On Sentry Duty

Following Taylor below, Billy was still perplexed. None of this made sense! Surely it was all just a misunderstanding because the boy was new. And was a midshipman even allowed to have a topman flogged? Captain Bolitho would fix it, Billy decided. As captain's coxswain, he could claim the privilege of speaking directly with the captain. Yes, that's what he would do.

He made his way aft, and the sentry gave him a bit of a nod before he knocked on the door to the captain's cabin.

Bolitho had just put on his coat and was about to leave the cabin when there came another knock on the door.

"Enter," he said, wondering who it was this time. He had not ordered anyone else to come to the cabin, after all.

Having returned on deck Leat had been standing around idly on the quarterdeck, watching the horizon and the comings and goings of the ship. He had heard Fletcher's scream at the two skylatking middies and seen them scuttle below to the captain's cabin, then re-emerge, rather hangdog as they should be. It seemed that Major Findley was feelingbetter, as he had now appeared on deck with Lord Edrington (though still looking somewhat pale and sickly. He had been about to go over to wish the Major joy of his recovery when he had spotted De Guarde apparently terrorising Chase, Taylor and Barrow.

The lieitenant frowned. He watched proceedings unfold, though too far away to hear what was said. Chase called for Watts and then... had himself led below. Leat could not believe his eyes, and turned back to see a rather smug expression on the midshipman's face. Leat had not met De Guarde nor did he believe that De Guarde knew his identity, but he suspected very much that they had just gained themselves a little tyrant. Who ought to be put in his place as soon as possible.

"Mister De Guarde!" he barked, his voice cutting clearly across the deck. "To the quarterdeck, if you please! Lively, now!"

With the agility of a small cat the youth made his way from his earlier location right to quarterdeck as asked. Uncertainly he gazed at the lieutenant saluting him quickly as soon as he stopped. "Sir?" The smug look no longer on his face, though there were hints of arrogance partly masked by a dutiful look.

He hadn't seen this man before and mr. Yates had spared him no detail, but the uniform told him enough to know his rank and what it entailed in terms of respect.

Billy opened the door and stepped into the cabin, a little nervous in spite of his familiarity with the captain.

The lieutenant regarded the young man briefly with a cold eye. The smugness was gone, yet there was still an arrogance clearly perceivable on that boyish face. He had been correct; a right little tyrant in the making. he would have to watch this one.

"Mr. De Guarde," he said, dropping his tone back to its usual, quieter level. "Would you mind explaining to me what has just occured between yourself and Chase?"

Though Bolitho was not surprised to see his coxswain coming into the cabin, there was an apprehensive look on Barrow's face which did surprise him. It was not often that he looked so unsure. Bolitho wondered what was troubling him and why exactly he was there.

"Yes Mr. Barrow. What is it?"

"His manner sir."He spoke, his eyes at first downcast then gazing carefully towards the Lieutenant."..It was unbecoming towards an officer.. me sir."His voice was firm, convinced, his eyes searching the other for a responce. "Mocked me, sir. N' all of it. Not a proper manner at all, insubordination sir." He had been forward not to go about with a long introduction. His left hand again tugging light on the cuff, till he realised it's motion and halted it from continuing.

"I see." A universally non-committal statement that was infinitely useful. "And how exactly did you determine his insubbordination?"

He halted a moment to consider his answer. A bit of it was planned in advance but he hadn't expected to be called on it.

"..I've given order that he be on his way n' not to idle sir.. he responded in mighty dismaying manner. He did. "He shifted on his foot.".. Gave me t' knowledge he was not thinkin' of other but..dandies sir. On shore."For a moment he wanted to add to his story that he even though the man thought of desertion but at the very last stopped himself. No, that would have gone too far. "He might've wished to imply things. Mockin' he did, sir."He nodded curtly.

Billy cleared his throat. "Well, it's Cob Chase, sir. Young mister--" He stopped as he realized that he didn't even know the lad's name. "The new young gentleman come over from Confidence, sir, he told Mister Watts to list him for a dozen strokes and sent him to be put in irons meanwhile. Only I'm sure Cob didn't mean no offense."

