PTP: The Freak Wave
Part 3
by HMS Lozzy

Down in the surgeon's quarters, Sarah and Ruth continued to tend to
the members of the group. Its had been a few hours since they had
arrived and gradually along with the surgeon they had tended the
other ladies of the monstrous crew, and everyone was now fully
warmed up and felt much more comfortable. Even Pixie who had
earlier, fallen into the arms of Mr Bush was feeling more recovered.

The ladies were sat on or lying in the hammock spread around the
room, a wild buzz of conversation passing between them. "Can you
believe it, wer're on THE Retribution," "But we cannot be?" "It's
not possible" "William, Horatio, Archie, Wellard! They're all here!"

Lozzy, who was feeling much more awake stat upon her hammock,
thinking, `Archie, I had seen Archie Kennedy! A joyful bubble filled
her chest. Then another thought followed closely behind it, `but
we're on the Retribution, surely Archie should be,' but she didn't
utter the word, instead she just mulled over her thoughts.

Suddenly the door opened and to confirm the ladies excited
conversation, Hornblower walked through the threshold. The ladies
all fell silent at his entrance, he was even more handsome in the
flesh, then seeing him on the screen. He looked around at each of
them, his dark eyes taking in the several pairs of eyes stared back
at him. "Ladies good evening, Welcome aboard the Retribution." He
bowed.

The ladies were silent, a few did not know how to respond. Many had
watched the Hornblower films many times, but to see him standing
before them. Sarah and Ruth decided to speak to for the
groups, "Thank you Captain Hornblower" Sarah began, to actually use
his name and speak to the real Hornblower made her feel very proud.

"We were so grateful that your ship came into view," Ruth added
smiling.

"Well we could not have missed you," A familiar voice cried behind
Hornblower, and a beaming Mr Kennedy came from behind him.

Ruth blushed, "Why was that Arr- Mr Kennedy," she only just remember
that he was an officer, even if she was desperate to use his name.
Lozzy watched him enter the room and saw Archie glance towards her.

"I'm please to see you are awake."

Lozzy grinned a little in return, "Thank you Mr Kennedy, I am
feeling much better."

Archie nodded, then turned back to Ruth and Sarah, "Are the rest of
you party much better also."

"They are," Ruth replied blushing, Archie had always been her
favourite and to see him in the flesh was just amazing.

Hornblower smiled also, relieved to know that no one was badly
injured. He then continued wit what he was going to say. "I would
like you ladies to join me and my officer in my cabin for a meal,
and you can tell us how you came to be out here."

"We will be delighted to join you Captain Hornblower" Sarah replied.

Hornblower smiled and nodded "Ladies if you would like to follow
me," And he gestured for the ladies to exit.

As the ladies made to move out of the room, Archie moved into room
to assist the ladies who were lying in the hammock. Everyone was
hungry and the thought of good food and drink from Captain
Hornblower's table was something not to be missed. As Archie
reached Lozzy she whispered that she would like talk to him in
private for a moment before going up with the other ladies.

"Lozzy are you coming?" Ruth asked,

"In a moment Ruth, I just have to ask Archie something,"

Ruth was a little confused by this, normally Lozzy would join in
with anything the ladies did together, but she guessed that at some
point she would probably want to be alone with Archie also. Her
mind was full of questions that only Archie could answer.

****

When the room was empty except for Archie and Lozzy, they sat
opposite each other, on a pari of hammocks. Lozzy had a hundred
questions racing through her mind.

Also Archie had been intrigued by this sudden appearance of the
ladies and wished to know what circumstances had brought them here.

Lozzy spoke first, "Mr Kennedy, thank you for your concern over me
earlier."

"That is quite alright," Archie smiled, his blue eyes
sparkled, "Another hour out there and who knows what state you
ladies would have been in."

Lozzy smiled and nodded also, "Yes," then she decided to cut
straight to the question that was bothering her the most, "Where
have you been sailing from?"

"Kingston, Jamaica" Archie responded, "And glad to leave to, a
charge of mutiny was laid upon us."

"Mutiny?" Lozzy tried to sound genuinely concerned, `at least that
related to what really happened in the film,' she thought.

"Yes, but we were all cleared?"

"Cleared?" `But that didn't happen?' she waited for Archie to
continue.

"Yes," Archie coughed suddenly and put his hand to his chest.

Lozzy knew that was the spot where..but it couldn't be as Archie was
before her now, alive and healthy.

"Captain Sawyer was proved to be insane and the case was dropped. I
missed some of the trial though as I had been injured by a sabre cut
to the chest," Archie rubbed his chest again, then continued, "We're
now on our way back to Portsmouth and I for one will be glad to be
back home on English soil again."

A panic thought pasted thorugh Lozzy's ming, `No this was wrong,
Archie should not be here. He had been shot and gave his life up so
that Horatio could live.' This did not make sense and without
thinking she called out "Archie! but.." She had not realised she
had said his name.

Archie's face shot up and stared back at her, "You know my name how
do you?"

Lozzy did not know how to respond, how do you tell a man who has
only just met you, that you know everything about his life and that
he was not meant to be a alive. She put her hand out to him, he
looked a little shaken by her calling out his Christian name. But
that hand that went out to him passed through his.

Archie pulled his away as Lozzy suddenly lifted her hands before her
eyes, and saw with alarm that she was beginning to fade away. What
was happening? her fingers were fading and the fading was spreading
down her arms. Lozzy suddenly cried out in alarm as the fading
spread across her body.

Archie back away, alarmed at what he was witnessing.

Lozzy had a feeling like she was being taken away somewhere, a voice
filled her ears. "Lozzy wake up, wake up!" Lozzy suddenly realised
that this must a dream, but that did not make sense as it had been
so real and how could it of been a dream, maybe it was real. As the
last parts of her began to fade away, she felt she had to shout out
the truth to Archie, to warn him, "Archie! This is not right, you
not supposed to be here!" She cried out, "Your not suppose to be a…."

Archie was frozen to the spot, what had he just witnessed? What had
he heard? One moment he was sitting taking to one of the ladies
that had been rescued, the next he was alone. This really did not
make sense, what had just happened?