Disclaimer: It is doesn't belong to me! But never underestimate the power of the Internet (and especially e-bay)!
AN: *blinks a lot as she reads reviews* how I never thought my story would be such a hit! Thank you all for reviewing! Can you say sequel in the making? Anyway, since we're nearing schools end I've been having more time to get chapters written and edited. But my Math Teacher decided to go into her last-minute-homework-spree and I'm going to be boggled down this week and next, so the next chapter may take some time but I promised to have it up as soon as possible. R&R!
Chapter Three- Convincing the CaptainTwo days after Seymour Blake had departed from the Benbow Inn; Jim Hawkins docked at the Docks on the Space Port Montresser.
BEN sat on a wooden chair a few feet away from Jim. He was reading a computer map and muttering about crazy adventures. Jim smiled, for a robot BEN was so human-like it was scary.
Morph was huddled against Jim's chest inside his cloths. Montresser had been very cold when they had left and Morph still hadn't gotten over it.
As Jim watched his crew prepare to take aboard two professor of the Academy, he thought back to his departure on Montresser. Sarah Hawkins had been understanding when Jim had told her he had a mission to do and had to cut his visit shot. Amelia and Delbert had been happy for him while their triplets had badgered him for more presents on his return. He smiled fondly at the memory.
Jim also wondered what this Professor Christopher would be like. He had heard about the professor. A leading expert in the field of Ancient Ruins and Cultures. He wondered if the professor was annoying, as he found most professors to be, but would this one? This professor could be interesting enough. He had never known an Ancient Ruins and Cultures professor before so he couldn't be sure.
Sighing, Jim plopped into his seat at the controls. He was two hours early. He had wanted to be there on time and have everything set up for the two professors. Jim also liked to have a neat and tidy ship.
Jim calculated that the trip to Dead Earth would take about a month, provided that they didn't run into any trouble once on the dead planet. It was all a bunch of big ifs, but Jim knew it wouldn't be one of his longer missions.
It can't be too hard, Jim thought to himself, all I'm doing is going to Dead Earth, letting those professors take their notes and then heading back. That was basically the gist of it.
Jim closed his eyes and thought of the planet, supposedly dead, he would be visiting soon. Something told him he wasn't going to enjoy this trip to much. In fact, he wasn't going to enjoy it at all.
Alyson stepped outside the Academy walls with a sigh. Nervous, she glanced down at her attire.
Alyson had traded her professor robes in for a more travel-suited outfit. She wore a red shirt with sleeves reached her elbows. She wore red pants that had a belt attached to it. The belt was made up of two folds on top of one another. The material of the folds was every soft and felt good against her skin. On top of her red shirt was a gray vest that had a v-neckline. It tucked into her belt. She then had gray knee-high boots, which once it reached the top of her knee the material folded down until it reached her upper-calves.
Alyson wondered if her outfit looked a little ridiculous, but she didn't really care. She liked the outfit. Alyson patted her head and made sure her dark bun was in place. She smiled, only a few strands of hair loose this time.
Over her shoulder, Alyson carried a heavy rucksack. Her shoulders ached under the pressure the bag caused her. Inside the bag were her books on Earth, sketch pads, markers and change of cloths. She hadn't guessed how heavy it would be and now she was wishing she had.
Alyson paused and looked behind her. Seymour rushed to catch up to her. He walked on unsure legs since he was using crutches to carry him. Alyson waited patiently for him to catch up to her.
Seymour finally reached her five minutes later and Alyson looked over him, "Do you want me to help you?"
"No, no!" Seymour said, frustration clearly in his voice, "By the great moon Celeste I'm going to get this blasted thing figured out on my own!"
Alyson laughed, "Alright let's get going. We're already late." Alyson buttoned the cloak tightly around Seymour and pulled up his hood. On her own cloak, she allowed it to hang onto her only by a single button on her neck.
Alyson forced herself to walk slowly, so Seymour didn't feel the need to push himself to keep up with her. But truly, Alyson was filled with adrenaline and her whole body was screaming to move fast. Her legs itched to run. She was so giddy; her whole body was screaming 'my dream, my dream!' The last thing she wanted to do was be late to her dream, but Seymour's health was more important.
