Richard Castle and the USS Santa Barbara
By
UCSBdad
Disclaimer: Except for the true parts, this is fiction. Rating: K, mostly. Time: The turn of the 20th Century.
"Now, Kate. I'm afraid I'll have to cut off the top of your dress. Oh dear, I see it's a bit damaged already." Mrs. Trelawney said softly and took out a pair of scissors from her bag.
She used scissors to cut away the top of Kate's dress.
"Ah, I see you're wearing only a chemise with no corset. Very good. That'll make it easier."
"You're going to cut away her chemise?" Castle gasped.
"Of course. How could I see the wound otherwise?"
"But I'll be able to see her…her…"
"Yes, you dozy man. You'll see her bosoms. Would you rather she bleed to death or something?"
"Cas'l." Miss Beckett slurred. "Do as she says."
"Now, help me move her to her right side so I can examine the wound better."
Castle gently grasped Miss Beckett's shoulders and tried to move her.
"By God, man. We haven't all day. Now turn her around."
Castle moved the woman onto her side.
"Now," Said Mrs. Trelawney, "you'll need to hold the left one up so it won't be in the way."
"The left one what?"
"Her left bosom, of course. I do not need it flopping around while I'm trying to work."
Using only one finger, Castle moved Miss Beckett's breast away from the wound.
"Jesus help me." Said Mrs. Trelawney. "Use your hand and hold it. And use the other one to steady her shoulders. Can you do that?"
Castle grasped her breast and moved it out of the way.
"Much better." Mrs. Trelawney said as he examined Kate.
"Kate, it doesn't appear that the bullet penetrated the rib cage. The Chinese often use ancient firearms and poorly made gunpowder. The bullet hit your ribs at an angle and slid along under the skin and came out again. That's good."
"Yes, very good." Kate said, looking up at Castle.
Castle found that holding Miss Beckett's breast was exciting. He also noticed that her nipple was becoming engorged. In fact, both were. As with many young men of his time, Castle did not have a lot of experience with the fairer sex. When he had been in high school a friend had shown him some photos that were quite explicit. Later at Annapolis, he had danced with Miss Meredith. Somehow, Miss Meredith had managed to press her breasts against his chest as they danced, arousing him. He was sure Miss Meredith didn't realize what she was doing since she was a lady. She was the daughter of an admiral, after all. She had given him a rather quick kiss when the dance ended.
"Ah, now where did I put my probes?" Mrs. Trelawney said, bringing Castle back to the present.
"I'll be needing the curved ones. Ah, here the little devils are." She looked down at Kate. "Now, Kate, I'll be probing under the skin to make sure there's nothing in there that shouldn't be. Are you ready?"
"Very ready.' Kate said, still looking at Castle.
The probe went under her skin and eventually came out at the exit wound.
"There. Two pieces of silk from your clothing, Kate. It's good that we got them out."
"Yes," Kate muttered. "They're both out."
"Now, I'll be pouring some alcohol into the wound itself to cleanse it and then I'll sew you up. All right?"
Kate just nodded.
Castle was a bit conflicted when Mrs. Trelawney was done. He shouldn't enjoy fondling Miss Beckett…but…
"We'll need to cover her up now." Mrs. Trelawney said to Castle.
Castle hesitated and then took off his uniform jacket. Somehow, between him and Mrs. Trelawney, they got her covered.
"Orlovsky, you'll have to carry Miss Beckett to her quarters. I'm sure Lieutenant Hawes will be by, and please notify Petty Officer Montgomery. I'd imagine Miss Beckett will need some food after what she's been through." He quickly glanced at Mrs. Trelawney. "It's all right for her to eat, isn't it?"
"Of course, Captain."
Castle then called for the ship's small boats to be loaded. They still needed to check the collier, SS Pacific Trader. What they found was not what they had hoped for.
"All the officers are dead, sir." Said Lieutenant Smith. "They left the crew alive, mostly Chinese coal passers."
Once back aboard the Santa Barbara, Castle organized temporary crews to man both ships.
"We should be back in Hong Kong in two days." He told his assembled officers before sending the temporary crews off.
"Sir, I don't think we should go to Hong Kong." Said Lieutenant Hawes. "I have severely wounded men aboard. Some won't make it, I fear, but if we went to the French port of Haiphong in the colony of Tonkin, we might save men who'd otherwise die if we had to go all the way to Hong Kong. These men need a full hospital."
"We have enough coal to get us to Haiphong in twelve hours at full speed, sir." Said Franklin. "Since we now have the collier, we can re-coal at Haiphong, escort the civilians back to Hong Kong and then head for Manila with the Pacific Trader.
"Then we'll head for Haiphong." Castle decided quickly.
USS Santa Barbara
South China Sea
Morning, April 5, 1899.
Castle heard the light tap on his door that he had come to Associate with Miss Beckett.
"Come in, Miss Beckett."
They both smiled as she came in.
"How are you feeling this morning?"
"Better, but I am very hungry. Petty Officer Montgomery brought me dinner last night, but I couldn't take more than a bite or two. I wonder if I might have breakfast with you?"
"Certainly. You're always welcome here." Castle turned and raised his voice. "Montgomery, Miss Beckett is here and…"
"I heard her come in, sir. And I know how little she ate last night. I'm just putting the finishing touches on a breakfast that'll make up for that."
