Run Aground

[idler_1814]

More archiving...

First installment posted to the hhfic yahoo group on 5/11/03; the last, on 1/22/06.

Gen, PG

Novella-length, primarily Hornblower book-verse, fitting into the time between the end of Flying Colours and the beginning of Commodore Hornblower.

Comments

[ashley_pitt]

oh my! This is soo good!

[sanguinity]

I was saving this back as a treat for what I knew would be a stressful morning, and oh, the japanned box at the beginning is such a strong start -- it is just what I hoped for.

Bush gets to go to sea again! (To sea!) And have a command! And be devilishly taut! And indulge in all the things he learned from Hornblower! (I laughed at his "H'm," and at the theatricality, too!) And have his very own starry-eyed young things following him about, eager to live up to his expectations! (Oh, Fanshawe, I get it, I do.)

And I am very intrigued by this cadre of disabled officers he's been given. Who are these men, and what did the admiral have in mind when he assembled them? *chinhands*

[idler_1814]

Run Aground grew out of my curiosity regarding Hornblower's observation (in Commodore) that Bush's hand, when he shook it, "was hard as ever--promotion to captain's rank had not softened it." We were told in Flying Colours that Bush's hands had been "softened by a long period of convalescence", and had begun regaining their distinguishing callouses in the course of building the boat. One would think he would have lost them again during the long months of commanding nothing but a desk at Sheerness. So why had he not

[sanguinity]

The Revenue Service was one of the few avenues of active service that remained open to disabled officers: it was often a choice between that--or perhaps the command of a courier brig--and a life lived out on the beach, drawing half-pay.

I had no idea! I'm glad I asked.

And I like your reasoning for why/how Bush stepped into his role as Flag Captain with such grace -- and with horny hands, too! Especially since your reasoning resulted in us getting to read this, lucky us.

Hope your day did not prove too stressful!

Nothing that couldn't be soothed by curling up with an absorbing longfic, thank you. :-)

[ladyhamilton]

Hi! Your obsessive commenter from Ao3 here. :) Really enjoying this story so far, and it doesn't seem to need much in the way of editing! It absolutely breaks my heart to think of Bush confined to a dockyard desk, so I'm very glad you've found an alternative for him. I'm excited to learn more about the original characters as well! Off to read part 2 now...

[idler_1814]

Hey there! I wouldn't use the word 'obsessive', though: 'much appreciated' fits better.

I've only done a little editing, really. I think you'd find that the Ao3 version reads a little more smoothly than this one, but I haven't changed the basics.

I couldn't imagine Bush confined to a desk either, and could not fathom that the experience would have made him the confident flag captain that we find in Commodore. It was great fun trying to invent an alternative experience that would!

[ladyhamilton]

Oh good, as long as it's not obnoxious! I have so few fandom friends these days after a long hiatus, and no one to nerd out about Age of Sail with!

I'm really enjoying seeing your interpretation of Bush, and how he develops as a captain!

[idler_1814]

Thank you! I'm delighted that you're enjoying my version of Bush...I hope his journey is believable.

I'm here after a long hiatus myself--and I'm merely archiving old work to a new location, not writing anything new (not yet, anyway). I've sorely missed nerding out on AoS as well!