Returning Guest - I never mind taking on story requests/recommendations from people who enjoy my writing and story telling. :) I do have plenty of one-shots and short stories planned for my favorite Disney couple. All of my Treasure Planet writings are part of a timeline for Amelia and Delbert's life's together and apart. (even if I am writing them all out of order! Perhaps I should create the timeline on my profile or somewhere ...) I have gone back and forth about how I see Amelia and Delbert coming to the decision of starting their family. It is one I plan to write, and a further insight to Amelia's pregnancy and delivery of the kits and pup (since a quick tease of it was revealed in The Light to my Shadow) I am not sure if that will be the next one I write, unless it is one you wished to see after Commandeered is finished? Let me know :) My dear friend Firefall Bangenthump and I have been talking about ideas and collabing together on stories between working on Commandeered. I know Firefall Bangenthump has written a short story about them starting their family, A New Adventure, if you haven't read it already, I would suggest it until then if that is the request you wish for me to write next? As always my dear reviewer, I enjoy your feedback and encouragement. It means the world.

Chapter Nine
The Price of the Stakes

Captain Amelia
The RLS Legacy - 2014

It took her a moment, an instant too long, for her mind to settle its racing on what Silver had meant by his proclamation. Her fingers twisted among themselves, looping the loosened fabric of her shirt behind her back, hidden from his gaze with the purpose of not allowing him the gratification of seeing her nervous, seeing her armor falter with a few cracks.

Silver let his throat vibrate with a soft chuckle when the silence lengthened out too long. His lips wrapped around the small end of the pipe – when he had grabbed it again, Amelia wasn't positive – taking a deep inhale only to release a stream of tobacco smoke in her direction. Amelia scrunched her features, holding her breath to prevent the choking of her throat. She jerked her head to the side and waved her hand to dispense the cloud faster, gesturing the smell away, she finally spoke.

"Dare I … ask just who you're referring to, Silver." She allowed her feet to shuffle. Small, subtle movements barely visible to anyone, even if they stood shoulder-to-shoulder with her.

"Do ye really need t' ask, Cap'n?" Silver pretended to be completely interested in his pipe. "Ye're a clever feline, I'm sure ye know who I be referring t'."

Amelia took another step back, her arms falling to her sides from the confirmation. "Out of the question. That's ghastly and revolting. For you to even suggest … to think I would allow you to-"

"I see." Silver turned the wooden object in his hand. "Are ye refusing?"

"Oh, I am more than refusing, Silver." Her arms crossed over her chest, brows lowered, and eyes shadowed over.

His gaze turned back to her own. The deepest brown of his eye wasn't angry like her own, more questioning … suspicious. As if he was putting pieces together, figuring her motives out. Silver moved himself forward, placing the pipe down on the table, then leaned himself to be more eye-level with her shorter height. His hands placed over each other behind his back. She didn't flinch. She didn't move back. She didn't blink. No, Amelia tilted her chin up to match his stare.

"If that be the case, then I suppose yer terms are useless. Ye see … I don't trust ye, not left alone with a weapon in yer hand because ye'd cut me down faster than I could blink. So, what makes ye think I'd trust yer word that once we reach the planet ye'd give me the map in exchange for yer freedom without a security of me own? Do ye think I be that stupid?"

"Do you want my answer?" She corked a brow. Playing him. Testing him. Working him over to figure him serious or wanting to make her squirm.

Silver blew a heavy exhale of breath from his nose before standing up straight. The tails of his stained, filthy black coat brushed the front of her midriff as he turned around. Heavy steps of his shoe against the timbers echoed while he made his way back towards her desk. Clamping his mouth around the pipe, other hand toying with the stationed fountain pen she used often. Amelia saw his reflection in the glass of the window, eyes opened but not looking out at the Etherium as she expected, no, Silver was locked on her own distorted reflection.

"I want yer answer t' me own term." Silver stated simply. "Yer choice is fairly an easy one. If ye are serious about those terms of yer's then will ye agree t' my own and spend the night with me, or … will ye take it all off the table, I take the map by force, and ye leave this cabin now? It is yer choice, Cap'n."

