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tentoriwrites · 7 years ago

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Hypatia

This is my contribution to the Atlas Molniya appreciation week! Ye olde pirate AU. Sorry, folks, writing an entire fic where everyone talks like a pirate in a week’s time was a bit too much for me... It’s a pirate AU so there is some shooting and mild violence, but generally no other warnings or triggers.

Before you read: Hypatia is the name of the woman often attributed with inventing the first astrolabe. Astrolabe were the bar none instruments for helping sailors navigate the oceans by using the ship’s position relative to the stars. They are often described as primordial computers. The word astrolabe roughly means, “that which captures the stars” in Greek.

Tagging: @jane-runs-fast @dear-mrs-otome @yoolee @otomelin and @frywen-babbles

Thank you for your support in writing my first Lovestruck fic! <3

“Halt!�� An imposing figure cloaked in red shouted as he spotted me dashing through the streets. Nope, nope! Not going to do it! I kept running trying to find a place to hide where there wasn’t a member of the Inquisition loitering about. My daring escape from custody was made all the more difficult by a suffocating corset and billowing skirt. Not sparing any blame on the heels of my shoes getting stuck in the cobblestones street sorely in need of repair! I mean really, if they aren’t using our tax money to fill pot holes, what are they using it on?!

My feet were taking me to the port where my brain told me I could hide on a ship until I thought of a better plan. I had almost made it when someone grabbed my arm and forced me to stop. His strong grip pushed me out of the middle of the crowded street and up against the rough brick wall.

“Turn over the device and renounce your heretic ways and you might just live.” I dragged my eyes up the expanse of polished armor to the insignia emblazoned on his chest. I could tell from how he was dressed he was a high-ranking member of the Spanish Inquisition. My hands rubbed against the rough texture of the wall behind me, the cool brick a stark contrast to the sickening heat of fear coursing through my veins.

The device in question pressed unpleasantly into my back and I fidgeted out of instinct. What better place to securely hide it than in the back of my corset where no one would find it? It sounded like a completely brilliant idea at the time. It was working well so far but If this jerk kept me pinned against the wall much longer I was going to faint, and it might just pop out!

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I’m pretty sure my voice could not have sounded any less convincing.

“Don’t play coy…” His eyes narrowed a fraction as he looked me over. “We know you have an Arabic astrolabe in your possession.” Arabic? The astrolabe I had found laying around and cleaned up was Arabic? “We have it under good authority that you have been working with the Arabs to undermine the Reconquista, the Inquisition, and all Christendom.” Well that’s news to me!

“I just found some books and tools laying around and studied them.” My voice came out on a shaky breath as my body trembled beneath his touch. I could tell from the way his grip tightened and his brow dug down he was not buying that.

“We will see how well that holds up during interrogation.” He hissed into my ear in a way that made him seem more a demon and less a man of faith. I wondered why a person of obvious belief such as himself would be so bent on my being guilty. I didn’t have much time to dwell on it as a low rumble started coming from one of the nearby streets. We both looked in the direction of the rumbling. Somehow, despite the fear singing through every fiber of my being, I managed to smile.

“It’s a Tuesday…” I remarked in relief.

“What does that have to do with…” His question was cut short by a man frantically rounding a corner nearby.

“CLEAR THE STREETS! CLEAR THE STREETS!” The man rushed by us as the rumbling intensified. It almost felt like the ground could open up at any moment and swallow us whole.

“What happens on Tuesday?!” He glared down at me and my broadening smile. I opened my mouth to answer him, but a stampede of cows rounded the corner before I could utter a single syllable. A charging bull at the front of the herd collided right into him, horns barely missing my arm. The bull took him off to parts unknown.

“Tuesday is when the cows are brought in for slaughter.” I answered smugly as I used the dust cloud for cover to slip into a narrow alley. At the end of the alley was the sea glittering in the sun brighter than the finest cut jewels. I made a break for it as fast as my ridiculous fluffy dress would allow in the cramped space.

I looked around the docks to make sure the coast was clear before venturing out of the alley. There were boats of all shapes and sizes lining the docks. Many were in some stage of being loaded or unloaded. It would certainly look suspicious if a woman wandered on to any of them. Then one caught my eye, a smaller boat, with no one milling around. It had a Greek name on the hull making me hopeful the crew would be foreigners out for a good time right now. I tried to act as casual as possible as I walked quickly over to the boat’s gangplank. A rather clumsy hop, skip, and jump later and I stumbled onto the deck.

I glanced around before making my way to the door of the cabin. I slowly turned the knob and opened it just enough to slip inside. I heaved a sigh of relief as I slid to a crouched position against the door. I made it! I really made it! Relief washed over me as I let out a sigh. That’s when I heard it, a tell-tale click. I winced as I looked up. Seems it was a bit early to be celebrating.

“Who are you and why are you on my ship?” I followed the sound of the voice to a man leaning back in a thick wooden chair, feet propped up on the heavy table. He wore sturdy black leather boots to just below the knee with black trousers tucked into them. Burnt orange leather vest peeked out from the black waist coat draping off the side of the chair and dusting the floor on either side. Faded orange embellishments drew attention to tarnished brass buttons.

He seemed aged beyond his years, flecks of grey in his dark hair betraying a younger looking face. The large coat that hung loosely over his frame obscured most of his body. For a moment I pondered what his physique was like hiding under there. Regardless, he painted a stunningly handsome picture that hit me completely off guard. That is until a cold glint in the dimly lit cabin caught my eye. He had the barrel of a gun pointed right at me.

