Home | Fanfic by author and show

This site is hosted by DrakNet

Faster......faster.....faster......Jim's solar surfer rocketed into the sky. Jim felt he might escape Montressor's gravitational pull if he sped up just a bit more, and then maybe land on some nearby planet. It was a bit tempting, but what fun is solar surfing without some gravity to fight? As the atmosphere began to thin, he suddenly leaned back and let the board flip him over numerous times as he fell toward the ground.
What a perfect way to spend the morning of his birthday. Today marked the 17th year he had been alive, and the weather was perfect for solar surfing. Nice and warm, with just enough wind to create an obstacle without being a threat. He leaned to one side, then the other side, then the other side, riding the wind as if it were a wave. The wind made a woooshing sound as it brushed past his ears, tickling them as he sped by.
He was a bit hesitant to end his ride after twenty minutes in the air, but the wind was starting to pick up. Perhaps now that he was seventeen he would be able to ride in stronger winds one of these days, but not today. Today he slowly decended toward the ground and began cruising a few inches above the street.
"Jimmy! There you are!"
Jim turned around to see two of his friends walking down the street: Captain Amelia and Dr. Doppler. Amelia was pushing a floating baby carriage while Doppler was waving in Jim's direction. Jim cruised over to the couple.
"Hey guys!" he said. "What's up?"
"What is UP??" said Amelia. "I believe you know perfectly well what was up, Mr. Hawkins. YOU were just up in the air wasting time while we were at the inn with the intention of wishing you a happy birthday, but you were nowhere to be found, you careless lad!" The grin on her face told Jim that her insult was not to be taken seriously.
"Anyway, happy birthday, Jim my lad!" said Doppler. "My goodness, seventeen years of age! And you still have yet to grow facial hair!"
Jim rolled his eyes. "How are the little ones?" he asked as he peered into the carriage.
"They're doing fine," answered Amelia. "They'll be celebrating a birthday of their own soon: their first birthday."
Jim gazed down at the baby quadruplets in the carriage. Nina, Olivia, Harriet, and Delbert Jr. all reached their little hands up to him and cooed. Jim reached into the carriage and stroked each infant's fluffy head, then he looked up at the parents. "You going to bring them to the party tonight?"
"Of course, if you don't mind hearing them wail every other minute," said Doppler.
Jim laughed. "Think I'd better be going. Mom's probably wondering where I am. See you guys tonight!"

Sarah Hawkins stood on a ladder at the Benbow Inn, hanging up banners that said "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JIM!!!" around the dining area. Her customers all understood that it was her son's birthday, so no one complained when their orders were delayed. This was a good thing too, since with Jim turning seventeen Sarah had nothing else on her mind. Her baby boy was making his transition into adulthood; how could anyone think of serving food on a day like today?
"So how old is that boy of yours, Mrs. Hawkins?" asked a green bug-like creature with eight limbs who stood nearly six feet tall, although you couldn't tell that at the moment because he was seated at a table.
"Seventeen, Mr. Waterford," Sarah replied as she hopped down from the ladder. "And no, I can't believe it either. Seems like only yesterday he was just a baby." She made her way to the bookshelf and pulled out a thick black album. "My little boy."
"You must be very proud of him," stated Mr. Waterford.
"Mmm-hmm," murmerred Sarah as she opened the album which held so many memories. Holographic images of Jim as a baby shot up from the pages. "The day he was born....it was the most wonderful day of my life. If you asked me, I could tell you every detail about it, from the clothes I wore to the pattern on the tablecloth at the hospital room. It's a day I'll treasure forever." She turned the page and a new image shot up, which caused her to gaze sollumly at the floating figures.
This image showed herself, seventeen years younger, cradling baby Jim in her arms, but that was not what caused her to stare. What was causing her melencholy gaze was the man standing next to the image of herself.
"His father....he probably thinks differently about my last statement..." she sighed.
Mr. Waterford nodded understandably. "It must have been so traumatizing, having your husband walk out on you like that."
"I think it was even harder on Jim than it was on me," replied Sarah. "My marriage started out like a fairy tale, but....after Jim was born it slowly began deteriorating. I could sense that he resented having a child, though he never said anything. His actions spoke for him. He would never hold Jim without my coaxing. He'd leave for long stretches of time, never saying when he'd return. Days, weeks, months...but then he always did return, and when he did he'd bring Jim presents. That is, until....." She sucked in her breath through her nose and swallowed hard. "Poor Jim. He trusted his father completely, until...."
Mr. Waterford rose from his seat and gently touched Sarah's shoulder. "You know, perhaps this isn't the best day to dwell on the past. I don't imagine Jim wants to see you depressed on his birthday."
Mrs. Hawkins breathed deeply to get her composure. "You're right, Mr. Waterford. My husband is a thing of the past," she sighed as she pressed the album shut. "Oh, look at me. I've been pouring my heart out to you when you've been expecting that cream of eyewig soup." She shoved the album back on the shelf and hurried into the kitchen.

