Sunlight

01: Launch

WARNING: I try to use elegant wording to summarize this part, but it's necessary that I reiterate some of the movie. If you want to, just skip to chapters 3 or 4, which lead up to my OC.

Jim and Dr. Delbert Doppler enter the Space Port, Jim silently bathing in the sunlight and sweaty smells of fellow spacers. Doppler rammed into the back of Jim, having been rambling about how close he and Jim will no doubt be after the voyage. Months upon months they would be traveling for the infamous, never discovered Treasure Planet.

Since the day Jim had found that ugly salamander Billy Bones, and his home and mother's business had been burned to the ground, Jim fantasized about nothing but finding this beautiful planet and making everything up to his ragged yet gorgeous mother.

It was still a wonder to him how such a tired woman could deal with a trouble-maker like him for so long, always coming to his rescue, convincing everyone he really didn't deserve to spend his childhood in juvenile detention. He was thoroughly convinced that the only one who's opinion mattered was his mother's, and he was going to prove all her pushing was going to pay off.

And they would have a home again.

Jim glared back at a haggard Doppler. "Look, let's just find the ship, OK?"

They had to stop and ask for directions; the space port was an awful big area up close, despite how small it looks so far away.

"It's the suit, isn't it?" Doppler trudged behind, trying to keep up with his youthful, less encumbered companion. "I should not have listed to that pushy, two-headed sales woman! This one said it fit, that one said it was my color, I didn't know what to do I get so flustered! OH!"

Once again, Doppler's suit made forceful contact with Jim's back, earning yet another discerning look from the younger fellow.

"Oh, Jim, look! The RLS Legacy!" Doppler gestured dramatically at their ship, allowing Jim to continue leading the way; if he'd bothered, he would slow them both down anyway.

"How cool is this?" he asked, mainly to himself, as if speaking of it aloud made it more real. While distracted, he accidentally stepped on a balloon-like alien's foot… foot? Possibly. "Sorry about that. I didn't-"

The alien turned violently around and stood threateningly in front of Jim, lifting his fists...? in the air, as if pushing Jim to fight him for hurting him.

Doppler stepped in front of Jim, to his dismay, and said, "Let me handle this." Using different methods to create raspberry noises, the Doctor seemed to be communicating with the creature. The alien laughed (so Jim assumed) and walked off. "I'm quite fluent in Flatuela, Jim! Took two years of it in high school!" Doppler walks off confidently, happy to have actually impressed the young lad.

"Flatula," Jim repeats, a smirk appearing on his face and a hand running through his hair. "Cool."

The ventured further along the ship's deck until a rock-creature dressed in fancy dreads is in front of them, eying the crew as if manning the ship- like a captain.

"Good morning, Captain! Everything… ship-shape!"

The rock creature turned to them, smiling, and responded, "Ship-shape indeed. But I'm not the captain. The captain is… aloft." He gestured upwards toward the sail, where a cat-like woman spun and leapt from one end to another, finally landing perfect on the deck.

The Doctor's helmet hit him in the face, as if he was shocked by the captain's display.

"Mr. Arrow, I've checked this miserable ship from stem to stern and as usual…. It's spot on. Do you get nothing wrong?" she questioned lightly, a sweet smile on her feline face.

"You flatter me, Captain," said Mr. Arrow, a kind smile in return.

The Captain stepped in front of the young spacer and the Doctor in the ridiculous suit. "Ah, Dr. Doppler I presume?" She leaned forward, ignoring his sputtering to introduce himself. "Hello?" she began knocking on his helmet. "Can you hear me?"

"Why yes I can stop that banging!" The Doctor demanded, stepping back angrily. While pulling off his helmet so the woman couldn't pester him any longer, she found a new way by turning him around.

"Doctor, if I may, this works better when it's right way up and… plugged in! Lovely, there you go!"

"If you don't mind I can manage my own plugging, thank you!" Even more frustrated, he unplugged his suit.

Mischievous smile waning, she placed a hand on herself. "I'm Captain Amelia. Lately I've had a few run-ins with the Procyan Armada, but I won't bore you with my scares. And you've met my Officer, Mr. Arrow. Sterling, dependable, honest, tough, brave and true!"

"Please, Captain…"

"Oh, shut up, Arrow. You know I don't mean a word of it." She winked impishly up at her officer.

Clearing his throat awkwardly, Doppler said, "Excuse me! I hate to interrupt this lovely… banter but I'd like to introduce Jim Hawkins. You see, Jim is the boy who found the treasure-"

Before he could finish, Amelia grabbed Doppler's muzzle forcefully and glanced around at the deck hands, who suspiciously glanced back before continuing with their work. "I would like a word with you in my stateroom."

In an elegant room in the back of the ship, Amelia first faced Arrow briefly before looking at Delbert. "Doctor, to muse and blabber about a treasure map about this particular crew demonstrates a level ineptitude bordering upon the imbecilic."

Delbert was taken aback by being called something so scandalous. "Imbecilic, you say? Foolishness, I've got-"

Amelia shrugged him off. "May I see the map please?"

Still annoyed, Delbert looked upon Jim, who shrugged in return. Taking a hand out of his jacket pocket, he tossed the golden orb at the captain. "Here."

Amelia studied the map, turning it round to observe every inch. "Hm, fascinating!" Glancing up at Jim, her smile faded and a stern look crossed her. "Mr. Hawkins," she began, locking the map away. "From now on, I would like for you to refer me as "Captain" or "ma'am". Am I clear?"

Jim rolled his eyes and sighed disobediently.

"Mr. Hawkins?"

"Yes, ma'am," Jim snarked.

"Good." Turning back to them, she said, "Mr. Arrow please escort these neophytes to the galley. Mr. Hawkins will be working under the cook, Mr. Silver!"

Jim, briefly distracted, looked up at the Captain astonished. "Wh-what? The cook!"

After a brief and awkward introduction, Arrow and Doppler left for the launch. Jim, wary of his cyborg companion, grabbed a fruit and took a small bite. Although he had a short conversation with the man, as if he was attempting to get some type of truth out of him, he was glad to hear the man hadn't a clue what he was talking about when referring to his planet or Billy Bones.

And they took off.