CHAPTER 10

OLD FASHION ROMANCES

"Uh, Pardon the Mess, People. You'd think in a hundred years I would have dusted a little more often!" Ben apologised as we entered, (Well, the Doctor fell in but you get the idea,) "But you know, when your Batchin' it…" he tipped a chessboard on the floor as he did so, revealing a pair of long, frilly, poka-dot bottoms, "You tend to, uh, let things go," he picked up the bottoms, before realising what they were, and hiding them behind his skinny back.

Suddenly he saw me carrying the Captain in my arms, a caring look in my eyes as she leaned her head against my chest.

"Aw, isn't that sweet?" he said casually as he threw the bottoms to the back of the cave and went behind a tattered sail, "I find old-fashion romances so touching, don't you?" he called, before producing a tray with two cups of oil on it, one with a cog in it and the other with a spanner, the cog cup was bubbling slightly.

"How about drinks for the Happy couple?" he asked, showing a toothy grin (Or the nearest thing B.E.N could get to a tooth grin).

I looked up from easing down Amelia's head gently onto a small dome next to B.E.N.

"Oh, uh, ooh. Uh, no," I said flatly, hoping to save the Captain from what ever mixture B.E.N had created.

"We don't drink," I said casually as I unbuttoned my Tunic, "And uh, We're not a couple," I gazed down at Amelia, a hapless smile on my face. I was returned with a reassuring one.

"Ahem. Look at these markings," the Doctor spoke up to break the silence, indicating to the ceiling, "Their identical to the ones on the map. I suspect these are the hieroglyphic Remnants of an ancient Culture."

I gazed around the cave as I rolled up my Tunic. From my point of view, this whole place looked like an ancient Culture. Well, the 16th century anyway, that was pretty old. The place was littered with old masts, sails and barrels, along with dozens of different pieces of nautical equipment, as well as a few pots and pans behind one of the sails.

"Mr. Hawkins, Doctor Doppler" I heard the Captain's voice punch though my thoughts, "Stop anyone who tries to approach," she suddenly winched in pain.

"Yes, yes, now listen to me," I said sternly as I put my makeshift pillow of my Tunic behind her head and made her lay down, "Stop giving orders for a few milliseconds," I paused before gently laying my hand over hers, "and lie still."

"Very forceful Lieutenant," she said with a weak smile, "Go on, say something else."

I smiled back and was about to reply when B.E.N's loud voice came through first.

"Hey look, there's some more of your buddies!"

I looked up and saw the robot dancing on the edge of the hole we had come through, trying to grab their attention.

"Oh, Dammit all!" I muttered furiously as I unsung my rifle from my back and set it to kill, knowing there could only be one type of person on this planet that he thought could be our Buddies: Pirates.

"That blasted Robot's gonna get us all killed!"

I ran as fast as I could to the entrance just as B.E.N was pulled down by Jim as the Plasma Bolts started flying.

Without wasting time, I quickly knelt down on one knee, aimed my rifle through the scope and began picking off the Pirates one by one.

I got about three when I heard Silver's large voice called out, "Stop wasting your fire! That's the Lieutenant your dealing with!"

I sighed and also ceased fire, not wanting to waste any fire if I didn't need to.

"Jimbo?" I heard the Former cook's voice call out as I peered over the top of hole, to see Silver appearing over the ridge, a little white rag on a branch in his good hand, his cybernetic arm being used as a crutch for some reason.

"If it's alright with the Cap'n, I'd like a short word with ya. No tricks, just a little palaver."

"Come to bargain for the map, doubtless, pestilential, Ugh!"

I looked back at the Captain, the Doctor at her side.

"Captain…" I said warningly.

"That means…" Jim thought aloud, "that he thinks we still have it."

"I think we should let Jim talk to him," I said aloud, gazing at Silver through my scope, "Why is he limping?"

Jim gave a sheepish smile, "I put a pair of clippers through his bad leg,"

"That means that he can't use any of his gizmos or weapons or what ever else he keeps in that arm of his," I mused.

"Very well Mr. Hawkins, you may go," the Captain ordered.

"Aye Captain,"

"I got your back Jim," I said to him as he went past, "But don't take to long."

Jim nodded before disappearing down the hole and down the hill, as the dying rays of an alien sun disappeared behind a horizon.

Then, the waiting began.

