Chapter 8: One for the Lady Two for the Corps

Their flight back to the Bulldog was uneventful. Jake was surprised when they arrived that the Second Officer was waiting with an honor guard of sorts. He had assembled all the Bulldog’s officers. Jake exited the launch and saluted the Colors then returned the salute from his Second Mate. Collins stepped forward and said in a whisper, “Admiral sent word of your arrival and our guests. I took the liberty of moving the junior officers around. We have five empty rooms available for our guests, Sir. Their luggage and two servants are on the way from the Dame Helen.”

“Very well Lieutenant. Thank you for seeing to that.” He turned and offered each of the women his hand as the disembarked the launch. He introduced them to Collins and informed them he would be showing them to their temporary accommodations. Collins went on to say that some of their luggage was being shuttled to the Bulldog, and when it arrived it would be brought down to their new quarters. He was very gracious to all seven of the ladies.

Jake was halfway to the ladder to the bridge when he heard the Duchess call his name. When he turned, she was quickly approaching him. “Commander, I mean Jake. Would it be all right if I accompanied you?” Her expression said she truly wished to follow him instead of going to her quarters. He wasn’t sure what to do. So, he just nodded and returned to his course to the bridge. Jake realized this was going to be very long night. After the bridge crew made their manners at his arrival he took in the report from the officer of the watch and then headed for his ready room. He felt the Duchess at his back as he went. He decided to continue through to his sitting room, she followed him there. He offered her a seat and turned to see Pat standing at the door. “Make yourself useful Pat see if you can find us some Caff or tea.” He said the last to the Duchess as a question more than a statement.

“Tea would be wonderful,” she said

When Pat left, he sat in one of the chairs and asked, “Would you like to tell me why you are here Lady Catherine, or should we wait until Pat has served your tea?”

She smiled at him and said, “Oh, we’ll definitely wait for the tea, I think. Proper manners and all that, as my aunt would say.”

“Very well.”

She studied Jake as they waited. The silence was both heavy and comfortable. Pat was soon back with the tea and caff. As he was setting it out Jake excused himself and took both eels to his room and left them there. They settled on his bunk, and he returned to the sitting room. Jake took in the scene. Pat stood at the door ready if they needed anything else. The Duchess sat on the small couch, her mug of tea cradled in her hands, watching him as he surveyed the room. He sat in the chair and took up his mug of caff. She glanced at Pat then made a questioning look to him. “I think that will be all for now Pat. If I need anything I will knock on your door. It’s going to be a very long night. You should try to get some sleep while you can.”

“Yes sir. That sounds like good advice.” He left through the door to the Steward’s quarters and made a show of closing it behind him as he did.

Jake just sat there waiting; he knew she had something she wished to say or ask but had no idea what it could be. She studied him for several seconds then said, “I have my tea, and you dismissed your servant. I guess I should tell you why I’m here.”

“Would that be why you’re on the Bulldog or why you are presently in my sitting room?”

His question made her smile. “Both, I guess. First, I am here on the Bulldog because,” she took a deep breath then let it out with a sigh and went on. “Because, I didn’t want to go to Innis and have to spend the next several days meeting all the young bachelors with ties to the Duke and his family. That is what has been happening ever since my father passed. ‘Lady Catherine let me introduce you to my nephew he is a fine young man.’ Bah. It is making me crazy. If I had let Admiral Jones ship us off to Innis it would have been one fine young man after another. I’ve had enough of that for now. Oh, I know that it will all start over again when I get to the capital, I’m not that naive. I just didn’t, no couldn’t, tolerate it at the moment.” She took a sip of her tea and grimaced at the cup. “The tea isn’t the worst I have ever had, but it is close.” Jake laughed at that.

“I’m a caff man myself. The Air Corps runs on caff, or so the saying goes. I’ll see if the cook can do something about the poor quality of the tea before breakfast.”

She smiled a very nice smile as she looked at him. “So, why aren’t you married Commander Jake Harrow of the Crown Air Corps. Men your age are always married unless they just don’t like women that way, or have some other major flaw. What is your flaw that has kept you unwed?”

