Chapter 23

The mortally wounded longboat plummeted down, barely in control, toward the surface of Treasure Planet at high speed. Kitty clung desperately---as did both the Doctor and Jim---to the gunwales, as the injured Amelia bravely piloted the stricken longboat down. But, despite her best efforts---which were considerable indeed---the ruined craft finally crashed down, hard and painfully, to bounce and finally grind to a halt, upside-down.

Kitty groaned from inside the longboat's hull, and heard both Jim and Delbert groan and move, which was a good thing. Then she heard Amelia grunting in pain, her breathing a bit strained. It was obvious that, despite her injuries, it was her claustrophobia kicking in. Kitty, along with both Jim and Delbert's assistance, rolled longboat over off of them all.

Amelia sighed once in relief, but otherwise just sat still. Kitty did a quick check on her own condition, and she seemed to be in good shape.

"Oh my goodness," Delbert said, just a bit wearily. "That was more fun than I ever want to have again."

Kitty grinned at the Doctor's attempt to cheer them, but then looked over toward Amelia who was chuckling quietly. She looked back at them all, glad to see that everyone seemed to be no worse for wear. "Not one of my gossamer landings," she declared to all and sundry as she tried to get to her feet. However, that idea was soon quashed, as Amelia clapped a hurried hand to her ribcage, and hissed softly in obvious pain.

"Captain!" Delbert yelped in distress, and got over to her side at once. With both Jim and Delbert's assistance, Amelia got to her feet, where she seemed a bit woozy still. She could see all the concerned expressions on her companions' faces, and snorted. "Oh, don´t fuss," she said non-chalantly, then proceeded to almost faint, being forced to lean toward the much concerned Doctor for support. "Just a slight bruising, that´s all," she said, trying to reassure them all. "A cup of tea and I´ll be right as rain."

Kitty snorted at that. "Yeah right," Kitty declared.

Amelia, her legs trembling from the effort to stay erect, turned and frowned at her Second Officer. "What was that, Kitty?" Amelia asked.

"Beg your pardon, Ma'am, but the last time you said that, you had just stopped hyperventilating," Kitty reminded her.

Amelia's scowl deepened at that, then she turned her attention to her male counterparts again. "Mr. Hawkins,"she ordered brusquely, turning to Delbert, frowning in confusion. She then realised just who it was before her, and corrected her error. "The map... if you please," she said, now looking towards Jim.

Jim reached into his pocket, and retrieved the bronze sphere... and they all gasped in surprise as it promptly turned into Morph. "Morph!" Jim exclaimed in irritation before continuing. "Morph... where´s the map?"

The amorphorous pink blob turned itself into the map then portrayed itself jumping into a stack of coiled line.

"Are you serious?" Jim blurted out incredulously, clearly annoyed. "It´s back on the ship?"

"Bloody wonderful," Amelia grumbled before her ears perked up. Kitty's sensitive felinid ears caught the sound too. "Stifle that blob, and get low. We´ve got company," Amelia declared, Kitty nodding in agreement. The Legacy's other longboat---with the pirates aboard---drifted by their position, clarly looking for some sign of them, no doubt. Amelia waited a moment, then eased her head up over the hull, watching the longboat move further away, scowling. "We need a more defensible position," Amelia declared, Captain once more. She removed a laser pistol from her belt, and turned and handed the weapon to Jim. "Mr. Hawkins, scout ahead."

"I´ll join him, if you don't mind, Captain," Kitty added. Amelia nodded in encouragement, before falling to her knees, gaspin in pain again.

"Steady, steady," Delbert said soothingly, his eyes voicing his concerns about Amelia. He carefully helped Amelia down to sit, leaning against the ruined hull of the longboat. Once Amelia had recovered, he added, "Now... let´s have a look at that."

Leaving the Captain in the Doctor's capable hands, Kitty and Jim started walking out into the jungle. "So," Jim asked after a while. "What´s up with you, Ma'am?"

