Welcome to the fourth of my Jane Porter/Amelia stories, using the characters Jane and Archimedes Q. Porter from Disney's Tarzan transplanted into the universe of Disney's Treasure Planet from where you will recognise Amelia and Mr Arrow. This story also includes the character Dr Eleanor Gray, courtesy of Megers67.
26/12/2013 - A regrettable error duplicating the contents of one chapter has been fixed. My sincere apologies to anyone unfortunate enough to read it before I noticed that, because the story probably didn't make as much sense as it was meant to.
Read on, enjoy, and any feedback welcome!
Jane Porter held the small glass bottle up to the light of the ceiling lamp in the small dispensary to check the colour. A distant rumble which she was aware of more through the timbers beneath her feet than through her ears told her that the ship's engines had powered up. The vibration increased slightly, making the bottles and vials tightly-packed onto the shelves in the small, bright room ring off each other before they settled again. She squinted at the bottle in her hand once more before nodding in satisfaction and putting it to one side on the folding table she was working on. Picking up a clipboard, she ticked off a line and turned to the next bottle. A movement in the doorway made her look up and she saw Surgeon-Lieutenant Gray watching her work. The young Macropodian doctor held up her notebook and Jane leaned forwards to read it.
ARE YOU MANAGING?
Jane nodded, remembering the surgeon's muteness. "Quite well, doctor, yes. All the new anaesthetics have been categorised. I'll be done with the antiseptics in just a moment."
VERY GOOD.
"Can you hear the engines?" Jane waved towards the back of the ship. "We must be leaving port already."
YES. Gray shrugged, indicating that whether the ship was in port or not did not particularly matter as far as the cataloguing of antiseptics was concerned. Jane understood and indicated the new bottle.
"I'll just get back to it, then, shall I?"
Gray nodded and went on her way, her tail briefly knocking against the door frame. Jane picked up the bottle and checked the label as she felt the thrum of the ship's engines rise once more. In her mind's eye, she could picture the scene as the big vessel headed away from the spaceport. A creaking of timbers told her that they were making a slow turn out towards the stars. She shook her head to clear the image and concentrated once more on her task, reminding herself that the sooner it was completed, the sooner she could get out on deck to see them.
The main deck of the RLS Resolute was divided down the middle by a pile of stacked crates, rows of barrels and mounds of bulging sacks all assembled to preserve some space around the edge of the deck to enable the ship's crew to stand in their ranks against the railing. They stood at attention in perfectly-ordered rows, the spacers in blue and the marines in red. Flags and pennants fluttered from halyards overhead and Jane had to don her round straw hat to shield her eyes from the light of the sun. She picked her way between the boxes and crates, trying to read the labels they bore, and looked up towards the ship's bridge where the officers were standing in a neat group. The world of New Genswick was disappearing into the distance behind them as the big capital ship headed out into the haze of the Lagoon Nebula and Jane was not sad to see it go. The small scar on her cheek she had obtained during her abduction there was still present, though it had long since stopped hurting. She shook her head to clear the memories and raised her eyes to the bridge, catching sight of the slender, smartly-uniformed officer to one side and smiling. Amelia, her hands folded behind her back in approved style, caught her looking and gave her a small smile. Jane smiled back and cleared her throat.
"Permission to come to the bridge, Captain?"
The ship's grizzled commanding officer nodded to her. "Permission granted, Miss Porter."
Jane smiled her thanks and climbed up the short flight of wooden stairs to the raised bridge deck.
"I think we can stand down from departure stations now, Mr Chad." Forsythe nodded to his first officer and relaxed his stance. "Dismiss the watch crew to their duties and arrange working parties to stow these supplies below. Liaise with the paymaster and make sure everything ends up where we need it."
Commander Chad touched his hat. "Aye, captain. All hands, stand down from departure stations! Mr Buckley, Ms Dunn, assemble your divisions! Are you ready to assume your watch, Lieutenant Amelia?"
Amelia felt a small thrill of satisfaction at being addressed by her newly-confirmed rank but tried not to let it show in her face. She touched two fingers to her hat in salute. "Yes, sir."
"Then you have the bridge," said Forsythe, returning the salute. "I want the deck clear by 1530 hours, Commander. Report to me if there are any difficulties."
"Aye, sir." Chad turned his head as the old man left. "Ms Amelia?"
Amelia stepped up to the ship's command console. "I have the watch, sir. 1237 ship time."
