Chapter 26: Return to the West

Rear Admiral Jack Easterbrook looked out to sea from the portside railing of his ship Destiny while watching the gentle waves rock against the hull of the mighty warship. It was a beautiful day, one where there wasn’t a cloud in the sky and the bright blue tone of color above him illuminated everything in sight.

His most favorite pastime was spending time on the main deck, taking in the calming sight of the water and the feelings of peace it gave him to truly feel one with the ship. His eyes scanned the horizon, looking far out to sea before they swept in a full arc around to where the waves crashed against the shoreline of Quiller’s Cove.

They’d been at Quiller’s for almost two weeks now, his task force having reached the Javan outpost after a short one month journey across the open ocean. Like the last time he arrived in Quiller’s from Java, it was springtime, and the chilly winter winds that blew over the deck of the ship had finally started to subside, replaced by the calmer and warmer temperatures of this part of the world. Jack was all too cognizant of the first time he arrived in Quiller’s as a simple commander about to embark on a journey into the unknown.

“Jack?” asked Abigail as she slipped behind him on the main deck. “There you are. I was wondering where you went.”

“Just wanted to get some fresh air,” he said, pulling her hand up to his lips. “It’s finally warm enough that I can be on the main deck without having to put on every piece of warm clothing I own.”

Abigail smiled. “It was a long winter but at least we skipped a good portion of the snow.”

“There is that,” he acknowledged before he pointed across the docks. “Do you see that spot right over there?”

Abigail squinted as she looked over. “Yes. What of it?”

Jack turned to face her. “That’s where I met you the first time. Do you remember?”

She smiled coyly. “I remember you standing on my gangplank while obviously looking for a place to put your own gangplank.”

He started to laugh. “Those were the days. It’s been an incredible year.”

“That is has,” she conceded before giving his back a gentle tap. “I’ll be back down in our quarters. I just wanted to see where you went.”

“Hold on, I’ll come with you.”

The two of them found the nearest hatch and went below deck, taking no time at all to get to what was formally Jack’s quarters but what was in effect their shared quarters. Abigail had essentially moved in many months ago once their relationship deepened (even if it was punctuated by a short stay in her formal quarters for a couple weeks when her sister, Anna, died).

Jack took off his cap once he closed the door while Abigail did the same. They were alone in the room, as Kat had once again gone down to the tiny market at Quiller’s this morning. Jack pursed his lips at the thought of Kat. She’d been acting a little off since they left Belfort, something that he couldn’t quite place. It had been troubling enough for him that he’d tried to talk about it with her a few times, but she always told him there was no issue and that nothing was wrong.

Of course, to any normal man with enough experience with the opposite sex, he knew those words could almost never be taken at face value. Despite his attempts, Kat remained unwilling to say anything more on the topic, even if her behavior was more reserved than usual. Their sex life went on like it normally did, and although it wasn’t as active as it used to be, it still happened many times a week. Jack figured that whatever was bothering her would come out eventually, when she was ready to share it with them. He wouldn’t hurry her otherwise but his mind remained focused on one thing—the tiny vial that she brought aboard with her back in Belfort.

She never did tell him what it was, and he couldn’t find it aboard afterward but he suspected it was connected to all of this. Her behavior had gotten more withdrawn after she bought that vial, and his mind went to great lengths at speculating the true reason behind it.

Even Abigail had noticed the change in her behavior, but like Jack, her attempts to get it out of Kat had all been for naught. It was now an unspoken topic between them, something that they knew was different than usual, but also something that couldn’t be pulled out of Kat.

At one point that morning, Jack noticed that Abigail leaned back in her chair. She pursed her lips in thought as she tapped her pen against their desk.

“What’s on your mind?” he asked, temporarily looking up from a report.

“Sorella,” she said flatly, before letting out a long sigh. “What else?”

He nodded without saying anything else. Sorella was on everyone’s mind in Quiller’s lately and for good reason. There hadn’t been a single transmission from the viceroy at Sorella in over six weeks. Commodore Lucas had informed him of that when Jack arrived in Quiller’s, stating that the viceroy in Sorella, Lucius Grant, used to transmit every other day at bare minimum.

