Captain Jack Aubrey: Debut

[luckyjackaubrey]

Jack's transportation out of the cell and into one of the largest rooms he'd ever encountered was no less disconcerting than his arrival in that cell twenty-four hours earlier. At least Jack's ability to sleep through anything and at any time had no failed him, and most of his confinement he had spent snoring with no notion of the time on waking which was just as well.

In any case, having no explanation for either arrival, Jack dismissed the question from his mind and set about examining the area. His footfalls echoed off the great empty chamber as he paced about, first in one direction and then the other, finding no clue at all as to the manner of his capture, for captured he surely had been.

"Discourteous of the buggers not to present themselves and state their intentions," he said softly to himself.

Finally, Jack stopped, facing down one of the long corridors, and cupped his hands around his mouth. "Ahoy!" he called in his booming ship's voice. "Hello!"

Comments

[luckyjackaubrey]

There was something about the man that instantly reminded Jack of Stephen. It may have been the obvious medical air about him and the offhanded way in which he dealt with the question so obviously outside of the knowledge of his audience, but it hit Jack with a painful ache.

Jack smiled then and took the man's hand, pleased by his firm steady grip. "Then we carry the same name, sir," he said with a smile. "I was born John Aubrey, although I answer to Jack. Captain Jack Aubrey," he added.

[sharpshooting]

"Good to meet you, sir." He didn't offer that up as something else they had in common-- he'd nearly forgotten, these past few weeks, that he'd ever been anything but a doctor.

Something snagged at his mind, then, the name-- it was familiar somehow, but the source lay just out of his grasp. He set it aside-- it would come to him later, probably-- and asked instead, "Were you in lockup alone?"

[luckyjackaubrey]

"And yourself," Jack agreed amiably.

He stood by as the doctor paused, looking almost puzzled. If the man had been Stephen, Jack might have inquired, but as he wasn't Jack politely looked about.

The question drew his attention back and he answered, "Yes, quite alone, but for that," and here Jack paused, not knowing quite what to call her, "that woman," he said with some hesitation. In reality, Jack had thought she was a ghost, only he had discovered that by pressing a panel on the wall, he could get it to repeat