Chapter 7 – Lasers and Rebels and Skiffs, Oh My!
The rays of morning had yet to stream across the Legacy's silent deck. The cosmic wind danced lightly through the sails, filling them and extending the gleaming white against the haze of dawn. Amelia yawned slowly, shaking off the last remnants of sleep and stretched her lithe figure. It was moments like these that she most enjoyed her work – when the cosmos were still silent, untouched by the shouts and calls of the crew. Moments when she was allowed to step back from her command and allowed to simply observe the world around her. They were few and far between, so when the presented themselves, she treasured them.
"Absolutely breathtaking, isn't it?"
Amelia whirled around at the unexpected voice and saw Delbert standing at the top of the steps leading to the bridge, holding a steaming mug between his paws.
"You're up remarkably early," she smiled and then returned her gaze back out into the void. "And yes, it is."
Delbert came up behind her and glanced around to make certain they were alone, before touching his lips to her ear. "I wasn't referring to the Etherium, Captain." He let a hand drift to her waist, gently holding her.
Amelia stiffened for a moment and then relaxed, realizing that they were, indeed, alone.
"Flim flam will get you everywhere, Doctor," she teased, leaning back against him.
"Hmm. I'll have to remember that." He dropped a gentle kiss against her temple and stepped back. Amelia questioned him with a look.
"Someone's coming," he smiled.
"I don't hear anything."
Delbert tapped his nose. "The cook, with your breakfast, I imagine."
Sure enough, a moment later, DeLuis came trotting from the galley below with a tray balanced between his robust hands. "Your breakfast, Captain. Nice and hot!"
Amelia smiled and motioned for him to set the tray next to her star charts.
"I thank you, Mr. DeLuis. I'm sure it will be superb as always," she acknowledged and then waited for him to disappear before wheeling around to Doppler. She reached out with one finely manicured claw and tapped his large nose.
"Amazing that," she laughed. He blushed.
"Yes well, it does come in handy sometimes."
"Does it now," she smirked. "Come now, I'm only teasing, Doctor."
"I know. I know," he frowned, his cheeks nonetheless a bit red. "I should probably head down to the deck."
"So soon?"
"I have to get the star charts ready for today's meeting. The Captain's very particular about her crew being prepared," he grinned.
Amelia rolled her neck back and forth, popping it. "So I hear."
"Well, I will bid you farewell for now," he told her gallantly, bending down to capture her hand and place a kiss on it. Unfortunately, he lost his balance right as his lips connected to her hand and went tumbling down before her.
It took everything Amelia had to not fall down on top of him, but she managed to retain her balance and laughed as she retrieved her hand from his grasp. "Delbert Doppler, you are insane."
"Hmmpf," he grunted as he straightened. His ears perked as he heard footsteps from the stairwell below. "Looks as if we're not the only ones awake anymore."
"Apparently not."
As Delbert made his way to the forecastle, she glanced to the deck below and watched as sailors made their way to their respective posts, yawning and stretching. A smile crept on to her face. As salty as the crew could be at times, she respected them dearly. They had been through much together, and after their first mission together, she had chosen to retain most of the crew, offering them permanent berthing on the Legacy. She had learned early on that a dependable and hard-working crew was a rarity. When you were fortunate enough to stumble across one, you kept them. In doing so, she had come to respect her men and, in turn, earned their respect.
She turned her attention back to her astrophysicist and smothered a laugh. His charts, caught in a sporadic Etherium breeze, lay scattered across the table where he had meticulously placed them. Poor man, she thought with a shake of her head. He just can't win, and then thought no more of it as her First Mate called for her attention from across the bow.
Down below, Delbert was scampering to keep his charts on the table and not overboard. They were of monumental importance to him, not to mention the mission, and he had no illusions about how hard they would be to replace. It would take many subspace calls and much begging if he happened to lose them.
As he began to pile the papers atop each other and move a weight to secure them, Delbert was distracted by a slight humming noise. He turned to see what it was. Horror grew in his eyes as he realized several small skiffs were hovering forecastle-level with the Legacy. How they had managed to get past the ship's intense perimeter defenses were a moot point now as line after braided line was tossed on to the bridge and the rebels lined their cannons on the unaware bridge members.
Delbert quickly surmised he was the only one who realized just what was going on. He opened his mouth to scream a warning but could only manage a hoarse, "Intruders!" The sound was faint, too faint to be heard by anyone.
Anger flashed across his features at his inability to call out a simple warning. Clearing his throat, he narrowed his eyes in fury and tried again. This time his anger won out and all hands turned sharply in his direction as he screamed out "Intruders off the starboard bow" with raw emotion.
Pivoting in his direction, the rebels pinpointed the source of the scream and quickly squeezed off two plasma shots. Delbert had only a split second to react, ducking behind the steel cannon before the shots sizzled overhead. He could smell the scorched wood where they landed behind him.
"I'm guessing they've noticed me," he muttered to no one in particular. That was bad.
