Third Beginning

Pirates

The setting sun cast a reddened hue over the field surrounding the cave structure. Hinata watched from the entrance as Jim came out of the brush, followed by two individuals. Jack floated down to greet them as they approached, but Hinata stayed where she was and examined the travelers. One of them had the appearance of a humanoid dog with long brown ears and a large nose. In its arms was the other figure, seemingly unconscious, that had the appearance of a long and slender cat-woman. They reached the base of the cave and began to slowly climb up. Jim helped the dog-man carry the woman up the vines.

"Do you need some help?" Hinata asked, preparing to jump out of the cave.

"No it's fine." Jim told her shortly. "We've got it."

"Oh, alright," Hinata shrugged, giving a small smile to the dog-man when he glanced up at her.

"Hello," The man asked, getting inside the cave. "I didn't realize there were other lifeforms here. Who might you be?"

Hinata stepped out of the way as the man walked past her to set the cat-woman down. Rubbing the back of her neck she introduced herself. "I'm Hinata. I'm not actually from here, my ship crashed here a few weeks ago."

Before the man could respond, Ben butted in. "Uh. Pardon the mess people. You'd think in a hundred years l would've dusted a little more often... but, you know, when you're batchin' it you tend to, uh, let things go." He tipped over the chess set on top of the wooden barrel, causing a loud thud to echo through the cave. He caught sight of the man gently placing the cat-woman on the ground against one of the metal spheres and began rummaging through his pile behind the curtain while exclaiming. "Aw, isn't that sweet? l find old-fashioned romance so touching, don't you? How about drinks for the happy couple?" With a grin he turned around holding a platter with two goblets filled with bubbling oil.

The man cleared his throat. "Oh, uh, ooh. Uh, no. Thank you, we don't drink... and, uh, we're not a couple." He took off his dark red jacket and folded it into a pillow for the woman as he smiled at her. There was a moment of silence in the room until he shook his head and continued. "Ahem. Look at these markings. They're identical to the ones on the map. l suspect these are the hieroglyphic remnants... of an ancient culture."

Hinata looked up as the man pointed to the walls of the cave. Engravings of strange symbols covered the ceiling of the cave, but Hinata had never paid it any mind. She looked over at the entrance of the cave where Jim was solemnly staring outside; when the cat-woman spoke up.

"Mr. Hawkins," She grimaced, her orange ears flat on her head. "Stop anyone who tries to approach. Ohh!" Her eyes widened and she grabbed her side.

The dog-man began scolding the woman but Hinata paid no mind as Ben sped past her to look outside. She walked up beside him to get a quiet word in.

"Do you know how they got here?" Hinata whispered to him. "Do they still have a working ship?"

Ben ignored Hinata's inquiry and suddenly began jumping up and down, pointing out of the cave and yelling. "Hey. look! There's some more of your buddies! Hey, fellas! We're over here, fellas!"

"Ben, what are you doing?!" Hinata whispered harshly before ducking for cover when bright beams of lasers began barraging the cave.

Jim grabbed a gun out of his pocket and rushed to the entrance. He yanked Ben away from the weapon fire and began firing his own lasers back at the assailants.

Hinata looked at the weapon in Jim's hands with a confused look, and asked over the sound of the gun-fire. "What is that thing?"

"Stop wastin' your fire!" A male voice roared over the chaos, immediately ceasing the violence. "Hello, up there!" He called once everything had settled down. "Jimbo? lf it's all right with the captain... l'd like a short word with ya. No tricks, just a little palaver."