The letters. Destiny raced after Silver and caught him under the arm, "Sliver," she nearly cried.
The cyborg turned to face her, motioning for Dolton to wait. "Yes, lass?"
Breathing a sigh of relief, Destiny smiled, "Wait, please. I'll be right back!" she called over her shoulder as she raced toward the galley. When she arrived in her makeshift room, Destiny ripped open a drawer and shuffled through it, a tear escaping its hold and cascading down her pale face in her hast. Finding what she was looking for, she raced back up the stairs, thankful to see Sliver waiting, and she handed him three letters. "Please mail these, will you?"
Silver took the envelopes carefully and smiled down at one of his two daughter figures. He nodded simply, "Of course I can, lass. I'd sooner die then return to you with unsent letters!" Shaking the envelopes gently, Silver nodded, "I might lose me other leg to your hands if I don't!" He laughed, knowing how important it was to Destiny, as he'd mailed a few of these letters during their voyages. They were the one thing that could reveal the girl's heart and feelings. Silver looked at Dolton and stepped out onto the docks, the teen following close behind.
If a heart could smile, Destiny's was doing just that; something it so rarely did. But her lips did not even curl. At least she knew she could trust Silver to mail the letters. She had forgotten to take them with her when she'd left in the first place with Jim, but now they would be sent anyway. She hadn't missed her second chance, but she felt guilty for missing the first. No matter, she told herself, They will get it now. And that's all that matters.
Sand. Jim tasted sand, and he opened and closed his jaw, his tongue snaking in and out of his mouth to rid it of the dry taste. He blinked his eyes and raised his hands to his head, which was throbbing painfully. Where the hell is my jacket? Was his first thought, as he didn't feel it's familiar warmth, And my boots, and my belt, and my bag, and where is my freaking wallet?!
The floor beneath him felt cold and almost wet. Where in the world am I? He tried to sit up, wincing at the sharp pain in his head. "What the-?" he muttered, rubbing his head and the back of his neck. It was quite dark, and the air smelt musky, and old. Letting his hands drop to his side so he could look around properly, Jim's eyes widened as he realized he was surrounded by iron bars. What? No, this couldn't be... am I in... jail?! He instantly went into a series of rapid blinking, trying to wake up from the nightmare, but it didn't go away.
How had he gotten in jail? What had he done? He couldn't recall breaking into any restricted areas, or getting into any really bad fights that involved the police in the last while. The last time he'd been in trouble was when he'd broken into an off-limit-zone, and the police had... Suddenly it all came crashing back. Setting sail for Treasure Planet, the storm, Destiny and the repairs, getting into a fight, and being dragged off by Sildwany.
But Jim still, for the life of him couldn't figure out why he was in jail! Ignoring the pain in his head as much as possible, Jim jumped to his feet and pressed his face against the bars, wrapping his fists around two cold bars. He spotted an alien pacing up and down the rows of cells. The man was large, with a sunken face, and more than enough body hair. He wore a silver vest, and black pants. In his hands, he carried keys, and his black eyes darted up and down each prisoner as he passed.
"Hey! You!" Jim hollered, not bothering to care about the silence that had fallen over the place, and snapping the man's attention in his direction.
The jailor came brusquely toward Jim, and squinted at the boy in the darkness. When he realized it was only a boy, he seemed to relax. "What do you want, kid?"
Jim rolled his eyes and took a step back from the bars, "Look, Mr... uh,"
"Mr. Jonesth," the man replied, raising his head proudly.
"Whatever," Jim muttered, "I believe I have a right to know what's going on here." he stated rather rudely, but he didn't care. He just wanted to get answers. In fact, for Jim Hawkins, that was a rather nice way of asking what was going on! He usually chose more colorful words when he felt unsure, and didn't want to show.
"Ha!" Jonesth chuckled, " A right? You're just a kid! You have no rights!"
Jim glared at the alien, "Says who?" he demanded, "You certainly don't make up the laws, or has something changed in the past few weeks?" he sneered.
The man's features hardened, and his black eyes darkened, "You had better watch what you say," he warned, "I'm in charge here, and I'll see that you are punished for disrespecting me."
Jim scoffed, "Oh really? I'd like to see you try," he challenged.
"If you say so, I will," Jonesth growled, taking a step closer to the cell.
