Poor Little Rich Bear
High Flight Story #6
Written by Constance Eilonwy
With additional material by Katie Sullivan, Michelle Beaubien, Jerry Costaldo, 
and Batya Wittenberg
Outline by Constance Eilonwy with input from The High Flight Crew
Beta read by Michelle Beaubien and Chris Barat.

Disclaimer: Tale Spin is copyright Disney. Borrowed without permission for non 
profit purposes. This 
story not to be reposted without express permission of the High Flight Crew--
tshighflight@yahoo.com.

url:  http://fly.to/highflight

PART II


Their feet clattered on the catwalk as the small figure in white leapt ahead of 
them, nimbly taking 
unexpected turns and crawling over and under railings. Molly, being smaller than 
Kit, was able to stay 
closer to the phantom until the figure reached a long stretch of unobstructed 
walkway. With a spurt of 
speed, Kit passed Molly and took a flying leap. Kit and the figure in white fell 
to the catwalk with an 
impact that rattled the supports. They rolled dangerously close to the edge.

"Kit!" Molly darted forward, but the two had come safely to rest, Kit pinning 
the white figure beneath 
him.

"Get off me, stupid bear cub! What you do here?"

The voice was unmistakable. Kit pulled off the phantom's white hood. "Lil Bit?!"

"Lil...Bit..." Molly echoed.

"What on earth are you doing here?" Kit demanded.

Lil kicked him in the stomach. "I ask you first."

Kit grunted as the air left his lungs and rolled off Lil, clutching his mid-
section.

"We're here with our friend Oscar," Molly explained. "Oscar wants to become an 
Air Pirate and Kit's 
trying to talk him out of it."

Lil's striped kitten face took on a doubtful expression. "Okayyyyy," she said 
slowly.

"Molly, this is Lil Bit, Arizona's friend," Kit said, recovering his breath. 
"Lil, this is Molly."

The girls looked at each other for a moment.

"You friend of Kit?" Lil said.

"Uh-huh," Molly said. "At least, last I checked."

"Then you friend of mine." Lil grinned, the wariness melting away from her face. 
Molly smiled back.

"You haven't answered my question," Kit said.

Lil smoothed down the folds of her robe, which resembled those popular in Q'ilu. 
"Arizona found jewel 
on dig. She give to museum but Silver Wolf steal it. Gem belongs in a museum! It 
Arizona's, not 
pirates'!" The kitten scowled.

"And you stowed away to get the gem back?" Molly said.

"Yes. You sharper than him," Lil jerked her head towards Kit.

"Wow," Molly said admiringly. "Does Arizona know you're here?"

Lil shrugged. "Dunno. That matter?"

"Well, yes," Molly said patiently. "She might be worried."

Lil shook her head decisively. "Ari not worry 'bout me. She knows I take care of 
myself."

"That's one mystery solved." Kit handed the white hood back to Lil. "But what 
about the other 
phantom?"

****

"I want to be a pirate."

"No."

"Please?"

Gray Claw rose from his chair in a smooth, powerful motion. "Wingnut, you have 
the bridge," he barked. 
"Come with me, kid. I need to explain something to you."

He took Oscar Vandersnoot, heir to the Vandersnoot fortune, by the arm and 
dragged him off the bridge 
into the relative privacy of the passageway. The members of Gray Claw's crew 
exchanged glances. 
Wingnut shook his head. Their eyes spoke plainly -- children equaled trouble.

"Oscar, I want you to do something."

"What?"

Gray Claw unsheathed his sword. The blade was long and sharp and curved to a 
point. The pommel had 
semiprecious stones embedded into the leather grip. Oscar gulped but didn't move 
away.

A faint grin touched the wolf's jowls. "I'm not going to run you through. Here. 
Hold this." With a flick of 
his wrist, he twisted the sword so the pommel faced Oscar.

"M-me?"

"Hold it. Feel its weight in your hands."

Cautiously, Oscar took the sword. It was too heavy for him and he almost dropped 
the point to the floor. 
He righted it, then stood awkwardly, holding up the blade.

"Now, look around you. At the hull of this air ship. At this fine coat I'm 
wearing." Gray Claw touched his 
velvet lapels. "Think of the stores, the cargo, that you can't see right now, 
but which is below you and 
around you in a thousand hidden compartments in the bowels of this ship."

A puzzled frown came to Oscar's face. "I don't get what..."

"Stolen. The lot of it. The radio equipment. The crew's clothes, all plunder. 
Even this aircraft. I take good 
care of it, better than the pirate who built it. But that doesn't matter. I 
didn't build it. Nothing here belongs 
to me. Except that sword. I _earned_ the money for it, a long time ago. Took a 
spot as a hand on a 
steamship.

I had it specially made -- found a blacksmith who knew how. Designed it myself. 
Watched him hammer it 
into shape over the fire. He let me hit the blade a few times myself. I'm a 
pirate, boy. Live by it, die by it. 
When I die, it won't be surrounded by grandchildren. I won't go quietly in my 
sleep. I won't just drift 
away, seated on the back porch with a lemonade as I listen to the bees drone on 
a hot summer day. I'll be 
run through by another of my kind. Or executed by the law. Or lost in a fiery 
crash. Or shot."

Roughly, he grabbed the sword back and sheathed it. "_That's_ what it means to 
be a pirate. It's not for 
you. You're meant for something better. I can tell by looking at you. I can 
always tell."

Oscar's mouth gaped opened speechlessly. Finally he said, in a shaky voice, "If 
I can't be a pirate, then 
what _can_ I be? Where do I belong?"

Suddenly, Gray Claw grinned. "Kid, if you can figure that out, you're doing a 
lot better than most all the 
grown-ups. All right. You're dismissed. Scram."

Gray Claw turned and went back to his bridge.

Feeling very confused, Oscar wandered aimlessly down the passageway, listening 
to the background 
thrum of the engines. The cliffs, the waterfront, and the big mansion on the 
outskirts of Cape Suzette 
seemed far away. He yawned and checked the watch his father had given him. It 
was hard to believe that 
he and the Aces had not even been on the Iron Vulture a full night yet.

His wanderings took him down, down past the empty recesses of the brig.

*~Kit, is this an adventure?~*

*Claws on a blackboard, grating...*

*~What do we see
In the sky?
Jungle Aces
Flying high
Flyyyyy Aces!~*

*BOOM!*

*~Oh, yes! The secret weapon!~*

*~Come on, Oscar, jump!~*

*A sickening plunge, the clouds flashing past him, knowing he was going to die, 
that this was it -- and 
then the swish of an airboard, hands grabbing him.*

"But cap'n, we're bored. When are you gonna start the attack?"

The whiny drawl of a voice snapped Oscar back to the present and made him freeze 
in his tracks.

"Ya, cap'n. Ven we going to kick pirate booty? Heh heh."

The voices were familiar. He had seen them on the Vulture tonight, although they 
hadn't noticed him. 
Apparently, they had chosen to stay on with Gray Claw rather than plunge loyally 
after their captain into 
the dangers of the unknown.

The third voice, however, caused an icy cold feeling to shoot up his back.

"Ah, my oh-so-stoopid partners in de-criminal-type activities. The early bird 
comes to those who wait. I 
did not spend weeks in the hide and seekedyness so ju MORONS could blow de whole 
operations 
because ju are BORED! When de time is right, I will be telling you, yessno?"

The voices were coming from farther down the corridor. Cautiously, Oscar tiptoed 
forward.

"Sorry, cap'n," the first whiny voice said placatingly.

"_Ja_. You going to hit us now?"

Oscar put his head to one side, puzzled. There was no one down the corridor. No 
one in the cells. Nothing 
to show where the mysterious, echoing voices were coming from.

Then he saw it -- a ventilation grate with light shining through it, high up 
near the ceiling. There was no 
cell on that wall, but the voices were coming from there.

The grate was far too high for Oscar to peer through, but a pipe was located 
about two from it and at 
about the same level. He cast his eyes around the brig and spotted an old crate. 
Quietly, holding the crate 
up so it wouldn't drag, Oscar moved it under the grate. He climbed up, grabbed 
the pipe, and swung 
himself up. It was not that much different from the climbing practice he'd had 
on the walls of the 
mansion. However, sitting on the pipe, he couldn't get a good look through the 
grate. Oscar swung down, 
gripping the pipe with his knees. Hanging upside down with his back to the brig 
and his stomach facing 
the blank wall, he looked through the grate.

His view was confused, because everything was upside-down, and because of the 
slats that obstructed his 
vision. But managed to make out Maddog, Dumptruck, and a figure in black pants, 
loose shirt, and boots. 
A hood lay crumpled on the table before him.

Don Karnage.

_He_ was the phantom haunting the Iron Vulture.

Oscar clapped his hand over his mouth to keep from crying out. His glasses 
slipped and he quickly 
snatched them before they fell, and put them back on. He stared intently through 
the grate.

"No, I am not going to hit ju. Yet."