That evening, Jim's birthday party was a huge success. Friends from all over Montressor and a few neighboring planets were gathered in the Benbow Inn, dancing the night away as the band played a merry tune. Even those who had no intention to dance that night couldn't control their feet. Jim and his mother spun around and around in tone to the music, occasionally running into Amelia and Doppler, who were also spinning around and around to the music. This would result in an erruption of laughter (even from Amelia) and then both pairs would immediatly pick up the energy of their movement as though there was a contest between them. Of course, there could be no contest, since Amelia and Doppler were obviously the more talented dancers. B.E.N. stood in the corner tapping his metal feet, and Morph had changed himself into a pair of dancing shoes that were scooting all over the floor. From a playpen in the corner of the room, Amelia and Doppler's babies seemed quite content watching the action. It was the biggest celebration the Benbow Inn had seen since it had been rebuilt.
As everyone bowed to the final note, the door to the inn opened. Morph was the first one to notice the newcomer. The little shape-shifter changed back into his normal self and squealed with delight when he recognized the cyborg figure who had just entered. He tugged at Jim's ear to get his attention.
Jim could hardly believe his eyes. "Silver?"
"Jimbo!" Silver exclaimed. "I happen teh be in this part o' the galaxy, so I thought I'd drop by and wish yeh a happy birthday!" He trotted up to the lad.
"You old rascal!" Jim grinned. "So, what have you been up to?"
"Uh, I'd prefer not teh say it in front o' the ole' captain," said Silver. "Yeh know, she might start thinkin' o' hangin' me again."
"You appear to believe I'm both blind and deaf, Mr. Silver," said a voice. Both Jim and Silver turned to find Amelia strutting up to them, wearing her stern "you're really in for it now" expression.
"Why look, if it isn't the ole' captain!" gloated Silver.
"Why look, if it isn't the old traitor!" Amelia gloated back. "A very bold move for you to come here tonight, Mr. Silver. If I wanted to, I could have the law here right this second and have you put away for life. If I were obeying my better judgement I'd be doing just that, but since you did save our Jim's life, I'll let you off with a warning this time. Consider yourself lucky, but if you cause anymore trouble I will immediately change my mind."
"I swear ma'm, I ain't here to cause any trouble - this time. Jus' here fer Jimbo's birthday," proclaimed Silver. He ruffled Jim's hair with his real hand.
"And I'm glad you're here, you old scalowag," grinned Jim as Morph sped up to Silver's eye level. "And I think he's glad too."
"Think he's glad too, think he's glad too," Morph repeated, changing into a figure of Silver.
"Hah, hah, looks like you've been takin' care o' him," said Silver.
Amelia still didn't look convinced that Silver wasn't up to no good. She might have said something now if they weren't interrupted by a sharp wail coming from the playpen. She ran up to the pen and peered in to see that Nina had grabbed Harriet's ear. The grasp must have been inflicting great pain on the victim, since Harriet was screaming her little lungs out.
"Nina, you bad girl!" Amelia snapped, prying Nina's hand off. She gathered Harriet into her arms and held her close. "There, there," she murmerred. "It's all right." She kissed the little kitten's head. "It's all right."
"Ah, yer a mum now?" inquired Silver.
Amelia looked up and glared at the cyborg. "Been a mum for nearly a year now. And perhaps there's something else of which I should inform you. My kind is voraciously protective of its young!" She stormed off with the baby in her arms.
"Gee, what's with 'er?" Silver said with a knowing grin.
"No idea," Jim said with the same knowing grin. As he spoke, the musicians began tuning up their instruments, informing everyone that another dance was about to begin.
"Hey, Jimbo," said Silver, "is this a formal party where boys can only dance wi' girls, or can I ask yeh fer the next dance? Ya know, this cyborg leg can crack ou' a few moves."
Jim smiled wider. "It's not formal," he replied.

The dancing lasted more than an hour, until there wasn't a foot in the room which didn't ache. The exceptions, of course, would be the babies' feet and the musician's feet, and those creatures who didn't have feet didn't count. Finally the musicians put down their instruments, telling everyone that they could finally sit down and eat. Even the energetic couple Amelia and Doppler seemed to be relieved by that. After a few moments of everyone regaining their momentum, Sarah appeared in the doorway, carefully bringing in the cake.
Jim had made it clear that he didn't want any singing at his party. But even so, as if on cue, the instant the crowd saw the flickering candles on the cake, they all errupted into a chorus of off-key singing. Even Amelia and Doppler's babies seemed to be cooing out the song from the playpen.
"Haaaapppppy biiiiirrrrrrthdaaaaayy toooooo yooouuuuuu, haaaaappppyyy biiiirrrrrttthdaaaayyyy tooooo yooouuuuuu, haaaapppyyy biiiirrrrrrrrttthdaaayyyy dear Jiiimmmmyyyyy, haaappppyyyy biiiirrrrrttthhhdaaaayyy tooooo...."
The door to the inn swung open.
"What, a customer?!" exclaimed Sarah. "Excuse me everyone. Go ahead and cut the cake without me: I'll be back in a few moments." She set the cake on a table and headed for the door.
"Well, better do a' she says!" said Silver, converting his cyborg arm into a knife.
As Silver cut the cake (under the watchful glare of Amelia), Jim glanced in the direction of his mother and the newcomer. Though Sarah's back was turned, Jim couldn't help thinking that the customer had stunned her. She moved not at all, except for a slight tremble in her legs. Had the person threatened her? Jim shifted his focus from his mother to the visitor.
And he was frozen like Sarah.
Jim's eyes grew so wide they nearly bulged out of his sockets. His mouth hung ajar as little pants of breath came out. He heard nothing of Silver's blade cutting the cake or Amelia shouting at him to make all the slices even, for his mind was far to overblown.
Jim knew the face. The face he hadn't seen in nearly seven years was now here in the flesh. Not a hologram, but in the flesh. Suddenly he wondered if he had fallen asleep at the party, for this couldn't be real. He began to feel like he was in a dream. Everything seemed to blur. That is, everything seemed to blur except for the face of the newcomer. Jim's stiff mouth slowly moved and coughed out a nearly inaudible whisper.
"Dad?"

to be continued