Mutineer (26 page)

“Thank you, Mister Lain,” she said. “See to the rigging as best you can and cut away the damaged portion of the keelboard. We’ll make do with half so as not to have it always dragging. Lord knows we’ll move slowly enough with but a single mast.”

“Aye, sir.”

“And see about transferring some vacsuits to the marines, please. We’ll see about taking on any survivors from the pinnace as soon as it may be done.”

Alexis waited on the quarterdeck while the men worked, knowing that, even if she had a vacsuit, her place wasn’t out among them. Moberly came to ask if he should let Neals and the other officers out of the master’s quarters yet, but Alexis shook her head. “No. I do not believe I wish to see Captain Neals at this time. Possibly for the rest of this trip. Have some food and wine brought to them, but keep a guard on the door.”

“Aye, Captain,” Moberly said.

Lain reported that they’d rerigged the mainmast to account for the others being missing and it would likely hold at speed. Vacsuits were transferred to the marines and Alexis carefully took
Trau Wunsch
toward the pinnace, heaving-to beside the other ship. The marines made a boarding and came back to report that all aboard were dead.

Swallowing hard to hold down her distaste at the act, Alexis ordered all of the supplies transferred from the other ship. It would make
Trau Wunsch
even more crowded, but there was no telling how long their journey would be. She even ordered the bodies stripped of vacsuits if the suits might still be usable.

* * * * *

Alexis studied the navigation plot. By all measures, they should be well inside New London space and within days of reaching Penduli. She’d considered going elsewhere, there were closer New London systems, but she knew Penduli and it seemed like home to her. It was also more developed and had an orbital station. Along with that went the assurance that there would be a senior officer there, someone senior to Captain Neals.

Neals had hardly left the master’s cabin since the action with the Hanoverese pinnace, but when he had it had not been pleasant. He wanted command back and Alexis’ refusal infuriated him, but he had no support from Williard and certainly none from the crew. Alexis feared what he would do if they sailed into a system and he could announce his parole was over and take command.

More, she feared what the crew might do in reaction to that. They’d managed to avoid participating in one mutiny and were on their way home. She didn’t want them to face that decision a second time.

“Sail! Off the starboard beam, down fifteen. Might be a sloop or brig, sir. Two masts, ship-rigged.”

“Thank you, Scholer.” Alexis examined the navigation plot. If her calculations were correct, even reasonably so, they were certainly no more than a few days from Penduli, well inside New London space. The winds seemed to indicate that she’d done a better job this time, as they were running straight along her course. Without a storm to disrupt them,
darkspace
winds tended to run directly towards the nearest star system, so there was something there, at least. The new ship was almost directly off their starboard side and a few degrees below their line of sail.

She smiled, allowing herself a moment to feel relief. Even if she’d gotten the navigation wrong, the new ship would be able to tell her where they were. “Send the men out to the sails, Mister Lain. Bring us eighty degrees starboard and down ten.”

“Aye, sir.”

Alexis rested her hip against the navigation plot and closed her eyes. On closing courses, they’d have, perhaps, a half an hour before they could read the other ships signals and find out how close to Penduli they were. She stretched her shoulders, feeling them loosen. Now that they were so close to being home, she was able to relax a little.

The half hour passed quickly and when she judged they were close enough to begin exchanging signals, or at least identify each other, she crossed to the signals station. “All right, Silk,” she said to the spacer there. “Raise our colors, New London over Hanover.” She smiled at him. “Don’t get the order wrong or we’ll find a very different welcome.”

He smiled back. “Aye, sir.” And a moment later, “Colors are lit, sir. New London over Hanover.”

“Very good, Silk.” She crossed back to the navigation plot to wait on the other ship to identify itself. “As soon as they respond, please do think of a polite way to ask them where in hell we are, won’t you?”

Silk laughed. “Aye, sir, that I’ll —”

Alexis turned as he fell silent and felt a sharp jab of fear at the look on his face. “Out with it, Silk! Report!” she said, crossing to his station.

“Sail’s raised colors, sir.” He turned to her, eyes wide. “Hanover.”

Alexis looked at his screen and saw the other ship’s masts and yards steadily lit with the blue and gold of Hanover. Not alternating with New London’s red and white, to indicate a prize, as her own were.

“Come about, Mister Lain!” she yelled. “One eighty to port and lively now!”

“Aye, sir!” Lain replied, rushing to the sail locker.

Damn you, Delaine!
It was him, she knew. How she knew, she couldn’t say, but she was certain of it. What other Hanoverese ship would be this deep in New London space all but waiting for her? She clenched her fists and watched the plot as
Trau Wunsch
turned away from the other ship. First to run with the wind, then further to take it on her port beam, running directly away from the other ship. That would slow his closing, but not stop it.
He’s the legs on us for any point of sail, damn it! Trau Wunsch
wasn’t designed for speed, she was too bulky and lumbered along like a fat sow at the best of times. Damaged as she was, they’d been making barely two or three knots.

Alexis stared at the plot, willing some solution to come to her, but there was none. No matter where she turned, the other ship would be the faster and would surely close with them. She’d turn and fight, but that would be useless as well — with but two guns left and only a few charges.

And those so old I doubt their capacitors would hold a charge
. She cursed her ship’s former masters, who’d left it so defenseless.
Would I fire into him if I could?

Alexis drew a deep breath.
Can’t escape and can’t fight.

“Come back ninety to starboard, Mister Lain. We’ll run for Penduli, or whatever system lies before us, and hope for rescue before we’re caught.”

“Aye, sir.”

