Twenty-two bells: [WRITTEN/ACTION]

[simplestgift]

[Filtered from known villains and Grell, 100% unhackable]

[The handwriting is disguised and the picture is obscured.]

For the benefit of the new feathers: if you feel unsafe somehow in your own home, you may go to the Welcome Center and be placed in a safe house until you can get back on your feet. There does not have to be a reason. Even if you have returned from a kidnapping and do not wish to be alone, this is available to you.

[/Filter]

[Later, another written message, without the picture obscured.]

To anyone who volunteered to help build the ship:

We will begin work on Monday, at eight o'clock in the morning.  We will meet at the fountain and walk from there.  It'll mostly be cutting and transporting lumber at first, I'm afraid, and that includes building a cart to transport the lumber in.

Thank you,

Lt. Kennedy

[Then, written more hastily a little while later:]

If anyone has stories about Dr. McCoy, I should like to hear them.

[Today, Kennedy is stopping at the grocery store and the smithy, hoping someone with experience at the forge will be up to the challenge he has in mind.

Tonight, he is back to work at Cloud Nine, mostly waiting tables and looking fairly miserable. It's his first night of work since Dr. McCoy left, and since he dislikes the job anyway, he's not doing great at it tonight.

Before he goes home, he will stop by house 7. He will be home late.]

Comments

[simplestgift]

[At the same time, Kennedy's eyes flit up from the ground in surprise. Very suddenly, he has to resist the crazed impulse to laugh. Two men trying to maintain formality and failing miserably. His lips tighten around a suppressed smile.]

Thank you, sir. [Not the right answer.] For the condolences, not the apology. [Also not the right answer.] It... [He stops, breathes in again as if to say something else, then lets the breath back out instead, giving up, smile utterly gone now. Then, he just says what he wants to say.]

You're a good man, sir.

[abidinglaw.livejournal.com]

[Damn it all if that doesn't confuse the Admiral still further. Who is this? Standing before him here?]

Yes, well, that remains to be seen. Lieutenant Kennedy, I stopped you in hopes that I might understand a little of what -- ..

[Of what?]

As I said, I did not know Doctor McCoy. I feel that I do a disservice to him by standing untouched while others join to express the loss of him.

[It is not entirely true, this. His primary goal lies in gaining what means he can to help the many who have been so touched by this event. He would rather not be helpless.]

[simplestgift]

[Okay. An straightforward task, given to him. He can do this.]

I-I would be happy to tell you about him, sir. Would you like to come to my house? I can make tea, coffee, chocolate, whatever you like.

[abidinglaw.livejournal.com]

[More than he could have hoped for by far. The admiral looks up at this, and in doing so he feels a gust of autumn wind strike his cheek.]

Tea, thank you -- so long as you will drink a cup or two yourself.

[There is a lot to be said for a warm drink shared between men.]

[simplestgift]

[Thank you, Mr. Bush, but I will share the watch with you.]

Of course, sir. Right this way, sir. [With a nod, he heads in the direction of house 36.]

[abidinglaw.livejournal.com]

[Norrington follows, but not without first buttoning the black jacket against the wind. He has never weathered a winter in Luceti before. How cold, he wonders, will it ultimately get?]

[simplestgift]

[It's not a long walk. Archie opens the door for the admiral when they arrive.]

[abidinglaw.livejournal.com]

Please, after you.

[The admiral says, reaching out to hold the door by its outer edge. He can be haughty at times, yes, but he is a guest in this place - and on top of that, he had requested to be here.]

[simplestgift]

[Color Archie surprised. It would be really, really stupid to start up another argument over something as ridiculous as who goes first, so in he goes, swiftly heading to the kitchen to begin the tea. The house is in impeccable order, since two navy men live here and they're used to the "cleanliness or gruesome punishment" rule.]

Make yourself comfortable.

[abidinglaw.livejournal.com]

[That? That would take some doing. When had he ever been comfortable? And what about this was comfortable? But he takes a seat all the same and occupies himself with looking around the lounge-esque-area to see what he might see.]

[simplestgift]

[Most notably, he'll see a mural on the living room wall of a forty-four gun frigate with the name Indefatigable across her stern. Very little is left lying about--a stack of books on top of a shelf, some from beyond Norrington's time, some which should be familiar. A small model of a sloop-of-war, only partway done. Otherwise, it's clean in here.

Archie starts the hot water and pulls out the teapot. He got so strongly in the habit of don't talk to the superiors with Sawyer that he's struggling to come up with small talk.]

[abidinglaw.livejournal.com]

[It is the mural that draws his eye. Silence does not worry him, though. If he speaks then he suspects that he will break whatever spell is keeping them from drawing their swords on each-other. Perhaps it is the work of a shift.]

[simplestgift]

[In due time, Kennedy comes in with a tray. A small teapot--empty--two cups, cream, sugar, a small strainer, and a few sweets. He sets it down on the coffee table and heads back to the kitchen, soon emerging with the large teapot--full--and holding it very carefully. After setting it down, he picks up the lid on the smaller pot, sets the strainer inside, and pours tea into the small pot. He then sets the strainer into Norrington's cup and fills it from the small pot.

At no point does he look at the admiral.]

[abidinglaw.livejournal.com]

Did you serve on her? The -- Indefatigable?

[In that brief pause he looks over at the mural to make doubly sure of the name. It would have been an embarrassment to them both if he had mis-spoken. Now he reaches over to take the cup that Archie has so thoughtfully filled for him, but he will not touch it until Kennedy gives some sign that he may.]

[simplestgift]

[Archie glances at the mural while he fills his own cup.] As a mid. Transferred to her when the war began. She was the finest ship I had the pleasure of serving aboard, with the finest captain. There. [He sits and picks up his own cup.] Help yourself, sir, no need to stand on ceremony.

[abidinglaw.livejournal.com]

[There, he lifts the cup gently by the handle and supports the bottom with the fingers of his other hand. In this manner he conveys it to the surface in front of him and sets it there after a brief and noiseless sip.]

By all accounts a worthy looking vessel.

[Another sip. He draw his eyes back up to the mural]

And fierce. When was she commissioned? And how many tonnes, all told?

[simplestgift]

I can't tell you when her first commission was, back when she was a ship of the line. She was cut down in '93. Took down a seventy-four almost on her own, and I bet we could have done it even if the Amazon hadn't come along. Pellew was her captain, fierce and bold. A good man.

[As he speaks, a proud smile makes its way onto his face.]

[abidinglaw.livejournal.com]

We? You mean to say that you were aboard when she confronted a seventy-four gunner?

[simplestgift]

Captain Hornblower and I both had the honor, sir.

[abidinglaw.livejournal.com]

And the Indefatigable had what? Sixty? At the most?

[He was studying the mural closely, now, leaning forward. It is clear whether he thinks the boy a fool or a hero.]

[simplestgift]

Forty-four. It was during a bad storm, you see. The French ship couldn't even open her lower gun ports. Eventually she dashed on the rocks.

[abidinglaw.livejournal.com]

A pity. I expect she would have made an enviable prize.

[There's the admiral in him, oozing through.]

But of course, you are fortunate merely to have survived.

[simplestgift]

Only one member of the crew did not survive, sir. There were a few wounded, though. Less than twenty.

[abidinglaw.livejournal.com]

A miracle.

[He exclaimed, though not without belief.]

She must not have fired upon you.

[Or else she must have missed by a wide margin.]

[simplestgift]

We took some damage, sir, but half her guns were completely useless and she couldn't maneuver well in the storm. Not a miracle, but a stroke of brilliance on Pellew's part, engaging her in a storm.