A Fool's Run

Chapter 1: To Fools

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Then here's to the Fools!
Flouting the sages
Through history's pages
And driving the dreary old seers into rages
The humbugging Magis
Who prate that the wages
Of Folly are Death--toast the Fools of all ages!

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Jim Hawkins had always loved the Montressor Spaceport. He loved its life, its colour, and its surprises. Around every corner something could be waiting that he'd never seen before, a new race, a sight, a smell, alien gadgets… the list went on. Of course, he would never tell anyone of this secret love, no, he had a reputation to protect. The Spaceport reminded him of the day he had first set foot here, a wide-eyed fifteen-year-old bursting with excitement at the prospect of running off into space after Flint's Treasure Planet. Even now, six years after, he could remember the thrill of that first foray into space. He was sure it was something he would remember for the rest of his life. Even John Silver, onetime cook and usurper captain of the RLS Legacy could not be forgotten. The cyborg had been Jim's friend, and the closest thing he had ever had to father. Jim missed him.

Now a graduate of the Interstellar Academy, he was a fully qualified Captain with his own ship, the RLS Sarah. Jim had the means to search for Silver and it was what he intended to do, if only to see how his one-time friend had gotten on in life. Thus the reason for Jim's presence here on Montressor's Spaceport.

He had a plan, and a rather devious one of he said so himself.

After years of enquires Jim had learnt that since John Silver's disappearance aboard the Legacy the cyborg had melted back into pirate circles, hiring crew on this planet and robbing a ship on that interstellar route. But Silver had begun making regular appearances on a single route, The Fool's Run, the most prosperous –and dangerous- trade route in the galaxy. Trade between Montressor and Tallvan was extremely lucrative, if you had the guts to brave the route which just happened to be plagued with pirates waiting to ambush merchant ships fat with trade gold. Jim happened to have the guts and a merchant brave enough to fund an expedition.

Now all he needed was a pirate. A pirate to advise and help Jim predict the movements of certain 'other' pirates.

Pushing away from the wall he lent against Jim melted into the crowd of the Spaceport's streets, a hard task at best, considering Jim stood a head and shoulders above the rest. He thrust his hands into the pockets of his long brown leather coat and let the crowd lead him, flowing with the mass of people until he reached the seedy district. Here the crowd lessened considerably, in fact, the streets were bare with the exception of the odd beggar or cutpurse. The narrow streets were lined with pubs and inns. It was here mercenaries and pirates could be brought.

Picking an inn at random Jim stepped inside. The Silver Dollar seemed appropriate. The inn was well made, with a wide common room, a huge fire place at one end. It reminded him of the old Benbow Inn, except his mother had kept it cleaner. Rickety wooden tables were scattered here and there, often boasting the worst vagrants and lowlifes Montressor had to offer. Jim couldn't help but grin. Perfect.

Walking to the bar he ordered an ale and sat back to further inspect the occupants of the room. At some tables men were dicing, others they were dealing cards, but none had what Jim was looking for. These men were mercenaries and tough-arms, not pirates. Sipping his warm beverage Jim was getting ready to leave when something caught his eye. At the far end of the room, by the large fireplace, a woman sat alone at a table. Booted feet resting atop the table and her fingers laced behind her head she oozed 'pirate'.

She bristled with weapons; a cutlass strapped over one shoulder, daggers a-plenty sheathed at her belt and a pair of pistols besides. Her dark brown hair was held back in a single intricate braid that hung down her back, and each delicately pointed ear sported a multitude of rings. Her sky-blue trousers were billowing and gathered at the knees, tucked into the tops of her boots and not unusual around these parts. But her short jacket, a soft yellow material with wide sleeves and a high collar, spoke of exotic places. Picking up his ale Jim wound his way through the maze of tables towards her.

