Chapter 17: The Supernova
Outside, a strong gust of wind was blowing through space towards the Legacy and a bright light shone. Jim, Rose, Silver, Morph, and Artemis exited from longboats and hurried up to the main decks.
"What t'e devil?" Silver exclaimed.
Up on the balcony, Delbert hurried to the edge and looked out at the sky. "Good heavens! The star Permusa!" He took out his telescope to look. "It's gone supernova!"
Within the distance of space, a massive explosion occurred, spreading yellow and red-orange clouds. The star had died, causing the explosion, and was releasing tons of energy affecting anything that was near it.
"Evasive action, Mr. Turnbuckle!" Captain Amelia yelled, running towards the helm of the ship.
"Aye-aye, Captain!" Turnbuckle yelled, swerving the ship away from the star.
"All hands fasten your lifelines!" Mr. Arrow called.
The crew hurried towards the main mast where the lifelines were and tied the ropes around them. Jim and Silver tied their lifelines around their waists and checked to see that theirs' were secured. Rose struggled to tie the rope around her waist as everyone was in a rush. Then she felt a tap on her shoulder, and she spun her head, Jim grabbed her rope, tied it around her waist, and checked that it was secured to the mast.
"Thanks!" Rose called.
Jim smiled back at her and said, "You're welcome!"
The auburn-redhaired girl heard a chirp and saw Artemis on her shoulder. Rose immediately plucked her pet and placed the chameleon inside the left pocket of her skirt. "Stay here Artemis," the redhead coaxed. "You'll be safe in there."
The supernova grew bigger and bigger, it was gaining on the ship at a faster speed. The windows in the captain's stateroom broke and shattered. Debris flew and ripped holes through the sails. Rose hurried to where her adopted mother was and stayed by her.
"Mr. Arrow, secure those sails!" the Captain yelled.
"Secure all sails!" the first mate announced. "Reef them down, men!"
The crew climbed up the riggings to close the sails to prevent further damage. Jim and Silver walked to the front of the bowsprit to close the front sails. Grewnge mounted on one of the cannons and began to shoot at the meteors that were coming towards them.
"Yeah baby! Ba boom!" Grewnge laughed and cheered.
On the front mast, Jim pulled on a rope to close the front sail; as Silver was tightening his rope, a fire ball flashed next to his hand, shocking him, and the cyborg lost his balance due to his lifeline was loose.
"Silver!" Jim shouted and caught the rope; with his strength the teenage boy hauled the ursid safely back on the mast.
"Thanks lad!" Silver said, with a relieved smile. Jim smiled back at his mentor and helped him up to his feet. When they look back at the supernova, their smiles disappeared as a large meteorite was coming straight towards them. Grewnge shot at it with his cannon to destroy it. But it was futile as it was too big to get destroyed, causing Grewnge to run away in fear with Blinko.
Jim and Silver stared at the meteor in horror and braced themselves for the impact. The crew crawled down the rigging to the deck to safety and Rose stared and shut her eyes, not wanting to watch getting crashed by the huge rock. When she uncovered her eyes, the rock was flying backwards. The auburn-redhaired girl grew confused and wondered why the giant rock was going away. Her question was soon answered when she saw the source.
"Capteen! The star!" Onus called from the crow's nest.
Captain Amelia stared at it with a sharp glare and Delbert hurried next to the captain and looked at it with horror. "It's devolving into a… a black hole!" he shrieked.
Rose felt her blood turn to ice, her spine tingled, and her heart dropped to her stomach. She remembered how her guardians would tell her stories of how ships and living things get pulled into black holes by their gravitational pull are sucked in and never seen again. She realized that if they get sucked in, they will die!
"We're being pulled in!" Turnbuckle exclaimed. He attempted to steer the wheel but was thrown off from the strong wind.
The captain jumped in and gripped the wheel tightly with her gloved hands. "No, you don't! You…" the feline growled, keeping the ship balanced.
