Captain Horatio Hornblower (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
captainhornblower) wrote2012-06-14 09:04 pm
captainhornblower) wrote2012-06-14 09:04 pm
Sixteenth Dispatch - [written]
To the crew of the Britannia:
We sail on the sixteenth as planned.
To interested parties:
Today is the last day I will allow new crew members to sign the muster list. My officers need time to relay important instruction before we sail.
- Hornblower
[In the face of everything? The threat from the Malnosso over this missing member of their own? Charged with unnamed crimes? And a ticking clock for how long they have to obey?
...It's better, Horatio thinks, to be away from the village. He has no place in the politics of this group. What they do is their choice. He will, though, be trying to protect his crew. It's a gamble, but it's one he's willing to take.]
[Filtered, Jilly, 25%]:
[He's slightly learned to filter!]
Miss Jilly,
I would like to request your presence on board Britannia for her maiden voyage.
Horatio
We sail on the sixteenth as planned.
To interested parties:
Today is the last day I will allow new crew members to sign the muster list. My officers need time to relay important instruction before we sail.
- Hornblower
[In the face of everything? The threat from the Malnosso over this missing member of their own? Charged with unnamed crimes? And a ticking clock for how long they have to obey?
...It's better, Horatio thinks, to be away from the village. He has no place in the politics of this group. What they do is their choice. He will, though, be trying to protect his crew. It's a gamble, but it's one he's willing to take.]
[Filtered, Jilly, 25%]:
[He's slightly learned to filter!]
Miss Jilly,
I would like to request your presence on board Britannia for her maiden voyage.
Horatio
[action]
But you're still probably right.]
[action]
There is no patriotism. There is no balm to soothe the pain of losing someone dear in combat. In asking men (and women, in this case) to stand and fight. There is no cause.
He can only protect as many as he can. He can only hope to live to fight another day.
Because there is not the rest of the Navy to continue the fight if they fall.
He doesn't look at Archie, doesn't dare. This may destroy any credibility he has as a captain. Certainly as a good man. But they can hate him when this is done. It will still be done.]
[action]
I will...help, in all the ways you need. How ever you need. If you need...an ear?
[action]
...And yet...]
I... well may, Archie. Not... not tonight. [He does not know his own mind tonight. He could not ask someone else to try and parse through it.] But I well may, soon.
[action]
All right.