A/n: J & thwap131: Howdy! Thank you for your encouragement! I'm glad
you're enjoying this humble work. (Un)fortunately I'm having a hard time
*not* writing this, so...here's chappy 3. And please feel free to provide
critical feedback. If something doesn't work right, then I'd be much
happier finding out than wondering what I'm doing wrong. ;-) Thanks!
DISCLAIMER: Hornblower, the Indy, etc., are NOT my intellectual property. I do not derive any income or profit whatsoever from this. I just do this for kicks.
Midshipman Hornblower left the sickberth in a haze.
This couldn't be happening. It had to be a dream. In a moment or two he would awaken and find himself safe and snug in his hammock, and everything would be right once more.
But nothing would ever be right again.
For he had struck down his best, and only, friend in a supreme act of cowardice. Yes, Archie was having a fit, and yes, he was making a lot of noise and possibly endangering the mission, but that was no excuse; Horatio had been a doctor's son, and he should have known better. Horatio could have come up with another way of silencing him: gagging him, restraining him, muffling his cries, anything--anything! But no, he had panicked, he'd been afraid the French would hear, so instead of rationally considering his options, he did the first thing that occurred to him, and dashed his friend's head in.
Lieutenant Eccleston had lauded him for this so-called "demonstration of initiative under trying circumstances," or somesuch. Those were pretty words, and Eccleston might even have believed them, but the Captain would have known better. Horatio had cost the Service yet another midshipman, bringing his grand total back up to two, because Simpson--
Simpson!
That bullying blackguard had only been aboard for--what was it?--less than a day, and he'd already turned Horatio's life into a nightmare. Hornblower suspected the man's mere presence had caused Archie's fit (although Horatio hesitated to consider how Simpson could inspire such boundless terror in his normally stolid friend). What was Eccleston *thinking* anyway when he assigned Simpson to their boat?!
And as if that weren't enough, Simpson had tried to kill him! That bastard had had the bloody nerve to shoot him during battle! It's one thing to beat a fellow midshipman belowdecks in Spithead during peacetime; it's another matter entirely to potentially sabotage a mission by attempting murder against another naval officer. In short, Simpson was a traitor! And if Simpson would betray his Country out of personal spite, revenge, what else would he do? Or more to the point: was there anything Simpson *wouldn't* do?
The Indy wasn't safe as long as Simpson prowled its decks! Why didn't Eccleston see this? Or did he not want to see? God knew the lieutenant had found gracious little fault with Simpson aboard the Justinian.
Captain Pellew would never allow Simpson's treachery; the Captain had said so himself. He'd *promised*...and heaven help him, the midshipman had believed him. But now? Now the Captain was laid up--at least for now--and Hornblower would have to stand alone.
Eventually Simpson would find him and confront him.
Horatio couldn't count on the officers to prevent this: Eccleston, for all his good intentions, seemed to have a curious blind spot where Simpson was concerned, and the other officers were constrained to follow the lieutenant's lead. Horatio would find no support among the midshipmen either: the only ones old enough to resist Simpson were Cleveland and Hether, and as they had cowered away from Simpson even in Captain Pellew's presence, Hornblower expected them to fall under Simpson's dominion once more.
He would worry about that later. First he would eat and rest, as Doctor Hepplewhite bade him. Hornblower made to turn down the passageway, when he felt rough hands suddenly grasp him about the shoulders and shove him to the side.
"Hello, Snotty! Jack's been waiting for you."
DISCLAIMER: Hornblower, the Indy, etc., are NOT my intellectual property. I do not derive any income or profit whatsoever from this. I just do this for kicks.
Midshipman Hornblower left the sickberth in a haze.
This couldn't be happening. It had to be a dream. In a moment or two he would awaken and find himself safe and snug in his hammock, and everything would be right once more.
But nothing would ever be right again.
For he had struck down his best, and only, friend in a supreme act of cowardice. Yes, Archie was having a fit, and yes, he was making a lot of noise and possibly endangering the mission, but that was no excuse; Horatio had been a doctor's son, and he should have known better. Horatio could have come up with another way of silencing him: gagging him, restraining him, muffling his cries, anything--anything! But no, he had panicked, he'd been afraid the French would hear, so instead of rationally considering his options, he did the first thing that occurred to him, and dashed his friend's head in.
Lieutenant Eccleston had lauded him for this so-called "demonstration of initiative under trying circumstances," or somesuch. Those were pretty words, and Eccleston might even have believed them, but the Captain would have known better. Horatio had cost the Service yet another midshipman, bringing his grand total back up to two, because Simpson--
Simpson!
That bullying blackguard had only been aboard for--what was it?--less than a day, and he'd already turned Horatio's life into a nightmare. Hornblower suspected the man's mere presence had caused Archie's fit (although Horatio hesitated to consider how Simpson could inspire such boundless terror in his normally stolid friend). What was Eccleston *thinking* anyway when he assigned Simpson to their boat?!
And as if that weren't enough, Simpson had tried to kill him! That bastard had had the bloody nerve to shoot him during battle! It's one thing to beat a fellow midshipman belowdecks in Spithead during peacetime; it's another matter entirely to potentially sabotage a mission by attempting murder against another naval officer. In short, Simpson was a traitor! And if Simpson would betray his Country out of personal spite, revenge, what else would he do? Or more to the point: was there anything Simpson *wouldn't* do?
The Indy wasn't safe as long as Simpson prowled its decks! Why didn't Eccleston see this? Or did he not want to see? God knew the lieutenant had found gracious little fault with Simpson aboard the Justinian.
Captain Pellew would never allow Simpson's treachery; the Captain had said so himself. He'd *promised*...and heaven help him, the midshipman had believed him. But now? Now the Captain was laid up--at least for now--and Hornblower would have to stand alone.
Eventually Simpson would find him and confront him.
Horatio couldn't count on the officers to prevent this: Eccleston, for all his good intentions, seemed to have a curious blind spot where Simpson was concerned, and the other officers were constrained to follow the lieutenant's lead. Horatio would find no support among the midshipmen either: the only ones old enough to resist Simpson were Cleveland and Hether, and as they had cowered away from Simpson even in Captain Pellew's presence, Hornblower expected them to fall under Simpson's dominion once more.
He would worry about that later. First he would eat and rest, as Doctor Hepplewhite bade him. Hornblower made to turn down the passageway, when he felt rough hands suddenly grasp him about the shoulders and shove him to the side.
"Hello, Snotty! Jack's been waiting for you."