Amelia was impressed at how swiftly the new stockade was erected around the hall in the centre of town. The casualties were moved into the main chamber and made as comfortable as possible. Jane moved her father's desk into an adjoining storeroom and set up her first aid post in there, including her collection of small bottles and a samovar of tea. For the sake of appearances, Amelia insisted on maintaining the patrols on the outer wall and not falling back to the new positions until nightfall.

"I would rather not give them the satisfaction," she said. "And besides, if they come at us during the day we'll have our best chance of seeing them."

She was walking the wall with Arrow and pausing occasionally to survey the jungle with her telescope. The afternoon sun was throwing long shadows across the cleared area around the stockade.

"I'm inclined to agree, ma'am," said Arrow. "A show of strength may be just what is needed to persuade the enemy to hold off on whatever their plans may be."

"Ah, so you think they're up to something as well?" Amelia looked sideways at him.

Arrow grunted. "When are the Procyons not, ma'am?"

Amelia chuckled. "Well, we'll be ready for them whatever it is."

"Indeed we will." Arrow affirmed. He ducked as the passed underneath the watchtower and the planking beneath them creaked at his weight as they began crossing over the gatehouse. Ko and a spacer were standing guard on the other end.

"All quiet, acting sergeant?" said Arrow.

"All quiet, sir," Ko replied. "Too quiet for my tastes."

"I actually agree with you there." Amelia watched the jungle again. "At least when they were shooting at us we knew where they were. It was when they stopped shooting that the trouble started."

Ko shrugged. "That, too, ma'am."

Amelia shook her head. "Patience, acting sergeant."

"Never been much good at cards, ma'am."

Amelia and Arrow left Ko to it and walked on around the curve of the wall as it joined onto the northern section.

"How would you assess our morale, Mr Arrow?" asked Amelia. The big man shrugged.

"Well enough, ma'am, considering the situation."

"And the militia's? I ran into Mr Bock earlier today and he seemed less than enthralled about our tactics."

Arrow shrugged. "I can understand his reluctance to yield ground for which his men have shed blood. But if I may suggest, ma'am, this may make him all the more determined to hold what ground we have."

"You see no reason to be concerned?"

Arrow smiled. "In my experience, ma'am, the time to be concerned is when the crew do not complain. If there is something to complain about and they tell you, it means that you still have their trust. If there is something to complain about and they do not, that, ma'am, is when you should be worried."

Amelia smiled. "Well, if you put it that way...did you hear that?"

Arrow cocked his head. "Hear what, ma'am?"

Amelia frowned. "I thought I could hear...in the distance..."

She concentrated. For a moment there was silence, and then the breeze brought the sound to her ears again. Distant thumping, as if someone far away was dropping something heavy onto a carpeted floor.

"I heard it then," said Arrow. He looked up. Amelia followed his gaze into the sky and her mouth opened in horror.

"Incoming!"

The shell seemed to hang in mid air, snub-nosed and gleaming dully in the afternoon sun. Amelia felt like she could see every detail of it as it fell past them with a sound like tearing silk, landing just outside the wall. It drove a little way into the soft jungle soil before exploding, hurling clumps of dirt high into the air and shaking the foundations of the wall.

"Ms Amelia!" Arrow called, seeing her drop to the ground.

"I'm all right!" she shouted.

The ripping sound heralded the arrival of another shell, this time towards the gatehouse. A third finally fell inside the stockade, blasting the gate off its hinges.

"They're walking it in," Amelia muttered.

"That means they must be able to see the fall of shot," said Arrow.

Amelia was already scrambling down the embankment. "Which means that we should be able to see them! How long was it between the shots and the shells?"

Arrow paused. "Not long, ma'am. I'd estimate that they're no more than a few kilometres away."

The wind brought another salvo of thumps to them, and Amelia began running. Arrow jumped down behind her and tried to catch up. She skidded to a halt beside what was left of the gatehouse. The watchtower bell was ringing furiously.

"Still quiet enough, acting sergeant?"

Ko was looking deeply annoyed as she lay on the walltop. "I may have to reconsider my earlier statement, ma'am!"

The shells fell, one of them landing in the middle of the camp and throwing torn tents into the air. The shock of the explosion too Amelia's hat off and felt like a physical blow. She flinched and shook her hair out of her eyes.

"Mr Arrow, can we spike those guns?"

"If we can find them, ma'am. I count three firing on us." Arrow rammed his own hat hard onto his head.

"Very good! Get together what troops you can!" She stood up and headed towards the centre of town. A shell screamed down and hit a house to her left, blowing it apart and sending lengths of timber wheeling through the air. A second hit the ground near the sail tower, shredding one of the sails, destroying the communications hut and sending a spacer's body through the air. Amelia heard the third fall to earth ahead of her with a crash and she braced herself for the detonation, but none came. She dared to relax for a moment and then realised where the shell must have landed.

"Jane..." she whispered the name and began sprinting, dodging past a stunned-looking spacer. Another salvo arrived and Amelia ducked as a broken spar narrowly missed her as she ran, dirt, stones and splinters falling around her. She slammed into a wall and bounced off, changing direction to face the infirmary. At first glance it was intact, but a ragged hole in the roof of one wing told a different story and Amelia darted towards it, hardly daring to breathe. She kicked open the door and found Jane coming out of her room.

"Amelia! What's going on?"

"We're under attack! Come on!" Amelia grabbed her by the arm and hauled her towards the door.