From his temporary hiding place, he could hear Amelia barking out commands and listened as the crew bolted to action, running across the boards as they tried to evade the constant stream of fire the rebels had unleashed. The Legacy outnumbered the rebels, to be sure. But the element of surprise greatly worked in their favor, as the crew, pinned down by the fire, had little chance of reaching the cannons.
The star charts, the ones vital to their mission sat mere feet behind him, but in an open area, one that was quite vulnerable to attack. He crouched lower as another volley zipped above him, mentally debating whether he should risk retrieving them.
Girding his wits about him, he decided that he should attempt to salvage them. After all, they were key to navigating through the more treacherous passes still ahead of them. He crept closer to them, still shielded by the cannon. The fire fight raged around him. Apparently, the rebels deciding he wasn't worth their effort, had focused their attack elsewhere. Still, the occasional stray shot was landing too close for comfort, too close for him to casually dart out and make a play for the charts. Nearing the end of his cover, he sucked in a deep breath to fortify himself.
It's now or never, he thought with a sigh.
Just as he was about to make a break for it, he was suddenly thrown backwards as a giant laser ball smashed through the forward mast, burning through the rigging lines and causing the giant wooden structure to topple forward.
As the fire fight escalated, Amelia was certain of one thing. They had badly underestimated the rebels. And they were paying for that mistake dearly. She watched as her crew scrambled below her, trying to make way to the battery, ducking behind an anchor line there, a cannon here. She dropped to the deck, behind the wheel well as a rebel took aim and very nearly hit her. Cursing, she snaked her arm around the wheel and fired off two shots. The sound of someone screaming as her fire found its target brought a satisfied smile to her face.
From her vantage point, she could see Delbert below, crouching behind an empty cannon. She watched as he edged away from the relative cover the iron giant was providing.
"What the devil is that idiot doing?" she muttered. Following his line of vision, she quickly realized he was trying to retrieve his star charts.
"Blast the man! Doesn't he realize they're replaceable?!"
Screaming his name and ordering him to get below decks, away from the battle, she stood up, readying to dart down below to where he was and make certain he followed her command.
It was at that precise moment the rebels targeted the forward mast and sent a laser ball careening through it. Amelia watched in silent horror as the mast plummeted to the deck and crashed through the boards.
The ship shuddered beneath her, rolling like a giant wave cresting at its peak, propelling Amelia through the air as she was suddenly launched from her place on the bridge.
Instinctively, she shot an arm out and grabbed at the nearest rigging line, howling in pain as she felt her shoulder momentarily jerk out of socket before sliding back in. Suspended from the line, with only a hand clenched around the chord as it dug into her gloved hand, she glanced down below and saw her First Mate charging across the deck.
"Mr. Lightoller!" she called out. He halted and glanced from side to side before realizing the call was coming from above. He looked up and his eyes widened in horror as he saw her hanging there.
"Captain!" he cried out in alarm.
"I'm fine, Mr. Lightoller, really," she assured him a dry tone. "But I need you to ready the cannons and send a volley back at those blasted rebels. Let's show them what happens when you make the mistake of attacking the Legacy!"
Lightoller grinned. "Aye, Captain!" and sprinted toward the battery calling out the command to load the cannons.
Wonderful, Amelia thought with a grim smile. At least now we'll give those renegades some well-deserved hell! And now … about getting down. She peered below her. It was an awfully long drop, yet not one she was unaccustomed to. But, she usually did have two good arms when attempting such a thing.
Decisions, decisions. And then with a wry grin, "Well, you only live once, eh?" and released her grip on the rigging, plummeting to the deck and landing gracefully on her feet. She brushed her coat off with her good arm and then turned to the bridge.
"Mr. Lightoller! What's taking so long with those blasted cannons?!"
Delbert had been in his fair share of fire fights, but never one with so much gunfire. Blast after plasma blast splattered around him, scorching the deck where he had stood only moments earlier. He had long ago given up on salvaging the star charts, reasoning they could easily be transmitted via subspace if it came to that. No, his new task was to save his own hide; no easy task considering the rebels had pulled small skiffs up alongside the Legacy and were taking aim at all moving targets.
He had a brief moment to wonder how they'd manage to slip past the perimeter defense. Amelia would have someone's head for that, provided they got out of this one with their heads still intact.
He let out a frustrated grunt as he weaved in and out of cargo crates that were littered across the deck. Unbelievable! And he had actually said yes to this assignment, had been looking forward to it. Idiot. He was an idiot. And idiot in love, to be sure, but still, that made him no less an idiot.
Suddenly, he felt the ship shudder as the Legacy's cannons began firing volley after volley into the crowd of skiffs. He let out a joyous howl as the small crafts burst in to flames and began to retreat.
"About bloody time!" he yelled. "That's what you get for taking on the Legacy," he shouted running over to the starboard railing, ignoring the fact that the ship was listing heavily to that particular side. He watched as the rebels limped off, and peered over the side to assess just how badly the Legacy was damaged.
