Read Online The Hidden Man: A Phineas Starblower Adventure (Phineas Starblower Adventures) by Giles, Lori Othen - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Giles, Lori Othen
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I try!” The enthusiastic man quipped back.
“I look forward to sampling your attempts then Sir.” Phillips laughed as he returned the Chef’s grin.
Turning to the second row of junior crew he took in the men he had not been introduced to. All of them wore the same general uniform but with different shoulder patches presumably to identify their specialties. Glancing at the Chief engineer Phillips offered him the chance to introduce the remainder of the crew. Nichols nodded and stepped forward.
“These fine fellows are the backbone of our crew Sir, allow me to introduce Airshipmen; Adams, Collins, deReuter and the brothers Landover.” He said indicating each man in turn.
Phillips moved down the short line nodding to each in turn. As he approached the last two, the Landover brothers, the duo stiffened into a perfect attention stance worthy of any parade ground. Phillips stopped and looked them in the eye. The pair of them stared right ahead as if frozen despite his gaze.
“Where did you serve Messrs Landover,” he said quietly.
“Abyssinia Sir,” came the clipped and strictly proper reply, from the taller of the two.
“Under Sir Robert Napier?”
“He was overall commander, yes Sir,” replied the second brother. “We were not under his immediate command however, Sir”
“Fair enough Sir, what was your combat unit then?” Phillips pressed, intrigued to see why a pair of infantrymen had ended up in this increasingly unusual command of his.
“We were a Maxim Gun crew, Sir.”
“Really!?” Jerard exclaimed surprised. Trained machine gunners were rather more prized than ordinary infantry.
Nichols smiled and then explained. “These fine soldiers were also languishing as part of the testing crew at Beardmore’s, Sir. When Mr. Starblower purchased the Discretion, his secretary asked for them to be allowed to remain with the ship.”
“I see,” Phillips commented aloud though he most certainly
did
not see why Miss. Smythe-Harris would want to retain these two worthies. Even so he was vaguely comforted to find some more military men under his command. At least discipline should be easier to maintain.
The inspection concluded, Jerard stepped away and addressed the assembled crew as a whole. “I’d like to thank you all for your courtesy here today, this was a pleasure I had not fully expected. I hope you will find in due course that regardless of whatever you may have heard about me I am loyal to my crew and country and now our mutual employer Mr. Starblower. That's what I believe in and what I shall expect from you all. Perform to the best of your abilities and we shall get along famously, slack off or behave inappropriately and I shall have to be more stern. But from the look of you all today I feel a great deal of honor to be serving with such a fine array of men. Thank you. Dismissed!” Without thinking Phillips snapped a crisp salute to the assembled aircrew. The stewards and the chef were a little slow but he was pleased when the majority of them returned his gesture before relaxing out of parade rest.
Mr. Howell immediately detailed one of his stewards to go and collect the captain’s bags. Hearing this Jerard turned, “Oh, it’s just right outside, and there’s only the one.” Damn! I forgot all about it, I think I’m going to like having a steward on board. As the man, Jerard thought he remembered his name as Tanner, scurried down the access ramp Chief Nichols coughed politely.
“Sir, would you care to inspect the rest of the bridge while your things are brought up?” Nichols held back the dark green curtain that separated the ante-chamber from the bridge proper.
“Capital idea Mr. Nichols.” he agreed. Looking over at the dispersing group of officers and men he saw the principal members of the crew were still standing and watching him closely. “Gentlemen, take your flight stations... Please” he added the last to make them understand he was not quite ready to bawl orders at
“I look forward to sampling your attempts then Sir.” Phillips laughed as he returned the Chef’s grin.
Turning to the second row of junior crew he took in the men he had not been introduced to. All of them wore the same general uniform but with different shoulder patches presumably to identify their specialties. Glancing at the Chief engineer Phillips offered him the chance to introduce the remainder of the crew. Nichols nodded and stepped forward.
“These fine fellows are the backbone of our crew Sir, allow me to introduce Airshipmen; Adams, Collins, deReuter and the brothers Landover.” He said indicating each man in turn.
Phillips moved down the short line nodding to each in turn. As he approached the last two, the Landover brothers, the duo stiffened into a perfect attention stance worthy of any parade ground. Phillips stopped and looked them in the eye. The pair of them stared right ahead as if frozen despite his gaze.
“Where did you serve Messrs Landover,” he said quietly.
“Abyssinia Sir,” came the clipped and strictly proper reply, from the taller of the two.
“Under Sir Robert Napier?”
“He was overall commander, yes Sir,” replied the second brother. “We were not under his immediate command however, Sir”
“Fair enough Sir, what was your combat unit then?” Phillips pressed, intrigued to see why a pair of infantrymen had ended up in this increasingly unusual command of his.
“We were a Maxim Gun crew, Sir.”
“Really!?” Jerard exclaimed surprised. Trained machine gunners were rather more prized than ordinary infantry.
Nichols smiled and then explained. “These fine soldiers were also languishing as part of the testing crew at Beardmore’s, Sir. When Mr. Starblower purchased the Discretion, his secretary asked for them to be allowed to remain with the ship.”
“I see,” Phillips commented aloud though he most certainly
did
not see why Miss. Smythe-Harris would want to retain these two worthies. Even so he was vaguely comforted to find some more military men under his command. At least discipline should be easier to maintain.
The inspection concluded, Jerard stepped away and addressed the assembled crew as a whole. “I’d like to thank you all for your courtesy here today, this was a pleasure I had not fully expected. I hope you will find in due course that regardless of whatever you may have heard about me I am loyal to my crew and country and now our mutual employer Mr. Starblower. That's what I believe in and what I shall expect from you all. Perform to the best of your abilities and we shall get along famously, slack off or behave inappropriately and I shall have to be more stern. But from the look of you all today I feel a great deal of honor to be serving with such a fine array of men. Thank you. Dismissed!” Without thinking Phillips snapped a crisp salute to the assembled aircrew. The stewards and the chef were a little slow but he was pleased when the majority of them returned his gesture before relaxing out of parade rest.
Mr. Howell immediately detailed one of his stewards to go and collect the captain’s bags. Hearing this Jerard turned, “Oh, it’s just right outside, and there’s only the one.” Damn! I forgot all about it, I think I’m going to like having a steward on board. As the man, Jerard thought he remembered his name as Tanner, scurried down the access ramp Chief Nichols coughed politely.
“Sir, would you care to inspect the rest of the bridge while your things are brought up?” Nichols held back the dark green curtain that separated the ante-chamber from the bridge proper.
“Capital idea Mr. Nichols.” he agreed. Looking over at the dispersing group of officers and men he saw the principal members of the crew were still standing and watching him closely. “Gentlemen, take your flight stations... Please” he added the last to make them understand he was not quite ready to bawl orders at
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