Mutineer Read Online Free PDF

officer, indeed, and unfit for the company of respectable men. That he was a disgrace and embarrassment to the Queen’s Service and should be ashamed to walk the deck of a Queen’s Ship. No, sirs, I would not make light of such a charge. Were I to make it.” She raised her glass, suppressing a grimace at the taste. “Which I do not, of course.” She smiled and rose. “Good night, gentlemen.”
     
     
    * * * * *
     
     
    Alexis Arleen Carew, you are a fool. Sure as certain, they’ll find a way to make you pay for that.
    But it was worth it. To watch their eyes as she spoke, seeing that they knew she was speaking to them, about them — but they couldn’t object, couldn’t call her out for what she said — not without admitting that she was speaking about them, what they’d done, and that every word she’d said was nothing but the truth.
    She lay back on her bunk and pulled out her tablet. The news that there’d been mail and the Gazette was welcome, but her anticipation quickly waned when she saw that no mail for her had arrived. Nothing from any of her former shipmates, nor even from her grandfather, back at home on Dalthus. I’d have thought at least Philip would write to me — and certainly grandfather’s written something in all this time. It’s been months, I do wonder if the Navy’s forgotten where I am.
    It wasn’t at all unusual for mail to take weeks or even months to travel the vast distances between stars. Longer if the message’s destination was a ship that was constantly in motion itself. But it had been so long and Alexis was certain that something should have arrived at Penduli and been waiting for Hermione’s last port-call.
    With no mail, she turned instead to the Naval Gazette. A quick search turned up news of her old ship and shipmates, the first of which made her exclaim with delight. There on the Captain’s List, only fourth from the bottom, but still on it, was the entry: Captain William S. Grantham, made Post the seventeenth of October, into H.M.S. Camilla (20) .
    Only twenty guns and a sixth-rate, but still a frigate and he’s made Post!
    Formerly holding the rank of commander, though called “captain” by virtue of commanding Merlin — a bit of naval semantics that still made her head hurt a little bit — Grantham was now a full Post Captain, his name on the Captains List that dictated seniority and promotion. He’d now move steadily up it as those above him were promoted or died.
    She moved on to the next result from her searches and found another name she recognized on the list of those promoted to lieutenant. Good for you, Roland, it’s about time.
    Certain that there must have been an action to result in the two promotions, she searched for the ship’s name and found it. Merlin and another sloop, H.M.S. Vulture , had worked in concert to take a Hanoverese frigate. She read the account of the action eagerly for any news of her former shipmates, but for one name in particular.
     
    Upon making fast to the enemy ship’s port side, Midshipmen Stanford Roland and Philip Easely led the boarding parties. While Midshipman Roland’s party forced the quarterdeck and with few injuries or deaths demanded the colors be struck, Midshipman Easely and his party so occupied the enemy that they were unable to fight their guns to either side, allowing the men of Vulture to board from starboard.
     
    Alexis scanned the rest of the article and hurried on to the list of those injured or killed in the action, though the Gazette named only officers and gave but a count for the regular crew. Three dead and eleven injured of the crew — and how I wish they’d care enough to give the names. Now I’ll be forever worrying about the lads until there’s some news. But Philip and Roland are both all right, and must be so proud to be mentioned in dispatches.
    She satisfied herself that the Gazette contained no more about her friends and sighed. She opened the latest letter she’d started