Privateer (Alexis Carew Book 5)

by J. A. Sutherland

  Spensley looked around at the others.

  Malcomson made to speak, but Alexis laid a hand on his arm and squeezed gently. Better to let the others talk this out — Malcomson was viewed too much as her man and anything he said would be suspect.

  “Hours of working our way through the next shoals, then on to the next, and the same again? All the while being pricked with shot from those gunboats? And waiting for us in normal-space, what’s there? The bloody Hind, bigger than any of us, and a thrice-bedamned frigate!” He slammed his hand down on the table. “Which of you wouldn’t turn tail at sight of a frigate? Tell me true, for there’s not a one of you would take the damned thing on if you came across it in your cruising!”

  There was silence for a moment and Alexis knew it to be true. Even if at war and their letters of marque named the Queen’s enemies as valid targets, the private ships would avoid true warships even then. There was more and safer profit in the enemy’s merchant shipping than in their navy.

  “This isn’t an enemy frigate, though,” Alexis said, hoping to convince them that this situation was quite different. “Yes, we all heard these reports that the pirates had one, but, look — where’d they get it, do you think? One of the ships from the two missing fleets, it has to be, yes? Well, this lot didn’t take it from a full crew, now did they? There’re these rumors of wrecks and disabled ships scattered all along the fleets’ path — most broken up by the winds and shoals, but it was always certain someone would come across a hulk that could be saved, isn’t it? That’s all that’s happened here — they towed her, or got her fusion plant working somehow, and brought her back here, but could they have repaired all the damage that wrecked her in the first place? Could they crew her and fight her, with whatever other ships they have and these gunboats too? Or merely use her presence to frighten gullible merchantmen into striking at the mere sight of her?”

  “Aye,” Spensley said, “but it’s you who suggested she’d not be here in the first place. Off taking merchants, you said, with the other pirate ships, and only the gunboats here. So you were wrong about that and what’s to say you’re not wrong about how well she’s manned, eh?”

  “I think that she’s even there in orbit speaks to that,” Alexis said. She wasn’t entirely sure herself, but it was a reasonable assertion and there was no hope for the Hind’s crew — or of finding out if Delaine had passed through this world — unless they continued. “If that frigate were whole, if she were sound and fully crewed, she’d be here in darkspace with her broadside in our teeth, not sitting idle in orbit.”

  Pennywell was nodding and spoke for the first time.

  “The images show her just sitting there along with Hind. In orbit and masts not even stepped. This frigate could be nothing more than a hulk —”

  “Or they could be waiting to use her against us in normal-space, rather than here where the bloody thing couldn’t move a bit without sticking fast!” Spensley said. “As any sensible person would do, mind you.” He shook his head. “No, once we transition to normal-space, whichever of us haven’t been disabled by those gunboats, we’ll be heading right for the planet — right into the guns of that frigate and Hind. They don’t need full crews for that, or anything working but the fusion plant, guns, and a few thrusters.”

  Alexis couldn’t argue that. The defenders in orbit around a planet would have the advantage as the attackers came in, unless they could make it all the way in-system to the Lagrangian points around that planet — transitioning anywhere else, which they’d planned to do, would mean a long transit time in normal-space.

  Their guns might have greater range and accuracy in normal-space, where the dark matter couldn’t warp the lasers’ paths, but greater range took time to cross. A ship with heavy, normal-space thrusters, like that frigate or even Hind, needed to move only a little bit — a ship-length or two — to avoid the shot from an approaching ship’s bow or stern chasers.

  Meanwhile, the defending ship could present her full broadside and bracket a much more specific target area, as the approaching ships, no matter their maneuvering, still had to approach.

  There was an art to assaulting planets — one very different than the more familiar ship battles in darkspace, and one that she’d only just started learning about when the war ended.

  Malcomson snorted. “Thes wee lass has taken a frigate by 'er lonesome, an’ here's th' a lot ay us girnin' loch beaten dogs.”