The change of topic caught him off guard and he spoke before he thought about his answer. “I was engaged once. She learned she didn’t like being second to the Air Corps. Now that I am in the Reserve it wouldn’t be as bad, but I have spent all my time trying to take care of my ship and her crew. Trying to make sure they could support their families. I see the looks they give their loved ones when we ship out. I remember the looks my mom gave my father. I didn’t want that for my wife. So, I figured I would perfect my method of eeling then get a second ship and retire after I had the two working well. I figure that should make me a pretty good catch and I could devote my time to being a husband and father.” He saw the shock on her face and realized what he had said. When he started to apologize, she interrupted him

“Yes, a man who owned two successful eeler ships would be a considered a fine catch by most women. In a different life, I would have been attracted to such a man.” She looked down at the table and sighed again. “I’m here in your sitting room Jake because I find I like your company and I long to be anywhere but where I am going.” She didn’t look up when she said this. “I ... I have always known I would marry for the political gain of my family. My father told me he and my mother came to love each other over the years they were married. I dread, and have dreaded, those years it would take to get to that point. If I ever did, many nobles don’t ever love their spouse. Common women think we nobles have it so easy, parties and gowns and servant doing our bidding. They don’t realize how much those privileges cost us. I want to be free to fall in love and get my heart broken. I want to...” she trailed off

Jake sat silently. He knew there was nothing he could say that would help this young woman. Her station in life was something no one could change. So, he sat there and tried to be someone she could talk to. Someone who would listen and not judge her. If he understood women better, he would have realized his mistake. She finally looked up and smiled at him. “You’re a good listener Jake. Thank you. I have had that trapped inside for a long time. That was the first time I let it out. You’re probably wondering why I told you, instead of one of my companions. They all think this is some grand adventure. Well, most of them. They all know what is waiting in the capital. That the King will inform me of my upcoming wedding for the good of the Crown and so on, and so forth. They talk of which handsome Royal I will be lucky enough to get. Only one of them has bothered to consider that it could just as easily be a fat old man as a young handsome one. In truth, it is more likely to be a fat old man. The King will use me and the Bedford Duchy to further secure allegiance to him. He has little need to worry about young men. Young men are rash and blunt. It’s the old men who scheme and plot. So, the chances are it will be an older windowed noble the King wishes me to marry.” Her eyes were locked on Jake, he could see the fire they held. It was not a fire of anger. No, those eyes held the fire of need. He wasn’t sure she knew even what that need was.

“I know not what to tell you. As a loyal Commander in service of the Crown, I should say “It is all of our duty as subjects of the King to serve however we may.” I am not you though. You have to determine what service is a service too far. Is there a service too far? When I was at the academy they asked us that question. At the time, I thought there was nothing the Crown could ask of me that was a service too far. Now though, I know there are some things I will not do. If the Crown ordered me to kill women and children to teach some ruler a lesson. I doubt I would be able to do it. For me killing innocent women and children is a service too far. You have to make your own decision. Right now, you are reacting to what might be, instead of what is. You have cousins or an uncle or some relative you could abdicate your title to. I’m sure. That is a choice you will have to make if and when the King asks a service too far for you,” he sighed “As a healthy red-blooded man I must tell you, any man who is your future husband will be a very lucky man indeed. Not because of your lands and titles, but because of the person you are.”

Jake was embarrassed he had said so much. It wasn’t like him to go around giving advice. Especially not to those of the nobles. She smiled at him for a few seconds then said, “We just met, and you think you know me well enough to say that?”

“I trust Gail. She seems to think you’re okay. That’s enough for me.”

She just shook her head at that. “You realize you are going to be the talk of the capital when we get there. Don’t you? The ladies with me are already talking about the single dashing Commander and his eels.”

“I suppose it is inevitable people will talk. It is not as if I haven’t given them something to talk about.”

