On the morning of the first day of our fourth week in space, I was awakened by being dumped out of my hammock. " WHO THE HELL JUST DID THAT!" I yelled, once I had figured out why I was on the floor.

"I-I-I'm sorry captain," I looked up, and saw the doctor standing over me, looking exited, practically bouncing up and down.

" Oh, it's quite all right, doctor" I said, now more curious than annoyed. " now, why are you all exited?"

"It's treasure planet. They've spotted it!" the doctor beamed

I was shocked. Then excitement flooded in. This is what I'd secretly wished for the whole journey, that treasure planet was real. And my wish had come true.

" doctor, that's wonderful!" I said. The doctor's smile widened, as though making me exited was the best thing in the world. I felt a pang of some feeling in my heart. Love. No, not love. Friendship. Our small moment was ruined when Mr. Hawkins burst into the room.

" Hawkins, what are you doing in my quarters?" I demanded, furious. I couldn't believe that he had invaded my quarters. I felt like scratching him. Well, I did until he spoke again, and said something that filled me with alarm.

" Captain, the crew... it's...Mutinizing."

I was stunned speechless. But only for a moment. " mutinizing?" I asked, alarmed. For a moment, I let my panic overtake me. Why did they mutinize,I wondered .Who started this? Will they kill us? Is it really just me, hawkins and the doctor against the rest of the crew?I wanted John to be there. He'd know what to do. John, why John? You can't fix this without him? I thought you didn't need anyone. Said a voice in my made me regain my senses.

" the crew...they're pirates...and Silver's leading them" Hawkins added. He hung his head, ashamed that his friend had betrayed us.

I was furious.I hated pirates. Pirates had killed Trevor Arrow. " Pirates on my ship?" I yelled. "I'll see them all hanged!" I was angry, but I had too act fast, or the pirates would get us. I wrenched open the door to my cabinet, and grabbed the pistol that I kept in it. I tossed it to the doctor, saying, "Do you now how to use this?"

"well.." he stammered studying the pistol, " I've seen these a few times, and.." he lifted the pistol and accidently pulled the trigger. It shot right past me, barely missing me and smashing a clock John had given me for my fifteenth birthday. I glared at him. I heard the crew from outside, yelling, then a splintering sound, followed by shots. They'd found the guns. Then I heard the sound of cracking metal. The pirates were trying to break through the lock on my door. My heart thudded in panic. It was only a a matter of minutes until they got it open. I fought down the urge to scream. " Doctor, Hawkins, we have to take desperate mesures." I tossed the map at Mr. Hawkins. "Gaurd this with your life," I told him. Just then, that pink blob of a morph dived at the map and caught it in its mouth, the only apendage it seemed to have.

"Morph, give it back," Said Hawkins angrilly, playing tug of war with the stupid morph, who was giggling. Mr. Hawkins wrested it out of the morph's grasp.

I heard, from outside, Mr. Silver saying, "Get out of t'er way, yeh' idiots." He's going to blast down the door with that goddamn mechanical arm of his, I thought. Panic once again overtook me. I'm going to die the way Trevor did, I'm going to die, I'm going to die, I'm going to die.

I fought the panic, and won. I needed to get us out of my stateroom without using the door. There was only one thing to do. I took my shotgun off it's hook, and aimed it at the floor of my stateroom. The wood floor made of sentiwer tree bark, that cost me 5,000 gold coins to have put into the ship. I aimed my shotgun at that expensive floor, and shot it. That's right, I shot a hole right through it, gaining acess to the floor below, which led to the long boats. "Go!" I yelled, shoving Mr. Hawkins toward the hole. He jumped down, the doctor did the same. I looked back just in time to see the door blasting to pieces. Then, I jumped.

I ran down the corridor, with Hawkins and the doctor in front of me. From behind me, I could hear the sound of the pirate's feet behind me as they chased us. My heart was beating faster than it had ever beat before. It felt like it was about to burst. I was going to hyperventilate. I shot behind me and was pleased to hear someone cry out and fall. See, I wasn't just scared. I was angry.

