"About half of the power supply is still inaccessible, and our network is glitchy. Activating just one of the larger animal robots could blow the whole thing. We have exposed wires in the jungle... what is that noise?"
Everyone paused from listening to Tink's report and looked up at the sky arch, where a methodical banging sound seemed to be coming from an area just east of the entrance to the Grey World.
"Maybe it's Captain Hook coming back?" Noodler said hopefully.
"I doubt it," responded Bill Jukes. "He was itchy to leave this place for years. And he picked a good time, if you ask me."
An uncomfortable silence settled on the group.
"They're probably just doing some work on the road," Tink said quickly. "I'm sure they need to often with the ancient system they're using up there." She was about to continue her report but was interrupted by Alf Mason.
"Maybe we should all leave," he said, scratching his neck. "It's going to take a long time and a lot of work to get this place back in order. It might be easier to start over in the Grey World."
"Yeah," Smee piped up. "Then we might be able to get a decent meal again."
"Peter and the Captain must have known Neverland was done for," Cecco added. "That's why they left."
"Peter will be back," Slightly announced confidently.
"How do you know?" Shouted Nibs.
Slightly shrugged. "Intuition."
Nibs rolled his eyes. "I am so sick of hearing about your intuition."
"I'm sick of all this heavy labor," Bill Jukes interjected. "And frankly, I'm sick of living with all of you blokes. I say we risk it and get out of here."
"But we can't leave!" Whibbler cried, grasping awkwardly at Bill Jukes. "If we go up there they'll put us in prison!"
"Can't be any worse than slaving away in this pit with all you ninnies!"
Alf Mason threw a punch at Bill Jukes, and the group erupted into a mess of yelling, fighting, and confusion. Even the twins seemed angry. Tink began to panic. She was already vulnerable being outside of her home in central control, and while Curly's special glasses helped a little, the tension and chaos were threatening to overload her senses.
"Wait a minute!" Noodler cried out from the melee. "Tink could clear our records like she did Hook's, and then we'd be safe to go back into the Grey World!"
Everyone looked at Tink. She stepped back, her body trembling.
"I.... I don't..."
She was beginning to see spots in her vision when she felt Curly's hand on the small of her back. It was a simple gesture, but it steadied her. She took a deep breath.
"Yes, I could clear your records," she said with a touch of reluctance, "but we'd need to fix the network first."
"Then let's make that our first priority," said Bill Jukes.
Everyone else nodded in agreement.
"What do we need to do to get it working again?" Alf Mason asked.
"I... I need to check the programs back in central control, but I'll compile a list of steps."
"Sounds like a plan," said Smee. "Now let's get started on dinner."
The group dispersed, leaving Tink alone with a growing sense of despair.
*****
Tink sat on the floor of her small room in central control, running wire and trying not to think about being left all alone in Neverland. The pirates had been moody ever since Captain Hook left, and now with Peter gone too it seemed morale in Neverland was extremely low. Being without their leaders made everyone a little lost, and Tink could see why everybody was eager to follow them into the Grey World. They had finally cleared away all the debris and broken inventions, but Bill Jukes was right. Getting Neverland fully operational again was going to take a long time. It made sense that everyone would want to escape to the Grey World, but Tink couldn't leave. She might make it a few days with Curly's glasses, but eventually the vision of her room mixed with tall buildings and speeding vehicles would no longer be believable. Then she'd have a breakdown and end up in a psychiatric hospital, or in prison, since her criminal record was more colorful than most of the pirates'.
Tink's dismal thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her door.
"Would my girlfriend like some dinner?"
Tink's mouth twitched into a smile and she jumped up to let Curly in. When she opened the door, Curly set a plate of bland-looking food on the table, wrapped his arms around Tink and lifted her off the floor. He twirled her around a couple times and gave her a kiss on the cheek before setting her down again.
"What was that for?" Tink asked, feeling a bit light headed from his entrance.
"I missed you."
"Please. You saw me an hour ago."
"That's long enough. Plus, it's been a while since I was alone with you. Earlier I had to share you with everybody else."
Curly gave her a look that set off sparks in her heart. Tink didn't know how she could have ever thought Peter was more attractive than him. She sighed and sat back in her rolling chair.
"Yeah, earlier you saved me from losing it in front of everybody else."
Curly frowned and sat down across from her. "Were you worried about everyone leaving Neverland?"
"No. Yes. Maybe." Tink sighed and put her head in her hands in admission. "I can't leave," she moaned. "What would I do?"
"Well, it seems like Whibbler would stay," Curly said, looking thoughtful. "And I'm pretty sure the mermaids wouldn't be able to go anywhere."
Tink made a face, imagining spending the rest of her life with a blubbering pirate and those snarky mermaids.
Curly leaned forward and took her hand. "But more importantly, I would never leave you."
Tink smiled weakly at his promise, wondering how long he would feel that way.
"Plus," he added, "I have a feeling everyone else will change their minds about going to the Grey World once they see how easy it's going to be to rebuild everything."
"Easy? It took us two weeks just to clean everything up."
Curly smiled and reached across Tink to turn her computer on. He brought up the design program and typed in a few commands.
"Remember that regenerator I designed during the tournament?" He asked, switching the display of Tink's computer to show several different areas of Neverland. "Well, I've been working with Slightly on making a few more and expanding their programming, and I think..." he typed in one more command and sat back, "that they're going to work."
Tink watched as the devices drew from the materials in Neverland's framework to recreate organisms and buildings that slowly rose up from the ground. A barren spot of the jungle was being covered with foliage, the Weather Tree was piecing itself back together, and an intricate bridge by one of the waterfalls emerged from the forest floor.
"Curly, this is fantastic!" Tink cried, pulling him closer and wrapping her arms around him. "With your regenerators rebuilding all the organisms and structures, we'll only have to worry about the network and the electric!"
Curly laughed. "If I had known this would be your reaction I would have made more!" He put his hand behind her neck and rubbed her cheek with his thumb. Tink blushed at the way his eyes searched her face and she eagerly leaned in.
Suddenly a message beeped out from the computer and they both turned to read it.
ERROR: UNABLE TO CONTINUE FUNCTION. IRON DEPLETED. BERYLLIUM DEPLETED. SILVER DEPLETED. PLEASE REFILL TO CONTINUE.