Jim

Cheering surrounds me when I walk off my ship and onto the military port. It was nearly the same as the Spaceport near Montressor except here everything was decked in blue, gold, and white, not to mention the spotless gleam in the floors and buildings since the first years had to clean them as part of their service. To think I once did the same. Snapping out of my memories, I wave tiredly at all my fellow captains, crew, and friends, smiling broadly. The only place that I wanted to be more than right here was my hammock in the ship. But I needed to file my ship report and formally drop off my convict to the officials.

I walk past some of my friends, smiling and high-fiving a few as I go.

"Jim! How does it feel to catch a criminal that's wanted in eight different galaxies?!" A voice so familiar to me, I don't even turn around when he clasps my shoulder and shakes me with a grin on his face.

"I suppose it feels like anything else in the world, Jack. And you helped too, first mate." I finish my report and grin at my ginger friend. His freckles covered his entire face and the bits of his neck that I could see too. He's nearly my height yet stockier, more solidly built. We wore almost the exact same uniform except mine had captain medals and buttons.

"Ah, quit being humble Jim! This is your moment in the spotlight!" Jack slaps me on the back heartily.

I consent to him with a laugh, "Alright, it's pretty great."

"I'd almost lost hope for you a second ago!" he shakes his head incredulously and I roll my eyes.

He stares at me in shock as we walk towards a more private area.

"What? Quit looking at me like that.""

"I can't believe you're only nineteen, two years younger than me might I add, captain of the ship and you managed to nail Captain Clegg! Life is so unfair…"

"It's not that big of a deal Jack.

"I'm just trying to figure out when you got so good at this."

"Probably when I broke free of your tutelage."

We laugh and throw a few fake, light punches at each other on the shoulder and stomach and before I know it, we're slapping each other around and laughing foolishly. The high of the victory wearing upon our exhausted demeanors.

"Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Airhart." An impatient, even tone interrupts our horse-play and we freeze immediately.

"Captain Amelia!" We shove each other away and stand straight as if she hadn't just seen us.

"Gentlemen. Please come speak to me in my Office." She turns and briskly walks in the direction of the building.

"Shit. What do you think we did this time?" Jack straightens his jacket and brushes the dirt off.

Even though Captain Amelia had children and Delbert to worry about she had quickly risen up the ranks in the Interstellar Alliance to become one of the most respected captains out there. And she was currently my boss.

"Really you guys? Only a few minutes back and you're already in trouble?" Sterling shakes her head at us and smirks. She's the Chief engineer on my ship, the J. S. H. Prophesy. As well as the daughter Mr. Arrow didn't know he had.

Mr. Arrow had already left for the Interstellar Academy by the time her mother knew she was pregnant. Fast forward a few years and their daughter wanted to meet her father so she ran away and joined the academy. It helped that she was a genius with anything mechanical, especially weapons. Sterling and I had first met when she tried to kill me for murdering her father. Luckily, Jack and Captain Amelia were nearby and saved my hide. After I explained that the crew figured out that Mr. Scroop had cut his rope and it wasn't my fault, was when we reconciled and maintained a shaky friendship that grew steadier ever since she was assigned to my crew.

She had the same rocky grey, indestructible skin and sense of loyalty that her dad did. She was pretty in an understated way that many people unfortunately overlooked. She's one of my best friends as well as Jack. Yet they continued to despise each other while having a long running hatred, which I was neither part of nor had any information on how they hated each other.

We graduated with top honors, Sterling especially with her gleaming service record, and joined the Interstellar Alliance Military. I had broken a few records in the school for fastest speed in the Build Your Own Solar Surfer contest that was purely for fun and the first ever cadet to catch a group of pirates and also to win the team exercise with Jack and Sterling in the ship managing race. There were a couple other achievements that I had under my belt but I've had my fair share of trouble which is why I didn't get the same shiny service record as my responsible friend.

"Oh, Miss Arrow, you are to come see me as well." Jack and I snicker when Captain Amelia calls down the hall. Sterling's face turns even grayer.

"I guess perfect child isn't so perfect. What do you think of that Miss Know It All?"

"Shut up Jack." Irritated, she uses little of her strength so as not to harm him too much when she pushes his shoulder and he trips over a crate.

...

"So, what did we do this time? Give me the bad news, I can take it."

Amelia raises a perfectly manicured eyebrow just like the rest of her spotlessly clean uniform, "I don't know Mr. Airhart. What did you do?"

I felt like a mess in her organized, clutter free office. There were large windows overlooking the port and a large, chestnut desk in the middle of the medium sized room.

I interrupt before he can dig us deeper. The Captain may be my friend but she strictly told me that she would be my boss in the Alliance. I didn't doubt her. "Jack just thought that we were in trouble."

"On the contrary, I need all of you to assist me in a high-profile case."

My interest peaked; I sit up, "What is it?"

"Everyone will have to take some vacation time."