"I know, but- ow!" Jane was taken aback by her forcefulness. Amelia all but dragged her along and sent her out the door with a push. As she mounted the step and prepared to follow her, she glanced over her shoulder into the other room and saw a dull metallic cylinder embedded in the floor, gleaming ominously in the shaft of light that was falling through the hole it had cut in the roof.

"Go, Jane! Run!"

Jane took a few steps and froze, gazing around at the running figures, the shouting, the palls of smoke already rising from damaged buildings.

"Oh, my..."

Amelia hit her around the waist and bore her to the ground. Jane cried out and tried to rise, but Amelia pressed her down with her body. Jane gave a gasp and was about to object when the infirmary exploded a few metres behind them. The concussion of the blast punched the breath from her body and left a ringing in her ears. She was dimly aware of the aftermath, of the falling debris pattering down around them, and of Amelia's weight on top of her.

"Are you all right?" Amelia whispered hoarsely.

Jane nodded, her mouth dry. "I...think so..."

Amelia helped her up. "Get to the town hall, Jane. Prepare to receive casualties."

"I...I will...but are you all right?" Jane tried to look at Amelia's back

"I'll be busy for a little while," Amelia nodded curtly. "But you need to go. And Jane..."

She paused.

"...take care of yourself."

Jane nodded shakily. "I will...you, too, Amelia. Where are you going?"

Amelia looked back as an explosion ruffled her hair. "To put a stop to this."

She headed back to the square and looked up as a shadow passed overhead. Flower's longboat came to a heavy landing and he jumped off it, running to the side of a marine who was lying prone on the ground and clutching his side. A crash made her look away, just in time to see a cloud of smoke rise up around the sail tower and the whole edifice fall sideways. The screech of rending metal drowned out the din of the bombardment for a moment. The frame of the tower cut a house in half and the heavy impact made the ground shake.

"Lieutenant!"

Amelia looked up. Whiting was hovering overhead in his longboat and waving to her.

"Mr Whiting!"

He pointed northwards. "Siege mortars, ma'am! About eight kilometres distant!"

"Good man!" Amelia saw Arrow running up, a scratch force of spacers, marines and militia behind him. She looked back up at Whiting and pointed to a clear patch of ground. "Bring your boat down there, then disembark and take command of the defence!"

"Aye, aye, ma-"

A shell hit the boat in mid air and Amelia saw the fireball even through her closed eyelids. The wreckage of the boat crashed down with a sickening sound and she coughed as she breathed in the smoke. Shaking her head to clear it she crawled towards the ruin, hauling away a charred piece of sail.

"Medic! Medic!"

Flower scrambled over behind her as she found Whiting underneath what was left of the engine and hauled him clear of the debris. Most of him, anyway. Amelia winced at the sight.

"Mr Whiting! Mr Whiting!"

His eyes flickered open for a moment and tried to focus on her. Flower knelt beside him and began wrapping a tourniquet around his left sleeve. Amelia backed off in shock and felt a sting across her forehead as a flying shard of stone from another mortar hit grazed her. Instinctively she touched a hand to the spot above her right eye and saw her fingers come away with blood on them. Somehow the sight of it re-galvanised her and she snarled.

"We may need to borrow your longboat, Mr Flower!"

"Sally party ready, ma'am!" Arrow arrived behind her, a bandolier of grenades around his chest. Amelia turned and counted the dozen or so men with him before nodding briskly.

"Board the boat, gentlemen, at once! Time is of the essence! Not you, Mr Bock!"

The militia leader stopped and gaped at her. "What? Why?"

Amelia stepped up to him. "Because I need you here, defending your home, just like you said! Find Sergeant Ko. The two of you will take charge of the defence. Is that clear?"

Bock blinked and nodded. "Aye...aye, lieutenant."

"All ready, ma'am!" called Arrow from the longboat.

"Good luck, Mr Bock." Amelia turned and gripped the handrail, swinging herself up into the pilot's seat. The small boat shuddered as the shockwaves from another series of explosions buffeted it, making the sail flicker. Amelia opened the throttle and took the boat out, curving to the north. As she looked back she could see the settlement under fire. Several breaches had already been blown in the outer wall and a score of black plumes of smoke were rising from broken buildings. Figures, tiny already with distance, ran to and fro. Amelia wished she could pick them out, wished she could see one in particular...but then the air above the racing boat seemed to ripple as a fresh salvo arced overhead, a trio of bright explosions blossoming in the heart of the battered town, and she gritted her teeth. She tore her gaze back to the north and gripped the rudder control tightly.

"Do we have a plan, ma'am?" said Arrow quietly.

Amelia glanced at him. "You mean aside from the obvious?"

He smiled humourlessly. "I suppose that's all we need to know."

Amelia passed him the telescope. "See what you can see, Mr Arrow. We're going to need some better directions if we're to find the Procyon battery."

Arrow took the instrument delicately between two fingers and put it to his eye. "There's a clearing ahead. About five kilometres."

"Keep a close eye on it, Mr Arrow," said Amelia.

Arrow switched the telescope's filters to heat-sensitivity. "It would be easier if we could fly higher, ma'am."

Amelia shook her head. "We'd lose any chance of surprise. We have to go in low and fast."

Arrow put the telescope to his eye again. The cool forest showed dark blue through. But from the clearing ahead he could see brighter icons moving. A trio of blinding flashes spiked into the sky and he nodded.

"That's them, ma'am. Three guns, straight ahead."

"All hands, prepare to disembark!" Amelia began steering the boat lower, speeding over the canopy so closely that leaves scraped against the hull. "I was a nice, quick and clean dispersal as soon as we're down! Let's do this properly!"

