Chapter Fifteen:

Jim POV:

I'm sorry Kalena.

'I stand by my previous statements; I'm not giving up the map Silver.' My voice was hardened despite the crumbling I felt within.

Silver's eyes widened in surprise and he shook his head sadly, totally stunned at my heartlessness. I'm sure it was no secret I was sweet on her, just like the crew knew Silver harbours—er—harboured a soft spot for me. I was aware that I had plenty of logical reasoning and facts to back up why my decision was perfectly acceptable, the right one to make, etc. etc. but that did not stymie the guilt I felt in just leaving her there. Whatever happened to no man (or woman) left behind? What am I gonna tell the Captain? I'm not even sure if she's really aware that Kalena is now a hostage and won't the fact that they have that weird mother-daughter/co-workers relationship only make it worse?

Silver had apparently been more disappointed and angered then I first suspected because all at once he was shouting again. "Oh, you still don't know how to your fights do ya, boy? Now, mark me. Either I get that map by dawn tomorrow... or so help me; I'll use the ship's cannons to blast ya all to kingdom come! Morph, hop to it." Morph, who had been quietly observing the whole debacle, froze with indecision. "Now! Oh, blast it!" Silver gave up when he frightened Morph away and quickly called two pirates over—one to carry Kalena back with them and the other to play guard, rifle at the ready.

They haul her off as Morph and I return to the others empty-handed. I don't look back—not even once—because if I do it will be a mistake I can't ever take back so I proceed up the hill with my hands clenched; the pain from my nails biting into my palms reminding me that this was the safest route for everyone involved. When we entered the room Doppler perked up with unanticipated optimism but I shot him down with a quick shake of my head. He goes back to fluttering over Amelia and I plop down in a secluded corner of B.E.N.'s dirty hideout.

My thoughts turn end over end in a stressing pattern as I debate what I'm going to do to fix all of this. Exhaustion creeps in, and mercifully puts a halt to the overworked gears in my mind.

xXx

I wake to find night has fallen on Treasure Planet. A quick look tells me both the Captain and Doppler are awake; Doppler gestures to me and I walk over to where they are positioned.

""Gentlemen... we must stay together and..."" Her frail voice trailing off has Doppler frightened to the point of hysteria.

'"And what? What? We must stay together and what?!"' He shouts at her, imploring her to continue.

""Doctor, you have the most wonderful eyes."" She says dreamily.

'"She's lost her mind!"' He raves.

'Well, you gotta help her.'

'"Dang it Jim. I'm an astronomer, not a doctor. I mean, I am a doctor, but I'm not that kind of doctor. I have a doctorate. It's not the same thing. You can't help people with a doctorate. You just sit there and you're useless."' He moans and buries his face in his hands.

'It's ok Doc.' I tell him none too reassuringly. 'It's all right.'

"Yeah, Doc! Jimmy knows exactly how to get out of this. It's just Jimmy has this knowledge of things..." B.E.N. follows me over to the railing where I pick back up my pondering from before. "Jim, any thoughts at all?" He asks whispering so that the others don't hear.

I answer him bluntly, all I have are thoughts. 'Without the map, we're dead. If we try to leave, we're dead. If we stay her-'

'""We're dead! We're dead! We're dead!""' Morph mimics happily. I give him a look and he quiets instantly.

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

I start at his words, thinking I've misheard him. 'Back door?'

"Oh yeah. I get this delightful breeze through here... which I think is important... because ventilation among friends-"

I peer into the shaft amazed once more by B.E.N.'s random moments of helpfulness. 'Whoa, what is all this stuff?'

"You mean the miles and miles of machinery that run through the entire course of the inside of this planet? Not a clue."

'Hey, Doc! Doc! I think I found a way out of here!' I shout to Doppler as I get ready to dive into the passage.

'"No, no. Jim, wait. The Captain ordered us to stay-"

'I'll be back,' I freefall down the pipe with Morph and B.E.N. hot on my tail.

"Cannonball!" Cries B.E.N. from above.

xXx

After navigating the inner structure of the planet for quite awhile we found the camp where the pirates rested with the Legacy floating serenely nearby.

"So, what's the plan?" B.E.N. wonders loudly in the sleeping quiet.

