As the two friends strode through the trees, Jim couldn't help but notice the change in his friend, relived though he was that she was alive. She seemed taller, older, and more mature. She now radiated an air of peace and reassurance that would make even the most experienced warrior turn to her in a time of need. It hit him in a new way that she was a Jedi. Jim wondered how to strike up a conversation worthy of someone of her rank, but Kim spoke first.

"Jim, I'm sorry."

He was caught off guard. "For what?"

Kim sighed. "I wanted so badly to tell you what was going to happen, but it was forbidden of me. And I'm sorry I made you worry about me. But it will be better for us if the pirates believe me dead."

"And, there is something about you that you should know." She added.

Jim was confused. What about him would even begin to concern a Jedi?

Kim continued. "You are Force-sensitive. I felt it when I first met you. That's why you have such quick reflexes. It's also why you can do things that need to be done before the need arises. Being Force-sensitive is a trait that all Jedi must have. It's how children are identified for training."

"Why are you telling me this, Kim?"

She hesitated as she pushed a branch aside. "Because…if you wanted to…there is a chance that you would be accepted into the Jedi Academy."

Jim was quiet. The Academy? Become a Jedi? His heart leapt at the thought of exploring her world with her…and plopped down at the thought of his mother. He couldn't just leave her here! She needed him.

Another thought stopped Jim cold. "So…when all this is over…I guess you'll be heading back to your home, huh?

Kim nodded, her face betraying no emotion. "Yes."

"Will I ever see you again?"

Kim was silent. "I…I don't know."

A rustle sounded from the bushes. Jim and Kim looked at one another and nodded. Kim switched on her lightsaber, and Jim fired up his gun. They moved cautiously towards the underbrush. Jim peered down a bell-like plant…

"HELLO!"

A metallic droid shot out of the plant onto Jim. Kim almost sliced off its head, but as she felt deeper into it's being, she chuckled. This weird (and crudely made, Kim thought) thing meant them no harm. But it was becoming a source of instant irritation to Jim.

"Oh, glorious! Finally, two carbon-based life forms are here to rescue me."

Kim gently pulled the droid off Jim. "Come now, leave poor little Jim alone." She grinned wickedly as Jim shot her a glare.

Standing up, Jim brushed himself off. The metal creature continued chattering.

"It's so good to see someone! Let me introduce myself. My name is…my…name is…urgh." The droid dropped his head into his hands, trying to remember the piece of information that currently eluded him.

Jim looked skeptically at Morph. Morph turned into a small replica of the droid and popped a cuckoo bird out of his head. Kim hid a smile and gently reached over to tap Morph on the head, causing him to turn back to his normal form.

The droid popped his head back up. "B.E.N.! Heh, of course! Bio-Electronic Navigator!"

"I'm Jim, and this is Kim." Jim introduced them.

He glanced at Kim, knowing the urgency to find shelter, and sensing he should continue. "Well," he said, "it was very nice meeting you, but we're being chased by pirates and we've got to find shelter."

As the two teenagers started to walk away, the droid leaned against a tree, still chattering. "Pirates! Oh, don't even get me started on pirates! I remember Captain Flint."

Jim and Kim spun around simultaneously. B.E.N. still talked on. "Now, this guy had a temper. I personally think he suffered from mood swings. I'm not a psychiatrist by any means…you let me know when I'm rambling!"

"You knew Captain Flint?" Kim asked.

"But that must mean…you know about the treasure!" Jim exclaimed.

"Treasure?" B.E.N. seemed a little disoriented. Jim tried to help him out.

"Yeah. Flint's Trove, the Loot of A Thousand Worlds?"

Morph further assisted him by turning into a small treasure chest filled to bursting with gold coins.

B.E.N. struggled to remember. "I…I remember…treasure. Lots and lots of treasure!" Treasure chests flashed on his eyes, which apparently also served as a video screen. "And a big door…opening and closing, opening and closing!" A triangular sign appeared on the screens, opening and closing. Kim hid a gasp. It looked quite similar to the portals she used to travel back and forth through time and galaxies. "In the centroid, centroid of the mechanism!" No pictures accompanied this. "And Flint didn't want anyone to find his treasure so he….ARGH!"

