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Disclaimer: I don't own any of this except the extra's I cast. I don't think I can write better than the original characters authors or the people that wrote the script but I hope they don't mind if I try. I don't own, so don't sue.
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Chapter 5: Pirates
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"Help I can't swim"
She was drowning.
I plunged into the icy water. It was so dark; I couldn't see anything so I felt my way along. Following her screams and pleads.
"Daddy, please help, I don't want to die, please"
I searched frantically. 'She hates the water' I thought as her cries stopped. I dove under, feeling my way along for her body. She had been in the water for a long time before I had reached the shore and the cold must have been close to killing her, even if the churning water hadn't.
I felt so helpless. Why would God do this to a man? Put him in a flawed body and force him to listen to the only precious thing he had in life, the only thing he ever really cared about, die right in front of him.
I felt my hand close on something tiny and cold. It was a arm. I heaved with all my might and pulled her free if the water. She was blue, and she wasn't breathing.
"No baby girl you can't die"
The world started swimming across my eyes, everything was fading.
"You can't" I whispered. "Not like this, not like-"
"Breakfast!" Tom gasped and opened his eyes to the bright light streaming in through the open window. "Up you mongrels or you'll miss out, Breakfast!" The voice was coming from outside somewhere.
"Alrite already, I'm up" Tom mumbled pulling him self up and throwing his feet over the side of the bed before reaching for his pants. That dream had seemed so real. He shivered and put it to the back of his mind before hitching up his shorts that he wore beneath his pants.
"Nice colour really suits you" came a voice from the window. His head snapped up and looked around, but there was no one there. Dr. Jekyll was sleeping peacefully in the other bed and Alexia wasn't in the room.
"Mr. Skinner" roared a voice from the corridor outside. There was a round of furious banging on the door. "Skinner I know you're in there!" It was Alexia.
"What did you steal now?" yawned Henry as he sat up.
"I didn't steal anything!" exclaimed Rodney as he sat down on the end of Tom's bed. "I just gave her a nice welcoming gift to the league"
"You pinched my-" her last word was stopped as footsteps passed but she continued her knocking.
"You didn't" said Henry as Tom started silently laughing.
"Skinner when I get in there you won't be happy"
"Your right luv, I won't be until I get a bigger handful"
There was a loud cry of frustration from the corridor. "Dr. Jekyll, open this door"
Henry moved to get up but Skinner leapt off Tom's bed and sat on him.
"Tom Sawyer, you let me in or you'll get worse than Skinner!"
"Really?" Tom taunted as Skinner struggled to muffle Jekyll's protest with a pillow. "And just what are you going to do to me?"
"If you let me in you'll find out"
"Just let her in" yelled Henry through his pillow.
Tom finished pulling his pants up and crossed to the door. As soon as the key had clicked in the lock the door was thrown violently open and Skinner jumped up.
"Good morning Luv" he said as she felt her hat being lifted off her head. "Was it good for you?"
She slapped him hard across the cheek. "Your welcome" he smiled as she sighed, turning to face Tom who was laughing again.
"Hey I didn't do anything" he protested. "I let you in"
"Stand still" she said looking at him seriously as he froze. She reached up to his face and brushed her hands through the front of his hair. When her hand appeared again she was holding a clump of seaweed.
"Go swimming this morning Tom?" she asked as he went white at the memory of his dream.
"No musta come through the window" he said recovering quickly and smiling at her. "Who wants breakfast, I'm starving"
"Great Idea, I can rate the food next" Rodney exclaimed grabbing Alexia and Tom by the hands and dragging them out the door.
"Is he always like this?" Alexia asked Tom as they ran to keep up with where they imagined Rodney was.
"No I think he drank sea water this morning" Tom said pulling his hand free of the invisible grasp, Alexia doing the same.
She turned to walk into another cabin but Tom grabbed her arm. She pulled free of his grasp quickly and gave him a mixed look.
"Hey wait a sec I want to talk to you" he said as Alexia slowed to a walk beside him.
"What exactly about, I gave you and the doctor the room to yourselves, I can't see-"
"No I just wanted to introduce my self properly since I was rather rude yesterday" he grinned sheepishly as he held out his hand. "We have all been a bit rude I guess"
"You were rude because you did not understand, it is understandable" she ignored his hand and he dropped it back by his side.
"Where the hell did you grow up?" came a voice from behind them. Tom spun around to see a man walking behind them in a dirty blue outfit and a ridiculously large hat smiling at them as a lion would a lamb.
"Right little snob that one is" he giggled as Alexia kept walking.
"You know very well that I grew up in oxford university master Milne" she said as he giggled again and walked a bit faster until he was walking level with them.
"Don't even try taming this one Sawyer, she has a pole stuck so far up her- "
"A pole that is about to be forced down your throat if you don't disappear in the next five seconds" she said as his smile faded.
"Right then, well I'll be off" Milne was gone almost as fast as he had come.
"You have been aboard this ship before haven't you" Tom asked as she started up the stairs to the deck.
"I am a Time Archaeologist Mr. Sawyer, it is my job to find where time was corrupted" she pushed hard on the door above her head. "This was one of my missions about a month ago, when we first learnt of the time jumper"
"Locked?" Tom asked as she gave up and climbed through a window to her left. A moment there was a scraping noise above him and the door was flung open.
"Not anymore"
The sunlight was dazzling as he first stepped up on deck, but once his eyes adjusted he was rather disappointed. There was hardly anyone in sight and the ship looked nowhere near as big on the outside as it seemed on the inside. It wasn't decayed anywhere and the deck was polished finely, but it was rather plain.
"That view isn't impressive; there isn't much in that direction" Called Quatermain from behind him.