The defenders in the boat nodded and murmured their understanding. Amelia scanned the treetops for an opening. The clearing would be sure to be heavily defended and the boat would stand no chance of landing there. But nor did she like the idea of trying to land it through the twisted mess of branches and vines. She throttled back to improve the view, and was rewarded with the sight of a canyon in the trees, a clear gap to the jungle floor less than a hundred yards short of the clearing where a mighty tree had fallen and cleaved a path through its neighbours. She hauled on the controls and dived the boat into it, pulling up just above the dead trunk.

"Anchor out, Mr Arrow!"

Arrow heaved the longboat's anchor over the side. It thumped into the ground, shortly followed by Arrow himself. The crew left the boat in pairs, Amelia bringing up the rear after shutting down the engines. She landed lightly and looked around to confirm that her party was ready. Arrow passed her a rifle, which she took and loaded expertly.

"Very good. Let's go to work."

"Er...ma'am?" A spacer pointed nervously ahead of them. Amelia looked up and saw a line of Naztarii warriors emerging from the jungle. Her hand flew instinctively to her weapons, but then her mind overruled her and she withdrew them.

"Hold your fire! Nobody raise a weapon!"

"Ma'am?"

"I said hold your fire!" Amelia stepped forward. The Naztarii were all armed, but their own weapons were being carried loosely in their hands or over their shoulders. "If they wanted to kill us, we'd already be dead..."

"As you wish, ma'am." Arrow nodded to the party. "You heard her, men. No weapons."

Amelia moved towards the group of Naztarii. The tallest of the lanky blue lizards seemed to nod and moved to meet her. As he approached, Amelia could see that what she had thought to be mottled scales was warpaint, daubed onto his body in black and red spirals. They halted a few faces apart and sized each other up.

"Do you speak Standard?" said Amelia.

The Naztarii nodded. "Yes. Am Ke'tos. Warrior Chief of river peoples. I learn from colony."

Amelia remembered that Jane had said that they had traded with the locals before the siege began and assumed that Ke'tos had picked up the common tongue of the Empire that way. Fortunate, because otherwise she wasn't at all sure how she'd handle this coincidental meeting.

"Amelia. Royal Navy." She decided that the formal introduction would be wasted and dispensed with it.

"You fight us," said Ke'tos. Amelia couldn't tell if it was an accusation or merely a statement.

"Because you fight us," said Amelia. "Your warriors kill our people."

"You come here to fight again?" Ke'tos asked, his voice descending to a growl.

Amelia shook her head. "Not if we don't have to. We've come to stop those guns. The thunder," she added, hoping that it would suffice as an explanation.

Ke'tos nodded. "Good. We also not come to fight you."

"Why are you here, then?"

"I gather warriors from the riverlands," said Ke'tos. "Revenge."

"Upon whom?"

"Procyons," said Ke'tos. "Space Procyons."

Amelia raised an eyebrow. "What's your quarrel with the Procyons? They gave you those weapons you carry."

Ke'tos hefted his Procyon-made rifle and nodded. "Yes. They come to our village long time ago. Give us guns. Say to help us if we help them. If we attack colonials."

"So that's how it all began..." Amelia nodded. "They paid you to attack us?"

Ke'tos nodded. "My people want own land. Our land, not for offworlders. Procyons tell us, more colonials will come if we not attack. Drive us out. So we fight."

"So why have you decided to attack the Procyons now?"

"Procyons lie," Ke'tos said. "More come. More and more. They build own village. Use my warriors. Cause killings. We not wish to share our land with Procyons either. So now...we fight them."

Amelia nodded as she understood. It was typical of Procyon arrogance. "I see. Well, I can promise you that we...that is, the colonials, will be leaving when this is over. So you'll have your lands back."

"Good." Ke'tos grinned. "Then we not fight you now."

Amelia relaxed. "Well, in that case, I could use your help to attack those guns that are destroying my village. They could destroy yours too, if we don't stop them."

Ke'tos shook his head. "Not enough warriors yet. Not Naztarii way. Must gather all warriors, then attack."

"I don't have the time for that."

The lizard shrugged. "We will gather quickly."

Amelia sighed. "Well...I won't stop you. But I ask you not to stop us, either. We have to stop the bombardment now."

"Good fates with you," Ke'tos made a strange gesture that might have been a salute.

"And good hunting to you," Amelia turned and waved to her party to follow her. "Now, if you'll excuse us..."

But the Naztarii were gone, vanished back into their jungles. Amelia blinked in surprise and shook her head as Arrow joined her.

"Ma'am?"

"It seems we're not the only ones with a bone to pick with the Procs," she said. "But we're still on our own for now. Mr Arrow? Move them out."

The thunder of the Procyon battery was muffled by the thick jungle, but grew louder with each step towards them. Amelia saw the trees thin out closer to the clearing and began moving at a rapid crouch, ears raised and alert. Procyon voices could be heard barking and obeying orders. She crept into cover behind a moss-covered boulder and peered over it. Three Procyon siege mortars, squat, grey, heavy-muzzled killers on caterpillar tracks, sat in the clearing on a low wooden platform set into the ground. Grey-uniformed gunners laboured behind them, directing a trio of loading droids which were handling the big shells and driving them into the guns. Soldiers, clad in gunmetal armour and helmets, stood around the edge of the platform. Amelia beckoned Arrow to join her as their troops took up position.

