That thought struck another in her head and she paused to glance around the field once more. Blocks of spacers, milling about and not so sullenly still, now that Tinner’s announcement had made its way through them all, sparser blocks of captive pirates, and amongst them all, the pardoned pirates — the surrendered pirates, she thought — standing as some sort of armed guard. The only ones armed on the field, save her own and Kannstadt’s boat crews.
No, that will never do.
She eyed the waiting pirate leaders, who were grinning even wider. No, it would not do to have these pirates think they held the upper hand as these negotiations began — and, while the pardon had been proclaimed and many things settled, the devil was always in the details, as Isom was so fond of pointing out.
The mistake, she thought, was in terming this a negotiation at all. That was done — pardons accepted and back under the authority of Queen and country. No, she might now meet with the pirates, but there’d be no negotiating, only orders that any lawful Queen’s subject must follow, and they’d best understand that. The pirates, armed though they might be, were no longer in charge of Erzurum — the bloody Navy was.
Alexis squared her shoulders and strode forward, Kannstadt and Blackbourne following, until she neared the pub.
One of the pirates waiting outside let his face split in a wide, tooth-baring … well, somewhat toothy — and did pirates never …
Alexis shook her head to recenter her thoughts and walked straight past the pirates to the pub’s door and through it.
Inside, the pub was much as she’d expected it. Dirty and somewhat in disarray. The group of officers at the window, perhaps ten of them, turned to stare as she entered. A number of tables had been pushed together in the center of the room and more officers sat there, also staring. All, no doubt, wondering at the commotion with the men outside and, as well, wondering at Alexis herself, walking in with Blackbourne, who they must know, and Kannstadt. Alexis could fairly see the question of what were a New London lieutenant, a Hanoverese captain, and the somewhat leader of the planetside pirates doing together work its way through their minds.
The pub’s main room opened up to a balcony above where she could see doorways and hallways to further rooms — perhaps where the whistling must occur when the place was in full swing. The balcony’s rail was lined with more disheveled and ragged men, these younger than those on the ground floor, and clearly junior officers.
“I’ve need of lieutenants! Outside with me, all — lively now!” Alexis bellowed in her best voice and cutting across the querulous murmurs which rose at her entrance. “Lieutenants, à l'extérieur! Vite!” she added for the Berry March fleet, though she suspected she hadn’t got it quite right. It had been … far too long since she’d practiced her French with Delaine, and she’d forgotten some.
She forced down her disappointment that he wasn’t part of the group of waiting captains in the room — there wasn’t time to think about that at all, nor where he might be, if not here. Nor that he might not be left alive on Erzurum at all.
“Captain Kannstadt, gather your countrymen’s lieutenants, if you please,” Alexis said, then spun on her heel and walked out of the pub, leaving three approaching captains to deal with later. They’d likely not love her for the snub, but she was certain setting the proper tone with the pirates was far more important.
She could almost feel Kannstadt’s confusion behind her, but he did call out, “Leutnants von Hannover, komm nach draußen — schnell! Schnell!”
Alexis strode past the waiting pirate leaders again, ignoring the, “And yer bein’ —” one of them said her way. She paused a dozen paces from the pub and was quickly joined by Kannstadt and Blackbourne.
“I know a countryman inside,” Kannstadt said, giving her an amused look. “One of the captains. He has a look of not being pleased just now.”
“I’m certain few are pleased with me,” Alexis said, “but I’ll not leave these scum armed around our spacers another moment.” She glanced at Blackbourne. “No offense.”
“It’s fair enough for Old Blackbourne,” he said with a wave of dismissal.
“Now, look, you —” the pirate leader said, fairly stomping his feet as he approached, which was all Alexis could ask for, thinking that if he came to where she was then she was halfway to getting her way regardless of how angry a show he might put on.
Alexis held up her hand, index finger up in the fairly universal “a moment, please, I’m quite busy with any number of things far more important than your words” gesture and he fell silent.
Lieutenants, or she assumed they were such, began pouring out of the pub and assembling before her. About forty in all, she estimated.