“Something is wrong out there, Jack,” said Lucas with concern on his face. “I don’t know what, but I have a feeling we’re going to have to find out sooner or later.”

All of the transmissions that had gone out to Grant’s supply ship had gone unanswered. The talk amongst the senior officers, especially in Jack’s task force, was that the Sorellans had tired of the viceroy and had revolted against him. For Jack, it was a theory that made a lot of sense. Of all people, he knew how troubling the viceroy had been to Heron when he arrived, and he’d even received the warning that it could not persist.

What was even worse about it was that the emperor saw no reason to change the current program, keeping it just to spite Jack when he fought so hard to get it dismissed. The thoughts of what to do about the viceroys concerned his entire voyage back to Quiller’s, unsure of what he would do with that added factor and how it would affect the alliance that he’d worked so hard to craft.

“I have to wonder if we’ll be asked to stop there on our way back to Picardy,” said Abigail before leaning forward in her chair. “We’re the only force in the area who could intervene.”

Jack shrugged. “I’m not sure. I’m tempted to go there myself to scout it out. The word from Lucas is that we should hear soon from the Admiralty what they want to do about Sorella.”

Abigail nodded but before she could say anything further, there was a knock at his door. Jack called out for the visitor to enter, and no sooner was the door opened than Captain Lewis Barnabas of the battleship Centurion stepped into his quarters.

Jack let out a preemptive sigh. By far the worst part of the journey since leaving Belfort had been dealing with fussy Barnabas along the way. The man was a quintessential anathema over the entire task force. He seemed to object to everything just because he could, and that manifested itself in incredibly stupid ways along the route. First, the entire task force was going too fast for the Centurion, even though the speed was well within range of the battleship’s capabilities. Then, once Jack slowed them down slightly, they were going too slow, and likely to run out of meager stores before they reached Quiller’s Cove.

Barnabas also took issue at just about every single council Jack called, usually finding the most impertinent detail to raise a fuss about. It soon became obvious that Jack’s dislike of the man was shared by the other senior officers, many of them thinking he’d been assigned to their force on purpose as some kind of punishment against Jack.

“What can I do for you today, Lewis?” asked Jack, resisting the urge to stick his fingers in his eyes once Barnabas was standing in front of him.

“Permission to speak with you, Admiral?” asked Barnabas.

Jack nodded quickly. “Permission granted. Get on with it, man, we have things to do.”

Barnabas looked at Abigail with obvious distaste. “I meant to speak privately, sir.”

Jack glanced at Abigail before looking back at Barnabas. “Does this message have anything to do with the Destiny or Commander Wainwright in any degree?”

Barnabas huffed. “No, sir.”

Jack shrugged. “Then talk. Anything you have to say can be heard by Abigail. She has my full confidence.”

An annoyed look appeared on his face for a split second before it went away. “Sir, I’m here to talk to you about a topic of utmost importance,” he said before falling silent.

Jack tilted his head and leaned closer. “And? That topic is what?”

“I need to know when we will be leaving Quiller’s Cove to resume our mission,” said Barnabas with an exasperated tone. “As you know, we’ve been here for two weeks now, with nothing to show for the task we’ve been assigned by the Admiralty. The men on the Centurion are restless and ready to get into action. When will we be leaving?”

Jack resisted the urge to sigh. “Lewis, you’ll be given the same answer I gave you yesterday when you appeared in my quarters with the same question. It’s the same answer from the day before that and the day before that. We’ll leave when you receive my command. I don’t know why you find it worth my time to appear in front of me every day asking the same question.”

Barnabas looked a little miffed. “I don’t like delays very much, Admiral.”

“It appears there are very few things you do like,” Jack shot back. “But you are not the senior officer here, Lewis. I am. And while you’re under my command, you’ll do things my way.”

“Understood, sir,” answered the errant captain, his cheeks flushed red with either embarrassment or anger. Or both.

“Unless there’s something else that you’re here for, you’re dismissed,” said Jack.

“Thank you, sir. Good day, sir,” said Barnabas with a crisp salute before he departed as quickly as he arrived.

Jack growled as soon as he was gone. “That man is a major pain in my ass.”