She rose and said, “I should be going. Like you told your man, it will be a long night. I don’t know if I will be able to sleep but I should try. Thank you for the awful tea and the good conversation and advice.” Jake walked with her to the door just as he opened it the ship lurched free from its mooring. She stumbled into him and flung her arms around his neck. He reacted purely on instinct. Before he fully understood how it had happened, he had his arms around her waist. When she looked up at him their faces were only inches apart. It would have been so natural to kiss her. He thought about it. Then thought about it a second time as he stared into her bright blue eyes. In the end his position or upbringing won out. He stepped back to break the moment. He was berating himself for it and would in the future, he was sure.

Neither of them said anything as they separated. They made their way to the bridge in total silence. When he reached for the door she said, “A lesser man, Commander, might have taken liberties. At the moment, I wish you had been a lesser man.” The last was said in a near whisper. Then she reached out and opened the door before he could say or do anything. She saw Collins and asked if he would escort her to her cabin as she wished to try to sleep before all the gunfire.

Jake waited for him to return then checked to make sure everything was going well. They had slipped the mooring and were making a slow ascent as the fleet spread out. It would take them three hours to get to their destination. He wondered if it would be of more benefit to try to sleep or just tough it out. In the end, he headed for his bunk leaving orders to be awoken when they were within thirty minutes of the canyon.

Jake’s dreams were plagued with images of the Duchess in his arms and other things that definitely had not happened. He was relieved when Patrick woke him. He had fresh caff and a sweet roll waiting in the sitting room. The eels seemed to know something was up. Both attached themselves to his arms complicating his efforts to get properly dressed. He left them in his room when he went to the bridge.

“Message from the Ruth. Take up station ten thousand feet at a five-mile radius. Watch for any sign of vessels fleeing or returning to the pirate base. We are going to look silly circling like vultures up here, Sir.”

“I would rather look silly than have to be one of those Marine officers who have to go in and secure the pirate base. They are in for a rough night, even if the pirates all surrender, and I have no illusions that will happen. Helm begin our scheduled course. Lieutenant Collins sound general quarters if you please. Pass the word my ladies will provide a meer to the first Airman to spot a fleeing airship, or one returning in our assigned sector.”

The ship came alive with activity. It was clear by the response that most hadn’t been asleep. As word passed of the Captain’s promise of a meer, the crew took up positions where they could better see over the rails. He watched as officers and NCOs passed by and inspected each man’s lifeline and harness. He noticed two crewmen getting the sharp side of an NCO’s tongue for loose harnesses. One must have tried to say it didn’t matter because the NCO really laid into him after the Airman said something to him. Jake nodded. Durand might be an ass, but it appeared his crew knew their jobs well. As the crew settled into the tasks for the night, Lady Catherine came on to the bridge. Her hair looked just as good as it had at dinner. Her braids were tight and her hair almost glowed.

She didn’t ask permission to come on the bridge, she just did. “Has it started then?” she asked

“Our part has. We are circling at five miles as we were ordered to do. If the noise is keeping you awake, I can have one of the men get you some waxed cotton.” Her look told him she didn’t understand. So, he explained. “We use it in our ears if we have to be near one of the guns when they are firing. It helps cut down on the noise. I have used them before when I couldn’t sleep because of the noise from the crew. I should have had Lieutenant Collins get you each some earlier.”

She waved off his offer and his apology. “It wouldn’t help. I have birds or maybe eels flying circles in my stomach right now. Will there be anything to see from here?”

“From here, no. There shouldn’t be. From the rail, probably. If you wish I could have one of my men get you a harness and a safety line. I would rather not though.”

“If I was the Duke of Bedford instead of the Duchess would you feel the same way?”

“It wouldn’t matter in the least. You are one of the royal family currently under my care and protection. I would rather you were safe in Innis. Since that isn’t going to happen, safe in your cabin is my next best option. Safe on my bridge comes after that. Standing at the rails watching is way down at the bottom.”

“I don’t mean to make your job harder Commander. However, I would like to see some of the fight. I know there isn’t much that can be seen from up here. I would still like to look. when will I ever get another chance to witness history in the making.”

Jake shook his head. “I doubt this will go into any history books, but I understand your point. XO, you have the bridge. The Duchess and I will be on the aft deck if you need me.” He stepped over to the door and retrieved one of the spare harness and lifeline sets from a locker next to it. When he turned to give it to her, she was standing very close to him. The words he had meant to say wouldn’t come out.