“Who’s senior of New London?” she asked.
“I am,” one of those in the front row answered immediately, which she’d expected, since one couldn’t put a gaggle of junior officers together for a full minute without they’d determined each other’s seniority. “Mountjoy, off Perseus, forty-four. And you are?”
“Captain Alexis Carew, commanding Mongoose,” she answered. “Senior officer free and with a ship, for the moment, Mountjoy, and I’ve work for you and your fellows.”
Alexis held the man’s gaze, wondering what sort he was and knowing all depended on it. Some men were so bloody touchy that they’d argue a point no matter the cost — whether to fire port or starboard first when there were enemies close alongside to either.
Mountjoy glanced at her sleeves, where her own lieutenant’s insignia wrapped the cuffs, then to the bold band of her beret.
“I’m unfamiliar with Mongoose … sir,” Mountjoy said.
“She’s new,” Alexis told him flatly, “but here to bring you home.”
If you don’t set it all arse over bollox, she added only to herself.
“Blackbourne, who’s this —”
Alexis raised her you-are-unimportant finger again, and the pirate cut off, face going red. She kept her gaze fixed on Mountjoy, hoping her expression was somewhat like the sense of stern confidence she was trying for.
Mountjoy took in the red-faced pirate, met Alexis’ eyes for another moment, then nodded. “Aye, sir — what do you need of us?”
Alexis nearly sighed with relief that she’d got a lieutenant with a brain for senior here — a minor miracle of odds fair to set Dockett’s book on end, given her experience with most other officers.
The lieutenant to Mountjoy’s left nudged his senior’s shoulder.
“I say, Mountjoy, should we not consult our captains inside?”
Ah — so he balances it out, I suppose.
The other fellow looked around the field. “This entire business has an ill feel to it — and she’s only a —”
“Shut up, Poncy,” Mountjoy said, keeping his eyes on Alexis. “Do as Captain Carew says.”
“Thank you, Lieutenant Mountjoy.” Alexis turned to the red-faced pirate. “And you are, sir?”
The pirate narrowed his eyes at Alexis, but addressed Blackbourne. “Blackbourne?”
“I have a Blackbourne already,” Alexis said, interrupting him. “You’ll need another name, sir — shall you give it to me, or would you rather I pick it?”
“What?” the pirate asked. “Pick it?”
“Very well — Shufflebottom.” Alexis pulled out her tablet. “You shall be Mister Shufflebottom. That’s the name I’ll put on your pardon — the pardon I’ve yet to sign, mind you — but I’m uncertain how well that will work out in the long run. Would you not prefer to tell me?”
Shufflebottom’s face showed a great deal of confusion now, but a couple of his fellows were hiding snickers, and that was what Alexis was after. She could not allow any of these pirates, nor even those spacers she was to rescue, to question her authority. Once questioned, the whole bloody deal might fall apart.
“I’m no bloody Shufflebottom,” Shufflebottom said.
“Then a name, sir,” Alexis said. She advanced on him in his confusion and he backed up in
to the group of following pirates exactly as she wished him to. “A name for your pardon over my signature — for I assure you, Shufflebottom, I have a rather large list of them yet to sign and I’m quite willing for yours to be lost right off the stack. I’m sure whoever thinks he’s after you as leader of this motley band would appreciate the bounty on your unpardoned head.”
Alexis scanned the group of pirate leaders then returned her eyes to Shufflebottom.
“I am Captain Alexis Carew of Mongoose,” she said, loudly enough for them all to hear, but staring at Shufflebottom. “I’m the senior New London officer in-system and the holder of your pardons, so you’ll bloody well do as I order, or you may join your fellows there —” She pointed to the group of pirates who’d refused pardon. “— and have some few pounds’ value to who’s next in charge of your little band. Starting with your bloody name, sir — your legal one and not some nonsense!”
Shufflebottom’s shoulders seemed to slump as he looked for support and found none. Perhaps his fellows were thinking of how many pounds he was worth in bounty if Alexis did choose to lose his pardon from the stack.
Shufflebottom mumbled something.
