179 replies to this topic

[RocksmySocks]

We've each sort of found the Knights on our own.

Red Storm was one of the first, then the Black Knight (as Khalid, rather than Omar or Hussein) and Writer Woman. Then I came in. Then came Spike and Isaac. I think Shorti was after that, followed by Gwen and then all the newbies.

...I think.


You rise to power after Spike joins (and possibly after Isaac as well) from what I've gathered. Queen Kohirihiri is just before you, and before that is King De Carlo (who is a freakin' awesome King, and the one in power as I became a Knight).


Khalid would be the better person to let you know if there were any major battles or wars before your time that we all shared a part in. Mostly, the whole world is war-torn by evil JN villains and their descendants who enjoy wreaking havoc. So there's always battles!


And as for becoming a Knight, I think we've each sort of "fallen into" the position one way or another. I don't really know if they have a recruiting program (We Want YOU To Be A Neutron Knight!).


I guess the only specific from my story to be aware of is that the enemy we were facing was Eddie Neutron. Does Eddie get locked up, killed, or otherwise dispatched of? ...Can't tell, or I'd be revealing too much of my story too early!

By the time you're in power, the ultimate bad guy is Eustace Strych. He's kinda knocked everyone else out of power by then...I think. Like I said, Khalid knows the full backstory. He'll be much better at answering this than me.



Hope that helps a bit, your Majesty!


-Rat Lady :ahoy:

[Mara=^.^=]

I guess I'm going to be intentionally vague about who we're fighting against and concentrate more on WHAT we're fighting against.

~*Mara*~ = ^.^ =

[Jimmygang 005]

WOWOWO RAT LADY WO WAITEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE This not the right time line????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mare and all of you pleas read this:

first it was red storm, then writer woman then Rat Lady and all of them wear at the time of King De Carlo and then me, Spike join AFTER Mara comes in power (put she was still a new) then Gwen and so on and on.

Mara you become a Knight before I do at the end of King De Carlo period after Rat Lady,I become a knight in the period of Queen Kohirihiri, and Rat lady the Black Knight in your story then is the first one Hussein not me.

Hope thing are clear now:

Red Strom

Writer Woman

Rat Lady

Mara

Black Knight 3

Spike

Gwen

And so on….

:) Khalid (Black Knight) :)

[Mara=^.^=]

Is it OK if I join up during Queen Kohirihiri's reign? This would make more sense in the "real life" timeline, since meeting Ko and going on her site partially inspired me to make IDOJ.

Also, I meet up with Neutron Knight Ally at this time, right? I mean, again with the real life connections, Ally and I kind of go together when it comes to the creation of this fair kingdom... ;)


~*Mara*~ = ^.^ =

[Jimmygang 005]

Well kind think of it, yah it dos make more sense, its ok

:) Khalid :)

[Beks]

This is all so confusing...but that's just normal for me. ^_^

In my backstory, the NK's were a group with a castle and everything, and family cottages for me and my mom...good times. ^_^

[RocksmySocks]

Ahhh, I get it. Thanks for writing out a timeline, Khalid!


-Rat Lady :ahoy:

[CraazyOne]

Spike join AFTER Mara comes in power (put she was still a new)

Yes. I think I may have mentioned you somewhere in my story, Mara, but maybe I'm wrong. Anyway, I'm currently 16 in my story and apparently you rose to power not long before my story takes place. According to Khalid. So that's what I've been going with. I'm pretty sure I'm also one of the last knights to join (well, one of the last ones out of the "old" crowd of NKs who've been in on this thing for a while XD).

Thanks for putting this in a timeline, Khalid. With so many of us, it can get hard to keep track of...hehe.




~Rachel~

[Mara=^.^=]

UPDATE TIMES! :o


Chapter 3, in which Mara meets her (hot?) Captain and her (ditzy?) roommate

I squinted at the rapidly approaching clouds, wincing as icy raindrops stung my eyes. The heavens churned and boiled like a cauldron, and I tightened my grip around Cami’s waist. She stood at the helm, guiding our freshly stolen hover scooter toward the ship outlined against the dreary sky.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” I shouted over the drone of our illegally-obtained transport.
Cami glanced back over her shoulder, hair whipping wildly in the wind. “What the heck are talking about? Of course it’s not a good idea! Good ideas are for pussies!”