I protest immediately, "What? No!"

I protest while Jack crows out, jumping out of his chair despite my horror, "Yeah!"

"Don't get too excited Mr. Airhart. And Mr. Hawkins, I assure you 'vacation time' doesn't necessarily guarantee time off." Jack punches the air in disappointment behind me as she continues, "This will have to be top secret and maintained from everyone. I need some investigation into a planet to find the most infamous treasures of all."

She had me at 'infamous treasure'.

"Have any of you heard of Trilanta treasure?"

Jack snorts and slumps over, "Oh, come on. It's an old wives tale. A myth." He stands and stretches, suddenly pacing Amelia's room in a bored fit. I, on the other hand, was fascinated.

"Legends can be true Jack."

Amelia and I share a look, "Indeed Mr. Hawkins. We should know that better than anyone."

Mildly interested, Jack stops his examination of her bookcase momentarily to look back and forth between the Captain and me, "Why? What happened?"

"Another time perhaps Mr. Airhart."

Sterling bursts out of her professional silence in curiosity, "So what is this myth about the treasure?"

To think I was worried that she had gone mute.

"Well, legend has it that the Trilanta treasure has vast riches that even the infamous Treasure Planet couldn't match. Trilanta is so famous that pirates all over the worlds have come searching for it. It is foretold that the beholder can change the mass of a specific object or turn it into something else altogether. Which is why it is more desired than a world of gold because all anyone would need to do is change rocks, food, animals, plants, or clothes into gold. No one knows how it was created and some say that only a few chosen can control the darn thing."

Transfixed upon her, all of us listen with mouths agape, leaning forward in eager anticipation like children.

Captain Amelia sniffs, "Supposedly, that's how it goes."

"Wow." Sterling nods in awe. I catch Amelia fondly smiling at Sterling and I wonder how much Sterling reminded her of her father, Mr. Arrow.

"Back on point, something big is going down in the pirate's black market. There have been rumors that Captain John Silver and many others have gone after this Trilantan device."

"Silver is a myth too!" Cries Jack in outrage.

Matching his incredulous tone with her own, Sterling bellows, "Are you kidding me, you idiot?! The guy is a pirating menace! I wish he was a myth."

I speak up before they turn to death blows, "Guys..."

I grumble absent-mindedly to the Captain while they stare at each other in another battle, "Silver is certainly too smart for his own good. If he's on to this, then, it's gotta be a big pay-off."

They break apart from their childish quarreling that was background noise.

"You've met him?"

Sterling snorts, "Jack, don't be stupid. Jim is being-"

"Mr. Hawkins and I have had encounters with the cyborg. Now back to business."

"Captain! That's all you're going to give us?!"

She nonchalantly shoots him a bored look over her papers, "Yes. Now isn't the time to pass stories around the fire."

Relieved, I nod at the Captain in thanks. I knew that there were many rumors when I first arrived at the Intersteller Academy but no one knew the whole truth of my adventure except for some of the highly ranked officials such as the captain herself and I didn't look forward to telling Jack as he would understandably freak. Sterling didn't want to know of my adventures in part because of her father's murder.

"Jim!"

"Let's get back on the subject."

"Yes, as I was saying, I need all three of you to take a small crew and investigate the inner workings of what's going on undercover."

Jack hops up with his hands on her desk, "What about Jim?"

"What about Mr. Hawkins? Do you have a problem with him?"

"Of course not, he's my best friend. I just mean that he caught a notorious intergalactic pirate and you think he can slip under cover that easily?"

"You haven't seen the rebellious side of James before, have you Jack?"

"Rebellious? Our golden boy Jim? He's broken rules before but only when completely necessary or to save lives. Or even if I got him in trouble for that matter."

That… wasn't all true. Amelia covered some of my… more mischievous tales.

I was wearing the regulation uniform right now, boots shiny even after the extremely long day, my hair was still clean-cut, and Jack just smirks, "See?"

"You underestimate him Mr. Airhart."

Jack shakes his head in disagreement, "No, not true."

"Believe me when I say that he is perfect for the job and the military chose him because of his intelligence, the ability to blend in, and his previous experience. He is young, no doubt but I have full confidence that he can pull this off better than any other man."

Stunned, we all watch her. I didn't know she had that much faith in me.

"Jim, on planet..." She digs through her files, "Earth. You will be in contact and inform King Eric and Queen Ariel of your intent. They are aware of the situation and have graciously offered to be of any help that he can. Apparently, the treasure is somewhere hidden around their realm of rule."

Earth, if I remembered correctly, had no problem with the other planets but liked to remain in their own world. They refused to use more advanced technology and preferred to stick with their traditions and evolve as they should. I don't know if I admired that or was vexed that they wouldn't upgrade.

I knew there was only one excited answer I could give to the people that were watching me expectantly, "When do we start?"

A/N: Hello readers! I just decided to post this story for fun! Enjoy!