Amelia turned back on the bridge, where Delbert, her children, Mr. Hawkins and their navigator stood. Amelia adjusted her tricorne hat, then looked up to the crow's nest, where her lookout stood watch. "Are we clear to depart, Mr. Junitor?" she bellowed in impressive voice for someone so slight.
The amphidian spacer that now stood lookout called back down to her, "We're all clear, Captain!"
Amelia turned her head to Jim. "Very well then, Mr. Hawkins… shall we launch this 'blasted heap' as your Mr. Silver was apt to call her the last time he was aboard?" Her voice was solid and confident, but Jim didn't miss the tart overtone in her words. Jim mentally winced, but he couldn't really blame her.
"Aye aye, Captain!" he said and shouted the necessary orders to the crew. Lines were cast aboard, and coiled. Then the air was filled with the sound of solar sails unfurling and belling into the wind. The Legacy moved up and stately away from her berth, her maneuvering thrusters firing in spurts to move her away from the spaceport proper. Suddenly, they all began floating in the air, as the exited the spaceport's gravity field. Amanda, Alice and Angelina laughed in pure joy as they experienced zero gravity. Amelia, now floating nearly a meter in the air, calmly turned her attention to the spacer next to the the large snail-like artificial gravity generator. "Mr. Phiant, engage our artificial gravity, if you please," she instructed primly.
The spacer, who reminded Jim of a monkey he'd once seen in a traveling circus, only bigger, saluted Amelia. He held himself to the deck by grabbing a tie-down with his prehensile tail, and then threw the lever that activated the gravity generator. Everyone dropped back down on their feet handily… even Delbert.
Amelia then turned her attention to the navigator. "East by northeast, Mr. Blatch. Heading four-eight-six-four," she called out.
"Aye aye, Captain," replied the sauroid spacer, who threw the wheel over until it took up the requested course. "My course is four-eight-six-four proper, Ma'am!"
Amelia nodded in satisfaction, and then turned back to Jim.
"Full speed ahead, Mr. Hawkins… if you please," she commanded.
"Immediately, ma'am!" Jim turned to communicator tube located beside the mizzen mast. "Engineering… full power!"
Amelia looked quickly about. Her children all seemed to have a good grip on the the bridge rail, which pleased her. She then turned her attention to her husband, who looked rather pale. He must be remembering the last time 'round, Amelia thought to herself with a grin.
"Brace yourself, children," she warned and watched their knuckles turn white as they clutched the sturdy rail even tighter.
The Legacy then surged ahead mightily, forcing Amelia to lean into it, to compensate for the increased inertia. A familiar howl sounded, followed by a hollow thunk, which told her that her Delbert still hadn't quite learned the knack of space travel just yet.
"Are you injured, Doctor?" Amelia inquired, part seriously concerned, part secretly amused.
"Fine! I'm fine, really," Delbert assured her, tugging his vest and coat back into place and re-perching his spectacles on his nose.
He made his way to stand beside his regal-looking wife, rubbing his posterior and grimacing. "However do you manage to remain standing, Captain, during that initial surge, I daresay still quite amazes me," he observed.
"Simply years of training, Doctor," Amelia assured him. She looked about the bridge to her childrens who still fiercely clutched the wooden bridge rail. "At ease now, children," she told them with a smile. "You are free to move about the ship with these few provisions: no interfering with the spacers performing their duties, and you may not ascend the rigging without first donning a lifeline. Now, be off with you all."
"Thanks, Mom!" the kids said and ran down the bridge stairs to the main deck.
Delbert, without thinking, reached out to take Amelia's hand, but she moved hers away, giving him a stern glance. "Ah, remember our agreement, Doctor," she advised.
"But really, Am" Delbert began, only to be silenced when she put her hand over his mouth. Delbert sighed, gave her a much chagrined look, then added, "Of course, Captain. Now, if you won't be needing me for the moment, I'll take my leave." Delbert bowed his head deferentially once, and left the bridge oddly quiet.
