Cold All the Way Through, But Warming

Another Time, Perhaps

Will felt like his head was going to burst with everything that had been shoved into it. He had been able to fall into the naval way quick enough, but now they were shoving every single bit of gunnery into his head. He hadn't studied gunnery before, that had required an extra payment and he hadn't had the money before.

Not to mention all the discussions about torpedoes.

If the war hadn't come he would have signed up for gunnery training the next time he'd come back for his Reserves training now that he'd had the money. But now he was getting paid for it, not paid well but he hardly cared about that. So each night he had to run through calculations, review the routine of loading, aiming and firing a gun, all the different types of guns that could be found on anything from a destroyer to a battleship.

Hell, he was fairly sure that some of the letters he'd written for Ana had his calculations scrawled on the back of them.

His quarters on the cruiser were smaller than his quarters on the Anastasia, but he didn't spend much time in them. All of his time was in the wardroom, getting school on gunnery, or in the mess. The only thing he did in his cabin was sleep and dress, and he would have been content with that if the company had been improved.

As it was, the others onboard were a motley mix of men barely out of boyhood and men who glanced aside at him every time he spoke. At least the boys seemed to listen, but when he tried to sit with the other men they didn't even acknowledge him. It had only been a few days, but Will could feel the disdain rolling off of him.

It was on the third day where he had some relief, a familiar face sitting across from him. Will goggled for a moment, "Nettles?"

"That's Lietenant Nettles." The other man chuckled, nodding to him. "I'll catch you soon enough Lieutenant Commander."

Will felt himself relax just the tiniest bit. "I have no doubt of that. Are you getting gunnery training too?"

"A bit of that," Nettles shrugged, "But I'm going to a minelayer. Can't say I'm too pleased about it, but it's not as if I have a choice." He dug his fork into the food they'd been served. "What about you?"

"I don't know my assignment yet." Will looked down to his own plate. "But with all the gunnery they've been shoving in my head I don't think it will be a minelayer."

Nettles snorted, "To be quite honest, I'm surprised to find you here. Pleasantly so, it's rather nice to have someone I know around."

"It is." Will nodded, "If I'm being honest, it's been rather miserable."

"Imagine what it will be like when we go to war." He shook his head. "Hopefully they keep us too busy to notice."

"Hopefully," Will agreed, "How is your family dealing with everying?"

"My wife told me it was a damned day the day I signed up for the Reserves." He rolled his eyes, "But she's got our little boy to take care of. And it's not as if I'll be sailing into battle on a minelayer. If anything, I might be able to see her fairly often. Yours?"

"She's upset," Will spoke simply. "Wanted me to stay back in America, but I can't exactly let everyone go fight and stay behind." The rest of the meal passed much more pleasantly than Will had been having, and while he and Nettles didn't quite have their meals overlap every time, he was at least able to see Nettles a few more times.

It was to Nettles that Will brought the envelope that had been left in his cabin, a grin on his face. "Got my assignment, finally!"

"Where are you headed?" Nettles cocked his head as he focused on Will's wrist. "And what's that?"