Leat took a moment to fix De Guarde with one of his more disconcerting stares. He knew that Chase was something of a rogue sometimes, but a harmless rogue who was usually careful not to appear too insubbordinate around officers. The story, though perhaps containing a grain of truth, did not convince him.

"Mr. De Guarde," he said, lowering his voice even more so as to be certain that none else could hear. "I appreciate that you are new aboard this ship and are eager to establish your authority over the men; however, there are better ways of achieving this than by pulling up a seaman on merely suspected insubordination. The captain will tell you no different."

So you can't go running to him, boy, for a second opinion.

"Do I make myself clear?"

"Sir I am full certain that his was not merely suspected!"He looked defiant, yet dropped his voice to equal level as the lieutenant. "..He's guilty o' his crime."He held his gaze firm as if he was offended to be questioned when the truth was his to tell.

He did not know what to say to the rest. Not knowing the captain well enough he gambled on the fact that an officer's word ought to have been enough. All money was there, if ill placed. "I'd not convict an innocent man."A full told lie.

Bolitho had been afraid of this. Already De Guarde was abusing his authority. Apparently, arrogance was the least of the boy's flaws. The last thing he needed on this voyage was an uppity midshipman who delighted in punishing sailors. And Bolitho was sure Barrow spoke the truth. Jacob Chase was a good man. He would not go about disrespecting officers in such a manner. Surely De Guarde was simply trying to assert his authority to the crew right off the bat. Yet, Bolitho could not compromise his own authority by sticking up for Chase. If De Guarde had ordered a flogging, then that was what must be done.

"I appreciate your concern, Mr. Barrow, but if Midshipman De Guarde has ordered a punishment, then I cannot countermand it without sufficient evidence to suggest otherwise. Did anyone else witness this supposed disrespect?"

"And I'm the Empress Josephine."

Not only a little tyrant, but one that was already pretty much set in his ways. Leat was not going to play games and called his bluff.

"Chase belongs to my division, Mr. De Guarde. I know for a fact, better than you, that he is a competant, honest and dutiful man. It is my duty to speak for any man of mine whom I think worth speaking for, and I will honestly tell you that if your first action aboard this ship is to have a man flogged, you will not only earn the men's disrespect but that of every officer aboard - including myself and the captain."

His voice now held a warning tone to it.

"It is of course your belief that Chase was insubbordinate. However, it is also my belief that in examining your recollections of the incident, you may find you were mistaken."

He knew that if word spread that a mere seaman had been stood for against his favour, his predicament would be poorly laid among the men. But if he angered the lieutenant or worse, the captain his prospects for promotion were dead set into being passed while others advanced.
A twinge of fear sent a cold sensation down his spine, for the lieutenant had intimidated him gravely. He looked to the ground stubbornly, but feared to say anything further. This was not right at all, he thought. A lieutenant never stood in favour of those that served under him. He felt a prickling in his eyes and bit his lip forcefully to stay the threat. He would not show tears before this man or any other. A true shame it would be for a young gentleman!

Billy thought for a moment. "It were me and Chase, and Will Taylor sir, just talkin' and laughin' like." He paused, thinking about his own guilt in the incident. "Mister Yates may have been listening too, but I'm not sure. He was a little ways off."

"Well, do you suppose Mr. Yates would support Mr. De Guarde's accusation?" Bolitho inquired.

[OOC: Sorry to cut our conversation short Mr. Barrow, but I must be off now.]

De Guarde bit his lip in seeming indecision, but the water beginning to well in his eyes did not escape Leat's attention. It seemed he had succeeded in touching a nerve, then.

"As I have said, it is up to your judgement," he repeated, not softening his tone or gaze a fraction. Giving an inch to the boy at this moment would be fatal. "That will be all, Mr. De Guarde."

The midshipman had been curtly dismissed.

Billy frowned. "I don't know, sir. I really can't say." He thought that no outsider watching the situation would have condemned Chase, and he knew that the midshipmen hadn't actually overheard their speech. He felt rather guilty, now that he considered the conversation in such a sober light. But Mister de Guarde had overreacted, and Billy didn't think Mister Yates would have jumped to such a conclusion. Still, there was always the possibility that the midshipmen would stick together, and that might mean even more trouble, for himself and Taylor too. "I don't think so, sir," he ventured.


