Mmmm... soooooup.
Potato leek soup is tasty. But I was heartily tempted by the lamb stew they were offering today. Mmmm... leeeeeeks...
Mmmm.... reeeeeecaaaap...
The Ionian Mission
But first! We now know why it's called The Surgeon's Mate. On the *very* last page of the *very* last chapter, Diana *finally* marries Stephen. YAY! Our Boys went with the French Spy, who strangely *is* to be trusted. FS is an anti-Bonapartist. Go him. He even manages to get Diana in on the whole "Let's get back to England" thing. Also, Diana miscarried, so there's no Wee Jerk Johnson either. Yay? Whatever.
So, Ionian Mission opens with Stephen and Diana living apart. They tried doing the normal, one family, one house concept, but it wasn't them at all. PO'B makes a great observation in... um... Mauritius Command? About how sailors make great husbands. "They're frequently absent and handy around the house." Stephen's got the frequently absent part down, but is not especially handy. Diana's always finding dissected animal bits in the drawers and dirty shirts everywhere. So Diana moves into her own house, Stephen moves back to his bachelor pad just down the street, and they see each other whenever they want. It's a great system for them, and they both seem uncharacteristically happy. And Diana might be pregnant again, though with whose baby, God Only Knows. Possibly Stephen's, even!
Jack's miserable on land, though Hot Chick from Halifax married someone else and took that problem away. No, this is all about money and debt and legal things. Blah. So Stephen manages to get them stationed to the blockade in the Mediterranean. Yay! They'll be gone for months! Stephen has a going away party the night before they're supposed to leave, and Diana and ScandieHott! are going to drive him to the ship. Of course, he is horribly, horribly late. So late, that the ship almost leaves without him to catch the tide.
Jack: There's his coach! He's making us miss the tide!
Pullings: Hey, Random Wee Midshipman #4! Fetch me a cup of sweet oil.
Random Wee Midshipman #4: Why?
Pullings: DO. IT.
Random Wee Midshipman #4: squeek! *does*
Jack: Bonden, take the boat and bring him. I'm going below to sulk at his lateness.
Bonden: Aye, sir! *sails*throws Stephen bodily into boat* For shame, Doctor. You're making us miss the tide!
Stephen: Tide?
Bonden: Here we are at the side of the ship. Now, hold onto the ropes and climb, you tide-missin' bastard.
Stephen: *grabs* Okay. I'm holding the rope. Now what?
Bonden: *facepalm*
Ship: I think I'll bank! Whee! *leans over*
Stephen: WHOOOOAAA! I'm in the air!
Ship: I think I'll bank the other way! Whee! *leans over*
Stephen: AAAACK! I'm in the water!
Bonden: Long suffering sigh. *toss!throws Stephen into the ship*nimbly climbs in himself*
Stephen: *looks about deck where everyone is mad at him for almost making them miss the tide* Hey guys. Sorry. I seem to be very wet.
Pullings: *frown* Welcome aboard, Doctor. You're quite wet. You almost made us miss the tide.
Stephen: People keep telling me that.
Pullings: Did the water reach your pocketwatch?
Stephen: *checks* Why yes! Where on God's green earth can I find a cup of sweet oil to soak it-
Pullings: *instantly produces cup of sweet oil* You'll find Killick has laid out dry clothes for you, as well as unpacked your cello.
Stephen: Cool!
Killick: You almost made us miss the tide.
Stephen: *sigh*
So, they're off! Jack has laid in a supply of practice powder that he bought cheap from a fireworks manufacturer, and decides it's time to teach his crew to fire the cannons. Bonden is on the demo cannon to show the newbies how it's done.
Bonden: So you've packed your powder, shot, wad, etc. Aim, just so, wait for the crest, then fire-
Cannon: BANG!WIZZZ!POW!SHINY!SCREE!
Bonden: ACK!
Newbies: AWESOME!
Bonden: Um. It's not usually quite so colorful.
Jack: *cackles* Oh, Bonden! The look on your face! *cackling*
Not long after practicing with the pretty shiny powder, a French ship appears, so there isn't time to change out the practice powder for actual powder, and they end up surprising the hell out of the French, and setting their sails on green fire. Unfortunately, the French ship gets away, but Jack's satisfied because they had a good round of target practice. And scared Bonden into the bargain. Always good for a laugh, that.