When he got back, Jim explained how Silver had tried to bribe him into giving him the map, and failed, While Morph cuddled up to me, giving off sad and scared little noises as I stroked him absently.

By the time he got back the Captain had fallen asleep, but had woken up to listen, but she didn't seem to be the same.

Right now as I was tending to her, she suddenly grabbed sleeve and pulled herself up.

"Gentlemen," she murmured, gritting her teeth from the pain, "We must…stay together and….and…"

"And what? WHAT?" I heard Delbert practically scream behind me as I took off my glasses to look at Amelia more closely, "WE MUST STAY TOGETHER AND WHAT!?!"

The Captain opened her eyes and gazed deeply into mine, a faint smile on her lips.

"Daniel," she said faintly, "You have…wonderful eyes!"

"SHE'S LOST HER MIND!!!" Doppler shouted in despair while I clasped the Captains good hand in my own, while she slumped back onto my tunic, a blissful smile on her face.

"Well, you gotta help her Dan!" I heard Jim say desperately, "you've done good for her so far!"

"Dang it Jim. I'm a College Student, not a doctor!" I yelled back, holding up a finger to contradict him, "Well, I'm a First Aider and that's a kind of doctor, but I'm not the kind of doctor she needs. I've got a degree in First Aiding but It's not the same thing, you can't help people with insanity with a degree in First Aiding you just sit there and your useless!"

I just felt like crying as I collapsed to the floor, holding my head in my hands.

I felt Jim put his hands on my shoulders and I was slowly brought back into reality as Morph made worried squeaking noises as he floated above me.

"It's OK Dan," I heard Jim say, "It's alright,"

"It's OK! It's alright!" Morph squeaked in reassurance as he slipped through my fingers.

"Yeah Danny! Jimmy knows exactly how to get out of this," B.E.N added as Jim left to go look out the entrance, "It's just…It's just Jimmy has this…this Knowledge of things,"

He looked reassuringly at me for a moment before adding behind his hand, "Jim, any thoughts at all?"

Jim sighed as Morph came to hover beside him.

He sighed as he looked up at the ship in orbit above us, "Without the map, we're dead," he looked down at where a small fire had been started where the pirates were camping, "If we try to leave, we're dead," he looked at us all inside the cave, "If we stay here…"

"We're dead!" Morph squeaked playfully, hoping to cheer Jim up, "We're dead! We're dead! We're dead!"

When Jim didn't give the response he wanted, Morph gave a little whimper.

I glanced at Delbert sadly, it looked like this might be the end after all. The Doctor couldn't do anything, Jim was stuck for ideas, the Captain was loosing her mind, and I had sunk into a pit of depression I hadn't dug myself since I left Earth.

"Well, I think Jimmy could use some 'quiet time' " B.E.N suddenly said to no one in particular, "So I'll just slip out the back door,"

Jim suddenly stood up straighter, "Back door?"

"Oh yeah I get this delightful breeze through here," the robot said casually as he rolled over a dome, revealing a bright light from within.

My interest perking, I quickly got up and walked over to the opening. What I saw amazed me no end.

"Which I think is important," the robot continued, "because ventilation, between friends…"

"Whoa," Jim gasped as he joined me at the new opening.

"What is this stuff?" I asked as I gazed down what seemed like a everlasting tunnel.

"You mean the miles and miles of machinery that run through the entire course of the inside of this planet?" B.E.N asked. He paused thinking of an answer. When not finding one he answered simply, "Not a clue."

"Hey Dan I think I found a way out of here!"

I looked irritated, "Jim wait," I said futilely as he climbed up above the exit, "The Captain ordered us, hell I order you to stay…"

"I'll be back," was all he said as he dropped down the hole followed by a "CANNONBALL!!!" by B.E.N and Morph.

"Woof," I heard Doppler say in the background in a monotone.

"My sentiments exactly," I sighed as I turned back to the Captain.

"So what should we do?"

I slumped back against the Dome, next to the Captain and sighed.

"Maybe you should get some sleep Doctor, I'll keep watch until Jim gets back."

Delbert looked at me worriedly, before finally relenting and going into a corner near the entrance. A few minutes later I heard snoring, telling me he was asleep.

I sighed as I gazed about the cave, my mind wondering as freely as my eyes.

"Credit for your thoughts Lieutenant?"