"We can take them from the side," she whispered. "Keep half our force here to provide covering fire. I'll take the rest around to their left flank. On my signal, lay down fire to distract them and we'll move in to take the guns."

"An excellent plan, ma'am. But with one thing to which I object?"

"Yes?"

Arrow grinned. "The part when I am left in charge of distraction, ma'am."

Amelia grinned. "Very well, my friend. You come with me." She nodded to the group hiding behind a large tree on her right, a spacer and a trio of marines. "As will you. The rest of you will wait here. Pick your targets. On my signal, you may fire at will. Clear?"

"Aye, ma'am!" Spacer Clasp gripped his rifle. "What will the signal be?"

"Watch for our fire," Amelia said. "Keep your eyes sharp. Ready? Let's get this done."

The others began to move, two militiamen taking cover behind the rock as Amelia and Arrow led their group around to the side of the clearing. It was agonisingly slow going, the thick undergrowth and the need to stay out of sight conspiring together. Amelia tried to concentrate on the task at hand, and not to let her mind stray into following the flight of each shell that was fired. Fortunately, she mused, the firing blasts had surely deafened the Procyon guards. She looked around as they crept to the edge of the clearing.

"Mr Arrow, issue grenades to each man." Amelia watched the enemy. There were only two soldiers on this side of the platform. Arrow emptied his bandolier and handed the last of the grenades to Amelia, who took it gratefully.

"Use them carefully," she advised. "Remember we're here to spike those guns. Anything else is a bonus."

"Understood, ma'am." Arrow fixed the bayonet on his rifle and took aim at one of the Procyon guards. Amelia sighted on the other one and took deep breaths to control herself. She watched the nearest robot slide home a shell and then stand back. The gun boomed out.

"Fire!"

Arrow pulled the trigger, dropping his target with a clean shot to the chest. Amelia fired two shots to send her quarry to the ground in a heap, and was on her feet and running before the body had fallen over. The thunder of the guns hid the laslock fire and it wasn't until they were halfway there that the Procyons noticed the band of Imperials charging them. There were shouts and heads turned towards them. Blue lightning leapt from the other edge of the clearing as Clasp's party began to lay down fire. The sensible few of the guards dropped to the ground or took cover. The ones who hesitated, torn between Amelia's party and the sudden assault from the jungle, died on their feet.

"Robot! Forward!" The Procyon gun commander ordered his droid to block Amelia's path. It lumbered forward, raising two hands like giant clamps. Amelia gritted her teeth and rolled between its legs. The massive drum head turned to try to follow her, eyes flickering in confusion. Arrow slammed into the machine, driving his shoulder into it and crushing the metal ribcage. Sparks flew as it staggered backwards and Arrow emptied his rifle into the crippled robot. Procyon return fire began flashing around them and Amelia saw one of the marines collapse before he could get into cover. The enemy gunners scattered as they approached and she fired off a few shots to keep them moving. The spacer knelt against the edge of the platform and began shooting as well, bringing down two Procyons. It gave Amelia the opportunity she needed. Arrow and his two surviving marines took position behind the mortar and began providing covering fire. She swung herself up to the barrel, primed her grenade and dropped it down the muzzle.

"Fire in the hole!"

She dropped down again and dived behind the platform. Arrow and the two marines retreated to follow her. The grenade went off deep in the gun's mechanism, sending sparks from the controls. The barrel slumped down towards the ground. Amelia shouted exultantly and waved her force on.

"One down! Two to go!"

She leapt up into cover of the broken mortar and began firing. The enemy were beginning to mass their forces, moving behind the guns where Clasp's troops couldn't find them. Amelia flinched as a near-miss produced a shower of sparks from the metal of the mortar, scorching her dark blue coat.

"Around the front! Around the front!"

Two could play at the Procyon's game. Amelia's troops ducked around the front of the battery, putting the bulk of the guns in between them and the guards. A panicked gunner burst out from underneath the second gun and took a wild swing at her with a wrench. Amelia ducked the implement and hit the Procyon in the side of the head with the stock of her rifle. The blow connected hard and sent the gunner slamming into the unyielding metal of his weapon. Amelia ignored him as the unconscious body rolled off the platform and made her way to the other side of the gun, kneeling behind the caterpillar track.

"Grenades! Grenades here now!"

"Here ma'am!" Arrow put aside his rifle and dropped a pair of charges into the gun. "Fire in the hole!"

They scrambled for cover again. One of the marines was hit in the arm as he turned and he landed heavily, clutching the wound. Amelia dropped into a crouch below the platform and looked up as a shadow fell over her. A second robot towered over here, smoking from a score of holes blasted in its metal skin by laser fire. Sparks flying from a damaged neck joint it tried to look down at her, but was blown off its feet by the explosion of the second mortar. Amelia shook her head and tried to think past the ringing in her ears. Clasp had led his force out of the jungle and they were now moving forward, kneeling, firing, running. Amelia shook herself again and waved to her remaining troops.

"One more! For the Queen!"

They jumped back up onto the platform just as Procyon counterattack came in. Amelia dodged aside and the guard charging her missed her completely and launched himself off the edge of the platform, landing awkwardly and getting tangled up in the broken robot. Another Procyon slashed a sword at Arrow, carving a rip in his red coat before going down under a fist the size of his head. A marine went down, but was saved at the last moment by the spacer's bayonet. Amelia rolled into the lee of the last gun, dropping her rifle and drawing her pistol instead. She loaded it, turned and opened fire on a Procyon trooper who appeared at the edge of the platform, though she never knew if she had hit it or not. She could feel the situation getting rapidly out of control. Her small force was driven back from the platform, one of the marines trying take cover with her but being cut down before he could make it. Amelia gritted her teeth and hauled the red-clad body over to her. She fumbled in the dead man's coat pocket and found the grenade contained there.