Abigail grinned. “You mean ol’ Buttface? He’s a bit on the demanding side, isn’t he?”

Jack raised an eyebrow. “Buttface?”

She nodded with excitement. “It’s the nickname I’m trying out for him. It’s because of his chin. That crease in the middle is so deep that it makes it look like a butt.”

Jack cracked a grin. Now that she mentioned it, the cleft in his chin did kind of look like an ass. It was an appropriate name for someone like Barnabas, and Jack found himself liking it the longer he thought about.

“Now I’m going to have to make sure I don’t call him Captain Buttface to his face,” said Jack with a chuckle.

“Even if you did, it’s not like he wouldn’t find something to complain about anyway,” she said. “You might as well make it entertaining.”

“True,” he said, realizing she had a point.

“So going back to his question, what are we waiting on here, Jack?” she asked. “Just for that supply ship to catch up?”

Jack nodded. “Luke and Kim are on that ship. I’ll feel better about going back to the Vector once they’re in command of the Valiant again.”

“I figured that but just wanted to check,” she said with a toothy grin.

“Not that I would tell Buttface that,” added Jack, already enjoying the nickname. “But I thought I’d let him squirm a little longer.”

Abigail giggled. “You’re evil but I can’t help how much I love you.”

Jack started to laugh. “Thank god for that.”

The easy conversation and good feelings wouldn’t last much longer. Twitch, Jack’s deputy, entered his quarters carrying a dispatch with him.

“Jack, this just arrived at Quiller’s a short while ago,” said Twitch. “Lucas thought it was important for you to see it right away.”

Jack took the dispatch in his hand and read it quickly. His heart sank lower as he continued to read. When he finished it, he placed it on his desk and put his chin in his hands, sinking into thought.

Abigail grabbed the dispatch once it was placed on his desk and read it carefully. She blew air through her lips once she finished. “Well, I guess we saw that one coming,” she said afterward.

“Indeed,” said Jack. “Still doesn’t make it any easier.” He glanced back down at the dispatch on his desk. It was the one he’d been waiting to see, the inevitable call to action against Sorella. With the lack of communication by Viceroy Grant, Jack had been commanded to scope out the island and figure out what happened and if he was still alive.

The second part of the dispatch was more troubling. If it was to be determined that the Sorellans had acted with hostility toward Grant, the Admiralty called on Jack to make war upon them. He was allowed to punish them in any way he saw fit, up to and including the deaths of their current leaders to satisfy that demand.

It was the most troubling order he’d been given during his entire career, and it caused an ethical dilemma of its own. If the Sorellans rebelled against a demanding and petulant viceroy, what right did he have to demand their submission to another? If the Sorellans were supposedly part of their alliance, why did they need a colonial viceroy in the first place?

Lastly, how could Jack, who had been such an opponent to the viceroy policy from the start, hope to implement the return of such a policy against a free people when his very heart was firmly against it?

These were tough questions and none of them were new—most of them occurred to him in the last two weeks since he found out about the Sorellan issue. Even still, it didn’t make things any easier knowing the problem was in his lap, and he alone would have to figure out what to do with the Sorellans.

He didn’t have long to ponder the problem. Kat returned from her journey to the market a few minutes later and gave the two of them a brief greeting before she slipped onto the bed. Jack’s eyes watched her go, always enjoying seeing her enticing figure move around. It wasn’t until she was firmly seated on the bed that she called out for the both of them.

“Do you two have a minute?” asked Kat with hopeful eyes. “I actually need to talk with you both.”

Jack turned his head quickly to look at her. Kat wore a coy but cryptic smile on her face, an odd departure from the more reserved figure she’d been lately.

“Of course,” said Jack, all too happy to distance himself from the troubling dispatch. Together, he and Abigail moved to the bed and sat down, putting themselves in arm’s reach of Kat. She looked at them with appreciation as she struggled to find the words to begin.

“This isn’t exactly easy to say,” she started, chewing her lip for a moment before she looked into Jack’s eyes. “I’ve been struggling with how to tell you what’s happened for a while now.”

Jack blinked a few times. “What do you mean? What has happened, Kat?

She nodded slowly. “It does.”

