I
Impatiently, Silver began tapping his mechanical fingers on his thigh. He heaved a great sigh and quite simply turned from his hunched position to rest his back against the rock. Crossing his ankles, he pulled his pipe from his person and contently began waiting away the minutes. Rays of light began cascading through the ancient hut. He raised his head as he inhaled the tobacco. The circular markings on the wall were fascinating. Now he was never one to make note of it publicly, but he was one who enjoyed dwelling in the history books while smoking his pipe. His ideal afternoon was sitting in a great library overstocked with history books and plenty of tobacco to last him through to sleep with a great fire crackling nearby. When this was all said and done, he would use part of his share from the loot somewhere on this planet to purchase that library of his overstocked with books and a great fireplace and perhaps a manor in the country on some quiet planet. All this chasing after treasure and plundering was beginning to get old quite fast. Not to mention he was getting too old for this.
"Capteeen?" Onus called quietly.
"Hm?" replied Silver, bored.
"How much longer are we going to have to wait?" wondered Onus hastily.
Silver pulled the pipe from his mouth as his eyes turned to the sunrays. "I don' know Mr. Onus. I thought th' lad would have been here by nows," he admitted.
Over six hours ago, he overheard Jim's plan of sneaking back to the Legacy to bring back the map and over six hours ago they began their wait in the dark for him to return. The sun was now shining and dawn was at hand. Thinking, he felt fear jab him in the stomach. He knew very well whom he left on the Legacy to keep watch. Scroop. Now, he left Scroop on the ship for one reason. That spider psycho, as Jim liked to call him when the spoke of many things while peeling potatoes, remained on the ship to remain as far away from the teenager as possible. He left him there so Jim would have nothing but himself to worry about on the planet. Unfortunately, Jim was on the ship where the one person who wanted him dead also was. With this six hour wait, he was beginning to wonder what happened. Jim, Scroop, Morph, and B.E.N. were on the same ship. Morph and B.E.N. were of no concern to Scroop, but Jim, Jim was exactly what Scroop wanted to get in his claw.
Although fear was jabbing him, he managed a chuckle or two. Jim was the only one who knew how to open the map. Not even the great Captain Amelia or Doctor Doppler solved the mystery of the little secret. Now if Scroop killed Jim, no one would win and then Scroop would end up dead because it was he who killed the only one to the treasure.
Jim dead.
Silver shook his great head. Little scenarios began playing in his head. He cared for the boy and he knew Jim heard what he said about him in the purp barrel and believed it. Because he believed it caused a little pain in Silver's heart. If Scroop did bring Jim back hurt or dead, he wasn't sure he'd be able to hide his soft spot for the boy much longer. In fact, that soft spot was increasing the more he thought about Jim and Scroop being the only two, aside from B.E.N. and Morphy of course, on the ship. An amnesiac robot and a metamorphic pink blob weren't going to prevent the spider from killing a fifteen year old boy.
Voices in the distance pricked his mind and drew his attention from the dreaded thoughts circling in his head. He thought he heard a hiss and a soft cry of pain but when he made to stand on his own two feet the pink, metamorphic blob squealed as he burrowed his face into his coat.
"Morphy, what's gotten into ya?" wondered Silver.
Morph transformed into an object that caused Silver to back his head away from his shoulder where his companion hid. Scroop. A miniature of Scroop stood on his shoulder, with huge claws raised above his head and bright yellow eyes narrow in satisfaction.
"Morph, who has th' map?" wondered Silver. The image of Scroop did not change but one small golden orb in a claw. Silver's eyes widened, he swallowed hard feeling his nervousness increase, but trying to push it out of him. "Who has Jim?"
The image of Scroop changed into Morph as he should be. He looked at Silver with huge white, frightened eyes. No depiction was needed for Silver understand the answer to his question. Scroop had Jim and by the expression the pink blob was able to produce, Jim was not well.
"Morphy, what did tha' spider psycho do ta Jim?" Silver asked.
Morph's eyes widened. His lower lip trembled and he melted into tears into Silver's hands.
"Morph, is he alive?" Silver asked, haste in his voice, but he was able to hide the quivering his body felt.
Two eyes appeared from the blue blob in his palms. They nodded forward, but almost seemed sadder.
Silver sighed in relief. Okay, Jim was still alive but he was hurt. Clearly, he was hurt badly by the reaction Morph was giving him. But he knew Scroop knew there was a soft spot for Jimbo in him and Scroop was no fool. He was hoping Scroop wouldn't be fool enough to kill Jim. As horrible as it was coming from Silver's mind, the old Cyborg hoped Scroop left Jim alive and in agonizing pain to use as leverage to get him to do whatever it was that bug brain twit wanted. At least Jim would be alive, and hurts were easier to heal than having to heal a broken heart from losing the one that owned his soft spot.
Answering the question he had in his mind, colorful wires followed by the rusted color of B.E.N.'s head appeared in the circular entrance. The robot pulled himself into the hut. His hands fiddling in front of him, he walked forward to the first person he saw which just happened to be Silver.
"Between you and me I don't like him," he told Silver, pointing a metal finger behind his shoulder. "He's not very nice and he has bad breath."
Silver's eyes shifted between B.E.N. and the entrance several times until he saw Scroop's yellow eyes peer across them.
