Chapter 27
The cave posed little if any light, making Jim's tread uneasy. He was aware of a wall to his right which he took advantage of by feeling down it with his hands. Because he was also well aware of the seemingly endless pit that that was to his left.
The slope seemed to end suddenly on a cavern floor. Jim almost stumbled forward at the sudden change in terrain as what was once dirt became a metal floor. The floor felt warm and familiar under foot indicating to Jim that they had reached what had once been the central mechanism of the planet.
Silver, Pell, Jaka and Aidee stopped behind him, their careful eyes taking in the darkness of this place.
The sound of voices reached Jim's ears and he turned his head in the direction of a chamber that came off of the one they stood in.
He signalled the others forward, dimming his torch so as not to rouse the interest of pirates.
And as they moved forward, the flickering light of lanterns played shadows of prisoners bound in chains lined up in rows of twos and threes. Each one stared on, lifeless eyes watching the empty space before them.
Jim approached the first captive, tapping a hand on his head. He was made up of pure stone.
"The lines go on for ages." Silver pointed, allowing Jim's eyes to follow down the great cavern. "What is this?"
"I think these are Flint's planet builders," said Jim.
"So they weren't buried alive?... they were turned into statues?" Aidee piped from behind as she joined Jim in tapping a hand on the statue. "But how?"
All eyes turned on Pell who stood silently to the side.
She nodded. "By use of a magical stone of sorts-"
"The terracotta stone," Jim finished. "The one Dolphy was talking about. Flint stole it from her home town and used it on his prisoners. So that was how he was able to control such huge numbers of people."
Pell looked sickened. "These people have been here for over a hundred years. Everyone they knew in the free world is now dead and gone."
Jim's face took on a serious frown, especially as he found his way into another chamber. "And I think I know what Elizabeth wants to do with them, starting with my crew." He pointed. "She wants to rebuild the planet."
The chamber was smaller, allowing only enough room for Elizabeth's pirates and Defiant's crew. There they stood bound and chained just as the statues had been. An audience to Elizabeth and a fire pit. In the pit sat five branding irons which Jim had a were about to be used on his friends.
"Bring the girl that is responsible for killing my map maker." Elizabeth's order echoed off the cavern walls.
Dolphy soon found herself shoved forward. Staggering, she fell to her knees at the feet of the Pirate Captain. The hands of Witchpanther grabbed at her arms, bringing them forward and her sleeves rolled back. The girl bucked, trying to struggle from his firm hold on her but he was just too strong.
The branding iron was suddenly hovering over her head, the alien skull and planet rings glowing a deep orange.
She squinted, attempting in vain to wrench her wrist from the pirate's grip.
Jim didn't even give himself the time to think and before anyone could stop him he was bolting at full pelt for the Pirate Captain.
Elizabeth barely had the time to react before the blast fired through the cavern, hitting the branding iron and sending it flying into the air.
Every man and woman in the cavern reeled, a united gasp sounding aloud and echoing off the stone walls. Was this really he? Or was this just an illusion?
"Hawkins!" Startled, the pirate stepped back, her hands automatically going to her holster.
Pirates stepped up but Jim's pistol soon after found itself aimed for spot between her eyes.
"It's me that you want, let them go." His voice was calm despite the gravity of the situation.
Unfortunately, this didn't seem to faze her as her startle turned into an amused growl.
"Why would I need to negotiate with you? You already belong to me?"
She lifted her hands high, as if to beckon something and suddenly the roof above them began to crumble. Those who found themselves standing in the wrong place either quickly dove out of the way or became the victims of the falling segment of rock.
All at once, the cavern shone with an intense silver blue. A bright, broken moon hovered over head.
Jim squinted in the moonlight, his arm coming up to cover his eyes as the pirate watched on expectantly.
Elizabeth stopped, hissing, her eyes wide with alarm. "What is the meaning of this?"
But this time it was Jim's turn to smile. He wiped a hand down an arm that no longer bore the curse's rash.
"I didn't cheat death. I died on board your ship. I'm free from your curse."
"How?" demanded Elizabeth but then it dawned on her and she answered her own question, spitting the name aloud as if it was an abomination. "Turner!"
"HWRRRRRRRRR!" the almighty roar caught everyone off guard.
People spun in time to watch the morphing, cyborg bear tear onto the scene. Silver hit the ground, gears whirring and warping under the pressure of his changing form.
Elizabeth cocked her head, somewhat amused. She watched on as startled by the old cyborg's changing, Jim's other friends leapt out from hiding.
She pointed, ordering the bear, who now stood under her complete control, "rip them limb from limb."
"No!" Jim's cry sounded aloud over the Pirate's order, he made a dash for the bear but the tiger that leapt from the darkness beat him to it.
Pell stepped up to Silver, snarling, stopping him from advancing on the others. The bear reared, a claw taking a swipe at the tiger but she backed, quickly keeping her distance.