Abigail reached out to touch Kat’s forehead. “Are you feeling all right? You’re not sick, are you?”

Kat smiled. “Not sick but there is something going on in my body that you two need to know about.” With that, she pulled out a small glass container that had a film covering over the top, secured in place by a piece of string. What was inside the container was still to be determined.

“What is that?” asked Jack, taking the container into his hands and examining it. What was inside looked to be slightly viscous, a mixture of a clear watery substance with a mixture of black specks inside it.

“Those are frog eggs,” said Kat excitedly, as if it were a currency greater than gold.

Abigail looked at the container and then back at Kat. “I’m so confused. Can you tell us what’s behind these frog eggs? And why are they here?”

Kat started to laugh. “Of course. It also started before we left Belfort. I was noticing certain ... changes that I wasn’t quite used to.”

Jack arched his eyebrow. “Such as?”

“Well, my boobs started to hurt, and I kept having to bolt out of bed in the morning to go throw up,” said Kat with a harmless shrug. “At first, I just thought my boobs were a little sensitive from all the extra sex we were having at the time. But when I started throwing up, some signs became too hard to ignore.”

Jack now realized the full gravity of the situation. His eyes darted to Kat’s stomach, staying glued to it while the full realization of her words worked its way through his conscience.

“You mean you’re ... you’re... ?” asked Abigail with a choked breath.

Kat smiled and nodded. “See those frog eggs there? That right there is the most modern pregnancy test on the market. All they need to do is inject some urine into the frog and if you’re pregnant, the frog will lay eggs a day later.” She then pointed to the glass. “Those are the eggs.”

To Jack’s surprise, Abigail was the first on the shriek in excitement. “Kat, you’re pregnant!”

Kat nodded her head while maintaining an easy grin on her face. “I am. This is my second test. I took one in Belfort before we left and that one was positive too. When I found out, I had a little vitamin concoction put together to help the baby grow. I took my first one in Belfort six weeks ago and I grabbed another one just this morning.” Kat waved a small glass vial around and Jack recognized it as looking similar to the one he’d seen back in Java.

Abigail pulled away from her slightly. “Do you mean you’ve known for six weeks now without telling us? Why?”

“I had to be sure,” said Kat. “The first few months of pregnancy can be the most volatile. Even though I knew about it, I didn’t want to get anyone too excited in case something happened. But now that it’s been enough time, I felt like I could finally share the news with you both.”

“Oh my god, I’m so excited!” said Abigail as she reached out and touched Kat’s stomach. “I can’t believe you have a baby under here. How far along do you think?”

“I’m guessing around three months or so, give or take a couple weeks,” replied Kat. She giggled as Abigail molested her body.

“I was honestly thinking your boobs looked bigger too, I swear,” said Abigail with a laugh. “I guess I was right!”

“They definitely are,” said Kat as she cupped them in both hands. “They’re really tender too but at least I’m not throwing up anymore. That got old really quickly.”

Jack remained quiet as he listened to the two of them talk. Even though he’d heard Kat’s words, he was still in a state of shock.

How can she really be pregnant? At a time like this? What are we going to do, he thought to himself as a hundred different questions bombarded him at the same time.

He was still lost in his thoughts when he felt Kat slip her hand into his. “Hey,” she said softly, causing him to raise his eyes to hers. “You’re awfully quiet right now.”

“It’s just a lot to process,” said Jack, feeling uncomfortable in the moment. “I guess I just didn’t realize that this was possible.”

Abigail slapped his knee gently. “Well love, when a man puts his penis into a woman’s vagina—”

“Not that,” he interrupted while shaking his head. “I just didn’t realize that you could get pregnant.”

Kat blinked. “I’m not on any birth control, Jack. I’ve never had to be on any. You’re the only man I’ve ever been with so there was no need before about six months ago. Even then, we didn’t do anything that would prevent a pregnancy.” She assumed a dreamy look on her face. “After all, I know how much you love to cum inside me.”

“And me too,” added Abigail with a coy grin. “Although I have to take the pills as part of being in the navy. So no bundle of joy for me anytime soon.”

“Are you all right, Jack?” asked Kat as some concern filled her face. “This wasn’t the reaction I thought I was going to get when I told you.”

