CHAPTER 11
TREASURE, TROUBLE, AND ROMANCE
For how long we sat there waiting I didn't know. I was awake the whole time. Doppler and Amelia however were a different story.
Delbert had fallen over, what with his hands behind his back, and none of the Pirates had bothered to heave him back up. He was now asleep on the cold dusty floor, giving the occasional sneeze once in a while from the dust.
The Captain had also fallen over, only she had had the fortune to fall on to my shoulder.
After a somewhat tense moment. She looked at me with apologetic eyes, (Seeing she had been sleeping on me a few minutes ago, I had no idea why) before realising she couldn't get back up.
After about half a minute of trying she gave up, and was now dozing quietly on my shoulder.
Silver had been pacing near-by, my cleaned Rapier hanging loosely by his side.
Seeing I had nothing better to do, I decided to try and reach for my pistols, which had been left in their Holsters, for the simple reason I couldn't reach them.
After what felt like half an hour, I had given up trying to reach for a pistol, and was now dozing, my head leaning slightly on top of Amelia's for a lack of a better pillow.
"E's comin' " I suddenly was fully awake as someone whispered frantically.
"Right," Silver muttered, "You three, make sure not a peep comes out of the Captain and her 'loyal crew'. the last thing we need is Jimbo to suspect somthin' "
I was suddenly shoved out of the way, as I felt the green tentacles of Turnbuckle loop their way round my arms to stop me from moving, while two more fastened Delbert and the Captain.
Silver meanwhile took off his hat, and settled down in the dark, making it look like he was asleep. To anyone just entering the cave, the dark mound could be anyone.
I watched helplessly as I saw Jim appear out of the way he had come.
I began to thrash about in Turnbuckles tight grip, tying my best to get free, or at least try to grab Jim's attention.
I didn't get Jim or B.E.N's attention. I did however get the attention of a certain pink blob.
Morph suddenly turned towards the sound of scuffling that I was making, while Jim headed towards the bulk that was Silver.
Morph was edging ever closer, while I tried to wiggle my chin in an attempt to get that blasted piece of cloth from my mouth.
"Hey Doc, Dan! Wake up!" Jim whisper joyfully to Silver, as Morph was just mere centimetres away, still not being able to see me in the dark.
"I got the map!" My friend said breathlessly, as he brought up the Map for all to see.
Just then I managed to get the gag away from my mouth.
"JIM, IT'S A TRAP!!!" I yelled as loud as I could before anyone could stop me.
Jim looked around in surprise as Morph shot back slightly as I yelled, only to make a series of happy noises upon seeing me.
It was to late though.
The large cybernetic arm reached out of the dark, taking the map from Jim's outstretched palm.
"Fine work, Jimbo," Silver said quietly as he examined the Sphere with a crooked smile, "Fine work indeed,"
Suddenly all hell broke loose as the Pirates dropped us in an attempt to capture the escaping Jim, causing us to fall in the dust.
I coughed slightly from all the dust that was being thrown in the air, while glancing at the Captain.
She gazed at me with wonder in her eyes, as though she was…amazed at what I had done.
"Captain, are you alright?" I asked frantically. She had fallen on her side and those stupid pirates had tied her arms behind her back, making it impossible for her to protect whatever was wrong with her side.
She nodded slightly, not taking her eyes off me.
Suddenly I felt Silver push me back up roughly with his good hand.
I must have missed a bit of conversation, for Jim now had the Map backing his position, but was held by two of the Pirates. I suddenly realised that Silver must be trying to force Jim to open the map, for he was now holding me at gunpoint.
"I'd get busy," Silver said calmly.
I held my head high as Jim cast a helpless look in my direction.
I shook my head as if to say: "Don't do it,"
I heard the cocking of pistol. Silver was serious.
With a defeated sigh, Jim tapped in the code I had taught him into the map, before spinning the outer layer the way I had shown him.
I slumped back, partly in relief of not being shot, and partly in sadness that Silver had won.
Out of the sphere, instead of an entire map, just Treasure Planet could be seen.
"Oh, the powers that be would you look?" Silver breathed, his Cybernetic eye now glowing a bright white.
Suddenly the image of the planet melted, becoming a bright green line that shot out of the cave and into the distance.
Silver's eyes shone with greed as the line shimmered slightly.
He then glanced back at Jim.
"Tie him up," he grunted, "And leave him with the others till we…What?"
Suddenly the line flowed backwards in millions of tiny particles, back into the map as Jim closed it.
"You want the map?" Jim asked, "Your taking me too."
I glanced over at Amelia, who looked back at me worriedly.
Silver regarded Jim for a moment while the crew muttered darkly amongst themselves. Finally Silver chuckled as he gazed over to where me, Amelia and Delbert were huddled.
"We'll take 'em all!"
After about an hour of flying in the Longboat, we finally reached a place where the skiff couldn't reach, the line we had been following blipping extremely fast.
"Bring the Doc and Metal man," Silver grunted as he settled off in the direction the line was indicating, pulling Jim along with him, "We'll leave the two 'Lovebirds' under guard."
