Aiden was having breakfast at the mess when Atkins, the hefty galley ch(i)ef, passed by and grunted a tersely worded command.

"Red, hawl yer up the bridje roit naw, Commander's a-lookin fer ye," was all the curly black-haired, pasty chef said before going back to his beloved galley.

Aiden stared at his delicately plated breakfast of eggs, bacon crisps and croissants. He had to hand it to the Silver Jewel chef - Aiden has had more fine dining done on this ship once he got onboard compared to the slop he was served in former ships he served in. So he was silently be having to leave the delicious meal.

"You gotta learn how to eat on the run, boy," Bronte said by his elbow, the ship's big, bald, black weaponsmaster, already starting to demolish his own breakfast, sweeping up the bread and meats together and taking them all in a few bites. Aiden hurriedly copied him, though nearly choked on his first bite as his mouth was nowhere the same as the maw that was on Bronte.

"Captain's called to have you noobs up at the bridge on the approach to Market Square. He'll expect you at the bridge in two minutes." Bronte said in between chewing, before chugging his hot coffee drink, Aiden internally wincing at how that didn't burn the crewman's tongue or throat.

Aiden just vigorously nodded, partly to acknowledge what Bronte had shared, partly to dislodge the lump in his throat as his huge second bite also didn't go down smooth. He finished breakfast on the third bite, already leaving his chair seeing the other crew members also doing the same.

"Can I take the coffee up the bridge? I don't think I'll manage to gulp it all."

"Yah, go. The Commander's more keen on being punctual than observing protocol. Yo, Twister!" Bronte suddenly hollered at one of the scrub monkeys hurrying by, the tall Danubian that was Aiden's hazing senior, also one of the newer crew members. "Take Red with you, will you? Else he'll just get lost in the ship. You've both a minute left." Bronte tapped his chronometer to emphasize the time.

Aiden hurried after the taller crewman, careful to keep his coffee from sloshing with the ship's swaying motion as they both hurried to the bridge amidst the other crew also going to their stations. He only sighed with relief reaching the bridge with seconds to spare, and just before one other crew straggled in still with pjs on. Aiden saw it to be the blond and blue-eyed Yosef, the new third-watch junior navigator who would have just gotten off-shift before he was woken to join this sort of noob's gathering. He gratefully accepted Aiden's offer to finish the coffee, seeing as he barely stayed on his feet.

The bridge crew stood at their stations before them, the view from the bridge fully occupying 360 degrees. Captain Lee occupied the center chair, not even acknowledging the gaggle that littered his bridge. Commander Seo Minguk just nodded back at them from his position standing behind and to the right of the Captain. Youngwoon, the ship's pilot, stood at his station front and center at the helm while the navigator Zhoumi sat on a station to Youngwoon's left, plotting the course for him.

Minguk only briefly addressed the assembly with a command. "Find yourselves a window."

Aiden and Yosef immediately headed portside where they could see better the approach to Market Square, the floating city that was entirely composed of commercial establishments. They were still significantly away from the port, but they could already see the traffic that converged and diverged from the place.

"Hail the tower," Hyukjae's command suddenly rang out, prompting Aiden to look back at him. The communications officer on the other side of the bridge opened communications with the Market Square conn tower.

"Market Square's on conn, Captain," Ryeowook quietly reported once he had connected to the conn.

"Hailing Market Square. This is Captain Lee of the Silver Jewel, requesting navigation and docking information." Hyukjae audibly said to the bridge, waiting for reply from Market Square.

"Yo pirate Captain Lee, my man!" A suddenly perky baritone burst from the communications console, prompting a smile from Ryeowook. "Heenim from Market Square here. Silver Jewel's cleared for approach from the 10-13-15, where you should line up prettily on docking bay five," Heenim seriously said after that jubilant hello. "Bay five's expecting you within half hour, after which you have the dock four hours tops."

"Acknowledging, Market Square. Silver Jewel out." Hyukjae replied, Zhoumi having already punched in the approach information into his navigation console while Youngwoon started correcting his approach from the east northeast direction of the floating city.

Aiden marveled at watching the deep blue rush up at them as Youngwoon piloted them nearer to the Market Square. Ryeowook, at the background, kept communications open shipwide, relaying the approach as Youngwoon announced it.

Then they were slicing water and Aiden marveled at how that was the smoothest water landing he'd experienced, not even minding the small telltale lurch as the ship transitioned from flying through air to now sailing on water. He was surprised though, at what happened next.

