“This is my ship,” Greg Garrett suddenly exploded, “and I demand somebody tell me what the hell’s going on here!”
“Yeah,” Matt said angrily. “Let’s all find out, shall we? What are you even doing here, O’Casey? You were supposed to be on Dowden!”
“He was ashore for the fighting today, Captain,” Rolak answered. “Chack brought him and said you had told him to ‘let O’Casey entertain himself,’ or some such. He came aboard here with me.”
Matt groaned. “Commodore Jenks,” he said, “I was and am aware Mr. O’Casey-or Bates, as you seem to know him-is a fugitive from your government, but he’s also the man most responsible for the survival of Princess Rebecca. He lost his arm in the act of saving her, and it was he and some of our submariners who protected and cared for her long before you ever came to call. I’m personally convinced he’s not a traitor to your emperor or his household, although other… elements within your government might not agree. Ask the princess yourself for her opinion of the man!”
“Aye, that’s the problem, Captain Reddy, the blackguard cannae do any such thing!”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Matt demanded. In answer, O’Casey held forth the message form.
“I been trying to clean it up, Skipper,” Clancy supplied. “It just didn’t make any sense! Finally, O’Casey here comes in the shack wanting to check on things back home. He used to do that now and then when he was here… Anyway, we went over it again and again. There’s no mistake!” Clancy glared at Jenks.
Matt took the page after a final glare around the wardroom, and looked at the words. TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE SECOND ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY
FORCE X FROM ADAR COTGA X GREETINGS AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NOBLE
MOUNT IMMEDIATE EFFECTUAL PURSUIT DUE TO DESTRUCTION FUEL RESERVE AND
For a long moment, Matt could say nothing. The expression on his face must have told something of the nature of the tale, however, because the shouts and accusations in the wardroom ceased entirely and the only sounds came from the groaning hull, the confused sea, and the moaning storm outside. A rage as pure and hot and black as boiling pitch roiled up inside him as he reread the stilted words. They’d taken Sandra! That was all that registered at first. That maniac Billingsly had taken the one thing he truly cared about on this entire, mixed-up planet! No, that wasn’t completely true. He cared about many things; he cared about their friends and the work they’d started here. He cared about the war and defeating the Grik so their friends and works might thrive. He cared about Rebecca, Sister Audry, Abel, and even Silva… but almost from the beginning, it had always been Sandra who gave him the strength and will to continue in the face of… anything. With her love, understanding, and healing way, she’d been the one who brought him back from the brink of despair when he lost his ship. She’d tended his battered, bleeding soul and restored it to something that could care again despite the horrors and agonies it had seen and endured. He couldn’t lose her! She had become his life! When all was said and done, ultimately, she was why he carried on. As God is my witness, he swore fervently to himself, I’ll have you back, Sandra! And those who have done this, no matter who they are or where it takes me, are going to pay!
He flung the sheet at Jenks, who picked it up and started to read. Matt waited a moment longer until he was sure he could control his voice. “Mr. Clancy,” he said at last, “write this down.” His tone was calm, but iron hard. Clancy fumbled through his notebook until he found a blank page and poised his pencil. “From Matt Reddy, et cetera, to Adar, et cetera. No shame. Even the best hunter can step on a viper.” He paused to decide if the analogy was appropriate. Oddly, there were no snakes on Borneo that they knew of. There were deadly poisonous lizards however, and he’d heard them translated and referred to as vipers before-once in reference to Jenks himself, come to think of it. He nodded and continued, thinking hard as he spoke. “I want tankers sent out today from the new refinery at Tarakan Island. Use every available ship. We’re going to start stockpiling fuel on Mindanao at Saan-Kakja’s brother’s place. Lots of it. We’ll probably leapfrog it east of there as well. Meanwhile, if the Baalkpan tank batteries can’t be repaired, we’ll start a reserve at the refinery dock up the river, if we have to. I don’t care if we have to fill Grik hulks with the stuff. We took enough ships today to make up any supply issues that might arise.” He paused and Jenks tried to speak. “Shut up,” Matt said, and turned back to Clancy.
“No matter what, we still have to keep the pressure up out here. Baalkpan is to redouble its efforts to get all the steamers, troops, supplies-everything-to Singapore as fast as possible. Keje’s got to step on it too. We need Big Sal and her planes to scout if nothing else. Finally”-he paused again and took a deep breath-“if Spanky honestly doesn’t think Walker will be ready to steam ten thousand miles and fight a battle within thirty days, I want all work on her suspended. We don’t have the time to waste resources on her.”
Everyone in the compartment was flabbergasted. Most still had no idea what had occurred, but if Matt was willing to write Walker off, it must have been something… astonishing. Sensing Captain Reddy’s sudden hostility toward the Imperial, Garrett snatched the message form from him.
“General Rolak? I want Chack and a company of the Second Marines,” Matt said.
Rolak glanced at the hull and, by implication, the storm outside.
“Now, lord?”
“Right now.” He looked at Clancy. “As soon as we’re finished here, anyway. Signal ’em to be ready, if you can.” Glancing at Garrett, he saw the rage and astonishment begin to spread across his face. “I love the old Donaghey, but she’s helpless right now,” he said, still talking to Clancy. “Signal Mr. Ellis on Dowden and have her come alongside as close as he dares. Somebody wake up the Bosun and assemble the Captain’s Guard. When Dowden arrives, we’re going across. We’ll try to swoop in close to the dock and pick up Chack’s Marines.”