He shook his head from side to side. “I’m just surprised I guess. It gives me a lot to think about. I mean, we’re going back to a war zone, you know? Who knows what we’ll find in Sorella but we know the Swabians are still in Picardy. It doesn’t make me feel great to know that the pregnant mother of my child will be in harm’s way.”

Kat squeezed his hand. “That’s why you’ll be there to protect me. Just like you always do. It’s what you’re the best at. I don’t care where we’re going. The safest place I could possibly be is right beside you.”

“Still though, a warship is no place for a child, let alone a baby,” said Jack as all the objections started to come to mind. “What happens if we wind up in another battle? Or if the Admiralty finds out? You know as well as I do that Bancroft would take any opportunity to yank this command away if he had the right excuse.”

Kat’s face became even more troubled. “Jack, I don’t have the answers to that. I don’t think anyone really can know right now what’s to happen in the next six months. I know we’ll take things one step at a time but this is really upsetting me. I thought you would be happy about all of this. We’re having a baby, Jack.”

His eyes flickered to her stomach again, almost as if he was trying to see through her clothing and skin to the life that was resting under it. He couldn’t escape the feeling of ill timing.

“I am but it’s just bad timing,” he said. “I thought we’d have a little longer to worry about all this. Not right now as we seem to be sliding closer to war. I’m just struck by the timing. How are we ever going to do this, Kat?”

A small tear fell down her cheek. Her mouth opened to say something but no words came out. Beside them, Abigail had gone quiet as well, looking all around the room as a way to escape the awkwardness of the situation. The tension between all of them was thick, and it wasn’t helped by the fact that Twitch came to visit again.

“Twitch, we’re a little busy right now,” said Jack in a snapping tone. “Can’t you come back later?”

Twitch shook his head. “I just thought you should know there are ships on the horizon, Jack. Javan ships.”

Those Javan ships on the horizon ended up being the supply convoy that Jack was waiting on. He, along with most of the crew of the Destiny, watched the docking of those ships at Quiller’s with great anticipation, hoping that two passengers on the ships would soon be joining them.

“I can’t wait to see them,” said Abigail with excitement, a warm smile on her lips. “It’s been way too long!”

Jack nodded but didn’t answer her directly. Kat’s news was still on his mind, and if he was being honest with himself, he was still in a state of shock. He turned his head to look at Kat, and she offered him a sympathetic smile. Nothing more needed to be said.

Finishing their earlier conversation would just have to wait.

“I see them, I see them!” yelled Abigail as she started to wave at two people from the deck of the Destiny.

Those two people were none other than Luke Ravencross and Kim Cross, both dressed in their naval uniforms and sporting similar grins on their faces. Jack watched the two of them disembark from the ship as the three of them hurried to meet them in the middle.

“We heard you needed a pair of officers for your next mission,” called out Luke just before the distance was closed.

“Although we were kind of hoping we’d get a better assignment,” added Kim while a teasing grin dancing across her lips.

They all collided together as one mass of humanity a moment later. Jack made first for Luke, the two of them sharing what could only be described as a masculine embrace that involved several taps of each other’s shoulder and quick separation.

The women were slightly different, giving long squeezes that properly emphasized the time they’d spent apart. Of notice to Jack when they all finally separated was how Kim needed to rest her hand against Luke in order to keep her balance.

“You have no idea how much we missed you both,” said Jack. “How was the journey from Java?”

Luke made a face. “The Swallow doesn’t sail nearly as smoothly as the Valiant, I can tell you that. And we got caught in foul winter storm about a week out from the mainland. These supply ships roll around back and forth as easily as a seesaw, Jack. It even made me want to hurl when it was all over.”

Kim elbowed him in the stomach gently. “We still made in one piece, didn’t we? And now we never have to look upon the Swallow again.”

“Thank god for that,” muttered Luke, causing a laugh amongst the others.

“How are you both feeling?” asked Abigail once the laughter died down. She gestured to Kim’s legs, no doubt noticing the same thing that Jack had.

“Getting better every day,” said Kim with a degree of optimism. “I still need to have some physical therapy on my legs, but at least the casts are long gone and I can be on my feet again.”

