The Secret Wars.

Darast waited in the silence for a moment before he shrugged, moving back to the stairs and climbing up it, slamming the trapdoor shut behind him.

Henry looked over at Helena and then away. He was ashamed to say it, but... he was considering it. I can kill her, get rid of Darast, free everyone and fly the ship into safe harbors. He thought he could do it, at least.

But then there was the strong part of him that wanted to do it simply so he could run his sword through that bitch.


Nathaniel's eyes went wide and he cursed as he stormed into the room. "What the hell!" he yelled, grabbing hold of Alfie by his shoulders and dragging him off of Caitlyn. Nathaniel threw Alfie onto his back and pulled out his sidearm, pointing it down at the kid as he put his boot on his chest. "Mother of god, kid, you're going to make my job harder than it should be if you keep up this - this insanity!"

After Darast had left Helena's cutting gaze returned to Henry.

"You're not considering what he said, are you?" She remarked bitterly. "Because if you are you better shoot me dead because I'll run you through my fucking self."

"Easy, Helena." Kropp said, head leaning against the bars between his and Helena's cells. "Henry is free to make his own shitty decisions that we strongly frown upon." Despite is light tone, it was clear he would join Helena in whatever gruesome plan she had in mind for Henry if we went through with the mutiny.

After a long while of more catching up and story sharing, Roxas got up and began stretching. "Well, let's have a visit shall we?" He said with a small smirk that also appeared on Hailey's lips as she nodded, getting up and walking to him.

"Ready?" "Yup, do it. Thank you Rox." To which Roxas responded with his own nod. In an instant, Roxas grabbed hold of Hailey and they both vanish in a bright light before reappearing in the brig, standing in front of the cells.

Hailey smirked as she laid eyes on her comrades, "Did you miss me?" She asked getting closer to the cell.

"Keep a safe distance Hailey" Roxas said firmly, stopping her in her tracks.

"Yeah yeah..." She grunted and awaited her friends' reactions.

The sudden appearance of both Hailey and the redhead with her saved Henry the uncomfortable task of answering them.

Henry jumped as they flashed into view, blinking hard. The boy with her looked scarily like her - one of the relatives she used to talk about? "Ms. Valentine," he said, a smile starting to spread across his face, "how the bloody hell did you get onboard this ship?"

Maybe there's a better way out after all...


Nathaniel jumped and stepped back, his gun still level on the boy as he forced his way out from under him and to his feet, starting to pulling his shirt back. Nathaniel glanced around, finding several pieces of old scrap and parts and dragging them in front of the door. God forbid the Captain find them with his gun drawn and the boy nearly shirtless.

Nathaniel sheathed his pistol and grabbed the kid by his shoulder, spinning him around to take a look at the scars himself. He knelt down in front of him, studying them. "I can think of a number of ways someone could have gotten scars like this without the help of the supernatural," he said flatly. "You'd need stronger proof than that."

He stood. "Now let's try to keep this discussion down so the Captain doesn't come running," he said sternly. They were lucky he'd been the one to find him - the Captain would have probably cut the kids hands off.

Nathaniel sighed, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He wanted to be annoyed - but Caitlyn was giggling, and her boycrush was too. "Know it all, yes, says the bloody pair of kid geniuses," he said, cocking an eyebrow at Caitlyn. He sighed dramatically, turning around towards the door.

"I'm surrounded by madmen," he lamented, shoving another piece of scrap in front of the door with his foot. "'What do you mean the crew won't survive asphyxiation?'" he said, raising his voice up several octaves too high. He reached down, snatching a wrench off the floor and turning with a flourish, one hand going to his hip as he cradled the wrench in the other hand. "'it's not like it'll be that long the bunch of sissies, what sort of crew are they?'"

Helena's eyebrows shot up at the appearance of Hailey and....someone who looked like he could be her brother. A smile started to come to her face, only to harden moments after. Where had she been when they needed her? Off getting drunk? Or dragging ass with whoever the hell this was.

