Alexis Carew: Books 1, 2, and 3

by J. A. Sutherland

  Lonsdale consulted his tablet. “Mister Carew’s actions which precipitated her disrating, sir. If it please the Court.”

  “I very much doubt that this Court shall be pleased by anything remaining in this case, Mister Lonsdale,” Crandall said, “but you may continue.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  Alexis slumped into her chair. At least she wouldn’t have to watch her lads being flogged again. That was something she could be thankful for. She looked down, not wanting to watch her disgrace and what would likely convict her. She’d disobeyed Neals’ order, after all. There was no denying it and the entire court would soon see for themselves.

  She listened as the events played out. The courtroom was curiously silent, as though no one present could bear to miss a word. She heard Neals’ demand for the name of the man who’d left the gasket undone and her own refusal to give it. Heard herself saying that the fault was hers and apologizing, then begging his forgiveness when he demanded it. The court and gallery remained silent until Neals’ voice came from the speakers.

  “From your knees, Carew.”

  Alexis pressed her eyes tightly shut. How different would things be if I’d just complied? Perhaps she’d have had time to speak to the bosun before the mutiny. He might have been able to head it off with a well-placed word. There’d have been no deaths that night and Nabb … She felt a tear leak from her eyes and run down her cheek. Nabb and the others wouldn’t be on the run with a death sentence hanging over them, should they ever return to New London space.

  She heard her own voice, surprisingly strong and clear. Odd, since she remembered being horribly angry at Neals’ attempt to flog one of her lads again.

  “I will kneel to my Queen, sir, and to no other.”

  “Bloody right!” a voice called out from behind her and others chorused agreement.

  They quieted again, though, as Neals ordered her disrating and flogging. On the screen she knew the grating was being rigged and the bosun’s mate sent for the cat.

  She heard her own voice again, shockingly calm and clear given that she remembered being terrified and shaking.

  “Nabb! Broady! Scholer! Back to your places the lot of you and mind your tongues! Don’t you dare disappoint me, lads, or I’ll know the reason why!”

  I guess I did say that … I thought I’d imagined it. Alexis felt her hands begin to shake and clasped them tightly on the tabletop in front of her. She wanted it to stop, but, no, this flogging it seemed they still wanted to see. Blindly brush away the ones before, but not this one. She knew what they were seeing. Her halting steps toward the grating, her inability to shrug out of her jumpsuit and take her lashes as the men did, her shaking hands having to be dragged up by the bosun’s mates. She felt her face grow hot with shame. I’m sorry, lads, I wasn’t as strong as you.

  “Enough, Mister Lonsdale.” Alexis looked up to see Crandall speaking. He glanced toward her, his face pale. “Enough.”

  He gestured for Barks and Hazlewood to come closer and the three captains whispered together for almost a full minute before Crandall stood.

  “We’ve let this go on far too long,” he said. He gestured to the marine sergeant near the rear doors. “Sergeant, I want the name of everyone in the gallery. Gentlemen —” He had to raise his voice over the mutters this order ensued. “Gentlemen! This case is sealed! You will not repeat what you’ve heard here today on pain of court martial. We will review the rest of Hermione’s log in private. Take Mister Carew back to her cell. Mister Humphry, Mister Lonsdale, you two remain, but everyone else is to be removed this instant!”

  Alexis was taken back to her cell and left alone again. She laid down on the bunk and stared at the bulkhead, unsure of what had happened. It seemed she was forever being dumped back into her cell and no one would tell her what was going on. Right now the three captains were reviewing Hermione’s log, they’d said, but why wasn’t she there? Would she even be given an opportunity to defend herself? And where had they gotten the log to begin with?

  She closed her eyes and must have slept, for she was suddenly being shaken awake by a marine.

  “They’re asking for you back in the courtroom, sir,” he said.

  Alexis swung her legs over the side of the bunk and rubbed her eyes. “How long?” she asked.

  “Four hours, sir.” The marine stepped back and offered her a hand to help her up. Alexis looked at him in shock, both from the offer of assistance and being addressed as ‘sir’. “Wouldn’t’ve knelt, myself, sir. Told that bastard straight, you did.”