The Docks, where all of the ships were located, were crowded with people. People taking trips, people selling things, or people just waiting to see their loved ones return from a journey.
Alyson stood by Seymour side, fearful someone would push him down and he would not be able to get up. Alyson's instincts had been right. People hardly looked at Seymour as the pushed passed him. Alyson gripped his arm so to keep him upright should someone push him and he trips.
Suddenly Alyson came upon the ship of her dreams. The R.L.S. Fate. It was made of gold and silver paint. The mass was tall and wide and the crow's next stood proud and regal looking. There were two levels to the ship that could be seen. The top level had golden doors that Alyson guessed where the sleeping quarters.
As Seymour reached her side, Alyson turned and gasped at him, "This is it! This is the R.L.S. Fate."
Seymour smiled, "Yes, it is quite impressive isn't it?"
"It's beautiful." Alyson whispered, "Let's go on it."
Alyson walked up the wooden plank that connected the Fate to the Docks. The plank was tilted and Alyson was aware of Seymour's grunts behind her as he struggled to make it up the ramp, but she was too caught up in the ship to help him.
When Alyson got on the boat deck, the crew members moved about them, hardly looking their way.
A crewmember passed her, he was a creature with scaly green skin with horns and wedded hands and feet. Quickly, as Seymour finally joined her on the boat, Alyson scooted towards the creature.
"Excuse me, sir." Alyson said, tapping on the creature's shoulder carefully avoiding the horns sticking up from his shoulders, "But can you tell me where I am to find Captain Hawkins?"
The
creature turned and looked her over, "You one of the professors?"
Alyson nodded, "Yes."
"You're late. The captain is not pleased."
"Yes well…" Alyson motioned to Seymour.
The creature chose to ignore her gesture, "He's up on the control deck. Up that ladder."
Alyson turned to Seymour, "Can you climb up that?" She asked, pointing to the ladder.
Seymour took one look at the ladder and gulped, "I'll manage." He muttered.
Alyson nodded and walked over to the ladder. She placed her rucksack besides the ladder and began to climb. She heard the clatter of Seymour's crutches and then his grunts as he tried to pull himself up the ladder.
With a huff, she pushed herself on the top deck of the Fate and looked around. Where was this captain?
Captain James Hawkins's back was turned to her. From his back view, Alyson could see that Captain Hawkins had dark brown hair cut short around his head, like most of the Academy captains. His body was lean and well-shaped. He was wearing white pants with a black belt. He had mid-calves high boots, which he tucked the bottom of his pants into. His shirt was white and jacket-like. Alyson knew this because even though she couldn't see him all Academy captains wore this as the official outfit. She knew Captain's Hawkins's shirt had gold button and he had medals on his left side and a pocket on his right. The number of medals on a ship captain's shirt would be varied by how good he was. Even from behind, Alyson could tell he was most likely handsome. That made her blush.
Alyson coughed and said, "Ah, Captain Hawkins? I'm… ah… Professor Alyson Christopher."
The captain turned to her, dark blue eyes blazing. He's not handsome, Alyson thought, he's darkly handsome and her blush intensified. She hadn't expected the captain to look this good. His skin was a tan colour and his body looked even better from the front. He had high-cheek bones and a full mouth which, strangely enough, looked very dashing on him. His blue eyes were almost black and Alyson suddenly thought of a wild creature on a desert planet. Wild and untamed, that's what Captain Hawkins looked like to her.
Captain Hawkins looked over her, eyes burning with anger. His eyes held annoyance and, when he had made a complete inspection of her, more anger. Alyson forgot her blush and felt her own anger rise. No looked at her like that!
"You're late." Captain Hawkins grunted at her, "I was about to leave without you two."
"We'll excuse me, captain." Alyson said through gritted teeth, "But you really have no right to talk to me so! I won't stand for your treatment of me two seconds after I talk to you! You will treat me with respect! And farther more, as for being late we got a little-"
Captain Hawkins glared at her, "I show respect were it is deserved! So far you have done little to deserve it. Coming late and then demanding things of me. And as far as running late goes there's no excuse. I cut short my vacation time to take you to this stupid planet. The least you could do is show up on time."
