Chapter 2

The Letter

The very next day, Amelia found herself in a much better mood. Her trip to her beloved Legacy had been a rather good idea, even if she said so herself.

"Mom! Mail's here!" her daughter, Connie, yelled. The red-haired girl came through the door, and handed the sheaf of letters to her mother, with a proud smile.

"Thank you, Constance," Amelia said kindly, and looked at the letters she held in her hands. There wer some new project drawings for Delbert. A letter from her friend, Marcus, Jhonias pen pal, and the last letter was addressed to her from the Interstellar Navy .

"Well, well…what have we here?" she questioned quietly to herself, and slit open the letter with her thumbnail, and began to read…

Captain Katherine Amelia Doppler

Salutations, Captain. I wish I had some happy news to give you, but alas, I do not. I'm afraid that a battle of some size is massing around Montressor. That being said, we at the Admiralty feel we need every bit of help we can muster. I could scarce believe my eyes when I read that the RLS Legacy and you yourself were listed as natives there! Please, Captain, I implore you. Come just as soon as you can! Oh, and bring friends…all that you can lay your hands upon. I do apologize for this hasty letter, and the bad news it imparts. But, alas…that's just the way things are sometimes…

Warmest Regards

Lord Herbled Bona, Admiral

Quite startled, Amelia immediately showed the letter to her husband, Delbert. She saw that he was thinking furiously. He sighed, then said, "We'd best show this letter to Jim. He's at the Academy you know, and I'm certain he'll come home immediately."

"Quite right, dear," Amelia replied, nodding her proud head. "You do that. Meanwhile, I shall be getting everything settled on the Legacy."

"Actually…no, you won't," Delbert said, in a most uncharacteristic stern voice.

"What? Don't be daft, Doctor," she yelled. "The Admiral has requested my help specifically. Why, I'd be derelict in my duties if I didn't help out!"

"Be that as it may, Amelia," Delbert continued, his eyes still firm. "You have a far greater responsibility than captaining a ship of war, I'm afraid…"

"Oh, really, Doctor?" challenged an highly irritated Amelia Doppler, her green eyes gleaming. "And what might this awesome responsibility you mention might be?"

Just then, Amelia saw her young son Gruff being chased by her three girls Connie, Jhonia and Amanda, who were intent on giving their brother a make over.

"That," was all Delbert said.

Amelia sighed, and lowered her eyes. "But…" Amelia began gamely.

"No, Amelia. You know as well as I that we can't just leave our children, and jet off to fight some battle royale," he said, though kindly and compassionately. He knew how much this was hurting her. "Go on now, show that letter to Jim. Let him have his chance to defend the universe, Amelia. You've done enough in your day."

"But, Delbert…Mr. Hawkins is just a boy! What can he do? He'll need---" she began hotly.

"He'll need to be Captain," Delbert said firmly, and took Amelia's old uniform out of the closet.

Amelia turned her face away to hide her disappointment and sense of loss. She then looked back into her husband's firm yet compassionate face, sighed, and picked up her hat to give to Jim once they arrived at the Benbow Inn.

Amelia walked slowly, lethargically, into the Inn. She found Jim, sitting behind the front desk.

"Hello, Mr. Hawkins," Amelia said pleasantly, though her heart wasn't in it. Jim got to his feet to greet her, and she was surprised that he now was taller than she was. When had that happened, she wondered…

"Hello, Captain,' Jim answered in return, a smile on his face. "What can I do for you?"

"Funny you should ask me that, Mr. Hawkins…I mean, Jim," Amelia said, hastily calling him by his first name instead of his family name. "Here. Read this, and then we'll talk." She handed the letter to Jim. She watched his blue eyes scan the short, yet significant letter quickly.

The first thing he said was, "I've never seen you ever use 'Katherine' before, Captain."

"Well, I've never liked that particular name, really. During my time in grade school, I wnet with my nickname, which was 'Kitty'," Amelia said. "And, believe you me, I endured no end of teasing about that particular moniker…" Amelia sighed, reminiscing.

"But, Captain, why are you showing this to me?" Jim asked, scratching his head in confusion.

"Well, I've got Delbert and my four children, you see. I can hardly go gallavanting about commanding light ships with that lot depending on me now, can I? So…I've decided---and the Admiralty agrees---to send you, Mr. Hawkins, B.E.N. and Morph in my stead."

Amelia cleared her throat, and blinked several times, then quick said in a strained voice, "Mr. Hawkins, you are to board the RLS Legacy immediately,and which will head to these coordinates where our defending fleet will rendezvous," she said and showed him a map.

Jim was confused. He reached up his hand and rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous habit of his. "All right, I can do that. But…who will my Captain be, Amelia?" he asked, excited, scared, and intrigued all at once.

"Why, I should think that should be abundantly apparent by now, Hawkins…even to you," she replied, giving him a clever look. She then held out her old tri-corner hat and placed it upon Jim's head.

"Y-Y-You mean that I'm going to be the Captain? he squawked, stunned. "B-B-But, I'm just a cadet, ma'am! How can I be Captain? And especially of your ship? I---"

"Tish tosh, Captain Hawkins," Amelia replied crisply. "If I say you are Captain, then, well, Captain you will be. Am I clear?"

Jim gulped, then smiled broadly. "Aye aye, ma'am!" he replied.

"Very good. Now, I'll be sending my coat along to you as well. However, I'm rather afraid that the shoes and gloves are a trifle too feminine for you, so you'll have to find some your own."

Jim nodded solemnly, and replied, "I'll come by for the coat this evening, if that's all right?"

Not trusting her voice that moment, Amelia merely nodded and left the stunned and excited young man to savor the thoughts of his first command…