After consideration, you make the decision to make Miss Eusoneus your acting lieutenant an thereby your new temporary executive officer, at least for now. It will mean that she gets more experience on the job and has more responsibility onboard the cutter and you feel that you can finally give her the recognition she should have earned during the rescue attempt during your first cruise. In the meantime, you write a letter to the admiral requesting a midshipman of some kind--maintaining a proper chain of command is important besides that, you think you can fit another middie aboard, though it'll mean tighter quarters in the gunroom. You don't expect to be choosy and expect the admiral to send aboard someone who has need of a berth regardless of their connections or lack thereof.
Afterwards, you summon Sofia into your cabin. When she arrives, she gives the requisite salute, then inclines her head slightly.
"Myx?"
"Miss Eusoneus, you plan to examine for lieutenant soon, do you not?"
"Er, yes. At the next examining board, in a few months." Her reply is satisfactory and so you nod.
"Well. I think that means giving you some extra experience wouldn't be amiss. I'm making you acting lieutenant for now, you'll take over the duties of the first lieutenant. I imagine Mister Piteras will be a bit pleased he has less work to do now. I expect you to make good use of this opportunity to learn and to become a better officer. D'you understand?" You cock an eyebrow. Sofia looks shocked for a moment, then pleased.
"Ah, yes myx! Thank you myx! I won't let you down." She beams happily and salutes again.
"Just work hard and prove me right at the examining board when you can." She salutes sharply in response.
"I won't let you down, captain."
"Work hard. Do your best. Carry on, lieutenant," you say with a sly grin and she turns about to head back out. You'e quite happy that you find yourself in a position to help a promising career--it's a feeling you've never had before and it feels rather nice, you find. Now if only you just had orders you would feel as if all was right in the world. And orders you receive that night. In two days time you are to put to sea and patrol the coastline of Tyrabea to the north and across the narrow stretch of the sea (it is only a hundred miles or so wide at this point) to the west and northwest. You are to seek out and identify rebel held strong points and to sink, burn, or take as prizes any rebel shipping you encounter. A tall order for a small cutter, but you are determined to do your duty.
Unfortunately, your duty the day afterwards is not as nice. Not by half. You put on your best uniform possible and take the boat to shore to attend the court martial of captain Zeno Attaliates.
It's held in the local army headquarters and you find yourself directed to sit outside the court room while you to give testimony. There are other witnesses to be called and it is thought better that you should be able to speak without worrying about what others have said or alteration due to other biases. There have been other trials (already the colonel of Attaliates' regiment has been found guilty of treason and shot after a rather summary trial earlier this week). As you wait the door opens to let out Calixta, dressed in her best dress uniform and looking rather pale and drawn. When she sees you, she pauses to give you a little smile.
"I've done my best," she murmurs. "Good to see you, commander."
"And you, lieutenant," you reply. It's a grim business though and you can think of a lot of places you would much rather be seeing her. She heads off down the corridor, leaving you to be called in. You keep your testimony brief and to the point, answering in a factual manner and describing as exactly as you can what you saw and did. Zeno is sitting in the place of the accused, looking very serious and while he gives you a grave nod when you enter, he doesn't try to speak or otherwise show any emotion or recognition. At last, the testimony is given and you are dismissed from the court. You leave, feeling a bit sick at heart, but it is your duty. You know Calixta must be feeling it more than you, but what else can be done in this case? You trudge out of the headquarters feeling as if you've left a funeral.
As you step outside, you see that Calixta has not, in fact, departed. She stands off to one side of the entryway, smoking away at a cheroot and looking despondent in her own cloak. She glances up as she sees you exit and she trots towards you after putting the cheroot out under her heel.
"Well?"
"They hadn't decided when I was dismissed. I didn't want to stick around."
"It's a sad business," she replies. "He's a good fellow, really."
"i believe you," you say and shake your head. "There's nothing else to be done, though."
"I know, I know." She sighs and rubs her face with one hand. "...They're making me a captain, you know? Kalites is taking the vacant major's post and they say that I'm to take up his captaincy, if I want it."
"Well, congratulations," you say with a smile. "Isn't that a good thing for your career?"
"Of course it is. I just wish it hadn't had to happen through all this..." She waves her hand towards the headquarters building.
"Anyway. The point is, will you come and have a drink with me? Drinking alone is rather a depressing thing, you know."
[ ] I wouldn't want a friend to drink alone: The ship is in good shape and you are confident in the ability of Acting Lieutenant Eusoneus and Master Piteras to handle any issues that might arise in the last day of fitting out and supplying before you take to the sea again. It wouldn't hurt to spend a bit of time having a drink or three with a friend who seems to have mixed feelings about her promotion and the eventual fate of a man she evidently views as a friend.
[ ] Duty calls: You're afraid that you must get back to the ship. Extend your very sincere apologies, but you must get ready for sea as you're to sail early on the morning tide and there's still much to be done to make sure the ship is ready.
