Starcatchers 01 - Peter and the Starcatchers

by Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson

  “That’s why the Others put this batch of starstuff into that golden box,” said Leonard. “But they didn’t do it correctly. The box must be constructed so that air itself cannot pass in or out. If it’s done right, the starstuff can’t escape, and it can’t be detected. That’s why I found nothing odd about the fact that I felt nothing from the trunk on the Wasp—I assumed the golden box inside was made correctly.

  “But of course the real reason was that there was no starstuff inside the Wasp trunk—it was a ruse that, I’m ashamed to say, fooled me completely. The real starstuff box—the one on the Never Land—was not made properly; the Others don’t have the experience that we have, or the expertise, or the craftsmanship. They couldn’t make the box tight enough. And so the box leaked. In fact, it’s been leaking since it was back in Scotland; apparently some of it got on a lizard or snake, which transformed into some sort of strange gigantic creature, which managed to escape into Loch Ness. I certainly hope that’s the last we hear of that.

  “In any event,” continued Leonard, “we’ve got the starstuff back now, thanks to you, young lady. You did well, Molly. Extraordinarily well—a young Starcatcher, alone, defeating Slank and that giant of his…”

  “It wasn’t just me,” said Molly. “It was Peter, too. In fact it was mostly Peter.”

  “Is that so,” Leonard said thoughtfully, studying Peter.

  “It is, father!” said Molly. “Peter was wonderful. There’s so much I need to tell you, but for starters, he rescued me from Slank, and he came up with the idea of taking the starstuff out of the trunk.”

  “That wasn’t just me,” said Peter, blushing. “That was Teacher’s idea, too.”

  “I suppose,” said Molly, coldly.

  “Teacher?” said Leonard.

  “That mermaid there,” said Peter. “The yellow-haired one.”

  He pointed to where the mermaids were gathered, a few yards offshore. Teacher was the closest, watching them—watching Molly, actually—and looking quite unhappy.

  “So you picked up the golden box?” Leonard asked Peter.

  “I did,” said Peter.

  “And how long did you hold it?”

  “I don’t know,” said Peter. “A few seconds, I think. I can’t say for sure. As I told Molly, I almost fainted.”

  “You almost did far worse than that,” said Leonard, but softly, to himself.

  “What did you say?” said Molly.

  “Nothing,” said Leonard. “Molly, did you touch the box?”

  “Only for the briefest instant,” said Molly. “I had to pull my hand away. I don’t know how Peter managed to pick it up.”

  “Nor do I,” said Leonard, studying Peter now with an intensity that Peter found disconcerting. “Nor do I. Tell me, Peter,” he said. “How did you fly out to rescue Molly from Slank?”

  “I used the loose starstuff,” said Peter. “I poured it out of the trunk, and scooped some into my hand.”

  “I see,” said Leonard. “And you gave some to Molly, so she could fly back with you, is that right?”

  “Yes,” said Peter.

  “Molly,” said Leonard. “Can you fly now?”

  Molly closed her eyes, concentrating.

  “No,” she said after a few moments. “It’s worn off.”

  “Peter,” said Leonard. “Can you fly?”

  Peter’s body immediately started to rise.

  “That’s odd,” he said, hovering a few feet off the ground. “Usually I have to try, but this time…I just thought about it, and here I am!” He floated gently back down.

  “I see,” said Leonard, his expression grave.

  “Father,” said Molly, “What is it? Is something wrong with Peter?”

  “Not wrong, no,” said Leonard. “Not exactly.”

  “What do you mean?” said Molly and Peter together.

  “I mean,” said Aster, “that the starstuff may have changed Peter. Just as it changed the fish in this lagoon”—he gestured toward the mermaids—“it can change people, too, if there’s enough of it.”

  Peter was pale. “How did it change me? I don’t feel any different.”

  “Fly,” said Leonard.

  Immediately, Peter rose again.

  “That’s how,” said Leonard.

  “You mean…you mean I can just…fly now? Without needing more starstuff?”

  “Yes,” said Leonard.

  “And it’s permanent?” said Peter. “I’ll always be able to fly?”

  “I believe so,” said Leonard.