She increased our speed, and I mentally kicked myself for agreeing to this cockamamie scheme in the first place.

“We’re a big, fat lightning magnet,” I thought in grim satisfaction. “We’re gonna get zapped out of the sky before we even reach the ship. We’re gonna get cooked like a junebug in a bug zapper. Roasted. Popped. Fried. Delicately crisped.”

Cami reached back and smacked me. “Hey, you see that window on the side of the ship?” she called over the roar of the storm, pointing at a tiny glass rectangle on the side of the fuselage.

“Uh…ya? Why?”

“How much you wanna bet we can make that?”

“Make that?” I repeated. “What do you mean, ‘make that’? You mean?...no, wait! Stop! Nooo…EEEEEAAAAAAAAAHHHH!” my words turned into a scream as Cami cranked the throttle, plunging the scooter in a steep descent straight toward the window.

I slammed my eyes shut and buried my face against her shoulder blades, bracing myself for impact. I waited for the shattering glass, the millions of razor-tipped shards – but after a slight lurch, the hoverscooter sputtered to a halt, and Cami switched off the engine. I straightened, heart thumping violently in my chest. Somehow, we had safely entered the ship. I blinked cautiously at my surroundings.

Cami peeled a sheet of Saran wrap from her clothing, laughing cruelly. “The glass was already broken from the last time I pulled that stunt,” she explained mischievously. “We covered it with plastic wrap until we could steal a new window frame.”
The terror, confusion and excitement of the past couple of minutes bubbled up inside me and found their outlet in creepy, unstable laughter. I giggled crazily, half stepping, half falling off the scooter.

“Whoa, easy there, little missy!” she said, catching my elbow and guiding me toward the door. “Time to meet your new lord and master.”

Cami led me down a long, poorly lit hallway. Freezing cold and soaked to the bone, I marched along beside her, seething internally. With each footfall I grumbled under my breath, imagining in exquisite detail each and every thing I’d like to say to this certifiable twit.

She whistled merrily, kicking her feet up with each step - and in my mind, resembled nothing so much as an overenthusiastic Nazi gone mental. We approached an open door at the end of the hall, and she gave an especially energetic kick, sending her wet rubber boot sailing through the door frame and into the room beyond. I waited for the inevitable crash, but it never came. Instead, a male voice emanated from within.

“You really should pick a better way to announce yourself, Cami,” it said congenially.

The next thing I knew, Cami shoved me through the doorway.

Candles flickered in the darkness, casting darker shadows into the gray space around them. The walls were papered with an elaborate world atlas, and at the far end of the room was a mahogany desk, behind which sat a young man. He didn’t bother to look up as we entered. He seemed deeply embroiled in some sort of paperwork – he scribbled notes at lightning speed with his left hand, and he held Cami’s wayward boot aloft in his right.

“Hey Captain, I brought you a new recruit, and she’s just your type. Mara Ess: attempted murderess. Obnoxious. Skeptical. A real pain in the ass.”

The Captain looked up and smiled. My very first impression was that of his remarkable youth. He was probably a year or two younger than me, and his face was still boyish and simple, his expression unguarded. His clear gray eyes stared out from under his dull black hair, and in the flickering candlelight he seemed both infinitely boring and infinitely alluring.
There was a moment of silence as we sized one another up. The brief hush threw into sharp relief the sound of his pen scratching against the paper. He smiled – a disarming, innocent smile – and I decided with a touch of relief that I liked him. I opened my mouth to speak, but he beat me to it.

“Her hair is too short,” he muttered arbitrarily, returning his focus to his work. “And she looks like a drowned rat.”

It took a moment for my brain to process his comment and then attribute it to myself. His like-ability rating plummeted.

“You wanna say that again?” I goaded.

