Paying the Boards

Dawn seemed very late, I was up for most of it, but now I felt, at least half-way like I deserved to live. I don't know how long Coram had been sitting there, I hadn't seen him arrive, but now, as I looked up from where I knelt, I could see him in relief. For a moment, I thought he had fallen asleep waiting for me, but upon closer inspection I could see his mouth moving silently. He was praying. "We will not make the Reef Captain." "Pardon?" "I do not want to lay more against you, but you do not hear the murmurs that surround us. I know we will not beat the Empire to deep water, and we cannot cross the reef as we are." "The boy?" Coram shook his head. "The boy asked it as payment. You could do no less. I speak of one unsworn to your boards, a cabin-boy." "You mean the debt against you and the cabin-boy." "Aye. It cannot be forgotten because I am your friend. It must be remembered because I am your crew." "But Coram." "Jalen, you know I speak the truth. And if we do face Empire blades, I would not have this ship brought low with my treason against it. You tempt fate and the Spira. And if that were not enough, you gamble with our souls as well, for the sake of friendship." "Where am I without friends?" "Aye, and when your blood-sworn crew lay against where be you when blood treason still stains these boards? Not only my brother's, but my own. If you have no care for your own soul, have care for ours." Coram rose to leave without being excused, but I couldn't be angry. As much as I hated him, as much as I hated that he was right, I knew he was. Kashek was taken, that meant they would beat us to the reef. The Wynd would not be able to cross until this was dealt with and we didn't dare trust any of the other ports. I'd have to call a court of boards and set it to vote. What frightened me most? It had to be what they would do to Coram. Some saw him as a usurper, but he had been my closest companion for over a hundred talon, it was not easy to order his punishment or death. If they called for full price would I let them claim it? It was mid-day before I came out of the cabin. Those of my crew who passed me, tried to stay out of my way, I was angry, I knew they could read it in every line of my body. "Master-at-arms." Using his title told him there was something official afoot, and he turned to face me. A weaker man might have melted under my angry glare, but he stood his ground. I couldn't hold anything against him and he knew it. "Aye captain?" "Take Coram and the Cabin-boy below. There is still treason against these boards. It will be paid." "Aye captain." Coram went without protest but the cabin-boy screamed and fought. I heard Coram dress him down and the young man quieted. I didn't catch Coram's words, but his tone held rebuke. It was an hour later when I stepped into the forward cabin we were using for our impromptu court. Nine men sat around the long table, at the head was my place. A court-of-boards as we called it was half court half negotiation. I could demand any price I wanted to, or none at all. But as my blood-sworn crew, anything that happened on these boards reflected on them as well. This was their chance to say what they would and would not accept. And we had to come to agreement or we chanced ill will, and that could lead to more treasons. I started off the proceedings. "I know this is abrupt and this is normally done at port, but I do not know any place I may trust with these treasons, and we dare not heave to. There is treason laid against these boards, and while it is not blood, it could become so." I saw nods around the table. "On the very day we away from Corimar with the Empire at our heels, our cabin boy, Geru, laid treason against the boards by attempting to instigate an overthrow of this vessel. He has threatened to lay blood against these boards in an act of mutiny and has asked others to side with him in the same. And what is more, this was not the first time." I glared a some of my crew members who had spoken for him at the table on the day he was caught trying to incite the mutiny. "And while this is one of the worst crimes that may be laid against an unblooded crew, it must be remembered that Coram has spoken for him." "Aye, captain." It was Jemek who spoke. "But he has no blood against these boards either. As you said, nothing of value to you or the Code." "Coram is blood-sworn, he bears wings. I blooded him at Corimar. But even if this were not so, remember that has risked his blood and life for all of us. He has stood in the noose with me once, and he was the first to hop to when I gave the worst order." I saw a couple of my men shiver at the memory of me giving the order to 'drop canvas' a sign that we were going to scuttle our own boards. There was silence for a moment before Jemek replied, it appeared that he had been elected spokesman. "Are you withdrawing him from this court?" "No, he stands to be judged, along with Geru, but I ask that you take into account his service to us, and forget his unfortunate lineage." I saw each of my crewmen nod. They understood what I was getting at, that they were to forget he was Marek's brother. "What pledge?" I asked. I wanted to know what their feelings on the matter were. What did they want of the boy. "In light of the fact that it was not once he called us to lay against but thrice, I would call against his blood, but the code forbids, he has not blood against these boards to pay. So I ask full count." When I asked for a vote though only four held for full count, or the maximum allowed. "What is the least the code allows." "Talon count