"Ma'am!" Arrow called to her. He had taken cover behind the destroyed robot and, with the last two survivors of the assault party, was trying to hold back the Procyon counterattack, the wounded marine firing with Arrow's pistol.

"With you in a moment, Mr Arrow!"

Amelia stood, armed her grenade and lifted herself up to the level of the muzzle. Looking inside, she saw the snub nose of a mortar shell, loaded and ready to fire. A flurry of sparks flew overhead as a shot hit the mortar near her hand. A phalanx of Procyon shock troopers was emerging from the back edge of the clearing, at least two dozen armoured figures moving implacably, guns blazing. She hissed in frustration and dropped the ticking grenade into the mortar. She let go of the gun barrel as it clattered down next to the shell, dropping down neatly in front of the caterpillar tracks and trying to calculate the effect of the shell bursting in the barrel. The answer was not encouraging. She turned to go, throwing herself off the edge of the platform and bracing herself to run as soon as she felt her feet touch the ground.

They never did.

Jane was sitting at her father's desk in the storeroom of the town hall, drumming her fingers nervously on the top and occasionally rearranging the medicine bottles and first aid equipment which she had set out on a tray. The waiting was the worst of it, she reflected. She had seen to all her other patients and now there was only the waiting. As horrified as she had been at the sight of her first patient, she had to admit that the passing weeks had hardened her to such sights. Now that the shellfire had ceased it was about the waiting and the wondering, worrying about what kind of injury would next be brought through her door and whether she would be able to help. So preoccupied was she with this line of thought that she did not hear the commotion outside as the raiding party returned. It was only when Arrow kicked open the storeroom door that she looked up suddenly. A question died on her lips and was replaced by a gasp of shock as she saw him. The huge man was carrying a slender figure in his arms, head pillowed on a folded blue coat.

"Amelia! Amelia! Oh, no…" Jane shot to her feet and went to him as he forced his way into the hall, not caring about the effect of the doorframe on his uniform and taking care only to keep the feline safe from any knocks. Jane reached him and reached out a hand and touched Amelia's cheek instinctively.

"There was an explosion," said Arrow grimly. "One of the Procyon mortars exploded right behind her. Flower and I can handle the other casualties. But you must take care of the Lieutenant."

"Of course, yes. Put her down, carefully. Over there." Jane hurried back to her table and picked up the tray. She hardly dared to breathe as she carried it over, acutely aware that her hands were shaking so much that the glass bottles on it rang against each other and a scalpel was dancing its way towards the edge. She put it on the bedside table and tried to help as Arrow lowered Amelia down onto the mattress. He was surprisingly gentle for such a big figure and Jane found herself wondering whether he had carried her all the way back himself. It was with some thankfulness that she saw that Amelia's chest was still moving as she breathed and she reached out her hands to take hold of her head. Jane felt her fingers slip between those auburn strands, which felt like silk against her skin, and she shivered to think of how she had imagined that feeling and how unjust it was that she finally felt it under these circumstances. She felt her way around Amelia's head and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, her skull isn't broken at least. That's good. Very good. Was she responsive on the way back, Mr Arrow?"

"On occasion," said Arrow. "But she has been passing in and out. On occasion I heard her repeating a name, but she was not able to converse."

"A name?" Jane looked up in confusion, flicking a lock of brown hair over her ear. "Whose?"

"Yours."

Jane stared. "Mine? But…oh, my..." She shook her head and bent over Amelia's recumbent form again. With as much care as possible, she turned Amelia's head to the side and lifted the hair from the back of her head. As far as she could tell through the tan fur, a nasty bruise had developed there.

"Did something hit her?"

Arrow shrugged. "As I say, Miss Jane, a mortar exploded close behind her. I presume she was struck by debris. But I cannot be certain."

"It looks to me like something did. Pass me a chill-pack, please."

Arrow opened the stainless steel refrigeration container and passed one of the blue bags over. "Do you think she will recover?"

Jane held the pack against Amelia's head. "I don't know. I'm sorry, Mr Arrow."

"As am I." Arrow put his hand on Jane's shoulder for a moment. "I will be outside assisting Lance Corporal Flower with the others."

"Yes. Yes, Mr Arrow. Thank you. I'll tell you if you're needed."

Jane watched him go, conscientiously shutting the door behind him, and turned back to Amelia. She bit her lip and took Amelia's pulse with a careful touch to her neck. It was slow, but not excessively. Combined with her relaxed breathing, it seemed for all the world as if she was merely sleeping. Jane slipped her hand into Amelia's and held it warmly.

"Amelia?"

She watched the feline's face hopefully.

"Amelia? It's Jane…I'm here. You're all right."

There was no response. Jane shifted the chill-pack further under Amelia's head.

"You're going to be all right. Do you hear? If you hear me, squeeze my hand."

Jane tried not to let her face fall when there was no response. She released her hand and reached out to Amelia's collar. She was always so buttoned-up, Jane reflected, and although Arrow had sensibly loosened the collar of her uniform shirt it was still fastened. Jane undid the top button, bit her lip again as she debated with herself, and undid a button or two below that. Her fingers trembled slightly as they went to the small silver buttons of Amelia's white waistcoat and she shook her head to clear it of the thoughts that crowded it. She laid the waistcoat open and cast a nervous glance back to Amelia's face. She cleaned the cut above her eye, took a roll of thin bandage from her pocket and bound the chill-pack to Amelia's head, carefully lifting her hair clear of the strip.

