Lieutenant Downs stood uncomfortably in front of the Governor's desk. Two fellow officers sat across the room, silently watching the performance.

"Well, Lieutenant, would you care to explain the circumstances that found you tied to the harbour buoy."

There was a muffled snicker from the two spectators. Downs frowned toward them, biting the inside of his mouth as he struggled for a plausible excuse.

"While you get your alibi sorted, you can also explain how you managed to provide a letter of marque to one Captain Bloode and the ship, Black Dog. Those letters were stolen from the agent delivering them to this office by the woman known as the Pirate Queen."

Downs had no explanation that would avoid his being tossed in the military jail . . . for either question.

"I'm waiting, Lieutenant."

"I purchased one from Captain van Dught of the pirate ship Avenger."

"van Dught, really? So our pirate queen sold them to van Dught."

"I don't have that knowledge, sir. I uh- I have had dealings with van Dught before. he was a good friend of Terry Hollick of the Bright Star."

"Another pirate. Your company seems to run contrary to your sworn allegiance, Lieutenant Downs."

"He was not company, sir. I was under the command of Captain Woodcuffe, tasked with raiding the pirate's haven."

"Ah yes, that piece of naval travesty that cost Captain Woodcuffe his arm and you, those facial decorations." The Governor's voice grated harshly.

Downs reddened and his teeth ground together painfully at the sneering comment. The Governor lifted his head toward the two officers and they both rose, approaching Downs.

"See that Lieutenant Downs receives suitable representation for his court marshal, and meanwhile, deposit him in the common prison area."

"Sir! As an officer in the king's-"

"As an officer in the king's service, Lieutenant, you have disgraced your rank and yourself. You do not deserve any privilege nor will you receive any privilege from this office. Remove him." The Governor dabbed his face with his ever present handkerchief, eyes blazing.

The two officers flanked him and escorted him from the office. Outside, Downs made his plea once more but it fell on deaf ears. The officers were actually amused by his distress, and wasted no time in complying with the Governor's command.

******

Alicia sat by, keeping Bloode and his crew under watch while the mission council decided on their fate. her crewmen manned the doors and a small group with one prisoner, had been dispatched to round up the pirates watching the longboat and the Black Dog.

"We have come to our decision and ask the man known as Captain Jack Bloode rise and face the council."

Still carrying his swagger, Bloode stood and hooked his hands in his belt, sneering.

The short, balding councilman held up a paper and read aloud. "It is the decision of this council that this man, Captain Jack Bloode, who murdered in cold blood one Colin Partridge, elder of the Christian Mission here in Mole St. Nicholas, be removed to the mission detention centre for twenty-four hours, whereafter he shall be taken out and hanged by the neck until dead."

Bloode smiled for a moment then as the words sank in his face changed. He lost his colour for a moment and then it turned a violent red as their meaning sank in. He began yelling and shouting, kicking over the chairs around him and had to be restrained by several of the crew.

"None o' you bloody bible pounders are gonna hang Jack Bloode! Gimme my cutlass and I'll butcher the lot o' you!" He was forced to his knees and unceremoniously dragged from the hall and across the grounds, still screaming threats, to the mission jail.

Back in the hall, sentence was passed on the remaining members of the crew. They would spend a year in the jail with the opportunity to join the mission by working off their sentence doing supervised farming and maintenance chores. The pirates couldn't believe how forgiving the people were toward them and all agreed immediately to the supervised work.

"That was a very generous sentence," Alicia said to the council head after the hall cleared and the prisoners were taken away.

The older man smiled and leaned toward her. "We can't hang them all."

"We will stay until the others get back and then I think we need to be leaving. Bloode didn't come here on his own and others may follow."

"We would appreciate it if you would stay until we deal with him tomorrow. It seems fitting that the person or persons he came to kill, witness the result of his folly."

Alicia was about to protest when Mullen came running up waving a piece of paper.

"Found this on Bloode, Captain. You should take a look."

She accepted it and her heart skipped. A letter of marque, signed by Lieutenant Phillip Downs. It was one of the letters she had given to van Dught. Her friend had sold this letter to a sworn enemy.

******

Morning arrived with a heavy mist on a calm sea. The grass and the surfaces of all the buildings were slick with dew. A valiant sun pushed against the dense fog and the humidity turned clothing to damp hindrances. Council members had gathered by the mission execution site and the pirate prisoners were all lined up to witness Bloode's hanging. The three pirates left guarding the longboat and the ship had fought back instead of surrendering and two had been killed while the other managed to get the longboat out of the inlet and raise a sail.

Alicia and her crew helped guard the men and awaited the arrival of Bloode from the temporary prison. They heard him coming before they saw him. Curses and screaming threats followed the small procession to the hanging site. When he saw the rope over the high tree branch, Bloode began shouting and begging for mercy. His crew felt the disgust of having followed such a cowardly man and remained silent to a man as their Captain was dragged forward and had the rope placed about his neck.

"You can't do this! You have no authority! I hold a letter of marque from the king!"

Alicia spoke to one of the council and then approached Bloode.

"Before you meet the end you so richly deserve, Captain, tell me, what does Lieutenant Downs have to do with Henry van Dught?"

"You stop this and I'll answer anything you want to ask."

"Sorry, Captain, not up to me." Alicia nodded to the council and walked back beside Terry.

"Wait! Wait! You can't do this!"

Four of the larger men from the mission moved forward and picked up the end of the rope. Bloode watched, speechless, then started struggling as he felt the rope snug around his neck and his feet began tapping, trying to reach the ground beneath them.

"You don't have to watch this, Terry." Alicia said.

Terry remained motionless, staring at the scene playing out a few feet away. There were strange gurgles and grunts from Bloode as his body jerked higher and began revolving on the rope. His fingers clawed at his neck and his eyes bulged, his face flushed from the imprisoned blood. legs swinging frantically, the men gave a final sharp tug and Bloode's face took on the stark look of horror then went slack as they tugged again, two or three times before tying off the rope and leaving him swaying slowly in the misty air.

The council made a final announcement regarding the punishment then the crowd broke up and returned to the normality they had protected from the pirates.

"Brutal but just." Alicia shook hands with the council head and said her goodbyes to the other women and men she had worked with while there.

"Safe voyage, Captain. You know you are welcome here anytime for sanctuary."

"We will come by again. Thank you for your generosity."

Alicia started back to the ship when Terry caught up with her.

"I want to bring Mel and Claire with us."

She stopped and hung her head down, the moment she dreaded had arrived. He didn't even give me a chance to discuss it first. She looked at the determined face of her son and made her decision.

"Fine, Terry, if you are sure that's what you want but it will not be easy for them. Especially Claire. We are sailing for the Grenadines and it will mean a long spell at sea. And-" she held up her hand to silence him while she finished. "We are looking to track down the Avenger. I have personal business with Henry van Dught."

"You could drop us in Tortuga."

"I am not dropping you anywhere, my boy. You took on the apprenticeship of becoming future Captain of the Queen and you are going to finish. This was a vow you made, Terry. A vow on the grave of your father. Mel knows this, so I hope it is not she who is putting these ideas in your head. Mel became a mother far too soon for her maturity. I'm not saying she did a bad job with Claire but she has poor judgement when it comes to adult responsibility."

He waited until she finished and then placed a hand on her shoulder. Mother . . . Captain . . . I meant that you could drop them at Tortuga. I fully intend to honour my vow. Mel has many friends thereabouts so she and Claire can get established and I will visit when I can. I love her, mother, and Claire too. I want to marry her."

Now it was Alicia's turn to splutter, and she did.