It was fair to say that Her Imperial Majesty's Royal Light Ship Legacy had seen better days, or possibly better eons. The fine ivory hull was scarred with blast damage in a dozen places. The once-spotless solar sails were pockmarked with scorched holes and the proud blue and gold livery was burned black or missing. The mizzenmast was a truncated stump, the wreckage of which now lay across the deck. Truth be told, the Legacy's commanding officer wasn't in the best of shapes either, but she would strongly have argued against her ever having seen better days. The triumph of the victory that had won her ship back, the thrill of the escape they had just completed...and, Captain Amelia had to admit as she glanced sideways at the lanky figure standing by the helm, there had been a certain satisfaction to be had in the spontaneous embrace she had shared with one Delbert Doppler. Between the damage to herself- and the ship, although for some reason that was harder to admit- she knew it would be quite some time before she next left port. But for the first time she could remember, she had stopped thinking of that as a bad thing. She relaxed slightly as she sat on a crate, her back to the damaged mast, but a spark of pain leapt through her and she winced.
"Blast it, do you have to do that now?"
The surgeon who had come on board the ship as soon as they had signalled their need for an assisted docking glared up at her from under her left arm.
"Unless you want to keep bleeding, captain?"
Amelia snarled. Her blue coat was hanging off her right shoulder and she was using her right arm to hold her shirt up to allow the surgeon access to the wound. Doppler had modestly turned his back and was looking down from the bridge over the desk to where a squad of police robots was busily rounding up the surviving mutineers. Despite their predicament, the pirates were looking rather relieved to be off the ship and as far away from Treasure Planet as possible. The pilot who had come aboard to guide the ship in to dock had already disembarked. Doppler watched them be lined up and tried to pretend that Amelia wasn't sitting partially dressed a few paces away.
"Well, how long is thing going to take?" Amelia muttered. "My mother used to sew a jacket in the time it's taking you to do that."
"If you're asking me to raise your hemline, captain, you're talking to the wrong person." The surgeon was a long-faced blue humanoid who glanced up at Amelia with the eye in the middle of his forehead while he kept the other two fixed on the job.
"Are you suggesting- no, no, I won't take that bait." Amelia sighed and wondered whether deadpan passive aggression was a prerequisite for medical training or whether it was something they learned at university. She tended to the former, because even Doppler hadn't been able to resist it when he had been tending her, and his physical studies surely hadn't included anything about bedside manners...
Physics studies, she suddenly reminded herself. He's a physicist. He studies physics. And why was she so intrigued about his manners in the context of beds anyway? Good grief, if she kept this up she'd be stumbling over her words as much as he did sometimes...
"You're going to have to keep the side as still as possible after this," the surgeon remarked, still stitching delicately. "Frankly you're as lucky as I've ever seen anyone be. The shrapnel caused a clean break of the rib, nicked the one above it and managed to miss everything else of interest."
"Forgive me if I don't rush off to buy a lottery ticket," Amelia replied, trying to muster up some acid in her tone.
"I'd much rather you didn't 'rush' anywhere." The surgeon reached out a third hand, carrying a pair of tiny scissors, and cut the thread. "Now, that should do it. But no sudden movements. Don't move your arm above the shoulder. And realistically you should have a bandage around you as well. Would you like me to apply it for you?"
"No, thank you, I can manage." Amelia dropped her shirt.
"Pardon me for trying, I'm sure."
Doppler tried not to smile as he watched the pirates being frogmarched down the gangway to the dock. He could already see Jim Hawkins down there, embracing Sarah. A smile for a different reason spread over his face as he watched their interactions- none of the reserve, or awkwardness or sullen conflict that he had too often seen before could be detected. Perhaps, just perhaps, things really were going to turn a corner now. He had been tempted to follow Hawkins down there to greet his old friend, ask how she had managed in the long months of their absence without her old inn...but something had kept him on board. Well, all right. Someone.
He turned around as the surgeon finished packing away his kit. The blue man stood up somewhat haughtily and marched off the bridge, pausing for a moment near Doppler.
"I know you heard what I said. Make sure she sticks to it. Even if the patient doesn't listen, at least their partners normally do."
"Oh, y- yes, but- I'm not...I mean...unless..." Doppler looked panicky for a moment but the surgeon had already gone. He gaped after him for a moment, then sighed and looked back to Amelia, who was standing up and tucking her shirt in.
"Sodding interfering doctors and their sodding advice," she was muttering. "Present company excepted, of course."