Before Miss Beckett had finished seating herself, with Castle's help, Montgomery came in with what Kate thought was the biggest and most complete breakfast she'd ever seen. But, once she began, she ate until it was all gone.
"I'm sure Petty Officer Montgomery will appreciate your appetite." Castle said. "He does like to make sure everyone is very well fed."
"I should tell him how much I enjoyed breakfast." Kate said.
"You just did." Montgomery said, coming out of the pantry. "Sir, if you'll excuse me, I said I'd have a few things for the wounded for their breakfasts. I hope that meets with your approval?"
"Of course, it does. You shouldn't have to ask."
Montgomery nodded and then got a small pushcart from the pantry and left.
"Um, Miss Beckett. I'm very much afraid I need to apologize to you."
"Why?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yesterday, I touched…Um, that is…Well, I had my hand on…That is…"
"You touched my breast after I had been shot. I hope you're not sorry for helping me in my hour of need and danger."
"What? Of course not. It's just that a gentleman shouldn't touch…any part of a lady…Especially….Well, especially…You know what I mean."
"Oh." Kate said. "So, what you're trying to say is that you don't find me at all attractive."
Castle was stunned at that reply.
"What? Of course not. I find you very attractive. You're not merely beautiful, but you're intelligent, daring, courageous, knowledgeable, caring and dedicated. You're a remarkable woman, Miss Beckett. Of course, I find you attractive."
Kate giggled.
"I know you find me attractive, Captain. I've known for a while. But you are so easy to tease, I just couldn't resist. I hope you'll forgive me."
"Of course, I do. And I do like you as well."
"As I like you, Captain Castle, but after what happened between us yesterday, I think you might call me Kate, at least when we're alone. May I call you Richard?"
"Miss…Kate, I'll be happy to call you by your given name. However, I'm called Rick, not Richard."
"I rather like the name Rick."
"And I rather like the name Kate."
Haiphong
French Protectorate of Tonkin.
April 7, 1899.
Castle was beginning to wonder if Admiral Duquesne would ever stop talking. The Commander of French naval Forces in the Far East had been going on for a half an hour. Castle was anxious to deliver the collier and its load of coal to Manila. He had arrived in Haiphong the day before and had spent the rest of the day and evening transferring his wounded to a French Navy hospital ashore and re-coaling the Santa Barbara. Now he was ready to leave.
"What is he going on about?" He whispered to Kate.
She managed to stifle a giggle.
"He's talking about you. He's gone through your part in the Battle of San Benito, although he made it sound more like the Battle of Gettysburg. Then he discussed your masterful campaign against the Moros, both on land and sea. He's just finishing up with your defeat of the Chinese pirates."
"Thank God. Maybe we'll be able to leave soon."
"Oh, I'm afraid not. He just started discussing the Marquis de Lafayette. He's beginning with his birth, so we could be here a while."
"You speak French, Miss Beckett?" Asked Nathan Wright, the US Consul in Haiphong. Wright was a tall, distinguished looking man who had lost a leg at Chickamauga during the Civil War. Unlike his counterpart in Hong Kong, Mr. Huntington, who was effectively useless, Mr. Wright had been in Asia for decades and had been sent wherever Washington thought his talents were most needed.
"Oui. Je parle francais." She replied.
Castle couldn't help bragging a bit about Kate.
"She also speaks the local Chinese dialect."
"You do?" Wright said. "How amazing. Do you speak any other languages?"
"I don't mean to brag but I have a bit of a talent for languages. I speak Italian, German, Russian, Serbo-Croatian and Japanese quite well, and a bit of Spanish, Greek, Tagalog and some Cebuan."
"Amazing."
Neither Castle nor Beckett could see it, but the wheels in Wright's head were starting to turn.
At long last, Admiral Duquesne finished his speech.
"I hope I'm not obligated to make one in return." Castle asked Wright.
"Oh, not at all. Not at all."
"Good, then the Santa Barbara will be weighing anchor and heading back for Manila as soon as possible.
"I'm afraid you can't. Didn't anyone tell you?" Wright said.
"Tell me what?"
"There's paperwork to be done. You can't just drop off American military personnel in a foreign port without paperwork. But, I believe everything will be ready by tomorrow afternoon. Could you come by the Consulate around three?"
"Of course." Castle said, and he and Kate went back to the ship.
US Consulate
Haiphong, French Protectorate of Tonkin
April 8, 1899
Castle arrived at the Consulate with Kate. She was fascinated by Asia, and he could see no reason that she couldn't do a bit of sightseeing. He met with Mr. Wright and signed a sheaf of documents, all in French, which he had Kate translate for him.
Oddly, there were two French officers in the room with them. One Castle identified as a naval Captain by his rank insignia. The other was a French Army officer, but Castle couldn't tell his rank.
"Thank you, Captain Castle. And Miss Beckett. Now, if you will forgive me for keeping you a bit longer, I believe you can help me with a little problem that's been bedeviling Franco-American relationships here in Tonkin."
"I'd be glad to do anything I can." Castle said cautiously.
"Have you ever heard of the Chinese Black Flags?"
"I've heard of them, but that's about all."
TBC