Amelia felt her fingers curl into her palm, claws tucked away to keep from injuring the under surface. Her mind raced, her heart pounded, blood pulsed in her ears as her options weighed themselves before her. Two choices. That was really what it had come down to. Amelia knew it always would. The whole situation, since she opened her cabin door that morning, would be nothing but choice after choice. Every action was based on a choice. Were they all good choices? She flinched at the flash of pain in her back. Obviously, no, not every choice she had made that day was the best, but now … now, the stakes were much higher. It was no longer about just taking her ship back, it was about gaining the upper hand of certainty on the pirates that littered her vessel. Protecting the troubled young teen and the clumsy doctor. Her choices reflected on their well-being, their safety, their survival. Who would act as their protector if she perished from a blinded choice made from anger?

But … could she sacrifice her pride – her imagine of herself – in the process of ensuring that?

Amelia found her lip trapped between her teeth, pulling bits of dried skin from the nerves circulating beneath her fur.

Silver had trapped her, Amelia knew, she had a decision to make. She couldn't lie, she was more tempted to just walk from the room, except defeat, and forget about her playing cards. In her head, it sounded pleasant, but could she live with herself for it? Having the one playing card, the map, forcefully taken from her person and waiting to see if they survived the ordeal of this twisted outcome of finding Treasure Planet? No, she couldn't. Her plan, as much as Doppler hated her ludicrous way of thinking, was their best chance at making it back home. Silver was willing to agree to her terms in exchange for getting the map from her personally when they reached the treasure. His own term of security … was horrid, dirty, and inhumane, not for him perceptibly, but to her … it was vile.

With a deep exhale, Amelia made her alternative. Her whole intention, the whole reason, she agreed to meeting with Silver in the first place was to get into her cabin. She couldn't just throw that out. She had to continue. To commit. To save them all. She had come this far, she had endured the pain from him so far, what was one more encounter? One last time and then she will have the pleasure of watching the callous pirate hang. With a deep breath, Amelia put her armor on once more, ready to show Silver he couldn't break her, that she wouldn't back down, that she was stronger than he.

Amelia released her tightened fingers. The muscles in her hands and up her arms finally relaxed, a bit stiffly from being locked for so long. She turned herself around and reached for the untouched glass of wine Silver had poured for her earlier. A quick hesitation, then she sealed her lips around the rim, tilted her head back just a bit, and began to down the ruby liquid. Barely tasting the dry, light, acidity of cherry, raspberry, mushroom, and forest floor as it slipped down her bruised throat.

"There is no chance … you would choose something much more civil as a security to my word, Silver?"

Silver let another stream of smoke from his mouth. "None at all, Cap'n," he confirmed what she already knew, speaking with a tone of mock. "Ye want that bargain, then this is the price. It could be worse. There be other … things I could have asked for."

Amelia steeled herself. Understanding. "Yes … you could have."

Silver turned in her direction once more, a grin on his face. Like he knew what her mind had made up to. "So, am I t' assume we have an agreed?"

Amelia had already made her decision. She knew what she had to do, so why was she hesitating to strike the deal with Silver?

'It's pathetic really, how much I wish for it to be her and me in the end.'

Amelia let the glass fall to the table a bit harsher than she intended. Hearing the fragile drinking crystal protest under her force. Fingers tightened around the body as one reason for her hesitation surfaced before her subconscious thoughts. The lines of worry in his features. The nervous twisting of his coat fabric between fingers. The softness of his deep brown eyes when he looked at her. Was she hesitating because of him? Because of the Canid, Doctor Doppler? No … it couldn't be. Never had she let someone make her question herself in a situation such as she was in. Not even Arrow. She had never allowed her first mate to dictate her direction before. Her one fault Arrow grew frustrated with. It was nearly impossible for anyone too. A sole reason the Admiralty nearly court martialed her five years ago before she went independent as a reserve. Once her mind had made its focus it could not be changed unless dire, quick need was called. So … why was she allowing the thought of Doppler to do what Arrow never could … question her selections?

She turned her back to Silver and took her first step.

Amelia couldn't afford to allow thoughts of the foolish, bookworm of a doctor get under her fur. She had to focus. What he thought of her plan … what he thought of her duty … what he thinks of her character after that night … it didn't matter, even if he turned away for her. No one's opinion mattered to her of who she was, what she did to uphold the oath taken the day she joined a greater sense of purpose.

I didn't think you were the type to lose your composure over just anyone.

Amelia stopped before the small sideboard Silver had helped himself to prior. Her fingers pressed to the doors and pulled them open before kneeling.

I'm not.

