A/N: Sorry about the chapters being short but hopefully they will get longer when the action starts, which should be soon as the film starts in this chapter!

Chapter 3

The Acheron

The first two months of the voyage passed in a haze of rolling ocean, shouted orders and days spent reading or asking Dr. Maturin for help on pronunciation of the Italian I was learning. Books can only teach so much and the naturalist seemed to be able to add linguist to his list of skills. I was finding this trip to be far more interesting than I had thought it would be. When Mr Blakeney wasn't busy we talked about how the ship worked, sometimes about natural theories with Maturin. I often let Will borrow my books on languages as I discovered he had been taught Latin by his tutor before becoming a midshipman and he thought it would be useful if he wanted to translate the names of the creatures he talked about with Dr Maturin. I was still lonely for much of the time but I found it reassuring to know that there were people who cared for me on this ship. I ate with the midshipmen when Mr Calamy was in the great cabin or on watch but since the incident with the hat we had gone back to our usual system of avoiding each other.

I woke up early as usual and began to open up my Italian novel and dictionary to the place I had read to last night, but something nagged at me. After five minutes of pacing around my room a half formed thought or memory leapt out at me. I dropped to my knees in front of my trunk, sliding out the hidden draw at the bottom. Shuffling through the papers I found the list of agents. There were two in Brazil, Samuel Lowrey and Arielo Belmiro. I had not met ether of them but I knew Mr Lowrey had been stationed at the coast to relay orders and information to the ships that passed. If he had been captured...I didn't even want to think. The intelligence he possessed would be lethal. After that I could no longer sit on the wooden floor of my birth pondering the repercussions of the Acheron having access to this information. So I got dressed, we were currently in a mild climate, but it was early so I dressed warmly in a linen petticoat and a cotton dress that pinched in at the waist and fell slimly to about an inch above the floor. It was a moss green with ties that kept the sleeves tight and out of the way. I was not fond of corsets but I wore one loosely between my dress and petticoat. Over this I slung my holster with a loaded pistol and knife belt. Other than languages I was enthusiastic about weaponry, which I knew was not really expected in a woman but I didn't see what was wrong with being interested in a thing that could eventually save my life. I had a gunsmith back in Whitehall who had made me a pair of pistols that were small and concealable but intricately decorated. The handles were a red wood inlaid with silver in the shape of a fox prowling underneath three stars, as that was the insignia of my English family, the barrel was plain but with the same pattern as the handles running along the side from the trigger block to a quarter of the way down the barrel. I had one knife for stabbing, it was more of a dagger than a knife, but the two others were small and mainly for throwing. The knife belt was leather and made specially so that the part where the knives were stored could not be seen when I wore a jacket. Which I did today. The jacket was a grey blue colour which contrasted well with the dress. Then I laced up the leather boots and pulled them tight, just in case I had to do some running today. I let my hair go free except for the hair at the front which I gathered back to stop it flying into my face.

When I decided I was ready I opened the door and half ran out up onto the gun deck, then up the steps again to the open air. Today it was foggy. The mist hung above the sea like a blanket of clouds, reducing visibility to around fifty yards. Towards the bow there was a commotion. Many of the men were staring at two officers, when I got closer I realised that it was Mr Calamy and Mr Hollom. I walked about ten paces closer.

"We shall beat to quarters!" shouted Mr Calamy, causing the men to hurry quickly into position. I heard the sounds of the entire crew of the Surprise scramble around from the youngest powder monkey to the Captain himself. Then the drum started telling everyone who didnt hear the original call to prepare for battle.

I turned back to Mr Hollom, catching him by the arm.

"What has happened, Mr Hollom?" I questioned.

"I saw a shape...of a sail, Miss." He stuttered. "At least I think I did..."

"Thank you, Mr Hollom."I replied whilst thinking to myself 'aren't you glad you put your pistol on today.' Amidst the flurry of movement I saw the Captain striding up the deck towards us, taking Hollom's spyglass.

"where away?" He Inquired.

"Two points off the starboard bow, Sir, not a mile distant." Answered Hollom, I was surprised at how sure he sounded as before I had always seen him as indecisive and shy.

"Are you sure, Mr Hollom?" He continued.

"Yes Sir."

"Man of war?" The Captain said this in a way that left you in no doubt as to how seiriously he took the situation.

"I don't know sir." he paused, oh no, I thought, where has his sureness gone? "It was only for a moment I thought I saw a shape"

"Did you see it Mr Calamy?"

"No Sir" At Peter's words I could not help but compare the young lieutenant to the over aged midshipman. Mr Hollom stood there looking like he wanted to sink through the deck to the cannons, whereas Peter stood straight backed, and commanding.

"Well you did the right thing Mr Hollom." He turned around to both of them and sent them away. "Go to your stations" The two men tipped their hats the the Captain, and walked past me, Mr Hollom turned to me and repeated the action, whilst Mr Calamy contented himself with casting me a look of suspicion.

The Captain turned to me;

"Do you know of any ships in this area?" he continued in the same clipped tone.

"Yes there is one English wailer in these waters but I would be more worried about it being the Acheron." I stayed calm whilst speaking, if the Captain could so would I. In reality the fear of the unknown was gnawing at me.

"Yes." He smiled at me, evidently seeing my nerves. "My fears were the same." He turned back to look into the spyglass again, suddenly pushing me down beneath him and shouting; "Get down!"

I only realised why when I looked up and saw splintered wood falling like snow.

The Captain pushed himself up.

"Get below now!" I would have been more than happy to follow his orders if I had not seen Will. It looked like half his arm was prickly, with wood sticking out of it at odd angles.

"Will!" I called out whilst I ran up to him. "Oh God, Will" I saw the horror on his face at seeing his arm. I pulled him up hoping that was the only broken part of him, as I half carried half dragged him along the deck towards the infirmary.

Ooooh, cliffhanger! I hope you don't mind but I am going to have to put this chapter up in two parts, So you will just have to wait to find out what happens to our favorite Midshipman (who am i kidding? everyone knows Will is too cute to die!)