An explosion from the black hole erupted, creating a strong wind, and blowing everyone across the ship, including Jim and Silver. The strong force knocked Rose off her feet and was thrown in the air screaming in terror.
"Rose!" Jim yelled.
"Help!" she screamed.
Just when she thought she was falling to her doom, she was halted by a force from her waist. The auburn-redhaired girl looked down to see her lifeline was holding her. She gripped her hands on the rope and struggled to climb up. Then she felt her line pulling upwards by itself, Who could be pulling me up? She thought.
The redhead looked up and saw Mr. Arrow pulling her up to safety with her lifeline. The girl heaved a sigh of relief on lying on the solid wooden deck. The first mate pulled her into a close hug.
"Are you okay Rose?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you."
She wrapped her arms around her guardian's waist and felt protected by his strong arms surrounding her. But their hug was separated as Mr. Arrow looked up to see the crew tying down the sails.
"I have to go back to check on the sails," he said. "Stay safe Rose."
"Yes, Mr. Arrow."
The first mate left to get back to work and Rose hurried to the main mast and wrapped her arms around it. The storm was growing stronger and stronger and it appeared fruitless that they would all survive.
"Blast these waves!" Captain Amelia growled. "They're so deucedly erratic!"
"No, captain! They're not erratic at all!" Doppler yelled, looking at the radar for the storm. "There'll be one more in precisely 47.2 seconds. Followed by the biggest magilla of them all!"
"Of course! Brilliant doctor!" Captain Amelia exclaimed with excitement and determination. "We'll ride that last magilla out of here!"
"All sails secured, Captain!" Mr. Arrow informed.
"Good man! Now release them immediately!"
The first mate stared at the captain in bafflement, not expecting a change in plans. "Aye… Captain," Mr. Arrow said, not wanting to question her. He turned to Scroop, Bird Brain Mary, Hedley, and Torrance as they reached the deck. "You heard her, men. Unfurl those sails!"
"What?!" Bird Brain Mary exclaimed.
"But we just finished…" Hedley added.
"Tying 'em down!" Torrance finished.
"Make up your blooming minds!" Bird Brain Mary added.
Despite their complaints, the crew climbed up the rigging again to fulfill the orders. Mr. Arrow climbed up another set of rigging and made his way up to the top of the ship. Jim was about to follow the others up, but then the Captain called to him, "Mr. Hawkins! Make sure all lifelines are secured good and tight!"
"Aye-aye captain!" the boy answered with a salute. He jumped off the shrouds, sprinted towards the main mast and began to check all the lifelines. Up on the top of the ship, Mr. Arrow was helping Scroop loosening one of the sails and all the crewmembers have loosened up the sails. Back on the deck, Jim had finished checking the lifelines and seeing they were all secured.
"Lifelines secured Captain!" he yelled.
"Very good!" she praised, before turning her attention to the black hole. Another wave appeared and knocked her back. The force also knocked Mr. Arrow off from the ship. The first mate screamed in terror as he fell into space. Thankfully, his lifeline halted his fall and saved him.
Mr. Arrow began to climb up on his lifeline to safety, until Scroop emerged from behind the sail. The spiden held up his claws and gave an evil grin. The First Mate gasped as he saw Scroop's true colors and realized what he was planning to do. Scroop cut the lifeline with his pinchers, and Mr. Arrow screamed falling to his doom into the black hole.
Scroop gave a sadistic grin of his evil deed.
"Captain, the last wave! Here it comes!" Delbert shouted. The crew hurried down from the rigging to seek shelter from the blast of the next wave.
"Hold onto your lifelines, gents!" Amelia called. "It's gonna be a bumpy ride!"
The ship sunk deeper and deeper into the darkness of the black hole. Morph turned himself into a piece of rope and tied himself around a rope. Jim joined Rose at the main mast and wrapped himself around her body to shield her. Silver rushed over and used his metal arm to cover both the teens and his other arm to grip on the mast. Rose prayed with all her might for mercy and surviving. Jim, Silver, and Rose closed their eyes as they were swallowed into total darkness and embraced for their fates.
