As Hornblower hung there his hands in chains he was thinking about his life at sea with his captain and his friends, he remembered when they first met and how the ward room was silent then they burst out with laughter and started conversation about each of their pasts Hornblower and the duel with Mr simpson, Kennedy and his imprisonment in Spain and Mr Bush with his tales when he had first joined the service serving under Captain Hammond.

Those were the memories he remembered the laughs and the conversation he enjoyed having with his friends, his crew and his comrades on the Indefatigable.

He often thought of those memories, the memories and the laughs he used to have they wer keeping him alive keeping him fighting the pain that was trying to take his body and his life away.

He often remembered the laughs and joyous conversations he had with his Captain, he greatly missed his captain, his crew, his friends and the sea.

He missed the wind in the rigging, standing on the deck of the Indefatigable and serving under the best captain he knew to be in the navy.

Horatio was hung up in a pool of his own blood, his wounds were not healing and he had lost all faith, courage and spirit that he had in his heart, Horatio had given up and he knew he had and he was defeated.

Suddenly he noticed the door open in the corner of his eye, it was the Irishman who was posting reports to his crew, the Spanish marine accompanied him and put his hands in chains so he could not make any further reports, they had found out about the reports he did not know how but they knew.

The Spanish marine wandered over towards Horatio, he let his hands down and carried him over to a bed which the marine had moved closer for him.

"This should never of happened to you they should of let you down to at least lie down, not be hung there all this time, I wish I could of stopped them." The Spanish marine was feeling sorry for Horatio.

Horatio was not expecting a Spanish marine to be able to speak English never mind help him, he did not know what to do but he knew there was some hope left yet,

" thank you "he said struggling to get the words from his lips.

….

As Captain Pellew climbed down on the jolly boat accompanied by leuftennants Bush and Kennedy, as the Captain climbed into the jolly boat there was a sudden wave of silence all they could here was the seagulls in the air, the oars of the jolly boat hitting the water and the front of the jolly boat attacking the waves and the choppy sea.

….

As they climbed aboard the Dreadnought he was met with Captains Hammond, Foster and Captain Fly as they walked down to Captain Foster's cabin Pellew noticed that all the lieutenants seemed to know each other he didn't know where from but he knew they would certainly make and unformidable team.

Captain Pellew laid the maps down onto the table, it seemed that the Spanish bay in which Hornblower was imprisoned was full of around two Channel fleets at anchor, if they could destroy all of the ships in the bay he knew that it would make an almost easy task to rescue his young officer.

"Captain Pellew, you will enter the ships Sapphire and Indefatigable into the west here, Captain Hammond you will take ships Dunbarton and the Eleanor into the east here, Captain fly you will take ships the Justinian and Retribution in between the west and east about here and I will take the ships Drednought and Hotspur in between the east and the west here this will make us spread in a long line ensuring none of these Spanish frigates get out of the bay" Foster seem to know what he was doing and Captain Pellew and none of the officers had any objections to his plan.

Foster continued " Now if we can achieve this, we could take this part of Spain, next we move on to Mr Hornblower, I think we are all of the same mind."

Every officer and captain answered simultaneously "Yes, I think we are sir."

"Over to Captain Pellew, he is your officer, now what is your plan, I know that he has helped at least every one of us and he has saved the lives of many, he would be greatly missed if we were to fail this mission, he has suffered to long, is that not right gentlemen"

Pellew spoke up and told them his plan, trying to keep his concern for the young officer under control "Yes Captain Foster that is correct, now listen to the plan, after this each of our ships will launch three boats each full of well-armed men and marines I also insist that all of us joined here will accompany each of our ships crew we will than divide our men in total between us and the leftennants we will then go into a long line with marines in the front two lines the crew in the next three line and we and the superior officers that accompany us on this mission, we will then take the southern parts of Spain and we will then find the prison and begin our search."

"do we know the location of Mr Hornblower in the prison, Sir?" spoke up Mr Kennedy.

" Yes Mr Kennedy, we do, Mr Hornblower is in the most well-guarded place in the prison, lets pray we get there in time." Captain Pellew stopped speaking as he just felt part of him was missing, then he realised the pain and the part of him that had been missing for the two years, it was Hornblower, that was the part of his heart that was missing, he gave a nod to Captain Hammond.

" Right gentleman we set sail instantly as soon as we reach our ships, let's get Mr Hornblower before it's too late and take the south parts of Spain." Said Hammond instantly heading for the door and the rest of the captains and officers followed.