"We're sorry about that." Gasped Seymour, finally climbing off the ladder. He pushed his crutches onto the floor and then pulled himself onto the floor. He struggled with getting himself up, but finally managed it.
He then turned back to Captain Hawkins, "As you can see, I slowed us down. Sorry about that."
Captain Hawkins's eyes showed actual concern, "What happened to you, Professor Blake?"
Seymour smiled, "It involved a large stone and some broken bones. Nothing I can't handle." Then Seymour frowned, "But unfortunately, I will not able to go with you to Earth. The doctor highly protests. So it'll be just you and Alyson."
Captain Hawkins's face paled, "What!? I have to baby-sit this… this girl?" He demanded, "I refuse to take just this little woman anywhere. I agreed to take you, Professor Blake, not this woman."
Alyson glared at Captain Hawkins and stepped closer towards him. She was surprised when the captain did not back down. Usually her hard eyes and angry glared had people backing down. Obviously this rude captain had no idea how powerful she really was. Girl? HA!
"Captain Hawkins, I'm afraid you have no choice in the matter?" Alyson said, her voice taking on her snobby tone.
That only made Captain Hawkins more annoyed, "What do you mean?"
"Well, the Academy's paying you, is it not?" Alyson said, thrusting her chin outward in a stubborn gesture, "This mission was an order as well, right? Well then, you have to do this. You have no choice."
Captain Hawkins looked ready to spit nails, "Listen hear-"
"Ah, Captain," Seymour said, smartly cutting in before Alyson actually hurt Captain Hawkins, "Do you have to cast off soon?"
Captain Hawkins pulled his glare away from Alyson and faced Seymour, "Yes. I suppose you'll have to get off, yes?"
Seymour nodded, "Let's head down, Alyson."
Alyson brushed passed Captain Hawkins with a smug look on her face. She knew she shouldn't feel so smug, but it felt like a small victory for her. The captain was not what she thought he would be and Alyson thought he needed to be taught a lesson. She was no pushover and she wouldn't take any crap from a ship captain.
Also, something about the captain irked her to no end. She wasn't sure what it was, but it made her whole body hot with anger. She didn't like it when her will was butted against and Captain Hawkins probably lived to do such things with people. She had a feeling their relationship was going to be tough.
Jim glared as Alyson climbed down the ladder with Seymour. The woman was a menace! She thought she could just prance on the ship, his ship, and tell everyone what to do. Well, Professor Christopher would have to think again. On his ship, he was in control. No prissy Miss Professor was going to tell him what to do.
But Jim couldn't quite figure out what it was about that woman that irked him so. Sure, she was prissy and snobby, but he'd dealt with that before and a lot better, too. So why was this woman different? Sure, she was a lovely thing, but he'd seen women just a lovely or lovelier. There was nothing out of the ordinary about her beauty, expect for her sea-goddess eyes.
It's because she's so damn annoying, Jim told himself, refusing to believe anything else, she just expects the world to roll over for her. Well, I'm not like that and its time she learned that.
With that Jim went to join Alyson and Seymour.
"I don't think I can do this." Alyson told Seymour the minute they were out of Jim's earshot, "I cannot deal with that… that rude poor example of a man!"
Seymour smiled as Alyson came flushed with rage. How cute.
Seymour put his hand on Alyson's shoulder, "Be brave, dear-heart. Remember he's just a captain and you're an Academy professor."
Alyson nodded, "You're right of course." She paused as Captain Hawkins walked over to them, "Goodbye, Professor."
They embraced and Seymour looked over at Jim as he neared. His eyes said all as they met with Jim's.
She gets hurt… you're dead.
"Take lots of pictures for me." Seymour said when they pulled out of their embrace.
Alyson nodded and stepped away from Seymour. Without another word, Seymour limped with his crutches down the plank and off the ship. Alyson's eyes hazed with tears as Seymour stepped into the crowd. He turned to her and offered a smile. Then Seymour waved to her and after she waved he disappeared into the crowd.
In that instant, panic over took Alyson and she wanted to run off the Fate and rush into Seymour's arms. She clutched the wooden railing of the ship so tight her knuckles turned white.