"So noted." Chad turned to Buckley and Dunn, the ship's remaining Midshipmen, and led them onto the deck where their spacers were waiting for orders. Amelia touched a couple of controls on the console to bring up a schematic of the ship, which she began studying intently.
Jane stood aside for the other officers and eventually reached Amelia, who had taken off her hat and was in conversation with Arrow. The big red-coated Captain of Marines greeted Jane warmly as she arrived.
"Welcome, Miss Porter. I was surprised not to see you on deck for our leaving dock. I trust there was no emergency below decks?"
"No emergency, Captain Arrow, thank you," Jane smiled. "Dr Gray was just keen on getting the fresh medical supplies unloaded and packed away as quickly as possible and decided not to wait. I was working in the dispensary to get everything on the shelves."
"I can well imagine," grinned Amelia, conjuring up a mental image of the ship's recently-acquired junior surgeon, who was already building a reputation for her short temper. "But I'm sure you managed all right?"
"Oh, yes. No problems." Jane nodded. "Is everything all right up here?"
"Once we get the deck cleared, it will be," said Amelia. "Normally we'd have taken care of the stowage before departure, but the Captain was keen to resume our patrol. We lost several days dealing with the dark matter business back there on New Genswick and in the pulsar field and we have to stick to the Admiralty's strategy. If there's any break in the front line then some damned pirate could easily slip through."
"I suppose that makes sense." Jane looked at the assembled supplies as the crew began scrambling over them to untie them. Down on the deck, Midshipman Dunn called up to the bridge.
"Lieutenant Amelia! With your permission, we'll rig a crane between the main and foremast and get everything below decks. We can distribute the supplies from the forward hold."
Amelia looked at the schematic of the ship and nodded. "Very good, Ms Dunn. It looks like there's enough space there, then working aft to compartment fourteen. Anywhere further back and it'll affect our trim."
"Understood, ma'am." Dunn grinned as she saluted, accentuating the honorific. Amelia grinned back and signalled for the work to begin. Jane watched her working with a strange sense of pride.
"Furl the fore and main course sails so that the supply crew can get that crane rigged, Mr Bryce," Amelia nodded to her Petty Officer. "We can run up an extra royal or two to maintain the power. Bring in the dress flags and post lookouts fore and mizzen."
"Aye, ma'am!"
"Captain Arrow, can you spare any of your troops to assist with the supply stowage? I think we'll have our work cut out for us clearing this deck as quickly as the Captain required."
Arrow nodded. "I should be able to lend you a squad or two, ma'am."
"Much appreciated. Have them report to Midshipman Dunn."
"Of course, ma'am. Please excuse me." Arrow touched his hat and left the bridge.
"All very efficient, Amelia," Jane remarked. "I'm sure you won't have any trouble getting it all stowed away in time."
"The midships holds are empty so we can use them as sorting stations if we have to," said Amelia thoughtfully. "Are you sure that all the medical supplies have already been taken below?"
Jane nodded. "Absolutely. I kept a record of the whole inventory. I can go and get it if you like?"
"The paymaster will probably need it later, but I'm happy to take your word on it in the meantime," Amelia gave her a grin.
"I'm flattered that I have your trust, lieutenant," Jane grinned back.
Amelia winked and turned back to the console. "Among other things, Miss Porter."
Jane felt her cheeks redden and she coughed to hide it before any of the crew noticed. "Ahem, well...I'll just go and make sure that list is all ready...i's dotted and t's crossed and so on..."
"Will you be joining us for dinner in the wardroom this evening?" asked Amelia. "I do hope that Dr Gray isn't working you too hard."
"Oh, no, I'll be there as usual," Jane nodded. "I'll make sure we're all done by then."
"Very good," Amelia smiled to show that she meant it. "I look forward to your company then."
There was a lingering smell of paint in the officers' wardroom, which had undergone extensive repairs as a result of the damage it had sustained when a pirate shell had burst in it. The stern-facing windows had been left open all day, which had only partially solved the problem. Jane could tell that the scent was bothering Amelia's keen felinid nose, though the unfortunate canid Acting Lieutenant Whiting had it worst of all and he soon excused himself to finish his meal in his quarters.
"Well, the fresh food is welcome, but I'm not sorry to be back in space," said Lieutenant Costell, the ship's chief navigator.
"I wouldn't have minded a bit of liberty," said Lieutenant Harburn, a thin-faced ursid. "We've been on this ship for a long time."
