Coming Aboard

"Good luck wit' him, sir," Colburn said. "He won't try nothin' neither, not wit' a Marine stannin' over him!"

Kinsella was by now hovering near the edge of their conversation, looking as if he wished to explain himself.

"Mister Kinsella," Bush called to him. "Tell the captain what you told me of our new recruit."

The midshipman saluted neatly, hiding nearly all of his nervousness. "Sir. We met the man as we were going upriver - he was shouting to us from the bank and directed us away from a reef. But then he ran as soon as we went ashore, and his story seemed suspicious." He felt unnerved by Bush's raised eyebrow and critical stare. "He claims to be an American seaman who stayed behind in Portugal to be married - we saw his wife with him - but the way that he ran made me believe he may be a British seaman who feared being pressed." He would not voice his suspicions of desertion since there was no proof. Desertion carried heavy penalties, even death.

On the gundeck below, Perry stopped his fidgeting for an exasperated moment and leaned his head on his knees. At first it looked as if he were weeping, but when he lifted his face it showed only anxiety. "My wife's out there," he told the marine, gesturing towards one of the gunports. "And if there's gonna be a battle - well, when there's a battle - you lot don't need me here. She does. Sending home money won't protect her in battle. From the French or the British," he added with resentment. "We shoulda left. I knew we shoulda left Gaia."

"Look, lad, your wife's on the south side o' the river, ain't she? An' the fightin' goin' to be in the town proper - over the other side, ain't it. She'll be all right. An' if you can't write, there's folks around who'll write for you, to tell her where you are so she can write to you and let you know what's happenin'." He shrugged. "Me, I only 'listed in the Marines so's I wouldn't get pressed. Not much choice about goin' to sea, where I come from. That, or join the Army, it was."

"Are you sure? About the fighting only being on the Porto side?"

"As sure as I can be. They want to push the Frogs north, don't they? And the most of them Frogs is in Oporto, from what I've heared. So's they'll end up takin' the town, what's on the other side."

Perry laughed ruefully. "How do you know the French won't push back, push the British south instead? They'd go straight through Gaia."

"'Cause of who the British General is. Beat the Frogs already last year, twice. I'm sure he'll sort 'em out, keep 'em away from your wife. Anyhow, like I said, you write to her, tell her you're aboard His Majesty's Frigate Terpsy - Terpsykor - an' she'll be able to write back an' let you know what's goin' on."

"Terpsykor. So they'd let me send a letter? Maybe I could even go home and get my things, say goodbye proper..."

"Dunno 'bout that, I'm afraid, mate," he said regretfully. "Not bein' a pressed man an' all."

"Oh, so it's easy for you to take men from their homes and their families," Perry retorted with a sneer.

"Me? I was goin' to get pressed meself if so be I didn't take the shillin' first. An' most men aboard was pressed, I reckon. So we'm all in the same boat, 's far as that goes. You just got to decide how you're goin' to react to it - make your mind up to be a proper sailor or end up sulkin' and gettin' in trouble all the time for not good reason."

Thompson shrugged. It was never easy for the pressed men, he knew that much. The only thing they could choose was how they were going to face life aboard the ship they were pressed into.

"I'm not going to stay here."

"Yes, you are. Like Samuels is. And other folks as I could name. Best get used to the idea."

"No, I'm not. Captain'll have to let me go when he knows I'm an American."

Thompson shrugged. "Dunno 'bout that, mate. I wouldn't get me hopes up, if I was you."

His eyes narrowed. "One of them captains, is he?"

sans nom wrote:Kinsella was by now hovering near the edge of their conversation, looking as if he wished to explain himself.

"Mister Kinsella," Bush called to him. "Tell the captain what you told me of our new recruit."

The midshipman saluted neatly, hiding nearly all of his nervousness. "Sir. We met the man as we were going upriver - he was shouting to us from the bank and directed us away from a reef. But then he ran as soon as we went ashore, and his story seemed suspicious." He felt unnerved by Bush's raised eyebrow and critical stare. "He claims to be an American seaman who stayed behind in Portugal to be married - we saw his wife with him - but the way that he ran made me believe he may be a British seaman who feared being pressed." He would not voice his suspicions of desertion since there was no proof. Desertion carried heavy penalties, even death.

Bolitho turned to Kinsella, listening as the midshipman explained his account of the events on shore.

"Somehow I doubt an innocent American sailor would have run from the British Navy," he said, "Though obviously I cannot say for sure, but I think you may be right in your assumption, Mr. Kinsella."

Casting a glance at Bush, he added, "I will go and see this man for myself. Would you care to accompany me, Mr. Bush?"

"Certainly, sir. To your duties, Mr. Kinsella," Bush said, casting his eye over the set of the sails before leaving the quarterdeck.

Bolitho made his way down to the gundeck, with Bush following close behind. The sound of voices ahead--one of which sounded rather indignant--told them they were going in the right direction. At last, they came upon their new sailor, bound in irons, with Private Thompson standing on guard nearby.

"I assume I am correct in guessing that you are our new crewmember?" Bolitho said as he approached.

Thompson came to attention and saluted as the Captain approached. It seemed their new crewmember would get to protest to the Captain sooner than the Marine had thought.

Perry craned his neck around to see who the newcomer was. He caught sight of the golden epaulets and sat up straight, trying to make himself look as respectful and soberminded as possible while being locked in irons. "Sir," he said, saluting neatly. Best not to say anything more at present.

The sailor was surprisingly quiet, Bolitho noticed. Especially considering how much noise he had been making earlier.

"I've been told you claim to be an American. Is there any way you can prove that?" He made a point to fix the man with a stern glare as he spoke.

The man had a fierce stare, as did the lieutenant behind him, but Perry had seen plenty of fierce stares in his time. He spoke politely to the epaulets. "Sir, if you was to talk to my wife and her father, they'd tell you how that I came from the Argonaut two years back, brig from my home in North Carolina. They live just yonder in Gaia, sir; it would be easy to fetch 'em!"

"That was not what I meant by proof. How am I to know the persons in question would even be who you say they are? For all we know, they could simply be who you have paid to say that they are connected to you. No, I'm afraid that is out of the question." Bolitho shook his head. Perhaps the man was lying, perhaps he was telling the truth. But either way, there was no time to send anyone ashore on a wild goose chase to look for this man's supposed "family."

"Since you have no actual proof of your claims," he continued, "I have no choice but to say that you are now officially a part of the crew of His Majesty's ship Terpsichore. And as such, I think it best if you know who your officers are. I am Captain Richard Bolitho, and this is First Lieutenant William Bush. Now then, what might your name be?"