Starcutter - 6. Chapter 6

Gabe was angry. More than that, he was upset and worried, and all of it because of one messed up person. When he had returned to his rooms, he found Ryle huddled under the bed, this time holding something any other master would have him flogged for thinking about touching. He held one of Gabe's knives. “I hope that's not for me,” Gabe said with a bit of a joke.

“Gabriel!” Ryle dropped the knife and darted from under the bed. “I am so sorry for touching your property. My fears are no reason to...”

“Slow down. Why were you afraid?”

“The loud person tried to get in again.” Gabe's eyes narrowed dangerously. “I am weak and a pitiful creature.” Ryle's words sounded more like he was saying a script.

How often had he said these words, Gabe asked inwardly. He smiled and slowly raised his hand, Ryle flinching and breathing rapidly. His breath caught when Gabe placed his hand atop his head. “Hey, I'm here now. You are not weak or pitiful. You might want to lay off the knives, I can't protect you from that law, but if someone backs you into a corner...ever...scratch the hell out of them and then run and find me or Meg.”

Ryle's expression changed to one of wonder. “You're...not mad?”

“Not at you. Ryle, you're trapped in here. I know that. You shouldn't be harassed in here. It's supposed to be safe. Now, dry your face and clean up a bit. You and I are going to deal with this once and for all.” Ryle went wide eyed but nodded, scampering to the wash room. “When the laundry came back, where were my dress clothes put?”

“In the dresser, top drawer.”

“Thanks.” He had noticed that Ryle put things away in places Gabe didn't know, but as he was learning where things were kept, he found it made a bit more sense. Dress clothes were in one area, work clothes another, and shoes another. It saved him a bit of time, or Ryle if he felt inclined to lay out Gabe's clothing, as he didn't have to open up multiple drawers.

When Ryle saw Gabe in his full dress uniform, he stopped and stared. His pulse raced and his heart thundered because his master was suddenly very, very attractive. Tall, good physique, handsome. The uniform was all black with brass buttons holding the long coat closed from crotch to neck The expression he wore was neutral, but his eyes were thunderheads ready to unleash hell. “Gabriel... you look regal.” He didn't want to say he looked amazing.

“Thank you. When the Captain ordered these for me, I didn't think I would ever need them. We're privateers, what use have we for dress uniforms? Now, I'm glad he did.” The expression changed. “Do I look imposing?” Ryle nodded. “Good.”

He was both terrifying and terrifyingly gorgeous to Ryle. This was what a master should look like. This is what his masters had looked like. So why was he now attracted to the image he hated most?

“Now, I will be saying and doing things that I hope you know are for show. I do not claim you as my property, and I do not claim mastery over you. Out there...we both have to be someone we're not. Please, I'm asking you to keep your head down.”

Ryle nodded. “I know my place, Gabriel. I am a slave. You may treat me differently in here, but out there...” He gestured to the door.

“I'm glad you see the difference.” Gabe smiled at him. Then his face was back to being neutral and, he marched to the door. It opened and Ryle was doing his best to keep three paces behind him on his left.

Every crew member that the duo passed just stared. For many, it was their first look at Gabe's new companion. A pretty little thing, most thought, but then stopped when they saw Gabe's lack of expression and in full uniform. Something had thoroughly pissed him off because his customary knives were not hidden up his sleeves. They were worn openly on each hip.

“Boy, what's got your knickers in a bind?” asked the cook as Gabe marched past the mess.

“I'm tired of people trying to break into my room and even more tired of them scaring my companion.” Gabe stopped briefly. “Ryle, this is Cook. I can't say his name as it isn't said out loud. Cook, this is Ryle.”

“That will be a hard one to say properly. Hoo-Ryee-uhl...”

The fact that Cook was that close made Ryle bow. “You honor me, Master Cook, with your pronunciation. You should not fret over it, for a name means little to one such as I. I am Ryle. Rhymes with style.” Gabe tried not to laugh. He didn't even try to destroy his name. The cooing at the beginning was soft and almost silent. Too many vowels in a row to keep track of.

“Huh. Then Ryle you are. Carry on Gabe, but don't get hurt.” Gabe nodded and began marching again.

They took the lift to the bridge, and Gabe didn't even wait to be given permission before entering. “You can't...” the soldier started and Gabe glared at him, his famous temper boiling. “Fine, it's your neck, kid.”

The door hissed open, and the Captain looked up from his seat. His first expression was amused; his son and the Cana made an oddly matched pair. Then he saw the expression on his son's face and realized something was going down. “Gabriel, you are not scheduled for a shift right now.”

Gabe motioned for Ryle to sit in the corner and the Cana went without a word. “Pardon the intrusion, Captain, but I require your second mate for a personal matter.”

The Captain thought quickly. He knew the man had tried to get into Gabe's room a few times; the logs were accessible to him as well. If Gabe “talked” with the man, the second mate would hurt him. Should he deny his son the right to privacy and peace in his room to protect him, or should he let it play out and watch him get hurt? He was no small lad and he had to grow up sometime. “Very well. Darth, would you deal with this quickly? You are on duty.”

The man swaggered up to Gabe with a sneer. “What do you want, kid?” He tried to keep this between them.

“First and foremost is to stop trying to get into my room.” Gabe pitched his voice to carry over the bridge crew and the machines running. “That is my personal space, and you are not welcome there. Secondly, stop banging on the door and yelling obscenities at my companion. Deny all you want, but I have logged info and camera recordings. You are causing him distress which is, in turn, causing me distress. I ask that you stay away from Ryle and my door unless ordered by the Captain.”

Darth just laughed at him. “And what if I don't?”

“Then I will gut your fat, stinking ass in front of the entire fucking crew and string your innards from one end of the room to the other. Do not cross me, Darth.” Gabe's tone was death.

