What if 1/2
Dec. 28th, 2006 08:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mylodonTitle: What if? 1/2
Pairing: H/A
Rating: PG
Summary: This is a series of vignettes based on the simple premise 'The Duel - what if the Indy had arrived half an hour later?'
Notes: I play with these characters but have no rights to them.
Seth Godfrey, Able Seaman. Captain Pellew's dignified and sonorous tones rang out over Indefatigable's deck; the part of his duty he most disliked, after writing letters to soon-to-be grieving mothers or wives, was the service for the dead.
James Dedicoate, Bosun's mate. At least these weren't his men - Justinian had always been an unlucky ship and her lack of fortune had produced a devastating effect on many who'd served on her. Including these poor unfortunates whom the Indefatigable's crew had picked from the sea.
John Claybourne Simpson, Acting Lieutenant. Pellew's gaze rose momentarily from his book and fixed upon the two young men who had been this officer's messmates; but if he sought to read any message in their faces it was hidden behind two impassive facades.
***
"He died in my arms, Archie. We tried to save him but it was no use."
"Why did you bother Horatio? Wasn't it better for all of us to just let him go?"
"He was a man for all that and a fellow sailor; it was my duty."
"As it was your duty to challenge him to a duel? You'd have happily shot him in cold blood but not let him drown?"
"The cases are entirely different. Portsmouth was a matter of honour, you know that."
"Duty? Honour? Jack Simpson didn't know the meaning of either. Shall I tell you how he did his duty by me in the cable tiers? How I satisfied his honour in the sail locker?"
"I don't understand..."
"No, you don't. You have no sodding idea..."
***
Matthews knew that Mr Kennedy took precedence in terms of experience, but Mr Hornblower was his man - all his division would stand up for the young officer should he decide to make a stand and assume control of Papillon.
Archie had his supporters, too and they wanted their midshipman - the young turk who'd made such a mess of at least one frog - to be given a chance to show what he was made of. That would wipe the eyes of Styles and his nasty little mates.
Hornblower was aware of the precedents, knew his duty. "Mr Kennedy, what are your orders, sir?"
Archie understood the meaning of carpe diem. "Bring us up close to those Frenchmen and blast them to hell - or take us with them in the process."
Sir Edward Pellew reflected later on an action that had been short, fierce and ultimately triumphant. His favourite had missed his chance this time and might ultimately rue it. Everyone aboard was in agreement - Mr Kennedy had been nothing short of bloody brilliant.
***
When Archie was made lieutenant at the first attempt, you were genuinely delighted for him, if a little jealous.
When he was posted to Arethusa you realised for the first time how much you missed him.
When you were in the Med you wrote to him every week; at last you began to understand the other sailors' longing for the post to arrive.
When he wrote to you every week and the bunches of his letters came, you pored over them to find the hidden meanings behind the words.
When you failed your examination for lieutenant you were too ashamed to tell him.
When the mist began to reveal a forest of Spanish masts you wished to have him by you.
When he tried to buy your freedom, you never found that piece of information out.
When he put a blanket around your shoulders on the deck of the Indy, you could only shake his hand in case you wept.
When he first kissed you, you were a soaking wet midshipman.
When he kissed you a second time you had dried off and had been made lieutenant.
When he kissed you a third time you were both back in Portsmouth.
***
Lieutenant Hornblower My very dearest Horatio
I wish you every success in bringing these challenging plans to fruition. Shambolic plans. Ridiculous orders. The whole thing will be a colossal mess and if we escape with our lives it will be a miracle.
Captain Pellew has every faith in you. As do I. But we both know it's hopeless here - as does any man of sense aboard the Indy.
Acting Lieutenant Doherty is a good officer but lacks experience; he will certainly get it here. He's scared, 'ratio. I saw it in his eyes when the Captain briefed us. He has not experienced battle ashore. Look after him.
Keep away from those French ladies - minxes all of them. Please don't fall for one. I trust you with any man alive but you have no experience of women; you'll succumb. It scares me so.
I look forward to our reunion when our mission is successful. All I want is to have you in one piece. In my bed. I'll row the Indy myself to come and get you if need be.
Your colleague. Your friend, your lover, your very own.
First Lieutenant Kennedy. Archie.
***
Mr Kennedy. Archie. My own Archie.