Every muscle in Jim's body relaxed. He wasn't even a little scared. "Go ahead," he said, "I'd like to see you lay one fat hand on me!" the jailor's face flashed, and Jim knew he was getting angry, so the drive to make him even more upset set off like a trigger in Jim's mind, and he pressed harder, working on every loose screw he could find. "Open that door, and smack me as stupid hard as you can! I don't give a shit! And I don't give a shit about you or this stupid place either! Come on! Or are you scared, 'cause I'm gonna kick your a**!"
Jonesth stomped his foot and shoved his key in the key whole, unlocking the door, and letting himself in. "Now you're going to wish you were never born, kid!" he threatened, "'Cause I'm going to hurt you so bad you'll wish you'd never laid eyes on me!"
"No kidding," Jim agreed, "Even before this, the sight of you made me wish I were dead."
The jailor screeched in anger and advanced, cornering Jim against the walls.
"Mr. Jonesth! Have you lost your senses?" a tall dark man appeared at the cell door. Unlike Jonesth, this man had no hair whatsoever, his three eyes were small, and he had bluish colored skin. He wore a red coat, and had a white cap covering the top of his bald head.
Jonesth turned, bowing his head in shame, "Sr. Black, I wasn't... I err... uh..."
"I expect more from you," Black said, glaring at his worker, "You know you are not to touch the prisoners unless you have permission. This had better not happen again. Am I understood?"
"Yes Sr." Jonesth raced passed the tall man and didn't look back as he shuffled down the hall, resuming his job.
"Now," Black turned back to Jim, who glared at him, then glanced behind him. "Mr. Silver? Here is young Hawkins. Please make this fast."
Jim's eyes widened in shock as Silver stepped into view. And behind him came none other, than Dolton. Jim's eyes rolled back in his head. Of all the people on the ship, Dolton?
"Come on Jimbo," Silver said, accepting Jim's jacket, boots, and belt from Black. Jim crossed his arms in front of his chest and exited the cell.
"What's going on?" he demanded.
"You made a bail lad," the cyborg responded coldly, tossing Jim his things, who shoved them on eagerly.
"I know that," Jim muttered, shrugging his jacket over his shoulders, "I mean, why in the universe am I in here?"
"Huh, you should know!" Dolton muttered from behind Silver.
"If I did, I wouldn't have asked, idiot," Jim retorted, pulling on his boots.
"As if!"
Jim glared at the sixteen year old, "Shut up." Or I'll give you a reason to.
"Now, let's get goin'," Silver suggested, tipping his hat to Black, "Good day, Sr."
Black nodded, before turning to leave. Jim followed Sliver, and Dolton brought up the back. Jim tried to ignore the annoying red head, but just his presence drove him nuts, and again, Jim wondered why it was Dolton that came with Silver. He wondered what Destiny had said. Had she made him sound stupid? Dolton would have, but Jim didn't know Destiny very well. All he knew was that she had mood swings, she was a brisk walker, and she was distant. Jim had never asked her anything about her personal life, but she hadn't offered to share either. He was like that. Jim never talked too much, it wasn't really in his nature. He preferred to listen, and only talk when necessary. Besides, no one would be pleased to know the trouble he'd caused.
Stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jacket, Jim found his wallet, which he relocated to his pants pocket. Dolton's breath tickled Jim's ear as the older kid closed some of the space between them, "Hey Rat Tail, how was jail?"
Jim wanted to punch Dolton in the face for insulting him with a nickname, but he ignored him and demanded once again to know why he'd been in jail.
"Theft," was Silver's answer, "It's against the law."
"What? But I didn't steal anything!" Jim objected, raising his hands angrily.
"That's not what I heard," the cyborg muttered.
"Well then," Jim rolled his eyes, "What did you hear?"
Silver didn't turn back, "Far as I know you stole somethin' from a shop, Jimbo."
"And who told you that?"
Dolton answered, smiling, "Destin."
It hit again, and Jim remembered holding something from the shop when Sildwany drug him out. But why couldn't he remember going to jail? Why couldn't he remember?!
"Yah," Dolton sneered, "She told the captain all about your stealing. I can't wait to see what she does to you!"
Jim turned to give the kid a well deserved punch, but Silver caught him by the back of his jacket, and hauled him forward, placing Jim in the front. The boy struggled to release the cyborg's hold, but Sliver refused to let go, and he pushed Jim ahead of him. Jim could hear Dolton snickering behind him, and he scowled. He just wished Silver would let him go so he could teach the kid to leave him alone!
Rat-Tail (c) sultal
The letters... yes, very important. You may notice a few past things fitting together in these next few chpts, so if you are AT ALL confused, feel free to PM me! And I'd be grateful to you if you'd review, thanx!