Amelia reached back, turning bottles to catch a glimpse of what they were until she found the bottle just above half full of soft-golden drink. Dawnappa: a fragrant, grape-based pomace brandy. Before turning back to face Silver, she closed the sideboard and grabbed a short glass of thick crystal. Silver said nothing but raised a simple brow in question at her intentions.

"No offence intended, Silver, but before I allow you to … I am in need of this." She declared. Setting the glass on the table scattered with plating of hardly touched food. She untwisted the cap then poured the strong-smelling and strong-tasting spirit.

"Hm," Silver chuckled. "Nah offence taken, Cap'n."

Amelia kept the bottle wrapped in her hand and used the other to down the brandy in two large gulps. It burned. It smelled robust, but delicious. It made her fur tingle. She tucked the glass to her breast while her features twisted from the taste. Not unpleasant, but defiantly powerful in level. She eyed the glass, thinking about pouring another for safe measure, but instead brought the bottle to her lips. She allowed the firing liquid to slither down her throat. Only stopping when she felt it choke her. The back of her hand in front of her mouth to block the coughs.

"There be no reason t' drown yeself."

Amelia recapped the bottle after setting it to the table with the glass. "I must disagree."

The cyborg pirate set the wooden pipe down on her desk. Headed towards the table where he grabbed a large piece of the salmon to chew loudly between his teeth after he silenced the deep, quiet rumble in his chest. Amelia wasn't sure why, but she watched the way his teeth clamped around the cooked fish, chewing it to tiny pieces before he swallowed. Rather loudly. Rather dramatically.

"I must give the young lad props." Silver lifted another piece. "He sure knows how to cook a good lunar salmon. The seasoning-"

Amelia tapped her claw against the wood of the small table that separated her from Silver. "If you don't mind, I'm not keen to stand here and discuss pleasantries over a fish dish. Your true intentions of tonight have been brought forth, so can we just get on with it?"

She watched his gaze drift to her from the corner of his human eye, cleaning the tip of his thumb of the seasoning with his tongue. Before he spoke, she received an upturn smug of his lips.

"Who be a humble cyborg to keep a lady waiting," he tipped his hat to her.

Amelia's hands gripped around the beige fabric of the borrowed shirt. Holding it to her chest, creating wrinkles in the Doctors article. Laid her chin atop her fist. Eyes stared to the paneled wall while she stood behind the screen placed in the upper portside corner of her personal cabin. Greenery plant in a gray pot hid the ninety-degree corner where the two walls met, and a single framed painting of an herb she had purchased at a small port some years ago. She took a deep breath to calm the nerves that made her hands shake just slightly.

Was she about to do it, really? Allow Silver to ... bathe her, if that was all he was going to do. Amelia's ear flicked towards the sound of running water from beyond the screen she hid behind. She could smell the rising steam of the hot water from the sectioned off bathing area while it filled the tub made of copper; the first thing she changed when the Legacy came into her possession. Replacing the wooden tub with the copper not only for it looking great, the copper metal was bacteria and mold resistant. The care a walk in the park, especially when the rains pounded on the ship. Amelia turned her head to glance over her shoulder, beyond the crack of the wall and screen to catch a look at Silver. His large build barely fit in the small space partitioned off. He was currently snooping through her toiletries. She narrowed her brows and scoffed. Turning herself to finish undressing. Wanting to remove her clothing herself, reducing the amount of time Silver got to lay his hands upon her fur. She shuddered at the impending moment she gave over control of herself.

Thoughts drifted to the Doctor as his scent lifted from the fabric to fill her nose. Laying it over the top of the screen.

She found herself wondering if he was still in one piece. Scroop's threat lingering alongside, she held a fear that after the insectoid left her to Silver, he could have made his way into the cabin once more. She was no longer with the bookish Canid; he was left to his own devices. Alone to only protect himself from any pirates that dared to enter that cabin. He was left vulnerable. But … would the crew be stupid enough to? They all knew of the deal between their captain and Hawkins. Amelia reached for the buckle of her belt. At the time, she had to put faith that Doppler would be just fine until she could get back to him.

Stealing her thoughts, Amelia moved to finish undressing. Her belt was left on the floor, her trousers unbuttoned and pushed down her legs before draped over the screen to join the shirt. Her thumbs hooked beneath the band of her underwear, ready to remove them after a heavy inhale.