He laughed, but it had the edge of threat. “Run back to your room, boy. Your daddy ain't going to protect you.”

Gabe grinned. “Captain, have I ever asked for your protection?” he asked as he started to unbutton his coat.

“No, you have not, and I have only given it once when you were first aboard. You are your own man, Gabriel.”

“Thank you, Captain.” Gabe removed the coat and handed it to Ryle who began to fold it neatly. It was a shock to all the crew to see Gabe bare chested. He was deceptively built, and they knew that, once he reached full maturity, he would rival the Captain. “Since you're being a fucking dick about this, I think I will have to teach you a lesson in manners.”

Darth didn't wait and swung at Gabe, but the lad ducked and punched the man in the jaw with a fast uppercut. His weight was put behind it, his legs pushing him upward faster, and the man was knocked back a few feet. At the sounds of combat, the soldiers came in to break it up, but the Captain ordered them to stay there and break it up if one seemed near death.

Gabe didn't let him up at all. He pressed his advantage of speed and kept the hits coming from different angles, each one stronger than they looked. Yet Darth was no stranger to brawling and took one hit to the kidney to put himself where he wanted, and he landed a massive double-fisted power hit to Gabe's chest and knocked him off his feet. “Master!” Ryle shrieked. Darth ran forward but found Gabe was already rolling back to his feet and came in with another stinging hit.

The two men fought it out, knuckles bleeding, eyes blackening, and the crew was cheering them on. No one cared who won, they just liked a good fight. The Captain, however, was watching with the most critical look ever. His son, his sixteen year old boy, was holding his own against a man larger, more skilled, and meaner than himself. He swelled with pride for him. Then the crew went silent as Darth drew his knife and lunged in one swift action. Gabe was down on the ground with the knife being pressed into his throat, both men breathing hard.

“ENOUGH!” bellowed the Captain, and the soldiers pulled Darth off Gabe. What they saw was almost comical, and they knew why Darth hadn't finished the killing blow. Gabe had his two knives out and one was slightly stained with blood. The other would have been pressed into a vital organ. If the lad was going down, he would have taken the bastard with him. “Darth, I believe he has proven his point and earned the right for you to leave him and Ryle alone. If I hear of you infringing on that right, I will put you off this ship. Anything more and I will have you hung until dead.” The second mate glared, but nodded. “Gabe, you are confined to your quarters without pay for the next month. Your meals will be brought to you. If you purposely antagonize Darth and I find out it is true, the same punishments I set for him will apply to you. Is that understood?”

“Yes Captain,” said Gabe with his swollen lip bleeding. He sheathed his blades and took the coat from Ryle and buttoned it back to the neck. It hurt to do this, but he would walk out of here with his head held high.

“Darth, I didn't hear you.”

“Aye aye, sir,” Darth said and spat blood at Ryle. It landed short, but the act terrified the Cana. This had only made things worse.

“Darth, report to the doctor and then back for duty. I don't care how much pain you're in. Ryle,” the Captain addressed the hybrid, “can you treat Gabriel?”

“I can, Honored Master.”

“Good. I am not your master. Address me as Captain or sir, and that will be enough.”

“Yes, Captain.” Ryle bowed deeply and fell in step behind Gabe as he marched as best as he could from the bridge.

When the bridge was cleared, the Captain sat and rubbed his forehead.

“Begging your pardon, sir, but he's a chip off the old block,” said the first mate with a smile.

“That he is. You have witnessed what will happen to any who antagonize him. Let it be known that Gabriel is no coward and will fight for what he believes in. To the death, it seems.” The crew nodded. It was a show of the strength of Gabe's character. He was in, many ways, the Captain's son. Yet he had morals the Captain did not.

“Did you notice the slave's reaction when the lad was down?” The Captain shook his head. “He was ready to go for Darth. Was going to use those bared claws.”

The Captain smiled slightly. “It seems that Gabe has found himself something more than a slave.” Good, thought the Captain. He sent a written message to Meg and turned back to his duties.

* * *

As soon as Gabe left the bridge and was back in the lower decks he dropped the act and limped home.

“I wish I could help you, Master,” said Ryle.

“I will be fine, Ryle, but thank you for the offer.”

“I can help you home, you big dumb ox,” said Meg as she came up. He looked at her. “What the hell were you thinking taking on Darth like that?” She got under his arm and helped him hobble home, all the while berating him for being stupid. He learned quite a few colorful phrases as she went on and on about how bad the idea was to challenge the second mate.

The lecture went on even as Ryle was helping Meg bandage Gabe up, even sewing up a busted cheek. He was stripped naked and none of them made a big deal of it as more important things needed addressing. When he was done listening, Gabe put a finger to her lips. She stopped abruptly. “Done?” he asked and she nodded.

“Yeah. I'm just worried about you and Ryle.”

“I know. Thanks. I'm going to lay down once you're finished. I feel beat.”

“Oh har har har! Funny man.” She was smiling though. “Does Darth look as bad as you?”

“Probably. Worse as I got him with the knife in his gut.” She went wide eyed. “Just a slice as the bastard lunged for me, but he'll need some stitches.”

“Don't sound so proud of yourself,” she chided, although she was proud of him. Darth was mean and big.

“I'm not. I hate fighting, but I won't allow anyone to hurt my friend. No one will scare Ryle and get away with it.” She nodded and stood, giving his forehead a kiss.

“You rest. I'll be back later with a soft meal. With that jaw, you won't want to chew.” Gabe nodded and stood, for the first time noticing he was naked. All of them noticed at that point, Ryle turning so red and rushing to the other room to turn down the covers. “Guess it runs in the family.”

“Guess so. Out.” He smiled with his eyes, his face impassive. She chuckled and went.