"No, no, I fully appreciate how infuriating we are." Doppler smiled. "Even if I'm not that kind of doctor."
Amelia smiled back, and Doppler felt his heart skip a beat.
"Well, you'll do for now," she said. "So...Doctor..."
"You can call me Delbert, Captain."
"In which case I suppose you can call me Amelia, Delbert."
"Aye, aye, cap...Amelia." Doppler found his grin widening. It was more fun to say her name than he expected. He watched her button down her blue coat and straighten the collar.
"Well, now."
"Yes...um," Doppler bit his lip and looked around nervously.
"Indeed." Amelia nodded, and realised that there hadn't been a question.
"Um...lovely weather this evening, isn't it?" Doppler offered.
This is ridiculous.
"Yes, Doc...Delbert." Amelia moved closer to him. "It is."
Doppler hesitated as she held out a white-gloved hand, but took it gently, as if worried that it would explode if handled too roughly. She smiled at him, seeing herself reflected in his round glasses. Doppler smiled back. There was a sense of anticipation in the air, of important things that needed to be said urgently, but which had to be approached carefully. There was a sense that a significant part of the future hung on the next few hours.
"I think, um...I think we need to talk," Amelia said quietly.
"Yes, yes...I think so, too." Doppler tried to keep the nerves out of his voice. He looked back down to the docks. The figures of Jim and Sarah seemed to see him and they waved. He waved in return. Amelia glanced sideways and raised her own hand to join him. Most of the way, at least.
"Oh, damn it..." Her breath hissed between her teeth and she lowered the arm slowly. Doppler looked at her with concern. "Are you all right? Well, obviously you're not all right, but all right enough?" He moved in front of her and took her arm.
Amelia couldn't help smiling. "I'm fine, Doctor...now."
"Are you sure? We could call the surgeon back if you need him..." Doppler began scanning the dock.
"I'm sure." Amelia touched his arm. "Besides, you managed just fine with me back on the planet."
"Yes, well." Doppler coughed. "Needs must. There wasn't anyone else."
"I wouldn't have wanted anyone else." Amelia smiled to herself, then realised she was stroking his arm and shook herself, resuming her normal stance with her hands folded behind her back. "Anyway, Doctor. As I was saying. A talk."
"Yes...well...I feel I need to..."
"Not here, though." Amelia turned and began moving off the bridge. "Would you like to join me in my stateroom?"
"I, ah...well, yes. Thank you." Doppler watched her go and wiped his glasses. "I'd like that very much."
"I think there'll still be some tea on board somewhere," said Amelia. "I can't promise any cake, though...I'll have to make it up to you sometime."
"Oh, not to worry." Doppler began following her. "I'd certainly like to take the opportunity. Perhaps later on, if..."
If there is a later on, he thought. Amelia smiled and made his heart miss another few beats.
"Indeed...Delbert. Please, follow me."
Doppler left the bridge and followed her into the stateroom. She was already inside and walking around to her usual position behind the desk. He moved to shut the door before remembering that, thanks to Silver, there was no door. Trying to cover up his confusion, he turned back the centre of the room. Amelia was sitting in her chair, bolt upright, hands neatly folded on the desk in front of her. Doppler pulled up a spare seat and sat in front of her. There was a long moment of silence as they looked at each other, trying to measure the situation. It was Doppler who broke the silence.
"Um, you mentioned there was tea?"
Amelia seemed to shake herself out of a reverie. "Oh, yes. I apologise for my manners. It's just over here." She stood up and moved across to her locked cabinet. Doppler had to smile. That cabinet contained the most important items on board- the official ship's log, the astrocompass, latterly the map to Treasure Planet, Amelia's personal collection of firearms- and, it seemed, her stash of tea. She produced a small gilt-ornamented electric samovar and a matching wooden box, and carried them to her desk.
"Very pretty," said Doppler. "The kettle, I mean."
"What else would I think you meant?" Amelia raised an eyebrow and plugged it in. Two cups were mounted on the base and she set them side by side on the desk. Then she sat down again and she and Doppler were lost in that silence again. Doppler watched her green eyes carefully, anxious at first but relaxing when he saw that there was no cause for it. Despite her silence, they were shining as brightly as they had done in their embrace together.
"Well, ah...it was certainly an interesting voyage," he said.
"Oh, yes. Very interesting." Amelia nodded. "I can't imagine what I'll have to write in my report."
"A new planet discovered...and then blown up." Doppler sighed. "I suppose at least that saves having to update the star charts."
"So long as there's something good coming out of it," said Amelia.