" curse you, damn idiots from hell!" I yelled over my sholder as we ran down the set of stairs that led into the docking bay. The doctor tripped and fell on his face at the bottom. Out of reflexes, I grabbed him and threw him into a long boat. Then, when I had made sure that Mr. Hawkins was through the door, I slammed it shut and sealed the lock with my shotgun. I ran over to the lever that oberated the door at the bottom and pulled it. The door started opening. The longboat that hawkins and the doctor were in started going down. I looked at the door. The pirates were trying to blast it with their laser guns. I had no other choice than to try and jump into the longboat. I jumped for it, using the floor as a springboard, flipped upsidedown, and landed safely on my feet in the boat. The doctor stared. I was filled with gladness. We're going to get away, I thought.

What happened next, well, I blame it on the morph.

The boat slid smoothly down into space. I really thought we were going to make it out when...

" HEY MORPH!" yelled Mr. Hawkins, "GIVE IT BACK, YOU BLOB FROM HELL!"

I looked. The stupid morph had gotten hold of the map, and was flying around with it. Hawkins jumped out of the boat and started chasing the morph. Just then, the door gave way. Pirates poured in. I knew I had to distract them from Mr. Hawkins. I aimed and fired my shotgun. The crew looked over and started shooting at us. The doctor took my cue and started shooting at the pirates too, except that he covered his eyes every time he shot. No one had been hit. Yet. Then Silver ran over and pulled the lever to the door. It started sliding shut again. I didn't care at that point

"Shoot and miss you pus filled boils!" I yelled, daggers of anger plunging into my heart. Then the doctor hit a tank on the ceiling. It crashed onto the floor and broke it, sending several pirates (including the one who spoke flatula) falling into space. I was impressed. "Doctor, did you actually aim for that?" I asked, knowing he might have done it accidently.

"You know actually I did?" the doctor asked, as if he couldn't belive it himself.

I saw a pirate aiming for us, and pushed the doctor (who seemed to be in a state of shock) down onto the floor of the longboat just as a beam from a flare gun shot over our heads. Then I fully noticed that the door was sliding shut, and we were sliding down toward it. "doctor, You shoot at the forward cable, I'll take this one" I managed to say. I felt very...energized. Of course, I was angry and scared, but I felt very energized. It had been six months scince my last battle, and I was ready for action. I shot at my cable. The doctor shot at his. The longboat fell, Mr. Hawkins jumped, map in hand, and grabbed the boat with his hand, and we slid through the door, which was halfway shut. We tipped a bit, and fell through, the back of the boat falling first. The doctor fell off his seat, and Mr. Hawkins was barely holding on. I turned to the control panel and punched in 1_33524_56, which would unfurl the sail. The sail came loose, and the boat stopped falling, and started heading for the planet, I took the rudder. I thought we were safe until...

... "LASER BALL AT TWELVE O' CLOCK !" the doctor yelled. I turned, and saw that, indeed, the ship had fired a laser ball at us. Unfortunatly, they had a very good gunnman. I turned the little boat as much as I could. For a split second, I thought we had gotten away. Then everything exploded, and pain seared through my left side. When the explosion cleared, I saw that the sail had been blown off, as well as part of the back of the ship. I did as much as i could to steer the ship down safely,but it seemed as though the rudder was broken. We entered the planet's atmosphere, smashing through a immense mushroom-like plant and nose diving into the thick vegetation. We skidded for a few seconds, then the boat flipped upsidedown, and stopped. I was flung out of my seat and landed on the mossy ground on all fours. Mr. Hawkins landed on his back. The doctor got a whiplash and landed on his butt. Hawkins recovered quickly, leaping up as though nothing had happened. The doctor, on the other hand, got up slowly, rubbing his neck.

"that was more fun than I ever want to have again", he groaned, tacking off his now broken spectacals and replacing them with the spare ones he always carried with him.

I attempted to get up, but pain flared through my left side, as though it was being sliced by red hot knives. "ahhhhh!" I groaned in pain, falling back down to the ground.

"Captain!", the doctor rushed to my side. I pushed him away. What was I thinking, showing weakness?

