DISCLAIMER: I still don't own it… *sigh*

                        AN: I would first like to thank you all for reviewing! I'm glad you all are enjoying. I'm really getting a kick out of typing it. So anyway, I just want to give you a little overview of something that happens in this chapter. I'm sure some of you have wondered why Alyson was so interested in Dead Earth (but then again, maybe not). I've finally decided to go into Alyson's past! I hope you enjoy this chapter. R&R!!!!!!!

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Chapter Five- The Asteroid Field

                        For the next week, things didn't change much onboard the R.L.S. Fate. Alyson and Jim still fought like wildcats, but Jim was certain not to push Alyson too far and it could be said that Alyson didn't nag Jim as much, though she still did a lot of nagging.

            Alyson mostly drew now. She drew anything she saw, from the stars to the crewmembers. She didn't colour in must of them, though she was colouring in the one she did of BEN in a silly pose.

            But she found that, without realizing she had done it, most of her drawings were of Jim. She had him smiling at his pink glob, Morph. One of him ordering is crew about and her favourite one of Jim with his head lowered to a map, reading it with unwavering attention.

            Alyson frowned at the picture she was colouring in. It was the one of Jim and Morph. She couldn't help but colour it in. The picture was too perfect.

            But she wondered why she had drawn Jim so many times. She didn't even like him, right?

            Alyson sighed and pushed away the painting. Okay, so she liked Jim, but it was only because he saved her life. A sort of gratitude-crush thing. She refused to allow it to be anything else. That was all it could.

            She chose to ignore the fact that her heart seemed to believe different. Gratitude was mistaken for love all the time, Alyson told herself. I am grateful that Jim saved me, but that doesn't mean I love him.

            Alyson nodded and smiled. Yes, that was it. Her heart was mistaking gratitude for love. She couldn't possibly love someone like Jim. Sure he was handsome, but he also arrogant, self-centered and extremely cocky.

            "See, I can't possibly love him." Alyson said smiling. Knowing now that she couldn't love Jim made her feel better so she decided to visit BEN outside.

                        Later that night, Jim walked down the deck of the Fate. He was, as always, thinking of Alyson but this time it was in a good way. Well… sort of in a good way.

            Jim had already gotten over the fact that he was attracted to Alyson, she was a very beautiful woman. But that didn't mean he even liked her. In fact, he still hated her. Just because he was attracted to someone didn't mean he had to like them. Alyson was a beautiful and desirable woman, who wouldn't be attracted to her? He was a man after all. He knew a beautiful woman when he saw one.

            But of course, Jim would do nothing about his attraction to Alyson because he wasn't that horrible. He couldn't possibly romp with a person he hated. No, he would let his attraction fade. Over time all attraction faded. How many women had he been attracted to, but had forgotten them the minute he had left their port? Jim knew for a fact that all attraction faded over time.

            Jim's thoughts stopped abruptly when he almost tripped over a body. Cursing under his breath, Jim looked down and saw that he had almost tripped over Alyson, who was deep in sleep, her back cocked against the wooden wall of the ship.

            For a moment Jim was tempted to leave Alyson where she slept and let her wake up with a backache. In fact, Jim had even gone as far as walking past Alyson when he groaned. Rolling his eyes, Jim turned back to the sleeping professor.

            "Damn my bleeding heart." Jim muttered as he picked Alyson up. But he'd be damned if he cared her like some knight in shinning armor. So instead of carrying Alyson in his arms, he threw Alyson over his should, but gently enough so she did not wake up. His hand wrapped around her legs so she didn't fall off his shoulder and land on the deck with a nasty bang.

            Jim groaned as he dragged himself and Alyson up the ladder to the second floor of the Fate. He had never carried a sleeping woman before, but he had never thought they would be this heavy. As he climbed up the ladder Jim suddenly blinked and his face twisted, he cursed when he realized he would have to carry Alyson up to her room. Well, he certainly wasn't going to tuck her in.

            As Jim hopped onto the second floor a voice said, "Isn't that so romantic. You have Alyson thrown over your shoulder like a murderer would with his victim."

