Hey everyone. Early update again, I won't be home most of tomorrow. And I get to celebrate! My story broke 100 reviews! YAY!!! That's my record, and I'm hoping I can even break 150 total with this story by the time it's done. So help me out everyone! Put me on your favorite stories list, favorite author list, recommend it to any friends who may be interested in the movie, whatever! You all agree it's a good story, so share the wealth! Lol, responses now:
Mermaid Ninja: Lol, that would be funny, except the story is rated PG, and BEN isn't that smart, haha.
Abby/Angie: I'm not sure whether it was a compass or a dial. It doesn't really matter, I think. I just needed a generic word that could be interpreted however, and a compass is a kind of a dial.
Kim: Yeah, BEN's here! He gets funnier too. Good luck w/ your stories!
Dalmationgirl: Thanks! My main concern is of course staying in canon.
Angel: YOU'RE WELCOME! Lol.
Clever Fox Child: Behold! The Legendary Chapter 15! Haha.
Lone Wolfdog: Just remember what the doctor says- a good fanfic helps the medicine go down! (ugh, I hate that movie. Remind me to never say that again)
Dreaming: Happy Belated birthday! And now, a belated b-day present- an update!
Kris: I WILL have more cute/romantic stuff, especially the no-gravity ship scene. And don't worry- rambling works.
SB1007: Yeah, you'll see some funny interactions later, lol.
Dekujama: How's this for a deal- I keep writing, you keep reviewing! Lol, thanks for joining the bandwagon, hope you stick around!
Pippin: I'm still not sure exactly how she copycats, but w/e. Tell me what you think of this one!
Whoo! That's enough. Enjoy this one, everybody!
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"Uh, pardon the mess, people," BEN told the group as they entered what would serve as a base for them. Doppler carried the injured Captain Amelia in, and Skye carried in the few weapons that had survived the crash. Jim and Morph surveyed the area as BEN continued rambling.
"You'd think in a hundred years I would've dusted a little more often," he cleared away a chess set, "but you know, when you're batchin' it, you tend to, uh, let things go," BEN finished, throwing a large frilly pair of outdated underwear to the side. He immediately changed track when he saw Doppler setting down Amelia.
"Aw, isn't that sweet? I find old-fashioned romance so touching, don't you? How about drinks for the happy couple?" He offered a tray containing some sort of oil based liquid in two rusty pipe sections, daintily garnished with a wrench and cogwheel.
Doppler leaned back slightly, removing his coat, and politely said, "Ooh, no thank you, we don't drink, and uh, we're not a couple." He gazed down at Amelia, who smiled back softly, appreciatively. BEN addressed Jim and Skye, who had sat down together and were discussing the weapons array they possessed.
"What about this young pair?" BEN asked.
Skye grinned mischievously and took the vibrant green drink. "Thanks, BEN," she said, and when he turned away, she dumped it behind a nearby overgrown piece of machinery. The caustic liquid ate a hole though the floor.
Jim blushed furiously, though nobody saw it in the shadows. That was twice since meeting BEN that Skye had been referred to him in a way that was more than friendly. It was weird; thoughts were being planted in his head that made him nervous and unable to focus. He refused to look at Skye sitting next to him; he didn't like this feeling at all.
Doppler cleared his throat, looking around him.
"Look at these markings. They're identical to the ones on the map." Indeed they were. He continued, "I suspect these are the hieroglyphic remnants of an ancient culture."
Doppler was interrupted by Amelia's strained voice. "Mr. Hawkins! Skye!" she said, "Stop anyone who tries to approach! Ohh!" She groaned, sagging back against the rock she was propped up on. Doppler folded his coat behind her head and scolded her gently.
"Yes, yes, now listen to me. Stop giving orders for a few milliseconds and lie still." He laid his hand on hers to steady her.
"Very forceful, Doctor!" Amelia said softly up at him, "Go on, say something else." Doppler just smiled tenderly.
Just then, BEN pointed out the opening of the base, yelling, "Hey guys, look! It's some more of your buddies!" He leapt up into plain sight, jumping and calling loudly, "Hey fellas! We're over here, fellas!"
Skye dove at BEN, snatching him out of sight, but it was too late. They had been seen. Laser blasts seared towards them, and Jim rushed to the opening, firing when he got the chance.
The shots stopped just as suddenly. Silver had called them off.
Jim reloaded his pistol as he heard that unmistakable voice calling up to him, "Hello, up there!" Jim looked out the window, and saw a crude white flag waving.
"Jimbo?" he heard, "If it's all right with the captain, I'd like a short word with you. No tricks. Just a little palaver."
Jim looked to Amelia, who muttered angrily, "Come to bargain for the map, doubtless. Pestilential-ugh!" She couldn't get up. But Jim caught something.
