captainhornblower | First Dispatch

[The penmanship is formal, letters close together but not connected. Each letter is made of strokes, an almost calligraphy style-- which translates into broken letters with a modern pen.]

Thursday, 10th January, 1805

[A hastily scrawled question mark appears above the date a moment later.]

My precise location is unknown. [A long pause before more words are written.] My general location is unknown. My ship and men are missing. ~~God help me, what has happened?~~

[Notes appear in the margins, wind direction and estimations of its speed. The word 'drift?' and the beginnings of a mathematical formula are etched into a margin.]

I do not know how I came to be where I am. [Another margin note: 'wings???'] I cannot expect this to even be found, but I will record my observations. It is all I can do, and I must do something.

Currently on board vessel. [Another note in the margins:
'unoccupied
single mast
no flags
enemy?
ally?
neutral party?
abandoned?']

~~May the Lord have mercy on me.~~

[The signature is larger, even more carefully penned.]

Hornblower

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[He will not say what he thinks of this pirate on sheer principle. He will not.

Instead, he stares a bit at the building then smiles.] Certainly impressive.

[A beat.]

...I know there's no rent... But... Is there a landlady? Or landlord?

No. Any damage done is repaired by the next day, somehow. [His face is split with another grin at how easy their conversation is again.] It'll be good. You'll see. Two brother bachelors the way it was, only this time with no fools ordering us about.

[He's referring to Buckland, not Sawyer.]

I am quite thankful to Pellew that I was able to wash my hands of that man. [He flashed Archie a smile. Despite what had happened, this much came easily.] Poor Mr. Bush had to serve with him again.

[...Granted, Pellew was probably concerned that if he put them on the same ship again, one or both would not return alive...]

Did he? The poor fellow, did he survive?

[...Archie is going to feel really bad if he didn't.]

Edited 2011-05-07 02:37 (UTC)

...Mr. Bush? Or Mr. Buckland? [It comes out easily, before he can stop himself.] The latter would certainly have been no great loss. [He catches himself, clears his throat, and looks properly ashamed of himself.]

But no, Mr. Bush was quite well. We met again in Portsmouth some time later.

Oh, good. I thought there was hope for the man. How was he, last you saw?

He was... well.

[A pause.]

He was with me on the Hotspur. And had orders to remain with it and its new commander.

[Horatio hasn't spoken of the Hotspur before, so he assumes this was a ship Horatio commanded.] He was your lieutenant?

[Archie has no poker face. He's clearly a tad saddened--not at the prospect of Bush being Horatio's lieutenant, but of the reminder that he never would be.]

[Horatio gripped Archie's shoulder a bit tighter, just to assure himself that the man was actually there.

He should never have had to serve on a ship without Archie Kennedy.]

He was.

[He didn't loosen his hold on Archie's shoulder.

It should have been you.]

[A flash of very, very intense emotion crosses Archie's face before he evens it out.]

He's a good man. I'm glad.

[But since it couldn't be, Bush was a good choice.]

[He just tightens his hold around Archie, nodding slightly.]

He is.

We lost touch. For about a year.

[...And he's just realized some of the politics Archie won't have known.]

There was a year of peace with France. England decommissioned a large amount of the Fleet.

I know.

...You do?

They have history books here, Horatio. To most of the people here who are from Earth, we are history, you know. Dawn is from the year two thousand and five, and American, no less.

Two thousand... [That will take a few moments to process.] My God.

[Archie's inner troll is enjoying this in lieu of any actual trolling. But not for too long--they've arrived, and Kennedy pushes open the door to the building.]

We're the very first door in here, Horatio.

[Horatio is operating in semi-shock mode, but he enters the door specified.]

It's...

[He turns around just inside the door to look at Archie, his smile unmistakable.]

This whole thing-- strange as it is-- is worth it.

You like it?

[Biggest grin ever. He's been waiting for Horatio to see the mural.]

A friend painted it.

[He can't help but smile wider, looking between the wall and his friend.

The mural has definitely made an impression.]

It's amazing. Quite an artist.

Her name is Jilly. She's from the nineteen seventies, and she's one of my dearest friends here. All I did was show her a painting in a book and told her what else there was to it, and there's the Indefatigable on our wall.

Makes it feel that much more like home.

[Archie beams for a little while longer.] Yours is the second room. Make yourself at home. I'll be back with dinner.

[Horatio looks back at Archie for a moment before nodding. He isn't about to appear completely pathetic by not wanting his friend out of his sight.

Instead, he heads for the door indicated. Turning back just slightly, he gives another smile.]

Thank you.

[A smile, a nod, and Archie turns to leave. Then he turns back around.]

Don't...go anywhere, all right?

[Horatio gives a faint chuckle, though one of understanding rather than amusement.]

I won't. I'll be right here.

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