This is kind of a second chapter to the Broken Ribs and Small Talk oneshot I did, but it can also stand on it's own as a separate story.
It was some time later, after Doctor Dopplar and the Captain had been introduced to B.e.n. and ushered into his makeshift home, that they were finally able to rest and think about their predicament. Jim was beside the circular portal entrance, gazing out at the darkening night sky. His countenance was increasingly dark. No doubt he was thinking about Silver and his betrayal. Dopplar felt bad for the boy. Jim had finally found a friend in the crew, and in one swift blow, lost him.
B.e.n. was somewhere in the back of the room, talking to what seemed to be no one as his rummaged through his scarce belongings. Dopplar and the Captain were seated against one of the numerous circular bulges of metal protruding from the floor. Dopplar had long ago surrendered his jacket to cover Ameliya- as the night progressed the air grew chilly; he would hate for her suffer further ailment then she already had. Her arm and ribs were securely and tightly wrapped in bandages. He figured if she kept movement to a minimum and kept the bandages on for a month, her injuries would heal. But, knowing the Captain the small bit that he did, she wouldn't live under those restrictions. Even now, as he watched over her, she was attempting to turn, or sit up, or shift. He gently pushed her back into place for the umpteenth time, keeping in mind that the pain from her injuries had caused her to become a tad out of it.
"You can't move Captain. It'll only aggravate your injuries." he reminded her.
"I never realized I had such pointy ears." she rambled, touching one of the aforementioned appendages. He had to remember this the next time she regained her self important sarcastic attitude.
He glanced over at Jim, who scuffed his boot against the mossy floor. He desperately wanted to comfort the boy, but he wasn't quite as elegant with words as Jim's mother, or as Ameliya. Instead, he just sighed and sank into a more comfortable position by Ameliya.
Already, Jim had left the group despite Ameliya's orders, and went off in search of the map. B.e.n. had gone with him, much to Jim's chagrin. Unfortunately, that left Dopplar to hold the fort down until they returned. With Silver and his mutinous crew camped right outside, Dopplar felt more then uneasy. For all he knew, they were headed over right now, blasters in hand and blood thirst in their hearts. He sighed, squeezing the bridge of his nose. Why on earth Jim thought he was capable of bearing these things, he had no clue.
Ameliya roused from her sleep.
"Doctor?" she mumbled. He leaned over her, feeling her pulse and checking her pupils. She seemed on the right track to recovery at the moment- hopefully nothing would change that.
"Yes, I'm right here Captain." She lifted her head and peered around the dark room.
"Where are Hawkins and that irritating metal goon?" she asked. Dopplar smiled apologetically.
"It seems they've gone out to get the map. Through the 'back door'." Ameliya turned in the direction he pointed, her ears laying back in anger. "I couldn't stop them- you know how single minded Jim is."
"How is he going to get all the way up to the Legacy?" she mused. "In case he hadn't realized, it is hovering five hundred feet above the ground."
"I'm sure he'll find a way. He always does." She made a small humming noise of agreement. Her feline eyes fell on the Doctor and remained there, examining him. He coughed nervously and gave her a questioning look.
"Wh-What are you looking at, Captain?"
"You. I remember I had said earlier that you had beautiful eyes. Of course, I wasn't all there in the head. But, now that I think of it..." She reached up and removed Dopplar's glasses, ignoring his outcry of protest. Her lips curved in a small smile. "You really do have lovely eyes." He fell silent, sure that his heart was beating so fast that even Silver could hear it. He fumbled for words, feeling as awkward with his own language as he was with this situation.
"T-T-Thank you, Captain."
"Formalities, Doctor? I assumed we were past that." The contradiction in that sentence was glaringly obvious, but at the moment Dopplar was too frozen to notice.
"Aww, what a lovely moment twixt two creatures so opposite." a gruff voice rumbled from the dark. Dopplar stood in panic, whirling around. The voice...it seemed to come from no where and every where at once. A red gleam of light shone from a deep shadow by the entrance. Ameliya grit her teeth and growled deeply in her throat. "Wrenches my heart to pieces." Dopplar stood in front of Ameliya to protect her, even though he knew she could defend the both of them better then he ever could. The large figure of Silver ambled out of the recesses of the room and smiled wickedly, his robotic hand imitating a blaster.
"Silver..." Dopplar said. "what do you want from us? We don't have anything to give you." The pirate stopped, now towering over the intimidated canine.
"Oh, I believe you do." He pressed the muzzle of the gun to Dopplar's stomach and glanced around. "Aye, where's Jimbo?"
"Not here." Dopplar replied, doing his best to ignore the cold touch of metal. Silver glared down at the smaller man.
"Well, we'll just have to wait for him, won't we?"
Ameliya leapt up, pushed past Dopplar, and lashed out with her good arm, her claws barely missing Silver's face.
"You mutinous, cowardly brute!" she hissed, venom dripping from her words. "You dare call yourself a sailor! I hope the wrath of the universe crashes down upon your unworthy skull!" Silver tutted, a smirk on his face.
"A sailor? No." The rest of his gang climbed through the door, blasters and brutal looking swords in hand. "A pirate? Oh ho, you don't know the half of it."
The last knot was tugged firmly into place, rendering Dopplar's hands useless behind his back. A boot in his side toppled him over. He glared up sat his captors from the ground, mentally berating and condemning each one of them. The pirates then turned to Ameliya and did the same. Ameliya's eyes shone with tears of pain as her injuries were bustled and abused, but she made no sound. Silver watched this all from afar, his robotic eye gleaming with malice and victory. Ameliya made an attempt to speak, but she was quickly silenced with a coarse cloth gag.
"What are you doing?"Dopplar shouted. "This has gone far enough. Untie us and let us go Silver. Now." Silver laughed.
"Heh, you think I'm that thick skulled Doctor? I'm keeping you right here until Jim gets back and hands over that map."
"What makes you think he'll stoop to your level of-...of cowardice?" Dopplar shot back. Silver stepped forward and pressed a small dagger to Ameliya's delicate flesh. She visibly recoiled, hatred burning in her eyes. He gripped her jaw and forced her to look at him.
"I'm sure it'll be a small trade for both of your lives, wouldn't you agree?"
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