As Scroop's body rose by his six legs, Silver used all in his power not to make a shift of emotion on his face or body language. While the crew rushed to him, Silver remained where he was, unable to move. In Scroop's left claw was the golden sphere undoubtedly being the treasure map. The right claw was holding a fifteen year old boy by his tunic collar and the fifteen year old was not moving. His claw was released and the boy fell to a heap on the ground, still not moving.
"I found thisss trying to sssteal what isss oursss," hissed Scroop, motioned to the unconscious heap. He approached Silver and handed him the map. "Me thinksss you wouldn't mind that I taught him a little lessson of my own sssinsse you taught him a few."
"And what lesson be this Mr. Scroop?" asked Silver, showing no emotion but curiosity and a raised eyebrow. He took the map and set it into his pocket.
"Not to sssteal what doesssn't belong to him," replied Scroop.
Shaking his head, Silver strode forward and knelt at the teenager's side. He intended to move Jim onto his back, but when he saw him, he wanted to not move him at all except to a comfortable bed where he could recover. He didn't literally mean it when he thought he would prefer Scroop to leave him in a painful, broken mess.
The teenager's clothes were ripped everywhere by the claw that scratched into his skin. His face was bruised as well as his body, probably from having been thrown around a room. Around his throat, ringed little bruises and they ended with two tiny punctures into his skin.
Morph floated on over and lowered himself on Jim's left forearm. He transformed into Scroop with an over exaggerated claw. The claw clamped shut with a snap that should not have been normal.
Biting his cheeks to keep his lips from opening and allowing the gasp through his nose that would have caused his mouth to open, Silver was well aware of the pirates who had come to surround Jim in wonder. He gingerly set his real hand under Jim's forearm and pulled the cuff of his tunic to his elbow with his metal hand. The center of Jim's forearm was bruised black and red. Oddly, with Jim's hand in his flesh palm, something inside was poking at the skin at the angle half his forearm was bent. Broken bone. Scroop's claw crushed Jim's forearm in two. That was the message Morph attempted to convey. He wrapped his hand around Jim's palm as if to examine the broken arm in the eyes of the pirates when in all truth, he was searching for a pulse indicating the boy was alive yet. Faint, slow pressure tapped against his fingers.
"Mr. Scroop," he began as he set his arm under behind Jim's shoulders and mechanical hand under his knees before rising to his feet. "Ye didn't realize that this lad be th' only one who knows how ta open th' map did ye? And without this lad being more among th' living than th' dead as ye placed him, we are short the route to the treasure."
"May have been nissse to know that before," noted Scroop as his eyes narrowed.
"Yes well now we need ta head back ta th' ship and get him wrapped in some bandages," said Silver.
"Me thinksss there isss no reassson sssinsse he'sss no longer bleeding," said Scroop.
Several of the pirates around them nodding and muttered their agreements.
"Th' lad has hardly any blood in him ta be losin'. I don't think he's going ta be wakin' anytime soon," said Silver. He put a smile on his face. "'sides, we can get rid of these two and Jimbo can show us th' way ta th' treasure without having ta' have them tag along." He motioned to Amelia and Delbert with his head. Thankfully, that got more nods and mummers of agreement. "Come on lads. Th' sooner we get this boy on his feet th' sooner we get ta th' treasure."
Somewhere distant he heard voices. One was deep and the other was higher. It sounded like arguing from the many tones and dynamics. A great fluster filled his ears in an annoying high pitch sound. It reminded him of a huge fly that wouldn't go away and it was getting rather annoying. Following a great slam, the two voices ended, but the annoying fly did not. All he heard was that damn, annoying, buzzing fly circling around his ears. It was so annoying. He just wanted it to go away. He had a bad enough headache and this fly was making it worse.
A cold damp object was pressed into his forehead. Startled, his eyes opened as his breath quickened. Nothing was clear but a dark object against the yellow light and a floating transparent pink object. He blinked heavily to focus on the objects and soon found himself witnessing Silver heaving a great sigh of relief.
"Thank heavens yer finally back with the living folk around here," noted Silver.
"Scroop has the map," Jim told him hoarsely, for he did not have quite a strong enough throat and lungs to produce clear sound.
"Does he?" wondered Silver sarcastically as he presented the map from his own coat pocket. "Tha' bug brain twit wanted me ta give him th' map, but I told him 'no'. 'Pparently he doesn't trus' me ta have it. An' he thinks I trus' him ta have it? He's outta his mind."
"Ow," Jim breathed as he squeezed his eyes shut a moment. He brought his right hand across his person and lifted his fingers above the white sling. Slowly, he lowered his fingertips down onto his arm. The slightest pressure against his skin caused him to breathe sharply and clench his teeth tightly together and his eyes squeezed shut tighter than his teeth. Preventing the scream from being vocalized, he allowed his body to show the pain in a moment of quivering.
Silver pulled the compress from his forehead a moment to dampen and wring out the water before setting it gently across his skin again.
"Wha' happened lad?" he asked softly.
Jim looked at him with an ashen face of pain.
Silver scoot closer to the boy's side knowing full well Jim didn't have the energy to speak loudly. "Wha' did Scroop do ta ye?"
"I snuck on board," began Jim, speaking softly and roughly between breaths of air. "I got the map. He must have seen me, 'cause when I turned there he was. He grabbed me and threw me around. All the cuts, that's where he grabbed me. He told me it wasn't nice to steal things that didn't belong to me so he grabbed my arm with his claw. He squeezed until the bone snapped. And he just kept throwing me. He dragged me down here. Apparently I was making too much noise so he strangled me."
