Hello everyone, I know you were all waiting anxiously for the new chapter, and hopefully you'll get one next week as well. I don't promise, but I can only say I'll try really really hard to write again. Regents aren't over yet, and I'll be starting work the week after, so we'll see how soon this story finishes itself. I'm thinking, after this chapter, there'll be two chapters to finish it off.
As such, I'd like to invite everybody who is reading this story to leave a review for one of the next chapters. This is a special invitation to anyone who may have been reading but not regularly reviewing, signed or not. I'd just like to get a general idea of how many people read this, since I can't use a counter or something. You don't have to sign in or anything, just an anonymous review with a name like "Joe Schmoe" and a post of "I read this," or "hi there," is fine. Even if you don't really have an opinion or were browsing the just in page and were like "oh, well, w/e, I'll read this for kicks," I'd love to hear from you no matter what you have to say.
Anyway, responses:
Dreaming, TP-gurl, Kim, Janna, Dekujama, Pippin, Ninja, Talle, and anonymous: Thank you all for reviewing.
Queen Sarabi: oops, my bad. HMS stands for "His/Her Royal Majesty's Ship, " which is what is supposed to precede the names of all European ships, such as the HMS Hispañola. It's supposed to say "RLS Legacy," the term used in the movie (I don't know what it stands for though…)
CFC: That stands for chlorofluorocarbon, the ozone depleting substance previously found in aerosol spray containers. It is now banned in most countries.
Wolfdog: Danny Phantom? Can't say I'm terribly familiar with it. I hope my writing is enough to tear you away for a little bit though, heh heh.
SB1007: Oh, I hope you're feeling better. Maybe we should petition for Internet access in hospitals…I mean, what else is there to do whilst healing? Anyway, I hope you're ok.
Alrighty, now I have to go install stuff to my computer, it's acting up again. And, as usual, excuse the formatting. Enjoy!
It took Jim a moment to adjust to flying.
The junk solar surfer was buffeted about at first by the rising heat currents and blasting lasers jolting through the air. First the shoddy base caught too much wind and soared left, then it slacked too little and dipped down right. But Jim was an expert surfer and adjusted all the minute balances that could mean the difference between a good ride and a splatter on the machinery below. He couldn't afford to be a splatter today.
Jim took advantage of the drifting chunks of machinery to remedy the fickle motions and dips- he grinded off anything that came his way. It was a good thing too- his first cannon blast had lost most of its power and the craft was slowly sinking lower and lower. The grinds gave a nice platform boost. Soon, though, even these weren't enough. Jim sparked the second charge to life, and blasted onward through the heat.
Jim realized he couldn't stay this high up and expect to make it with only one blast left. He zoomed lower to the planet's surface, which was quickly becoming a blur, an explosive chasm of metal ridges and obstacles.
Up, right, right again, shift balance, dip down, lean, quick!- keep the portal in sight- BANK LEFT! LEFT!!!
The Legacy trailing behind him was having just as much trouble maneuvering the canyons.
Jim coasted his surfer along a long stretch of metal wall, ollied off, and came to an open stretch over an enormous canyon. He didn't have enough juice to make it past on this one, he knew. Time for blast number three. Jim stepped down hard on the sparker.
CLICK.
What? He tried again.
CLICK. CLICK. CLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKCLICK...
Nothing.
The surfer started to fall.
No! NO!
Jim stepped and stepped and looked up to see the Legacy drawing nearer, saw Silver's anxious face, saw Skye leaning over screaming something about a wall, saw more than heard BEN's frantic counting of the ticking clock...
Saw the molten core rising up, up, looming...
No, not now, this couldn't be it, they needed him, no...!
Wait...the wall...?
THE WALL!
Jim flipped his surfer around and jammed the rear end of the exhaust against the mechanical chasm wall. Sparks flew from grated metal on metal.
Sparks that ignited the cannon laser charge.
A blasting roar of heat and light only meters above the molten liquid sent Jim soaring up into the air, out of the chasm, behind, now under the belly of the Legacy, now streaming abreast...
Doppler winced against the heat emanating from the giant portal door leading into the explosion of the core. BEN shouted out the seconds till destruction, Skye and Silver leaned anxiously to see below them...
Five!...
Jim neared the hologram map...
...Four!...
He was nearly there...
...Three!...
What if he couldn't reach the right door?...
...Two!...
Did he get it? They couldn't see!...What if...NO!!!
...One!
...
The calm night blue Etherium above Montressor Spaceport, speckled with light from faraway distant suns twinkling in the darkness, was ripped apart by an explosion of enormous magnitude and intensity as the triangular portal that had gone unused for a century blasted open. Out of it poured flaming sulfuric dust and fiery tongues of heat and metal, and, almost hidden in the inferno, the Legacy and a makeshift solar surfer.
Jim's whoops of exhilaration were echoed by all those on board the larger ship- he had done it. They made it. They were safe.
Jim circled around the bow of the Legacy, swooping down to give Silver a high five. The elder spacer beamed with pride as Morph burst into his own personal display of fireworks.
"Didn't I say the lad had greatness in him?" Silver crowed.
Even the pirates held captive below deck were cheering.
Doppler and Amelia embraced, elated. They pulled back slightly, seeming to realize what had happened- and grinned slyly. Amelia leaned forwards and nuzzled Doppler's nose with hers.
They didn't have to say anything at all.
Jim pulled his surfer up to the side of the Legacy and leapt off; it spun away, refuse in space. He was immediately attacked by Morph, who licked his face, puppy-like. Amelia and Doppler approached, and what Jim heard next was unexpectedly thrilling- praise from the Captain.
"Unorthodox, but ludicrously effective. I'd be proud to recommend you to the Interstellar Academy. They could use a man like you," she said. She didn't know it, but Silver behind her was beaming just as much as Jim was at hearing those words.
Doppler as well had his ideas. "Just wait until your mother hears about this!...Of course we might downplay some of the more life-threatening parts." Jim nodded his agreement. No need to worry her, after all.
Doppler and Amelia stepped away, arms round each other, to give room to the robot that had pushed through to Jim.
"Jimmy, that was unforgettable!" BEN cackled. "I know you and Skye don't like touching but, well, get ready for a hug, big guy, 'cause I got a hug in me!" BEN jumped onto Jim, and for a brief second hung there, tentative...until Jim hugged him back, spinning around in what was, quite possibly, the best hug BEN had received ever, in this century or not.
"Hey, you hugged me back! Oh, I promised myself I wouldn't cry!" Contrary to this statement, BEN bawled happy robot tears, and sniffled, "Anybody have a tissue?"
Jim patted BEN comfortingly, and took the opportunity to look for Skye. She was sitting quietly on the deck stairs, her smile gentle. Jim excused himself from BEN.
Skye rose as he drew near. He was a bit nervous, really, to see her just now. Before he could say anything, she wrapped her arms around him in a congratulatory hug, and whispered close-
"Silver's headed for the long boats. Talk to him before he goes."
He looked up, a little surprised at her sudden caring tone when referring to the pirate she had so far detested, but she gave a small smile, locked her fingers in his, and squeezed gently.
So they walked, quickly, to the docking bay.