CHAPTER 7

LESSONS LEARNT

7:30 came much to early for my liking. While it was true that I had had to get up early every day to get into school and later college, that didn't mean I was good at it.

At six o'clock sharp a managed to somehow drag myself from the sheets of my bed, promptly falling on the floor as I did so.

After a quick was and brushing of my teeth, I quickly got changed into uniform, before heading off to the galley to brew some coffee.

"Ah, Good morning Danny-boy," I heard Silver call cheerily from the kitchen as I entered, " 'Tis a grand morning for sailing eh?"

I glared at him mutinously, because he had called me Danny-boy, but I gave up after five seconds. It was to early to shout.

"How can you be so cheery, so early?" I muttered as I headed over to the kettle to brew some coffee.

"Ah, takes practice lad," came the reply, "I've been a sailing for years, you get used to it after a time."

"Uh-huh." I was to tired to argue with Silver, so I brewed myself some coffee as well, just to wake me up.

"So, your dad ran off with another women did he?"

I froze, why? Why was he bringing that up?

"Yes, I believe I said that," I replied stoutly.

"Sorry Lad, just trying to make conversation."

Rolling my eyes as the kettle whistled, I poured the hot water over the coffee grains, and proceeded to drink it.

I hated coffee, but it was the only thing that managed to wake me up in the mornings.

"Good Coffee?" asked Silver.

"Good enough," I sighed, as I poured a new cup for the Captain before heading out of the Galley without a word.

I knocked on the door of the stateroom at 7:15.

I paused for a moment, waiting for the usual call I had would have gottan later in the day. When I didn't get it, I knocked again, this time a little harder. Still nothing.

Sighing slightly, I tried the lock, only to find it open.

Raising an eyebrow slightly, I pushed the door open into the Stateroom. Inside the room was dark, the only light coming from the myriad of stars through the back windows.

Setting down the coffee on the large table in front of the Captain's chair, I headed over to the door that led to her quarters.

I was hesitant on knocking on her door, I mean who knows, she might have some dark secret like talking in her sleep, or sucking her thumb while sleeping, thus ending the grand Captain façade in my eyes.

ing of what to do, I gently and hesitantly knocked on the large wooden door.

Silence.

I was sweating by now. If I knocked harder I might get in trouble, but if she wasn't awake by 7:30, it would be my head on a platter anyway.

Fearing more for my head then the Captains morning grogginess, I knocked a little louder.

Still nothing.

Now I was getting impatient. No one was that heavy sleeper, well, maybe my mother, but that was alcohol based, and a Captain should be able to wake up at a moments notice.

I gazed at the door handle, surly it couldn't hurt to peep in and see if she was all right...could it?

Slowly and apprehensively, reached the handle, turned it, and peeped inside.

Inside it was slightly darker, for the curtains were closed, so it took me a few minutes for my eyes to adjust to the light change.

From what I could see, it was a large room, about twice the size of my own on ship. The walls were entirely white, save for golden borders along the ceiling and floor. A large double bed was in the centre of the room, along with a desk in the corner furthest from the door.

Another door was directly opposite the doorway I was standing in, which no doubt led to the Captains bathroom.

As I gazed about the room, I suddenly realised there was a small lump on the bed. On closer inspection I realised it was the captain, curled up in her blankets, still fast asleep, her breathing evident as I watched her chest rise and fall beneath the sheets.

I gazed at her sleeping form for a while, her features looking not so hard and commanding.

Suddenly my eyes widened. I was standing, in the Captain's Room, watching the Captain sleep! Oh I was so dead if she woke up!

Deciding I'd rather get through this voyage in one piece, I backed slowly out of the room, before quietly closing the door, all the while my eyes on her face, in case she woke up.

After I closed the door, I sighed and glanced at my watch.

7:25. I sighed as I turned on the Stateroom lights, something I hadn't done when I had come in, before slumping onto the Piano stool in front of the Piano.

Who would have thought it would be so hard to wake up the Captain?

I glanced at the piano beside me. It wasn't a grand Piano, most likely because of the size of the Stateroom disallowed it, but a simple, small wooden one, the same colour of the doors, standing out against the white of the walls.

Out of pure curiosity, I opened the lid, to find a series of black and white keys, like the ones on pianos back home.

My curiosity reaching a peak, I casually pressed the C key.

Out came a middle C sound. To my surprise, the Piano was exactly the same, which I hadn't really expected, this not being Earth and all.