“Well it’s a very interesting story actually…” I called back as I quickly scampered to my feet. “You see the Inquisition thinks I’m a heretic because I found this astrolabe and fixed it up… So now they want to take me in for questioning.” There is a long moment of uncomfortable silence that compelled me to continue, but he beat me to the punch.

“So, you thought you’d just meander on the first boat you found and stowaway?” He sat the gun down on the table as he spoke flatly.

“Not exactly, no… the name caught my attention. Asteri. It’s a beautiful name! Did you know Asteri means…”

“Star in Greek? Yes, I’m the one that named it.” He cut off my nervous meandering with those few short words. Now is not the time to start rambling! Now is probably the time to be leaving…

“Yes! Of course! You mentioned that… Well I just thought I’d hide out until dark when it would be easier to escape… I’ll just see myself…” Suddenly there were frantic foot falls from outside and Atlas rose wordlessly to his feet. “Out?” He crossed the room quickly, grabbing me by both arms and lifting me out of the way of the door.

“ATLAS!” At precisely the same time a man yelled, and the door flew open. “Time to go…?”

“You heard the Captain, off you go.” The man, I presume was named Atlas, gave me a pointed look as he gestured out the door with a tilt of his head.

“Why is she even here?” The captain asked as he walked out behind Atlas.

“Stowing away.” Atlas’s voice had all the compassion of an executioner.

“I guess today’s her lucky day seeing as I already pulled in the plank and Nova is already hauling anchor.” Another man wearing red chimed in merrily as he shot the three of us a dashing smile. The tramping of hooves and clinking of metal on stone filled the air as Inquisition knights drew down on the ship.

“He’s right we’ll have to take her with us to the next port.” The captain conceded causing Atlas to mutter a string of obscenities the likes of which I had never heard before. Success! Way out of town secured! A bullet whizzed past my head killing yet another short-lived moment of happiness.

“Well there you have it! Miss, if you would kindly just wait in the cabin.” The man in red motioned to the door behind me. I gaped at him as he pushed me out of the way. Not one among them seemed the least bit bothered about being shot at.

“Why is the Inquisition shooting at us anyways.” The captain posed the question as he moved to release the sails. They aren’t shooting at you! They’re shooting at me! I looked on in abject horror as they were caught in the middle between the Inquisition and I. Bullets embedding themselves in the worn wooden deck as the crew rushed to get the ship moving.

“Ask the stowaway!” Thanks, Atlas. Way to make me feel even better about this being all my fault. Just as another round of shot careened towards the ship, I saw him, the Inquisition knight from before. He was looking down at me smugly from atop his horse. The fact that he could look so smug while wearing dented armor somehow made him even more infuriating to look at. The volley threw up a cloud of smoke obscuring his face temporarily.

“Prepare to board the ship!” The knight commanded with a sneer.

“Now! While they’re reloading!” The captain yelled as he and the man in red unfurled the sails. A woman in purple gunned down the knights trying to lower a plank onto the ship with startling accuracy. The boat lurched forward at a pace that would make a snail look like the bull runner I saw earlier. Thankfully, it quickly picked up speed as we neared the entrance to the harbor. I leaned over the railing as we cleared the sea wall, watching the city start to fade behind us. Soon even the coast itself seemed small.

“I think you owe us an explanation.” The captain said pulling me back on to the deck with the sound of his stern voice. “But first I suppose we should introduce ourselves.” He added as he motioned for us to convene at the wheel with Atlas. He introduced himself and the crew. They were bounty hunters, it would seem, and they had only been in town to cash in on their latest mission when the Inquisition attacked them.

They were all looking at me now with questioning eyes. All except Atlas, he looked like he wanted to chuck me over the railing. Joke’s on him because I can’t swim! So, that would actually be a perfect way to get rid of me… Who’s brilliant idea was it to hide on a boat when they can’t swim? Oh yeah, mine… Focus brain!

“I found this old astrolabe and book full of calculations from it. I fixed it up and started studying the calculations.” I started my explanation while trying to wrest the astrolabe from my corset. The other woman on the ship, Nova, seemingly sensing my distress walked up behind me and untied the strings.

“You hid the thing in your dress?” Orion, the captain, looked at me skeptically.

“A corset is a very secure place to keep valuables.” Nova answered for me as she loosened the strings. Thank you! I couldn’t help the smug little smile that tugged on my lips. “Something flat would be better kept in one than an astrolabe though.” And there’s goes my happy little moment… again…

Once the device had been freed, she handed it to Orion, much to my apprehension. I fretted anxiously at the strings of my corset as he looked it over before handing it back to me. “Looks ordinary enough to me.” I felt myself pouting a little at his underestimation of my little treasure.

“May I?” Atlas had one hand stretched out towards me.

“Um… sure…” I slowly reached the device out and gingerly sat it in his hand. My fingertips lingered on it a moment longer than I meant to before pulling my hand away. He looked the device over carefully, a small smile on his lips for the briefest moment.

“Not a bad restoration. Definitely, Arabic.” He flipped it over and his eyes narrowed as he ran his fingers over the back.

“The inscription was there when I found it. I put the stain on it to try to enhance it and make it easier to read.”

“Had much luck with it?” Atlas wondered flatly as he flipped the astrolabe over again.

“The notes and calculations I found with it suggest the inscription is directions to a destination the astrolabe was made to lead someone to. But I wasn’t able to figure out what before I had to make my escape.” I explained as my shoulders slumped with regret.

“Don’t suppose it’s buried treasure or anything, do ya?” Jaxon, the man in red, commented playful with an amused grin.