"Helm handoff," Youngwoon suddenly announced.

"Helm transitioned," Hyukjae replied, and Aiden suddenly realized that Hyukjae's captain's chair was equipped to handle helm separately from the main one.

Only then did Youngwoon leave the main helm and busied himself with the console on the right. Outside on the main deck, some of the crewmen took positions as the ship continued to sail towards Market Square.

"Oh wow, so this is the double-helm," Yosef remarked just ahead of Aiden, leaving his place by the windows to sidle up behind Zhoumi and unobtrusively observe navigation.

Hyukjae had started commanding out sail combinations which Youngwoon seconded or objected based on his readings of wind and water currents displayed on his console before the final command was carried out by the crew throughout the ship, with Hyukjae manning the helm.

Aiden could feel the ship perceptibly speed up with Hyukjae and the crews' concerted efforts on helm and sail. It seemed like in no time at all he could see the signal lights of docking bay five and Hyukjae started calling out commands to slow down their approach until they were perfectly docked.

Aiden could only shake his head in wonder. He hadn't been in a crew this smooth, and he even joined the cheers that erupted among the noobs. Hyukjae merely grinned as he also congratulated Zhoumi and Youngwoon for the smooth ride. Then it was back to business as Hyukjae addressed communications still open shipwide to remind the crew they had four hours to complete ship and personal business before they headed back out.

It seemed like the Captain and Commander had business offshore as Youngwoon, the third officer, was left on watch as Hyukjae headed out and Minguk was left to disseminate assignments to Aiden and the rest.

"You go with the quartermaster in a quarter hour," Minguk told Aiden. "Carradine's specifically requested for you to check the incoming ship's cargo as well as procuring additional stores down at the Market."

Aiden only nodded, accepting the assignment, as Minguk quickly finished off on assignments and herded them all out the bridge.

---------

Aiden quietly observed the Silver Jewel from his seat at the back of the Wasp, as the two-crew flier he was strapped in banked away from its berth on the skyship.

The Silver Jewel looked like an old sailing ship built from wooden planks and furling canvas sails. Well, the wooden planks are a steel and fiberglass mix overlain with a faux wooden pattern while the sails are proper tarps. Beneath the sailing ship look was a proper skyship with the necessary propulsion systems to fly or sail sans the sails, but no one from the crew had gotten around to telling yet why the Silver Jewel was built that way. The only way Aiden saw any use for the old-style sail and rudder mechanisms was for redundancy - the Silver Jewel would have to run out of fuel, with no wind, to stay dead in the water. Though this morning's bridge show also demonstrated how the crew used the sail and propulsion combination to sail faster over water considering the Silver Jewel's bulk.

Him and Carradine are headed first to the market center, where galley had sent them off to get the additional ship stores Atkins needed to feed the crew until their next destination. Aiden had wondered why he was the one sent off with the quartermaster, until he remembered that Market Square predominantly traded in kelp and seafood produce. He really shouldn't have volunteered that he used to work in a trawler ship since he was now sure he was being sent on a fish hunt, what with Hyukjae remarking earlier in the week that he was hankering for a certain type of fish. 

Carradine easily landed the Wasp on an available berth just outside the market center and in no time at all, Aiden found himself in the familiar sights, sounds and smell of a busy market.

"Oi Carradine!" somebody accosted the smaller built quartermaster as soon as they both stopped at a stall for pufferskeins, bulbous fishes with a weird scale color that made them look like balls of yarns stuck with hundreds of pins.

"Watcha doing at a fish stall, mate? My cargo not up to your taste?" the stranger continued talking with Carradine though Aiden could see the quartermaster greeting the newcomer warmly.

"Hey, nothing like that Myles," Carradine answered. "We've yet to check your cargo, just taking the time for errands." Carradine introduced Aiden to one of the Silver Jewel's fish supplier out from Market Square.

"You want to take a couple of these back to the ship, chief?" Aiden asked Carradine, side-eyeing the fish swimming lazily in the enclosure, already drooling at how they'd smell heavenly deep-fried with ginger. It took him back to younger days with noona manning the kitchen whenever Mum or Da was out.

"Well, the Captain was specifically looking for tully, but if you want that for yourself, I'm sure galley can cook it for you."