"Wha' about Morphy? Wha' did he do ta Morphy? Morph woulda gotten ta me in sooner time than six hours," noted Silver.
"He threw Morph in a sack and tied it shut. B.E.N. didn't know what to do. He just watched," replied Jim. He yelled in pain and squeezed his eyes shut.
Morph squealed and turned into a fluster that hid behind Silver's shoulder.
"Jimbo wha' is it? Wha's wrong lad?" Silver asked.
"It's nothing," said Jim, his voice high by the lack of air he was breathing in.
"Nothing?" wondered Silver sternly. He threw his arms in the air. "Jimbo, do ye know wha' ye look like lad? Tha' bug nearly killed ye."
"I'm okay," said Jim, fighting to keep a strong voice and façade. He looked at his surroundings. "Why am I here?"
"Cause ye needed some bandages and healin' time," replied Silver. "Th' Doc and Cap'n are in th' brig. I don' think th' Cap'n minds tha' ye be occupyin' her cabin temporarily."
"Do you really mean that you didn't mean a word of it?" Jim suddenly asked. Silver gave him a look of confusion. "About what you said."
"No, I didn't mean a word of it," Silver told him with the same tone he spoke before as a small smile slipped upon his face when Jim's eyes brightened and half his lips moved upward in his own smile. Coughing, he raised a mechanical finger then narrowed his eyes, taking on a tougher expression. "But this doesn't mean I've gone soft."
"Then why are you looking after me?" wondered Jim.
"'Cause yer th' only one tha' knows how ta open th' map and I am th' one tha' holds th' map," replied Silver. "How are ye goin' ta lead us ta th' treasure if ye can't lead yer own two feet?"
"That's true," Jim had to agree. He lowered his palm on the bed and slowly pushed himself upright. "Okay, I'm up. Now, what are we going to do about the pirates?"
"Give them wha' they want," answered Silver softly. "When we have enough treasure ta last us a lifetime and more we'll maroon them with it and we'll return rich as kings ta tha' spaceport o' yars."
Jim smiled. "Okay, then let's go."
"Are ye sure ye have th' strength ta be doin' this so quickly lad?" questioned Silver.
Proving him, Jim stepped out of bed and onto his own two feet. Aside from a little stumble and all color draining to his feet, he looked strong enough.
"Well, then I'll leave ye be ta finish getting yer clothes on. I think I'll inform th' crew tha' we be huntin' treasure taday," said Silver, cheerily.
Jim nodded and watched as he and Morph left the room. The moment he heard the door click shut, he slumped on the bed and wrapped his right arm around his left.
"Ow," he whispered to himself.
The fact of the matter was that his entire body was sore and shaky. Every muscle pleaded for him not to move anymore and just lay back as if he was dead. He knew exactly where Scroop had grabbed him and where he landed after flying through the air.
As he pulled his boots on as well as he could with one arm, thoughts loomed in his head. Could he really trust Silver? He continued to put up two faces: one for the pirates and one for only him. Which face was the true face of John Silver? He wanted to believe that Silver didn't mean a word of it and that he was looking after him out of worry, but something told him he was lying to him and he was the one who was going to be marooned on the planet after they had gotten the treasure.
Silver once told him he was a friend that Jim could trust and friends like him were difficult to come across and worth their weight in gold. Did he literally mean gold or was it just an expression?
Knowing there was only one way to find out, he slipped on arm through the sleeve of his jacket and breathed deeply. He wanted to get as much oxygen in his blood as he could before attempting to stand again and walk onto deck where he suddenly heard cheering and rousing cries. He rolled his eyes. All pirates ever wanted to hear was treasure. If he ever needed to keep a pirate occupied all he would have to do was continue to mention the word treasure.
Standing and walking more difficult than he thought yet easier, he made his way across the room. Nervousness caused him to lower his hand from opening the door. What would they do to him when they realized it was he who intended to leave them all on Treasure Planet to die after he himself got the cargo? What were they planning on doing to him? Silver, what was he going to do? And Scroop?
"Stop it Jim. You're losing it. Just concentrate on getting your butt out of here alive," Jim told himself.
He drew a deep breath placed his typical moody expression on his face and opened the door for the world to see. The pirates were on the main deck continuing to cheer. He slowly walked out and scanned the faces of every one of them. There was one face he did not see, but soon felt the tip of his claw under his chin.
He couldn't help the gasp of fright or the widening eyes or his head tilting back to get the claw from underneath him, but he cried out when Scroop hoisted him into the air by his collar.
"Scroop, wha' did I tell ye?" asked Silver, his voice agitated.
"When we have enough treasure to lassst usss a lifetime and more we'll maroon them with it and we'll return rich as kingsss to that ssspassseport of yoursss," replied Scroop.
Silver waved it off. "Again, just a placard ta keeps him off our trail."
"Ssso if I was to do thisss," began Scroop, suddenly setting Jim back on his own two feet. But before Jim could get away, he grabbed his right arm to toss the coat from his left arm. Replacing his grasp on Jim's upper left arm, he looked at Silver and smiled.
Crack.
"Aahhh!"
Jim screamed as he slumped to deck.
"You wouldn't feel any pain in that sssoft ssspot of yoursss?" finished Scroop.