Tom turned round to see a slightly more impressive view. Hook's ship was as it had always been drawn in all the books and pictures he had ever seen. The mast was engraved with a huge crocodile and his cabin was laced with gold and stained glass. The stairs that led to it was lined with the finest red carpet and even the filthy men cleaning the deck looked amazing amid the carvings and rare materials of the grand ship.
"Too showy for me" Muttered Captain Nemo as he came to stand beside Alexia who was adjusting the belt that held her sword across her back and taking little interest "And it isn't very practical"
"Think what you like 'Captain' Nemo, but don't keep Captain Hook waiting, you are all late"
The door to Hook's cabin creaked open as a smug looking pirate came swaggering out and winked at Nak.
"I Flinn have just got a raise" he said to the stern looking giant as they were joined by Mina and Henry. Alexia acted as if she hadn't heard a thing and lead the others to Hook's cabin as the Captain himself appeared at the door.
Nak shot him a menacingly quizzical look as Alexia pushed past Hook and seated herself at his table. The remaining league followed slowly but was watching Nak.
"You heard Flinn master Nak" Hook said as the pirates around the deck looked at Hook Angrily and Hook gave a smile. "Give him a raise"
"If you still want to eat breakfast, I suggest you don't watch what will happen next" Alexia called over her shoulder as she started slicing an apple. The league wisely took her advice and sat at the table with her.
Moments later there was a sickening crack and Hook closed the cabin door.
"Let me down" Flinn screamed as Nak barked out a laugh.
"Sure Flinn you worm"Nak cried as there was a thud and a groan.
"Boo Box!" someone roared as the others took up his cheer.
"Morning, I trust you all slept well?" He said as he sat at the head of the table beside Nemo and Alexia.
"As well as could be expected" Mina said as she jammed a piece of peach in Rodney's open mouth before he said anything.
"Good aim considering he is invisible" Hook commented as Rodney started making choking noises.
"Practice" she shrugged as she ate the rest of her peach.
Taking In her surroundings properly, Mina's eyes lingered on the many tall cabinets surrounding the table, filled with everything from swords to rotting jars of jelly fish.
Quatermain, whose attention had also crept around the room, was brought back to settle on the feast before him. He hadn't eaten food like this for weeks on his trip from Africa and this was the last place he had expected to find platters of tropical fruit.
"I didn't think Pirates took foods like this to sea, they spoil too quickly" Quatermain said as he helped himself to a pear.
"Then you had better eat it quickly" Hook said as he scratched his nose with his hook looking utterly bored despite his company.
"Captain, you received my report I take it" Alexia said as Hook turned to her. "We are on course?"
"We are a day and night away from Indonesia as we speak" Hook picked up the glass in front of him and took a sip. "Although all the excess calculations were unneeded, I didn't understand half of it"
"I would much like to see the maps that you are sailing by Captain, and how you found such a fast current" Nemo said
"I'm sure you would" Hook said as he picked up some papers from a table behind him. "You never could catch me could you?"
"I knew you were in the ocean, I showed little interest in your wreck" Nemo said indifferently as Hook gave a sarcastic chuckle.
"Come to the map room after breakfast and-"
"Captain!" cried a voice from the door as Hook sighed and rolled his eyes.
"What now" he muttered getting up and heading for the door as it crashed open and a stumbling pirate came through.
"Captain, it's the Nautilus, she's coming up on the starboard side!" the man groaned as he picked himself up. "She's ramming us"
"Call for all men to cannons and on deck now" Hook said calmly as the league stood up and headed for the door or windows to see the attacking ship.
"Woman down stairs" Nak growled at Mina as he pushed through the door and seized a sword from one of the cabinets on the wall. Not giving Mina a chance to argue he pushed her along before him.
Mina didn't exactly have a choice in the matter as Nak gave her another shove towards the cabins.
"What of Miss Milton" Quatermain said as Nak sneered and continued as if he hadn't heard. Quatermain turned to her as he searched the cabinets as Nemo was doing for a gun.
Below deck, now" he said as Jekyll came to stand beside her and Sawyer pushed past him in his own pursuit of a weapon.
"No, I have as much right as you do to-"
She was cut off as Quatermain grabbed her around the knees and hung her over his shoulder and selected a rifle with his free hand.
"No arguments" he said pushing past Hook who was wide eyed with amusement.
"Let me go!" she yelled as Quatermain headed toward the hatch to the cabins ignoring her struggles. Nak was emerging and laughed as he saw Alexia predicament. He held the hatch open as Quatermain dropped Alexia through it and lay a plank across it when it was closed.
"Incoming" roared a voice from the crows nest directing the men's attention overboard.
The ocean was calm and nothing breached the surface, but the looming shadow below showed the ship.
"Anchors away!" called Hook as ropes flew across the deck and Hook walked calmly to stand on the steps to the deck. He looked down to the men before gazing back out at the ocean. "I suggest you hold onto something" he said as chains rattled and the anchors fell into the ocean. They wasted no time as Nak secured the ropes.
"What do we do if the first plan fails captain?" the stumbling pirate that had announced the attack looked up to Hook as he strained on a rope.
"Make sure that it doesn't fail" Hook said as he looked out to the rapidly advancing shadow, calculating its distance.
"It will take too long there is nothing to catch the Anc-" Sawyer broke off and grabbed for the rail in front of him as the ship gave a lurch and lost speed rapidly, the strain tearing the ropes from many pirates hands and almost turning the ship in a full circle as it lost momentum. The wood creaked terribly and the spray that swept across the deck was almost blinding, but the stunt proved it's worth as the ship stopped and the guns were aimed.