“Commander Harrow would you be so kind as to assist me in getting the harness on properly?” she asked. Jake could see the mischief in her eyes, but the rest of the bridge crew couldn’t. The harness wasn’t complicated. It was just a belt that wrapped around the waist. With a set of straps that attached to it and went around the wearer’s thighs. When cinched tight, they weren’t very comfortable. Jake was worried about how indecent the harness would look on the Duchess. He hadn’t thought of that when he had mentioned the thing. When she spread her legs and placed her hands on her hips, he knew he was in trouble. Either he broke regulations and let her on deck without the harness, or he would have to kneel and assist her in getting the thing on. A trained Airman could put one on in his sleep. He doubted she had ever worn one though.

He decided to explain and teach as he assisted her in its proper application. “This is the belt. Like most belts, it goes around your waist. These straps go down the back of...” Jake froze mid-sentence. The rest of the sentence was back of your ass. He couldn’t say that to her though. He just stood there. Then he had an idea. He quickly worked the straps and began speaking again. “these two loops go around your legs like a pair of pants. Then you put the belt around your waist. Then tighten it all up.” He held out the loops for her to step in. when she did, he was relieved he had held it the right direction. He hadn’t checked before he held it out for her. She stared him in the eyes as he knelt there in front of her. He was stuck again. If he completed pulling the harness up, his hands would be in places they shouldn’t be.

She knew what the problem was. He saw it flash across her face in an instant. Her mischievous grin turned to wicked smile. Her eyes challenged him to stop, or maybe to continue. He wasn’t sure which. Her hands on his shoulders though, tightened. She wasn’t holding on for support. No, she was saying I’m not moving my hands to help Commander. Jake sighed then began to pull the loops up the outside of her riding dress. Now he understood why the ladies were wearing them. Admiral Jones had probably insisted. Twice the damned thing got fouled on her skirts. Making the task more difficult. He finally got it into place and the belt secured. He was about to pull back and explain how to adjust it. She beat him to it though. “Could you please adjust it so it’s on properly Commander? No sense me trying, only to have you have to fix my mistake.”

Jake pulled the straps up and fastened them to the belt then began adjusting the loops so they rode properly. He tried to ignore the fact that his hands were on the thighs of beautiful young woman. He tried and failed miserably. When he was finished, she let go of his shoulders and spun in place. She practically shoved her rear end in his face. “Could you adjust the back straps as well commander?’ she asked in such an innocent way. The question was anything but innocent though. His hand would have to touch her in a way he shouldn’t in order to comply and she knew it. He couldn’t see the look on her face as she presented her rear to him, but he thought the amusement in her voice told it all. He shook his head and adjusted first one strap then the other. He didn’t imagine it when she thrust her rear back at him as he reached for the second one. It was a quick thing, but it had definitely been intentional.

He stood and was fighting hard not to blush. The fact that Both Perry and Collins were pretending to be busy looking at the charts told him they knew of his embarrassment. She turned and patted him on the cheek saying, “Thank you Commander. You were ever so helpful. I don’t think I could have gotten it on without your aid.” Her eyes told an entirely different story.

The two of them turned to leave and Patrick stopped them. “Sir your Ladies are causing a fuss in your cabin. Something has them riled.”

“Very well.” He excused himself and went to his cabin. Before he got there, he could hear them. It sounded like the two were taking turns thumping against his door. They were also making a noise he hadn’t heard before. When he opened the door, both surged out and wrapped their tails around his arms. The immediately began to rub their heads against his chest. This was unusual. Well, he wasn’t sure there was anything about the situation with the eels he could call usual. He took a few seconds to reassure them. Then he returned to the bridge and escorted Duchess Bedford out onto the aft deck.

At the rails the two looked over and watched as the two freighters dropped more barrels into the mist. The mist already glowed with an eerie light from what must have been hundreds of barrels already dropped. They watched as more of the barrels passed into the mist and added their light to the eerie sight below. Jake could make out the sound of distant guns firing. Either that or the sound of the barrels exploding. He thought it was the former. He listened then nodded. Someone down there was trying to hit the freighter with an old long gun. Unless he was mistaken, they had used guns off some old ship to create defensive emplacements. Whoever was firing those guns must have panicked. They had no chance of hitting the freighters. They were far too high for the gun to reach even if they could see them through the mist.

