Ribbit, ribbit: June 25th

De Guarde turned around, hearing his nickname called." Yeah..." He was about to say more when he saw the corporal and grinned. "Corp'ral Thompson." He was the last man he expected to be visiting him down here at this time of preparations.

He walked up to Thompson hurriedly, giving him a quick nod." Here."He did look a bit worried after a moment. What if he had been in trouble for something that he did not know?

"Right, I'll make this quick. First things first, though. D'you still feel the same way about becomin' a M'rine?" Thompson asked, resting one hand against the thick oak beam above him.

"Yeah. Of course I still want it.. but I won't become one no more couse o' wot' I've done... disgracin' m'self." He sighed unhappily. "Don't know why's you askin', ain't right you'd put a good word for me. Might not be good fer you, if yer do."

"Bit late to tell me that," Thompson replied, easily. "Mister Sewell's goin' to have a word with the captain. If the Captain's all right with it - an' only if, mind you - Mister Sewell says as you can be in my squad. But if that happens, you an' I can only be friends off-duty, an' if I say t'do summat, like clean your kit or whatever, that means doin' it an' no back-chat." He looked at the lad. "It ain't goin' to be easy, for either of us, an' that's for sure."

"Wait...." He paused confused. " You mean...... You mean. ..no, are you teasin' me?...Can you tell me 'gain.." He narrowed his eyes on the corporal.

"...what do you mean..your squad?"

"I mean, the half the detachment as I'm responsible for - in command of," Thompson explained, the idea of being in command of anyone still strange. "What did you think I meant?"

"...No. I mean...you meant. ... " He paused. ".. What I'm askin' is...you mean that ...you'll.. that somebody'll be talkin' and. .that I might. Well, you mean.. I might become a marine?"

He studied the marine to see whether he was just leading him on. If this was a cruel joke, because he believed they would not survive to make it happen then he would be very upset.

Thompson nodded. "But, if - an' like I say, nothin's decided yet - if you do, I am goin' to be your superior, 'cause the stripes'll mean summat. You'll be a private, see, like Oxley."

"I understand." The boy nodded seriously. "If it does happen, and I do get made into a marine, you would be my superior and if you ordered me to jump, I'd have to jump, no questions asked." He would not be an officer. He would probably never rise to be an officer but he would be a marine, which he had hoped for before, whom he had admired.

"You know I'd obey you. I know authority even if we's friends when you'um off duty."

"Good." He grinned at the lad. "'Cause well, if you do end up becomin' a M'rine, an' it turns out that us bein' friends an' workin' together won't work out, Mister Sewell will likely shift you into the other section, so you won't be d'rectly under me."

"I'd rather be under you if I end up bein' that than under sum'un like.... well.. I'd rather, anyhow. You mean Sewell, or is it you'um talkin' about another'un of your men?" He asked curiously and grinned.

"You know.. i hope we get t' prize ship. A captain always acts generous when he's got summat to smile about!"

"We'll see. It mightn't happen at all of course." Thompson hadn't wanted to get de Guarde's hopes up, but what with a battle coming up, and who knew what was going to happen during the course of it? He grinned. "Be a nice bit of prize money for us if we do get her, of course."

"I understand. Well, as long as you didn't get in any trouble for it, I'll be glad with whatever comes." He glanced at the cannon. "Just want ter live through this'un." Though it did not mean, he'd shy away from danger.

He would do his duty and just hope there wasn't a cannon ball or musket ball out there with his name on it. "She's gettin' closer. Think she thinks she can take us, else she'd be fleein'." He hesitated, hopped from the cannon and peered through the port hole then quickly withdrew. "Well that, or she's too slow n' she's got no choice but ter fight us. she looks summat worn.." It was as much as he could see from that far and that angle.

"You give me any trouble an' I'll come down hard as houses on you," Thompson said, sternly and softened again. He hoped they would both make it through the coming battle, but if they didn't, he knew that de Guarde had had something to look forward to. He grinned. "Terpsy's got wings when she wants to be in a fight, lad. Ain't a Frog ship out that as can get away from us if we want to give her a fight."

