Two weeks had passed by now, and the captain had already heard his fair share of complains against their passengers.

"They are always down in cargo."

"They scream at the rats."

"They make all manner of noise in the night."

"They keep speaking in their native language- it is as if they are conspiring."

"They act too high and mighty."

This night, the sun had only just set before DeVitas was sitting across his desk with him in his captain's quarters.

"They eat all throughout the day. Taking all the fish from our stores. There are designated meal times! I cook when I cook." DeVitas was more than irritated, "How can they eat so much and still be so slim, I wonder? They don't even cook the fish they take. They're animals to be eating it raw!"

Edmond found this to be a little troubling, but he tried to reason with the cook, "They did bring those fish with them. Rightly, those belong to them."

DeVitas sounded offended, "They told me they brought those extra fish for everyone. That it was meant to be shared. Tell me why they are the ones eating it all before anyone else has a portion? Do they understand how rations work?"

"There is enough for them." Edmond said calmly. "We only have a few more days in their company. Then you will never see them again."

"You defend them?" DeVitas was shocked.

"Keep your head on straight." Edmond went on to remind him in case he had forgotten, "Once this job is done, you can buy the whole ocean's worth of fish."

This was the route the captain usually had to take in order to calm his crew. To remind them of the payout. To remind them that no matter how much they didn't like these men and these arrangements, it was going to be worth it in the end.

"How do you know they are good for it?" DeVitas asked now. It was the first time anyone had asked Edmond this. He wasn't expecting this.

"Because if they aren't, they'll have more than enough fish to eat when I drag them back out to taste the sea." Edmond wasn't a particularly violent man. But the idea of potentially missing the birth of his child because he was out getting swindled didn't sit well with him. These men promised riches. They had better deliver.

"I'll throw them overboard myself if that's the case." DeVitas seconded his captain's sentiment.

The captain chuckled, "shouldn't you be cooking now? The men will riot if they don't get full bellies."

"Aye." DeVitas complied. He nodded, then made his exit.

Edmond rubbed his temples for a moment, feeling his headache slowly fading now. Another crisis just barely diverted. Keeping the crew in good spirits to perform their duties was paramount.

He needed some fresh air.

Edmond went above to the deck for a stroll. The boards creaked underfoot. The air was cool and the wind passed gently through his salt and pepper hair and beard.

He went to the side of the ship, casting his eyes out to the endless waves around them. There was a certain peace to being so far out. A strange small feeling to know that even though the waters stretched out as far as the eyes could see, that was only the top, flat of the ocean. There were miles below them that stretched even deeper into the depths below.

He glanced up at the stars now. Yet another ocean above that stretched even further. Meeting the horizon just to go beyond and wrap itself around the world.

He smiled when he thought of Emmalien again. She was so used to the ocean that she even thought the sky was an ocean. A brilliant blue of deep waters in the heavens. That each star at night was a lighthouse in the distance.

Whenever he used to take her out at night on the ship he had named after her, she would stand up front in excitement as they sailed. She wanted so badly to see where the horizon ended. She would have made a fine sailor. Full of excitement for adventure.

"They're stunning."

Edmond heard the accent from behind him as his fond thoughts were interrupted.

He looked back to see one of the men standing behind him, looking up at the stars. "You don't see so many stars in the cities. Only out here can you really appreciate the expanse of them."

Edmond nodded in response.

"Do you have a favorite?" The man asked. "Star, I mean. Is there one you look towards every night?"

Edmond felt a tightness in his chest as he thought about it. Whether to tell him or not. Ultimately, he didn't see the harm in sharing it.

He pointed up above them to the sky, "There. Not only one star. Constellation. Not one in any book. I don't even know if anyone else sees it as I do." He brought his hand back down now to hold onto his locket. "I see her shining smile. Her playful dimples. Her bright eyes. My Emmalien. Comes to see me every night."

The man had looked to where Edmond had pointed, but whether he saw it or not wasn't clear. "Ah." He nodded, "A woman who waits for you back home?"

Edmond felt the pain in his chest again. He frowned before he answered, "my daughter."

The man's eyes widened, "I see now. Emmalien's Constellation. That makes sense. You must love her very much."

"I always will." Conway confirmed with zero hesitation. "Do you have family? Is that where you are going now? Back home to them?"

"Oh no." The man scoffed. "This is a business trip. My colleague and I are traveling for work."

Edmond recalled the large cargo they had brought on board. The captain was curious now. They had so much money, their job must be one of great importance. "What line of work are you in?"

"I'm a researcher." He said quickly, "my line of work is collecting evidence."

Edmond was surprised by that. He didn't know that paid so well. "A man of science."

"Yes!"

"What manner of evidence do you mean to find on this journey?"

The man seemed hesitant to answer. After a moment of consideration, he finally spoke. "For now, the contents of my research are classified. But you will know soon enough. The whole world will!" He sounded excited now. For some reason, his tone made Edmond uncomfortable. Though he couldn't understand why.

His wife's words echoed in his mind. She had called this trip cursed. With the unsettling feeling twisting his gut, he could only hope that she wasn't right.