"Hey!" I yelled at the back of the departing pirate, "It's my map! I should at least get to see this grand treasure everyone's been talking about. Without me, you wouldn't even have the map!"
Silver stopped, and turned slightly to look at me, "it's what you get fer being an Officer and fer spitting me face Danny-boy." he said simply, "Besides, you don't have to worry. You'll see it when we start loadin' it onto the Legacy!"
He laughed out loud as he, Jim, Delbert, B.E.N, Morph and the Pirates headed in the direction of the blipping line.
I sighed angrily as I was pushed back by a pistol, welded by our guard, a pirate to which the word 'tubby' didn't do the guy justice.
"You sit there," he said in a accent that could have been German, "I eat Chicken leg. You behave."
He then waddled over to the other end of the Boat, making it wobble and shake as he did so.
I sighed in defeat.
"I really wanted to see that treasure," I sulked. I did too. I had heard a lot about Flint's trove and the stories about the loot of a thousand worlds from Jim during the voyage. To actually see that much gold would be an awe inspiring moment in itself.
I hung my head. All my dreams were crumbling in front of my eyes, like a really good dream turning into a ghastly nightmare.
I sighed again, leaning back slightly, only to accidentally come into contact with the Captain's back.
"Sorry Ma'am," I said gruffly, looking away from the Captain sadly.
As I sat there, I suddenly realised I felt something creep into my hand. It was warm to the touch, but it felt like cloth was covering it.
It was the Captain's hand,
"I was thinking Lieutenant," I heard her murmur in my ear.
I gave her a timid smile, "Well, there's a first time for everything Ma'am," I said quietly.
She gave me a slightly annoyed look out of the corner of her eye, making me fall silent as she continued.
"I was thinking about…us,"
My heart suddenly felt like defying the laws of gravity by trying to jump into my throat.
"Is this really the time or the place Capt…"
"Amelia,"
I blinked, "Excuse me?"
"Daniel, think straight for a moment. Here we are sitting in a longboat, tied up by pirates, the future looking bleak. Who knows what could happen? The only thing around is that bloated blob of fat in the corner. We might as well call each other by our first names."
I paused for a moment, contemplating what she had said, before shrugging, "As you wish Cap…Amelia,"
I saw her smile out of the corner of my eye at my slight slip of the tongue.
We sat there in silence for a while, back to back, and in hand, the only sound being the slight hum of insects around us, and the chewing of the chicken leg in the corner.
I sighed as the memories of Earth flooded back with the insects. Silently wondering what my mother was doing, what my Optician friend was doing, and what I would be doing if I hadn't seen Billy Bones land his craft on that fateful night.
"Credit for you're your thoughts Daniel?" I heard Amelia say softly.
I smiled softly at her words, before turning my head back to the floor, a realisation flooding through my mind.
"All my life I dreamed of an adventure like this," I murmured sadly, "I'm just sorry I couldn't have been…more helpful to you."
Amelia paused, before remembering that tender moment they'd had in her Stateroom after Arrow's death.
"Don't be daft," she said quietly, squeezing my hand slightly, "You've been very helpful…truly."
I sighed at her kind words, but it was to late, I had already sunk into depression.
"I feel like such a useless weakling!" I said angrily bringing my hands to my face in frustration.
"Hang on…I can see my hands!"
I looked at my hands with amazement, as though I had never seen them before, I looked at the piece of rope that had only moments before been tying my hands together, now hung loosely from my wrist.
"With abnormally thin wrists," I muttered to myself in shock.
I looked up suddenly, to see the pirate with his back turned to me.
A smile suddenly crept onto my lips as an idea formed in my head.
Slowly, so I would not draw attention. I reached for the Pistol at my side and brought it behind my back.
"Daniel?" Amelia gave me a questioning look, "What our you doing?"
"Shh," I said quietly as I cocked my weapon behind my back, "I'm getting us out of here."
Suddenly I cleared my throat.
"Excuse me, brutish pirate."
I received a belch in an answer so I assumed he was listening as he turned his beady red eyes on me.
"Yes you." I said mildly, looking up and down the great oaf with a bit of distaste in my eyes, "Is it that your body is to MASSIVE for your, teeny-tiny head?" I paused for a moment, allowing a moment of amusement to watch the look of shock and disbelief cross the pirates face before continuing, "or is it that your head, is too teeny-tiny, for your big fat body!"
The pirate looked down at its large waist line, before waddling up angrily to me and grabbing me by the collar of my tunic.
"I pummel you good!" he said in his thickly accented voice as I winced, not in fear, but because the awful smell of his breath.
"Yes I'm sure you will!" I said hastily, putting on a good show of being scared, "but before you do, I have one more question:" I smiled slightly as I withdrew my pistol from behind my back, the weapon whining slightly as it powered up, "Is this yours?" I said pleasantly.
The Pirate looked down at the pistol, now poking into his vast belly, with a sigh of disbelief.
"Perhaps I should rephrase that," I continued, "This is my pistol, seeing you were too stupid to take them off me!"