"Cap'n, you've been here for weeks and weeks and we've been bringing you food 
and stuff and waiting 
and telling the others...maybe you should make your move."

"Eediot! _Now_ I hit you!"

There was a thud and Maddog staggered.

"I 'ave been biding my bird in de hand, watching so I know the lay of de Vulture 
at this time with Gray 
Claw, my most archest nemesis, in charge. And now...now these CHILDREN come to 
throw the wrench 
into the monkey works."

"But boss, children aren't a threat."

"Oh, aren't they? I can think of at least _one_ child who many times has been 
getting in my way and 
ruining my brilliant plans. He is here now, and he brought OTHERS! There is more 
than one of them! It 
is horrible! But not to worry, I can squish them when I am squishing Gray Claw."

_Oh no you can't_, Oscar thought.

"Go now," Karnage said. "Act normal. _If_ you possibly can manage it."

"Yes, cap'n."

"_Ja_, captain."

In a panic, Oscar realized they were leaving and that they might spot him, 
wherever the entrance to the 
hidden room might be. But before he could move, to his astonishment the wall to 
the right of his upside-
down head suddenly slid away and he found himself face-to-face with Maddog and 
Dumptruck.

Maddog and Dumptruck, confronted with an upside-down, bespectacled bear cub's 
face unexpectedly 
hanging before them, did the only thing they could do.

They yelled.

Oscar, caught by the henchmen of the scariest being he'd ever known, yelled too.

Karnage, frozen in astonishment, recovered his wits first.

"_Get him_!"

As Oscar grabbed the pipe and started to lower legs, hands grabbed him, pulling 
him down. He kicked out 
but his captors were too strong. A hand covered his mouth, cutting off his yell 
for help.

"Ah, look, it is de brainy bespectacled one," Karnage said with a smile that 
bared his shining white teeth. 
"So, ju think you could outfox me, the great pirate, Don Karnage, and tattley-
tale to Gray Claw?"

Unable to speak because of Dumptruck's hand, Oscar squirmed and made grunting 
noises as menacingly 
as he could.

Karnage laughed. "Such bravado in one so small. I almost like you. Maddog, 
Dumptruck, take him to a 
porthole and throw him out."

The two pirates carried Oscar between them towards one of the portholes just 
beyond the brig cells.

Footsteps approached. A door opened, and Slammer and Oni appeared, Slammer in 
mid-sentence:

"...wanted to check the lower decks. He thinks there might be something to the 
rumors and wants to 
know -- "

Slammer broke off. He and Oni stopped still in astonishment, as did Maddog and 
Dumptruck.

With a spurt of desperate energy, Oscar bit Maddog's hand and shouted, "It's 
him! Karnage is the 
phantom! They're going to throw me out a porthole. Oni, help!"

The cub's shout broke the stillness like a cry shattering an enchantment. Oni 
drew her sword and leapt. 
Her foot thudded into Maddog, knocking him into Dumptruck, who dropped Oscar. 
Oscar quickly 
crawled out of the way and Slammer darted forward, drawing his sword.

As Dumptruck staggered, his bulk moved enough to reveal the figure standing 
beyond, watching. 
Slammer let out a startled yelp when he saw him.

"You!" Slammer said.

"Si. Me," Karnage grinned.

Slammer rushed Karnage, who raised his sword, intercepting the ferret's blow.

Oni, darting this way and that as she fought Maddog and Dumptruck 
simultaneously, shouted at Oscar, 
"Hit ze alarm!"

Her cry caught Karnage's attention.  "_Who_ is _dat_?" he asked Slammer, 
parrying. His eyes lit on Oni 
and lingered admiringly. 

"No one you'll ever be fit to lick the boots of!" Slammer spun and swiped at 
Karnage's leg, but Karnage 
jumped back out of reach.

After a moment of confusion, Oscar located the red button on the wall. He hit it 
with his fist.

Red lights flashed on along the corridor. A warning klaxon sounded throughout 
the ship.

"Now it begins!" Karnage shouted gleefully over the noise. He turned and ran, 
sword raised high, with 
Slammer on his heels like an angry wasp. "It is time, my pirates. To me!"

****

The knocking was heavy, rapid, and decisive.

This time, the adults waiting in the Higher For Hire, Inc., office surged 
forward at once, with Rebecca and 
Baloo in the lead. As Rebecca opened the door, letting in a gust of wind and 
rain, a collective sigh of 
disappointment rippled through the group.

"Miss Johnson!" Rebecca said, astonished. She recovered her wits and said 
politely, "Please come in."

Water dripped from the brim of Arizona's hat. Her tan-colored coat, belted at 
the waist, held a sheen of 
water drops. Her boots left heavy-treaded footprints on the wood floor as she 
stepped inside.

"Hi, Arizona," Baloo said, brightening at the sight of her.

The tigress looked around at the worried faces, at the discarded coffee cups, at 
the blanket draped around 
Baloo's shoulders. Her gaze snapped back to Rebecca.

"What's wrong?"

"The children are missing," Rebecca said, blankly calm.

"I see. Any word?"

"Starfinder is out searching now."

"You called the harbor patrol?"

"Yes."

There was a pause, filled with the sound of the rain and distant rumbles of 
thunder. The electric lighting 
in the office seemed feeble.

"This is a bad time," Arizona said, her formerly brisk, efficient tone now 
hesitant. "You have problems of 
your own, I see. I only thought maybe..."

"What is it?" Rebecca, seeing something in the other female's expression, almost 
ventured to touch the 
tigress' arm, but her fingers stopped, curling away from Arizona's shoulder.

Arizona averted her eyes. "Lil Bit is missing too."

"Oh," said Rebecca softly.

"I came to see if Kit knew where she was," Arizona continued, louder. She 
shrugged and added quickly, 
"Not that I'm worried about the kid or anything. She can take care of herself."

"Of course," said Rebecca.

Another awkward silence ensued.

"Well..." Arizona turned towards the door.

"Miss Johnson..." Rebecca said.

The tigress paused.

"We...we don't know what's happened to the children. We're searching in shifts. 
But only so many of us 
know how to fly a plane...you _do_ fly, don't you? Anyway, what I'm trying to 
say is we could use your 
help. Especially if there's any sort of trouble. Given your...uh, 
experience...in such situations. It 
would...uh...make _me_ feel better if you waited here with us."

For a second, Arizona just looked at Rebecca, her expression unreadable. Then a 
tiny smile touched her 
lips. "In that case, Miz Cunningham, I would be happy to oblige you. Since it 
would make _you_ feel 
better."

Baloo looked faintly puzzled. The Aces' families stared at Arizona as if 
wondering what, exactly, the 
"experience" referred to was.

"Please. Call me Rebecca." Rebecca smiled back. 

"Call me Arizona."

*****

When the klaxons sounded, Kit, Molly, and Lil Bit ran through the ship's 
passageways, trying to locate 
the Jungle Aces. They careened around a corner and Kit slammed into Winger. They 
each fell backwards 
and sat stunned and blinking for a moment. Molly and Lil nearly tripped over 
them.

"Winger!" Kit shouted over the alarm. "What's going on!"

"It's Karnage," Winger shouted back. "I just saw Oscar. He sent me to find you. 
Oscar found the 
phantom. It's Karnage! He's staging a mutiny!"

"Where's Oscar now?"

"He went to find the others. Said Jungle Aces fight together."

Kit nodded. "He's right."

Winger looked at Lil in her white robes. "Who's she?"

"The other phantom," Kit said.

"Huh?"

"I'll explain later. Right now we have to find the others," Kit said, getting to 
his feet, then offering a hand 
to Winger.

Suddenly the flat slope of the floor tilted to a forty-five degree angle. Kit, 
Molly, and Lil Bit lost their 
balance and fell in a tangle of arms and legs. Winger put his hands flat on the 
floor to steady himself. 

"What happened?" Winger said. "Did lightning strike the ship?"

Then everything tipped the other direction. "No!" Kit said. "The ship's 
pitching! There's no one at the 
rudder!" Leaving Molly, he got unsteadily to his feet and began pulling himself 
hand over hand towards a 
hatch.

"Where are you going?" Winger demanded.

"The bridge. Someone has to take the ship's wheel or we'll crash into the 
ocean!"

Winger hissed out a breath between his teeth, then followed Kit.

"Not without us!" Molly said firmly. "Come on, Lil!"

The bear cub and the kitten staggered along the passageway after Kit and Winger.

*****

At first the bridge appeared deserted. The lights were still on, but the wheel 
turned back and forth as if in 
the grasp of invisible hands. There was no one in the command chairs. 

Outside the huge round portholes the sky was a fascinating melange of jagged 
electricity, charcoal streaks 
of rain, and terrifying vivid dark colors. Kit, running despite the sharp slant 
of the floor, reached the 
wheel and grabbed it as if it were a life preserver. He began turning to port 
with all his might.

Winger stumbled in and tripped over something.

"Oh, no," he said, his face clearly shocked, all bravado suddenly gone.