“Why yes, as a matter of a fact, I do. You look like a drowned rat. Cami, take her to her room and dry her off, then get her some hot tea or something. She won’t be of any use to me if she catches pneumonia.”

“All right babe,” said Cami, reaching for my arm. “You heard the man, let’s go.”

I didn’t intend to let the matter drop, however. I wrenched my arm away and marched over to his desk. I slammed my dripping hand down on his neatly ordered stack of papers, but before my palm made contact, he yanked the pile out of my reach. My hand landed with a hollow slap on the polished wood. My jaw dropped, but my amazement with the swiftness of his reaction quickly gave way to anger. I stared him down.

“Listen up, asshole,” I cursed vehemently, leaning forward over the desk. “I hate men, especially cocky dipsticks who think they can do whatever they want. What right do you have to talk to me that way? I mean, look at you. I bet your voice still cracks. Why on Earth should I do anything you say, especially after you insult me to my face? I came here because being a pirate sounded like a welcome alternative to a life in exile. But there are lots of pirate factions out there. Give me one good reason why I should follow you.”

“Oh for crying out loud,” groaned Cami, “I’ll give you a reason!”

Rolling her eyes, she yanked a dagger from her waistband, and in one swift motion, threw it straight at my heart. Before I had time to react, the Captain sprung from his chair, rolled over his desk, and adroitly maneuvered me a hair’s breadth out of the path of the flying knife. It spun past me and stuck in the wall, and I gaped at it as it vibrated and finally fell still. It had all happened in the blink of an eye, and for a moment I could barely believe what I had seen.

“What the…how did…” I couldn’t quite find the words.

“I have precognition,” whispered the Captain. “I see events several seconds before they happen. This gives us a serious advantage over many of our adversaries. Follow me, and you will never die in battle.”

“You…I…”

He took a step back and crossed his arms. “But honestly, about earlier… I was just being a jackass. It’s how I amuse myself on a slow day.”

“It’s true, ya know,” confirmed Cami. “That, and do mountains of paperwork. He’s a creepy genius. He’s got records on everyone.”

I hung my head in defeat. “Is everyone here crazy?” I asked miserably.

“Oh, we're all mad here. I'm mad, you’re mad…” he shrugged, and I realized he was quoting the Cheshire Cat’s famous line from Alice in Wonderland.

"How do you know I'm mad?" I shot back as Alice.

"You must be," he finished the exchange, smiling, "or you wouldn't have come here."

Our thief companion looked back and forth between us, perplexed. “Ooookay. You guys are weird. Well, tootles monsieur grand fromage,” said Cami to the Captain, grabbing me by the shoulders and steering me toward the door. “I’ll take our little pixie to her quarters and…wait, where am I taking her again? Who’s roommate-less?”

“Steph, Eleanor, and Contis all lost their roommates recently. Though I wouldn’t recommend Contis…his little habit might be offensive to mistress high-and-mighty.”

“Habit?” asked Cami, puzzled.

He gestured down at his groin, and Cami’s eyebrows shot up in comprehension. I chose not to think about Contis’s personal habits and/or how they might relate to that area of the body. Cami giggled a little and pinched my cheek.

“Oh, I think Steph would be the perfect roommate for Miss Mara. Can you see the two of them together? What a pair!” She threw her head back and laughed riotously, pushing me out of the door as she did so. I began to grow nervous when, at the other end of the hallway, she was still chuckling and snorting noisily. At last she managed to shove a proverbial sock in it and strike up a conversation. “That went well,” she said as we rounded the corner.

“Did it now?” I asked sarcastically. “Because I was under the impression that I just cursed out my future captain and made a total fool of myself.”

“Nah, angry wet chicks are hot. I’m sure he was impressed.”

I blushed just thinking about the state of my personal hygiene. When was the last time I had taken a shower? …Good God almighty, what if I smelled horrendous?

Cami noticed my reaction and misinterpreted it. She turned coyly and stuck out her behind, putting a sexy finger to her lips. “Oooooh, someone’s blushing! Methinks Mara has a crush!”

