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Lieutenant O’Brian led them out of the bridge and down the companion to the spar deck, where, Stephen reflected as he continued to rub tiredness from his eyes, he had been peacefully asleep until five minutes ago. He knew there was a basket of dinner rolls just inside the wardroom door, and a carafe of coffee, and wondered if he could sneak away from the group for two seconds to grab some of each. Everyone’s attention was focused on the ordinance people, with the captain narrating for the benefit of his midshipmen, who took notes; Stephen and all of the other officers were dressed similarly (Stephen, indeed, was wearing one of Mister Blaine’s coats, they being of much the same size and Stephen not having a chance to acquire his own uniform yet); and reasoning that his face would not be missed amongst the sea of blue coats and pale trousers he decided to risk it, slipping away for long enough to cram two rolls into his pockets and draw a mug of coffee, rejoining the group just in time to hear Mister Holley ask “why is she working with one hand behind her back?”
“That way, if she accidentally brushes something live it won’t jump across her heart,” explained the captain. “She’s disconnected the negative cable from the firing cap - the capacitor, that is - connecting it instead to the green pole of the sink, that draws off any charge in the cap, see?” The explanation ran on and on. Stephen stifled a yawn and pulled a roll from his pocket.
Some minutes later he had finished both of his rolls and his coffee had cooled enough to drink, if he was careful, but the ordinance team was still busy with the number three gun. The captain was making the most of the opportunity to lead his pupils through the anatomy and physiology of the gun, a subject Stephen knew nothing about nor, did he particularly care just now, half asleep and on a half-empty stomach. “It’s not as if I can even see the gun, through all of those people,” he muttered vaguely, wondering if he could sneak back into the wardroom for another roll or two, or even escape entirely and return to sleep. He had slept poorly in the unfamiliar room, and had agreed to help a colleague in surgery later today.
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