Amelia woke up slowly. She was warm and comfortable, but gradually became aware of a dull ache in her stomach. Opening her eyes, she looked around and saw that she was back her cabin aboard the Resolute. She had been propped upright in her bed, with her back pillowed against the wall. She could feel the vibrating rumble of the engines and smiled to herself in the knowledge that it could only mean that the ship was safely underway again.

Her heart jumped as she saw a flash of light through the porthole and heard the rumble that followed, but she quickly realised that it had merely been lightning and thunder. The storm which had been gathering before the battle had broken in full force and, as her senses became more active, Amelia could feel the ship moving before the wind, rocking gently. Rain beat against the hull and against the glass of the porthole. The cabin door opened and Jane came in carrying a towel.

"Oh! You're awake!" She smiled. "How do you feel?"

"I think I'll pass muster," Amelia smiled back. "I suppose I have you to thank for this?"

"Well, your case isn't critical, and...well, they need all the beds in sickbay as they can get." Jane's face clouded over for a moment before her relief and happiness at Amelia's awakening came back. "So I had them put you in here once we'd finished with you."

"What did you have to do?" Amelia looked down at herself and drew back the blanket to see the bandage wrapped around her.

"Well, we cleaned the wound out, rejuvenated the damaged tissue and stitched it back up," Jane smiled reassuringly. "All very simple. It was only the skin and subcutaneous layers that were damaged, really. You'll be back on your feet in a few days. The head wound wasn't serious at all, but it bled like anything so we put a patch over it until it stopped. You'll have a scar on your stomach, I'm afraid, once it heals and the fur grows back." "Darn," said Amelia, grinning. "So much for my treasured modelling career." Jane laughed. "Well, it seems that your sense of humour survived as well."

Amelia smiled and touched the spot on her head. "I'm very glad to hear it. What else have I missed? How is the ship? The crew?"

"Well...like you said, it cost us." Jane looked down sadly. "Mr Buckley is dead, as you must have known. Mr Harburn lost a leg down on the lower gun deck. Corporal Bock lost an eye fighting up on the deck. The mainmast was broken and fell down, but the front and back masts are mostly all right."

"That would be the fore and mizzenmasts, my dear," Amelia grinned. "And what about the enemy?"

"Oh, we're towing their ship behind us now," said Jane. "As a prize, I heard Mr Costell say. Captain Arrow said that all the prisoners are on board her."

"All of them?" Amelia raised an eyebrow. "What about Callario?"

"No...he's dead." Jane bit her lip. "There was a direct hit on the brig...apparently there wasn't much left."

"Not enough for a trial, anyway," Amelia sighed. The ship's brig was situated right up against the outer hull, as the safety of its occupants in battle tended not to be a high priority. "But at least we'll get to see the Corsair hang."

"I suppose so." Jane knelt down to check Amelia's bandage, her fingers moving gently over the fabric.

"Speaking of the Corsair," said Amelia, taking Jane's hand. "You were quite brilliant, Jane."

Jane blushed and looked away shyly. "Oh, I wouldn't go that far...besides, I couldn't just do nothing. He'd have killed you for sure. Killed us both."

"Even so," Amelia gave her a wry smile. "The look on his face when you aimed that pistol at the ammunition. You scared even him for a moment there."

Jane laughed. "Well, I had to think of something...besides, I couldn't be sure I could hit him properly. I'm afraid I'm still not very good with guns."

"You could have fooled me." Amelia smiled. She held Jane's hand tighter. "You saved us both."

"Amelia..." Jane blushed deeper.

"No modesty now," Amelia chided her gently. "You saved us both. You held the most feared pirate in the galaxy at bay with nothing more than a pistol. You faced him one to one. And you beat him."

"I didn't really see what else I could do..." Jane murmured quietly.

Amelia lifted her head with a finger. "You've always been stronger than you've ever given yourself credit for, Jane Porter. I hope today has proved that even to you."

"Oh, Amelia." Jane kissed her hand. "I don't think I could have done it if it wasn't for you being there. If I'm strong...it's because I borrow it from you."

"Tish-tosh." Amelia kissed her forehead. "You're selling yourself short. I hope you make sure you put this in your father's book."