I closed my eyes and prayed that my new roommate was the quiet type. Taking a deep breath, I realized that my bad temper stemmed mostly from my sticky wet clothes and aching bones as opposed to a genuine dislike of this girl. At any other time, I would have found her antics extremely amusing. But now all I wanted was a hot cup of tea and a really long bath.

“OK, here we are!” announced Cami as we came to a stop in front of an innocuous looking gray door. She rapped three times on the wood, and a delicate soprano voice answered from within. “Coming!” There was some commotion inside the room, followed by rapidly approaching footsteps. The handle jiggled, and I waited for it to open…but instead it kept jiggling, and I realized that the person on the other side was having some difficulty opening the door.

“Push OUT, Steph,” sighed Cami, rolling her eyes.

The door burst open a second later, and the girl stumbled out into the hallway. She caught herself on the doorframe, and giggling sheepishly, straightened. I met her big puppy-dog eyes, and I had to suppress the urge to say “awww”… She was probably the cutest thing I had ever seen. She wore a blue bandana over her dark brown hair, which fell in loose curls almost to her waist, and she stood somewhat awkwardly, with her toes turned inward as she self-consciously pulled her skirt down farther over her very curvy hips.

“Steph, Mara; Mara, Steph,” introduced Cami briskly, shoving me into the room. “Roommates, friends, yay. Bye now.” She slammed the door before I could bid her farewell, and I found myself alone with Steph in our new room. I looked around. There were clothes everywhere. Draped over the dressers, on the backs of chairs, on the carpet, and across both small beds. There were even clothes hanging from the corners of the window frame.

“Umm…”

“Oh my gosh, I am so sorry about the clothes!” she cried, rushing to one of the beds and frantically clearing it off. “I’m responsible for the crew’s laundry, and if I dry it anywhere other than in my room, Cami steals all the underwear and charges a ransom for its return.”

I chuckled as I sat down on the creaky box-spring mattress. “That does sound like Cami. And by the way, I’m sorry that introduction was crap. Let’s try a proper one. My name is Mara Ess.”

She sat down on the bed, smiled brightly, and waved – an odd action considering that she was only a foot or so away from me. “I’m Stephanie Bradford, but you can call me Steph. Some of the men – especially Contis – call me Brad, but I don’t really like that very much, so please don’t call me that, thanks.”

I nodded, understanding probably more than she did that the guys had chosen that nickname because it was humorous when paired with her blatantly feminine appearance.
Suddenly she gasped, and I jumped a little at the sound. “I just realized…you’re all wet! You’re probably freezing cold! Hold on, I’ll find you something!” She hopped up and flitted over to the other side of the room, where she began rifling through the drawers of her bureau. She pulled out a long fluffy nightgown and spirited it over to me. “Here you go! It’ll probably be too big for you, but at least it’s warm.”

“Thanks,” I blinked, taking the garment from her.

She stood dumbly for a moment, then snapped back to attention. “I’m so sorry! You need to change.” She shut her eyes tight and whirled around, and then to my astonishment, plugged her ears as well. I laughed a little to myself as a peeled off my soaked clothing and wrapped myself in her nightshift. Why on earth had she covered her ears? Did she think she was going to overhear me being naked? What a nut.

I tapped her on the shoulder when I had finished, and she dropped her arms and smiled. “You look so cute and fuzzy!” she said, clasping her hands together. “Now sit down and I’ll make you some tea.”

I gaped after her in slight wonder as she seemed to miraculously conjure up one nice thing after another. I couldn’t help feeling like a little child as she doted mercilessly upon me. At the moment, however, I couldn’t have asked for anything better – and after I had drunk my tea, I felt like a new woman.

“I couldn’t help but notice,” I said as she settled across from me with her own cup of tea, “you don’t exactly seem like the pirate type.”

She shrugged innocently. “That’s what everyone says. But you see…that’s what’s so great. Nobody ever thinks I’m a pirate. People trust me because I look cute and act sweet. I like being liked, so I keep acting like that. I like doing stuff for other people too. So if you ever want me to steal something for you or whatever, just let me know, and I will.”
I raised an eyebrow ever so slightly, sensing a new dimension to her character. I wondered if she was as guileless as she appeared. Even more, I wondered if I would be able to manipulate her, or if she was already manipulating me.