“What was that, Shufflebottom?” Alexis asked. “I didn’t quite catch it.”
“Legal name’s Glasscock,” he muttered.
“Oh,” Alexis said, barely audible over the snickers from the other pirates. “That is … unfortunate.” She shrugged. “In any case, Mister Glasscock, you will turn over your sidearm to Lieutenant Mountjoy.”
Glasscock looked to his fellows, but found no support, only calculating looks as though they were each wondering if they could put hands on him first and claim some bounty.
“But … I told yer my name!”
“You did, and you’ll get your pardon under it,” Alexis said, “but neither you, nor Mister Blackbourne, nor any of you others —” Alexis scanned the group around Glasscock. “— are in charge of Erzurum or even this town any longer. Your sidearm to Lieutenant Mountjoy, if you please, sir. Lively now!”
Glasscock grumbled, and looked worried, but with no support from his fellows he pulled his weapon, an older propellant pistol, but well-cared for, from his belt and held it out to Mountjoy. For the lieutenant’s part, he half reached for it, then raised a hand to his neck and glanced around the landing field.
“We’ll have that out soon, Lieutenant Mountjoy,” Alexis said. “In the meantime, should a single one of those vile devices be set off, there’s not a pirate on Erzurum who’ll live to see tomorrow. My lads in Mongoose and the other ships will see to that.”
Her words were more to cow the pirates listening and possibly encourage Mountjoy after his time of having to be so careful of his actions than any real threat. The only way Mongoose or the other ships would truly be able to harm the pirates would be to fire from orbit, which, even with the pirates’ own violations of the Abentheren Accords, they would not do. She doubted, more, that her current crew had the skill or fortitude to make the sorts of attacks into a planet’s atmosphere that she’d done with Belial at Giron — too few and too weakened by their time here on Erzurum to meet the grueling pace of repairs necessary between dives below the mesosphere.
“Small comfort,” Mountjoy muttered, but reached out with a wary glance at the group of pirates and took Glasscock’s pistol from him.
“Now the rest of you,” Alexis said, running her gaze over the other pirates. They’d been grinning, all but a couple who seemed to sense what she’d order next, at Glasscock’s plight, but their faces fell now. “Hand over your weapons and device controllers to who Mountjoy points out. You three —” She gestured at three closest to the edge of the pirate group. “Give yours to who Captain Kannstadt indicates. Will you be so kind as to find the senior amongst the Hanoverese lieutenants, Captain?”
“Jawohl, Kapitän Carew,” Kannstadt said.
He made a come-along gesture to the three she’d indicated and Alexis nearly sighed with relief as they hung their heads and followed him.
“Next,” Alexis said to Glasscock, “you’ll take these lieutenants around the field to your men guarding the spacers and have them turn over their own weapons and controllers. There’s not to be an armed pirate in this town when we’re done here, Mister Glasscock, and I’ll hold you and your fellows here responsible if I find differently.”
“But —” Glasscock broke off and looked at the others. He seemed to see enough support for a question, at least, for he continued. “There’s the negotiating t’be done still.”
“What negotiating?” Alexis asked. “A pardon was offered, and you’ve all accepted. A bounty was offered, and it will be paid.”
“Well, paid how’s in question, ain’t it?” Glasscock asked. “There’s lads wish coin and none o’ that —”
“You’ll receive notes on Admiralty, Mister Glasscock,” Alexis said, “as my own spacers do for their prize money.”
Glasscock shook his head. “That won’t do a’tall. Have t’go find Admiralty offices or give over half t’some agent? We want coin.”
“Do you think, sir, that Admiralty sent me out here with a ship or three full of gold coin?” Alexis asked, leaving off that Admiralty hadn’t sent her at all. “Do you suppose Queen Annalise herself helped load them, then shared a wet with the rest of the crew? Perhaps the First Space Lord dug into his own purse to top it off?” Alexis snorted. “You’ve a fine offer before you, Mister Glasscock. A Queen’s pardon and wealth from the bounty on those who wouldn’t take it and these rescued spacers, you’ll take a note in hand for that or nothing.”
