Mutineer

by Sutherland, J. A.

  Now came the waiting and Alexis settled back into her seat, forcing herself to remain calm. Hearst glanced at her once and seemed about to speak, but shrugged and settled back to waiting as well.

  Hermione’s speed increased, driven both by her drive and the pull of the moon’s gravity, and the view forward changed as the ship turned to go around the moon. Just as they were about to round the moon and bring the planet itself into sight, the boat shuddered once.

  “We’re away, sir,” Hearst said, settling his hands on the controls. He waited until Hermione had passed them, pulling off ahead, before he eased the boat into her path and fired their own drive. The ship still pulled away, having better acceleration, but the cutter was not far behind. The other boats would be launched shortly, once they were around the moon and could locate the merchant ships in orbit around the planet.

  With a suddenness that surprised her, the planet came into view from behind the moon and Alexis scanned the console. The boat’s optics and other sensors would begin picking out ships around the planet and plot their orbits for her. In addition, Hermione’s superior sensors should be repeated to her so that she’d know where the potential targets were.

  Minutes went by and they were past the moon. Hermione was still accelerating and had not yet released the other boats.

  “I’m seeing nothing,” Alexis said. “Can they all have sailed?”

  “Behind the planet, sir?” Hearst suggested.

  “Six of them?” Alexis shook her head. “No, I think they must have sailed. Most, in any case.” She sighed. “Captain Neals will not be happy.”

  A new track appeared on the console, not near the planet but further around the moon and on a course to cut behind Hermione. Alexis studied the image and magnified it. The new ship was small, much smaller than Hermione or even Merlin. Not much bigger than the pilot boats that sailed only a little ways from a system’s Lagrange points to escort arrivals. Like the pilot boats, it had a single mast mounted amidships, not on the bow as with larger ships.

  “Fore and aft rigged,” she murmured. “Some kind of customs cutter, do you suppose?”

  Hearst glanced over. “Like as not, sir. No more than four guns and a dozen men, surely. Not a match for Hermione at all.”

  “I should think not,” she agreed. “Well, it will be something for Neals to take or scuttle. At least he’ll have something out of our visit.” She watched the plots, Hermione’s continuing on toward the planet, ignoring the other ship, and the new ship moving between the frigate and the moon. “Or he may see it as not worth his while. Best prepare to maneuver, Hearst. I’m not sure what they’re up to, but if they come around this side they may fire on us in passing. They’re likely hoping to circle the moon and get to L2 for an escape themselves.”

  “Aye, sir.”

  Her console pinged with an incoming message from Hermione and she accepted it, jerking with surprise to see Ledyard’s face. He was supposed to be in one of the ship’s boats, not manning the signals console.

  “Best lay on, Carew,” he said. “Captain’s emptied the other boats and ordered you recalled.”

  Alexis quickly scanned the plot. Hermione was still accelerating toward the planet and her boat was falling further behind. “Where will you slow for us to catch up?”

  “Didn’t you hear me, Carew? Lay on as we’re not slowing. Captain says it must be a trap and there’re probably frigates or worse behind the planet with this little sot as a tripwire. We’re transitioning at L1 instanter, and if you’re not back aboard …” He grinned. “Well good luck to you.”

  Alexis’ mouth dropped open in shock and she found herself speechless for a moment. She looked over to Hearst, but he shook his head. He’d heard and could read the plot as well as she — there was no way they could catch Hermione before the ship reached the Lagrange point. Not unless the ship slowed.

  “Ledyard, it’s a bloody customs boat — one broadside from Hermione and it’ll cease to exist!”

  Ledyard glanced over his shoulder. “Aye, sir.” He turned back. “Captain won’t risk the ship for you, Carew. If you’re at L1 before we transition, we’ll take you aboard, else …” He shrugged and ended the transmission.

  They’re going to abandon us.

  Alexis stared at the blank screen in shock, then back to the plot where the enemy ship was rapidly coming into range. “Alter course, up ninety,” she ordered. “Get us out of his path, at least.”

  “Aye, sir.”

