Sylvester Arrow made his way out on to the RLS Legacy´s bridge. There he saw his Captain and good friend, Amelia.
"Good evening, Captain," he greeted her politely, touching the brim of his tri-corner hat. Strangely, Amelia didn't answer him straightaway, as was her wont. Arrow found this odd, and moved over to Amelia's side before the rail.
As she made no notice of him, he flicked his glance her way. He was somewhat startled to see her actually smiling. A happy, contented smile--- small, perhaps. but clearly there. Her lovely green eyes were bright and direct. Arrow had never seen his felinid Captain act this way before, and found her behavior puzzling indeed. On a whim, he tried to follow her gaze, to see what she found so compelling that she was completely ignoring her First Officer.
Much to his surprise, Arrow's gaze fell upon their passenger, one Delbert Doppler. where he was standing in one of the flying bridges, gazing at the stars in wonder.
Amelia gave a small, contented sigh, and her eyes---often fabled to be able to burn through solid steel---gazed dreamily to where the gangly, yet hard- to-dislike, canid Doctor stood. With a start of recognition, Arrow finally understood exactly what was going on with his Captain. Arrow gave her a lop- sided grin, and then snapped his fingers sharply before Amelia's eyes twice.
Amelia blinked, shook her head, and cast an irritated glance toward Arrow. "Something you wanted, Mr. Arrow?" she asked.
Arrow simply smiled at her cleverly.
"Whatever are you smiling at, Arrow?" Amelia demanded a bit huffily.
Arrow simply looked her in the eye, and then---a bit theatrically---moved his gaze slowly over to where Doctor Doppler now stood. Amelia grudgingly did the same, her expression reflecting just a bit of anger. "I could not help but notice that you've been observing the good Doctor, Captain, for. how long, Helmsman?" Arrow asked, ignoring the growing storm in Amelia's face.
"Goin' on fifteen minutes, Mr. Arrow sir," replied the navigator, Turnbuckle, who tried very hard to hide his smile.
Amelia glared daggers at Turnbuckle, who immediately cast his gaze straight ahead, and then turned her attention back to Arrow. "What exactly is your point, Arrow? Out with it, man!" she demanded.
Arrow smiled down at his Captain, gently guiding her over toward the unoccupied portion of the bridge. "It is quite obvious, Amelia, that you fancy our Doctor Doppler," he stated in a quite voice.
Amelia glared back over her shoulder toward Turnbuckle, who had given a little snort of laugther. "I'll thank you, Mr. Turnbuckle, to concentrate you attention on the Etherium, instead of it doesn´t belong," she snapped irately.
"Yes, maám!" Turnbuckle replied quickly, eager to mollify the volatile Captain.
Amelia looked back at Arrow. "Mr. Arrow. My stateroom. Now," Amelia commanded, following the big Cragorian to her stateroom and firmly shutting and dogging the door shut.
Inside the safety of her stateroom, Amelia confronted her First Officer. "Well, Arrow. would you care to explain why you found it necessary to embarrass me in front of that scoundrel of a helmsman?"
"My apologies, Captain. Please forgive my rudeness, but I had thought I would never see the day you finally fell in love," Arrow told her forthrightly.
"Shut it, Arrow. immediately!" Amelia growled dangerously.
"Oh, do come now, Amelia. I know you, my friend, and I can tell. Besides, you have nothing to fear from me. you know that I wouldn´t tell a soul."
"Blast it all, Arrow! I am NOT in love! Do you hear me, sir?" Amelia yelled aloud, her green eyes burning like fiery emeralds.
"Of course, Captain," Arrow replied in a dignified manner that told her that he simply didn't believe her for a single moment. Amelia turned away with a growl, and began to massage her temples, as if she was now experiencing a most debilitating headache.
"Really, Amelia," Arrow told her gently. "I am happy for you, my friend. Love is a very natural emotion. and you are a young woman, after all." He began to gently rub her stiff shoulders, knowing precisely where to rub to relax his tense friend and Captain.
"You are mistaken, Arrow. I am a Captain. I cannot afford to be in love," Amelia replied, her voice sounding tired.
"Nonsense, Captain," Arrow countered, his deep voice still gentle and mellow. "I'm sorry, Amelia, but love waits for no one, even a Captain, such as yourself. Love is a unpredictable, yet amazing thing. Something that you cannot stop, no matter how you might try."
"You've been reading too many of those romance novels of yours again, Arrow," Amelia scoffed, but before she could continue on, Arrow's fingers found a very tender place upon her shoulders, which made Amelia grimace then sigh with relief.
"Perhaps, Captain. perhaps," Arrow allowed, smiling. "But, nevertheless, I shall keep your secret. Perhaps even from yourself, hmm?"
Amelia was dead tired, it had been a trying day, and Arrow's massage had relaxed her enough to show it. The big Cragorian smoothly ushered her into her sleeping chamber, still softly rubbing her shoulders. He grinned as he heard Amelia yawn. In minutes, he had helped her off with the jacket and her tall boots.
"Sleep tight, my Captain," Arrow told her, and kissed her gently on the cheek before leaving her to her rest.
Once back on deck, he yelled to the crew, "All hands! Captains orders! Every spacer, not on duty, are to get their rest. Dismissed!" There was a general murmuring of appreciation, as the tired spacers sought out their bunks below deck.
Doctor Doppler made his way over to where the taciturn Arrow stood at the foot of the bridge. Arrow turned to the diminutive astonomer, curious as to what brought him here just now.
"Yes, Doctor?" Arrow asked, not even looking at him.
"Ahem. Well. Yes, you see, the Captain requested these from me. Today, you understand," Delbert said a bit timidly, giving Arrow a sheaf of paper.
Arrow looked over the notes, and nodded affirmatively. "Yes, I had rather thought she might. You needn't worry, Doctor. I´ll make certain that I give them them to her," Arrow assured him and smiled.
"You heard the Captain's orders now, Doctor. Off with you now. go to bed, Doctor," Arrow ordered gruffly but kindly. "The Captain would be disappointed if you didn't get your sleep." Delbert nodded in reply, and made his way back to his stateroom and his bed.
After assuring himself that all was well on deck, Arrow went back into Amelia's stateroom again and laid Delbert's notes on her desk. He then went checked on Amelia again. She was sleeping as soundly as a rock. Arrow smiled fondly down at her, no longer so daunting in her slumber. She looked more like the optimistic young woman he had first met at the Academy so many years ago. He grinned, and drew the quilt over Amelia, and then made his way out to resume his watch on deck.