"More than one thing, I think." Doppler realised that he'd said that while looking directly at her and he blushed instinctively, looking away.
"I think I would agree with that..."
Doppler looked up and smiled with relief. "You do?"
Amelia smiled back. "I could be persuaded. You know, Doctor...Delbert...these last few months have been quite the eye-opener for me, and I rather think that-"
"It's been quite a revelation for me too, Ca...Amelia. For the first time...oh, I'm sorry, I interrupted you there."
"No, no, it's all right."
"I just-"
"You can-"
"Sorry-"
"Pardon?"
"I-"
They stopped and looked at each other for a long moment before they both laughed.
"Oh, dear, I'm sorry." Doppler chuckled. "I should have let you finish."
"No, it's quite all right. I wasn't...I wasn't going to say much." Amelia smiled apologetically.
"Ah...in that case...neither was I." Doppler looked down.
"You mentioned something about a revelation, Doctor?"
"Um...in general terms. In general terms. Not about anyone- anything- in particular."
Amelia sighed inwardly.
"This is a rather new situation for me, I have to admit. For the first time in a long time I find myself...not perhaps completely able to articulate the very definite knowledge of my opinions." Amelia put her fingertips together and regarded Doppler's earnest but anxious face while doing her best to keep her own as composed as possible.
"Er...excuse me?" Doppler looked puzzled.
"I mean, Doctor, that over the last few months I've experienced what I can only describe as a...a growing fascination with...or rather, a special regard for the welfare of..."
She was interrupted by the samovar setting up a piercing whistle. Doppler sighed. This was going to take all night at this rate.
"Allow me." He stood up and poured out the samovar. The scent of the hot steam filled the room. His sensitive nose twitched.
"Finest Nevardian, if I'm not mistaken."
"With a dash of citrus, in fact," Amelia smiled. "I learned long ago that life was too short to drink inferior tea."
"A sentiment with which I wholeheartedly approve." Doppler passed her a cup.
"No milk," Amelia stirred her tea. "That doesn't keep so well, I'm afraid."
"Oh, not to worry." Doppler sipped his cup gingerly. "The flavour is much stronger this way."
Amelia put her cup down. She hadn't invited him in to talk about the tea. She drummed her fingers on the table and wondered why she, who had given life-or-death orders, was having such a problem articulating a feeling that she knew was one of the most elemental in the universe.
"We should discuss the voyage, Doctor."
"Yes, we should. Now, I appreciate that I've already paid your commission, so I don't expect that back..."
"I didn't mean the financial side of it." Amelia paused, suddenly concerned. "Although...now that you come to mention it, you haven't got the payoff you were expecting from this..."
Doppler waved a hand. "Not to worry. I wasn't counting on those savings. And, ah...it still strikes me as being money well spent. In certain respects."
Amelia looked down at the table suddenly to hide her face.
"I'm pleased to hear it, Doctor. And from my point of view, it hasn't been totally without reward either."
"Oh? Er...good."
"But it was more about the conclusion of our voyage that I wanted to discuss."
"If this about me shouting at you to let me drive..." Doppler began.
"Not that, no. Although if you were a member of my crew I can promise we would be making that a topic." Amelia steepled her fingers again. "It was...our moment together on the bridge."
"Ah...I was thinking it might be." Doppler cleared his throat and put his cup down. "I wasn't really thinking straight at the time, and with all the excitement..."
"I don't believe you heard me object, though." Amelia drummed her fingers on the table again. "In fact, Doctor..."
"Delbert,"
"Delbert, yes...I'd like to be perfectly frank with you."
"I'd rather you be Amelia." Doppler laughed nervously. Amelia blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"Well, you said you'd like to be frank...which is a common male name...and I'd much prefer you to be Amelia because, well, first it's a female name, and secondly because it's your name, after all, and when all things are considered..."
The penny dropped. Amelia was so used to his peculiar remarks being accidental slips that it took her a moment to catch up when one of them turned out to be deliberate.
"...when all things are considered I'd much rather you be you, because I am awfully, well, that is I'm rather...um, fond of you..."
Doppler stopped his rambling explanation and blushed hotly, realising what he'd just said to her. Amelia found a smile spreading over her face. After all her weaving around the topic, all her verbal artifice, it was Doppler who broached the sensitive topic just by being...well...Doppler.
"Delbert?"
"Um, I mean, that's not so unusual, is it?" He stammered. "And when I say I'm fond of you, I mean that in a strictly proper fashion."