Jim, temporarily between assignments, moved up next to where Amelia stood, prim and proper. "Hmm. Let me guess… it's no public displays of affection, as well as no indications that the two of you are married before the crew, right?" Jim hazarded. "You do realize, I hope, Captain, that we all do know you and the Doc are married?"
Amelia nodded, not trusting herself to say anything on that touchy subject.
"Gonna be hard on the Doc, and that's a fact," Jim declared, shaking his head.
"Never you mind, Mr. Hawkins. You leave the Doctor to me," Amelia said firmly, her green gaze giving him warning not to pursue that subject any further.
Jim wisely took her warning to heart. "So, exactly where are we heading again, Captain?" Jim asked.
"The Teranasuna System," Amelia informed him. "As this is a training exercise, Mr. Hawkins… I think I shall let you perform this search all on your own."
"Whoa-kay," Jim muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Thanks for letting me know ahead of time, ma'am."
But, Jim had forgotten about Amelia's sensitive ears.
"Naval Academy Rule Number One, Mr. Hawkins… never be caught talking badly about your commanding officer," Amelia declared with a meaningful glance.
"I beg your pardon, Captain," Jim said quickly, reminding himself to keep his lip zipped from now on.
Amelia nodded her acceptance. "Now, don't you have duties to attend to, First Officer?"
"Right away, Ma'am!" Jim replied, saluted, and headed off the bridge.
The Doppler children were to be found on the starboard side of the ship, looking out into the reaches of the Etherium.
"Ar, now… this be yer first time out on a light ship, ain't it now, me lad and lasses?" asked a spacer that was winding a line about a belaying pin.
They all nodded their heads, not taking their eyes from the beauty of space.
"Yeh're not a talkative bunch now, are yeh? How old be you each?" the spacer asked.
"Believe it or not, we are all going to be ten years old next month," Alice told him proudly.
"Ah. And our bonny Captain now… she'd be your Mom now, wouldn't she?" he asked a moment afterward.
Angelina nodded in affirmation.
"Now, the Captain… would she of had the time now, to be teachin' her bairns how to rig knots?" the spacer inquired with a grin.
"No, mister," Amanda said. "She really doesn't have the time… you know, being the Captain and all that."
"Aye, that makes sense, so it does. Now, if you'd like, I could teach you," the spacer said, looking out into space, then glancing down to the children.
"Oh, could you?" Benjamin said, his voice excited. The girls all nodded, wanting to be included.
"Twould be me pleasure, misses and mister. Me name is Tobias," he told them.
"Hello, Mr. Tobias," Benjamin replied. "I'm Benjamin Doppler. These are my sisters… Amanda, Alice and Angelina," Benjamin added, pointing to each of his sisters in turn.
"Tis a pleasure to make yer acquaintances, young folk," Tobias told them all. He then added, "Now, gather round, my hearties, and let me show you the ropes, as it were," Tobias said, with a laugh. He then began to show them how to tie a few rudimentary knots.
After a while, Amelia decided to make her inspection, and came across her oddly quiet brood. Tobias spotted Amelia quickly and scrambled to his feet, saluting. "Good afternoon, Captain," Tobias was quick to say.
"Ah, good afternoon," Amelia replied. She then turned her attention to her four children, who were hard at work tying knots. "It appears that you've all made yourself gainfully employed. Might I inquire what has so taken your attentions, my dears?"
"Mr. Tobias is teaching us to tie spacer's knots, Momma," Angelina replied, eager to show her mother her new-found expertise.
"Did I do it right this time, Mr. Tobias?" she asked and gave her newly-tied knot over to Tobias for his review.
"Aye, Miss. You done a right fine job of it, so you have," Tobias said.
"It would appear you've all done a commendable job, children. However, it is now time for your dinner," Amelia told them.
"But, Mom!" the children protested, wanting to tie more knots. However, the look they received from their mother told them now was not the time argue. So, reluctantly, they all got to their feet, and shuffled off in the direction of their mother's stateroom. Amelia nodded her thanks to Tobias, and slowly followed in her children's footsteps.
