“James!” Dave yells from his position by the rail. Waving madly, he looks as if he’s about to have a fit from jubilation.
The dinghy makes its way through the flotsam scattered about the surface of the water as it continuous to head for the survivors. When they draw close, those still on the ship watch as they haul them out of the water. After they’re all in the dinghy, they turn and start returning to the ship.
“It is James!” Meliana exclaims happily. She turns and gives her father a hug and kiss.
“But what happened?” he says to no one in particular.
“James happened,” Jiron tells him. When her father glances at him, he adds, “This is why the Empire wants him so badly.”
“But you said he had been drugged?” he asks.
“True,” replies Jiron. “That’s what we were told.”
“Then, how?” he wonders.
Jiron just shrugs and turns back to watch the dinghy as it returns to the ship. It suddenly alters course and begins returning to the wreckage. Two crewmen of the sunken ship are found hanging onto one of the spars. After they haul them aboard, they return to the ship.
Meliana rushes to the side where they’ll be coming abreast and watches as they draw near. Her eyes and James’ lock for a minute and she’s pleased to see a smile break across his face when he recognizes her. He gives her a wave.
Next to her, Paul waves to the approaching dinghy and shouts, “Gwynne! Daria!”
The girls see him and begin shouting, “Paul! Paul!”
When the dinghy comes to rest against the side of the ship, a rope ladder is let down to them and they begin climbing up. The girls are the first to come up, Paul gives Gwynne and Daria each a hug. The other girls know him as well and in turn give him a hug, several break down and cry.
As James takes his turn in climbing the ladder, Meliana positions her self to greet him. The others know what’s between them and allow her to be the first to greet him. When he finally reaches the top, Dave comes over and nudges her out of the way as he extends a hand down to him.
“Man, I didn’t think to see you again,” he says.
Meliana gets a hurt look on her face and her father’s demeanor turns dark.
“Thanks,” James says to him as he takes his hand and makes it over the rail.
Dave tries to say something else but Meliana rushes past him and gives James a hug. Burying her face in his shoulder, she lets out the pent up fear and frustration she’s felt ever since learning of his fate.
He pats her on the back and says, “Here now, I’m okay, there’s no reason to fret.”
“I was just so scared for you,” she cries.
James looks at the others slightly embarrassed at this display of emotion in front of everyone, though he does rather enjoy it. Dave is giving him an odd look and it doesn’t look like a pleased one.
“What happened?” asks Jiron.
“That’s a long story,” he replies. “Best if we talk about it later.”
The two rescued crewmen climb aboard and begin talking to the captain. Meliana’s father goes and joins in the conversation. After a few words are exchanged, her father says, “Captain?”
“Yes sir,” the captain of the ship replies.
He glances at his daughter and as if the words are painful to say, points to James and says, “Place this man under arrest.”
“Father!” she cries.
“What?” Illan asks as he rounds on her father in disbelief.
Nodding to the rescued crewmen, he says, “He killed the Ambassador and everyone on board except these two sailors. We must take him to the nearest port in the Empire and hand him over to the authorities.”
“But they’ll kill him!” Meliana exclaims. “We can’t!”
“We must!” he shouts at her. He sees the pain in her eyes, the look of betrayal but he has no choice. “We are loyal citizens of the Empire.”
James looks at him and then at his friends. He sighs and says, “I understand.” To his friends he says, “I don’t want any trouble from you while we’re on this ship.” Locking eyes briefly with each of them, he says, “Alright?”
Each in turn gives him a nod. Miko looks outraged and about ready to protest when Illan lays a hand on his shoulder. Giving in to his wishes, he gives James a nod.
“This way,” Mr. Bessin says.
Disengaging from the crying and on the point of hysteria Meliana, he follows Mr. Bessin to one of the cabins and goes inside. The door shuts and he hears a key turn in the lock. At least this is better than where he had just been.
When James is locked away, they gather around her father. “You can’t just hand him over to the Empire’s men,” Dave says. “They’ll kill him.”
“Young man,” her father says, “shut up and get out of my face before I have you thrown overboard.”
“But…” he begins when Fifer comes and escorts him away.
Illan starts to say something, when her father cuts him off and says, “I can’t ruin my house over this. When we arrive at a port in the Empire, I must hand him over. I’m sorry.” He then turns and walks away.
“What are we going to do?” Miko asks him.
“I don’t know,” Illan replies. “We’ll have to wait until he’s off the ship, then we’ll see.”
Meliana’s father keeps James locked up in the cabin with only brief respites out to answer the call of nature and to get some fresh air. It was during one such time when Meliana comes to him with something in her hands. As she draws close, he realizes it’s the ceramic dolphin figurine he had shipped to her during their brief stopover at Maradan when they left Corillian.
He smiles at her and says, “I see you got it.”
“Yes,” she replies with a smile. “You can’t imagine how surprised I was when Miriam came over and gave it to me. How did you know I liked these?”
“I didn’t,” he admits. “I just liked them too, and I wanted you to have something to remember me by.”
She comes close to him and he slips his arm around her. They stand by the rail watching the waves roll by. “What’s going to happen?” she asks him.
“What do you mean?” he replies.
“My father meant what he said,” she tells him. “At the next port we visit in the Empire, he will hand you over to the authorities.”
“I know,” he says. “I harbor him no ill will, he’s just trying to protect his house…and you.”
She lays her head on his shoulder as they stand there in silence, simply enjoying each other’s company.
“James,” an annoying voice interrupts this peaceful scene.
Turning, he sees Dave standing there. “What?” he asks.
“Can I talk to you?”
Sighing, he says, “Sure.” Then to Meliana, he asks, “Will you excuse me for a moment?”
“Of course,” she says though in her heart she wanted to say no.
He and Dave move a little ways from her, the two sailors who are set to watch him follow. Like her father said, the guards are more for show. If James wanted to kill them all there’s little any of them could do about it.
“What?” he asks when they reach a spot of relative privacy.
“Let’s get out of here,” he says. “I know you can do it, they’ve told me enough tales about you.”
“I can’t,” James tells him.
“Why?” he asks. Pointing to Meliana he says, “Is it because of her?”
“Partly,” he admits.
“You and me go way back,” Dave says. “We’ve been friends a long time.”
Holding up his hand to forestall any further comments, he says, “I know, Dave. Your friendship has always meant the most to me. But no matter what, I have to do what I feel is right. You know that.”
True, throughout his friendship with James, he’s always known him for doing what he felt was right. No matter what the consequences were. “Yeah, I know,” he says. “But this could be your life we’re talking about. Not to mention mine. You’re all I have in this crazy world.” He looks into James’ eyes a moment and then says quietly,
