Chapter 8

The escape

Dr. Doppler forced our new pirate ally to untie me, and then made him sit down on the center most bench. He quickly handed me the pistol, and quite securely---utilizing both of the ropes that had once secured us---tied the scoundrel up.

Moments later, much to my surprise, a group of several pirates came running back to the longboat. They took one look at my face, and surrendered almost immediately. We were in the process of tying up the last of the pirate scum, when Ben appeared and yelled frantically to the Doctor and myself that the planet would self-destruct in four minutes and two seconds.

"Not much time, my friend," I told the Doctor.

"Yes, we'd better hurry, Captain," he agreed, and smiled when he realized I had called him my friend.

We rocketed off in the longboat, back to the Legacy as fast as I could manage.

While Ben showed the pirates to the ship's brig, I sat down on the floor of the bridge, resting my back against the mizzen mast.

"Very well, Doctor, take the helm," I commanded in my very best Captain's voice.

"Um, how do I phrase this correctly?" Doppler said with a wan grin. "I don't know how to steer a ship, Captain."

I sighed, but nodded my head. "Well, then it's high time you learned, Doctor Doppler. Go on, stand behind the wheel and do as I tell you."

The Doctor proved a fast learner, and was doing an all-together fine job of piloting. "Captain?" he called back to me.

"Yes, Doctor?" I answered, thrilled to have my Legacy back again under my feet.

"As the planet is scheduled to explode---most likely killing us all in the process---please call me Delbert," he asked.

"Of course," I replied, feeling touched. "Just as long as you call me Amelia…just as long as we're both alone, that is."

"Thank you, Captain," he returned, then grinned foolishly. "I mean, Amelia."

I must admit, that at that moment, the sound of my name never sounded sweeter.

"Jimmy, off the port bow!" Ben announced a moment later, and the Doctor, with my assistance of course, piloted the Legacy over to pick the two of them up. Strangely enough, Mr. Hawkins and Silver seemed to be quite friendly with one another now.

"Aloha, Jimmy!" Ben yelled in excitement. "Hurry, people…we got exactly two minutes and thirty-four seconds until planet destruction!"

Having retrieved our missing cabin boy, the Legacy prepared to streak away to escape Treasure Planet's potentially catacylsmic self-destruction.

"You´re doing fine, Doctor! Now, ease her over gently! Gently!" I called helpfully to the Doctor.

Mr. Hawkins and Silver made their way up the gangway to bridge deck, and I told Ben, our stand-in navigator, "Take us out of here, metal man!"

"Aye Captain!" he replied and re-engaged the engines, sending our ship jetting along the rapidly ruinous surface of the planet.

Silver made an attempt to thank me for saving his sorry hide, using as flowery a terms as he could manange.

"Captain," he said with a thankful grin, "you dropped from heaven in the nick of---"

"Save your claptrap for the judge, Silver," I told him resolutely, and turned back to help the Doctor.

To our horror, some large piece of debris streaked past, and hit the mizzen topsail, taking the top third of the mast as well as the sail with it. The debris fell with a crash to the deck, completely annihilating our portside laser cannon.

"Mizzen sail failed to mobilise, Captain. Thrusters at only thirty percent of capacity!" Ben reported hastily.

The Doctor began to think aloud. "Thirty percent? But that means..." The dear man looked at me, and said sadly, "We´ll never clear the planet's explosion in time..."

Our Mr. Hawkins seemed to be weighing some course of action, then looked directly at me and said, "We gotta turn around!"

"What?" I exclaimed in obvious surprise. I must say I was frightfully confused.

Jim shook his head in determination, and looked back at me as he now rummaged over the demolished cannon. "There´s a portal back there that can get us out of here!"

The Doctor---rightfully so, I thought---was perplexed by Jim's observation. "Pardon me, Jim," he began calmly, "but doesn't that portal open onto…" Here, his voice broke in obvious indignation, and he quickly bellowed, "…a raging inferno?"

"Yes…but I'm gonna change that. I´m gonna open a different door!"

The Doctor looked over at me with a most doubtful expression. "Captain, really, I don't see how this could possibly---"

Silver cut him brusquely, anger tingeing his voice, "Listen to the boy!"

The Doctor looked at me, desperately trying to mask his obvious fear, and gave me an encouraging smile. I could only smile back wanly. Things weren't looking too promising, I'm afraid…

We watched as Silver helped Jim construct what seemed to be some sort of extraordinary transport device. What in blazes were those two up to, I thought desperately?

Ben called out in a shriek, "Fifty-eight seconds!"

It was then that Mr. Hawkins, standing atop his most unusual mount, blasted away from the Legacy on a tail of flame and smoke.

Silver turned to the Doctor and I and bellowed irately, "You heard 'im! Get this blasted heap turned round!"

I may not like Mr. Silver, but I could see no other viable alternative to our inevitable deaths. In short, I knew he was right.

"Doctor," I commanded kindly, "head us back to the portal!"

"Aye, Captain!" he answered promptly, bless his heart!

Then next minute proved to be the most exciting and harried ride I've ever had the pleasure to be involved in. The Doctor drove marvelously, for a beginner, and I yelled orders when I deemed them necessary. I could tell both of us were under tremendous pressure, and were feeling just that.

As a huge shard of the exploding planet loomed into our path, I called out, "To the right! THE RIGHT!"

The normally reserved Doctor then looked back at me and bellowed, "I know, I know! Will you just let me drive?" I was shocked by his response, but then grinned helplessly, quickly stifling a bout of the giggles.

Then, to our delight and wonder, a green-edged triangular portal blossomed into life before us. Our young Mr. Hawkins had done it! What a remarkable young man!

Doctor Doppler flew us into the influence of the portal, as Silver and I kept a worried eye open for our young hero. I feared the worst, when I saw no sign of the boy. We lunged through the portal, trailed by the spectacular destruction of the fable Treasure Planet.

My heart began to beat once more as I saw young Hawkins whisk his peculiar machine in a sweep past our bow, as everyone aboard---from the pirates in the brig to the Doctor and myself cheered exuberantly.

Mr. Silver couldn't just let the moment go unheralded and boomed triumphantly, "He did it! Didn't I tell you the boy had greatness in 'im!"

The Montressor spaceport loomed most delightfully before us, and I fear our emotions got the better of us all. Before I knew what was happening, I had seized Delbert in my arms and hugged him tightly. It felt so wonderful to be alive, and well, safe in his wondeful arms. In a moment, we got the better of our emotions once more and hastily released one another. But, I could tell that he and I felt more then just congratulatory toward one another. I would have to get to know this shy, yet dashing when he needed to be, Doctor of Astronomy better… But, first, there was a matter of getting the Legacy safely to port once more…

As we approached Crescentia, the good Doctor and I made our way down to Mr. Hawkins to congratulate him.

"Unorthodox…but ludicrously effective," I stated with a clever smile. "I´d be proud to recommend you to the Interstellar Academy. They could use a man like you."

Delbert shook Jim's hand again and again, smiling brightly, "Wait until your mother hears about this!" he crowed, then composed himself a bit. "Of course, we'll have to downplay the life–threatening parts." While Ben and Jim had their moment together, I felt Delbert put his hand lightly on my shoulder and look shyly and warmly at me. I felt a warm wonderful feeling, despite my injuries, that made this whole trip worthwhile somehow…

The Doctor and I made our way back to the bridge to bring the Legacy in, and Mr. Hawkins disappeared below decks…hopefully to escort Mr. Silver down to the brig with the other pirates.