Silver fidgeted with the navigation tool, turning it over and over in his hand, tracing the seam between the bottom and lid with his thumb, popping the lid open to check the coordinate again. He would tuck it into his pocket only to pull it back out a moment later to start the routine over again. He was not a religious man, had never thought himself to be even remotely religious, but he prayed now to anyone who would bother to listen.

This coordinate has to be important. Please let it be important.

He, along with the rest of the crew, had forced Sidon back down into his cabin to rest despite his adamant protests he was fine. Silver knew he wanted to be there when they reached the coordinate. But there was no guarantee Jim would be there and that is what scared him the most.

They had all tried to get him to go back to his cabin and rest as well, but he could at least walk around without feeling faint, so he ignored their protests.

There was a break in the trees and Silver focused his cybernetic eye on it. As the cliffs fell away into the deep crater his eyes were instantly drawn to the green-hulled ship moored to a tree right along the edge. He rushed to the railing as his target gaze searched the deck.

It looked deserted. Everything battened down and tied off in a clumsy and hasty manner. There wasn't even a watchman making rounds. Was Raith so brazen and cocky that she didn't leave even one man on the ship to defend it?

He searched now for where the crew could be. Movement on the island at the center of the lake in the crater drew his gaze. Five figures stood among the strange stone pillars. When he zoomed in, he could clearly see one of them was Jim. The man stumbled after Raith shoved him and leaned against a pillar. His shirt was missing and he looked pale and exhausted, but he was alive .

Relief rushed through Silver as he turned to bark orders, "Timetra, take a team with ye an' secure the Buckler! The rest o' us're endin' this."

Silver turned to shout the order to Drenga to take them down to the island, but he didn't need to. The Venovegim was already spinning the wheel to aim them that direction. He watched briefly as Timetra's longboat shot over toward Raith's ship and her group stormed the deck to take the vessel before he was gazing down at the island again.

Jim was laughing hysterically, but the mirth looked like it was coming from a desperate and almost crazed place. Raith's posture was enough of an indication that she was furious about something.

Jimbo, stop! You'll only make her madder!

"Take out their longboat-" he called the order without thinking.

He heard one of his crew scrambling for the laser cannon. His eyes were stuck to Jim. The Feliformid was advancing on him quickly and he wasn't doing anything to escape her.

They were still so far away from the island- Silver swapped his hand for his pistol and took aim. Raith was moving too much, she was too close to Jim, he couldn't risk hitting Jim-

Raith had her hand around Jim's throat, had him raised into the air while his feet kicked harmlessly, drew him in close as she bared her vicious teeth. She took a step back and then used her body weight and momentum to slam Jim against the top of a shorter pillar.

Silver's blood ran cold.

The shock that crossed Jim's face and how he instantly turned white as a sheet killed him. The young man went limp, his arms falling to his sides. He looked dead save for the emotions still flitting across his face. Tears fell unrestrained from his eyes.

The cat-like alien moved to slam him against the pillar again.

She didn't get the chance. Silver took the shot. He watched her scream and her arm go dead at her side, Jim fell from her grasp and to the ground. Raith's longboat exploded in a flash of fire and flying debris as the nearly point-blank laser cannon-ball ripped through it. Drenga pulled the ship up to the island. Someone was already at the gangplank and punching the button to lower it.

Silver led the storm up the bank toward the tiny group. Their only escape was to get through him. And he sure as hell wasn't going to let anyone go. Not that it mattered. Raith's remaining crew didn't even put up a fight. They threw their weapons down and then themselves so they could be bound by Silver's crew.

He could barely contain his rage.

Raith had dragged his son through hell and Silver was going to make her pay for every mark she'd put on his body.

The Feliformid gazed up at him from where she knelt with one hate-filled eye. She clutched at her wounded shoulder, but blood still seeped from between her fingers. Silver almost wished the shot had gone through her ribs and torn her insides to shreds, but this would work too. It had been nearly a lifetime since he'd tortured anyone-

Morph trilled in distress and his gaze followed the sound.

"Jimbo-"

He was in a bad way. A real bad way. Gaze distant, breaths coming as shallow gasps, lying very still and in what had to be in an uncomfortable position on the ground.