[ooc - bye, cap'n!]

He didn't dare speak a moment, for fear that his voice would betray him. Releasing the stiff hold on his lip he felt it red and slightly swollen, the marks of his teeth imprinted in it for the time.

"..Aye sir."He said, his voice barely from quivering and touched his temple with his hand. He felt the small crevises beginning to fade the faint stinging sensation still there. With tears barely held at bay he turned quickly and fought the urge to make haste and break into a fitful run even, all the way back to his berth for it was there that he went in his distress.

It felt like the longest distance he's ever made so intense were the emotions that the lieutenant provoked. It was well clear what the man has asked of him or in timid ways demanded. Say, that he was mistaken n' save his face and self from the wrath. Not an order but a very strong suggestion.

How glad he was when not another midshipman was found below, the midshipman's berth fairly deserted. Curling against his chest containing all his worldy possessions he clasped a hand into the pocket of his coat. A handkerchief, gray in places where it had been dirtied and could not have been ever more cleaned. Injustice and unfairness, the cruel man who had been so unkind! He sniffled and felt the heat of his tears as they run down his cheeks the sound stifled with great persistence. Cursed ship n' it's crew! Cursed the lieutenant and the midshipmen and the captain and all the hands here. He bit down a sob. It wasn't fair!
What would he do now? Stand to his decision and await the possible questioning that would follow or ask his order be recalled? He buried his face into knees, hugging them tight to his own chest.

George nodded again and followed Edrington's gaze out to sea, staring placidly at the horizon and feeling comforted by the knowledge that there was land somewhere past the hazy line of sea and sky. He listened to the other man's musings with quiet attention, finally turning to give him a look of silent comprehension, fingers still twirly idly with lashings of the gun.

"Aye, I was with the 15th under Lord Paget and we left the day after you; took us a d--d long time to embark - the horses had other ideas about being loaded onto the transports," he explained. "I returned only to learn that they had no intention of returning my regiment in the near future and so I've transferred to the second." Turning away, George let his hand slide off of the gun whose surface had grown too hot beneath the unrelenting rays of the sun. "New recruits or old hats?" he asked, referring to Edrington's battalion; "I suppose there is some comfort in commanding men with whom you are familiar."

Bolitho was silent for a moment. He was fairly certain that Yates would not have reacted the same way as De Guarde, even if he had overheard Chase's conversation. Yates was not a tyrant in the making the way De Guarde was turning out to be. Bolitho truly did not want to punish Chase for what was surely just a bit of frivolity, especially not when the accusation came from an arrogant new midshipman. But his control depended on keeping order, and doling out punishment when necessary.

"Well Mr. Barrow, I shall deliberate the matter," he said, "If you can find any evidence to support Mr. Chase, then I encourage you to bring it forward. But if not, Mr. De Guarde's decision shall stand, and Chase shall receive his punishment as determined."

"It's a new battalion - raised in 1804. It was intended as a training battalion, of course, but we exchanged a few old hands with the 1st battalion, and there's stiffening there now." He shrugged. "Once we learned we were going to Spain, a lot of recruiting went on - and officers moving in and out, and I have to confess that I do not even know all of my officers - some not at all." He smiled. "A typical absentee colonel, leaving it all to his second in command to do. And he'll have to do everything in Lisbon, too. I should have sailed with them, but this was arranged instead. "

"You managed to get your horses away then? We had damned few left by the time we reached Vigo. Which saved us a deal of heartache, I think. The horses deserved better."

Watts the boatswain made his way to the Marines' messdeck after seeing to it that Chase was securely locked in the leg irons. The man could be a pest at times with his boisterous spirit, but it was a stretch for even Watts to believe that Chase had been openly insubordinate. Still, a midshipman was a midshipman and orders were orders. Chase would feel the cat's bite in only a couple of hours. Until then, he needed a formal guard.

"Thompson," the boatswain grunted, after looking around and seeing neither Johnson nor Quinn. "C'mon and grant me a favour, there's a lad below needin' sentry. At the irons."