“Whatever it is, the Inquisition wants it, which means we do not.” Atlas answered handing me the device again. Despite Nova’s earlier admonishment, I stuffed it back in the front of my corset for safe keeping. Nova suddenly gave the wheel a hard yank and the whole boat yawed. A moment later, a cannonball sailed through the air landing in the water with a splash. I looked at Nova flabbergasted.

“Nova’s what you’d call… a clairvoyant… sort of.” Jaxon explained with an easy smile.

I glanced behind us and realized the ships pursuing us were Inquisition vessels. These guys just don’t know when to give up! Just when I thought I’d lost them, they creep back up when I’m least expecting them! I looked over the deck watching the crew members scurry around to man the few guns the small, nimble vessel had. Atlas at the wheel expertly dodged the cannon fire. There I was, perfectly useless trembling in fear.

Think, think, think! This is my fault! There has to be something I can do to help. West. We’re traveling west. I took stock of our position to the coast. I looked up at the sky to figure out the time. Low tide. PERFECT! “Atlas! About face!”

“Oh yes! Let’s just drive right in to the arms of the people shooting at us!” He bit back as an irritated glare painted itself on his face. “How about you just sit down and leave the privateering to the professionals, Princess.”

Clearly, he’s not going to listen to me. Time to take matters into my own hands. Literally. I grabbed the wheel and gave it a hard yank. The whole boat whipped around violently bringing Atlas face to face with my plan.

“That sea cave loops around and comes out down the coast to the east. They would be expecting the Asteri to continue its heading west! It’s big enough for a vessel this size but not a boat the big!” I pointed to the coast and he quickly caught on. “I am fairly certain you can get us there.”

“You’re crazy.” He started to turn the boat back around.

“Atlas, we might be able to lose them on the open water for a while, but they’ll catch us again. We need to find a friendly port and get a plan together.” Chagrin clear on his face, Atlas made for the cave after Orion voiced his approval for my plan. I watched with bated breath as Atlas turned the ship around and started to head straight for the flagship.

“Atlas… The cave’s over there.” He didn’t seem to hear me, just kept our course steadfastly locked on a collision with the other ship. “Atlas…” I could see people on the ship rushing about to point their guns forward. “Atlas…” My voice was a little more desperate this time.

“Look, kid. I’m not about to hand you over to the Inquisition that easily. If they want you that badly they’re going to have to sink this ship first! And I’m not about to let them do that!” I crouched down and hugged a railing as I braced for impact. At the last second, just before the guns were primed to fire, he swerved out of the way. I watched that terrible knight fly by as the sound of cannons being turned filled the air. The smug look on his face faded once again, watching it fall deeply satisfying despite my precarious position.

“You did that on purpose…” I muttered looking up at Atlas in awe. He deliberately picked that path, so they’d have to adjust their guns before firing at us. This guy was good… Really good…

“Hey, do your hands work?” He shot me an irritated glance.

“Y…yes?” My voice trembled uncontrollably as I spoke.

“Good, light some lanterns and stick them at the front of the ship!” I looked at him confused for a moment too long and his glare sharpened. “I could drive the Asteri through a pinhole with my eyes closed, but that doesn’t mean I want to!”

“Oh! OH!” I jumped to my feet and scurried around moving all the lanterns. Caverns are dark… He needs to be able to see… Once I had all the lanterns lit I waddled back up to the wheel. I watched Atlas drive the ship with strong, steady arms into the cavern. True to my word, the Asteri just fit. He made the whole affair look effortless, almost as if it bored him. He was one of the most amazing helmsmen I had ever seen. My idle staring was cut short by Orion approaching us. Jaxon and Nova were close behind.

“What port does this come out near? The city we left from?” I nodded slowly.

“There’s another cave system on the eastern side of the city slightly larger than this one. We can use it to obscure our movements.”

“We?” Atlas barked causing me to jump slightly.

“You’re not a seasoned sailor. Not to mention we don’t want anything to do with your troubles with the Inquisition. We’re dropping you off at the next port.” With that he started to walk away.

“Wait!” He stopped and turned to look at me. Okay… We’re waiting… What are we waiting for exactly? CRAP! I should have thought of something first.

“What?” Now even Orion looked a bit miffed.

“It’s an astrolabe so it probably relates to something in the stars. That means this whole thing is just one big misunderstanding! I need to clear my name, so the Inquisition leaves me alone!” I explained quickly as I looked around the ship. “If you can take me to the College of Cardinals I can plead my case!”

“You want us to take you to Rome?” Orion asked skeptically. “Rome is nowhere near our next job.” I tried not to let them see how crestfallen I was. Come on! Think! These are bounty hunters and mercenaries! There must be something I can do to convince them.

“My Father was the leader of a shipbuilding guild!” I blurted out suddenly. They all turned their attention back to me. Save for Atlas who was steering the ship idly with one foot better than I imagined most people could do with both hands. “I may not look it,” I continued on apprehensively, but I know my way around a boat. I can build the, fix them, design them. Plus I’m well-versed in map reading, navigation. I know the coastal topography of most of the northern Mediterranean.” YES! SELL YOURSELF! Wait… that makes me sound like… NOT THE TIME! Focus!

“What are you suggesting exactly?” Orion looked intrigued and I felt relieved.

“If you take me to Rome I’ll act as your navigator and ship maintenance person for… Five years!” That’s a good number, right?”

“We don’t need a navigator or a ship maintenance person.” Atlas grumbled.

“There is a job in Greece. You have until then to prove your worth. If you’re pulling your weight, we’ll evaluate a trip to Rome.” Orion answered definitely. From nearby Atlas was string obscenities together under his breath again.