Silver threw his hands in the air. "Scroop, we need him ta' open th' map. Ye need ta stop hurtin' him."
"He hasss one arm," noted Scroop.
"Aye, that he has but he has ta be with the awake ta open th' map," added Silver.
Jim's body quivered with pain as he whimpered on deck. He was trying with all his might and failing to not let the tears of pain escape his eyes. His left arm was in three pieces and he felt he was going to black out at any moment the pain was so great. Why was this happening to him? He looked at Silver hoping to see some different reaction in him. There was nothing more than a glare at Jim.
"On yer feet lad," Silver told him.
"If you want the treasure you can just open it yourself," Jim said.
Scroop moved forward.
"Mr. Scroop, I'll handle this if ye will," Silver called. He stepped forward and stood over the crouched, quivering boy.
Ye have ta to this John. Ye have ta hurt him ta save him. Ye hate him John. Remember, ye hate this nose wiping little whelp. He's got th' secret ta th' treasure. Get it outta him.
Silver's hand reached through Jim's hair and heaved a great handful. His eye went red as he dragged Jim to his feet and pulled his head back.
"Either ye get tha' gizmo working or I'll get ye ta get it workin'," he growled.
"You won't kill me," Jim told him softly and confidently.
"Really?" wondered Silver. His own gizmo turned into the pistol, the loaded pistol that cocked against Jim's temple. "Are ye sure lad?"
Jim's eyes widened with fear as he felt the cool metal press into his head. He gasped for air that seemed to be unavailable for his use. It was like there was no air for him, like he was trapped in a vacuum. His arm was throbbing with sharp pain. He felt sick to his stomach. He felt he was going to blackout. He felt betrayed.
"Answer me one question," he softly said with a shaky voice. "Whose side are you on?"
His answer was firm precise pressure further going into his temple. He couldn't help the tears that once again slowly rolled down each cheek causing the crew to mockingly laugh and pity him. He was scared to death. All he wanted was this to end and so he nodded.
"Okay, I'll open it," he told him with just as frightened of a voice.
"Good," replied Silver, releasing the pistol from his head. He turned to the crew. "Get ta the longboat all of ye."
From the Legacy to Treasure Planet, Jim nearly blacked out half a dozen times. When he felt himself slipping into darkness, a cool, protoplasmic pink blob pressed against his cheek. He had one friend he knew he could trust with him. Morph was afraid of his own master; it was apparent. By the manner he was trying to keep his eyes open, Jim knew Morph was on his side, not to mention B.E.N. called out "Jimmy" when he leaned against him. He wasn't sure why they brought B.E.N. with, but it was surely because he knew Flint and practically owned the planet he believed.
Feeling the motion that was making him more sick to his stomach stop, he opened his eyes again. They were in the same field where B.E.N.'s place was. Suddenly being pushed forward, Jim finally did vomit. The pressure against his arm and weak mind couldn't keep it from happening. He whimpered and wanted to scream, but that he did keep down.
"Look wha' ye did," noted Silver.
Shaking his great head in disgust, he gingerly helped Jim onto the planet's surface where the teenager collapsed to his knees, vomiting once more. He couldn't remember the last time he saw Jim eat and wondered where the boy was producing enough for his stomach to do this.
His mind far from reality, Jim only felt the hand on his back. He leaned against the soft belly of the man who was kneeling beside him. Finding a small comfort, he simply collapsed and breathed deeply.
Silver looked down on Jim with fear in his eyes. This young lad didn't have much sense in him left. He had to get the blasted crew to the treasure and get Jim help.
"Open th' map lad," he told him, presenting the golden object from his pocket.
Jim's weak eyes opened. His trembling right arm reached out. Five buttons were pushed and two flicks of his wrist later the green grid shot from the map.
All eyes, including Jim's miraculously, watched the shape turn from an image of Treasure Planet to a ray of green shooting across the sky and a beam of yellow running the course.
"Follow, tha'," Silver ordered.
Unfortunately, Jim was once again dragged into the longboat and taken down an unknown path. This time, he allowed his eyes to close in the attempt to ease his pain. He managed to mentally take away enough pain to be aware of things around him, especially Silver's arm keeping him close to his body and away from the crew.
Did Silver still want him safe? A small piece of hope ignited his heart and drew more pain away when Silver turned from his fixed gaze ahead of him and winked his real eye down at Jim. The teenager had to smile slightly. Yes, there was hope left, but a fool's hope at that since he did not trust Silver. Still, it was a hope.
"This is seeming all so very familiar," B.E.N. muttered behind Jim as he grabbed the wires protruding from his head.
Jim turned his head to look from the corner of his eyes at B.E.N. who looked back at him with relief to see Jim consciously looking at him.
A gasp from around him broke his connection with the robot he was beginning to like a bit more. In front of them was a wall of the thick stems. Above, the golden orb following the electric green path increased in speed and disappeared beyond the stems, clearly indicating they were close.
Happily and excited, Silver leapt from the longboat. He silently cursed himself for putting a bit too much pressure on his leg as he felt the sharp sting travel the metal gears. Thinking of the pain in his own body, he turned his head to the one he knew was in pain. Jim climbed down the rope ladder thrown over the longboat. He was moving as quick as he could allow himself to fall since Scroop was above him.
Shaking his head at Scroop, Silver turned back to the light above them.