Molly and Lil came to an unsteady halt just behind him. Molly put her hand to 
her mouth and even Lil 
flinched.

Turning, still struggling with the wheel, Kit saw a pirate lying at their feet. 
He was unconscious, bleeding 
from a cut on his forehead. A few yards away lay a second pirate, slumped 
against the wall, also out cold. 
He recognized both of them. Neither had ever been part of Karnage's crew, 
although they weren't part of 
Gray Claw's most trusted circle.

"Is he...is he okay?" Winger asked nervously.

Fingers trembling, Molly knelt and touched the pirate's neck. She breathed out a 
sigh of relief. "He's 
alive."

Lil went over and inspected the other crew member. "This one okay!" she called 
happily.

"Okay, try to make them both comfy for now," Kit ordered. "Molly, can you wrap 
that guy's cut? Stop 
the bleeding?"

Molly untied the pirate's bandana from around his neck and carefully tied it 
around his forehead instead. 
She formed an 'okay' sign with her fingers.

With his grip starting to slip on the wheel, Kit shifted his feet to get a 
firmer stance. Winger hurried over 
to help and added his strength to Kit's. Together, they righted the ship.

"Okay, hold it steady," Kit ordered. "I'm going to check our heading."

"Aye aye, cap'n!" Winger saluted.

Kit went to the complex navigational device that rose out of the floor. He moved 
several delicate metal 
parts and studied the results, his brows drawing together in concentration.

Molly crawled over to Gray Claw's chair and pulled herself into it. She sat in a 
crouch, hands gripping the 
armrests. Lil crouched near the slumped pirate, holding onto the bulkheads to 
steady herself.

"Turn forty-eight degrees to port," Kit said.

Winger obeyed. The ship turned, and the lightning show lessened. They were 
moving out of the storm.

"Buddy," said Winger, "If you can fly this huge bird, I don't get it. Why won't 
Baloo let you take the 
stick of the Sea Duck anymore?"

"I don't know," Kit said coldly. "Guess he doesn't want me to be a pilot."

"Kit, you _gotta_ be a pilot." Winger shook his head. "You fly better than me, 
and I've almost got my 
license."

"You do?" Kit shot Winger a look of jealousy mixed with awe.

"Sure. Starfinder teaches me, and he also sent me for lessons."

Kit's jaw tightened. "Lucky you," he said flatly.

"Hey, maybe I could talk to Starfinder..." Winger ventured cautiously, shifting 
his grip on the ship's 
wheel.

"Not necessary. I've got it covered."

"Huh?"

"I'm taking lessons, with Bertie Tanfur, that pilot Becky hired once. He opened 
his own flight school. No 
one else knows..." 

"How could you do this to him?" Molly said. Kit turned to look at her as if he 
had forgotten she was 
there. "You didn't tell Baloo you were learning with someone else?"

Lil Bit shrugged. "Not my business how Kit learn to fly. Arizona teach me."

"You see?" Kit said plaintively to Molly. "Arizona's teaching Lil. _Me_? Do this 
to _him_? What about 
what he did to me? We were getting on great. I loved learning in The Sea Duck. 
Then one day, wham, 
suddenly he won't teach me anymore. No explanation. I guess...I guess Baloo 
decided I wasn't as good 
as he'd thought and was wasting his time. So, maybe I'm not that good! But I 
have to fly. I have to." Kit 
turned completely away from the navigation device, fists clenched. "I had to 
learn somehow. So I went to 
Bertie."

"But..." Molly's forehead creased with confusion. "I don't know why, Kit, but 
you're wrong. That can't 
be the reason he stopped."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Kit, you have to tell him."

"No! And don't you dare tell him, either! This secret stays on this bridge. 
Don't tell _anyone_."

Molly slumped down into the chair and folded her arms. "You don't have to say it 
twice. I can keep a 
secret, you know."


*****

Jagged lightning darted about the massive airship, catching it in living fire. 
The storm clouds turned from 
gray to ebony to purple as illumination flickered in and out of the valleys.

The thunder cracked loudly enough to be audible even within the depths of the 
Iron Vulture. Those 
fighting near the outer hull could hear the rain banging against the steel with 
a muffled steadiness. The 
battle had spread all over the ship.

In the galley, Maddog and Dumptruck had Ernie and Oscar backed into a corner. 
Across the room, Lars, 
Spot, and S.R. stood on a table, fighting off pirates with whatever came to 
hand. Lars had found a large 
frying pan, Spot wielded a deadly-looking rolling pin, and S.R. had procured an 
oversized metal spatula.

When the floor suddenly tilted, pirates fighting pirates stumbled and paused in 
their dueling to grab 
something bolted down, or even each other, to keep from sliding headlong across 
the slick metal floors. 
Metal pots, knives, cups, and forks left their compartments and crashed to the 
floor as drawers and 
cabinets opened of their own accord.

Lars, Spot, and S.R. grabbed at each other to keep from falling from their 
strategic position on the table.

On a shelf opposite Ernie and Oscar, several industrial-sized containers wobbled 
dangerously. A dark 
substance leaked out from under the plug of a four gallon jug. Oscar smiled.

"That gives me an idea. Ernie," Oscar murmured. "When I count to three, knock 
down that shelf. One..."

Dumptruck advanced. 

"Two..."

Maddog slapped a piece of lead pipe into his palm.

"Three!"

The two Aces darted forward, past the pirates, and jumped. Their fingers closed 
around the edge of the 
shelf. The bolts held under their weight for a moment. Then, with a groan, the 
struts came loose from the 
wall. The shelf fell, sending the big containers down onto Maddog, Dumptruck, 
Oscar, and Ernie.

The plug snapped off and rolled away. The dark substance poured over pirates and 
Aces alike.

On the table, S.R., Lar, and Spot cheered. S.R. smacked an advancing pirate in 
the face with her spatula.

Ernie, Oscar, Dumptruck, and Maddog lay in a semi-conscious heap in the corner, 
covered in chocolate 
syrup. 

Dumptruck stirred and began licking the chocolate off his fingers.  "Hey... I 
taste good.  Vant some?"  He 
offered a goopy hand to Maddog. 

"Ewww.... yuck!  Get _away_ from me!"  Maddog regarded himself with dismay. 
"Darn!  This will 
_never_ come out." 

Oscar tried to clean the goo off his glasses, leaving brown streaks across the 
lenses.  He glanced down at 
his ruined clothing with satisfaction.  

Mother would have fainted. 

*****

In one of the passageways near the hangar, as Gray Claw blocked a blow from 
Hacksaw, Oni noticed that 
his back was exposed to two of Karnage's men.  They raised their swords high. 

Without a sound, Oni suddenly ran, caught one of the overhanging pipes from the 
ceiling, and hoisted 
herself up.  Scuttling overhead, she stopped and perched over them, her shapely 
legs dangling just a 
couple of inches above their heads. 

Taking careful aim, the ermine lifted her feet high, then slammed her booted 
heels into their foreheads. 

Groaning, both fell in a heap.

"Much thanks, milady," Gray Claw saluted her with a graceful bow before he 
straightened and deflected 
the sword of another attacker.

"My pleasure," Oni called back to him, turning to clash swords with a lanky, 
long-whiskered dog wearing 
a bandolier. "You remain with Gray Claw, betraying your captain, and zen you 
switch sides again!" she 
called out her challenge. "Turncoat!" She lunged, missing as he darted aside. 

She whirled after him, her white fur bristling. She struck the dog's arm, 
delivering a thin wound and 
rendering him temporarily ineffective.

From behind her, she heard Gray Claw say her name sharply. She turned in time to 
see Gray Claw's 
sword deflecting another blade; a mutinous pirate had been about to run Oni 
through from behind.

"_Merci_," she called out to Gray Claw, as the lanky dog recovered and they had 
at it again. "Your timing 
is excellent, as usual, _mon cheri_."

Gray Claw, fending off the pirate easily with one hand, raised his mangled hand, 
put it to his mouth, and 
blew Oni a kiss.

*****

"Enemy on the bridge!" Winger, who had taken the post of lookout by the door, 
shouted the alarm as four 
pirates ran in, swords raised. "And I think they're looking for us!" he added, 
ducking as a sword blade 
swished inches over his head.

"Molly, Lil, everything ready?" Kit, hands on the wheel, called.

Crouched in a corner, Lil Bit waved cheerfully. From her station, kneeling 
behind a chair, Molly gave 
him two thumbs up.

The four advancing pirates, distracted by Winger's dangerous dance around them, 
ducking, bobbing, and 
weaving, didn't notice the piece of rope stretched across the floor of the 
bridge.

Nor did they notice the cans of paint and the sacks of flour wedged on makeshift 
platforms at various 
points near the ceiling.

Three of the pirates wised up to Winger's antics and left him to advance on Kit, 
who stood on his ground 
at the wheel. Their blades gleamed in a flash of lightning and they gave Kit 
predatory grins.

Kit remained at the wheel, calmly steering the Iron Vulture.

"Think Karnage will promote me for killing this one?" one of them mused.

