Chapter 10: Under road
The expedition crew were recruited from many places, from the cold lands of Russia, to the warm coast of Boston and even the cliffs of planet Montressor. They come for many reasons, Money, Knowledge, Fame… but at this very moment, one thought united all scattered crews into one combined will "We're all goanna Dia.".
The under roads are likely the strangest thing on earth, it has its own climate system, all kinds of strange creatures lurking in the rocks, and never mention the ruins collapsing by any wrong touching hands. Jim's Jacket were lost in the earlier collapse ruin, leaving him with the same green tank top with the rest of the crew, that nearly killed him when the crew faces a hailing frost the next day. Good thing about the Russians are they always bring extra coats to keep warm, the crew survived the storm.
They walked for least 1 week, Milo's journey is useful to deliver them from wrong path, but even the man must admit the journey didn't mention where to find supplies. Captain Amelia lead a team of hunters to find supplies in the ruins, the feline can fetch water and dried oats from the trickiest spot of the under road, the crew have less worries on starving, the problems are in the kitchen.
First of all, Jim adapted the alien flavours for years, the clam chowder his mother served Helga was his least favourite. Secondly, Cookie the chef hardly makes any earthly flavours, most of the crew take his cooking for no better than survival, though sometimes there are comments saying they prefer death.
"Come and get it! For the appetizer, Caesar salad... escargot... and your Oriental spring rolls." Cookie serve the crew with smashes only imaginable to he or Jim. Milo and the Dopplers hardly shares supper with the crew, they were rather too focus on their work, or they do live in another planet in many ways. "It's not as bad as the Legacy…" said Dilbert, "There you go, Milo. Put some meat on that skinny bones of yours." Amelia pour her serve on Milo's plate. "You know, we've been pretty tough on the foreigners." Said Vinny "What do you say we cut them some slack?" Said Dr. Sweet, "Hey, Milo! Cap! Why don't
you experts come sit with us?" he waves the groups over.
"Really?" Said Dr. Dilbert "You don't mind?" Vinny wave the group over "Nah. Park it here." Said Vinny. "Gee, this is great. I mean, you know... it's an honor to be included in your...Pbbbbbt" Milo's opening was interrupted by a fart bag planted by mole. "Mole!" said the crew around the fire. "Ah, forgive me. I could not resist." Mole apologies with the least of sincerity on his face, but more of a bush as he takes it as an accomplishment. The crew start discussing the content from the Journal, leaving Jim to work with Cookie near the stove.
"So, boy!" said Cookie. "Yes, Mr. Cookie?" Jim rarely speak to any crew members, he was too busy being unconscious from shockwaves of blue light, or the duty to feed an entire crew along with their unsatisfied anger from the taste. "The commander mentioned you sailed on a boat, aren't ya fella?" as a survivor from the first expedition, Cookie have tones of questions to ask Jim, "It's quite a journey, we go on a ride to a planet full of treasure…" this reminds Jim how he go on the RLS legacy with the Dilbert family, the mentorship from space pirate John Silver, the journey do change his life, he's no longer the boy who tried to kill himself with a hundred ways.
"Hay! Cook!" the father and son conversation ended with a rough sound from an angry officer. "I had enough of your lousy cooking, especially with that alien boy's squid inked tongue!" Jim intend to reason with the officer, not before Cookie step ahead of him. "You better not mess with the cook, or we might serve your eyes for tomorrow's breakfast!" cookie point a fork to the officer's throat. The mad officer pick up the knife from the chopping board, Jim landed his hand on the laser pistol on his belt. Out of the tense, Cookie parried the officer's knife with his fork. "One Five Three! Six Four Two! " Cookie land a set of attacks on the officer, pushes the bigger man to the nearby rock "and launch!" he nailed the officer's shirt on the rock behind him.
"COOL!" Jim never sees a person fight with such disadvantage, the officer is double the size of the cook, the old man cleverly attacks in tricky directions to render his opponent's strength useless. "Now you will wash all the dish, before I place this fork between your legs!" Cookie make the officer do all the washing for the night. "Have you learned fencing, Boy?" Cookie asks Jim. "No, I was involved in some fist fights, or with guns, but no, no swords." Jim remembered a dummy in his home, with an empty sword stand his father left behind. "Your father was a skilled fighter, son." said Cookie. The old man tells Jim about his training, Pleiades Hawkins was the coach of the first expedition, he trained the crew members in survival, engineering, and combat. Jim remember his father trained with a blue crystal cutlass in his childhood. His father never allows him to touch the blade, though Jim can remember the sword glows in the dark, clear blue crystal with inscriptions inserted to a golden totem hilt.
"So, what are you waiting for, Jimmy?" Cookie's question makes Jim confuse. "I thought you're here to train?" said Cookie. "ah…Sure, Mr. Cookie." Jim accepted Cookie's offer. On the following days, Cookie have Jim to do all forms of training, the boy is a quick learner, took no time to learn all skills he need through the expedition. That night, Cookie opened his diary "So, you finally pass on your blood line, Father." He picked up a photo with young Cookie with Pleiades Hawkins in front of an orphanage. He wrote down his process of the expedition, with the daily improved recipe, Jim's training, and he signed the page - James Cook.