            Jim shot BEN a glare, "Hey, I didn't even want to take the damn woman up to her room. She deserves the backache if she's foolish enough to fall asleep on the deck. But no, I had to be the nice guy and carry the woman, whom I just happen to hate, up to her room. Well, you can be certain I wasn't going to carry her like some white knight."

            BEN shook his metallic head, "You know, Jim? For the life of me I can't figure out why you and Alyson hate each other. I mean, you two are so alike."

            Jim raised a dark brow, "Name on thing we have in common."

            You're both stubborn." BEN said instantly and grinned, "You both are very kind and you worry about other people-"

            Jim snorted, "Professor Alyson Christopher kind and concerned for anyone other then herself? That'll be the day."

            BEN shook his head again, "Really, Jim. You don't know her like I do. You two are too busy arguing about one thing or another to try to get to know each other. I'm sure you'll really like each other."

            Jim glared at BEN, "What makes you think I want to know her better? Maybe I like our verbal fights." He was sure to add a sarcastic tone to the final part of his sentence.

            At that BEN laughed, "I have no doubt you do. I think you really like Alyson deep down and the reason is because she's fighting on a level no one's ever fought you on before. She's the first person you've met that like you is too stubborn to admit she's wrong. You've never had that before. And I know that once you get past your stubbornness and looked at one another, you'll see the potential you two have."

            Jim shook his head, refusing to allow BEN's words affect him, and walked past the robot.

            Jim walked over to Alyson's door and leaned down so he could turn the knob. Alyson slid down his shoulder and Jim had to stop abruptly so to stop Alyson from falling. Cursing, Jim leaned Alyson against the wood walls and used his body and one hand to cage her against the wall so she didn't slide to the side. His knee pushed gently against her legs so she didn't slide to the floor. Then Jim jerked open her door and he pulled Alyson back into his arms and took into her room.

            Gently, Jim placed Alyson on her bed and went to exit but stopped. He looked over at Alyson again. With a sigh, he walked back over to Alyson and removed her shoes and then placed a blanket over her.

            "That's all you're gonna get from me." Jim muttered and left the room before he decided to tuck her in.

            Jim shut Alyson's door and walked back onto the deck. BEN was long gone, probably to the galley, which was where he slept. Jim shook his head and went to his own room to get some sleep.

            Two hours later he was awoken by the scream of his crewmembers.

                        Alyson's bed gave a violent jerk and she went tumbling off of it. She screamed in pain as her head crashed into the floor.

            With a groan, Alyson raised her head and rubbed the spot where her head had collided with the ground. She squinted at her room and wondered why her bed had jerked so suddenly.

            Alyson realized that she was in her own room. She wondered vaguely who put her there and why she was still in her cloths. Shaking the thoughts off, Alyson stood and reached for her boots, which seemed to have been thrown to the end of her bed and shoved them onto her feet.

            Then the ground beneath her jerk and Alyson was on the floor once more. She realized it wasn't her bed that was jerking, it was the Fate!

            "What the hell…?" Alyson mumbled as she stood, "What's going on?"

            Just then the ship gave another violent shake, like something had hit it, and Alyson was thrown against the wall. Cursing, Alyson used the wall to help her slide to her door. She gripped the doorknob and turned it. Unfortunately another shake overtook the ship just as Alyson pushed open the door. Alyson gasped and she fell forward onto the hard wood deck.

            Alyson pushed herself up and gripped the railing. It was very dark outside, the only light from the stars around them, as she looked around. She gasped as she watched a dark round figure crash into the Fate. When the black ball hit the side of the ship the ship shook with a terrible force.

            Asteroids! Alyson's grip on the railing tightened. Asteroids were one of the most dangerous things you could run into in space. The only thing more dangerous then a group of asteroids was a super-nova.

            Alyson turned her head and looked up towards the control area of the ship. Jim stood there, barking orders at his crewmembers.

            "Captain Hawkins!" Alyson cried, pushing herself to him, "How did we run into asteroids?"

            Jim clutched the steering-wheel of the ship and didn't look at Alyson, "I have no idea. The asteroids must have gone off course! And why are you here and not-" Jim then looked over at Alyson and his eyes widened, "You! Get back into your room! It isn't safe out here! We've somehow collided with an asteroid field!"