"Well, I might change a few of the details." Jane smiled. "Daddy will be so excited to hear about this."

"Not to mention proud," said Amelia. "And I think your mother would be, too, Jane. If I may say so."

Jane's blue eyes wavered for a moment. "I...I do hope she would be."

"I know she would be." Amelia smiled. "I certainly know that I am. And I'm grateful to you as well. Seeing you standing there to protect me...it was really quite something."

"It's only fair, after everything you've done to protect me," said Jane softly. "I'm just glad that, when it was my turn, I didn't fail you..."

Amelia nuzzled her. "You certainly didn't. Not that I think you ever would."

Jane sighed happily. "Maybe I just needed to prove that to myself."

"I hope you believe it now," Amelia whispered.

Their lips began to meet tenderly, but never made it. There was a flash of lightning from outside and the floor lurched sharply, throwing Jane across Amelia with a cry of shock. Amelia hissed in pain and braced herself against the wall.

"What was that?" Jane scrambled up. "Oh, Amelia! Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Amelia pushed herself upright painfully.

"But what was it?" Jane's eyes were wide.

Amelia shook her head. "I think the storm's getting worse..."

There was a long drawn-out growl of stressed timbers and the floor pitched again. The ship's alarm began sounding a belated warning above the din. Amelia turned to Jane.

"You said that we had the enemy ship in tow?"

"Yes, but-"

"Can you get me up on deck?"

Jane blinked. "Um, yes, but I don't think that's such a good idea..."

"Let's go, then." Amelia began forcing herself to her feet. Jane sprang forward to help support her.

"But you need to rest!"

"I need to see what's happening!" Amelia grimaced with effort.

Jane got her standing and hurried to snatch their oilskin coats up while Amelia braced herself against the ship's unpredictable movement.

"Well...if you're going to insist," she said, returning to Amelia's side and draping her coat around her, "stay close to me. Don't leave my side."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Amelia flashed her a grin. "Aye, aye, ma'am."

The deck was pandemonium. Squalls of heavy rain blasted it so thoroughly that Amelia and Jane were soaked before they made it halfway to the bridge despite their protective coats. The wind howled through the rigging and the sails buffeted violently overhead. Shouted orders and acknowledgements could be heard from above as spacers battled desperately to bring the situation under control. A yardarm had come loose and fallen to the deck, and Amelia saw Arrow and a group of marines hacking through its twisted ropes to allow it to be thrown over the side. Amelia and Jane staggered up the stairs towards the bridge, Amelia snarling with pain at every lurch of the ship that threw her against the wooden railing despite Jane's best efforts to catch her. Forsythe was at the bridge console with Costell. Commander Chad, his head swathed in a white bandage, was helping a pair of spacers battling with the wheel.

"Sir!" Amelia shouted. "Reporting for duty!"

Jane looked around. The Entreprenante was visible some distance off the port bows, pitching and rolling with the storm. Lightning flashed and the thunder was almost constant. Behind them, straining at the three heavy cables that bound her, the Malevolence was bucking like a wounded bull. With all her masts down, no power to her engines and with her crew imprisoned, she was threatening to go completely out of control.

"Ms Amelia! You should be below decks!" Forsythe shouted.

"I came to render any assistance, sir!" Amelia replied.

"Take over this station!" Forsythe stepped away from the console. "Mr Chad! Report!"

Chad shook his head. "Barely any response from the helm, sir! We've only a few degrees of rudder at best!"

"Can you turn her away from the storm?"

"No, sir! Every time we try, the prize counterweights us!" Chad wiped his forehead.

"No!" Lieutenant Costell looked up hurriedly. "With due respect, sir! We'd risk having the prize run up our stern! It's too dangerous unless we have more control!"

"I'm inclined to agree!" Forsythe nodded. "Ms Amelia! Report hull stress!"

"High stress on all aft frames, sir!" Amelia looked at the display in front of her. "The steerage compartments are all red-lined! They can't take much more of this, sir!"

"Could we take a prize crew aboard her?" said Costell. "Sir, if we can get even a small amount of engine power to her..."