'Shh. B.E.N., quiet.' I think for a bit, finalizing the details in my head. 'Ok, here it is. We sneak back to the Legacy, disable the laser cannons... and bring back the map. Also, keep a look out for Kalena, if we can find her, we should take her with us too.'

B.E.N.'s words come out muffled because I clamped a hand over his mouth. "That's a good plan. I like that plan. Only... I'm wondering, how do we get there, and who is Kalena?"

I shake my head and answer only the first question. 'On that.' I point to a nearby longboat and Morph oohs in agreement.

We set off with our objectives clearly laid out in front of us; the "raid" should have been simple and swift but instead it played out like there was a wrench thrown in the gears. B.E.N. made a ridiculous amount of noise which alerted one of the pirates to our actions. No doubt he was on watch to begin with but the sirens brought the worst guy down upon us, Scroop. He chased me all over the deck fully intent on ending my life. In turn it was he who would lose his as he floated off into space and oblivion. After that all was well, B.E.N. had finally found the wire to disable the laser cannons and we moved silently back to our camp.

'Doc! Doc, wake up! I got the map.' I shake him excitedly.

"Fine work, Jimbo. Fine work indeed." Silver smiles wickedly and grabs the map from my outstretched hand. I turn and find all of our party either tied up or in the process of becoming so. "You're just like me, Jimbo. Ya hates to lose." He chuckles and tries to open the map. He fails every time even when using his assortment of cyborg tools. Finally in total agitation he shoves the map back at me. "Open it." I resisted his command. He draws his pistol and removes the safety. "I'd get busy." He says darkly with murder in his eyes.

I look around and spot five friendly sets of eyes... wait five?! The Captain, Doc, B.E.N., Morph, and Kalena! Sure enough she's there too, shaking her head "No" along with the others only she would stop because she grew dizzy very quickly but their collective answer was clear. That didn't mean I was going to let them be killed because they didn't want to cooperate. I tap in the key code and the map glows phenomenally; the pirates are all in awe at the spectacle.

"Oh the powers that be, would you look? Ha ha ha! Tie him up and leave him with the others till we—what?"

I seal the map, and all of its glowing directions are sucked back into its chambers. 'You want the map... you're taking me too.' I tell him seriously. The pirates protest but Silver cuts them off.

"Hmm... we'll take them all."

xXx

The longboats carried us most of the way and all that stood between us and the treasure was a thick layer of jungle growth. Everyone—including me—is heavy with the prospect of reward looming just beyond our reach.

"We're getting close lads. I smell treasure a-waitin'." Silver cries happily, all the others–save for our party—join the premature celebrations.

Silver uses his machete—no doubt the same one used to hurt Kalena—and hacks away at the greenery. We all clamber through the opening and are shocked by what we find.

"Huh? Where is it?" Silver wonders as he searches the opening.

'"I see nothing! One great big stinking hunk of nothing!"' A pirate cries in anger. The map suddenly locks itself refusing to provide any more direction.

"What's going on Jimbo?"

'I don't know. I can't get it open.'

As much as I try the map is locked tight and I begin to panic because this map is the only thing keeping us alive. Someone must have kicked me or something because next thing I know I'm on the ground fully aware that this might be the end. I spot a circular hole in the ground, which is very strange until I realize that the whole area beneath us is a metal platform. After cleaning it out a bit I place the map within the hole and the floor lights up. A doorway appears where there had only been a cliff's edge and we are all silenced at the sight of this apparition. Inside the towering doorway is, 'The Lagoon Nebula?'

"But that's... halfway across the galaxy." Silver remarks.

'A big door... opening and closing...' I press a few planets on the little holographic model until I find Montressor Space Port. 'So that's how Flint did it. He used this portal to roam the universe stealing treasure.'

Silver doesn't care for my discovery and shoves me aside as he presses locations at random. "But where'd he stash it all? Where's the blasted treasure?!"

I think back to B.E.N.'s ravings from when I first met him. '...Buried in the centroid of the mechanism... What if the whole planet is the mechanism... and the treasure is buried at the center of the planet?'

"And how in blue blazes are we supposed to get here?!" Silver yells irritably.

I ignore him and press the small icon at the center, the one that is an exact replica of Treasure Planet. 'Just... open the right door.'