A few seconds later the sound stopped. Someone with a bit of sense had taken control of the defenses. The gun crews were probably getting their butts chewed at this very minute. The freighters made a turn and began their way back across the sky dropping their barrels as they went. If the light pattern he was seeing was an indication, they would make one more trip back and forth before they completed their task. He was surprised that the Duchess didn’t speak as he watched the freighters rain down their barrels. Jake looked around at the Airmen on the aft deck and realized they were all watching the same thing he was.

He motioned to an ensign and told him to make sure one of five men were watching the sky as well as below them. It would be a real shame if they were caught by surprise because everyone was watching the fireworks below instead of keeping a sharp eye out for trouble. He watched as the word was spread and the men followed their orders. He nodded, turned back to watch as the two freighters turned and made their final initial pass. The barrels were supposed to burn for two to three hours each depending on how hard they landed. He thought there was a huge difference between two and three hours. He checked his safety line and then checked the Duchess’s line as well. With both of them secure he returned his attention to the light show below. The freighters must have gotten lucky. One of the areas where a barrel fell had a different look to it. Instead of the pure white light there was a yellow flicker that added to the light from the barrel. He didn’t know if they had hit a ship trying to flee or an old wreck, but something was burning down in the mist.

The freighters finished their pass and climbed higher, turning to join the circle with the reserve forces. The battleships started descending towards the canyon. The canyon was easily spotted with the light from the barrels. With the mist, thicker in the canyon and the added height of the depth of the canyon the light was not as bright in that area. The ships moved to their assigned positions and waited. Nothing happened for several minutes. Then a Scout took off from the perimeter and dove into the canyon. Jake wondered if they were trying to draw fire. His answer came a few seconds later. A rocket could be seen streaking through the mist, its red light disappeared. Then the Ruth’s guns opened on the location where the rocket vanished.

They watched as the Scout made its way down the canyon. The barrels made it possible to track the Scout’s progress. It would dart down the canyon then move towards the wall. Eight times it fired a rocket that disappeared. Six time they fired rockets that exploded against the canyon wall. It didn’t seem to matter to the crew of the warships above if the rockets disappeared or exploded on the wall. They opened fire where the rockets went. The Scout came out of the mist twice as fast as it had entered. Ships on both sides of the canyons fired into the mist. They watched the flashes as the rounds exploded far below. From their height, it was barely noticeable with the barrels burning so brightly. For twenty minutes the warships hammered the canyon. The barrage had a steady cadence. No one was firing full out, but they were letting those down there know they were here.

After twenty minutes the order was sent to cease fire, and the barrage ended a few seconds later. Jake wondered if the Scout would be sent back in. The answer didn’t matter as soon as the barrage ended several vessels made a run for it. More accurately they tried to make a run for it. They were spotted and the fleet opened fire on them. Only two were able to rise out of the mist before they were destroyed. Those two fared no better as they were quickly targeted by multiple airships from the Crown, both ship crashed back into the mist in pieces. The next airships to try to run came out of their hiding spot and climbed for the stars. Some managed to clear the mist before accurate fire found them. One even managed to clear the fleets perimeter before it too was destroyed. The frigate The King’s Hound was on it and firing shot after shot into the fleeing airship. Jake saw the ship’s captain raise a white flag just before one of the Hound’s shots shattered his vessel’s hull and tore a hole large enough in his lift sacks to send it plummeting back to earth.

“That is number thirteen they have destroyed. Do you think the Hound’s captain saw the white flag and fired anyway?” she asked him

“I think in the heat of battle sometimes it is hard to stop as quickly as you would like. The Captain of the Hound had to send orders to cease fire to his gun crews when he noticed the flag. That can take a few seconds especially with the noise of the guns going off.”

“I know they are pirates. It just seems such an unfair fight. I thought, I don’t know what I thought. I just didn’t think it would be like this,” she said as she watched the carnage.