I found your letter most heartening. I kept it with me always, read it again and again. Kissed the name you'd signed. It's stupid, I know.
I am deeply sorry that the mission did not work out as planned. It was a shambles, just as you said it would be. We never stood a chance. We weren't even wanted there.
I am most aggrieved that we could not fulfil Captain Pellew's orders. He knew, didn't he, just as you did. And I was too ideological to see the truth.
Mr Doherty came through well and showed great courage. In the end. He panicked at the bridge, Archie and I almost had to hold his hand. But you should be proud of him - he's a man now.
The French ladies were admirable, but only at a distance. There was one, Archie - she was so gallant and strong, I could easily have strayed, but I took your words as an order and returned to the camp. She looked just like you.
It was most welcome to see the Indefatigable again. To know that you were there, that you'd survived.
Yours obediently. In everything, Archie.
Second Lieutenant Hornblower. Your Horatio
***
Sometimes they did not couple. Archie would be content with running his fingers along the white ladder of Horatio's spine, over the curve of his chest. Hydrography, they called it; mapping out the continents and oceans in anticipation of further voyaging.
Sometimes he simply held Hornblower in his arms, reassuring and comforting him, trying to touch the hidden depths that not even a lover was privy to. For all his success at in the service, Horatio was deeply troubled, uncertain, unsure of his abilities, analysing again and again every move he'd made and cursing himself for not having acted differently.
Sometimes there was a brilliance and intensity to their lovemaking that made anything else in their lives pale into insignificance.
Sometimes they just lay next to each other like an old married couple and chatted and dozed. They had each other and it was enough.
***
Pairing: H/A
Rating: PG
Summary: This is a series of vignettes based on the simple premise 'The Duel - what if the Indy had arrived half an hour later?'
Notes: I play with these characters but have no rights to them.
Seth Godfrey, Able Seaman. Captain Pellew's dignified and sonorous tones rang out over Indefatigable's deck; the part of his duty he most disliked, after writing letters to soon-to-be grieving mothers or wives, was the service for the dead.
James Dedicoate, Bosun's mate. At least these weren't his men - Justinian had always been an unlucky ship and her lack of fortune had produced a devastating effect on many who'd served on her. Including these poor unfortunates whom the Indefatigable's crew had picked from the sea.
John Claybourne Simpson, Acting Lieutenant. Pellew's gaze rose momentarily from his book and fixed upon the two young men who had been this officer's messmates; but if he sought to read any message in their faces it was hidden behind two impassive facades.
***
"He died in my arms, Archie. We tried to save him but it was no use."
"Why did you bother Horatio? Wasn't it better for all of us to just let him go?"
"He was a man for all that and a fellow sailor; it was my duty."
"As it was your duty to challenge him to a duel? You'd have happily shot him in cold blood but not let him drown?"
"The cases are entirely different. Portsmouth was a matter of honour, you know that."
"Duty? Honour? Jack Simpson didn't know the meaning of either. Shall I tell you how he did his duty by me in the cable tiers? How I satisfied his honour in the sail locker?"
"I don't understand..."
"No, you don't. You have no sodding idea..."
***
Matthews knew that Mr Kennedy took precedence in terms of experience, but Mr Hornblower was his man - all his division would stand up for the young officer should he decide to make a stand and assume control of Papillon.
Archie had his supporters, too and they wanted their midshipman - the young turk who'd made such a mess of at least one frog - to be given a chance to show what he was made of. That would wipe the eyes of Styles and his nasty little mates.
Hornblower was aware of the precedents, knew his duty. "Mr Kennedy, what are your orders, sir?"
Archie understood the meaning of carpe diem. "Bring us up close to those Frenchmen and blast them to hell - or take us with them in the process."
Sir Edward Pellew reflected later on an action that had been short, fierce and ultimately triumphant. His favourite had missed his chance this time and might ultimately rue it. Everyone aboard was in agreement - Mr Kennedy had been nothing short of bloody brilliant.
***
When Archie was made lieutenant at the first attempt, you were genuinely delighted for him, if a little jealous.
When he was posted to Arethusa you realised for the first time how much you missed him.
When you were in the Med you wrote to him every week; at last you began to understand the other sailors' longing for the post to arrive.
When he wrote to you every week and the bunches of his letters came, you pored over them to find the hidden meanings behind the words.