"Yet sometimes it feels like no time at all," Jane smiled across the table at Amelia, who grinned.
"That's kind of you to say, Miss Porter."
"Yes, I'm sure that you above all others would be glad to be back in space after your experience," said Costell. "One doesn't expect that sort of thing when one goes planetside."
"Quite a lot of things have happened to me that I wasn't expecting, Mr Costell," Jane gave Amelia another knowing glance. "But I wouldn't trade in any of what's happened to me in the last few months."
"And neither would I," said Archimedes, who had joined the officers for dinner. "The stargazing opportunities have been wonderful. And it's all tremendously exciting to see history in the making like this. I think I shall write a book about it when it's all over."
"There's bound to be an audience," said Harburn. "This is the biggest operation the Navy has undertaken since the last war with the Procs. You could do quite well out of it."
"Do you think so?" Archimedes beamed. "Then I shall start compiling some notes! Perhaps I'd be able to interview you all at some stage, eh?"
Harburn and Costell exchanged looks. "Ah...yes, perhaps..."
Amelia and Jane shared another look of amusement. "I'm sure there'll be time for it, sir."
"Only not tomorrow," said Costell quickly. "We're beginning a testing regime tomorrow for the new repairs. Seeing what the new timbers can do, shaking down any problems."
"Oh." Archimedes scratched his ear. "Are you sure that'll take all day?"
"The captain has insisted on doing it thoroughly," said Amelia. "He issued the orders just this afternoon. The ship's carpenter is already preparing for it."
"It's important," nodded Harburn, as Arrow arrived in the room, removing his hat and ducking to fit his bulk through the doorway. "I remember on my second ship, the old RLS Duke of Eldridge, during the last Procyon war. We had to put in for refit and repair after an engagement. A week later and the ship had more holes in it than what the Procs had caused! Rotten wood, you see. Riddled with shipworm."
"I can see why that would have been inconvenient," said Jane, her eyes wide.
"It was a damned sight worse than that, ma'am, if I may say," said Harburn. "After an infestation is discovered, the whole ship has to be checked down to the last mitre. The good wood could easily have picked up the worms from the bad wood. The mainmast fell over and was resting at such an angle that the dockyard workers dubbed the ship the 'Drunken Duke'! She was so long being repaired that all of us were transferred to other ships before she could put to space again."
"I've heard of such things happening before," said Arrow, taking his seat at the table, which creaked under his weight. "Particularly in wartime. Sometimes the suppliers are forced to use whatever they have to hand. And other suppliers, alas, are more concerned with profiteering than with professionalism."
"Ah." Archimedes looked up at one of the new timber beams that had been fitted across the ceiling directly above his head. "I, er, shouldn't be worrying now, should I?"
Arrow reached up and tapped the beam with his finger, producing a solid sound. "Not about this one, at least, sir."
"Jolly good, jolly good." Archimedes visibly relaxed.
"It's just the paint that we have to be concerned about," said Amelia.
"Yes, it is getting rather oppressive," Harburn wrinkled his nose. "May I suggest that anyone interested in after dinner drinks join me in my quarters? I picked up a rather good bottle of brandy while we were in port."
"Gladly," said Costell. "Will you join us, Mr Arrow?"
Arrow nodded. "Later, sir, if you will excuse me. After this meal I must inspect the midships armoury. My sergeant is still out of action."
"How is Ko?" asked Amelia.
"Recovering well, according to Dr Gray," said Jane. "She'll be able to resume light duties late next week."
"That is most welcome news," said Arrow.
"I'm afraid I've got to start getting some notes together for that book of mine," said Archimedes. "But thanks awfully."
"How about you, Miss Porter?"
"Oh, I might just take some air on deck," Jane said. "I think the paint is giving me a bit of a headache. I can always mix myself something from the dispensary if it gets worse."
"I'm afraid I have to make my excuses as well, sir," said Amelia. "I have some work to attend to. And perhaps I could join you on the deck afterward, Miss Porter?"
"Of course, lieutenant," Jane smiled. "Your company would be most welcome."
"It sounds like we all have our evenings planned, then," said Harburn, standing up. "In that case-"
There was a knock on the door and Midshipman Dunn put her head into the wardroom. "Excuse me, sir. With the captain's compliments, all officers are to report to him immediately. We've just received a message from Admiral Benson's headquarters."