  “But that’s wonderful!” said Peter, grinning hugely, still floating just off the ground. “I can fly!”

  “But, Father,” said Molly. “If that’s so, why don’t all the Starcatchers do what Peter did? Why don’t we expose ourselves to enough starstuff that we can always fly, as well?”

  “For two reasons,” said Leonard. “One is that the concentration of starstuff required for the transformation is ordinarily fatal, even for a Starcatcher, let alone a normal person. Peter is very, very lucky; he must have an extraordinary tolerance for starstuff. Most people who picked up that leaking box would have died; in fact, we understand that several did die when that box was filled.”

  “What’s the other reason?” said Peter.

  The other reason,” said Leonard, “is that the starstuff, in that concentration, causes other changes in humans, beyond just enabling them to fly.”

  “What do you mean?” said Peter. “What other changes?”

  “I don’t know, frankly,” said Leonard. “There are few cases like yours, of a person surviving the exposure, and each one is unique. But it’s possible that…that you…”

  Leonard hesitated.

  “That I what?” pressed Peter.

  “That you won’t get any older.”

  “What?” said Peter.

  “That you’ll stay as you are,” said Leonard. “A boy. Forever.”

  Peter thought about that for several moments, then spoke, slowly.

  “Is that bad?” he said.

  “I don’t know,” said Leonard. “I suppose in some ways, it could be good—never getting old and tired; never becoming frail.”

  Peter considered that.

  “But it could be lonely, too,” he said. “Staying the same age, while your friends grow up.” He looked at Molly, then quickly looked away.

  “Yes,” said Leonard. “There is that.”

  “How will I know?” said Peter. “How will I know if I’ve changed?”

  “I think,” said Leonard, “you’ll just have to wait. And perhaps I’m mistaken. We can look into this more, when we’re back in England; I’ll arrange with your family to…”

  “I have no family,” said Peter. “I’m an orphan.” He gestured to James, Prentiss, Thomas, and Tubby Ted. “We’re all orphans.”

  “They were on their way to Rundoon,” said Molly, with a shudder. “To serve King Zarboff.”

  “I see,” said Leonard to Peter. “Well, then, when we get back to England, you’ll stay with us, and we’ll sort this out. But for now, we need to deal with the starstuff: I see my people have just about finished their work.”

  The gold-clad figures on the rock had carefully lifted the leaking golden box and placed it inside a larger, leakproof one, made by Starcatcher artisans. They then sealed this second box and placed it inside a black wooden trunk, much like the decoy one that the Others had loaded onto the Wasp back in London, so long ago. The Starcatchers stowed this trunk in the longboat, and removed their golden protective garb. They were now rowing to shore to pick up the others.

  “It’s a good-sized longboat,” said Leonard. “I think it will hold us all. Our ship is anchored ’round that point there. We’re to be escorted back to England by two British navy warships, seventy-four guns apiece; we Starcatchers have our friends in the government. The navy will also be escorting the pirate ship out there. Strangest thing: the pirates were all tied up and hung about like laundry.”

  “Slank,
” said Molly, and Peter nodded. Peter’s hand went to his belt, where he’d tucked Slank’s knife.

  “We found Mrs. Bumbrake locked below,” continued Aster. “She was a bit cranky, but none the worse for wear.” Aster’s eyes twinkled. “She’s looking forward to resuming her care of you, Molly.”

  “Wonderful!” said Molly, making no effort at all to sound sincere.

  “Here we are,” said Aster, as the prow of the sleek longboat reached the beach. He called to Alf and the boys, “All aboard for England, then!”

  He took a step toward the longboat, then stopped at the sound—a harsh SWISH, then a loud and solid THUNKKKK—as a hurtling spear hissed passed his head, and buried its sharp, pink tip deep into the longboat hull.

  “Stop right there, Englishman!” hollered Fighting Prawn, a hundred Mollusks behind him.

  CHAPTER 76

  PETER’S PLEA

  THE ENTIRE MOLLUSK TRIBE, a hundred strong, were arrayed in a semicircle on the beach around Leonard, Molly, Peter, and the others. The first light of dawn was showing in the sky; it caught the sharpened pink shells that formed the spear-tips of the Mollusk warriors.