"Nah," said another. "He'd rather have him alive, so's he can kill him himself. 
Just knock him out and tie 
him up."

The third nodded.

"You sure you want to do that?" Kit said, voice calm.

One of them chuckled stupidly.  "Yeah."

"Okay," he shrugged, hands still on the wheel. "Come get me, then."

They moved forward. Kit yelled, "Now!"

Molly and Lil, on either side of the bridge, pulled hard at the ends of the 
rope. It snapped up to ankle 
level.

The pirates went sprawling. Molly and Lil ran forward and grabbed their swords, 
pulling them out of 
reach before the pirates knew they were gone. Molly opened a porthole and Lil 
heaved the swords out, 
one by one.

"My sword!" one of them bellowed. He lumbered to his feet and rushed at the 
girls.

Quickly, Molly moved several steps to the right and grabbed the piece of string 
dangling there. She 
pulled.

A can of white paint fell upside-down on the head of the pirate. Paint ran into 
his eyes, his noise, his ears, 
and into his clothes. He screamed in pain, enraged and blinded. 

Meanwhile, backed into a corner with an angry pirate hovering over him with 
malicious intent
in his eyes, Winger's reached out blindly for a weapon on the map-strewn table 
behind him. It passed over 
a crowbar, scissors and a lead pipe before finally closing around a quill 
feather pen. Properly armed, 
Winger swung the instrument at the pirate's feet, tickling for all he was worth.

The pirate began to laugh, then doubled over, gasping for breath. 
"No...please...no more...stop..." 

Two down, two to go.

One rushed Lil Bit, the other turned back towards Kit. There were no paint cans 
rigged near the wheel. 
Molly dragged a chair over, climbed onto it, pulled herself into the space 
between the support beam and 
the bulkhead, and shimmied up to the paint can they had rigged there. She pulled 
it free and chucked it 
across the bridge at the advancing pirate.

It bonked him on the head, knocking him silly, then deflected. The can fell, 
bounced, and turned over. 
Blue paint spread in a widening pool across the floor. The pirate advancing on 
Lil stepped in it, then 
tripped on the slippery floor. He skidded across the bridge.

The first pirate had recovered from Winger's tickling attack and now advanced on 
the lion cub, growling 
and waving his sword. Winger tossed aside the feather and backed away. "Okay, so 
you don't like being 
tickled. That's okay. A lot of folks are like that." He laughed weakly.

As the pirate rushed him with a mad yell, the other pirate slid into him, 
knocking him down. As he fell, he 
reached out his free hand to steady himself and instead grabbed onto another 
piece of string.

The pirate Molly had dropped white paint on had gotten the white out of his eyes 
and he, too, rushed at 
Kit. A sack of flour fell squarely on his head. He sat down very quickly and 
swayed to and fro a few times 
before falling over backwards. Flour covered him, mixing with the white paint, 
and the white flour mixed 
with the blue paint, making a sticky mess that resembled white caps on an ocean.

Molly stared at her handiwork in a kind of horrified glee, then cast a "what-do-
I-do-NOW?" look down at 
Lil Bit. Lil Bit grinned and gave Molly an approving thumbs-up.

"Yahoo!" Kit cried jubilantly.

Wingnut and Slipstream appeared in the doorway. The bulldog stared at the four 
pirates covered in white 
paint, blue paint, and flour. Then he stared at Kit at the wheel.

"Oh, man," he said, grinning wildly. "Gray Claw's never going to believe this 
one."

"You have two men down," Kit explained briskly, as Slipstream took the wheel. 
"They need medical 
attention."

Wingnut knelt by his fallen comrades, each of which was starting to stir. The 
one with the cut on his 
forehead groaned and opened his eyes. "Aw, they'll be okay," said Wingnut. "I'll 
see to it. You kids had 
better find your friends. Stay together. In a mess like this, one of you gets 
caught alone and it could be 
bad."

*****

Kit, Molly, Winger, and Lil Bit hurried towards the hangar. As they reached the 
door to the catwalk, they 
spotted a pirate approaching them down the passageway. Before they could decide 
what to do, Molly 
turned, and spotted a second, coming from the other direction.

"Here comes trouble," she said.

"Karnage's, by the looks of them," Winger said.

"How you tell?" said Lil.

"Oh, maybe by the way they just drew their swords and are running towards us 
real angry-like."

"We have to find the others," Kit insisted. "Winger, take Molly and get on the 
catwalk."

"No!" Molly protested, as Winger said, "What are you going to do?"

"I dunno," Kit said. "Stall?"
 
Suddenly Lil Bit stepped squarely into the middle of the passageway, hands on 
hips.

"Lil, what are you doing?" Kit said.

"Is she _nuts_?"

"Trick I learn from Arizona," Lil explained. "Kit, you do what I say. When I 
give signal, run for 
catwalk."

The two pirates drew nearer. Kit herded Molly and Winger towards the door. "How 
will I know your 
signal?" Kit asked.

"You will know." Lil reached under her robes. The pirates, now suspicious at the 
way she just stood there, 
slowed, and stopped, puzzled.

"Aren't you scared, little girl?" one of them asked.

The kitten pulled her hand out from under her robes, raised it in a fist, and 
brought it down fast, opening 
her fingers.

There was a bright flash and a massive cloud of purple smoke. Lil Bit 
disappeared, as did the two pirates. 
Kit could hear them coughing and cursing. Then a small white-clad figure ran out 
of the purple smoke 
towards him.

"Where did Arizona learn that?" Kit asked, impressed.

"Mystic in Mushi-mushi. Give her lots of powders."

They joined Molly and Winger on the catwalk. The scene below in the hangar was 
in total chaos as 
Karnage's mutineers battled Gray Claw's crew.

"You got any more of that powder?" Kit murmured in Lil Bit's ear.

In answer, she pressed a small packet of fine rice paper into his hand. "You do 
trick like I do, pirates get 
confused."

"Thanks. You know Lil, we make a pretty decent team."

Winger pointed into the melee. "There they are." Ernie, Oscar, Spot, Lars, and 
S.R. had formed into a 
tight circle and were fending off pirates. S.R., Lars, and Spot still had their 
utensil weaponry.

One by one, the four on the catwalk started to climb down the ladder. Molly went 
last. Before she got 
onto the ladder she paused, and said softly, so no one else could hear, "So do 
we, Kit."

*****

"...we used to be such a good team," Baloo said, looking moodily out the window 
of the small kitchen. 
The rain had slackened a bit. A kettle steamed on the stove.

"And now?" Starfinder said, taking another sip of hot cocoa.

"I don't know," Baloo said. "It's like I'm losing him, except he's not going 
anywhere. He's still with me. 
Least he was," he added, staring into his coffee mug as if Kit might suddenly 
leap out of it.

"I'm sure the kids are okay," Starfinder said. The old squirrel thoughtfully ran 
one finger along the handle 
of his mug. "It doesn't sound all that mysterious to me," Starfinder said.

"Oh, really? What is it, then?"

"Kit's growing up."

"Growing up? Who said he could grow up?" Baloo said indignantly, without a hint 
of irony.

"It happens." Starfinder shrugged, trying to hide a smile. Then he sobered. 
"More and more, I look at him 
and I see Jack," he said sadly. "But it's you he looks up to. You he wants to be 
like. He wants to learn 
how to do the Baloo Corkscrew. Hurry up, finish school -- so he can be a pilot. 
So Winger tells me."

"Yeah, he does. Always has wanted to be a pilot. Turned out it was hereditary." 
Baloo shifted in his chair. 
"I'm real sorry I never met Jack and Katie," he confessed. "I'd heard of the 
Windwards. Just never 
thought one of 'em would become such a big part of my life."

"How are Kit's flying skills coming along?" Starfinder asked, peering over his 
eyeglasses at Baloo.

Baloo shook his head. "We kind of...put off the informal lessons," he said.

"Then he's getting real flight schooling?"

"No."

"Baloo!" Starfinder's tail bristled. "Why under the thundering clouds not? That 
boy's got a gift."

"Can't afford flight school for him. Becky might...but awww, I can't ask her for 
that."

"Then why aren't you teaching him?"

"Well...last time I was teaching him, we almost had a crash. A bad one. I've 
always known flying was 
dangerous. I accepted the risk as worth it. Flyin's the best thing in the world. 
But then I thought about Kit 
crashin' and I...look, he's going to be a pilot someday. What's the point in 
rushin' things?"

"True," Starfinder said slowly. "Does he agree with you?"

"I ain't exactly...discussed it with him."

Starfinder got up and went over to the stove. He poured himself more hot water 
and watched the steam 
curl up for a moment before speaking. "I see. Of course, flying school's a 
perfectly decent way for a kid 
to learn. I'm sending Winger there myself. So if you can find a way, I'd do it. 
But you might consider that 
maybe Kit doesn't want to go to flight school."

"Huh? Starfinder, your props are spinnin' but you're not going anywhere."

"He'd probably rather learn from you."

"Oh, what do _you_ know?" Baloo said grumpily.