            Alyson glared up at him, "So I've noticed! And I am not going back to my room! I will help because I'm part of the crew!"

            Jim growled but didn't have time to argue with her, "Fine, you want to help? Make sure all the crew's lifelines are secure!" He motioned to his, which was tied to the steering-wheel.
            Alyson nodded, her face grim, "Yes, Captain." She turned and headed to the ladder.

            "And make sure to tie up your own!" Jim called after her, his eyes filled with concern. Then he turned back to asteroids, gritted his teeth and dodged as many as he could.

            Alyson almost tripped as she hurried to the mast where the lifeline-hooks were located. An asteroid hit the Fate's side and she propelled to the mast. Alyson wrapped her arms around the mast and grabbed a long rope located near it. She knotted the rope in one of the hooks and then knotted the free end around her waist. Then she went to tighten all the other lifelines in the other hooks.

            When she was done, Alyson wrapped her arms around the mast and closed her eyes tight. What am I doing? she thought, I should've stayed in my room!

            It'll be okay, Alyson told herself, you did what you were told to do so now you just wait until Captain Hawkins steers us to safety.

            Content with that, Alyson kneeled and clutched the wooden mast. The crewmembers were moving around her, hasting to obey Jim. They didn't look twice at the trembling girl clutching the mast.

            "Help! Help!" Cried a voice that made Alyson look upward at the crow's nest. She gasped as she watched a figure clung to one of poles sticking out from the mast. What made her heart pound was the dreadful fact that she could not see a lifeline coming from one of the hooks for him.

            He must've been up there before the asteroids collided with us, Alyson realized, who is he? Alyson squinted her eyes and tried to get a good look at him. Suddenly she gasped. BEN! It was BEN!

            "Help me! I'm slipping!" Alyson could barely hear BEN's voice and she was sure no one else could hear it.

            Alyson turned around and looked for someone to tell of BEN's predicament, but she saw they were all to busy to even stop and listen to her. In horror, Alyson stood and backed up to look at BEN once more.

            He's going to fall, Alyson thought, someone's gotta save him! She looked around and spotted Jim still at the steering wheel.

            "Captain! Captain, BEN is stuck up on the poles!" Alyson cried, but her voice was lost in the screams of the crewmembers and the noises of the asteroids colliding with the wood of the ship.

            "Someone has to climb of the mast and get to BEN before he falls." Alyson said to herself. Who could do it? Who could possibly climb up the mast? Alyson looked around at the crewmembers once more but it was helpless. No one could help BEN, they were all to busy… except…

            Alyson's face fell. Oh God! She was going to have to climb up the mast and save BEN. She was the only one that knew he was even up there. Alyson shook her head numbly, she couldn't possibly! What happened last time she climbed the mast?

            But someone hadn't been stuck up there, a voice reminded her, you have to.

            Alyson cursed like a sailor and walked up to the mast. She gulped and placed her hand on the notch. You can do this Alyson, she told herself, you can do this. Slowly she began to climb up the mast. She forced herself not the look down, to concentrate on BEN. She moved faster then she thought she could when her whole body was trembling.

            Just as she was half way up, an asteroid crashed into the Fate. Alyson's foot slip and she dangled on the mast before she found her footing. She wanted to just cling to the mast once more and wait for Jim to come and rescue her.

            But Jim's not here, she told herself, and you've gotta save BEN. With that thought Alyson pushed forward once more, moving faster then before. The faster you move, Alyson reminded herself, the sooner you can get down.

            Suddenly her head bumped hard against the wooden crow's nest. Alyson let out a cry of triumph. I did! I did! She thought. With renewed confidence, Alyson removed one hand from the notch and grasped the side of the crow's nest. Then the other hand grasped it. She pulled herself up into the wooden holder and drew in deep breath.

            "No time for rest." Alyson told herself. She made sure that her rope was still tightly fastened around her waist before standing up and hurrying over to the side of the crow's nest were BEN clung to a pole.

            "Oh, this is not how I want to die." BEN was saying in a raspy voice.

