Chapter 5: Rules

Soon Jim, Rose, Doctor Doppler, and Mr. Arrow were in the Captain's stateroom. Seeing that they were the only ones here, Captain Amelia went to the door and securely locked it. She wanted to make sure that no one from outside would eavesdrop on the conversation.

"Doctor," the Captain started with a stern expression as she slowly walked to Delbert. "To muse and blabber about a treasure map in front of this particular crew demonstrates a level of ineptitude that borders of the imbecilic, and I mean that in a very caring way." She finished with a sarcastic smile.

Delbert was taken aback of the Captain's reprimanding, and protested, "Imbecilic, did you say? Foolishness, I've…"

"May I see the map, please?" she asked, shutting up the Doctor.

Delbert stopped talking and held up a finger, before glancing at Jim. The boy shrugged his shoulders in disappointment as the humanoid canine gestured to him to hand the map over to Captain Amelia. Jim removed the map from his pocket and tossed it the Captain as if he were throwing a baseball.

"Here," he murmured.

Rose's eyes widened in curiosity. Usually she read in stories that treasure maps would be in the form of scrolls, but instead this map was a bronze sphere with many buttons. Captain Amelia caught the sphere in her gloved hand. She looked at it in curiosity as her green eyes widened in cat-like curiosity.

"Hmm… Fascinating!" she said. Her curious expression turned back to serious, as she turned away to a cabinet and opened the doors, unlocking them.

"Mr. Hawkins, in the future, you will address me as 'Captain' or 'Ma'am' is that clear?" she said, placing the map in a small chest in the cabinet.

Jim rolled his eyes, as he groaned quietly. Rose gave him a look and tilted her head. She didn't picture him showing rudeness and disrespect to the woman who raised her.

"Mr. Hawkins?" Captain Amelia asked again, her tone becoming sharper.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied unenthusiastically.

"That'll do," the Captain said, as she locked the cabinet doors and placed the key in her coat pocket. "Gentlemen and young lady, this must be kept under lock and key when not in use." She came up to Delbert, "And Doctor, again, with the greatest possible respect; zip your howling screamer!"

"Captain, I assure you, I…"

"Let me make this… monosyllabic as possible," the Captain said as she sat down at her desk. "I don't much care for this crew you hired. They're… how did I describe them, Arrow? I said something rather good this morning before coffee."

"A ludicrous parcel of driveling galoots, ma'am," the First Mate answered.

"There you go," she said proudly, turning to the Doctor. "Poetry."

Delbert was getting fed up with the Captain's description on the way he did the work, which he thought was great, and in return, received negative criticism from her.

"Now, see here!" he started angrily, slamming his hands down on her desk.

"Doctor, I'd love to chat…Tea, cake, the whole shebang… But I have a ship to launch, and you've got your outfit to buff up!" The Captain stood up, and returned to her business persona, with another command, "Mr. Arrow, please escort these two neophytes and Rose down to the galley straight away! Young Hawkins will be working for our cook, Mr. Silver."

Jim, in the meantime grew bored by the interaction between the two adults, was fingering a pendulum, and when he heard his assignment stopped and released it.

"Wait, what? The cook?" he asked, with a shocked expression.

The Captain ignored the boy's reaction and turned her attention to Rose and gave another command.

"Rose, you shall also provide your services by helping Mr. Hawkins and Mr. Silver in the galley, only when you are required."

The redhead gave her female guardian a nod. Jim and Delbert raised their eyebrows, expecting that the girl would protest against the Captain's rules and commands. But instead, she remained quiet and obedient. At the same time, Rose felt a bit nervous to be around this Silver and wondered what he was like. She knew that she wouldn't know him, unless she gets to see him.

"Yes, Mother," the girl replied softy, placing her hands in front of her and clasping them together. The redhead bowed her head and shut her eyes to reveal her eyelids covered in light purple eye shadow.

Captain Amelia once more turned back to the men and gave out one more command.

"Doctor Doppler, knowing that you will be a part of this crew, I shall request you to keep a perceptive eye on Ms. Morgan and when she does her work in the medical bunks. This also happens to her first voyage and may not know her way around the R.L.S. Legacy at the back of her hand. If she were to go on the decks, she must be accompanied by either you, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Silver, Mr. Arrow, and especially myself to keep her out of harm's way. I don't trust myself for her to be around this ghastly crew. However, the only places she can be safe by herself is in the medical bunks and her guest room."

The First Mate nodded as if the rule was crystal clear to him and placed his hand on Rose's shoulder. The humanoid canine gave the feline captain a look, but he decided to give a nod. Jim's eyes widened in again in more shock.

Great, he thought. Not only do I have to so some stupid manual work for the cook, but also I have to be a bodyguard to her adopted daughter?

Jim gave Rose a skeptical look, clearly asking her if the Captain was serious. In return, the human girl gave him a shrug.