Raith could wait.

"Tie her up too, lock 'em all on the deck so's we c'n watch 'em. G't me Demitria!" Silver moved toward Jim and very carefully cradled his head with his organic hand, "Hey, Jimbo, ev'rythin's gonna be ok now."

Recognition flickered in those blue eyes. Jim's lip trembled, his eyebrows pulled together, tears again fell down his cheeks. His lips moved but Silver couldn't hear what he was saying. He pressed his mechanical fingers to Jim's chest to monitor his heart beat - it was erratic.

"'S'a'right, Jimbo. Don' try te talk, lad-"

"...My fault…should have…Silver…sorry…"

Silver shook his head, "Don' 'pologize-"

"...Go…Navy is…arrested…" Jim's eyelids fluttered. Silver gently shushed him again, his panic rising as the already unsteady heartbeat under his sensors weakened, "Stay with me, Jimbo! Demitria's comin'-"

"What happened? What are his wounds-" the purple-blue Zora fell to her knees across from him on Jim's other side.

"Raith slammed 'im 'gainst one o' these rocks-"

Her hands were already moving over Jim's chest and neck as she carefully felt around, "Where did he get hit?"

"Middle o' 'is back-"

She didn't respond and Silver looked up at her. Demitria's mouth was pulled into a tight line, and though she didn't have eyebrows, he could tell she was anxious by the way the skin pinched around her eyes. She turned her hands palm up and leaned in closer to Jim, "I need access to his back, but we have to do this fast, understand? I don't know what state he's in and if we linger at all it could kill him."

Silver flinched a little before nodding, "Wha'd'ye need me te do?"

"Where exactly did his back hit the rock?"

He slid his mechanical hand down from Jim's chest to rest on his lower ribs, "Righ' 'round 'ere."

"One of you get over here, we need another set of hands!" Demitria shouted at the crew that had inched closer and were watching with strained expressions. Taki looked at the others, who'd frozen, and then he darted forward. The Zora thrust a health elixir into his hands, "You get him to drink this while I work on healing his back. We're going to need all the help we can get-"

Taki replaced Silver's hand supporting the back of Jim's head with one of his own and he prepared to coax the drink down Jim's throat as Demitria instructed Silver on where to put his hands, "Right under his shoulders and as low down on his back as you can. Alright, on my command, you lift him up enough I can get my hands under him, and you get him to drink that, got it?"

Silver slid his hands underneath Jim as carefully as he could. He flinched when Jim let out a low pained groan. A knot sat in his throat, "Let's do this."

"Three, two, one, go!"

Jim went rigid as he was lifted off the ground, pain filling his features, a violent gasp shaking him. Demitria thrust her hands underneath him and his eyes snapped wide open, back arched away from the touch, a scream wrenched out of his lungs. Silver's resolve very nearly broke and he yearned to hug Jim to his chest to try to sooth him.

The scream died and Jim went lax, relief washing over his face. Demitria nodded emphatically at Taki, "Give him the elixir!"

He only fought a little bit, likely he was only reflexively jerking away from the bitter tasting drink, but Taki was able to get him to drink the whole thing. Demitria was very quiet as she felt around on Jim's back, her lips pursed and eyes partially closed, "Captain, can you hold him so I can see his back? It should be safe to move him now."

Silver raised Jim into his arms and hugged him so their chests were together and Jim's cheek rested on his shoulder. He still monitored Jim's heart beat, his breathing, even his temperature. He shifted what arm was holding Jim up so he could work his coat off.

"He had a couple cracked vertebrae, and he'll have scars from these cuts, but there shouldn't be any lasting damage. We might need to help him walk for a while as his nerves mend themselves," Demitria ran her fingers along Jim's spine.

"Silver…"

He turned his attention to Jim immediately. The younger man held him in a feeble stare, "You need to go…"

"We'll be goin' shortly, lad," He smiled gently, but Jim shook his head a tiny bit.

"No. You need to go now…leave me here…take Morph…"

Silver stared down at him. He wasn't sure what emotion he was feeling the strongest. Anger - how could Jim suggest he leave him behind?! Pain - Jim must think he didn't deserve to leave this planet. He wrapped his coat around Jim and held him tighter, "I ain't leavin' ye. Not now, not ever, Jimbo."