Amelia found herself bare as the hour she was born. Locked in her cabin with a creep of a pirate captain, about to allow him to touch her all for keeping to her plan. For their survival, and that was enough for her to tuck away her egoism. She dropped her arms from around her chest to grab for her robe. Tying the fabric about her waist and finally stepped beyond the screen to come eye-to-eye with Silver. The sneer he was mocking her with made her body flush with embarrassed heat. She reached up to grip the lapels to hide herself a bit more. Scowling in return.

"Cap'n," he extended his hand to pave the way towards her tub.

His other held a glass of the brandy she had brought with her. She allowed herself a small victory, her plan was going over smoother than she had expected in her head. A little alcohol, the heating steam of the bath surrounding him, it should make him drowsy enough that she wouldn't have to be under his hands for too long before he was snoring away.

"If you don't mind," she eyed the tub, "I'd rather not just yet."

For a brief amount of time, he merely watched her. Taking in the exposure of her legs left out from the hem – that only reached her knees – and taking a drink. "A deal is a deal. Ye agreed to me term, there is no turning back now."

"I'm not turning back, as you put it, I know what I agreed to. I'm just … not jumping at the opportunity to be violated by you."

"Violated?" Silver chuckled. "If that be the way ye want t' look at it."

"How else would I see this? You took advantage of a situation. Finding a loophole in your agreement with Hawkins yet again. You could have just agreed to my own without a security like the cabin boy, but instead you found a way to satisfy a lust of release."

"Pirate." Silver spoke the single word as if it explained everything he had done. The thumping of his feet made her shoulders tense reactively when he moved closer to her. "Now, shall we?"

"You know … you could have a more alacritous partner than I, Silver." Amelia said a bit sharply, tightening her grip on the lapels of her dressing gown; even if she had the cord knotted firmly about her waist. "Could easily pay for a woman to allow you to bath her, take care of you, once you have Flint's trove in your greedy hands. Someone much more than willing to sit … exposed with you than I will ever be."

Silver continued to smirk at her since she had stepped beyond her screen, obviously enjoying the moment of having her like he did. "Aye, this be true, Cap'n, but ye have one thing that all the gold in the Empire can't buy in a woman."

Amelia steeled her bare feet to the floor as he finally closed the distance between them. The glass placed on the small breakfront against the wall just to the side of her. His fingers reached out to toy with the silken cord between his large digits, pulling an end to loosen it, untying it so that the fabric no longer clung to her shapes.

"What could that possibly be?" She held her breath, partly to keep it from entering her lungs in unsure gulps and partly to save herself from having to smell Silver's redolence.

"The female blush of embarrassment." Silver leaned over to whisper in her ear as his fingers took hold of each lapel. "And ye do have a lovely one."

Without another word, Silver gripped tighter on the fabric to begin easing it off her shoulders. A tantalizing strip of soft ivory fur was revealed, from the base of her neck, passed her defined collarbones, to the upper swell of her breasts, a sight he couldn't help but brush his thumbs over as he opened it.

"No," she tightened her own hold on her robe and reflexively pushed a hand into his chest. "Don't."

"Well, ye'll have a hard time getting in that tub with that still on ye," said Silver, clearly putting on a reasonable tone, as if addressing a stubborn child. His fingers running along the silken fabric of the robe's lapel.

"That's not the point." Amelia stepped back. She dropped her curled hand from his body to step around him carefully, towards the sectioned off area that served as her bathing. She took a deep breath. If this was going to happen, and there seemed no way for it not to, she wouldn't surrender her agency completely. She dug her fingers into the edge of her dressing gown before pulling it off and stepping into the bath, disturbing the peaceful water into a sloshing wave, all before the material had finished falling to the deck. Despite the water being warmer than she normally enjoyed, she was quick to immerse herself in it, using the distortion of its ripples as some kind of cover for herself as Silver pulled up the spare chair, placing the bottle of brandy next to his foot, and moved to side beside her, stealing a finishing swig of his glass.

"D'ye know why I'm doing this?" He asked, taking up the sponge from the corner and dipping it into the water. Soaking up the treated water before lifting it free.

Amelia tried not to sneer at his question. Rolling her eyes. "I could think of a few reasons."

"I'm not a pervert, you know, Cap'n," he said quietly, squeezing out the water to wet the part of her shoulders still above the waterline. Soap running over the ivory fur, down her upper arm until it dispensed atop the water again. Trails of the soap left to cling in her fur beyond its wake.