  “I’m no beaten dog!” Spensley shouted.

  Malcomson grinned and cracked his knuckles. “Ah can fix 'at.”

  “Gentlemen,” Alexis broke in. A fight between the private ship captains would do no good at all, might even drive the others farther to whatever side of the debate they’d already leaned toward — and, in truth, Spensley had valid points. She’d rather they find a solution that addressed those.

  “Fighting amongst ourselves will benefit no one but the pirates,” she went on once she had their attention. “We made our plan of attack based on the information we had at the time. Information which we now find to be wrong — I was wrong,” she added with a nod to Spensley. “The question, though, is what we will do about it. Captain Spensley favors retreat —” Spensley bridled at that, but Alexis pushed on. He might not like her phrasing, but that was what he proposed. “— perhaps that is wise, but I do not think so when we’ve come so far already. We may need to change our plan of attack, but the presence of a, likely undermanned and, as yet, unrepaired frigate does not change why we’ve come here.”

  “Th' bluddy bunsens,” Malcomson said.

  “Yes, the money.” Alexis sighed. She’d been thinking of the rescue of the Hind’s crew and any New London or Berry March worlds spacers held captive — captive merchant crews as well, come to that — but Malcomson had his finger on the private ships’ pulse and lifeblood. “The Hind is still there, with her cargo and salvage fees from the Marchant Company. The gunboats, the pirate ships when they return and we can ambush them — head and gun money and cargoes, all. The naval captives, and the coin for freeing those. And now, what’s the head and gun money for a pirate frigate, captains, when she’s sitting there in orbit with her masts not even stepped?”

  Lawson pursed her lips at that and Alexis could almost see the calculations. There were few enough frigates in the Navy — never enough for all the tasks they were suited for, even in peacetime — and there was no doubt a proper prize court would buy her, whichever this was, right back in to service. There’d likely not even be the most typical of delays in their decision, as the Navy would want the ship overhauled and outfitted instanter.

  “We have only to alter our plan a bit,” she went on. “We are still six ships, experienced and heavily crewed, against a handful of gunboats, a former merchantman, and a frigate so badly damaged in battle that she was left behind by her fleet to be taken by rabble.”

  She had them, she could tell, as she stopped talking and looked around the table, meeting each captain’s eyes in turn. Spensley was still skeptical, but Pennywell was with her — as was Malcomson, she knew, as he was grinning like a wolf who’s just sent the sheepdog off after a goose. Kingston was looking at Lawson, and her narrowed eyes and pursed lips told that she was calculating the returns already.

  Alexis’ tablet pinged, but she ignored it. It was more important to keep the mood around this table right now. If Spensley left, one of the others might as well — if that happened, the others might follow. For all that they were captains of their own ships, they did seem to follow another’s lead far more than she’d have expected.

  Her tablet pinged again and she caught Villar’s eye. He nodded and stepped back to use his own tablet and see what was so urgent that their conference should be disturbed.

  “Well,” Spensley muttered, casting a look to Pennywell as though for confirmation of his thoughts, “there is something to the idea that they wouldn’t leave a working frigate behind when they were cruising for prizes.”

  Pennywell nodded and looked to
Lawson. “It’d do our reputations no harm, I think, to sail a lost frigate into Penduli.”

  Lawson nodded in agreement. “Reputation spends as well, in some circles, never mind the coin.”

  Alexis had been so intent on the other captains that she didn’t notice Villar at her elbow until he whispered in her ear.

  “Sir, the message was from Dorsett —”

  “What is it then? No whispering about!” Spensley said. “I don’t like secrets in conference!”

  Villar looked to her and Alexis nodded permission. Dorsett was on the tactical console, so it was likely some movement of the gunboats and the other captains should be aware of that anyway.

