing.

"You might want to stay away from these guys as much as you can," Hannah implied, "Even Silver."

Jim jerked his head towards her, "I thought you liked Silver."

"I said he was friendly. That doesn't mean I trust him. I mean, he's the one who brought this pack together. Obviously you can tell they're all a little… ominous."

Despite her warnings, he focused on some of the members across the deck whispering to each other. He tried to listen in while still doing his job, but one of them looked up and tapped his friends to quit. They stared at him, looking like the conversation never happened.

"What are you looking at, weirdo?" the larger one said. Then his head lifted itself off his shoulders by his hair, and crawled to the barrel beside him. The rest of the body leaned against the barrel, and showed a face on its chest.

"Yeah," it agreed with the head beside it, "weirdo."

Both Hannah and Jim stared at the strange group. The creepiness gave them goose bumps across their arms. But then another sound came from above on the ratlines. They both turned towards the hissing noise and saw another crew member crawl down the ropes. It was a large, scaly arachnid, with pincers bigger than their faces. It had rough, stick-figures for legs, and provoking, yellow eyes. It had a thin waist and his face was long and skinny.

"Cabin boys should learn to mind their own businesssss," it hissed, looking down at Jim.

Hannah just glared at it, and kept swabbing. But Jim pressed on, "Why, you got something to hide, bright-eyes?"

She jerked her head at his remark and gave him a look that said, "What the crap are you thinking?" The creature hissed at him in anger and grabbed him by his shirt. It lifted him off the ground and replied, "Maybe yer ears don't work ssssso well," Hannah stood by, gripping her mop and hoping the Jim won't screw anything up.

Jim sniffed and wrinkled his nose, "Yeah," he cleared his throat, "Too bad my nose works just fine."

Her eyes grew wide. The scaly being seethed in rage, "Why you imputed little…" and it pinned Jim onto the mast. He struggled, trying to wrenched it's pincers from his shirt, but it had an iron grip on him. Hearing all the bustling going on, the majority of the crew gathered around enjoying the scene, "Any last wordsssss, cabin boy?"

"Hey!" Hannah yelled at it, "Put him down!" she gripped the mop in her hand and swung it as hard as she could at the ugly creature's legs. The impact broke the handle of the mop in the process and toppled the alien over, and letting Jim go. Before he could help her, the four-armed beast gripped him by his arms and shoulders.

"You little brat!" red face and eyes piercing with rage, the thin faced arachnid swung its fist in her face.

But her eyes were sharper and bent back just in time, inches below its fist. She swung her arms to regain balance but in the process, the fist came back and darted into her arm. The force threw her back and made her trip over the bucket of mop-water. The musky alien put a death grip on her neck and swiftly slammed her into the mast. It pushed her against it so hard that she could feel splinters piercing her back against the smooth finished wood. She struggled as best she could, but her lack of air decreased her strength. Jim tried his best to get loose and save his companion but he was constricted as much as she was.

"I don't know why Silver brought you onto the crew," the scaly creature taunted, "You've been nothing but dead weight. We should have thrown you off of this ship before we even launched," it gripped even harder around her neck. She tried to breathe, tried to suck in the air around her but it was no use. Slowly she ceased struggled, feeling the strength fading in her, "But that won't be a problem for long," it snickered. Her vision began to cloud and almost gave up the fight. But suddenly the creature winced and its grip was loosened, but not enough for her to be relieved.

"Mr. Scroop," it was Silver's voice, he must have grabbed onto it's other arm, she suspected, "You ever see what happens to a fresh perp, when ya squeeze real- hard!" he then bent Scroop's arm back and let go of Hannah because of it. Her throat free, Hannah sucked in all the air she could as she fell onto the deck. As she tried to breathe, she coughed uncontrollably because of the constriction.

"What's all this then?" said another familiar voice. It was Mr. Arrow, coming in on the scene. The crew immediately settled, and the massive member let Jim go, and he darted to Hannah. He was on his knees, putting a hand on her shoulder. The only thing she could think or do is keep breathing as he comforted her.
"You know the rules," Arrow continued, "There will be no brawling on this ship. Any further offenders will be confined to the brig for the remainder of the voyage," he then glared at the large, yellow eyes, "Am I clear, Mr. Scroop?"

Scroop glared back and only hissed, but glanced at Silver. He gave a menacing look with his metallic eye and said nothing. Scroop then turned to face Arrow again, "Transparently," he said slowly. Mr. Arrow, content with everyone's cooperation, went back to his own work. Scroop hissed in his hatred for Mr. Arrow and returned to his own work as well.

"Well done, Mr. Arrow, sir!" Silver said cheerfully, "A tight ship's a happy ship, sir!" he waited until everyone left the deck. Then he picked up Jim's mop and faced the two of them, "Jimbo, I gave ya a job."

"Well I was doing it until that- bug thing…"

"Belay that!" Silver yelled, cutting him off. He shoved the mop back in his hands, "Now, I want this deck swabbed spotless. And heaven help ya if I come back and it's not done…" he didn't finish but turned toward his companion, "Morph."

The little pink glob floated to him,"Keep an eye on these pups. Let me know if there be anymore distractions," he was about to turned and walk away but saw Hannah struggling to get on her feet. Jim turned, helping her up, but she only waved her hand.

"I'm fine," she croaked. She stood up but staggered backwards and leaned on the mast, "Just need… to get some oxygen back in my head is all," she again tried to stand by herself, but each time her head was light and the ship spun.

"Here, lassie," Silver said, supporting her, "Come with me and I'll fix ya up."

Hannah looked back at Jim, still uncomfortable about being near the cyborg. Jim reassured her with a smile. She smiled weakly back, and followed Silver down to the quarter deck. Jim continued, when Morph seemed to nag him in its gibberish way and made its eyes grow, keeping an eye on him.