~
Cutler Beckett was not a nervous man, but he did stand nervously now, waiting for the doctor to acknowledge him. He felt like a bloody school boy with the way he had to control his breathing, and the tightness in his chest. The dreams had become worse, with time, and he’d begun to wonder if, somehow, this was Jones’s doing. Even if it was, he needed it to stop- he hadn’t slept in days, at this point, not without constant interruption.
He stepped into the dim room, and took up the tonic which was to prevent seasickness- running his fingers over the small bottle as he spoke up. “I can see you’re very busy,” he said, and rather than the acerbic tone he had hoped, it came out rather placating, “However I had hoped you might be willing to make another tonic for me. Sleep has come less easily, of late.”
Severus did not need to look up to know he did not have enough stock to achieve what Beckett required. He knew his stores and the valerian root was running low – he had enough to either make the tonic this man needed or brew one more batch of the fever combatant that had been keeping this crew running ever since their last port stay. In a choice between one man’s undisturbed sleep and the welfare of the crew as a whole – there was simply no question which he would choose.
Despite this, he lowered his knife and looked over at his employer mildly. The truth was Severus had very little to fear from Cutler Beckett – his skills made him just irreplaceable enough that pressing him was widely considered unwise. Everyone needed good doctors on their ships – from the EITC and the Navy, to the utterly unscrupled. Nevertheless, his refusal was delicate in the awareness that he could still be accused of insubordination regardless of how stupid it would be to do so – it was, admittedly, Severus’ opinion that men like Beckett were not particularly in possession of the most logical wits.
“I am afraid that is not possible at present, my lord. The ingredients required for your tonic have run dry. While I would be happy to comply once we have time to restock – at present I am afraid there is nothing I can do.” He paused, then, “Short of ensuring you sleep for a week, that is. And something tells me that would not be particularly favorable either.”
Ocean Archive 