When you failed your examination for lieutenant you were too ashamed to tell him.
When the mist began to reveal a forest of Spanish masts you wished to have him by you.
When he tried to buy your freedom, you never found that piece of information out.
When he put a blanket around your shoulders on the deck of the Indy, you could only shake his hand in case you wept.
When he first kissed you, you were a soaking wet midshipman.
When he kissed you a second time you had dried off and had been made lieutenant.
When he kissed you a third time you were both back in Portsmouth.
***
Lieutenant Hornblower My very dearest Horatio
I wish you every success in bringing these challenging plans to fruition. Shambolic plans. Ridiculous orders. The whole thing will be a colossal mess and if we escape with our lives it will be a miracle.
Captain Pellew has every faith in you. As do I. But we both know it's hopeless here - as does any man of sense aboard the Indy.
Acting Lieutenant Doherty is a good officer but lacks experience; he will certainly get it here. He's scared, 'ratio. I saw it in his eyes when the Captain briefed us. He has not experienced battle ashore. Look after him.
Keep away from those French ladies - minxes all of them. Please don't fall for one. I trust you with any man alive but you have no experience of women; you'll succumb. It scares me so.
I look forward to our reunion when our mission is successful. All I want is to have you in one piece. In my bed. I'll row the Indy myself to come and get you if need be.
Your colleague. Your friend, your lover, your very own.
First Lieutenant Kennedy. Archie.
***
Mr Kennedy. Archie. My own Archie.
I found your letter most heartening. I kept it with me always, read it again and again. Kissed the name you'd signed. It's stupid, I know.
I am deeply sorry that the mission did not work out as planned. It was a shambles, just as you said it would be. We never stood a chance. We weren't even wanted there.
I am most aggrieved that we could not fulfil Captain Pellew's orders. He knew, didn't he, just as you did. And I was too ideological to see the truth.
Mr Doherty came through well and showed great courage. In the end. He panicked at the bridge, Archie and I almost had to hold his hand. But you should be proud of him - he's a man now.
The French ladies were admirable, but only at a distance. There was one, Archie - she was so gallant and strong, I could easily have strayed, but I took your words as an order and returned to the camp. She looked just like you.
It was most welcome to see the Indefatigable again. To know that you were there, that you'd survived.
Yours obediently. In everything, Archie.
Second Lieutenant Hornblower. Your Horatio
***
Sometimes they did not couple. Archie would be content with running his fingers along the white ladder of Horatio's spine, over the curve of his chest. Hydrography, they called it; mapping out the continents and oceans in anticipation of further voyaging.
Sometimes he simply held Hornblower in his arms, reassuring and comforting him, trying to touch the hidden depths that not even a lover was privy to. For all his success at in the service, Horatio was deeply troubled, uncertain, unsure of his abilities, analysing again and again every move he'd made and cursing himself for not having acted differently.
Sometimes there was a brilliance and intensity to their lovemaking that made anything else in their lives pale into insignificance.
Sometimes they just lay next to each other like an old married couple and chatted and dozed. They had each other and it was enough.
***
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-28 09:28 pm (UTC)I really love how you made Archie the hero of the Papillon; I've always thought he had as much potential as Horatio, it's just that prison makes him cynical and destroys his faith in his abilities.
Bravo! I can't wait to read the rest!
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-28 09:52 pm (UTC)So have I - I tried really hard to have no preconceptions, just try to work out the likely possibilities...
And I agree with all you say about Archie; potential greatnbess indeed.
Thank you.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-29 02:39 am (UTC)When he first kissed you, you were a soaking wet midshipman.
When he kissed you a second time you had dried off and had been made lieutenant.
When he kissed you a third time you were both back in Portsmouth.
Somebody installed warp drive on the Indy? I'd've thought these events would be separated by seconds, not weeks!
Again, as usual, there's too much in this to pick out the individual best bits. I love the reading-between-the-lines especially.
Huzzah! Can't wait for Part Deux
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-29 01:30 pm (UTC)The consequences of a neat piece of prose driving the action!
Thank you - my favourite sort of writing is read-between-the-lines or say-one-thing-mean-another....
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-29 04:03 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-29 12:36 pm (UTC)Hydrography - yes, I liked that too!
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-29 08:02 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-29 08:23 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-29 05:24 am (UTC)The letters, the "whens", the hydrography... I can't decide which part is lovelier.
