Authors Note: Sorry it took me so long, and this chapter may be a bit boring. Don't worry, three won't take me as long to post. Promise. :D
Jim Hawkins sat up straight, banging his head on the bunk above him. "Ow," He growled, rubbing the top of his head. He opened his dark orbs, finding Morph floating in front of him. It took a minute for Jim to realize he had just been dreaming. He was still in the Academy. That was the problem. His mind was always in the clouds, always wanting to go out on another adventure. He wanted to go find Silver. There was no way he could do that at the Academy. Morph shifted into a giant tongue, and licked Jim across the face. The brunette groaned and wiped his face. This was their morning routine. Morph would wake him up at least an hour before alarm sounded, stirring him from his dreams. With a large yawn, Jim slipped his feet over his bed. Might as well get a head start on breakfast. He stretched his arms above his head, before reaching down to slip his boots on. Morph floated around his head, and Jim swatted at him. Morph wasn't allowed to follow him around campus and the blob knew that. Jim figured he'd grab something to eat, and then bring some up to Morph. That was really why Morph woke him up so early in the morning.
"Pata, I am graduating in a year and I have potential of being a Captain," Jim paused by the communications room hearing Ilana's voice. Okay, Jim wasn't the kind of guy to listen in on someone else's conversation. Yet, the tone in Ilana's voice made him worry a bit. Maybe he had a bit of a crush on her, and just maybe he wanted to be her knight in shining armor. Man, that sounded really stupid. Knight in shining armor? Like a sixth former who was graduating at the top of her class needed help from a third former like him. Man, he deserved to be smacked. What was he thinking waiting here for her? She'd probably think he was listening in on her conversation. Of course, he was kinda, but that wasn't his intention. He just wanted to make sure she was okay.
"Jim?" While he had been standing there debating on what to do, Ilana had finished her conversation and was standing in the doorway. Jim looked at her, and he looked a little dumbfounded. Ilana was leaning against the doorway, with an eyebrow quirked in his direction.
"Ilana, I'm sorry…I was just passing by and wondering if you'd like to get some breakfast or something?" The words poured out his mouth so fast, that he didn't realize what he was saying. There was silence between the two of them, and Jim suddenly felt like a fool. They had done one training simulation together, and now he expected her to eat breakfast with him. Man, what a joke. The silence between them felt like it lasted for hours, even though it was only for a few seconds. Jim looked up at Ilana, and she had a smile on her face.
"Yeah, I would like that," Ilana spoke, and Jim had to have been dreaming. He would have pinched himself, but that would have just made him even more of a weirdo. He really didn't want Ilana to think that of him, he had to play it cool…smooth. Jim had once been the bad boy, even though he was a loner. The girls back home liked that, but Jim was never interested in them. He wasn't much of a bad boy here though, he had cleaned up his act a lot since he had come to the academy. Here he was just Jim Hawkins, a third former that really didn't have much promise. So maybe Jim hadn't been doing his best at the academy, he was trying not to draw attention to himself. Eventually he would use more of his skill, but right now he just wanted to fit in. The two walked in silence, and when they reached the mess hall, the doors slid open revealing nothing but empty tables and filled bars. Jim was actually kind of grateful for this. He really didn't want to deal with Duncan and his 'encouragement', no that was more like embarrassment. As the two made their way over to the bars filled with food from different planets and cultures, Ilana broke the silence.
"Can I ask you a question?" She asked, looking over at him.
"Only if I can ask you one," Jim retorted, grabbing a plate.
"Sure," Ilana smiled, and started grabbing fruit, "is it true you found Treasure Planet?"
Jim paused, frozen in his spot. He didn't know anyone but the academy knew about that. That was how Captain Amelia was able to recommend him. She told the academy of how heroic Jim was during their adventure to Treasure Planet. She told them how Jim had saved the crew countless times, and was the main reason they had managed to escape Treasure Planet. However, that information was strictly confidential and the fact that Ilana knew about it made Jim a little nervous. How many other people knew? OR at least had an inkling of knowing. Man, this sucked.
"Don't worry, I haven't told anyone," Ilana explained quickly, "I work in the academy office sometimes, and the headmaster was talking about it with Professor Amelia."
Jim sighed, and nodded, "yeah, found it and destroyed it." Ilana nodded, and went silent again. Again, the silence felt like it lasted forever and Jim continued to gather his food. "I'm sorry if I offended you or something," Ilana said quietly, and Jim brought his attention to her again. Her golden eyes were looking directly at him, and he grinned at her. He wasn't really offended, in fact he was proud of the fact he had been the only one to ever find Treasure Planet. Even if he ended up destroying it.
"Don't be sorry, it's understandable that you are curious," Jim said with a shrug, finishing piling food on his plate, "so…was that your father you were talking to?"
"So you were listening," Ilana had a smile in her voice, and a plate full of fruits and vegetables. Jim had forgotten that her race didn't eat meat. He didn't know much more about her race than that though. He knew they were warriors, powerful, and vegetarian. That was about it. "Yeah, it was my father. He wants me to come back home," Ilana explained as they walked over to one of the empty tables. Jim sat down, and watched as Ilana started picking at her food. It seemed that the conversation with her father had really bothered her. It wasn't Jim's place to ask, but he was curious about it. Why would her father want her to come home? Jim's mother was proud that he was off at the academy, making a brighter future for himself. Wasn't Ilana's father? Especially if Ilana was going to be a Captain when she graduated. That was a high honor, and if it were true, towards the end of the year Ilana would leave the Academy early. She'd probably already have her field experience, since fifth to sixth formers joined crews during their breaks and went off on adventures to get the feel of sailing. So why wouldn't her father be proud of that?
"Why does he want you to come home? If you don't mind me asking," Jim questioned, before taking a bite out of something that was on his plate. He had learned on his travels to always try something new, cause you never know how good it actually could be. Silver had taught him that, and Jim had not found something he hadn't liked yet.
"My people are a very reserved race, we don't have any technology on our planet, and leaving it is usually forbidden," Ilana explained, taking a bite out of a purp, "however, I was a rare case. My mother saw potential in me at a young age, and well, she sent me to a academy like setting early. She had me living with a Captain, knowing that someday I would be a great Spacer. She died before I entered the academy, and my father let me go because it was her dying wish. But she never said that I had to complete the academy, and my father wants me back before I turn eighteen because once I'm eighteen I'll be able to do what I please, tradition or not."
"I'm sorry about your mother," He said quietly, understanding how she felt about that. Except his father never died, he had just taken off. The old man never cared about Jim or his mother, the very thought of him made Jim angry. He didn't consider that man his father, in fact he had someone he considered a father. A pirate who was probably traveling all over space at the moment. At least, Jim hoped so. He'd really hate to find out that the Captain was trapped in some prison or something like that.
"It's okay, she died peacefully," Ilana said before continuing to eat. Again, silence befell them. This time it wasn't an awkward silence, it was actually kinda nice. The two of them ate in silence, and when Ilana was finished she stood up. Jim jumped up too, and Ilana laughed lightly. "Hey, Spacer, no need to be formal with me," She smiled, before offering him his hand, "thanks for breakfast, I'll see you later I suppose."
"Yeah, see ya," Jim took her hand, and they shook each others hands. Ilana let go of his hand, and just like that she was gone. Oh man, Duncan was gonna freak.