The next few months involved Silver giving hard cabin boy tasks to Jim and Fung, who did their best to do them, even if it left the friends exhausted by the end of the day.

Some nights were enjoyable, especially when it came to hearing Silver telling stories about the different planets he visited. Fung now wondered if he had ever been to Earth. Speaking of which, he finally had gotten around to tell Jim about his home planet and country.

"So let me get this straight, you and your gang had stolen some magic mirror that had pulled you inside?" Jim asked, as Fung nodded.

"Yeah. But it had been months, and I kind of do miss my gang."

Jim gave him an assuring smile. "We can talk to Captain Amelia when the voyage is done to see if she can charter you a way back to Earth, if that is alright?" Fung grinned back.

"That would be great, especially if Gahri can't get the Jade Palace's help, I can sure use the extra help here."

There had been other nights that hadn't been too fun, like one time Silver had Jim and Fung clean the whole kitchen after the crew had a big dinner. When he came back to check on them, the boy and the croc were fast asleep already, with clean dishes put away. He smiled, and put his coat around them before heading out.

Jim and Fung peeked their eyes open, just in time to see Silver leave, and to feel the coat. Fung chuckled.

"Perhaps that old cyborg does have a soft heart," he commented in a sleepy voice, as the two fell asleep again right there in the kitchen.

While Fung was mopping (again) he noticed Jim wasn't doing it, but merely staring out into space (pun intended).

He's probably thinking about his dad again, Fung thought sadly, as he returned to his work.

Silver another time had the two friends help him get a longboat ready for a test run. But when Silver flew the ship out, Fung frowned as he noted Jim's despondent look, possibly remembering the day his father left.

"Hey, come on, yeh two! What are you waiting for?" Silver called back, and Jim immediately grinned, jumping in the boat, and Fung followed suit.

Silver began to instruct Jim about the basics of the longboat, but Jim already knew, grinning and pressing buttons to start it up.

"Whoa!" Silver yelped, as the boat zoomed off. Fung gripped the side of it as hard as he could, a huge smile on his face from the speed of the boat.

They approached a comet, flying right inside the tail of it. Fung was laughing the whole way, he never had this much fun in ages, this was even better than pulling off a successful heist! His heart felt light and happy, while Jim pulled off some stunts in the comet's tail.

They flew out of it, covered in glittering comet dust and just laughing without stopping when returning to the ship.

Silver, Jim and Fung pulled in the boat. Jim even had a little fun by leaning near Silver so he had a hard time with his end.

"Oh, Jimbo, if I can pilot a ship like that when I was your age, they'd be bowing in the streets when I'd walk by today," he said, sitting down, while Morph mimicked him.

Fung grinned back, doing the same sitting gesture. "Yeah, Jim's the daredevil more than me, but this had been the most fun I've had in a lifetime," he exclaimed, stretching his arms and putting them behind his head.

Jim joined him. "They weren't exactly singing my phrases when we left home. But we're gonna change that," he said. Silver eyed him curiously. "Really now? How so?"

"Well, I've got a few plans, that will make people see me a little differently." Fung wasn't sure though, when a person sounded confident like that (look back at his own experiences of trying to be confident about something), it can go bad.

Silver seemed to somewhat agree. "Ooh, sometimes plans go astray."

But Jim kept smiling. "Not this time," he proclaimed. Fung really wanted to support his friend, but...

He was distracted with Silver struggling with his prosthetic leg, and Morph helping him by turning into a screwdriver.

"Hey, guy, how did that happen to ya?" He asked curiously, staring at the leg. Silver looked sad, looking at his metal hand.

"Yeh give up a few things, chasing a dream," he murmured. Fung winced. "Sorry, guy," he apologized. Silver shrugged.

"Was it worth it?" Jim asked.

Silver chuckled lightly, as the three of them laid back together. "I'm hoping it is, Jim. I most surely am."

Fung closed his eyes, feeling at peace with his friends. Nothing could disturb this moment.