"I couldn't possibly comment."

Silver chuckled at the icy tone in her voice. "I won't say it hadn't been a time for me, of course. Ye give up a few things, chasing a dream. But it'll be worth it in the end."

Amelia felt like shivering, despite the heat of the water running over her fur. "Don't tell me you're not getting some kind of satisfaction out of this … arrangement you have forced on me."

"I've forced nothing, Cap'n. Ye were the one with a knife in yer hand not so long ago, after all. Ready t' plunge it into me chest." Silver pointed out with a raised brow. "Ye're right about the satisfaction but it's not what you think. It's not about … that, though ye are quite the sight for a spacer t' behold."

It was a compliment, surprisingly politely phrased and delivered, but it still made Amelia feel like flinching. It would take more than a bath for her to feel cleansed after this, she knew. But the victory she was aiming for would be a good start.

"So what is it about … if not that?"

"Proving a point, Cap'n." Silver reached over to grab the glass bottle, forgetting all about the glass, and brought the lip of the brandy to his lips. Amelia counted four loud swallows before he finally pulled it away. "See, this ship and everyone on her is mine now. And that includes yer beautiful self, as well as the good doc, and young Jimbo."

Jimbo … Amelia noted. He can't refer to myself or to Delbert by name, but he uses a nickname for young Hawkins …

She felt the soft soapy sponge run over her shoulder along the back of her neck just beneath her hairline.

… and since when do I think about "Delbert" and not "Doctor Doppler"?

"You think that was a point that needed emphasizing? After what you had done earlier?"

"Oh, ye mean when I gave ye … these?"

Silver pushed her forward by using his free hand against her lower back, beyond the waterline, exposing the fresh scars between her shoulder blades. Amelia brought her hands out from the water to brace herself on either side of the copper tub from Silver's sudden shove of her body. The water splashed against the sides, around her bent knees, and droplets against her features. She fought back the growl building in her throat, opting to simply glare at him a bit over her shoulder.

"Oh no, Cap'n, this is different. That was proving something t' everyone. This. This is about proving it t' ye. Y'see, ye swanned into my cabin earlier clearly thinking that ye had some kind of advantage over me because ye knew where the map is." Her head snapped forward to stare at the paneled wall, more at the small shelf she installed to store her bathing lathers, a small plant, and her favorite candle. Silver leaned until his lips were near her ear. His warm breath causing the appendage to drop into her hair. "But the reality of it is that even that doesn't mean you're not at my mercy."

"You call this mercy?" Amelia scowled as he rubbed the sponge downward, over her back.

He shrugged simply. "Compared to what I could be doing?" Silver's tone hardened. He pressed the sponge against her tender, damaged skin just firmly enough for it to send a sharp, white-hot pain through her. "Yes, I do."

Amelia gritted her teeth, back arching involuntarily away at the agony. Claws extended to scrap against the lip of the tub. "You make your point as eloquently as usual, Silver."

"Good." He increased the pressure, so much that Amelia wondered if any of the wounds were reopening to bleed. "Because I wouldn't want there t' be any … misunderstandings between us."

Amelia clamped down on her bottom lip, eyes shutting to keep from letting the throbbing yelp out. "No. There isn't."

"Glad t' hear it." Silver released her from the pain as suddenly as he'd inflicted it. He sat back and drained another swig of the brandy. Amelia didn't miss the level of liquid in the glass. "So, can I offer ye a drink? It might make the evening pass more … pleasantly."

"I've had quite enough," said Amelia.

To her delight, Silver shrugged and followed the last with a few more overly generous measures. "Suit yerself. Just tryin' t' be hospitable."

"I'm surprised you think I'd care about that," Amelia released her hand from gripping the tub as he began washing it with the sponge. "You can hardly think that my opinion of you is ever going to improve."

"No, I suspect that's no changing yer mind about someone when ye've decided t' despise them," replied Silver, quite placidly. "But it's better for ye. See, whatever ye think of me, I'm not a bad man. I don't take pleasure in being unpleasant. It's something I only do when it's necessary t' get me what I want. I get no satisfaction out of it. I'd much rather do things this way, civilized like."

Amelia rolled her eyes, bringing around her other arm. "How refined of you."