"What do you want?" She said dryly, leaning against the back wall of her cell.

"Don't mind her, Hailey." Kropp said, a smile tracing his lips. "We've been having a bit of a rough day....and a shitty week. And in Henry's case, a miserable existence, apparently. But it's good to see you. Though I recommend you get out of here before demonic energy either blows us all to smithereens or lights you up like a Christmas tree."

Nathaniel blinked a moment, and a soft smile slipped through as the two spoke to each other and Kitty switched the engine off.

He glanced over at the door and the objects piled against it. "Miraculously," he said, "there's no one I need to get back to in the sick bay. So kid - " he looked back at Alfredo - "How are you doing? She hasn't given you another concussion has she?"

Several days passed with few visits to the brig. Nathaniel came down several times a day - though really, how could they tell the passage of time without any sign of the sun - to check on the injured and to speak with Lucia.

But one time he came down with a different purpose. Nathaniel stepped off the ladder and looked around at them, letting out a sigh as his eyes drifted over to Helena. He spun the key ring on his finger. "The lady captain wants to speak with you, it seems," he said.

Seated surprisingly calmly in her cell, Helena's eyebrow quirked upwards at the mans request. Her eyes shifted suspiciously to Kropp, who in turn shrugged. "Making friends for once?" He said, a hint of teasing in his voice.

"We'll see," Helena paid no attention to his jab, getting up. "If my body returns sans my head I want strippers at my funeral."

"Will do cap'n." Kropp gave a leisurely salute, seemingly glad his captain regained at least some of her old humor.

Nathaniel unlocked the cell, stepping aside to let Helena through and walking behind her as they made it back up out of the brig.

He led her through the ship, finally stopping outside a door on one of the upper levels. Nathaniel knocked at the door, waiting before he pushed it open and gestured for Helena to go in.

Jack sat with her back to the door at her desk, but she turned the chair around as the door opened, standing up. "Come in," she said. "Doc - "

"Yes ma'am," he said, and he closed the door behind Helena, leaving the two of them alone.

Helena paid no mind to the man who had left the room. Her focus remained on the ship's captain. "You wanted to see me?" she asked curtly, luckily resisting the urge to end the phrase with 'bitch.'

Jack seemed hesitant now that she was actually here - she stepped to the side and gestured to the empty chair. "Go ahead," she said.

Helena raised an eyebrow at the chair, not trusting her intentions. "If it makes no difference to you I would prefer to stand. After all-" 'you shot and beat the shit out of my companions' "It would be rude of me to be seated while you remain standing."

Jack pursed her lips and crossed her arms. "You may speak plainly, captain," she said. "In fact please do. I can't stand bullshit."

A look of surprise flashed onto her face at the word 'captain,' but she quickly put it to rest. However, a small trace of a smile crept through her lips. "I can't, either. But I made an agreement with the people in your cells that I wouldn't get myself shot or beheaded." Which was proving to be a task. "Though I am still curious as to why you asked for me, captain."

She snorted. "I'm not gonna shoot you," she said disdainfully. "Well. Probably." Jack smirked and leaned back against her desk. "And that? Largely curiosity. Women like you and I are a rare breed."

"With what you and your crew have done to my companions you can't blame me for being wary." Surprisingly, she said this mostly without bitterness. "And I'd call us an endangered species, I haven't exactly met another woman brandishing a sword and the title of 'captain.' But still, I tried to stage a jail break on your ship and have now earned my place in a cell. I'd assume, tits or not, you wouldn't be so hot on having a nice chat with me." She chuckled, god forbid she actually start to like her.

Jack shrugged. "True," she said. "And the moment you leave this room you will be back in that cell. But I see no reason we can't have a moment's truce."

Jack knelt down at her desk, opening one of the drawers and pulling out a flask. "Drink?"

Helena shrugged. "I expected that. I've never been one to charm my way out of trouble." She looked at the flask curiously. "Sure," she said, hastily adding "thank you." After the week she'd had, she could use a drink.