  She ran her fingers over the plot, estimating distances and times. Hermione was closing on L1, the Lagrange point between the moon and planet. The ship would shortly transition and leave them behind with the enemy vessel. Her ship’s boat lacked the ability to transition between normal-space and darkspace, and even if it could, they had no sails. If Hermione truly abandoned them, their only hope would be to take another ship.

  “With luck,” she said, “they’ll continue on to L2 for safety and be behind the moon before Hermione transitions. Then we’ll head for the planetary/solar L4 and hope to surprise some merchant transitioning in.” She looked at Hearst and saw the skeptical look on his face. “It’s what we have.” She stood and slid the hatch to the main part of the boat open. “Nabb!”

  When Nabb arrived she motioned him close and whispered. “Without frightening the men, go and check the stores locker. I want to know how much food, water, and air we have aboard.” If the custom’s boat did transition away, they might have a long wait at the Lagrange point before a merchantman arrived and they had a chance to take it. If it didn’t, well, then they were so far outgunned that they didn’t stand a chance.

  “Aye, sir.”

  “Quietly, mind you.”

  Nabb nodded. Alexis slid the hatch closed and resumed her seat.

  She watched the plot in silence. Hermione moving ever closer to the Lagrange point, the enemy ship circling the moon, and her boat moving perpendicular to both their courses.

  Hermione reached the edge of the Lagrange point and slowed. Too soon, damn them. The Hanoverese ship could still see Hermione and would know that the ship’s boat had been abandoned. Hermione transitioned, leaving them behind with the enemy.

  Within moments, the enemy ship altered course, curving up in a clear attempt to intercept her boat. The signals console again pinged for attention and Alexis played the incoming message.

  “New London boat, this is Leutnant Egenhauser of Hannover System Patrouille. Shut down your drive and strike colors or you will be fired upon. Respond.”

  “Damn,” she whispered. The other ship couldn’t have more than a dozen men aboard while she had twice that, but it was faster and had larger guns with a longer range. She had only a single gun and a small case of grape shot, more than adequate against a merchant’s thin hull and scared crew, but nothing against a warship. Even one so small as this. They can lay off and pound us to dust and we’ll have nothing to respond with.

  She had to somehow lure them into trying to board, but the only way they’d do that was if she struck her colors, taking down the New London colors that lit the boat and surrendering. And once I do that I’ve surrendered and can’t fight them.

  What could possibly make the Hanoverese lieutenant forget that the colors still flew and try to board anyway?

  “Hearst?”

  “Sir?”

  “Do you suppose you could make this boat appear it’s being conned by a terrified, sixteen-year old girl?”

  * * * * *

  “New London boat, this is Leutnant Egenhauser of Hannover System Patrouille. Shut down your drive and strike colors or you will be fired upon. Respond.”

  Is he playing a bloody recording? That’s all he’s said the last ten minutes.

  She spared a quick glance to the cockpit’s hatchway. Nabb would have the lads well in hand, she knew. She’d briefed them on her plan, such as it was, and they knew they had only one chance to pull it off. She nodded to Hearst and the pilot grinned, gripping the boat’s controls. He began fl
inging the controls back and forth, sending the boat jerking and twisting through space. He spun the boat to port and down, so that the planet slid past the viewport, then twisted it in space and swung back up, as though trying to steer for the planet but over-correcting each time. He slammed the throttle into reverse and Alexis was flung forward against her seat straps as the maneuver actually exceeded the inertial compensator’s safety margins and allowed some of the inertia to bleed through. Then he slammed the throttle forward to full military power, pressing her into her seatback. Alexis looked at him with wide eyes, but he was paying her no attention, his gaze flicking from console to console and a manic grin on his face.

  Well, I did ask for it.

  “New London boat, this is Leutnant Egenhauser of Hannover System Patrouille. Shut down your drive — what are you doing? Stop that this instant! New London boat, strike colors and zero your drive or you will be fired upon!”

  “Good luck hitting me, mate,” Hearst muttered.

  “Be quiet, Hearst, I’m about to begin my part,” Alexis said. Hearst was right, the boat was too small and agile for the Hanoverese to target, but they couldn’t evade her forever. Even if they could, eventually a larger ship would enter the system and they’d be unable to evade that.