Sparks began popping off some loose wires in the back of his head. "REBOOT, REBOOT, REBOOT…" Jim promptly slapped him on the head, reminding Kim of teenagers on Earth slapping the tops of TV's when they got bad reception. Apparently, the same method was used here. B.E.N. shook his head.

Looking at Jim, he said, "And you are…?"

Jim shook his head. "Wait, wait, what about the treasure?"

Still continuing on his first question, B.E.N. responded, "I want to say, 'Larry'."

Jim gaped at the forgetful droid.

"Oh, a mind is a terrible thing to lose!" Patting Jim's shirt, B.E.N. asked, "You haven't found it, have you? My missing piece?" He turned around to show them the missing part of his head where only a few stray wires remained.

"No, sorry." Kim responded.

"C'mon, Kim," Jim said, walking on. "It was nice meeting you, but we really should be going now."

B.E.N.'s eyes grew large and sad. "Well, O.K. I'm sorry I'm so…dysfunctional. I hope you find what you're looking for." He sank down to the ground. "And I do understand. I do." He sniffed pathetically. "Bye."

Jim rolled his eyes, not wanting to bring this…thing…along, but feeling sorry for him nonetheless. Kim, too, felt sorry for B.E.N. I wonder how long he's been alone here, she thought. I can do a mission by myself, but everyone needs someone to talk to. Including me.

"If you come with us, you have to stop talking." Jim finally gave in.

"Huzzah!" B.E.N. leapt up, carefree attitude restored. He ran over to Jim and jumped into his arms, giving him a hug. "Me and my bestest buddies Jim and Kim, going off into the unknown…" Jim glared at him with a look that could have melted ice. "Oh, right. Quiet." B.E.N. pretended to zip his lips together.

"And you have to quit touching me." Jim (somewhat gently) dropped the droid a few feet away.

"Right. Talking and touching, two big no-no's." B.E.N. nodded.

"Now, I think this way--" Jim started, but was interrupted by the droid.

"Hey, Jimmy, before we start our big 'search', can we make a stop at my place? It's, uh, kind of urgent."

B.E.N. pulled away a few plants to reveal a "home" with a high entrance.

"Ben," Kim said slowly, "I think you may have solved our problem."

Dr. Doppler was getting Captain Amelia settled in the droid's home. Kim and Jim were discussing what would be the most effective way to defend themselves.

"We're up fairly high, and the pirates will only have a little cover from that ditch down there." Kim pointed out.

"Yeah, but there're so many of them. They may get up here faster than I can shoot."

"Well," Kim said, "if that happens, I'll just have to reveal myself. It'll only be playing our ace card a little earlier than planned."

The chat was broken by B.E.N.'s yells. "Hey, there are some more of your friends! HEY GUYS, WE'RE UP HERE!" Pirate rifles trained on the droid.

A millisecond before the shots were fired, Kim raced over and, keeping out of sight, yanked B.E.N. back into the house. Jim popped up next to the door and returned fire.

Down by the ditch, Silver waved his arms. "Cease fire! You're only wastin' firepower."

Jim peeked out to see what had happened. Silver was down there, waving a white flag. "Ah, Jimbo, if it's all right wi' the cap'n, I'd like t' have a few words wi' ya. A peace talk, if y' will."

"No doubt to bargain for the map, the scoundrels," Amelia snapped.

"But that means," Jim realized, "that they think we still have it."

Kim closed her eyes as she mentally saw Jim walk down to meet Silver. Using a tiny bit of the Force, so as not to give away her presence, she reached for the ball of light energy she held in her soul.

This light was the reason she had been chosen to come on this mission. She was no ordinary Jedi. But the time to explain that would come. She mentally glided down the slope along with Jim, knowing that her presence would bring calm and courage.

Jim stepped down to meet Silver. Silver cleared his throat and stepped forward.

"Jimbo, I first want t' say that…well, I'm sorry about Kim." Kim thought she sensed sadness and grief coming from him. "She was a good lass, no matter what I said."

