Vampirates 4: Black Heart (23 page)

"Mother! Are you awake? Can I come in?"

"Yes, yes!" Sally called excitedly from inside.

As Grace entered the room, she found that her mother was not, as she had expected, lying in bed. She was sitting fully dressed in the chair by the porthole, looking out to sea. She turned to Grace and smiled. "We've arrived, haven't we?"

"Yes," Grace said. "Can you see the lighthouse?"

Sally nodded. "Yes, my darling. Yes, I can!"

"The view's a whole lot better up on deck," Oskar said, poking his handsome face inside the doorway.

"Oskar!" Sally exclaimed, delighted to see him.

"Sally!" He walked over and kissed her on both cheeks. "It's wonderful to see you again, after all this time." There were tears in his eyes.

"Still the sensitive artist, I see," Sally said, shaking her head with a smile. "Now look, if the view's so much better up top, why are we dragging our heels down here?"

"You're right!" said Grace. "Let's go!"

They made it up to the deck just as the Nocturne passed the last rocky outcrop between them and their destination.

Sally gasped as the little coastal town came into view. She gripped Grace's hand tightly. "So this is it. This is really it! Crescent Moon Bay!"

22THE MISSION

The Tiger was still moored in the harbor at Pirate Academy, its maiden voyage delayed by the tragedy at the Captains' Race. Connor, like the rest of the crew, felt an increasing sense of claustrophobia. It was time to set sail out onto the open ocean. What good could they do here? No question, what had happened was terrible. Horrific. Beyond words. But pirates were meant to be out at sea, not banked up in the academy harbor. The place had too many bad memories for Connor ever to feel comfortable here, even before the slaughter during Cheng Li's investiture day.

"Tempest," he heard one of the crew call. "Is Connor Tempest about?"

"Over here!" he shouted, jumping up so he could be seen more easily.

"Captain Li wants to see you," said the pirate. "In her quarters. ASAP."

"Aye, aye," Connor said with a smirk. Was there ever a time when Cheng Li did not expect her orders to be met ASAP?

He jogged along the deck and down into the corridor leading to the captain's cabin. As he knocked on the door, it was pulled wide open.

"Connor," said Cheng Li. "What kept you?"

"What's up?" he asked, then remembered that he probably ought to address her with a little more formality now that she was his captain and he a mere lieutenant on her crew.

"We've been summoned to a meeting," Cheng Li announced.

"All right," Connor said. "Where? When?"

"At the academy," she said, "in approximately three minutes. Think you can make it to the top of the hill in that time?"

"Sure!" he grinned. "But what's it all about?"

"It's Federation business," Cheng Li said.

"Oh," Connor's excitement dwindled. His previous encounters with the Federation had instilled little enthusiasm in him for the organization. "Shouldn't Jacoby accompany you? He's your deputy. I'm a mere lieutenant."

"I'm well aware of the ranking of my crew members," answered Cheng Li bluntly. "Jacoby would, in the usual scheme of things, accompany me, but as it happens, he is engaged on a separate expedition this morning."

"So I'm deputizing for the deputy, am I?" asked Connor with a grin. "Does that make me third in command?"

"Actually, your attendance at this meeting was specifically requested," said Cheng Li. "Now let's get a move on. We don't want to keep them waiting."

The drumming of Cheng Li and Connor's footsteps on the marble floor alerted the headmaster's secretary to their presence. Miss Martingale raised her head and smiled weakly at them. Her face, Connor noticed, was streaked with tears, which had caused her makeup to run. As they approached her desk, she reached for a tissue and began blotting her face.

"Hello, Frances," Cheng Li said. "How are you today?"

"Not so good," the secretary answered. "It's all been such a shock."

"Yes," Cheng Li said. "For us all. John Kuo was an exceptional man -- a superlative pirate, an irreplaceable mentor, and a wonderful friend."

Her words were intended to soothe but seemed to have the opposite effect on Miss Martingale, who reached for the tissues. Cheng Li waited patiently, then continued in a soft voice. "Frances, I'm sorry to bring things back to business at a time like this, but we were called here for a meeting with the Federation."

"Yes," nodded Miss Martingale. "Yes, they told me to expect you. I'll just pop my head around the door and see if they're ready."

As she disappeared, Connor asked Cheng Li, "Do you know exactly who will be at this meeting?"

"No." Cheng Li shook her head. "John was the most senior member of the Federation I ever dealt with. And he was very senior. My guess is that René Grammont has succeeded him." Hearing Miss Martingale's returning footsteps, she added, "Looks like we're about to find out!"

"They're ready for you now," Miss Martingale announced. "If you just follow the corridor around -- well, you know the way to the headmaster's study." She broke off sadly.

"Yes," Cheng Li said. "Don't worry. We know the way." As she marched off with Connor in her wake, she turned and muttered, "Poor dear. She was utterly devoted to John. Well, I suppose we all were." Connor nodded, deciding that this was definitely a time to keep his thoughts to himself.

Cheng Li knocked on the door, and after a brief pause it was opened and the familiar face of Captain René Grammont greeted them.

"Mistress -- do forgive me, Captain Li. And Mr. Tempest. Come in."

So, thought Connor, it appeared that Cheng Li had guessed right. Grammont had succeeded Kuo in his Federation role. Well, Connor had a better liking for Grammont. He exuded a more trustworthy air. Even so, he intended to be careful and watch his back at all times.

"It's good to see you again, Captain," said Cheng Li as René kissed her hello. "Even under such dire circumstances."