"Still flingin' barbs at me even now?" Silver shook his head, almost smiling. "Truly, ye're a remarkable specimen."

The sponge came up out of the water again as Silver squeezed it out over her chest to wet the fur. He began moving it along her collarbone. Amelia's hands braced against the tub again as it traveled lower, along the top of her chest, until it came to trace soft shapes with a care that surprised her. The sponge focused on the right first. Gently massaging the mound in circular motions, making sure to lather every inch of her womanly shape. Amelia didn't fail to notice Silver was taking his time, providing more attention than was fairly necessary to her breast. When the sponge moved to the center, over the unnoticed peak, Amelia felt betrayed by her body's responses. The bath water was extremely hot, but the air gliding through her cabin was an exact contrast. Her claws reextended from the unwanted touch upon her soft shape, even if it was the sponge touching her, he was holding the sponge in his grasp. She took a sharp intake of breath when he moved to the other, beginning the same ministrations as he had to the right.

"An extremely remarkable specimen," Silver repeated in an absent tone. "Very rare. Can I ask how many people have had the pleasure of ye?"

Her glare was sharp, even to cut if looks could. "You can ask."

He chuckled. "Fair's fair. Some things I suppose ye shouldn't ask a woman, such as their age and that."

"I suppose the sort you normally get you wouldn't want to know. Even if they could produce receipts to prove it."

This time Silver just laughed freely, stopping only to down another drink and slap his rotund belly good humouredly. "How well ye know the pirate life, Cap'n! Alas, there's a mite more truth t' that than might be desirable. But that's the cost of a free life. Always hard t' settle anywhere … or find anyone willing t' wait for ye. That's something we have in common, really. All spacers do."

"Sometimes there are exceptions." A vision of chocolate brown eyes with floppy ears and a concerned smile passed through Amelia's mind before she caught herself, shaking it off even if welcome a distraction as it was from Silver's sponge now on her midriff. Working around her naval to the curve of her hip. She couldn't allow herself to imagine Delbert now, not in this particular situation, because – with her growing … regard – her body might give off the wrong signals that she was enjoying said attention from Silver, when really, she had thought of Delbert's hands. She cleared her throat. "For the fortunate."

"I take it from the way ye say that ye've not been one of them," inquired Silver. "Still, that means nobody's had ye inflicted on them."

Her brow quirked sharply. "I thought we were being civilised about this?"

He shrugged distractedly. "Just me little joke, Cap'n. No need t' take it t' personally."

Silver withdrew the sponge from her midsection and squeezed it out again. The steam rising from the bath water was heavily scented with herbs and floral elements – a surprise to her that Silver even bothered to think of adding something like it – a mixture Amelia favoured for its relaxing properties, and which she hoped was working its effects on Silver as well. For herself, she reminded to stay sharp and focused on her plan, a thought interrupted as Silver moved to reach underwater further down the tub.

"S – Silver?" With a catch in her breath, Amelia sat more upright, feeling the sponge moving passed her knee and up her inner thigh … towards the place between her legs. "Re – Remember our agreement …"

"Don't worry, Cap'n," Silver's breath was hot and alcoholic around her ear. "I told you what this was and what it wasn't. And besides …"

Amelia felt the sponge move away from her secrets to her opposite thigh, running along the athletic muscles, back up her knee as Silver finished.

"… ye're not me type."

She tried not to exhale with relief. Simply allowing the air to depart through her nose. "Should I ask just what your type is, Silver? Shy? Submissive? Do you prefer two legs or four?"

"As a matter of fact, I likes a woman who knows what she wants," Silver stated conversationally, moving the sponge along her calf. "So ye meet that. But I don't like 'em t' skinny. So I've never gone in for ye Felinid's. Always afraid that I'd … break ye."

"You've no fear of that," muttered Amelia, looking away with the heated flush of her face.

"No. I don't think ye could be broken, Cap'n." Silver sat back. "Ye're not the sort t' have that kind of regard for yerself. But … about other people, maybe …"

Amelia's ears flattened. Eyes narrowed in suspicion from both his tone and implication. "What is it you are implying, Silver?"

"Well, there's more'n just ye on this ship. There's the doctor …"

She turned her glare to him. "When I told you that Scroop had implied threats to Doctor Doppler, you promised that he wouldn't be allowed anywhere near us."