The old squirrel shrugged. "Suit yourself. But if Kit's anything like Jack, he's 
not happy with this 
arrangement. Not at all."

*****

"Ernie, over here!" Kit yelled and waved across a sea of fighting pirates.

Ernie looked up and grinned, and a pirate took the opportunity to grab his arm, 
pulling him from the circle 
of Aces.

"Hey!" Winger hurried forward, and as the pirate turned, Winger let loose with a 
punch that contacted 
with the pirate's stomach. He doubled over, gasping, and released Ernie.

"Uh...thanks," Ernie said to Winger in surprise.

"Yeah, whatever. Duck!" Winger dodged. The pirate's sword swished through air.  
S.R. and Ernie 
jumped on him from behind while Ernie twisted the pirate's wrist, forcing him to 
drop the sword. Winger 
knocked him out with another punch.

Kit, Molly, Winger, and Lil Bit joined the Aces' circle, widening it. More and 
more unconscious pirates 
began to litter the floor around them. 

None of them noticed the figure weaving towards them through the chaos until a 
hand shot out and 
grabbed S.R. by the ears, pulling her off the floor and out of the circle.

"NO!" Kit said, aghast. "Let her go!"

Karnage merely lifted S.R. higher, studying her as if she were an unusual fish 
he had caught at the end of 
his line.

Furious, Winger moved towards them, fists clenched.

"Ah-ah-ah." Karnage wagged the forefinger of his free hand at them and gestured 
pointedly with the other 
towards S.R.'s throat. "Cloudkeecker," he continued, "I should have known any 
friends of yours would 
trouble my oh-so-ingenious plans. It is quite touching, yessno, they way dey 
work together and are thus 
adversaries to be watching out for."

S.R. swung her fists repeatedly at Karnage, but her arms were too short. He 
chuckled at her and she 
dropped her arms limply to her sides, humiliated.

"They are loyal to you, yes?" Karnage said. "But of course. You are a naturally 
born leader, like my 
magnificent self. I always knew you had potential, from the moment I took you in 
hand under my wing."

"Shut up," Kit said softly.

"Oh, but your friends...the...Aces...you call dem? Dey are looking surprised, 
yessno?" Karnage put his 
free hand to his face in mock astonishment. "You mean they do not _know_?"

"Shut up," Kit said, louder.

"Know? Know what? What's he talking about?" Ernie said.

"Nothing," said Kit.

"Ah, my ex-protégé. So you 'ave been keeping the bushel with the light hidden 
beneath it, yessno?" He 
noted the confusion on the children's faces, and nodded. "Yes, he was once a 
pirate like my noble self. I 
invited him to join my band. When I found him, he was nothing but a turnip 
peeler, alone in de world. 
Now, look at him." Karnage waved his hand. "Of course, he deserted me in the 
end. And now he makes 
the ally of himself with my most mortal enemy, the Silver Wolf."

"_Shut up_!" Kit hollered at Karnage.

"Kit?" Ernie said plaintively. "It's not true, right?"

"Of course it's not," said Oscar. "It can't be."

"Actually," Lars said slowly, "it _would_ explain a lot."

"All those secret compartments...you knew this ship so well..." Ernie took on 
the expression of one 
caught startled in the glare of oncoming truck headlights. "Kit, you were...were 
you a pirate?"

Spot shook his head. "No way. _No way_."

Ernie's shoulders twitched as if he were shrugging off an unpleasant dream. "No, 
of course Kit wasn't a 
pirate. Don't you guys get it? Don't you see what Karnage is doing? He's trying 
to turn us against each 
other. Separate us."

"Ask him, den," said Karnage. "If you are so certain of your friend. Ask him."

"Kit?"

"Yes," Kit said, his voice a husky rasp. "Yes, it's true."

Something seemed to die in Ernie's eyes. "H-how could you?" he whispered.

"Well, I must be going. 'Til we meet again." Karnage flung S.R. away as if she 
were a sack of potatoes. 
He darted off, and was lost amid the fighting pirates.

S.R. fell into Winger, who caught her and then gently put her down.

"Karnage is getting away!" Winger said.

No one moved. The fight raged on around them and the Jungle Aces stood miserably 
in a circle, silent, 
heads down. They didn't look at Kit.

Without a word, Kit turned slowly, and walked away. Molly and Winger immediately 
followed him. Lil 
Bit, after a moment's consideration, did the same.

*****

Several yards away, Oni watched with one eye on her opponent and one eye on the 
Jungle Aces and 
Karnage. As Karnage left them, her gaze hardened.

"Stinking coward," she murmured, and clubbed her opponent senseless with the 
butt of her sword. Then 
she slipped away in the direction Karnage had taken.

The five remaining Aces half-heartedly formed their circle again. But their 
defenses were weaker. The 
pirates began to close in. 

*****

Molly struggled through the obstacle course of fallen or still-battling pirates. 
She had lost sight of Kit and 
the surge of battle had separated her from Winger. She ducked as a sword swished 
too close for comfort. 
No one took much notice of her, small as she was, but everywhere she turned, it 
seemed there were 
heedless boots or swords or fists. In desperation, she dropped to her knees and 
began to crawl, in search 
of a quiet place of safety.

*****

As Winger and Lil caught up to Kit, a short pirate, recognizable as one of 
Karnage's former crew, stepped 
up to challenge him. The little pirate, a dog, had a sword, but Kit had run out 
of patience and was now 
taller than the dog, who he had once only matched in height. Kit curled his 
fingers into a fist and swung 
an uppercut that sent the little pirate sprawling.

"Whoa, Kit, go easy on the little guy. You're scaring me," Winger said, in mock 
seriousness.

"Aren't you afraid to be seen talking to me?" Kit said bitterly. He glanced at 
Lil and his eyes widened. 
"Molly. Where's Molly?"

"I don't know," Winger said, with the beginnings of unease. "She was right 
behind me a second ago. Kit, 
I'm sorry, man," he went on apologetically, as Kit brushed past him, peering 
into the battle, looking for a 
small golden-furred bear cub.

"No, it's my fault," Kit said, still looking. "I should have...there she 
is...oh, no."

"What? What?"

"Dumptruck just grabbed her...I gotta...." He began to run towards the nearest 
ladder. "Winger, Lil, you 
get back to the Aces! I'll go after Molly!"

"But Kit..."

"Just go! If we split up, someone's gonna get hurt. Go!"

At a loss for what else to do, Winger and Lil ran back towards the Jungle Aces. 
Kit was halfway up the 
ladder when he pulled his airboard out from under his sweater.

*****

She'd had her escape in sight, an open hatch visible through a tangle of legs, 
when big hands grabbed her 
and lifted her off the ground. Molly found herself nose-to-nose with Dumptruck.

"Let me go, you big stupid pirate!" she said. "Lemme go!"

Dumptruck laughed. "Don't think so, missy. Cap'n Karnage says you're useful."

"Yeah," Maddog said, smirking. "Useful."

"Hey, rudder rump!" a voice called from above.

The two pirates looked up at the source. Dumptruck was very much surprised when 
Kit suddenly hurtled 
towards him at top speed, balanced on his airboard. The cub's momentum was 
enough to knock the big 
pirate off-balance. As he swooped by, Kit took Molly's hand, pulling her onto 
the airboard with him.

"Hey, that's no fair," Maddog whined.

Kit's initial momentum on the board carried them as far as the opposite catwalk. 
"Hang on," he told 
Molly, grabbing the railing. The board lost its updraft and the two dangled for 
a moment, Molly with her 
arms in a stranglehold around Kit's neck.

He tossed the airboard over the railing and it clattered to the catwalk. Then he 
pulled himself and Molly 
over. He deposited Molly gently onto the catwalk, where she sat, momentarily 
stunned.

Kit sat down next to her. He leaned back on his hands, looking pleased with 
himself.

"So, some neat stunt, huh, Molly?"

Molly caught her breath and got to her feet. With great dignity she looked down 
her nose at Kit. "So," she 
said. "You think I'm some stupid little girl who can't take care of herself, is 
that it? Big brother Kit has to 
swoop in on his fancy airboard --" she made a swooping motion with her hand -- 
"and rescue poor little 
Molly."

"What? No, I...awww, great." He threw his hands in the air. "Now you're mad at 
me too. Karnage did a 
real good job of splitting us all up, but he couldn't do it without me. If I'd 
been paying attention instead of 
being upset, if I hadn't lied to them...." He trailed off miserably, lowering 
his eyes.

Molly bit her lower lip and her face softened. "I'm not mad at you, Kit. I 
just..." she sighed. "Oh, forget 
it. Thanks for saving me. We'd better go back and help the others."

*****

"You are a coward." Oni stepped with silken fluidity into Karnage's path.

"Me? The great fearsome..."

"Trying to gain the upper hand by turning children against one another. That ees 
cowardly." She raised 
her sword until the tip of it was aimed at his chin.