Jack passed the flask over and crossed her arms again. "I have to ask," she said after a moment. "How has a woman like you wound up with such bedfellows as those?"

Helena took a swig, blinking slightly and wrinkling her nose at the bitter taste, raising her gaze at Jack's question. A smile came to her face. "I could ask you the same thing. But Kropp has been my right hand since I became a captain. Henry and Alfredo- it's a weird as fuck story. But they're my boys. First time I met Henry was after diving head first through a glass window - good times. And they're not that bad once you get to know them. What about you? How'd you become the dick punching captain of a pirate ship?"

Her brow furrowed ather words. "Ah - well, that's also a long story. Started with me playing the part of cabin boy and making my way up. Not without some help from Barker." She smirked. "As much as I hate him I owe my captaincy to him. He hasn't done anything to you has he?"

Helena raised an eyebrow. "Done anything to me? Hell no. The man has probably done more for me than my own father has. Helped me patch myself up, fought alongside me, hell he's even given me piggyback rides and carried me one time I was stuck in impractically high heels. The guy is a teddy bear. Well, a teddy bear that's extremely capable with a sword." She took another swig, this time used to the taste, before handing the flask back. "And that sounds like quite a tale. Wish I had the balls. I'm too fond of my long hair and poofy skirts. Then again I assume it was less about girly tastes and more about working and ass kicking your way into the top spot."

Jack's eyes narrowed, uncertain, and she set the flask aside without taking a drink. "I guess," she said, distracted. She paused, and kept going. "Not as romantic as you imagine." She shook her head. "Captain. I called you up here to offer my assistance. Should you not feel welcome in your military - as I'm sure is the case - you would have a place on the Nausicaa. That is all."

"Oh no. I can only imagine the shit you went through on a pirate ship is worse than what I went through in the 'squeaky clean' military." She blinked in surprise at the offer. Was she being serious? "I might take you up on that offer. Eventually."

"Good. You are free to leave," Jack said.

"Helena paused for a moment, a thought lingering in her head. "Before I go, can I ask you one thing?"

"Shoot," she said.

"What's your vendetta with Henry?" she said plainly, unsure what answer she wanted.

She pursed her lips, clearly irritated. "Somehow I guessed," she said. "Captain, Mr. Barker is not the man you think he is, and I hope to see that his crimes do not go unpunished."

Helena noticed her obvious irritation, raising her hands in an almost placating gesture. "Hey I'm just curious. I'm currently being held captive on a pirate ship, I'd just like to know what brought me here." She crossed her arms. "I'm not going to argue with you, I'm not that stupid."

"Good. I won't discuss it with you," she said. "Don't be too sad when he dies."

"You said we're alike. If so you should know how I work better than that." Her face had hardened, but her amiable attempt at that trace of a smile stayed, the emotion dripping out of her voice into an edge. "I suppose I might be seeing you, Captain." She turned, pulling the door open, where she assumed she'd be met with whatever other lice ridden piece of fecal matter was tasked with bringing her back to her cell.

When she left, she'd see Nathaniel leaning against the wall next to the door, out of sight of the doorway. He put a finger to his lips and waited for the door to shut. "I'll take you back," he muttered.

Helena raised an eyebrow to his hushing gesture, but remained silent. She was glad she was met by one of the few people on the ship who didn't repulse her. She nodded simply, wondering why he wanted them to remain quiet.

He waited til they were farther from her cabin before he picked up the pace. "You'll have to forgive her. Old grudges don't leave quickly."

"Or leave at all. What happened between them to make her hate him so much?" If she refused to give her answers, she'd find them elsewhere.

"They go back a long ways. Maybe ten years. I don't know the whole story, I was only around for the last bit, but if she has a scar chances are he made it. Her eye too."