"No longboat could survive in this!" Forsythe shook his head.

Midshipman Dunn arrived on the bridge, soaking wet, and touched her forehead. "Sails, furled, sir! We're reading on heads only!"

"Engine power is down to less than 20%, sir," said Costell. "We've only just got enough to keep ourselves stable! With all that deadweight behind us, we're helpless. If we stay beam-on to this storm then we're lost!"

"But we can't risk putting on any more sail to power the engines!" said Chad. "And if we turn into the storm then the headsails will be shredded!"

"The Commander is right, sir!" said Dunn. "Some of those yards are barely holding on as it is!"

Amelia looked around at Jane and then back at the Malevolence. The crippled hulk wallowed in a trough for a moment, dragging the Resolute's stern down and slamming them all forwards. Her stomach flared white-hot for a moment and she bit back a curse. Jane watched her with concern.

"Straighten her out, Mr Chad!" Forsythe shouted.

"Aye, sir!"

"Sir!" Amelia forced herself to stand. "We could cut the prize loose!"

"Cut her loose?" Jane looked around in surprise.

"We don't have the power to hold her steady!" Amelia said. "If we have to get our bows into the storm, then we've got no choice!"

Forsythe looked at her for a long moment.

"She's right, sir!" said Costell. "We have to lose the weight! The engines can't cope with her weight!"

"I'm forced to agree, sir!" said Chad. "We can't risk any more sail than we've got, so we can't get the power the engines need!"

There was a crack of thunder nearby and the ship lurched again. For a moment the wheel span out of control, throwing one of Chad's helmsmen to the deck before it could be seized and held again. There was a crack of timbers from somewhere deep inside the ship as something finally gave way. Forsythe nodded decisively.

"Ms Dunn! Take a working party into the steerage compartments and cut the tow lines!"

"Aye, sir!" Dunn saluted and hurried off, calling to her spacers as she disappeared below.

"We've got a break in one of the aft verticals, sir!" called Amelia.

"Inform the carpenter!" Forsythe strode back to the console. "Mr Chad! Keep her as steady as you can until those lines are cut!"

Jane gripped the stern rail and looked back to where the hulk of the raider was twisting viciously. The cables creaked alarmingly as they strained. The centre one suddenly went slack and drifted away from the Resolute.

"One of the ropes has gone, sir!" Jane shouted.

Amelia joined her. "It's been cut through! Wait for the others now!"

With only two cables taking the burden now, the Malevolence went even further out of control, as if seeking vindictively to strike back at her captor. There was another sound of breaking timbers from somewhere down below.

"Second cable, sir!" Amelia shouted.

"Very good! Mr Chad, full port thrusters!" Forsythe nodded.

Chad span the wheel hard and Jane felt the ship steady for a moment. The third cable finally parted and the Malevolence began drifting away.

"Third cable, sir! We're free!"

"Helm! Bring us about!" Forsythe shouted. "Stern to the storm!"

"Aye, sir!" Chad span the wheel again. Slowly, but gaining in speed, the ship answered the helm and began swinging her bows around. As the buffeting winds came behind her, the savage rolling ceased and even the pitching was much reduced, through the Resolute still lurched as she hit a gust or a trough. It was all that could be done, however, and Forsythe nodded in satisfaction.

"Steady as she goes, Commander," he said. "Keep that wind behind us. We'll run with it as long as we have to."

"Aye, aye, sir." Chad looked relieved.

The Malevolence disappeared into the chaos behind them, silhouetted one last time by a flash of lightning before she vanished. Jane breathed a grateful sigh and turned away to shield her face from the rain. She could see the Entreprenante still ahead of them, now running with the storm as well.

"What happens now, sir?" she asked.

"Now, Miss Porter, we ride this out." Forsythe wiped the rainwater from his face. "Though it may take some time, I fear. Officers of the watch, remain on deck. All hands to remain at alert stations. I know they're tired, but we've very little choice under the circumstances."

"Aye, sir." Chad nodded to his spacers and stepped away from the wheel.

"You may stand down, Ms Amelia," forsythe said. "Pass the word and my compliments to Ms Dunn if you see her."

"Thank you, sir." Amelia saluted.