"How did you…"
"Ah, ah, ah! No questions," I said sternly as I reached for a coil of rope, and began to tie him up, before promptly shoving him to the other end of the boat.
After I had done so, I quickly cut Amelia's bonds.
"Are you all right?" I asked, checking her over to make sure she was ok.
I suddenly felt two arms encircle my neck and pull me into a tight hug.
"You're brilliant you know that?" I heard Amelia say in my ear.
I bit my lip and felt that oh-so-familiar tinge of pink hit my cheeks.
"WE'RE COMING DANNNYYYY!!!"
Suddenly from below us there came a loud crash, making us break apart in surprise.
On looking below the Longboat, we saw B.E.N. He had fallen over the mooring line, and was now face first in the dirt.
"Avast you scurvy scum!" I heard the Doctor bellow as he burst out of the nearby bushes, swinging my rapier around his head, "release the Captain and Daniel Immediately!"
I cast an amused look at Amelia before over looking the side of the boat at Delbert.
"Doctor, if I may be so bold, your going to take someone's head off with that if your not careful. Namely your own!"
Delbert stopped mid swing, and gawked at me with his mouth hanging open.
"How did you…?"
I put up my hands and grinned, "Three words Doctor: Abnormally, Thin, Wrists!"
"Um, excuse me people…you know…for butting in," B.E.N said timidly as he got up and dusted his knees off, "but did I mention this planet is ABOUT TO BLOW HIGHER THAN A KALEPSIAN KITE!?!"
"What?" I cried as I jumped down from the Longboat, "what do you mean it's gonna blow higher then a Kalepsian Kite?"
"Flint wanted to make sure nobody could ever steal his treasure, so he booby tapped the whole PLANET TO BLOW SKY HIGH!!!" B.E.N screamed.
I glanced up at the Captain as I felt the ground beneath me shake.
"We have to get out of here." I muttered to myself as I looked around, "Wait a moment, where's Jim?"
"He's back at the treasure site," Doppler called, "he said that if he wasn't back in five minutes, we would leave without him. We left him trying to start up the engine of Flint's old ship."
I sighed in disbelief. That kid was as stubborn as they came.
"Lieutenant we have to move," I heard the Captain call from above, "if we can reach the Legacy, we can come back for Hawkins!"
I nodded and was about to get back on board the Longboat, when suddenly I felt something wrap around my leg.
On looking down I found a pirate, a large squat rigger called Moron, with his tentacle friend Oxy, clinging to my leg.
"Take us with you!" Moron squealed in a high pitched voice.
"Yeah, come on Lieutenant? Please?" Oxy wailed.
Another pirate, a woman who looked like she had lost her bottom half suddenly clung to my other leg.
"We surrender! We surrender! Just get us off this exploding rock!" she screamed.
I gazed around. Sure enough, the pirates we on their knees (Or the floor if they didn't have knees) begging me to take them with us.
I looked up at the Captain, it was her call.
She nodded, "Tie them up and put them in the Longboat. Let the judge decide what's good for them."
Five minutes later we were back on board the Legacy, Pirates in the Brig…the Captain and I arguing over who was driving.
"I am the Captain, it's my ship. I should pilot her." she complained as she strode over to the wheel, wincing overtime she used her left foot. She had taken five steps before I grabbed her shoulder.
"You are in no shape to pilot the Ship, Captain. I'll do it."
She glared back at me, eyes narrowed.
"I'm perfectly fine Lieutenant. Now let me to the wheel. The sooner you do, the sooner we can rescue Mr. Hawkins."
I gave her a stern look as I went past her for the wheel.
"Captain, If your fine, I'm the princess of Sana Lu Lu. Now I'm steering. If you want you can sit back and give orders, but you are not, I repeat NOT going to pilot this ship!"
She glared at me as I took up position at the Wheel.
"Lieutenant you are in no position to give me orders!" she yelled as she practically limped up the stairs to the bridge.
I gave her I knowing smile over my shoulder, "Oh but I am Captain,"
She stopped short of me, before I continued.
"When I took this job, you said that should you be incapacitated, I would take command. You are in no shape to command the Legacy with that injury. I'm merely following orders, Ma'am."
I gazed at her smugly as her jaw dropped in shock, before turning into a slightly amused smile.
"You play a hard game Lieutenant," she said, shaking her head slightly as she sat down, her back to the mast, "Remind me never to play poker with you!"
I smiled at the thought as B.E.N and the Doctor came up to the Bridge.
"B.E.N engage engines to full, let's go get Jim,"
"Aye Lieutenant!" He called in return, before throwing a lever down.
A looked over at Delbert, who was gazing towards the planet while the engines powered up.
"Brace yourself, Doctor," I called.
He gave me a look of despair, "Oh no! Not you Toooooo!!!"
As the ship thrust forward, the Poor Doctor was suddenly flung backwards towards the wall, fortunately he had been close and so no bones were broken.
I sighed and glanced back at Amelia, who was looking at Doppler with amusement.
I sighed as I focused me attention on the planet below
"Hold on Jim, we're coming."