“I have rules, too” she continued, counting on her fingers. “I won’t murder other people, I won’t say bad words, and I won’t participate in a mutiny. Other than that, I’m good for just about anything. Just don’t ask me to do those off-limit things, and we’ll be great friends.”

I eyed her warily for a second more, then finally decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. “That sounds reasonable.”

“I’m so glad!” she beamed.

I raised my empty teacup in a toast. “Cheers,” I said. “Here’s to my new roomie.”




~*Mara*~ = ^.^ =

[RocksmySocks]

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwweeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssoooooooooooooommmmmmmmme!

Love it, Mara! Your piratey crew members are fantastic! I want to be on that ship...


This reminds me. I really should work on getting the next chapter of my intro fic up. Don't let me forget about that, Ratty.



-Rat Lady :ahoy:

[.:!Gwen!:.]

LOL. Wow, I love it, Mara! You're extremely good at picking a personality and just going with it.

lolContis. Naughty, naughty.

Srsfase, write more soon cause I need to keep reading this. ;A;







.:!Gwen!:.

[Kaytron]

Lovely, Mara! ^_^

^Kaytron^ :ph43r:

[Beks]

Marvolous, darling! ^_^

(ps: do I get to be in this delightful tale? *wags eyebrows* )

[Mara=^.^=]

Thanks everybody!


~*Mara*~ = ^.^ =

[fierysue]

Love it, Mara! Your piratey crew members are fantastic! I want to be on that ship...

Don't we all?

But seriously, though, you really should continue - although how you can make it four chapters only is beyond me...

:)

[kohirihiri]

When he showed up at my doorstep, I was standing over two bodies with a loaded gun.

OMG, LOVE! *reads on*

I wondered if I would be able to manipulate her, or if she was already manipulating me.

LOL!

[Mara=^.^=]

What? An update? No way! :o
LOL, this chappie has waaaay too much self-fanservice. I swear to God I am amusing myself so much with this thing.


____

Chapter 4, in which the plot thickens ever so slightly


If only I had aimed one inch to the left. I had not forgotten my painful creed, and for the next six months, I began each and every each morning at the firing range on the lower deck. At first I just shot mindlessly, pressing the trigger again and again in a blind range until the target was reduced to a tattered mess of bullet holes. Over time, though, I grew steadier, replacing recklessness and anger with control and temperance. My fear turned into respect, and I stopped flinching at the ear-shattering sound of the shots. I alternated weapons, learning the quirks of each model in turn. From old semi-auto pistols to imported plasma guns, I carried at least two firearms with me at all times – I learned how to clean them, how to take them apart, and how to put them together again. I practiced until the gun became like an extension of my own arm. After a time, it became apparent that I was a naturally gifted sharpshooter. I could hit a tiny black bull’s-eye from clear across the firing range…while running… in heels. I add that last part in there simply because most people don’t realize how hard that is. My newfound skill gave me a renewed sense of confidence. Never again would I be caught off guard.

When I wasn’t busy honing my skills, practicing trick shots, or generally showing off, I got to know the other members of the crew. There were 31 of us in all – a pretty small group considering the size of the ship. I swam in a veritable sea of lively camaraderie, brilliantly executed pranks, and high profile crime. It took me a couple of weeks to adjust to life on board the ship – but after the first month, I felt as though I had always belonged there. For ruthless, cutthroat pirates, my fellow crewmates were a remarkably congenial lot. A day rarely passed by without some outrageous incident – usually caused in whole or in part by Cami or one of the other pranksters aboard the ship.

Cami reveled in her role as ‘chief contraband obtainment engineer’, but where she truly excelled was in her secondary post as trickster extraordinaire. That girl always had some evil little scheme tucked up her sleeve. Cami was a master thief and a cunning little deviant who enjoyed nothing more than making trouble wherever she went. She had more loot than anyone else on the whole rig, and she often flaunted it, wearing gaudy necklaces, golden crowns, and rings with ridiculously oversized gemstones. On such occasions, she orated endlessly in a fake snobbish accent, doling out orders to her unimpressed crewmates as she swaggered pompously around the ship.

