Chapter 20: A Change In Plans

As the sun set, the Karenna was forced to slow even more to accommodate the other ships. Once the convoy had settled into their nightly operations, those invited to dinner started ferrying across. As they landed, each group was met by one of the senior cadets (teen aged crew members) and given a quick tour of the ship. Jake had been given the first tour by Senior Cadet Mary Kennedy, Marie’s daughter. Catherine had assigned someone to be at each stop on the tour. The cadets explained what each stop was and introduced the person at that location. Then that person would give a brief overview or history on the location.

Jake had been impressed. Every one of the noble ladies had volunteered to man one of the locations. Even Erma was manning her location at the library.

Catherine was stationed on the bridge with Jake to give a brief history of the Karenna’s Captains.

When Admiral Teller’s group came onto the bridge, Rear Admiral Coble caught Jake’s attention and signaled to the Captain’s Office. Jake nodded and mouthed “After.” Coble nodded his understanding. When Catherine finished her lecture and answering questions, the group moved on to their next destination, but Coble stayed behind.

“Admiral Coble would you join me in my office? There is something I wanted to show you.” Jake asked before Catherine could try to send the man off. She looked to him and asked if she should join them as well with her eyes. Jake nodded. Catherine said something to Rebecka and the three of them adjourned to Jake’s office.

As soon as the door was closed Coble said, “I am not here. I did not give you this. Luckily, I was in the communications room when the message arrived.

Unfortunately, we had to reply that the Admiral was having dinner aboard the Karenna and wouldn’t receive the message until he returned unless otherwise ordered.” He handed Jake a message written on normal paper not the Corps message form. Then Coble turned and slipped out the door.

Jake opened the page and read it out loud.

Message to Fleet Admiral Teller:
You are here by ordered to do the following:
1. Determine the ownership of the Karenna.
a. If owned by Commander Harrow, Return him to active duty. Seize Karenna as national treasure. Take command of ship and place a strong crew onboard. Make best possible speed to capital.
b. If owned by Duchess Bedford request strongest possible language she change destination to Capital with best possible speed. Remind her the king requested her presence at the capital.
c. Inform us of date and time of arrival here at capital.
2. No matter ownership, do everything possible to place Air Corps officers, enlisted crewmen, and Air Marines on ship to help with its defense.
3. If at any time the Karenna seems to be in danger of being seized by hostile parties Destroy her immediately.
In his Majesties Name
King Jerrell Mangrove III

Catherine’s eyes were wide when she heard the message. “Jake, they can’t have your ship. I won’t let them, and I’m not letting the bastards destroy her either.”
Jake realized she was getting up steam. If he let her continue, he was sure it would come to surpass even the great hair event. He folded the message and placed it in his jacket pocket. Then pulled her into his arms. “First, think about how and why we received this message. This is a back-channel heads up. Teller wanted us to see the message. He’s hoping we can somehow negate his orders. Orders, I am sure he doesn’t agree with. I can’t think of a solution at the moment. We told everyone I owned the Karenna, not you. In hindsight, that was probably a mistake. We should get your aunt and uncle up here. Maybe they can come up with an idea.”

Catherine kissed him and then hurried out of the office. She was back just as quickly as she had left. “Sent one of the cadets to ask them to join us. They are down in the guest dining room. It shouldn’t take them too long to get here.” She pulled him to the couch and pushed him down on it. Then sat in his lap laying her head on his shoulder. “Just hold me for a few minutes, please? Everything was going so well, and now that rat bastard has to try to foul it all up. I don’t care if he is the King. I won’t let him have your ship. You worked too hard. We have all worked too hard, to let that happen.” Her soft tirade was interrupted by a knock at the door. Before he could respond she called, “Enter.”

The door opened and Aunt B came into the room. When she saw the two of them, she arched one eyebrow. Catherine didn’t move except to look at the two of them. “Please come in. We find we are in great need of your advice.” The two came in and sat in the chairs in front of Jake’s desk. “Jake, show them the message please.”

“I would love to. However, it is in my pocket and you are currently blocking access to it,” Jake informed her.

