Chapter 1

The new misson

Well, you see… it all began nearly five years ago. My ship, RLS Legacy, had just completed a voyage, and was docked at the Montressor Spaceport. As I began to eat some brekfast, I pondered what was next on the agenda for my ship as well as myself.

That was when my First Officer, Mr. Arrow, knocked on my cabin door, and peered inside.

"Good morning, Captain," he said, touching his fingers to his tri-cornered hat's brim.

"Ah, good morning, Arrow," I replied through a rather drawn out yawn. "What is it, old man?"

Arrow looked at me with a serious expression, and began. "I've been contacted by one Doctor Delbert Doppler, who would like to hire a ship and Captain of excellent reputation. He seems willing and able to meet our usual fee, so I thought I'd bring this situation to your attention."

"Well, it's rather difficult to pass up such a voyage, Arrow," I commented. "Did the good Doctor tell you where his eventual destination might be, by chance?"

"Er… yes, ma'am," began Arrow uneasily.

That was most unusual for Arrow, so I prompted him. "Go on, Arrow. Out with it… that's a good fellow."

"Yes, Captain," he continued. "Well, it appears that Dr. Doppler and the young man traveling with him would to hire us to take them to… well, Treasure Planet."

When he said Treasure Planet, I had been in the process of taking a sip of my tea. I'm afraid I gave poor Arrow a bit of a bath, as I spat my tea out in surprise, coughing rigorously. My coughing finally subside after Mr. Arrow patted me several times on the back.

"That's right, Captain. Get it all up," he encouraged.

After having recovered, I looked back at him. "Come now, Arrow… you can't really be serious," I said. "Treasure Planet? Why, that's an old spacer's tale if ever I've heard one."

"That's what the good Doctor told me, Captain," Arrow replied. "Oh, and I very nearly forgot, Captain. They have in their possession a most peculiar holographic map, that they claim shows them the way to Treasure Planet, ma'am."

"A map, you say?" I asked, suddenly very curious. "Oh, very well then," I said in a bored voice, not wanting to let on to being excited. I considered the proposal for several moments, then told Arrow. "You know… this could very well turn out to be a great adventure."

"Indeed it could, Captain," Arrow replied, sedate as always, but his deep-set eyes gleamed with as much excitement as I had.

"All right, then we'll take the good Doctor to his destination. But… only if you continue on with me as my First Officer, of course," I told him. "So, old man, what do you say?"

"I'd be delighted, Captain," Arrow replied, with a smile.

"Excellent! Well, I suppose our first task will be hiring a crew," I answered, already planning the voyage.

Arrow actually looked a bit embarrassed. "I'm afraid that Dr. Doppler took the liberty of hiring a crew for the voyage already, Captain."

"He did, did he? Hmm," I replied, rolling my eyes. Just what I needed, a crew hired by some landlubber. "When do you suppose I might meet this new crew of ours?"

Arrow looked away, and cleared his throat. "Why, just before we leave port to begin, ma'am," he said.

"It just gets better and better. Might I ask when we might be leaving then? Or has our punctual Dr. Doppler arranged all that too?"

Arrow nodded in the affirmative, stating, "September the 17th, ma'am." Arrow finally looked at me. "That is the day after tomorrow, Captain," he observed.

"Bloody wonderful," I replied under my breath. "Well then, I suppose we'd best be on our way then, eh Arrow?"