  Sixteen or twenty guns fired near us would get a hit eventually. Her plan relied upon the Hanoverese believing she was alone in the cockpit. Alone and a scared little girl. Her mouth twisted at the thought. Bloody hell.

  She keyed the communications to the passenger compartment. “Get ready, lads,” she said. “Nabb, have at the hatchway, please, and keep it up.” The hatchway to the cockpit began shaking and rattling, as though someone were trying to get in. There was an occasional loud thump as something heavy was slammed against it.

  Alexis hunched over her half of the console, adjusting the communications pickup so that it was closer to her and would show mostly her face. She didn’t want the Hanoverese to be able to see that she wasn’t, in fact, piloting the boat, nor catch a glimpse of Hearst beside her. She composed her face in what she hoped was an appropriately terrified expression and poised her finger over the transmit button and began speaking, turning the transmitter on and off randomly, as though she had no idea what she was doing and was randomly pressing things in the search for the right one.

  “Hello? Hello? Hello? Are you there? Hello? Oh, which is the right button? Hello? Can you hear me? Please don’t shoot! Hello?”

  “New London boat, this is Leutnant Egenhauser of Hannover System Patrouille. Shut down your drive — what? Who is that? What are you doing? Stop that! Verdammt! Leave it alone! Idiot!”

  Alexis stopped her pressing of the transmit button, ensuring that it was off, and turned to Hearst. Hearst put the boat into a looping spiral that spun the system’s moon past the viewport every so often, forcing to Alexis to swallow heavily and look away before she became ill.

  I wonder if it would help if this Egenhauser saw me be sick?

  “New London boat, this is Leutnant Egenhauser of Hannover System Patrouille. You have stopped transmitting … press the transmit button. Once! Press it once and leave it!”

  Alexis leaned close the pickup again. “Hello? Hello?” She pressed transmit and left it set. “Hello? Hello? Hello?”

  “Yes, yes,” Egenhauser said. “Good, strike colors and zero your drive immediately!”

  “Hello? Can you hear me? Hello?”

  “Yes! I hear you! Stop speaking this instant!”

  Well, that’s rude. Alexis stopped speaking. She looked away from the pickup to the rest of the console and made sure to move her arms as though it was she who was piloting the boat.

  “Take your hands off the controls immediately!”

  Quite rude, him. She reached out to Hearst and touched his arm. Hearst stopped his wild maneuvers, but not before slamming the throttle fully forward. That would draw out the chase and give Alexis a bit more time.

  “Who are you?” Egenhauser demanded.

  Alexis looked into the pickup and let her lower lip tremble a bit.

  “Midshipman Alexis Carew, captain,” she said. “Please don’t shoot! The men have gone mad! Mad, I tell you! They’re terrified at being captured and I’ve had to lock myself in the cockpit! Please! Please don’t shoot, captain!”

  “I am not kapitän! I am leutnant! Strike your colors, girl!” He shook his head and muttered something guttural that Alexis didn’t catch.

  “Lootnut?” Alexis asked. “Is that at all like a lieutenant?”

  Egenhauser’s face grew red and Alexis thought she might have gone too far, but he took a deep breath and composed himself. “Leutnant,” he said distinctly. “Leutnant Egenhauser. Yes, it is the same.” He took another deep breath. “Tell me what is your situation.”

  Alexis caught her lower lip between her teeth. It was a bad habit she had and she knew it made her look even younger than she was, but it would serve her well now. “Sir,” she said, “the men went mad when Hermione transitioned, sir! Said the captain abandoned us to rot in a Hanoverese prison!” She bit the inside of her cheek hard, wincing and blinking until her eyes watered. “The purser had casks of rum stored aboard, sir, and the men got into it! They’re running wild back there, the pilot with them!” There was an especially loud thump from the cockpit hatchway that she was sure could be heard over the pickup. She swallowed hard. “The men are drunk, sir! Said they’d have a last bit of fun before they went to your prison, so I had to lock myself up here!” She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, quite proud of herself when she managed to get a single tear to run down her cheek. “Please, sir, I’ve only been aboard a few months! I don’t know what to do!”