"Captain Hook I admire what I see of your ship but your ship will not disable mine in an open sea battle" Nemo said coming to stand beside Hook and gazing as Hook was, the shadow that had swept past them and was rounding for another attack. "this ship can move on two planes of direction and the Nautilus four, you can't-"
"Captain Nemo I know my ship, there is more than meets the eye, so if you will gladly stop degrading it below that junk of a hull beneath us, and we may get somewhere!" Hook snapped as Nemo resolved to glare and watch the proceedings. "Nak, fire the cannons"
"Captain" Nak nodded as he roared over board to the pirates below at the guns. Ropes were let loose as harpoons flew over head and there was a deafening roar from the port side as the cannons shot at the underwater sword.
"Jekyll, Sawyer hit the deck!" a voice called from above them on the mast. They obeyed quickly as a thick rope swung where they had been standing, trailing the remains of a harpoon. Looking up they saw Miss Milton hanging from the beam that held the sail and aiming a rifle very carefully at the shadow that was approaching fast. Her shot shattered a window and Quatermain gave her a nod of approval as his shattered the one beside it.
As the Nautilus reached the sea beneath ship it grinded to a halt was can fire rained on it, Alexia studied it for a moment before flinging the rifle across her back and turning to the captain.
"Hook, she's going to breach!" Alexia called as Hook smiled.
"Good, a chance Nak, release the charges"
"Charges?" Quatermain echoed as Alexia turned around abruptly. "Explosives?"
"Hook I told you that if you kept them, no where except home!" Roared Alexia as Hook's men release the basket ball sized charges into the water.
"Hook No, time -"
"Is of the essence" Hook interrupted as his black and gold crocodile smile surfaced again. He looked like a child the had been left alone with the presents on Christmas Eve. "If you want to stop anymore time traveling, then this situation must be dealt with first"
"NOT LIKE THIS IT DOESN'T " Roared Alexia dropping for the rail.
"Miss Milton, time is not jeopardized, charges are already invented."
"Not these one" Alexia muttered as Nemo stood in front of her as she started for Hook.
"Calm down Lady Milton" Nemo said as Hook took out the detonator.
"If anyone wants me, I'll be in Hooks cabin" Alexia said as she gave up trying to push past Nemo and sprinted up the stairs and into Hooks cabin.
"What is her problem" Tom called as Nak grinned.
Alexia paused at the door as the Nautilus breached the surface and made to ram the ship again. "Nemo is quiet well verse in Atomic explosions, why do you not ask him"
"The hull of the Nautilus may with stand that explosion, but your ship won't fare as well." Nemo said as Hook's grin diminished slightly, but he still pulled the trigger.
"Fool!" Roared Jekyll giving into Hyde for a moment as Nak glared menacingly and started for him, but was thrown violently back onto the deck.
"That wasn't the charges" Quatermain said as Hook looked at Nak in annoyance.
"That was one of the smaller ones, I deactivated the rest" Alexia said walking into the cabin and taking her sword from the table. "But if you fight like that we are going to lose the ship"
"Captain they are not ramming anymore they are-"
"Going to take your ship, their mission is to capture the league, not kill it"
"No, retreating Miss Milton, they are leaving"
"Not all of them" Nak breathed as two women came gasping to the surface of the water.
"Men overboard" Nak called as Henry collapsed against the mast and the pirates around them hurried to draw the women from the water.
Sawyer and Quatermain joined Nemo and Hook on the stairs and were instantly deep in discussion as Mina and Rodney climbed gingerly onto the deck.
Alexia sat on a barrel and drew her sword, softly resting the point on the lid of the barrel and twirled it round as she watched the women be brought on board and tended to. She watched as the small amount of damage was repaired, and the men slowly calm down.
Watched as Hook, Nak, Sawyer, Nemo, Quatermain and Mina moved back to Hook's cabin to talk for the next four hours and Skinner slink off with Milne to the stores and inevitably to the deck of cards that Milne kept in the crews cabin.
Watched as Jekyll sit where he had fallen and fight his own personal demon with the little strength he had left in his will.
Wishing she wasn't there.
"Well hello again beautiful!" exclaimed a voice from her right startling her out of her personal thoughts.
"Good day mister Smea" she said turning to face the grinning man. He stood tall enough to face her sitting and was dressed little better than the other pirates, but at least he was cleaner.
"Didn't spect to see you on here gain Lady, what brings you back with these brutes?"
"Business mister Smea, we needed transport"
"Surprised the captain let you back on after you almost killed his first mate"
"Your captain is weak to money Smea, Nak is not worth ten thousand pounds and seven bars of gold"
"Not worth the scum on my boot either but don't want to let him catch you saying that" piped up a voice behind her.
"Peter back to the kitchen, If Hook or Nak catch you out-" Alexia smiled as the young boy blew a raspberry.
"Awe let him catch me, I am bored of the kitchen, you're the worst cook ever Smea, you were better as first mate" Peter looked wistfully at the mast and the sky beyond. "Just as I was better at being a bird"
"C'mon Peter, let's go back, the men I'll want their food soon and Smea can't cook it alone"
"Smea can't cook it at all" the boy said sourly but started for the kitchen anyway.
"Miss Milton" Smea bowed as he moved to go on his way. "Give my regards to your father"
"My father is dead master Smea" she said quietly. "Only times shadow torments me aboard this boat"
Smea looked utterly confused but tried to look comforting after that, failing miserably and forcing Alexia to smile despite the subject that was just brought up.
"Oh Smea you are a nut!" she laughed as he smiled back and scratched his head.
"Go on get out of here" she said as he bowed and scurried off.
"That's a surprise, it smiles" Growled a voice from the rail above her.
"Nak as rare as it is that someone smiles at your face, it is natural to most humans" standing on the barrel she turned to look up at him and smiled. He looked like he wanted to squash her.
"Hold your tongue, I agreed with the captain I would not kill you, no where in the contract was the words I couldn't almost kill you"
"Your such a charmer" she muttered as Hook, Nemo, Quatermain, Ms, Harker and Sawyer came out of their conference.
With a last growl of rage he left her and made for his captain.
"What of the stragglers?" Hook asked turning to the black giant.