He peered down at the sword, then back up at her, and grinned, showing all his 
teeth. "Turn the enemy 
inside-out from within, that is not the cowardliness-" his sword came up, the 
blade striking her blade 
with a metallic *clang* "-that is brilliant strategy."

She snorted derisively. "You think 'ighly of yourself, _monsieur_."

"Of course. I am the fearsome pirate, Don Karnage..."

He swung low; she parried. *clang* Karnage stopped Oni's upswing and their 
blades locked again so they 
were fist to fist and almost eye to eye. "...and you are a vision of lovely 
piraticalness such as I have never 
seen. Why do you waste your time with dat ever-so-unhandy crippled one when you 
could be at the side 
of me, the most fearsome pirate, Don Karnage..."

*whack!* 

Her eyes bright with rage, Oni turned in a whirlwind circle and hit Karnage's 
side with the blunt end of 
her sword. "That 'cripple' is a better swordfighter with only _one_ good hand 
than you will _ever_ be 
with _two_!"

Karnage gritted his teeth. He seemed to be in pain from the blow, but did not 
cry out. He danced 
backwards out of her reach, and raised his sword again. They faced each other, 
swords weaving slightly 
back and forth, both on the balls of their feet, scarlet-tailed and white-
tailed.

Nearby, Slammer tussled with two of Karnage's pirates at once, the quick ferret 
darting in and out like 
stinging quicksilver and never giving his opponents a chance to touch him. A 
short distance from them, 
Gray Claw fought his way through a group of pirates.

"He ignores you," Karnage said, his voice deliberately low. 

"What?" Oni faltered, surprise showing in spite of herself.

"Ahh, yes, I have been hiding in the lurking shadows of the Vulture for many 
weeks. I hear, I watch, I 
see. He blows you the kisses, but underneath he treats you like just one of de 
men, yessno?"

Oni blinked. For an instant, she was caught completely off-guard.

With a leap, Karnage pressed his advantage, and before she could take measures 
against it, he had 
disarmed her. Her sword clattered to the floor, and then Karnage was on her, 
pinning her to the floor with 
his sword against her throat.

"Perhaps...I will not have...to kill...ju..." he gasped as she struggled 
fiercely beneath him, one hand 
clamping around his sword wrist, the other reaching for the handle of her own 
weapon a few feet away. 
"With one such as you at my side I could be-"

There was a *thud* and he went suddenly limp, a dead weight. A silver-furred arm 
yanked Karnage off 
Oni and flung him to one side, where he landed in a heap. The trace of blood on 
Karnage's scarlet fur was 
from Oni's claws, not Gray Claw's sword; Gray Claw had only clubbed him.

He held out his hand to Oni. "Are you all-"

Oni sat up and slapped his hand away. As he gaped, she got to her feet. Slammer, 
two limp pirates lying 
behind him, had already started towards her, but then he stopped, watching.

"Oni..." Gray Claw, puzzled, spoke again, then trailed off as concern replaced 
confusion. A faint line of 
red stained the snowy white fur on Oni's upper arm. His hand went towards her 
shoulder. "You're 
bleeding." 

But she stepped back, out of his reach. "So." Eyes still bright, she hooked her 
sword with the toe of her 
boot and flipped the weapon into the air and caught it. "You think I cannot take 
care of myself? That I am 
a wilting helpless girl?"

"No, I..."

"What? You 'ave something to say to me, _cheri_?" She gave the final word a 
hard, vicious emphasis.

Gray Claw's jaw went slack.

"Hmph!" Chin going up, Oni marched past him without another glance. A careless 
enemy pirate got 
caught in her path and she clubbed him senseless with one blow, her stride 
faltering not a bit.

The Silver Wolf stood with his sword hanging limply at his side and shook his 
head several times as if to 
clear it.

Slammer, standing a few feet away, said one word out loud to himself as he 
watched his idol, his hero, 
and his mentor finally gather his wits: "Idiot."

Ten minutes later, the mutiny was over.


*****
Once again, the game had been lost.

For months he had sat in that dry, dark prison cell, with nothing to do but 
watch the beetles crawl up the 
sand-colored walls and scratch the passing days into the soft rock with his 
claw. Nothing to do but plan, 
working out all the contingencies, the permutations, the possibilities. Not a 
puzzle but an endlessly 
interlocking magic trick.

Now the game was lost. But not the match.

He felt hands pulling at his jacket, felt himself sliding along the floor. By 
the smell, the sounds, he knew 
they were approaching the brig. He kept his eyes closed, his body slumped, for 
the moment, and prayed 
that for once, just this once, his lieutenants had done things right.

It was an old ploy.

It always seemed to work.

He heard the key turning in the lock, the jangle of metal. The hands holding him 
relaxed slightly. Karnage 
made his move.

The two pirates assigned to incarcerate him were quite shocked to discover he 
was not unconscious after 
all. Equally shocked as Karnage struck, leaping to his feet and kicking one hard 
into the wall, striking the 
other one a side blow to the neck. Both slumped to the floor.

Whistling cockily, Karnage lifted the keys from limp fingers and wandered deeper 
into the brig.

"Cap'n?" a grating voice said. "Is that you?"

"Yes, it is I, your fearless leader. How many are locked up?"

"About eight," the voice said. "You going to spring us now?"

"Of course, my dimwitted one. Dat is my brilliant plan."

"And then what?"

"Then...we leave."

"Leave?" other voices murmured.

"Yes, leave. It is de wise general who knows when it is to wait and fight 
another day. And there 
will...be...another day."

*****

The Jungle Aces stood in a row, while Gray Claw paced before them on the bridge, 
assessing them.

"I have to admit," he said slowly. "Your presence on this ship turned out better 
than I had planned. 
However, I must ask you all to swear upon your honor as Jungle Aces never to 
tell anyone where you 
were this night."

"Why not?" Ernie piped up indignantly. "This is the most exciting thing that's 
ever happened to me, and I 
can't talk about it?"

"Because, _mon petit_," Oni explained patiently. "What if your parents were to 
learn that you were on 
board the ship of the Silver Wolf? Would they understand you were guests? You 
wanted to be here? 
_Non_. They would be running to the harbor patrol and crying 'keednappers'! And 
Gray Claw, they 
would try to put him in prison."

"_Mass_ kidnapping is not something I want on my record," Gray Claw said wryly.

"Do you swear?" Slammer stepped forward solemnly. "Do you swear on your honor as 
Jungle Aces that 
you will never divulge where you were this night?"

Six voices, in chorus, repeated, "We swear on our honor as Jungle Aces."

"Molly," Kit nudged her. "This is the kind of secret it's _okay_ to keep."

"I can't," she whispered.

"Why not?"

"I'm...not a Jungle Ace. Neither is Lil."

"Oh." Kit pondered. Then he said, louder, "Is it okay if Lil and Molly just 
swear on their honor?"

"Very well," Gray Claw said.

"We swear on our honor, we will never tell where we were this night," Molly said 
stoutly, with Lil Bit 
half-heartedly mouthing along with her.

Gray Claw's glance moved to Oscar, then to Kit, and over the rest of them. 
"You'll make good soldiers 
one day," he said, and stopped as his gaze found Lil Bit. "Another one? Where 
did she come from?"

"Gray Claw, this is Lil Bit. She's a friend of Arizona Johnson's."

"Arizona Johnson." Gray Claw's brows went up. "Indeed. I've heard of the lady."

"You give back her jewel!" Lil Bit scowled up at him.

"I...beg your pardon?"

"The jewel. You steal jewel from transport plane. But it Arizona's! It belong in 
museum!" The kitten put 
her hands on her hips belligerently.

Gray Claw laughed. "Though she is little, she is fierce. Sorry, small one. 
Finders keepers. My jewel now." 

Lil opened her mouth to say something else, but Kit moved out of line and 
covered her mouth with his 
hand. "I'll explain it to her," Kit said. "She's...kinda determined. OW!"

As Kit hopped on one foot, Lil turned to him furiously. "You not keep _me_ from 
getting jewel back, 
stupid bear!" and she leapt at Kit, knocking him into Gray Claw. 

The pirate fell under them, and everything was in confusion. Gray Claw tried to 
grab Lil's flailing arms to 
keep her from striking Kit, who had flung his hands up in resistance but seemed 
reluctant to strike Lil. 
Ernie started to laugh so hard he doubled over and Lars had to pat him on the 
back. Chaos reigned until 
Slammer and Oni stepped in and pulled the children off their captain.

"Like I said before." Gray Claw got to his feet and straightened his jacket 
briskly, shoulders twitching. 
"Children are trouble on a ship."

Lil Bit subsided, huddled sulkily in her white robes.

"Time to go home," Gray Claw added cheerfully, like some surreal vision of a 
proper nanny. "Don't hold 
a grudge now, little one." He patted Lil Bit on the head, an act that took more 
courage than many years of 
buccaneering.

"Captain!" Wingnut ran onto the bridge, panting with exertion.

"Report!" Gray Claw said, all business once more.

"There's been trouble. The hangar. We tried to stop him, sir..."