"We're getting' close lads," he announced to his comrades, his mechanical arm transforming into the sword. "I smell treasure awaitin'." While the crew cheered with rousing cries, he reached behind him and pulled Jim closer to him. "How are ye lad?"
"I'm a little dizzy," Jim quietly told him.
"Ye don't look a 'little dizzy' ta me lad. Ye look a lot dizzy," noted Silver with a raised eyebrow.
"I'll be fine," Jim told him as he began marching forward beyond the stems.
Saving the trouble of pushing his way through, Silver chopped them and nearly stepped on Jim who stood, staring blankly ahead of him.
The crew stopped just behind Silver with looks of disappoint and confusion. They all had one thought in common. What the heck?
Their lighted path ended at the end of a great cliff, but the light continued pointing until, altogether, the map shut itself in Jim's palm.
Not knowing what else to do, Jim shook the orb hoping that would get it working again.
"What's goin' on Jimbo?" wondered Silver, tilting his hat backwards.
"I don't know. I can't get I open," Jim told him, shaking harder. Out of frustration, he dropped the map to the planet's surface and began pouncing on it.
Silver pushed him back and shook his head at Jim's foolishness. He looked ahead of him. "The treasure's here somewheres. Flint wouldn't just lead himself ta nothing."
"I see nothing. One great big stinking crank of nothing," noted Onus, throwing his arms around in exaggeration.
"I ssay we kill the boy," Scroop said coldly, beginning to narrow the distance between him and Jim.
Jim walked forward with two intentions: one being to increase the distance between him and Scroop, two being to find where the map leaded to next. This didn't make sense. This didn't make any sense at all. Why would Flint have his own treasure map lead to nothing? Or perhaps they were above the treasure. B.E.N. did say the treasure was buried in the centriod of the mechanism. Perhaps the treasure was in the valley below the cliff. He stepped forward and stumbled forward onto his knees and arm with a gasp.
"What?" he asked himself as he turned his head.
The toe of his boot was below the flat surface. He ignored the sudden sharp pains in his arm as he turned around. Looking at this hole, he rubbed away the moss. The markings in the half circle looked vaguely, quite familiar.
"Give me the map," he said to whoever was holding the map at the time.
From the corner of his eyes and not turning from the hole, he took the map. He turned the orb in his lap until the markings in the hole and on the map matched. And once he did find the perfect alignment, he set the map into the hole.
A great, green light immediately came from the map and spread onto the ground, extending out further.
While the pirates backed away from this strange phenomenon, Jim pushed himself up and received assistance from B.E.N. getting to his feet. He turned around just as a beam of light extended into the sky and opened across the edge of the cliff.
"The Lagoon Nebula?" he noted curiously.
"But," began Silver, rubbing his chin with thought. "That's halfway 'cross the galaxy."
Curiosity taking him over, Jim reached into the grid that formed from the map. He touched the first planet depiction he saw.
The portal closed and then opened onto another image. This time, it was of violet, semitransparent buildings connected to each other by gold tunnels, both suspended in air. Around these buildings, some sort of type of vehicles flew.
Now intrigued, Jim pushed another depiction. Again, the portal closed and opened on another location. "A big door opening and closing," he noted to himself, recalling the words B.E.N. spoke. That stupid robot wasn't so stupid after all; he just needed someone to put his mind together for him. Wondrous, Jim looked at the other depictions. "Let's see, Cairn Abyss." A wide grin spread from ear to ear. "Montressor Space Port."
He looked up and felt a shiver run through his blood. There it was. Montressor Space Port. He found his way out of this mess. Now, all he had to do was get all the pirates into the treasure trove, take some for his own, sneak out, and change the door to the Space Port. The rest would be simple. Take the longboat back to the Legacy, free Doppler and Amelia and use the portal to return home where he would have some treasure and be safe and secure. It was a good plan. It was a very good plan. And something else was discovered about Flint.
"That's how Flint did it. He used this portal to roam the universe stealing treasure," he announced to the pirates feeling like he was three years old listening to the story while hiding under his blanket.
"But where did he stash it all?" Silver asked, impatiently clicking and pushing every little depiction on the grid.
"It's buried in the centriod of the mechanism," Jim told him.
"And where in blue blazes is that?" wondered Silver, his red eye looking firmly at Jim.
"Treasure Planet," replied Jim simply.
"We're on Treasure Planet," said Mary-Anne with a hop in the air.
Thinking deeper into what B.E.N. mentioned back in their first meeting, Jim noted everything. The big door opening and closing. The treasure in the centriod of the mechanism. Flint doing something to make sure no one could steal his treasure. Two of the three were already discovered, but what about where it was.
"But Jimmy, the planet has miles and miles of machinery going through it. I don't think the treasure is buried in the center of the planet then," said B.E.N..
"B.E.N., you're a genius," said Jim, whipping around to look at him. He then turned and looked at Silver. "The planet is the mechanism and the treasure is buried in the center of this planet."
Behind them, the shovels and axes clanged and chimed when struck with the metal of the planet.
"And how do you propossse we get it?" Scroop's voice asked, becoming louder with every word he spoke.
"Just open the right door," Jim told him simply. He reached into the map's grid and pushed on the depiction of Treasure Planet in the center.
Every eye turned to the portal where it opened onto beams of purple light and a golden color shining on the metal. Their concentration was broken and they all jumped in fright as Jim cried out.