Jim's eyes filled with tears again and he argued vehemently despite his weakened state, "You have to…the Navy's coming, they're right there…you'll be arrested-"

He stared up and beyond the group, and Silver turned to follow the gaze in those blue eyes. To the naked eye all that could be seen was a small dark spot and a glimmer of light off sails, but when he zoomed in with his right eye he could see the distinctive paint work and sleek design of a Naval ship. This one was big and ornate, which mean whoever stood at the helm must be important. He turned back to Jim.

"Then let 'em arrest me."

"No-" Jim choked on a sob and Silver hugged him closer to stifle any more protests he knew his boy would make.

He stood carefully, shifting how he carried Jim so it would be more comfortable for the both of them. He turned to address his crew.

Timetra walked up toward him with the rest of the crew she had taken to secure the Buckler. She studied his face, "There was no one on board."

The two ships bobbed next to each other. In any other situation Silver would have thought himself a very lucky man to have command of two beautiful ships, but this wasn't the time for such thoughts. They weren't his to command.

"Take the ships an' leave this place," He looked at the faces of his crew one by one. Bittersweet feelings darting through his chest as he gave his last commands, "I leave the ships te yer capable hands Cap'n Timetra-"

"If you think I'm leaving you here to get arrested by the Navy while I take off for safety, you have another thing coming," She crossed her arms over her chest and stuck out one hip.

There was a murmur of agreement through the crew and they tossed their weapons onto the ground in proactive surrender. Silver shook his head, "I can' ask ye te stay with me-"

"You're not. We're deciding on our own," Demitria brushed the dust off her knees and joined the crew where they stood.

"An' Sidon? He ain't gotten the choice-"

Demitria spoke before anyone else could, "You already know he would never leave Jim behind."

Guilt, shame, pride, heart-wrenching happiness all twisted in Silver's chest as he turned from face to face. Each of his crew stood steadfast in their decision to stay with him. Silver turned his face to the approaching ship. They were moving dangerously quickly. Even if they'd all loaded onto the ships and left when he first suggested it they might not have gotten away.

Maybe handing over Raith will lessen the charges against us…

He could only dare to hope that they wouldn't all be slaughtered immediately as the ship came to moor next to the Buckler and Stargazer. Silver's eyes were drawn to the name peeking around the stern. He could just barely make out the word 'Mercy'.

Silver stiffened as he realized he recognized the ship - who in the galaxy wouldn't?! - just as a proud figure appeared at the top of the gangplank. And there stood one of the most imposing figures in the known galaxy, complete with starched blue coat, brass buttons, and a thick mane around his head and neck.

Admiral Blake held up his hand to stop his crew from swarming the island and instantly arresting everyone. His first in command gazed at him quietly with her bright eyes, "Sir?"

"Wait here. I have an important conversation to conduct."

No one spoke a word as he descended the gangplank alone, though he could feel their stares on his back. The pirates ahead of him did not move for their weapons. They instead stepped out of his way and parted so he could approach their leader.

"Captain Silver."

"Adm'ral," the Ursid dipped his head in polite greeting highly uncharacteristic of most pirates. Though from the reports Blake had poured over in the last week and a few days, very little of this particular crew's activities could even remotely be classified as piracy. Their captain had seemingly sworn off the profession nearly thirteen years prior to this meeting.

Coincidentally it was the same time he and James Hawkins had parted ways from the RLS Legacy.

Blake's eyes were drawn to the figure John Silver held protectively in his arms. Officer James Hawkins peered back at him weakly.

"Mr. Hawkins."

"No need to be so formal with me, Blake."

He grimaced a little, a sigh on his lips, and he tucked his hands behind his back to clasp them together, "This was quite some trouble you got into this time around, James."

"Really? I wasn't aware," came the snarky, though whispered, reply. The younger man was being swiftly overtaken by exhaustion and he leaned his head heavily on Captain Silver's shoulder, though he managed to hold onto his characteristic defiance, "If you arrest them, you'd better arrest me too."