Steph, on the other hand, seemed to live to serve others. She made my bed for me, cleaned the room, and never fell into a bad temper no matter what the circumstance. A dogged optimist, she was a clear favorite among many of the men, though you wouldn’t know it from their constant teasing. During our daily interactions, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Steph was somehow fundamentally unclear on the concept. Why was this girl a pirate? How, when, and why had she taken up on account? When I questioned the Captain on the matter, he responded only by telling me that she had left home in search of her brother Seth, who was himself a pirate. She had managed to find him – but he had proven himself to be a traitorous scoundrel, leaving her to take the blame for a crime he had committed. Her reputation destroyed, her entire village turned its back on her. With nowhere else to go, she was forced to follow in Seth’s criminal footsteps.

Speaking of the Captain…the guy was utterly brilliant. He seemed to know everything – and if he didn’t know something, he knew where to find the person who did. He was monstrously efficient. During those first six months, we acquired an enormous amount of booty, all with little or no real danger to our own lives. He orchestrated everything – he seemed to know each and every law, business practice, and underground organization in all of Neutronia. He made it all work to our advantage, with a shrug and smile that made me want to pick him up and hug him until he squeaked. In all honesty, it was more like following a good-humored master tax consultant than a pirate. It was clear that the others admired him too – he had natural people skills, and he always knew what was going on in the lives of his crew members…often before they did.

But there was another side to our resourceful, good-natured Captain. He was alarmingly secretive despite his outward air of nonchalance, and I found myself wondering endlessly about his motives. What was his story? Even with precognition, how did a teenage boy get a hold of such a magnificent sky ship? I noticed that each person aboard the ship had been hand-picked for some ability or skill that he or she possessed. Furthermore, each person owed the captain some debt of gratitude…and I wondered how he had really found me, and what axe he was holding over my head.

I would get my answers sooner than I thought. A few days later, on the 7th month anniversary of my joining the crew, the Captain proposed an unusual mission.

__


“This is to be kept secret from the rest of the crew,” he said conspiratorially, peering out from under his black bangs as Cami, Steph, Contis, and I closed in around his desk, waiting eagerly to hear the details of what was sure to be a brilliantly diabolical plan.

“I won’t sugarcoat things. This mission is dangerous,” continued the Captain, the overly dramatic character of his words perfectly counterbalanced by his stony-faced expression. “So dangerous, in fact, that I’ll be coming with you. We’ll leave tonight, and return tomorrow morning before we’re missed.”

Cami was practically salivating. “Please tell me I get to steal something shiny and expensive! I want a challenge, damn it! I’m so BORED! I haven’t had a real…

“Quiet, Cami,” he said tersely, and we all blinked in surprise. It wasn’t often that somebody shushed Cami to her face, and it was rarer still to hear such clipped words coming from our easy-going Captain. She took the chastisement surprisingly well, pushing her lower lip into a spectacular pout before falling into silence.

“As I was saying,” he went on, “this isn’t going to be easy. You guys aren’t used to running this kind of an op because…well, as any dolt with half a brain could tell you, I try to avoid getting our hands dirty whenever possible. It’s so much cleaner when money just jumps up and pours itself into our pockets. However, in this case I believe the risk is worth the payoff.”

Cami couldn’t control herself any longer. “Would you just TELL us what this is about?”

This time, the Captain smiled warmly at her outburst. “I’m glad you’re so enthusiastic, Cami. It makes me feel better about risking your life. Anyway, the plan…”

He pulled out a stack of papers from a desk drawer and handed us each a small packet of schematics and a detailed bullet-point outline of the plan. I flipped open the cover page, glanced over his perfectly printed handwriting, then did a double take when I saw the label on the bottom of the first layout drawing – King Goobot’s Residence Schematic, Floor 1, Cross section B@A

My eyebrows shut up, and I looked up sharply from the paper. “King Goobot? What business do we have with him?”
The Captain lounged comfortably in his chair. “Mara has raised an excellent question. If you’ll all please turn to page 5 of your plot packets…”

I suppressed a smile at hearing the term ‘plot packets’, and did as I was told. I found myself staring down at a detailed inventory of Goobot’s possessions.