"I'm going to make sure you're all right, Amelia," she whispered. "I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere else. I'm not going to leave you."

She took her hand in hers. Under the gloves she normally wore Amelia's hands were surprisingly soft although the skin on her palm and fingers was tougher, a legacy of shipboard life. Jane slid her fingers between Amelia's and held them. Was she hoping for a response, or for something more?

"I'm not going to leave you," she repeatedly softly.

A knock at the door made her look up. Flower touched his hat to her.

"Begging your pardon, Miss Jane, but I'm needing tincture of iodine. I'm fresh out."

"Oh, yes. The blue bottle there on the tray." Jane waved at it. Flower nodded gratefully and grabbed it, knocking over one of the other glass bottles. The lid came off and some white powder spilled cross the tray. Flower cursed.

"Sorry, Miss Jane."

"It's all right. How are you out there, anyway?"

"Well enough, Miss Jane." Flower shrugged. "They'll all live, at least. How about..?" He indicated Amelia, took a look at Jane's face, coughed and retreated. Jane looked at the spilled powder and heaved a sigh. Her breath caught on the way in and she blinked. A sharp sensation suffused the air now. Picking up the bottle she read the label and realised that it was her bottle of smelling salt. She glanced at Amelia and decided that it was worth a shot. She placed a hand behind Amelia's head to raise it and waved the bottle under her nose. Amelia sniffed the air. Her eyelids twitched and Jane was forced to put the bottle down hurriedly as Amelia's head fell back and she awoke with a start. Her hand moved faster than the eye could see and seized Jane's as she pulled back hastily. Jane gave a cry more of surprise than pain as she felt Amelia's claws digging into her skin.

"Prepare to-all hands! All…" Amelia's eyes snapped open, staring wildly at the ceiling for a moment before they took account of their surroundings. Her gaze lowered to meet Jane's, and then tracked further down to where their hands were joined.

"Jane…I…oh, I'm sorry." She retracted her claws quickly. "I didn't mean to…I mean, it's all a bit…where exactly are we right now?"

Jane smiled with relief. "Oh, Amelia, thank goodness! You're back in town. You're in Naztarville. The town hall. Mr Arrow brought you back. You did it."

Amelia winced. "I remember an explosion…"

"Mr Arrow said that one of the guns blew up right behind you. Something must have hit you and knocked you out after that." Jane smiled.

"Ah? That would explain this then." Amelia's hand explored the bandage around her head and the chill-pack.

"Yes, I'm afraid it does. It'll have to stay there for a little time, I'm afraid." Jane guided the hand away.

Amelia smiled weakly. "Telling me what to do, Jane? Are you sure you're not a doctor?"

Jane laughed, feeling her spirits lift. "Just trying to help, I suppose! You know, Mr Arrow said a funny thing about how he brought you back. He said that, on the way, you kept talking and saying…"

Amelia raised an eyebrow as she watched Jane's cheeks flush and she stammered into silence.

"Go on. What did I say? I wasn't still giving orders, was I?"

"No, no, no, nothing like that." Jane looked down and pretended to straighten the sheets. "He said you kept saying a name."

"Ah? Whose?"

Jane tried to look anywhere except at Amelia. "Um…he said he couldn't hear properly," she said lamely.

"Oh? Pity. Whoever it was must have been important." Amelia chuckled. Jane didn't trust herself to laugh, but she felt her heart skip a beat all the same.

"Do you feel able to sit up?" she asked.

"I'm sure I could manage." Amelia struggled for a moment, getting halfway there before falling back onto her folded coat and giving Jane an apologetic look. The other woman tried to hide a small smile and stepped forward to help Amelia sit up, facing away from her.

"I'm sorry about this, but I need to check for shrapnel…Mr Arrow mentioned that you had been caught by some debris."

Amelia sighed. "Go ahead."

She held back her arms to help Jane remove her waistcoat. As Jane's quick, clever fingers explored her back, Amelia found herself relaxing more than she thought possible. She bowed her head and closed her eyes, content to follow her carer's touches from her shoulders down to the small of her back.

"Can I take this pack off now?" she asked eventually.

Jane felt it. "Yes, it's gone warm now anyway."

"My Academy tutors always warned me I was too hot-headed." Amelia grinned. Jane laughed and helped her unwind the bandage. Amelia shook her hair out gratefully. Jane tried not to stare.

"I…um…" Jane murmured.

"Hmm?"

"Um…that is, I, I need to ask…"

"Yes?"

"..to ask you…I mean, for medical reasons…"

"Out with it, Jane. You can say it, you know." Amelia found herself smiling at her shyness.

"I need you to take off your shirt." It almost came out as one long word, the words tumbling over each other. Jane lowered her head and felt her cheeks burning. It was a perfectly reasonable question under the circumstances, and it was for sound medical reasons…but asking it of Amelia reminded her of other reasons.

"Oh." Amelia felt her own face redden. It was a perfectly fair question. Small shards of shrapnel could easily penetrate clothing and skin without leaving obvious marks and the very fact that the wounds it caused were so easy to ignore made them all the more liable for infection. Had anyone else asked that question - even Arrow or Flower - she would have reacted differently.

"I…I won't hurt you." Jane said quietly.