  Villar sighed and ran fingers over her table’s display, changing it back to the surrounding darkspace, rather than the images of the ships in orbit around Erzurum they’d all been examining. It wasn’t until Villar zoomed the display out to show all of Erzurum, right out to the system halo, that she saw it. There were the dots of the gunboats, all milling about to leeward of the line of private ships sailing on their beam reach — but just at the edge, making their way through the halo and into the first set of shoals, were new dots.

  “It would appear the pirates have returned with prizes, sir,” Villar said. “Four sloops, seven merchantmen, Dorsett believes —” Villar took a deep breath. “— and a frigate.”

  Fifty-Six

  The uproar was immediate and loud.

  The captains all rose to their feet, all but Alexis and Malcomson, and Spensley pounded the table.

  “Two frigates! Why didn’t we know this?” He clenched his jaw and looked around at the others. “And here we are, between the bloody pot and the cooktop!” He fixed his gaze on Alexis. “One could almost think it were planned.”

  Malcomson growled and half rose, but Alexis placed a hand on his arm again. He seemed to more and more be taking on the role as her protector of sorts, and she wanted none of that. She might need his aid in battle against the pirates, but not against this sort of thing.

  “Captain Spensley,” she said, and, though softly, it cut through the outbursts of the other captains and caused them to stop and stare. “Do you wish to rethink your words?”

  Spensley slammed the table again. “We should all think on them. Who are you? Newcome to the Barbary and all of an instant you’re leading us here? Into this trap? Why —”

  “Sir —” Spensley’s first officer said.

  “Shut up, Wakeling, I’ve had enough. If the others want to follow this child, they may, but I have some questions about where she’s brought us.” He looked around at the others. “Do none of you find it suspicious how she turned up here and suddenly we’re in this mess? She’s either a fool or in league with the damned pirates herself!”

  Alexis watched Spensley, her eyes narrowing. She was angry, but also calculating the looks of the other captains. Pennywell and Lawson appeared to be considering Spensley’s words. If their force broke now, many of them would likely be doomed. But there was little she could say to offset Spensley’s accusations — one couldn’t prove a negative, after all.

  Lawson looked from Spensley to Alexis. “Will you leave that lie there unanswered?”

  “Captain Spensley is clearly overwrought,” Alexis said. “As we all are, I’m sure, by this new development. I’m certain he doesn’t mean to —”

  “Don’t mistake what I mean,” Spensley interrupted. “I’ll speak it plainly. You got us drunk and agreeing to this — showed up late so we were well into our cups. Now we’re here, drawn midway in-system, too far in to flee, with all those gunboats to leeward and a bloody fleet to windward — it’s all too pat and I name you in league with them!”

  Alexis scanned the others’ faces. They didn’t show agreement, but neither did they seem to discount Spensley’s accusation. Even Malcomson was giving her a speculative look, as though wondering at her reaction to Spensley’s words.

  No, there was only one thing these captains might accept when such words were said, and she hoped her own desire for it wasn’t coloring her decision.

  “Mister Villar?”

  “Sir?”

  “May I impose upon you in this matter?”

  Villar looked at her questioningly for a moment, then raised his brows and cocked his head at Spensley. The other captains and their officers were dead silent, seeing what Spensley couldn’t through his own anger.

  “Enquire of Captain Spensley on his desire for a meeting, if you will.”

  Villar looked as though he might question her, then, “Indeed, sir.”

  Alexis locked her eyes on Spensley, who seemed to just now be realizing that he might have overstepped. Alexis had settled into that bit of calm space she felt when the battle was inevitable, but not quite arrived. Care and thought of the approaching pirates disappeared for a moment, leaving her at peace. Now might not be the best time to fight a duel, but she felt Spensley was lost to her force in any case — whatever she and the others might decide, he would likely take Oriana and flee as best he could.

  He’d doom himself and his ship by doing so, though they had little greater chance staying together in the face of such a force.

  Damned if I’ll meet my end leaving a man who’s called me a betrayer still breathing.