"Ferals that came back with the time master by accident from 14 century France" Nak reported as Hook nodded.
"Keep them in a cell with the others"
"Others?" Allan asked as Hook started down the stairs and across the deck watching the men scurry around him.
"Slaves we have picked up, it is none of your business" Nak growled.
"I do not tolerate slavery in any form" Nemo said stepping forward and standing in front of Hook. "I partition at once for them to be freed"
"Partition ignored" Hook said stepping around Nemo.
"I will not sail aboard a ship that holds slaves" Mina said standing in Hooks way as Nemo had.
"Then you can swim" Hook snapped stepping around her as well.
"Hook-"
"Nak escort master Quatermain and his league of freaks back to their cabins, they are in my way"
"Yes captain" Nak growled cracking his knuckles and heading for Allan as Alexia jumped from the barrel and held her sword before her.
"They know the way" she said threateningly aiming it at Nak as he growled menacingly.
"Then they had better move" he roared as Alexia signaled for them to go. The men obeyed grudgingly but Mina came to stand beside Alexia.
"Ms Harker go to your cabin" Alexia said as Nak growled warningly. "His temper is not something to trifle with"
"I have no intention to be ordered in such manner" she said extending her fangs and moving to step around Nak. "And I will not tolerate slavery under my nose"
"Nak" Alexia warned as she grabbed Mina and pulled her back.
"Grow a brain Harker, you will get further when they are not taking notice of you" Alexia hissed into Mina's ear. Mina paused for a moment as Nak started forward ignoring Alexia's blade, but turned to leave a moment later.
"You are all confined to your cabins, no exceptions" Hook called as he made for his map room.
Alexia followed the others, her sword still drawn until they reached their respectful doors.
"How long do you wish to live on this mission Harker?!" Alexia hissed as they stopped outside their doors. Mina turned to look at Alexia surprised as she threw her sword so it stuck in a beam of wood to her right.
"I will not take orders from mad men and I will not sit idly by while that fool of a captain enslaves people beneath my nose miss Milton, I am sorry" Mina said as Alexia rolled her eyes.
"The slaves? They are Peter, Smea, Pocahontas, Two Ancient Roman rulers, Aristotle, Cleopatra, Pablo Picasso, Galileo and Leonardo Divinci" Alexia snapped. "Hook imprisoned no one, I ordered them apart from this world Harker, and I think even you can understand why"
"Why does Hook have them if the time jumper took them through time?" Nemo asked as Mina moved to stand by her door.
"Every time he jumps to a time, he brings back the most influential or advanced person in history at the time but they are useless here, we are more advanced"
"Has he traveled forward?" Tom asked as Alexia freed her sword from the wooden beam.
"Not that I know of, but I can't track forward as easy as backwards"
"Why?"
"Because if he takes from the past, books change, history is changed, but the future hasn't happened yet and I can't jump forward to check on things"
"If we capture this man, can we restore these people to their times and restore history?" Quatermain asked.
"Yes that was my plan but to do that we need to catch him first"
"Has he taken anyone and kept them?" Henry asked as he shuddered against Edward and ignored his reflection in a window.
"Yes, the dangerous ones, Attila the Hun, Jack the ripper, Inego, Fesic, Hannibal."
"Hannibal?" Quatermain said sternly.
"Yes Hannibal, the mad strategist that climbed over the Himalayas with a pack of drunk elephants and stormed a Roman city"
"I heard of him, but what good are Elephants in this time?" Tom said as Nemo and Quatermain exchanged looks but said nothing.
"It's not Elephants they wanted him for it was his Strategy" Mina said as Tom looked as his feet embarrassed at his own stupid question.
"Not forgetting a couple of scientists madder than Dr. Jekyll, the original invisible man that turned to be rather useless and for Ms. Mina Harker's information particularly a certain Count"
"Liar" Mina hissed as Alexia scratched her finger with her sword before returning it to it's sheath.
"I do not lie Harker, do not insult my honor, Count Dracula must also be returned to his respected time"
"He-"
"I am not interested in this discussion any longer, you all now know the stats, I am retiring to my room, good night"
"Where is Skinner?" Tom asked as Mina shot a rather indignant look at Alexia.
"He hasn't been around all day" Quatermain added as no one seemed to have an answer.
Suddenly there was a furious round of giggles from the stairs as two figures fell down them and landed in a tangled bunch on the floor. It was Skinner and Milne, both tipsy and dressed rather strangely.
Milne had Skinners sweater and boots and Rodney was wearing Milne's preposterous pirate hat and his leather jacket. Skinner had his face painted and his glasses on so he looked like an odd pirate ghost from a badly cast play.
"Good evening all" Milne giggled as they both stood up.
"I don't think I want to know" Tom said as Skinner shot him a look.
"We was playing cards and the I lost so I gave mister Rodney my hat, then he lost so he gave me a sweater, then I lost and gave mister Smea my boots, then, then, ah someone else lost, I think, or was it me-" Milne's voice trailed off into a confused mumble for a moment before he burst into a round of giggles.
"I'm going to retire" Alexia smiled walking into her room as the others muttered in agreement.
Skinner and Milne were left to an empty silent hall and looked at each other cautiously.
"What do you think?" Milne muttered.
"I don't know what do you think?"
Milne paused for a minute before his face broke into a grin.
"Let's play again!"
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A/N: Dear Freaky Darlings: Really sorry that I haven't updated. I know how much I don't like it when it's done to me and you all probably get tired of excuses but I haven't been home to write sorry, I have been in hospital a lot, but I should be out for at least a couple of weeks so hopefully I can update more. Thanks if you understand, Sorry again if you don't. Sorry. Again if you like let me know, if you think something should change let me know. I sort of know where I am going but I am open to ideas so feed back would be good. Bye.
Amethyst.