"Scroop, put the boy down," Silver told him with a heavy sigh. It wasn't that he was worried for Jim. No, he was simply growing tired of having to say that.
"We have the tresssure. I sssay we kill him now," said Scroop.
"And what if this isn't the treasure? Then what?" asked Silver.
"Then we ssskin hisss raw hide. I'll do the honorsss," Scroop said.
Jim was suddenly hurled into the portal. Somehow, he once again managed to press his right arm down before he left came in contact. Unfortunately, his already bruised knees took most of the impact. He raised his head and his eyes narrowed in wonder. A few inches in front of his nose was a red beam barely three inches from the ground and a foot from the portal of which only half of him was through.
And Captain Flint wanted to make sure nobody could steal his treasure so I helped him…inaccessible…remove…
This was it. This was what B.E.N. was talking about. Flint rigged the portal. It was a trap.
"Stop! No one move!" Jim hollered.
Startled, Silver left his foot halfway in the air.
"Scroop, for the first time in my life I'm glad you threw me around," said Jim, looking both directions until he looked at the spider.
Suddenly very confused, Scroop's face twisted into that confusion.
"What th' devil are ye talking about lad?" asked Silver.
Jim managed to get to his feet. He stepped over the beam. "It's a trap," Jim told him, motioning toward the red beam. "B.E.N. mentioned that Flint wanted no one to steal his treasure so he did something. I don't know what this will do, but I don't want to find out."
"Smart," noted Silver, stepping his foot over the red beam. Once over the beam, he turned around. "Do ye hear that lads? No one set one foot on that there little red beam an' th' treasure is ours."
"Silver," Jim's voice called from ahead of them. "Gold."
John Silver stepped forward. At the sound of Jim's voice, the lad hardly seemed as though he could speak. He stood beside Jim and soon understood why. Shutting his eyes for a moment, he had to prove to himself he was not dreaming. When he opened his eyes, the same image was there. He breathed deeply remembering he needed to breathe.
"The Loot of a Thousand Worlds."
Altogether, the pirates screamed and cheered and laughed and rushed forward. As far as they could see, the sphere that was around them shinned with gold and crystals.
"This is all seeming so very familiar to me. I can't remember why," noted B.E.N..
Jim made to look at him but he looked past him. Atop a mound of gold was a beaten longboat its own mound of gold stacked inside it. That was it. That was his escape out. He glanced at the pirates. All of them, including Scroop were too taken by the gold in front of them to notice as he was slowly moving forward.
"B.E.N., quietly come with me. I can't do this with one arm," Jim said.
"Jimmy, wait, I don't," began B.E.N., but followed anyway.
"Okay, you climb up there then help me," said Jim.
"Up there?" wondered B.E.N., pointing into at the boat. Jim nodded. "But that's so high."
"I can't climb up there and help you," Jim told him obvious, pointing at his arm. "And would you hurry up because the sooner we get this thing working the sooner we can go back to the Legacy and leave these guys with their treasure forever and the sooner I can get back to Montressor and get something for the pain in my arm. And my head."
"What's wrong with your head?" wondered B.E.N..
"I feel like I have a fever," Jim replied. He looked around. "And everything seems a bit blurry and I feel kinda cold." He set the back of his palm against his forehead. "I have a fever. B.E.N., just hurry up."
"Jimmy, give me your hand."
"What?" wondered Jim, looking to his left where B.E.N. was a moment ago then noticed the robot's hand and arm being held out for him from the boat.
Jim held out his right arm and wrapped his finger's around B.E.N.'s arm. He was pulled up and he sort of walked up the side of the ship. As B.E.N. pulled him over, his eyes widened and he lost his concentration, but thankfully, B.E.N. caught him before he fell.
"Captain Flint."
"In the flesh," added B.E.N..
Jim heard him say something but his mind didn't hear words. All his life he dreamed of the tales with Captain Nathaniel Flint and being one of his pirates. The treasure wasn't anything compared to looking at the pirate himself. He couldn't help himself as he stepped forward. All he wanted was one little touch. To say he touched the bones of Captain Flint was almost better than returning with a piece of the treasure.
Morph flew to Flint and laughed at his skeletal skull. He imaged Flint and walked around like he was the living dead.
His vision blurring as a sudden burning delirium passed across his mind, he swayed to the side.
Morph squealed at Jim then rushed from his sight.
"Jimmy!" B.E.N. cried, once again catching him.
"B.E.N., remind me to thank you when this is all over," said Jim.
"No problem Jimmy. Helping my best buddy needs no thanks," said B.E.N.
Wanting something from Flint's person to bring back to his mother just for proof that all the stories were true, Jim's eyes began searching the skeleton for something worthy. As the violet magnetic beams keeping the treasure intact on the metal sphere ignited nearby, he saw something else. Clutched in Flint's hand was a chip about the size of the hole in B.E.N.'s head.
"B.E.N., I think I found your mind," said Jim.
"Pardon?" said B.E.N., looking at him.
"B.E.N., I found your mind," Jim told him, pulling the skeletal fingers from the chip.
"Aahh! Huzzah. Ah ha! Oh it's my mind!" cried B.E.N., he ripped the fingers from his chip and kissed it over and over and danced around on deck before placing the piece where it belonged. Following a moment of complete blackout, his eyes went from the green to a blue. A wide smile spread across his face. "Oh, all my memories. They're all coming back right up to the moment Flint pulled my memory so I could never tell anyone about his booby trap."