Now, for anyone unfamiliar with the profound douchebaggery of Neutronian politics, I should probably give you a bit of background on “King” Goobot the fifth. King Goobot was an alien refugee who had been exiled from his own planet after a mysterious indiscretion destroyed his authority there. It didn’t take him long to set up base on his new world, however, and in less than 2 years time, he had managed to seize the reins of power in Southern Neutronia. He now ruled over a small empire of villages, hamlets, and coastal cities in the bottom part of the country – and corruption, organized crime, and human rights abuses ran wild. Worse still, rumor had it that Goobot and his cronies had recently become involved in some weird religious cult involving human sacrifices to a fictitious bird deity.

“Just in case any of you are stunningly out of touch with reality,” continued the Captain, “King Goobot is, for wont of a better term, a heinous douche bag. He holds all of Southern Neutronia in his gooey little clutches and has grown sickeningly rich by feeding off the misery and poverty of others.”

I was inwardly thrilled at hearing my own thoughts on the matter put so succinctly.

“Furthermore, and more importantly,” he went on, “Goobot has enough loot in that one mansion to make us rich beyond our wildest dreams. Pull off a heist there, and we’d be famous from sea to shining sea. And, to be honest, we’d be doing the world a favor if we shot him through the head while we were at it.”

Steph clapped her hands. “Oh, so this is a noble mission! I’m so excited! Finally, a chance to redeem myself for stealing that sandwich yesterday…”

Contis whirled around. He was burly, red-faced guy with an obnoxiously square chin and disproportionately large arm muscles. “What?” he gasped. “It was YOU who took my sandwich? Not cool Brad, not cool!”

The Captain waved away their commentary. “Please, don’t mistake my motives for altruism. We’re pirates. We don’t get involved in politics. It’s a rat’s nest of unsolvable problems and power-hungy bastards. Trust me, I know. Anything we do is for the benefit of this crew, and this crew alone. Of course, what you choose to do with your share of the money is entirely up to you, but our first priority is to steal the stuff to begin with.”

Cami squinted down at the schematics. “No offense, Captain, but I think my skills would be enough to handle this job. Why do we need a five man team?”

“I’ve chosen you each for the unique set of characteristics that you possess. Cami, you’re the most talented thief I’ve ever met in my life. I wouldn’t dream of doing this without you.” She beamed, and he turned to me. “Mara, I’ve been watching you practice…you’re getting quite good with a gun. What’s more, you despise corrupt authority figures even more than I do, which is really saying something.” He turned at last to Steph and Contis. “Steph, I need you to play the classic role of damsel in distress…and Contis, well…you’re expendable.”

“You bet I…” Contis stopped in mid-sentence. “…Wait, what?”

The Captain shrugged. “Someone has to play the role of expendable comic relief. If not you, then I might end up losing one of my more valuable crew members.”

We all stared at the boy captain quizzically, not entirely sure how much of the previous statement had been a joke. He didn’t bother to clarify, and instead reached back into his desk and pulled out 3 dark-colored items of clothing, which he handed to the girls. I unfolded mine and placed an indignant hand on my hip.

“Really?” I drawled, unfurling the cloth to reveal it for what it was – a ridiculously form-fitting gray cat-suit.

“Why aren’t they black?” asked Steph, puzzled.

“Why are we wearing them at all?” I shot back.

“Honestly, use your heads,” he said with a completely straight face. “Dark gray is much better suited for sneaking around. Black is just too dark – it actually stands out against the patchwork of night shadows. As for your question, Mara, I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to dress you three up in cat-suits. It’s something I’ve wanted to see for quite awhile now.”

“Pffft,” spat Cami. “See me in a cat-suit? What’s the point of that? You’ve already seen me naked.”