But then Captain Hawkins was standing next to her. She looked over and up at him and saw he was glaring at the spot Seymour had been standing in moments before. Alyson swore she could almost here the captain's thought. I don't have time to baby-sit this silly, greenhorn woman. Alyson's back straightened and determination sparked her eyes. She would be damned before she showed Captain James Pleiades Hawkins any of her doubt or fear.
Jim looked over at Alyson and shook his head once more, "I don't have time to be baby-sitting." He muttered.
Alyson glared up at him, but spoke no words. Her anger was to enormous for them. Instead she began walking the ship deck, inspecting it. Since Jim was walking with her, as if he thought she would fall over the edge of the ship, she pretended to look with disgust at the ship.
Jim groaned with annoyance but continued to follow. In this game of wills, he was sure he would not be the first to break the silence.
The captain was on her nerves. She thought if she just kept silent he would leave, growing bored of her, but no. Jim seemed to want to make her life a living hell. Consumed with fury, she stopped abruptly and whirled to face him.
"I don't need looking after!" She screeched angrily.
Just then, a crate that had been held in a net about Alyson's head, snapped and tumbled right where Alyson was standing.
With quick motions, Jim reached out and grasped Alyson's hand. He jerked her away from where the crate was and sent her tumbling against his chest. The box crashed a few inches from Alyson feet.
Alyson looked up at Jim, instantly preparing to thank him when she saw him glaring at her.
"Don't need looking after, huh?" Jim asked.
Alyson pulled swiftly away. To think she was about to thank the man!
"I could've saved myself!" She hotly, "I didn't need you, Captain Hawkins, to rescue me. Now how about you show me to my room and then get this horrible thing you call a ship moving, hmm?"
Jim's jaw tightened and he thought the woman needed a throttle, but he was not the man to do it. Nor did he want to. From he now on he promised not to touch the woman with a ten-foot pole unless absolutely necessary.
"Follow me, your Highness." Jim said sarcastically. He turned and walked to the ladder, leading to the second deck. As he and Alyson made their way to the ladder, he passed Rochester.
"Start up the ship, Rochester." Jim said sharply, "Let's get this over with as soon as possible."
"Yes, let's." Alyson agreed.
Rochester looked at little taken back by Alyson's prissy/sarcastic tone, but nodded to Jim.
"Aye. Aye, Captain." He said and hurried to start up the ship.
That night, Alyson's stomach twisted in knots. She thought she was going to be sick as the spaceship moved about in the dark currents of the galaxy.
She remembered the take-off procedure and almost smiled. It had been beautiful to watch as the Montresser Space Port got smaller and smaller until it was nothing more then a speck in a black sky. She had seen that many times before, but every time she saw it, it was still amazing to her. And she hated to admit but the Fate had had one of the best take-off's she had been on.
But then the turbulence had started. All spaceships got it as they left the atmosphere of a planet. Alyson's stomach couldn't handle the bumps and she got sick easily. But they would be out of the turbulence soon enough, Alyson told herself. Then she would feel better.
Alyson also knew her unsettled stomach was the result of getting very angry and flustered. And that was all the fault of Captain Hawkins.
At the very thought of the captain, Alyson's lips twisted and she pushed her face into her pillow. Insufferable man! All day she had done nothing but argue with him. First it had been about Dead Earth and whether it was history in the making or not. Then they fought about the food. Then there was whether or not Alyson should help around the ship. And then there was when she should go to bed.
Alyson was still fuming about that one. Alyson had wanted to stay up later and read her books on Dead Earth, but Captain Hawkins said that they had lights out at this exact time, no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
So now, all Alyson could do was sit in her dark bedroom and fume about how much she detested Captain Hawkins. No, how much she hated Captain Hawkins. Honestly, the man was a tyrant.
He is quite handsome though, Alyson thought, to bad he doesn't have the personality to go along with it.
Alyson raised her head and looked around at her bedroom. It was quite large, she supposed that was because it had originally been designed for two. The walls were a pale blue and there was a clock directly above her queen size bed. There was a small desk in the corner of the room where she had put all of her books and sketch pad. It always had vanity to put her cloths in with a gold framed mirror.
