Gloom surrounds the commander as he marches down the palace halls with Jacob and his crew in chains behind him. Gloom doesn’t follow Jacob though. He throws smiles at his onlookers like he has a secret that beats his chains. His cheery greetings to those who pass him make Commander Ferrari’s eye twitch.
Those who committed mutiny against Commander Ferrari years ago should’ve been executed instantly instead of being sent off on a ship to die slow deaths drifting into the abyss. Commander wanted all the men dead, and the traitors would’ve been executed if Jacob wasn’t so good at combat.
Plus, Jacob had a good point: without him, the soldiers would have been stranded not knowing how to get home. Commander Ferrari was ready to find his own way home with Jacob’s head in a bag, but the crew cried like little girls. King William better give the men the noose.
Commander Ferrari pushes open tall yellow golden double doors making his way into the packed throne room ignoring the curtseys and bows he passes. Courtiers gossip and laugh as the king sits next to his wife bored to death and deeply annoyed. A man with a cabbage for legs stands before the king with royal guards behind him and chains on his wrists.
“Mr. GreenBean, what was going on in your day that made you feel like burning Senior Russell’s farm was a good idea?” The king asks morosely with his head on his hand waiting.
“Technically, I turned a wolf into a dragon who burned all the crops.” Mr. GreenBean, the man with the cabbage bottom, corrects. He then fiddles with his thumbs. The king’s eye twitches.
“And that was a good idea because?” The king retorts in a whisper holding onto the last of his patience. The GreenBean man opens his mouth, but General Violet Montares, a woman in a military uniform with a skirt standing behind the king, holds her hand up shaking her head. The queen agrees with her with a nod. The GreenBean Man closes his mouth and remains silent. The king looks to Commander Ferrari who waits behind the cabbage man.
“What news do you bring, Commander?” The king redirects his attention.
“We discovered a new land across the sea. And found him,” Commander Ferrari pushes Jacob forward causing the linked chains to yank the rest of the men forward too, “Along with the other mutaniers.”
“Jacob Bay?” King William questions examining Jacob’s face then drops his forhead into his palm, “Oh no.”
“You miss me?” Jacob asks with a boyish smile earning an eye roll from the king, “You haven’t aged a day. How have you been?”
“Commander, what is this new world?” The king shifts focus, clearly ignoring Jacob.
“We explored very little, for we ran out of supplies due to the hurricane. However, if you execute these men and dispatch me a search team, we can discover all the wonders and secrets this new world hides.” Commander Ferrari suggests without blinking an eye.
“Commander Ferrari,” Jacob sings. The king closes his eyes then holds his head up the ceiling as Commander Ferrari issues Jacob a ferocious side eye, “How do you plan to get back? See, we burned the maps you made; we also took you on a long and unnecessary journey to make sure you didn’t remember the path. I don’t want to mislead you or anything, but I also don’t want you to get lost.”
“We can use his men but execute him.” Commander Ferrari negotiates.
“Jacob Bay, you will be executed.” King William quickly announces satisfied, but Jacob’s crew steps forward.
“We will not guide without Captain Bay.” One man declares for the group who all link arms with Jacob.
“Awe, you guys.” Jacob says exultantly as if he’s touched.
“Ferrari, I’m sorry.” The king rubs his forehead as his queen strokes his arm.
“Commander Ferrari, I grant you your expedition to explore this new world. However, these men will guide you heavily guarded but unharmed. At the end of it all, we will see what we can do about their executions.”
The throne room remains quiet, so it’s not hard to hear the cabbage bottom of the GreenBean man moving his leaves across the floor. Ssssswwwwiiiiiisssshhh. Ssssswwwwiiiiiisssshhh. Ssssswwwwiiiiiisssshhh.
“Mr. GreenBean,” The king calls attention to the man made of vegetables who stops with his hand on the knob of the doors. The king continues nostalgically irritated:
“You have been a thorn in my foot, my father’s foot, and my grandfather’s foot. You are a generational curse that has plagued my family for almost a century. Though you made yourself and your inventions useful to my father and my grandfather, you’ve been nothing but a nuisance to me. That ends today. You will join this expedition and use your science to help. What can we use in this new world? What can we do there? If you fail to be useful, you will live out your days in a prison cell. Understand?”
Mr. GreenBean nods, so the king returns his attention to Commander Ferrari who glares at Jacob.
“We will make a plan, budget, and all to create the expedition. Put these men in a cell until it is time. Mr. GreenBean, tell us what all you will need and the costs.” The queen gently suggests.
“You can leave,” The king says to Mr. GreenBean who rushes out, “Commander, investigate that flying ship. It could be useful.”
Mr. GreenBean moves his hips from side to side moving away from the palace as quickly as possible. A beautiful woman in a red frilly dress, flowers in her hair, red paint on her lips, and jewelry to match rushes over to Mr. Greenbean.
“Mr. GreenBean, is my daughter in your lab?” The beautiful dark skin woman asks. Mr. GreenBean stares with his lips tied together shaking his head.
“Nnnnnooot thhhhhaaaat Iiii am aware of,” his speech slows as he lies to Emmanuella’s mother. Eva picks up on the lie and sighs; she touches his arms with soft eyes.
“Send her home.” Eva whispers then turns returning to her home. The GreenBean man smiles, for Eva is one of the few people who are kind and patient with him. He snaps out of his daze then rushes to the meeting point.
Emmanuella waves then drops down a swing attached to the ship allowing him to sit. The ship takes off towards the dome lab carrying him in the flower covered swing.