" I'm fine doctor, cup of tea and I'll be right as rain" I said, standing up, hoping to sound tougher than I felt. "Mr hawkins, you have the map?" I asked. Mr. Hawkins smiled and pulled it out. Just then it lifted of the palm of his hand, and turned into... The morph. That fat, stupid, morph. It was laughing it's head off. I was mad, but Hawkins was furious.

MORPH, WHERE'S THE MAP?," he yelled. The morph mimed the map going into a coil of rope. "what, it's on the ship?" he said, in shock. The doctor and I sighed. Along with frustration with the morph, I was dissapointed and angry. All this for NOTHING?

Than the pain in my side flared again, and I fell back, landing in the doctor's arms. " I'm FINE!" I yelled, more to reassure myself than the doctor. I straightened and pushed some loose strands of hair back into their places. The pain in my side throbbed dully. Then my sensitive ears picked up the sound of an approaching longboat.

" stifle that morph blob, and get low," I muttered, crouching. "we've got company.

Everyone got down, quivering and tense. The boat eventually flew off to look somewhere else. We all sighed in relief and stood. Well, the doctor and hawkins stood. I raised myself slowly, supporting myself with my shotgun. I didn't want to show any weakness, even though I could feel that I was badly injured. "Mr. Hawkins," I said to the boy. Then, I relized I was adressing the Doctor. I turned to Mr. Hawkins. "We need a more defendable position," I tossed him a pistol.

"Aye, Captain," he said walking off. Just then, my side exploded in pain, making me fall back again. The doctor caught me.

"now, let me have a look at that" he said. I glared at him, despite my pain.

" Take off my clothes?" I asked incredulesly, " did you hit your head, doctor?" I wondered why he'd even consider asking me that.

" no, I hav'nt hit my head at all," he answered calmly, " but you're hurt."

" I am not hurt" I protested, even though the pain was making me want to vomit.

" I need to help you" the doctor said softly.

That made me angry. " You, help me?, you're the one who landed me in this mess, hired a jackass crew, and caused the death of my brother by even suggesting this goddamn mission, and you want to HELP ME?" I screamed, forgetting my pain.

The doctor looked upset. " you're in pain" he whispered.

" I AM NOT!" I yelled. There was no way that I was going to let my weakness show.

"yes, you are, and I need to see if you're bleeding or not" the doctor spoke more forcefully than I'd ever heard him speak before.

Than my side flared. I had run out of steam. I felt weak. I was in no condition to argue. so...

" go ahead, look" I sighed. The doctor looked uncomfortable. With trembling fingeres he unbottoned my coat, and gasped.

" doctor, what is it?" I asked, worried.

"oh, nothing, nothing, don't worry" said the doctor, as if to reasure himself as well as me.

He took off my coat.

" captain, I really hope you don't ming...mind," he said, finger trembling at the first botton of my shirt.

" oh, go a head and do it doctor, just get this over with" I groaned, partway from anger, partway from pain.

The doctor unbottoned my coat, and took off my gloves. Then I noticed something.

" Doctor, why, you're blushing" I teased, needing something to cheer me up.

" well, you see, I've never opressed...that is, i mean...obsessed...i mean...undressed, a lady before." he stuttered.

" are you calling me a lady?" I asked, pretending to be offended. Despite my pain, I could still tease.

" no... I... no, sorry captain"

I gigled , but my laughter was cut off by a small scream of pain as the doctor took off my shirt.

" argghhhh" I moaned

the doctor, extreamly upset, tried to soothe me. "Captain, don't worry, it's alright, it's alright", he said comfortingly, placing his hand on my bare sholder. It felt safe, and warm.

" captain, you're bleeding rather badly" said the doctor suddenly, always the one to ruin his own moment.

He put his hand lightly to my side and pulled it back. It was covered in blood.

Great.

Now I was stuck in the wilderness, with a stuttering astrophisysist, lying on the ground with only my bra on, and bleeding.

"Damn," I whispered, for fear that talking normally would incite the hurting in my wound. Then the doctor took a scarf out of his pocket.

" what the hell are you going to do with that?" I snarled, " strangle me and put me out of my misery?"

