The Queen's Pardon (Alexis Carew Book 6)

by J. A. Sutherland

  “Claw’s in the transition zone, sir,” Tite said from the tactical console, his voice low, as everyone on the quarterdeck kept theirs, giving Kannstadt as much privacy as they could and still work the ship.

  Kannstadt’s body tensed as the same was announced on Claw’s quarterdeck.

  Alexis moved to offer him what strength she could, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing tightly. She could feel the other captain tremble with the effort to not beg Deckard to stop his mad plan and return to him. What she might do in his position, if it were Delaine aboard that other ship and about to transition to darkspace where he’d almost certainly be killed by Ellender as soon as his guard dropped, she couldn’t bear to wonder.

  Deckard turned to look at Claw’s signals console for the first time since boarding.

  “Thank you, Wendale,” he said. “For everything.” He jerked his head at Ellender. “Transition.”

  “Ian! Ich liebe dich, mausebär.” Kannstadt reached out to touch Deckard’s image on the screen, though with the time lag Claw was already gone. “Lebewohl.”

  Alexis had Nabb, Dockett, and Isom about her table this time, along with Blackbourne and Kannstadt.

  The Hanoverese captain was red-eyed and looked weary beyond words, but refused to return to his ship or even the offer of Alexis’ bunk for a few hours’ rest.

  “No,” he said. “I wish to see what we will do now. What Ian saw — if it was not his … his madness that made this. I do not wish his sacrifice to have been …” Kannstadt trailed off.

  “He may not be —” Alexis broke off, knowing the truth.

  “Ian is dead,” Kannstadt said bluntly. “If not this moment, then so soon as he is unable to hold his weapon. Ellender will not return here, even after …” He closed his eyes. “This chance is bought dearly and I can only hope his vision was not clouded.

  Alexis nodded.

  She’d wracked her memory of their conference for some clue and thought there was something there, but couldn’t be sure. She’d not replayed the log while on the quarterdeck as Claw made its way to the transition point, for fear Ellender might hear and come to understand whatever it was Deckard had seen so clearly. Nor had she wished to leave the quarterdeck to review the log in her quarters until Ellender and Claw were truly gone.

  Now that they’d transitioned, she felt certain they’d not return. She was certain Deckard wouldn’t allow it while he lived and had no doubt that Kannstadt, knowing that as well, would make good on his promise to Ellender, no matter the cost to himself, his own ship, or those still on Erzurum.

  There were some things, she thought, that transcended duty — some sacrifices that were too much to ask — and she prayed she’d never face a similar choice.

  Isom shifted uneasily in his chair.

  “Should I bring fresh beer, sir?” he asked, half rising. “Perhaps a bit of cheese? I think there’s a bit at the back of the pantry the pirates didn’t take.”

  “Sit, please,” Alexis said. “You’ve the legal training and I wish your mind at work on this.”

  Isom settled back into this chair, but grumbled, “Ain’t natural.”

  “Lieutenant Deckard saw … something in our previous meeting,” Alexis said. “I wish all of you to watch the log with me and tell me if you see it.” She turned to Kannstadt. “Are you certain you wish to be here for this, Captain Kannstadt?”

  He nodded. “I must try to help in this.”

  “Very well.”

  Alexis brought up the log of their meeting and played it from the start. Kannstadt winced at Deckard’s image, but watched nonetheless. She did stop it before Deckard attacked Ellender, though, thinking that whatever it was must have been before that and there was no need for them to see that bit again.

  At the end, Alexis sighed. She saw nothing there — Ellender had been quite clear in his intent and reasoning, reprehensible as she might find it. There was even something to his argument, if one weren’t actually here and were instead listening to it from the safe, far away confines of Admiralty — the chance of getting more and official forces to Erzurum, though Alexis still thought it not possible, would seem a perfectly reasonable choice.

  “I’m afraid I don’t see it. I suppose our original plan could hold — if we were to somehow free another New London officer from Erzurum, he could offer the pirates a pardon — though we have the problem of getting there and back to do so,” she said, turning to Kannstadt. “Do you see anything else, Captain Kannstadt?”