"You'm not as heavy as houses, corp'ral. Couldn't come down hard on me like that if you tried." It was a bit of a cheeky retort. He smiled. He might have felt nervous about the oncoming battle, but he did not show it yet. He was tense, of course, and he was more cheerful than usual, but that could be attested to a possible promise coming true as well.

"You'um going to be on deck when we start firin'?" He asked, adjusting the tub sling at his shoulder. "I'll be carryin' gunpowder, see." He said rather proudly.

"Don't be cheeky, neither," Thompson replied. "I can see that, lad," he added, nodding at the cartridge case de Guarde was holding. "Yes, I am goin' to be up on deck - I'm still a sharpshooter, after all, even with the stripes on me arm."

He straightened up. "I oughta be gettin' back up there an' all,, else the Lieutenant'll wonder where I'm at."

"Alright. Will you thank t' lieutenant fer a good thought too, for me, please? Don't matter if it comes true, but jus' that summ'un thought 'bout it.. 's worth a good , proper thanks!" He studied Thompson and saluted him as he'd seen done.

"See you 'fter we get that ship taken over, a'right, corp'ral? "

"Aye, I will." He pushed away from the beam. "I daresay you can tell him yourself, after this is all over, though. An' yeah, you'll see me after an' all, Mathew." He reached out to ruffle the lad's hair a little.

"If something happens.. that I won't be able to. Please tell him." De Guarde answered and smiled, half heartedly ducking the ruffle. It was not enough to completely avoid it, so he hurried to straighten his hair again, with a mock pout on his face.

"Hey! You're messin' up me hair!" He protested, then more seriously added. " I expect ter see you well n' kickin' after this is all over... so don't disappoint me. A'right, corp'ral?"

"Of course you'll see me after," Thompson replied with a smile and a certainty that he did not feel. "You take care of yourself too."

He turned to head up the ladder back to the weather-deck.

Sew slowly wandered over the deck, passing his men, stopping here and there for a moment to look out at the French ship with them.

Careful there. Don't look like you are double-checking Thompson's disposals - just look calm and present and reassuring. Terelly looks nervous; his first fight. Damn wait; makes his nerves play up on him. Who's next in line? Jackson. Old hand; kind, too; he'll take care of it. Let them talk. It will only be until the action begins; then he'll feel the rush of excitement and be alright.

With a brief, satisfied nod, Sew moved away from the group, leaving them free to exchange muttered comments again.

Thompson appeared on the weather deck again, and Sew came to stand beside him again. It was a display meant to be reassuring to the Marines, showing that their lieutenant stood behind their new corporal's dispositions, but that they also got along well enough; that the corporal could serve as a link to deal with some problems before they were fully hatched. Of course his attitude was only one side of the bargain, but Sew had simply to trust Thompson to keep his connection to the men. Sofar, he had seen nothing to indicate otherwise.

And the corporal wasn't much of a chatterbox, telling him only things he needed to know, so it was no hardship to stand beside him; better than standing alone, lecturing himself not to pace, anyway.

"Sir," Thompson said, acknowledging the officer with a salute. "De Guard wanted me to thank you for... for thinkin' of him, sir, an' bein' willin' to speak to the Captain about a transfer into the Marines."

He was reassured to see that the officer hadn't made any changes to his dispersal of the men. he hadn't realised quite how nervous he had been about small things like that, but realising that the officer backed him - or at least, didn't think he'd screwed up - was good.

If De Guarde proved himself, the Marines had gained a good man, if he didn't, he had left himself in for a very hard life under a strict commander. Sew could not see a reason why anybody would thank him for that.

He grunted non-commitally. His next statement was a kind of test. He wanted to know how Thompson reacted, what he would do or might already have done.

"Terelly is nervous."

"Ain't we all, sir?" Thompson replied, and stepped back from the rail. "He's with Grattan, sir, who's steady enough, but I'll have a word with him, calm him down a bit. With your permission, o' course, sir?"

Sew nodded.

"Good."

It was a comment to the reaction as much as to the question. He looked around. Not much he could do here, but he might as well show himself to the Marines under deck ... and perhaps lessen his own tightly controlled nervousness by seeing that all was well there, too.

He climbed down the ladder and began to circle there, mindful to stay out of the way of those still moving around in preparation.