Reminded of the hurtful things Silver had said, Jim's face grew tight. "And about that…what y' heard…about you kids…" Silver swallowed, almost as if to try and swallow the guilt he was feeling. "I didn't mean a word of it. But that band, they were out fer blood! If they thought I'd gone soft, they'd 've gutted us both."

Jim's expression was unchanged.

Silver leaned in confidentially. "But y' know what? I figure that if we go find the treasure, we can both have an even share. We can get away from all this."

"Yeah?" Jim seemed to be considering the idea.

"Yeah. Then we can take off, and never have t' worry 'bout those blokes again."

Jim rubbed his chin, and then slowly started walking around Silver. "Well, first off…all that stuff about greatness, light coming off my face…what a joke."

"Now, see here—"

"Well at least you taught me one thing. To stick to it? Well that's what I'm gonna do." Silver looked speechless. "I'm gonna make sure you never see one drubloon of my treasure!"

Silver lost it. "That treasure is owed me, by thunder!"

"Yeah? Well try and find it without my map, by thunder!"

Silver glared at Jim. "Y' still don't know how t' pick yer fights." Jim returned his gaze, determination blazing from his eyes. As Kim sensed what he was about to say, she mentally yelled, No! Don't bring me into this! There's no need!

"And Silver…about Kim…" Silver grew quiet as Jim said these words. "How could you possibly think that a 'sorry' would replace her?" Jim's voice shook with pent-up rage.

He knew Kim was alive and well, but what if she had missed the branch? She had told him about that as they walked back to get the Doctor and Captain Amelia. What if Silver had actually killed her? This…pirate…had almost taken her away forever!

"I do wish it hadn't happened, Jim. But she would've been safe if she'd had just come over t' our side—"

"She was protecting us! And you killed her!"

Oh, Jim. Please…just stop. I'm okay, remember? Kim wanted to speak directly mind-to-mind, but she couldn't. He hadn't opened his mind to her. Of course, he couldn't without proper training.

Silver's mind was in turmoil. She could sense that even without a link. He almost hated himself. He had, after all, given the order to shoot.

His view changed in self-defense. "Y' shouldn't have run! If y' want t' blame someone, blame yerself fer not stayin' to protect her!"

Jim's face froze, and then changed into one of fury. "She told me to go!"

Silver responded, almost gently, "She loved ya, lad."

Jim paled slightly, and then the look of anger returned. "Get out of here, Silver. Go home, because you're never going to see one bit of that treasure."

"Y' have till morning t' surrender the map, or so help me, I'll use the ship's cannons t' blast y'all to kingdom come!" He paused, and then added contemptuously, "Y'll at least get t' see Kim again that way." Silver sneered and turned away, but his attention was caught by Morph, who was hovering by Jim's shoulder. "Morph, come." Morph hesitated.

"NOW!" Silver exploded. Morph squeaked and hid behind Jim.

Silver grunted and turned away. Jim turned sharply and headed back up the hill. Kim stayed by Silver a few seconds longer. Silver looked back at Jim sadly.

I know he doesn't deserve it, but I wish I could comfort him. As it was, all Kim could do was gently brush his shoulder, and a small feeling of comfort swept through him. As Kim mentally sat back into her body, Silver wondered why he had felt so safe just then. He had no reason, no right to feel any comfort. But, whatever it was, he did appreciate it.

Kim opened her eyes just a few seconds before Jim climbed back in. She was quiet as her eyes met his. Briefly, something filled them. Jim wore a look of gentleness for a moment.

He remembered what Silver had said. She loved ya, lad. He shook it off quickly and walked by. What did Silver know?

He should've known, Jim thought, that I would never forgive him if anything happened to Kim.

Later that night, Jim stood by the door, assessing their situation. "If we try to get the map, we're dead." He looked at the pirate camp. "If we try to leave, we're dead. And if we stay here, ---"

Morph finished the thought for him. "We're dead! We're dead, we're dead, we're dead!" Jim groaned.

"Doesn't leave much room for optimism, huh?" Kim asked. She felt the weight of the decision that rested on Jim, and gently placed one hand on his shoulder. It was all she could do at the moment. She started as Jim put his hand over hers.