"Yes…I trust you." Amelia inhaled deeply, steeled herself and drew the shirt off over her head. Behind her, she heard Jane's breath catch in her throat as Amelia bared her back. Jane gazed at her slender frame, at the gentle colour of her fur, the shape of her spine running down the centre.

"Amelia…" She blinked and shook herself. "Um…I mean, sit still, please."

Amelia nodded, hugging her shirt to her chest. The air was cool on her back, but Jane's hands were warm against her as they explored her fur, beginning at her shoulders.

"So...how is Mr Whiting?" she asked, trying not to get too distracted.

"Stable so far," Jane said. "He's not always awake but he responds well when he is."

"Good." Amelia lowered her head and sighed. Jane's fingers were parting her fur to feel her skin, moving in small circles to draw the fine strands apart. She drew closer to get a better view, so close that Amelia could feel her breaths.

"Nothing so far..."

Amelia gave a sigh. "Now there's a relief. Does that mean you can stop?"

Jane tutted. "Not if you want this done properly. Am I...am I hurting you at all?"

Amelia shivered. "To be perfectly honest...quite the opposite..."

Jane smiled to herself. "Although I'd still rather you didn't get yourself blown up quite so often."

"It does seem to happen more often than you'd think, doesn't it." Amelia smiled. "But I suppose it's not all bad..."

Jane felt her blush deepening and she moved her hands further down Amelia's back. To her surprise, the feline sat up straighter and stiffened, her muscles tensing under her skin.

"Are you all right?"

"Perfectly." Amelia fought to restore her composure.

"You're sure you're not in pain?"

"Is that really something a person could be unsure about?"

"Then what..." Jane stopped and grinned. "Amelia...you're not ticklish are you?"

"Shut up." Amelia blushed. "Was that a giggle I just heard?"

Jane bit her lip. "No, of course not. Now do try to hold still until I'm finished."

Amelia chuckled and closed her eyes again, holding her shirt tightly. She gasped, sat straighter and almost arched as Jane's clever hands moved to the small of her back.

"Is it...quite necessary for you to go that far down?"

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" Jane was surprised at herself for her boldness, but there was something about the opportunity that couldn't be missed.

"Not exactly..."

"I just want to be sure that you're safe." Jane slid her hands up Amelia's back and rested them on her bare shoulders. "That you're all right."

Amelia looked down. "I know...I apologise if that sounded rude. I appreciate your concern..." she turned her head to try to see Jane. "I really do."

Jane smiled and inclined her head to meet her gaze. "Well...it goes with being your friend."

"Friend?" Amelia smiled wryly.

Jane blinked. "Well...I am, aren't I?"

Amelia's smile softened. "The way we are right now, I'd say you're more than that..."

Jane looked down, embarrassed, mumbled an apology and began to take her hands from Amelia's shoulders. Amelia's hand landed on one of hers before it could leave, and held it gently.

"But I didn't say I didn't like that...or that I didn't want that."

"A...Amelia?"

"Jane."

Green eyes focused and cleared. Blue eyes wavered and steadied. A slow smile crept its way across Jane's face as her cheeks turned pink.

"I wondered...but I never knew. I never thought...I only hoped..."

Amelia's fingers slowly intertwined with hers. "Well. Now you know."

Jane breathed out and smiled. "I do...oh, Amelia-"

She was silenced at that point. Amelia, taking advantage of the way her mouth opened to pronounce the last syllable of her name, turned her head further round and kissed her lightly. Jane sighed her assent. The only contact between them, beside their lips, was the hands that held each other on Amelia's shoulder, but Jane felt as if she couldn't pull away even if dragged in chains. Amelia's lips were gentle and inviting, and her fur against Jane's cheek was comfortingly soft. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the kiss for as long as it lasted. Her other hand came up and cradled Amelia's head, those silken strands of hair brushing through her fingers as the kiss became something deeper. It was a revelation, an affirmation, a release.

"Oh, Jane..." Amelia whispered.

"Amelia..." Jane's eyes were shining brightly. She blushed and raised a hand to stroke the feline's downy cheek, and shivered as Amelia's hand replicated the gesture. Amelia smiled and cocked her head.

"Well...I'm glad we got that sorted out."

"Indeed." Jane closed her eyes and enjoyed Amelia's touch. Amelia leaned forward and kissed her again softly. Jane's hand began descending as she relaxed, stroking down Amelia's neck and her bare back. Amelia arched and mewed involuntarily, her lips breaking contact with Jane's for a moment. Jane continued the kiss, her eyes still closed, with the result that she momentarily took Amelia's lower lip gently in her mouth. She heard a small intake of breath and opened her eyes, meeting Amelia's green gaze.

"I'm...so glad to see you safe, Amelia."

Amelia smiled. "I could say the same to you. I wasn't sure...with the bombardment...I was worried about you."

"Oh, I was fine," Jane shrugged. "They didn't shoot at the hall. Just the wall and the town."

Amelia nodded and sighed. "I'd better take a look at it."

Jane looked down, hoping her face didn't betray too much disappointment. "Yes...yes, of course you must."

Amelia watched her for a moment before lifting her chin with a single finger. She smiled at those bright blue eyes and placed another tender kiss on Jane's lips.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Jane sighed happily. "Oh, Amelia...there's really nothing to thank me for. Let me help you."

