The Bloody Indy!

Hey guys! So I’ve been wanting to re-do the intro post for my WIP for a while and some encouragement has finally motivated me to do it! This is a pretty in depth look at the plot, characters, and main relationship, so feel free to read as much or as little as you want!

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Synopsis

It is 1941, and as the U-Boat peril threatens the Allied supply chain across the Atlantic, a budding Royal Canadian Navy rapidly acquires ships and crewmen to escort merchant vessels. Alongside a friend from their small town of Campbell River, Franklin enlists and the two are posted to the destroyer HMCS Columbia under the supervision of the moody boatswain, Petty Officer Edmund Horne.

Quickly, they come to realize navy life is not what it seems- hard physical labour, an utter lack of privacy, and the ever-imminent possibility of a U-Boat attack wear onto them. By the time the Columbia reaches Britain, Thomas is prepared to escape into wartime Europe, but his bad habits catch up to him and result in hospitalization and discharge. Franklin, heartbroken and alone, finds a strange refuge in Edmund, and with time an attraction forms between them.

Still, a war-going ship is no place for a romance, especially between two men, and as their relationship deepens, so does their struggle to conceal it from the outside world. All the while, the chaos of wartime bring with it ghosts from the past and the ever-present threat of being split up or killed— and left alone again.

Is it possible for love to persevere in a place and time so clearly against it? What will become of the HMCS Columbia and her crew? And what is that unnamed ache that draws them together, yet also seeks to drive them apart?

Main Characters

Ordinary Seaman Franklin Barker

 “Edmund, I like you. You clearly like me too. How is that wrong?”

Franklin Barker was born on September 26 1919 in the small coastal town of Campbell River, British Columbia. An unremarkable student, forgettable athlete, and the eldest of two sons, he faced constant criticism from his father while his brother was doted upon. Employed as a fish processor before the war, he’s convinced by a friend to join the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR) in 1940. For Franklin, this is a coming of age story, from naive young man to confident, capable sailor, and it’s under Edmund’s care that he first blossoms and grows beyond the abuse of his childhood. As he grows into the man he’s meant to be, he must also confront his sexuality and answer a relatable question- “what should I do with my life?”

Petty Officer Second Class Edmund Horne

“Maybe it’s all just a test of your strength.” 

Edmund Horne was born on June 8 1902 in the small settlement of King’s Cove, Dominion of Newfoundland. He originally joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1920 and served for ten years, reaching the rank of Petty Officer Second Class. After a significant fallout with Lionel Bourget (see below), he left the Navy and drifted around various fishing boat crews until 1939, when war broke out and he joined the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR). Edmund is known for being moody and short tempered, but he is also fiercely loyal to those who earn his trust, and gentle to those he holds dear. Throughout the story, he struggles to overcome his self-centered nature and his past.

Second Officer Lionel Bourget

“Your guilt is wholly your own. I’ve moved on.”

Lionel Bourget was born November 21 1903 in a suburb just outside of Montreal, Quebec to a staunchly Roman Catholic French Canadian family. After being rejected from the Royal Naval College of Canada, he joins the navy as a regular recruit, meeting Edmund Horne in the process. Their love story is a tumultuous one which spans the better part of a decade and ends when Lionel’s fiancé catches them in bed together. Lionel enters the story as the main antagonist (besides the environment itself), struggling with the repression of his sexuality and his lingering feelings for Edmund.

Key side characters:

Ordinary Seaman Thomas Ladner - the childhood friend of Franklin Barker with kleptomania tendencies.

Able Seaman Charlie Jameson - originally a farmer from Alberta who joined the RCNVR at the start of the war, he’s a friendly guy whose always up for a night out at a pub (or a brothel).

Second Lieutenant Sam Murphy - the man who Edmund must answer to for part of the book, a fellow Newfie who takes his job seriously, but who doesn’t mind a friendly conversation either.

Relationship Dynamic (minorish spoilers):

The the attraction between Edmund and Franklin begins after Thomas’s injury and subsequent hospitalization. Franklin goes to Edmund’s room in search of comfort, and there he receives words of reassurance and a warm embrace. For Edmund, the young sailor reminds him of the youth he spent with Lionel, and with time he eventually falls for Franklin himself. For Franklin, what begins as an impulse need for comfort turns into a crush, and as their friendship develops, so do his fantasies.

After witnessing an intense naval battle and enduring a rough night at sea, the two come together. At first, their relationship is intensely physical, marked by secretive meetups in areas of the ship otherwise unoccupied. However, as they grow closer and face greater adversity, their relationship becomes one of mutual understanding, trust, and affection.

When the war (and the meddling of Lionel) causes them to be separated, both Franklin's skills as a sailor and their loyalty to each other are put to the test. However, the real challenge is keeping their relationship secret from the other crewmen, especially as the years pass and their guards begin to fall.

For More Info

@lieutenantfest : tuesday