"We'll be there directly, Ms Dunn," said Harburn, who smiled resignedly. "Well. So much for a planned evening."
"One can always rely on the Admiralty," Arrow smiled, putting down his knife and fork. "Let us see what they have in mind for us now."
Forsythe was waiting for them in his stateroom, sitting behind his desk and reading a transcript. Chad was standing behind him as was traditional, arms folded behind his back. The officers filed in and formed a small line in front of them. Amelia was the last to enter, closing the door behind her and exchanging a final brief look with Jane who stayed out on deck.
"Reporting as ordered, sir," said Harburn, touching his hat in salute.
"Very good." Forsythe put the paper aside and looked up at them. "We have a change in plans, ladies and gentlemen. As you are aware, we accelerated our repair schedule in order to resume our patrol in as timely a manner as possible. But the Admiral has other plans in mind for us."
"We're not going back on patrol, sir?" said Costell.
"I'm afraid not," Forsythe sat forward in his chair. "We are being withdrawn from the front line of our advance. It seems that our services are required elsewhere."
"As our forces push on to expel the pirates from the Nebula, we're opening up large areas of secured space behind us," said Chad. "The trade that the pirates strangled in this region is already starting to fill the vacuum. And our own supply lines are getting longer by the day."
"It seems that one of our fears has been realised," Forsythe went on. "There are reports that convoys have been coming under attack. Somehow, enemy elements have evaded the vanguard, slipped through our front and are making merry behind us. Admiral Benson is withdrawing a task force to secure our lines of communication. We are to be part of it."
He stood up and made his way across the room to the large polished oak briefing table. A large chart had been spread out across it with several locations marked out in red.
"The Navy has established several staging posts behind our advance into the Nebula," said Forsythe, pointing them out. "The closest one to us is here, Fort Loyalty, in the Trident Archipelago. That will be our new station. A convoy is en route to Fort Loyalty from here. We are to position ourselves for rendezvous and escort it in."
"Has the convoy no escort of its own, sir?" asked Amelia.
"It isn't a Navy convoy," said Forsythe, "though it carries Navy supplies amongst its cargo. The convoy is under the control of the Eastern Iridium Trading Company."
"The EITC?" Arrow sounded surprised. "I had no idea that they operated in this part of the Empire."
"They do now," said Forsythe. "Peace in the Lagoon Nebula promises quite a profit to those who get in early enough to take advantage of it. And war in the Lagoon Nebula hasn't been bad for them, either."
"You mentioned they were carrying Navy supplies, sir," said Buckley.
"Quite so. The Admiralty has been contracting merchant ships to supplement our own transport capacity, including those of the EITC." Forsythe nodded. "Draw your own conclusions from that as you will. And with the pirate attacks starting, the Company has requested military protection. We are to provide it. Preservation of trade is part of the Navy's stated duties, and the Company operates under Royal Charter as well as on contract."
"Understood, sir."
Forsythe straightened his back and sighed. "We will be making our course change in the morning. In the meantime, ladies and gentlemen, we continue as planned. We will still be conducting our shakedown tomorrow. Preparations will not be interrupted by this change in plan."
"Aye, sir," Amelia and the others concurred.
"Very good." Forsythe nodded. "Mr Costell, you will plot the most efficient course to reach the convoy. I would like your calculations by 2200 hours tonight."
"Yes, sir." Costell saluted.
"If I may, sir," said Amelia, "When we reach Fort Loyalty, what do we do then?"
Forsythe gave the grimace that was as close as he came to smiling. "I am glad you asked, Ms Amelia. The Admiral in his munificence has seen fit to grant us a standard fortnight's liberty. In as much as such a blessing can be enjoyed as a fleet base, anyway. I will be making an announcement to the crew tomorrow."
"Aye, sir," Amelia smiled. The spirit in the room had noticeably lifted at the prospect of finally being granted the shore leave that circumstances had denied them at New Genswick. "I'm sure that will be well-received."
"Something to look forward to," agreed Chad.
"Indeed," Forsythe said. "But in the meantime, we still have a task to perform and if there are pirates at large on our supply lines then it may not be an easy one. I do not wish the prospect of shore leave to distract the crew's minds from their duties at hand. I need not remind you of the consequences of the lines of communication being cut. If these attacks are not contained, they threaten the entire campaign. I will be relying on you as officers to ensure that the crew's diligence, as well as your own, is not diluted by daydreaming. Is that clear?"