Amelia smiled as Jane helped her put her shirt and waistcoat back on and then passed her the folded blue uniform coat as she stood up. Amelia pulled it on and gave her a last lingering look. Words didn't seem to be necessary as she turned to go, trying to force the smile off her face. A single look around the main ward, which now occupied the hall, achieved it. Beds, mattresses and stretchers were lined up along the walls in neat rows. Archimedes was moving between them, doing what he could. Flower was kneeling next to the marine with the wounded arm, tending the scorched limb. Amelia looked around until she recognised Whiting and she went to his side. The young canine's left arm ended in a bandage and a patch was tied to the left side of his head over his missing ear.

"Mr Whiting?"

His eyes opened slowly and focused on her.

"Ma'am...has it...has it stopped?"

"We got them, Mr Whiting. We got them." Amelia patted his shoulder. "How do you feel?"

Whiting glanced down at the bandage around the stump of his arm. "I fear...that I might miss the next...inter-ship tennis tournament..."

Amelia grinned. "I wouldn't worry about it. You're a right-hander anyway."

"I guess I...picked the...right hand to lose." Whiting smiled thinly. "Well...the left hand, at least."

Amelia chuckled. "You always did have good taste."

Whiting managed a grin of his own. "You can tell Buckley...that he was right about...volunteering being bad luck, too."

"You'll tell him yourself," said Amelia. "Not long now."

Whiting smiled and closed his eyes again. Amelia watched his face but there was no trace of pain or even of discomfort. She moved quietly down the beds, exchanging nods or words with the wounded, before stepping outside. The view did not improve. It seemed like hardly a building in the town was still standing. A field of craters, many still smoking, greeted her. Wreckage was strewn all around the hill. A few figures were moving amongst it, looking for salvageable pieces for the new barricades going up around the hall. She spotted Arrow and went to join him. A look of relief passed over his craggy face as he saw her, but it was soon replaced by professional impassivity.

"Ma'am," he said.

"Captain Arrow," Amelia returned his salute.

"If I may speak freely, ma'am, it is good to see you again."

"Thank you, Mr Arrow." Amelia surveyed the barricade, trying to stay equally professional herself. "Have you a situation report?"

"I have asked the acting sergeant to provide a head count," Arrow lowered his voice. "I fear it will not take her long."

"I fear that you're right," said Amelia. "Did Mr Clasp return with us?"

"Yes, ma'am. Spacer Clasp is around to the north of the hall."

"Excellent," Amelia put her hands together behind her. "I'll be needing a second in command of the spacer contingent while Mr Whiting is indisposed."

"His conduct in the assault was exemplary, ma'am," said Arrow. "I would agree with your choice."

"And your opinion of the enemy?" Amelia went on.

Arrow shrugged. "We did not exactly stop to count back at the battery, ma'am. But I would estimate their presence at no less than battalion strength. They have displayed too wide a range of capability for a small force."

"Infiltrators, artillery and heavy infantry," Amelia touched the cut on her forehead and smiled ironically. "They're making quite the effort on our behalf, aren't they?"

Ko walked up the slope towards them and touched her hat. "Thirty two, Captain. Ma'am," she added, seeing Amelia.

"Thirty two." Amelia sighed. "About half of what we started with."

"There are quite a few walking wounded still in the infirmary," said Ko. "If push comes to shove..."

"It may well do at that," said Amelia. "Thank you, sergeant. I want every man and woman able to hold a weapon to be issued with one."

"Aye, ma'am." Ko nodded. "Permission to utilise captured Procyon weapons? There's no shortage of them," she added, grinning.

"Permission granted," Amelia agreed. "We might as well make use of them. See to it."

Ko saluted. "Ma'am. Sir." She acknowledged Arrow and moved off.

"Take care of things here, Mr Arrow," said Amelia. "I'm going to recover a few things from my lodgings. If they're still there."

"As you wish, lieutenant." Arrow folded his hands behind his back and turned away. Amelia headed off down the reverse slope of the hill. The Procyon shelling had not fallen especially hard on this side, but there were still occasional scars from where the mortars had overshot their intended targets. Amelia passed by the little cemetery, noting the fresh grave markers, including one which had been blown askew by the blast of a shell. She paused for a moment, then bent down, gripped the white cylinder and forced it upright again.

"No sense in letting the place get untidy," she muttered.

She proceeded downhill and located the little hut in which she had been sleeping. The door was only hanging on one hinge, but her bag and belongings were still there. She packed away what she had left out and then slung the bag over her shoulder. Stopping to close the door behind her, she looked back up at the sky and wondered where the Resolute was. If it was still there at all. They were alone. They were cut off. They were outnumbered. And while Amelia knew that they could hope for rescue they could not guarantee it. The most they could do was live and hope. It was not an encouraging thought. For the first time since arriving, Amelia felt as if she was no longer in true command of her destiny, to say nothing of those souls entrusted to her command and protection. She had heard her father talk about what he called 'the loneliness of command.' She felt it now, and it felt as if a pit was opening up inside her. But she knew that it was how she reacted to it that determined her fitness for it.

She was a sworn officer of the fleet, a servant of the Empire. Her duty was clear. In a world of doubt, her duty was the one constant. No matter how other circumstances changed and how much was snatched from her hands, her duty remained the same. The thought was strangely comforting...but there was something else that gave her strength. She lowered her gaze to the town hall atop the hill, its roof beginning to glow in the late afternoon sun. Her mind went back to that perfect moment in the storeroom...that expression of a feeling that was still strange to her but about which she found herself wanting to know more. The memory of Jane's eyes, her lips, her skin, was as real to her as the ground beneath her feet. The way they had breathed each other's names, the way her heart had raced...

Amelia smiled to herself and set off up the hill again. Yes. There was more than duty here.