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Disclaimer: I don't own any of this except the extra's I cast. I don't think I can write better than the original characters authors or the people that wrote the script but I hope they don't mind if I try. I don't own, so don't sue.
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Chapter 5: Pirates
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"Help I can't swim"
She was drowning.
I plunged into the icy water. It was so dark; I couldn't see anything so I felt my way along. Following her screams and pleads.
"Daddy, please help, I don't want to die, please"
I searched frantically. 'She hates the water' I thought as her cries stopped. I dove under, feeling my way along for her body. She had been in the water for a long time before I had reached the shore and the cold must have been close to killing her, even if the churning water hadn't.
I felt so helpless. Why would God do this to a man? Put him in a flawed body and force him to listen to the only precious thing he had in life, the only thing he ever really cared about, die right in front of him.
I felt my hand close on something tiny and cold. It was a arm. I heaved with all my might and pulled her free if the water. She was blue, and she wasn't breathing.
"No baby girl you can't die"
The world started swimming across my eyes, everything was fading.
"You can't" I whispered. "Not like this, not like-"
"Breakfast!" Tom gasped and opened his eyes to the bright light streaming in through the open window. "Up you mongrels or you'll miss out, Breakfast!" The voice was coming from outside somewhere.
"Alrite already, I'm up" Tom mumbled pulling him self up and throwing his feet over the side of the bed before reaching for his pants. That dream had seemed so real. He shivered and put it to the back of his mind before hitching up his shorts that he wore beneath his pants.
"Nice colour really suits you" came a voice from the window. His head snapped up and looked around, but there was no one there. Dr. Jekyll was sleeping peacefully in the other bed and Alexia wasn't in the room.
"Mr. Skinner" roared a voice from the corridor outside. There was a round of furious banging on the door. "Skinner I know you're in there!" It was Alexia.
"What did you steal now?" yawned Henry as he sat up.
"I didn't steal anything!" exclaimed Rodney as he sat down on the end of Tom's bed. "I just gave her a nice welcoming gift to the league"
"You pinched my-" her last word was stopped as footsteps passed but she continued her knocking.
"You didn't" said Henry as Tom started silently laughing.
"Skinner when I get in there you won't be happy"
"Your right luv, I won't be until I get a bigger handful"
There was a loud cry of frustration from the corridor. "Dr. Jekyll, open this door"
Henry moved to get up but Skinner leapt off Tom's bed and sat on him.
"Tom Sawyer, you let me in or you'll get worse than Skinner!"
"Really?" Tom taunted as Skinner struggled to muffle Jekyll's protest with a pillow. "And just what are you going to do to me?"
"If you let me in you'll find out"
"Just let her in" yelled Henry through his pillow.
Tom finished pulling his pants up and crossed to the door. As soon as the key had clicked in the lock the door was thrown violently open and Skinner jumped up.
"Good morning Luv" he said as she felt her hat being lifted off her head. "Was it good for you?"
She slapped him hard across the cheek. "Your welcome" he smiled as she sighed, turning to face Tom who was laughing again.
"Hey I didn't do anything" he protested. "I let you in"
"Stand still" she said looking at him seriously as he froze. She reached up to his face and brushed her hands through the front of his hair. When her hand appeared again she was holding a clump of seaweed.
"Go swimming this morning Tom?" she asked as he went white at the memory of his dream.
"No musta come through the window" he said recovering quickly and smiling at her. "Who wants breakfast, I'm starving"
"Great Idea, I can rate the food next" Rodney exclaimed grabbing Alexia and Tom by the hands and dragging them out the door.
"Is he always like this?" Alexia asked Tom as they ran to keep up with where they imagined Rodney was.
"No I think he drank sea water this morning" Tom said pulling his hand free of the invisible grasp, Alexia doing the same.
She turned to walk into another cabin but Tom grabbed her arm. She pulled free of his grasp quickly and gave him a mixed look.
"Hey wait a sec I want to talk to you" he said as Alexia slowed to a walk beside him.
"What exactly about, I gave you and the doctor the room to yourselves, I can't see-"
"No I just wanted to introduce my self properly since I was rather rude yesterday" he grinned sheepishly as he held out his hand. "We have all been a bit rude I guess"
"You were rude because you did not understand, it is understandable" she ignored his hand and he dropped it back by his side.
"Where the hell did you grow up?" came a voice from behind them. Tom spun around to see a man walking behind them in a dirty blue outfit and a ridiculously large hat smiling at them as a lion would a lamb.
"Right little snob that one is" he giggled as Alexia kept walking.
"You know very well that I grew up in oxford university master Milne" she said as he giggled again and walked a bit faster until he was walking level with them.
"Don't even try taming this one Sawyer, she has a pole stuck so far up her- "
"A pole that is about to be forced down your throat if you don't disappear in the next five seconds" she said as his smile faded.
"Right then, well I'll be off" Milne was gone almost as fast as he had come.
"You have been aboard this ship before haven't you" Tom asked as she started up the stairs to the deck.
"I am a Time Archaeologist Mr. Sawyer, it is my job to find where time was corrupted" she pushed hard on the door above her head. "This was one of my missions about a month ago, when we first learnt of the time jumper"
"Locked?" Tom asked as she gave up and climbed through a window to her left. A moment there was a scraping noise above him and the door was flung open.
"Not anymore"
The sunlight was dazzling as he first stepped up on deck, but once his eyes adjusted he was rather disappointed. There was hardly anyone in sight and the ship looked nowhere near as big on the outside as it seemed on the inside. It wasn't decayed anywhere and the deck was polished finely, but it was rather plain.
"That view isn't impressive; there isn't much in that direction" Called Quatermain from behind him.