  The Hanoverese shook his head. “I do not, but it must be there — Ian was so certain.”

  Alexis looked to the others. Nabb and Dockett shrugged, but Isom was frowning in thought.

  “Something?” she asked her clerk.

  Isom’s face twisted in a grimace. “There’s a bit —” He reached for the tabletop where the log played. “If I may, sir?”

  Alexis nodded agreement and Isom tapped the controls. Ellender’s voice echoed from the speakers.

  “That being the case, and this ship being the fastest of the lot we took, I shall be transferring my command to Mongoose. You may consider yourself recalled to Her Majesty’s service, Lieutenant Carew, and this ship commandeered to the needs of the Royal Navy.”

  Isom paused it and ran forward a bit before resuming at Alexis’ words.

  “Sir, I beg you to reconsider, if I were recalled to service and ordered to abandon the men on Erzurum, I’m afraid I should have to refuse the recall and resign my commission. I implore you, Captain Ellender, there must be some other way. If you insist on sailing, take some other ship and leave Mongoose here to defend those men.”

  Isom sat back, his brow creased.

  “Isom?” Alexis asked.

  “It’s a twisty-turny bit of business, sir,” Isom said, hanging his head and flushing. “The sort as gives a solicitor a certain reputation.”

  “My reputation’s unlikely to be further tarnishable once Ellender speaks to Admiralty,” Alexis said. “A bit of space-lawyering will do me no further harm, I think.”

  Isom shrugged. “Well, sir, it’s that you didn’t so much as refuse Captain Ellender as, well, say you might, imploring him to reconsider, as you were.”

  Alexis nodded. “My intent was clear, though. Should he have continued in his attempt to take Mongoose, I would have resigned my commission and resisted him.”

  Isom cleared his throat and flushed, as though embarrassed by what he was about to speak. “But you didn’t, sir, and he didn’t have time to change his own intentions — orders, more — clearly stated for the log, sir, that you should consider yourself recalled.”

  Blackbourne was, apparently, the first to see Isom’s point, for he grinned widely, leaning forward and clapping the slight-framed clerk on the back with a heavy hand. “Aye, yer a clever one — worthy o’ the Brotherhood, y’are.” He turned to Alexis while jerking his head back to Isom. “Old Blackbourne’ll be wantin’ this one t’draw up them pardons when yer ready, bitch-woman. The man’s a good eye fer a snakey-phrase.”

  “We’re a bit ahead of ourselves with that, I think,” Alexis said. “We’ll need to free a senior officer and convince him of this course, and the pirates still have nearly as many boats as we do to counter any rescue attempt. Without that we …”

  Alexis trailed off as she noted everyone around the table was looking at her expectantly. Isom embarrassed, Blackbourne with amusement, Dockett and Nabb thoughtful, while Kannstadt had a predatory gleam to his eye.

  “Ian was a clever man,” Kannstadt said, his voice sad.

  Alexis thought about what Isom had said, then Ellender’s words and her own again. She closed her eyes and sighed. “Oh, Isom, I’d see a man’s backbone at the gratings for such a space-lawyerly bit of gibberish.”

  Isom shrugged. “It is an interpretation of the events, sir. Captain Ellender recalled you to service, clearly, and while you tried to dissuade him he did not respond. Didn’t have time to respond, see? Thanks to Lieutenant Deckard. It could
be said his order stands, without those conditions you said would force you to resign, and while he’s now sailed and circumstances have changed, leaving you recalled to Service and senior in Erzurum — in the Barbary, as well, for Ellender’s stated he intends to make way for New London.”

  Alexis did see it. It was an interpretation. Whether it would be Admiralty’s interpretation was quite another thing.

  Their Lordships would back the decisions of a commander on the scene to the hilt and beyond, ensuring that everyone knew the commander of a Queen’s Ship, months from any higher authority, spoke with the Queen’s Voice and Authority. There were rules, of course — both written and unwritten — but those rules were often, perhaps even frequently, broken and ignored by captains and admirals on remote stations. Some of that rule-breaking was censured, privately, by Admiralty and a captain’s career might even end over it — but his actions were nearly always upheld. The authority of the Crown, conferred on the Queen’s Officers, must never be in question.

