Just a Spot of Trouble

Writers: Ainsley, Devin
Date Posted: 7th February 2009

Characters: Jerroll, Loki
Description: Despite his best efforts, Loki ends up in a bit of trouble with Jerroll.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 1, day 7 of Turn 5
Notes: Silver Sails

Loki arrived back to the Silver Sails out of breath and slipped aboard quietly. He hadn't been followed, of that he was certain, but it was just as well if Jerroll didn't know that he'd been in any trouble. Not that the First Mate wasn't very understanding of a young boy's plight in general, but Jerroll had warned him to stay clear of pet firelizards and/or their eggs. Loki had barely escaped more than one bad situation involving the alluring flits. Since becoming cabin boy nearly nine months ago, Loki's adoration for the First Mate had grown until he practically idolized the man, but this did not mean he was giving up on his dream of having his own firelizard.

When the ship was at sail, Loki worked harder than one might expect possible for a boy of not quite twelve turns. He was careful to listen sharp and follow orders. The orphan still found just enough mischief to keep life fun but he knew what lines not to cross so he got on well with the crew, the First Mate, and even the Captain. His difficulties came when he left the ship. In fact a couple months back the lad had his shore leave revoked for a time. As much as Loki loved the Silver Sails, that was not an experience he wished to repeat.

Pushing unruly black locks out of his blue eyes, the boy winced. Shards! That was going to bruise and that would have Edele fussing. Of course, he could quite likely get an extra sweet out of that, he licked his lips. Though not the underfed urchin he had once been, he still looked a good two turns younger than he was and he still used that to get the bubbly pies and other sweets he favored. Right now, though, seemed a good time to slip into one of his hiding spots and take a nap. To this end the boy moved stealthily along the deck.

"And just where have you been?"

"Ocht! Shards!" the boy swore softly. "Jest out an' about," he answered noncommittally with a shrug of his shoulders. "The Bo'sun had a delivery fer me ta make." There that was true enough, no need to mention that he'd made a stop or two after the delivery. Jerroll always seemed to know when he was out and out lying so the boy had learned that omission and stretching of the facts worked better.

Jerroll leaned against the rail. "It looked like you were sneaking. Perfectly legitimate business usually doesn't involve sneaking."

"Ah, well, I's tryin' not ta see Edele jest yet. I fell," there that would adequately explain any bumps and bruises, and once again was partially true, "An' ya know thet she kin make a big fuss over nuthin."

"Yes ..." Jerroll agreed. That might be enough to explain why Loki was nervous, but the boy also had a history of lying. "I take it your fall left a mark?"

"Uh, I don' know. Ain't looked at my eye yet," the boy answered shifting from one foot to the other and rubbing his hands together, realizing as he did so that his knuckles were bloodied as well. Though he had no qualms with deception in general his respect for the First Mate had him feeling a tad guilty.

Jerroll took a step toward him. "Why don't you let me have a look? Just to make sure it's really not worth fussing over?" An eye injury might need to be looked at by their healer.

The boy lifted his head and pulled his hair aside so Jerroll could see, feeling even more guilty at the man's concern. "It's not bad. I ah, might a got in a scrape wit 'nother fella. That's er, ah how I fell," he confessed. Fighting in of itself wasn't really a big deal.

"You got in fight?" Jerroll leaned closer to inspect the damage. "What was the fight over?"

"I 'as talkin' ta his sister about...stuff an' he got mad," Loki mumbled neglecting to tell that he'd talked the girl into taking him to the living quarters behind the shop to show him the family's prized clutch of firelizard eggs.

The First Mate's eyebrow went up. "Getting in a fight over a girl?"

"No! It weren't like thet! Nuthin' like thet!"

Jerroll smiled. "I'm sure Edele would love to hear about this girl ..."

"It weren't the girl shardit! I jest used her ta git back ta tha hearth ta see---oh nevermind!"

"Nevermind? It sounds like it was important if you got in a fight over it." Now they were getting closer to the truth.

Loki studied his feet intently as if the answer were written on the deck below them. He could keep hedging, but it didn't seem as if the First Mate was going to let this go and if Jerroll was set upon having the truth he would get it. The boy sighed heavily. "I went back ta look at firelizard eggs. Thet's wot got him riled an' thet's why we got inta tha fight."

Firelizards again. "You didn't _take_ any eggs, did you?"

A cheeky response was on the tip of Loki's tongue, but he thought better of it, and shook his head. "No, sir."

"Good. But you're still confined to the ship for the rest of our stay."

"Aw Jerroll! But I didn't actually _do_ anythin'," the boy complained.

"You got someone to take you where you weren't supposed to be, and you got into a fight with another boy." Jerroll crossed his arms. "You drew attention to yourself, _bad_ attention, and that could lead back to the Silver Sails. You know that much of what we do isn't legal, and if we get the wrong kind of attention, we could all end up in the mines."

The boy was shamefaced as he lifted forlorn blue eyes up to meet Jerroll's stern ones, "I'd never lead no one here, Jerroll. I weren't followed and I never tole anyone I was from a ship even." Jerroll and the Silver Sails were by far the best things that had ever happened to Loki and he would never intentionally put them in jeopardy.

"If someone looked for you hard enough, they could find you." Loki's forlorn expression wasn't going to soften him on this. "You need to be more careful."

"Yes, sir," Loki answered. "Jest for this stay, though?" he asked hopefully.

Jerroll studied him. "Depends on how well you behave on the ship."

Loki had to work hard not to pull a face at that. He generally did well enough while aboard the Silver Sails, but this meant he had to be on his best behavior. The boy gave a resigned nod. Then he bit his lip, "Jerroll? What if I _had_ pinched 'n egg, but didn't get caught or in a fight?"

"Then I would make you give it back."

Loki's face lost all color, "Give it back!" he almost yelled. "But, but I thot...I mean, thet is when we first met ya said if I had ta steal jest don' get caught...an', an' like ya said, what we do ain't always legal."

"Firelizards are a lot of responsibility, and I don't want any firelizards on board unless they're _very_ well trained." Jerroll explained.

Disappointment flooded through the young orphan and he folded his arms, putting on a pout fit for a five-turn-old while casting an angry glare at the First Mate. There were so many things he wanted to say right now, but none of them would fall under the category of his "best behavior" and all of them were bound to land him in even deeper trouble. Throwing a tantrum wasn't going to convince the man that he was ready for the responsibility of the coveted pet.

Last updated on the February 8th 2009

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Just a Spot of Trouble