  “Thank you.” She took his hand and stood, reading the nametag on his uniform. “Thank you, Enright.”

  Enright nodded toward the small head built into a corner of the cell. “Do you need a moment to freshen up, sir?”

  Alexis shook her head. Her hair was a mess, she was sure, and her face felt puffy with sleep, but whatever was coming when she returned to the courtroom would likely be the end of this nightmare. She wanted it over, not delayed.

  Enright led her back to the courtroom. It was quite different from the other times she’d entered. The gallery was empty and virtually all of the court personnel were absent as well. The three captains, Humphry, and Lonsdale were there. A single lieutenant sat to the side tapping away at his tablet and two marines stood at each of the doorways. Other than these, the room was empty. Alexis took her seat at the table with Humphry and Crandall spoke immediately.

  “Thank you for joining us, Mister Carew,” he said. “Mister Humphry, Mister Lonsdale, you may leave. Your service is concluded and this Court thanks you.”

  Alexis blinked in shock, looking around as Humphry rose and left without a glance or word to her. Lonsdale grasped her shoulder as he passed, but said nothing either. She was left facing the three captains alone. Only Barks showed any emotion, his face red and his jaw clenched tightly. Every so often he looked at her and his nostrils flared. When the door was closed behind Humphry and Lonsdale, the three captains stared at her for a moment. Alexis swallowed and met their eyes in turn.

  “We, the three of us, have reviewed Hermione’s log with Mister Humphry and Mister Lonsdale,” Crandall said finally. “We believe, at this time, that we have sufficient information to render a decision in this case, do you understand?”

  Alexis stared at him in shock. Humphry, worthless as he was, wasn’t here and she’d not been allowed to speak a word in her own defense, but they’d made a decision? She considered objecting, but what good would it do? Lonsdale had, at least, seemed to have expressed some sympathy for what was to come. Her shoulders sagged and she looked down at the table. “I believe I do, sir.”

  “There are contingencies to this decision, Mister Carew,” Crandall said. “Contingencies you will be expected to abide by, so listen carefully, if you please.”

  Alexis looked up, suddenly hopeful. I can’t very well have to abide by anything if I’m hung, now can I? Possibly she’d survive this mess — dismissal from the service wouldn’t be the worst outcome.

  “The Court will shortly announce its decision to the public,” Crandall was saying. “Our finding is that you are blameless as to all counts.”

  Alexis felt herself pale in shock, a chill running through her. Blameless? From Crandall’s talk about contingencies, she’d expected to be found guilty of something and receive a sentence less than hanging. Possibly, if she were lucky, to be acquitted of some of the charges. But blameless? That went beyond acquittal. It was a statement from the Court that the charges should never have been brought, that they were baseless and unfounded. It was a very public rebuke of Captain Neals.

  “The decision is public,” Crandall continued sternly. “The proceedings are not. These proceedings, all testimony, and, most particularly, the log of H.M.S. Hermione are to be sealed. You are not to speak of these things to anyone at any time in the future, do you understand?”

  Alexis felt her jaw tremble and her eyes burned. Speak about it? I don’t want to ever bloody think about Hermione
again! She swallowed and cleared her throat. “I understand, sir.”

  “You will be discharged from this courtroom and go immediately to a new ship —” Crandall took a deep breath. “A happier ship than Hermione, I should hope, but far from Penduli.”

  They want nothing said about it. They want to hide what Neals did as much as they can. With the threat of hanging no longer over her, it was like a veil had been lifted from her thoughts. She was thinking more clearly than she had in days. Whoever it was who said the threat of hanging clarifies the mind was quite mistaken.

  “Sirs … where did the log come from?” she asked. The invasion alarm … it must have been Delaine.

  “Mind your place!” Barks said. “And do as you’re told if you know what’s good for you!”

  Crandall waved a hand at him. “I was going to inquire if she had any questions, regardless. She’s a right to know some things.”

  Barks sat back, jaw clenched and red-faced.

  “A Hanoverese brig,” Crandall said. “Sailed in bold as brass with a flag of truce flying.”