"Wingnut, what happened?"

"Karnage and his men. They stole eight of the small planes. Well, to be precise 
they were Karnage's to 
begin with...but that's not important," he added hastily. "Opened the beak, 
and...gone," he finished, 
gesturing with his empty hands."

There was a terrible silence on the brig. Ernie stopped giggling so quickly he 
choked. Slowly, Gray Claw 
turned and reached for his captain's chair. He slumped into it and stared hard 
at nothing for a moment.

"Anyone hurt?" he asked.

"No, sir. They didn't make a move towards any of the men, except if they got in 
the way. If anything, 
they were trying to sneak out, without confrontation. Just wanted the planes."

"You sent a squad after him?"

"Of course!" Wingnut said.

"Get on the wireless. Summon them back."

"Sir?"

"I won't have any of my crew sacrificed going after that insignificant 
cockroach. Let it go. For now. 
About time I replaced those old planes anyway."

"Yes, sir."

*****

At the far end of the cavernous hangar, the coyote twins worked to refuel The 
Cormorant. The pair looked 
very small against the plane's whale-like bulk.

The storm had passed for good, leaving the sounds of the powerful propeller 
engines humming and 
vibrating through the spaces of the Iron Vulture. All was peaceful again.

It was over. They were going home. 

Oscar kept his eyes downward and stood a few feet apart from the Jungle Aces, 
who had formed a circle 
around Kit. Molly, Winger, and Lil Bit stood within the circle, flanking Kit 
with their heads raised 
defiantly, as if to compensate for Kit's quiet resignation. He stood with back 
straight, eyes level, cap 
clenched in one hand, like a prisoner awaiting sentence.

"You lied to us," Ernie spoke first.

"He didn't lie," Molly answered. "He just didn't tell you. That's not the same 
as lying."

Kit glanced at her, and shook his head. "No. Ernie's right. It was like a lie. 
Aces don't keep secrets from 
each other."

"Gosh, Kit, you could've said something," Spot said.

"But Don Karnage..." S.R. swallowed. She looked like she had eaten something 
sour.

"He left Don Karnage," Molly continued. "Don't you get it? He didn't like what 
the pirates were doing. 
He left. He helped Baloo save all of Cape Suzette from being blown into tiny 
bits!"

From Kit, there was no response. The Aces shifted uneasily at Molly's words, 
however.

Lil Bit folded her arms and glared disdainfully at them. "Not see what big deal 
is. Kit not pirate right 
now."

"That not the point, Lil Bit," Ernie said. "Gray Claw is one thing. But 
Karnage...Kit once stood for 
everything the Aces stand against."

Winger lifted one clenched fist and pounded it into his other palm. "Maybe you 
should listen to the Lil," 
he said menacingly. "Kit isn't a pirate now."

Lars, looking miserable about the entire situation, smiled a weak, hopeful 
smile. "That's a good point, 
guys...c'mon, let's not fight about it."

"No one's fighting," Ernie said sharply. "This is Aces procedure. Kit violated 
one of our codes. We have 
to decide what to do."

"Procedure." Winger snorted. "There you go again. What's more important, your 
stupid play rituals or 
friendship?"

"It's all about friendship!" Ernie's voice rose to a shout. "I've about had it 
with you. You don't get it. It's 
not some game! The Aces' code is about loyalty and honor and being a friend -- " 

"Friend!" Winger waved his paw. "Looks like you don't even know the meaning of 
the word."

"No!" Molly, who barely reached Ernie's shoulders, startled them all by suddenly 
moving between Ernie 
and Winger and flinging out her arms. "No more fighting!"

After exchanging final, warning glares, Winger and Ernie backed off and stepped 
away from each other.

"So what about Kit?" Spot asked sadly. "Is he still our friend?"

Surrounded by those who might condemn him and those who defended him, Kit 
continued to wait 
patiently. Molly gave him a worried look.

"He saved my life."

They all turned as Oscar spoke. Oscar raised his gaze from the floor to look at 
them as he continued, 
"When Karnage took Kit and Wildcat prisoner and Baloo and I tried to save them. 
Kit just wanted to give 
me an adventure. That's how it all started. Because he wanted me to be a part of 
the Jungle Aces, he said 
it was the best club in the world and he thought I was Aces material even though 
no one else did at first. 
And when we were escaping, Karnage grabbed me." Oscar fell silent, struggling 
with his next words. He 
gulped and adjusted his spectacles. "He dropped me out the bomb bay doors and I 
started to fall. I fell and 
fell...I could see the water getting closer and closer, and I thought I was 
going to die. But then Kit 
grabbed me, on his airboard. He grabbed me and we landed safely." Oscar 
shrugged, embarrassed. "He 
saved my life."

Hot tears swelled into Kit's eyes. He turned his head and shut his eyes so no 
one would see.

"I don't care what Kit was before I met him. I know _who_ he is _now_. And so do 
all of you. So you can 
drum him out of the club if you want, but if you do, I'm leaving too."

There was the sound of several pairs of feet shifting awkwardly. No one seemed 
to be able to meet 
anyone else's eyes. Then Ernie cleared his throat.

"Um...Kit...I...you've already proven you're a real Jungle Ace. It's just 
that...you could have _told_ 
me," he finished, with a note of real hurt.

"You're right," Kit finally spoke. "I should have told all of you."

"Kit," S.R. said softly, "didn't you trust us?"

"Yeah." Kit twisted the cap in his hands, then put it on his head and turned the 
brim backwards. "It's not 
that I didn't want to share secrets with the Aces. It's just that...being a 
pirate...I almost didn't even tell 
Baloo about it, 'cause...that's a part of my life I want to forget forever. I 
never want to face it again." He 
swallowed, then looked at Oscar. "Thanks, Oscar. Thanks a lot. You're a real 
friend."

Oscar blinked, then smiled.

Slammer approached them. "Come on, kids. The Cormorant's ready. Time to go 
home."

A joyful chorus erupted from The Jungle Aces, "All right!"

Oscar's smile faded and only he remained silent.

As they walked towards the plane, Molly fell into step with Kit.

As they stood together under the plane's broad left wing, awaiting their turn to 
climb the ladder and come 
aboard, Molly said, "You know, it's okay to keep some secrets...but not others."

*****

Gray Claw sat in the plush armchair in his captain's quarters with Wingnut, Oni, 
Slipstream, Nobble, and 
Hardtack standing before him.

"Any more trouble?"

"No hitches, sir," Wingnut said. "Slammer just radioed in. Children have been 
returned to their boat and 
are on their way back to Cape Suzette harbor right now. Slammer and the coyotes 
are on their way back 
to the Vulture."

"Good." Gray Claw let out a long breath. Then, with a satisfied smile, he 
reached for the pocket of his 
coat. "All in all, this didn't turn out so badly. It was kind of fun having 
them-" His eyes widened sharply 
and he began rummaging in his pocket. The Silver Wolf leapt to his feet, then 
rummaged in the other 
pocket. His hand came out empty. "ROTTEN BARNACLES!" he roared.

The other pirates staggered back. Oni was the first to move forward and inquire 
tentatively, "_Cheri_?"

Gray Claw looked at her. "Females," he snarled. "That little kitten lifted the 
jewel off me. Must have been 
during the scuffle with Kit. I didn't even notice. And she seemed so sweet..."

Wingnut began to snicker, and muffled it with his hand. Nobble and Hardtack 
seemed to be struggling to 
keep a straight face. Even Slipstream's normally solemn, lugubrious face had a 
small grin.

"Wingnut!" Gray Claw barked.

The bulldog jumped and saluted, oddly like Slammer. "Yes, sir?"

"If I ever see anyone under four feet tall on this ship again, you're all 
fired!"

"Yes, sir!"

*****

The first, soft light of dawn was creeping up beyond the green lush hills and 
pastel towers of Cape Suzette 
as they rowed across the harbor, fighting the waves. A buoy rang softly as a 
sleepy gull, perched on the 
top, took flight into the gray-pink sky. In the distance storm clouds raced away 
before a strong morning 
breeze.

The bedraggled, damp, and tired group in the dinghy the shoreline. A ray of sun 
shot between two tall 
buildings and made the drops of water gleam on the Higher For Hire sign. Water 
dripped from the wings 
of The Sea Duck, the battered gray plane moored opposite, and from the eaves of 
the main building.

As the dinghy thudded softly against the dock, the door to the office suddenly 
opened and the early 
morning stillness was shattered as a horde of adults poured forth.

"Oh, boy, are _we_ in trouble," Ernie managed to get out before hands reached 
down to pull him from the 
dinghy.

"It was nice knowing you, Kit," Spot said in a woe-filled voice, and he stepped 
out of the boat to greet his 
parents.

Everyone's parents seemed to be talking at once. 

"We were so worried...if you ever do this again....you're so damp...called the 
harbor 
patrol...frantic...you are grounded for the rest of your natural life...oh, 
thank goodness...did you wear 
your galoshes at least?...where were you?...of all the irresponsible...no 
talkies for a month, young 
lady...something hot to drink...gray hairs...it's those children he plays 
with...what on earth...wait until 
we get home..."