Once we were out of the caverns, Nova took over for Atlas. It was a beautiful crimson twilight outside and the stars would be out soon. “Oh um…” Atlas stopped his descent down the stairs and turned to look at me incredulously. “Where exactly will I be staying?” Atlas rolled his eyes and motioned for me to follow him. He led me down the hatch into the hold. I looked around confused as he approached one of the cargo nets.

“Aren’t the crew’s quarters usually in the forecastle?” You know… under the elevated deck at the front of the ship?

“There’s no more rooms up there so you’re sleeping down here.” He offered a curt explanation before turning to leave.

“It’s getting a little cold in here, don’t you think?” Though I said as much, I hardly expected more than the sigh I received. I’m not sure how much time had gone by as I took off my shoes and settled drop in the rope hammock. I had started staring idly out a nearby port hole completely wallowing in self-pity when something heavy and course plunked down on my head.

“Anything else, Princess?” I could already hear the heavy plunk of his boots on the wood floor before I said a word.

“Thank you!” I called out to his retreating form. As the events of the day raced through my head, they all kept circling back to that completely unreadable man. On the one hand, it felt like he could not be any more inconvenienced by my presence on his ship. On the other hand, it seemed almost as if he might actually care about my plight. Whatever the case may be, I would have plenty of time to get to know him better even if I only made it as far as Greece.

Save for a nocturnal visitation from something I’m told is a capybara named Comet, an unspeakably large rodent the crew picked up in South America at some point, the days that followed were pretty laid back. Thankfully, I had managed to escape detention with a spare change of clothes more fitting for life on a ship. Boots and pants were certainly were easier to move around in, but I still wore the corset so I could keep the astrolabe close at hand. I spent most of my free time when I wasn't navigating trying to decipher the inscription.

I started to fit myself into life on the Asteri. Fixing broken ropes, mending sails, patching holes in the planks by day. At night I would calculate our course by the stars. Atlas was usually on the quarter deck, lounging by the wheel. I seriously wondered if he ever slept. Every night he would be drinking a dark liquor from the galley while his eyes seemed to focus on something intangible. I always wondered what it was he was looking at, but never worked up the courage to pry.

Sometimes I would make the excuse that I was having trouble with a calculation to drum up a conversation with him. He was not much of a conversationalist. Prying information out of him was like pulling a rusty nail out of a pitch-soaked board. Hard, messy work. I had the feeling though, as with the nail, eventually all the hard work would pay off.

Still, no matter what I said or how I said it, he always seemed to have a sarcastic retort to put an end to the conversation. I gathered from how the other members of the crew approached him this was just his way. That didn't stop me from wondering if he'd ever open up to me like he did them.

I had picked up bits and pieces from conversations with the crew. Atlas had once been affiliated with the Knights of Saint John. The Knights of Saint John were basically the seafaring arm of the Catholic church. The Order's primary goal was to combat the pillaging of Christian vessels and lands by the North African Barbary corsairs who were Muslim. It seemed like a pretty admirable thing to do seeing as the Barbary corsairs and been pillaging the coasts of several Christian nations including my own. Something must have happened while he served for them that didn't sit well with him. I had no idea what it could be though. Tonight felt like a good night to try a different approach.

“Atlas...” I hummed out the name idly as I took stock of our position. He didn't look at me which was fine. I was really just trying to fill the silence with something besides the lonely lapping of water against the hull. “That's a very strong name. In mythology Atlas was the being that held the whole sky on his shoulders. That's quite the burden to bare alone...”

“It's the name I was born with. Don't go getting all philosophical on me.” He huffed before taking a swig of his drink right from the bottle. Well that didn't work quite the way I had hoped.

“I'm just trying to get to know you better as a member of the crew.”

“When you're a member of the crew, maybe I'll tell you about the time I found a stowaway in the cabin.” My face instantly twisted into a pout. I had been excited thinking I was going to at least get an inkling of something else about him only to have that excitement dashed like a ship of the rocks of a foreign coast. My dashed hopes and dreams seemed to be a recurring theme on the Asteri. I looked over at him when he sighed.

“One question. Can't guarantee I'll answer it though.” YES! I did a happy little jig and he let out an even more exasperated sigh. I quickly settled myself and tried to think of a question that would give me a bit of insight into the man without being so probing he wouldn't answer.

“Why did you name your ship the Asteri?” That's pretty good right? The name of a ship is usually meaningful in some way, but still not prodding too much? I hope? Atlas's reaction was not encouraging though. He sat up straight before knocking the bottle back and taking the last of the liquid in a few hard swallows. Then he corked the bottle. With one smooth swipe of his hand he wiped the residue from his lips. Damn if he wasn't even more attractive in the moonlight. But the moonlight seemed to give his features a melancholy look.

“There's nothing up there among the stars.” He started to explain as his face tilted up to the sky. “No people, no religions, no wars. Just stars.” There was an unmistakable sadness that passed over his face for a blink and you'd miss it moment. “That's what the Asteri is meant to be. A place where none of the things that divide people exist.”

“That's... a beautiful sentiment.”

“Only if you believe religion divides people more than it brings them together.” I didn't know how to respond to him. I certainly had my own thoughts on religion. Clearly now was not the time or place to discuss them with him.

“How's our heading looking?” He asked looking down at me as he got to his feet.

“Good... It looks good. We'll be in Greece before week's end if the weather holds.” I answered absently, mind still on the last subject.

“Good. Get some rest, kid.” With that, he disappeared down the stairs and towards the forecastle.