"Perfectly clear, sir," said Arrow.
"Very good," the captain nodded towards the door. "You are dismissed, ladies and gentlemen. And I remind you that this discussion is to be kept in confidence."
Jane was waiting outside the door when they emerged back onto the deck. Amelia smiled at her.
"Well, Miss Porter. This is what you call 'taking the air'?"
Jane smiled back. "What of it? Although I suppose I can't conceal a certain level of curiosity about what was so urgent as to need all of you to deal with it."
"Some interesting news," said Amelia. She glanced around the bridge, noting the presence of several crew members. "But not to be discussed here," she added in a low voice.
Jane closed the door behind them as they entered their shared cabin below decks, checking both ways in the corridor before doing so and then clicking the latch into place. Amelia smiled at her caution.
"So what's the big news?" Jane asked, in a conspiratorial whisper.
Amelia grinned. "I think we can speak more freely here, my dear. Well, the news is that we're going to be leaving the front lines."
"Oh! Well...that's good, isn't it?" Jane paused. "Unless...it's because something has gone wrong?"
Amelia nodded. "Exactly. We're being sent back to escort a convoy into a naval base. Just making sure it gets there safely."
"Yes, of course." Jane sighed. "It's funny...just today you were telling me about how a pirate could slip through the front line."
"Not a prediction whose fulfilment gives me any satisfaction," said Amelia. "But the big news that the captain wanted kept quiet was that when we reach the base, we're going to be granted our overdue leave."
"I'm so pleased to hear that!" Jane smiled. "And its about jolly time, too, if I may say so."
Amelia laughed. "I'm sure you'll be glad of the break as well, Jane."
"Well, yes, I suppose...especially if I can spend any of it with you," Jane smiled shyly. "I must admit, I've often thought of that...you and I together, walking on a planet...grass beneath our feet rather than floorboards..."
Amelia chuckled. "Beautiful thoughts...but unfortunately I suspect that the cold ramparts of a naval base will be all we can offer you."
"Even that would be a welcome change," Jane stepped closer. "I hope you're looking forward to it as much as I am, Amelia."
Amelia's gaze softened. "Yes, of course...in my own way."
Jane smiled and reached up to stroke a lock of Amelia's auburn hair away from her forehead. "Any time we have together is special. It doesn't matter where."
Amelia took her hand and kissed her wrist softly. "It most certainly is. And I can only hope that this new assignment will be safer for you...after what happened last time."
Jane sighed and looked down. "Yes, well...it's hard to imagine what could be worse..."
"I find it all to easy to imagine," Amelia murmured.
"Oh, Amelia." Jane squeezed her hand. "Whatever happens, I know you'd look out for me."
"Always." Amelia smiled. "Speaking of which, I hope your headache has cleared up? I'm sure the wardroom will be much more pleasant tomorrow."
Jane nodded and smiled back. "I'm quite all right now. Maybe I could mix up some kind of air freshener for the wardroom."
"You'd have the eternal thanks of the ship's officer corps if you did," Amelia grinned.
"I'll make a start on it tomorrow morning," Jane said.
"Does that mean you have plans for tonight?" Amelia cocked her head playfully.
"I might," Jane smiled coyly. "I'm always open to suggestions, though."
"I have an idea or two," Amelia drew her closer. "That cabin door is closed, is it not?"
"Closed and locked," Jane looked up into those spellbinding green eyes as she put her arms around the felinid's slender neck.
Amelia kissed her softly and purred. "Excellent..."
The announcement of the fortnight's liberty had raised the spirits of the crew considerably, even attracting the traditional three cheers for the Queen, the Admiralty and the captain, and the spacers had thrown themselves into their tasks willingly. Lieutenant Costell brought a page of calculations for the new course to bridge and handed them to Commander Chad, who reviewed them briefly before handing them to Captain Forsythe.
"New course plotted, sir," he said. "We'll come about to two-eight-zero."
"Very good, Mr Chad." Forsythe nodded. "Mr Costell? We will accelerate to three-quarters before making the turn. Let's see what these new timbers can do."
"Very good, sir," Costell stepped forward and nodded to the helmsman. "All ahead three-quarters. Prepare to trim sails."
"Ahead three quarters it is, sir!"
Jane watched the glow from the solar sails intensify as the big ship's power plant drew more power from them. Gripping the bridge railing, she could feel the vibration grow as the sound of the engines rose. Amelia gave her a confident smile from her station at the bridge console.