"Oh, and lieutenant?" Forsythe gave her a wry look. "I hear that somebody fired off a load of case shot inside my upper gun deck."

"The enemy were in there, too, sir," said Amelia.

"Indeed." Forsythe nodded, coming uncharacteristically close to smiling. "Carry on, lieutenant."

Amelia saluted again. She began heading for the stairs and Jane hurried to help her. They made it to the bottom before she collapsed onto the carriage of the port carronade.

"Amelia! Are you all right?" Jane knelt to help her.

"Just...needed a little rest, that's all," Amelia closed her eyes and took deep breaths. Jane put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. She looked up at the sound of footsteps and saw Dunn emerging from below decks with her spacers, Arrow following close behind with an axe over his shoulder.

"Well, that was fun, wasn't it?" Dunn grinned.

Amelia gave a hoarse chuckle and looked up. "Nicely done, Midshipman. Very nicely done. Captain Forsythe sends his compliments."

"Well, I had a bit of help." Dunn pointed her thumb at Arrow.

Amelia grinned. "He's a useful fellow in some situations, our Captain of Marines."

"Are we to stow below, ma'am?" asked Dunn.

Amelia nodded. "Yes. But stay alert. If that rigging goes or those headsails fail, then we'll need you again."

"Understood, ma'am." Dunn saluted. "Well done, spacers! Dismiss!"

Dunn and the others left gratefully, but Arrow stayed behind and looked down at Amelia with concern.

"Are you quite all right, ma'am?"

"I'm fine, Mr Arrow." Amelia nodded. "But I'd better get below as well."

"Of course, ma'am. May I be of assistance?"

"Not until you put that bloody axe away," Amelia grinned. Arrow chuckled.

"I think I can manage, Mr Arrow," Jane smiled. "But thank you."

Arrow smiled back. "I'm only pleased that the lieutenant has someone she can rely on, ma'am."

Jane blushed as she helped Amelia to her feet and they began making their way back to their cabin.

It was with some relief that Jane was able to shut the door behind her and help Amelia out of her soaked oilskin. She hung her own on the hook next to it, ignoring the pool of water forming on the deck below them, and began guiding Amelia down onto the bed.

"There you go," she said. "That wasn't so bad."

Amelia laughed. "You're quite the nursemaid, Jane."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Jane smiled kindly.

"You're right." Amelia smiled back. "The term 'guardian angel' seems more appropriate."

Jane blushed. "Oh, dear...well...perhaps for you..."

"I'll try not to need it too often." Amelia was still smiling.

Jane kissed her forehead and lay down beside her. "What will happen now?"

"To us? Well, I imagine we'll go back to Fort Loyalty once the storm abates," said Amelia. "Which could be a day or two. Perhaps three. But the ship's going to be out of action for a while, I would think, looking at the damage. We'll have to be withdrawn from the line and sent back to a proper shipyard for repair."

"We're leaving the war?" Jane looked hopeful.

Amelia smiled. "We're almost a liability in the state we're in. We can probably jury-rig a new mainmast in Loyalty, but I saw some pretty extensive damage on the ship's diagnostic displays. That ram twisted the frame. Came damned close to breaking it."

"So...how long do you think it could take to fix?" Jane tried not to look too happy.

"At least a month. Maybe more, depending on how bad it really is." Amelia smiled at the look on Jane's face. "Try to contain your disappointment, my dear."

Jane laughed. "Is it that obvious?"

Amelia kissed her. "I think you're not the only one who'll be glad of some extended leave."

Jane sighed happily and snuggled against her. "No, I suppose not, after a day like today. I just wish...it hadn't come at such a high price."

Amelia hugged her. "I know. But it's best not to think of that now. There'll be plenty of time for it later. Believe me."

Jane looked up at her and caught the shadow of sadness in her eyes, but it faded quickly when Amelia shifted her gaze to meet hers. She smiled.

"We won. And we still have each other. That's all that we should think about now."

"Of course. You're right." Jane smiled. "And...I suppose you won't all be court-martialled now?"

Amelia grinned. "I think we can say that we're off the hook, yes. Though it would be nice to have a prize to present to the Admiralty to confirm the victory."