Aiden didn't waste time getting three for himself, surprising Carradine, Myles and the fish vendor when he scooped the fishes up barehanded instead of using a net. Da had once explained that the only proper way to handle pufferskeins was taking them out of the water under the gills, where the pin-like scales were absent, and kept the fish from thrashing and ruining its own skin. Happy with his purchase, they made their way into the market to get Hyukjae his half basket of tully, enough for about a week's supply before the fish, even when iced, could taste terrible. Aiden made sure he chose the still robust, succulent looking ones and mostly chucking the ones the fish vendor insisted for him to take.

--------

Hyukjae and Minguk had headed off to the Market Square's administrative offices as soon as the Silver Jewel was docked, looking nothing like a pirate ship's captain and commander. They looked properly touristy, even taking a different flier than those identified to be in the Silver Jewel's roster.

While the Market Square touted itself a properly gray market, occasionally dressing up as white, Hyukjae didn't believe for a moment that the place didn't peddle in black merchandise, including information. And the top peddler he knew would be none other than the floating city's Administrator, Kim "Heenim" Heechul.

The androgynous looking administrator didn't even flinch in surprise when the pair strode into his office using fake identities. Though he did take one look at Hyukjae's pissed off face and he just started saying, "Now, Hyukjae, hold on..."

He was hauled across his enormous desk, Hyukjae and Minguk having reached over and dragging him by the collar of his flamboyant coat. He only mildly winced as the pair slammed him on his back onto the desk, his curly hair spreading out over the paperwork he was working on before the pirates walked in on him. His left eye did mildly twitch dangerously when Hyukjae threatened him by driving a serrated knife through a lock of Heechul's hair and on through his vintage wooden desk.

If Hyukjae wasn't anywhere near angry, he would have been properly scared of Administrator Heenim's reach around and everything going through Market Square. As it was, he was barely reining in a hiss as he asked, "How much did Lt. Lee Donghae pay you for my whereabouts?"

"I wouldn't know of the Lt. Lee Donghae, but the Silver Wings did pay handsomely," Heechul just replied, acting as if an angry pirate with a knife to his, hair, wasn't really much trouble, nor does admitting that he sold Hyukjae's information to the mercenaries.

Hyukjae just gritted his teeth and gripped Heechul by the throat. "Why?" he asked, seething.

Heechul's brain started to be calculating. "Now, now, monkey, you know I don't work that way," he said silkily at Hyukjae. "How about greasing these palms with silver?"

"How about I pull your hair until your beautiful face gets sliced?" Hyukjae had long known about Heechul's vanity. It only recently came to him how to use it to his advantage whilst planning how to make the sort-of mafia lord businessman fess up to his part on the Silver Jewel getting ambushed by the Silver Wings mere days after the skyship last went through Market Square. While Heenim wasn't an exclusive business partner, Hyukjae has had enough dealings with the guy to ascertain that the only way Heechul could have kept his business afloat was staying gray.

Or apparently paid an exorbitant price.

Heechul sighed. "No money got exchanged, Hyukjae. And leave my face out of it. The Silver Wings came here shortly after you did, carrying with them an official document about the Skye Privateers, Inc. working in behalf of the government, for your capture." He only looked kindly at Hyukjae's suddenly blanched face.

"I don't know what issue you have with the government for them to start hiring mercs to sniff you out, but they were legally within rights to go through our logs, or ask people down at the market to find out where you could have possibly gone after. I had nothing to sell that they couldn't legally get for free. Or tip them off by hindering their search." He finally sat up after the pair had released their hold on him with that news. He huffed as he straightened his clothes, silently mourning the lock Hyukjae cut with his knife.

"You could have warned me," Hyukjae, unthinking, growled out. Everyone but him knew it was a bad idea.

"It would have sent the Silver Wings on our path sooner than they did. Or that Heenim actually knows how to contact you," Minguk quietly interjected.

Hyukjae's head was a mess. Years of hiding, and yet the government was on its way to finding him. Raiding the Madison was when Hyukjae started making mistakes, the luxury yacht apparently belonging to a high-profile official.

"If it helps, these particular mercs are not out to have you dead or alive." Heechul continued. "The way they were going about it, they'd prefer to bring in you and your crew alive."

"What's the difference?" Hyukjae growled out. If he got caught...

"Because whoever was commanding Skye and the Silver Wings let it out that you were to be secured at all costs, that they have to be a step ahead of all the other mercs apparently already hired after your head." Heechul somberly looked at the pair. 

"Consider this a gift, gentlemen - you'd better wish it's them who gets to you, and not everybody else."

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