"Why would I take it any other way?" Feeling bolder, Amelia leaned across the table. "After all, Doctor, I'm rather fond of you, too."
Doppler's breath caught in his throat and he stared at her. "You're...of me?"
"I can't deny it. Though I would have been the first to think it unlikely when we met."
"Well, yes...it wasn't the perfect introduction." Doppler dared a smile at the memory.
"Not for you, perhaps," Amelia smiled. "I was prepared to write you off there and then. But you surprised me, Delbert...even when we set sail."
She laughed before continuing. "I think you suffered more bad luck in those few minutes than most people do in a week. But somehow you weren't deterred..."
"I didn't have much choice, did I?"
"But then as the voyage went on...you became quite welcome." Amelia reached out and touched his hand. "I remember our talks in the early and late watches, when we were the only ones topside..."
Doppler smiled and reached out his fingers to brush hers. "Yes...they were interesting times."
"And then there was that incident with the Permusan supernova...when your advice saved us."
"Oh, it wasn't that much..."
"Nobody else could have done it." Amelia's finger settled on one of his. "And then...afterwards...I can't forget what you did for me. Nobody else could have done that either. No member of any crew would have. But you didn't approach me as the ship's commander...you came to me as a friend."
"It looked like you needed one," Doppler said softly. He dared to move his hand forward to take hold of hers.
"And it was you. I wouldn't have wanted anyone else." Amelia smiled at the feeling of his hand resting on hers. "And then on the planet, when you looked after me..."
Doppler nodded and sighed. "It looked like you needed that, too...and we needed you. Jim and I. Especially the latter, if I'm honest..."
"Sometimes you must need a friend, too, Doctor." Amelia folded her other hand on top of his. "A very fond friend?"
"Oh, Amelia...sometimes I wonder..." Doppler sighed.
"Well, then...I hope I can be there for you, too. One day."
Doppler looked up and caught her gaze. "What if...perhaps, for more than one day?"
Amelia's eyes wavered briefly as she smiled. "I think I could live with that. And I have several days ahead of me, I think. And I'm under medical orders to take it easy."
"Well, now that you mentioned it." Doppler cleared his throat. "I have a spare room at my house. Several, in fact. I was hoping to ask...I mean, I don't know your usual accommodations, but if you were looking for an alternative..."
"Yes?"
"Um...whether you'd like to stay with me? I mean, you'd be free to come and go as you wished." Doppler smiled, hoping that his heart wasn't beating loud enough for her to hear it.
She smiled. "I'd like that very much, Delbert. It'll be a nice change from the inns I normally have to stay at in port."
Doppler sighed with relief. "Oh, thank goodness...I mean, thank you. You'll be most welcome."
Amelia smiled, but hesitated for a moment. "But, Delbert...you should know...after the repairs to the ship, after I'm fit to sail again..."
"I know. You'll be off on another adventure." Doppler smiled. "And I'll wait for you."
Amelia's breath caught. "You'd wait?"
"I'll wait."
"For me?"
"There's nobody else."
"Oh, Delbert...I can't ask you to..." Amelia clasped his hand. "I mean, this voyage was more than two months, and that's not the longest one I've done..."
"I know." Doppler squeezed her hand. "And you didn't ask me. I volunteered. And you'd be waiting, too...if that's all right with you."
Amelia bit her lip. "I've...never had anyone to wait for until now."
"Neither have I," said Doppler. He looked up and into her eyes. "Do you think...do you think we could learn about it together?"
"I'd like that very much." Amelia was surprised at the catch in her voice. She shook herself and tried to regain some of her authority. "On a trial basis. You know the sort of thing."
"Of course," Doppler was, for his part, trying not to smile too much. "We wouldn't want to get too far ahead of ourselves."
"Not too far." Amelia stood up and moved cautiously around her desk. "And not too fast...but, Doctor, if I may..."
She guided him to his feet with a gentle hand.
"There is one thing that I will admit to speculating about."
"What's that?" Doppler found his hands on her hips, almost without thinking about it. Amelia put her arms around him and stepped closer, not taking her eyes off his. The proximity caused Doppler's hands to slide around to her back, holding her near.
"The way you carried me...the way you held me...oh, I know it was in another context. You could even call it an emergency. But I wondered...would it always have to be an emergency, Delbert Doppler?"
Doppler hesitated, reading the meaning in her eyes. "Amelia...are you...are you sure?"
Amelia smiled. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Well, we're new at this. Being together, I mean."
"We've been together in space for ten weeks, haven't we? I think that's long enough to be sure."