The ship was badly listing, Amelia realized as she picked herself up from the scorched deck and brushed off the debris that had settled on her shoulders after dropping several feet from the rigging line. Glancing around with a clinical eye, she noted the shredded sails, splintered mast and singed rigging lines. It would take extensive repairs to get the old girl back to where she had been, but, she determined with a satisfied grin, the Legacy would be fine.
She allowed herself a moment to breathe in deeply and then exhale, taking stock of herself. No broken bones. A bit winded, but then wouldn't be after something like that. She paused and thought about it. She hadn't been in a firefight that engaging since ... well come to think of it, she'd never been in a firefight that emotionally engaging. No doubt, she had been in worse fights and sustained substantially more damage, but seeing Delbert barely escape a plasma volley. That had been far too close for comfort. She shivered from a cold that had nothing to do with the chill of the Etherium and then quickly grabbed a rail as the Legacy rolled.
Amelia listened as it groaned loudly, her eyes landing on Delbert who was leaning over the starboard railing. As the wooden planks creaked once more, the Legacy slowly moved from side to side, giving one last lurch before finally resting slightly to port.
Delbert swayed as he felt the ship shudder and then experienced the sudden sensation of freefalling as his feet left the deck. Unprepared for the sudden thrust to port, he leaned back and found himself being propelled through the air. He reached for the railing that lined the starboard bow as he passed above it, but to no avail. A fleeting caress of the varnished wood against his hands, and it was gone.
His body turned, and he watched as time slowed to milliseconds, listened to the ship groan above him while simultaneously feeling the cosmic dust splash against his face as he tumbled in to the vast expanse of the Etherium.
The only thought he could summon, this is how it all ends, was ripped from his throat as his body was unceremoniously yanked from oblivion. The pain of the cord digging in to his body, then constricting around his chest faded as he realized, quite joyously, that he was no longer falling.
His lifeline!
The rope he had tied on at the last minute was the only thing keeping him from plunging to death. And although snugly fastened, the cord dangled precariously, slowly winding and unwinding, rolling Delbert up and down like a canid yo-yo. The soreness was imbedded in his muscles. He was certain of it. He could feel the harsh rope as it tightened, biting in to his skin. Not that he wasn't grateful for the lifeline. But still, he would've been more grateful had it not burned into his skin. He flailed about as the crew worked to bring him back topside.
Amelia stood on the bridge, her heart pounding so hard she was certain it would burst from her chest at any moment. She had seen it happen. Had watched, helpless, as Delbert had been tossed overboard like a rag doll. Unaware that he had been able to secure his lifeline, all she knew was that he was before her one moment and in the next, gone. Lost to her forever. Her eyes had instantly searched the side of the deck, and she vaguely remembered screaming out his name. It had taken a few good shakes before she realized Lightoller was in front of her, pointing to the wooden post where all lifelines were secured.
"He's secured, Captain!" he had shouted to her. "He's secured!"
Amelia had turned sharply to see where he was pointing, and she felt relief course through her veins as she realized he was correct. Delbert had secured his lifeline at the last moment. He was safe. Anger quickly replaced fear as she registered that he was alive. What was he thinking? He should have been below decks like she had instructed. Not in the middle of a battle.
And so, she watched, in stony silence, as the crew hoisted Doppler from below and pulled him safely to the deck. She allowed him to untie his lifeline before fixing him with the "look" and inquiring briskly, "I presume you're all well, Doctor?"
Delbert nodded, his eyes searching hers, trying to discern any hidden meaning. She was showing no hint of any emotion. But he had seen it. For a brief moment, he had witnessed the stark terror in Amelia's eyes, and he knew the repercussions of that moment would be grievous.
"Very good then." She gave him a curt nod and turned sharply on her left heel. She had taken but two steps before wheeling around suddenly and calling out, "Oh and Doctor?"
"Yes?" Delbert looked up.
"Should we happen to find ourselves in another firefight, perhaps you could be so kind as to keep any future acrobat antics to a minimum," she fixed him with her steely gaze. "While somewhat mildly amusing, your bungee moment left much to be desired."
Delbert's mouth opened and closed several times in succession, before he finally realized he was gaping. He didn't know how to respond to that, and she didn't give him a chance, turning her back sharply to him and barking commands to her crew.
He waited a moment before realizing that she had effectively dismissed him. He cringed inwardly. Not good, but what could he do? He could feel Amelia's eyes following him as he made his way across the deck and down the ladders to his berth below. She was not happy. Of that he was certain. How could he expect her to be? He had almost died. He stopped, his breath tightening in his chest. He had almost died. It had been a long time since he had been close enough to taste death.
He had forgotten how sour it was. And he hadn't realized how much it affected those dear to him.
Delbert realized very quickly. that he needed to talk to Amelia. He had much to say to her, and he knew she had an earful for him. But he also realized, just as quickly, that now was not the time. She had a ship to tend to. And more importantly, she needed to time to calm down. Past experience had taught him that much. Let her simmer long enough, and she would eventually calm down. Best not to subject himself to her wrath just yet.