Robert Redick - The Rats and the Ruling sea

Lady Oggosk joined them at table. Pazel visibly stiffened at the sight of her — and also, it appeared, at being once more in Rose's cabin. He was glancing about with a savaged expression, and Thasha reflected again that she knew almost nothing of what had been done to Pazel since the Turachs dragged him away.

'Something new in here since your last visit, Pathkendle,' said Rose, striding forwards. 'Which of you can tell me what these are?'

Ranged along the gallery windows were four stout, wide-mouthed cannon, their carriages tightly lashed to the deck. Behind them, bolted rigid as a mast, stood a long wooden rack about three feet high, and dangling from the rack were twenty or thirty canvas sacks, each one ending in a small iron disc. The sacks were about the size of hams, and bulged as if filled with giant marbles.

'They're grapeshot guns,' said Thasha.

'Not much use against an armoured hull, are they?' Pazel added.

Rose looked sternly at the two youths, and made no answer. 'Let us sit down,' he said at last.

During the meal they spoke very little. The steward poured four glasses of cloudy wine. Rose ate like a horse at a feed-bag, eyes downcast, jaw working non-stop. Lady Oggosk mashed her food with her fingers, while her red cat snored peacefully in a spot of sun.

All the while the Jistrolloq was plainly visible through the gallery windows. By the time they finished eating she was within three miles.

'Tell us, Pathkendle,' said Rose suddenly, 'what would your father do in these circumstances, if he were in command?'

Pazel was taken aback. 'I don't know,' he said. 'Edge his way south, maybe. Look for higher seas.'

'You misunderstand the question,' said Rose. 'I meant, what would Captain Gregory do if he commanded the Jistrolloq, and wanted to take us? He must have learned to think like a Black Rag, after serving with them for years. And of course your presence on Chathrand would present no obstacle. Gregory sailed away from Cape Coristel without a backward glance at you, didn't he? And we know he doesn't shrink from firing on his kin.'

Pazel had spent almost six years as a bonded servant, and five months under Captain Rose. He was not, Thasha knew, particularly easy to shock. But the brutality of Rose's offhand comment slipped past his defences. His eyes widened, and a spasm of anger twisted his face.

Under the table, Thasha furtively touched his hand. Pazel was on the verge of doing something drastic, something Neeps-like: overturning the table, or cursing Rose at the top of his lungs. But at her touch he managed to check himself, bite back the words trying to detonate on his tongue.

'Well,' he said, breathing hard, 'let's see. I suppose he might think back on what he knows about the enemy — about you, in other words. He might say to himself, "Right, here's this old shifty captain who's famous for his nastiness-" '

Rose lifted an eyebrow.

'"-and his greed, and for being afraid of a shipboard cat, and for the fact that he writes letters to-" '

'Silence, bastard!' shrieked Lady Oggosk, rising from her chair and pointing at Pazel. 'Never, never was there a lowborn with such a reckless tongue! Walk out of here, you insolent Ormali gutter-dog, before the captain has you-'

'Peace!' Rose slammed his palm against the table. 'Lady Oggosk, your defence is unnecessary. Pathkendle remains confused, no more. Look out that window, lad, and your confusion will evaporate.'

Rose turned and gestured at the Jistrolloq, bright white in the sun and near enough now to count the seven falling stars on her forecourse. 'There stands a man, Kuminzat, who's crossed half the known world in our pursuit. Ott tells me that his daughter was a sfvantskor, or soon to be, and that she was killed by the incubus Arunis hurled at their old priest.'

'You knew.' Thasha sat up, eyes widening with anger. 'You knew about the incubus. You knew what the Sizzies accused us of was true, and denied it to their faces.'

'Very little occurs on the Great Ship that we don't know,' said Oggosk. 'You ought to keep that in mind, both of you.'

Thasha turned on her, bristling. 'Care to prove it?' she said. 'Can you tell me what Arunis has been doing while the Jistrolloq closes in? Or why he wants that sceptre almost as badly as the Nilstone? Or which of the crew might be spying on you for Sandor Ott?'

The old woman actually looked somewhat cowed. She dropped her eyes, as though Thasha's gaze was too sharp for her liking. 'I might if you gave me a reason,' she muttered uneasily.

'We are straying from the matter at hand,' said Rose. 'Pathkendle, what do you say to my challenge? Neither you nor I know that admiral's character. I have been substituting other men for him in my mind, and asking myself what each would do if he commanded the Jistrolloq. I would know what you think. Answer me, if you've a tenth the craftiness Rin gave your father. I have no more time to waste.'

Pazel's hand was tight on Thasha's own. 'Your question is a waste of time,' he said at last. 'I never sailed with my father. I don't know what skills he used, or what tactics.'

'Then leave tactics to me. What would Gregory have felt like? What would make him chase another vessel from Simja right down to the margins of the Ruling Sea?'

Pazel made as if to speak, then once again held his tongue. Rose smiled and shook his head.

'Not gold. If riches were his aim he could have sold his services to any number of lawless barons in the Rekere or the Crownless Lands, and become rich indeed. And not the rescue of his son. What's left? What would drive the resourceful Captain Gregory to do as Kuminzat's done, hazarding his very life and that of his crew?'

Pazel's grip on her hand was painful now, and a new fury shone in his eyes. 'Nothing, all right?' he said at last. 'Absolutely nothing would make my father go to so much trouble. He's as selfish as you.'

Rose shook his head, as if in wonder. 'From his own boy's mouth,' he said. 'Well now: that is good news. We can count on one hand the things a man will kill for. Love, lust, gold, honour, tribe: the raw ingredients of power. Ninety-nine men in a hundred will quickly show you which of these enslaves them. A ferocity lights 'em up when they're pursuing it, and there's no mistaking that look. All the trouble comes from the mystery man — that one man in a hundred who can keep his motives out of sight. Men like Gregory, you see.'

'And Admiral Kuminzat,' said Thasha.

'You have it, lass,' said Rose. 'Though my predecessors will keep babbling their theories. How I wish they'd shut up!'

He said the last words in a sudden fury, knocking his fists against his temples. Thasha averted her eyes. It was then that she noticed Lady Oggosk was staring at her — and also realised that she, Thasha, had shed a few silent tears. They were for Pazel, she supposed, and for herself, and the murdered topman, and the shame of so much wanting — love, lust, gold — but why did Oggosk look so enraged? The witch's eyes flickered down along Thasha's arm, extended subtly towards Pazel's lap, and Thasha knew she guessed that they were holding hands.

What's it to you, you hag?

Pazel too noticed Oggosk's look. With a start he pulled his hand away. Thasha turned and found him glaring at her. When he spoke it was against some deep resistance, as if he had to wring the words out of himself. But the words were lacerating.

'If I need pity I'll let you know,' he said. 'Meanwhile keep it to yourself. I'm — tired of this, see? Tired of being your charity case.'

'My what?'

'You think I'm dying for your attention. Like an Ormali should be, when a highborn Arquali girl stoops to help him, I guess. And you can spare me that wounded face. There's plenty aboard who'll be happy to tell you how special you are. Cross me off your list, that's all — leave me alone.'