Tom turned round to see a slightly more impressive view. Hook's ship was as it had always been drawn in all the books and pictures he had ever seen. The mast was engraved with a huge crocodile and his cabin was laced with gold and stained glass. The stairs that led to it was lined with the finest red carpet and even the filthy men cleaning the deck looked amazing amid the carvings and rare materials of the grand ship.
"Too showy for me" Muttered Captain Nemo as he came to stand beside Alexia who was adjusting the belt that held her sword across her back and taking little interest "And it isn't very practical"
"Think what you like 'Captain' Nemo, but don't keep Captain Hook waiting, you are all late"
The door to Hook's cabin creaked open as a smug looking pirate came swaggering out and winked at Nak.
"I Flinn have just got a raise" he said to the stern looking giant as they were joined by Mina and Henry. Alexia acted as if she hadn't heard a thing and lead the others to Hook's cabin as the Captain himself appeared at the door.
Nak shot him a menacingly quizzical look as Alexia pushed past Hook and seated herself at his table. The remaining league followed slowly but was watching Nak.
"You heard Flinn master Nak" Hook said as the pirates around the deck looked at Hook Angrily and Hook gave a smile. "Give him a raise"
"If you still want to eat breakfast, I suggest you don't watch what will happen next" Alexia called over her shoulder as she started slicing an apple. The league wisely took her advice and sat at the table with her.
Moments later there was a sickening crack and Hook closed the cabin door.
"Let me down" Flinn screamed as Nak barked out a laugh.
"Sure Flinn you worm"Nak cried as there was a thud and a groan.
"Boo Box!" someone roared as the others took up his cheer.
"Morning, I trust you all slept well?" He said as he sat at the head of the table beside Nemo and Alexia.
"As well as could be expected" Mina said as she jammed a piece of peach in Rodney's open mouth before he said anything.
"Good aim considering he is invisible" Hook commented as Rodney started making choking noises.
"Practice" she shrugged as she ate the rest of her peach.
Taking In her surroundings properly, Mina's eyes lingered on the many tall cabinets surrounding the table, filled with everything from swords to rotting jars of jelly fish.
Quatermain, whose attention had also crept around the room, was brought back to settle on the feast before him. He hadn't eaten food like this for weeks on his trip from Africa and this was the last place he had expected to find platters of tropical fruit.
"I didn't think Pirates took foods like this to sea, they spoil too quickly" Quatermain said as he helped himself to a pear.
"Then you had better eat it quickly" Hook said as he scratched his nose with his hook looking utterly bored despite his company.
"Captain, you received my report I take it" Alexia said as Hook turned to her. "We are on course?"
"We are a day and night away from Indonesia as we speak" Hook picked up the glass in front of him and took a sip. "Although all the excess calculations were unneeded, I didn't understand half of it"
"I would much like to see the maps that you are sailing by Captain, and how you found such a fast current" Nemo said
"I'm sure you would" Hook said as he picked up some papers from a table behind him. "You never could catch me could you?"
"I knew you were in the ocean, I showed little interest in your wreck" Nemo said indifferently as Hook gave a sarcastic chuckle.
"Come to the map room after breakfast and-"
"Captain!" cried a voice from the door as Hook sighed and rolled his eyes.
"What now" he muttered getting up and heading for the door as it crashed open and a stumbling pirate came through.
"Captain, it's the Nautilus, she's coming up on the starboard side!" the man groaned as he picked himself up. "She's ramming us"
"Call for all men to cannons and on deck now" Hook said calmly as the league stood up and headed for the door or windows to see the attacking ship.
"Woman down stairs" Nak growled at Mina as he pushed through the door and seized a sword from one of the cabinets on the wall. Not giving Mina a chance to argue he pushed her along before him.
Mina didn't exactly have a choice in the matter as Nak gave her another shove towards the cabins.
"What of Miss Milton" Quatermain said as Nak sneered and continued as if he hadn't heard. Quatermain turned to her as he searched the cabinets as Nemo was doing for a gun.
Below deck, now" he said as Jekyll came to stand beside her and Sawyer pushed past him in his own pursuit of a weapon.
"No, I have as much right as you do to-"
She was cut off as Quatermain grabbed her around the knees and hung her over his shoulder and selected a rifle with his free hand.
"No arguments" he said pushing past Hook who was wide eyed with amusement.
"Let me go!" she yelled as Quatermain headed toward the hatch to the cabins ignoring her struggles. Nak was emerging and laughed as he saw Alexia predicament. He held the hatch open as Quatermain dropped Alexia through it and lay a plank across it when it was closed.
"Incoming" roared a voice from the crows nest directing the men's attention overboard.
The ocean was calm and nothing breached the surface, but the looming shadow below showed the ship.
"Anchors away!" called Hook as ropes flew across the deck and Hook walked calmly to stand on the steps to the deck. He looked down to the men before gazing back out at the ocean. "I suggest you hold onto something" he said as chains rattled and the anchors fell into the ocean. They wasted no time as Nak secured the ropes.
"What do we do if the first plan fails captain?" the stumbling pirate that had announced the attack looked up to Hook as he strained on a rope.
"Make sure that it doesn't fail" Hook said as he looked out to the rapidly advancing shadow, calculating its distance.
"It will take too long there is nothing to catch the Anc-" Sawyer broke off and grabbed for the rail in front of him as the ship gave a lurch and lost speed rapidly, the strain tearing the ropes from many pirates hands and almost turning the ship in a full circle as it lost momentum. The wood creaked terribly and the spray that swept across the deck was almost blinding, but the stunt proved it's worth as the ship stopped and the guns were aimed.