  They’d crept silently from the jungle while all attention had been focused on the mermaid rock. Now they stood watching, the warriors in front, spears poised, waiting for orders from Fighting Prawn.

  “Who on earth are they?” whispered Leonard.

  “They live here,” whispered Peter. “They captured us before, but we got away. They’re called the Mollusks. That old man is their leader. He hates Englishmen.”

  “You might have mentioned this to me, Molly,” said Leonard. “The fact that there are hostile natives on the island.”

  “I forgot,” said Molly.

  “You forgot?” said Leonard.

  “There’s been a lot happening,” said Molly.

  As she spoke, Fighting Prawn came forward with the confidence of one who is well aware of the overwhelming superiority of his forces. Ignoring Leonard and the other Starcatchers, he walked up to Peter.

  “So, boy,” he said. “You were not lying, about the magic.”

  “No,” said Peter.

  Fighting Prawn looked around at the others, then at the trunk.

  “And there it is,” he said. “In that box. Magic that makes people fly, makes animals fly, turns fish into women, or women into fish.” He nodded toward the mermaid rock.

  “Yes,” said Peter.

  “We will take it,” said Fighting Prawn, signaling with his hand. A dozen warriors started forward toward the longboat. The Starcatcher crew drew their weapons, swords and pistols. The warriors stopped, looking to Fighting Prawn, who turned calmly to Leonard Aster.

  “Tell them to drop their weapons,” he said.

  “No,” said Leonard. “We can’t let you have that trunk.”

  “You are not in a position to decide what we can have,” said Fighting Prawn. “Your people might hurt some of mine, but there are too many of us. We will win, and you will die.” He gestured toward Molly. “I have watched you from the jungle; I can see that you love this girl. Do you want her to die?”

  Leonard looked at Molly, then back at Fighting Prawn, and shook his head.

  “No,” he said.

  “Then tell your people to put down their weapons.”

  “NO!” said Molly.

  “She’s right!” said Peter. “He’ll kill us anyway. They kill ALL strangers on this island. That’s what he told us.”

  “That’s true,” said Fighting Prawn. “I told you that. But I won’t kill you. I need you to show me how the magic works. I can see it has great power. I can see even you fear its power. So to use it, I need you. That is your guarantee of safety.”

  Leonard was silent for a moment, then spoke softly.

  “All right,” he said.

  “Father, don’t!” said Molly.

  “Molly,” said Leonard. “Look around us. He’s right. Even if we do all we can”—here he gave Molly a significant look, and touched the locket chain around his neck—“some of us will die. We’ll do as he says, for now, and perhaps we can…ah…work something out.” Again, he touched his locket chain. He turned to the Starcatcher crew. “Drop your weapons,” he said.

  Reluctantly, they obeyed.

  “Now, tell them to get out of the boat,” said Fighting Prawn. “But they’re to leave the magic box where it is.”

  Leonard gave the order, and the Starcatchers joined him on the beach.

  Fighting Prawn turned and made a series of grunting and clicking sounds. Immediately the Starcatchers were surrounded by the warriors, who began to prod them to move down the beach.

  “Where are they taking us?” said Leonard.

  “Just a short distance there,” said Fighting Prawn. “I want to take a look at this magic box, but I don’t want you close enough to try any Englishman tricks when I do.” He gestured to Peter. “You, boy, you come with me. If you try anything, your friends will pay for it, do you understand?”

  “Yes,” said Peter.

  The Mollusks herded the Starcatchers, along with Alf and the other boys, about twenty-five yards down the beach. Fighting Prawn and Peter walked to the longboat, its prow resting on the sand. They climbed inside. The trunk lay in the bow. Fighting Prawn went forward and touched the lid, resting his hand on the smooth, dark wood.

  “How does it work, boy?” he said to Peter.

  “I don’t know,” said Peter.

  “Don’t lie, boy. I’ve seen you fly.”