He needed comfort and Kim's hand was welcome. But her hand increased his thought process. She could defend herself; he knew that now. But some instinct told him that she still needed protection from some so far unseen threat. He was determined to give it to her. Just the feel of her hand conveyed an unfathomable energy and a love of life. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to her. She was too important to him. And not as a Jedi.

B.E.N. interrupted his thoughts.

"Well, I think Jimmy could use a little 'quiet time', so…I'll just slip out the back door."

Kim whirled around. "Back door?"

"Oh, yes." B.E.N. continued. "I get this lovely breeze through here, and…"

He continued talking even as Jim and Kim raced over to the sphere he was turning over. A hole revealed a bottomless abyss of machinery.

Jim was stunned. "What is all this?"

"You mean the miles and miles of machinery that runs throughout the entire planet? Not a clue." B.E.N. leaned casually on the edge.

Jim turned to Doctor Doppler, who was watching over Amelia. "Doc, I think I've found a way out of here." He climbed onto the sphere and stood over the hole.

Kim moved closer. "I'm coming too."

Jim frowned for a moment. Then, as he remembered that she had held off a group of pirates and survived a 100 foot fall all on her own, he relaxed slightly. "Okay."

Looking again to Doctor Doppler, he said, "We'll be back." He then leaped up and fell into the hole. Kim swung herself in after him, and B.E.N. finished the line with a cry of, "Cannonball!"

Doppler shook his head. "What is his mother going to say?"

The three friends appeared under a moss-covered hatch. The pirate camp wasn't even twenty feet away. Jim and Kim moved as silently as possible, but B.E.N. almost blew their cover. "So, what's the plan, Jimm--!" Kim had wordlessly reached over and clamped his mouth shut. Even Jedi had their limit of patience.

Jim and Kim tensed as Silver turned over in his sleep. They could make no mistakes now, or it would cost them their lives. Fortunately for them, Silver merely grunted and turned over.

"Ok, here's the plan," Jim whispered. "We go to the ship, disable the cannons, and get the map."

"I like that plan. That's a very good plan. But, uh, how are we gonna get there?" B.E.N. asked.

Jim pointed to the small skiff tethered nearby. "On that."

The small skiff silently glided up to the RLS Legacy. Kim nimbly flipped over the railing and landed without a noise. Jim swung himself over, but only a minimum of noise was made. Morph slipped out of Jim's pocket and hovered nearby. Jim and Kim were walking stealthily towards the stairs when…

CRASH!

Jim jumped, but Kim merely spun around. B.E.N. had topped right onto the deck. Kim briskly strode over and picked him up with one hand. Still carrying him, she calmly walked back over to Jim. "What do you want us to do?" she asked, setting B.E.N. down. The three walked down the steps as Jim conveyed his plans in a whisper.

"Kim, you and I will go for the map. Then—"

"I'll disable the laser cannons, Captain Jimmy Sir!" B.E.N. took off down the hall.

"No, Ben, wait!"

The droid was already on his way, absently singing, "Yo ho, yo ho, the pirate's life for me…"

Jim rubbed his forehead. "I hope he can do it right."

Kim smiled slightly. "If he can, that in itself will be a big help."

Jim started down towards the skiff launch. "Its if he doesn't get it right that worries me."

They entered the launch room. Jim made a beeline for a small coil of rope. Reaching into it, he pulled out a familiar golden sphere. He sighed in relief.

They both started as an alarm went off. Kim and Jim looked at each other and raced back up the stairs to the deck. As they ran, Jim panted, "That crazy droid is going to get us all—"

"Killed." Kim finished, not wanting to deal with this irritation again right now.

Scroop stood at the top step. His evil yellow eyes seemed to widen a bit when they took in Kim. "Cabin boyssssss."

Jim took off in the opposite direction, but Kim stood her ground. She flipped on her lightsaber and assumed a fighting stance. Scroop grinned evilly and took out a small silver sphere. Kim's eyes widened. Abruptly, she spun around and started running.

Jim skidded to a halt to wait for her. But she never caught up.

Scroop flicked a switch on the sphere and hurled it at her. Kim tried to block it with her lightsaber, but it was no good. An energy field, resembling tamed lightning, burst out of the ball, swept her up and held her captive.