"Yes," agreed Captain Grammont, reaching out to shake Connor's hand. "Tell me, how are the rest of your crew holding up?"

"They're all a bit shaken," said Cheng Li, "but ready to set sail. I think it's what John and the other students would have wanted."

"Quite so," agreed Captain Grammont. "Well, I'm sure the Tiger won't be detained here too much longer. Indeed, I think we may have some pertinent news for you on that front."

"We?" Cheng Li said, an eyebrow rising inquisitively.

In answer, Captain Grammont gestured toward a figure neither Cheng Li nor Connor had noticed as they entered the room. The man was standing with his back to them, in the shadows by the French doors behind Kuo's desk. Now he turned around and surveyed them. He was wearing a steel-blue uniform. Even as he stepped out of the shadows and into the light, it was hard to determine his age. His face was curiously unlined, but he had a mustache and a goatee. Across his left eye was an eye patch. The pupil of his right eye was a deep shade of violet.

"Captain Li, Mr. Connor Tempest, may I introduce you to Commodore Ahab M. Black?"

Connor knew that Cheng Li was as surprised as he was by this turn of events, but as ever, she took it in her stride.

"Commodore Black. How do you do?"

"Captain Li," he said, shaking her stiffly by the hand. "I've heard good things about you."

"Thank you," she said. "I wish I was able to return the compliment, but I'm afraid I've not come across your name before. Are you new to the Federation?"

Commodore Black gazed at her but said nothing. It was left to Captain Grammont to step forward and explain. "Commodore Black was John's senior line of report within the Pirate Federation. The fact that you have not heard of him until now is a result of the Federation's desire for anonymity at the highest levels."

Commodore Black nodded. "That's about the sum of it. Thank you, René." He did not smile as he addressed the elder captain once again. "You may go now. I'll take this solo from here."

Connor could tell from Captain Grammont's expression that this was an unforeseen development, but ever the diplomat, Grammont only smiled and murmured, "Of course." He smiled at Cheng Li and Connor. "I might pop down to the ship later," he said. "Perhaps we can have tea?"

Cheng Li nodded. "I'd like that."

Then Captain Grammont and Commodore Black exchanged salutes, and Grammont exited the study. Ahab Black, who in Connor's opinion seemed even less well versed in the basics of human interaction than Cheng Li, turned again and walked back toward the window.

"Shall we sit down?" Cheng Li asked, raising her eyes in exasperation. Connor tried not to laugh.

"Sit or stand," Commodore Black said. "This won't take long."

"Very well," said Cheng Li, sitting down in one of the pair of leather armchairs that faced Commodore Kuo's old desk and gesturing for Connor to take the other.

"Times are changing. And changing fast," announced Ahab Black in his increasingly grating monotone.

"Evidently," agreed Cheng Li.

Suddenly, Ahab Black spun around, his one visible eye fixing them both. "The Federation has a mission for you," he said. "For some time now, we have been aware of the existence of a ship of vampire pirates, or Vampirates. I believe you are both also aware of this phenomenon?"

"Yes," Connor answered.

"I've heard tell of it," Cheng Li answered, hedging her bets. Connor vividly remembered her telling him in no uncertain terms that the ship could not possibly exist. It was a credit to her that she could shift position so effortlessly.

"On the whole, the Vampirates have caused us very little trouble in recent times," continued Ahab Black. "The occasional incident, perhaps, but nothing that has proved difficult to contain. For our part, we have adopted a policy of quiet tolerance. We have, to coin a phrase, turned a blind eye."

Perhaps an unfortunate expression to use when you were sporting an eye patch, reflected Connor.

"Everything has changed!" Ahab Black's good eye blazed, and his voice dripped with vitriol. "The attack on Commodore Kuo and his young crew was a direct affront to the authority of the Pirate Federation."

"And you think that the Vampirates were responsible?" Cheng Li asked.

"Affirmative," said Black. "It was a direct attack sent to wound us at a high level. Well, we got the message, and we're gonna send a reply."

The commodore had seized Cheng Li's and Connor's full attention. "The time of quiet tolerance is over," he said. "From here on in, the Federation will pursue a policy of direct aggression toward the Vampirates. We will excise this scourge from our seas and eliminate the threat to this and future pirate generations." He brought both his fists down hard on the desk. "We will purify the oceans."

"What is our role in this to be?" Cheng Li asked.

"You'll be at the forefront of delivering this policy," Black said. "The Tiger will be the first ship of dedicated Vampirate assassins. And your first mission is to eliminate the murderer of John Kuo and the students."

"I have a question," Connor said.

"So do I." Cheng Li spoke over him. Already her eyes were bright with excitement. "What level of support do we get for this initiative?"

"Top level," Black announced. "Whatever you need, you get. You already have an elite crew. If you want to add personnel, no problem."

"Budget?" inquired Cheng Li.

"Open," answered Black. "Whatever it takes to get the job done."

"We'll need new swords," Cheng Li said.

Connor thought of the boxes of swords they had just recently brought back from Master Yin's workshop. So far, the weapons had been used only for combat practice.

"We're fighting Vampirates now," Cheng Li said, as if reading his thoughts. "We'll need new weaponry, and we'll need to research weapons and attack strategy."

"Agreed," nodded Black. "Our thoughts are as one, Captain Li. I can see you are indeed the right captain for this job." He smiled at last. "You mentioned research just now. We can help you there." He moved to the other side of the desk. Opening a drawer, he took out a mosaic octagon and passed it across to Cheng Li.