the vessel that sails among the sky

“I don’t wan’ ‘em on my ship,” Solara says. “Just throw ‘em overboard tomorrow morn’ ’n we’ll be done with it, yeah?”

“Maybe we ought to think about it a bit, Cap’n,” Lieutenant Lei answers, leaning against the desk mildly. “It’s why we called everyone prone to making’ good decisions here, ain’t it?”

Tuffy perks up, raising her hand.

Solara frowns. “Aye, everyone important and Tuffy.”

Tuffy lowers her hand.

“Zelle's taken a liking to the jay bird,” Lei fills in. “Even though all they do is sit up on the crow’s nest.”

“Zelle takes a liking to anything with a bit of a scowl and ears to listen to music,” Solara shoots back. She huffs, pulling her feet up onto her desk grumpily. “We’re talkin’ smitten if Jaybird can play a fiddle.”

“I play the fiddle,” Tuffy says.

“Tuffy, one more word out of you…”

“Aye, Captain.”

“Give them a chance,” Aurelie starts, soothing. She puts a hand on Solara’s shoulder, raising an eyebrow. “Like you did with me.”

“All due respect, lass,” El breaks in, crossing her arms. “Capitaine took you into the crew ’cause yer pretty, ye sing well, and yer a dang mermaid. The stowaway’s just…a stowaway.”

“Maybe the stowaway can play the fiddle with me,” Tuffy says. Solara reaches towards her sword, and Tuffy backtracks. “A-aye, I meant, no stowaways on our ship, bilge rat.”

Solara sighs, pinching her nose bridge. The navy was already after her and her crew every day, and they were still tracking their bounty. Could they even afford more weight on deck?

“Jaybird could know a thing or two about the treasure map, Captain,” Lei points out, gesturing to the papers strewn about the desk. “They sounded like a dyin’ seal when the water started fill-in’ in, but they don’ look all that naive.”

“And we’re still looking for Cleor’s Chamber,” Aurelie supplies. She absently tucks a lock of Solara’s hair back into place. “Come on, Solara.”

“Uh,” Tuffy says, watching the two of them. “Are we all just, er, okay with this, or…”

“I could use another hand at the cannons, Cap’n,” El backs up, shrugging. “Jai doesn’t look half bad.”

“And if they know something about Cleor, we’re one step closer to our bounty,” Lei finishes.

“Oh, good God,” Solara says, throwing her arms into the air. “Fine. Fine! You’d think we’re nuns takin’ in strays instead of pirates on the Interstellar, blimey. Eugh. Tuffy, go get me a drink.”

“Ha! Excellent joke, Cap’n.”

“Tuffy.”

“Aye aye, right away, ma’am.”

Aurelie smiles, her canines winking like pearls. “To Cleor’s Chamber?”

“To Cleor’s Chamber,” Lei nods, grinning back as she hops off the desk. “And the treasures that lie with it.”

“And the hopefully decent looking men, too,” El sighs.

“And the glory,” Solara says, standing up from her desk. She draws her sword, smiling broadly at her reflection, “that it will bring to our names.”