Chapter Seventeen:
I toss the last of the pirate scumbags into the brig and pretend to wipe my hands as if to rid myself of their contamination. 'See Captain, that wasn't too bad. Most of them willingly surrendered to us, not sure why they were shrieking and mumbling about the end of the world but I don't really care. Now, if you don't mind, I am going to find Jim.' I strap a pistol to my leg and climb onto the ship's railing.
"Kalena, you really shouldn't do this, your condition has deteriorated enough already and to keep pressing on would be suicide." The Captain pleads.
'Captain, this is my job.' I turn my back to her because I can't stand to see the worry build. 'Ready the ship for departure, as soon as I return we need to get off of this cursed planet without hesitation.' I steel myself for the jump and before I do the Captain's voice cuts through my concentration saying, "Good luck."
I flash her a smile and salute; and then I dive.
xXx
I managed to get far enough into the forest line to be out of sight of the ship before I collapsed. Tears welled as all of the injuries I tried to forget established their existence once more. My shoulder ached awfully, wrists were burning away, and my head tingled from the pain of countless bruises. I doubted the wisdom of rushing off to find Jim. Of course the Captain was right, she always is. I needed intense medical treatment and without it I risked another attack; it's been years since I have had so many in one short span of time and both mentally and physically I was not prepared for them.
The tree I had fallen onto groaned unhappily under my weight. Despite how much I really don't want to move anymore thoughts of Jim demand I press forward and so I grit my teeth and push myself back to standing position. Even though a dizzy spell strikes immediately I shake my head until it clears and push on.
I have to trudge through the underbrush and every branch that swings back to hit me as I struggle forward reminds me bitterly of Rosalind, my beautiful and trusty sword. I have no clue what the pirates did with her after they captured me and I did not have enough time to scour the ship for her due to the more pressing issue of Jim's rescue. All I have now is one pistol and some severely torn clothes; the simplest of wounds so long as the aim is true could be the end of me.
Speaking of ends, I've come across the clearing where my party almost blew my face off when I caught up to them on my solar surfer. After that when I left them with Jim to scout for a better hiding place only to run into a fried robot before I ran off to distract the pirates and be taken hostage by them. I bet the Doctor didn't even use my solar surfer, he probably carried her all the way to whatever hiding place they found that night, all because he couldn't figure out how to operate it. Some doctor. The sadness I felt over the loss of my surfer wasn't nearly as great as the distress I felt for my beloved sword but it was still another casualty in the tale of this wretched journey.
Upon reaching a clearing I pause to catch my breath; with hands resting gingerly upon my knees I focus on controlling my breaths, replacing the faster, more painful ones for deeper and calmer ones. My heart rate slows and I'm clear in my mind once more. It is then that I pick up the rustling sound of movement in the bushes ahead. As quick as I can my pistol is out and gearing itself up to fire. Even though my hands are shaking like none other I'm sure a warning shot would be enough to suppress any straggling pirates. The tremors resonate all throughout my frame and combined with my vision going hazy I'm finding it ridiculously difficult to remain upright much less hold the gun in place. Finally the figure burst at from shrubbery and I was so glad I didn't have to shoot, because there was no way I would have made the shot.
'B.E.N.? Is that you?' I call while slowly staggering towards him. Standing still for so long had made my limbs lock up and moving again was quite a task.
"Gah! Whoever you are don't even think about hurting me! I have a giant piece of metal connected to various mechanical fixtures and other technology that I haven't seen in about a hundred years but I am not afraid to use it!" The confused robot darts behind his acquired metal contraption with surprising agility.
'No B.E.N., it's me, Kalena! And is that...' I move closer for a better inspection. '...My solar surfer?! Where on this damned planet did you ever find it?'
"Not ringing a bell. Sorry but I refuse to discuss my findings with a total stranger." He cried defiantly from behind my surfer. I made a slight sound of irritation and holstered my pistol as I moved forward.
'B.E.N., it's me, y'know Jim's friend Kalena? I left you guys to go be a distraction so that everyone else could find a place to hide; and when I did that I ended up a hostage? Remember me?' I prayed he would remember because I didn't have the patience or any time for his shenanigans.
"Wait, you know my buddy Jimmy?" he peeked his head around the surfer and eyed me suspiciously. I nodded in affirmation hoping that he would accept me. "I think I know you." He crawled around the surfer from where he had slammed it upright into the ground and once he was back he lifted it up with unbelievable strength. He came closer, too close and leaned right into my face, examining the mess that lay there. "Yeah, you're Jimmy's girlfriend!"
Had I enough blood I'm sure I would have blushed but since all of my extra blood had seeped out through all of the cuts I had obtained I settled for blinking in surprise. 'I-I'm not his girlfriend. That is to say, we are indeed not a couple!' I told him indignantly. I mean, sure, I would love to give a relationship with Jim a chance but my condition doesn't exactly make me the most stable to be around. And it's not like we've had time to really discuss any form of courtship with the mission and everything else that has occurred.
