[luceti] - Appointments

[captainhornblower]

Messages and meetings for Cpt. Horatio Hornblower.


(Please title and date as appropriate.)

Comments

[captainhornblower]

[...Shit.

It's... obvious.

The question should have occurred to him immediately upon hearing William's voice. And yet... somehow... until now. Until he hears Archie say it.

Well, his surprise is evident.]

I--

[God damn it.

William is the senior officer, has the experience.

But Archie has the experience here.

William knows how to run a ship as first lieutenant.

Archie knows how to handle volunteers who can, in fact, leave at any time.

William would fall in line with him.

Archie would argue with him... when he needed it.

Horatio takes a breath, ordering his thoughts.]

[simplestgift]

[Ohhhhh wonderful! It appears Archie overestimated Horatio.]

You haven't thought of it at all.

[captainhornblower]

[Horatio begins to say something but checks himself.

The rebuke is suitable. He is a captain. He ought to have thought of it immediately.

But he'd been... He'd just been so relieved to have them both. The thought of rank and command hadn't occurred to him.

His eyes closed briefly, and when they opened he was staring at his desk.

There was no way to answer and no way to stall.]

[simplestgift]

Never mind, then. [Archie sighs, folds his arms, and leans against the wall.] It isn't as if we're going anywhere any time soon. Take your time.

[He chews his lower lip.]

More than half the crew is female, Horatio.

[captainhornblower]

...I know.

[And he's used to it. Slowly. He's gotten used to it.

But William? William would have to adjust to it all.]

[simplestgift]

[He's just throwing that out there.]

Well. Whatever you choose, you have my full support. He does have seniority. But...I don't like to think how the crew will take to him, Horatio, not at this moment.

[captainhornblower]

I'll be considering it carefully, Archie.

[He knows the responsible choice. He just has to think how to make it. And how to tell his friends and lieutenants about it.]

[simplestgift]

[He knows when he's been shut down.]

Well. [He pushes away from the wall.] Keep me abreast of matters. What do you want for breakfast in the morning?

[captainhornblower]

[What other answer can he give? It is something that he'll need to consider, need to examine everything about it if he wants to manage this. It's a precarious position, even if he's sure he already knows the right choice.

He manages to force a smile.]

Whatever you'd like, Archie. [After all, especially with four of them in the house... They both know he won't be eating the largest share. He never does.]

[simplestgift]

[Archie nods, but hesitates before leaving.]

H-he's the better choice, Horatio. You know it. At least, where the actual duties of a first lieutenant are concerned. I won't mind.

[captainhornblower]

According to the customs of the British Navy, he is the only choice.

[And yet, the words... carry a weight that is not quite usual. There is no British Navy here, seniority is a relative thing now, and there is more than the world he knows to consider.

The answer is not as easy as it would be were they discussing a British ship of war.]

[simplestgift]

This isn't the Navy, Horatio. [It's spoken softly. Very softly. It's almost redundant, saying what he knows they're both thinking.] Not unless you wish it.

[captainhornblower]

This isn't the Navy.

[It's not quite a promise, not as far as his decision goes, but it's an admission. He knows he isn't in his familiar world, and that will be weighed with everything else.]