"Captain Hook I admire what I see of your ship but your ship will not disable mine in an open sea battle" Nemo said coming to stand beside Hook and gazing as Hook was, the shadow that had swept past them and was rounding for another attack. "this ship can move on two planes of direction and the Nautilus four, you can't-"
"Captain Nemo I know my ship, there is more than meets the eye, so if you will gladly stop degrading it below that junk of a hull beneath us, and we may get somewhere!" Hook snapped as Nemo resolved to glare and watch the proceedings. "Nak, fire the cannons"
"Captain" Nak nodded as he roared over board to the pirates below at the guns. Ropes were let loose as harpoons flew over head and there was a deafening roar from the port side as the cannons shot at the underwater sword.
"Jekyll, Sawyer hit the deck!" a voice called from above them on the mast. They obeyed quickly as a thick rope swung where they had been standing, trailing the remains of a harpoon. Looking up they saw Miss Milton hanging from the beam that held the sail and aiming a rifle very carefully at the shadow that was approaching fast. Her shot shattered a window and Quatermain gave her a nod of approval as his shattered the one beside it.
As the Nautilus reached the sea beneath ship it grinded to a halt was can fire rained on it, Alexia studied it for a moment before flinging the rifle across her back and turning to the captain.
"Hook, she's going to breach!" Alexia called as Hook smiled.
"Good, a chance Nak, release the charges"
"Charges?" Quatermain echoed as Alexia turned around abruptly. "Explosives?"
"Hook I told you that if you kept them, no where except home!" Roared Alexia as Hook's men release the basket ball sized charges into the water.
"Hook No, time -"
"Is of the essence" Hook interrupted as his black and gold crocodile smile surfaced again. He looked like a child the had been left alone with the presents on Christmas Eve. "If you want to stop anymore time traveling, then this situation must be dealt with first"
"NOT LIKE THIS IT DOESN'T " Roared Alexia dropping for the rail.
"Miss Milton, time is not jeopardized, charges are already invented."
"Not these one" Alexia muttered as Nemo stood in front of her as she started for Hook.
"Calm down Lady Milton" Nemo said as Hook took out the detonator.
"If anyone wants me, I'll be in Hooks cabin" Alexia said as she gave up trying to push past Nemo and sprinted up the stairs and into Hooks cabin.
"What is her problem" Tom called as Nak grinned.
Alexia paused at the door as the Nautilus breached the surface and made to ram the ship again. "Nemo is quiet well verse in Atomic explosions, why do you not ask him"
"The hull of the Nautilus may with stand that explosion, but your ship won't fare as well." Nemo said as Hook's grin diminished slightly, but he still pulled the trigger.
"Fool!" Roared Jekyll giving into Hyde for a moment as Nak glared menacingly and started for him, but was thrown violently back onto the deck.
"That wasn't the charges" Quatermain said as Hook looked at Nak in annoyance.
"That was one of the smaller ones, I deactivated the rest" Alexia said walking into the cabin and taking her sword from the table. "But if you fight like that we are going to lose the ship"
"Captain they are not ramming anymore they are-"
"Going to take your ship, their mission is to capture the league, not kill it"
"No, retreating Miss Milton, they are leaving"
"Not all of them" Nak breathed as two women came gasping to the surface of the water.
"Men overboard" Nak called as Henry collapsed against the mast and the pirates around them hurried to draw the women from the water.
Sawyer and Quatermain joined Nemo and Hook on the stairs and were instantly deep in discussion as Mina and Rodney climbed gingerly onto the deck.
Alexia sat on a barrel and drew her sword, softly resting the point on the lid of the barrel and twirled it round as she watched the women be brought on board and tended to. She watched as the small amount of damage was repaired, and the men slowly calm down.
Watched as Hook, Nak, Sawyer, Nemo, Quatermain and Mina moved back to Hook's cabin to talk for the next four hours and Skinner slink off with Milne to the stores and inevitably to the deck of cards that Milne kept in the crews cabin.
Watched as Jekyll sit where he had fallen and fight his own personal demon with the little strength he had left in his will.
Wishing she wasn't there.
"Well hello again beautiful!" exclaimed a voice from her right startling her out of her personal thoughts.
"Good day mister Smea" she said turning to face the grinning man. He stood tall enough to face her sitting and was dressed little better than the other pirates, but at least he was cleaner.
"Didn't spect to see you on here gain Lady, what brings you back with these brutes?"
"Business mister Smea, we needed transport"
"Surprised the captain let you back on after you almost killed his first mate"
"Your captain is weak to money Smea, Nak is not worth ten thousand pounds and seven bars of gold"
"Not worth the scum on my boot either but don't want to let him catch you saying that" piped up a voice behind her.
"Peter back to the kitchen, If Hook or Nak catch you out-" Alexia smiled as the young boy blew a raspberry.
"Awe let him catch me, I am bored of the kitchen, you're the worst cook ever Smea, you were better as first mate" Peter looked wistfully at the mast and the sky beyond. "Just as I was better at being a bird"
"C'mon Peter, let's go back, the men I'll want their food soon and Smea can't cook it alone"
"Smea can't cook it at all" the boy said sourly but started for the kitchen anyway.
"Miss Milton" Smea bowed as he moved to go on his way. "Give my regards to your father"
"My father is dead master Smea" she said quietly. "Only times shadow torments me aboard this boat"
Smea looked utterly confused but tried to look comforting after that, failing miserably and forcing Alexia to smile despite the subject that was just brought up.
"Oh Smea you are a nut!" she laughed as he smiled back and scratched his head.
"Go on get out of here" she said as he bowed and scurried off.
"That's a surprise, it smiles" Growled a voice from the rail above her.
"Nak as rare as it is that someone smiles at your face, it is natural to most humans" standing on the barrel she turned to look up at him and smiled. He looked like he wanted to squash her.
"Hold your tongue, I agreed with the captain I would not kill you, no where in the contract was the words I couldn't almost kill you"
"Your such a charmer" she muttered as Hook, Nemo, Quatermain, Ms, Harker and Sawyer came out of their conference.
With a last growl of rage he left her and made for his captain.
"What of the stragglers?" Hook asked turning to the black giant.
