Tales from the Archive [01] Cold Light of Day by Rob Sanders

Author:Rob Sanders [Sanders, Rob]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781782510574
Goodreads: 17874263
Publisher: The Black Library
Published: 2004-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

*

THE DEMETRIUS was deserted. ‘Not a single soul, sir,’ Denko informed him.

‘What’s she carryin’?’

‘Nothing. Hold’s empty, checked it meself.’

Charnoslav was troubled. The deck cabins had been hastily battened down using planks of wood. He had had Denko gain entrance with a boarding axe. Below decks the mystery had intensified. She was well provisioned with food and water and a sounding of the well proved that she wasn’t sinking.

‘They must have made a mistake and abandoned ship. A storm or something,’ Bel’kovo ventured, rifling through the abandoned charts and navigation instruments. She had insisted on coming, as had Mendalstamm.

The topsails were damaged and the spanker torn to shreds in the perverse gales that had obviously tormented the vessel. ‘That’s as may be, but ar would’ve taken a sextant, maybe a map or somethin’. Wouldn’t you, Miss Bel’kovo?’ Charnoslav didn’t try to hide his sarcasm. ‘An I certainly would’ve taken a lifeboat.’ Bel’kovo raised her eyebrows at Hargund, just returned from the stern with his toolbox, who confirmed Charnoslav’s observation with a nod. The boat remained in the chains.

Charnoslav put his hands on the pinnace’s small wheel. Curiosity had brought him over to the merchantman. Both mates had offered to command the boarding party, but something had drawn Charnoslav to the vessel. Perhaps he wanted to hear any reports of his prey first hand, or maybe he wanted to see the face of the captain who, like himself, was insane enough to sail in these doomed waters. He’d left the Blagovaschenko in Uri’s capable, if brutal, hands and had taken the boatswain and four reliable sailors to crew the whaler’s remaining gig.

Now that he was standing on the deck of the Demetrius, he wanted nothing more than to leave. The vessel had a strange emptiness that made Charnoslav feel uncomfortable. Almost as soon as he stepped on board, he felt the desire to return to his whaler with her flaking paint and stink of boiled blubber.

‘I’ll go check the captain’s cabin, go through his papers,’ Bel’kovo announced, but Charnoslav caught her by the arm.

‘Now wait a minute, lassie. I’ve kept me part of the bargain. There’s no crew, the vessel’s in good shape. That porker’s still out there, so if you’ll excuse me I have a whale to catch. Stay if you wish.’ Charnoslav moved to the rail. ‘Boatswain, assemble your crew.’

‘What about salvage?’ called Mendalstamm, just loud enough to catch the ears of the returning sailors. He stood in the smashed doorway. He had been doing some calculations. Charnoslav shot him a menacing glance across the deck. He had had a bellyful of the clerk’s interference.

‘She’s a fine vessel,’ Bel’kovo ventured.

‘I can’t spare the crew to take her in. We’re short of hands as it is. Besides, we can’t fix that,’ Charnoslav told him, pointing to the spanker. ‘She’d slow our passage.’

‘I think as we’ve established, the crew is our concern…’ Mendalstamm did not get any further. Charnoslav went for the clerk, jamming his meaty forearm against the man’s throat, pinning him to the shattered door.

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