PLAYING GOD (Introduction)

A week had almost past since Billy Jukes and Slightly had last seen the cat guardian Mau. Slightly had returned home to the lost boys, to the open arms of his family. Peter quickly forgot that the boy named Tsekani had even existed. The other boys quickly followed his example, not so much as whispering a word of the demon-boy.

Everyone but Slightly, how could he forget everything that had happened to him so easily? He was slightly angered... more so, just disappointed, but what could he expect? Just another adventure that Slightly would simply keep to himself.

For now Slightly had other adventures to attend to, and there certainly were a lot of them. He was always busy and never alone, perhaps a sign the boys did remember what had happened. Nibs especially was being extra watchful. Guilty for his wrong and so making certain that Slightly was always accounted for. It was kind of annoying, but Slightly understood why, so he let Nibs coddle him... just for a while.

As for gunner Billy Jukes, why he'd never felt better in his life. Captain Hook had surprisingly found the blackened heart to forgive him for being A.W.O.L. Saying that after he'd thoroughly thought it through, the execution of young Jukes, would do him little good. The brief distraction of death would bring him little pleasure. Strange behavior for the tyrant James Hook, but Billy was just glad to be home again.

Besides Hook's "forgiving" nature, the rest of the crew was treating him rather well too. As soon as Tsekani was defeated, their memories returned to them and they all claimed to feel rather foolish about the whole episode. The best was yet to come, as for the whole duration of the week, Billy was pardoned from all his duties. The combination of all his injuries had made him a rather useless crew member. Jukes entertained that he should have dislocated him arm and broken his wrist long ago, if it meant the royal treatment.

The injuries were healing quite nicely though, thanks to medicines of the Indian village, courtesy of Slightly's sneaking. So in a day or two it would be back to back breaking work all over again.

As Billy sat in the crows nest, watching the seas roll, he considered the whole of this bizarre week. A dreadful feeling of unease had been eaten and tugged at his brain. He looked over his shoulder at the men working below, then to the closed door of Captain's quarters.

Though he couldn't give a word to the feeling, Jukes knew what it was, no matter how he tried to deny it. This whole week was but just a ruse if there ever was one. Perfectly woven, cleverly devised, and drawn out at a slithering smooth pace. Everyone was too nice, too helpful, too forgiving, and Jukes was just too diverted enjoying it.

Jukes recognized that dreadful feeling in his gut.

What plot was the Captain secretly devising? A half cocked plan for an invention that he was just buttering Jukes up for? Was he after information? He had seen Jukes with Slightly, there was no way to avoid that anymore. He probably thought Jukes knew all the Lost Boys secrets now.

Raking his brain for more ideas, he couldn't recognize anything that the Captain would want from him. He'd find out soon enough, he knew, this game had reached it's peek.

"Mr. Jukes!" Smee's kindly Irish voice called up to the crows nest, "The Captain would liking a word with you, if ye'd be kind enough to come down!"

"Aye aye!" Billy shouted back. Here it comes, a whole week of waiting and plotting about to be set into motion. If not, then Billy was sure he must have died while fighting Tsekani, and the fates forgot to announce his passing. A coma maybe? Sure, he'd been knocked around silly for hours, and this was a fancy of dream. A dream that stung like the fires of Tartarus and the bitter flavors of one of Cookson's soups.

"The Captains waiting in his quarters for you Mr. Jukes." Smee directed the boy as he hit the deck. Billy nodded and made his way up the stairs.

As he got out of ear shot, Starkey looked up to complain, "I hope this is the last of this farce. I'm tired of doing extra chores, so that boy can sit around on his lazy ass all day long."

"Shut your garb Starkey!" Mullins snapped a dirty rag at the Englishman's head.

"You argue with the Captain, then be my guest," Alf motioned towards the cabin.

"Well don't tell me that you agree with old mans whims?" Starkey inquired of the group. His tone cried out the familiar song of mutiny, but no one dared to speak the first. "No I don't agree with it, and I don't know what the Captain thinks he's going to gain." Mullins shook his head disdainfully, watching the boy.

The sharp melody of the harpsichord filled the space the Captain occupied. It was beautiful and calming to the gentleman's ear, but ominous and foreboding played against a wicked claw. On a wooden perch, rested the emerald parrot Short Tom, who chirped with the tune.

Hook paused for a moment, to smile at the bird, and stroke the underside of his crooked beak.

"My victory is at hand, my fine feathered friend," he chuckled pleasantly. "Patiently I have waited, patiently and with a humored spirit for this week to end. Now closer, my hour of triumph draws near. For now I have an answer to my longing question, I have the key to the domination, the power and control of my very life! It lies in the form of a pretty little girl, hidden away in the bowels of the earth. And I have her in my hook!"

The Captain shouted out and the parrot squawked, "Pretty girl... pretty girl. In my hook!"