I glanced at my watch: 7:28. A sudden thought crossed my mind: Titanic.

Amelia woke up suddenly from her sleep to a haunting, yet at the same time beautiful sound coming from the Stateroom. She blinked away the sleep from her eyes, rubbed at them for a moment. She suddenly caught the smell of Coffee wafting it's way under the crack in the door.

"The Lieutenant," she thought to herself with a smile. As she got up, the melody seemed to reach a bit of a climax, before going softer again. She glanced at the clock beside her bed: 7:30. The man was had a very precise way of waking people up. The melody continued as she got dressed, putting on her shirt and trousers, as well as her long black boots, before heading to the door and opening it wide, the light from the Stateroom pouring in.

She lent on the doorframe slightly as her Lieutenant continued to play the melody, totally oblivious to the fact his Captain was now wide awake and listening to his music.

I continued to play 'My heart will go on,' my hands gracefully hit each key as the tune began to draw to a close.

When I finally finished playing the song, I sighed to myself. If that hadn't woken her up, nothing would.

Suddenly I heard the distinct sound of clapping behind me, almost immediately after I had finished. My face suddenly went pale as I heard the Captain's voice behind me.

"Very good Mr. Dearing, Very good indeed."

I almost fell off the stool in my hast to close the lid of the Piano, standing to attention as best as I could in the course of three seconds.

"I'm sorry Ma'am, I didn't think you were awake."

She laughed slightly, "I've been awake since 7:30 exactly Lieutenant, a very interesting song to wake up too, what is it called?"

I stared blankly for a second at her, then retook control and explained.

"It's a piece of music called 'My heart will go on' from a...motion picture."

Amelia walked up to me slowly as I explained. As she did, I noticed she wasn't actually wearing her Captain's coat. she looked very different without it. You could see her slender figure a little better. I bit my lip as she came closer, hoping she didn't realise I had been in her room.

"I see," As Amelia walked past her desk, she noticed the Coffee on it, and so proceeded to pick it up and take a long gulp from it. "You still proceed to amaze me Lieutenant," she said mildly as she sat down at her desk, "Not only are you a charming young man, your a talented musician as well."

I now turned my head and stared at her, had she just called me charming?

"Tell me, do you know how to fight?"

The question had caught me off guard slightly.

"P...pardon?"
"You know, fighting. Fisticuffs, sword fighting, that sort of thing,"

My mind went back to by high school days, when someone would bully me at least once a day for money, or to do their homework. Sometimes I would fight back, usually I would be in Sickbay by the end of the day.

"Um, well, I know how to fight in hand-to-hand combat... sort of, and I know a bit of fencing, but that's about it really."

"I see," Amelia regarded me over the brim of her cup, "Well, how would you like to be taught?"

I blinked, "Come again?"

She sighed and walked over to her cabinet where she kept the Treasure map. As she opened it, instead of going for the little box where she kept the map, she instead went for one of the pistols that lined the back of the wall.

"Mr. Dearing, do you know what this is?" she asked, holding it up for me to see.

"It appears to be a pistol Ma'am."

"Do you know how to fire one?"

I looked at her uncertainty, "Kinda,"

She raised an eyebrow at my answer, but decided to let it go this time.

"This, is a Plasma Pistol. standard issue to all command staff. Myself and Mr. Arrow carry at least one on us at all times,"
I raised an eyebrow at the statement, "At least?"

She shrugged, "With a crew like the one we have right now, we've got you can't be to careful. You Lieutenant are the only person not yet familiar with these arms. I'd like to teach you."

"You!?" I almost shouted, forgetting who I was talking too. Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought that the Captain of all people would offer to teach me how to work the pistols.

"Is there a problem with that Lieutenant?"

She frowned at me, as if I had offended her, which, I probably had.

I threw my hands up in defence, "No, no, no Captain, it's just...a little surprising that's all."

She looked over at me as she put the Pistol away and smiled sincerely as she approached me.

"Relax Lieutenant, it'll be a nice change from doing paperwork for six months, and it might give us the chance to...get to know each other better."

I bit my lip and looked away in distraction at the thought of getting to know the Captain better.

"Your sure it's alright with you Ma'am?" I asked, not looking at the Captain, "I mean...I don't want to be a problem."

I suddenly felt something warm underneath my chin, slowly forcing me to look directly back into her eyes. It took me a second to realise it was her finger.

"It will be no problem at all Mr. Dearing," She said with a smile and a wink, "No problem at all."