“They cleared her to leave from the hospital in Aberdeen and then we took the fastest train we could catch across Java to Belfort where we managed to get on the Swallow,” added Luke. “It hasn’t left a lot of time for healing on her part but as far as the navy goes, she’s active for duty.”

“That’s all I need to know too,” said Jack. “It’s not like she’s required to be on her feet all day. I’m just all too happy to have you both back.”

Luke grinned and looked over Jack’s shoulder at the Valiant. “And I’m all too happy to see my baby again. I missed the Valiant something fierce.”

“Sometimes I think you love that ship more than you love me,” said Kim dryly, casting a serious look to Luke.

He met it on even ground. “You know that’s not true. The Valiant will always be my first love but you’ll always be my last.”

Kat raised her eyebrow. “Last love, huh?”

Kim brought her hand up and a sparkle of the sun’s light caught everyone’s attention. “I sure hope so with the size of this rock.”

Both Abigail and Kat gasped as they reached out to grab her hand simultaneously. “Is this what I think it is?” shrieked Kat.

Kim wrapped her free arm around Luke tightly. “We’ve decided to make it official.”

“By that she means we’re getting married,” said Luke with a chuckle.

“All right, I have to know details,” said Abigail. “I want to know everything! Walk me through the whole story and start from square one.”

Kat nodded her head fiercely, in seemingly equal agreement with the brunette commander. The three women stepped to the side to listen to every nauseating detail while Luke pulled Jack aside.

“A congratulations are in order then,” said Jack with a warm smile. “This is good news.”

“It’s a good move,” said Luke with a nod. “We’ve been together for so long and we’re a perfect fit. After the close call at Aberdeen, I figured what was there to wait on? I already knew she was the one.”

“And it’ll be easy to modify her uniform,” noted Jack humorously. “Just have to tack on the Raven- part in front of her last name.”

“Funny how that works out, right?” asked Luke as the two men started to laugh.

“I’m happy for you,” said Jack. “Set a date?”

“Not yet, but we wanted to make our intentions known,” said Luke before he got serious for a moment. “I suppose I should ask you if it’s a conflict of interest to have us both assigned to the Valiant though?”

Jack scoffed. “I think the whole crew knows where Kim has been sleeping for a long time. Conflict of interest? Maybe, but you won’t hear a complaint from me. I need you both on the Valiant.”

Luke grinned. “I was hoping you would say that but I knew I needed to ask. Hopefully this is the best news you heard all day.”

Jack didn’t know what to say to that directly, and the reminder about Kat’s delicate condition came roaring back. He nodded slowly as he felt those same feelings of confliction again, but thankfully Luke didn’t seem to pick up on it.

“How long have you been in Quiller’s?”

“It’s only two weeks that we’ve been waiting for you,” said Jack with a smirk. “But it looks like we can leave now that you’re here.”

“That’s a relief,” said Luke. “After all, who needs a lot of time relaxing in port?”

“How were things in Java when you left? Any new developments?” asked Jack. “I feel like I haven’t heard much since I left although I’m sure that’s no accident.” Jack had shared with Luke all about his conflict with Bancroft before he left. It was no secret that they weren’t on friendly terms anymore.

“About the usual,” answered Luke. “I keep hearing reports about the Ruthenians ambushing fishing vessels and other small warships. Our old friend Reynolds was getting ready to depart Belfort with his task force to combat them but so far there have been no major engagements.”

“No news about Bancroft then?”

Luke shook his head. “Not a word. I heard he’s due to move his headquarters back to Lockhaven soon for the next invasion. McKenzie has already made the move and he’s marshaling forces there.”

“I suppose no news is good news then,” said Jack reluctantly.

“How’s the old commodore?” asked Luke, nodding his head off in the direction of the town. “Still hanging in there?”

“Funny you should mention that,” said Jack. “I was just about to go see him. Care to join me?”

“Sure, why not?”

The two of them rejoined the women shortly after, who were still in the midst of retelling the story of the proposal, much to Kat and Abigail’s rapt enjoyment. They excused themselves to make the short walk over to Lucas’ headquarters, leaving the three of them at the dock before walking toward town.