"And so he won't be. But that doesn't mean I can't suggest otherwise." Silver looked thoughtful. "Yer doctor's a brave man in his own way, but how d'ye think he'd hold up under threat? I get the feeling he's not like us that way. Not accustomed t' the thought of anything happening t' him …"

Amelia slipped and let her eyes widen. "But we agreed -"

"That he wouldn't be killed. There's a lot that can happen without reaching that point." Silver raised an eyebrow, extending a metallic finger to touch along a line just under Amelia's collarbone. "D'ye see what I mean?"

"I can't imagine that Mr. Hawkins would be impressed by torture, Silver." Amelia ignored the cold metal touch unflinchingly. "And if he decides to alter the deal from his end … you're stuck."

They stopped and looked at each other, silently sparring, challenging the other to take the dare, the risk. Calculating each other's motives and boundaries. But then Silver chuckled and shook his head.

"Look at us, talking about something we both know won't have t' happen! Come along, Cap'n. That part of our deal is done. You've upheld yer end and I respect that."

Amelia watched him push his bulk upright using the edge of the tub, and she also noticed – to her satisfaction – that he was utterly unsteady on his feet as he did so. Staggering slightly before arresting himself and extending his arm to pick up her robe, draping it over the chair he'd been sitting in before offering her a towel. Amelia took it off him with a roll of her eyes as he executed an overly elaborate bow that put him a little off-balance yet again.

At least I know it's working.

She stood up, wrapping the towel around herself as quickly as possible to deny Silver as much of a view as possible. Normally she would dry herself down thoroughly, but she had no intention of doing anything like that in front of this man, so as soon as it was possible, she picked up her robe, pulled it around her shoulders, and let the towel drop to the floor as she knotted the cord.

"So our bargain is sound?" She probed, subtly stepping in front of the chair.

"Perfectly sound, Cap'n," confirmed Silver. "Ye're a woman of yer word."

He was heavy on his feet and doubly so now. Amelia, watching him carefully, saw him glance at the chair she had just denied him. The only other option for sitting in the little cabin was the bed in the adjacent space, its headboard set to the stern gallery windows. Silver dropped his expansive backside onto it hard enough for the frame to creak and visibly bend, much to Amelia's ire … but it was where she needed him to be.

"Ah, it takes it out of ye sometimes, this piratin' business," Silver sighed happily. Arm draped over to shield his eyes. "And we don't always get t' sleep on beds like this neither."

"Gutters are usually more your style, I'd have thought," Amelia said with her arms crossed over her midriff, opting for hostility to cover her hope that her plan was working.

"Oh, I've done my time in 'em, sure enough," said Silver. "Can't tell which way's up unless ye hit bottom, so they say."

He moved his legs onto the bed and stretched out, patting the little empty space that was left beside him. "Come on, Cap'n. Keep an old man company a while longer, will ye?"

"You say that as if I have a choice," said Amelia.

"Oh, ye always do. Ye just might not like the consequences of refusin'." Silver smiled tiredly. "So can we skip the argument and get t' the part where ye grudgingly agree?"

Amelia scoffed, but she crossed the floor to the other side of the bed anyway. Tucking her robe tighter about herself, she sat primly on the edge and cast a disapproving eye over the recumbent pirate. "Well, here I am."

"Here y'are ..." Silver nodded and yawned. "Here y'are indeed ... I'm glad ye saw things my way in the end..."

"Like you said. I haven't much choice in the matter, really."

"I suppose not ..." Silver closed his eyes, a small metal shutter clicking into place over his artificial one. "Well ... that's just how it is ... and I don't need t' tell ye not t' try any funny business while I'm asleep, either. If ye're not dealing with me, ye'll be dealing with Scroop, or someone like him. And they won't stop at just a bath ..."

"I know. You'll live to wake again tomorrow, Silver." Amelia made an effort to stop her claws from unsheathing.

"Tomorrow ..." Silver's voice was a mumble now. "Tomorrow is ...another day ..."

There was silence for a few minutes. Amelia watched his breathing steady and allowed herself to relax a fraction when she heard his exhalations turn to the first blubbery snore. She released a heavy breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding in ever since she entered the cabin. Carefully moving herself towards the foot of the mattress, away from Silver's hand near her backside, and crossed her legs. Keeping her back straight, chin up, and palms atop her bent knees, Amelia glanced at the ticking clock placed on the breakfront against the opposite wall.

Only a few hours to go ...