BOOM!

Fung yelled as he flew out of the boat, crashing onto the landing boards, rubbing his head. "Wh-wha? What's going on?" He yelped, Jim and Silver also disturbed by the explosion.

"Dunno, let's go see!" Jim shouted, all of them running up to the deck.

Silver was wide eyed. "What the devil?" He gasped. Fung felt icy fear, seeing the most insane explosion ever: a star had gone Supernova, exploding pieces flew everywhere.

"Evasive action, Mr. Turnbuckle!" Amelia ordered. The alien nodded, turning the steering wheel away from the explosion. Fung was more terrified than he had ever been, unsure of what to do, as Mr. Arrow ordered everyone to fasten their lifelines, which he, Jim, and Silver did.

The debris from the star ripped through the sails, burning holes in them.

"Mr. Arrow! Secure those sails!" Amelia called, Arrow turning to the crew to have them do so, and Fung struggled to get brave, climbing up with Jim and Silver to help.

A flaming piece of rock at one point hit Silver's lifeline, making him lose balance and nearly fall, but the two friends grabbed him, hauling him to safety.

Silver smiled gratefully. "Thanks, lads!" He thanked. Fung grinned back, until it disappeared in two seconds:

A huge meteor was headed their way, one that could burn them up instantly. Fung whimpered, shielding his face from the searing heat, readying himself, but nothing came, the rock was being pulled back. The croc was confused.

"Capteen! The star!" Screamed Onus in panic from the crows nest. Fung's mouth fell open in fear again, seeing a strange hole before them, sucking in every thing around it.

"It's- it's evolving into a black hole!" Yelped Delbert in fear.

Fung's legs trembled. Black Hole?

Already the ship was being dragged inside, after Fung, Jim and Silver all climbed back down from the sails. Large heat waves kept hitting the ship.

"Ugh, blast these waves! They're so deucedly erratic! Amelia snapped, struggling with the steering.

"No Captain! They're not erratic at all! There will be one more in about 47.2 seconds followed by the biggest magilla of them all!" Delbert shouted while studying his instrument.

Amelia grinned. "Of course! Brilliant, Doctor! We'll ride that last magilla out of here!"

"All sails secured, Captain!" Arrow yelled.

"Good man! Now, release them immediately!"

Arrow looked pretty confused, but relayed them back, the crew complaining about the sudden change of orders while climbing back up.

Then Fung received an order from the captain, surprising him.

"Fung, make sure all lifelines are secure good and tight!"

The croc nodded, better than climbing back up there again, and this was his chance to do a good job for himself and not mess up! Jim looked happy that his friend had received a duty.

"Aye, Captain!" He called, jumping over to them, and pulling each lifeline as tight as he could.

Don't mess up, guy! Don't mess up! Fung said to himself, after tightening the last one.

"Lifelines secured, Captain!" Fung yelled up to Amelia, who nodded her approval.

Fung suddenly grunted, knocked off his feet by another strong wave, hitting the side of the boat, stars winking in front of his eyes that wasn't in space.

"Fung! Are you okay?" Yelled Jim, jumping down to help his friend. He shook his head to clear the stars away.

"Okay guy, I think," he mumbled, rubbing his head.

"Captain! The last wave! Here it comes!" Delbert screamed. Fung felt his heart thump fast, if they didn't make it...

"Hold onto your lifelines, gents! It's gonna be a bumpy ride!" Amelia yelled. Fung and Jim both held onto a pole, darkness swarming up around them. Silver held onto them tight as well, and Fung shut his eyes, ready to die, echoing silence of the black hole ringing in his ears.

Then, the biggest explosion yet sounded from the black hole, filling up the solar sails, and the ship soared right out of it back into safety. Fung had his eyes shut the whole time until he heard the crew cheering, and peeked them open, sighing in relief at no longer seeing that black hole anymore, they were still alive!

Amelia walked over to the trio after talking to Delbert.