  It could even be argued, she supposed, that she might be considered in a state of mutiny if she didn’t now either return to active service or resign her commission, one. Ellender’s words were clear.

  “Captain Ellender stated his intent,” Alexis argued, “but sent nothing official. No recall, no commission, nothing.”

  “Exigencies of the circumstances and needs of the Service, sir,” Isom said. He had the Naval Regulations open on her tabletop now and was searching and scanning as he spoke. “Not unknown to tidy up the paperwork when there’s a bit of a breather.”

  Alexis was starting to accept the idea, mad though it might be — and, she reminded herself, first seen by Deckard who was clearly mad.

  Or not so mad at all.

  “Captain Kannstadt?” Alexis asked. “Your thoughts?”

  Kannstadt chuckled. “I would be a poor man to argue against Ian’s sacrifice. Ja, Kapitän Carew — Hanover recognizes you as senior New London officer in Erzurum.” He sobered, perhaps thinking about the risk she was taking with her career and even life. “And may die Dunkelheit show you mercy.”

  “The Dark is unlikely to take notice, captain.” Alexis turned to Blackbourne. “Will the pirates — will you — accept my authority to issue a pardon? It hardly seems worth it to write one if I’ll merely be laughed out of the system.”

  Blackbourne shrugged. “Yer betters’ll hang you or not, as they will, but they’ll honor what you do. We know how that works, we do — though it’s usually the summary hangin’ without trial what comes our way from it.”

  Alexis winced. She’d not always been above that herself and, despite her better consideration, she actually found herself liking Blackbourne a bit and —

  “The lads’ll need a day or two t’ponder on it,” Blackbourne continued, “but Old Blackbourne’ll vouch fer ye, bitch-woman.”

  — or, perhaps not.

  “Isom?” Alexis asked, wondering if she was signing her own death warrant. “Is there any chance of a proper uniform yet remaining aboard Her Majesty’s Ship Mongoose?”

  By Alexis Arleen Carew, Lieutenant, Commanding HMS Mongoose, Senior, to her knowledge, Officer of Admiralty in the Barbary, and in the Queen’s Name and that of Her Naval Forces and Admiralty,

  Annalise R

  (Alexis Arleen Carew, Lieutenant RN)

  A PROCLAMATION for Suppressing of Pirates

  Whereas we have received Information, that several Persons, Subjects of New London, have, for some years, committed diverse Piracies and Robberies within and about the Systems of the Barbary, or adjoining to such Places, which hath and may Occasion great Damage to the Merchants of New London, and others trading into those Parts; and tho' we have appointed such a Force as we judge sufficient for suppressing the said Piracies, yet the more effectually to put an End to the same, we have thought fit, by and with the Advice of Diverse Council, to Issue this Proclamation and Offer of Amnesty;

  And we do hereby promise, and declare, that in Case any of the said Pirates, shall on, or within five days of, the date of this Proclamation, surrender him or themselves, to one of our Officers of New London, or to any Officer or Man of the Naval forces of New London, Hanover, the French Republic, or the Berry March, be He Commissioned, Ordinary, In Service, or in State of Captivity; every such Pirate and Pirates so surrendering him, or themselves, as aforesaid, shall have the Queen’s gracious Pardon, of, and for such, his or their Piracy, or Piracies, by him or them committed, before this Proclamation’s date.

  And we do hereby strictly charge and command all New London Admirals, Captains, and other Officers a-space, and all our Governors and Commanders of any Forts, Stations, or other Places in our Realm, and all other our Officers Civil and Military, to seize and take such of the Pirates, who shall refuse or neglect to surrender themselves accordingly.

  And we do hereby further declare, that in Case any Person or Persons, on, or after, the date of this Proclamation, shall discover or seize, or cause or procure to be discovered or seized, any one or more of the said Pirates, so refusing or neglecting to surrender themselves as aforesaid, so as they may be brought to Justice, and convicted of the said Offence, such Person or Persons, so making such Discovery or Seizure, or causing or procuring such Discovery or Seizure to be made, shall have and receive as a Reward for the same, viz. for every Commander of any private Ship or Vessel, the Sum of 100 pounds, for every Lieutenant, Master, Boatswain, Carpenter, and Gunner, the Sum of 40 pounds, for every inferior Officer, the Sum of 30 pounds, and for every private Man, the Sum of 20 pounds.