I looked down suddenly, only to be greeted with a pair of deep, Emerald green eyes.

"What's a credit?"

The Captain chuckled slightly, "It's the currency used by the Empire Mr. Dearing, I didn't think you would know about it."

I sighed for a moment, taking off my glasses and rubbing my eyes, "I don't know Ma'am, my thoughts are all a jumble."

I suddenly caught her staring at me, a small smile like the one she had had an while ago.

I momentarily forgot I was talking to my Captain as I asked her, "What? What are you staring at?"

"Has anyone ever told you how much more…handsome you look without your glasses?"

I sighed and went back to rubbing my eyes, chuckling slightly.

Now it was the Captain's turn to look confused.

"What?"

"The Doctor was right, you have lost your mind."

She looked at me indignantly, "I have not!"

I looked back at her, not really wanting to argue with her.

"Captain Amelia would never talk to me like that," I said with a sigh, "She would never complement me on my…" I paused trying to think of the word, "handsome…ship," I said finally, knowing it wasn't actually a word.

"Oh, and I suppose Captain Amelia would never complement you on your fine eyes either?" The Captain asked, her voice sounding slightly hurt.

Sighed and put two fingers to my temple.

"I'm too tired to argue with you Amelia…" I began. Suddenly I stopped, my eyes wide at what I said. Suddenly I closed my eyes and covered them with one hand, wishing the ground would just swallow me up.

"Oh, I just called you Amelia, didn't I?" I murmured into my hand.

"Yes Daniel," I heard her say with a smirk, "you did,"

"I'm sorry," I murmured, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Just don't shout at me, or reprimand me or anything else you might do as Captain. Please?"

I heard nothing but silence. Peeping out of the edge of hands, I saw she was staring at me again.

"Why would I do that?" she asked.

"Because you're the Captain….Captain." I said blankly, "I'm not supposed to be calling you…by your first name."

I knew I was treading on dangerous ground here. Calling the Captain by her first name once would be considered unfortunate, to call her Amelia twice would be considered…

"Daniel, I'm talking to you!"

I glanced down at the Captain, a tired smile on my face.

"I find it ironic that we have to use each others first names to get each others attention," I said with a chuckle.

She shrugged, "It seems quite sad really,"

I raised an eyebrow, "Oh, why?"

"Because here we are, a grown man and woman, and we can't even speak each others own first names without feeling embarrassed." she said simply.

I thought about this for a moment, before sighing.

"But you out-rank me, I'm a lieutenant and you're a captain. I can't just call you by your first name! It wouldn't be proper!"

I leaned back on the palms of my hands, my head resting on the back of the dome.

I was lost in my own thoughts, I had no idea what to do.

Suddenly I was ripped out of my thoughts as I felt something warm lay itself across the top of my hand.

Looking down, I was greeted my a white glove, a certain person's hand inside it.

I followed the hand up to her arm, and then up to her head.

She was staring again, a stare I hadn't seen since the day I had met her. I stared back for a long time, before bowing my head.

"You should get some sleep, Captain. We might have a bit of a walk tomorrow."

I could feel her eyes on me for a few moments, then I heard a bit of shuffling, followed by pressure on my arm.

I looked down so fast I cricked my neck. What I saw made me turn several shades of red.

Amelia had now leaned over, and pillowed her head against my arm.

I bit my lip as she looked up at me, clearly amused at my embarrassment.

"With all due respect, Lieutenant, Your arm is actually more comfortable than your tunic," she handed me my blue coat, "Besides, you look a little cold."

"OK, she has got to be physic," I thought to myself as I took my tunic. The truth was, as night came in, the planet had tuned out not to be as hot as it was during the day, and my shirt was a bit on the thin side.

"Your sure you don't need this anymore?" I asked.

"Positive,"

A bit more quickly than I should have, I quickly donned my jacked and buttoned it up, feeling the warmth of the Tunic.

I paused for a moment, "Captain are you…"

I suddenly realised the Captain had managed to sneak under my arm while I was putting on my tunic. How I had not noticed was beyond me.

After another moment, I realised that fatigue had caught up with her again and she had fallen asleep, leaning on me heavily.

I sighed. There was something about this that felt…right. I couldn't explain it.

I lent my head back on the dome as the Captain snuggled closer to me in her sleep.

It was at that time I myself was feeling a little sleepy.

Just a few minutes rest couldn't hurt.