After a few weeks at sea, I had just about figured out the inscription when we put into dry dock in Greece to make repairs to the ship and resupply while Orion, Jaxon, and Nova hunted down the bounty.

It was kind of odd working in silence next to Atlas prying rotten planks away from the hull and replacing them with new. Well let me rephrase that, Atlas pried all the planks off with those well-sculpted arms of his. I just enjoyed the show until he asked for a new one. We had just finished sealing the repairs with pitch when a commotion pulled our attention to the city.

“Get on the ship...” Atlas commanded giving me a shove towards the rope ladder. It didn't take long before the dry dock was overran by armed men. I spared a glance over my shoulder as I reached for the ladder. Atlas was huddled behind the pile of rotten planks. Despite the fact he could reload and fire his gun a lot faster than the men shooting at us, he was still hopelessly outnumbered. As one man tried to flank him, I decided to do something truly stupid.

“ATLAS! Look out!” I screeched as I barreled towards him brandishing the hammer. One good conk and he was out cold on the ground.

“Nice hit, Kid. Now get over here!” With one solid yank I was behind the pile, though positioned squarely on Atlas's broad, strong chest. Now is definitely not the time to be appreciating his physique! I quickly rolled off him and made myself as small as possible while he shot over me.

“Who are these guys anyways?! They're not from the Inquisition!” I screeched as I held my ears.

“Might as well be! They’re Knights of saint John! The seaborne equivalent of the Inquisition. “

“But why are they shooting at us?! We aren't Muslims!”

“You think they care about stuff like that? Half their boats are manned by Christian convicts forced into servitude as their sentence!” Just as Atlas fired his last shot, and things were looking hopeless, one of the Asteri's cannons fired knocking most of the remaining Knights into the air.

“You're late!” Atlas yelled as he rolled over on his back and stared up at the ship.

“Better late than never!” Jaxon yelled back as he removed his hat and gave us a dramatic bow.

“Get on the ship. And stay on it this time.” Atlas gave me another firm shove and I took off running for the ladder again. Atlas on the other hand went running for the gate holding the water out of the dry dock. He quickly cranked the doors open as Nova manned the helm. I was barely able to out climb the rising water on the shifting, unstable ladder. When my feet finally found the deck again, my eyes searched for Atlas. At last, I saw him standing on the end of the seawall.

“He's not... Is he?” I wondered aloud, a question answered by him backing up a few steps and getting a runny go. Then he jumped landing on one of the rope ladders into the rigging. I let out an unsteady breath, though I'm not sure why I had been so anxious in the first place.

“I’m getting too old for this!” He grumbled as he tossed and turned until he was off the ladder. “Why are the Knights of Saint John after us?” He sighed as he trudged to the wheel, relieving Nova.

“It appears the Asteri and all its crew were branded as Muslims and members of the Barbary corsairs. There were wanted posters for us in town.” Nova explained the situation in a straightforward, level tone. The calmness of her voice did nothing to keep my heart from sinking into my stomach. The crew looked to me and I fidgeted with the astrolabe in my corset nervously.

“Do you have any idea what that thing is supposed to lead to?” Orion pressed me with a stern look.

“The inscription is coded, and I haven't been able to crack the code. I was able to figure out who made it and where he worked out of though. If I can get there I might be able to find a copy of the cipher.”

“Where?”

“Rhodes.” I answered excitedly. Atlas's normal scowl became even more irritated.

“Absolutely not!”

“It's not really that far from here! If we can figure out exactly what this astrolabe is for it will help clear all our names!” I pressed the issue, but Atlas wasn't budging.

“Rhodes is where the Knights of Saint John operate out of.” Atlas’s voice spoke volumes more than his words ever could.

“If nothing else we can use it as leverage to get what we need to get out of the Mediterranean until things die down.” Orion sighed. Atlas looked beyond done with the whole situation. “Do you know exactly where to go once we get there?”

“The town Archangelos on the eastern side.” Atlas heaved out another sigh when I said this.

“As long as you’re in and out quickly and avoid the castle it should be fine.” He was already moving to change our course. With Orion’s approval, I headed down to the cabin to plot our course. Anxiety played at my nerves as I charted our course. Atlas was a former Knight of Saint John, so he knew the island well. He wouldn’t have agreed so readily if he thought it would be extremely dangerous to go. His judgment had been sound so far and I was going to trust it when it came to this.

To be continued...

I’m just going to apologize now for the level of History nerdom that went into this. I tried to explain all the references as they appear, but if you have any questions or want more information on something, please feel free to ask.

I also apologize for the characterization being off. Atlas is not the type of character I normally write well, so I was trying to challenge myself. I will work on improving it as I finish the rest of this.

Thank you to the organizers of this event, to Voltage and the Lovestruck app developers, and everyone that went into creating the source material!