"Ferals that came back with the time master by accident from 14 century France" Nak reported as Hook nodded.
"Keep them in a cell with the others"
"Others?" Allan asked as Hook started down the stairs and across the deck watching the men scurry around him.
"Slaves we have picked up, it is none of your business" Nak growled.
"I do not tolerate slavery in any form" Nemo said stepping forward and standing in front of Hook. "I partition at once for them to be freed"
"Partition ignored" Hook said stepping around Nemo.
"I will not sail aboard a ship that holds slaves" Mina said standing in Hooks way as Nemo had.
"Then you can swim" Hook snapped stepping around her as well.
"Hook-"
"Nak escort master Quatermain and his league of freaks back to their cabins, they are in my way"
"Yes captain" Nak growled cracking his knuckles and heading for Allan as Alexia jumped from the barrel and held her sword before her.
"They know the way" she said threateningly aiming it at Nak as he growled menacingly.
"Then they had better move" he roared as Alexia signaled for them to go. The men obeyed grudgingly but Mina came to stand beside Alexia.
"Ms Harker go to your cabin" Alexia said as Nak growled warningly. "His temper is not something to trifle with"
"I have no intention to be ordered in such manner" she said extending her fangs and moving to step around Nak. "And I will not tolerate slavery under my nose"
"Nak" Alexia warned as she grabbed Mina and pulled her back.
"Grow a brain Harker, you will get further when they are not taking notice of you" Alexia hissed into Mina's ear. Mina paused for a moment as Nak started forward ignoring Alexia's blade, but turned to leave a moment later.
"You are all confined to your cabins, no exceptions" Hook called as he made for his map room.
Alexia followed the others, her sword still drawn until they reached their respectful doors.
"How long do you wish to live on this mission Harker?!" Alexia hissed as they stopped outside their doors. Mina turned to look at Alexia surprised as she threw her sword so it stuck in a beam of wood to her right.
"I will not take orders from mad men and I will not sit idly by while that fool of a captain enslaves people beneath my nose miss Milton, I am sorry" Mina said as Alexia rolled her eyes.
"The slaves? They are Peter, Smea, Pocahontas, Two Ancient Roman rulers, Aristotle, Cleopatra, Pablo Picasso, Galileo and Leonardo Divinci" Alexia snapped. "Hook imprisoned no one, I ordered them apart from this world Harker, and I think even you can understand why"
"Why does Hook have them if the time jumper took them through time?" Nemo asked as Mina moved to stand by her door.
"Every time he jumps to a time, he brings back the most influential or advanced person in history at the time but they are useless here, we are more advanced"
"Has he traveled forward?" Tom asked as Alexia freed her sword from the wooden beam.
"Not that I know of, but I can't track forward as easy as backwards"
"Why?"
"Because if he takes from the past, books change, history is changed, but the future hasn't happened yet and I can't jump forward to check on things"
"If we capture this man, can we restore these people to their times and restore history?" Quatermain asked.
"Yes that was my plan but to do that we need to catch him first"
"Has he taken anyone and kept them?" Henry asked as he shuddered against Edward and ignored his reflection in a window.
"Yes, the dangerous ones, Attila the Hun, Jack the ripper, Inego, Fesic, Hannibal."
"Hannibal?" Quatermain said sternly.
"Yes Hannibal, the mad strategist that climbed over the Himalayas with a pack of drunk elephants and stormed a Roman city"
"I heard of him, but what good are Elephants in this time?" Tom said as Nemo and Quatermain exchanged looks but said nothing.
"It's not Elephants they wanted him for it was his Strategy" Mina said as Tom looked as his feet embarrassed at his own stupid question.
"Not forgetting a couple of scientists madder than Dr. Jekyll, the original invisible man that turned to be rather useless and for Ms. Mina Harker's information particularly a certain Count"
"Liar" Mina hissed as Alexia scratched her finger with her sword before returning it to it's sheath.
"I do not lie Harker, do not insult my honor, Count Dracula must also be returned to his respected time"
"He-"
"I am not interested in this discussion any longer, you all now know the stats, I am retiring to my room, good night"
"Where is Skinner?" Tom asked as Mina shot a rather indignant look at Alexia.
"He hasn't been around all day" Quatermain added as no one seemed to have an answer.
Suddenly there was a furious round of giggles from the stairs as two figures fell down them and landed in a tangled bunch on the floor. It was Skinner and Milne, both tipsy and dressed rather strangely.
Milne had Skinners sweater and boots and Rodney was wearing Milne's preposterous pirate hat and his leather jacket. Skinner had his face painted and his glasses on so he looked like an odd pirate ghost from a badly cast play.
"Good evening all" Milne giggled as they both stood up.
"I don't think I want to know" Tom said as Skinner shot him a look.
"We was playing cards and the I lost so I gave mister Rodney my hat, then he lost so he gave me a sweater, then I lost and gave mister Smea my boots, then, then, ah someone else lost, I think, or was it me-" Milne's voice trailed off into a confused mumble for a moment before he burst into a round of giggles.
"I'm going to retire" Alexia smiled walking into her room as the others muttered in agreement.
Skinner and Milne were left to an empty silent hall and looked at each other cautiously.
"What do you think?" Milne muttered.
"I don't know what do you think?"
Milne paused for a minute before his face broke into a grin.
"Let's play again!"
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A/N: Dear Freaky Darlings: Really sorry that I haven't updated. I know how much I don't like it when it's done to me and you all probably get tired of excuses but I haven't been home to write sorry, I have been in hospital a lot, but I should be out for at least a couple of weeks so hopefully I can update more. Thanks if you understand, Sorry again if you don't. Sorry. Again if you like let me know, if you think something should change let me know. I sort of know where I am going but I am open to ideas so feed back would be good. Bye.
Amethyst.
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