Chapter 12: Tara's explanation

Tara, and indeed everyone except Sadie, shunned me after the Court and I was left to ponder my future alone. I was very aware of the ship docking in Hamilton tomorrow could spell the end of my time on the ship and if I ever needed a friend, now was it. She left to go on duty and I was left naked in my quarters with Suzanne for company.

Suzanne was not in the mood to chat and as I lay naked in the bed, nightmare visions of years in prison whirring round in my head. I needed to speak to Tara. If nothing else I did not want us to part on bad terms. Tentatively, I put my shorts on, I left the room without waking Suzanne, who was snoring slightly.

The deck was cold in the night air, it whistling past my exposed nipples. The sails billowed strongly in the wind, and flapped noisily. Quietly as I could, I crept onto the Upper Deck and started climbing to the Crows Nest. I was barely at the first platform when I realised this was a ridiculous idea. The wind, chilled my fingers to the bone, while nearly dragging me off the ladders when it got strong. The low light, meant I was searching for each step in the dark.

In total it took twenty minutes to climb to the top of the Crows Nest and I gingerly opened the hatch. I could make out a figure knelt over the basket on the opposite side of the hatch and I hissed Tara's name.

She jumped and looked.

'John ... what the fuck do you want?'

'To speak to you'

'Do you have any idea what would happen if I told the Captain you were up here?'

'Yes, but you won't, will you?'

'I might', she told me. 'Now what do you want?'

'I'll be honest... ', I told her as I closed the hatch. 'I'm terrified of the Court Martial when we land'

Tara snorted. 'Well I can't help you with that'

'Tara please', I pleaded with her. 'You've been growing up around the Navy for years. What's going to happen? I want to be out here rather than in prison or getting hanged. I like it out here and I like you and the Captain and everyone. What do I need to do to make them let me stay?'

Tara shook her head. 'You are a twat aren't you?'

'I know I shouldn't have come onto the ship but that was ages ago, and if this all turns out... '

Tara cut me off. 'I mean climbing up here. Do you know how dangerous it is to be climbing up here in the dark in high winds'

'Yes ... but I needed to speak to you'

'Look, I can't tell you what is going to happen as I haven't been to a Court Martial at the Admiralty ... but if the Captain supports your case they will probably let you stay'

'And if she doesn't?'

'Better work out what your last meal will be', she sneered.

'Fuck! Does it really come down to the Captain'

'Yep', Tara responded. 'And if I was her I wouldn't be so sure especially after your performance in the court tonight. I mean, how many times did the Captain warn you?'

'I know. I just tried to do the best for Sadie'

'Who probably did take those items ... why do you think the Captain chose you to be her defence?'

I shrugged my shoulders, but Tara couldn't see it in the dark. 'I dunno'

'Simple. To work out who your loyalty was with. Everyone hates people who steal on the ship but is it to her or a sudden fairweather friend', Tara said, happily ignoring the irony of pirates who suddenly seemed to have a rigid moral code.