Alyson turned on her side and shut her eyes. She was exhausted from her take-off and her arguments with Captain Hawkins.
And tomorrow she would have to do it all again.
The next day, Alyson woke up when the light of day in space pouring into her window.
Weakly, she glanced up at her clock and gasped. She had slept two hours more then she had planned to! Oh, she was late and this would look even worse in the captain's eyes.
Not that I care, Alyson told herself as stripped off her pajamas, forced on new panties and a bra and then put on the cloths she had worn yesterday.
She managed to force her disheveled hair into a bun, reminding herself to brush it later.
Then she pushed open her door and stepped onto the high deck of the Fate and breathed deep. Space… she thought, the blackest of black.
She watched as Captain Hawkins's crewmembers moved about the ship. Rigging the sails, cleaning the ship, taking the small lifeboat out to scan the area ahead of them, or doing anything else that needed to be done.
"There you are." Came a husky voice from behind her.
Alyson rolled her eyes and turned to Captain Hawkins, "Captain, fancy meeting you here. What did you do, just wait for me to get up?"
"Don't flatter yourself, Professor. I was walking by and seeing now that our very own sleeping beauty had awakened, I might put you to work." Jim said, sounding annoyed. He did not like this woman.
Alyson choice to ignore the sleeping beauty remark and just glared at him, "Work? Excuse me, Captain, but why must I work for you?"
"Because it is my ship." Jim said calmly, "And when you are now my ship, you do what I tell you to."
"How does anyone survive you!?" Alyson shouted with anger, "You must be the most intolerable man in all the galaxies!"
"Better to be an intolerable man then an annoying woman with a degree in boring." Jim shot back.
Alyson faced flushed with rage, "You… you… YOU ASS! How dare you? My degree is more interesting then all your trips across the galaxies combined!"
Jim actually laughed at that, "I highly doubt that. You've been locked in your ivory tower for so long; you've probably forgotten what interesting even is."
Alyson glared at him and hissed, "As your employer you have to show me more respect. That is, if you know how to show it."
"I
give respect to those who deserve it!" Jim retorted, his own anger rising, "You
should be the one giving me the respect! I cut my vacation with my family short
so I could drag your snobby-ass to some dead, forsaken planet! I hadn't seen my
family in over seven months."
Alyson refused to feel sorry
about that, "Your family's probably thanking me right now! I bet they can
hardly survive those few days with you. I bet those few months away from you
was a blessing to them!"
Jim opened his mouth to retort
but found he was to anger to do so. Alyson had nothing more to say for the same
reason. They stood glaring at each other. They bodies were inches apart and
rage radiated from them.
Finally Jim broke the silence when he loudly yelled, "BEN!"
Alyson turned as she heard the metallic clank of metal against wood. A robot hurried up to Alyson and Jim. Offering a light smile, he saluted Jim.
"What can I do for you, Captain?" BEN asked.
Jim glared at Alyson, "BEN, this is Professor Alyson Christopher. She's the professor with us on this trip. I want you to go anywhere she does and watch over her. Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid."
Alyson's eyes sparked with anger once more, "I don't need looking after." She growled.
"I believed you do," Jim countered, "and I'm captain. Take her into the galley, BEN."
"Captain Hawkins!" Alyson shouted, but BEN was already grabbing her arm and leading her away from the brooding captain.
Jim
sighed as he watched the professor being dragged away. He shook his head and
turned back to his controls. He grabbed his pen to make mark on a map when it
turned to pink liquid in his hands.
"Morph." He said as the pink
blob looked up at him, "Were have you been for the past day?"
Morph quickly turned into a
table and behind formed a pot over a burning fire with some cabinets.
"The galley?" Jim laughed, "You lucky dog, leaving me here to deal with Miss Holier-then-Thou."
Jim sighed once more and looked over to where Alyson had disappeared. This was going to be a very long day.
All done! I hope you enjoy reading this fic as much as I enjoy writing it! Don't forget to review! And look out for Chapter Four: On Board 'Fate'. What happens what Alyson's afraid of heights and she agrees to climb the mast of the R.L.S. Fate? It's Jim to the rescue!
And that's a wrap!
-Lizzy Rebel