B.E.N. tilts his head and looks at me strangely. "But if you're not his girlfriend, then why are you kissing him? I mean far be it from me to judge human customs but it seems like you're going about this in the wrong direction. Have you spoken to a counselor? Y'know a lot of problems can be solved if you talk them out, communication is key-"
'B.E.N. look, I really don't have a whole lot of time and if you want to help see Jim again you'll do me a favour. Take my surfer and go back to the ship. Help the Captain and Doctor get the Legacy airbourne while I fetch Jim. Can you do that?' I asked him slowly and quietly as if I were talking with a young child.
"Yeah, sure no problem." He tightens his hold on the surfer and scurries off. I watch him go and then begin my rescue run to Jim once more.
xXx
I've made it to the portal. I'm breathing heavily and the rattle I feel as it echoes in my chest is intolerable. I'm not sure what fluid is soaking the remains of my clothes anymore be it sweat, blood, or an appalling mix of the two but it is grotesque. My hair is matted and clings to my head; I have to remind myself not to touch it lest I vomit at the feel of its nasty texture.
After taking a deep breath I walk through the portal and am immediately accosted by two opposing ideals of chaos. The first was the destruction that raged; gargantuan laser cannons cut into the planet's core, liquefying all that lay there. Fiery torrents raged below and for several heartbeats I was paralyzed by the thought that Jim might have fallen in and died so painfully. What stopped me from going mad by this awful notion was the sight of so much wealth. The treasure must have piled into eternity but even the reduced spread I could visibly see was beyond comprehension. Although my honed instincts told me to obey my flight instinct after securing Jim I was overwhelmed by an even more primal instinct that questioned and scolded me for not hoarding as much of the loot as I possibly could. I was utterly hypnotized by all this splendor and I yearned to touch it, collect it, feel it roll and glide across my skin in ways no being ever could. Despite the distortion created by these two monstrosities—total destruction and phenomenal treasure—I was drawn over and over to the loot. Safety be damned. Unconsciously I had drifted to a close pile adorned with jewels of various sizes and hues. I'd collected a vast number and shoved them into what was left of my shredded pockets. A small voice cries for me to leave while I still can but the dominant impulse controlling says no. Resistance is futile and with this thought I shut down. Every bit of me goes into gathering as much as possible and if I die so be it.
"Kalena!" A voice calls. I don't notice. "Kalena! What are you doing?!" The voice is close now and it's touching me, poking and prodding in an effort to take me away from my spoils.
'"Leave her lad, she's beyond help."' Another voice says without pity. This one is farther away.
"I won't leave without her! C'mon Kalena, we've got to go." I feel myself being lifted and I shriek. I can't be separated from my discovery, so much remains to be collected. Arms cocoon and imprison me; I have no choice but to be torn away from it all. A cold wave passes and I find myself back outside.
Fresh air hits me and sanity returns. I look up to find myself being carried by none other than Jim.
'Jim? What are you doing? Put me down!'
"Saving you from yourself. You looked a little lost back there, but as you wish." He sets me on my feet and coins drop randomly from my person. Silver, who I had not seen before darts to pick them up before they roll too far.
'"You kids are going to have to play catch up later, we need to get a move on."' He chides us and I roll my eyes. The rescuer ends up being rescued and now the reason why we're in this mess wants to tell me what to do? Don't even try to mess with me Silver.
'When the judge finds you guilty I'll be sure to request to perform the execution myself Silver.' I tell him viciously as we run. He looks at me with a cross between malice and worry but decides a retort is not worth it at the moment.
Jim is the first to break our silence. "Silver, you gave up-?" he begins.
'"Just a lifelong obsession, Jim. I'll get over it." Replies Silver.
'You both have a lot of explaining to do.' I tell them tiredly but am cutoff by B.E.N. and the sudden appearance of the Legacy.
""Aloha Jimmy! Hurry, people! We've got exactly two minutes and thirty-four seconds until the planet's destruction!""
Once back onboard the Legacy I find Amelia and plop onto the deck space beside her. I empty most of what I shoved into my pockets onto her lap. She looks at me confused but returns to the more pressing task of instructing the Doctor on how to steer the ship.
'""Now ease her over gently—gently! Take us out of here metal man!""' she commands.
""Aye, Captain!" B.E.N. responds easily. Oh sure he can obey instructions easily now. Bet he had no trouble remembering who she was. Then again she is pretty imposing. My eyes drift shut and I let my hearing sort out what's going on now that I'm no longer needed.
'"Captain, you dropped from the heavens in the nick of-"' Silver begins in a grateful tone.
'""Save your claptrap for the judge, Silver.""' She harshly retorts. A crash is heard as a shudder runs through the ship.
""Missile tail demobilized Captain! Thrusters at only 30% of capacity."" B.E.N. reports frantically.
"""Thirty percent? That means we're-""" The Doctor starts. """We'll never clear the planet's explosion in time."""
I open my eyes in time to spot the panic creeping within everyone on deck. Amelia's face is contorted with stress and worry and even B.E.N. has managed to look forlorn. One thing is certain though.
We're doomed.