Can't wait for part 2! (Um, nothing, er, bad will happen to the boys, right?)
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-29 08:37 pm (UTC)Thank you for all the kind words. I like the letters and 'whens' best.
Um, nothing, er, bad will happen to the boys, right?)
I'm writing two different endings...just to be safe. :)
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-29 07:14 am (UTC)The letters are fantastic, my favourite part. It's wonderful how they can subtly infer these things and it makes perfect sense to the other - mark of a true bond, that is.
And Archie getting the chance to be the physical hero not just the emotional hero is wonderful, if that makes any sense at all. *g* Deep down, I think this is how it should have been.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-29 12:44 pm (UTC)Thank you - I love writing letters into fic, or asides, or anything where there are two levels of meaning.
Yes, this is how it should have been, naturally!
Salutations, congratulations, and frustrations
Particularly powerful beginning, with Pellew reading the funeral service.
May as well be in El Ferrol at present, as our home ADSL link is literally on the blink, and the dial up is erratic 'cos the telecom people had to take boosters off the line when we went ADSL. (Oh the joys of country living!!!!)
Have to use internet at various workplaces, so can hardly settle down to it.
Looking forward to more when I next get despatches.
Happy New Year!
Re: Salutations, congratulations, and frustrations
Date: 2006-12-29 09:38 pm (UTC)So sad to hear that you're out of signal range so often - that would drive me insane, I know.
Thanks so much for the kind words - Sir Edward always comes up trumps when one indulges him. :)
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-29 12:54 pm (UTC)Fascinating, that without Jack, without prison...Archie is truly Horatio's equal. They have radically different leadership styles (well, I can guess so), but kind of wind up in the same place.
I wonder if Archie would be Archie, though, without the stint in prison? I occasionally affectionately refer to him as my little sociopath ("I killed two! Well, one certainly!"), and have to wonder what would force him into growing up? Probably just the rigors of command, I guess :)
"I don't understand..."
"No, you don't. You have no sodding idea..."
Best line in the bit. I'm not even sure why, but it is :)
Thank you!
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-29 09:59 pm (UTC)I wonder if Archie would be Archie, though, without the stint in prison? I occasionally affectionately refer to him as my little sociopath ("I killed two! Well, one certainly!"), and have to wonder what would force him into growing up?
I love him when he bounces up the deck, all bloodied. I think thsat not being inprison would have a positive effect on his self-belief, and I suspect that not being in Horatio's shadow would allow him to mature and find his own glories, as 'twere.
Best line in the bit. I'm not even sure why, but it is
Merci - I dare say it's the 'sodding' - such an apt word. :)
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-29 01:33 pm (UTC):D
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-29 09:03 pm (UTC)I can entirely understand the 'book-purist' bit - I feel that way about O'Brian, which is why I can't really write in MandC land - sacred ground, sort of. It's only the fact that I'm not a CSF purist (great confession there) that allows me to play fast and loose with things. Thanks for indulging me.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-30 01:04 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-30 12:34 pm (UTC)Thanks for the kind words - I like things to be minimal, letting the resder interpret as they wish. (*slaps self for talking like a writer again*)
PS I have a new love - see icon.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-30 03:41 pm (UTC)It worked beautifully. I'm looking forward to the next bit.
P.S. You sent me a song he sang, right? *tilts head* He looks good. What's his name?
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-30 04:07 pm (UTC)He looks more than good - the name's Barrowman, John Barrowman. *g*
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-30 05:07 pm (UTC)Ha! I guessed correctly!
(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-31 01:25 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-12-31 01:03 pm (UTC)I agree with you entirely. That's why part two got delayed - impoossible to engineer a truly 'happy all round' ending.
Thanks for the kind words - and yes, Matthews is a real poppet.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-01 08:46 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-01 09:36 pm (UTC)Thank you - and that's an awesome analogy!
Yes, I like the letters - I revel in the 'say one thing and mean another' scenario. Of which the films are full...
(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-30 05:35 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-30 11:43 am (UTC):)
What if (HH, H/A)
Date: 2007-03-08 06:25 pm (UTC)Thanks for writing!
~
Re: What if (HH, H/A)
Date: 2007-03-08 08:28 pm (UTC)I've long wondered what would have happened if events had conspired so that Archie didn't have that fit....