" no, I wouldn't dream of it captain, I'm simply making a bandage to wrap around your side. But this won't be enough, I'm afraid" he then took his coat, the one he was wearing (which, by the looks of it, cost him about five gold coins.), and ripped a strip from the bottom.

" that should hold it" the doctor said. " now captain, this will hurt a little"

that was an understatement. He wound the bandage around my side, and pulled it tight. The pain was unimamginable. I heard someone screaming, and realized it was me. Then, I saw only blackness.

when I awoke, everything was quiet and dark. I hard crickets chirping, i turned, making my side flare up in pain.

"argh" I groaned. Then I remembered, I was stuck on some goddamn planet, deserted exept for me, hawkins, and the doctor. And whatever creatures might be living here, said the nervous part of me. I shuddered at the very thought.

" captain, are you awake?" asked the doctor.

"yes,doctor" I said, and immediately regretted it. Speaking aloud had caused my wound to hurt worse than it already did. I winced.

" Captain, really, it's alright" the doctor reasured me by stroking my ear. I found it very comforting.

That's when I realized it.

No matter what I'd thought about loving a man, I was starting to love the doctor.

You idiot, you need no one, remember? Said the little voice in my head. I brushed it aside. I had more imporntant things to think about than the doctor. Like how to get off this godfrosaken planet, for instance.

" Amelia, do you think we ought to..." the doctor cut himself off, realizing he'd just called me by my name.

" what's that...delbert?" I asked teasingly, calling him by his name.

" well... if it's okay to call you amelia..." he said

" as long as you do it in private" i whispered

" well then... we ought to.."

"shhhhhhhh!" I said, cutting him off. I twiched my ear " I hear something". It was true. I was hearing grass rustling, as if someone was walking through it.

" I don't hear anything" said the doctor

" that's what these are for" I pointed to my ear, "ahhh!"

" what's wrong amelia?" the doctors face looked worried. It was so sweet. I felt a strange urge to kiss him.

" nothing. I shouldn't have moved my arm, that's all" I smiled to reasure him.

I heard rustling again.

"doctor, get your pistol, they might have found us"

by they, i ment pirates.

The doctor aimed his pistol at the rustling sound, which was now getting closer. Then,

"HI!"

An old rusty robot jumped out of the plants. The doctor, taken off guard, shot at it. The bullet bounced off harmlessly. The robot took it personally, however, and started crying. I was shocked. Robots did not cry. They didn't have feelings. They were simplly programmed to do their job and that was it.

Then Mr. Hawkins stepped out.

" JIMMY, THAT GUY SHOT AT ME! HE HATES ME! WAAAAAAAA!" the robot threw himself into hawkins' arms.

" Jim" said the doctor, whose eyes were popping out of his head, " Jim, you almost got yourself killed. "and what is that thing?" he pointed to the robot, who was wailing loudly.

" um... sorry i scared you" said hawkins sheepishly. " and this is.."

"BEN! I'M BEN! I'M JIMMY'S BEST FRIEND! HA!" said the seemingly-on-sugar-high robot.

" ben's a bio-electronic navigator" explained hawkins

I was astounded. "they stopped making those centuries ago, hawkins" I hissed. It was true. They used to be very popular long ago, but they stopped selling. See, they were robots with brains that worked like humans and experienced human emotion (which explained the crying and exitable screaming). They had been expensive to make and but. So when other sellers started offering regular, unfeeling, unthinking robots for cheaper prices, the bio-electronic navigators stopped selling.

" yeah" said hawkins, "but this guy knew captain flint"

That stunned me. So thats why the robot was so old.

" he's missing his memory circut, but he thinks he knows something about the treasure" hawkins said, immeadietly explaining the compleate psyco-ness of the robot.

The pain shot through my side again, reminding me that the crazy, outdated robot was the least of my worries.

" and what help is he to us?" asked the doctor, annoyed.

" he has a place we can hide" replied hawkins, smiling.

there was only one problem with BEN's house. It was about three miles away. There wouldn't have been a problem with that, exept for the fact that i coldn't walk without killing myself. But I would never admit that.

" well, let's be off, then" I said, attemting to stand up. Bad decision. Waves of pain and nausa washed over me. Slumping back to the groung, I vomited.