Glasscock squared his shoulders and some few of his fellows did as well. “It’s still you who’s outnumbered here, girl, no matter the ships y’have in orbit or out in the Dark. We refuse t’help an’ you’ll be delayed ‘til Ness returns.” He squinted at her. “I’m thinkin’ y’don’t have enough to take him, quite, an’ want to get away clean.” He shrugged. “May be no chests o’gold, but we’ll take what coin y’have, an’ one o’ them merchants y’took — that’ll get us away an’ —”
“Mister Glasscock, in order to bargain, you must have something to do so with, and your threat of this Ness is, I’m afraid, more on my side of the scales than your own.” Alexis gave him a thin-lipped smile. “You accepted a pardon, sir, which my clerk has drawn up — as have all of you. And cheerfully sent him lists of those of your fellows you’d captured and those of my spacers you’d freed in order to receive the bounty. Should my Mongoose still be here when your Ness arrives, Mister Glasscock, do you not suppose I should transmit those documents to him?”
Alexis waited for those bright enough to understand their position to pale. Glasscock did not appear to be in their number, making her wonder how he’d got to be second after Blackbourne.
“Should you delay me now, Mister Glasscock,” Alexis said for the slower of them, “there shall be no possible winner of the fight for Erzurum you won’t have crossed. It’s notes in hand from the Queen’s Admiralty, or throw yourself on the mercies of your pirate king.”
Forty-Four
The Whistler was a tawdry place,
With pirates run amok.
They'd split their blood-stained takings,
Then trade them for a ... Oooohhh…
Alexis waited until the pirate leaders were grouped with Mountjoy, the Hanoverese lieutenants Kannstadt had found who spoke some English, and the senior French lieutenants who had the same, then sent them all off onto the landing field to relieve those pirates guarding their respective groups. She thought the spacers, no matter the earlier cheering, would feel a bit more secure with their own armed officers about instead of pirates.
Mountjoy sent Poncy, who must have been next after him in seniority of the New London lieutenants, and some few others off onto the field, while he and Glasscock stayed behind. Mountjoy motioned for Glasscock to stay where he was for a moment, then came to Alexis a few steps away.
“That could have gone worse, sir,” Mountjoy said to
her quietly.
Alexis let her shoulders relax a bit as she saw the first of the pirate guards turn his rifle over to Poncy with only the slightest hesitation.
“Yes, it did go rather well,” she agreed.
“No, sir,” Mountjoy said, “I meant that it could easily have gone worse, much worse. I think I’ve worked out what you’re about, though not how you’ve managed to start it, but —” He shook his head. “— you’ve a narrow passage to navigate here, haven’t you?”
Alexis took a deep breath. “The wind shifts half a point and it’ll be all snapped masts, tattered sails, and crushed hulls.”
She watched as another pirate sentry handed his rifle off to a Hanoverese lieutenant with only a few words exchanged with the pirate leader accompanying them. With each, as the remaining pirates saw their fellows handing over arms, the rest would come easier, and she relaxed more — enough to hazard a small grin to Mountjoy.
“But it is quite satisfying when one’s out the other side,” she said.
“Safer to get such satisfaction at the card table, I’d think,” Mountjoy said, “than hazard it all on this. I’m surprised Admiralty sent only a lieutenant, commanding or not, to attempt this.”
Alexis cleared her throat and looked away. It wasn’t time, quite, to admit that Admiralty hadn’t sent her — that would bring up the question of her own return to service and status. Better to save that for her discussion with the waiting captains, and only the most senior ones, at that.
Let them work out the complicated bits. I expect they’ll wait until we’re safe in New London space to hang me, in any case.
“I’ve noticed my luck runs a bit more to this sort of thing than cards,” Alexis admitted. That brought to mind Wheeley and his casino on Enclave, as well as the man’s involvement in the pirates’ dealings and slavery. “I do imagine, though, that my next visit to a casino shall be … eminently satisfying.”
The Queen's Pardon (Alexis Carew Book 6) Page 29