  “Thank you, sir,” Alexis said, suppressing a smile. She could almost picture Delaine handing over the log with a grin and some outrageous comment. She lowered her gaze. “And is Captain Neals’ case decided as well, sir?”

  Crandall paused for a moment. “Captain Neals and his officers, yourself included, will be acquitted of the loss of Hermione. The ship is found to have been lost due to mutiny, through no fault by any of her officers.”

  Alexis closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She might be doing herself in, but she couldn’t remain silent. She’d done too much of that aboard Hermione.

  “He can’t be allowed to command a ship again, sirs, please! You don’t know what it was like!”

  “You forget yourself!” Barks yelled.

  Hazlewood held up a hand. “It is likely, Mister Carew,” he said, “that Captain Neals has been … much affected by his ordeal in captivity. I believe he will find the need to rest and … recover himself.”

  “Should he return to service,” Crandall said, “it will certainly be some shore position and not a spacegoing command. He will remain upon the Captain’s List, of course, and one day may be promoted to admiral.” Crandall spared a glance for Barks. “Of the Yellow.”

  Alexis wanted to protest, to insist that something more must be done, but she could see it would be pointless. They clearly wanted nothing more said about the events aboard Hermione, and doing any more to Neals would require some public reason. But if he was kept ashore he’d not have the power over the men he possessed in space. There’d be a Port Admiral looking over his shoulder all his days and there to review every bit of discipline. Being an admiral of the Yellow Squadron one day would be no honor for him — the Yellow Squadron had no ships. It was a resting place, a dumping ground for those too politically powerful or embarrassing to dismiss, but too incompetent or dangerous to allow in a command.

  Hazlewood nodded to her. “The best interests of Her Majesty’s Service.” He shrugged. “If you take our meaning.”

  “I understand, sir.” She did. She longed to see Neals punished, but clearly there were naval politics to consider. She bit her lip. “And the men, sir?”

  Crandall sighed. “Those who ran, obviously, will be convicted of mutiny, there’s no doubt about their guilt. Most of those who came back with you will be acquitted. We’ll have to review their cases still.”

  Alexis felt the shock go through her. She’d expected that those who’d run would be convicted in absentia, there was no getting around that. But they still intended to try the men who’d come back with her? And possibly convict them?

  Of course, they need to hang someone. Saying they’ll hang those who’ve already escaped them isn’t enough — they need bodies on the gallows today.

  She closed her eyes, silently praying for strength. Why? Why must it be so hard?

  “No,” she said, standing. She met each of the captains’ eyes in turn, seeing the shocked looks on their faces. “I cannot accept your conditions, sirs.”

  “Are you mad, Carew?” Barks asked.

  I get asked that so very often … perhaps I should consider the possibility. “There’s not a one of my lads more guilty than I, sirs,” she said. “You can’t hang them.” She smiled, realizing that she had card left to play. Thank you, Delaine, for my life and those of my lads. “And you’ll realize that yourselves, if you’ll give it a moment’s thought, sirs.”

  “What are you saying, Carew?” Barks asked.

  “You want this kept quiet, sir,” Alexis said. “Even I can see that. You want nothing said about the log and what happened aboard Hermione, but you can’t have that if you harm my lads.”

  Barks’ face reddened and he half stood, but Crandall was looking at her with an odd half-smile and Hazlewood was staring at her intently, though not unkindly.

  “Don’t bargain with us, Carew!” Barks yelled. “We can just as easily hang the lot of you and keep the whole mess quiet!”

  “No, sir, you can’t.” Alexis squared her shoulders and met his gaze evenly. “You forget where you received the log from in the first place, I think. My guess is that Hanoverese brig is still in port, yes? And I’m sure you must suspect they’ve kept a copy or two.”

  Barks’ face was scarlet now and his eyes wide. “That’s treason, Carew. You’d ask them to release the log if you don’t get your way?”

  Alexis steeled herself, trying not to show how afraid she was. If this didn’t work, then they likely would hang her along with the men, but she had to try.

  “Never, sir. But inaction is not treason. And if a single one of my lads is harmed, I’ll not ask the Hanoverese not to release it.”