Kim was so confused. Scroop had just used a special type of bondage system that so far, only the Jedi knew about…no. She realized with a horrible jolt who else knew. The Sith.

And worse, one of them had been here. Her mind knew she was going to be there until someone could press the release button, so she did the only thing she could.

"Run, Jim! Run!"

Jim didn't want to leave her, but since she didn't seem to be in any pain, he ran.

Scroop hissed at her as he dashed after Jim. Kim struggled to turn around to face the direction they had gone, but it was useless. B.E.N. had turned the lights off momentarily, so even if she could turn around, it would do her no good. Remembering something Kenobi had taught her (and mentally kicking herself for forgetting), she felt what was going on through the Force, using it to replace her eyes.

Jim was pushing things over, trying to present more obstacles, and Scroop was hot on his trail. A small blob burning with energy was speeding back towards her.

"Morph!"

Morph circled around her, glad to see his friend but wondering why she was taking a break.

"Morph, listen. There's a small silver button on that ball down there. Can you hit it?"

Morph saluted her, then, forming one big finger, flew down to hit the release button. Kim fell to the ground, shouting, "Now go help Jim!"

Morph zoomed off, with Kim running in hot pursuit.

Then, her feet lifted off the ground. She knew instantly that the gravity had been disengaged. And, lucky for her (not), a hatch was directly overhead. As she drifted through it, she grabbed the edge, feeling the bite of more splinters but ignoring it.

Still using the Force, she felt for Jim. He had not been as lucky as she had, and was floating up, along with Scroop. Jim latched on to the flag, and Scroop grabbed a rope. When Scroop started sawing through the rope, Jim pulled his way down to the more solid wooden mast. Kim set her teeth as Scroop grabbed Jim's blaster. She pushed off the hatch with her feet, gathering speed, and crashed into Scroop as he fired.

The shot towards Jim went wild, but Scroop shot off another…right at her. Twisting, she saved her stomach, but intense pain shot through her as her side was clipped by the blast.

An arm reached out. Jim's. He grabbed her around the waist (Kim bit back a gasp as her wound was pressed upon) and yanked her away. Scroop clipped her on the shoulder with his claw, but before he could do any more damage, Jim and Kim together kicked him off.

Scroop grabbed the pirate flag, but his own hate was his undoing. He had sawed through part of the rope, trying to kill Jim. Now, the rope snapped on him. With a scream of "Nooooooooooo!", the once-dangerous pirate was sucked into the deep, unforgiving void of space.

A purple wave swept across the deck as gravity was restored, and the two friends crashed to the ground. Jim got up, but Kim made no movement. "K…Kim!" Jim fell back on his knees and turned her over.

"Hush, Jim. I'm just tired." Kim's face was pale, but her expression was calm and untroubled.

"Tired, my boot! You're hurt!" He pointed to the blood leaking through her shirt. Oh, no. Blood! He internally cried. He lifted her shirt hem, careful not to hurt her. The wound was ugly, but he didn't get to observe it any more carefully.

Ignoring his protests, Kim sat up, and closed her eyes, reaching inside for the Force. She stopped the worst of the bleeding, and burned away infection. All this was done in the space of an eye blink. Color returned to her cheeks. The pain was still there, but Kim shoved it out of her mind. She drew some bandage from a hidden pocket in her breeches, and wrapped it around herself.

Jim gaped as she did so without wincing. She carefully stood up, and took a few careful steps. "How…how did…?" Jim couldn't even ask it.

"I told you I barely know how to heal myself. A more experienced Jedi would have partly or even completely healed it. I just stopped the worst of the flow. And I'm going to be tired for a while. Do you still have the map?"

Still stunned, Jim nodded. He drew out the map from his pocket.

"Yes."

A shout from the stairs made them turn. "Laser Cannons disabled, Captain Jimmy sir!" B.E.N. stood there absolutely covered in wires of all colors. "That wasn't so bad…was it?"

Kim smiled, shook her head, and led Jim back to the skiff.

Jim pulled himself out of B.E.N.'s "back door". Kim had stayed behind to help B.E.N. across some beams, sending Jim on ahead. "Dr. Doppler?" He raced over to the dark figure resting by a boulder and held out the map. "Dr. Doppler, we got it!"