"That means- that he thinks we still have it!" He looked over at Skye, the queasy feeling gone, and asked her, "Come with me, Skye? For back-up?"
"No," she shook her head, "He said you. This is something you have to do alone."
Jim set his jaw, nodded, and turned to exit, Morph trailing behind him.
* * *
Morph, however, was the first to reach Silver.
"Ah, Morphy!" Silver exclaimed as the blob nuzzled him, "I wondered where you lit off too." He groaned and sat down heavily, the damaged leg now needing extra support from a crutch made by the mechanical arm. Jim approached cautiously.
"Oh, this old leg's been downright snarky since that game attack we had in the galley, eh?" Silver chuckled, obviously trying to make the best of the situation.
Jim just glared. Silver's face fell.
"Whatever you heard back there, at least the part concerning you," Silver tried to explain, "I didn't mean a word of it. Had that bloodthirsty lot thought I'd gone soft, they'd have gutted us both!"
Silver seemed to be getting through, if only a little, and continued. "Listen to me. If we play our cards right, we can both walk away from this rich as kings!" Jim appeared to respond better to this, considering the angle. Silver went on, "You get me that map, and an even portion of the treasure is yours!" He chortled quietly, and held out his hand to shake.
"Boy," Jim sighed, "you are really something. All that talk of greatness? Light coming off my sails? What a joke." Silver was taken aback, but Jim ignored him. "I mean at least you taught me one thing, stick to it, right? Well that's just what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna make sure that you never see one drabloon of my treasure!"
"That treasure is owed me, by thunder!" Silver roared.
"Well try and find it without my map, by thunder!" Jim mocked right back.
"Oh, you stil don't know how to pick your fights, do ya' boy? Now, mark me. Either I get that map by dawn tomorrow, or so help me, I'll use the ship's cannons to blast ya' all to kingdom come!" Silver turned to leave, but paused.
"Morph," he called back, "hop to it."
Morph stayed by Jim.
"NOW!" Silver bellowed, but to no avail. Morph would not go, quaking behind Jim's shoulder. Silver let out a cry of frustration and stormed away.
Jim turned to go back to the base.
As Silver left, he gave one remorseful glance over his shoulder at Jim's retreating form. He was sorry it had come to this.
But he was too close now.
* * *
That evening, as dusk closed in over the planet, the group listened as Amelia attempted to keep control.
"Gentlemen, we must stay together, and..." she trailed off.
"And what? What!? We must stay together and what?!" Doppler panicked.
"Doctor," Amelia murmured, "you have wonderful eyes."
"She's lost her mind!" Doppler cried.
"Well, you gotta help her!" Jim said.
"Dang it, Jim, I'm an astronomer, not a doctor!"
Skye blinked.
"Well," Doppler explained, "I mean, I am a doctor but not that kind of doctor, I have a doctorate. It's not the same thing, you can't help anyone with a doctorate, you just sit there and you're useless!" He put his head in his hands in anguish.
"It's okay, Doc. It's going to be all right," Skye said, laying her hands on his shoulders. Whether or not she believed it was one thing, but they couldn't have both adults breaking down.
BEN tried to help, "Yeah, Doc! Jimmy and Skye, they know exactly how get out of this, they just have this knowledge of things!" BEN stepped over to where Jim was watching the camp of the pirates below.
"Jimmy, "BEN asked, "any thoughts at all?"
Jim looked up at the Legacy above them, and then towards the pirates.
"Without the map, we're dead. If we try to leave, we're dead. If we stay here-"
"We're dead! We're dead, we're dead, we're dead!" Morph giggled.
Jim sighed, and Skye said with no humor in her voice, "Well in that case, I'm willing to cash in my chips and call it quits." Jim sat down next to her, despondent, and hid his face in his knees.
"Well, it looks like Jimmy and Skye could use a little 'quiet time,'" BEN said, "so I'll just slip out the back door."
Jim and Skye's heads both popped up.
"Back door?"
"Oh yeah, "BEN grunted, pushing a rotating spherical opening into place, "I get a delightful breeze through here, which I think is important because ventilation among friends-"
But no one was listening. They were staring at the amazing sight beneath them. Walkways and cables, bridges, catwalks, wires and machines snaked along below, extending as far as they could see. A strange glow emanated from beneath, underlighting them as they peered down.
"What is all this stuff?"
"You mean the miles and miles of machinery that run throughout the entire course of the inside of this planet?" BEN asked. "Not a clue."
Skye turned to BEN and said, "I don't know whether to kiss you or kill you."
Jim yelled to Doppler, "Hey, Doc! I think we've found a way out of here!"
"No, Jim, wait, the captain ordered us to stay here!"
"I'll be back!" Jim said, and dropped to the landing below, Skye right behind him.
"Cannonball!" BEN screamed, following with Morph.
Doppler only muttered, "Woof."