A Jester’s Fortune

warships along their newly gained Italian coast. We must… uhm, 'soldier' on, for the nonce.'

They nodded dumbly at that directive.

'For us to remain in the Adriatic, sirs, is not bad news, and I do not wish you to draw any negative- connotations from my characterisations of our expanded orders,' Charlton was quick to warn them. 'I refer, rather, to the local situation, anent the Austrians. It seems… hmm… the local authorities, the town fathers of Trieste, as well as the Austrian Naval and War Ministry at Vienna have, uhmm…'

He took another bracing sip of wine, screwing his mouth to one side as if he'd developed a sudden distaste for the spicy, sweet drink.

'Perhaps we've been a tad too successful, too quickly. Or the Austri-ans now expect miracles from us, as a matter of course,' Captain Charlton posed, essaying a rather grim chuckle, with no real humour in it, 'I know not which. Sweep their seas clean for 'em… muck out the Augean Stables for 'em, like Hercules as a hired labourer did. But… given their parlous situation ashore, Vienna has shifted funds from the Trieste Squadron and given them to their hard-pressed armies. And the town council of Trieste have seen fit to reduce their contributions to Major Simpson's squadron. Cut him in half, just about. So he will not be completing his seven new gunboats, and will barely be able to maintain what few vessels he already possesses. That, of course, precludes his conversion of any of our seaworthy prizes into warships which might have reinforced us, as we had originally discussed. He'd have to buy a ship in, first, arm her, strengthen her, then man her. And where he'd get a tenth of the funds necessary for that, God only knows. So here we are, still completely 'on our own bottoms,' sirs.'

'Well, what about the Hungarian Squadron, sir?' Lewrie enquired. 'Though we haven't met 'em yet, weren't they more aggressive at…?'

'I'm told it's much the same with them, Lewrie, the same text, chapter, and verse,' Charlton rejoined. 'In point of fact, their infantry regiments which form their marines have been given orders to go west, to Mantua. They put great stock in Croat soldiers. Devilish-good fighters, I'm told. They're laying up their fleet, too, stripping it to the bone, 'til the problem with Bonaparte has been settled. On the land… over in Lombardy. 'Til then, the only naval worries they might have would be along the upper Rhine and the Danube.'

'Th' French get so far'z t'threaten Trieste,' Captain Rodgers quipped, 'then th' Austrians've far greater problems'n ya could shake a stick at, anyway.'

'Quite so, Captain Rodgers,' Charlton was forced to agree.

'Never even met the Hungarians yet, sir,' Fillebrowne sniffed primly. 'Nor any help from their little squadron of coasters.'

'Doin' main-well so far, sir,' Rodgers grumbled. 'An' 'thout a jot o Austrian aid, either! We'll manage fine… way I see it.'

'Ah, but should the traffick increase, sirs,' Charlton warned them sternly, 'should the French take over even a few well-armed small ships… we can't be everywhere at once. Nor, unless we sail together, be of sufficient strength. Guard the straits only, and the French may play merry Hell on the Italian east coast. Shift patrols over there, closer to Ravenna and Venice, and the straits become a thoroughfare to smugglers and French merchantmen. We're badly in need of reinforcement. I tell you, sirs, badly. Did we have a third frigate and sloop of war, we might-might, mind-just barely cope. One group for the straits down south, one for the Balkan coast, and one patrolling higher up in the Adriatic… keeping an eye on Ravenna and such.'

'So, we split up into singletons, sir,' Lewrie suggested. 'The frigates, at least, and pair Jester and Myrmidon. There's your three groups.' Much as he disliked the idea of sailing with Fillebrowne!

'And what did our first spell at sea shew us, sir?' Charlton objected right crankily. 'That there are ships enough to intercept already… without an increase in numbers. And only so many hands we may spare to man them, before we are forced to return to Trieste. Or run the risk of battle so poorly manned we're barely able to tend sail, much less fight. Do one or the other, but not both, sir!'

'No chance there would be any help forthcoming from the Fleet, sir?' Fillebrowne prompted, sounding almost wistful.

'Not with these newly captured Tuscan ports to watch, atop the others we were already thin-stretched to blockade, sir, no,' Charlton assured him. 'There are never enough frigates or sloops, sore as their lack is felt in time of war. Even before this Bonaparte marched, we'd gotten all he could spare. Damme, had we twice the force, though…!' He sighed, sounding more than a touch wistful, too. 'Surely our Lords Commissioners should know this cruel fact, should have laid down ships other than 'liners,' by the score!'

Uh-oh! Lewrie thought. Things must have come to a pretty pass if he's blamin' Admiralty for 'is problems!

Perhaps someone kind should have made a helpful suggestion, said some comforting words of encouragement to him. Lewrie felt the urge to commiserate with the much-put-upon Captain Charlton.

Onliest trouble was, there wasn't anything close to clever that could be said, certainly not by Lewrie, nor by the others, even if they had been of a mind to. It was up to Captain Charlton; he was a senior post-captain in charge of an independent squadron. Officers slaved all their lives-toadied and schemed, some of them-sweated round-shot they'd not put a single foot wrong their entire careers, to get where he was at that moment, with that much power, with that much responsibility. And all the recognition, fame, honour, glory, pride and perquisites which came with it.

Until one chose wrong, o' course.

The man's spitted, Alan thought, keeping his face bland and junior-like. Poor bastard's got a spit run up his arse, right through to the apple in his mouth! Spitted and broilin' over a hellish-toasty bed o' coals. Turnin' and bastin', Lewrie could conjure, all but writhing in agony.

And may I never rise higher than post-captain of a frigate, he further thought; pay's decent, and there's always someone t'tell you where t'go, what t'do. Wouldn't have his responsibility for-

'Well, sirs,' Captain Charlton said, after a long and uncomfortable silence, during which his dumbstruck inferiors had sat quiet, and as thankfully mute as Lewrie had. 'If Austrian or Hungarian help is not to be forthcoming… nor is Venice able-or even of a mind!-to help herself, then I do believe that we must explore what is perhaps the only solution open to us. Uhm, that is to say, a possible solution which I and Major Simpson of the Austrian Navy discussed… as onerous as it may sound to you. A temporary, uhm…'

Charlton waved a frustrated hand, as if even he didn't quite hold with it, and already sharing the blame should it not work out.

'The only local source of reinforcement which could free us of inshore patrolling and allow us to cover all our responsibilities, it seems, gentlemen… are the Balkan pirates.'

CHAPTER 6

Now, there's somethin' I never thought to hear! Lewrie admitted, all but cringing. He darted a quick glance to Ben Rodgers, who looked as if he had been butted in the belly by an underhanded boxer: mouth open, eyes ready to roll and on the verge of sucking air in a frantic 'Eeepp!'

'But sir-' Lewrie began to protest.

'Said it'd strike you all as onerous,' Charlton snapped, cutting him off, 'but what other choices are there, Commander Lewrie? Pray, do place before us another.'

'Well, sir, I…' Lewrie was flummoxed, trying desperately to come up with something-anything!-other than that.

'Novel, I must say, sir,' Commander Fillebrowne cooed softly, with the sound of grudging admiration in his voice-as if he was yet unconvinced, but could not deny the logic of it. 'May I infer, sir, that Major Simpson will issue them Letters of Marque?'

'We discussed that, Commander Fillebrowne,' Captain Charlton admitted, still fretting. He was still most uneasy with his decision and writhing in his chair in that former roast-pig agony for another moment as he turned to Fillebrowne. 'Maritime law is rather touchy 'pon the subject of privateers, however. Did Austria issue a pirate band