" Captain!" the doctor yelled, rushing over. He leaned over me and placed his hand on my sholder. I was shaking with the after affects of the vomiting. "Captain, it's alright, i've got you" he said. I relaxed, his voice was so comforting. "Captain, we have to get moving to BENs house. As you can't walk in your present state, I fear i will have to carry you."

" carry me?" I said in shock. Not since i was very young had I allowed a man to carry me. And I certainly did not plan on doing it now. " doctor, I can walk," I said, standing up and attempting to stride foward. I fell flat on my face. BEN broke out in hysterical laughter, along with the morph. I shot them both a glare. That shut them up.

The doctor lifted me up with a look of concern on his face.

" doctor, put me down" i protested angrily.

" captain, you are injured, you cant walk, we need to get to shelter, we are being belated because of your selfish desire to keep your pride, and I will carry you" the doctor said this so forcefully that i was taken off gaurd. I realized that, yes, I was keeping the rest of my crew (if you could call two people a crew) from getting to safety.

" All right, doctor, let's go. I said

The walk to BENs house was long and painful. At first, I felt very uncomfortable in the doctor's arms, but as the journey progressed, I began to feel safe, and secure. I knew the doctor would protect me. The painful part was that the doctor often stumbled on roots and other miscellaneous objects on the overgrown path, jolting my side. And every time I cried out. He'd start apologizing thoroughly, as though it would help. Not to mention that BEN, the robot, was skipping ahead of us singing "FOLLOW THE BUTTERFLIES, FOLLOW THE BUTTERFLIES" at the top of his voice.

" Delbert," I whispered, trying to make conversation, " do I weigh to much for you?"

he turnet red. "actually, amelia, you're very flight...I mean light. How much do you wiegh, anyways?"

"60 pounds" I murmured. He looked shocked. I laughed, then cried out because Delbert had once again stumbled. Delbert went back to appologizing. Eventually, I fell into a feverish stupor, and I dreamed that I was being chased, but my legs wouldn't I was falling into a trench, into terrifying nothingness... I woke up sweating. Someone was carrying me. " John?" I muttered

" No, It's me, delbert, remember?" whispered my carrier.

Then I remembered. I was stuck on some planet, John was dead, and I was badly injured. Well, I guess it can't get worse.I thought as i once again drifted off.

I was awoken unpleasantly by BEN saying "AWWWW, how swEET" I looked around we were in a cave of some sort, a mossy, overgrown cave. This is where he LIVES? I wondered. I was leaning on a large rock producing from the ground, and Delbert was standing next to me, obviously just having put me down. I felt something soft under my head. Delbert's coat, I relized.

" I find old fashion roMAnce SO touChING, don't YOU?" BEN said to Delbert, reffering to him carrying me. " A DRINK for the HAPPY coupLE?" he asked.

" we...we don't drink," Delbert, refusing the cups of engine oil he offered, " and we're..not a couple" he added, smiling good naturedly, obviously thinking of what had happened last time we had been drinking. I smiled back. Then I realized I had to give some orders, now, in case anyone had seen me smile.

" Mr. Hawkins," I said, forcing myself up, "stop anyone who tries to approroach. Ahh!" I cried out in pain as my side pulsed again.

" Now you listen to me," said Delbert, kneeling next to me and pushing me back down, " stop giving orders, for at least a few milliseconds"

" very forceful, doctor" I teased. His face fell. I realized I had hurt his feelings. "go, on, say something else," I prompted, trying to lift his spirit. Then he looked at me... lovingly. And what had been obvious the whole voyage suddenly became clear to me.

Delbert didn't just want to be my friend. He loved me.

This came to me as startlingly as John's death. But the whole matter was immediately dissmissed when I heard BEN yell " HEY, LOOK! IT'S SOME MORE OF YOUR BUDDIES! WE'RE OVER HERE, FELLAS!"

Immedietly followed by a bunch of shots. I guessed that the pirates had found us. Unfortunately, I was right.

" danm you, BEN" I said angrilly. Even though It wasn't his fault. Then the shooting abruptly stopped. I heard Silver's voice.

" If it's alright with t'e capt'n, I'd like to have a word with yeh, Jimbo."