#lovestruck #starship promise #atlas molniya #atlas week #atlas appreciation week #pirate au #fanfic #fanfiction

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pocket-size-gay · 8 years ago

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Asteri Tale Chapter 21 Libra part 2

Here’s part 2 of http://hisumim.tumblr.com/post/157644473304/asteri-tale-chapter-21-libra-part-1

Everyone returned to class as usual. As Yamaguchi sensei's class dragged on, Kelly observed Alex, this time with a purpose other than to satisfy her curiosity. He still seemed on cloud nine about what ever conversation he was having over text. "Who could he be talking to?" Kelly yawned as the class came to an end. Most of the student cleared out of the room. Alex lagged behind the crowd as he drifted along. Kelly quickly grabbed her bag and jogged up to him. "Hey, Murasa san." she called out to him casually. "No one is around why not give it a go?" he jumped a little and turned to her. "What do you want Dunley san?" his face was flushed a bit as he scowled. "Don't you have friends to talk to?" "They are always so loud..." Kelly sighed. It wasn't a lie. "Ha, you think so too, huh?" Alex laughed a little then grimaced, returning to his scowl. He averted his gaze and hastened his pace. "You probably shouldn't be seen talking to me." he said bitterly. "Uh, why is that?" Kelly cocked her head to the side. "Oh, they haven't told you yet? Poor thing." Alex gave a devious giggle. "I've done awful things to people like you." "Surely you had your reasons." Kelly shrugged. "I have got to get him to let his guard down around me if I am to get anything out of him." "Naturally! You hooligans think that rules don't apply to you!" Alex scoffed. "If I'm to keep order, I must resort to extreme measures, set an example." "Controlling the masses with fear, hmm." Kelly pressed her fingertips to her lips. "Does it work?" Alex gave a devilish grin. "Have you witnessed any transgressions being committed?" he asked and turned his head to the side, giving her an arrogant look. "Hm, no." Kelly thought over the passes two weeks. "The really picked the right guy for the job then." "There's no need for flattery Dunley san." Alex barked back. "Enough of this, what do you really want?" he sighed and sped up, trying to distance himself from her. "You seem lonely, always by yourself." Kelly shrugged. "I thought you could use a friend." Alex abruptly stopped and whipped around to face her. "Cut the crap!" he bared his teeth to hide his embarrassment. "What could you possibly see in someone like me...?" he hissed softly. "The company you keep leaves a lasting impression, right?" Kelly played to Alex's devotion to the rules. "Those delinquents are troublesome, I would hate to have them tarnish my reputation before I have the chance to make a name for myself here." she spoke in a suave tone. Alex burst out laughing. Kelly frowned at his unexpected reaction. "My, this isn't going as well as I planned." "You're barking up the wrong tree, kid!" Alex sighed as his laughter calmed. "You being seen with me will only make everyone hate you more, I guarantee it!" Kelly pursed her lips together, displeased with his response. "Unlike the others I don't buy your 'tough guy' act one bit!" she looked to Alex with a cunning expression. "There is more to you than meets the eye and I am going to figure it out!" Alex gasped and turned away, his face flushed a deep shade of red. "Just a little more..." "Wh-what are you going on about?!" Alex started walking at a quick pace towards the gym. "Are you really that stupid?!" he reached for the door when Kelly grabbed his sleeve. "Then who have you been so preoccupied with this week?" Kelly slid between the door and him. "Everyone has seen you glued to your phone!" Alex's jaw dropped as he stared back in mortification. "I-I...it's for work!" Alex roared. "I used my phone to communicate as part of my job!" he wasn't lying, he did use it in some situations, but this was clearly unrelated. "M-mind your own damn business, Dunley!" "I don't buy it...I will find out what you are holding back." Kelly pushed back on the door, allowing Alex into the gym. "Even if I have to stick to you for the rest of the year!" she declared deviously. "There too." she gestured to the locker rooms. "W-WH-WHAT?!" Alex's entire body stiffened. "F-f-follow me into the locker rooms and-and I'll have you expelled!" he wrapped his arms around himself in shame, his face returned to its previous shade of red. "Fine, fine!" Kelly waved and laughed as she walked into the girls' locker room. Alex brooded, embarrassed by Kelly's bold declaration before walking into the boys' locker room. Mira ran up to Kelly as she started changing. "Sooooo? how'd it go?" she wiggled around excitedly. Jem and Mini looked to Anya dubiously. "Huh?" Mini raised one eyebrow. "What's that about?" Jem pointed. "I wasn't supposed to tell you, but Skai is having Dunley san talk to Murasa." Anya sighed and twirled a strand of hair around her finger, feeling guilty. "Whaa? Why her?" Mini pouted. "Cause you guys have already been revealed and knowing you, you'd pick a fight with him instead!" Anya laughed unenthusiastically. "We saw how well that went when Saveli tried that..." Kelly groaned. The twins sulked. Once everyone had finished changing, the group left for the gym. The twins ran over to Skai, whining. "No fair, Noriko!" Jem poked his arm. "Why couldn't we do it?" Mini growled while frowning. Skai narrowed his eyes to a scowl then turned to Kelly. "Anything?" he adjusted his glasses as he looked her over. "You look unharmed." "Nothing yet, but I think I am on to something." she smirked and turned to the locked room doors as Alex walked out with Arlin. "Well, I'm off." she walked away from the group. The twins glowered at Skai and whined. "We would have gotten something already!" Jem sneered. "No! The last encounter two you had with Murasa ended badly, you were both injured!" Skai paused, his expression turned dark. "It was all my fault, I won't allow a repeat of that to occur." the girls rubbed their arms anxiously. "He blames himself for that?" Alex pulled Arlin along to the far side of the gym bleachers. Kelly inconspicuously leaned on them a fair distance away to listen in on the boys. "A-about yesterday...Arlin what were you thinking?" Alex started of hesitantly. Arlin scoffed. "There was no reason to sabotage