After what felt like five minutes, I woke up again, hearing a scuffling sound coming from near where Jim had left.

Amelia was still asleep, still cuddled up against me, her breathing steady.

Deciding to investigate, I slowly eased her off me, before getting up and looking around the cave.

The large space was dark, the only light coming from the stars through the front entrance.

I looked around, my hand resting gently on the hilt of my rapier.

It was to quiet for my liking. I couldn't hear Delbert's snoring.

Standing in the middle of the room, I closed my eyes, blocking out the vision, focusing only on the sound.

I could just hear Amelia's breathing behind me, but there was something else, I couldn't just hear two sounds of breathing, I could also here around a dozen more.

Slowly and carefully, I grasped the hilt of my rapier, waiting for the right moment to strike.

As I walked around the room, I waited for the right moment.

Then I heard something that I shouldn't have been able to here, a squelch.

As quick as lightning my rapier was out. Before whoever had made the sound could react, I thrust my sword into the darkness, hitting home.

I felt the blade drive deep into the offenders body, hearing a burbled sigh as whoever it had been breathed his last.

As I withdrew my rapier, I noticed the blade was covered in a sticky purple goop

Alien blood.

As I looked on, a pirate suddenly fell out of the shadows, clearly dead.

As I looked at the dead pirate in disbelief I heard a series of clicking and whirring sounds behind me.

As I whipped around, the colour drained from my face.

Behind me, stood Silver, a pistol on his artificial arm, aimed at Amelia's head.

"Oh Dear, oh dear, oh dear," he tutted as he cocked his pistol, "That's the forth member of my crew you've killed today Danny-boy. I must admit, your skills with a weapon are some of the finest I've ever seen."

I looked around as pirates circled me, grinning at me sinisterly.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see Doppler, being held by Turnbuckle, bound and gagged.

I looked at the Captain, who showed no fear. I narrowed my eyes at Silver.

"Give me one good reason I shouldn't kill you where you stand?" I spat.

He smiled pleasantly. "Ah Danny-boy, I've got three.

One: you try to and my men will kill you before your blade touches me.

Two: we wouldn't want anything bad happen to good ol' Doc now would we?"

He glanced at Turnbuckle who smiled evilly at me.

"And three:" he said casually, pressing the pistol to Amelia's temple, "We all think you and the Cap'n make such a good couple, right fellas?"

There was a rumble of sarcastic agreement.

"Exactly. Be a shame if the good Cap'n suddenly lost those pretty features of hers eh?"

I emitted a low snarl.

"You no good, double-crossing, son of a…"

"Now, Now Danny-boy, there's no need to be rude," Silver said, the mock alarm clear in his voice, "Now drop ya sword, or the Cap'n's gonna find herself with a little speech impediment!"

I closed my eyes, trying to figure out what to do. If I gave up, then Amelia and the Doctor would be safe, if I tried to kill Silver, both would be dead. What was I supposed to…

"DANIEL! ON YOUR LEFT!"

Without thinking about it, I suddenly pulled a pistol from it's sheath, aimed and fired.

Another Pirate fell.

I heard a thump and a cry and I turned back to Silver and Amelia.

"That'll be enough out of you Lass," he said stoutly, "At as for you Lieutenant, the next time someone dies the Cap'n here will be joining 'em.

My eyes widened, he wouldn't!

Finally I relented. I dropped my rapier, and holstered my pistol.

"Fine," I muttered.

"I knew you'd see it my way," Silver said with a smile, "Tie him up with the Cap'n,"

I sighed, looking downcast as the Pirates roughly pushed be toward the dome, tying my hands behind my back, before throwing me beside the Captain.

"Don't worry Lieutenant," Silver said calmly as he lifted up my chin with one metallic finger, "We'll clean your sword for you. And as soon as Jim gets back with the map, we'll be off to find my treasure!"

I said nothing for a moment, before promptly spitting in his face.

Silver stood up again, and whipped my saliva off his face.

"Gag 'em," he said quietly as he turned away, "We'll wait for Jim,"

"Since when could you do spit like that?" Amelia asked curiously as she too was tied up.

I gave her a sheepish grin, "You'd be surprised how many scrapes I got out of by doing that at Primary school,"

She smiled at me, but any father conversation was cut off as we were gagged, Delbert thrown with us, and the waiting began for Jim's return.