            Alyson swung her legs over the side of the crow's nest and straddled the pole. She slid her body across the pole.

            "BEN!" She called, "BEN, give me your hand."
            BEN raised his metallic eyes to hers and gasped.

            "Alyson, what are you doing up here? I thought you hated heights!" BEN cried, moving towards her.

            Alyson smiled and took BEN's hand, "So did I! Now let's get back down onto the deck!"

            Another asteroid crashed into the ship and BEN tumbled towards Alyson, almost falling but Alyson grabbed his cold shoulders and helped him keep his balance. Alyson looked out at space and saw that the asteroid field was almost at an end, but the really big asteroids were at the end as well.

            BEN nodded and Alyson helped him get into the crow's nest. Without a word, Alyson held out her arms and BEN hopped into them. Alyson was vaguely surprised at how light BEN was, but it left her mind quickly when she slid from the crow's nest and out onto the notches again.

            As BEN and Alyson descended, Alyson was aware that they were getting away from the asteroids. Any minute a huge asteroid would be crashing into the Fate. Alyson wanted to be off the mast when that happened, so she quickened her speed.

            Alyson's feet touched the hard, wood deck and she smiled with happiness. Away from the heights with BEN safely tucked under her arm.

            She grinned at BEN, who grinned right back. Then she looked out at the asteroids and her mouth opened in horror. The hugest asteroid she had ever seen was heading right towards them! They were going to be hit and the ship would totally be destroyed.

            With tears, Alyson made BEN kneel so they were less likely to be hit dead on. She pressed them both against the mast of the pole.

            Alyson had always thought her last thoughts before she died would be regrets. She had been wrong. She, for some reason, thought of Captain Hawkins. For some reason she was upset she was going to die before she really got to know him.

            Because her last thoughts were of Jim, Alyson turned her head and looked over at the captain.

            Jim's face was grim and his lips were pressed together tightly. His eyes never left the asteroid heading their way. His hands gripped the steering wheel and he stood perfectly still. Then Alyson watched as Jim jerked the steering wheel. Alyson almost toppled over as the ship gave a sudden jerk. She watched with fascination as the Fate dodged the asteroid. The black asteroid scrapped against the side of the ship, but then floated in the opposite direction. Then it was all silent.

            It took Alyson a few moments before she realized that they were out of the asteroid field. When it did hit, Alyson gave a scream of joy and wrapped her arms around BEN's metal neck.

            "We're alive! We're alive." She cried pressing kisses against BEN's forehead.

            BEN laughed insanely, "Imagine if Jim hadn't dodged that asteroid at just the right moment!"

            Alyson nodded, respect for Jim flowing through her veins, and unhooked her lifeline. Then she turned and went to Jim.

                        Jim leaned himself against the steering wheel, breathing in deep strong breaths.

            His whole body was weak now that the adrenaline that had rushed through him was gone. All he wanted to do was sleep for days.

            His crewmembers walked up to him to pat him on the back, thanked him, or cheered him. All Jim could do was offer them a weak smile.

            "Captain Hawkins." Came a voice and Jim turned to see Alyson and BEN make there way up to him.

            Then Jim remembered what he had seen. He had watched as Alyson had climbed the mast to rescue BEN from certain destruction and respect for her replaced his tiredness. Jim also noted that Alyson looked as tired as he felt.

            Alyson gave him a shaky smile, "Well done, Captain." She said.

            Jim nodded, "Same to you, Professor. I saw you make your way up that mast." He laughed, "I always thought you were afraid of heights."

            "I am." Alyson said and smiled over at BEN, "But my friend needed me and I'm always willing to help a friend.

            Jim found himself wondering if Alyson would risk her life to save his. He didn't think so because they may have respect for each other now, but it would be gone as soon as the gratefulness for one's life faded away.

            BEN laughed, "Alyson was amazing! She climbed up and down that mast with no fear! And you, Jim, were amazing, too! I mean it's thanks to you we're all alive right now!"

            Jim nodded but he was looking at Alyson and she was looking right back at him. As BEN chattered, they stared into each other's eyes.