that clone, you could have killed them!" Alex hissed, trying to keep his voice down. "I'm disappointed it didn't, we'd have fewer obstacles to take care of!" Arlin growled in frustration. "Look! I know exactly how you feel, but killing is never the answer!" Alex paused, taking in a deep breath. "Once we hand over Sharpe to our master none of them will matter anymore!" Arlin eyed Alex skeptically. Kelly peered around the edge of the bleachers to see what they were doing. Arlin turned and started walking away. "You've grown soft, Alex. I don't know what's gotten into you lately, but you need to wake up to the reality of our circumstance!" he let out a deep sigh and grit his teeth together. "Things don't always work out so perfectly, I thought you of all people would understand that!" Arlin barked back then stormed off. "Well, this can't be good..." Kelly stuck to the side to avoid Arlin's line of sight as he passed. Alex hung his head. "What HAS gotten into me lately?" he reiterated Arlin's harsh remarks to himself as a question. "Pfft, not like I ever approved of killing people in the first place..." Kelly glanced back at Alex, who pulled out his phone. She silently observed him until he frowned again, his phone seemed to be ringing. "A call, now?" Kelly feigned ignorance and approached him cautiously. "Are you going to answer that?" she asked coyly. Alex raised his eyes to meet hers. "Well I don't really have a choice now, do it?" he groaned to himself and accepted the call, putting his phone to his ear. "Yes?" There was the faint sound of an older male voice on the other end of the call. The voice was dark and a little raspy with a foreign tinge to it. Alex's already distraught mood grew more troubled by the topic of the call. "I understand, we won't fail you." he asserted but his face twisted in disgust. The other person on the phone gave a sharp laugh and continued talking. Alex's eyes drifted to Kelly. "If that's what you wish, consider it done." There was more from the other end then Alex said, "I'll be there as soon as class lets out." and ended the call. Kelly watched him inquisitively as if asking for an explanation with her eyes rather than with words. Alex rolled his eyes at her. "Will you just give up already? I'm under no obligation to explain myself to you." "You didn't seem too happy about that call just now, did something happen?" Kelly gave a quiet laugh. Alex gasped. "T-that's none of your business!" Alex averted his eyes shamefully. He wasn't just going to come out and admit to being involved in Aren and Tori getting injured the day before. "You don't actually like putting on this 'tough guy' act do you?" Kelly smirked. Alex growled and tried to rush passed Kelly into the open area of the gym, when his phone went off again. "GOD DAMNIT! What does 'he' want now?" Alex shuddered as he looked to his phone with a pained expression. After a moment his face relaxed. Kelly grinned as she looked over at the message displayed on the screen ["Sorry we couldn't hang out yesterday, clean up ran late again. You good for today after school?"] Kelly giggled deviously. "Who is that?" she said playfully and leaned in close to his face. "M-m-mind your own damn business!" Alex bared his fangs as his face flushed red. He pulled back and shoved his phone in his pocket without replying. "No one is supposed to like me! Just leave me alone!" he fought to remain composed and ran away. Kelly chuckled to herself and headed back to Skai. "What did you do to him?" Jem clapped her hands as Kelly approached. "He looked like he was gonna cry!" Mini howled and began laughing. Anya giggled softly, amused by their amazement. "Nothing really..." She smiled innocently "That was all his doing." "So?" Skai crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently. "There's more happening then he's letting on BUT it sounded like someone else is calling the shots. Murasa is just the messenger." Kelly gave her summary of what she had witnessed. Skai closed his eyes pensively and adjusted his glasses while remaining silent. Jem and Mini slumped over dissatisfied at the idea of some higher power, stronger than even Alex. "This sucks." Jem sulked. "Yeah." Mini agreed. "Is there more? You seem like you have more to say." Skai opened his eyes and assessed Kelly. "Hm, pretty observant, Noriko san." Kelly grinned. Everyone perked up, paying close attention to her while faking participation. "It sounded like he was making plans to meet up with their boss after class today." "Wha? How did you find that out?!" Mini gaped. "SHH!" Skai shushed her and looked around making sure they hadn't drawn unwanted attention. "I overheard him on the phone, after him and Akseli had their fight." Kelly stopped herself and decided to leave her personal opinions out. "We should have someone tail him and find out what we are really dealing with." "But who? If they get caught, they'd have Murasa to deal with!" Anya voiced her concerns. "Then they can't get caught, it's that simple." Skai scanned the room for their other companions. "Imani san and Evaline san are out for sure. There is no way to inform them in time, since they don't have our contact information yet." "So one of us here?" Jem cocked her head to the side. "Not you!" Skai barked before either of the twins volunteered themselves. "Someone quiet yet capable, hmm?" Anya hummed to herself. "I don't like this..." The group simultaneously locked eyes on Sai and Tori together with Syrus. "Arata!" Mini cheered and dashed off. "H-hey! Don't leave me!" Jem followed. Skai rolled his eyes and walked after them with Anya and Kelly in tow. Syrus groaned once he noticed the girls sprinting at him. "Arata! Arata!" they cheered in unison. "Hm?" Sai eyed them curiously. The others caught up to them shortly after. Skai glared at the girls for the unnecessary outburst. "No need to worry Noriko, everyone expects it from them by now." Sai said flatly and motioned around to the masses of students, none of which even turned to look at the chaos Jem and Mini caused. "Thanks?" Jem said questioningly. "That wasn't a compliment." Skai chuckled to himself as they flailed around. "What do you need?" Tori interjected. Anya ruffled her hair, hesitant to speak up. "We have something for you to do, that is if you don't have plans for today." Kelly gave Anya a conceited grin. "Hm..." Sai looked over to her vacantly. Skai explained everything they had