Kingdom Hearts: The Dark World

Chapter 14-1: Royal Interstellar Academy (Treasure Planet)

The Royal Interstellar Academy housed the next generation of young hopefuls eager enough to take to the skies and explore the stars. Many of those present during the heist on Treasure Planet attended or taught at the academy, and the secrets of the adventure stayed with them. As such, Jim Hawkins, Captain Amelia, Doctor Doppler, and B.E.N. didn't mention their adventures to any of the students or faculty. Jim and Silver maintained a long distance friendship, Captain Amelia served as the dean of the academy, and her husband Doppler helped designed the fastest ship in the galaxy, the Centurion, with B.E.N. serving as the pilot of the ship.

Jim meanwhile attended as a student. However his experience was rather rough, as he still wasn't a stickler for rules, especially in a school setting. This wasn't to say he did bad, but he definitely had his own way of doing things that didn't win him any brownie points among his mentors or peers. Katherine Blake, Jim's fellow classmate, headed him up and matched him blow for blow with each school lesson taught to them. Where Jim was impulsive, Kate was level-headed. Where Jim was resourceful, Kate was by the book. Where Jim was rebellious, Kate was disciplined. For each trait Jim possessed, Kate had the polar opposite. Their rivalry became well renowned throughout the school, both of them vying for the top spot in their class, but never being able to outshine the other long enough. Jim learned most of what he knew through the actions and adventures he had from his voyage to Treasure Planet. Kate was studious, acquiring information through workshops, books, and her instructors, which included her father Admiral Blake, the Commander of the Navy. Jim and Kate wanted the chance to captain the quicksilver-like Centurion ship. They got their chance when Amelia compared their scores which tallied up to an equal point total; this meant neither party won, and both parties passed.

"There must be some mistake," Kate insisted. Amelia shook her head smiling at her desk.

"I can assure you, Miss Blake," Amelia said to her, "This was no mistake. The point totals speak for themselves."

"No way," Jim protested, "She cheated, I know she did!"

"I cheated?", Kate turned to Jim, "You jest."

"Yeah. You couldn't one up me, so you cried to your dad to bolster your scores."

Kate's eyes lit up. "I don't need my father's help to succeed in my classes! At least I paid attention and actually did things how they were supposed to be done, instead of showing off and making a dunce of myself in the face of the academy."

"You're a stickler for rules, you know that? I didn't even need them, and I'm still getting the chance to pilot the Centurion."

"Pilot? You? Surely you jest!"

"No, I'm serious."

"Ha! A first time pirate would make a better captain."

"Are you both quite finished?", Amelia asked them. They scowled at one another with disgust and turned their heads away. "At fifteen hundred hours today you will both report to Doctor Doppler to discuss heralding the Centurion. Once you've done so, you'll convene with your pilot, B.E.N, to discuss your next steps and watch him closely as he guides your voyage outbound and around the academy. He and the good doctor will tally your marks, and maybe then, we shall see if there's a true winner to be commended. Miss Blake, you are dismissed. Mr. Hawkins, you'll remain here. I wish to speak to you. Miss Blake, if you please."

Kate exited the door and Jim watched, sighing with relief when his rival finally left the room and the tension stopped. Amelia stood up from her chair and circled her desk. Jim rubbed his neck nervously.

"I know what you're gonna say," he said to Amelia.

"Naturally," she responded.

"You're wondering why I'm not trying harder to stand by the rules."

"I am."

"Why can't I just be able to get my chance to sail the Centurion without running into doubters at every turn? Everybody's been on my back since I got here."

"James, you forget you're attending an academy now. I recommended you here, which means people will be watching you more closely, and they'll expect you to adhere to a certain code. You can't fight the system here. You also cannot be a loner. You must cooperate with both your teachers and your peers."

"I'm doing fine on my own. You know what I can do. I don't need a bunch of know-it-alls trying to force feed me their way of doing things."

"Charting your own path is nothing to be ashamed of. But do remember that as talented as you are, it's your attitude that needs work. That devil-may-care persona isn't going to win you any friends."

"I don't need more friends. I've got you, the Doctor, and B.E.N. here with me."

"Yes, but we know you. Not many will understand your attitude, or how you're so adept at knowing your way around a ship, but you must attempt to integrate yourself."

"Act like an ivy league prep?"

"No."

"What if I don't want to?"

"Then I'll be forced to rescind your points, and your right to co-pilot the Centurion will be solely Miss Blake's."

Jim, shocked, knew it'd probably be in his best interest to listen this time. If he didn't, all of his efforts will have been for nothing, and his chance to be on the Centurion would be lost. Jim stared up at the ceiling, closing his eyes, and then clapping his hands while bowing his head, pacing the small space in front of the dean's desk. He opened his eyes at her, and finally answered.

"Okay."

"Good. Now, go enjoy the two hours of rest you have left. Dismissed."

Present outside Amelia's office was a pouting Kate, her eyes squinting at the troublesome Jim Hawkins. "So," she said firmly, "Seems like you and I will be co-captains for the Centurion."

"Technically, B.E.N.'s the pilot," Jim said to her, "You don't get to captain the Centurion."

"The Bio-Electronic Navigator? Ugh, that bumbling robot wouldn't know a neural processor from a CPU. I could only hazard a guess as to how such a neurotic buffoon was given the go ahead to pilot such a marvel of a ship."

"Hey, B.E.N.'s my friend. He knows more about this kind of stuff than most people."

"So he knows more than you is what you're saying?"

"That's not what I said."

"But you said he knows more than most people."

"Yeah?"

"You count yourself as well do you not?"

"Well...I...no?"

"Mr. Hawkins you are certainly an enigma in your own right. While I'm not exactly sure what it is that you're hiding, there's definitely something peculiar about you."

"Peculiar huh?", Jim smiled, "Could be you're just admiring what you see."

"Nice try, but I prefer my men with more class than you could ever afford."

"Bet the men you like are pretty stuck up."

"No. They're rather...refined and less...rugged. Though at times I'd prefer a little more decorum. Men can be such pigs without sharp eyes on the lookout."

"Makes you wonder how far the sticks up their butts go doesn't it?"

Kate laughed, "I do wonder that at times I suppose."

They began to smile and blow off steam as Jim lightened the mood with his joke. An awkward silence then passed them. 

"Look," Kate said to Jim, "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me. I can't let anything get in the way of that."

"An old scallywag once told me you give up a few things chasing a dream."

"He must've been a wise man, whoever this...scallywag...is...or was."

"He was."

"I see. Well, I'm going back to my dorm to rest. See you out there."

"Yeah see ya."

Jim and Kate went their separate ways. Kate hadn't exactly gone to rest as she stated, having instead taken up studying starship protocol. As for Jim, he reached out to his mother to see how she was doing.