"I know, but he didn't think I would come along," said Jim. He turned out to the pirates.
They were still occupied enough with their rolling around in the treasure except for Silver, who was beginning to drag chests to the platform with Morph spinning in a circle around his head.
Jim sat on deck and leaned against the sides. His breathing increased drastically as his eyes blinked heavily.
"Jimmy?" wondered B.E.N., kneeling beside him.
"Do you know how to wire a ship?" asked Jim. B.E.N. nodded. "Then crawl under there and get this heap working."
"Aye aye captain Jimmy sir!" saluted B.E.N. then crawled beneath the ship's control panel. "Yo ho, yo ho! A pirate's life for me!"
As for Jim, he continued lying against the ship. He felt in the past few moments or hour they were in the centroid, he temperature increased. He knew he had a fever. There were moments he felt too warm and others he felt too cold. His vision was blurry and he couldn't think right. Curiosity taking him again, he looked at his left arm and attempted to move his fingers. He knew he was telling himself to move his fingers, but they weren't moving so much as a slight little twitch. Somehow, it didn't frighten or surprise himself. His arm was in three pieces.
Morph suddenly flew in front of his face and was making a great fluster and pointing at him.
"Jimbo!"
"Hi," Jim greeted dully.
"What's wrong lad?" wondered Silver, kneeling beside the boy.
"He has a fever and his arm hurts," replied B.E.N. from beneath the boards.
"Let's have a look at that lad," said Silver.
"I'd rather you not touch it," Jim told him.
"Lad, I just want ta have a look," Silver told him firmly.
"And I don't want anyone moving my arm. It's in three pieces and it hurts and I just want to go back home where I can have someone fix it and give me medicine to knock me out for a few weeks," said Jim, unaware Silver had indeed taken Jim's arm from the sling and was unwrapping the cloth. "Silver, if I don't make it out of here alive can you do me a favor?"
"Now don't ye start talking like that lad. Yer going ta be jus' fine," Silver told him, moving his attention from Jim's arm to the boys face.
He unwrapped the bandage to not midpoint on Jim's forearm and choked a gasp in the back of his throat but did no cease the widening of his eyes. A dark black line poked from beneath the bandage. No, no, no! Please, no! He thought to himself. His eyes widened even more as his head shook from side to side. He wasn't sure if a tear was forming in his real eye or tears were forming because he hadn't blinked. He turned to Jim who sat with his eyes shut and forehead creasing in discomfort.
Silver turned his attention to Jim's arm again needing to confirm this or not. Perhaps it was just a bruise from being broken. Yes, it was just a bruise. Unwrapping further to Jim's elbow, he was not fortunate enough to hide his heavy breathing that sounded more like gasps. The center of the lad's forearm, where the bone was broken was spotted heavily with black and red bruises. The area surrounding his broken bone was the same and a huge red line, like it was a main vein, went past his elbow and beyond the bandages he didn't unwrap.
"Silver, if I don't, can you tell my mother that I'm sorry for letting her down and breaking the promise that she wouldn't lose me?"
"Yer gonna be just fine lad. We'll get ye outta here in no time and ta a hospital," lied Silver forcing a smile. He wrapped Jim's arm again. "Now, what say we maroon these pirates with their treasure while we be leaving with this heap of treasure that'll last us a lifetime and return rich as kings ta tha' spaceport o' yars?"
"What?" asked Jim, not sure he heard correctly.
"Ye know what I said lad," said Silver with a raised eyebrow.
"You are on my side?" asked Jim, hardly believing it to be true.
"Sometimes lad, ye need ta hurt someone in order ta save his life," noted Silver.
"So, you're not with them?" Jim asked one more time for conformation.
"No lad and we need ta get yet ta a hospital and fast," Silver told him as he rose to his feet and helped Jim stand on his own two feet as well.
Ironically, as they did so, the ship's engine roared and B.E.N. looked on them with a smile.
"I love having all my memories back," he told them.
"Well then, let's get outta here Benny," Silver announced.
"Benny," said B.E.N. with contemplation but smiled after a moment. "I like that."
Jim smiled up at Silver. Despite that he felt completely awful, he was happy. He was surrounded by treasure. Wait until his mother heard about this. More of a legend indeed. If it was more of a legend then why was he standing on gold coins and in the presence of the remains of Captain Nathaniel Flint?
His thoughts were suddenly interrupted when Morph squealed and went into a huge fluster.
"What now Morphy?" asked Silver.
Morph transformed into Scroop.
Silver casually turned around and folded his arms. "Mr. Scroop, I've seem ta have los' track of all th' times ye have put tha' lad in tha' situation. Can't ye put him in another situation?"
Once again, Jim was hoisted into the air by his tunic collar in Scroop's claw. His face even looked moody and annoyed, having to agree with Silver.
"Do you wantsss me to put him sssomewhere elssse?" wondered Scroop.
"Yes, actually, I do," replied Silver.
"Where exactly?" wondered Scroop.
"Down perhaps," suggested Silver.
Scroop's mouth widened into a half smile. He looked at his surroundings. They were outside the portal's destination and back on the surface of Treasure Planet. Most of the crew was hauling the treasure against the longboat, and after a quick count, all of them were out of the portal.