come up with and the proposed pursuit of Alex. "B-but Sai! You can't..." Tori objected. "You are hurt, we can't ask you to go!" Skai averted his eyes contritely. "I'll be fine, Tori." Sai patted him on the head. "If we figure out what they intend to do, we will be one step ahead of them before they strike." "Don't do anything needlessly dangerous, Arata san." Skai gazed at her nervously. "I don't wish to see more of my friends get hurt." "I'm perceptive enough to avoid conflict, I can do it." Sai asserted and nodded to Tori and Skai. Syrus and Sai shared a look in silence, then split up at the locker rooms. The girls changed quickly into their regular uniforms and readied to leave. Sai observed Kelly dubiously. "Can she tell that I left things out?" Arlin and Alex left the locker room together. The group watched as the two parted ways. Sai silently exchanged gestures with everyone and left with Tori as usual, making sure to stay out of sight. "I guess we'll just have to wait and hear about it tomorrow." Anya straightened her posture. Kelly shrugged then the boys came out of their side. Kid dragged Skai and Syrus over to the girls. "Awww! Where's Arata?" he pouted. "They had to get home early." Jem smiled fakely. "It is about to rain..." Skai announced and pointed towards the windows, darkened by the cloudy sky. "Let's not linger here." "Well then, I'm off..." Syrus swung his bag around onto his back and turned to leave. "Gotta pick up my sister." Kelly averted her eyes regretfully. "I really should apologize..." Everyone went their separate ways to go home. Nicholas patiently waited for Kelly out front. She quickly got in and they drove off. A few minutes into their trip, rain began to fall from the sky. "Huh, I can't believe he was right..." Kelly sighed to herself in slight amazement. Nicholas smiled as he soothing sound of the rain mixed with the hum of the engine. Awhile later, Kelly jolted up in her seat as she was about to doze off. A fair distance away, a person walked dejectedly in the rain. "That can't be...?” she sat up to get a better look. "Nicholas, go pick him up!" she leaned into the front seat to point at the kid. "Yes, ma'am." he answered dutifully. As they approached the person, he turned to look at the oncoming car, his long, wet hair clung to his drenched jacket. Kelly rolled down her window as the car slowly crept along keeping to his pace. "Hey, Kanamura! Get in!" Kelly poked her head out the window. "Tsk...I'll pass." Syrus grumbled and walked faster. "You are going to catch a cold, just get in!" Kelly barked back growing mildly annoyed with Syrus's obstinance. "We will take you to your house." "Leave me alone, would you?" he rolled his eyes exasperatedly. "Look, I want to talk...I have nothing planned today, so just get in already before I follow you to your house!" Kelly asserted. Syrus frowned and dropped his shoulders in defeat. "Fine..." he came to a stop and Kelly opened the door, handing him a towel as he stepped in. Nicholas looked back to Syrus. He gave directions by pointing and the car began to move again. "What happened to picking your sister up?" Kelly scanned the surrounding area, no one else was around. "Got a ride with a friend, still had to drop off the numbers for Imani and Evaline..." he wrung his ponytail out with the towel and placed it under himself. "Is that really all you threatened to stalk me for?" "W-what! No!" Kelly griped. "I wanted to properly apologize for our 'misunderstanding'." "Rather eloquent way of saying 'When you called me a creep'." Syrus crossed his arms and legs then glanced out the window. "Well...yeah, I was taken aback by the rather blunt way you approached me, I guess it was a force of habit. Sorry." Kelly looked over to Syrus, who was completely uninterested. "So you're rude to everyone who talks to you like that? Hardly a reasonable reaction." he grumbled. "I...yes, well I admit I was wrong, so stop avoiding me!" As Kelly spoke, Nicholas put up the screen between the front and back seats. "I'm like that with everyone, there's nothing special about you..." Syrus said coldly. "We are going to have to work together in the future, you could at least try to be more agreeable!" Kelly shifted, turning her body towards him. "Agreeable?!" Syrus whipped around to look at her. "If its business, I do my part, outside of that I have no obligation to fraternize with anyone!" Syrus glared at her. "You clearly have the wrong idea about our 'relationship'!" "Excuse you?!" Kelly growled. The car had passed into a fairly quaint residential area. The screen slid back down. "Which way is your house, sir?" Nicholas looked back to Syrus, breaking the tension. "Take a left here." he huffed. Nicholas followed Syrus's guidance as Kelly stewed in anger. "How dare he speak to me in such a way!" Syrus went back to watching the scenery as they sat in silence. As they reached another intersection, Syrus hailed to Nicholas. "Here." he gestured to the street beside them. "I'll walk from here." Kelly narrowed her eyes at Syrus. "No...we will drop you off properly!" she insisted in aggravation. Syrus opened the door anyway. "The rain has lightened up considerably, its fine!" he bowed his head to Nicholas. "Thank you for taking care of me." then stepped out of the car and started walking away. "Well, Miss Kelly?" Nicholas turned to the exceedingly dissatisfied Kelly. "Go home, I will call you when I need you." she ordered and stepped out of the car. Nicholas sighed to himself and drove off. "What do you have to hide, Kanamura?" Kelly followed behind him, careful not to be spotted. Syrus traversed a series of side streets then changed course. "Geez, he sure doesn't want me to find where he lives." Kelly crossed over the ditch, after letting Syrus pull ahead some. Once she made it through to the next street, she stopped. Syrus walked up to the front door of a decently large two story house. "T-that's surprising." He fiddled at the door for a moment, then it opened. Syrus gave a quick look around before walking in and closing the door behind him. "From the way he acts, I would have never expected him to line in such a nice house." His house was the largest one on the street. Kelly watch from across the street for some time before turning and walking away.

#Asteri Tale #original content #original story #original characters #chapter 21 #part 2

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