Catherine sighed, and then stood. Jake took her hand and pulled her around behind his desk. He fetched out the message and handed it to Tomas. “This was hand delivered to us by Admiral Coble, Teller’s XO. He told us unfortunately the admiral had already left to have dinner here and wouldn’t receive the message until he returned. Funny how Coble came on the same launch as Teller did,” Jake informed the older couple, then he sat in his desk chair and pulled Catherine down on his lap. Everyone remained silent as first Tomas and then Aunt B read the page.

When the older woman had finished reading, she folded it up and sat it on the desk. “Any thoughts on how we can prevent them trying to take Jake’s ship from him?” Catherine asked.

Tomas shook his head. “All I can think of is him selling it to you. I doubt the King will accept that though. It would probably lead to someone in Teller’s command getting in serious trouble. Not a very good way to thank someone who did you a huge favor.”

B had a grin on her face and a very familiar wicked glint in her eye. Jake recognized that look. He had seen it in Catherine’s eyes on many occasions. “The answer is rather simple. I am surprised you didn’t think of it yourself dear,” Aunt B said to Catherine.

Catherine frowned. “Please Aunt B tell me. It is all I can do to keep my temper in check as it is.”

“It’s simple dear. You escalate your plans. What I mean is, you get married tonight before the Admiral returns to his ship and receives this message. I would even go as far as asking him to preside over the ceremony. He might even have his other ships’ captains make a note in their logs, that they attended the wedding. You always planned to be married on this ship. This just gives you a very good reason to do it now instead of later. We’ll throw a huge reception when we get back to Bedford, or the capital. Whichever you prefer,” B explained.

Tomas started chuckling. “It’s brilliant. The King will accept both the wedding and the fact that ship is part of the Bedford lineage. If he doesn’t, he’ll have every one of the nobles angry, not to mention the citizenry.”

Catherine turned and looked at Jake. He noticed she too now had that wicked glint in her eyes. “So, sailor wanna get hitched?” she asked with the worst bawdy street accent Jake had ever heard.

“If you promise to never use that appalling accent again, I would love to marry you tonight,” Jake informed her.

Catherine laughed. “I was going for one of those ladies of ill repute. Very well. I promise. Now how should we do this, and where?”

Tomas said, “The guest dining room is large enough to accommodate the entire crew and our guests. You already have it set up and looking nice. I think you should send a runner for Teller or Coble and ask if he is willing to officiate. Then have the ceremony before dinner.”

That was what they did. Coble was sent for and greeted. He was curious when he arrived. When they asked if he thought Admiral Teller would perform their wedding ceremony tonight, the man smiled, nodding vigorously. He asked for pen and paper. Once he had it, he started writing out what was required for the wedding. Jake and Catherine both gave him their pertinent details and he was quickly done. When Tomas asked if it would be inappropriate to ask the other ship captains to note the event in their logs. He informed them it would most definitely be noted in both the captain’s logs and the ship’s logs.

Jake hadn’t noticed until Coble left, but at some point, Aunt B had left as well. Catherine gave him a quick kiss and darted out of the room. He looked to Tomas and asked, “How do you feel about this?”

“What? Oh, fine. In fact, I think it’s great. I’ve been worried the King might try to derail your engagement. Now he can’t, and if he tries to annul your marriage it will create no end of trouble for him. He may not be happy about it, but he won’t try to have it annulled.”

“I don’t really care about all that at the moment. What I do care about, is how you Tomas feel about me Jake, marrying your only daughter tonight.” Jake asked vehemently.

“The fact that you asked that question, and the manner in which you asked it, proves my opinion of you. You’re a good man Jake. I both like you and admire you. I am very happy my Catherine has found such a good man to be her husband. I won’t lie and say it will be easy sailing after you’re married. It never is. But I think this is the right choice for you and for her. You may recall, I pretty much accepted that the two of you were going to get married when we first met. After seeing you work and working with you on the Scouts, I’m even more sure now than I was then. I’ve seen the way she is able to pull you away from destructive thoughts, and the way you helped her keep her temper tonight. That is more than enough for me.”

