Seventeenth Dispatch - [written]

[captainhornblower]

[Horatio knows.

The moment he wakes up, he knows something in the house is wrong. Cat-like, he pads down the hall. Young Wellard is fast asleep, so is Archie. He pushes open the third door and sees it.

The room is empty, utterly untouched.

William Bush is gone.

Silently, he closes the door. He showers, brushes his uniform twice before donning it, and is still out of the house at dawn. He goes immediately to the sip. To his beloved Britannia.

Will he endanger her, doing what he knows he must? This is reckless. He knows it, too well.

"It's always worked out for the best, sir."

He's only sorry it took William's disappearance to cause this.

On board, he pulls his muster book out. Beside the name William Bush, he makes a simple cross. Then, he goes to the wall and removes the Union Jack there. Less than ten minutes later, the colours are flying from the ship's mast, above the banner they commissioned for Britannia.

This ship, here and now, is England.

And he is an English captain.

Two hours later, he writes in the Journal, barely daring to breathe as he pens the words on the paper.]

Wednesday, August 15th

It is my honour to inform the citizens of the Luceti enclosure that the duties of the frigate Britannia have changed.

She is a vessel of war, meant for naval battle if the Third Party or any sea force should threaten the village.

To that end, she will need guns. Mister Haddock, I should like to commission another from you as well as shot. Lieutenant Kennedy will contact you later with specifics.

I am sure at least a few of you will not believe me, but I will state this now: this is not an act of aggression toward the residents of this village. My ship will enter into conflict only with enemy crafts, those who would harm the people of Luceti. Only acts of violence to persons or property of Britannia will nullify my offer of peace.

Respectfully,
Captain Horatio Hornblower
HMS Atropos
LES Britannia

[As he signs his name, he lets himself take in a breath. No warning, no discussion. Only Archie's encouragement a week ago he cautioned against.

Now, the die is cast. The colours are nailed to the mast. He can think only one thing:

God be with us.]

Comments

[voice]

[thedicearecast]

[Amelia doesn't know how the change will affect her service on the Britannia, but she's more concerned with something else Horatio's said.]

Why would anyone think you want to attack the village?

[voice]

[captainhornblower]

[There's a kind of calm power in his voice now, a certainty. He's recommitted to this role. To the war-time captain.]

The people who are holding us here are at war, and they have used us for their war. Many times.

If the barrier is ever breached -- and thinking that impossible is exceedingly dangerous, ma'am -- every man, woman, child, and animal here is a target.

Re: [voice]

[thedicearecast]

[Amelia's taken aback by the confidence in Horatio's voice. It's quiet, but all the more striking for that quality.]

I don't think it's impossible at all. [Not when she's had things she thinks impossible thrown into her face so many times before.] I think what you're saying makes perfect sense, and I don't see why anyone would think you mean the people here any harm.

[voice]

[vor]

[This answering voice is a little hoarse, and a little tired, like he just woke up.]

Good. I've been wondering why we don't have an organized military force.

[voice]

[captainhornblower]

[A new voice, one Horatio doesn't recognise. ...But it's not in argument. So he'll take it.]

Because citizens here are afraid of tyranny and martial law. But they take that fear to a near-paranoia level.

[He's played nice. It's time to say things plainly now. At least in his present mood.]

[voice]

[vor]

I know something about militarism. The bad ones don't talk the way you do, Captain.

[action]

[simplestgift]

[Archie pads into the living room, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He doesn't make a habit of looking into Bush's room, so he doesn't know the news yet.]

Good morning.

[action]

[captainhornblower]

[Horatio is tying his hair back, pulling the queue out of his jacket.]

Good morning.

I'll be at the ship most of the day.

[Brisk but not unkind. More the busy lieutenant of the Renown who could be seen as a threat to captain and first lieutenant alike. A young man with fire and promise and drive.]

She needs some tending to.

[action]

[simplestgift]

[This isn't really unusual for Horatio, not even to go alone, so it's not immediately alarming.]

Is William not going with you?

voice;

[zumo]

Didn't realize this place had a navy. [The Japanese man's voice holds a touch of curiosity and almost approval. Almost. A navy run by foreigners, apparently, but what can you do?]

Does that kind of thing happen often? Outsiders attacking the village, that is. [Hijikata only arrived after Luceti's recent Malnosso invasion.]

voice;

[captainhornblower]

It didn't have one until today.