            I'm suddenly dizzy, Alyson realized, and light headed. It isn't because I'm looking at Jim, no it's because I'm finally realizing I actually climbed up that mast and didn't panic.

            But even as she thought this, Alyson was collapsing onto the floor. Alyson was so numb from head to toe, she didn't even try to lessen her fall by bracing herself. She was so numb, she was sure she wouldn't feel anything anyway.

            Jim reached out and caught Alyson in his arms before her body even hit the ground. Jim looked at her and saw her eyes were half-way closed, a sure sign she was about to go into unconsciousness.

            "Is she alright?" BEN asked, looking at Alyson worriedly, "She didn't hurt herself did she?"

            Jim smiled down at Alyson, "No, she's just exhausted. I think the shock's finally getting to her."

            BEN sighed, "Well, its certainly getting to me!" And plopped himself onto the deck.

            But Jim was ignoring BEN and looking down at Alyson. His body felt relaxed, like warm wax. Was this because he was holding Alyson or because he was relieved they had made it through the asteroid field? He hoped it was the latter.

            This is nice, Alyson thought as she slipped into unconsciousness, I never thought it would be, but being held by Jim is nice. Of course, I still don't like him or anything, but it's nice to be held once in a while, even by the person you hate the most. Now, I'll just go to sleep. I never realized how tired I was before.

            And I still don't like Jim.

                        The next night, Alyson yawned and found herself awake in her own bed on the Fate.

            She blinked and rolled out of bed. She was aware that someone had changed her into her pajamas. It was a loose off-white shirt that reached her mid-thighs and loose off-white pants to match. The cloths she had worn yesterday were placed out on her vanity.

            Since it was still night, Alyson decided to wait on getting into her cloths. Instead she yawned and stretched. Realizing she was thirsty, Alyson headed out onto the ship to go to the galley.

            Alyson was surprised how spooky the Fate looked like when it was dark and empty. The creaks and moans of the ship definitely added to its spooky appearance. The ship seemed to sway with the movement of her feet.

            You're being silly, Alyson told herself, there is nothing wrong with this ship, you've just never heard the noises before.

            Content with that, Alyson hurried down to the galley, which was located beneath the ship.

            The galley was lit by two small candles and a fire in the middle of the room. The light from the fire danced off walls and stairs as Alyson made her way into the galley, her stomach rumbling.

            As Alyson walked into the galley, she was taken back when she saw she was not alone in the Fate's kitchen.

            Jim sat at one of the dark, wood tables reading a paper and sipping some water. He looked up in surprise when he heard her movement.

            "What are you doing here?" Alyson asked instantly.

            Jim glared at her, "It's my ship. I can be wherever I want. I should be the one asking what you are doing here." He ignored the fact that his whole body seemed to be acting in ways he didn't want to name. The sight of a rumpled Alyson certainly got his juices flowing. Her hair was a disheveled mess and her eyes were big with sleep. Bedroom eyes, he thought. The kind that made men go crazy with want for a woman. But it didn't make him.

            Alyson glared right back at him, "I was thirsty. Since I've probably been out for about a day, I didn't think you would mind if I got a glass of water. It's not like I was asking for food or anything."

            Jim shook his head, "You've got that right about the food, but I can abide one glass of water. One."

            Alyson rolled her eyes, "O, thank you! You're so kind! You must have women swooning over you wherever you go!"

            As Alyson moved to get her drink, Jim mumbled, "You'd be surprised." When she came back, Jim said, "As far as swooning over me goes, you didn't seem to have a problem doing that yesterday."

            Alyson's face paled, "Trust me, had I the choice I wouldn't have! The last thing I want to do is boost your already oversized ego."

            They lapsed into silence. Jim wondered if it was because if they were too tired to argue or if it was because of the respect he had felt for her the day before. For some odd reason Jim hoped it was the latter. Jim also noticed that this argument seemed to more of a teasing-argument then an all out scream-feast.

            Jim sighed and said, "You know, I've always wondered why you wanted to go to this dead planet so badly."

            Alyson shot Jim another glare, "Why do you care?"