  Captain Hazlewood cleared his throat. He leaned forward, regarding her with narrowed eyes. “Why are you doing this, Carew? You were free and clear a moment ago.”

  Alexis looked at him for a moment. How could he even ask? Why was it even a question for him? She felt like the vision of the Navy she’d had aboard Merlin was just that, a vision that existed nowhere else. Perhaps it would be best if she went back to Dalthus, if the home she’d thought she’d found here truly didn’t exist.

  Then she realized that it did exist. She’d seen it even aboard Hermione — in Boxer offering her his own bit for a meal, in Nabb’s sacrifice to keep the rest of her division out of the mutiny, even in the simple gesture the crew had made in building her a proper bath. They returned the love and loyalty she felt for them, and that was what she’d seen in Captain Grantham and his officers.

  Two Navies. Williard had been right about that, though not about what should be done about it. Captain Grantham’s Navy was fighting two wars — one with Hanover and one with the likes of Neals within its very midst. She could no more abandon him and those like him to fight alone than she could have left her lads back on Giron.

  “They stood with me, sir,” she said. “Aboard ship, in prison, during the escape … even through this trial — to a man, they stood.” She shook her head slowly, bewildered that it even had to be said. “I … would you truly have me do less?”

  Hazlewood nodded and turned his head to look at Barks. “I’m with Crandall about the men, Captain Barks. I see no need to drag it out.”

  Barks stared at him open mouthed for a moment. “You’ll take her word for their innocence?”

  “Yes,” Hazlewood said simply. “Yes, I will.”

  “And it solves our problem, Barks,” Crandall said. “You know the Hanoverese would love nothing more than to embarrass us with that bloody log. What do you think that young lieutenant will say if you ask him to keep it quiet?”

  “You think her asking will make a difference?”

  Crandall shrugged. “I think it is the only possibility,” he said then looked at Alexis. “And I think I should not like to bet against this officer, if she says that she will do a thing.”

  Hazlewood stared at Barks until he nodded, then turned back to Alexis. “None of
the crew …” His lips twitched. “None of your lads will hang, Mister Carew. They’ll be split off to other ships, mind you — we can’t have them together after this — but they’ll not be harmed. Will that satisfy you?”

  “Yes, sir.” Alexis sank back into her seat, eyes closed. She’d not see them again, but that was the way of the Navy in any case, constantly changing ships. They’d be safe from this, at least. “Thank you.”

  “I’m with Crandall on the other thing, as well, Barks,” Hazlewood said, “so let’s be about it.”

  Barks clenched his jaw. “I’ll give no leeway on this,” he said stiffly.

  “I rather suspect she’ll need none,” Hazlewood said.

  Alexis looked from one to the other, confused.

  “May we begin it, then?” Crandall asked.

  Hazlewood nodded to the lieutenant. Alexis had completely forgotten his presence, concentrating on the three captains. The lieutenant walked over to where she was seated and laid a short coil of thin ship’s line on the table in front of her.

  If they want me to hang myself, I’ll need more rope than that.

  Crandall smiled at her. “Will you tie for me a sheepshank, Mister Carew?”

  Alexis looked from the coil of line to the captains. She frowned, not understanding why they asked this, but picked up the line and quickly tied it into the requested knot.

  “Thank you, Mister Carew.”

  The lieutenant placed three long rods on the table, then returned to stand behind the captains.

  Hazlewood gestured to the rods. “Your mainyard has split at the crosstrees, Mister Carew, please splice it.”

  Alexis stared from the rods to the captains and back again. “Sir, I don’t understand …”

  “Your mainyard, Mister Carew! Splice it. Lively now!”

  Alexis jumped, and scooped up the rods after quickly straightening the knotted line. The rods were far smaller than a mast’s yard, of course, and the line too thick by far for the scale, but she managed to make the turns of rope required and shortly had the three pieces bound in some semblance of a spliced yard, using one of the pieces to brace the other two. It was a common enough repair when a new yard couldn’t be fashioned and brought outboard. As she gently placed the bound rods on the table, her heart beat faster and she realized, or at least suspected, what was happening.