  Further, that in Case any Person or Persons, on or after the Day of this Proclamation, shall discover and cause to be released to Freedom, any Officer or Man of the New London Royal Navy, or the navies of the Republic of Hanover, the Berry March, or the French Republic, held in bondage or servitude within the confines of the system of Erzurum, such Person or Persons, so causing the Release and Freedom of such to be made, shall have and receive as a Reward for the same, viz. for every Commander of any Vessel, the Sum of 100 pounds, for every Lieutenant, Master, Boatswain, Carpenter, and Gunner, the Sum of 40 pounds, for every inferior Officer, the Sum of 30 pounds, and for every private Man, the Sum of 20 pounds.

  And if any Person or Persons, belonging to, and being Part of the Crew, of any such Pirate Ship and Vessel, shall, on or after the date of this Proclamation, seize and deliver, or cause to be seized or delivered, any Commander or Commanders, of such Pirate Ship or Vessel, so as that he or they be brought to Justice, and convicted of the said Offense, such Person or Persons, as a Reward for the same, shall receive for every such Commander, the Sum of 200 pounds, which said Sums, the Lord Treasurer, or the Commissioners of Treasury, or the Admiralty, or such ship of the Royal Navy, being able and taking possession of such captured Pirates, for the Time being, are hereby required, and desired to pay accordingly.

  Given at Erzurum, the Barbary,

  God save the QUEEN.

  “It do have a certain something,” Blackbourne said, rereading the document for a last time before he was to broadcast it to all of Erzurum.

  Isom grinned broadly and nodded, worries of space-lawyering forgotten in his pride at the wording or a particular turn of phrase he thought quite the thing. “It is, I think.”

  “I thought the offer of a reward for those who don’t surrender was very good,” Kannstadt said, causing Isom to flush, as it was him who’d had the thought the pirates might not wish to fight their more resistant fellows for only the pardon. He and Blackbourne, along with Isom, had collaborated well into the night in negotiating the appropriate amounts. There’d been a bit more haggling about the rewards for freeing fleet spacers, and no little grumbling from Mongoose’s crew when it was found that their fellows would be valued at the same number of pounds as captured pirates, but, in the end, Alexis did agree it was a fine incentive.

  What Admiralty and the Exchequer would think of it, she couldn’t bear pondering.

  Alexis closed her eyes and leaned a
gainst the navigation plot.

  “They’re going to bloody hang me.”

  Forty-One

  Alexis didn’t so much tug at her uniform as pull it tightly around herself in defense, then glanced about the quarterdeck to see who might have seen. It wouldn’t do for the crew, newly informed they were called back into Naval service at Alexis’ order — and, curiously, mostly not averse to the news — to see their captain hugging herself.

  It was only that it felt rather good to be wearing it again, even if it were old, a bit worn, and somewhat musty from having been stuffed in the bottom of one of her chests and stored in the hold since she’d come aboard. It was still a proper uniform, if scuffed and stained in places, and she hadn’t quite realized how much she’d missed that since taking command of Mongoose. The costumes of the private ships, her own included, were well enough for the play acting of those captains — taking merchantmen and reveling in the captured wealth and prize money — but that wasn’t for her. She’d been a bit … lost, she thought, during that time. Cast loose from some mooring she hadn’t truly understood.

  Perhaps she didn’t understand it now, even, but she did feel relief at the snug fit of her uniform jacket, the clasp of a proper beret atop her head, even if the gold band of command was a bit of frippery from some pirate’s vest sewn on by Isom, and even if the beret did have a tendency to rise up and fall to the wrong side, it being a part of her old midshipman’s kit.

  Even the boots felt better — proper shipboard boots, and not the high-topped, higher-heeled boots she’d worn as a privateer. Though these boots were the most worn and ragged of the whole bit, being a pair she’d cast off and Isom had kept for the use of the Creat —