  She almost felt guilty as Egenhauser’s expression softened, but she forced that down. The lads were counting on her and this was their only chance, so far as she could see. Oh, but there’ll be a special place in hell for me after this, I suspect.

  “Calm yourself,” Egenhauser said, voice calm and reassuring. “We will save you, but first you must strike your colors.”

  “I remember that!” Alexis said, careful of her wording. “I remember reading about that!” She scanned the console and reached for a control. “That’s this one, yes?”

  Hearst fired the keel’s bow thruster and the top stern thruster simultaneously, flipping the boat end for end over and over again. As the main engines were still firing, the boat was also looping in a tight spiral.

  “Stop!” Egenhauser yelled. “Take your hands away!”

  Alexis did, as did Hearst, and the boat straightened its course once more.

  Egenhauser rubbed his face. He clasped his hands in front of him. “You do not know your console, fräulein?”

  Alexis shook her head. “I’ve not been aboard long at all. I know some signals, sir … I know Heave-to, and I know Hermione’s number by heart, I do.” She smiled in what she hoped was an appropriately vapid bit of pride.

  “Scheisse.” Egenhauser hung his head. “Do you know where the throttle is, fräulein?”

  Alexis bit her lip again and scanned the console.

  “No,” Egenhauser said. “No, touch nothing. Please — touch nothing. Leave all set as it is and we will match course and speed with you.” He sighed. “Just say, fräulein, as you are in—” He shook his head as though he couldn’t believe it. “— command of the boat, do you surrender?”

  Alexis kept her face as bland and innocent as possible. She widened her eyes and said carefully, “I appear to have no other choice, Lieutenant Egenhauser.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Alexis continued to talk to Egenhauser as his ship closed with her boat. Occasionally, the cockpit hatch would rattle and thump, and Alexis would jump in her seat, staring fearfully behind her.

  “Please, do hurry, lieutenant,” she whispered. “I fear what the men will do, should they gain entry.”

  “Calm yourself, fräulein,” Egenhauser said. “We will match speed with you in minutes and be aboard.” He curled his lips in distaste
. “Your New London crews lack discipline.”

  Alexis nodded, eyes wide. My New London lads are about to beat your backside bloody, leutnant. And all for you’re a gullible fool.

  She watched the plot as the Hanoverese ship matched the boat’s speed and acceleration. It settled in on the boat’s starboard side and began easing closer. Alexis edged a hand out of view of the pickup and flashed the passenger compartment lights twice. The ship was close enough now that it couldn’t see the far side of the boat, and the crew would be opening the port lock and streaming out onto the boat’s hull. Four remained inside the passenger compartment, flechette guns trained on the starboard lock, where the Hanoverese would enter.

  The flechette guns would be no more than annoyance against a Navy crew, though. They were made for unsuited targets or the thinner vacsuits of merchant crews, not the heavier vacsuits navies used. They’d still penetrate, but the suits would seal around the thin flechettes and they hadn’t enough force to do more than prick the man inside. They’d be enough to surprise and annoy the Hanoverese, though, until the crew could close enough to use their heavy cutlasses, as the stun rods they’d expected to use against a merchant crew were equally useless now.

  She could only hope that the Hanoverese weren’t better armed.

  Alexis watched the ship drift closer, its boarding tube extended and just about to latch onto the boat’s starboard lock.

  “Lieutenant Eganhauser!” she said quickly when his gaze drifted from her to what his ship was doing. She hung her head. “Will being a prisoner be terribly difficult, sir?”

  “Badra is a fine planet, fräulein,” he said. He smiled for the first time and licked his fat lips. “Perhaps I shall call upon you, when I am in port.”

  Why, you lecherous cad!

  The boat jostled slightly as the ship’s boarding tube made fast. Hanoverese would be crowded into the tube, ready to blow the boat’s lock and enter to subdue her crew. Her lads, though, were even now flinging themselves over the top and keel of the boat. The boat shuddered as the lock’s hatch was blown and Eganhauser stumbled, looking away from the pickup in shock. Alexis smiled thinly. The jar to his ship was air streaming out of his boarding tube, through her boat and out the still open port lock. She heard shouts coming over the transmission and Eganhauser’s face paled. He’d clearly not been expecting her boat to be in vacuum.