“Hasn’t everyone?” he remarked dryly.

Awkward silence reigned supreme for about five seconds, then Cami turned heel and walked out. “Well, I’m off. See you four at sundown.”

Contis reached down and pinched Steph on the butt. “Come on, Brad, we still have time to catch dinner if we hurry. You can repay me by making me another sandwich.”

She squeaked, then shuffled out of the room behind him. I turned to leave, but stopped abruptly when my sleeve caught on something. I looked over to see the Captain’s hand on my arm.

I couldn’t think of anything to say, so I puffed out my chest and flexed my muscles in a cheesy imitation of Contis’s masculine swagger. “Make me a sandwich, woman!” I bellowed, stomping forward in a bowlegged march. The Captain threw his head back and laughed.

“Did you really mean what you said about Contis being expendable?” I asked when his laughter had died down. “I mean, the guy’s a total bonehead, but it’s not like you to joke about the lives of your subordinates like that.”

“What do you think?” he evaded, twirling a lock of hair around his finger.

I squinted at the Captain’s deceptively innocent face. “I think…you actually like Contis.”

The Captain grinned. “Right you are. He’s a bucket of laughs. Fortunately, he’s also extremely gullible, which heightens his entertainment value significantly.”

“You are a diabolical fiend,” I smiled proudly.

“The horns hold up the halo,” he responded, before putting up a finger to his lips. “Shh, I have something for you.”

He produced a single sheet of paper, and I accepted it quizzically. “What is this?” I asked, staring down at the tiny words.

He rolled his eyes. “Read it, and you’ll find out.”

My gaze trailed over the heading: Official Pardon. Notice of clemency granted to Mara Ess, for all crimes committed before star date 3.5.09…

My mouth dropped open, and I almost lost my grip on the paper in surprise. “You got me a pardon?”

“Congratulations. You’re not a wanted criminal anymore.”

“But, why? …how?” I gawked. “How on earth did you get this?”

“I can get you anything you want,” he whispered.

His tone of voice set off alarm bells in my head. I whirled around and scowled at him accusingly. “What’s the meaning of this? It takes a heck of a lot of string-pulling to get an official pardon. Just who are you anyway?”

He scratched his arm. “I’m Captain. And that’s not the thanks I was expecting, but hey, life’s full of surprises, isn’t it.”

“Very funny. What’s your real name?”

“I already told you. My name is Captain. I had it legally changed two years ago. It makes everything easier that way.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Nope.”

“Fine, Captain. Then tell me this: just what are you really after, here? Anyone with their eyes open can tell that you’re involved in more than just piracy.”

“My, my, aren’t we the conspiracy theorist? Bring me some proof, and then I’ll talk.”

“You annoying little brat! You’re really not going to tell me anything about yourself, are you?” I snapped.

“I don’t talk about myself.”

“Well, then we’re two of a kind! Neither do I!” I whirled around and crossed my arms over my chest. After a moment it dawned on me how childish this particular action was, and I turned back to face him. “Pretend I didn’t just do that. I don’t want to come across all womanly and petulant. But you really are a pain in the ass, you know that?”

“You’re welcome, Mara,” he said, returning to the chair behind his desk. “Now get out of here before I beat the crap out of you.”

“Like you could!” I called over my shoulder as I left the room.



____

Raid on Goobot's stronghold is next! +CamiMaraSteph in catsuits ohlooool.


~*Mara*~ = ^.^ =

[curiochibi]

HOLY MOTHAF*CKA. *epic jawdrop*

My story faaaaaaaaaails compared to yours. :'(
I MUST REWRITE MINE SUPAQUICKFAST.





Excellent job, Mara Ess!








=Jessi=

[J/C AVA]

He. -_-

What else CAN I say about your writing skills, Mara?

[RocksmySocks]

Woohoo! The adventure continues! :dance: Hah, I love how King Goobot is your adversary. The first and ultimate villain...and apparently a heinous douchebag.


Man, I completely forgot about my story! Alright, I have GOT to get back to that...I left off right before the actual adventuring was to begin...