This angered me more than I thought it would. " come to bargain for the map, no doubt" I said, voicing my thoughts, " that no good, damn son of a-"

" captain" Delbert warned. He obviously thought Mr. Hawkins was too young to hear what I had been about to say. then Mr. Hawkins voiced a stradegy that I had never thought of: pretend we still had the map. "brilliant" I said dully. I felt the pain in my side coming on again. Mr. Hawkins clambered out of the cave to meet with Silver. I didn't hear any of their conversation exept for at the end when I heard Silver yelling: "BLAST YOU ALL TO KINGDOM COME"

well, I kind of heard this, but I was slipping in and out of conciseness.

"doctor," I said, feeling like I had to tell him before I totally fell into a daze, " we must stay together, and..."

"we must stay together and what?" said Delbert urgently. "WHAT?"

Just then I noticed that there was a spark in Delbert's eyes that I had never noticed before. " You have beautiful eyes, Doctor," I said. I felt like I was sliding away from the world. Everything grew blurry. So this is what a fever daze feels like, I thought. Then, I slipped into unconcisness.

I awoke a few times, each to Delbert stroking my ears, or pouring water down my throat. Once I even awoke to find his hand on my forehead. " Are you okay? I asked .

"the real question is, are you okay?" whispered Delbert, stroking my hair.

No man, exept John, had ever done that. And, even if I loved the doctor a bit, I wouldn't allow it.

" Delbert, stop it!" I said harshly, shoving his hand away. He looked crestfallen. But there is a place where one must draw a line.

" where's Mr. Hawkins?" I asked, noticing the boys abcense.

" he left with BEN, to retrive the map. They found the back door" Delbert replied.

That made me angry. I had specifically told Delbert to keep us together. "what's the matter with you?" I yelled, sitting up, "I told you to- argh" I fell down again as pain coursed through my hurt side.

Delbert looked at me pitifully, which made me even more infuriated.

"I'll take the next watch, if you're tired," I offered, not wanting Delbert to think of me as even more of a weakling.

"No, I'm okay," said Delbert. "by the way, why are you being so difficult? You seem as though you must act as though there is nothing wrong"

" showing an inch of weakness will get you killed in space" I replied stonily. " I've already shown enough weakness in this voyage."

" but..."

"DOCTOR!" I yelled. "will you just shut the hell up and get on with the watch?"

"alright" he sighed

"do you have the shotgun ready?"

"yes" he replied.

"good man" I murmured as a wave of pain overtook me and dragged me back into the waters of sleep.

When I awoke, everything was quiet, and the first rays of dawn were beginning to show. As I slowly took in my surroundings, I heard a breathing sound. I rolled over (stifling a gasp of pain ) and found myself face-to-face with a sleeping Delbert. My blood imedietly went cold. Had Delbert DONE anything while I was asleep without my notice? My usually restrained imagination went on overdive. I imagined Delbert sneaking up to me while I was sleeping, pulling down his pants and...

" DOCTOR!" I yelled in compleate panic.

" what?...oh, captain, you're awake.." Delbert said.

"AHHHHHH! " I yelled, still he'd tried to have sex with me. I do not, to this day, know why I thought that.

" CAPTAIN!" the Delbert yelled, panicked, jumping up into a sitting position beside me. "what's wrong? What happened?"

Just then I regained my senses, and realized that Delbert would never do such an awful thing.

" I'm sorry, delbert I thought, well, I was surprised to see you were sleeping next to me, that's all"

" oh...sorry" said Delbert.

" you should be, " I said, regaining my captain personality and reminding myself to never let down my guard again, " you scared the goddamn shit out of me"

Delbert opened his mouth to argue, but just then I heard a sound, a clanking sound, and the sound of many feet tramping on the grass outside.

" delbert, what's that?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

" It's the pirates" whispered Delbert

I was immedietly filled with dread.

" Damn" I whispered

" come on, behind this rock" said delbert, slipping behind the rock and pulling me after him.

To get out uncaptured, I knew we needed a miracle. Unfortunatly, a miracle didn't feel like occuring.

Well, If you've taken the time to read this far, thanks. Plz review!