“Full sail, Mister Lain. Stunsails and stays if there are any in the locker. I know the mizzen and foremasts are but stubs, but rig something.” She clenched her teeth. “Send the lads aft and have them fart off the bloody stern if you think it’ll gain us anything.”

Lain looked at her in surprise. “I … aye, sir.”

* * * * *

Alexis kept watch over the navigation plot while the minutes passed. Jaw tight, arms crossed, she stared at the plot with narrowed eyes. She resisted the urge to have the log thrown again to determine their speed, checking the time instead and seeing that it was but five minutes since the last throw. It would give her no good information for the chase, in any case. It was simply something to do other than stare at the plot and watch the slow, inexorable creep of the other ship growing closer. The fat oval of its estimated weapons range, shorter fore and aft where it likely had smaller guns and wider to the sides, was far too close for her comfort.
It won’t be long before he could turn and strike with his broadside.
The turn would slow him, but he’d soon make up the lost distance.
Will you fire, Delaine?

“Signal, sir,” Silk said. “
Heave To
then … not a proper signal, sir, it’s all spelled out, but just some gibberish …
m-a-b-i-c-h-e-t-t-e
…”

Alexis laughed in spite of the tension she felt. She’d known before, but this left no doubt that it was Delaine behind her. “
Ma bichette,
” she said.

“That mean what it sounds like, Mister Carew?” Lain asked, his face growing dark and angry.

“‘My little doe’, Mister Lain.” She sighed and her smile fell. “He is French, after all.”

Lain flushed. “Well … that’s all right, then … I suppose.”

Alexis looked around the quarterdeck, fixing each man in her mind. She closed her eyes for a long moment, then opened them. For a moment, she considered putting on a vacsuit and going out on the hull. If she were to leap off the stern, Delaine would surely see and stop for her before she was affected too much by being adrift in
darkspace.
The delay might allow
Trau Wunsch
and her lads to be well away.

No, there’s no telling what Neals will do if I’m not aboard.

“Mister Lain?”

“Sir?”

“Take the best gun we have — one that’s not likely to destroy our own ship if it’s fired, that is — take it to the stern gallery along with the gunner and whatever shot you can find. I find this pursuit troublesome and should like it slowed. A few bolts into his sails, perhaps, once in range?”

Lain nodded. “Aye, sir. I’ll see it done.”

“Lain,” Alexis said. “Be sure it’s into his sails, I don’t …”

Lain nodded again. “Aye, sir. I understand.”

Alexis returned her gaze to the plot, jumping in surprise when she noticed Lain at her side again. She hadn’t thought so much time had passed.

“All set, sir,” he said. “Coad and Lufkin are on the gun. They’ll aim fer his sails when you order it.”

“Thank you, Mister Lain.”

“Sail!”

Alexis rushed to the tactical console. “Where away, Scholer?” she asked, staring at the image.

“Fine on the port bow, down twenty, sir. Large sail.” He ran his fingers over the image, tracing three blobs of light. “I make it a frigate, sir.”

Alexis almost cried out with relief. “Port ten, down fifteen, Mister Lain.”

“Aye, sir.”

The frigate surely belonged to her own Navy, there couldn’t possibly be two Hanoverese ships this deep in New London space, and it would see
Trau Wunsch
soon if it hadn’t already. All she had to do was keep sailing closer and the pursuing ship would find itself well outmatched.
Delaine’s ship.

“Make a signal to the frigate, Silk,” she said. “
Enemy In Sight
and keep it flying.”

“They won’t be able to read it for a bit, Mister Carew, should I wait so the Hannie don’t see —”

“Fly it now,” Alexis said quietly. She closed her eyes.
I do not bluff, Delaine.

“Aye, sir.”

She waited, trying not to count the minutes.

“The Hannie’s come about, sir. She’s running.”

Alexis released a breath she hadn’t been aware she was holding and opened her eyes. Had she done the right thing? No matter, it was done. If there were consequences she’d accept them.

“Take down
Enemy In Sight
, Silk. It’ll do that frigate no good now.” She saw Lain staring at her. “There are many duties, Mister Lain. The path between them is not always clear, it seems.”

Lain nodded. “You’re sure it were ‘doe’ he called you and not t’other?”

Alexis smiled. “Quite sure.”

“Glad he’ll get away, then. Good man, that Frenchie lieutenant.”

“Yes.” She watched the line of the other ship’s retreat on the plot for a moment. “Silk, make
Request Assistance,
if you please, and prepare the signals to explain our state to that frigate.” She grimaced. “And I suppose I should send someone to inform Captain Neals that he is rescued.”

* * * * *

Given
Trau Wunsch’s
condition, the approaching frigate,
H.M.S.
Vestal,
ordered her to heave-to and leave it to the frigate to maneuver into range for docking. The larger ship unstepped her foremast and settled along
Trau Wunsch’s
port side before extending a boarding tube.

Alexis made her way to the crowded mess deck and port airlock. Neals and the other officers were there waiting as well, but none of them acknowledged her presence. “Captain Neals …” she began, but stopped. What could she say, really? He’d hated her before and their flight from Giron would certainly not have improved his opinion of her. Come to that, she despised him as well — perhaps the best that could be hoped for was that they’d all be sent off to different ships now and never meet again.

The lock cycled and the hatch slid open to reveal a party of marines, spacers, and a lieutenant from
Vestal
. He took a step forward then actually rocked back on his heels, a grimace of disgust on his face.

Yes, I suppose we are a bit ripe.
Though large for cargo,
Trau Wunsch
had been designed for a much smaller crew. Alexis and the others were used to it by now, but it must come as a shock to someone boarding for the first time.