"What do you mean, Jim?" Kitty asked, intentionally being more casual.

"You're always so nice to me, without any reason to be," Jim told her.

"Well, of course," Kitty replied. "That's because when I look at you, Jim, I can see a lot of myself. You do remember what I told you of my family, Jim, right?"

"Well, yeah, you have told me about them," Jim conceded. "But, I'm different... I mean, my mom loves me."

"Uh-huh. And you repay that love by breaking the law then?" Kitty asked, a bit bluntly.

Jim sighed, and winced, looking away from Kitty, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

Kitty pressed her argument. "Look, Jim... if you put your mind and heart into it, you could become the Captain of your own ship one day. Just like you've always wanted..." Kitty then stopped talking, one ear angling sharply to the right. Jim stopped, realizing that Kitty had heard a sound from somewhere behind them.

They were then both set upon by the boisterous, amiable antique Bio-Electric Navigator, better known as BEN. Kitty, personally couldn't stand the copper sheathed automaton... but Jim seemed to like him. Kitty shrugged as the talkative construct led them to his "home". Kitty had to admit one good thing about him was that he provided a place to recuperate and defend. Once both Jim and Kitty looked the place over, they all headed back to collect Delbert and Amelia.

Once within earshot, Kitty heard Amelia and the Doctor talking to one another. Kitty stifled a giggle when she heard Amelia say something that sounded like "charming". No doubt, Amelia had most probably not gotten used to being the weakest link of their group.

Kitty moved over beside Jim and BEN to make their report to the still woozy Captain. "It appears, Captain, that BEN here has a place where we can hold up and hide just a kilometer away from here," Kitty told her.

"Splendid! Good work, the both of you," Amelia said, and then tried to get to her feet again. She stood unsteadily for awhile, until her knees gave way, and she collapsed again into the waiting Doctor's arms.

"Captain. It's obvious that you cannot walk in your condition," Delbert informed her politely, his brown eyes ever concerned for her welfare.

"You sure got that one right, Doc. She's much too weak Kitty said.

That got a rise out of Amelia in a hurry. "Oh, really," Amelia countered, her green eyes hard with anger. "What then? Do you intend to just leave me here?"

"Get real, Captain. Of course we're not," Kitty said. She then grinned evilly, flicked her eyes to Delbert, then looked back to Amelia. Amelia's face paled in understanding. "Oh, Doctor?" Kitty nearly sang, turning amiably toward Delbert.

"Yes, Ms. Petro?" he answered, so gullible it was charming.

"Um, you look like a strapping man. Um, exactly how much do you think you could carry?" Kitty questioned, ignoring Amelia's clandestine attempts to shush her.

"Um, well," he began, trying to figure out his answer.

"Well, there's no time to dilly dally," Kitty declared suddenly. "It's the only solution. Doctor, I am ordering you to carry the Captain to our new home away from home."

Delbert might not be the quickest fellow, but even he caught on. "Yes, Ma'am," he complied.

"Ms. Petro, I'm afraid I'm going to countermand that order. I outrank you, I'm afraid," Amelia informed her, her lips thin in anger.

Kitty turned back toward her, hands on her hips. "Oh? Perhaps I should remind our Captain that it is the duty of any officer to relieve a Captain of duty if they feel that he or she is incapable of fulfilling that obligation. So, with all due respect and admiration, Amelia... do shut up."

Amelia opened her mouth to protest, but was cut off as Delbert gently---almost reverently---scooped the lithe young Captain up in his arms. "Doctor?" Amelia growled. "What exactly do you think you're doing?" She fairly bristled with indignation.

"It's called carrying, Captain," Delbert remarked, making Kitty laugh. "Besides... I'm simply following orders." Jim looked away, grinning.

"Most amusing, Doctor," Amelia grumbled. "Oh bother," she finally muttered with resignation, finally resting her head against Delbert's shoulder as he carried her, as they all started to walk towards BEN´s house.