Oscar, Kit, Molly, Winger, and Lil Bit watched as their friends became engulfed. 
S.R.'s father picked her 
up into the air and hugged her tightly while her mother tried to hug both her 
husband and her daughter. 
Lars' mother smacked him on the arm, hugged him tightly, then smacked his arm 
again. Spot's parents 
and little sister seemed a bit calmer, and quickly hustled the returning 
prodigal into the family's beat-up 
old Model T.

Suddenly Oscar went rigid, as if he had been shot. Then without warning, he 
leapt out of the boat and ran 
along the dock, his feet pounding on the wooden boards.

"DAD!" he screamed, and launched himself at the broad-shouldered, burly, brown 
bear wearing glasses 
and a well-tailored gray flannel suit. Cornelius Vandersnoot III went down on 
one knee and hugged his 
son tightly as if he would never let go again. But after a minute he did so, and 
he pushed the cowlick back 
from his son's forehead.

"You worried your mother sick, son," he said firmly.

"Dad, she's worried sick if I stub my toe."

"True," said Mr. Vandersnoot, with a touch of a wry smile. "Amelia," he said, 
getting to his feet and 
turning to his wife. "I think maybe he has a point."

"But Cornelius," she protested, voice wavering. "We have to protect him. What if 
Oscar...what if it 
happens again, like with..." she trailed off and buried her face in her 
handkerchief.

The large brown bear shook his head. "Oscar is Oscar. You can't live in the 
past, Amelia. Come on," he 
said, linking one arm in his wife's and holding his other hand out to his son. 
"I think we'd better go home. 
And have a long talk."

"Whoa," Kit murmured in Molly's ear. "Wonder what _that's_ all about?"

A sudden shadow fell over them. Molly and Kit looked up, and gulped. Baloo, 
Rebecca, and Wildcat 
stood over them, and even Wildcat looked exceedingly grim.

"Winger," Starfinder said, sparing Kit and Molly for the moment, as he suddenly 
pushed past the others. 
"Are you all right?"

Winger climbed out of the dingy and joined the old gray squirrel. "I'm all 
right, Starfinder."

The squirrel's face grew cross. "You shouldn't have run away like that."

"I'm sorry," Winger said. He sighed. "I guess you're gonna punish me. Do I have 
to clean the barnacles 
off the dock at the lighthouse again?" He made a face.

"Yes," Starfinder said immediately. As they wandered towards the gray sea plane, 
he added. "That's not 
the point, Winger...son...if anything happened to you, I'd..." Suddenly the old 
squirrel halted, turned, 
and pulled the lion cub into a hug.

Winger endured it stiffly at first. Then his arms tightened briefly around his 
guardian before they both let 
go.

"Baloo," Starfinder said with a wave, "We'll be in touch." He and Winger climbed 
into the plane.

"Lil!" Arizona Johnson reached down a hand to help the kitten out of the dinghy. 
Molly and Kit released 
twin sighs of relief; reprieved again. "Did you get it, Lil?"

Lil nodded and proudly pulled out the shining jewel for Arizona to see.

"Did you give 'em heck?" Arizona asked.

Lil nodded again.

"That's my girl," Arizona said. She pocketed the jewel, then held out her hand 
again. Lil Bit hesitated, 
then accepted it. The two walked away together into the sunlight, Lil Bit 
imitating Arizona's jaunty gait.

Starfinder's plane roared into life. It was impossible to speak over the sound. 
The plane pulled away from 
the dock, taxied out onto the water, and took off like a great sea bird.

Peace finally settled over Higher For Hire. Molly and Kit climbed out of the 
dinghy, fearfully watching 
the three remaining adults, who still had not spoken a word.

Kit and Molly shifted from one foot to the other, shoulders tensed as they 
waited for the onslaught. Still 
silence. Finally, Kit said hesitantly, "So, I guess we're in pretty big trouble, 
huh?"

"Trouble. Hm. You think they're in trouble, Becky?"

"Trouble? Well, yes, Baloo, I'd say they were in quite a bit of trouble. Yes, 
definitely in trouble."

"Yup, you're in trouble, little britches."

"Massive trouble."

"A whole lotta trouble."

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" Rebecca plunged into her element with a force as 
inexorable as the 
tide. "Running off like that without leaving a note?"

"Yeah!" echoed Baloo angrily.

"Molly, did you really think I'd be fooled by your pillows-under-the-blanket 
trick?"

"Yeah!" said Baloo.

"And Kit. How irresponsible could you be?"

"Yeah...hey, was it all his fault?"

Rebecca waved him silent. "BOTH of you were irresponsible. You both know better 
than that. We were 
worried SICK!"

"Absolutely," Baloo nodded emphatically. "Uh...where were you, exactly?"

"We can't tell you," Kit said, bracing himself.

"WHAT?" Rebecca yelled.

"Mommy, we promised."

"I don't believe this." Rebecca put her hand over her face. "Tell me, or YOU ARE 
GROUNDED FOR 
LIFE!"

"Miz Cunningham?" Wildcat said, all but raising his hand like a timid child in a 
class with a fierce 
teacher.

"What is it, Wildcat?" she snapped.

"They made everybody real worried sick," Wildcat explained patiently. "And I 
guess they ought to be 
punished. But you just said they were old enough to know better, right? So maybe 
they're old enough to 
have secrets worth keeping." Wildcat nodded at Kit and Molly. "I'm glad you're 
safe but boy, are you 
gonna be yelled at." 

Rebecca cleared her throat. "Yes. Well. Regardless of where you were, YOU ARE 
STILL IN 
TROUBLE! IF YOU EVER DO ANYTHING LIKE THIS AGAIN YOU WILL BE GROUNDED 
UNTIL MOLLY IS IN HER FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?"

"YOU TELL 'EM, BECKY!" Baloo cheered her on.

"Now," Rebecca said, her voice suddenly soft and her eyes growing moist as she 
held out her arms. 
"Come here and give me a hug, both of you."

Molly ran unhesitatingly to her mother and hugged her tight around the waist. 
Kit, more awkwardly, 
stepped forward, and Rebecca smiled, adjusted his cap, and hugged him. "Okay," 
she said, pushing him 
away gently. "I know how that mushy stuff bugs you."

While Molly continued to dispense hugs, first to Baloo, then her mother again, 
then Wildcat, Kit turned to 
Baloo.

"Uh, Papa Bear? I'm sorry I made you so worried. And uh...there's something I 
have to tell-OOF!"

Whatever Kit had been about to say was lost as the breath left his body in a 
bone-crunching hug from 
Baloo.

Then the large gray bear released him. "What you were going to say, Kit?"

"Oh. Nothing." Kit looked out over the waters of the bay. "Just...I think I 
understand something I didn't 
before. That's all." 

*****

The wind whipped his ears back and deafened him to all but the roar of the 
propeller blades and the 
chatter of his pirates over the radio headset in his ears. They kept low, 
beneath the clouds where the air 
was still breathable, streaking over the water sparkling below in the new, fresh 
morning after the storm.

"*crrrk* *What now, captain?*"Dumptruck's voice inquired over the headsets.

"*Now, we go where we will. We are the wisps o' the will, yessno?*"

"*crrk* *And den what, captain?*"

The eight planes roared onward, into the sun.

"*And den...we will wait. Eventually, the right opportunity will be presenting 
itself.*"

*****

_Epilogue_
_One month later_

"What do we see
In the sky
Jungle Aces flying high
Flyyyyyyyyy Aces!"

Standing on the tiny stage inside the tree house, Molly finished the cheer with 
a flourish, lifting her fist 
into the air.

S.R., Ernie, Oscar, Lars, Spot, Winger, and Kit applauded and whooped.

Ernie, standing beside Molly on the stage, stepped up to the podium. He cleared 
his throat. "We now 
induct Molly Cunningham as a full member of The Jungle Aces, with all the 
rights, privileges, and 
responsibilities therein."

Another cheer erupted. The floorboards of the treehouse trembled slightly.

"Well, it's about time we had more girls in this club!" S.R. said indignantly.

"Yeah," said Ernie. "And _this_ one's even _cute_!"

S.R.'s mouth pursed angrily, but before she could speak Winger stepped up to the 
stage and shoved Ernie 
against the wall.

"You wouldn't be insulting S.R., _would_ you, Ernie?"

"N-no, I..."

"Knock it off," said Spot, rolling his eyes. "You guys are _always_ fighting."

"Yeah, we just got un-grounded," said Lars. "I'm in enough trouble since we 
swore never to tell anyone 
where we were. Do you think you could cool it?"

"She _is_ cute, isn't she?" Oscar said quietly, as Winger released Ernie, and 
the Aces, including Kit, 
gathered around Molly, congratulating her. No one heard him.

Molly beamed. "I can't believe I finally made it in!" she said jubilantly. 
"So...what's our next 
adventure?"

THE END.