"In your own time, Mr Costell," said Forsythe.
"Aye, sir." Costell raised his voice. "All hands, stand by for incoming change of course and speed! Helm, come to port, new heading two-eight-zero!"
The spacer at the wheel echoed the command and span the helm over. Jane kept hold of the rail as she felt the turn begin, slowly at first but accelerating as it gained momentum. Wood creaked under the strain and the sails billowed as the direction of the solar wind changed.
"Stress readings elevated but within tolerance, captain," said Amelia.
"Continue the turn, navigator," Forsythe said. "Bring her past two-eight-zero then reverse your turn."
"Aye, sir." Costell watched the ship's compass ticking over. Jane looked up at the masts as the ship's angle increased. She picked a star as an artificial horizon marker, but soon lost sight of it. A louder sound of stressed timbers came from below decks and Jane hastily looked down as if expecting to see the timbers parting right underneath her.
"I've got a red line on the mainmast trunk indicators, sir," Amelia said suddenly.
"Understood. Have the carpenter and his mate check it out," said Chad.
"Reverse turn!" Costell cried, cupping his hands to his mouth. "Hands aloft, trim topsails! Brace all back again! Helm, starboard to two-eight-zero!"
The sound of tortured wood rose again as the ship stopped turning and began going back the way it came. Between the main and foremast, one of the longboats broke loose at the stern and swung across the deck.
"Mr Harburn! Secure that damned boat!" Forsythe shouted.
"Aye, sir! Spacers, with me!" Lieutenant Harburn hurried forwards.
"All tolerances holding, sir!" Amelia called.
Jane looked aloft. One of the sail yards had jammed with the violence of the turn and the big sail affixed to it had threatened to go limp, flopping wildly. She saw Midshipman Dunn's spacers struggling with it, hauling against the weight.
"Sir!" Whiting had seen it too and was pointing to it. Forsythe looked up.
"Ms Amelia! Get your division aloft and bring that yard around! Mr Whiting, take over on diagnostics!"
"Aye, sir!" Amelia sprang forward, calling her spacers to her as she swung herself up into the rigging. Jane watched her climb, her heart in her mouth as it always was when she saw Amelia working in the ship's dizzying heights. She tightened her grip on the rail, even though the ship was completing its turn and coming back to rest on an even keel.
"Steadying up on two-eight-zero, sir," said Costell.
"All readings returning to normal, captain." Whiting worked the console with his one remaining hand.
"Come on, Amelia," Jane whispered, watching the action high above them.
"Carpenter reports all intact, sir," said Chad.
"Understood, commander, understood." Forsythe looked up.
There was a cheer from above as the jammed yard finally moved into position. Jane exhaled as she saw the slender figure of Amelia turn and wave down to the deck.
"Mainsail yard operational, captain!"
"Very good, Ms Amelia!" Forsythe nodded to Chad. "Get a mechanic up there to check the bearings, commander. I can't afford to have that happen to us in action."
"Aye, sir."
"Holding on new course, captain," said Costell, touching his hat.
Forsythe returned the salute. "Very good, lieutenant. My compliments for that performance. Loose the topsails and continue course at best speed. We'll continue the tests compartment by compartment, commander."
Jane left the bridge and went to greet Amelia as she climbed down the rigging, dropping the last few feet onto the deck gracefully. She grinned to see Jane.
"Well, that was a fun little adventure, wasn't it?"
"What happened up there?" Jane restrained the urge to hug her with relief.
"Just a seized bearing on the yard," said Amelia, pointing up at it. "We'll have to get someone up there if we're to try that again."
"I think I heard the captain tell Mr Chad to see to that," said Jane.
"Ah? I won't need to report, then." Amelia wiped her hands on a rag.
"I say! I say, is everything all right up here?" Archimedes emerged from his cabin, dabbing at his head with a towel.
"Everything's fine, daddy," said Jane, smiling at his confusion. "They were just doing some tests on the ship."
"Is that so?" Archimedes wrapped the towel around his head. "I must say, I hadn't expected it to be quite as...invigorating as that. I quite spilled my tea while I was working on my book."
Amelia chuckled and headed back to the bridge, taking care to brush her hand past Jane's on the way. Jane looked at the brown patches in her father's white hair. "On...your head, daddy?"
Archimedes looked up. "On my what?"
Jane laughed. "Oh, daddy...let me come and help you with that..."