I crept from the secondary deck with great stealth.

Entering the Engine Room I noticed machinery that was famliar to my eyes. I hoped Olivia Thorn had not alarmed the others, I also hoped she would take me up on my future offer.

I climbed the walls and zipped across the engine room ceiling. Clutching on, I hung there, waiting.

Then there was small movement in the light outside the door, and I knew someone was approaching

It was a cold night and I was having trouble sleeping in my quarters which, at the moment, seemed just as cold.

So I crept through the decks, with my nightdress on and my pillow under my arm, all the way to the belly of the ship - the engine room.

The engine room was always warm as the engines were very hot. I found a nice corner near some pipes and laid myself down. The floor, although hard, was comfy and before long I was ready to snooze.

For a second, just before I dropped off, I thought I saw something on the ceiling... just my imagination maybe. Or perhaps I was already starting to dream...

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

(contiuned form secondary deck)

It was exactly midnight when I entered the engine room. As usual it was dark and very warm. And there was the same old damp smell in the air.

I held onto my knife tightly. I felt rather foolish. Had anyone actually spoken to me before? Or was it all just in my imagination?

As I entere the belly of the engine room I saw that no one was around. It was odd as there was always meant to be someone on duty down here.
I looked at the roster and saw that 'Digger' was supposed to be down here. Where could he be?

"Hello?" I said, "Is there anyone down here?"

Then I heard a faint breathing noise coming from behind one of the pipes. I raised my knife and headed towards it. Last time someone had been hidden behind a pipe it had been that pirate Half-Face Franky so this time I was ready for anything.

I jumped around the corner and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw Tess sleeping soundly, holding onto her pillow. What was she doing sleeping down here? It made me smile!

I was jsut about to tap her slowly to wake her up when I heard a noise behind me. I span around quickly and came face to face with whoever else was down here...

I dropped from the ceiling with a cat-like grace. My long robe silently spread out as I rose from a crouch.

"Sorry that we have to meet like this," I said mysteriously, "I need your help Olivia."

Her beautiful face looked in surprise, perhaps wondering how I knew her name

"Please do not tell the others about me," I continued. Can you help me Olivia? Help me create something...unique."

The dim light shined on her bronzed face. I could read her thoughts almost like a book with the eye of my mind. I imagine she wondered why I was asking her.

She pondered about my request, for a few moments, then she spoke.

"You..." I began but then stopped. I looked around the engine room. Something was not right about all of this. Who was this person, where did he come from and how was he albe to walk along the ceiling as he had.
"You cannot be here," I continued at last, "Captain Warner deals with intruders on his ship harshly!"

I backed away from the robed person until my feet hit something on the ground. I looked down and saw Digger lying on the floor. He was not dead but did seem to be sleeping or unconscious. I looked to the robed person.

"Who are you!" I shouted, "And why the heck should I do anyhting you say?"

"I'm not important, it is not me who you need to know, you need to know yourself."
Olivia walked slowy backwards, she did not trust my judgement

"Olivia Thorn, I know more about you then you can imagine. On this ship you are the most talented and skilled enigneer onboard. Your skills of machinery and manufacture are far behond your beliefs," my black shoes stepped forward, "in the future you will be able to fabricate anything you desire."

She looked at my blacked out hooded face, then down towards Digger and Tess, then quickly turning her gaze to me, she was about to speak.

Interupting her speach I said "That is but a simple sleeping trick, I'm sorry I had to use it. Its just I needed to speak to you alone." I looked at her in the comfort of my hood "Will you help me Olivia? Do you want my to explain my plans further?"

In my sleep I heard voices. one of the voices was Olivias. She sounded concerned. The other was a voice I had never heard before... or had I?
As I thought about it the voice did sound familiar. Had I heard this voice the last time I fell to sleep in the doctors quarters?

I skwoly began to come to... as if something was forcing me to wake...

I noticed that tess was beginning to wake so I crouched down next to her and held her head in my hands. I hoped she did wake up soon so that she too could see this cloaked figure before me.

I wondered how this person knew so much about me. And what he wanted me to create.

"I am sorry," I said, "but you are mistaken... I am not the most skilled engineer on this ship... not by far. But do go on... tell me what it is you want me to make for you?"

I had to keep him talking... buy some time for Tess to wake up...

"You are the most skilled enginer on this ship, please Olivia I do not lie." I read her thoughts and she wanted for Tess to wake. "I would like you to make a device for me."

I pushed my black cloak aside and pulled out my broken device. It was ball-shaped object, which had metal pieces forming to the centre. Almost like metal fingers clutching the pale glass ball. I through the ball down next to Olivia and she picked it up, examaining it. It was obviously unrepairable.

"Ignore the glass ball, when power is forced onto it, the ball lights up purple and the spider like fingers spin around it. I'm sure you have seen motorised intruments before, I hope you would like to help me create a new one, simliar to this. Once compelted we can share its power..."

She looked unsure, then I messaged her brain 'Trust me Olivia, you will be able to create machines and devices beyond your imagination. I'll leave you to decide, please don't alert anyone of my presense.'

I flapped my long black cape and headed for the door. 'Meet me back here when you've know your answer and I will be there a minute after' with that I dissappeared into the darkness outside.

I stared at the strange object in my hands. What was this device? What could it do? And why did this cloaked stranger think I could make anything like this?

It was true I had seen motorised instruments before and as I was learning engineering at college I had grown quite a passion for creating small moving trinkets such as moving jewelry boxes, small motorised toys and other items such as clocks.

But I had never seen anything the likes of this before.

Tess was almost fully awake now. I looked down to her. I wondered if she remembered anything that had happeneed to her. I then heard coughing and noticed that Digger too was beginning to wake. I realsied that they probably knew not what had happened to them and would ask many questions if they fonud me here.

So, quickly and quietly I left the engine room to return to my quarters. I had a lot of thinking to do. For now I would remain silent about the claoked man... for now...