Treasure Planet II: Cursed Man's Riches

Marauders and Pistols

All she could hear over the ringing in her ears was crunching glass, heavy footsteps and a deep voice that barked orders now and then. Her heart thumped in her chest as she took shuddering breaths desperately trying to make it look like as if she weren't breathing. "Alive or dead, I want them all on deck!" Sophie froze, that voice was very, very close, and ceased her breathing completely. "Let me go!" Hallie yelled suddenly, making Sophie jump as she could hear her best friend getting dragged off, not without a fight. Silently a pair of hands pulled her from the wreckage, fingers digging harshly into her already bruised shoulders, pulling her to her feet. Sophie whimpered as she was dragged to the remaining deck and tossed down and left alone once again. Opening her eyes, she was met with dark boots walking over the deck, her fellow students huddled in a corner and others that didn't move at all. Sophie felt a lump rise in her throat from the feeling of nausea, "So, Fen... tell me, which one of these kids cracked the greatest mystery of the universe?" The commanding voice spoke, now in a chortling tone to Sir Fen. "I will not let you pillage an ancient planet to satisfy your greed, Henry." Sir Fen growled, Sophie cast her eyes towards the conversation, Sir Fen and Captain Jackson were on their knees and tied up, but she still couldn't see the man in charge of the attack. "Please, I abandoned that name long ago." Henry replied in a bored tone, as he wandered around the deck. "We won't tell you. I don't care if you're Long Ben or any other pirate, it's not happening." Captain Jackson spat, shaking his head. Sophie widened her eyes, this pirate was only interested in gold, jewels and other riches – and he would eliminate anyone and anything to get to them.

"Captain Amelia, Captain Amelia!" A young intern called as he ran down the corridor after her, waving a piece of paper in his hand. The feline stopped and turned with raised eyebrows as the intern stopped with deep breaths. "A message... from the RLS Catriona." Recognising the name, Amelia's eyes widened as she snatched the paper from the intern's hand. Her green eyes scanning over the message, a glimmer of something as she continued to read, "Ma'am?" The intern squeaked, seeing that gleam in her eye which was not something to reckon with. Amelia spun on her heel, rushing down the corridor with a speed that an ordinary human could not match. "Lawson, I want a fleet prepared immediately!"

Sophie could only watch as the Long Ben dismissed her fellow students in search for her, she felt like a coward for not admitting it but from the looks of Sir Fen and Captain Jackson – she simply couldn't bring herself to. "And who might you be?" Long Ben snarled, showing his yellowing teeth beneath his grey and black beard. Sophie slowly cast her eyes upwards to him, forming a glare at her captor which only made him laugh, throwing his head backwards as he waved at his fellow pirates to join in the hilarity. Remembering her experience with Scroop and the pirates during the mutiny, Sophie only intensified her glare, "Angry little madam, isn't she?" Long Ben crooned, leaning down so his face leered close to hers, "Does this one have a name or does she respond to anything?" The pirates laughed again, Sophie had enough and lunged to headbutt the pirate but the fast reaction of her captor stopped her from doing so, one hand holding her wrists together while the other hand lay heavily on her shoulders, kicking the back of her knees from her. "I know her name." Hallie spoke, a smirk on her pink but now sooty lips, Sophie frowned at her friend – now was not the time for Hallie to be a smart alec. "Do tell, not that you are of any use to me." Long Ben spoke, a greedy look glistening his eyes as he turned to Sophie's best friend. "It's Nonya." Hallie spoke, her face completely serious which Long Ben accepted gullibly as he turned back to Sophie, "So, Nonya was it you that cracked –?" He began before Hallie shouted, "Nonya business!" If it was in the classroom, Sophie would have laughed but now fearing for people's lives, she kept her mouth sealed shut though some of the idiot pirates laughed until Long Ben cast them a dangerous look which immediately quietened them. Long Ben began chuckling to himself, slowly sauntering towards Hallie who stood defiantly with a look that Sophie herself refused to mess with, "Do you know what I do with kids like you?" He asked as he tapped his chin, stopping in front of the cadet before leaning closer to her, lowering his voice as he sneered at her, "I kill 'em."