[Firm but calm. Unwavering.]

I have been here a year and have not seen it happen, but they have sent us outside the barrier that protects the enclosure. It is only a matter of time before we find ourselves under attack.

I would prefer not to wait until the enemy is at our door to prepare.

[ written ]

[herotypical]

You're coming across a little paranoid, Captain.

[ she reasons that even if the majority of the village were concerned about weird naval aggression, that same majority could deal with the britannia with ease. jack and james, she figures, might feel a little uncomfortable...but to consider it an act of war against the village itself?

hah. ]

And maybe a little proud. I've no doubt that you and your crew can do fab things on the water, but us villagers would have no reason to be afraid of you even if you did the impossible and turned on us. Most of us, after all, are no where near the water.

-BS

[ written ]

[captainhornblower]

I do not mean to sound proud, Miss Summers, [the formality is a welcome comfort] I only wish to alleviate any concerns others may have by making my intentions in writing.

If there is no cause for the village to worry, as you say, then no one need be concerned on its behalf.

- Hornblower

[ written ]

[greenjacketed]

[ in a pained, slow-appearing hand: ]

Only the one? [ sad. sad sad state. but he finds even a slice of his nation's renowned naval force to be a little invigorating. infectious. ] Good on you and your crew, Captain.

[ after a pause, he adds: ] Major Richard Sharpe

[ written ]

[captainhornblower]

There is a prevailing distrust of military here, at times. This will likely not soothe it. It may, in fact, stir it up anew.

But we must be prepared. Only one flank is sea, so the rest is unprotected by my crew, but we shall do what we can.

[Another military man, he hopes, will understand.]

I am an officer in His Majesty's Royal Navy. It has been far too long since I acted like one.

[voiced]

[godbent]

Hiccup's not around right now, Captain. If there's a quick need, you might be waiting a while.

[voiced]

[captainhornblower]

I am not in a rush. When he returns, will you ask him to contact me?

[deathsdoctor]

[...

Okay. Not bothering with writing.]

Isn't that a little overly dramatic?

[... just not going to touch the fact that you folk having been insisting for months your ship wasn't going to be a military vessel right now. Frankly, even if fully armed with cannons, and fully crewed, Law wouldn't consider her a that much of a threat. He has ways of dealing with things like that.

So does a lot of the village when you get right down to it. He's not sure if Horatio's underestimating them, or overestimating his own capacities, but the Britannia would be only impacting a small number of people. Himself included, but if needed, again he could deal with it.]

[voice - filtered 25%]

[theoniongirl]

This is new.

[she didn't mean his desire to make the Britannia a true naval ship. But she still remembered the last draft, and the dismay he'd found himself in.

It's been awhile since then, but in the months she'd known him, she'd seen him nurse ideas until he'd examined every aspect. It wouldn't really be that surprising to have this show up now.]

Is this...because of the attack? On the village?

[voice - filtered 25%]

[captainhornblower]

In part.

[He had felt too useless last time, too unsure of himself to try and help.

But William's disappearance had, in a strange way, helped. His imagination gave voice to every glance William had given. He was too good an officer to criticise his captain, but Horatio knew every look.

He was just sorry it took William going to make him determined to be a captain his lieutenant would be proud of.]

We need some planned lines of defence for when they bring this war to us.

[For it will happen, he's sure.

The only unknowns are when and how.]

[voice]

[want_take_have]

[she didn't really pay attention to the message itself. It was an unfamiliar hand, talking about things that didn't really concern or interest her. She might be all about the fighting, but military stuff wasn't really worth commenting on.

...And then she saw his name.]

...Seriously?

[...this was too good to be real.]

[voice]

[captainhornblower]

Ma'am?

[What else is there to say? Of course he's serious.]

[voice/filtered]

[thedicearecast]

Hey. Don't give him too hard of a time, okay?

[Voice]

[daisy023]

[This is the offer the Lieutenant had talked about...]

Sir. Chief Petty Officer Daisy SPARTAN-023. I was informed by Lieutenant Kennedy that you needed a gunner.

[Voice]

[captainhornblower]

Ma'am.

[His voice is official. Woman or not, it's nice to hear "sir," her rank, and "Lieutenant Kennedy."]

I do.

Are you familiar with the Battle Dome? I confess a certain ignorance as to its functions, but if it could be devised to display a gun deck with functioning cannons, I would be greatly appreciative of the help making that and training any gun crew I might find.