The melody of the harpsichord continued, "Now all that is left is to uncover what secrets that boy holds under his tongue. To use him as persuasion to the secret mysteries that girl hides. To extend the hand of friendship to this girl. Then with her secrets I shall be unstoppable, and Peter Pan will finally fall at my hand."

Short Tom cocked his head towards the Captain, as if to doubt him.

"Yes you say, that the boy will not be so easily swayed. That he will object my authority, deny me information to protect the girl, as he would do so for one of those wretched Lost Boys. That I wouldn't doubt. For as Captain, I know the boy's true nature, that of a boy and not a man, not a pirate. And in his lies, he will speak to me the truth. For now we shall just wait to see what we can unearth from the boys lips."

A light, timid rapping came at the door before it slowly began to creep open. Hook stopped his practice to face the gunner as he entered.

His mind was busy in thought and suspicion as he let himself into the cabin. He created dozens answers and misunderstandings to say to avoid the subject that he feared the Captain would bring up.

"You wanted to see me sir?" Billy inquired the obvious.

"Yes, come in Mr. Jukes," Hook all too brightly welcomed him. He could see it in his feigned smile that he had other intentions. The gunner almost shook his head and verbally made a disgusted noise. He thought to say, do you actually think I'm buying your utter bullshit? I see right through you Captain James Hook. As so did the Captain.

The room was silent for a moment, and tense Billy found himself looking at everything but Hook. The harpsichord, the table, that stupid parrot Short Tom, maps, a globe, out the window. The drapes that concealed his dearly departed mothers picture.

"Now Mr. Jukes," Hook began. "I sympathize that you've been through a quite momentous week."

"I'm more than ready to go back to my duties sir, if that's what you meant to call me in here for," Jukes quickly cut in. Hook gave him a look of annoyance and Jukes knew to zip his lip.

"I'll keep that in mind, Mr. Jukes. As I was saying with your bravely putting your life on the line for that Lost Boy. Facing a "demon" which most of my men would be far too cowardly to face."

"That Lost Boy?" Jukes mentally repeated, if he didn't know any better, it sounded like Hook was perfectly fine with "that Lost Boy." Of course, Jukes knew, this was about Peter Pan!

"It certainly astounds myself to think you've done so much so selflessly... all alone." Billy slowly found that he had trouble paying attention to the captain. He was commending the boy now, for what and for why? It wasn't the first time either, he'd subtly try to boost the boy's confidence all week.

His imagination feel back into previous notions and again Billy concluded that he was comatose. Hook slightly chuckled to himself, "But if I recall, you did have help didn't you? A girl perhaps, what did you call her? Mau?"

Mau? Jukes nearly burst out again, this was certainly a new twist. Captain hadn't even mentioned the magical cat girl before, then why now?

"Mau, the Egyptian cat, if I am correct."

"I wouldn't know sir."

"Of course you wouldn't," Hook sneered, "But still this girl, Mau, a most magnificent creature. Why if it weren't for her, I'd have no gunner to speak of. She was greatly helpful to you and the lost boy Slightly. By King George, it should certainly be her that I should be commending."

Billy's mouth dropped open and he must have blinked twenty times in a row. Where did this all come from suddenly, Hook wanted to thank Mau?

"By Jove, that is exactly what I should do. But how locate the young maiden? Where can I reach this amazing woman endowed with such extraordinary powers?"

A mental brick suddenly hit Juke's head and his heart grew cold. How naïve could he be? Hook didn't want to thank Mau, he wanted to use her. He thought and soon remembered the Captain was the one who ran Slightly through and saw that the charm made him invulnerable. Hook must have wanted the charm too. But that was silly, it was only temporary and the only one Mau had. Yet, if Billy told the Captain that, would he really believe him? Probably not.

"So what say you Mr. Jukes? Shall we go to call upon your lady friend?" Hook finally asked, regaining the boys attention with a flick of his claw.

"Excuse me?" Billy asked, and Hook's brow furrowed in aggravation. He sighed heavily, "Is my request not clear enough Jukes, you dim witted ninnycock? The girl, Mau, I want to invite her aboard the Jolly Roger. And I want you to fetch her for me!"

"I..." Jukes' mind raced, "She's a busy girl, Captain. Besides, she's forbidden to leave her cavern."

"Well then at least we can go pay a visit to her, my dear boy."

"I can't sir." Billy answered all too calmly now, "I don't know where to find her."

"Balderdash!" The Captain shouted, clenching his fist.

"She lives in a labyrinth sir, a maze! I don't know the way, I don't know how to reach her! Can't we just leave well enough be?"

"Leave... leave well enough be? Are you protecting this girl?"

"Certainly not sir," Jukes' lied.

"Well this is just unheard of... and I will not except it. I want that girl and I want her charms and I want them now! Have I made myself clear yet Jukes?"

"Her charm?"

"She has the key to immortality? Do you think me daft boy! I've seen it with me own eyes." He pointed to them for emphasis.

"But you can't have it Captain, it doesn't work that way. Besides, it was the only one, it was destroyed."