A mechanical hand reached out of the darkness to swipe the map away. Silver leaned into the light, grinning. "Fine work, Jimbo. Fine work, indeed." Jim froze, slightly stunned.

A grunt attracted Jim's attention. Captain Amelia and the Doctor were tied up, gagged, and held fast by pirates. Jim made a lunge for the map, but a pirate leapt forward to hold him, too.

B.E.N. popped his head out of the hole, and was taken hold of by yet another pirate. "Hey, hey, watch the face!"

Behind him, a blur shot out of the hole. Kim leapt forward with a cry and kicked the pirate holding Jim right out of the house. Her blue light saber sprang into action to deflect blaster bolts. She had a few pirates down on the ground and in serious pain when a mechanical fist came out of thin air to hit her wounded side. She dropped with a gasp, and pirates jumped to restrain her. Even wounded, a Jedi was something to be reckoned with. But she was wounded and tired, and only had the strength of a regular teenager. She had no more energy to give the muscles in her arms. There was that other way…but no. It was essential to the mission she was on that she not use that way until it was unavoidable. She struggled feebly, but was eventually held fast.

Silver stared at her. "K…Kimmy?"

"Since when," she retorted, "Do you call me 'Kimmy'?"

"It is you, lass!"

Silver had been secretly mourning Kim since her "death". Now that he saw her, mixed emotions were roused again. Part of him wanted to hug her and start acting like the father he had started to feel like, and another part of him wanted to shoot her and get her out of the way for good. But that part was his pirate mentality, and was overruled by his true self. He spotted the blood on her shirt, and realized with a shock that that was where he had hit her. No wonder she looked so pale. A few waves of regret flowed away from him.

Kim studied Silver uncertainly. Was it her imagination, or did his eyes look a little…teary?

"Unfortunately for you." Jim growled.

Silver flinched internally. Then, getting a hold of himself, he pulled back on the tough, mutineer façade. "Must be glad t' have her back, eh, Jimbo?" he taunted. Jim's face grew tight.

Turning his attention back to Kim, he ordered, "Bring me her weapon."

Kim was alive with determination as her lightsaber--her life--was handed over to Silver. No way was he going to keep that!

"Let's see y' do much wi'out that." Silver patted where it now hung beside his belt. He took out the map he had confiscated from Jim and, sending a smug look in his direction, tried to open it.

The key word there was tried. No matter where he pushed or how hard he twisted, the sphere refused to divulge its secrets. Jim smiled and shook his head as Silver struggled.

Silver saw this, and yanked Jim towards him, placing the map in his hands. "Open it!" Jim just glared at him.

Silver despised what he was about to do, but that treasure was his life's dream. Switching his hand for his pistol, he placed the open barrel end on Kim's forehead. Silver desperately hoped that Jim would open the map; not only for himself, but also for Kim. Silver knew that if Jim refused, he would have to shoot Kim in order to keep his men's loyalty.

"Ain't that somthin, now." Kim's face remained calm. Almost relived.

Captain Amelia was confused as what to do. Doctor Doppler was the same. Kim made eye contact with Jim, and something passed between them.

Kim wanted to shout for joy as Jim's mind opened slightly to her. Not bigger than a wrinkle in the Force, it was enough for Kim to send a positive wave to him.

Jim's eyes acknowledged her. Looking at Silver, he punched and spun the sphere, and a green hologram slipped out.

A floating map of Treasure Planet hovered just above Jim's head.

Silver was filled with stunned joy. "Merciful heavens, would y' look!"

The hologram dissolved, and a green beam curved out of the house, leading the way to the treasure. Silver dashed over to see. "All right, men. Tie 'em up and leave—wha?"

The green beam broke up and was sucked back into the map with a final click. Jim looked up from closing the map, determination and seriousness etched on his face. "You want the map? You're taking Kim and me, too."

Silver shook his head and chuckled lightly. Admiration for Jim was evident in his mind. The lad had him there. Jim was the only one who could open the map. They'd have to take him. Silver made his decision.

"We'll take 'em all."