  “Sir,” Villar said to Spensley, “do you desire a meeting with my principle? Will you name a man to speak for you?” He glanced significantly at Spensley’s first officer who glanced away.

  “What?” Spensley said. “Now? Are you mad?”

  Alexis sighed. There was that bloody question again, and she was beginning to wonder.

  “We are, indeed, tossed into the fire here, Captain Spensley,” she said. “If Mongoose is to be taken by this lot and myself killed or made captive — I should desire to finish as much of my business as I may.”

  Spensley looked around at the others.

  Alexis saw little support for him there, but perhaps he saw something different — or wasn’t a man to back down even in the face of no support.

  His eyes narrowed.

  “You think I’ll back down to a strutting child?” He stood straight and gestured at his first officer. “Wakeling! Deal with the arrangements for this meeting — I’ll be in our boat, preparing.”

  With that, he turned and left Alexis’ compartment. His first officer, Wakeling, mumbled something Alexis couldn’t catch and then nodded to Villar. The two of them retired to a corner of Alexis’ compartment for a moment.

  “Captains,” Alexis said, returning her attention to the table’s plot and the enemy ships. “Shall we return to our plans?”

  Malcomson drained his glass and waved it at Isom.

  “An’ Ah was afraid this meetin’ would be borin’.”

  Mongoose’s berthing area was already cleared of loose items, the ship being at quarters. All of the bunks were folded to the bulkheads and the crew’s chests were struck down into the hold.

  Had Spensley chosen pistols of some sort, they might have had to use the gun deck, with its open space that ran nearly the full length of the ship, but for the chosen swords the berthing area would work well.

  Bulkheads lined two sides of the space, but it opened fore and aft — which allowed the crowd of watchers to close in. This left the space, perhaps, five meters by three meters, with bulkheads along the longer sides and the bodies of the watchers crowding the shorter.

  One crowd was fronted by the other captains and their first officers, and Alexis allowed Spensley to have that end of the space — she doubted he’d be comfortable beginning with her crew crowded at his back.

  She’d removed her vacsuit for the occasion and dressed in her captain’s garb, which, she thought, accounted for the grins and nods of approval she got from the crew as they made a lane for her to make her way through them — at least the outfit was what she attributed the whistle or two she heard from the crowd to.

  That would never have happened on a Naval ship — though she’d not be fighting a duel or dressed as s
he was on one, either.

  It did, though, bolster her spirits in an odd way.

  On a station or planet, from strangers, it would certainly have been unwelcome, but here, from her lads, it was very different, and she realized she’d added a bit of a cocked hip to her stance that was quite unlike her.

  She glanced down at herself and suppressed a grin.

  Perhaps the something is catching.

  Across the open space, Spensley stood with Wakeling, and behind them the other captains, save Malcomson — more of Mongoose’s crew behind them, but not crowding. Malcomson waited with Villar on her side.

  Villar leaned close as she reached the front of the crowd.

  “Do you think this wise, sir? Perhaps an accommodation given the circumstances?”

  “Is Captain Spensley prepared to withdraw his accusations?”

  “No, sir, but —”

  “Mister Villar, this is not merely about his accusations, though I take them to heart. Did you see the other captains when Spensley spoke?”

  Villar shook his head. “Not to speak of, I suppose — I was listening to him.”

  “As were they. If Spensley sticks to his accusations and withdraws Oriana, it’s possible either Pennywell or Lawson will as well. If one of them does, then both of them will — do you see? It’s like the gundeck in action when one man breaks — should he be successful, not stopped and given heart by an officer, or stopped with more force by a marine at the hatch, then another will go after him. And another and another — and then comes the rout.

  “First Spensley and Oriana. Then Pennywell, I think, would be next, and after him Lawson would see no profit in staying with us. Kingston will follow Lawson, no doubt of that, and so our entire force will be broken up.”