"No one is being arrested today, James…none of this crew at least," Blake glanced over at the Stargazer. He could not see them, but he knew Raith and her remaining crew were being held there. More confused looks and a low murmur of disbelief came from the men and women around him.

"Best damn decision I've ever heard you make," Jim let out the weakest of laughs.

You never change.

It was refreshing - much to his chagrin to admit it - considering all the pomp and circumstance that came with being Admiral, and thus being surrounded by the galaxy's most influential and wealthy and posh, having someone who was so well respected and high in the Navy with the abrasive and hard-headed and sarcastic personality that James had was a breath of fresh air. Occasionally; it was good that the man was almost constantly stationed to a ship, because having to deal with him more frequently would not have been as welcomed as it was now. Blake shook his head and fought the hint of a smile that threatened to break across his face. There was a ripple of shock at how casually James spoke with him, and he would be lying if he didn't find it a little amusing.

He sighed as he addressed the looming topic that had been sitting heavily on his mind recently, "I suppose we owe you all an explanation, considering you were dragged directly into the middle of this investigation."

There was no response at first save for several darting glances around as Silver and his crew looked at each other in confusion. The Ursid's second-in-command, the Gerudo warrior Timetra, spoke finally, "Investigation, sir?"

"Yes," Blake continued to gaze at Jim.

"Wha'd'ye have te say?" John Silver's voice was laced with suspicion. He'd been looking at Blake, and then at Jim, curiously since the Admiral had walked up to them.

"I suppose it would be best to start from the beginning," Blake rolled his shoulders back and relaxed his stance.

"James is my Chief Executive Information Specialist-" Blake cracked the smallest grin at Jim's soft groan of protest at the full title "-an informant, if you will. We have been building a long-standing case to root out corruption in the Navy."

Many raised eyebrows was the only response he got and he took it as an invitation to continue, though he wasn't waiting for one, "It came to my attention many years ago that Navy ships were being attacked with far more precision than would be expected from common pirate strikes. It became clear that there was an informant - several in fact - leaking information to these pirates."

He paused. This was highly classified information, he shouldn't be sharing it, but he was the Admiral; who would argue with his decision other than the Queen?

James' attitude is rubbing off on me…

"It had been a losing battle to weed out the informants through traditional methods. All our efforts were in vain, thwarted before even any headway was made. It seemed that no matter the measures we took, the men I chose, and I myself, still 'stunk of Navy'. We were unable to obtain information or get any closer to the traitors than when the investigation first began," Blake looked again at Jim. "I came to the conclusion that I would need to enlist the help of an individual with…experience working with pirates."

All eyes turned to James, who was struggling to keep his eyes open. He raised one finger a small amount and mumbled, "Me…"

"Time and time again, he has proven himself to be invaluable to the investigation. Any ship we suspected to harbor a pirate informant he would be stationed as lead navigator where he would then infiltrate their ranks and collect information and report it back to me."

Captain Silver hugged James tighter to his chest, "So…tha's wha' this mission were, eh? Weedin' out William?"

Blake dipped his chin down with a small sigh, "Yes."

The atmosphere became very tense in an instant and Silver's eye flashed red, "Righ' shit job ye did! Nearly got yer 'invaluable' man killed! Ye knew William were workin' with Raith an' ye still sent 'em out on a mission together?!"

"Let me be clear," Blake raised a hand to stop the onslaught he could tell the Ursid wanted to continue, "We were not certain that it was Raith he was in contact with. I might also add that none of our intelligence prior to this mission indicated that Raith or anyone else would attack the Eclipse before the Ruby of Opath was obtained-"

"The what?" The chorused question was loud enough it hurt his ears.

Blake motioned at the scattered shards of red glass littered everywhere, "Behold the 'Ruby of Opath'. It was James' idea. As was almost the entire rest of the mission-"

"What?!" Silver turned his attention to James, who flinched.

"It wasn't supposed to go like this…you weren't supposed to be here…weren't supposed to get hurt…" he turned his face away from the man holding him. "I was going to tell you, but I expected you to talk to me separately more than once…"

Captain Silver flinched now and his anger-red eye faded back to its customary yellow glow.

