I entered my quarters and checked to make sure that no one else was around. As the room was clear I closed the door and drew the curtains over the porthole. I then walked over to my bed and pulled out the large metal chest that I had brought onboard from under it.

I undid the top buttons of my old military uniform and brought out the key that I keep around my neck on a chain. With the key I unlocked the chest and opened it. so far on my journey on the Kingston I had not yet opened the chest. I had almost forgotten the real reason I was here... but now I felt that I must do my job.

Inside the chest were various personnal ites of mine including old pictures of me and my regiment, my old rifle, several golden coins and all of my medals.

But it was none of these items that I wanted right now. I wnated the envelope at the bottom of the chest. I took it out, opened it up and looked at the contents.

There wa sa drawn picture of someone and a number of details about this person. As I looked at the picture I shuck my head. This person had come to be my friend whilst on this ship. I had let personnal experiances with this person cloud my judgement. This was going to make what I had come here to do twice as hard. The mixed feelings inside my mind had to be put to one side...

...after all... this person had to be brought to justice.

I entered our quarters and Phoenix quickly hid something under his bed. I looked at him with a curious expression on my face. Phoenix was never the type to hide things away.

"You alright?" I asked him, "You seem a little... jumpy."

Maybe it was me. I had always had trouble trusting people... maybe I was seeing too much into this. But there wa ssomething about Phoenix's behaviour that I didn't like.

"I'm fine of course," I said at Mister Jons' intrusion, "why would I not be fine?"

I looked at Johns. I wondered if he had seen anything. I made sure that the picture I had was hidden and I stood up and made myself a drink, trying to look calm and collected.

Mister Jons still stood in the doorway watching me. Miste rJohns was curious to me. A werewolf hunter... how he had worked on Salt Station... how he now decided to travel with us without giving a good reason...
I had got to know Mister Johns since he joined us. I respected his skills. I watched him closely.

(but is he the person I was sent to investigate?)

The noise of the engine from made me go for a stroll, Digger was always happy to work there. He seemed to always be in there, going for hours and hours with no break. I usually make him go for a break, but this time I thought I'd leave him be and I'll go a walk and refresh my head.
After going on the main and secondary deck, I decided to walk through the crew quarters and see if anything interesting was happening. I hadn't talked to anyone in what seemed like days. I passed Corridoor A and noticed Phoenix and Mister Johns talking, so I turned and came into the room.

"Knock knock," I said whilst lightly tapping the door. Phoenix looked alittle on edge for some reason, "Every thing okay down here? I was just walking and saw you both stood, don't mind if I join do you?" I pulled a bottle of brandy from what seemed like know where, "I bring drinks..." I smiled shaking the bottle.

"Excellent!" I said with a smile, "I could do with a stiff drink!"

Pirate Pete entered the room and took a seat. He poured three drinks and passed one to me and one to Phoenix. Phoenix was still acting a little strange but he happpily drank the brandy.

I watched him. There was something he was not telling us I was sure.

I too took a drink of the brandy. It was good stuff. I wondered how Pete had managed to hide it from us for this long!

"Can I tellyou two something in secret," I said to them both. They nodded. "I am not sure how much longer I will be a member of this crew," I admitted, "I was never supposed to be onboard the Kingston... and I do have a job to do. There are still werewolves out there that need to be stopped."

The others looked a little shocked.

"I don't know when I'll be leaving," I continued, "but I have been thinking about it for a while now."

Mister Johns words came as a shock to me. Although I knew he would neve stay with us forever I had no idea he was planning on leaving so soon.

This changed everything.

I sipped some more of the brandy that Pirate Pete had given me. I looked at the engineer closely. I always did. He, just like Mister Johns, was a great man and I had every trust in them both.
Even so I kept my eye on him at all times.

I had to.

"It is unfortunate that you wish to leave us," I said to Mister Johns, "you would be missed around here. Don't you agree Pete?"

"I have to agree with Phoenix, you've become a valuble member of the crew, especially on devil island," I took a gulp of brandy, "You don't have to leave Johns. Stay awhile longer and help us on our travels and in return we can help you, all as one team."

I poured another set of drinks out, whilst we talked. "C'mon, lets admit it, we are pretty good arn't we?" I laughed out, "I mean look how we handled the Valtriani attack and also the situation on Salt Station."

I started to think back what we have been through and I realised that it was quite a voyage already, and we haven't even found what were looking for yet! I was enjoying life onboard, it made me feel alive again.

"I have something to admit to." I said, and they both turned and seemed interested. "A long time ago, I served on the Valtriani. Thats why when we went onboard and saved Darren Blank, I knew where everything was. It was one of my first proper jobs as a crew member...on this world...I mean in this place." I swallowed, "I had no idea who I was serving when I was onboard, but a few terrible things did happen."

I listened to Petes confession. It intrigued me. I always wondered how he got the 'Pirate' nickname. I guess now we knew. It was somewhat shocking to hear that he had served on the Valtriani. After what their crew put us through...

It seemed like this was a time for confessions so decided it was time to say one of my own.

"I'm no longer an officer," I said, "I was asked to resign... well... I was thrown out actually. I made a mistake. A terrible mistake that cost lives... it is somethnig thatI have regretting ever since. Thats why I joined the Kingston. o get as far away from my mistake as I could."

I decided not to tell them that I had actually been rehired on a secret mission to follow someone on the Kingston. In the present company that was best to be a subject avoided.

"Interesting, it seems like we all have something in common! We all have our secrets onboard." I took another swig from the bottle, "they are a few members onboard that have their secrets, but is there anyone that you can't trust? I know for one people don't trust George Cander, but personally I think he's harmless, first sign of trouble and he's vanished!"

As I sat I looked at both Phoenix and Johns. They are strong men and both have their own reasons for coming aboard. But I actually knew nothing of their pasts, for all I know they could be anyone, also Mister Johns was picked up from Salt Station...and he is a werewolf...it was not that I didn't trust them both, it was more the fact that I knew hardly anything about them. I thought a nice male bonding session was due!

"So tell me, what did you guys do before you came aboard the Kingston, what made you pick the Kingston of ships to travel on?"

Petes question was a good one. Why was I here?

"Well I was an officer at port town," I said to Pete, "until Gricks fired me! I was found with illegal items on my possession... but they were not mine i tell you! i was framed! i always thought it was Gricks who framed me... now i know it probably was!"

i then had to think carefully about what I should say next.

"i needed new work," i said eventually, "and i have known cpatain warner for some time... we used to serve together during the war. so i asked if i could join the ship and he said yes."

There... that would do... for now. The truth was that I was very close to finally solving the real reason i was here. it would not be long now. not long at all.

"tell us pete," i said at last, "why are you here?"