A Captain Sinks With The Ship

Chapter Two: A Star Astray

The dining hall was unbearably loud. It wasn't even that large either. There are only a couple dozen people there who I recognized from our sleeping quarters. Melchior was in his element as we sat down at one of the long tables. He joyously launched into a story from his homeland, wherever that may be.

I watched as he spoke animatedly, eating my meat ad potatoes. The people at our table were enthralled. Melchior somehow ended up standing on his part of our bench seats, mimicking being perched upon a board of some kind. His words were peppered with smooth-sounding words I didn't understand.

I looked down the long row of tables as everyone watched and listened to Melchior.

"Melchior!" Someone shouted from the end of a table.

His face scrunched in fear and mild amusement. "Aye?" he asked, hesitantly.

A girl stood up, jabbing her fork in his direction. "Shut your trap!" Her arm pulled back and Melchior ducked, barely quick enough to avoid the projectile.

The fork struck the wall behind him, the loud clanging sound of metal-on-metal ringing around the dining room. I stared in shock as the girl grabbed a bowl of stew.

"Mona! Mona! Calm down!" Melchior shouted, holding his hands up and hopping off the bench. Everyone went on with their conversations, as I watched on, utterly bewildered and rendered speechless. The girl came around our side of the table, and grabbed the fork from where it had landed. She shook it menacingly at Melchior.

"You jabber on too much." She relaxed and peered down at me. "Cap said we had a new crew member. A prodigy. Are you him?"

  "Um, yes? Yes, I think so," I said, still a little frightened at the loose cannon reaching down to shake my hand. Her grip was strong and fierce and my fingers were crushed slightly.

"My name is Desdemona." She jerked her thumb back at Melchiore. "That train wreck is unfortunately my older brother. Although, he's so immature you wouldn't know it, would ya?"

"Mona, that's mean. You can take care of yourself, anyway," Melchiore said. She cuffed him on the ear and he winced. "What was that for? I complimented you!"

"You talk too much." Desdemona sat down, squeezing in beside Melchiore and probably disrupting seating arrangements farther down the table.

I chuckled lightly. She looked mean but, I guessed that was just how siblings acted. I'd never really had anyone other than Aunt Ilana to play with since my little sister was always away at school. We didn't see each other much but, she was the prodigy, not me. The school Kofi went to had once been a prestigious all-boys' academy for science. But, they had to open it up for her because Kofi threatened to sue if she wasn't allowed to attend. According to her "gender should not matter in the slightest. I would still rank top in my class at any school I go to." Sure enough, her first year there, she ranked top not only in her class, but the whole school, upper-class men included. I was beyond amazed at my little sister's academic prowess. Now, I came to expect it, and she did not disappoint.

"Anyway, kid, what's your name?" she said, turning the subdued storm of her passion upon me.

"Mem-" I started to say before I was interrupted.

"Memo!" I cringed at the loud voice that halted all conversation in the dining hall.