            "Just making conversation." Jim growled, "For the life of me I can't understand why we hate each other so much either."

            Alyson shrugged, "That's the why it has to be. Why change it?" When Jim nodded in agreement, she went on, "The reason why I want to go the Dead Earth so badly is to find my roots."

            "What?"

            "Really. See, I'm an orphan. I don't know who my parents are or what they were like. All I know about them was that they were best professors at the Academy. They were visiting another Academy when they ran into a super-nova. They were sucked into the black hole. I was only two and the Academy decided to raise me on the school grounds instead of putting me into an orphanage. Seymour Blake was the only professor willing to father me. I remember sitting on his lap while he read one of his Ancient Ruins and Cultures books. I got into it from watching him, but when I did find about the Mother-Earth theory I got really into it. All my life I had felt incomplete because I didn't know my roots, my heritage, but if this Mother-Earth theory was correct then my heritage was right in front of me. I thought learning about Earth, my heritage, would make up for not having the two things I've always yearned for. A mother and father." Alyson said, looking away.

            Jim was silent for a moment, taking it in. He felt like her understood Alyson better now. Everything she did made sense now.

            Which was a bad thing.

            Alyson looked back up at him, "Didn't you ever wonder about you heritage?"

            Jim laughed at that and shook his head, "No, I never wondered about my heritage. I was to busy chasing pirates."

            Alyson blinked and said, "Isn't that what you do now? Chase pirates, I mean." When Jim nodded Alyson continued, "You know Captain, I've always wondered about one thing. There's this rumor that when you were around 15 you actually found Treasure Planet, the planet with the loot of a thousand worlds. Is it true?"

            Jim smiled and sighed, "Yeah, its true. I really found Treasure Planet." When Alyson just stared, he continued, "I got a map to it from this pirate, Billy Bones, who was running away from this pirate, John Silver."

            Alyson's brows crinkled, "I heard that name before. John Silver's not a really bad pirate, but just one the Academy's never caught."

            Jim nodded, "Exactly. Well, Doctor Delbert Doppler and I went onboard the R.L.S. Legacy, where John Silver and his cutthroats were pretending to be a crew. Using my map, we made it to Treasure Planet when John Silver and his crew did mutiny. He captured Delbert, the captain of our ship, Amelia, and me and forced us to show him where the treasure was. Unfortunately, the original pirate that stole the treasure didn't want to share it, even after he had died, so the minute we found his hoard the whole planet began to explode. We barely managed to escape the planet alive, but when we did John Silver escaped from the ship and I haven't seen him ever since." Jim frowned as he lied to Alyson about John Silver escaping from the ship. He was well aware he had helped the old pirate escape, but why did he feel so bad about lying to Alyson? He didn't like her! This was a bad sign.

            Alyson smiled weakly, "I think you liked this John Silver person."

            Jim nodded, "I never knew my father, see, and John Silver was the first person I'd known that act fatherly towards me."

            Alyson smiled, "I know the feeling."

            Jim looked into Alyson's sea-goddess eyes and almost groaned. His whole body heated up. He wanted to drag Alyson across the table and kiss the living daylight out of her.

            I don't like her, I don't like. Jim told himself, it's just lust. He stood quickly before he did what he was thinking about.

            "Where are you going?" Alyson asked.

            Be mean, "Well, the conversation was just dandy and for a moment I actually thought you were nice, but you're half awake so I can't take this conversation seriously." Jim sneered, hating himself.

            Alyson glared at him once more and stood up as well, "I should've known better then for you to understand!"

            Alyson turned and stormed away from him and Jim almost called her back. I don't like her, he reminded himself.

            "Get some sleep, Professor." Jim called to her, "We're stopping at the Nuctora Space Port tomorrow to stock up on supply."

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            Did you like it? I hope you did! Anyway, keep a look out for Chapter Six: The Nuctora Space Port. It's the last galaxy before Dead Earth and Alyson's just found a clue that might give them a hint as to what goes on on Dead Earth. Don't forget to REVIEW ME! I shall greatly appreciate it!

                        "Luke, come over to the dark-side. And on your way pick up some milk."

                                                            -Lizzy Rebel