  “Yes,” said Peter, “but I don’t understand it. It’s very powerful, and it can do many things, wonderful things, strange things. But also bad things, if the wrong people have it. And there are…Listen, I can’t explain all of what’s going on—it’s very complicated—but you must believe me. You will be much better off, much better, if you let that man”—he pointed at Leonard—“take this trunk, and leave this island.”

  Fighting Prawn shook his head. “If he leaves,” he said, “more will come, and more. No, boy. I will keep him, and I will keep this trunk, and with his help I will learn to use its power, and when I do, I will make sure no outsider dares set foot on this island ever again.”

  Peter was about to try another plea, when he heard the sound behind him: running footsteps slapping on the hard-packed sand. Fighting Prawn heard them too, and their heads turned, and they saw, coming hard, coming fast, a cutthroat crew led by a scowling figure with his sword held high.

  Black Stache.

  CHAPTER 77

  ATTACK

  STACHE’S ATTACK WAS PERFECTLY TIMED, thanks to his veteran-pirate grasp of tactics—and a big piece of luck.

  He and his men had been watching from the palms as the strangely dressed figures had transferred the treasure into a new wooden trunk. The men, especially Smee, were somewhat unnerved by the gleaming gold costumes, but Stache had convinced them that this was an indication of how rich, how fabulous, the treasure was—those who possessed it wore golden clothes!

  He’d watched as the figures had loaded the trunk into the longboat.

  Such a lovely boat; so nice of them to provide it for me.

  His plan was to spring the attack just as the longboat reached the beach, and he was about to give the order when—NO!—the savages appeared. For several horrid minutes, Stache was filled with rage and despair, thinking all hope was lost. But then came the incredible stroke of luck. For some reason not clear to Stache, the old savage, the leader, sent all the others down the beach, leaving only himself and the boy—The cursed boy!—with the longboat. It was perfect.

  And with a few whispered instructions—the plan was quite simple—Stache had whispered “Now!” And the attack was on.

  It took only seconds: by the time the boy and the old man had turned their heads, the pirates were at the longboat; by the time the old savage had shouted, it was in the water, moving away from shore, with the waddling Smee bringing up the rear, just barely making it aboard.

  By the time t
he cursed boy had got to his feet, in the prow, just in front of the old savage, Black Stache was upon him, his sword drawn back.

  “Good-bye, boy,” Stache said.

  Smiling, he lunged his sword forward, the tip of his blade aimed at the boy’s heart, and…

  The boy disappeared.

  In fact, he flew straight up, but so quickly did he launch himself that Stache never really saw it, and thus had no chance to stop the thrust of his sword, which continued right through, plunging deep into the chest of Fighting Prawn.

  CHAPTER 78

  ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD

  PETER WAS ASCENDING WHEN HE HEARD THE SCREAM; he looked down and saw Stache, a look of puzzlement on his face, pull his sword from Fighting Prawn’s chest. Fighting Prawn, still standing, looked down at the blood gushing from the awful wound, then, with a groan, fell backward onto the starstuff trunk.

  Peter looked back to the beach, where chaos had erupted. Mollusk warriors, roaring with rage, were sprinting along the sand and into the water, spears cocked. Behind them, a dozen more highly agitated warriors surrounded Leonard, Molly, and the others, ready to strike at the slightest move, the points of their spears almost touching the captives.

  “ROW, YOU DOGS!” screamed Stache to his men. “ROW FOR YOUR LIVES!” The pirates, needing no encouragement, were already at the oars, pulling with all their strength. A spear thunked into the side of the longboat, then another, then one just overhead. Stache, in the prow, yanked Fighting Prawn upright, and dragged him to the side of the boat. The old man’s face was gray from blood loss, but he blinked, still alive. Stache raised the wounded man up in front of him for the Mollusks on the beach to see.

  “DO YOU WANT TO KILL HIM, THEN?” bellowed Stache. Afraid of hitting their chief, warriors stopped throwing spears. Some of them, insane with frustration, plunged into the lagoon and began swimming, but the pirate rowers had found their rhythm, and the longboat was moving far too fast for any swimmer to catch.

  Stache was getting away. With the Starcatchers unable to move on the beach, and the Mollusks unable to reach him, Black Stache was getting away.