Chapter 7: Defaulters' Parade

At the Defaulters' Parade it turned out there were two cases. One was a crew member who had come back off a forty-eight hour shore pass hopelessly drunk, and the other was another sailor who had been caught in the guest quarters. Discussion with Charles revealed to Henry that the first had been drunk on illegally brewed local hooch and that Admiral Peitsche's normal punishment for that was six lashes of the dog whip.

"Seems a bit severe?"

"Well sir, he would get at least twenty if the civvy police dealt with him, so it seems light to him," replied the Second Officer.

"Was he drunk?" asked Henry, seeing that the charge on paper was 'apparently drunk'.

"Yes, but we can't say that officially; we have to say 'apparently' or hand him over to the civil authority, because if he was drunk on board, then he was drunk ashore first and the civvy police would have prior jurisdiction. We prefer to deal with our own defaulters ourselves."

"Seems reasonable," said Henry, "And the 'out-of-bounds'?"

"He was found in flagrante with one of the hostesses we keep for guests. I suggest six strokes of the multi-tailed whip administered in public, sir."

"And the woman? Was she blameless?"

"No sir, but the eunuch whipped her there and then. Personally, I don't believe in double punishment, though Admiral Peitsche would have had a private discipline session with her."

Henry had no difficulty envisaging that particular scene which, he decided, was not a practice that he wanted to continue.

"Very well. Carry on Mr. LeBoeuf. I shall observe silently."

The first sorry looking defaulter was marched in, apparently still heavily hung-over, and was duly sentenced and remitted to the Master-at-Arms for punishment. He was quite incapable in his present state of making any sort of defence of his actions, which rather convicted him out of his own grunts.

"Did he understand everything you said?" asked the Admiral after he had been marched out.

"Yes and no, sir," replied the Second Officer, "Yes, in that all crew members are fully fluent in at least three languages including Arabic and English, and are tested before they are accepted for this posting. A posting to the Imperial Voyager is regarded as a plum job in the Kobekistani Navy. No, in that he only came aboard three hours ago and is still drunk."

The second defaulter was brought in and asked if he had anything to say for himself. Henry thought him wise not to attempt to defend an indefensible case. All the crew knew the hostesses were off limits and that the guest rooms were out of bounds to any but eunuchs and officers. In fact he had indicated this by a simple nod of his head when he was asked the question.

"Six lashes, multi-tailed whip, in public," ordered the Second Officer.

Henry was surprised when the sailor spoke in a broad North of England accent and said, "Immediately, if it pleases the Officer, Sir."

"Take him up," ordered Charles and the man was hustled out.

After he had gone, Henry remarked on the accent.

"I believe he was born in Yorkshire, Sir," Charles replied, "Of a Kobekistani father and an English mother. When the British Navy wouldn't accept him he enlisted here. If I had wanted to be severe I would have made him wait several days for his punishment."

They went up to the main deck where the man had been lashed face down and naked to what looked like a gymnasium vaulting horse. About forty of the crew were standing around waiting to witness the punishment. The charge was recited by the Master-at-Arms and a burly sailor stepped forward holding a wicked looking whip with seven separate strands, all with small metal teeth sewn in to it. Henry inspected this and decided that it was quite the most vicious implement he had ever seen.

"Proceed," he ordered.

Sississis ... CRACKACKACK!

The whip flew through the air and landed across the man's shoulders, very high up, almost catching his neck. His body twitched violently but he made no sound.