Chapter 1

Amelia was missing her ship, the RLS Legacy…

Amelia looked out upon the starry night, gazing at the heavens from outside the house.

Doctor Doppler had come looking for Amelia, and found her outside. Concerned about her, he approached, saying, "Is everything all right, Amelia?"

"Yes, of course," said Amelia automatically, though she looked up at the spaceport, the moon-like crescent in the sky. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Come now, Amelia, even I can see that you miss being a Captain," the doctor said.

"Oh, Delbert, I do miss it…very much indeed," said Amelia, still gazing up to the skies, her voice full of emotion. She hadn't thought she'd miss that life so much…but apparently she did.

"Do come inside, dear. It's become rather chill out. Besides, the children are finally asleep. And we can have some time to ourselves," Delbert suggested to her in a compassionate voice. Amelia allowed herself to be ushered in, where her husband directed her to the kitchen, with the intent of getting her a nice cup of hot tea. She quickly shooed him out of the kitchen, insisting that she wasn't by any means helpless, and could make her own tea, thank you so much. Delbert only smiled at her, and left her to herself. Amelia watched the kettle idly heat up, her thoughts drifting…

It had been years since she had last commanded a light ship. Amelia found she missed it. She missed it very much indeed. She missed the adventure; she missed the joy of climbing the rigging; and she missed fighting pirates.

But she now had four children to care for---five, if you counted her husband, who was quite possibly the messiest man in the galaxy. Having made her tea, she went in the living room, where Delbert had managed to fall sleep in a chair. She smiled affectionately at the sleeping canid professor, her husband. She caught a glimpse of light out the big bay window, and moved over to look out. The spaceport Crescentia glowed in the sky, calling her name, beckoning seductively. She just had to get on a ship and soon!

Leaving her husband a note, she quickly packed some of her things, and left. She made her way aboard a ship whose destination was the spaceport. At the spaceport, she made her way eagerly to her ship, R.L.S. Legacy. She went aboard, and smiled, as no one seemed to be aboard at this late hour. With a sense of freedom surging through herself, she climbed the shrouds and moved about gracefully in the rigging of her beloved ship. For the first time since the adventure on Treasure Planet, she felt a thrill, a course of excitement in her veins. She blinked, when she saw a shadow of someone coming aboard her ship. She cast herself down from the shrouds, alighting just in front of the intruder, blocking their way.

"Captain Amelia?" the shadow's voice asked incredulously, and it was revealed to be Jim who came out from the darkness.

"Ah, Mr. Hawkins, it's you," she observed with a start. Amelia began to blush, her cheeks and ears reddening. "Sorry about that, Jim…I suppose it's just my reflexes."

"That's all right, ma'am," said Jim, congenially, giving her a slight grin. "So what brings you out this way? Aboard the Legacy, late at night…by yourself, I mean?" he asked.

"Oh, I don't know. Nostalgia, maybe, Mr. Hawkins. I suppose I'm simply reminiscing over all my adventures I've had on this ship," she admitted a bit reluctantly. "Oh, what I wouldn't give to take her out once again…right now, this very moment!" Amelia's green eyes shone with excitement and longing.

"Yeah, well, Captain…I don't really think that the Doc would like that too much, if you went of on some adventure, and left him alone with the kids."

"Quite right, Mr. Hawkins…you're absolutely correct. What was I thinking? Now, what brings you here…aboard my Legacy, if I might be so bold as to ask? She asked rather pointedly.

Jim rubbed his hand across the back of his neck, clearly embarrassed. "Well, the same thing that brought you here, ma'am. You know, memories from my adventures, and those with the Academy. Those were the best times of my life, you know. Because, after Mom… well, died…I had to take care of the Benbow, well, and watch after Ben and Morph too, of course," Jim said, clearly not happy where the conversation had headed. Those were some unpleasant memories for him, and he didn't care to relive them if he didn't have to.

"You are becoming quite the man, Jim. One who isn't afraid to shoulder his own responsibilities," said Amelia, proud of him. "Quite unlike a certain cabin boy I remember…"

"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Jim asked.

"Delbert has told me a bit about your past, Mr. Hawkins," Amelia said with a small laugh.

"Ha, ha…ma'am," Jim said sarcastically, and glared at his old Captain.

"I do apologize, Jim," Amelia said quickly. "I just find it a bit funny that a boy could get in so much trouble."

Jim looked over at Amelia and replied, "Well, if your girls are anything at all like their mother, you'll see your share of trouble, Captain. Good evening, ma'am." Jim smiled smugly, then headed off of the ship. Amelia watched him go, and went up to the Legacy's bridge. After taking a little while to stand in the refreshing breezes, she sighed, and went home.