Chapter 17

Once out on deck again herself, Kitty took her place beside Amelia, back a step upon her right. Amelia, noticing Kitty's arrival, nodded to a crewman, who blew a shrill blast on a whistle, making it clear that the Captain intended to launch the Legacy. The spacers began to move to their stations, as Arrow and Delbert made their way up on deck and then to the bridge where they belonged.

Delbert, obviously intrigued as this was his first time on the bridge of a lightship, moved eagerly to the front of the bridge, where he placed his hands on the rail, and looked about at all the activity in amazement. Arrow moved over to stand opposite Kitty on Amelia's left.

Kitty noticed right away that Amelia's tail tuft twitched in impatience, and then noticed the source of that impatience, which was the Doctor...if Amelia's well-concealed glare was any indication.

Kitty smiled faintly, making the moral decision to save their benefactor, Doctor Doppler, a tongue-lashing from the good Captain. "Um, Doctor?" she said politely and delicately.

Hearing his name spoken, the enthusiastic canid astrophysicist looked up and over at Kitty. "Yes, Miss?" he answered with a gentle smile.

"Do you think I could impose upon you to move ever so slightly to your left? I´m rather afraid that you´ve managed to impare the Captain's field of view for the launch."

"Oh. Oh, my," Delbert said as he realized his inadvertant faux pas, and he quickly moved over to stand beside Arrow on his left.

"A delightfully charming fellow, isn't he?" Kitty said quietly to Arrow, which forced Arrow to stifle a chuckle. Amelia turned her head slightly, and simply arched her slender auburn brow. She chose to ignore Kitty's comment entirely, and announced to her officers. "Well, my friends...are we ready to raise this creaking tub?"

"My pleasure, Ma'am," Arrow answered, then promply began bellowing orders to the crew. Before one could say 'God save the Empress', the RLS Legacy hove up from its moorings, and began to rise quickly away from its berth. Kitty had to laugh softly at Delbert---who had risen awkwardly from the deck, and was currently upside down---when Amelia instructed the Flatuan spacer, Mr. Snuff, to engage the artificial gravity. Even Amelia couldn't repress a small smile as the gangly Doctor crashed noisly to the deck.

Amelia pretended not to notice the good Doctor's dilemma, and continued on with the launch. "Full speed ahead, Mr. Arrow, if you please."

Delbert had finally managed to regain his feet, standing woozily with his hand on the starboard rail, when Kitty elbowed Amelia softly in the ribs.

Amelia caught her glance, and she quickly piped up. "Brace yourself, Doctor," she warned, a small smile on her lips, knowing full well jus what was about to occur.

Kitty leaned back against Arrow's broad chest as the ship's primary thrusters flared with power, the acceleration causing her short blond hair to whisk back. Kitty knowingly looked over to where Doppler stood, and---boom!---there he went, skidding along the deck to slam painfully into the aft bridge rail with a racket and clatter. Kitty had to admit to herself that it was cruel of her to laugh, but the scene was so funny, she simply couldn't help herself.

"There there, Kitty," Amelia chided her Second Officer. "It simply won't do to have my officers laughing at our sponsors now, will it?"

Kitty shook her head, grinning, and then spotted a nearby pod of Orctus Galacticus easing into view off the ship's starboard side. "Hey, Captain...look at the Doctor now," Kitty whispered in her ear. Amelia frowned at first, but then turned toward where the most enthusiastic Doctor had retrieved his camera and set up to take a snapshot. "Smile!" he boomed, peering distractedly through the device's lens.

Amelia, ever the beneficient Captain, tried in vain to warn Delbert. "Eh, Doctor... I would stand clear if I where---" But, before she could even finish her warning, the Doctor was splattered by a blast of ethereal spume from the nearest Orctus Galacticus.

Kitty choked, then began laughing again, even as the normally taciturn Amelia could not suppress a small chuckle at the sight.

It was just then the cook, Silver, appeared and bowed to Amelia as she turned her attention towards him. "'Tis a grand day for sailing, Captain," he announced grandly. "And look at you," he continued, trying very hard to be as charming as he could manage, "you´re as trim and bonny as a sloop with new sails and a fresh coat of paint." He bowed again, though he peered up from his bow at Amelia to gauge her reaction.

Amelia was having not of his tripe, and simply rolled his eyes at his attempts to flatter her. "You can save that kind of flim–flammery for your spaceport floozies, Silver.".

Kitty moved over toward where Delbert stood, still trying to wipe the viscous goo from his face and spacesuit. "Here you are, Doctor. Try this," Kitty said and gave him a towel she apparently conjured from the ether. "I do apologize for my laughter," Kitty continued as he took it. "I´m afraid I have a very wry sense of humor, I'm afraid. I find I can laugh at nearly anything. You should of seen me when I dyed Amelia's---er, I mean, the Captain's---hair bright pink."

"Bright pink, did you say?" Delbert replied, looking up towards where the cool, beautiful Captain stood, raising an curious eyebrow. "Whyever did you do something like that?" he asked, then grinned.

"Well, truth be known, because the Captain has a very bad habit of wanting to play matchmaker for me, and frankly, I won´t have it, thank you very much." Kitty announed primly.

Delbert smiled at this spunky young felinid. "Well, perhaps one day you may just find the right person for you, Miss."

Kitty smiled. "What about you, Doctor?" she asked. "Would there be a Mrs. Doppler waiting for you back home?"

Delbert blushed at the very idea. "Heh, oh heavens no! I´m afraid not, my dear," Delbert said, giving a nervous little laugh at first.

"Well," Kitty said looking out into the etherium, then glanced up at her friend, the Captain. "You never do know, Doctor...maybe one day, eh? Now...if you would be so kind as to follow me, Doctor, I shall follow you to your cabin."

Kitty led the Doctor to his cabin, one deck below the Captain's. "Usually, you see, everyone would sleep down in hammocks, but well...you arranged all this, so you get preferential treatment."

"I say...does that mean that you sleep down in a hammock, too?" Delbert asked, appalled at that idea.

"No, no, Doctor...I´m a woman," Kitty corrected him. "I have my own bed in the Captain's quarters, you see. We've shared that room since I met her."

"You mean...that the two of you aren't sisters then?" Delbert asked, then promptly blushed again, charming Kitty.

"No. Amelia and I are just very close friends, Doctor," Kitty said. "She took me in when I ran away from home, but---in a way---she has been like the sister I never had." She then stopped outside the Doctor's cabin door. "Here you are. These are your chambers, Doctor," Kitty said and opened the door. "Lunch will be served in approximately an hour. Good day to you." And with that she left, with Delbert's most curious eyes boring into the back of her neck, making her tail swish back and fourth in happiness.