On to the Mediterranean!
Mmmm.... reeeeeecaaaap...
The Ionian Mission
But first! We now know why it's called The Surgeon's Mate. On the *very* last page of the *very* last chapter, Diana *finally* marries Stephen. YAY! Our Boys went with the French Spy, who strangely *is* to be trusted. FS is an anti-Bonapartist. Go him. He even manages to get Diana in on the whole "Let's get back to England" thing. Also, Diana miscarried, so there's no Wee Jerk Johnson either. Yay? Whatever.
So, Ionian Mission opens with Stephen and Diana living apart. They tried doing the normal, one family, one house concept, but it wasn't them at all. PO'B makes a great observation in... um... Mauritius Command? About how sailors make great husbands. "They're frequently absent and handy around the house." Stephen's got the frequently absent part down, but is not especially handy. Diana's always finding dissected animal bits in the drawers and dirty shirts everywhere. So Diana moves into her own house, Stephen moves back to his bachelor pad just down the street, and they see each other whenever they want. It's a great system for them, and they both seem uncharacteristically happy. And Diana might be pregnant again, though with whose baby, God Only Knows. Possibly Stephen's, even!
Jack's miserable on land, though Hot Chick from Halifax married someone else and took that problem away. No, this is all about money and debt and legal things. Blah. So Stephen manages to get them stationed to the blockade in the Mediterranean. Yay! They'll be gone for months! Stephen has a going away party the night before they're supposed to leave, and Diana and ScandieHott! are going to drive him to the ship. Of course, he is horribly, horribly late. So late, that the ship almost leaves without him to catch the tide.
Jack: There's his coach! He's making us miss the tide!
Pullings: Hey, Random Wee Midshipman #4! Fetch me a cup of sweet oil.
Random Wee Midshipman #4: Why?
Pullings: DO. IT.
Random Wee Midshipman #4: squeek! *does*
Jack: Bonden, take the boat and bring him. I'm going below to sulk at his lateness.
Bonden: Aye, sir! *sails*throws Stephen bodily into boat* For shame, Doctor. You're making us miss the tide!
Stephen: Tide?
Bonden: Here we are at the side of the ship. Now, hold onto the ropes and climb, you tide-missin' bastard.
Stephen: *grabs* Okay. I'm holding the rope. Now what?
Bonden: *facepalm*
Ship: I think I'll bank! Whee! *leans over*
Stephen: WHOOOOAAA! I'm in the air!
Ship: I think I'll bank the other way! Whee! *leans over*
Stephen: AAAACK! I'm in the water!
Bonden: Long suffering sigh. *toss!throws Stephen into the ship*nimbly climbs in himself*
Stephen: *looks about deck where everyone is mad at him for almost making them miss the tide* Hey guys. Sorry. I seem to be very wet.
Pullings: *frown* Welcome aboard, Doctor. You're quite wet. You almost made us miss the tide.
Stephen: People keep telling me that.
Pullings: Did the water reach your pocketwatch?
Stephen: *checks* Why yes! Where on God's green earth can I find a cup of sweet oil to soak it-
Pullings: *instantly produces cup of sweet oil* You'll find Killick has laid out dry clothes for you, as well as unpacked your cello.
Stephen: Cool!
Killick: You almost made us miss the tide.
Stephen: *sigh*
So, they're off! Jack has laid in a supply of practice powder that he bought cheap from a fireworks manufacturer, and decides it's time to teach his crew to fire the cannons. Bonden is on the demo cannon to show the newbies how it's done.
Bonden: So you've packed your powder, shot, wad, etc. Aim, just so, wait for the crest, then fire-
Cannon: BANG!WIZZZ!POW!SHINY!SCREE!
Bonden: ACK!
Newbies: AWESOME!
Bonden: Um. It's not usually quite so colorful.
Jack: *cackles* Oh, Bonden! The look on your face! *cackling*
Not long after practicing with the pretty shiny powder, a French ship appears, so there isn't time to change out the practice powder for actual powder, and they end up surprising the hell out of the French, and setting their sails on green fire. Unfortunately, the French ship gets away, but Jack's satisfied because they had a good round of target practice. And scared Bonden into the bargain. Always good for a laugh, that.
On to the Mediterranean!