All The Stars to Sail

Chapter 3: Glowing Stars and Boiling Potatoes

John Silver was in the middle of chopping up a haunch of salted beef when the summons to Amelia's cabin came. He shot the uniformed Marine a curious look. "What's she want with me? Did she burn her tongue on last's night stew?" The man shrugged and jerked a thump back up the corridor. "Don't ask me, mate. They tell me where to go and I go." Silver nodded, yanked the cleaver from the beef, and swiftly shifted it back into a hand. "I suppose that's handy if anyone ever tells you to go and take a running jump." Silver wiped his hand on a nearby rag, gathered up his coat, and slipped it on before turning to face the Marine; the man's expression was one of barely suppressed rage. "Come on now, boyo...we shouldn't be keeping the captain waiting now, should we?" The man nodded curtly, stood aside, and followed Silver out onto the deck.

When they reached the cabin door the Marine suddenly stepped in front of Silver, held up a hand to stop him, and spun around to face the door before rapping on it. "Mr. Silver for you, Captain!" "Let him in!" came back Amelia's voice, and the Marine turned and faced Silver again. "You can go in" he said, frowning, before opening the door and stepping aside. Silver smiled genially and tipped his hat to the man as he limped past. "Thanks, boyo...it always does me good to see someone so suited to their work." Silver's last glimpse of the man was his glowering face before the door closed behind him; the cook limped into the middle of the room and began to look around for Amelia. She was seated behind her desk, with a chair already placed in front of it, and she gestured to it. "Mr. Silver...please take a seat." Silver did so, carefully arranging his artificial leg, before raising his head to glance enquiringly at Amelia. "You wanted to see me, Captain? If it's about what McCalister said about the rat's tail, it was not me who put it in his food..." Amelia shook her head and raised a hand to stop Silver. "No, that's not it at all. I wanted to thank you personally for what you did in the galley yesterday, Mr. Silver. It was very commendable of you."

Silver shrugged and waved the thanks away. "That bunch is always causin' trouble, Captain but most times it's just talk. I won't stand for anyone starting fights in my mess, least not with a slip of a girl like her. Beggin the captain's pardon, but who is she? I'd not seen her among the crew before." Amelia, having prepared for this moment, answered without hesitation. "The reasons behind her presence on this ship are only fully privy to those above my station, Mr. Silver...suffice to say I have been informed in no uncertain terms that should any harm befall this girl it will lead to some extraordinarily unpleasant fate for the rest of us." Amelia took a deep breath and fixed Silver with a resolute expression. "I have decided that it will be a more satisfactory state of affairs if she is assigned to you until the day that she departs the ship." Silver blinked, his mouth open slightly, but Amelia raised her hand again and the man closed his mouth. "I realize that you view your galley as I view this ship, Mr. Silver, but in this case we are both burdened with a responsibility that has to be carried out. Can I rely on you to do this for the betterment of the ship?"

Silver smiled a broad genial smile, nodded, and spread his arms out to either side. "Oh, without a doubt, Captain...truth be told, I think it'd do me good to have some company down there." Amelia nodded as an appreciative expression came into her eyes briefly before being replaced by her usual composed look. "I'm sure she will not be a burden to you, Mr Silver; you can put her to work at the start of the afternoon watch. Now, I believe I have kept you from your duties enough; please send the marine outside in here on your way out. Good day, Mr Silver." Silver heaved himself to his feet slowly, careful to properly place his peg leg on the floor, and nodding to Amelia. "Good day, Captain." He turned around, heaved himself across the room, and out the door. He shut it quietly behind him, turned to glance at the still aggravated face of the Marine, and slapped the other man firmly on the back. "The captain wants you, boyo!" Silver smiled genially into the wrathful expression on the other man's face, gave him a wink, and began to make his way belowdecks.