When no more airships tried to flee, two Scouts slipped back into the mist. One following each side of the canyon. Four time rockets streaked through the mist. Each time the guns of the Crown opened on the mist below. The Scouts reappeared and made their way to the two battleships messages flashing as they went. Up from the mist came three signal rockets. The first was a white signal meaning they surrendered. The second was a green signal meaning friendly. And the last was another white rocket. They watched as a Scout left the Ruth and made its way to the area the rockets had come from. When it was close they all got a surprise.

Three large ships flew out of the canyon and rose through the mist. They were heavy frigates. Each sporting the flag of the kingdom of Gillian. They each had a white flag flying as they ascended. Jake saw flash messages sent to and from the foreign airships. Twice they were ordered to stop and wait to be boarded. Both times they ignored the order. As the Ruth and Helen began to rise, to keep above the foreign airships, they were ordered a third time to hold where they were. One of the ships began to slow and stop its ascent. The other two kept rising and kept sending the message that they surrendered. Jake barely saw the fourth airship. It slipped from where it had been hiding just as the nearest of the barrels started going out. It hadn’t been a full hour yet. The barrels should have lasted longer. That meant someone was out there trying to put them out. A second barrel’s light began to change. Jake realized what they were doing this time. The light seemed to get larger and then brighter. Someone was in the mist dispersing the chemicals from the barrels. He turned and called for the signal man to send a warning of the actions he thought were happening in the mist.

Before the message had finished being sent the first time two of the Crown’s airships opened fire at the light that was growing. One of the rounds must have hit what remained of the barrel’s contents. There was a huge flash of light and then it immediately began to dim. The shot from the Crown had done more to disperse the chemicals than whoever had been there. With two of the barrels now mostly extinguished. The Ruth ordered the three ships to halt a final time. Then began firing almost at once. The three split and headed for three of the closest of the Crown’s airships. Jake understood their plan instantly. They hoped to use their proximity as a shield from the larger and deadlier of the Crown’s airships. Jake stepped up to the signal mirror and used its scope to examine the three craft. The craft closest to the perimeter had its crew already using air masks. He hoped the Admiral or someone closer saw what he did.

He was about to start sending the warning when the foreign ship suddenly shot towards the stars. Its crew were all forced to the deck of the ship, its ascent was so sudden. The helmsman or her captain knew what they were doing too. Her bow and aft planes were positioned so she was pulled away from the ring of death the Crown had placed around the canyon. Jake watched as round after round missed the fast-rising airship. Most of the Crown ships were caught flatfooted. Only the King’s Hound was moving to try to catch the foreign frigate. As it rose the foreign airship pivoted and fired on it. Jake was amazed at the accuracy or luck of the foreign ship. Her first shot hammered into the Hound’s forward swivel mounted guns. Jake could see the secondary explosions begin to detonate in the Hound. Neither Captain let up their attack. The Hound still had a sizable height advantage. Her captain used it to his advantage. He turned the Hound broadside and pivoted on his starboard rail firing a full broadside into the fleeing foreign ship.

Jake watched as his guns spoke in a rolling thunder cadence. Only pausing as the Captain and her helmsman readjusted the ship from the recoil of so many guns being fired. That first volley was the Hound’s best. More than half of the rounds from the first volley scored hits on the foreign ship. Just before the second volley the foreign ship stopped its emergency ascent as the Hounds guns raked the air above them. Then they were ascending once more. The timing was near perfect on the foreign Captain’s part. Jake only saw a single hit from the second volley. What the Captain gained with avoiding the fire from the Hound’s guns he lost as the guns of the Dachshund opened fire with its forward swivel guns. All four rounds slammed into the foreign airships rudder and aft section. Jake could see the airship was in trouble with the damage it had sustained from both ships. The Hounds third broadside tore into the foreign airship as it still rose towards the stars. The Hound scored a hit on something important, as the foreign airship started to list dangerously on its starboard side. Jake saw more than one man fall from the sudden change in pitch. Of the half-dozen, he saw fall overboard only two were saved by their safety lines. The rest either broke or were not fastened and the Airmen fell to their death.