I don't own this. There I said it, getting on with our little story here…

Jim smiled sadly up at the clouds out of the window and turned back to the party. His mother had started dancing again in the arms of one of her taller customers and barely came up to his chest as they cut through the crowd.

Laughing, he looked around for Captain Amelia and Delbert. They had sat back down with their children but someone else had joined them talking rapidly about something. Amelia's stern, authorative frown was in place as she considered the man's words and Delbert had an intense look of concern on his face.

Wondering what could affect the couple like this when they had been so recently dancing and cooing at their four babies, Jim headed over, his own face serious.

Captain Amelia looked up sharply at him but relaxed slightly when she saw who it was. "Wonderful, Mr. Hawkins, you may as well sit down and listen to this as well. Haverd here has quite an interesting story."

The man, blue with tentacle-like hair that was slicked back, looked nervously from the captain's face to Jim's. "Ye see, Mr. Hawkins, it this… There was a group of pirates that raided me crops and they was talkin' 'bout some stash o' treasure they was lookin' fer out in space…. A great loot, from the sounds of it." Haverd paused… "They were braggin' 'bout how this was s'posed te be even more valable than even the mere gold o' Flint's trove."

Jim's interest was immediately peaked. They had managed to rebuild the Benbow and improve upon it, but hadn't had much left over, except to buy a real solar-surfer so he didn't need to make another one out of the limited supplies at the junkyard. To be able to go on another journey across space, it'd be great. But the pirates… he'd had enough of them lately, though he did miss his friend, Silver, already. John Silver was more of a father than Jim's own father ever had been, never mind than he'd almost killed Jim on a few different occasions.

Delbert frowned. "Amelia, I- I can't say that I really approve of this… gallivanting off into space. It's all well and good if there is some kind of map or…." He was broken off by his suddenly irate wife. They started bickering and the children start crying. Morph, obviously distressed, appeared at Jim's shoulder and went to work soothing the babies that were swinging their fists around. His miniature display of firework got everyone at the table's attention and it also brought attention to Haverd's red face.

Jim looked at him suspiciously. "You know something, don't you?" Jim asked Haverd, who took several, gulping deep breaths of air.

"Well, they may have- ah- missed a thing or two when they left. Dropped 'em ye see…" he trailed off, even more nervous than before. Reluctantly, he pulled out a large roll of paper from under him coat. Jim stood to take it from him, but Captain Amelia spotted this and was faster.

Holding up a hand to Delbert, she snatched the paper from Haverd and eyed the man and Jim with an irritated glare. "I would not be waving around such things in public places if I were you. I'm sure that Sarah is a good enough woman not to invite… unsavory people here, but she would not turn down guests to stay at the inn. You have no idea who may be listening."

Delbert shook his head slightly in disbelief. "Always cautious, aren't you, my dear," he took a deep breath. I don't suppose I'll be able to stay here for the voyage, will I?"

Amelia looked at him, shocked. "I would never force you to do such a thing. You're of course welcome to it, you've proved yourself as a helmsman and gunner. B.E.N. will be coming, of course, myself, we'll have to find an acceptable crew…" she went on listing what they'd need. Delbert stiffened at the mention of an "acceptable" crew. He'd chosen a band of renegade pirates for the Treasure Planet expedition and would never live it down with his wife.

Jim had been listening to Captain Amelia's musing carefully. "I'm coming! You'd really set sail without me?"

Amelia's catty eyes turned to him immediately. "You'll be permitted to come of course."

Satisfied, Jim nodded and stood to go and enjoy the rest of the party, and tell B.E.N. about the new development when Amelia's voice cut through and added, "Granted that your mother gives her permission."

He stopped and couldn't even turn around. He would never be able to convince his mother to let him go on another trip as soon as he'd gotten back from the months long one he'd just been on. He nodded back to Amelia and walked on, getting B.E.N.'s attention and telling him not to say another thing or he'd lose his memory chip again.

B.E.N. nodded and went about serving the guests. Jimmy was in a dark mood and couldn't be talked to. He passed by the Captain and doctor's table where they were talking to a rather haggard looking Haverd.