TREASURE PLANET:
Flint's legacy – rise of evil
Chapter 1: Intro
There were nights, when the winds of Etherium were calm… that was the time when the notorious captain Flint was most likely to attack his unsuspecting victims and collect treasure for his treasure chest. The truth was, that the treasure chest was much, much bigger than anyone expected. It was the whole planet. The loot of a thousand worlds. Flint always appeared from nowhere and vanished without a trace. No one knew how he did it.
Dr. Delbert Doppler was following Dr. Annemarie Hedges down the hall of Institute of technology Watercropolis. The box she was carrying contained the most precious and mysterious object known to them. It had no particular name so they were calling it the map or Flint's map. No one knew exactly how it works until recent. So now, Dr. Doppler and Hedges were heading to the lab to run few tests on it and to open it to see the interior of it. They got the permission from Royal Interstellar Academy to do that but only when they'll be sure how to put it back together.
Hedges opened the massive bronze door that was leading to the lab. Doppler was nervous. He never thought such a thing will be possible in his lifetime.
"Before we take this apart we should do some x-ray pictures to see the interior. I don't want to take it apart and then not be able to put it back together." She said. "Put it over there. Get your notes."
Hedges turned on the huge machine for x-rays (imagine normal x-ray but a bit steampunk-ish). Doppler moved a bit away. A weird noise and a ray of red light came out and that was all. Hedges looked at the results. She seemed surprised.
"Oh… oh my. I never saw a circuit like this before. What is this?" she said examining the picture. Doppler looked closer. He was also surprised. The circuit didn't have any shape or order. It seemed like everything was floating like it was an atom.
"I don't think we should open this, doctor." He said.
"I think the opposite. We should. As soon as possible."
"We don't know if there's any radiation inside that could cause damage to us. Let's keep it like this and wait for some time or call experts."
"I'm an expert!"
"Not for circuits, I presume."
She remained quiet. But she wanted this so badly. Doppler was right after all. They never saw anything like this before. It could be dangerous.
…
Jim was sitting in Hall of Independence, waiting for orders in his brand new suit. This time it was for real. He got his crew and his ship. His own crew. Amelia won't be there. Only he and his first mate Damien Lowe. He was about the same age as Jim. He had green eyes and dreadlocks made out of his brownish hair. He didn't seem like someone who would be in the royal navy. Jim also wasn't really happy that they granted him as his first mate. He was sloppy, he didn't cared about anything, but he was a really good person and he was really smart. Extremely smart. Jim would never expect such wisdom from a guy like Damien.
Some time later, a man walked towards them from the office with few papers.
"Gentlemen, I have news." He said. He stopped in front them. Jim hinted Damien to stand up. "It's official. You're the new captain of Fortuna Solaris, congratulations."
They shook each others hands. "What's the mission I have?" Jim asked in excitement.
"Your good friend Delbert Doppler has discovered something." He said and leaned closer and added with a quieter voice. "It's about the map."
Jim's eyes widened. He couldn't believe it. "You have got to be kidding me!"
"I'm completely serious Mr. Hawkins."
"I don't want to have anything with the map anymore sir. I'm sorry."
"Hey man, what about the map?" Damien asked.
"It brings only troubles. You don't want to know what I've been trough because of it." he turned back to the man. "What about the map? What does it have to do with me?"
"You'll transport the map and the doctor to the Layska solar system. They're the only ones that have the technology and knowledge to open the map and see the interior as Dr. Doppler and Dr. Hedges want to do."
"Technology? They use some black magic stuff." Damien said. "They're not really intelligent, no offence."
"I agree." Jim said. Layskans were a nation that lived in their own solar system in the neighbor galaxy. They were all weird shaped aliens with weird smell and language nobody really understood. Except them, of course. There were some legends the inventor Sphelleius, who was half Layskan half human, made the map and after his death it stayed in the temple of Luna Liberus for another 2000 years until Flint stole it from them. Apparently they were the only ones who could resolve the mystery of the map once and for all. And Jim wasn't happy about it, neither was Damien.
"I'm sorry," Jim said. "I'll have to refuse your offer."
"There's no one else for this. Besides, the map should remain a top secret. We can't trust anyone else. You've already had something with the map, I'm sure you can take control and good care of it."
He sighed. they already paid him partly and apparently there was no other choice. "When are we leaving?"
"Later in the evening. You should meet the crew and the ship."
Damien showed the way. "This way, sir." He said and leaded the way. Because Montressor Spaceport was ruined, Watercropolis was temporary the main port in the galaxy. Hall of Independence was close to the port. Damien walked down the deck that was very long and rend in several smaller decks.
"Don't get scared of the crew, they're just a bunch of freaky perverts on one place. Useless, lazy, without any motivation." Damien explained.
Look who's talking… Jim thought.
"But otherwise the best you can afford here. The ship is fine, big enough for the whole crew with great captain's quarters but I still don't get why such a big ship and crew if we won't really need it."
"We're going undercover. We don't want anyone to suspect anything."
"There's one problem. Outside the galaxy we have no protection. There's the place where the pirates are most likely to attack but since they're not around, because of Flint's second death, I doubt we'll see any."
"Why are you so sure?"
"Being optimistic, captn'."
After few more minutes they reached the ship. Fortuna Solaris. Jim took a deep breath. It was amazing. He will be its first captain. Finally his dream came true. But it turned in to a nightmare when he heard what his assignment is. He walked up the plank on the deck. The crew was already getting the sails ready and similar things.
"Nice ship indeed, I hope it doesn't get ruined by pirates." He said to himself observing it and sliding over the freshly painted wood with his hand. After some time he heard Doppler talking to someone. In security's escort with a woman on his side he stepped on the deck of the ship. Jim walked closer.
"Doc, nice to see you again." Jim said smiling and shaking his hand.
"Jim!" he mended his glasses. "Look at you! You're a really captain now! I promise Amelia won't be around on this one, but, I'd like you to meet Dr. Annemarie Hedges. She helped me to find out what… I found out."
Annemarie shook Jim's hand. "Pleasure to meet you Mr. Hawkins."
"The pleasure is mine, doctor."
She was 40-something. Her hair was curly and red. She didn't really seem like a nice warm person. Grumpy bitch was his first impression.
"This is my first mate, Damien Lowe." He pointed on Damien. He saw him chewing on some fruit with the juice all around his mouth. He stretched his sticky hand to Annemarie but she refused to shake it. Jim rolled his frowned to him. "He'll take you to your quarters." 'You idiot!' he then formed words with his lips.
'What?' Damien did the same shrugging. Jim rolled his eyes and turned back to Doppler and Annemarie with a forced smile. "This way please."