of service minus one, or for those with less than half-score, A standard half-score." Renai spoke, he was our 'keeper of the Code' along with our watchman, nothing went on here without his knowledge. Six voted for this option. They had lost one. Full count, I thought was too much, but one half-score minus one was too few. Mutiny was a bad business with blood-sworn crew, it could cost them their rest in the Far remembered lands. It was their duty to serve me, but it was my duty to protect them. And laying blood against the boards didn't say that they were bad crew, but that I was a bad captain. The fact that they had almost agreed with Geru had me angered. It wasn't just that he threatened, but that he almost dragged men that I knew to be honorable into his misfortune without knowing the danger. The rule of the sea was, A man can cry lay against once without fault, how many of us have never thought it about a captain? But three times he called them to mutiny, and this time he almost succeeded. If Coram hadn't been there he might have. Or at least it would have been up to my loyal crew to bring low men whose blood was on these boards or die in the attempt. I couldn't let this go unanswered, Coram was right. He was crew, I had to judge him as crew. "Here is my offer." In this court though, I was a crewman, not final say, I could only say what I would and would not accept. But if I went too easy on them others might risk a mutiny, if I was too harsh I might force them to lay against out of fear. "One half score for each time he cried to lay against." Thirty stripes was a lot. Full count was two score minus one, but I had to show him, and the rest of the crew I was taking each attempt seriously. We voted around the table again, Seven to two, two others still held for full count. We argued for almost two hours before both of them finally gave in. Finally, it was nine votes, and as the person who voiced it, mine was automatically counted for it. Full court. Thirty it would be. "Master at arms, notify the prisoners, we convene to pay the boards at the beginning of the next watch." I turned my back as my men filed out, and for the next two hours, I wrestled with my decision. It could not be undone, not unless I forfeit my boards. "Great dragons, be with me." At last I heard the drumbeat that called us all to pay the boards. I hastily girded my weapons, forcing down the memory of how many times Coram had helped me in these duties. All of my crew that could be spared lined the boards and rigging. This was as much a warning for them as it was a lesson to the accused. This was how men of the sea dealt with treason. "There is treason laid against these boards, and boards tainted by blood or dishonor cannot cross the reef. So this day we settle the debt. Will the accused stand aye to hear sentence?" Both men took a step forward. "Aye Captain." "Because of the cabin-boy's youth, and the fact that he has no blood laid against these boards, we cannot ask Full Price, for the boy has nothing to pay. But such treason as the boy spoke against this captain and these boards cannot go unanswered or it is against the entire crew, and against my own blood by which these boards are bought." I was silent a moment to watch them both. Coram was nervous, but not particularly afraid. The cabin-boy looked terrified. I would wager a guess that this was the first time he'd had to stand for any sort of crime. "Therefore, it is the judgment of this Captain, and accepted by the crew, that a sum of one score and ten lashes be given to pay out the crime. Ten each for each time the cabin boy has incited my crew to lay against. And that the crew understand the gravity of this crime, all other calls against shall pay the same." That meant that any other calls for mutiny would be paid at the same rate. And with as many times as I had turned a blind eye or a deaf ear to such calls, I knew some crew who would only be saved true count by the Code. The Master at arms made to aim for the Cabin boy with the whip, thus to point out whom to bring forward first. "Hold." I pointed at Coram. "Him first. Let the boy understand his wage and what Coram has risked for him." I stood and watched without a word, for I had clamped down on my jaw that I would not speak for them to stop. It tore at me to have to inflict this pain on Coram, my best friend and most trusted Crewman, but Coram had sworn, my hands were tied. By the time the Master at arms was done with Coram, the cabin boy was sobbing. He understood what Coram had pledged for him. "What can I do to repay?" The cabin boy whispered as he was escorted forward to take his turn. "Take them well, and never make me take them again." Coram said. He stood, waiting for the Cabin boy, refusing to leave until the young boy was with him. Coram, it seemed, had made an impression on the boy. I prayed that this was the thing that would make the cabin boy a Pirate to be proud of. "The debt is paid." I spoke when the cabin boy was finally cut down from where he was. "Do not forget the price for your words." I fled to my cabin and shut the door. I didn't want any of my crew to see me cry. Not even because I was afraid to let them know that I could cry, but because Coram was the only man I trusted with the secret of my tears. When I retuned to the deck it was to find Coram at his normal place, wounds bandaged, and the cabin boy had also returned to duty. He was standing with a cup of my best rum waiting for me. "Captain." He bowed his head slightly my way. That was the first time he had addressed me so directly and so respectfully since the gallows.