Doppler smiled. "It has been quite a journey, hasn't it."
"Indeed it was," said Amelia. Her smile softened and she cocked her head slightly. "But the question now is...would you like to begin another journey? Together?"
Doppler sighed. The proximity to her, the warmth of her, the honesty in her eyes...he had a list of other arguments against what he knew he wanted, what he knew was right, but all his logic and science melted in that green gaze.
"Yes..."
He closed his eyes and kissed her, almost before realising he was doing it. Her lips met his willingly. Her slender arms held him tighter. Doppler opened his eyes and saw hers, so close that they filled the world, looking back at him calmly, lovingly. The shock lasted only a moment before he lost himself in the green. The kiss broke off and they stood for a while in each other's arms.
"Well..." said Amelia, eventually.
"Well indeed." Doppler smiled. He reached up and hand and stroked her hair, remembering the last time he had done that to settle her and take her mind off the pain of her side. She closed her eyes appreciatively and leaned into him.
"Very well, in fact," she murmured. Doppler nuzzled her head briefly, stopping when he felt something unexpected against his chest. It was a strange vibrating sensation and he puzzled over it until he heard it travel up Amelia's body and be echoed in her soft breathing. "Are you...purring, Amelia?"
"I might be." She shifted awkwardly. It was a reflex she had no control over. "So what if I am?"
Doppler smiled to himself. "Oh, nothing, nothing."
"It's obviously not or you wouldn't have asked."
He chuckled. "I just find it...well, for anyone else, I'd say it was adorable, but in your case I don't think the word would be so welcome."
"You don't mind me adorable, Delbert?" Amelia grinned.
"Oh, I didn't say that." Doppler grinned back. "Just that I wouldn't tell you."
"I have ways of making you talk," Amelia raised an eyebrow.
"I'm sure you do, Captain. But I think you used all the ship's handcuffs on those pirates."
"You think I can't improvise?" Amelia chuckled and sighed deeply, her purr deepening.
"I won't even speculate." Doppler smiled. He drew a breath and enjoyed the scent of her hair. "It's odd, you know...ten minutes ago I was so nervous...now I don't think I've ever felt calmer."
"It's not so odd. Or if it is, I'm odd as well." Amelia kissed his cheek, making it blush even deeper. "So, tell me...what is there an invalid could do for fun on Montressor?"
Doppler thought about it. "Er...well, we could visit Jim and his mother."
"That should kill at least ten minutes," Amelia smiled.
"And...I could show you my observatory. I mean, if you were interested."
"Fifteen minutes, tops."
"I'll try not to be offended by that." Doppler frowned as he thought further. "And there's the Brunswick Canyons..."
"What's there?"
"Mines. Of the excavatory sort." Doppler sighed. "Montressor isn't what you'd call a tourist attraction, all things considered. I'm afraid you might regret taking up my offer if you're easily bored."
"I'm sure I'll be able to amuse myself." Amelia smiled. "You just might have to put up with me sitting and watching you as you stargaze, or whatever it is you do."
"Hmm...if you were there, I might not be doing much stargazing. I'd find it rather difficult to concentrate." Doppler brushed her head.
"All the better." Amelia's smile broadened and showed her teeth.
Doppler coughed and shifted. "Well...if that's settled...should we disembark?"
"I think so." Amelia squeezed his hand. "With so many sights to see, there's not a moment to lose."
"I'll go and see what's left in my cabin, I suppose."
"Yes. I'll start packing in here. I'll meet you under the bridge?"
"Yes, good idea. I'll see you there."
"Indeed."
"I agree."
"I'll meet you there."
"Quite so."
"Doctor?"
"Yes?"
"You're still holding me." Amelia grinned.
Doppler blushed. "Yes...although, at the same time, I note that you're still holding me..."
"So I am." Amelia shifted closer to him. Her eyes fixed on his and she gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. Their lips met together again, exploring and lingering. Doppler's hand traced down to the small of her back, learning the shape of her. Amelia shuddered and another purr escaped her. She drew a long breath and sighed contentedly.
"So, Doctor...under the bridge in, say, ten minutes?"
"Aye, aye, captain." Doppler smiled and let her go. "I'll see you there."
"You're still in my stateroom," Amelia smiled back.
"Yes...yes, I am." Doppler moved backwards and bumped into the doorframe. "Oh! Well... ten minutes it is."
Amelia watched him go and shook her head. She turned back to her room and put the tea-things away. She surveyed the room one last time and laughed softly.
"Well...that wasn't so hard, was it?" she said to herself.