Surviving Paradise

Welcome to Paradise

.^^Halal^^

--- Halal's POV ---

I gazed at the cargo hold's Roof silently, mapping the scratches in the metal sheets, and creating constellations from them.

I created the constellation Vulcan, and hummed. 'I've never seen that one before...'

An explosion rocked the ship, and I darted to my feet, warily watching the door, just as a pirate stomped in. "Mechanic! We have need of you." He snapped.

I smirked and leaned back. "Not happening, pirate."

He growled, and pointed his antique Ak-42 at me. "I will shoot you in the knee, boy. I need you alive, not walking."

"Ha! And then who will fix your ship? You should employ some pirate mechanics." I shrugged.

"What do you want?" He sighed, realizing he was losing the argument.

"A light, My books... maybe a hammock." I shrugged again.

He nodded. "Done. The engine room, then, go." He stepped aside, keeping his gun trained on me.

"Are we taking water?" I asked, gathering my satchel of mechanical parts.

He shook his head. "No. But our engineer is dead."

"Ha! Engineer. The man couldn't even tighten a bolt correctly." I waved a hand dismissively, and entered the room, covering my mouth and nose to rid myself of the stench of burnt oil and death.

The entire engine was in pieces.

"What... what do you expect me to do with this?!? This isn't an engine! It's scrap metal!" I growled at him. "I can't fix what doesn't exist anymore!"

"We have another engine, you'll install it." He shrugged.

I cracked my knuckles slowly. "Better. Let's get started." I rolled up my sleeves, and pulled out my tools, removing the shattered remains of the engine, and making the ports ready for a new one.

Six pirates hauled in a replacement, and held it still as I bolted it into place, and began connecting it. I sighed and refilled the oil, letting it work it's way into the engine block, and leaned back. "Let's try and crank her. Gently." I warned.

The captain slowly cranked the engine, and it rumbled to life, rattling and clanking as old engines were want to do, and then settled in. I nodded and walked back into the cargo hold. "Done."

An electric hand-cranked lamp and my duffel-bag of books was brought into my cell, as well as a dusty hammock.

I grinned. "Pleasure doing business, Pirate Captain."

He grunted and stomped out, while I opened a book about advanced welding, and started studying.

---

An explosion woke me, again, and I growled, standing and dressing, then yelping when the deck tipped awkwardly.

I immediately stashed everything in my waterproof duffel, (including my new hammock,) strapped it onto my back, and opened the hatch that led up onto the deck. The pirates were all running around, firing at a group of people that were making their way onto the deck.

'Perfect! Now I can escape! If the navy is here, land must be nearby... good thing I'm a decent swimmer...' I tossed my duffle overboard, and dove after it. The sealed bag acted as a flotation device, and I started kicking, holding it under my chest.

I swam as hard as I could, so that the sinking ship didn't pull me under with it, and grinned when I saw land. "Ha! Finally, land that doesn't rock under my-"