"James is correct, the plans we laid went horribly off track."

"An' wha' were the plans, then?!" The red tinge was back, though noticeably less intense.

"Plant the idea that the Navy was after a priceless artifact to add to the Queen's personal treasury - the ruby - and design a large and elaborate plot to make the value of the artifact realistic. Since the target James was investigating was another navigator, we needed to come up with a method to get them both on the Eclipse, hence each of them getting half of the coordinates," Blake stated everything in a matter-of-fact manner, "Once the 'ruby' was obtained and the pirates made their attack, a second Naval ship would launch a counter attack and take them and their crew, as well as their informant, into custody."

"So ye knew William were crooked?" Captain Silver gave Jim a sharp look.

Jim's eyes were closed, but he whispered, "Blake thought he was. I didn't want to believe it..."

The Ursid softened significantly at the answer. Timetra spoke tentatively, "So...all of this was...?"

"A good majority of it was planned," Blake answered her unfinished question.

"The man in the bar-" She whispered.

"Planted."

Her eyes widened and a look as if she were quite pleased with herself crossed her face, as if she'd already guessed that fact. Blake motioned to his own ship, the RLS Mercy, "You and Raith weren't the only ones tailing the Eclipse. They were under heavy surveillance from the moment the ship launched. We would have arrived sooner, but a solar storm prevented a more timely intervention."

Blake paused again, clasping his hands behind his back as was most comfortable, "While I received a live-feed from James at all times and could see his location and situation, I had no way of contacting James and informing him of mine-"

"'Live-feed'?" Captain Silver snapped.

"James had a procedure performed to implant a highly advanced camera system into his left eye-" Blake stopped speaking when he saw the red glow intensifying.

"It was consensual, dad…" James murmured, clearly immediately sensing the Ursid's fury even as he drifted into unconsciousness. Silver's eyes became very wide, his face contorted with emotion briefly, and he hugged James to himself harder.

It took him a moment before he cleared his throat and asked in a strained voice, "Wha' now, if ye ain't arrestin' us?"

"I am sure the Queen would allow me to grant you a letter of pardon for your assistance in this incredibly important mission," Blake watched the startled expressions that flitted across everyone's faces. He allowed himself to smile now. He had spent countless hours going through all of the documentation that had been collected on Captain Long John Silver and his past actions, ever since it was clear that he was attempting to aid James and get him to safety. Many of the man's crimes had passed the point where he could be tried for them, and Blake believed that anyone who had put as much effort into making reparations for his past as John Silver had, then he deserved a second chance at life. He turned to walk back to his ship, "And I believe that James has earned an extended leave of absence to recover."

Sidon hated to admit that he was tired and that that he should probably be resting, but he was so anxious that he couldn't get comfortable on the mattress. He knew though that if he got up someone would instantly be shouting at him to lie back down. There was noise for a while when the attack was happening, and then it was deadly silent and he stared at the ceiling while his stomach twisted and squeezed on itself. He'd smelled Jim's blood earlier and he very nearly charged up the stairs to go find him, but the minute he'd sat up he'd gotten so dizzy he'd fallen back onto the mattress.

Footsteps went overhead on the deck and he followed the sound with is eyes.

Then there was nothing again. Sidon growled softly. He jerked a little and looked toward the door as the footsteps came down toward the room he'd been set up in. Captain Silver pushed the door open with his shoulder and he met Sidon's gaze.

"Where is he?! Is he ok?!"

Silver turned and Sidon could see Jim nestled comfortably in his arms, wrapped in the captain's coat. The captain shook his head a little when Sidon made a motion to stand, "Don', I'm bringin' 'im te ye, lad."

He reached for Jim and hugged him tightly to his chest.

The man stirred and his big blue eyes fluttered open briefly before drooping closed again. Jim gasped, his eyes shot wide open, and he gaped at Sidon. His voice was raw, "You- you're-"

"I'm here."

Jim looked as if he wanted to throw his arms around Sidon to hug him, but he was weak and he instead just butted his forehead to Sidon's chest and let out a muffled sob. Sidon pressed his face into the man's hair, "Don't go running off on me again, ok?"

"Never...never again..."