Elizabeth however, could only laugh, a hand clutching her belly.
"So that's where you have been hiding, Pell," she said, undaunted by Pell's threatening nature. "Regardless, you are still mine, kill them, Pell."
"No, Pell! Defend them!" Jim countered the Pirate's order.
Elizabeth reeled, her eyes wide as the tiger, ignoring Elizabeth's order, continued to circle the bear. Her eyes turned on Jim, her scowl piercing and deadly.
The boy didn't even stop to comprehend, he just turned, wrenching Dolphy from Witchpanther's grip and bolted.
"Get him!" Elizabeth's screech was what carried them on as they along with Jaka and Aidee skidded from the cavern and dove in amongst the terracotta slave army.
"Split up! Try and lose them!" Jim cried letting Dolphy go and allowing her to scoot in behind the statues as he headed back out into the open.
Silver, having managed to get around Pell, was already on him.
"Shi-" Jim reeled, his boots sliding across the metallic floors. He scrambled for the passage that lead them back to the surface, desperate to get the bear out of the moonlight that only seemed to follow them.
But the claw that swiped at his legs sent him tumbling to the floor and his pistol skittering away. Jim rolled and the bear was suddenly on top of him. Snarling.
"Silver!" he could only call, his plea desperate. "Silver! It's me! Jim! Wake up! Silver!" Fangs stopped just inches from his face. "Silver. We're buddies. You don't want to hurt me."
Panting... dark eyes watching... then just the slightest glimmer in his eye.
The bear backed off him.
Slowly, Jim pulled himself upright, his voice low and reassuring. "Don't let her control you, Silver. Listen to your heart. I need you, Silver. Help the slaves-"
BANG!
The shot was so loud that it made Jim jump.
The bear jolted suddenly, reeling as the gun shot sliced through his shoulder.
Elizabeth stepped up to them, pistol aimed, her eyes wide with fury and delirium and it seemed that she would stop at nothing to see him dead.
"First you steal my father's treasure and then you decide to take my slaves too? Prepare to meet your father, James. And this time, you won't be coming back. I'll make sure of that.
The pistol charged.
Unable to move, Jim could only watch as suddenly the bear reeled, blocking its path. But before he had the chance to swipe it from her hands the shot rang through the cavern.
Jim's ears buzzing... the bear hit the ground.
"Silver!" Bursting to his feet, Jim dashed for the bear's side but Elizabeth was already recharging her pistol.
He had no other choice, he had to run.
Up and up and up Jim ran. The passage seemed so long and endless. Every muscle in Jim's body screamed at him to stop. But still he pushed himself forward. He could feel the pirate behind him, close on his heels. Hear the hum of her pistol's endless charge.
Jim staggered, tripping on rocks in his path. The darkness seemed to press in on him, chocking him... stealing the air that just didn't seem to want to trail into his lungs any longer.
BOOM! The ground just inches from his feet exploded, sending rock and metal flying in every direction. Jim staggered to the ground, his face hitting the dirt. It seemed to take him a painful eternity to pull himself upright again. But just then the press of something cold and hard made its way into his head.
Elizabeth stood over him, those bright, gleaming eyes the only things he could see in this darkness.
Her sneer was low toned and screamed for his blood. "Tell Leland I said hello."
The shadow appeared from nowhere, knocking Elizabeth off balance and sending her pistol spiralling down into the abyss of darkness below them.
Elizabeth teetered on her feet, her startled gaze turning upon the golden, glowing eyes of the tiger. Arms windmilling... there was nothing done as gravity eventually won and the Pirate was sent tumbling back over the ledge...
Jim just lay there, his head hitting the dirt as Pell nuzzled him, pressuring him to climb onto her back. She carried him back down to the bottom of the cavern where there Jim's crew were already working on overtaking the remainder of Elizabeth's pirates.
The dark form on the ground grabbed his attention.
"Silver!" Jim gave a gasp, getting off the tiger's back and hurrying to his side.
The bear was gone and in its place was the old cyborg.
"Jimbo..." his voice trailed, cracking.
"Silver. Hang in here. Help is coming." Though both seemed to know otherwise.
A metallic had reached out, touching the boy's face.
"Yer gots the makings of something great in ya." He smiled, though his eyes were distant and sad. "Tell your mother, goodbye for me. Lad." He swallowed. "And don't yer ever let anyone tie down your sails..."
"Silver, no..."
There was nothing Jim could do as he watched him drift off into a dreamless sleep. The cyborg's eyes closed, his head gently falling back to the ground...
Slowly, figures appeared behind the boy. Hands pressed on his shoulder, warm and comforting.
Jim stood, his eyes awash with tears that he just didn't want to wipe away. Battle wrecked and dirty they hugged him. Sad and yet blessed to be alive...