Hook's face fell and for a long while he was silent, recollecting himself. Billy wasn't sure what he was going to do now.

"Is that so?" he finally double checked. Billy nodded quickly.

"I'd really thought you'd be more helpful Mr. Jukes. But if what ye say is truth indeed, then I guess there is nothing else to be said."

"Really Captain?" Jukes' face brightened, believing for a moment the captain was done, that he understood. He wished again he hadn't spoken out of turn.

"Yes Mr. Jukes I'm done with ye... be gone from my site."

Too readily the gypsy boy made hast for the door. Hook certainly was moody today and he was sure that all good moods were hereby ended.

"One last thing seaman Jukes." The Captain held the lad, "Ye've got a whole weeks worth of lollygagging to make up for, ye'd better get started. Your "holiday" is now over. I want everything on this ship back in tip top shape. Do you understand?"

"Aye aye sir." Billy timidly answered, not daring to look the man in the eyes. He heard Hook move away, to sit back into his chair. Billy scurried out of their like the dogs of hell were nipping at his heels.

It's strange to say what motivates a person to do something. Love, responsibility, lust, greed, or maybe even a moments insanity. Billy knew what had made him search for Slightly and risk his life. That was friendship and maybe to repay him, if that was even necessary. He knew for sure why the pirates had been so unnaturally nice to him, those were orders. He knew now why the Captain had not hung him from the yard arm and asked him about the cat girl. It was because he was a greedy villain, obsessed and more than like completely out of his mind.

But what Billy Jukes was really asking himself, was why he stuck his neck out for that girl, and lied to the Captain. He really didn't owe her anything and was feeling rather bitter about her currently. Because as soon as the boy had stepped out of that cabin, everything came screaming to a halt. His high became a low as he found himself sent directly to the galley to slave in Cookson's kitchen.

The pleasantries had all but stopped and they treated him again, like the lowly cabin boy he was. What a terrible set up, Billy fumed to himself the whole remainder of the day. The whole week was just another one of the Captain's schemes, and he wasn't even surprised. He was just thankful the Captain didn't scratch his back with the cat for not telling him all that he needed to know.

Still, he was injured, maybe that was for pity's sack. So instead they put him to work, a lot of work, with Cookson, punishment enough he supposed.

Again he asked himself "why" as he knelt on the floor, with a toothbrush sized scrub brush and cleaned the walls. Walls so coated and slimy that he swore some of it was still alive, or sprouting life. The others must have been saving this for him, all week long.

The wood boards creaked and footsteps approached him, someone had come to check up on him.

"Lights out Billy boy." Mullins informed him. "Ye need to ta get some rest besides."

"Rest? That's all I've been doing all week." Billy said, throwing the brush down. Offering his hand, Mullins helped the boy to his feet and directed him towards the stairs. Billy let out a great yawn, then tried to shake it off.

"C'mon there lad. Ye deserve a good nights rest. Whatever the Captain tells ya, you're the hardest working lad I've ever seen on a ship. Don't ye ever forget that."

"Thanks," Jukes grinned weakly. Together they walked to the men's quarter. Mullin's directed the boy in firsts, but made no effort to follow him.

"Aren't you coming shipmate?" Juke's inquired softly.

"I'll be down in a moment, don't you worry." Billy nodded and continued down. Mullin's gently closed the stairwell door behind him after waiting and listening a minute.

The Brooklyn pirate frowned, "Sleep well my young cully," then took a set of keys and locked the door. He looked to the side of the ship, by the railing, where all the remaining men and Captain had gathered.

"Are you ready Mr. Mullins?" the Captain's voice inquired.

"Aye sir," Mullins raised a ring of keys to show to the Captain, "He'll not be getting out and he'll not be in your way."

"Excellent, then tonight we sail men. I've an appointment with destiny!"

As Mullins got onto the longboat, he dared to ask, "Is this really necessary?"

"It is Mr. Mullins. I assure you tis all apart of me plan."

"Begging your pardon sir, but what is your plan?" Starkey cut in, taking an oar to row with as they hit water.

"Why, we're going after that mystical leprechaun of Jukes'," Smee happily chimed in an answer. "Ta steal her magical charms and what not so the Captain can be untouchable like that young whippersnapper was." That was the explanation of why they were searching for this girl, but what they would do when they confronted her. This wench from what they heard was no mortal creature and had the magic to defy the natural laws of life and death. If she could suspend the powers of death, it wasn't such a far fetched guess that she could project the powers of death too.

"That girl, Mr. Mullins has the key to my victory over Peter Pan. With her help, I'll be unstoppable." Hook smiled in child like glee.

"And what makes you think she'll help you?"

"When I want to Mr. Mullins, I have the power to be highly persuasive." the Captain chuckled to himself, all of the men cringed.

"Now row!" He hissed into the night air and the pirates left site of the Jolly Roger.

*****END INTRODUCTION*****