all aboard the ship of the stars

If a list had to be made of two things that irritated Captain Solara the most, it would be made of two understandable items: easily avoidable issues with her ship, and men. And there were no men in her vicinity as of now, so.

Solara's jaw twitches. "Repeat yourself, Lieutenant."

"Our cabin boy's insisting there's somethin' nasty caught in our nets," Lieutenant Lei supplies. She shifts from foot to foot, sheepish. "Cap'n, I really think it's oughta--"

"If Tuffy got caught in one of the cannons again, I don' wanna hear it. Just tell one of the powder monkeys to get 'er out, yeah?"

"No, Captain," Lieutenant Lei answers, shaking her head. "It's really somethin'. The bos'n thinks ye'll wants to see it."

Solara frowns. The bos'n was hesitant to entertain Tuffy as is, so if they thought it was important...

Solara sighs, fixing the brim of her hat. "Let's head over to 'em, then. Best not be wasting my time, lieutenant."

Lieutenant Lei gives a tight nod. She hoists herself over a wooden ledge, leading them over to where a majority of the crew is gathered on the deck. A net full of...something--it's too covered in bilge and sea filth to really make it out--struggles against the ropes.

A collective murmur rings out through the crew, and Solara's jaw ticks. But that's before she sees it.

Or--sees her.

"What in God's good name," Solara says, hand flying to her sword, "is that?"

Tuffy bounds over to her side, excited. "Dunno, Cap'n, but it certainly ain't God."

"Tuffy."

"Yes, Captain?"

"Shut up."

"Yes, Captain."

"It's got scales," Lieutenant Lei observes, eyes wide in wonder. "Looks like a lass, though?"

Solara makes her way through the crowd. She crouches down, peering through the net, and sure enough, the creature stares back at her with eerie human eyes. It gives a small flail, a pathetic aborted motion like a fish caught above water.

"It talk?" Solara asks, still observing the thing. It was shrouded in gold--gold scales, gold collar.

"Yes, Cap'n," Tuffy supplies, dutiful. She hesitates, clearing her throat. "Says her, uh...says her name is Aurelie."

The creature--Aurelie--stares back at her, eyes narrow and alight with something like...defiance. Solara snorts, drawing her sword. She gives a lopsided smile as the creature flinches at the sight of it.

"Get 'er some clothes, Tuff," Solara says. She tilts her head. "Sit her down in me cabin. I wanna hear this thing squeal."