"Well she's not telling me anything and I'd like to know why she wants my friend's head on a pike. It couldn't be just an eye. I get losing an eye sucks but you guys are pirates, I'm sure shit like that isn't uncommon - no offense. And she hates him. Like 'she wants to see him eaten alive slowly by small ravenous creatures and then burn in the seventh level of hell' hatred." To be fair, Henry seemed to hate her every bit as much as she hated him. But only hearing his side could... warp her perspective, to say the least.

Nathaniel chuckled. "I don't blame her," he said. "But it's not healthy."

He opened a trapdoor and grabbed the ladder, dropping down a level. He landed lighting, starting to turn but quickly stopping shot.

There was a moment of silence. "Miss, if you would kindly get ou-"

An arm entered the frame of the trapdoor, grabbing Nathaniel and dragging him out of view.

Helena jolted as he guide was dragged away. She slammed the trapdoor shut, grabbing hold of a nearby trunk to drag on top of it. Instinct, she guessed, having no idea whose side she was even on. The trapdoor rattled hard, muffled curses coming from below as she peeled out down the hall, vaguely remembering another way down to the level below. The idea of arming herself was something to be focused on later. She rounded the corner, skidding and slamming into the wall. She continued to run, only having a vague idea of where the other door was. This ship was bigger than she remembered.


The trapdoor to the brig was thrown open, and Nathaniel fell down through the opening, landing hard on the ground. Three others quickly followed, sliding down the ladder and landing on the ground near Nathaniel - Darast and two others, all of them armed.

Darast pointed Nathaniels own gun down at the man. "Up," he said, and Nathaniel slowly rose to his feet. Darast grabbed him by the back of his shirt, jamming his gun into his back and steering him towards one of the empty cells left. "The keys. Give them to me."

Nathaniel grimaced, reaching slowly into his pocket and pulling out a ring of keys. Darast snatched them from his hand and shoved Nathaniel forward into the cell. Nathaniel stumbled and turned, running at the door just as Darast slammed it in his face and locked it. "Sit tight, Doc," he said, grinning as Nathaniel grabbed the bars and shoved at the door.

Darast turned, looking around the brig. "I hope you have an answer now, Barker."


Meanwhile, in Caitlyn's lab, her and Alfredo were at work when the lights suddenly went out, and there was an unmistakeable bang as the door slammed shut.

When the trapdoor to the brig burst open, Kropp did little more than lazily look up, expecting Helen to have returned from her meeting with the captain. When Nathaniel was dropped, like a sack of unappreciated cargo, down onto the floor, he sprang to his feet. Expecting a headless or at the very least, battered, Helena to come down after him, he was surprised to see Darast and two other men come down after him. He looked between the four, then up at the door, half expecting another pirate to come down with Helena. As Nathaniel was shoved in a cell, Kropp came to realize she was not with them. On one hand, he was glad she was not in their hands, on the ohter, this now meant she was scrambling, unarmed, around a pirate ship in the beginnings of a mutiny. He looked across the cell block at Henry, his face full of apprehension.

Henry stood up. "Open it," he said. Helena was out there somewhere. Besides, it wasn't like this was the first mutiny he'd been in. In the chaos there'd be a way to get everyone out of there.

...And maybe find her, as well.

"Good man," Darast said, unlocking the cell and throwing the door open. "Up you go. Your friends stay here."

Henry glanced over at the others as Nathaniel slammed his hand against the bars, staring at him with hatred in his eyes. He walked out of the cell, unwavering.

"I need a sword."

"Once you're up the ladder. Get going."

Henry turned around, grabbing the ladder and hauling himself up as the others followed.


As Helena scrambled through the seemingly endless halls of the pirate ship, Helena finally came upon the trapdoor she had remembered so vaguely from before. She carefully pried it open, peeking down to make sure she wasn't jumping into a trap like her less fortunate guide.

There was no one directly below as she could see, so she gingerly lifted the lid and slipped down. She landed on her feet, wobbling slightly, but quickly righted herself.

Unluckily for her, down the hall was another small group of pirates, walking quickly towards the trapdoor - when she dropped down, they picked up their pace, running at her.