"I must congratulate you, Mr. Silver, seems your cabin boy, Fung did a bang up job with those life lines!" She complimented. Fung smiled, folding his arms, feeling rather good about himself. His first task from his captain done right for once...

"All hands accounted for, Mr. Arrow? Mr. Arrow?" Amelia called, but the rock man didn't answer, or show. Fung swallowed as his rival Scroop walked up holding Arrow's hat.

"I'm afraid Mr. Arrow has been lossst..." he said in a sad voice.

What? No! No! Thought Fung in terror and disbelief, legs trembling.

Scroop gave the croc a steely look. "Hisss lifeline wasss not ssecure..." he hissed accusingly.

Fung felt everybody glaring at him. Tears burned his vision. He checked them all! Amelia gave the croc a disapproving stare that shattered his heart, and he ran to the lifelines, staring at the one empty spot. The rope was gone.

His legs felt numb, stomach threatening to burst with disbelief and self guilt.

"I-I swear, I checked them, I did!" Fung gasped, feeling like his legs were going to not support him anymore. But nobody believed him. Jim stared at his friend with pity. Silver noted the triumphant sneer on Scroop's face, and knew he was gonna talk to him about this later.

He failed at something, again. Fung backed away, the cold stares of the crew members and Jim's piteous gaze burning into every fiber of his being. If his parents could see this—.

Fung ran, ran to the far side of the ship. He wanted to get away from them, the tears finally coming down.

Once he was out of earshot, Fung took of his helmet, staring down at the thing. I don't deserve this helmet, the croc thought miserably, throwing the helmet, hearing it clattering away from him, a loud sniffle escaping him.

Fung sat down, the sniffling turning into soft crying, hugging himself tightly, hiding his miserable existence from the rest of the universe.

Jim walked around, trying to find Fung, until he spotted something lying away from him, Fung's helmet. He picked it up, and looked over to where it came from, seeing his crocodile friend crying from afar. He winced. That would have been me if I had been told to tighten the lifelines, he thought, cautiously moving near Fung.

"Fung?" Jim asked carefully, a hand on his shoulder. He didn't look up.

"Gawwh, just go away! I'm a looser!" Snapped Fung heatedly, Silver also coming over.

"No, you're not, it wasn't your fault!" Jim said. Silver nodded.

"Why, half the crew would be spinnin' in that black abyss if it weren't fer—."

Fung bared his teeth. He didn't care! "Look, I messed up, Kay? Just like my whole stupid life I've failed to make a living! Mr. Arrow died because of me! I don't deserve to live anymore!" He screamed, punching the ship's walls.

Silver wasn't prepared for this statement from the young croc, and he didn't know what to say at first.

"No! Don't even say that, Fung, do you hear me? Everybody's life matters, especially yours!" Jim snapped back, eyes narrowed.

"Why should I believe you, guy?" Mumbled Fung thickly.

"Let me say somethin', yeh two," Silver said. "Yeh both got the makings of greatness in yeh. But you both got to take the helm and chart your own course! Stick to it, no matter the squalls! When the time comes and yeh both get the chance to test the cut o yer sails, and show what you're made of, well, I hope I'm there catching some of teh light comin' off yeh that day," he finished, smiling at them gently. Jim felt really moved by the cyborg's speech, and Fung glanced upward with surprise, nobody ever spoke to him like that in his life.

Jim then gave Silver a hug, while Fung didn't really move, until Jim hugged him, too, and even gave him the helmet Fung threw. Fung took it, reluctantly.

"You might need it," Jim said. Just a little, a small smile perked on the croc's lips.

"Thanks, buddy," he murmured. Silver then awkwardly broke off from their hug.

"Well, uh, I'd best be getting about me watch, and yeh two best be getting some shut eye," he said.

"An' Fung, like Jim said, Arrow's death ain't yer fault, I'll explain that to the captain, alright?" Fung nodded, feeling grateful to Silver for his help and encouragement, before yawning, and heading to bed with Jim.