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Izzy rocked back in her chair, playing idly with one of her daggers. The pub around her was crowded and over-warm, the big fireplace giving off far too much heat. The air was stuffy and stale, smelling like unwashed men. Even so, she was used to this life. Since the age of ten she had been pirating, when she took up on a pirate ship as cabin girl. Smelly men were something you got used to after a life being stuck in space with a bunch of smelly sailors. Where was that serving girl with her drink?

She was about to go and find out when a young man up and appeared, seating himself at her table. Izzy glared at the young man, unsure of his reasons. He was handsome with warm brown eyes and shaggy brown hair. He had the look of a man who could use the sword hanging at his waist, being fairly tall and wide in the shoulders. He grinned at her charmingly. The man didn't look like an idiot, so why was he smiling at her like that?

"Sure go ahead, you can sit down." she said dryly. He raised a questioning eyebrow at her and Izzy's hand tightened on the hilt of her dagger. Gonna play smart with her was he?

"I'm Jim Hawkins." the man extended a hand for her to shake. Izzy glanced at the hand then back at him. "Izzy" she replied flatly as a form of introduction.

"Well, Jim Hawkins." Izzy slid her feet off the table and rested her elbows there instead, eyeing him curiously. "What can I do for you?"

The man dug around in him pockets and produced a cloth bag. As he threw it across the table it gave the unmistakeable clinking of coins. "I'm looking for someone…"

"Whoa! Slow down, Hawkins. I ain't that kinda lady." At the look on her face Jim threw back his head and roared with laugher. Izzy felt like pushing her dagger down his throat. We'll see whose laughing then.

His laughter died down and he grinned at her again. "I ain't that kinda man." he replied. "I happen to be about to travel The Fool's Run. I'm looking to hire a pirate to work on my ship as a… advisor." Izzy's green-grey eyes lit up. This was perfect. The guy was paying her to go exactly where she wanted to go. Paying well …really well… it was The Fool's Run after all.

"Well you've got guts, Jim Hawkins. The Fool's Run is a dangerous route. Danger costs; if I'm going to work with you I'll need a nice little sum of gold."

"Naturally," he continued. "You'll get a thousand gold here and a thousand once we get back, plus a crew members cut of the trade takings."

Izzy almost dropped her dagger. That could easily be an upwards of four thousand gold! "You've got yourself a pirate." She reached forward to grab the bag of coins when it shivered. Shivered? The bag shivered and jumped into the air, changing into a miniature Jim Hawkins.

"Trade takings, trade takings…" it trilled.

Izzy stared gape-mouthed at the miniature, which once again changed, this time into a little pink blob. Jim moaned about 'morph' but Izzy ignored him, fascinated with the pink blob. It whizzed around her head, chirping and ohhhing. She stretched out a finger to scratch the blob. It giggled like crazy, rubbing against her hand.

"Cute…" she murmured, still petting the strange little creature.

"Cute! Cute! Cute!" it said, whizzing around her head once again and nuzzling her cheek with what she guessed was affection.

"That's Morph," Jim said. "He was given to me by a friend some years ago."

"Morph?" Jim called, brandishing a biscuit in the shape-shifter's direction. It screamed with delight and rocketed towards him, diving as he put the biscuit back in his pocket. From then on Jim's pocket chirped and giggled constantly. He raised his drink as Izzy's own finally arrived. "A toast?"

"A toast," Izzy grinned. "To fools!"

He chuckled and clinked his tankard against hers. "To fools!

"Fools! Fools! Fools!" his pocket sung.

Jim drained his drink and smiled at her once again. Izzy was far to pleased by the idea of so much gold to mind the smile. "My ship is docked at pier 124, it's called the RLS Sarah. We sail at noon tomorrow. I'll see you there."

"Sure thing, Captain Hawkins." She said with a mock salute. He nodded and turned away, Izzy watching his passage out of the inn. The day had gotten so much better. Four thousand gold! She was really going to enjoy this trip, she could tell. Hopefully it held what she was looking for…

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A/N: My first Treasure Planet fic, so please be gentle! Lol. My bro dared me to write one so here it is, with more chapters coming soon. Enjoy!