"Ssso you want me to put him down then?" asked Sroop.
"As a matter of factly, yes," demanded Silver.
Scroop shrugged. "As you wisssh Captian."
Like a simple child at playtime, Scroop threw Jim from the ship.
Silver rushed to the side of the ship where Scroop was standing. He saw Jim lying on his side, his left side in an unconscious heap. Not thinking and knowing his soft spot increased to his entire heart, he leapt from the ship and rushed to the teenager's side.
"Jim, Jimbo!" he called and gently turned Jim on his back in his arms. "Oh god! No, no, no! JIM!"
A great black and red bruise beginning in the center of Jim's forehead, running beside his eye socket, and ending above his cheekbone discolored half his face. The bruise provided the only color, as the little color Jim had was no more.
Silver wrapped his finger around Jim's wrist. He sighed, thanking Heaven. Faint, subtle pulses went through his arm.
"Capteen!" Onus called, pointing to the sky. "Scroop leeeft."
"I don't care lads," replied Silver, taking Jim's body in his arms. "I don't care." He rushed to the portal and located the Space Port Jim pointed out to them. "When I'm through, do wha' ye want with th' treasure an' don' come lookin' fer me again."
As he rushed to the longboat in the short distance, he hardly noticed the many odd gazes and expressions of wonder he received, nor did he notice three chests of gold already in the boat. He set Jim over his shoulder as he climbed into the boat. Gently, he laid the boy on the bottom and pulled his coat off to set beneath Jim's head. Cursing the engine for not starting fast enough, he kicked at it.
He didn't know what came over him. He felt like he was going to cry and his whole body shook, making his hasty movements more difficult. With all power the little longboat could provide for him, he shot through the portal, leaving Treasure Planet behind him.
Confused with his master's actions, Morph turned from the odd crescent shape in front of them. He squeaked in confusion at the empty space. There should have been a triangular portal door leading to Treasure Planet, but there was nothing but space. Frightened at the discovery, he flew in front of Silver and transformed into the portal then emptiness.
Silver swat him away. "I don' care Morphy." He turned his head around to Jim and swore the boy's head was bleeding.
For the first time in his life, he was afraid. Something changed in him. He always thought about himself. Who cared about the rest of the universe? As long as it had something of benefit to his own doing then he would care. This was just an injured fifteen year old boy. That has nothing of benefit to him. Or did it?
The moment Silver docked, he was greeted by that portion of the ports dock master. He bundled the teenager into his arms.
"Here," he told the man, throwing him a handful of gold. "Take it all."
"Ah, thank you sir. Thank you very much," said the man.
"Where can I find a hospital?" Silver asked, his voice desperate as he cradled Jim's bundled body against him.
The man looked at Jim and gasped. "Is he dying?"
Dying. Silver cringed at the thought because he knew Jim was dying. Knowing and hearing it for himself was two different things. Jim was dying fast. "YES!"
"Oh, um," began the man. He pointed to a building with a cone on top that wasn't too far in the distance. "Right there sir."
"Thank you!" cried Silver and went off on his way.
Cussing as he went through the crowds and pleading for Jim to hold on, he ran as quickly as his legs could take him. His right leg was killing him. Jim was extra weight that his leg did not need, but at least Jim wasn't a body just yet. The more he ran the further the building seemed to be. It felt as though he ran and that building with the cone on top did as well. He felt as though he was the only person in the world. Nothing surrounded him but nothingness, like the black hole.
Images flashed through his mind. Images of Jim smiling and laughing and looking at him oddly and staring out into the Etherium and sleeping. No, no, no. He knew that was bad. That was very, very bad. It was supposed to be seeing his own life pass before his eyes when he died not Jim's. But, then again, Jim wasn't conscious so how could he see his life pass before his eyes? Why was it going through Silver's though? Why was Silver seeing everything of Jim he knew pass in front of him? Jim wasn't going to die. He was going to be just fine.
"Hold on lad, we're almos' there," Silver said though he meant it to himself.
His heart pounding and the poisons from lack of oxygen through his blood, Silver ran through the doors of the hospital on sheer adrenaline.
"I need a doctor now!" he yelled.
An young man, perhaps his early twenties, came through a door. "Don't yell sir there is no need—" but then he saw Jim. "Okay there is need to yell."
"Help him," pleaded Silver.
"Dr. Livesey!" the man called.
Another human man entered through a door, yet this one appeared about the same age. He looked at Jim and instantly rushed forward, immediately pressing his first two fingers gently into the teenager's neck. "What are his injuries?"
"Everything!" replied Silver.
"Give him to me," said Livesey.
Hesitant, Silver gazed down at Jim. Was this going to be the last time he saw him? What was going to happen the moment he let this stranger take him away? He didn't want to give Jim up. He couldn't, but he had to. Somewhere in him, he had to find the will to give up the boy.
"Take care of him," he requested, placing Jim's body gingerly into Livesey's arms.
"I'll do my best," said Livesey.
Silver watched as if time slowed every second. Jim was taken from him. The teenager's head was lying on the man's shoulders and his arms and legs hung limply and he looked like a body already. He watched them disappear down a hall and stood at the entrance of that hall watching Livesey calling for other men who followed him down a different hall and Jim Hawkins was gone.
"Jim," was the only word that came from his mouth as he collapsed into a chair and buried his face into his palms where sudden sobs and tears poured from him.