“Thank you. That means a lot to me.” Jake said

“Now if my experience is any guide, I am sure both of our women have tasks we must accomplish before the ceremony. Trust me, neither of us wants to experience the hell those two would give us if we failed to have them finished on time.” Tomas warned.

Jake found the older man’s words to be prophetic. Dinner would be held up for thirty minutes while some last-minute changes were made. Mostly Jake and Catherine getting cleaned up and changed. To his surprise and amusement Rebecka was waiting when he came out of his shower. It seemed his future bride had sent the woman to ensure he was properly dressed. Jake grabbed his small clothes and pants and returned to his bathing chamber to don them. When he came out it was all he could do to keep up with the furious maid as she dressed him.

Shirt, vest, sash around the waist, highly polished boots, and finally his formal uniform jacket they had made for him. He felt as if he had just finished his morning workout when she was done. Then she frowned. “No this won’t do.” She went to the bathing chamber and returned with one of the towels. “Jacket off, sit here,” she ordered pushing out a footrest. Jake followed her orders, and soon found himself sitting with the towel around his neck and Catherine’s maid cutting his hair. A few minutes later she said, “Don’t move.” She returned to the bathing chamber and came out with a wet cloth. After she finished making sure there wasn’t a single stray hair, she ordered “Jacket.” Jake stood and re-donned his jacket. Again, he was inspected. It seemed he passed muster this time. “You’ll do.” Jake didn’t even get to see himself in the mirror, before she was dragging him out the door.

Soon he was in the guest dining room, moving from group to group as he had been instructed to do. Bowman and Bruce joined him both commenting on how nice he looked this evening. The next hours passed like molasses. When the time came, he mentioned the fact to Bowman, who laughed. “Jake, you only got here fifteen minutes ago,” his friend informed him. “I remember it was the same way for me. Can’t say I really remember much of the ceremony. I do remember it seemed like I had to wait hours for her. My father told me later, it was less than five minutes.” Jake saw the senior cadets asking people to take their seats. Bowman had to ask him twice before Jake heard the man. “Do you know what you’re going to say?”

“I’m not that far gone. I say I do,” Jake said
Bowman laughed. “I mean to the guests.”

“Oh, haven’t got a clue.” Jake stood waiting for their guests to be seated. Then before he realized it, they were all seated and staring at him expectantly.
Bowman thought of just the right thing to do to help his friend. In a soft voice, he said, “Detail, Attention. Forward march.” As he had hoped Jake’s military training took over and he marched off in perfect step. By the mid-point of the room Bowman could see his friend had things under control again.

Jake and Bowman walked on to the stage at the front of the room. Jake paused and whispered, “Thanks, that was perfect,” then left Bowman and went to the center of the stage. Bruce gave him the thumbs up from the back as he hurried to his seat. Jake took a deep breath and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, and all you reprobates from the academy.” He paused while most of the officers in the room laughed. “You have been brought here under false pretenses. You see, you think you are here for a pleasant dinner on a legendary ship. That is going to happen. There is just one small matter we need to attend first. A few weeks ago, Lady Catherine made it quite clear she and I were going to be married. I don’t want you to think I was in any way unwilling, because I was more than ecstatic at her pronouncement. I have come to learn that I am like most men. I felt she was far more than I could ever hope for in a future bride. To try to rectify that, I raised this ship from the mist with a hell of a lot of help.”

“I was surprised her family was so accepting of her marrying a mere ship’s captain. On the way to find the Karenna, Catherine’s aunt asked us when we wanted to be married. Catherine said as soon as possible.” That got a few more laughs. “Then she went into this fact-finding discussion with herself how it was possible for us to take a launch to the Bulldog and have Captain Perry marry us. After that revelation, she amended her statement to as soon as practical. That was a good choice since I hadn’t actually asked her to marry me yet. As some of you may have heard I asked her the day we found the Karenna. I am happy to say she agreed. That brought the question of when and where back into the discussion. The where was decided rather quickly. Here on this ship. The when was a little more troublesome. However, I was informed earlier today, that it would be tonight, if Admiral Teller would agree to perform the ceremony.”