"Yes, of course." Jane pictured the Malevolence drifting off into the maelstrom. "Do you think that the Corsair...well...what do you think will happen to him?"

Amelia shrugged. "He's adrift in a storm, clapped in irons aboard a crippled ship with no power. Not a particularly splendid position to be in."

"Do you think he'll survive?"

Amelia stopped and thought about it. "Well...it's possible. If he's able to escape, and if he's a very, very good spacer, he's got a chance."

"He was one of the Navy's best, wasn't he?" said Jane.

Amelia nodded, not liking the thoughts that were occurring to her as possibilities. "Yes...yes, he was."

"Then-"

"Hush." Amelia kissed her. "Let's not think about that, either. At the very least, he'll be out of business for quite some time."

"That's something, at least." Jane smiled. "All of the things he said, though...about the Empire and all the rest of it..."

"Don't listen to him," said Amelia firmly.

"But he was right in some ways, wasn't he?" Jane looked up at her. "About Mr Callario and all of that..."

"Callario was a traitor like Scalten was," said Amelia firmly. "That's all you need to remember. The Company saved us today. If the Entreprenante hadn't intervened when she had...well, it might have been a lot more unpleasant for us all."

Jane smiled wryly. "It's ironic, really, when you think about it."

"It's a funny old galaxy," Amelia agreed. "But remember this, Jane. There's only one thing that holds it together. That makes us different from the likes of Callario and Scalten."

"What's that?"

Amelia smiled. "Loyalty. To a cause greater than ourselves. To each other. We serve. It's not for traitors to pass judgement on us."

"I certainly know where my loyalties lie." Jane smiled.

"As do I, my dear."

Jane kissed her. "I could never doubt them."

Amelia purred. "You'll never have to."

Jane nodded, her smile softening. "Do you mind if I check your injury? I wouldn't want it to have opened up again with all that falling around on deck."

"Of course." Amelia sat back and allowed Jane to begin opening her shirt buttons. Jane, blushing slightly at the sight of what was revealed, checked the bandage carefully and sat back with a look both pleased and surprised.

"It all looks fine. I don't know how you do it, Amelia."

"Nine lives," Amelia winked. "Haven't you heard what they say about felinids?"

Jane laughed. "Maybe there's something to it."

"Maybe there is," Amelia grinned.

Jane kissed her nose and fingered her damp shirt. "Well, we'd better get you out of this clobber as well, before you catch cold."

"If you insist," Amelia smiled coyly. "Be gentle with me, now, won't you."

Jane blushed at the gentle plea and the images it conjured up in her mind. "Oh, Amelia..."

Amelia flicked a lock of wet hair back from Jane's face. "And you'd better not risk catching cold yourself, my dear."

Jane smiled. "I certainly won't...but let's take care of you first for once."

Amelia purred happily as Jane gently stripped her of her wet uniform. She sat herself up, ignoring the ache in her stomach, to help Jane with her own sodden shirt and to kiss her lovingly as the garment came off. Jane sighed into the kiss and put her arms around Amelia, guiding her back down. They snuggled together warmly under the blankets.

"I always liked listening to the sound of wind and rain on the roof while I was in bed," Jane whispered.

"So did I." Amelia smiled, listening to the storm that still raged outside. "But never quite as much as I like it now."

"I think you're right." Jane smiled back at her. "But the company is much better now, too."

"It certainly is that." Amelia kissed her. "Thank you, Jane. For everything today."

"There's nothing to thank me for," Jane kissed her back. "After all...I love you, Amelia."

"I love you, too," Amelia nuzzled her softly again. "My angel."

Jane blushed brightly. "Oh, dear...you'd better not call me that too often..."

"There's no such thing as too often," Amelia grinned.

Jane laughed and kissed her tenderly. "What am I to do with you, Amelia?"

"Well, I appear to be bedridden for a few days," Amelia cocked an eyebrow playfully. "So I would think that the answer to that is...whatever you like..."

"I suppose it is." Jane smiled and pulled the blanket up over them as her expression became a grin. "But I promise you, Amelia, whatever I think of...I'll be gentle..."