Author's comments: Hello!
This little number is actually an apology (mainly to Ash Phox) about deleting my other Pro-Archie Fanfiction, New Beginnings. It wasn't going anywhere, and I figured that seeing as this one would address the same sort of issues and not suck, I might as well delete the other! So. Sorry Ash Phox, because you were my biggest Supporter (You and What-Is-That) and I deleted the Fic! This Fiction is for you!
Disclaimer: I don't own Hornblower, but Archie is in my cupboard right now...I'd better let him out for some fresh air...grins evilly
Warning: If you are not an Archie supporter, Don't read this, if you think that he is a woosy girl, SHUT UP! He rules! and you won't like this anyway, because Horatio isn't in it very much.
Archie Kennedy sat outside the examination room, fiddling with the hat in his hands.
He recited the different signals in his head and pictured their flags, he envisioned difficult situations which he would have to get out of.
He squeezed the life out his hat and felt like throwing up.
There were only three midshipmen other than him left in the entrance hall to what Horatio had described as a room small enough to be stuffy, yet large enough to insert the admirals' power. That hadn't made Archie feel much better.
Horatio had been tutoring Archie for a month now. the latter sailor smiled:
Archie ducked his head as he stepped into the officer's mess. Horatio was sitting there looking melancholy and evidently feeling rather sorry for himself. It had been already a month since their escape from Muzillac but Horatio still had moments like these and fitful dreams.
Archie walked in and sat down.
Horatio looked up at him. The young man seemd pale and distracted. Horatio noted that he looked like he himself had when he had found out about his examination…His examination!
"Archie!" Horatio said excitedly, he was sure of it now, Archie had that shell-shocked look on his face, "Captain Pellew told you about your examination, didn't he?"
"Hm? Oh, yes." Archie seemed rather off-colour, "We dock in Portsmouth in one month. He said he wanted to give mea lot of notice."
Horatio nearly kicked himself, he had been so caught up in his own misery he had forgotten that Archie would soon be having his examination for lieutenant! And they only had a month to study! All this time Archie had been concentrating on comforting him, when they should have been concentrating on study!
Horatio had spent all the time he wasn't on duty or eating studying with Archie.
"Mister Harem" Called an imposing voice from the exam room
The pale, blonde young man –who looked a little green- rose and walked into the room, with only one final, scared glance of desperation back at Archie.
Ten minutes later, he emerged.
"Any luck?" called Archie
The young man shook his head and charged through the exit, head down, eyes glassy.
"Mister Kennedy" Archie felt fear boil his insides and he felt a terrible tingling feeling in his toes and a weakness in his knees as his feet refused to move.
"Mister Kennedy?" The man called again. Archie took a deep breath and plunged through the doors.
The room was just as Horatio had described it. Down to the large telescopic glass at the window.
"Mister Kennedy, your papers, please."
Archie placed the papers on the table and looked at his examiners.
Admiral Chalk. He had been a lieutenant only a few years ago, when Jack Simpson was still alive. He had climbed up the ranks quickly.
The second one Archie recognised as Admiral Gilbertson, a just admiral if ever there was one.
And the third, Admiral O'Reilly, Archie knew to be a harsh man, the sort of man who-if rumours were correct- served his men stale biscuits and old beef while he still dined on mounds of weevil-less biscuit and the freshest beef. Some even rumoured he kept fruit for the first weeks of a voyage.
Fruit! On a frigate!
Archie shook his mind clear and tried to concentrate on what admiral Chalk was saying.
"Well, these papers seem to be in order, Mister Kennedy, so please, sit down, if you would."
"Mister Kennedy, let us get right into it," said Admiral Chalk, "You are aboard a 74 gunner, with three gun decks, and you have foolishly run aground alongside a cliff, while the seabed is not rocky, you have managed to hole your ship in one place. The hole is very minor. How do you rectify this situation, Mister Kennedy?"
Archie breathed and considered the question.
"W-well, first, sir I would take a reading of the fathoms,"
Admiral O'Reilly and Admiral Gilbertson laughed,
"A reading of the fathoms, boy?" Snorted O'Reilly, "You're run aground, knowing how many fathoms deep the water is won't help you!"
Admiral Chalk cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable,
"Now, now, Gentlemen, Mister Kennedy was merely being cautious," he said, "please continue, Mister Kennedy."
Archie was not discouraged by the incident, in fact, it made him more determined do succeed. He addressed Admiral Chalk,
"May I ask, sir, is the ship run aground port or starboard?"
Chalk raised an eyebrow,
"Starboard, Mister Kennedy,"
"And where exactly is the hole?"
"Uh, it is…under the lower gun deck, port."
Archie considered this, then said:
"Sir, I would first fire all the starboard broadsides,"
He grinned inwardly at the stunned expressions on the examiners' faces,
"To break the suction, to shake the ship off the sand bank, sir!"(a/n sound familiar?) Archie said excitedly,
"Then I would…"
He paused, what was it that Horatio had done on the Marie Gallante? Of course, the spare sail,
"Then, sir, once I was free, I would take a sail and place it over the hole as a temproary measure, then I would sail to the nearest port!"
He tried not to smile broadly at the admirals.
Chalk was looking impressed, Gilbertson thoughtful, and O'Reilly scathingly doubtful.
"Firing the Starboard broadsides would shake the hole apart and make it bigger, Kennedy." He said
"With all due respect, sir, Admiral Chalk told me that the hole was port. It would not be affected by the firing of the broadsides.If it were Starboard I would be inclined to take another course of action, of course, sir.
O'Reilly scowled, displeased, "It's too risky, Kennedy,"
"But isn't any course of action you take in that situation going to be risky, O'Reilly?" said Gilbertson, speaking for the first time, "I think the boy has taken the safest and quickest course, which is always best, especially if you're in enemy territory."
"Gilbertson is right, O'Reilly," said Chalk, "I think the boy has taken a very appropriate course of action. It is certainly better than the boy who told us he would leave it to his captain," Chalk laughed, "I think we can give you your commission, Kennedy, yes, Mister Gilbertson, Mister O'Reilly?"
There was a vehement "Yes" from Gilbertson and an incoherent muttering from O'Reilly which Archie took to mean: "Very well"
Chalk handed him his paperwork.
"Congratulations, Mister Kennedy. If you continue to use logic like that, you will go far."
How did you like the first chapter? The ship will come in next chapter, I swear!
Did you love it? like it? review and...I'll give you all a million dollars in hugs!
And, yes, that breaking the suction thing was from Mtuiny...or was it episode six?
anyway, I couldn't think of anything else! So i figure Horatio's stroke of brilliance was Archie's doing!
My most humble and abject apologies if you think the sailing mumbo jumbo sucks. It will be much better next time! I promise!
Love you all!
PretJB4eva